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      <title>Ghana National Council</title>
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      <copyright>Copyright 2008</copyright>
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         <title>Ghana, Can we Manage Nuclear Waste?</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">THE COMMITTEE of experts set up by the government to look into Ghana's prevailing energy crisis has identified nuclear energy as the only long-term panacea. Among other things, the committee has called for immediate steps to be taken in pursuit of nuclear energy as an alternative source of power. <div><img height="255" src="aolemb://8017DE9F-CDE7-4BE4-B033-568E6347925C/YGP4E91.tmp" width="480" vspace="5" border="0" /></div><br /><br />The recent energy crisis has caused us to look beyond the narrow confines of our hydroelectric and thermal power for generation of electricity. Now today, our experts are calling for nuclear energy as the last bastion against any energy crisis.<br /><br />These recommendations are enough to bring a relief to a nation sweltering under the heat of energy crisis, which has crippled the economy, but before we are consumed to believe that Ghana going nuclear energy would solve our problem let us look dark side which nuclear energy brings. The committee report seems to be silent on this. We can get electricity 24/7 as results of going nuclear but other set of problem will emerge. The solution of one problem brings into face the emergence of another one.<br /><br />In this present world, the emphasis has been producing a clean energy and not just any energy. The recent G8 Summit in Germany sought to reduce carbon emission and the potential of a nuclear fall out from new emerging nuclear nations like India, Pakistan and Iran.<br /><br />Some few years ago, there were two imperatives driving energy policy - affordability and security of supply. There is now a third right up there in lights alongside them. It is the need to stop poisoning our atmosphere with carbon emissions and other harmful gases and thereby contributing to the rise of global warming.<br /><br />Perhaps the nuclear age is winding down in the global scale. The gap between the cost of nuclear and other technologies like solar and wind is narrowing. Indeed, some energy experts say in certain places, high-tech windmills are already cheaper than atomic power.<br /><br />Concerns about global climate change have led many nations to join together in an effort to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases. As part of an international treaty signed in Rio de Janiero in 1992, the industrialised nations agreed to voluntarily cut emissions back to 1990 levels.<br /><br />First, it is too expensive to set up a nuclear plant. Second, nuclear power lacks broad-based public support. And third, the long-term safe management of nuclear waste is far from being resolved. Among the major sources of electricity generation, nuclear power is the most expensive. A new nuclear power plant costs three times as much to build and run as a new natural gas-fired power plant.<br /><br />In fact, nuclear power is now even more expensive than many renewable energy technologies, including wind, biomass, and geothermal power. The only way that this trend could be reversed is if taxpayers subsidize nuclear power. That seems unlikely, since public support for building new nuclear power plants has all but evaporated.<br /><br />Money wasted on nuclear power would be unavailable for other, more effective ways of preventing global climate change.<br /><br /></span><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />Chronicle</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Arrests Made In Fake New Gh Currency</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p><span class="newstext">A final-year student of the Takoradi Polytechnic and two others have been caught with 178 fake Ghana cedi notes in GH&cent;5 denominations. The fake currencies were found on the three when they tried to buy 50Gp (&cent;5,000) worth of onions from a hawker at the Takoradi Central Market. The suspects are Francis de-Graft Amoah, the final-year student, Eric Owusu-Ansah and Joe Mensah, a construction labourer and a driver, respectively.<img height="192" alt="New Cedi" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/14549267.jpg" width="253" border="0" /></span></p><p><span class="newstext">Photo of New Gh Notes</span><span class="newstext"><br /><br />Speaking to the press at the Western Regional Police Headquarters in Sekondi, the Regional Commander of Police, Kofi Duku Arthur, said Amoah was arrested by the market women at about 8:00 a.m. last Sunday when he used one of the fake notes to buy onions from a boy around the Takoradi Central Market. &ldquo;When the boy, who did not have change, gave the GH&cent;5 to a woman to change into smaller denominations for him to enable him to give change to the suspect, the money was found to be fake,&rdquo; he said. Mr. Arthur continued that a search was conducted on the suspect and more fake notes were found on him, based on which he was handed over to the police.<br /><br />He said investigations later revealed that the two other suspects were members of the same church and friends of Amoah&rsquo;s, who they convinced to produce &cent;5 million to be doubled by Alhaji Baba at New Town, A suburb of Accra.Mr. Arthur said the suspects had met at the Mission House of the Great Site Ministry Church at Fadama, from where Mensah led the others to the residence of Alhaji Baba at New Town. Upon meeting the Alhaji, the Regional Commander said, the three produced the &cent;5 million and then took delivery of 200 fake Ghana cedi notes, valued at &cent;10 million in the old currency.<br /><br />Owusu-Ansah and Amoah then sent the fake notes to Takoradi and started spending them at the markets.The commander said when Amoah was arrested with the 53 fake notes, Owusu-Ansah heard about it and quickly bolted with the rest of the notes.Mr. Arthur said Amoah then led the police to Accra, where Owusu-Ansah and Mensah were arrested and 125 fake Ghana cedi notes were retrieved, bringing the total number of fake notes retried to 178. He said 12 of the fake new Ghana cedi notes had already been used by the group.<br /><br /></span></p><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />Graphic</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/08/arrests_made_in_fake_new_gh_cu.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:15:17 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Disaster In Mennisota</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>MINNEAPOLIS---- Alyssa Rocklitz never showed up for work. Kirk Foster and his girlfriend Krystle Webb are nowhere to be found. </p><p>Their friends and family members were among more than 20 relatives gathered in a hotel ballroom early Thursday, waiting for word after an interstate bridge collapsed, killing at least seven and sending dozens of cars plummeting more than 60 feet into the Mississippi River. </p><p>''I've never wanted to see my brother so much in my life,'' said Kristi Foster, who went to the center looking for Kirk. She hadn't had contact with her brother or his girlfriend since the previous night, and his cell phone was shut off. </p><p><!-- start sidebar --></p><div class="sidebar"><div class="enlarge_pic"><a href="javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494405,080207bridge2.fullimage', 'fullimage', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=650,height=650')"><img class="IMG" height="116" src="http://media1.suntimes.com/multimedia/080207bridge2.jpg_20070802_01_39_43_93-116-165.imageContent" width="165" border="0" /></a></div> <div class="caption">Rescue workers gather on the I-35W bridge near Minneapolis after it collapsed Wednesday into the Mississippi River during evening rush hour. <br /><span class="credit">(AP/Pioneer Press, Scott Takushi)</span> </div><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="enlarge_pic"><a href="javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494410,080207bridge.fullimage', 'fullimage', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=650,height=650')"><img class="IMG" height="116" src="http://media1.suntimes.com/multimedia/080207bridge.jpg_20070802_01_33_27_92-116-165.imageContent" width="165" border="0" /></a></div> <div class="caption">The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed Wednesday during evening rush hour sending vehicles, concrete and twisted metal crashing into the water. An unidentified bystander (left) checks on a driver in a minivan trapped on the bridge. <br /><span class="credit">(AP/The Star Tribune, Heather Munro)</span> </div><p><span>PHOTO GALLERY</span><br /><a onclick="javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/news/494319,080107bridgeg.photogallery','PhotoGallery','toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=650,height=650')" href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494235,CST-NWS-bridge02.article#"><img class="IMG" height="236" src="http://media1.suntimes.com/multimedia/BridgeCollapse28_cst_feed_20070802_00_36_33_3718-236-165.imageContent" width="165" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a onclick="javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/news/494319,080107bridgeg.photogallery','PhotoGallery','toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=650,height=650')" href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494235,CST-NWS-bridge02.article#">I-35 Bridge Collapse</a> </p><p><!-- begin poll --><!-- end poll --></p><div id="section_label">RELATED STORIES</div><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494577,bridge080207witness.article"><span class="redtext"><strong>Witnesses:</strong></span> 'It seemed like a movie'</a><br /><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/494549,bridge080207.article"><span class="redtext"><strong>Crash probe:</strong></span> Feds head to Twin Cities</a><br /><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a href="javascript:void(window.open('http://www.nbc5.com/news/13801619/detail.html','_blank','width=788,height=598,status=1,navigation=1,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,toolbar=1,location=1'));"><span class="redtext"><strong>NBC5.com:</strong></span> Video reports from the scene</a><br /><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a href="javascript:void(window.open('http://video.ap.org/vws/search/aspx/ap.aspx?t=s60&amp;p=ENAPus_ENAPus&amp;g=0801dv_mn_bridge_amateur&amp;f=ILCHS','_blank','width=788,height=598,status=1,scrollbars=1,resizable=1'));"><span class="redtext"><strong>AP video:</strong></span> Amateur footage of aftermath</a><br /><span class="reddot">&bull; </span><a href="javascript:void(window.open('http://legacy.suntimes.com/ChicagoSunTimes/Guestbook.asp?PersonID=91881172','_blank','width=788,height=598,status=1,navigation=1,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,toolbar=1,location=1'));"><span class="redtext"><strong>Online memorial:</strong></span> Bridge collapse victims</a><br /><!--  Fact box starts here --></div>The eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, a major Minneapolis artery that carries more than 100,000 vehicles a day, was in the midst of being repaired and two lanes in each direction were closed when the bridge buckled Wednesday while jammed with rush-hour traffic. <p>Officials said seven people died, more than 60 were injured, and as many as 50 vehicles were in the river. The collapse did not appear to be terrorism-related. </p><p>Minneapolis Fire Chief Jim Clack said the death toll could rise. ''We think there are several more vehicles in the river we can't see yet,'' he said Wednesday. </p><p>By 1 a.m. Thursday, Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said all search efforts had been called off for the night and that officials didn't expect to find any more survivors. ''It's dark, it's not safe with the currents in the water and the concrete and rebar,'' he said. </p><p>Search lights on the banks illuminated a horrific scene of twisted wreckage, thick concrete slabs, twisted steel and crushed cars tossed about haphazardly. A line of ambulances idled along the adjacent bridge. </p><p>''Obviously, this is a catastrophe of historic proportions for Minnesota,'' said Gov. Tim Pawlenty. </p><p>Pawlenty said the 40-year-old bridge was inspected by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2005 and 2006 and that no immediate structural problems were noted. ''There were some minor things that needed attention,'' he said. </p><p>Road crews were working on the bridge's joints, guardrails and lights this week, with lane closures overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. </p><p>Aerial shots from local television stations showed the entire span of Interstate 35W had crumpled into the river below. Some injured people were carried up the riverbank, while emergency workers tended to others on the ground and some jumped into the water to look for survivors. Fire and black smoke rose from the wreckage. </p><p>A school bus had just crossed the midsection of the bridge before it collapsed. The bus did not go into the water, and broadcast reports indicated the children on the bus exited out the back door. </p><p>Christine Swift's 10-year-old daughter, Kaleigh, was on the bus, returning from a field trip to Bunker Hills in Blaine. She said her daughter called her about 6:10 p.m. </p><p>''She was screaming, 'The bridge collapsed,''' Swift said. All 60 kids got off the bus safely, but about 10 of the children were injured, officials said. </p><p>The collapsed bridge stood just blocks from the heart of Minneapolis, near tourist attractions like the new Guthrie Theater and the Stone Arch Bridge. As the steamy night progressed, massive crowds circulated in the area on foot or bicycle, some of them wearing Twins T-shirts and caps after departing early from Wednesday night's game at the nearby Metrodome. </p><p>Thursday's game between the Twins and Kansas City Royals was called off, but the Twins decided to go ahead with Wednesday's rather than sending about 25,000 fans back out onto the congested highways. Inside the stadium, there was a moment of silence to honor victims. </p><p>The river's depth at the bridge was not immediately available, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a channel depth of at least 9 feet in the Upper Mississippi from Minneapolis southward to allow for barge and other river traffic. </p><p>There were 18 construction workers on the bridge at the time of the collapse, said Tom Sloan, head of the bridge division for Progressive Contractors Inc., in St. Michael. One of the workers was unaccounted for. </p><p>Sloan said his crew was placing concrete finish on the bridge for what he called a routine resurfacing project. ''It was the final item on this phase of the project. Suddenly the bridge gave way,'' he said. </p><p>Sloan said his workers described a horrific scene. ''They said they basically rode the bridge down to the water. They were sliding into cars and cars were sliding into them,'' he said. </p><p>Several hundred people climbed to the top of the hill in nearby Gold Medal Park, which offered a partially blocked view of the collapsed bridge. A few cried, while others stood in circles and prayed. </p><p>The steel-arched bridge, which was built in 1967, rose about 64 feet above the river and stretched about 1,900 feet across the water. The bridge was built with a single 458-foot-long steel arch to avoid putting any piers in the water that might interfere with river navigation. </p><p>Ian Anderson, a sound engineer at the Fine Line Music Cafe, went to the hotel looking for Rocklitz, a co-worker who was supposed to start her shift around 6 or 7 p.m. Wednesday. </p><p>''I can't remember a single instance in all the time that I've known her when I've called and not gotten straight through,'' Anderson said. ''Something is definitely wrong, and I hope to God it's not this instance.'' </p><p>Source:Chicago Suntimes</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/08/disaster_in_mennisota.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:05:49 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Scouts Celebrate 100 Years</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">Accra, Aug. 1, GNA- The World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) on Wednesday, at a ceremony, pledged to abide by the scout law as part of their centenary celebration.<br /><div><img height="346" src="http://student.hivolda.no/eldhob/nettstad/grafikk/badenpowel.stor.gif" width="230" border="0" /></div><div>Lord Baden-Powel-Founder of Scout Movement.</div><br />The event under the theme: &quot;Scouting Sunrise&quot; brought together over 28 million scouts, leaders and volunteers worldwide.<br /><br />They renewed the Scout promise and oath to be of duty to God, serve their country and humankind. The Ghana Scout Movement had a campfire at the Holy Gardens in Accra to usher in the celebration dubbed: One World, One Country, One Promise, at the Baden Powell Centenary Memorial Hall in Accra and presented a gift for Peace project to the Chief Scout, President John Agyekum Kufuor.<br /><br />Mr. Isaac Newton Addy, Chief Commissioner of the Ghana Scout said the celebration in Ghana would focus on sanitation. He noted that, through scouting in Ghana, many people, during their youth were trained to be disciplined and self-reliant and many of them had the chance to realize and display their talents on both local and international platforms.<br /><br />Mr. Addy said in Ghana, most people above the age 30 years have been scouts, resulting in the popular slogan : &quot;once a scout, always a scout&quot;.<br /><br />The Reverend Kofi Awadzi, Head of the Rural Ministries, also a scout said the scouting law and promise sum up the essence of scouting. He said, &quot;scouting was the global development of the personality of the scout; the end result being having character with purpose, championing and upholding the growth of morals.&quot;<br /><br />Mr Awadzi called on all to remember that the single purpose of scouting was the integral development of a group of people so that they become responsible members of society.<br /><br />King Tackie Tawiah III, Ga Mantse, member of the scout movement said every activity of the scout was to give assistance to society. He urged all scout members to be disciplined and to perform their duty to build a good image for themselves and the movement. Mrs. Jemima Nartey, Deputy Chief Commissioner, giving the history of the movement 100 years down the lane said on the 1st of August 1807, at exactly 0800 hrs, Robert Baden Powell of Britain organized 12 boys in the first scout camp at Brownsea Island of Britain. The number of boys joining scout movement kept on increasing till it turned into WOSM.<br /><br />She called for more females to join the scout movement to render it gender balanced.<br /><br />Mrs. Nartey inaugurated a website for the scout movement in Ghana which is www.ghanascouts.org. 01 Aug. 07</span> <table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />GNA</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/08/scouts_celebrate_100_years.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:01:37 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>MoneyGram Links Up GCB</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<strong><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">MoneyGram International Launches Service at Ghana Commercial Bank Locations.</span></strong></strong><span style="color: black"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">July 27 2007 will forever be etched in the minds of Chicagoans as MoneyGram International treated specially invited members of the community to a lavish dinner to announce th</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">at they have</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> teamed up with the largest indigenous Bank in Ghana, the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) to provide service in all 133 branches of GCB in </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">over 100 towns and rural areas in </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">Ghana.<img height="369" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/news/19492228.full.jpg" width="550" border="0" /></span><span style="color: black"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">MoneyGram International and GCB officials are touring selected cities in USA and Canada to announce the money transfer service directly to community leaders in Chicago, New York, Toronto, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. &nbsp;&ldquo;This is very important news for the many Ghanaians living in the U.S. and Canada,&rdquo; noted Tony Ryan, president of MoneyGram Payment Services.&nbsp; &ldquo;Many of them regularly send funds home to Ghana to help their families there.&nbsp; With the addition of GCB&rsquo;s 133 locations, it makes MoneyGram service much more convenient and accessible to families throughout Ghana who are receiving those funds.&rdquo; </span><span style="color: navy"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">The GCB executives, who are accompanied by MoneyGram executives during the tour, are also attending community events such as the Annual Ghanafest in Chicago on July 28 and the Annual National Council of Ghanaian Associations Picnic on Aug. 4 in New York. They also expect to visit some of the local MoneyGram agents serving Ghanaians in each of the five cities.<p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">Besides their low transfer fees </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">(</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">$9.99</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"> fee</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">to send</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> from $1 to </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">$</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">500</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> $14.99</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"> fee</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> for $500.01 to $1000.00</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"> and</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> 2</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">% fee</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> or $50.00</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"> for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">$1000.00</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">,</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">MoneyGram International </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">is </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">also </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">committed to </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">invest</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">ing</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri"> in the </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">African </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">community</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri">. MoneyGram has built 40 homes in 9 African countries since 2004 though a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. 14 of the 40 homes have been built in Ghana. MoneyGram also supports Africans in the Diaspora by sponsoring the events of various African organizations and providing business opportunities to African shop owners. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">&nbsp;</span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Calibri"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">MoneyGram has been expanding its network in Africa over the last few years and now has more than 4,300 money transfer agent locations throughout the continent.&nbsp; The global company network is now at 125,000 money transfer agent locations in 170 countries and territories.&nbsp; </span><span style="color: black"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">MoneyGram International is a leading global payment services company whose mission is to provide consumers with affordable, reliable and convenient payment services, including money transfer service. MoneyGram has been in business since 1940, with its global headquarters located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. MoneyGram&rsquo;s international money transfer service allows consumers to safely send money around the world in as little as 10 minutes, subject to agent availability and hours of operation. Its convenient and reliable network includes retailers, international post offices and financial institutions. For more information, please visit the company&rsquo;s website at </span><span style="color: black"><a title="http://www.moneygram.com/" href="http://www.moneygram.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri">www.moneygram.com</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri">.</span><span style="color: black"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri">Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), based in Accra, is the largest indigenous bank in Ghana. It was founded in 1953 and it now has branches in every region of the country. GCB is listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="color: black"><p>&nbsp;</p></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial"><p>&nbsp;</p></span>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/08/moneygram_links_up_gcb.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:54:29 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Chicago Ghanafest07 - The Biggest Yet?</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext"><strong>Live Band &amp; Live Kente weaver from Ghana</strong><br />Chicago,July 11 2007- Chicago, the windy city of the Midwest will be <img title="GhanaFest2003 Chicago 7" height="260" alt="GhanaFest2003 Chicago 7" hspace="7" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/88911036.jpg" width="340" align="right" vspace="7" border="0" />buzzing and sizzling hot with the most spectacular and largest Ghanaian cultural festival in the diaspora on July 28 2007 at the historic Washington Park. The Organizers of the festival, The Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago has projected a record patronage this year. <p>If you have not yet planned your 2007 summer vacation, start planning now; start packing your bags and get ready to head towards Chicago. Treat this day as a day of opportunity to mingle and exchange greetings with past school mates and friends you have not seen for a very, very long time.<br />This years' celebrations is packed with exciting activities for the family. A cultural treat your family will forever remember. It will be reminiscent to the older generation of Ghanaians and educational to the youth, especially those who have never seen Ghanaian culture live on such a grand scale. An experience that will be an everlasting memory and a connection with their roots!<br />Don't miss the opportunity to find out why over fifteen thousand people gather in Chicago every year to experience this phenomenon called GHANAFEST,the first and original , that keeps growing every year!<br />Mr. Fritz Kwabena Poku, former Ghana's Ambassador to the United States had one thing to say when he was caught in the moment at Ghanafest, &quot;wow, this is the greatest festival I have ever seen!&quot;<br />The organizers of Ghanafest, an outdoor exhibition with a makeup theme of a Cultural Exposition, are taking a different approach to the festival this year.The Ghanaian musician Union who have been missing in previous years' will perform at the festival. They Union is made up of all Ghanaian bands in the Chicago area. They are led by the talented Dan Boadi , Joe Atiso , Sam Ghansah and Nii Amanor,( The Keybard Wizard!)As usual, the top DJ's in Chicago will be there to show their spinning skills!<br />Lovers of Gospel Music will not be disappointed at the festival as Nat Awuni, Aziza, Diana Akiwumi, Stella Dugan and Davis Wiafe will be at Ghanafest for the first time to roar the crowd in Chicago with their marvelous dances and beautiful voices. It will be a show reserved for the early birds since their performance is scheduled to come off at the early stages of the program.<br />Those who have not seen live Kente weaving will have the opportunity to witness one this year at Ghanafest. The renown Ghanaian Kente weaver , Mr. Asare Kweku, will be handling the 'loom&quot; thought by historians to have been developed around the 17th century, as usual with mastery and dexterity. You may have the chance to try your hands on the loom! You cannot miss out on this!<br />As Usual, the organizers have lined up a number of Dignitaries to grace to occasion. The latest includes, Honorable Dr.Paa Kwesi Nduom,member of Parliament and the outgoing Indefatigable Minister of Public Sector Reform ;and the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Honorable Ignatius Baffour Awuah.<br />The keynote speaker is Chicago's own Dr.John Awah, owner of Korle-Bu Medical Center in Chicago.<br />Mr. CNN, will be a special Ghanaweb photo-journalist at the festival. Other media that has expressed interest in covering the festival includes, Chicago's only &quot;mouth piece&quot; The African Spectrum, The Africast T.V Networks, GTV, BET and other FM Radio stations in Ghana.<br />Members of the public who patronize Ghanafest raffle tickets will have a lot of items to try their luck on this year as the GNC has approved a polaroid TV as the first prize and many other consolation prizes that includes DVD and CD players.<br />Art and Craft Vendors will pay $70.00 per 10 by 10 inches booth space whilst corporate spaces will go for $500.00 .<br />DJ's and musicians attending the festival and want to participate should email CBOAHENE@sbcglobal.net to register ASAP. </p><p>There will be a community Church Service on Sunday, July 29 2007 at 1937 S. Michigan from 1 PM to 3 PM.<br />For more information about Ghanafest 2007, visit ghananationalcouncil.org.<br /><br /><br /><br /><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />Organizers of Ghanafest, Chicago.</td></tr></tbody></table></p></span>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/chicago_ghanafest07_the_bigges.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/chicago_ghanafest07_the_bigges.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:23:51 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Govt to pursue full energy cost recovery policy</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">Koforidua, July 20, GNA- Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda, the Minister of Energy, <img title="Adda 2007" height="183" alt="Adda 2007" hspace="7" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/56073782.gif" width="180" align="right" vspace="7" border="0" />on Wednesday said government would pursue a policy of full cost recovery on energy used in the country.<br /><br />The Minster, however, said the problem at hand was how to get along with all the stakeholders in the energy sector.<br /><br />Mr. Adda was speaking at the end of a two-day extra-ordinary executive committee meeting of the Union of Producers, Transporters and Distributors of Electric Power in Africa (UPDEA) at Akosombo. He urged all agencies involved in energy generation and distribution to behave responsibly as the Government moved towards the implementation of the policy.<br /><br />Mr. Adda said the Government was revamping the agencies responsible for energy generation to ensure that greater part of their resources were used on their core businesses.<br /><br />The Minister said the Government had, therefore, decided to set up a company to manage a new 400-megawatt hydro electricity facility adding that workers of the Volta River Authority could be asked to work any such establishment.<br /><br />Mr. Adda said the Government had diversified the source of electric power generation in the country, and would welcome private participation in the energy sector.<br /><br />He said the Government had signed various agreements to enable it purchase power from private organizations that might undertake electricity generation.<br /><br />Mr. Edward Njoroge, the first Vice-President of UPDEA, observed that the current energy crisis in Ghana was not unique to the country and that other African countries were going through similar experiences. He said the rapid economic development in African had resulted in high demand for energy while poor energy generation and distribution had led to a wide gab between supply and demand for electricity. Mr. Mutima Sakrini, the General Secretary of UPDEA, said access to electricity in Africa was generally very poor and worse in the rural areas, except countries in North Africa, which had about 98 per cent electricity coverage.<br /><br />He stressed that access to electricity in the rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa ranged from three to 30 per cent except South Africa, which had about 50 per cent coverage.<br /><br />Mr. Sakrini noted that many African countries were undergoing load shedding because of the inability of power plants to generate enough energy due to unstable water level as a result of climatic variations. He suggested the establishment of interconnectivity at sub-regional and continental levels for the pooling of resources so that in times of difficulty, countries could help each other. Mr. Sakrini also advocated the diversification of sources of energy, introduction of pragmatic measures and the harmonization of plans for the generation and supply of electricity within countries in the sub-region.<br /><br />The Deputy Chief Executive of VRA, Mr Eric Yankah, said the Authority was working to meet the energy needs of the country. Countries that participated in the meeting were; Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Ethiopia, Mali and Cote d' Ivoire.<br /><br /></span><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />GNA</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/govt_to_pursue_full_energy_cos.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/govt_to_pursue_full_energy_cos.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:20:14 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Ghana to play Senegal in London</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext"><img title="Laryea Kingston Vs Senegal" height="273" alt="Laryea Kingston Vs Senegal" hspace="7" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/24110152.jpg" width="380" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />Ghana will meet their west African rivals Senegal in a friendly at venue in London on 21 August.<br /><br />The two teams will meet at the New Den, the home ground of English League side Millwall to play the game.<br /><br />Ghana are using the match as part of their build-up to the African Cup of Nations tournament which they are hosting next January.<br /><br />Senegal, currently top qualifying group Group 7, will get an early taste of a side they could meet if they progress to the finals.<br /><br />It follows Ghana's friendly match against Nigeria which was also played in London, this time at Brentford's Griffin Park.<br /><br />The Black Stars recorded their first victory over the Super Eagles in 15 years with a 4-1 win.<br /><br /></span>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/ghana_to_play_senegal_in_londo.html</link>
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         <category></category>
         <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2007 13:17:16 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Russian expels 4 British diplomats</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<div class="storyhdr"><p><span>By STEVE GUTTERMAN, Associated Press Writer </span></p><p><span />36 minutes ago </p></div><p>MOSCOW - <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Russia</span> said Thursday it will expel four British diplomats and suspend counterterrorism cooperation with <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">London</span>, the latest move in a mounting confrontation over the radiation poisoning death of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko. </p><p><span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Britain</span> had announced Monday the expulsion of four Russian diplomats and restrictions on visas issued to <span style="background: #dceeff; cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Russian government officials</span> after <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Moscow</span> refused to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, accused of killing Litvinenko in London last November.</p><p>A spokesman for Prime Minister <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Gordon Brown</span> called the Russian move &quot;completely unjustified.&quot;</p><p>The dispute marks a new low in relations between Moscow and London, which had already been troubled by Russia's opposition to the war in Iraq, Britain's refusal to extradite exiled tycoon Boris Berezovsky to face embezzlement charges, and by <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Kremlin</span> allegations last year of spying by British diplomats.</p><p>Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin announced the expulsions after summoning British Ambassador Anthony Brenton to the ministry and informing him.</p><p>Kamynin described Russia's response as &quot;targeted, balanced and the minimum necessary.&quot; He contended that Russia was forced to respond, saying Britain had made a &quot;conscious choice of worsening relations with our country.&quot;</p><p>Brown spokesman Michael Ellam said Britain viewed Russia's action as &quot;completely unjustified, and we will continue to take this matter forward with the international community over the next weeks.&quot;</p><p>Foreign Secretary <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">David Miliband</span> expressed disappointment.</p><p>&quot;We obviously believe that the decision to expel four embassy staff is completely unjustified and we will be doing everything to ensure that they and their families are properly looked after,&quot; he said.</p><p><span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice</span> called on Moscow to heed British demands and extradite Lugovoi &mdash; the first time America's senior diplomat has weighed in on the dispute.</p><p>&quot;This is an issue of rule of law to our minds, not an issue of politics,&quot; Rice said at a news conference in <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Portugal</span>, where she was attending a conference on Middle East peace. &quot;It is a matter of Russia cooperating fully in what is simply an effort to solve what was a very terrible crime committed on British soil.&quot;</p><p>Russia says such extraditions are prohibited by its constitution and characterized Britain's demand as an attempt to interfere in Moscow's internal affairs.</p><p>&quot;We are disappointed that the Russian government should have signaled no new cooperation in the extradition of Mr. Andrei Lugovoi for the alleged murder of Alexander Litvinenko,&quot; Miliband said.</p><p>&quot;We are, however, much heartened that over the last 36 hours across the international community, European countries, the EU as a whole and the <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">United States</span> should have put out such positive statements about the need to defend the integrity of the British judicial system, and that is something that we shall be taking forward with the international community over the next few days and weeks,&quot; Miliband said.</p><p>Litvinenko, a fierce <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Kremlin</span> critic, died Nov. 23 after ingesting radioactive polonium-210. From his deathbed, he said <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Russian President Vladimir Putin</span> was behind his poisoning.</p><p>A letter from Russia's ambassador in <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">London</span> denounced claims of Kremlin involvement in Litvinenko's murder.</p><p>&quot;It is preposterous to assert that the killing of Alexander Litvinenko 'appears to have the clear backing, if not the active assistance, of the Russian government,'&quot; Ambassador Yuri Fedotov wrote in a letter to The Times, responding to an editorial published Tuesday.</p><p>Fedotov said there is nothing sinister in Russia's refusal to hand over Lugovoi, and reaffirmed Russia's offer to put him on trial at home if British authorities provide enough evidence. </p><p>Fedotov, who has been uncharacteristically visible in British media this week, said that how far the standoff goes depends on the &quot;political will&quot; of the British government. </p><p>&quot;The Russian government values its relations with the U.K. and respects its laws and constitutional arrangement,&quot; Fedotov wrote. &quot;A close relationship, of course, requires that the British government does the same.&quot; </p><p>British police said Wednesday that it had apprehended and deported a suspected Russian assassin who was reportedly planning to murder Berezovsky in June. The tycoon accused the Kremlin of being behind that plot. </p><p>Kamynin also said <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Russia</span> would stop issuing visas to British officials and seeking British visas for Russian officials until London provides more information on the restrictions it has imposed. </p><p>&quot;Until the new procedure is explained, Russian officials will not request British visas. And analogous requests by British officials will not be considered,&quot; he said. </p><p>He also said <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Moscow</span> would suspend cooperation against terror. </p><p>&quot;To our regret, cooperation between Russia and <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Britain</span> on issues of fighting terrorism becomes impossible,&quot; Kamynin said. </p><p>He did not elaborate, and the extent of current cooperation &mdash; with ties already damaged by Russian intelligence services' accusations of British spying &mdash; was unclear. </p><p><span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Natalia</span> Leshchenko, an analyst at the Global Insight think tank, said on BBC TV that Britain and Russia do cooperate against terror, but suggested the suspension was mainly meant to tarnish Brown's new government in the eyes of its own people. </p><p>&quot;The cooperation itself is there and we can also say it can be exaggerated if needed to show that <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Gordon Brown</span> acts against the British people. At least that's what they are saying to the Russian public at the moment,&quot; Leshchenko said. </p><p>Kamynin said the interests of tourists and businessmen would not be hurt. He said that on visa issues, Russia would mirror Britain's actions from now on. </p><p>___ </p><p>Associated Press writers Jim Heintz and Tariq Panja contributed to this report from London.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/russian_expels_4_british_diplo.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/russian_expels_4_british_diplo.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:14:13 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Asbestos found in dust from NYC eruption</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<div class="storyhdr"><p><span>By ADAM GOLDMAN, Associated Press Writer </span></p><p><span />1 hour, 39 minutes ago </p></div><p>NEW YORK - A massive geyser of steam and debris that erupted through a midtown Manhattan street left asbestos in the dust that settled, but city officials said Thursday that tests indicated the air was safe. </p><p>The city's Office of Emergency Management said in a statement that long-term health problems from the rupture of the 83-year-old steam pipe and its debris were &quot;unlikely.&quot;</p><p>Streets were still closed Thursday morning around the crater left by the eruption near <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Grand Central Terminal</span>, creating near-gridlock during the morning rush. New Yorkers streamed down Park Avenue, some wearing masks to filter the air as they weaved around utility trucks amid the sound of jackhammers. Clumps of office workers, BlackBerries in hand, huddled on corners for word on whether their offices would open.</p><p>&quot;I'm mostly calm and collected,&quot; said Tony Vcaj, 26, who was outside his closed building at 42nd Street and Third Avenue. He was trying to reach his boss to figure out the day's game plan.</p><p>The loud, rumbling eruption began shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, breaking windows and rattling buildings as the pipe spewed steam, dirt and debris hundreds of feet into the air. One woman died of an apparent heart attack, and about 30 people were injured, four seriously.</p><p>Officials quickly ruled out terrorism as the cause of the blast, but for some witnesses, the explosion, dust and chaos were frighteningly reminiscent of the scene on Sept. 11, 2001.</p><p>&quot;We were scared to death. It sounded like a bomb hit or a bomb went off, just like 9/11. People were hysterical, crying, running down the street,&quot; said Karyn Easton, a customer at a salon a few blocks from the site of the blast. &quot;It was really surreal.&quot;</p><p>City crews worked overnight to assess and repair the damage and to determine what happened. Most subway service was restored, though most of the trains were passing Grand Central.</p><p>On Thursday, asbestos contamination was the main lingering health concern, Mayor <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Michael Bloomberg</span> said. Some of the pipes that pump steam beneath the city to heat and cool thousands of buildings are wrapped in asbestos, which can cause cancer and other serious illnesses with prolonged exposure.</p><p>Area residents were urged to keep windows closed, and anyone exposed to the falling debris was instructed to wash carefully and isolate the clothing they were wearing in plastic bags. Eight air samples in the area around the explosion found no sign of asbestos, but six of 10 samples of debris and dust came back positive, the emergency-management agency said Thursday.</p><p>City engineers also warned that up to six feet surrounding the giant hole might be in danger of further collapse, and officials said workers would not be allowed into office buildings in a zone that covered several blocks.</p><p>Officials said the steam pipe might have exploded under pressure caused by an infiltration of cold rainwater, or it might have been damaged by a water main break.</p><p><span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Con Edison</span> head Kevin Burke said the site had been inspected hours before the blast as part of a routine response to heavy rain that flooded parts of the city. He said crews had found nothing as they searched for steam rising from manhole covers or cracks in the street &mdash; indications that pipes could be in jeopardy. The steam systems are normally inspected every six weeks.</p><p>It was rush hour Wednesday evening when the geyser erupted, generating a tremendous roar as 200-degree vapor sprayed as high as the top of the nearby <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Chrysler Building</span>. Steam and dirt boiled from the ground for hours.</p><p>Several people were struck by falling chunks of asphalt or rock that had been blasted out of the ground. Mud covered others. A woman who was bleeding heavily was helped by police while a man lay on a stretcher in the street.</p><p>When the steam dispersed almost two hours later, a large crater was visible in the street and a red truck lay at the bottom of the hole. Two city buses and a small school bus sat abandoned and covered with grit in the middle of Lexington Avenue.</p><p>The steam pipes have ruptured before. In 1989, a steam pipe explosion near <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Gramercy Park</span> killed three people and spewed loads of asbestos into the air &mdash; a fact that <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Con Ed</span> later admitted it concealed for days while residents were exposed.</p><p>That explosion was caused by a condition known as &quot;water hammer,&quot; in which water condenses in a closed section of pipe. The sudden mix of hot steam and cool water can cause pressure to skyrocket, bursting the pipe. </p><p>Authorities Thursday couldn't immediately account for how the most seriously wounded victims of the latest eruption were hurt. Police said the woman who died, identified as Lois Baumerich, 57, of Hawthorne, N.J., suffered cardiac arrest. </p><p>She and 15 other people were taken to Bellevue Hospital, where two seriously injured patients were being treated in a trauma unit, hospital spokesman Stephen Bohlen said. Two other people were in critical condition at <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">New York</span> Weill-Cornell Medical Center, said hospital spokeswoman Emily Berlanstein. </p><p>Among the injured were several firefighters and police Officer Robert Mirfield, who helped evacuate 75 people trapped in a nearby office building by cutting open a gate, authorities said. </p><p>___ </p><p>Associated Press Writers Jennifer Peltz, Eric Vora, Richard Pyle, Tom Hays, Marcus Franklin, David B. Caruso and Verena Dobnik and AP National Writer Deborah Hastings contributed to this report.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/asbestos_found_in_dust_from_ny.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/asbestos_found_in_dust_from_ny.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:11:02 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Older drivers play safe on roads, U.S. study finds</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<div class="storyhdr"><p><span>By Ishani Ganguli </span></p><p><span />Wed Jul 18, 6:26 PM ET </p></div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Young drivers between 15 and 24 years old are three times as likely to cause car accidents as senior citizens, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, noting that the findings contradict policies that make it harder for older drivers to renew their licenses. </p><p>People over the age of 65 make up 15 percent of drivers but were responsible for only 7 percent of the 330,000 fatal two-car crashes in the past 25 years, researchers at the Rand Institute for Social Justice found.</p><p>Drivers up to age 24 represented 13 percent of drivers, but caused 43 percent of the accidents across the <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">United States</span>, they said. Senior drivers were only 16 percent more likely to cause an accident than drivers between the ages of 25 and 64.</p><p>&quot;(There is) pretty widespread public concern about the safety of older drivers,&quot; said David Loughran, an economist at RAND who worked on the study.</p><p>&quot;Over the past 20 years, there been a strong trend to adopt more stringent licensing policies,&quot; he added. &quot;The fact that older drivers are not that much riskier suggests that these policies are certainly questionable.&quot;</p><p>The deterioration in vision and slower reflexes that come with age can hamper the ability to drive, while senior citizens are also more vulnerable to serious injury and nearly seven times more likely than other adult drivers to be killed if they do have an accident, the study found.</p><p>But the findings suggested that senior citizens are choosing to drive less frequently or to stop altogether. Those who still get behind the wheel often play it safe -- driving in daylight and avoiding dangerous conditions, Loughran said.</p><p><span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">Illinois</span> and <span style="cursor: hand; border-bottom: #0066cc 1px dashed">New Hampshire</span> require road tests for older drivers, while other states require them to take vision tests or renew their licenses in person.</p><p>&quot;On the one hand, requiring older drivers to take road tests, for example, would certainly identify some older drivers whose driving abilities have deteriorated unacceptably,&quot; the researchers wrote.</p><p>&quot;But our results suggest that there are relatively few older drivers who need to be legally prohibited from driving, so these drivers pose a relatively small risk to traffic safety overall.&quot;</p><p>Efforts to reduce accidents would be better focused on younger drivers, who drive more frequently and are riskier when they do so, Loughran said.</p><p>Source: news.yahoo.com</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/older_drivers_play_safe_on_roa.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/older_drivers_play_safe_on_roa.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:04:26 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Vida Anim wins heat</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">Algiers, July 18, GNA - Ghana's medal hope, Vida Anim (Pictured)returned a time of 11.40 seconds to win one of the heats in the 100 metres women's sprint event at the All Africa Games in Algiers on Wednesday.<br /><br />Running in lane one, the Ghanaian breasted the tape ahead of Cameroonian, D. B. Alaijama who finished in second place with a time of 11.49 seconds while<br /><br />Selima Bouali of Algeria picked the third spot with a time of 11.79. All three runners have qualified for the semi stage to be run later this evening.<br /><br />In other heats, Gifty Addy returned a time of 11.82 seconds to place fourth and make the semi final in heat one, won by Nigerian Damola Osayomi who returned 11.40 seconds, same as Anim.<br /><br /><img title="Vida Anim" height="162" alt="Vida Anim" hspace="7" src="http://www.ghanaweb.biz/GHP/img/pics/40119562.jpg" width="162" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />&nbsp;Also in line for a semi final contest in the women's class is Esther Danquah, who placed fourth in her heat won by Nigerian, Francisca Idoko, whose time of 11.38 was the fastest in the heats.<br /><br />In the men's 100 metres sprint race, Ghana will parade three runners in the semi final.<br /><br />Henry Adu Mfum placed second in heat one to book a place, as well as Eric Nkansah who also placed second in heat two, while Saed Justin Abu Duah placed third in the other heat. 18 July 07<br /></span>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/vida_anim_wins_heat.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/vida_anim_wins_heat.html</guid>
         <category>Sports</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:59:29 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>OneTouch League Ranked 14th In Africa</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">Ghana premier league is now ranked 14th on the African continent but 79th globally with 117 points. Ghana boasted 29th position in the 2006 ranking but due to the emergence of more stronger leagues the nation has dropped heavily. <p>According the ranking company based in Bonn- Germany, Spanish League is the strongest league in the world followed by Brazil, England 3rd, Argentina 4th, Mexico 5th with Italy at the 6th position. </p><p>The Primera Divisi&Atilde;&sup3;n of Spain is again the strongest league in the world, because until now Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have not shone in all competitions. The decline of the Italian Serie A is serious. Three top teams (Roma, both clubs from Milan) are too few and the &quot;Italian scandal&quot; is having its expected late effect. </p><p>The French have a balanced league on a good level, but with only one top team as many teams are lacking consistency. The drop in performance of the German Bundesliga is significant, even if in Germany the opposite view will be published a million times. </p><p>The Mexican Primera Divisi&Atilde;&sup3;n has further developed as the 3rd strongest league in Latin America. The Major League Soccer (USA) is not as strong as in the first years following its foundation. </p><p>Furthermore Tunisia is ahead of Egypt as the strongest league in Africa. Also impressive are the improvements in the leagues of Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.<br />The leagues of Lebanon and Syria have become surprising strong, but, because of the schedule, the Japanese league Asia&acirc;&euro;&tilde;s is favourite. Greatly improved are the leagues of Iran, Singapore, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman, Malaysia, Hong Kong and India as well as the leagues of Saudi Arabia and UAE which have re-gained strength. The Republic of Korea and China, in the same way as Japan, always enjoy a better second half of the year.<br />In Europe &acirc;&euro;&ldquo; apart from the above, the leagues of following countries have lost some of their strength: Czech Republic, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Ireland and Moldava. </p><pre> Place      Top Division Points <br /> 1.	Spain	602,0 <br /> 2.	Brasil	568,0 <br /> 3.	England	550,0 <br /> 4.	Argentina	548,0 <br /> 5.	Mexico	486,5 <br /> 6.	Italia	479,0 <br /> 7.	France	386,5 <br /> 8.	Colombia	364,5<br /> 9.	Germany	361,0<br /> 10.	Chile	342,5<br /> 11.	Paraguay	324,0<br /> 12.	Uruguay	310,0<br /> 13.	Portugal	308,0<br /> 14.         Netherlands 290,5<br /> 15.	Tunisia	270,5<br /> 16.	Turkey	260,5<br /> 17.	Egypt	258,5<br /> 18.	Belgium	256,5<br /> 19.	Peru	245,0<br /> 20.	Scotland	237,0<br /> 21.	Lebanon	235,5<br /> 22.	Alg&Atilde;&copy;rie	228,0<br /> 23.	Greece	221,5<br /> 24.	Cameroun	215,5<br /> 25.	Russia	213,5<br /> 26.	Nigeria	211,5<br /> 27.	S Africa	205,5<br /> 28.	Japan	203,5<br /> 29.	Syria	201,5<br /> 30.	Romania	196,5<br /> 31.	Iran	195,0<br /> 32.	Singapore	190,5<br /> 33.          Ukraina	190,5<br /> 34.	Jordan	189,5<br /> 35.	Israel	187,5<br /> 36.	Ecuador	185,0<br /> 37.	Bolivia	182,0<br /> 38.          Maroc	182,0<br /> 39.	Uzbekistan	180,5<br /> 40.	S Arabia	179,5<br /> 41.	UAE	177,0<br /> 42.	Bahrain	171,0<br /> 43.	Oman	170,0<br /> 44.	Malaysia	167,0<br /> 45.         Venezuela	167,0<br /> 46.         C d'Ivoire    163,0<br /> 47.           India	163,0<br /> 48.	Česk&Atilde;&iexcl; Republika	162,0<br /> 49.	Hong Kong	157,0<br /> 50.	Korea (S)	156,0<br /> 51.	Estonia	153,0<br /> 52.	N Ireland	152,0<br /> 53.	Angola	151,0<br /> 54.	Zambia	147,5<br /> 55.	Qatar	146,0<br /> 56.	Yemen	144,0<br /> 57.	China	142,5<br /> 58.	Kuwait	141,0<br /> 59.	Costa Rica	139,0<br /> 60.          Zimbabwe	139,0<br /> 61.	Albania	137,0<br /> 62.          Switzerland	137,0<br /> 63.	Armenia	136,0<br /> 64.          Srbija	136,0<br /> 65.	Georgia	131,0<br /> 66.	Bulgaria	130,5<br /> 67.	Poland	130,0<br /> 68.	Indonesia	126,5<br /> 69.	Senegal	125,5<br /> 70.	Danmark	125,0<br /> 71.           Honduras	125,0<br /> 72.	Belarus	124,0<br /> 73.          Macedonia	124,0<br /> 74.	&Atilde;&ndash;sterreich	123,5<br /> 75.	Slovensko	121,5<br /> 76.	Sudan	120,0<br /> 77.	Vietnam	119,5<br /> 78.	Panama	118,0<br /><strong>79.	Ghana	117,0</strong><br /> 80.          Guatemala	117,0<br /> 81.           Lietuva	117,0<br /> 82.	Croatia	116,0<br /> 83.           HUngary	116,0<br /> 84.	USA	115,0<br /> 85.	Thailand	114,0<br /> 86.	El Salvador	111,0<br /> 87.	Slovenija	110,0<br /> 88.	Australia	106,5<br /> 89.	&Atilde;&permil;ire	105,0<br /> 90.	Moldova	104,0</pre><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />CUBAGEE URIEL-HOMEBASE MEDIA(cubageeuu@yahoo.com)</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/onetouch_league_ranked_14th_in.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/onetouch_league_ranked_14th_in.html</guid>
         <category>Sports</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:55:06 +0000</pubDate>
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            <item>
         <title>Five regions to benefit from CWSA projects</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">Kumasi, July 19, GNA- A total of 500,000 people in five regions of the country are expected to benefit from potable water and toilets to be provided by the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) by 2009. The beneficiary regions are Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Western.<br /><br />The World Bank, Government of Ghana, District Assemblies and beneficiary communities are funding the project at the cost of 41 million dollars, under the Small Towns Water and Sanitation Project. Mr. Arthur M. Swatson Junior, task team leader for the Small Towns Water and Sanitation Project of the CWSA, announced these at a two-day workshop organized by the CWSA for stakeholders in Kumasi on Monday. The event, which attracted over 70 participants from the beneficiary regions sought to adopt effective measures towards the successful implementation of the Project.<br /><br />Mr. Swatson Junior said 40 districts, municipal and metropolitan assemblies in the beneficiary regions were assisting in the implementation of the scheme.<br /><br />He stressed that so far 300,000 people have benefited from potable water and 200,000 people would enjoy the facility by the end of 2009. Mr. Swatson Junior said the Project entailed the integration of water, sanitation and education on hygiene and capacity building for the assemblies, communities and agencies involved in the implementation of the programme.<br /><br />He said beneficiary communities would be made to possess and manage facilities provided by CWSA to ensure their sustenance. Mr. Swatson Junior explained that the Project was aimed at contributing meaningfully towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.<br /><br />Mr. Ofori McCarthy, the Ashanti Regional Director of the CWSA, said a number of communities in the region were provide with boreholes fitted with pumps to improve upon the water situation those area. He mentioned Boanim in the Afigya-Sekyere District, Jachie-Pramso and Foase in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District, Kwaso, Onwi and Juaben in the Ejisu-Juaben District as some of the beneficiary communities.<br /><br />Mr. Ofori urged the participants to apply skills and knowledge acquired at the workshop appropriately to ensure the success of the Project.</span> <table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />GNA</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/five_regions_to_benefit_from_c.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/five_regions_to_benefit_from_c.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:47:45 +0000</pubDate>
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         <title>Drugs situation in Ghana worsening</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<span class="newstext">The Chairman of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), General Joshua Hamidu, on Wednesday conceded that the problem of illicit drug trafficking and abuse is worsening in the country.<br /><br />He said the streets of cities and towns, secondary schools and psychiatric hospitals were filled with young men who had been caught in the menace of narcotic drugs.<br /><br />At the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and five of Ghana's security agencies in Accra on Wednesday, Gen Hamidu said the security agencies had an uphill task to deal with what he called narcotic &quot;demons&quot; in the society.<br /><br />Under the MoU, a Joint Port Unit with personnel drawn from NACOB, Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) will be formed to profile all containers arriving at the country's ports.<br /><br />The UNODC will offer training for the selected personnel next month for the unit to be operational.<br /><br />Messrs Ben Botwe, Kwaku Duah and Mike A. E. Griffin, Executive Secretary of NACOB, Deputy Director, BNI, and General Manager, Corporate Planning of GPHA, signed for their respective organisations while Dr Joaquim Saweka, WHO Country Representative, witnessed the signing on behalf of the UN.<br /><br />According to Gen Hamidu, the sad aspect of the problem was that decent people who should be working for decent money were those indulging in the narcotics trade to make money at the peril of others.<br /><br />He said the awful thing about the problem was that the dealers led ostentatious lifestyles after making the money, with society showing more respect to such demons.<br /><br />Gen Hamidu, therefore, called on all Ghanaians, especially the media, to help wage a relentless fight against the criminals.<br /><br />He said the battle was neither one for NACOB nor the security agencies alone but for every Ghanaian.<br /><br />He appealed to the media to always exercise restraint when investigations were being conducted into cases because any rush to publish such stories were bound to thwart the efforts to get to those behind the trade.<br /><br />Mr Ben Botwe said the drug problem was a multifaceted one, and therefore there was the need for collaboration with other agencies to deal with it.<br /><br />He said each of the agencies had different competencies, hence the co-operation and collaboration under the project to ensure a holistic approach in dealing with the menace.<br /><br />For his part, Dr Saweka said the signing of the MoU was another benchmark of success for the fight against illicit drug trafficking in the country.<br /><br />He said Ghana and Senegal were the only African beneficiaries of the Global Container Project since it was launched in 2005.<br /><br /></span><table width="100%" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><strong>Source</strong>:<br />Daily Graphic</td></tr></tbody></table>]]></description>
         <link>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/drugs_situation_in_ghana_worse.html</link>
         <guid>http://ghananationalcouncil.org/blog1/2007/07/drugs_situation_in_ghana_worse.html</guid>
         <category>News</category>
         <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2007 15:46:19 +0000</pubDate>
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