The swearing-in ceremony of the immediate past UN Secretary-General, Busumuru Kofi Annan, makes front-page in the Graphic and the Times. Different pictures and headlines of yesterday’s ceremony are used by the papers to describe the occasion. The papers accompanied their stories with pictures of the new Chancellor being assisted to put on his official robe. Some of the pictures show President Kufuor administering the Oath of Office to Mr. Annan. The occasion also witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on 16 personalities who have distinguished themselves in various disciplines . The occasion, according to the reports was witnessed by members of the diplomatic corps, presidential candidates of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ministers of State, Members of Parliament and Chiefs. A minute silence was observed for the late Peter Ala Adjetey, who was also nominated for distinguished contribution to Public Service.
In page-three of the Ghanaian Times is a story on Parliament’s emergency sitting today. Members of Parliament are expected to consider outstanding and any other Parliamentary business. High on the House’s agenda is the proposed sale of the 70 per cent government shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone for a 900 million- dollar capital injection.
The Times reports on its front page, the death of one of the five persons jailed for their involvement in the MV Benjamin Cocaine Case. Philip Bruce Arhin, according to the Times, died on Saturday after his discharge from the Nsawam Government Hospital on Friday. Although the paper states that the course of death is not known, a source who gave the Ghanaian Times the information believes Philip Bruce Arhin died of jaundice.
On page 15 of the Chronicle is a report that the Northern Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association, GJA, has taken a swipe at a stringer for the Independent Newspaper. The association described him as a fraudster who should not be taken serious by members of the public. Abdul Ganiyu Brigandi last week allegedly conspired with the Northern Regional Correspondent of the Statesman newspaper to carry a false front-page publication on an alleged assault on him by some supporters of the NDC. In the Statesman publication, Brigandi appeared in blood drenched shirt, as though he had been beaten and tortured by the NDC supporters, who he alleged had attacked him during the voters registration exercise. Investigations carried out by the GJA, however, revealed that though Brigandi was attacked by the NDC supporters, he did not sustain any head injury, broken arm or even a cut on any part of his body, though the pictures used for the publication portrayed that blood oozed from parts of his body.
Editorials "Decision Day for GT-Vodafone deal” is how the Daily Graphic headlines its editorial. Parliament will Tuesday resume sitting to look at the GT-Vodafone Agreement. The Graphic therefore cautions against any boycott of the emergency sitting. It counsels all MPs to make an appearance in the house and argue their positions as forcefully as possible. The Graphic hopes that amidst the heckling, name-calling and rowdy scenes, good sense would prevail so that the pros and cons of the GT-Vodafone deal would be made known to the public. The paper thinks the bottom line should be a process that would promote the revival of GT and let the rule of law be the winner.
The Ghanaian Times is relieved that students from different ethnic groups in the Upper East Region got together to undertake a clean-up exercise. The paper sees this as a break from the news of the alarming nature of the crisis there. The Times describes the exercise as significant because the youth who have been at the centre of some of the outbreaks of violence took part in the clean-up. It hopes that those instigating the conflict and the violence will listen to the plea for peace and unity made by the youths.
The Chronicle congratulates the Ghana Cocoa Board on deciding to put measures in place to ensure mass production of the cash crop. The paper thinks Cocobod has set a good example that must be emulated by those who handle other sectors of the economy. The Chronicle thinks Ghana can maximize profits from oil only if other sectors are given equal attention as Cocobod. It cautions Ghanaians not to rush to embrace the oil industry to the neglect of cocoa, timber and other sectors.
The Daily Searchlight is of the opinion that the Electoral Commission, E.C. has messed up in the organisation of the voters' register. The paper thinks the current exercise even with the extension has become problematic and is likely to affect the up-coming general elections. The Daily Searchlight asks the chairman of the Electoral Commission to retire and urges the E.C. to do an impact assessment to avoid any problem in the conduct of the December elections.
