ARIWO !

GHANA : PRESIDENT MILLS CANCELS 375 DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS

By Emmanuel Akli

President Mills

Barely a week after the Wikileaks website exposed both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its predecessor, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments on the way they handled the fight against narcotic drugs in the country, information filtering in indicates that the Atta Mills government has revoked as many as 375 diplomatic passports.

Among those who have been affected are Pastors, Imams, businessmen and chiefs, who by virtue of the diplomatic passport use the Very Very Important People (VVIP) Lounge at the Kotoka International Airport anytime they travel outside the country.

So far, there has not been any official comment as to whether these passports were revoked because their holders were suspected to be dealing in drugs.

But Deputy Minister of information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told The Chronicle in a telephone interview at the weekend that the revocation had nothing to do with the Wikileaks report, and that the decision was taken in 2009 as part of efforts by the Atta Mills government to fight against the drug menace in the country.

In the Wikileaks publication, President Mills was quoted as having told the American Ambassador in Ghana, during a private conversation that elements of his government had already been compromised, and that officials at the airport tipped off drug traffickers about operations there.

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Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown

Toute republication de cet article doit en mentionner et l’origine et l’auteur sous peine d’infraction

Customs intercepts 5,000 smuggled bags of rice in Lagos

WITH few days into Yuletide when demand for rice is expected to shoot up, smugglers are intensifying their efforts to smuggle the commodity into the country for higher profit margins by avoiding payment of duty and levies.

But security agencies are not relenting in their chase for the smugglers, especially during this festive period.

Recently, security agents from the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) of the Nigerian Customs Service intercepted over 5,000 bags of rice and several gallon of vegetable oil being smuggled into Lagos using wood boat of about five metres draught.

Already, four persons have been arrested by customs over the smuggling attempt, just as the boat had been confiscated by the Nigerian Customs Service.

The Comptroller of the FOU unit in Lagos, Emma Kane told newsmen that the boat navigated into Lagos from Cotonou through the Atlantic Ocean…

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Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown 

Toute republication de cet article doit en mentionner et l’origine et l’auteur sous peine d’infraction

Ghana oil begins pumping for first time

The West African nation of Ghana has begun to pump its first commercial oil after the discovery of the offshore Jubilee Field three years ago.

President John Atta Mills turned on the valve at an offshore platform.

A consortium led by UK-based Tullow Oil hopes to produce 55,000 barrels per day, increasing to 120,000 barrels in six months.

Ghana, one of Africa's most stable countries, is expected to earn $400m (£254m) in the first year.

Wearing safety gear and blue overalls, the president opened the valve in a televised ceremony some 60km (40 miles) off the coast from the town of Takoradi, Reuters news agency reports.

The discovery of oil off Ghana's coast has raised questions about whether Ghana can escape the "resource curse", where discoveries of valuable commodities fuel conflict and corruption instead of funding development..

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Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown

Toute republication de cet article doit en mentionner et l’origine et l’auteur sous peine d’infraction