ARIWO !

The Strike that has paralyzed health delivery in Ghana

Tomorrow will be exactly 21 days since doctors in state hospitals across the country downed their stethoscopes. It would be three solid weeks without medical care in all state hospitals across the country.  In any society, it would be a crisis of epic proportions. In Ghana, it is business as usual.

Yesterday, President John Evans Atta Mills was on the streets of Accra, inspecting flooded areas in the company of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, and the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Dr. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, whose distinctive beard is one of the political landmarks in the Mills Administration.

While the Head of State was on the walk-about on the chaotic streets of Accra, officials of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) were locked up in a compulsory arbitration with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) at the offices of the Ghana Labour Commission, near ‘Boom’ junction in the national capital.

Yesterday’s meeting, according to The Chronicle sources, was brief. I am told the Labour Commission read out what was contained in a compulsory arbitration, which required that an organisation submitting itself to arbitration ought to ensure that its officials were at work. In effect, people on compulsory arbitration could not be on strike. The Ghana Medical Association could not have its members abandoning health care, while the association had availed itself of compulsory arbitration.

continued

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

Six storey building collapses in Lagos

LAGOS – There was pandemonium yesterday as a six-storey building located at 11 Aderibigbe street in Maryland area of Lagos collapsed.

An eye witness told Vanguard that at about 3.30 pm occupants of the building heard a loud noise which shook the building violently leaving cracks on the walls.

It was gathered that all the occupants of the building were evacuated when there were signs the collapse was imminent and they all gathered outside watching until the building gradually started giving way.

Three officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, who arrived the scene before the building collapsed at 6.30 pm had cordoned off the Aderibigbe Street and restricted movement of people and vehicles.

The building before it collapsed

Over ten different companies were occupying the building before the collapse which included Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, CITN, SCIB Nigeria and Company Limited, Okay God Investment Limited, Klear Concept Limited, Global PMG Ltd Jira and Associates amongst others….

continued

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

Non-indigenes’ sack cracks Ndigbo unity

By ANAYO OKOLI, Umuahia
The recent decision of the Abia State Government to disengage non-indigenes in its work force has created cracks in the hitherto strong political and cultural harmony that existed among the five South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo. As expected there have been verbal attacks from the states, especially the other four South East states.

When the Abia State Government hinted of the planned disengagement of the non-indigenes in August, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State was said to have consulted with the governors of the other four states. The other governors were said to have indicated their willingness to take back their indigenes to be returned.

But when the October 1, 2011 effective date of the policy came, governments of the other states reacted angrily, a position that queried the consultation said to have been made by Governor Orji…..

continued

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

Only an improved public transport system will collapse Okada

The Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the National Road Safety Commission, David Osafo-Adonteng says a massive improvement in the public transport system, is the surest way to discourage the patronage of commercial motorbike popularly known as Okada , an illegality that is being perpetrated across the country.
According to Mr. Osafo-Adonteng, the difficulty in accessing public transport and the massive traffic congestion in densely populated cities often compels commuters to opt for ‘Okada’, although he believes safety must be the travellers’ priority.
Mr. Adonteng said this in an interaction with journalists in Takoradi after a three day tour of the Western Region by the monitoring and Evaluation team.
He told Maxx News the Road Safety Commission is in talks with government to ensure that the public transport system is improved, if carnage is to be minimized on the road.
He said as far as the use of motorbikes for commercial purposes in Ghana is illegal, it is crucial that the laws are enforced with the safety of commuter in mind.
Mr. Adonteng said the Road Safety Commission in line with the UN’s 2010-2020 decade of action for road safety declaration will introduce spot fines and measures that will address over-speeding…

continued

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

Ex-governors on the run as EFCC declares ex-Gov Goje wanted

They are strong indications that many former governors are on the run following intelligence reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will pick more of them in the coming days.

This came as EFCC declared former governor of Gombe state, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, wanted over allegations of mismanagement and diversion of over N52 billion state funds.

Saturday Vanguard had learnt that some of the former governors who had earlier besieged Abuja for various reasons have hurriedly left  the city.

It was learnt that some of the governors were there in solidarity with their arrested colleagues but left town yesterday immediately they leanrt that the EFCC will arrest six more ex-governors who vacated office on May 29.

The EFCC source had said that, “In the next two or three weeks, I can tell you that at least six more ex-governors, who vacated office in May, will be invited for questioning.”

EFCC, Thursday, arrested former governors Gbenga Daniel of Ogun state, Alao Akala of Oyo state and Akwe Doma of Nasarawa state. They are being detained over alleged financial recklessness and misappropriation while in office. Sources say while former governors Akala and Daniel are being held at the Lagos office of the anti-graft agency, Doma is being detained in the Abuja office. A  visit to the Ikoyi, Lagos office of the agency yesterday morning indicated heavy security presence. The three governors are alleged to have stolen over N101 billion. Alao-Akala is to answer questions for …

continued

 

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

Fashola inaugurates N2.5bn Falomo bridge

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO
IKOYI—Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Wednesday, commissioned the N2.5 billion Falomo

At the commissioning of the 115-metres long bridge, Fashola explained that the project, executed in collaboration with Lekki Concession Company, LCC, under a Public Private Partnership, was aimed at easing traffic gridlock in Lagos Island.

 

Falomo-bridge

He said the project, which was constructed by LCC, was the first of such magnitude and specification to be built anywhere in the country.

Fashola said: ”This is a deliverable of the 30-year PPP in 2006, pursuant to which the company is already rehabilitating and upgrading approximately 50 kilometres of the Eti-Osa Lekki–Epe Expressway and will also construct 20 kilometres of the Coastal Road.

”Of the N50 billion long- term finanacing raised by Lekki Concession Company to execute the on-going works on the Eti-Osa-Lekki-Epe Expressway, a substantial portion of which represents Foreign Direct Investment into Lagos State, N2.5 billion had been used to construct the new Falomo On–Ramp, that we will all be driving on soon.”…

continued

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