Museveni, oil firms disagree over tax

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The proposed sale of multimillion dollar stakes by British-based explorer Tullow Oil to France’s Total and China’s CNOOC has been delayed by disagreements over tax compensations, President Museveni has said.

Mr Museveni told reporters at a news conference in Kampala yesterday that the companies involved in the deal had requested to include a stabilisation clause to shield them from possible loses in case Uganda increased its tax policy but the failure to agree on what sort of formula to calculate any compensation now stands in the way of the $2.9 billion (Shs7.3 trillion) deal.

Tullow Oil had initially indicated that it was on track to complete the long-blocked sale of stakes by the end of January but Mr Museveni’s comments, reflective of comments he recently told ruling party MPs, tell of uncertainty as to just when the deal will finally be completed.

“I was ready to authorise but some of the oil groups brought new confusion so I did not accept,” said Mr Museveni when asked to offer any indication as to when Uganda will finally endorse Tullow’s quest to sell part of its shares in what is known as a farm down.

He said government had found no objection to the oil company’s insistence on including a protective clause to “stabilise the income of the oil company” but only if “we have got a formula of calculating that loss.”

Mr Museveni said Uganda had suggested “scientific” methods of calculating the loss, Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), but the oil companies “didn’t like that.”

The NRM leader also said there were disagreements over plans by the government to build an oil refinery in Uganda to process petroleum or build a pipeline to export crude oil.

“Now one of the oil companies, [from] France [Total], said, no you must agree now. We said no, we cannot agree without a kibalo [a calculation of the crude oil for processing or export],” he said. “I don’t know whether they have changed their minds, but I have not heard from them recently.”

At an earlier press briefing, Equatorial Guinea’s visiting leader Theodore Obiang Nguema offered counsel on how best Uganda can manage its nascent oil industry and recommended the establishment of a national body that will oversee petroleum exploration and resource management. “This will be the basis for you to actually have full control over this business,” said Mr Nguema.

Mr Museveni said Uganda would “definitely” cooperate with oil producer Equatorial Guinea in the oil sector, as well as “the question of strengthening Africa, guarding the freedom of African countries.”

Mr Nguema, current chair of the African Union admitted that the fall of governments in Ivory Coast and Libya last year at the behest of western powers, had left him “highly disillusioned” with the discovery that “Africa is not respected, is not given the recognition it is supposed to be given.”

By EMMANUEL GYEZAHO, Daily Monitor

US diplomat reveals Obama’s views about Museveni

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Burns (L) and Amb. Jerry Lanier visit Wagagai health centre in Entebbe, partly funded by USAID. PHOTO BY YUSUF MUZIRANSA

A top US diplomat yesterday described President Museveni as an “important partner” on security issues and dismissed as “untrue” allegations that Washington is working through the opposition to remove him.

Internal Affairs Minister Hillary Onek recently publicly accused the Obama administration and UK government of being behind the walk-to-work demonstrations to instigate regime change like it happened in North Africa last year. “That allegation is simply not true,” said deputy Secretary of State, Ambassador William Burns.

He added: “Our view is that President Museveni is the democratically-elected President of this country; he has been an important partner on a range of regional security issues; we think that area of cooperation is something we wanna strengthen.”

The official stressed the need to correct what he called “flaws” of the February 18, 2011, elections during future ballots, noting, however, that the past vote was an improvement over previous ones – at least according to international observers’ reports.

Ambassador Burns, who is leading a six-man delegation of powerful Washington politicians, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Amb. Johnnie Carson, meets President Museveni today to discuss regional security, good governance and government’s obligation to respect of citizens’ fundamental rights.

The United States, he said, whether in Uganda or anywhere in the world will continue to “stand up strongly for respect of human rights, in particular the right to assembly and association”.

Upholding fundamental freedoms
“It is extremely important in any healthy democratic society for people to be able to express themselves and their views peacefully,” he told a press conference for selected journalists at Wagagai Health Centre in Entebbe.

“We are unapologetic about our support for human rights, for rule of law, for good governance which is deeply in the interest of Uganda and a stable democratic system that seeks to build and is in the best interest of its people.”

The government’s acquiescence in the rule of law and the existence of a vibrant media that ably holds government to account are requisite ingredients for strong democratic institutions which insures the future of any country, he said.

Amb. Burns emphasised the importance of institutions over individual leaders and praised Uganda’s “constructive and extra-ordinary” role in helping stabilise Somalia.

By TABU BUTAGIRA, Daily Monitor

Australian Open: Flawless Azarenka claims first Grand Slam title

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 28: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus celebrates winning championship point after winning her women’s final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia during day thirteen of the 2012 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 28, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE: Victoria Azarenka won her first Grand Slam title and became the new world number one when she thrashed a disappointing Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The third-seeded Belarusian overpowered Sharapova to win 6-3, 6-0 in 82 minutes to lift the trophy and become women’s tennis’s fourth first-time Grand Slam winner in a row.

Azarenka came from 0-2 down in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games for a comprehensive victory as Sharapova’s game disintegrated in the face of all-out aggression from the Belarusian.

Sharapova made 30 unforced errors, while Azarenka played almost flawlessly at times with only 12 errors across the two sets.

Azarenka won the toss and chose to serve, but she started nervously and dished up two double faults on her way to dropping the first game.

Sharapova consolidated to open a 2-0 lead and got to 0-30 on Azarenka’s next game, but the Belarusian seemed to shake off her nerves and began to slowly take control.

She stepped up to the baseline and took the ball early, pressuring Sharapova into mistakes. Soon Azarenka was dominating in all departments, matching the Russian’s power from the baseline and volleying confidently.

The 22-year-old broke back in the fourth game and broke again in the eighth before confidently serving for the first set.

And the third seed started the second set with the same self-belief, breaking Sharapova’s first serve and coming back from 15-40 to hold her own and open a 2-0 lead.

Sharapova was becoming increasingly frustrated and, unusually for the three-time grand slam winner, she began to look to her coach Thomas Hogstedt in frustration.

Azarenka was in full control, however, and she broke Sharapova twice more to go to 5-0 lead.

The Belarusian stepped up to serve for the championship, saving a break point and falling to her knees in delight when a Sharapova backhand crashed into the net.

102 KCMC medics join MAT`s nationwide strike

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Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda

A total of 102 medical practitioners at the KCMC Referral Hospital in Moshi municipality have joined the nationwide doctors’ strike and urged Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda to fulfill his promise to meet with their representatives in Dar es Salaam to listen to their grievances.

The doctors expressed their stand after a long meeting, given the fact that some of them are government employees while others are employed by the Good Samaritan Foundation (GSF) under the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Tanzania (ELCT).

During the meeting, the doctors reached a consensus that they should begin their strike today from 08:00am.

Speaking on the behalf of the doctors, all of who have completed their internship, the chairman of a transition committee handling doctors’ demands from the hospital, Mugisha Nkoronko, said the strike would end once the Prime Minister met and responded to their demands.

“The strike starts officially today and we will be waiting to hear from our colleagues in Dar es Salaam. So, it all depends on how matters will be handled by the government on our demands, otherwise it is going to be a permanent strike. We will only offer services to emergence cases like attending to expecting mothers and causalities but outpatient services will not be there,” he said.

He said the strike concerned doctors alone, those employed by the government and employed by the GSF.

“It seems politics now dominates everywhere even where professionalism is supposed to be applied. Politicians seem to have more value. When they fall sick are flown to India and get treated at the expense of taxpayers’ money. Dispensaries and health centres lack basic medical supplies and doctors are ignored despite working under risky circumstances,” he said.

In a report issued by the national doctors’ body, the doctors said top leaders in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had been a stumbling-block to improve health services particularly ensuring low-income earners also received quality services.

They claimed most hospital facilities in the country were in a very pathetic situation, lacking medicines and medical equipment, citing Mwananyama, Temeke and Amana hospitals in Dar es Salaam as the most affected.

They said in those hospitals, there were times patients had to buy medicines and other equipment despite having paid for community health services, saying it was a shame to see patients sleeping on the floor even in referral hospitals.

They argued that it was time doctors’ living conditions were improved as the salaries they received did not help them meet their basic needs and they want to have better houses and allowances that reflected the nature of their work.

Source The Guardian

Lions Club donates stationery to Dar school

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Singida Urban MP Mohamed Dewji (L) receives three tricycles, donated by the Lions Club of Dar es Salaam Mzizima, which were handed over by the District Governor of 411B Tanzania and Uganda Satish Sharma.

The Mzizima Lions Club of Dar es Salaam yesterday donated stationery items to Gerezani primary school in the city in its efforts to help the government mitigate some of the challenges which primary schools in the country face.

It also donated five wheelchairs worth 350,000/-, which it handed over to Singida Member of Parliament Mohamed Dewji.

Each of the 350 pupils at the school received 6 exercise books, one pencil, ball pen, ruler and color pencil.

Speaking at the handover, Club secretary general Mustafa Kudrati said primary education was very vital in building the pupils’ educational foundation, stressing the need to support the government in ensuring provision of quality education throughout the country.

“Early education is very important to our children. I would like to call upon other people to assist the government towards achieving targeted goals in education,” he noted.

The school’s headmaster, Ditrick Mkwela, hailed the club for the donation, describing it as a huge investment. He said the government alone lacked the resources to provide good education in all the primary schools in the country.

“As much as we would like to have quality primary education, the road to achieving this is full of challenges. The capacity is compromised because of inadequate funding to buy learning equipment,” he said.

For his part, Dewji thanked the club for donating the wheelchairs to his constituency. He said the donation would help alleviate some of the challenges which people in his constituency face.

He asked other people in the country to emulate the good gesture set by the club.

“This is a very important donation to the people in my constituency. I ask others to emulate this good gesture which will change the lives of some people in my constituency,” he said.

By Joseph Mchekadona, The Guardian

Black Stars Coach Examines Mali

Ghananewslink.com
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Goran Stevanovic
Goran Stevanovic

Ghana Black Stars Coach, Goran Stevanovic believes that this evening’s clash against Mali is a match between two experienced sides.

With both sides are level on points in Group D, with either side aware that a win would put them in the quarter-finals of the 2012 African Cup of Nations.
Stevanovic is anticipating a tough game in midfield as he rates the Malians very highly.
“Both teams are experienced enough and know how to play. We always play to win but respect our opponents. We have our goals and believe in ourselves, our work and our quality,” Ghana coach, Goran Stevanovic said.
“We have great desire to make the people in Ghana happy and I hope tomorrow after the game we would rejoice together.”
Having sounded his intent to ring changes in his team, Stevanovic explains that his planned changes are to cope with the strength of the opposition.
“Team depends on the opponent and their quality. We have to improve our style of the game. We need to create more opportunities to score, to use wingers and I think some of that would be our style for tomorrow,” he said.
“They have a strong middle. They play football and are technically very good. Skillful players and I think maybe today in the middle would be the decisive aspect of the final score.”
Meanwhile, the Ghananewslink.com Sports gathered that Stevanovic has 21 players to pick his starting team from against Mali this evening.
The Black Stars have also been boosted by the return of striker Asamoah Gyan from a slight injury.
Gyan made a return yesterday and lasted the full session after he was withdrawn on Thursday in training.
However, Ghana will be without captain John Mensah and Isaac Vorsah as both defenders will complete serving their two-game suspensions after the game with Mali in Group D at the Stade de Franceville.

Emerging Ghana Affordable Housing Concept…..

ghanarising.blogspot.com
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I stumbled across the following piece about eco/sustainable housing in Ghana viahttp://inhabitat.com/architecture/ and had to share.. Not only do I want this house but I would love to see more of this type of eco-friendly/environmentally sound/sustainable homes in Ghana… It truly blows my mind that we have all this sun but no solar powered houses in Ghana -I’m I missing something??? The piece is dated 06/29/10 -and I have no idea if this innovative house was ever built.. If you have more information -do get in touch. Thanks…

The winner of the Open Source House Ghanaian competition which will be built as a pilot project in Ghana and the start of the great challenge that Open Source House provides.

*****
Title: Local, Modular and Efficient Eco-Affordable Housing For Ghana

By Bridgette Meihold -Dated: 06/29/10 

A lot of concept houses come across our desk here at Inhabitat, but we were really impressed with this design for eco-housing in Ghana. Designed by Lisbon-based Blaanc in collaboration with Architect João Caeiro, Emerging Ghana is a plan for an eco-affordable single family house for the emerging middle class of Ghana. The design recently won first place in the international design competition Open Source House, a non-profit organization that aims to provide better, more sustainable housing in low-income countries. Emerging Ghana is modular single-family home design to be built with local materials, local labor, and with all the best sustainable design strategies you can imagine, all for a low cost of about $12,500 USD. 

The Open Source House competition challenged architects to design an affordable, flexible and sustainable house that will be made available to people living in poor housing conditions. Blaanc and João Caeiro responded with their completely practical and well-considered concept for a single-family home based on the Ashanti compound, a courtyard building with a deep structure and large overhangs that encourage natural ventilation. Modular by nature, the home can grow as funds allow and as the family expands. Construction materials are all locally sourced – rammed earth walls, dahoma wood, and bamboo can all be found nearby to construct the home. Meanwhile, local people would be taught how to build the homes, giving them a new skill set and boosting the economy.

Energy efficiency was a primary design goal to improve the home’s overall sustainability, but more importantly to create a more comfortable living environment with minimal costs. Low-tech energy solutions would be capitalized on to minimize energy use and maximize comfort. Solar passive design with a south-facing structure and large overhangs provides shade for the interior. A solar hot water tank on the large roof provides hot water for the kitchen and bathroom. Orientation of the home improves natural ventilation, while rain water is collected for use within the home and for the garden in the courtyard, which helps provide some of the family’s food. A small scale septic tank manages the household’s waste, while organic waste is composted in the yard. The concept will be built sometime in 2010.
http://inhabitat.com/architecture/
http://www.blaanc.com/

Text & Images credit: http://inhabitat.com/local-modular-and-efficient-eco-affordable-housing-for-ghana/ 

View the original article here

Carpenter Grabbed For Incest

Daily Guide Africa
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Kwasi Mortsi

Kwesi Mortsi, a carpenter, has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court, after he was accused of raping his 18-year-old biological daughter, who lives with him.

The accused person, who had compelled his daughter to abort three pregnancies within last year, also prevented his daughter from going to work by seizing her handbag after she refused to have sex with him.

He was put in a court presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa, a High Court judge sitting with additional responsibility.

The carpenter, 40, pleaded not guilty to the offence and has been remanded in police custody while the case has been adjourned to February 17, 2012.

Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector A.A. Ahor, told the court that the victim is an 18-year-old girl who lives with her father, the accused, at Dansoman near the Keep Fit Club.

According to him, the accused had had sexual intercourse with his daughter for one-and-a-half years now.

The police officer said in 2011 alone, the carpenter impregnated his daughter on three occasions but he compelled her to abort due to the scandal it might create.

In addition, he stated that on January 16, 2012, the accused person made an attempt to have sexual intercourse with the daughter but she refused.

He said the next day, while preparing for work, the carpenter again asked his daughter for sex and she refused and said she was going to work.

 Mortsi then held the girl’s handbag and refused to give it to her in spite of pleas by the victim for her father to hand her bag to her.

After all attempts to get her bag back failed, the victim reported the incident to the police leading to the man’s arrest.

A medical report form was issued to the daughter to attend hospital after which the accused person was arrested and charged.

By Fidelia Achama

NDC Ministers In Trouble

Daily Guide Africa
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Fiifi Kwetey and Nii Nortey Dua

Delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Greater Accra Region go to the polls today to elect parliamentary candidates for the party in about 15 constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament (MP) in what has been described as a hot contest.

Most of the seats have sitting MPs who are ministers of state or deputy ministers.

Even before votes are cast, MP for Sege Alfred Abayateye is alleging spiritual attacks on his person ahead of the polls.

The MP is facing stiff opposition from four other persons in the constituency.
He said that even though there were spiritual attacks against him, he was optimistic of victory on Saturday.
The Sege MP told Citi FM: “Everything is going on smoothly, there are spiritual attacks here and there but God is seeing us through.
“I left the constituency for Accra last week Monday healthy and I came back sick. If you see me, you’d see what I’m talking of. Don’t rule those things out. God knows what I have done and the people in the constituency also know what I have done.”
The primaries for the Greater Accra seats were postponed from January 21 to today, January 28, 2012 due to what leadership of the party claimed to be operational challenges.

Today’s round of parliamentary primaries promises to be interesting in view of the positions held by some of the individuals involved, coupled with the tension that has characterised the campaign process.

Among the hot spots are the Odododiodioo constituency where presidential aide Nii Lantey Vanderpuye is contesting incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Nii Tackie Commey and the Klottey Korle constituency where Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashittey is also facing stiff opposition from four other contestants.

Incumbent MP for La-Dadekotopon, who doubles as Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Nii Amasa-Namoale, is equally facing a challenge from five other aspirants including Rita Odoley Sowah, Kelvin Catenor, Sowah Oblejumah, Emmanuel Odoi Yemoh and one Nii Armah.

Nii Armah Ashietey and Kojo Adu Asare

Another hot spot is the Ashaiman constituency where Alfred Agbesi is being challenged by four others including Abass Mustapha, Osabutey  Ibrahim Baidoo, Alhaji Braimah Suleimana and Tony Afenyo whilst MP for Ledzokuku and now Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Nii Nortey Dua is battling to save his seat from the hands of a former beauty queen (Miss Ghana), Benita Sena Golomeke and the likes of Sowah Boye-Sekan, a younger brother of the late Nii Adjei Boye-Sekan, the first NDC MP in the Fourth Republic in that constituency.

At nearby Krowor, incumbent MP and Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Nii Oakley Quaye Kuma, is also facing opposition from Beatrice Naa Momo Lartey, Presiding Member for Ledzokuku-Krowor (LEKMA) Municipal Assembly whilst MP for Adenta, Kojo Adu-Asare, who beat a hasty retreat at the last minute after declaring his decision not to contest the primaries, is reeling under the threat of being unseated by some of his party men.

 In the East Ayawaso constituency, Naser Mahama Toure has vowed to oust outgoing Deputy Works and Housing Minister, Dr. Mustapha Ahmed.

The Minister of Information designate, Fritz Baffour, is slugging it out with two others for the Ablekuma South seat.

In all, 76 people will be contesting in the region, out of which eight women are running in Ada, Shai Osudoku, Trobu Amasaman, Abokobi Madina, Krowor, Ledzokuku, La Dadekotopon and Adenta, with only two MPs, Dauod Anum Yemoh for Domeabra Obom and Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo for Kpone Katamanso going unopposed.

Seven individuals are running for the Adenta constituency, six each for La Dadekotopon and Shai Osudoku whilst five each are contesting for Sege, Ashaiman, Trobu Amasaman, Ablekuma Central, while four each are contesting for Klottey Korle, East Ayawaso and Krowor.

Three aspirants each are also contesting for Abokobi-Madina, Ledzokuku, Odododiodoo, Ablekuma South and Ada, and two are contesting in the Ningo Prampram constituency.

Fifi Kwettey, Deputy Finance Minister, is also slugging it out with Albert Ziga for the Ketu North seat in the Volta Region.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

3 Rbbers Nabbed

Daily Guide Africa
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The suspected robbers with their weapons

The Adenta District Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with an alleged shooting which nearly killed a Japanese national last December.
The suspect, Eric Ofori, allegedly attacked a house at Ampomaa Village near Adenta with a pump action gun to rob. In the process, he shot the victim twice in the right arm and bolted.

Items retrieved from him upon arrest included a pump action gun and two live BB cartridges.

Narrating the story to DAILY GUIDE, the Adenta District Police Commander, Stephen K. Ahiatafu, said the suspect was the bosom friend of the victim’s husband.
On December 22, 2011 around 11pm, the suspect called the victim’s husband to find out if he was at home.
Upon realizing that the husband was still at work, the suspect stormed the house and ordered that the victim open the door for him to enter.

The victim was suspicious and queried the suspect what he wanted from her at that ungodly hour.

The suspect then asked her to bring an amount of GH¢2000, otherwise he would shoot and kill her.
Ofori went ahead to fire some bullets at the door when the victim answered that she had no money.

 “In the process, one of the bullets hit the victim in the arm. The victim then picked her cheque book and signed an amount of GH¢3000 to the suspect,” the commander said.

The suspect, upon sensing danger, left the cheque and bolted.
When police were informed and got to the scene, two empty shells of bullets were found, together with the signed cheque, on the compound of the victim.

The victim was rushed to the police hospital for treatment.

Suspect Eric Ofori was later arrested but upon interrogation, he denied having committed the act.

Early this month, the landlord of Eric, domiciled in the United States, reported to the station that his pump action gun and new clothing had been stolen.
“Suspect Eric Ofori, through our investigations, confessed having broken into the landlord’s room and stolen the items.

 “He also confessed having used the gun to shoot the Japanese. Our checks also indicate that the bullets in the gun were the same as the ones found at the scene. Suspect would be prosecuted soon,” the commander said.
Earlier, two men who attempted to rob a compound house were also arrested.
They are Gideon Fianku- 24, and Kwesi Adjei- 20.
DSP Ahiatafu indicated that the two conspired to rob a compound house on Thursday, January 26, 2012 around 10am.

Upon getting to the house, suspect Gideon jumped into the house while Kwesi stood outside and spied.

The landlord of the house who heard that someone was attempting to break into one of the rooms called for help.
Sensing danger, the two attempted to flee but they were arrested.
A search conducted on them by the residents revealed a double-barrelled locally-made pistol and a knife.
The suspects were brought to the police station for interrogation. The two would be arraigned later, the police said.

By Linda Tenyah

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