NIPR ADVOCATES MORE FUNDING FOR NOA

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NIPR advocates more funding for NOA
On January 26, 2012 · In News

Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, has urged the Federal Government to fund the National Orientation Agency, NOA, now that the country was facing multi-faceted challenges that are testing the fabrics of the society, which requires not only the understanding of the citizenry but also it’s active participation in the process of surmounting the challenges.

NIPR said the picture painted by the former Director-General of NOA, Alhaji Idi Faruk, during the handing over ceremony to his successor, Mr. Mike Omeri, was not a rosy one for an outfit expected to play the role of mass mobilisation.

In a statement signed on behalf of the President of the association, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi, by a member of the Governing Council, Alhaji Mukhtar Zubairu-Sirajo, said: ‘’NIPR has followed with keen interest the change of guards at NOA, and notes that at times like these, it should, as of necessity, be mobilised and supported to play the leading and crucial role of galvanising and re-awakening our people.”
’’With the kind of situation on ground, even a genius would be at his wits end. To expect an extra-ordinary performance in that kind of situation would be asking for too much.

’’It is, therefore, imperative that government takes a critical look at NOA with a view to radically improving on the support that goes to it so that an enabling environment is provided for the agency and its staff to muster and give us their best.

’’The agency should be given a prime of place in the scheme of things. Such support and encouragement must, however, go beyond mere rhetorical policy statements.”

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S-EAST MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION RUES OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

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S-East manufacturers’ association rues operating environment
On January 26, 2012 · In News

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

AWKA—THE South East zone of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, MAN, said yesterday, that the zone has lost its prime position in commerce and industry in the country, blaming it on difficult situation faced by traders in the area.

Chairman of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi states branch of MAN, Dr Chike Obidigbo, who spoke in Onitsha during a familiarization visit to  Onitsha Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Union, OPPMDU, regretted that traders in the zone had been subjected to various humiliations and sabotage by the country’s authorities.

According to him, lack of effective airport, sea ports and constant power supply in the zone has contributed to the woes of industrialists and traders in the zone.

He said: “Ndigbo used to be the greatest people in commerce and industry and Onitsha used to be the biggest and largest market in the West African sub-region, but today, it is no more and this is because of efforts by some people to hijack the fortunes of the people in the zone.

“Also, the lack of basic facilities like effective seaports for transportation of goods and services have also contributed very well to the dwindling fortunes of commerce and industry in South East.”

Obidigbo said that there is a need for the South East governors to intervene by bringing those in the production, distribution and commercial sectors together to work with the governments to change the situation, adding that if the economy picks up, there would be employment and rate of crime would reduce.

Chairman of OPPMDU , Mr. Emeka Ezeanyika lamented the ordeal of traders in the market which he said was caused by unavailable seaports and other basic facilities in the commercial city of Onitsha .

He said: “Traders in South East and Onitsha in particular had been exploited by government agencies in other zones of the federation. For instance, when one imports goods, he goes to Kano to clear them and it will take so much time and when you finally clear them, you will face another heavy exploitation from customs and police and all these things happen because we don’t have our own seaport or airport”

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Praye Tiatia At War With Selorm Galley, Winner Of ‘Miss Goldenwood’ 2011 & Talent Hunt!

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Praye Tiatia and Selorm Gallery

Praye Tiatia, the shortest member of the Praye group also known as Steven Fiawoo a.k.a. BIG J has turned a new leaf and changed overnight to spend enough quality time with his girlfriend for the fear of losing her to a rich man.

What triggered such a decision?

Many musicians don’t share the idea of revealing who they are dating to the general public. Though the public is aware who some of them are dating, many believe due to the womanizing attitude of some male musicians, it would be unreasonable for any of them to publicly name who he’s dating.Praye started their musical journey as a trio. Now they are a duo as one member according to report was ‘forcefully’ pushed out of the group. The group is left with Eugene Baah [Praye Ho Ne Ho] and Steven Fiawoo [Praye tiatia].

The former is dating Ghanaian actress Beverly Afaglo whiles the latter is kicking it with the newly crowned queen Miss Selorm Galley according to GhanaCelebrities.Com investigations.

According to our investigations, ever seen Selorm Galley beat nine others to win the maiden edition of the ‘Miss Goldenwood Beauty Pageant & Talent Hunt’ organised by West Coast Entertainment Ghana Limited, life has been tough for her.

After winning the pageant put together to scout for young ladies with the passion for acting and nurture them for the fame and glitz, Selorm’s independent and privacy has been curtailed. Winning the crown has not only brought happiness to her life, it has also increased her fiancée’s jealously and suspicion about her.

According to GhanaCelebrities.Com’s investigations, for the fear of losing his girlfriend because of the attention she is gaining, Praye Titia has been putting excessive pressure on Selorm to have and spend quality time with him.

Before she became ‘Miss Goldenwood’, people hardly knew who she is dating because they were never seen together but it appears her current status has changed everything.

“Now they are always together. They spend more time together as well as see each other every day. Something which was not on their cards before then. It is also interesting to note that, her whereabouts must be communicated to him” GhanaCelebrities.Com was told.

As part of her prize for winning the competition, she received a brand new Kia Picanto car. A trip to Nigeria for a Film Festival, modelling jobs, managing contracts, one year bragging right and lead roles in movies.

Our investigations reveal that, recently Praye Tiatia travelled, upon returning from their trip, his girlfriend was nowhere to be found.

Praye Tiatia was set to have gone to the offices of the organisers, for which he was told the girl has travelled to Nigeria for a discussion with a movie producing company. He nearly created a scene when he was refused details of the deal and venue of the meeting in Lagos.

A worker at the company who pleaded anonymity said the turns of events are frustrating the girl as well as the company in executing the plans the company has for her. Asked if the company will go the way of TV3 by taking the crown from the winner and hand it over to the first-runner up as was done in Ghana’s Most Beautiful when Lamisi was given the crown in the midst of Nasara’s phone theft allegations.

The source was tight-lipped. However, her demeanour suggests that, the company will not to go that road. When Selorm eventually returned to Ghana, Praye Tiatia was said to have picked a quarrel with her for not alerting him when travelling to Nigeria.

Selorm will be going to South Africa few weeks time and Praye Tiatia has promised to do everything possible to be included on the trip. He was quoted as saying that, if the organisers refuse to put him on, he will be obliged to acquire a visa for himself and join the trip by force.

All attempts to get Big J and Selorm to confirm or deny the above has proved unsuccessful. The organisers however have promised to release statement soon.

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War On Piracy Hits Ghanaian Video Rental Shops!

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War On Piracy Press Conference:From left to right John Issa, Malik Maduakor, Steve Hackman Mustapha Adams and Socrates Sarfo

Film Distributors Association of Ghana, in collaboration with Film Regulatory Board of Ghana, has issued a directive to start clamping down on operators of video rental shops in Ghana.

This is part of the association’s ongoing anti-piracy war to reduce the rate at which some unscrupulous persons are taking the law into their hands to pirate local movies.

At a press conference last week Thursday Maxlot Hotel in Accra, under the theme ‘War On Piracy’, the association said its members had not granted any video rental shop the right to rent their movies. As a result, any video rental shop that rented local movies was in contravention of Copyright Law, Act 6: 90.

The association will as such deal with the rental shop’s operators as the law demands.

The anti-piracy operation will be carried out by a special task force, assisted by national security forces in coming weeks.

The war is expected to also affect other sectors of the entertainment industry including persons who pirate movies on the internet, and dealers of ten-in-one pirated African movies.

However, members of the association were reluctant to disclose techniques they would use in executing their anti-piracy campaign.

Speaking at the anti-piracy conference, old time producer of Hacky Films and President of the Association, Asare Hackman, said piracy had been a canker for so many years.

“We can only prevent it. Imagine a producer spends GH¢60,000 to produce a movie and he can’t get GH¢20,000. Pirates just sit in the comfort of their rooms, rip the movies and go to offices to sell and make money while we lack,” he lamented.

He also called on the general public to support their course by reporting individuals engaging in piracy activities. According to him, the association would make sure that the identity of whistle blowers was well protected.

He emphasized that the association would make sure that the right thing was done and that individuals should be mindful because they would not favour anybody.

He maintained that the loss they incurred as a result of piracy also affected the general economy; hence everybody should join the war on piracy campaign.

At the ceremony were Socrates Sarfo, John Issa, Malik Maduakor and Mustapha Adams.

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GC GiveAway: Win A Cute Leather Hand Bag Worth $150 !

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By Courtesy of GhanaCelebrities.Com’s long friendship with Serwaa Bags, a leading bag outlet in Ghana and Europe, I have secured a cute pure leather bag worth $150 dollars to give away to a lucky reader…

To enter this competition and win the hand bag, you got to do 3 simple things…

1. Comment below stating where you think the hand bag can be rocked to or where you will like to rock it to…

2. You must be a registered member of  GhanaCelebrities.Com’s Community and at least have 1 post to your name on the community.  To Join the Community, Click Here Now.

3. You must  LIKE Serwaa Bags Facebook Fan page (Find it below)…

This competition ends on Tuesday, 31st January, 2011 (12:00 GMT). The winner will be randomly selected from the comments below this post and contacted via E-mail( So make sure you comment with an email you have access to).

We will then check to see if the person has ‘liked’ Serwaa Bags’ fanpage and has also registered on GC Community with 1 post to his/her name.

This competition is opened to everyone…The Bag can be delivered to you no matter where you are… Good Luck To You All! :-)

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P.R.A.A.D. AND OTHERS NEGLECTED AND RELEGATED TO THE DUSTBIN ? PART 2

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Could such innovative institution be established here for the young ones to emulate instead of chasing and tormenting ordinary harmless civilians and legislators with uniformed police at the floor of the House of Parliament during the STX debates; the BNI officials as well as amateur and untrained police wielding AK47 rifles; ready-to-fire-armoured vehicles and tanks positioned at the entrances of our university campuses to intimidate and cow stubborn and recalcitrant demonstrating students into submission. How relevant and important do our governments think such sights contribute to the national economy; and are they a great dis-service to the younger ones now or not? How come that some of our metropolitan assemblies and their nincompoops fancy demolishing people’s kiosks and houses at unholy time of 0200 hours when every normal human being is supposed to be at rest in bed? The odd hours that Opuni’s Food and Drugs Board has been harassing and tormenting herbal houses and premises of pharmaceutical companies such as the Semanhyia, Kinapharma and a few others like the Oheneba Health Care Centre are very primitive and suggestive enough as well as indicative that Ghana were still one of the colonies in the Stone Age era.

The leadership of institutions like the BNI, Food & Drug Board, the Ghana Police, the National Security, the A.M.A. et cetera should bow their heads in shame because some of them behave unnaturally as if they wash their faces from the chin to the eye brow instead of the natural way of ‘top to bottom’. Some people even wonder whether the so-called doctors of letters actually obtained their degrees genuinely and by accredited institutions of higher learning abroad. The author requests that the FDB led by the Opunis should solicit the franchise from the Almighty God to arrange for legislation that no Ghanaian should breathe at all or to levy taxes on fresh air so that the Mills-Mahama Administration would go down in history (the Guinness Book of Records) as the first ever nation in the world to run a better government on taxes from ‘natural air’.

These and many more are very barbaric bestial behavior of gargantuan proportions; and undoubtedly, they are not exactly the kind of institutions and structures Prez. Barack Obama in his wisdom from a civilized world came down to preach to Prez. Mills and his cream and bunch of arrogant, half-baked swindler team of ministers sometime in July 2009. By the current exposure and revelation of Hon. Martin Amidu, some of his colleagues explicitly condoned and connived with Alfred Agbesi Woyome to defraud the Nation by false pretences of this unthinkable and unprintable amount of money without sweat.

Come to think about someone like Woyome who has never worked let alone deserved such astronomical and colossal payment from a supposedly ‘Yoomo gbe Ga’ Minister of State with doctorate accolades. Do the initial four compromise accomplices have any grounds to be acquitted and set free even if the law sometimes referred to as an ass by legal brains is undertaken by an interested party who decides to pursue this legal battle in any competent court of jurisdiction? Do Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, the first to be accused for championing the cause of the Woyome Gate Scandal; the second on the charge sheet is the Chief of Staff, Mr. Henry Martey Newman, who flatly and impudently kept a blind eye on this sensitive financial loss to the State and possibly, inadvertently concealing such scandalous incident from the sight of the presidency; and the third, the ever-dyed hair Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who either failed to cross-check with the facts and figures in the whole scenario because he thought almost all Ghanaians were stupid fools and daft to be able to detect the fraud hence the connivance; and the fourth, Hon. Ebo Barton Odro, MP for Cape Coast who also thought he could capitalize on his parliamentary immunity as a legislator to speak his mind to defend the indefensible, have any grounds to be set free in the courts? Your comments are most welcome.

I hope Ebo is not the son of the late Ishmael Barton Odro, the one-time Principal Assistant Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister, at the Osu Castle in the 70s who I knew very well otherwise, if he were the one, it will hurt me greatly. This is what one expects to be done here instead of nothing at all. What actually put the writer on his toes in amazement and astonishment was the very Royal Seal and Scroll that Her Royal Majesty, Her Excellency Elizabeth Regina II, Queen of Great Britain & Ireland, personally signed to proclaim independence to Ghana and delivered to His Excellency Lord Listowel, the last Governor-General of the Gold Coast, who later hand-delivered to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, first President of the Republic of Ghana on the occasion of our independence at the Old Polo Grounds from fading. Mr. President, please ensure that special care is given to this revelation otherwise, by the time one could say Jack, where are you, the ‘Royal Seal or Scroll’ that constitutes our body and soul as a Nation Ghana luckily, is still in its original form and could either be laminated or put in a glass frame to prevent the royal signature from fading to allow a foreign aggressor with this hindsight from invading us as their former colony because we would have no evidence then as genuine occupants/settlers of this door-shaped country called Ghana to litigate at The Hague if such a disastrous incident ever happened to us as a nation.

Believe you me, if this valuable document should get stolen, or collateralized by the officers there for some of the Woyome Gate money or worst still, burnt to ashes as is often the case in Ghana ? unnecessary rampant fire outbreaks here and there, we would be doomed and unable to repudiate the cost in any material terms for the struggle by the Big Six, and it would be a useless effort as a wild goose chase to render such a pain-staking journey and ordeal by our forefathers to be in vain. It is a pity that I am a Ghanaian but cannot say that I am a Togolese, please don’t ask me why. Most Ghanaians are envious of the well to do and not until this canker of pygmy type of jealousy is obliterated from our national psyche, we would never ever progress as a nation not even if we matched neck to neck with Saudi Arabia in oil production.

UNEMPLOYED YOUTH/GRADUATES
Somebody should do me the favour to draw my attention to any country on this planet Earth where we have a genuinely constituted and registered corporate body of Unemployed Graduates. It is unheard of anywhere, but if there were any at all, Ghana has set the pace for others to follow. There may be different bodies but the one involved with graduates from our tertiary institutions makes the whole position a grave and serious one. How come that our government should go in for loans/grants from the Breton-Woods Institution and decide to collateralize our oil and the loans with the lives of our unemployed youth from getting employed. Certainly, no decent government would do such a thing at the peril of the lives of its citizens. This wicked machination could only be practised by very hypocritical leaders such as Egya Atta and John the Revelator who could change their skins overnight like the chameleon and pretend to be holier than the Pope at the Vatican City.

Even though the elapsed time has not yet come about, there are indications that party supporters have been offered jobs through the backdoor. Ah Professor, worehaw me, worehaw me, to wit, you this troublesome professor, you cross me at all corners to make sensitive appointments as told by His Excellency Prez. Mills; and it is a glaring example for all to see. Earlier on, I posed some questions as to why and how come that such important government or public offices should have filing systems dated as pre-colonial era as the word ‘colo’ itself depicts. There are sizeable number of unemployed computer literate youth who would not bother to collect say, Gh?100.00 or ?1,000,000.00 per month instead of staying home to computerize all the available information on the CDs at the various places mentioned herein and that should not cost the government of the day anything astronomical rather than wasting such huge sums of money on frivolous trips and aeronautical charges and such other things like the purchase of ‘V.8’ 4 x 4 vehicles of no special importance to our economy. Engaging the youth and the unemployed computer literate graduates in these areas to update the information onto the CDs from the files lying idle on the dirty floors will save us a lot. The ‘how’ also is on the wastage of enormous amount of thousands of dollars spent on the purchase of vehicles for distribution to ‘serial callers’ to propagate the government’s abysmal performance so as to get entrenched to perpetuate itself in governance. Stupid isn’t it? How do the western countries recognize us as an African nation? Do most of them too not have rugged roads to ply on?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Did someone notice or hear on air alongside with me on last Thursday morning’s ‘Dwaso Nsem’ programme on Adom FM hosted by ‘Mamoud’ Adakabre Frimpong Manso at about 0830 hours on January 4, 2012, when the presenter tried to get to the bottom of the problems that had arisen as a result of dysfunctional equipment that had rendered one particular facility impotent and in trying to sift some vital information from the current CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, one Prof. Ohene Adjei as to how and why there have been many handicaps at the Hospital since assuming the mantle of leadership; the ensuing tone from his response proved that he was not a well cut intellectual. As a result of the ‘gargantuan’ (apologies to Hon. Martin Amidu, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice) taxes from the Ghanaian tax-payers the government was able to construct such that magnificent edifice with helicopter facility to airlift emergency and accident victims in around Kumasi to Accra and vice versa; this has been left to rot or rendered inoperative. Hear that shameful professor without any invention, not even toothpicks to his credit, because toothpicks imported into Ghana are produce from Malaysia so, for Prof. Ohene Adjei, the incumbent CEO of the hospital to give an answer to a question posed by the radio host, that governments go and governments come, in a nutshell, therefore meant that his government has come so Dr. Nsiah Asare should go hang, nothing more, nothing less. In effect, if his government had lost power, he should be allowed to enjoy the largesse and bourgeoisie lifestyle to join in the free-for-all booty of the national cake.

But Prof. Dr. Nsiah Asare, in whose tenure as CEO of KATH tremendous shape was given to equip and beautify that medical facility, could not shy away his patriotism but to offer his services as a sign of a good patriot and extend an olive branch. Try as he did, Prof. Ohene Adjei would not budge despite that he had offered to help on any national call whenever the need arises to keep the prestige of the hospital aloft. But as fate would have it, his kind gesture was repulsed by this envious charlatan of a professor like mosquito repellent as if lives and limbs in and around the Kumasi Metropolis in particular, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, the Northern, the Upper East and Upper West regions as well as parts of Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and northern Togo in general were not important to national economy.

Any attempt and sensible suggestions including emergency call-ups for him Dr. Nsiah Asare, proffering to offer his services to save human lives and enhance the national kitty by his contribution would not appease this Prof. Ohene Adjei man but was purely rebuffed and turned down on partisan lines because this incompetent never-to-learn-successor who was bent on making sure that the healthcare delivery system for the central and northern parts of the country was brought on its toes for he never cared a hoot about that. And such are the wicked and ‘nuisance’ personalities who would always find solace and comfort under the umbrella; no wonder such are the suitable bedfellows of Mr. ‘Egya’ Atta because he prefers him to be trumpeting his course at all times and everywhere.

Is it naturally a truism that ‘Twins’ by our Ghanaian traditional set up never have any access to inheritance, or become heir-apparent to traditional thrones/stools? Again, for Hon. Martin Amidu, the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to personally go to the law courts in respect of the unlawful payment by the State to ‘fraudster’ Agbesi Woyome of this unprecedented amount of money is an indictment on the part of the Mills-Mahama Administration and if any person or group of persons should venture to stand up with chest out and be bold to defend this shameful fraudulent act of the millennium, will compel the author to brand such persons as ‘inward looking bunch of crooks’ who have paraded themselves as wolves in sheep skin to prey on the vulnerable in society to share the booty.

It is the humble prayer of the writer that His Excellency does not play the ostrich to be obstinate in this sordid affair, otherwise, whatever conceivable avenue that comes his way would be employed to solicit global legal advice to get to the bottom of the case so he should call his obstreperous propagandists like the Okudzeto Ablakwas, the Baba Jamals, the Omane Boamahs, the Kobby Acheampongs, the Felix Ofosu Kwakyes and their likes to halt the exhibition of their very shameful characters on the airwaves to cease fire.

Before the curtain is drawn down, did I hear that ‘Kookoo ase ni DCE for Amansie Central, (Jacobu near Bekwai, in Ashanti), Robert Bernard Fokuo, that he had undertaken upon himself to go round his district propagating his paymaster’s falsehood to the chiefs and people that the youth who had attained the age of 18 and were bent on registering for this year’s elections would be compelled to pay lampoon etc. Is that the ploy to reduce the NPP’s majority there? Shame unto you, Kookoo ase kuraseni krakye, you are an apology to the Mills-Mahama Administration. Finally, my plea is that anybody with current knowledge of the mystery surrounding the inheritance of Twins in our traditional set up should keep me posted as this is totally beyond my comprehension. A word to the wise therefore is in the north. I am done.

By Kofi Appiah – email: [email protected]

IDPs join bid to block Ruto, Uhuru from vying

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More than 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have joined the bid to block Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Ruto from vying for presidency.

The 213 IDPs informed High Court Judge Isaac Lenaola that they are directly affected by the matter.

Three individuals, Patrick Njuguna, Augustino Netto and Charles Omang and Kenya Youth Parliament and Kenya Youth League are in court to bar the two from contesting for the presidency. On Thursday, Justice Lenaola said any party wishing to join the petition in support or in opposition is free to do so by filing an application.

The judge also allowed Dr Steven Njiru to appear in the case as an amicus curie (friend of the court).

In a suit filed at the High Court in Nairobi, the petitioners contend that allowing Uhuru and Ruto to run for public office would be a recipe for chaos. The three have sued Attorney General Githu Muigai and named Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Commission on Implementation of the Constitution as interested parties to the suit. Through their advocate, Mr Anthony Oluoch, it is their contention that allowing Uhuru and Ruto to run for public office would also amount to perpetuating a culture of impunity.

Recipe for chaos

Also sought by the petitioners is an order barring IEBC from accepting nomination or election of any candidate accused of committing serious offences under the international law or Kenyan law until they are cleared.

They also want a declaration that to allow the two to vie for presidency was a threat to the Constitution and a recipe for chaos.

The court should determine whether the decision by Uhuru and Ruto to vie for presidency, despite confirmation of charges against them at The Hague, would be a threat to the Constitution.

By Judy Ogutu, The Standard

Kenya, US to speed up growth of aviation sector

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Kenya and US have agreed on how to fast track the growth of the local aviation sector and achieve the crucial Category One status by August.

Transport Minister Amos Kimunya

Transport Minister Amos Kimunya said the Government and a team from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United States of America Department of Transportation agreed during a meeting on Tuesday on a mechanism to attain the all-important safety rating.

He said as the first step towards attaining this category, the Government has reviewed the regulatory side of the local aviation industry and approved the re-organisation and restructuring of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to enable it attract and retain the requisite qualified technical staff.

“With this agreement, the country has to pass the all-important audit that will earn it Category One status by August,” the minister said during the official re-opening of British Airways Airport Lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi Thursday.

Kimunya said attainment of the status would allow Kenyan carriers fly direct to the US, thereby reducing travelling time for passengers and make the country’s horticultural produce affordable in the States.

In 2009, Delta Airlines at the last minute cancelled its launch of direct flights from Nairobi and Atlanta, US, after failing to receive Transport Security Administration and US government approval.

TSA largely blamed concerns of Somali piracy along the Kenyan coasts for the cancellation.

Kimunya said the ongoing expansion of JKIA would also provide improved security to comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards.

By John Oyuke, The Standard

Baraza loses bid to block tribunal

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Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza has failed to block a tribunal from investigating her conduct.

The High Court ruled Thursday that her request for interim orders against the team has been overtaken by events after President Kibaki announced the tribunal lineup on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza

“We must treat our own with profound respect [and] in the same breath treat judicial officers just like ordinary citizens seeking protection from an alleged infringement or isolation suffered as a result of the conduct, action or omission,” the judge said.

Justice Mohammed Warsame ordered her to serve the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and Attorney General Githu Muigai with the suit papers, so that the issues raised in her application can be discussed between the parties on Monday, next week.

“Just like ordinary citizens, the applicant can only be granted the interim orders if there is a prima facie (arguable) case and which needs urgent interim orders,” the judge ruled.

Due to the weight and fundamental issues in the petition, the High Court certified the case as urgent and ordered it be heard on Monday.

Earlier, the case was taken to Justice Isaac Lenaola, who is in charge of the Judicial Review Division of the court, but he could not hear it since he is a member of JSC. The same applied to Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi who served in Fida-Kenya with Baraza.

The DCJ, who is alleged to have assaulted a security guard at Village Market in Nairobi, on New Year’s Eve, moved to the High Court in Nairobi Thursday, barely 24 hours after President Kibaki suspended her from office, pending investigations into her professional conduct.

The President formed a tribunal of seven to investigate claims that she confronted a security, guard, Rebecca Kerubo. This followed a petition to Kibaki from the JSC, as the Constitution requires.

In the tribunal are Augustino Ramadhan, Judith Behemuka, Justice (Rtd) Philip Ransley, Surinder Kapila, Beauttah Alukhava Siganga, Grace Barbara Ngele Madoka, and Mugambi Jesse Ndwiga Kanyua.

The High Court was told Baraza had not received a letter from Kibaki or a gazette notice suspending her from office, and was working in her chambers at the Supreme Court in Nairobi.

Punched holes

Baraza, through her lawyer John Khaminwa, punched holes in the JSC petition, saying it was based on a CID officer’s statement, which cannot be relied on as evidence.

“When you put police officers in a witness box, they contradict themselves and start making confessions. You will be extremely blinded to make a finding using a police statement,” he said.

“All we are told is a misunderstanding between two women at a market place and you ask His Excellency to appoint a tribunal? JSC has no proof of misbehavior,” Khaminwa argued.

The court was told JSC had no powers under the new Constitution to form a sub-committee to investigate her, and what it did was erroneous.

It is Baraza’s testimony that JSC did not give her any documents touching on the allegations against her.

In the application, she wanted the judge to issue a conservatory order restraining any State officer or institution from publishing in the Kenya Gazette notice a tribunal as requested by JSC in its petition to the President.

She wanted the court to temporarily stop the swearing-in of the tribunal members, and that it be stopped from executing its mandate.

In her affidavit, Baraza stated that she had an encounter at the Village Market Mall on December 31, last year, and thereafter, a series of events followed. She claimed there was extensive media coverage which tailor-made the episodes to “achieve character assassination”.

She added: “My reputation has been severely damaged by the intense media coverage.”

In the petition forwarded to the President by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, the findings of the sub-committee stated that as per the statement of a witness who appeared before it, it was clear Baraza breached the Constitution.

The sub-committee stated that she breached the Article that requires a State officer to behave, whether in public and official life, in private or in association with other persons, in a manner that avoids demeaning the office he or she holds.

The committee found that her actions breached the Judicial Service Code of Conduct and Ethics.

The security guard, Ms Kerubo alleged that Baraza brandished a pistol at her.

She also claimed the DCJ pinched her nose and threatened to shoot her when she pursued her to demand she undergo a routine security check.

Meanwhile, a remand prisoner in Malindi prison has moved to court seeking orders to set aside the JSC report that recommended Baraza’s suspension.

Right to privacy

Emmanuel Boki Kibagendi, who is facing a capital offence in Kilifi, has filed five grounds why he feels the rights of Baraza were overlooked by the JSC, which recommended her suspension to President Kibaki.

He wants the court to stop the proceedings against Justice Baraza until his application is heard and determined.

He claims Chief Justice Willy Mutunga rushed in interpreting the law, which was not fair, and wants the contents of the report declared null and void. Justice Edward Muchiri ordered prison officers in Malindi to produce Kibagendi in court on Monday to make his application.

Kibagendi, who will argue the application on his own, says the decision of JSC was unconstitutional because the committee failed to consider that every citizen had a right to privacy.

He says JSC erred in recommending the suspension of Baraza, without documentary evidence that the metal detector raised an alarm, which warranted Kerubo to use her hands to search the DCJ’s handbag.

He claims that by using her hands instead of the detector, Kerubo breached Baraza’s right to privacy, which the ad hoc sub-committee failed to include in the report. “The security guard could have used a sensor, which if used limits intrusion into one’s privacy,” said Kibagendi.

By Evelyn Kwamboka and Willis Oketch, The Standard

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The “Bridesmaids” Cast – Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig – to Present at 84th Academy Awards®

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Beverly Hills, CA – Six actresses – Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig – from the hit comedy “Bridesmaids” will be presenters at the 84th Academy Awards, telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer announced today.  McCarthy received her first Oscar® nomination this year for her supporting role in the film, and Wiig also became a first-time nominee for the film’s original screenplay.   All six will be making their first Oscar show appearances.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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