AMANDLA NEWSPAPER NOVEMBER 2011

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Founded October 2003 Volume 10 Issue 11 Global African Newspaper Telephone: 973-419-0073 / 973-731-1339

November 15 - December 16, 2011

Nigeria’s Economy to Overtake South Africa by 2025 – Frank Nweke, Jr.

By Kwabena Opong Nigeria’s former minister of Information, Frank Nweke, Jr. declared at a Plenary Session of the 2nd Nigeria Investment Summit & Exhibition organized by the African Business Roundtable on September 22 that his country’s economy has the potential of overtaking South Africa by 2025. Mr. Nweke was among a number of panelists who spoke at the Plenary Session on Nigeria’s Economic Outlook.

The former minister expressed his pride as a Nigerian adding that it is a country that cannot be ignored. It is Africa’s largest market with an estimated population of 160 million.

According to Mr. Nweke, Goldman Sachs has picked Nigeria as one of the world’s largest economies in the world ahead of Canada. One advantage is that Nigeria has a predominantly young population, a sentiment earlier expressed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Nweke acknowledged the infrastructural problems of Nigeria, particularly in the area of energy, and said even in the absence of the energy deficiency, the economy is growing at the rate of 7.6 percent per annum. Further growth is expected this year.

The potential to ease the total reliance

on oil is fuelled by the agricultural sector’s productive capacity of 42 percent, making the economic outlook of his country brighter. In addition to agriculture and oil is the country’s wealth in solid minerals which is yet to be exploited.

Added to the potentials Mr. Nweke enumerated is the role of technology in helping to provide the right atmosphere for an economic take-off. The cabinet selected by President Goodluck Jonathan is an added force for growth. It is youthful, knowledgeable, and efficient, he said. “Nigeria has beaten all the odds of the objections raised against its growth,” the former minister concluded his submission.

Mrs. Farida Waziri, Chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who took the podium after Mr. Nweke spoke about the image problem of her country as a result of the infamous 419 incidents and corruption.

She told the gathering made mostly of young Nigerian entrepreneurs and American investors interested in investing in the country that her commission is dealing effectively with corruption and the 419 problem. She advised individuals, banks and other multinationals to be circumspect and inquire about the backgrounds of people who contact them for business. The

federal government, she said, is working with international law enforcement organizations to fight graft. Mrs. Waziri appealed to the Diaspora for their expertise and money in fighting crime. The EFCC is working on money laundering frauds, offenses of international corruption, the chairperson declared. Several criminals and purveyors of 419 and other crimes are serving jail sentences. The EFCC is working with the FBI, the Scotland Yard and the Metro Police of Britain and others elsewhere.

Mr. Robert Orya, President of Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) explained the role of his bank in formalizing and deepening trade among ECOWAS member states. All sectors of the Nigerian economy is under the radar of NEXIM Bank. The bank is helping to find means of storing agricultural produce. Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry is making strides in exporting its products and the bank is playing an active role in the entertainment and the creative arts industry. Ways are being explored to ensure a more efficient transportation system in the sub-region to support the export import sector of his country.

The session was chaired by Dr. Bamanga Tukur, President, African Business Roundtable and Chairman, NEPAD Business Group.

Ejeviome Eloho Otobo, Director and Deputy Head, United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, New York moderated the event

Solicit local inputs for development – International students suggest

by Kofi Ayim Ghana and China seem to have certain things in common: both do not solicit local inputs and are insensitive to the needs and/or plight of the people they claim to help when it comes to development. This observations were made when 12 international students from Drew University, New Jersey embarked on a three-week study tour to all 10 regions of Ghana May 15 to June 7 this year under the theme “China In Africa: The Ghanaian Experience of a New Development Model.”

China has more than 800,000 of its citizens currently living, working and/or running businesses in Africa, and over 800 small and medium businesses involved in manufacturing and bidding for construction of ports, railways, hospitals, administrative buildings and other facilities, usually at a very competitive price, and using comparatively advantageous cheaper labor and other factors of production. Chinese expansion especially in Africa, no doubt, is making the U.S. and the West edgy.

In a special “share your experiences and welcome back from Ghana” ceremony held at the First Presbyterian Church, Irvington, New Jersey October 23, the students consensually agreed that it is counterproductive and serves no one’s interest for international (aid) projects to be foisted on Africans because “what the international community thinks Africans may need, may be different from what they (Africans) think they need.” Using the LEKMA Hospital at Teshie in Accra

and the Bui Dam Resettlement Project built by the Chinese and the Ghanaian governments respectively as case studies, the students after interacting with government officials, civil, traditional leaders, as well as NGOs and stakeholders concluded that international aid and global partnership must be critically analyzed from conception, scoping, and implementation for its merits or otherwise. They claim local input (from doctors, engineers, etc) was not adequately solicited in the construction of the LEKMA Hospital.

Ghanaian health professional and managers therefore have to struggle with Chinese specifications that they know very little about. For example, they pointed out, for unknown reasons, X’ray equipment do not work. To buttress their point, the students pointed to the Kumasi Youth Center, near Asokwa also a “gift” from the Chinese as a White Elephant. They believe China is in Ghana not necessarily to help it (Ghana) develop, but to exploit its resources, albeit creating local employment in the process. They therefore challenged the Government of Ghana to step up to the plate to play China on an even field in order to be self reliant. “Teach a man how to fish, rather than giving him the fish,” cut in Professor Keyser referring to Chinese aid to Africa. The students were convinced that China is no different from previous foreign powers that exploited Ghana and Africa for its resources. “It is déjà vu neo-colonialism shrouded in Continued on page 2

Hard road to travel: This is the highway between Tamale, Northern Region capital and Hohoe, a metropolis in the Volta Region, all in Ghana

Rawlings and Kufuor Rock Lumba’s Show See page 2 Visit our link at http://issuu.com/african-views/docs/amandla to read the latest issue of Amandla

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Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

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Editorial Ghana’sAnnual Ritual of Floods When the floods hit Accra a few weeks ago, Ghanaians wondered when the deluge could be contained. It poured for five hours only but nine people lost their lives. Property worth billions of cedis were washed away and for some time, driving in a city already choked up with traffic, was an ordeal that couldn’t be wished on one’s worst enemy. In its trail the floods left an epidemic: cholera erupted in some places in the city.

Natural disasters such as floods are sometimes not easy to predict or even prevent. But the floods in Accra, in particular are not unpredictable. They have now become an annual ritual. And yet not much is being done about it.

Apart from the structural needs that need to be put in place to contain the situation, indiscipline and corruption have much to do with the unending incidence of floods. Further to that is the lack of administrative efforts to ensure that such incidents do not happen as frequently as they do.

One of the factors that cause flooding is poor drainage, and drainage in Accra is very poor.

Gutters are uncovered and owing to lack of indiscipline, they have become the repository of choice for garbage, including human waste. To make matters worse the gutters lead to nowhere increasing the potential for flooding. Why would people defecate in gutters and disrupt the desilting of the Odaw river that has become a waste disposal dump?

Driving through some parts of the city raises the issue of town planning. Houses are built at places designated for streets and drainage, and with an ever-increasing population, waste disposal has become a major problem. Such acts of indiscipline are happening because of corruption in the distribution of land for building in the city. Every aspect of land acquisition in Ghana is mired in corruption and that has affected town planning.

Added to these is the incidence of illegal military interventions in governance since 1966. Infrastructural projects and policies were either discontinued or ignored. The government of Dr. K.A. Busia’s Progress Party’s attempt to use compensation money from Israel to construct a comprehensive drainage system was curtailed by the intervention of Gen. I. K. Acheampong’s National Redemption Council in 1972. The then government was executing a plan for the city of Accra that dates as far back as 1922 at the time of Governor Gordon Guggisberg. That plan includes a subway drainage and railway system.

If the drainage system built a few years ago at Alajo could prevent the latest floods in the area, it means something can be done about the issue.

If sound administrative policies, including law enforcement are put in place together with the political will to provide the necessary infrastructure, flooding can be minimized. Above all, such actions need not be politicized.

Our focus is on Accra now but such several other cities and towns also face the same problem. To ensure the security of the nation, such basic infrastructure as effective drainage and comprehensive town and country planning are necessary components that most developing countries ignore, and Ghana certainly is among them.

The vulture mentality of always promising to seek shelter for the following season’s rains must stop. Unfortunately, there is no Noah in Accra and Ghana to build an Ark that would ferry Ghanaians to the top of Mount Ararat next year.

Hello! Is anyone listening?

Amandla Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Deputy Publisher / Editor

Kwabena Opong Kofi Ayim

Correspondents New York Accra, Ghana Accra, Ghana

Pamela Appea Kobby Smith Daneil Abugah

Photojournalists

Joseph (Nana) Sargent Rosiland (Efua) Sargent

Community News International Students Speak on Development Aid in Africa Contd. from front page in aids and gifts,” a student commented.

On another local front, the students learnt from residents of the Bui Dam project that government did not solicit their input before they were uprooted from their ancestral homes. Their new township built by the government, according to the

marathon stretch from Tamale to Yendi, Bimbilla and crossing the Oti River to Nkwanta in the Volta Region and into Jasikan and Hohoe, as the most horrible and deplorable roadway they encountered in Ghana. They could not understand the rationale behind electing politicians that are incapable of developing their constituencies. The students decried the very uneven nature of Ghana’s development where those in the rural areas are left to fend for themselves.

At the St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Kumasi, the students witnessed the ordination of a Bishop and came out with mixed feelings.

They were stunned to see a blue

eyed, blond- hair portrait of Jesus Christ in a wholly African (Black) environment, instead of indigenous portrait of Jesus created by God “in his own image.”

In retrospect, the students came out positively strong on Ghana’s proverbial hospitality, so much so that some are contemplating joining the U.S. Peace Corps with hopes of serving in Ghana.

The trip was under the leadership of Dr. Catherine Keyser, associate professor of Political Science and Chinese Studies and Dr. E. Obiri Addo, associate professor of African Studies and Religious Studies both of Drew University, Madison, New Jersey.

Ex-President Kufuor and Nana Konadu show dancing skills patriots. presence.

The sitting arrangement was another Adakabre’s first port of call with an spectacle which attracted the atteninvitation last Wednesday was the tion of the large turnout of people Kufuor residence, and the immediwhich beheld them as they shared ate-past president readily agreed to the same settee with Paul Afoko and turn up as requested.

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

“I then turned towards the RawlAt about 9:15pm, the former presiingses’, meeting both of them at dents were ushered into the main their Ridge residence. They too hall of the event and their walking obliged the invitation,” Adakabre side by side triggered another round told DAILY GUIDE. of applause which resounded so As to whether the two former presiloudly that it deafened all conversadents’ arrival at the venue of the tions among friends. programme was pre-arranged by the Former President Rawlings danced two dignitaries whose frosty relawith his spouse to the delight of spectators and what followed theretionship has seen an improvement after excited the crowd even further. in recent times, DAILY GUIDE is Former President Kufuor sought the unable to relate. permission of the man who handed Their arrival together could pass for over power to him in 2001 to dance a rehearsed action and was responwith his wife, Nana Konadu Agyesible for the ecstatic welcome they mang-Rawlings, which was readily received at the hands of their comobliged.

Nana Konadu’s dancing ability is known by many who have seen her responding to the various local tunes, some of which made front page headlines of newspapers.

The former First Lady led former President Kufuor to the tune of the popular contemporary highlife, ‘Aben Wo Ha’ and even though it was not a dancing competition, many could not resist grading them on their dancing skills.

Both persons danced well but Nana Konadu’s speed was something former President Kufuor could not match, even as they remained the cynosure of all who were taking part in the dancing session on the floor.

Former President Rawlings was not left out of the party, taking some steps too with one of the ladies in the company of his spouse.

The celebration, aside commemorating a fine local musician, was an auspicious event transcending the usual high political temperature associated with the relationship between the two dignitaries.

Daddy Lumba has 27 albums to his credit and for the fantastic achievement which has made his name a household one across the country, he attracted a 24-carat necklace worth $24,000.

Remaining unsurpassed in his category of music, Daddy Lumba’s albums have yielded more number ones and top ten hits than any of his colleagues in the industry.

Born on 29th September 1964, his ‘Aben Wo Ha’ album catapulted him to another level. His 28th album is in the pipeline.

Source: Daily Guide

students, has no functioning places of convenience; and the local school is only up to the primary level. The students lamented that the Dam and its attendant resettlement could have been designed and built to suit local and environmental sensitivity and sentiments of the people.

The citizens of the new Bui Township fear they would face similar fate that befell the people of Dodi and Asabi during the construction of the Akosombo Dam. Resettled at Nkwakubew near Anum by the government of Kwame Nkrumah, Nkwakubew, the students observed during their visit there, is now a ghost town.

The students described their

Kufuor, JJ Rock Lumba Show

By A.R. Gomda Former President Kufuor and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings exhibiting their dancing skills at the Daddy Lumba Show last Saturday Former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and his predecessor Jerry John Rawlings, last Saturday descended on the Accra International Conference Centre simultaneously to a deafening applause by the many personalities who thronged the venue for live performances by the highlife icon, Charles Kwadwo Fosu popularly called Daddy Lumba.

President Kufuor grabbed Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings for a dance, to the admiration of all patrons at the well-attended event.

The level of applause when the two former leaders turned up together at about 8:30pm was no match for the welcome which greeted the arrival of Rawlings at the launch of the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation recently at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The two dignitaries were at the center to partake in the celebration of the achievements of one of Ghana’s contemporary highlife musicians, Daddy Lumba.

The programme, whose success was accentuated by the presence of the two living former presidents, was put together by Arnold Asante’s Imagine Advertising Company.

If Imagine Advertising’s efforts saw the holding of the event, the idea and invitation of the two former presidents by Adakbre Frimpong Manso of Adom FM fame provided the flamboyance brought by their

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Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

Liberia: Sirleaf Wins Disputed Polls

Page 3

African News volatile and fluid situation it was necessary to use some force," police chief Marc Amblard has said.

Journalists saw two bodies with gunshot wounds to the head following Monday's incident and Tubman says up to eight were killed.

The president said she would establish an independent commission to investigate the shooting.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was confirmed the victor of a runoff poll boycotted by the opposition, and vowed to reach out to her opponents and reconcile the divided nation.

Sirleaf's re-election was seen as a foregone conclusion after rival Winston Tubman pulled out of the race and urged his supporters to boycott the polls over fears the process was rigged.

The National Elections Commission announced that with results tallied from 86.6 percent of polling stations, Sirleaf had won 90.8 percent of votes cast and Tubman nine percent.

Only 37.4 percent of the country's 1.8 million registered voters cast their ballots, with many believed to have stayed away due the President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson: re-elected boycott call and violence in recent elections on the eve of the poll, when police fired on a group of opposition protesters.

Analysts have said her glowing interThe Carter Center's 52-person observer national image could be dealt a blow mission said the vote was "conducted after an election campaign highlighting transparently", though: "Regrettably, her shady past and the support she rethe election was marred by an opposiceived from notorious ex-warlord tion boycott, violence on the eve of the Prince Johnson. election, and low voter turnout."

"If he chose to support me I could not The United States urged Liberians to tell him no because he was not speak"peacefully accept" the results. ing for himself he was speaking for the "We're obviously concerned and exwishes of his people," Sirleaf told jourpressed those concerns about pre-elecnalists. tion violence, and we continue to She said she was determined to make monitor very closely the situation on Liberia a post-conflict success story the ground," State Department and was confident of her ability to recspokesman Mark Toner told reporters. oncile the nation -- a key criticism of Sirleaf, Africa's first female president, opposition parties. is facing a tough second term with her She said while implementing the Truth nation more divided than ever after the and Reconciliation Commission report tainted election process. released in 2009 has taken time, her She has extended a hand of friendship new mandate would begin with a to opposition parties, saying she hoped "palava hut" -- a traditional meeting to put together an inclusive governplace for townspeople to settle differment as she had when she was elected ences. in 2005, just two years after the end of "I myself will be one of the first ones a brutal 14-year conflict. to go to the palava hut because I have "I will reach out to all the presidential been named in the report." candidates," Sirleaf told reporters in The report names Sirleaf among those Monrovia. who should be banned from public ofObservers have said Sirleaf may face a fice for her ties to former warlordbattle for legitimacy, re-elected in an turned-president Charles Taylor, whom election in which the opposition did she says she supported before the full not participate, but the 73-year old extent of his atrocities became clear. grandmother has shot this down.

Sirleaf said while her first term fo"The process is totally legitimate as it cused on establishing peace and develmeets the requirements of our constitu- opment, her second would tackle tion." problems such as job creation with unThe poll had been billed as a chance employment running at a staggering 80 for the war-scarred nation to cement its percent. - ANP/AFP fragile democracy and hard-won peace eight years after the end of a long and savage conflict which left some 250,000 people dead.

The Carter Center said "the events of the past week show that important challenges to Liberia's democratic consolidation remain."

All 15 candidates who contested the The first round election in the west presidential elections against President African state on October 11 was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have a place in greeted by great voter enthusiasm as her government when and if she wins, some 72 percent of the electorate the president has promised. turned out to cast their ballots.

President Sirleaf, meeting foreign jourBut when the results revealed Tubman nalists covering the election Thursday, trailed rival Sirleaf by almost ten persaid she will reach out to her oppocentage points, he cried foul and comnents after her nation-wide address plained of irregularities. today.

"If there were fraud, would I not win?

But the President said she is confident Overwhelmingly?" responded Sirleaf. that she has the people's mandate after The political bickering turned bloody an election her main rival, Winston when Tubman called an unauthorized Tubman, boycotted with claims of march after the close of the election fraud. campaign and protesters clashed with Many of the defeated candidates have police who fired live rounds at them. already endorsed the president in the "I can confirm that several rounds runoff, amongst them Liberty Party's were discharged by officers of the Charles Brumskine and Dr. Togba Nah Emergency Response Unit. Given the

... and promises inclusion of all 15 defeated opponents

Tipoteh, along with Nimba County's Senator Prince Johnson.

It is not however clear if Mr. Tubman will accept a position in the government.--New Democrat

gration.org, the Receiving Counter or the Public Affairs Unit at the Ghana Immigration Service Headquarters.

Liberia: Opposition Seeks Reconciliation After Poll

Zimbabwe: Rearming the Security Forces

Liberia's Winston Tubman said Friday he was willing to find a way to work with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf after disputed polls left the war-scarred nation more divided than ever.

Africa's first female president was confirmed the victor in a run-off election, seen as a foregone conclusion after Tubman pulled out of the race and urged his supporters to boycott the polls over fears the process was rigged.

The United States and election observers urged the country to accept the poll results, fearing further violence after an opposition rally on the eve of the election turned bloody as police fired on a crowd of protesters.

Tubman repeated his earlier stance that his party would not recognize the results, but was "prepared to heal the wounds of this country and to unite our country."

"Since Mrs. Sirleaf will now claim she is the president and is recognized by the international community, we have to find a way to work with her and I believe it is not beyond our ability to find a way for that to happen."

The National Elections Commission announced that with results tallied from 86.6 percent of polling stations, Sirleaf had won 90.8 percent of votes cast and Tubman nine percent.

Only 37.4 percent of the country's 1.8 million registered voters cast their ballots, with many believed to have stayed away due to the boycott call and violence on the eve of the poll.

"I think the real telling thing is the low turnout," Tubman told AFP and French radio in an interview in his garden early Friday.

"We have shown that this party doesn't have the support. ... What they couldn't conceal were the empty polling stations."

Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Sirleaf is facing a tough second term with her nation more divided than ever after the tainted election process.

She has extended a hand of friendship to opposition parties, saying she hoped to put together an inclusive government as she had when she was elected in 2005, just two years after the end of a brutal 14-year conflict.

"I will reach out to all the presidential candidates," Sirleaf told reporters in Monrovia.

Tubman, lying in a hammock on his verandah as rain poured outside, said his party was "not for sale", while recognizing that he would have to work with the president for the sake of the country.

"We're in this political business because we have a deeper ambition to unite our country, to heal the wounds ... and that must go on," he said, adding that he was trying to convince the youth in his party that peace is the most important thing for Liberia, and not personal ambition.

"A lot of our young people want to be on the streets now, it is taking a lot for us to try and restrain them," he said.

The poll had been billed as a chance for the war-scarred nation to cement its fragile democracy and hard-won peace eight years after the end of a long and savage conflict which left some 250,000 people dead.

The Carter Center's 52-person observer mission said the vote was "conducted transparently", though it added: "Regrettably, the election was marred by

The Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF) has taken delivery, via an African intermediary, of the first of several consignments of Chinese small arms and equipment.

The delivery, via a so-far unidentified intermediary, has been negotiated by Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. The indirect route is intended to keep the deliveries below the radar of Western governments, which have imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe since 2002 - and of Southern African governments, trade unions and journalists who have hampered recent deliveries.

The consignment is intended to reequip the army ahead of a national referendum and national elections within the next 18 months. It includes basic equipment for the ZDF's infantry units: at least 20 000 AK-47 automatic rifles, uniforms and 12 to 15 trucks. The inclusion of 21 000 pairs of handcuffs points to the intended domestic deployment of the refurbished units. A second consignment is due before year's end.

GNA

Opposition leader Winston Tubman an opposition boycott, violence on the eve of the election, and low voter turnout."

The United States urged Liberians to "peacefully accept" the results.

"We're obviously concerned and expressed those concerns about pre-election violence, and we continue to monitor very closely the situation on the ground," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

Sirleaf said she would establish an independent commission to investigate Monday's shooting, after police admitted that live rounds were fired as tensions soared between protesters and security forces.

Journalists saw two bodies with gunshot wounds to the head following Monday's incident and Tubman says up to eight were killed.

Sirleaf said that while her first term focused on establishing peace and development, her second would tackle problems such as job creation, with unemployment running at a staggering 80 percent.

Ghana Immigration Service detains 25 Illegal Chinese Miners Dunkwa (C/R), Nov. 13, GNA – Twenty-four illegal Chinese miners have been arrested by the personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Dunkwa in the Central Region after monitoring and gathering intelligence about their activities in the area.

A statement issued by the GIS and signed by Mr. Francis Palmdeti said a profile on the illegal miners indicates that they all hail from Guangxi Province in the Peoples Republic of China.

The Chinese workers did not have work and residence permit which is required to legally reside and work in the country.

The statement said since they were mining on a concession belonging to Force Field Mining Ltd, the firm has therefore been fined GHȼ 2,000 for each illegal miner and is to provide tickets for their deportation out of the country.

Mr. Palmdeti warned prospective employers to note that, in section 24 of the Immigration Act 2000 [ACT 573] it is an offence to engage the services of a foreign national who has not been issued with a work and residence permit.

“Similarly, any foreign national wishing to work in Ghana should be certain that their employers have been issued with work permits on their behalf, before they take up the employment. “ The statement said enquiries about the procedure for obtaining a work permit could be sought at www.ghanaimmi-

President Robert Mugabe The two Zimbabwean officers responsible for coordinating delivery are Colonel Ndlahli Mbkhalhe and Captain Sabestine Zabethe.

Although the intermediary country is so far unidentified and it is unclear whether the weapons' end-user certificates identify Zimbabwe as the recipient, it is unlikely that Beijing is unaware of the ultimate destination.

Chinese officials are directly involved with Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) - China is constructing an intelligence training campus for Harare - and with its armed forces.

China has in the past been Zimbabwe's most reliable source of weaponry for the past decade. During Zimbabwe's involvement in the civil war in the DRC (1998-2002), China sold it at least US$66-million worth of small arms. Since 2004 China has sold to Zimbabwe 139 military vehicles and 24 combat aircraft. This has, however, not been sufficient to offset the losses in the DRC campaign or the ravages of Zimbabwe's hyperinflation period.

With a Western arms embargo imposed in 2002, Zimbabwe has been seeking a reliable source of arms, particularly small arms.

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Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

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Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

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Visit www.mygoalautism.org and download "Family Grant Award" Application Form (PDF) Two (2) $1,000 Family Grants will be awarded for the following purpose(s): Medical Needs: To assist in paying non-reimbursable medical expenses, including first-time visit to a Defeat Autism Now (DAN) Doctor or other Autism-related specialist Nutritional Needs To purchase vitamins or other nutritional supplements that are specifically designed for children with ASD. Personal Needs To provide personal needs for the individual with ASD. Family grant guidelines: Applicants must be the primary care-giver of the individual on the Spectrum and provide the following: Proof of household Income Number of dependents Number of dependents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Information about what current funding the grantee is receiving (i.e., medical) The following must be received by MyGOAL in order to be considered for a Family Grant: Completed, signed and dated Grant Application Verification of diagnosis No more than 250 word description of current family situation (grant application over this word amount will not be considered) Copy of previous year’s tax return All completed FAMILY GRANT applications must be mailed to: MyGOAL Inc. Attn: GRANT Committee P.O. Box 531, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852

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Verification won’t solve electoral fraud – EC Boss The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Afari Gyan says the numerous calls for a verification system of the proposed biometric compilation of the voters register will not be the panacea to curbing electoral fraud in Ghana.

He believes appropriate vigilance and proper policing at polling stations on the day of election is the key to curtail some of the electoral irregularities that have characterized national elections since 1992.

He added that the EC has no intention of introducing a biometric voter system.

According to Dr. Afari Gyan, the EC is not contemplating a biometric voting system but what it hopes to do is to compile a biometric voter’s registration.

He explained that there was no logical relationship between a biometric voter’s register and biometric voting, hence the need for campaigners of the verification mechanism to stop misconstruing the process.

Malema verdict: Guilty, guilty NICKOLAUS BAUER | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Derek Hanekom, the deputy science and technology minister and A C national disciplinary committee chairperson, explained in minute detail to the media on Thursday how and why the committee had sanctioned youth league leader Julius Malema and his cohorts.

The committee's findings were as follows: The group charge The ANC Youth League leadership -- president Julius Malema, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi -- was taken to task for disrupting a high-level ANC meeting.

The charge was of contravening rule 25,5 (q) and (o) of the ANC constitution by deliberately disrupting a meeting of the party's national office-holders on August 9 and, in doing so, undermining the authority of ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe.

The group was found guilty because it was "untenable" to enter a high-level meeting, which included the president and deputy president of South Africa and the ANC, uninvited.

The committee found that the disruption undermined the effectiveness of the party and disobeyed a directive by Mantashe. It noted that the group may have been frustrated, but that "ill-discipline was not a cure for frustration".

All of those charged had their ANC membership suspended for two years, a sanction suspended for three years provided none of them undermined the party's constitution or code of ethics in that

Electoral Commissioner Kwadwo Afari Gyan The EC Boss dropped the hint at the International Conference Centre during the opening ceremony of the first International Conference on Peace and Good Governance organized by the West Africa Parliamentary Press Corps.

In a speech read on his behalf, Vice President John Dramani Mahama challenged the Ghanaian media to show courage and determination in exposing warmongers and institutions issuing threats that are likely to endanger the peace

and stability of the nation.

He also expected the media to highlight the wanton abuse of the fundamental human rights and freedoms of some Ghanaians which have remained veritable threats to the nation’s internal peace and security.

Mr. John Mahama further challenged the leadership of all political parties in Ghana to conduct themselves in a manner that will preserve the nation’s peace before, during and after the 2012 elections.

Source: Citifmonline

period.

Individual charges Julius Malema Three charges were levelled against Malema in his individual capacity: Contravening rule 25.5 (i) of the ANC constitution by sowing divisions in the party by comparing the leadership style of former president Thabo Mbeki to that of President Jacob Zuma.

Flouting rule 25.5 (c) of the ANC constitution by bringing the organisation into disrepute through his statement that the Botswana government was a "threat to Africa" and the youth league would set up a "Botswana command team" to bring about regime change in that country.

Infringing section 25.5 (d) of the ANC constitution by propagating racism or political intolerance, because he told an election rally in Galeshewe in May this year that whites should be treated as criminals for stealing land from black people.

The youth leader was found guilty of sowing division in the ruling party, because his leadership comparison portrayed "the current government and its leadership under President [Jacob] Zuma in a negative light and therefore had the potential to sow division and disunity".

He was found guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute on the basis that the statements were "reckless and baseless" and "not part or within the parameters of ANC policy".

He was, however, cleared of promulgating racism, because this charge was not proved on a balance of probabilities.

Malema's ANC membership was suspended for two years because he had contravened the suspended sentence he received at his first disciplinary hearing in 2010. He received a further five-year suspension for charges relating to this disciplinary hearing. Both sentences will run concurrently until 2016.

Sindiso Magaqa, secretary general Magaqa was charged with infringing rule 25,5 (o) of the

ANC constitution because he prejudiced the integrity of the organisation and created divisions in it by making derogatory remarks about national executive committee member and Public Works Minister Malusi Gigaba on August 2.

Magaqa's remarks were contained in a statement in which he accused Gigaba of "pleasing imperialists" by saying the nationalisation debate was hurting foreign investment in South Africa.

Magaqa was found guilty because his statement undermined the effectiveness of the ANC as a ruling party and Gigaba's position as minister.

His ANC membership was suspended for 18 months, a sanction suspended for three years.

Floyd Shivambu, spokesperson Shivambu was charged with: Infringing rule 25.5 (o) of the ANC constitution by prejudicing the party's integrity, impeding party activities and creating divisions in party ranks and among members. This breach related to his swearing at Jacques Dommisse, a Media24 investigative reporter, in July and the issuing of a press statement accusing the Botswana government of "embracing imperialism" and calling for regime change in that country.

Breaching section 25,5 (i) of the ruling party's constitution through provoking a breakdown of unity in the ANC by issuing a press statement on August 2 relating to Botswana, which discounted a corresponding statement issued by ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu, thus driving a wedge between the spokesperson and party officials.

Shivambu was found guilty as charged for the foul language he directed at the journalist and his issuing of press statements relating to the league's stance on Botswana.

He was, however, cleared on the charge of provoking division because this overlapped with the other charge.

Shivambu's ANC membership was suspended for three years.

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African News Nigeria: One-Month Old Baby Received a Salary Hilversum — A one-month old baby, said to hold a diploma, was on the Nigerian government payroll, officials have discovered, exposing the levels to which corruption runs in Africa's most populous country.

The name of the infant was recently found on the payment voucher of a local government council in northern Nigeria during an exercise to fish out ghost employees from a bloated workforce, Garba Gajam, justice commissioner for Zamfara State told AFP late Wednesday.

"In the on-going verification exercise of the payrolls ... in the state we discovered that a month-old baby was among the employees of one local government who is paid a salary,"

misappropriating public funds.

Zamfara is one of the 12 predominantly Muslim states in northern Nigeria that adopted the sharia law which imposes amputation of a wrist for theft.

So far no-one has been tried for corruption in a sharia court in the state since the re-introduction of the penal code in 1999.

In 2001, two cattle rustlers had their right wrists amputated in separate sentences, drawing local and international outrage. - ANP/AFP

Gajam said.

"What is even more astonishing is that it was indicated in the payroll that the infant holds an ordinary national diploma," said Gajam, revealing that the discovery is a "widespread trend in the local government service where senior officials stuff payrolls with the names of their wives and children".

In August the name of a five-monthold baby was found on the payroll of another local municipality, prompting an investigation.

"And we have been receiving amazing revelations which point to the rot and abysmal level of corruption at the local government level," Gajam said.

Perpetrators will have to refund the siphoned funds and face prosecution for

Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide/allAfrica.com yahoo image

Sudan: Rebel Groups Agree to Work Together for Regime Change in Country Khartoum — Four rebel groups agreed Friday to overthrow the government of the National Congress Party (NCP) and to establish a democratic state based on the voluntary unity and neutrality of religion on political matters.

Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), the two main factions of the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur (SLM-AW) and Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) announced the establishment of a new alliance called the Revolutionary Forces Front (RFF).

The statement said that RFF is resolved to bring down the regime of the National Congress Party (NCP) through popular and military means.

They also announced their determination to fight the regime in all the Sudan's regions including the capital Khartoum.

The 11 November text is signed by Abul Gassim Al-Haj for the SLM-AW, Ahmed Tugud for the JEM, Al-Rayah Mahmoud representing the SLM-MM and Yasir Arman for the SPLM-N instead of Ramadan Hassan Nimir who inked a 7 August deal.

In August, JEM deputy chairman Ahmed Adam Bakheit who represented his group at the talks did not sign the deal but said the group re-

mained committed to the process. At the time, JEM voiced some reserves over the wording of the document on the issue of separation between religion and politics.

However, November's version of the deal seems similar to what the SLM groups and SPLM-N announced on 8 September.

Sources close to the talks said the parties felt the need to finalize the political agreement before to engaging in joint military operations. The difference over the language of the text should not hinder the activation of the deal particularly the future Sudanese constitution would be decided in future talks, the sources said.

The joint statement released after the signing of the deal says the four representatives of the rebel groups are the members of a political committee. It was also announced that a military committee is formed to lead the alliance forces but no name was disclosed.

The rebels further said the leaders of their groups will meet soon to endorse formally the institutions of the new alliance and to complete the appointments of the political and military positions.

The Sudanese army recently seized Kurmuk town, last SPLM-N strong-

East Africa: Ethiopia Invites Egypt and Sudan to Discuss Nile Dam

The Addis Ababa meeting is expected to arrange and decide how and when the joint technical committee begins its research over the impacts of Ethiopia Grand Millennium Dam. Ethiopia says it has the right to execute development projects on the Blue Nile and further argues that construction of the dam will benefit Egypt and Sudan, who under a colonial treaty have control over most of the Nile's water resources and are able to veto the execution of dam and irrigation projects in upstream countries.

Ethiopian experts say construction of the dam will benefit Sudan and Egypt as it will regulate the flow of water, thus reducing the situation that threatens their dams and controls possible flood risks.

The 4.8 billion dollar project was officially launched on April, 2011 and upon completion Ethiopia has plans to export electricity to Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, South Sudan and other countries in the region. The country has recently begun exporting power to neighboring Djibouti.

South Sudan seeks membership of Nile Basin Initiative In September the newly independent Republic of South Sudan announced it was seeking full membership of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) two months after it became independent on 9 July.

The acting minister of Information, Madut Biar Yel, said South Sudan had already been enjoying an observer status in the organization as a semi-autonomous region before independence, under the umbrella of the then national government in Khartoum.

Tesfa-Alem Tekle Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has officially invited Egypt and Sudan for talks over a controversial dam project the horn of Africa country intends to build on the Blue Nile river.

The invitation on Tuesday comes few weeks after Sudan has agreed to join Ethiopia and Egypt for the establishment of a tripartite technical committee that will assess to concerns raised from downstream countries that construction of the massive dam project will reduce water flow.

The ministers responsible for water management in Egypt and Sudan have been invited to Addis Ababa this month for further consultation on ways of jointly fostering future cooperation based on common interest.

According to the Egypt State Information Service the joint meeting "aims to discuss ways of overcoming the crisis between the Nile Basin countries and to restore dialogue and negotiations on points of contention in the Framework the agreement of countries around the Nile".

The tripartite technical committee comprises of experts drawn from the three countries as well as international experts.

President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan hold in southern Blue Nile state where hostilities started last September. The army also repelled yesterday an attack carried out by the rebel group in South Kordofan. It was reported that the regular forces inflicted huge loses on the assailants led by SPLM-N deputy chairman Abdel Aziz el-Hilu.

The situation in Darfur has remained calm for several months. The only development was the return of JEM

leader Khalil Ibrahim from Libya where he was for more than a year.

The government says the rebel leader received military and financial support from Gaddafi before the fall of his regime.

The alliance members called on the Sudanese opposition forces to "reject the partial settlements and to adopt a comprehensive perspective to change the center of power in Khartoum".

NBI is an inter-governmental organization dedicated to equitable and sustainable management and development of the shared water resources of the Nile Basin. Its member states include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda with Eritrea also as an observer.

It was established on February 22, 1999 in Dar es Salaam, by ministers responsible for water affairs of each of the nine member states. Its objectives include developing the Nile Basin's water resources in a sustainable and equitable way to ensure prosperity, security, and peace for all its peoples.

Source: Sudan Tribune/allAfrica.com Pope Benedict XVI

Pope to make second trip to Africa

By Francis X. Rocca| Religion News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI will make his second papal trip to Africa on Friday (Nov. 18), visiting the West African country of Benin for three days, where he is likely to address economic justice, peace-building and interfaith dialogue.

During Mass at a stadium in the city of Cotonou on Sunday, Benedict will present Catholic bishops from across Africa with an authoritative papal document about the church’s efforts to

promote “reconciliation, justice and peace.”

The document is based on a threeweek synod of African bishops held at the Vatican in October 2009. That meeting ended with an unusually strong official statement that blamed violent conflict in Africa on “greed for power and wealth at the expense of the people and nation,” and called on political leaders to “clean the continent of corruption.”

Benedict will also speak to Benin’s political, religious, business and cultural leaders at the presidential palace in Cotonou on Saturday. The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the chief Vatican spokesman, said the speech will touch on issues of concern to all of Africa.

While Catholics make up little more than a quarter of Benin’s population, the country has long been a regional

They also said they will contact "the Sudanese forces of change that work to overthrow the regime including political forces and civil society organizations to reach a common platform and a national consensus" for the postBashir's regime.

The main opposition forces remained insensible to the calls of the rebel groups for military action against the government. However, the ruling party accused the Popular Congress Party of Hassan al-Turabi of supporting the rebel groups.

International community called on the government and rebel groups to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflicts. The South Kordofan and Blue Nile conflicts and the eight year war in Darfur might cause a new war between the north and South Sudan which has been independent since July.

Khartoum accuses Juba of supporting the rebel groups in a proxy war over the control of Abyei area and other disputed border regions. On the other hand Juba accuses Khartoum of backing the rebel groups in the South Sudan to undermine the political stability in the newly independent republic and to re-annex it to the north again.

Source: Sudan Tribune/allAfrica.com

hub of missionary work, Lombardi said. A seminary in the city of Ouidah, which Benedict will visit on Saturday, has been a source of priests for nearby countries, including Ghana, Nigeria and Niger.

Ouidah is also an international center for the indigenous religion of Vodoun, or Voodoo, which is practiced by more than 17 percent of Beninese.

Catholicism’s relationship with traditional African religions is of particular concern to Benedict, who has warned against the danger of melding faiths in nonCatholic cultures.

Late last month at the Vatican, Benedict lamented to bishops visiting from Angola and Sao Tome and Principe that African converts to Catholicism often persist in “practices that are incompatible with adherence to Christ,” including the “marginalization and even murder of children and elderly people, condemned by the false diktats of witchcraft.”

In a flat country a hillock thinks itself a mountain. -- A Turkish saying

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Photo Report A number of students from Drew University traveled to Ghana with Rev. Dr. E. Obiri Addo, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Irvington (FPC) and associate professor at Drew. The church held a welcome-home reception for the students as seen in the photos below. We also bring you photos of the 19th annual harvest held by FPC on October 30.

First Presbyterian Church at Irvington organized a special welcome home for the students

Drew Students listen to explanation from an official

Mrs. Alice Boakye (2nd left) and other parishioners

Dr. William Rockson ( middle) and dad Mr. Rockson

These young schoolers from the new settlement at Bui share a local game with a Drew student

12 Drew students with a host

All seemed to take in the fun

First Church is divided into Communities. Here, a Community gracefully dances to the offertory

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Op-ed Is Herman Cain the Dreamliner for the GOP to the White House?

By U.K. Uwadinobi In the aviation world, aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing recently delivered its first 787 commercial jetliner dubbed Dreamliner, to its Japanese customer All Nippon Airways. At a price tag of $200 million, the Dreamliner, replete with all the trappings of luxury in modern day air travel, is Boeing’s solution to recapturing its lead in the global aerospace market from its rival Airbus.

In the political world, the Republican nomination race has taken a disquieting turn, with the candidates shooting themselves in the foot trying to knock each other down in order to win the nomination. The friendly fire episode early on took down former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty who dropped out of the race.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, whose Iowa straw poll victory put her at the top tier, has dropped significantly in the polls and is now at the bottom of the pack. Texas Governor Rick Perry, who stepped into the ring belatedly but took over Mitt Romney as front-runner, has taken a nosedive too. Gov. Perry’s dramatic fall was ostensibly aided by his lackluster performance way below expectation in recent debates. It is believed that Mr. Perry’s tumble from the top has largely fueled the prolonged political ballroom dance between the New Jersey “whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me” Governor Chris Christie and deep-pocketed Republican donors courting the NJ rising political star in the GOP to run.

Meanwhile Herman Cain, the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO and presidential hopeful, seems to be the only candidate unscathed. He has seized the opportunity presented by the friendly fire attacks among the well-known candidates to hone his campaign message, gain some visibility and traction and surged to the leading position as recent polls indicate.

As America begins to take a closer look at Herman Cain, many are now wondering if he is the GOP hammer and cane to beat Obama in 2012. In other words, is he the embodiment of Pilot and Dreamliner that the GOP hopes could deliver the votes and carry it down the presidential runway of Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House in January 2013?

According to conventional wisdom, party primaries are usually base-driven. The candidate who most reflects the core principles and beliefs of the party usually is the one favored to be the nominee. Unless, of course, elite members of the party establishment with substantial influence think otherwise and can galvanize support of

deep-pocketed donors to back the candidate they want to be the nominee. A glaring example of this unsettling dichotomy is evident at the moment in the GOP nomination race. On one hand is Herman Cain, who has catapulted himself to the leading position by preaching to the choir and striking the right notes that appeal to the base and corralling their support. On the other hand is Mitt Romney, not wellembraced by the base ostensibly because of his history of flip-flops on policy issues that are dear to Tea Party conservatives, but whom the elite party establishment feels is the best choice they have to challenge President Obama.

In an election critics on both sides of the political aisle are saying looks like the GOP’s to lose, given how badly voters are feeling about the troubling economy, the intriguing question no longer being whispered is, Why the burgeoning schism in the Republican nomination race, which threatens to spill into the general election and blight the party’s chances of winning back the White House?

Using the megaphone of the right wing media, Republicans for several months have been blaring, with resounding refrain, that the current state of the economy is their ticket to reclaiming majority status in the United States Senate, and ultimately, the White House. Most conservative pundits have expressed that one would be delusional to believe or even think, that with a persistent unemployment rate of 9.1 percent; Obama stands any chance of getting reelected. Pushing the GOP’s notion that Obama is not reelectable, Conservative Talk Radio King Rush Limbaugh, among others, has pontificated numerous times on his radio show almost with orgasmic delight that Obama is “landslideable!”

But in recent weeks, Mr. Limbaugh seems to be toning down his partisan rhetoric and sounds not so sure about the prospects of a GOP White House win. In part because of becoming perplexed by what the elite party

bureaucrats are doing to see that Mitt Romney, a non-hard core conservative conjoineat the hip with Obama (a la “Obamney Care as Tim Pawlenty coined it), becomes the nominee the Democrats would love to have as O’s opponent.

With regard to Rick Perry, the high expectations in him seem to be dissipating and have become psychological setbacks not helping the right wing media megaphones as effective drum beat to promote his candidacy. As has been noted in his debate performances so far, he is charming and likeable but doesn’t seem to have the intellectual sophistication and debating skills to deliver killer punch

come gratuitous. The Talk Radio King is right. Perry’s incessant talk about Texas and being its Governor, makes it sound like it will be the most consequential thing ever in his political life, and that he hopes his holding that office will enable him to get elected President and if so will “work everyday to make Washington, D.C., as inconsequential in your life as I can.”

Nonetheless, the Perry campaign is holding out hope that their candidate will recover from his stumbles. The campaign reportedly plans to unleash a flurry of campaign ads designed to help Mr. Perry regain his lost momentum.

Meanwhile, new front-runner Hermain

lines that can floor his opponents and excite the audience. The revelation of not having a specifically laid out plan for how he intends to nurse the economy back to recovery and get Americans back to work again, has been disappointing. Rush Limbaugh himself has even noted that Rick Perry talking about Texas all the time has be-

Cain is starting to come under intense scrutiny as economic and financial experts pore over the details of his (9-9-9 flat tax proposal), which he touts as a practical solution to fixing the nation’s broken economy. Some of the reviews have elicited mixed reactions from economic and financial analysts, with some suggesting that the plan is

I’m sick and tired of the RNC (Republican Neutralized Committee) for not firing back in defense of Herman Cain!

more complicated than he claims “it’s very simple,” while others say it will disproportionately favor those at the high income bracket and corporations at the expense of hampering the federal government’s ability to sufficiently generate revenue. Critics also say that the 9 per cent sales tax component of the plan would add more burden onto the poor.

Some observers have complained that watching Mr. Cain on television trying to explain how the plan would work in terms of tax-deductible expenses for business entities and individuals was no less confusing and perplexing.

Assuming Mr. Cain successfully makes it past the primaries and becomes the nominee, he would face some major hurdles in the general election. In the plurality of the electorate, no candidate, Democrat or Republican, ever wins the general election without the Hispanic and African American votes. Those are key voting blocs a candidate should not ignore. Herman Cain’s stance on immigration would determine which way Latino vote will swing. Already his recent comment that, for years “the Black Community has been brainwashed into voting for the Democratic Party,” has frayed nerves among African Americans and may steer votes away from him to Obama. Like a Nigerian native proverb says: “no matter how you feel about your mother’s meal, you do not come out in public and say how horrible it tastes!”

Nonetheless, whatever one may think of the author of “This is Herman Cain: My Journey to the White House” and his “9-9-9” economic emergency hotline, his run for the White House – win or lose – has added another glowing feather on the nation’s hat. Who would have thought that just a little under four years, after Barack Obama became the first Black President of the United States, another Black candidate would follow on his heels with a dream to occupy the White House? As the late former President Ronald Reagan famously referred to America as “the world’s beacon of hope…a shinning city on the hill,” Herman Cain’s race to the White House shows once again, how America has come a long way from the racial lines, which in the past, were symbols of institutionalized impediments to how high America’s minority could dream.

It is indeed a fitting image to salute the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.!

Libya: Three Dead As Militias Clash Three fighters in a militia from Zawiyah, in western Libya, were killed in clashes with rival gunmen from another town, a local official said on Saturday.

Nureddin Nussi said the fighting on Friday pitted Zawiyah fighters against a militia from Wershefana, which lies between that town and Tripoli.

On Saturday, sporadic gunfire was heard in Al-Maya region, 27 kilometres (16 miles) west of the capital, AFP correspondents said.

Fighters from Zawiyah, 15 kilometres from Wershefana, had taken up positions on the coastal road, armed with Kalashknikov assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns.

Nussi told AFP armed tribesmen from Wershefana had on Thursday set up checkpoints on the road to Zawiyah, blocking off access to residents and making about 15 ar-

rests.

Three Zawiyah fighters were killed when they intervened, he said.

Nussi said the Wershefana fighters were supporters of the ousted regime of Libya's slain leader Moamer Kadhafi and added that local leaders from Zawiyah had opened negotiations to avoid further bloodshed.

The official said armed men from Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli and one of the last holdouts of proKadhafi fighters before their defeat by rebels last month, were trying to join up with the Wershefana gunmen.

"We arrested two of them," he said.

But a member of the Wershefana group said the clashes were for control of a former barracks of Battalion 22, which was led by Kadhafi's son Khamis. "We've held it since the liberation. Now the Zawiyah rebels want to take it."

Tensions between former rebel groups which toppled the Kadhafi regime have raised fears of a new civil war, with Libya's transitional leaders setting the disarmament of militias and formation of a national army as key priorities. - ANP/AFP

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DĨĂŶƚƐĞŵĂŶ ƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ E: WƌĞƐĞŶƚƐ 'ƌĂŶĚ /ŶĂƵŐƵƌĂƟŽŶ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂLJ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ Ϯϲ͕ ϮϬϭϭ ƚ ^ƚ͘ >ƵĐLJ͛Ɛ ĂƚŚŽůŝĐ ŚƵƌĐŚ EĞǁĂƌŬ͕ E: &Žƌ ƟĐŬĞƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƌĞĐƟŽŶƐ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ /ƐĂĂĐ ŶĂŶĞͶϵϳϯ-ϯϰϮ-ϴϮϯϴ ^ĂŵƵĞů DĞŶƐĂŚͶϵϳϯ-ϴϮϬ-ϭϲϰϱ ZĞŐŝŶĂ ƉƉŝĂŚ DĞŶĚƐͶϵϬϴ-ϯϳϳ-ϰϲϲϰ :ĂĐŽď YƵĂŝŶŽŽͶϴϲϮ-Ϯϯϱ-ϵϰϱϬ &ŝŝĮ ƉƉŝĂŚ DĞŶĚƐͶϵϬϴ-ϯϳϳ-ϮϮϬϭ EĂŶĂ KƚǁƵǁĂͶϵϳϯ-ϵϵϭ-ϳϰϰϯ dŝŶĂ ,ĂŵŵŽŶĚ ϵϳϯ-ϯϵϯ-ϯϳϮϮ

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Why Teachers Must Become Community Organizers and Justice Fighters Mark Naison There is a long history of Teacher Activism in the United States. In New York City, the tradition goes back to the late 1930s when teachers associated with the Communist Party and the New York City Teachers Union fought to have Negro History Month honored in the NYC Public schools, to force the replacement or reassignment of racist teachers and to challenge the placement of Black students in the lowest tracks and most decayed schools in a highly tracked school system. This legacy of anti-racist activism, always done in collaboration with civil rights organizations and community groups, lasted into the late 50’s when many of the most effective teacher activists were pushed out of the New York school system during the Cold War. This forgotten tradition is described in depth in Clarence Taylor’s new book" Reds and the Black Board: Communism, Civil Rights and the New York City Teachers Union " After the old Teachers Union faded from the scene, another group of teacher activists, drawing upon a broad coalition of liberals, Socialists and moderate trade unionists,, won recog-

South African farmer killed by pet hippopotamu Marius Els, 41, was attacked by Humphrey on Saturday night.

The farmer’s mutilated body was discovered submerged in a river running through his 400 acre in rural South Africa.

Earlier this year Mr. Els was pictured happily riding on his pet bull hippo’s back.

“Humphrey’s like a son to me, he’s just like a human,’ he said at the time.

“There’s a relationship between me

nition for the United Federation of Teachers as official bargaining agent for New York City School teachers, winning them decent salaries , job security, and some level of freedom of expression inside and outside their schools. The UFT from its outset worked to improve conditions in schools for all students and supported the non-violent civil rights struggle in the South and the North. Unfortunately in 1968, the UFT found itself engaged in a conflict with some community leaders in Harlem and Ocean Hill Brownsville during a series of brutal strikes challenging community control of school policies in those neighborhoods. These strikes not only created a fissure between UFT and civil rights organizations, it created fissures within the UFT between supporters and opponents of the strike that left a legacy of bitterness that lasted for years to come.

In the wake of that strike the UFT proved powerless to resist a devastating attack on the New York City Public schools orchestrated by bankers who dominated the Emergency Financial Board which took the city into financial receivership following the Fiscal Crisis of 1975. The Board of Education was forced by this unelected body and Humphrey and that’s what some people don’t understand.

“They think you can only have a relationship with dogs, cats and domestic animals.

“But I have a relationship with the most dangerous animal in Africa.”

Mr. Els kept 20 different species of exotic animals including giraffe and rhino on his farm near Klerksdorp in South Africa’s north west.

But he developed a special fondness for Humphrey, whom he bought aged just five months and for whom even built a special lake.

Humphrey was aged six and weighed more than a metric ton when he attacked Mr. Els. Hippos are considered to one of the world’s most dangerous animals. They

to make budget cuts which closed down the world class music programs in the city’s junior high schools (most junior high schools had upwards of 200 musical instruments which were lent out free of charge to anyone who had made their bands or orchestras) and ended the after school programs and night centers which were a fixture of every public school in the city in the 1940’s 1950’s and 1960’s. These programs were never fully replaced, leaving children in the city’s schools, from the late 1970s on, with far less in the way of arts and sports and after school mentoring than their parents’ generation had enjoyed in those very same schools Nearly 40 years have passed since the Fiscal Crisis budget cuts and our public schools now face a challenge more insidious and perhaps, more formidable. All across the nation, a poisonous coalition of multi billionaire business leaders, test and technology companies, charitable foundations and elected officials are pushing a nationwide education agenda that involves the introduction of high stakes testing at all grade levels, evaluation of teachers and schools based on student test scores, and the introduction of “com-

petition” into public education by the creation of independently managed charter schools given special advantages in funding and recruitment.

This Education Reform agenda, embraced by both the Bush and Obama Administrations and embodied in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, represents a formidable assault on teachers hard won collective bargaining rights as well as their classroom autonomy and freedom of expression, but it also represents a devastating attack on children in America’s working class and poor communities at a time when our nation is experiencing a redistribution of wealth upward and a sharp increase in poverty levels. Not only does corporate education reform reduce schooling in the nation’s poor communities to test prep and obedience training , squeezing out critical thinking and the arts, it divides those communities against themselves by transforming charter schools into privileged enclaves which promise passage out of the neighborhood to a few lucky children and view the remaining public schools, and their students, with aversion and contempt.

Given the complex challenge corporate education reform poses, today’s

teacher activists cannot just have a strategy which is solely school or teacher centered. They must become community organizers who fight school closings, the proliferation of tests, and the weakening of teacher bargaining rights as attacks on the ability of working class people and people of color to fight for better opportunities for themselves and their children.

In this setting, Teacher Activists must put forth a vision of Radical Democracy which envisions an education which empowers students as critical thinkers and agents of historical change, not just as obedient test takers and which envisions schools playing a central role in neighborhoods united and mobilized to get a fair share of the nation’s resources. Occupy Wall Street has provided a language and an example to put that model of Radical Democracy into practice. But it cannot work unless teachers link their own fate to that of the students they work with and the people in the communities where their schools are located.

Unless Teacher activists become community organizers and justice fighters in the broadest sense, they will lose the battle to defend their classrooms from the incursions of corporate interests..

are, by nature, very aggressive – especially when young calves are present.

They commonly attack humans with no apparent provocation, usually using their enormous canine teeth to gouge their victims.

They can weigh up to three tons and can travel at speeds of up to 30mph.

He who sleeps with a blind man will wake up cross-eyed. -A Turkish saying google image

Amandla Vol. 10 Issue

11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

Page 16

Environment Lesotho: Dam-Building Continues Despite Controversy Maseru — The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) is building a third major dam, despite concerns about the welfare of thousands of villagers who lost their homes or land after the first dams were built in return for what many feel is inadequate compensation.

"Lesotho continues to sell natural resources that their own people need," said Mabusetsa Lenka, head of the water, justice and environmental programmes at Transformation Resource Centre (TRC) a human rights and social justice NGO based in the capital, Maseru.

"These people lived off the water and land by the river for a long time until suddenly the LHDA took it away from them and gave them a small amount of cash. Now [contrary to promises made] they lack running water and electricity and they aren't even allowed to touch the water in the man-made lakes that are right next to their villages."

The agreement to build Polihali Dam, signed in August 2011 by the Lesotho and South African governments, formally kicks off the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

It is an ambitious 30-year, US$16 billion bilateral venture that envisions building five or six large dams in Lesotho to supply neighboring South Africa's rapidly increasing industrial demand for water and electricity. The largest water infrastructure project on the African continent, when completed it will transfer over 70 cubic meters of water per second to South Africa.

The first two dams - Katse, completed in 1998, followed by Mohale in 2002 yielded a profit of $64 million to Lesotho's government in the past year, and $340 million between 1998 and 2009, but civil society organizations point out that the over 27,000 villagers directly affected by construction of the dams have experienced more losses than benefits.

"No more dams should even be on the drawing board until the social and environmental problems created by the first dams are resolved," said Lori Pottinger, an African specialist at International Rivers (IR), an environmental and human rights NGO based in Berkeley, California Destroyed livelihoods Several villages were partially or completely submerged when the Katse and Mohale dams were built on the Senqunyane River in southern Lesotho's Thabaputsoa mountain range, forcing the resettlement of 467 households.

However, many more households were affected by the damage or loss of

arable and grazing lands. Villagers within a two to five kilometer radius of the dams were given new houses, a communal water tap, pit latrines, and annual compensation averaging $650 per household, which they are supposed to receive for the next 50 years.

But the villagers IRIN spoke to said the soil of the land where they were resettled, higher up in the mountains, is much poorer than where they farmed before, the plots they were given are much smaller, and the compensation money is not enough to live on. Although they were given some choice about where to resettle, Lenka said the options were limited and ill-informed "and in some instances, the choice was influenced by LHDA officials".

The LHDA Chief Executive Officer, Peter Makuta, insists that the compensation has been more than fair, and claims that the bigger problems are the dependency the payments have created among the farmers, and their inability to adapt.

"The rates that we've compensated them are some of the best in the world, I promise you. The big problem is that our policy replaces their livestock and land with hard cash, and these farmers are not used to living off money. We've introduced these people to a completely different way of life," he told IRIN. Phakiso Hlotsi, 34, who lived in Haralifate, a village that now lies beneath the water of the Mohale dam, said he would prefer good land to an insufficient handout.

"Life is more difficult now than it used to be when we were along the river," he told IRIN. "I used to be able to support my whole family farming maize, wheat and vegetables on a plot of land three times the size of what we have now."

Hlotsi, his wife and two children were resettled in 1996 at Ha-Tsiu, a village on the side of a mountain.

Hlotsi's sister has since passed away, so they now care for her three children as well. "If I had good land then I would be able to feed my family and sell my extra produce for cash...I can't last the entire year on 5,000 maloti ($650)."

A community leader from Likalaneng village, a few kilometers from the dam, who gave her name only as Mpeoane, agreed that the resettlement package had not been enough to compensate villagers for the loss of their land.

"The houses are good quality and the sanitation and communal water source have been positive, but just getting money that isn't enough to live off,

google image

while not having land to produce food isn't a good situation," she said.

The LHDA did not reveal the total amount it has spent on compensation, but its annual report shows that in 2006, the most recent year for which figures are available $859,000 was paid to 2,237 affected households as cash compensation and $950,000 went on lump sum payments for the loss of arable land.

Corruption Allegations of corruption and embezzlement have dogged the compensation process.

Villages receive communal compensation annually, based on how many households have resettled there as a result of the dams. Locally selected committees are supposed to invest the money in projects that benefit the whole community, but many villagers said they have never seen any of the money The latest report by the LHWP Panel of Experts examining the communities affected by the Katse Dam, notes that there has been an "increasing rate of embezzlement of communal compensation" by local committees.

"We were supposed to buy medicinal plants, like aloe, that everyone in the village could use. But the committee just pocketed that money," said Hlotsi.

"Every time we confront the committees there are fights but there's nothing we can do."

Many villagers also say that the individual annual compensation they received was "inconsistent and often

Katse Dam in Lesotho delayed", while others say they have never received compensation from the LHDA for land they lost during the resettlement.

"The agreement we signed was for 50 years, but sometimes the money doesn't come, so a lot of us don't really trust them," said one of the resettled villagers.

The TRC is planning to take several cases of non-payment of compensation to court. "We hope to have our first case in court next month," said Lerato Rabatho, a TRC lawyer. "Our expectation is that a positive ruling in this case would have an effect on all the other compensation cases that we have waiting."

Lessons learned?

A 2010 paper published in African Study Monographs that examined the success of resettlement caused by the Mohale Dam concluded that while support to resettlers for income-generating and agricultural activities was well-intentioned and well-funded, "with few exceptions it was ineffectual".

"The majority of the project-affected people who were resettled or relocated have had a portion of their livelihoods restored through compensation but from their own perspectives largely are worse off they were before the project began," write the authors.

Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which is expected to be completed by 2018 at an estimated total cost of $1.9 billion, will displace 17 villages and affect the grazing land

Nigeria: Shell Reports Fresh Spill in SouthernNigeria Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell on Sunday reported a fresh spill from a key delivery pipeline in southern Nigeria, but said it has contained the leak.

"SPDC (Shell Petroleum Development Company) contained a spill in Adibawa delivery line which was reported yesterday (Saturday)," Shell's Nigerian joint venture said in a statement.

"We had dispatched our spill containment team to the site as soon as we received the reports and the personnel succeeded in containing the leak," it said.

Shell, which announced a production cut from the same facility last week, said it was investigating the incident to determine the cause and impact.

"The delivery line is part of the Okordia-Rumuekpe line, which SPDC shut down following a leak on November 8 and subsequent fire incident," it said,

google image Oil spill blaming last week's incident on sabotage.

"A joint investigation visit found that

the spill was caused by hacksaw cuts," it said, adding that there had been several hacksaw cuts on the Adibawa de-

livery line this year.

But Environmental Rights Action (ERA)/Friends of the Earth Nigeria

of 72 more, impacting the livelihoods of roughly 4,000 households.

Construction of the road system, a 38km uunderground tunnel, and telecommunications infrastructure needed to build the 163.5m wall of the Polihali Dam are already underway, but water experts and rights activists are questioning whether lessons have been learned from Phase I, and whether building more dams will benefit Lesotho's economic development.

The completed project will divert 40 percent of the water in the Senqunyane River Basin to South Africa's Ash River. International Rivers warns that the long-term effects of such a drastic environmental shift are not yet fully understood.

"The impacts of the dams, socially and environmentally, are much more farreaching than the 60 kilometers downstream that they [LHDA] look at," said Pottinger.

Opposition to the Polihali project has emerged during community consultations, but the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission argues that it will benefit the local economy by creating thousands of jobs for local communities and generating profits from tourism.

"The way we are implementing Phase II will be different from previous approaches," Makuta said, although he did not specify how. [ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]

(FoEN), which visited the site, ruled out sabotage in a statement Sunday.

"Anybody who visits this spill site can attest to the fact that this is a case of equipment failure," the environmental group said.

"From experience gained in the field, this is one of the most obvious cases that points to that fact: no signs of any clearing around the spill site, no signs of any digging," it said.

"This is the 12th oil spill that has occurred between August and November 2011 in Ikarama community environment," ERA said, adding that Shell should visit the area, clean up the spill and compensate the affected residents.

"Adequate compensation should be paid for damages to crops, impacted farmlands and general damages incurred by the victims of this latest spill," it said.

Oil spills occur regularly in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, and are often caused by oil thieves seeking to steal crude for sale on the lucrative black market. - ANP/AFP

THE ZACHARY YAMBA FAMILY ANNOUNCES THE FINAL FUNERAL RITES OF THEIR BELOVED SON

Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

Page 17

ZACHARY F. YAMBA, JNR. (AGED 44)

WHOSE DEATH OCCURRED IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK OCTOBER 10, 2011

PLACE: ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE, PHYSICAL EDUCATION BUILDING @ NEWARK, NJ DATE: DECEMBER 10, 2011 TIME:

7:00 P.M. TO 12:00 A.M. PROMPT

For further information, please contact: Dr. Zachary Yamba 973-763-0495 Lae Morris-Hutcheson 973-803-1411 Matilda Abavana 973-429-1489 Patricia Azure-Parker-856 616-0099 Paul Tandoh 862-234-1782 Alhaji Ibrahim Adams 201-341-3554 Mr. & Mrs. Abu Ibrahim 732-297-9121 Nana Akyaa II 973-652-1893 Kofi Ayim 973-731-1339 Mr. & Mrs. Norbert Aminzia 973-678-6239

Soukania Yamba-Barnes 973-534-5776 Mailissa Yamba-Butler 973-610-0126 Margaret Abiro 973-336-8903 Rev. Dr. E. Obiri Addo 973-981-4451 John & Celestina Apwah 973-691-5575 Kwabena Opong 973-419 0073 Willie Asobayire 732-669-7329 Jacklyn Kendona 973-997-2402 Ustarz Ahmed 973-374-9676 Mr. & Mrs. Rashid Agwedicham 973-388-9765

Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

Page 18

Artcultainment Ambolley to lecture in Spain Rapper, singer and saxist Gyedu Blay Ambolley, leaves Accra next Monday, November 14 for Madrid, Spain to give a lecture at this year’s Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA).

The RBMA is an annual international music event where up-and-coming producers, singers, arrangers, DJs and musicians get the opportunity to learn from top industry professionals.

Ambolley will deliver his lecture on

Gyedu Blay Ambulley the connections between African music and its links with European and American popular music on Wednesday, November 16.

Sponsored by energy boosting beverage manufacturer Red Bull, RBMA was started in 1998 and has been held each year in a different location.

Cities that have hosted RBMA over the years include Berlin, Dublin, London, Cape Town, Rome and Toronto.

Some past lecturers include American saxist Gary Bartz, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and British disc jockey/ music producer Jazzie B. “I'm happy to share my experience and knowledge with people from other cultures. That's what makes music such a beautiful international commodity,” the Simigwa man said.

Asamoah Gyan promotes Ghana's Tourism at WTM 2011 Ghana's leading and Al Hin striker Asamoah Gyan on Wednesday made a surprise appearance at this year's World Travel Market 2011, in London.

Asamoah Gyan who made a surprise loan move from Sunderland to Al Hin in the United Arab Emirates was spotted at the Ghana stand of the exhibition in London.

His presence at the Ghana stand attracted huge attention from travel experts, exhibitors, and the general public who were eager to receive autographs from the Ghanaian striker.

The Ghanaian stand was packed as everyone was excited and dancing including Asamoah himself to some traditional Ghanaian beats trying to help promote Ghana's tourism.

With buzz generated after the display at the Ghana stand, fellow African exhibitors Tanzania invited the striker to their stand where he was awarded with a carving made by a Tanzanian artist and a bottle of red wine.

It will be recalled the Ghanaian striker shot to fame during the 2010 world cup tournament in South Africa after scoring three goals and missing a penalty in the last minute of extra time in Ghana's quarter final capitulation to Uruguay.--ghp

Ghana Fashion Awards Slated For December 9, 2011 Fashion Xpo an organization based in the capital of Ghana, will on December 9th 2011 inside Mplaza Hotel –

History Corner Antoine-Guillaume Amo (a.k.a.

Anthony William Amo, Anton Wilhelm Amo)

by Kofi Ayim

Asamoah Gyan

North Ridge host the first ever Ghana Fashion awards to celebrate and boost the morale of fashion industry stake holders.

For some time now the art of understanding what to wear, what to buy and how to spend has become the order of the day when you attend distinguished events in town but not many know the names of our local or in-house designers who put fabrics together to give us the best that we see at such venues.

Also the fashion industry has for some time now again been left out of the discussion box when it comes to talking about the whole entertainment thing that is why Fashion Xpo has taken it upon themselves to first create the necessary respect that comes with fashion and also award the loyal designers, models, photographers and all those who can be found in the fashion box.

Currently the Ghana fashion award has open nominations till 14th No

vember 2011.There are 13 categories.

The event coordinator, Mr. Philip Hoppey revealed that the company Fashion Xpo is all ready to thrill all fashion lovers in the country to a spectacular show.

This event will become an annual event in Ghana and we trust that it will be accepted by all and will be given the necessary support next year.

Finally the head of organization for the first ever Ghana fashion Awards is hopeful that Ghanaians will respond to the call to boost the fashion industry and also made known that all necessary other details will be communicated soon to the public.

For now it’s the first ever industry Ghana fashion awards, lets embrace it and make it our own as without a dress or a hairstyle or a sneaker or heel one cannot go out his /her house.

GHP

Antoine-Guillame Amo was born in 1703 at a small fishing village near Axim in what is now the Western Region of Ghana. He arrived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands not as a slave, but with the consent of his parents through the Netherlands African Company and the preacher Johannes van der Star. In Amsterdam at age 4, he was presented as a gift to the reigning Duke of BrumswickWolfenbuttel, who in turn entrusted little Amo to his son, Augustus William. He was baptized on July 29, 1708 at the Saltzthal Castle Chapel through the sponsorship of two noble Dukes, Anton Ulrich and his son Augustus William and assumed the names Antoine-Guillaume .

Antoine-Guillaume Amo was put through school by his adopted father and family in Wolfenbuttel and was admitted to the Prussian University as a student of Philosophy and Jurisprudence. He matriculated on June 9, 1727 under the Chancellorship of Professor of Medicine, Michael Albertini. Amo is also believed to have attended the University of Helmstedt (the Brumswick State University). He became a motivational speaker and gave public lectures on complicated and controversial issues in the Greek, Latin, French, Dutch, Hebrew, and German languages.

He defended his thesis De Jure Maurorum in Europa in 1729 at a public disputation with the Chancellor of the University, Professor Johanna Peter von Ludwig at the University of Halle. The latter became very influential and role model in the former’s life. After his thesis, Amo was promoted to the academic degree of a Candidate of the Laws.

Professor Antoine-Guillaume Amo obtained a Master’s degree in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts in 1730 at the University of Wittenberg while Immanuel Kant was a small boy. He obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy few years later. Professor Amo taught and influenced Kant who was to become one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Amo was chosen to lead a procession (like a proud Senior Marshal in contemporary college graduation) when Emperor Frederick of Prussia visited Halle in 1733.

He published two solo dissertations in 1734, one between the borderline of medicine and psychology, (logic, metaphysics, physiology, geomancy, astronomy, theory of codes, and palmistry) which earned him the envious and prestigious spot a university lecturer. He also argued that sensation was not a mental faculty. Amo was a rationalist philosopher after Leibnitz, whom as a boy he had met at the Duke of Brunswick’s.

His magnum opus believed to have covered the entire field of Logic (theory of knowledge, metaphysics, etc.) was developed between 1734 and 1737 and published the following year. In the 1739 - 40 academic year, Amo lectured at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Jena. (He had earlier done same at the Universities of Wittenberg and Halle). His success in Germany propelled him to be nominated and appointed Councilor at Court of the Prussian King on or about 1740.

In 1753 Amo returned to his native home of Axim, in then Gold Coast. He retreated into seclusion at Shama, about 52 miles east of Axim and developed interest in the art of goldsmith. He learned on arrival that his brother had been sold into slavery and sent to what is now Surinam. Amo died on March 3, 1756, allegedly of boredom.

Sources: The Mind of Africa by W.E. Abraham Gallery of Gold Coast Celebrities by Dr. .I.S. Ephson

Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

South Africa rally to share spoils ELEPHANTS HELD: The result meant top-ranked African side Ivory Coast surrendered a perfect record this year having beaten Benin twice, Rwanda, Burundi, Mali and Israel AFP, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Katlego Mphela maintained his scoring rate of a goal every two games for South Africa as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Ivory Coast on Saturday in the Nelson Mandela Challenge.

Top-ranked African national side Ivory Coast took a fortunate lead after 36 minutes in the Indian Ocean city of Port Elizabeth when defender Siboniso Gaxa headed into his net after a miscommunication with goalkeeper Moneeb Josephs.

Striker Mphela made it 22 goals from 44 international appearances by leveling eight minutes after halftime before a 22,500 crowd as his free-kick from 30m drifted over the wall and into the corner of the net past motionless Boubacar Barry.

Bafana Bafana and the Elephants had chances to win a lively, combative friendly as they displayed good ball retention and were always seeking opportunities to attack in partly cloudy conditions.

It was the fifth match since 1994 between nations ranked first and eighth in Africa and four have been drawn, with South Africa winning the other narrowly.

The result meant Ivory Coast surrendered a perfect record this year having beaten Benin twice, Rwanda and Burundi in Africa Cup of Nations quali-

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Sport fiers and Mali and Israel in friendlies on neutral territory.

“We need someone to score goals,” lamented South Africa coach and former national team striker Pitso Mosimane. “We created four good chances, but did not take any of them.”

Ivory Coast coach Francois Zahoui said: “It was a very exciting game, with both sides prepared to attack.

Now we must study the video tape and learn from it ahead of the Cup of Nations.”

Mosimane and his players went some way toward redeeming themselves after an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying debacle against Sierra Leone last month which saw them content to draw a game they actually needed to win.

The coach believed that goal-difference determined the final places on the table and when he heard rivals Niger were losing heavily in Egypt, made substitutions to ensure a goalless draw, while some players feigned injury to waste time.

Captain Siphiwe Tshabalala and his teammates celebrated by dancing after the final whistle and only later did they discover that the head-to-head rule applied and Niger had qualified for the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January.

While Ivory Coast are preparing for Africa Cup of Nations Group B fixtures against Angola, Burkina Faso and Sudan in January, South Africa must prepare for World Cup qualifiers with Botswana, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia or Somalia.

The Nelson Mandela Challenge has been staged annually bar one year since the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, with Bafana Bafana winning seven matches, losing seven and drawing three.

South Africa’s Bafana Bafana

Hearts to honor 53 during centenary anniversary

KP Boateng dumps Ghana's Black Stars

on a special training that could be interrupted by national invitations; hence his decision to call it quits.

The news has been received with shock following the player's pledge to the Black Stars' course barely four weeks ago.

Boateng's pledge came in the wake of President Kwesi Nyantakyie and the assistant Black Stars coach, Kwesi Appiah's visit to Milan last month to speak to the player on the way forward following an alleged frosty relationship with Ghana's coach, Goran Stevanovic that had kept the player out of the Kevin Prince Boateng team for months.

Boateng was gifted Ghana Black Stars midfielder, Kevin the opportunity to play for Ghana durPrince Boateng has called time on his ing the build up to the 2010 South international career citing personal Africa World Cup where the Black reasons.

Stars reached the quarter finals on secThe GNA Sports can confirm that the ond attempt.

AC Milan player has written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) GNA highlighting his decision to resign from the national Team A side.

In a communiqué to the GFA, Boateng said the physical demands of playing for both club and country at high levels are taking a toll on his health.

Boateng explained that after consulting his doctors and family, he has decided to call it quit in order to remain healthy and stay off injuries.

The player, born to a Ghanaian father and a German mother, claimed he is

Advertise in Amandla Call 973-419-0073 / 973-731-1339 for your discounted rates

Accra Hearts of Oak Accra, Nov. 10, GNA – Accra Hearts of Oak SC has named 53 individuals, corporate institutions and supporters groups for honors as part of activities to mark the centenary celebrations of the Club.

The oldest exiting football Club in the country will climax their 100th birthday with a dinner on Saturday, November 12 at the Banquet Hall, State House, Accra under the distinguished patronage Vice President John Dramani Mahama Three players from each group of the victorious teams of 1958, 1977, 1979, 2000/01 and 2004 would also be symbolically honored during recess of the international friendly match on Sunday between Hearts/Enugu Rangers.

A statement issued and signed by Ashford Tettey Oku, Secretary of the Centenary Planning Committee copied to GNA Sports on Thursday said the segment of the celebrations dubbed, “Heroes Weekend” under the theme, “The Hearts of Oak Legacy, the Spirit that

Never Dies”, will see former players, administrators, supporters and corporate institutions receiving special awards for their support towards the rise of the Club during the last century.

The statement said the flagship award will be presented to President John Evans Atta Mills, a former Chairman and Director of the Club for his distinguished services to the Club.

It named the late Christopher Brandford Nettey (also known as Asafoatse Nettey) as the other recipient of the Leadership Awards alongside President Mills.

Sir Cecil Attuquayefio to be on Hearts' Centenary bench against Rangers

Mr. Mensah was responding to a caller's petition that the Phobians had deserted its most successful coach at a time he needed them most.

Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio has been recuperating, albeit slowly, from throat cancer which has kept him out of public domain and away from his favorite job of coaching.

Allegations have been rife about the coach 'dying slowly' because he has not enough funds for full recuperation.

But the Board Chairman of the Club said that is not true. He said the management of Hearts has been in constant touch with the former coach and only six weeks ago paid him a visit at his residence.

He said Jones Attuquayefio made a

The only Sir in Ghana football, Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio has promised to be on the bench for the Phobians as they take on Nigerian side Rangers, Sunday.

This was confirmed, Saturday, by the Board Chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak Commodore Mensah in an interview on Joy Sports.

The match is in commemoration of the Centenary celebrations of Accra Hearts of Oak.

The Patrons to be honored include the late General Joseph Arthur Ankrah, Oyeeman Wereko Ampem II, Harry Romulus Sawyerr, John Saka Addo, Daniel Sackey Quarcoome and George Adjei Osekere.

The Directors include the late James Kwaku Moffat, Henry Plange Nyemitei, the late Seth Tetteh Nettey,

Ato Ahwoi, Ernest Adote Thompson and Togbe Afede XIV, with the Management members made up of the late Tommy Thompson, the late William Frank Ekundayor Sawyerr, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, Harry Zakkour and Nii Ayi Bonte (Gbese Mantse).

Coach “Sir” Cecil Jones Attququayefio leads the pack for the Technical awardees which also includes Stephen Akwetey, the late Emmanuel Ofei Ansah, Alhaji Braimah Sulemana (Alhaji Hearts), Robert Amoo Dodoo and Akwei Addo with Lawrence Amaaku Adjaidoo, the late Joe Aplerh Lartey, Ashford Tettey Oku and the late Clement Kwashie Doku as the persons to be honored in the Administration division.

The players include Lawrence Adu Darko, Nana Kumi Gyamfi, the late Mama Acquah, Robert Hammond, Jacob Nettey and Amankwah Mireku whilst the Supporters' category has E.C. Quaye, Alhaji Awudu Iddrisu, Chapter 'O'-Nima, Chapter 9-Kumasi, Chapter 13-Takoradi, Chapter 27Tamale, Hearts Ladies and Madam Rose Klorkor Okine (alias Woman Tokyo).

Former Board Member, Ernest Bediako, Frank Nelson and Isaac Tetteh are the Individual benefactors to be decorated for their contributions towards the Club's success whilst Sidalco Ghana Limited, Frandesco West Africa Limited, Arab Contractors, Cairo; Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN), Tullow Oil and Osam Petroleum Ghana Limited are the Corporate beneficiaries.

The centenary celebrations will be climaxed with an international friendly match against Enugu Rangers International of Nigeria at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, November 13.

GNA

humble request with management to have him sit on the bench when Hearts play Rangers on Sunday, a request which has been granted.

"So whoever wants to see Attuquayefio on the bench must come to the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow," he stated.

He (Attuquayefio) would not have made this request if his relationship with the club is bad, Mensah added.

The 2000 Champions League and Super Cup winner is to be awarded at an Awards Night later today.

Story by Ghana/Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com

Amandla Vol. 10 Issue 11 Nov. 15 - Dec. 16

Bring this ad for 10% discount on money transfer to Ghana.

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