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A F/'rst Independence Anniversary REVIEW
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GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD A First Independence Anniversary Review
Editor: MOSES DANQUAH MAIN CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
GHANA is one year old. She has just entered her second year of indepen- dence and sovereignty. For Ghana and her people, the time has been $ Page Ode to Independence MacNeill Stewart 2 eventful; the experience has been exciting. S> by Time passes and experience, however poignant, recedes imperceptibly k The Prime Minister Reviews the Year 3 into oblivion. And that is precisely the excuse for launching out this modest effort to recapture and record some of the most outstanding events and some 1 fc "A Great Deal Remains to be Done", a Review of the most exciting experiences of that most important year in the life of S by Dr. K. A. Busia 5 our new nation in a permanent and systematic form.
"Ghana: One Year Old" is therefore an anthology of the records of the ^ Ghana in World Affairs by Moses Danquah ... 6 main events and experiences of our first year of independence. It is of the nature of a national stock-taking. The job is, therefore, one that National Assembly: Debates and Decisions by demands consummate accuracy and impartiality, the intent and purpose K. Y. Attoh 1 being the writing of the history of Ghana in annual instalments. Press and Pressmen by the Editor It is for this reason that we have had to be at great pains to secure personalities who are authorities in the respective fields assigned to them. Ghana's Contribution to World Science by Dr. Many of them are not merely detached but knowledgeable observers; they A. H. Ward 14 are active leading actors in the drama they describe.
The result is that you have within the covers of this publication Survey of Investments in Ghana (from "The authoritative records of the main events and developments that transpired Commonwealth") 15 during the first year of Ghana's independence. Developments: The Plan and the Achievement 16 Next year it will be "Ghana: Two Years Old". The year after that it will be "Ghana: Three Years Old" and so on. And as one issue succeeds another, Self-Help Projects by Moses Danquah 18 year after year, you will be in possession of a veritable mine of material for reference, education and entertainment. Education for the People by G. Adali-Mortty 19 The present effort is not by any means comprehensive in its content or perfect in its presentation. it is effort, it But an nevertheless. Next year Twelve Months of Entertainment by Henry Ofori 20 will be better.
One last word. Contributors have been given free-hand in writing up Art and Artists of the Year by Kofi Antubam 21 their material. Working on the dictum that "facts are sacred, comment is free", we have made it our business to concern ourselves with the veracity of Sports by P. D. Quartey and Edmund Bannerman 22 facts; we have left comments severely alone—they are the sole responsibility a otof theirtneir originators, not ours. ^ A Year of Hope for Fanners by Martin Appiah- Danquah 24 Remember, next year it will be "Ghana: Two Years Old".
THE EDITOR Battles of the Beauties by Oscar Tsedze 25 |
I I It has Been a Grand Year in Aboati by Carl Mutt 30 GREETINGS TO GHANA
The people of Israel have followed Ghana's struggle was to be expected, the first year of Indepen- for independence with intense interest and Messages written specially for Asdence and self-government has not proved to be sympathy. The energy and perseverance of this altogether smooth sailing. Political and econo- relentless yet patient struggle created in the hearts mic "hangovers" from the colonial period have had to "Ghana : One Year Old" of most Israeli citizens a warmth of feeling for the be contended with. Ghana fellow nation and a deep understanding of the The shock of inevitable turnover in administrative problems and exigencies of this new State. and specialist personnel has bad to be absorbed; we look back over the past years, we can and the over-riding problem of meeting the legitimate Like in the life of a new-born child, the first years of As with deep satisfaction say to ourselves and to expectations of the ordinary citizen, in terms of a newly horn country are the most exciting. Every day the world that the African is capable of self- employment, as well as food, shelter and clothing and something new is added to the permanent character of determination. social services, has had to be squarely faced. the tender creature. Love, devotion, wisdom and patience Indeed, the courageous vigour with which the must be extended to it by those who want it to become We have gone through a bloodless political Government and people of Ghana have coped with the their perfect pride and delight. Every day then it will "revolution" which predicts the inevitable emancipa- birth pains of this new socio-political order cannot fail become more perfect, more mature, more eloquent tion of all African peoples presently under colonial to command the unqualified respect of every conscien- and more capable of doing itself and for itself all that tutelage. Yet we in Ghana have another revolution tious observer. for which previously she was dependent upon others. a greater one—confronting us. Our concepts of whose leadership is nationhood, liberty, individual freedom and justice Any Government ready and first Already during the year of her independence, willing to be judged by the manner in which it endeavours still have to be defined and refined. We still have to Ghana has vigorously and courageously begun to the social, moral learn to be tolerant with one another and bear in mind to provide and secure and spiritual tackle some of her problems. Her statesmanlike and welfare of its citizenry, is one whose performance is that to "agree to disagree" is one of the tenets of wise approach has helped to enhance her international true democratic society. worth watching. posture and to convince everybody, near or distant, This becomes particularly true, if taken in the context that this new democracy is going to be a success. In the economic sphere, our physical and human of indigenous Africa where the strident call for centuries resources need a good deal of prudent and progressive has been and still is for the basic human necessities and Ghana has only friends and well-wishers. It is a planning to ensure the realisation of their benefits. for protection against the hazards of old age, infirmity great privilege to represent in Ghana one of her and crippling diseases. friends. I am sure that every Israeli will be with you on In celebrating this first Anniversary of our In- Let us all join, therefore, in the hope that your able dependence, the Northern Territories Council call upon your great day, the first anniversary of sovereignty leaders who seem to be ever sensitive to all that affects all Ghanaians to reflect over the past year, learn from and independence. Wishing you continued luck and the general welfare of their country and people, will our shortcomings, and rededicate ourselves to the great continue to show in the coming years, as in the recent success in your efforts to be a shining example for the task of making this nation the vanguard of African past, that measure of rousing patriotism African continent and a bridge to many nations who Freedom. tempered with wisdom and moderation which has so far kept the ship pray for your happy future. of State on an even keel. Yacubu Tali, Tulon Na, M.P., President of Northern Avriel, Israeli Ambassador Mr. Ehud in Ghana Ghana Territorial Council Mr. W.A. David, Liberian Ambassador in Ghana ; ! ——— ! !! —!—
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD ODE TO INDEPENDENCE
6/ This is the day for which our fathers sighed; The happy day of Ghana's liberty! K. This is I lie day for which we hoped and strived- MacNeill Stewart The glorious day of Ghana's sovereignly! With fortitude, along the bitter way Let this new nation under God, here, pray This band of heroes walked, holding Author I Had Wings", etc. their cross. For greater guidance this momentous day of "If What pain did they not suffer day by day! What sacrifice! what anguish! and what loss! Yet, they walked on, blindly to calvary, I .ei us remember them the men fell — who That Ghana, this new nation, might be free! For Ghana in the struggle through the years; Let us look back with pride upon the past, Their sacrifice in shining radiance tell Anct-its beginnings wrapped in toil and woe; Ye royal horns, blow on! Ye great drums, roll! What they did here better than all our tears! The grim intrigues and implications vast; They rest This is the time, the hour for things like these content: they did not die in vain; The ordeal to distinguish friend from foe; To stir the depths of every patriot's soul They died for freedom—and in death remain! The failures and the hours of dark distress, With music that is Ghana's. On the breeze And the long, weary years of bitterness! The music of a land may fade away, They live in their great deeds, our noble youth; But not our song, this Independence Day They live in all they gave for liberty All these are ended: and their ills no more Theirs were a fadeless and undying truth Linger on Ghana's troubled, ebon brow; Therefore, ye bells, ring out your happy tune! Thai lives forever beautiful and free! Her sons, unknown to fortune, great, though poor, Ye organs peal! Ye joyful choirs sing! For ihey have blest us with a royal wage; Challenged a startled world for freedom, now! This is our greatest day on earth, and soon This freedom is our noblest heritage. But a new generation had been born There comes the pageant and the gathering Of men and women, jubilant, serene, To crown with sacred joy a sacred scene! These youth with their rich blood did dedicate A generation of a greater youth The hallowed plot of earth on which we stand. Who had no doubt, and fought without a pause. We cannot, here, more nobly consecrate Enthused by duly and a love of truth. Honour and justice, now, are gathered here The precious earth, for they have made the land And a belief in Ghana's sacred cause. In splendid concourse, and a wondering world Forever sacred with their holy dust, Thus the great struggle in the land took shape, Looks on the pomp that flourish everywhere That we may live a people free and just! From which no son of Ghana could escape! The flag of Ghana is, with joy, unfurled That glorious tricolour graced with a star Of hope serene, to gladden Africa Remember how we suffered ! Let this be A world long nursed in biased disbelief An index to the pain that others bear, Of Ghana's mission, marked a changing scene O glorious day of happiness, sublime! That we may always dispense charity, Shape the new nation's will; brought her relief, O day of everlasting memory And human justice in a world of care! And urged her soar to heights she had not been! O day immortal as immortal time Lest we forget the blood dripped from a heart Then Ghana in the pool of fortune flung O day of triumph! Day of destiny! That once knew sorrow, other ills apart! The sione of freedom and of freedom sung! — Ghana has come of age, so let us pray For blessing this first Independence Day! In freedom, let not justice fade away The nations caught the theme of Ghana's song; Under the shades of power, to the scorn All Africa was thrilled, for well men knew "The Farm", Of sober wisdom. Let this happy day The struggle was to end a biiter wrong Oterkpolu Near Otrokpe, ever spotless Be and fresh as the dawn, The mortal struggle started by a few Via Koforidmi, That freedom, justice may forever reign Intrepid men unheralded, unknown: Ghana. In true perfection without blot or stain! Prepared to carry Ghana's cross, alone! 2lSt January, 1958. TRY HAVOLINE
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GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
EVE -OF -INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST MESSAGE PRIME MINISTER REVIEWS FIRST YEAR OFF INDEPENDENCE
He tells the Nation: It has been SUCCESSFUL AND EVENTFUL
year ago today, ihe people of this that they will reach the long A country reached the end of their conclusion—as many struggle for Independence and won the of our overseas visitors fundamental right of all peoples to govern 1 themselves as they see fit. have done—that it
Ghana, on this day, was proclaimed a is a most remarkable record of initiative, African Conference which will follow will free and independent sovereign state. Our hard work and successful accomplishment. prove to be a step in this direction. first year of independence has been a most With regard to our foreign affairs, we have Ghana, as I said a year ago, was born successful and also an eventful one. Our adhered to the independent policy which was into "a world torn and divided in the political achievements, during this period, have proved announced on the eve of our independence. relationships." Subsequent events have done to beyond all doubt the justice of our claim We have taken an active part in the affairs little, if anything, to improve these relation- to control our own govern ourselves and of the Commonwealth and in the work of ships and all of us—great nations and small affairs. the United Nations. Diplomatic relations nations—continue to live in the shadows And I wish on this auspicious occasion to have been established with several countries; of nuclear weapons of war. send my cordial greetings to you all. Our and we have participated in many inter- The ordinary people of this world would first responsibility, as 1 have understood it, national and regional conferences. be far happier if the energy and resources of was to consolidate the independence of In all these activities we have adhered the Great Powers which are used in an Ghana and to safeguard our newly created to independent policies consistent with the attempt to conquer outer space, were directed state. safeguarding of our independence and in instead towards the conquest of the poverty, In order to do this, we have had to govern accordance with our strong belief in the. the malnutrition, the disease and the firmly and will continue to do so within the right of all peoples to determine their own suffering which is the lot of half the popula- framework of the laws of Ghana. form of Government. tion of this world. We are determined to preseve the demo- We have achieved a great deal since our Our first year of independence, as I have cratic and traditional way of life in Ghana, Independence but much more remains to said, has been one of great activity and but will continue to deal firmly with the be done. We must expand and diversify enterprise. Our gratitude goes out to all efforts of any unlawful elements or groups our economy'so that suitable opportunities the men and women of Ghana who have to undermine by unconstitutional means will exist for the professional men and women worked so hard and so loyally to consolidate the Government or the established institu- and the skilled' technicians who will soon our independence. And we acknowledge, too, tions of Ghana. become available in increasing numbers the valuable contribution made by many from our University and other institutions. overseas people whose belief in Ghana and Discipline and Loyalty We must increase our national resources its independence has been demonstrated by service. I am convinced that we cannot build up in order to provide for education, better their hard work and this our new state successfully without health and welfare facilities, housing and Inspiration to Others showing personal and public discipline, essential public services, in the effort to raise and also demonstrating loyalty to the nation. the standard of living of our people. The Government hopes to announce at It is a matter for which we can be justly It is my fervent desire that, by our example an early date details of Ghanaian Honours proud that against the background of strife of governing ourselves and the way we and Decorations which will be bestowed on and turmoil which grips so much of this conduct our affairs, we may assist other Ghanaians and men and women from great Continent, the different races represen- territories still under foreign rule in Africa overseas who have rendered distinguished ted in Ghana have been able to work in along the road to freedom and independence. service to our country. The highest award harmony and understanding. We are anxious to work together not only will be the Order of the Grand Cross of the This achievement reflects credit on every with other African independent slates in Star of Ghana. The other Order, to be one here and I hope that the tolerance and the attempt to solve the problems of Africa, awarded on a wider scale, will be the Order goodwill of Ghanaians towards people from but we are also determined to do whatever of the Volta of which there will be three overseas may have some effect in persuading we can to assist the other territories of distinctions and three divisions—civil, police non-Africans in other parts of this Continent Africa that are not yet free in their struggle and military. There will also be a Ghana to adopt more humane attitudes towards for freedom. Medal for Gallantry, and Orders and our fellow Africans. Decorations available for the Police and Frank Discussions During the last year we have introduced Military Forces. many new internal policies which reflect One of the most burning issues facing Despite the dangers and tensions which our Independence; and we have modified Africa in our age is whether the forces of threaten world peace, we enter our second many old procedures which were not suitable freedom can triumph over colonialism. year as an, independent country with confi- to our new status. We have continued to do We, for our part, have no doubt which side dence, certain of our ability to control our everything in our power to hasten the our forces shall support in this struggle. own affairs and believing strongly that, economic emancipation of our country. I believe, however, that the best course with the loyal co-operation of our men and
I reported to Parliament only a fortnight is for leaders in the countries of Africa to women, we can build a nation which will ago the impressive achievements of the meet and discuss their common problems remain a proud memorial to our generation last twelve months. If anyone will survey frankly, and I hope that the Conference of and which will provide inspiration for other objectively what has been done in Ghana African independent states which will meet countries now travelling along the road to during its first year of existence, I am sure here in Accra next month and the Pan- independence. GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
ss I
Si 1 FIRST ANNIVERSARY 1 OF 1 i si i 1 INDEPENDENCE i
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Dr. K. A. BUSIA Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition.
SOME may look back upon the first year of nents. It is true that the facade of parliamen- independence with unalloyed joy and tary democracy has been maintained, but behind it is being built the unmistakable buoyancy. Independence is certainly a great structure of ugly dictatorship. thing for any colonial territory to achieve. an This is so only because independence gives a All this has not escaped notice abroad. people their just and rightful opportunity to We have had apologists who would have us shape their own lives after their own goals. believe them to be our best friends; such Whether independence is used well or ill people, knowing that they cannot honestly Dr. K. A. Busia depends on what those goals are. praise us for progress in the extension of freedom and justice, make excuses for us by There is a tendency on the part of some friends are those who help us to recognize people saying that our conditions and our natures to measure the gains of independence our mistakes, and not those who excuse us by are so different that we cannot be expected by making a catalogue of the roads and saying that we are such a peculiar type of the to have the same conception of freedom and buildings and other material structures that human species that we could not be expected have been built. justice that the Western democracies have, These could be means to a to do better. This is an insult, however subtly and that we should therefore not be judged good life if freedom and justice are not or pleasantly it is disguised in flattering words. stifled along with them. We do wish to see at all, or not be judged by the same standards. Our determination the means of abundant life placed at the This apparent charitableness should not is to prove that demo- cratic freedom disposal of our fellow citizens, in the towns flatter us. It seems to say that we are incapa- and justice can flourish as healthily in Africa as well as in the villages. We wish them to ble of appreciating the concepts of human as in the Western demo- have better houses which they own them- dignity and individual freedom upon which cracies, and that the respect for human dignity selves; we want all workers to have bigger parliamentary democracy rests. and personality which gives meaning to shares in the products of their labour so that parliamentary democracy is a value which we can all they could have more things to live with and share and whose challenges we are Disturbing sign fully to enjoy. A very great deal remains to be able to meet. done before our citizens can enjoy the Many of our fellow citizens who are able by decent standards of life which our potential experience or education to understand these resources and our contemporary civilization things are staggeringly indifferent or apathe- makes possible. However long we care to tic. This is a most disturbing and ominous BOOK REVIEW. make the catalogue of achievements, it will sign, for if those who understand will not lead Still be only a small fraction of what needs to in the fight for freedom and justice, those who be done, for there is much poverty, unemploy- rule will progressively take away the liberties OUTLINE OF GHANA'S ment, ignorance, disease and low productivity of the people and reduce them to serfdom. to combat. Our contemporary civilization provides ade- quate means—the police, the army, the radio, HISTORY Supreme test the press and communications, for the effective establishment of dictatorships among BRIEF yet detailed outline of Ghana's history But the supreme test of the use to which we those who do not show active concern for A from the time of the visits of the first Portuguese put our independence must be sought not in their freedom. navigators in the second half of the fifteenth things but in persons—in human dignity and century down (o present times is included, along human freedom. Our national motto At the end of the first year of independence, with summarised histories of all the other Common- proclaims to the world that we believe in other African territories which looked to us wealth countries, in the 1958 edition of "The freedom and justice and the world will look to be a star of freedom have been given cause Commonwealth Relations Office List". for proof of this in our national life. We for dismay and disappointment. We must The early Portuguese, who were in search of gold, believe in justice for all, in civil rights and face this challenge. There is still a chance for ivory and spices, were followed by the first recorded freedom for all our nationals, and in the us to export freedom and justice to other English trading voyage, which was made by Thomas right of all peoples to be free. What have parts of Africa, and even beyond the borders Windham in 1553. In the course of the next three centuries the English, been our achievements and contributions in of our vast continent. But we must not delude Danes, Dutch, Germans and Portuguese all controlled various parts of the coast this direction during our first year ourselves into thinking that we are a star of of at different periods. independence? freedom merely because we are independent. By 1750, the outline continues, only the English, Dutch and the Danes had settlements. In The Government have made grave attacks 1821, the United Kingdom Government assumed control on civil liberties. Citizens and residents There is hope of of the British trading settlements and on March 6, long standing have been deported. 1844, the famous bond was signed with In the The essential task of a democratic country the chiefs case of two of them, special bills were in the immediate neighbourhood, this date being rushed is to create the conditions in which I he the one eventually chosen for the granting through Parliament to slop the courts of from citizens can develop their personalities to the independence. hearing their claims that under our own laws full in an atmosphere of freedom —freedom The outline goes on to describe how the Danes they were not liable to be deported. Elemen- of movement, of speech and expression, of relinquished their settlements in 1850, being followed tary justice and fundamental human rights association, and of access to undoctored by the Dutch in 1871 and traces developments in were denied them. The Emergency Powers the Ashanti and the N.T.'s. until in 1901 the United information. It is by the extent to which we Act, the Statute Law Amendment Act. Kingdom assumed full responsibility for the govern- and guarantee fundamental rights to our citizens ment of the Gold Coast, as it then was, and its the Avoidance of Discrimination Act all give that those who understand parliamentary hinterland. The year 1922 brought Togoland under the Government powers to interfere with democracy will judge us. We were bound to British administration under United Nations trustee- elementary rights concerning property, move- ship. make mistakes; but it would be folly to ment, and association. pretend that the mistakes were not wrong acts Concerning constitutional developments over the years leading to independence, the outline gives but good ones, and it would be tragic to a A determined effort is being made to detailed explanation of the various stages in the refuse to learn from them. establish a one-party state by methods which peaceful progression to self-government. The section devoted to Ghana gives complete lists are all too familiar—intimidation, cajolery. There is hope as long as we are willing to of Ghana's Cabinet, her Government and departmen- nepotism and oppression of political oppo- learn and to correct our mistakes. Our best tal officers, and many other details of importance. GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD GHANA IN WORLD Peter Rutter, former (he attainment of independence on their intentions to give their support to efforts of in Ghana was reheved by Mr. WITH the American Embassy in London, March 6, 1957, Ghana was admitted into private enterprise, to strengthen trade relations and First Secretary of until the appointment membership of the British Commonwealth of to organise a system of regular exchange of inform- who became chief of mission Ambassador to Nations. Mr. Harold Macmillan, the British Prime ation with regard to the development of trade between of Mr. Wilson Flake as United States Minister, announcing this momentous event in the the two countries. Ghana a few days later. of all was the announcement House of Commons, said that after consulting all Earlier, Mr. Ako Adjei, then Minister of the But the greatest event Prune Minister. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, had members of that great family of nations it had been Ulterior and Justice, now Minister of Justice, had led that the invitations to the Governments of Egypt, unanimously agreed that Ghana, after March 6, a three-man delegation to Tunisia which included sent out Libya, Morocco, South Africa. should be thus recognised. Mr. Krobo Edusei, now Minister of the Interior, to Ethiopia. Liberia, conference in Accra during The Prime Minister declared that the importance represent the Government of Ghana at the first Sudan and Tunisia for a This was the result of of the occasion would be "emphasised by the visit independence anniversary celebrations of that country. thesecondhalf of October,1957. with representatives of those to Accra for the Ghana independence celebrations In a report which he broadcast to the nation, Mr. informal consultations independence celebrations. of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, who Ako Adjei paid glowing tribute to the achievements of Governments during the formally admitted full member of the with Her Majesty's gracious consent, will represent the Government and people of Tunisia and expressed Ghana was Organisation (W.H.O.) and was the Queen at the celebration." And thus by the the hope that their visit would pave the way for closer World Health as such at the tenth meeting which began admission of the first independent British territory in friendship between Ghana and the African slates represented 7 by a delegation of three tropical Africa into membership of the Common- bordering the Mediterranean. sittinc at Geneva on March Abavana, then Minister without wealth, Ghana reached the first stage in her entry headed by Mr. L. R. Commissioner for North Ghana. into the main currents of world affairs. Portfolio and now Prime Ministers' Conference the delegation were The second and even more spectacular stage was The other two members of Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. P. M. J. reached when, on March 10, Ghana was admitted In April, it was announced that the Prime Minister, Dr. E. Akwei, into the United Nations Organisation as the 81st of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, would be one o' Phillips. Principal Medical Officer. for membership of the Inter- member on a resolution sponsored by all her sister- four Prime Ministers who would be attending, Ghana's applications Fund and the International members of the Commonwealth at a full session of the for the first time, a meeting of Commonwealth national Monetary United Nations Assembly. Prime Ministers which was to begin in London on Bank for Reconstruction and Development were by the Boards of The climax was reached on this historic occasion June 26. A statement issued from the Ministry of reported to have been approved bodies in the early when Major Selh Anthony who was then attached to External Affairs, Accra, said: "The Government of Governors of the two financial would become the British Embassy in Washington was escorted Ghana well realise the great value that is attached in part of May and Ghana's membership legislation had been amidst cheers to Ghana's seal as her representative these meetings of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers effective after the necessary and was warmly welcomed by the President. Where- and warmly welcome the opportunity of being passed by the Ghana Parliament and the Articles representative of the upon Commander Allan Noble, the United Kingdom represented for the first time by their own Prime of Agreement signed by a the Minister for Foreign Affairs and leader of the United Minister." Government. It was also reported that Ghana of the Kingdom delegation to the United Nations General Alongside this news was the announcement that Government was applying for membership Assembly, sent a message of congratulations to the Ghana had become a member of the Organisation International Finance Corporation. Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, in which for European Economic Co-operation (O.E.E.C.) Sincere Congratulations he said: "We look forward in due course to welcom- and that the Imports Liberalisation Plan which hail The Government of Ghana could not invite the ing the delegation of Ghana to New York." been cancelled the previous month as a result of of Egypt to the independence celebra- Ghana's new status would now be applied as hereto- Government because diplomatic relations between the United fore, thus enabling importers to buy cocoa from tions Egypt had been broken. After Ghana Ghana's new Status Ghana in the same way as before her independence. Kingdom and had become independent, the Prime Minister sent That hope was soon fulfilled. But before then, The last few days of April were eventful. Ghana a note to President Nasser inviting the resumption the important question of exchanging diplomatic was represented by an observer, Mr. F. S. Arkhursl, representation with other nations consequent on Second Secretary. Ghana Embassy, Washington, of diplomatic relations. the new circumstances, the Egyptian Ghana's new status had been engaging the attention at a meeting of the Commission for Technical Under President despatched a special envoy, Flis Excellency of the Ghana Government and discussions had Co-operation in Africa south of the Sahara which Abdel Ramadan, Egyptian Ambassador in taken place with delegations from the Common- was held in Lisbon. Meguid with special message to the Prime wealth and foreign countries which had attended A seven-man trade delegation from Tunisia arrived Morocco, a which said, in part, "I wish to the Independence celebrations. in Accra to discuss with Government representatives Minister of Ghana present the sincere congratulations, addressed by The first reaction to these discussions was the the possibilities of a trade agreement. Mr. Ali you and your nation, decision of the Government of Liberia to raise the Bannour, leader of the mission and head of Economic myself and my people, to testifying to the hopes and aspirations we entertain status of its Consulate-General to that of an Embassy, Affairs in Tunisia, declared: "We are prepared to with the Government of Ghana hoping to take a make sacrifices to create the possibilities of trade towards beloved Ghana." June 3, during the Budget Session of the reciprocal action as soon as it became administratively exchanges between our two African states." On National the Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame feasible. The Government ofGhana established an Embassy Assembly, Ghana's diplomatic Following closely on the heels of these diplomatic in Washington and Mr. S. K. Anthony, Councillor of Nkrumah, made a statement on in which he revealed that, activities in March, the first trade talks after indepen- the Ghana Embassy, was appointed Charge d'Affaires representation abroad Commis- dence were opened between the Government of pending the nomination of an Ambassador. Mr. during the first phase, Embassies and High London, Ghana and Switzerland inwhich both parties expressed Donald Lamm, the United States Charge d'Affaires sioners' Offices would be established in Washington, Paris, New Delhi and Monrovia. He said the High Commissioner's Office in London and the Embassy in Washington had been established and were in operation. In June, Ghana became the 7 1st member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations set up in April. Holding the Portfolio of the Ministry of Defence and External Affairs for the Prime Minister who had gone to London for the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference, the Minister of Finance, Mr. K. A. Gbedemah, made a major policy statement on Ghana's foreign policy when he was introducing two bills seeking appropriations for that Ministry. No power blocs Mr. Gbedemah told the National Assembly: "Broadly speaking, our attitude would be to co- operate with all friendly countries. In particular. Ghana will neither join any power blocs nor main- tain a blind policy of neutrality and non-alignment. We shall deal with each problem of world significance as it arises." Ghana created a greal impression in London, the heart of the Commonwealth, when her Prime Minister took his seal for the first time as a full member of the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference. Res- plendent in his traditional kente cloth, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became the centre of attraction wherever he went. The success of the Conference and, in particular the value of Ghana's participation and the experience gained at the discussions were best summed up in his impressions which were published in Number 10 — 1957/8 of "The Scotsman's" monthly review "The Commonwealth". of He said: "In June. I attended the Conference Commonwealth Prime Ministers. Here we made history— the first African State to enter that great and free association of States stretching across the world and the first African Prime Minister to attend Commonwealth Prime Ministers in Conference in London pose for a picture with the Queen. In it is Dr. such a Conference. I have spoken elsewhere of the Kwame who was the first Prime Minister of an independent African State to attend the Conference. Nkrumah warmth of welcome from ihe Conference—in parti- :
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD AFFAIRS
By MOSES DANQUAH
cular the opportunity for establishing personal K. A. Gbedemah, Minister of Finance, and Mr. C. T. relationships with the other Prime Ministers and Nylander, Minister of Education, left for Malaya political leaders. to represent the Ghana Government at the indepen- "The experience of the discussions in theConference dence celebrations of that country. The Malayan confirmed for me what we had always understood Government was represented at the Independence to be one of the strengths of Commonwealth associa- celebrations of Ghana. tion, namely, the free and frank exchange of views on For tlie Ghana Finance Minister this trip marked terms of complete equality between member nations the beginning of a number of one-man missions which without in any way interfering with the independent conclusively established him as the most widely action and policy in domestic and foreign affairs of travelled Minister in Ghana. member nations." Travelling on to Europe from the Malayan inde- Then amplifying the above summary of the spirit pendence celebrations, Mr. Gbedemah made which pervaded the business of the Conference, the a dramatic call for the revision of the United Nations Prime Minister concluded: "The family relationship Charter. Addressing 600 prominent statesmen, between members which we experience in this Con- scientists, economists and international experts at a ference and which brings together countries poles Congress of the World Association of World Federal- Moses Danquah apart in race, religion, social background and domes- ists at the Hague at which more than thirty countries , tic and foreign policy is an example of international were represented, he said At a meeting of the United Nations Food and association which should be supported for so long as "The Police Force of the future world Government Agriculture Organisation held in Rome in the latter it lives up to the standards of sound democratic should not only avoid wars but should also prevent part of November, Ghana was admitted into full principles and respect for the sovereignty of member one nation from being suppressed by another, such membership. Heading the Ghana delegation was nations." as in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa." Mr. F. Y. Asare, Minister of Agriculture. The Before Dr. Nkrumah left London on July 10 for organisation is concerned with the promotion of Freedom without fear the journey home to Ghana, he fulfilled a number of agricultural development among its member-nations, This declaration was in consonance with the pattern diplomatic and civic engagements of great significance the dissemination of information about nutrition, of Ghana's foreign relations which the Prime Minister to Ghana's new exalted status in the world. His food and agriculture and the provision of technical had almost simultaneously enunciated in a major luncheon engagement with the South African External assistance in these spheres. policy statement he announced in the Ghana National Affairs Minister, Mr. Eric Louw, was the first meeting Shortly after the conference, it was announced Assembly in Accra. Dr. Nkrumah had said: "In at ministerial level between the Governments of the that twenty technical experts from the Organisation so far as it lies in our power, my Government intends two countries. He also had an audience with the would arrive in Ghana during 1958 to put their to pursue in the international sphere a policy of Queen at Buckingham Palace. services at the disposal of the country. exerting our influence on the side of peace, respect It was further announced by the United Nations for the independence of other nations, the rights of of Scientists Department of Information that the United Nations Able team all people to decide for themselves their own govern- Technical Assistance Board would be establishing a Ghana found herself on the world scientific map ment and the protection of the right of all men to Field Office in Accra at the end of December. A when her small but enthusiastic and able team of lead their own lives in freedom and without fear." senior official of the United Nations Secretariat, scientists ten others of forty-one The Finance Minister's main mission was to joined thousand Mr. Wilfred Benson, who had been appointed to countries in the greatest all-out attack on the secrets represent Ghana at the Commonwealth Finance the post, arrived on December 20 to set up the Office. of our Earth ever made by man in an 18-month Ministers' Conference to be held in Ottawa, Canada, The job of the Field Office is to co-ordinate all the period known as the First International Geophysical in September which was initiated at the Common- technical assistance that the seven United Nations Year which started on July 1 to be ended in December wealth Prime Ministers' Conference held earlier in specialised agencies would give under its expanded this London. year. programme. The main purpose of the I.G.Y. is to probe the In the National Assembly, Mr. N. A. Welbeck, Ghana, by the establishing of the Office, became mysteries of Earth's phenomena and to gather data Minister of Labour and Co-operatives, moved that the 31st country to have a resident representative of according to plan and co-ordinated control. The Ghana should accept membership of the Inter- the United Nations Technical Assistance Board. is cover Earth's movements in Parliamentary Union which comprises some forty- research planned to Meanwhile, Mr. Daniel Chapman who had earlier affected by the gravitational attraction of nine countries and to be represented at its conference space as been appointed Ghana's Ambassador to the United other planets, Earth's atmosphere, the mysteries of which was due to seat the following day until Septem- States, became Ghana's Permanent Representative the seas, the crust of the Earth, etc. ber 19. The motion was adopted. But Ghana had at the United Nations. The launching of the satellites and the Antarctic taken steps to be represented by an observer, Mr. expeditions are all activities connected with the L.R. Abavana, then Minister of Agriculture, who had Vanguard of our race International Geophysical Year. arrived in London to attend a three-day conference of Ghana was represented at the Commonwealth The Ghana Government made available the sum of the Cocoa, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance Parliamentary Conference which ended in New £15,000 to enable Ghana to participate effectively and Mr. K.B. Ayensu, Clerk of the National Assembly. Delhi during the New Year. It was the first to be held in the I.G.Y. programme and the money was spent was represented at the 12th General Ghana in Asia and Mr. Archie Casely- Hayford, M.P., the in the installation of various scientific equipment Assembly of the United Nations which opened in leader of the Ghana delegation which comprised some of which are reputed to be the only ones of delegation led by New York on September 17 by a Mr. K. O. Thompson, M.P., and Mr. J. D. Wireko, their kind in the tropics. Elsewhere in this Review, Mr. Adjei, Minister Justice. Other members Ako of M.P., in a speech at the formal opening of the Dr. A. H. Ward of the University College of Ghana Asare, Minister of the delegation were Mr. F. Y. Conference, said: "We today stand in the vanguard brilliant Ghana's contribu- contributes a report on of I. J. Adomako-Mensah, Agriculture, Mr. of our race and, as India has its part to play in the tions in various fields to world scientific knowledge. former Ashanli, Mr. Member of Parliament from leadership of Asia, so Ghana has its part to play in In pursuance of the Prime Minister's statement on the G. K. Amegbe, former Chairman of Ghana the leadership of Africa. Freedom to those who come Ghana's diplomatic representations of June 3, Mr. Cocoa Marketing Board, and Mr. Ebenezer Adam, from Ghana is no freedom, until every tribe and K. A. Gbedemah, Minister then responsible for the Council. were Chairman of the Tamale Urban They every section of the continent of Africa is entirely Prime Minister's Portfolio, announced that Mr. T. d' Affaires of joined by Mr. Seth Anthony, Charge free." Hutton-MiUs, Acting High Commissioner in London, in his the Ghana Embassy in Washington who, Ghana's High Commissioner, Mr. J. B. Erzuah, had been appointed Ghana's first Ambassador to maiden speech delivered earlier at the 11th General presented his credentials to the President • of the Liberia. The Ghana Embassy in Liberia had already Assembly of the United Nations, joined other nations Indian Republic, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, at a special been functioning with a Foreign Service Officer as in crushing in condemnation of the Soviet Union's part ceremony in New Delhi. The Ghana High Com- Charge d'AITaires. revolt. the Hungarian missioner was presented by Mr. M. J. Desai, Common- He also announced that Mr. J. B. Erzuah, then wealth Secretary in the Government of Igdia, who Minister without Portfolio, had been appointed Elected full member led the Indian delegation to the Ghana Independence High Commissioner to India and that a Foreign AFTER the meeting of the Commonwealth celebrations. Service Officer had already been posted to New Finance Ministers' Conference in Canada, At the tenth anniversary celebrations of Ceylon, Delhi to establish the Office. Mr. K. A. Gbedemah represented Ghana as Ghana was represented by Mr. Kofi Baako, Minister August started with the despatch of a three-man Governor on the Boards of Governors of the World of Information and Broadcasting, and Mr. P. K. K. Government delegation to Israel composed of Mr. Bank in the United States where he signed the Articles Quaidoo, Minister of Trade. They were accompanied Kojo Botsio, Minister of Trade and Commerce, of Agreement of Ghana's membership of the World by Mr. K. E. Amua-Sekyi, Assistant Secretary, (now Minister of State), leader, Mr. E. K. Bensah, Bank and the International Monetary Fund which Ministry of Defence and External Affairs. Minister of Works, and Mr. N. A. Welbeck, Minister met from September 23 to September 27. On February 19, Ghana became the venue of an without Portfolio, (now Minister of Labour and Towards the end of October, Ghana was unani- international conference of the Commission for Co-operatives). The purpose of the mission was to mously elected a full member of the General Agree- Technical Co-operation in Africa south of the Sahara discuss with the Israeli authorities Government's ment on Tariffs and Trade (G.A.T.T.) at its 12th which was attended by about fifty delegates. It was plans for rural electrification, water supply and session which made her the 36th member of the World held to establish the Foundation for Inter-African industrialisation. Trade Organisation. Mutual Assistance (F.A.M.A.). The purpose of During the same month, another delegation—this The G.A.T.T. Agreement gives automatic guaran- F.A.M.A. is to provide facilities in the field of time consisting of five members and led by the tees of most-favoured-nation treatment to member technical assistance similar to those available to Minister of the Interior and Justice, Mr. Ako Adjei, nations for the purpose of fostering free trade, but at members under the Colombo Plan for South-East visited Egypt. The mission had talks with the Egyptian the meeting Ghana's representative, Mr. N. F. Asia. Minister of the Interior, Mr. Zakaria Mohieddin, Ribeiro Ayeh, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Towards the close of the year two countries and studied the organisation of the police and internal of Trade, announced that it was the intention of his conferred honours on the Prime Minister of Ghana, administration including security in Egypt and the Government to invoke against Japan Article 35 of the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, for his work in liberating Sudan. Agreement which permits exceptions to be made in Towards the end of the month of August, Mr. certain circumstances. * Continued on page 32 GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD A Year of Progress
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JOHN HOLT GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY . DEBATES AND DECISIONS
cannot forget the pageantry and excitement in the National Assembly on March 6, a year ago, when I our country was formally declared independent. K. Y. ATTOH recalls the bitter battles that Inside the Assembly Hall every available seal was occupied and outside, too, a dense and joyous crowd raged around the Ghana Citizenship Bill, then numbering many thousands, filled the tiered stands. , On the Members' benches the glittering dalliance of the the Prime Minister's Head' on "kente" clolhsof MPs emphasised the truly Ghanaian "War of character of the occasion. The bitterness generated between the Government and the Opposition over the new Ghana Currency, the Deportations the Constitution had evaporated without leaving a trace; both sides cheered the entry of their leaders Bill, the Avoidance ofDiscrimination Bill, etc. without malice lo the other. The foreign visitors marvelled at the sudden transformation. In his motion for an address of thanks lo be pre- sented to Her Majesty on behalf of the National Brigade. Later, on August 28, Mr. F. Y. Asare, then 20. The approaches to Parliament House were lined Assembly. Dr. Nkrumah, the Prime Minister, Minister of Labour and Co-operatives, introduced a up by police and the building itself ringed round by pledged that though the Constitution was not altoge- motion in the House by which Parliament agreed to more policemen. The Prime Minister was attending ther what he and his colleagues wanted it to be they, the proposal to establish a National Builders' Brigade. Parliament for the first time since his return from the nevertheless, were accepting it as a reasonable com- The Bill establishing the Builders' Brigade was passed Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in promise. Dr. Busia. Leader of the Opposition, also in a heated debate in December. London. promised that the Opposition were accepting it as a working compromise. Hopes of tranquility and co- Special Bill introduced No one shed tears when Mr. Kojo Botsio, then operation were never greater. Minister of Trade and Labour, announced in the Groups of young men and women with placards The first big debate in the Parliament ol Indepen- and House on May 2 that the Government had decided could be seen gathering behind the wall to the west dent Ghana came on April 30 and May 1 and 2, to liquidate the C.P.C. It appeared, indeed, that of the House. There was nothing apparently different with it. the return of suspicion. It was the debate on every one was relieved that this inglorious experiment about this crowd from those which had stood at the the Ghana Citizenship Bill. Opposition members fell lo an end. But Opposition tempers were and in since and people born in had come same place front of Parliament House that Commonwealth citizens intended exacerbated at the hint that the Government 1 95 1 to cheer the Prime Minister as he arrived for the Ghana should automatically become Ghana citizens; to transfer the plant and equipment of the C.P.C. to Budget meeting or on any other big occasion. The the Government's reluctance lo allow this, they felt, a marketing agency to be formed by the United House had already started business when the Prime had some sinister motives behind it. The Government, Ghana Farmers' Council. M mister arrived in the court-yard, west of the building. on the other hand, were of the view that only those of arc themselves Suddenly, a thunderous booing broke upon the whose parents, or at least one them, June 21 saw Mr. S. D. Dombo, Deputy Leader of depended upon for speech being delivered by a Member. Placards wenl Ghana citizens could be more the Opposition, asking urgent questions on the new up denouncing both the Prime Minister and his loyalty to Ghana. Ghana currency and coinage on which information Government. A large detachment of police was had leaked thai the Prime Minister's head would Commissioners rushed to the spot and the demonstrators were Regional appear. He also asked a question on the Prime chased away. Minister's statue. Tempers quickly rose as Mr. became evident again in the House Real anger Kofi Baako, Minister of Information and Broad- Next day, the Prime Minister announced in the the Prime Minister announced in the House on when casting, exchanged words with members on the House that in view of the demonstrations the previous dav before he left Accra for the Common- June 3, the Opposition benches. Having failed to get a definite day, and growing hooliganism in Accra and Kumasi, conference in London, that wealth Prime 'Ministers' answer from Mr K. A. Gbedemah, Minister of the Government would introduce a special Bill the had decided to appoint Ministers the Government Finance, concerning the Prime Minister's head on the following day and would be carried through all its the Regions, with the title of Regional to be resident in currency, the Opposition later introduced a motion stages the same day, lo determine the deportation of Mr. Joe Appiah, a leading member ol Commissioners. on the subject on a later date and lost. Alhaji Amadu Baba and Alhaji Alufa Larden Lalemie these proposed representatives the Opposition, labelled without further delay. The Bill which was piloted "Regional Commts- of the Government in the Regions There was criticism of the Deportation Bill by the through the House by the Minister of Local Govern- Opposition during the second reading debate on ment, Mr. Aaron Ofori-Atta, had the effect of the Ga-Adangbe Shilimo Kpee The agitation by the July 2 and 3, but no one suspected then that when immediate deportation of the two men and stopping the form of persistent ques- echoed in the House in that Bill was passed into law it would be the cause the proceedings they had instituted in the Kumasi against the allocation of estate tions and protests of so much distress, bitterness and hatred. During Divisional Court to establish their Ghana citizenship. Ministers, Parliamentary Secre- houses in Accra to the debate, the Opposition drew attention chiefly to The debate on this Bill was one of the bitterest ever of Parliament. A tull-dress taries and other Members two points: they wanted all persons born in Ghana, witnessed in the House. question of the Accra estate dedate on the whole unless they otherwise preferred, to be Ghana citizens; On August 23, Mr. Jambaidu Awuni, the N.P.P. ihe Opposition in July. I lie houses was initialed by this, they maintained, was the common practice Member for Kusasi Central, crossed the carpet from be confident that many Opposition appeared to in all civilised countries; secondly, they would like the Opposition and joined the Government back- once, appeared undecided. Government members, for British citizens to be automatically Ghana citizens. benchers. debate was the appointment later The up-shot of the In the view of the Government, British subjects should most E. Nktimsah, ol a The November meeting of Parliament was the by the Minister of Housing, Mr. A. first apply for Ghana citizenship. As for people born to investigate eventful of the year. Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist Select Committee of the whole House in Ghana, unless either or both of their parents were announced to the House on November 14 his re- the matter. . Ghana citizens, they must be regarded as aliens. when Mr. tirement from the Speakership the same day on There was some Opposition concern On the last day of the meeting, Mr. A. Afoko, on the Govern- account of advancing years. Mr. Augustus Molade Kojo Botsio made a statement in June then C.P.P. Member for Builsa, crossed the carpet Workers Akjjvumi, an Accra Magistrate, succeeded him the ment's proposal to establish a National and joined the Opposition.* following day. Mr. J. R. Asiedu, C.P.P. Member The next meeting of Parliament began on August for Akwapim North, was later elected Deputy Speaker. Bills bitterly debated On November 28, the controversial Emergency Powers Bill was read for the first time. The debate on the second reading which took place on December 2 and 3 was one of the bitterest the House has ever witnessed in the whole of its history. Another Bill which was debated with utmost bitterness was the Avoidance of Discrimination Bill which took place from December 9 lo 12. The Opposition resorted to filibustering to delay the passage of the two Bills; the Government replied by the guillotine and rushed the Bills through. This eventful year saw also the arrest and trial of two MP's, Mr. S. G. Antor and Mr. Kojo Ayeke, for alleged conspiracy to prepare to attack with armed force, persons within Ghana. The two MP's have since been sentenced to six years' imprisonment each. They have appealed. And thus amidst the sharp controversies, bitter recriminations and the hurly-burly of debate, Ihe Parliament of the new Nation passed through one year of active service to the Government and people of Ghana, with the promise of a more vigorous and. we hope, more useful service in the years to come.
* As we go to press, it is reported Mr. Afoko has Sir Emmanuel Ouist, former Speaker of the staged a dramatic recrossing back into his former National Assembly. Mr. A. M. Akiwurai, Speaker of the National Assembly fold.—ED. 12 GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
I.D.C. 15 HELPING TO BUILD THE NEW GHANA
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GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD PRESS AND PRESSMEN
review of the first year of Ghana's inde- course in policy. Samuel Arthur, the editor, assisted ANYpendence would be incomplete without survey- by Mr. John Dumoga (and "Brother Culture") ing and assessing the work of the Press and of maintains, through thick and thin, the traditional the men and women who operate it. Indeed, A Survey by policy of the paper. it would be insidious to omit to do so, because the In times of political crisis, the Pioneer makes Press constitutes the central machinery for the enormous sales even in the capital with its near- collection and dissemination of news of the day-to-day The Editor plethora of publications. happenings of the year. It got into trouble through legal involvement in the Colvin-of-the- London-Daily Telegraph case but was In many important respects, the year turned out given the substantive case against Colvin to be the most eventful for the Ghana Press. The a miss when The formal opening of the Guinea Press took place Independence celebrations came as a challenge to the was dropped. on Saturday, March 1. The ceremony which was Ashanti Times, the first so-called ability and resourcefulness of our pressmen who, In Obuasi the attended by a large number of people including in Mr. Foli Armah, along with their colleagues from abroad, gave the "white press" Ghana, edited by Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and of the all during the year. colourful and historic events of the celebrations the showed great improvement round diplomatic corps as well as chiefs was colourful and most impressive coverage ever undertaken in the It would be recalled that the Times lost its ablest impressive. The Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame executives important of its staff history of the Ghana Press. and other members Nkrumah, unveiled a plaque to declare open the when they left Obuasi to establish the Graphic in Indeed, thanks to the excellent arrangements and, establishment. Accra in 1950. B. C. Freestone, the first Fleet Street especially, theready facilitieslaidonby the Informa- On Monday, March 3, the Guinea Times made its journalist to manage a local newspaper and thereby tion Services Department under its Director, Jimmy debut under the editorship of Mr. Cecil Forde who afford Fleet Street standard training facilities for the Moxon, the Ghana Press gave an impressive account had earlier acquired considerable popularity as a country's journalists, was one of them. He became of itself and won the admiration of the hundreds of trenchant columnist of the former Government Party the first Editorial Adviser of the Graphic. With him in statesmen and other important dignitaries who had organ, the Accra Evening News, both when he was the exodus was Mr. Martin Therson-Cofie, the editor. come specially for the celebrations. General Secretary ofthe C.P.P. and, later, Internat- Just as the Graphic was able to carry on after those The Ghana Press Club provided occasion for a ional Secretary of the Party. Almost simultaneously heavy losses in personnel, the Ashanti Times plodded social get-together when they entertained members of witli the appearance of the Times came the Evening on and is now a paper whose views are highly the foreign Press who had arrived in Ghana to cover News, edited by Mr. Eric K. Heymann of Accra respected, even if one has occasion to disagree with the Independence celebrations to a grand beach party. Evening News and Ghana Evening News fame who them. The Ghana Press Club recently held its election of was editor of the Ghana Star. The Times has taken on an entirely new appearance. new officers among whom are Mr. Martin Therson- New machines have been installed and there is Cofie, Editor/Director of the Daily Graphic, President, evidence of the paper, in a very short time, becoming and Mr. H. E. Kjrchwehn, United States Informa- one of the best in-West Africa. Its new editorial tion Officer and editor of the American Outlook, adviser, Mr. Desmond Fennessy who has had Secretary. experience in Fleet Street and in Australia, informs
After the celebrations, the Press settled down to its me that he has plans afoot to make it a weekly news- normal functions. The Daily Graphic continued to magazine—something of the London Observer dominate the Ghana newspaper scene. It had the best vintage. When that happens, the Times will be able machines and equipment, the most efficient band of to increase its pages and carry more features and technicians and the finest team of writers, reporters more pictorial matter. and cameramen assembled under one roof in the whole of West Africa. If had a very efficient system Objective news of distribution. The result was a paper which enjoyed Of the other weeklies, mention must be made of the unrivalled popularity throughout the country. New Ghana published by the Ghana Information The same thing can be said of its sister paper, the Services Department. In its present form it is a vast weekly Sunday Mirror with a staff with the knack improvement on its not-so-worthy predecessors, for circulation-boasting ideas. The Mirror annual including the "Here's-the-Truth"-tainted The Gold beauty contest was conducted with success. Oscar Coast Bulletin, devoting its columns to the publication Tsedze, the man responsible for the editorial content straight-forward objective news about Government of the paper, never seemed to run out of ideas and of other activities as well as the the "Mirror Brotherhood" and the "Photo Club" policies and projects and people themselves to contribute became increasingly popular. general efforts of the towards the betterment of their own communities. The New Ghana's special Independence and A big blow Independence Anniversary editions are masterpieces and judicious choice of literary The Mirror, however, suffered a big blow by the of sleek production sudden death of Mrs. Hilda Addison whose "Personal and pictorial content. is weekly American Out- Problems" weekly feature had become a source of In a similar category the look published the United States Information happiness and hope to its thousands of readers. by Service. Started in April, 1952, its functions are: Luckily for the Mirror and its readers, their new "To help West Africa understand the United States columnist "Aunty Eva" is maintaining the high better all facets of American life and standards and tradition of her late predecessor. by presenting American policies and aspirations. The Graphic suffered a serious loss in the deporta- "To develop friendly relations based on respect for tion of Bankole Timothy. Tim's views not- the principle of equal rights and to create measures to withstanding, he is one of the greatest writers strengthen universal peace." of this era and in this area. His biography of the One outstanding feature of the Outlook is its Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first consistent impartiality in presenting news and book-length story of his life and career, has been Hon. KOFI BAAKO opinions about the colour conflict in the United States acclaimed a world-wide success. By his departure, irrespective of whether the guilt was on the whites or the Ghana Press lost one of its most colourful Minister of Information and Broadcasting. on the negroes. It did also spotlight the achieve- personalities. official opening of the In a speech delivered at the ments of negroes, past and contemporary, in the But the Graphic soon to be struck an even was by Guinea Press on March 1, 1958, he said: "The American community—a fact of unique importance worse the started calamity. The entry of Guinea Press to the future of our new nation as it gives the people press in Ghana is free and shall always remain free. an exodus of reporters, cameramen and technicians a useful source of inspiration and hope in their great from Brewery Its journalistic Road to Ring Road. task of fashioning a new society in this part of Africa. ranks were further attenuated departures of by the The editor since September 1957 has been Howard Henry Ofori. now editor of Drum magazine, Moses The Evening News has come to break fresh ground E. Kirchwehm. . , in the newspaper field, bridging as it does the Danquah, and, later, its ace reporter, Ben Dorkenoo. most outstanding religious publication "news-void" supervening one morning and the next Perhaps the That the Graphic is still going strong, in spite of weekly, The Standard, printed morning. is the national Catholic these, is evidence of the versatility of its staff and Mission Press, Cape Coast. The that at the Catholic its efficient training new personnel. It is a pity though the Guinea Press had to methods of acting editor. Fr. M. J. van Velzen, reports steady discontinue their weekly, the Ghana Star, I have known the Graphic, in times of strikes, which was increase in circulation during the first year of inde- come staff! providing excellent material for week-end reading. out as usual on a bare-bone skeleton pendence. The Catholic Mission Press is installing Let us hope it will soon be revived. a modern fast automatic press and the number of The editor, Mr. Martin Therson-Cofie, who The Ghana Evening News continues under its old pages will shortly be increased from six to eight. celebrated his twenty-fifth year in journalism some management, the Heal Press. Under its new editor, editor: "Our task is to give especially four years ago was made a Director of the Ghana Abossey Kotey, a veteran journalist, a number Says t he acting Mr. news and informa- Graphic 1957 fitting tribute at to our Catholic readers Catholic Company in April —a of improvements are being introduced to give it a articles of Catholic and religious a fitting lime (Independence year) to the hard work "new look". tion as well as paper further publishes articles and he put in to get the Graphic started amidst the bitter The Daily Mail, the child ofthe City-Independent- interest." The "some religious or Catholic view- campaign against the so-called "white Press" and get Express amalgamation, continues valiantly against world news when point is involved. Education, Health, Mass Education it going to the top. the traditional weaknesses of finance, equipment and and Development are therefore some of the points The £400,000 African-owned Guinea Press made staff which are the bane of the African-owned press which we usually deal with." its much-expected debut later during the year with establishments. The editorial chair which was The Vernacular Literature Bureau together with us the Ghana Star, a weekly, whose publication was initially occupied by Mr. R. B. Wuta-Ofei, doyen of branch at Tamale publishes eight vernacular news- brought to an end on March 1 to make way for the Ghana's pressmen and later by Mr. J. S. Kommey papers. They are Mansralo, (G;D. Nkwantabisa (Fan- Company's principal publication, the Guinea times— has got a new occupant in the person of Mr. Enoch te), Akwansoscm (Akwapim-Twi). Nkwantabisa (Asan- daily. The Guinea Press has the finest factory in Mensah of the old pen-pushing brigade. te-Twi). Motabiala (Ewe), Kakvevole (N/ima), West Africa covering an area of some 40,000 square The doughty Ashanti Pioneer is still the most Lahahali Uxu (Dagbani) and Kasem Labaala feet and possesses a large assortment of up-to-date powerful political newspaper in the country. Casting Te (Kasem). machinery and equipment. It has a staff of 360 in its lot with the Opposition, whatever its nomen- Africans and nine expatriates. clature and composition, the Pioneer steered a steady * Continued on page 32 .
14 GHANA: ONE YbAR OLD GHANA'S CONTRIBUTION TO
WORLD SCIENCE By Dr. A. H. WARD Science the scientist Let us look briefly at a few of these projects. scientific research At hundreds of miles above our heads; from details of I wonder what Kumasi an elaborate these instrument stands with aerials these records, more valuable information words mean to most of our minds? A turned on the upwards to the sky. What is it What equatorial ionosphere has young man in a white coat, in a been obtained, and even spotless laboratory, can it be doing'.' intently Ii is an electronic echo-detector, and better details are expected from the gazing at an impressive array of electrical analysis of it measures the height above the earth of the electrical meters ? A needle swings American satellite records.* over—he rises and adjusts a air layers knob known as the ionosphere. These are of vital on a complicated control panel and turns practical importance because all long-range radio At Takoradi, a wave-recorder is being set up to an elaborate record sheet to make an entry has to which will make its contribution another be reflected by it; it is of particular" interest to the world-wide experiment completed ! here above problem of waves and tides. This the blue skies of Ghana because of the And waves in our may be the popular view of a scientist, but presence of mysterious disturbances known as "stable" earth . . . ? The terrible earthquake waves we in Ghana are practical people, and our scientists are electro-jets. loo are being measured by extremely eminently The origin or these is quile unknown, sensitive detec- practical men. They do not spend their and Ghana's observation will help solve this important tors, capable of detecting the earth waves from time in gleaming laboratories, they are out in the problem. shocks in any parts of the world, in the and perhaps able field factories, on the farms out in the forest Again, at the Meteorological stations and to help predict when another earthquake might in Northern villages, beneath the at cocoa trees, down strike Ghana. the Kumasi College, instruments are analysing the on sea shore, out in the weather observatories brilliant sunshine of Ghana; from the surveying the climate, the results, details vegetation, the crops, the are Yes, and many animal and obtained of the type of atmosphere traversed in other projects—precision measure- insect life of our land, exploring the skies the long journey to the earth's surface. ments of the earth's electric, magnetic and above us and the seas which wash gravita- our At University College, more aerial arrays turn tional forces, and of the "cosmic rays" bombarding shores, making observations on which our upwards. One set has been "listening in" for three the earth from outer space; reports from ships' Cap- future progress as a nation will depend.... years to the radio waves which come from outer tains on sea-currents and temperatures and salinity; space, and some very important important measurements on evaporation of Enlightened results have recently water by Policies been obtained. the Meteorology Department, and many other scienti- Another set has just been completed, and this has fic investigations. Our economy has so far depended almost entirely picked up most successfully the "bleep . . . bleep . . . on the cocoa tree; and over the years, the Research Institute bleep" of the Sputniks hurtling throuah space ...The whole picture makes us proud of at Tafo has improved the cocoa industry Ghana's greatly, achievements in science during her first encouraging the planting of better year of types Independence. of tree and assisting in stamping out disease. But cocoa is not our only crop; at every Govern- ment Agricultural Research Station and at the *The Americans launched another satellite "Explorer Agriculture Departments at University College 111" on Tlunday. March 27. and the Kumasi College of Science and Technology Thirty minutes after it the science had been launched at 6 p.m.. it was picked of agriculture in West Africa is being up by the built up from Ghana observatory.—Editor. small beginnings. New crops are tried out in different soils and each year new knowledge is made available to the farmer, showing him which crops are most likely to give good yields in his area. Ghana s geographical position and enlightened Rev. policies Dr. John R. Koster in charge of the radio astro- may well mean that she will one day lead the world nomy observatory at the University College of Ghana in tropical field studies, tropical agriculture, which has been tracking the earth botany, zoology and preventive medicine. satellites. In another way too our position has been of advan- Below: tage—the fact that Ghana lies near the equator has OBSERVING SPUTNIK I enabled her to make contributions of great value to the International Geophysical Year. At the radio astronomy observatory This International scientists have Geophysical Year (I.G.Y.) is been tracking the earth satellites. one of the most exciting scientific events of the century. Sputnik 1 is no All over the globe, scientists are making co-ordinated longer in orbit, and Sputnik His no longer transmitting observations on all sorts of scientific subjects. radio signals. But the two American satellites are Geophysics means the study of the physical world still being detected. "Explorer" has now completed above and below us, the soil, the rocks, the molten over 600 passages over the meridian of Ghana, and interior of the earth, the air around us, the mysterious the more recent "Vanguard" nearly 70. Accurate upper layers of atmosphere miles determinations of the time above our heads . . of transit are sent to the Observations are made on the sea, on waves and tracking centre in Washington. Interesting informa- tides tion and currents, and on the dramatic events of the about the electrified layers high above the earth geophysical is world—earthquakes, volcanoes and also being obtained from the satellite observations. tornadoes. The Ghana Government has taken up the challenge of this world-wide venture with enthusiasm, and thanks to their provision of funds and to the en- thusiasm of Ghana's highly-qualified scientists, it has been possible for the National I.G.Y. Committee of Ghana to work out an extensive programme of observations and experiment, with each" individual projects making a valuable contribution to the world-wide effort.
Dr. Ward was educated at the University of Birmingham 1943— 1949 where he obtained the B.Se. and Ph.D. degrees. He was attached to
N the "Atomic Energy Research Establishment, fc Harwell", ^ in 1949 and was appointed physicist § fc to the Finsen Institute Radium-Hospital Labora- ^ tory in ^ Copenhagen for the "Atomic Energy J ^ Research Establishment" till 1951. ? joined | He the Ghana University College as fc § Lecturer in 1951 and was subsequently promoted ? i Senior Lecturer. ^ ^ His main interests are radioactivity and ^ atomic power and the ^ International Geophysical § fc Year of which he is secretary of the Ghana & S committee. S fc Dr. Ward attended two international con- § fc fercnecs on Radioactivity during the 1957 fc vacation (Pretoria in ^ July and Paris in Septem- fc her) and at both ^ read scientific papers on results § > of radioactivity research carried out in Ghana S ^ during the last five years. vsssAvsssssssssssssssssArsssssssssssss/ys/sssss/rsssssssssss& GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 15 A SURVEY OF INVESTMENTS
Companies in which the Industrial Development need for a steady flow of overseas investments rllE Corporation has a minority shareholding are engaged has long been felt by Government and people oil extraction and refining, brought respectively in vegetable alike in this country. This need has been haulage. IN tyre retreading, aireal surveys, and road Ghana's GHANA into greater prominence and urgency since Future projects of the Corporation include invest- attainment of independence and Government's State- ment in a company to produce biscuit *and in an ments of policy in this regard have been further re- engineering company. terated and underlined. Under the Pioneer Companies Relief Ordinance, In his Statement on Development which he made Reproduced "The declare any industry which is not February from \ Government may to a hushed and anxious House on Thursday, to being carried out in Ghana on :. scale adequate 20 this year, Prime Minister announced: "In order the needs of the country and for which our \ Scotsman's" Monthly Review, the economic to stimulate development in the private sector of \ for there is. in its opinion, favourable prospects economy, my Government is now considering new further development, to be a pioneer industry and measures designed to encourage overseas investments \ THE COMMONWEALTH. \ any specific product of such industry to be a pioneer in Ghana, and also to assist our local investors. We product. have recently brought to this country several experts Number 10 — 1957/8 I Pioneer Companies Relief consists of exemption in the field of foreign investment, and we hope that from tax on profits for a maximum period of five we will gain materially from their suggestions. years; but smaller relief, which may involve a limita- "It is my Government's intention to stimulate tion of (a) the period of the relief, or (b) the amount of overseas investment by establishing an Industrial are competing favourably with imported cigarettes. the relief by reference to the amount of capital Promotion Division which will initially operate as A subsidiary of a British Tyre Equipment and invested or in any other way which the Governor- a branch of the Development Commission." Reconditioning Company established in Kumasi in General-in-Council may think fit, may be granted. The Prime Minister mentioned that there is already 1955, is steadily expanding the reconditioning of tyres, in existence an Interim Board which "will facilitate tubes and rubber manufactures of every description. the handling of enquiries and proposals from private A Coca-Cola factory started production early in 1956. Industrial Expansion investors." Brisk trade done over the year has justified expansion Losses incurred by a Pioneer Company over the In the years immediately preceding independence of production to several times its present si/e. whole of its tax holiday period are carried forward and. particularly during the year under review, an Several establishments exist for the manufacture of and se'. against subsequent profits. appreciable star i was made in the sphere of investment drinks. Lebanese capital is heavily invested other soft Only companies incorporated and resident in and the following survey of the entire field which is in the bakery trade and other foreign capital in the Ghana are, however, eligible for pioneer concessions. here reproduced from "The Scotsman's" Monthly production of Terrazzo products. An American Pioneer status has, so far, been accorded to nine Review "The Commonwealth" Number 10 — 1957/8 company—the Guir Oil Corporation is engaged in companies undertaking the manufacture of cigarettes; provides a useful general conspectus of what has been oil exploration in Western Nzima in the Western the manufacture of wire naiis; the manufacture of achieved so far and a pointer to the future.—EDITOR. Province of Ghana. bricks and tiles; the extraction and refining of A factory for the production of industrial gases vegetable oils; the manufacture of biscuits; the has been established in Takoradi by a French company. manufacture of confectionery; the manufacture of Other industrial projects about to He set up by foreign there are opportunities for investment8 metal products and the manufacture of matches. THAT private enterprise include a factory for the production industrial commercial developments in The opportunities for industrial expansion in in and other goods, a confectionery of plastic household and detail and Ghana is evidenced by recent events as well as Ghana have been examined in some making establishment, a factory for the manufacture University by history. Britain's early connection with the Wes/ Professor Arthur Lewis of Manchester of prefabricated concrete products and factories trading and barter careful analysis in 1953 under the title African coast was by way of such as metal prepared a for the manufacture of metal products In 1956 operations, and this process has evolved through "Industrialization and the Gold Coast". windows, doors and metal fitments for buildings. Investment the years. appeared a "Report on Trade and Government investment in industry is at present With the independence of the country, however, Opportunities in the Gold Coast" by the American channelled through theGhana Industrial Development Keyser. parrronage has given way to partnership. That it is authors Richardson Wood and Virginia Corporation which operates through a number of the Government's policy to do everything in its A great deal remains to be done. But the Ghana wholly-owned subsidiary companies as well as the establishment of new indus- Government has been engaged during the past five power "to encourage which it has through several associate companies in Plan under tries in Ghana, especially those connected with the years on a well conceived Development a 50 per cent shareholding or less. improve processing of local materials, was emphasised by the which nearly £100 million has been spent to Industrial enterprises promoted by its wholly- Minister of Trade and Labour in introducing the and expand Government services and public owned subsidiary companies include a laundry including ports, roads and railways, ihus 1956— 1957 Estimates for his Ministry. serves an utilities, and dry cleaning establishment which industrialisation. In a statement on Capital Investment made by providing a sound basis for future increasing public in Accra ; a sawmill whose monthly Dr. Nkrumah stated country needs investment, particularly in the the Prime Minister in 1954, cubic feet of The output in 1956 averaged some 21,000 in which that there was scope for the establishment of many field of light engineering, and this is a sphere sawn timber; a furniture and joinery establishment enterprises and that foreign investors would there is considerable scope. new turns high quality household, office, which out industries, short of the vast require assurance about the conditions which would In i he context of major school and shop furniture for consumers all over fewer investments. Volta River hydro-electric project, there arc apply to their for the manufacture the country. An establishment perhaps to the He went on to explain why the Government immediate opportunities, but it is of wire nails which had an average monthly output through attaches importance to the policy of training African good that the country should progress in 1956 of 60 tons; a factory producing prefabricated develop- employees for eventual promotion, but recognised experience in pilot enterprise to larger scale timber housing sections situated in Kumasi. heart that in industry the criterion must be that of efficiency. ments. of the timber producing area of the country; a The Prime Minister said that the Government would modern electric bakery in Accra; two companies be willing, when approached, to participate in enter- which have just been formed to undertake the prises which could be shown to be economically * Pioneer Biscuit Co. Ltd., manufacture respectively of matches and of soap The Biscuit factory, the sound but that it was not normally proposed to in Kumasi in partnership and another company to undertake the management has since been established regard Government participation as mandatory. Nassar Co. lid. and is in full of the newly built Government 100-bedroom luxury with Messrs Edward & Dr. Nkrumah gave assurances about nationalisation hotel in Accra. production. and the repatriation of foreign capital and profits.
Field of Industrialisation
It is interesting to examine against this background what has been done in the field of industrialisation in Ghana. Old established industries are those connected with mineral production. Gold bullion to the value of £6 million was exported in 1939, diamonds to the value of half-a-million pounds and manganese worth three-quarters of a million pounds in the same vcar. While gold production has increased by no more than 50 per cent by value during the post- war years, diamonds and manganese were worth respectively £8 million and £7 million in 1956. The actual quantity of gold exported however has been less than in 1939 and the rise in value is due to a higher price. In the case of diamonds and manga- nese, the quantity exported has increased substantially in addition to the price rise. An industry which has made tremendous strides in the post-war period is the Ghana timber trade. From a trickle of mahogany logs pre-war, Ghana sawmills now supply more than any other country of Britain's sawn hardwood requirements, and it is estimated that £10 million of British capital has been invested in this industry alone since the war. Overseas and local industrial investment is spread over a wide field of activities. A brewery established This is the new U.A.C. Motors at Tamale. The building which by Swiss business interests over 20 years ago has an million the latter part of 1957. average of annual production of just over 1 cost the Company £50,000 was opened during gallons—about a quarter of Ghana's beer require- It provides all the facilities of a modern workshop for vehicle owners ments. A cigarette making company, a subsidiary of development in that British American Tobacco Company—established in in the North—a useful contribution to industrial 1953, has since 1954 been producing cigarettes from vast and virgin area. a blend of Virginian and local tobacco. Its products t
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g|i.8.P%ill«J"»l GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
MOSES DANQUAH reports on some — SELF-HELP PROJECTS
UNDER Ihe stimulus and direction of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, good progress was made in the field of literacy and self-help activities throughout the country during the first year of Ghana's indepen- dence. During the year, the literacy drive achieved suc- cesses which can only be described as spectacular and everywhere, throughout the country, more and more people came forward to contribute their share to the task of providing such amenities as feeder roads, communal buildings, water supplies, latrines, markets and other miscellaneous items of communal develop- ment—all rich and lasting monuments to the nation's achievement of independence. During the year under review, 17,462 literacy certificates were issued making a grand total of 130,000 since the beginning of the campaign in April, 1952. A total number of 24,332 women passed through the women's classes for Home Economics throughout the country. No less than 1,210 self-help construction projects were completed in the rural areas among which were 66 feeder roads. 150 communal buildings, 472 latrines, 170 water supplies and other miscellaneous projects.
Instructional know-how
Women in the rural areas had the opportunity of learning domestic science under a scheme which has been acclaimed by experts as one of the best in the world. Indeed, the syllabus of work in Home Econo- mics drawn by the Department has been published, with acknowledgement to the Ghana Government, by the Colonial Office,.London, for use in Ihe colonies. charge of the construction of the Apapam- In a modest way, it could be said that Ghana A technical officer of the Department of Social Welfare in instructional people of the two supplied expert aid in the form of Akropong road shows the writer the difficulties of forests, ravines and mountains which the know-how in this particular field to the United villages have to overcome in order to realise their objective. Kingdom Government. And, in a more direct sense, during the year in courses the "Department gave assistance ments included cocoa campaign for the Department Department at Kwaso. Rural builders' to the Government of simple, cheap technique and organisation of Agriculture, Roof Loans scheme for the Ministry designed to teach the construction of Nigeria in carrying out run by the the Western Region of of Housing, assistance to the Department of Rural and healthy houses in the rural areas were activities in that area. community development Water Supply in well digging, Health campaign for Department in Kwaso, Tamale and Ho. The Department was also asked by the Roman the Ministry of Health. What are the reactions of the rural people to these Catholic Church to train its priests in community The Department conducted a special mines health remarkable improvements in the social life of their Church. development as part of the social work of the campaign as industrial welfare in mining .areas. communities? When I asked the Director of the Already, one priest has arrived from Nigeria to take This campaign has proved of inestimable benefit to the Department, Mr. P. du Sautoy. this question in his the course and two more are coming from Tanganyi- people of the mining areas. The Mass Education office recently, he said promptly that the effect was ka—all evidence of the reputation of a sound, Mines Health Team has applied the most modern invariably one of joy and pride in personal and purposeful programme yielding quick and useful techniques to teach the need for and methods of communal achievement. The people are filled with it is applied. results to the people among whom maintaining clean habits and conditions in their various satisfaction of having contributed with others in the Konongo, the team had to go areas. The facilities made available to the Roman Catholic communities. At supply of much-needed amenities in their own avail down into the pits to instruct the miners. Church are there for all interested Churches to around learning He instanced the case of the people living themselves of anytime they wish to do so, I am told. Young farmers had the opportunity of Lake Bosomtwe in Ashanti. By the construction of a service to other Government depart- farming methods at practical courses run by the Extension motor road from the Bekwai area to the lake, the people brought into their experience, and for the first time in that area of primeval seclusion, the sound of (he motor engine which brings them nearer to the people around them and the things they need from the bigger towns beyond their own confines.
Mr. du Sautoy said communal development through voluntary self-help, what the Americans call "development of the grass-root level", is a fascinating activity because the people can see the result of their own efforts and his Department, therefore, believes in tackling projects which have a strong self-help backing.
Activity and achievement
The Builders' Brigade, that great scheme of the Government to help solve unemployment, is pending the establishment of a Board to manage its affairs, being run by the Department. Since it assumed responsibility on November I. last year, the Brigade has made good progress and has now a complement of 350 in Accra who are at present engaged in the construction of their headquarters and another 100 in Damongo in Northern Ghana who are doing yam farming.
The Department rendered useful service in the Frafra Resettlement Scheme and is also building through self-help school buildings throughout the North.
The Afram Plains road project is being tackled with vigour and has already aroused the interest and enthusiastic support of the people in the area. Proof of this is the fact that as many as 96 voluntary workers mountain ranges to Apapam. Soon A modern motor-road comes over the densely forested have come forward from the small village of Man- linked by an eight-and-half-milc krong and its neighbourhood to help in the construc- three miles will be completed and Apapam will be the final tion of a "Bailey Bridge" across the River Afram. a rich field for economic exploitation—the prize of keen motor road from Akropong, opening up The year has been one of activity and achievement and vigorous communal self-help. all round. — —
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 19 EDUCATION FOR THE PEOPLE
working The sending into outer space of the first Sputnik facilities for continuous education for the set the countries in the West thinking again: &y man or woman. were their i i educational systems as soundly Beginning in 1949 with a total of 46 classes of based as they had thought, they asked themselves. G. Adali-Mortty varying periods of attendance, extra-mural classes The Russian leadership in the exploration of s have spread throughout the country, including space caused many a heart-searching in other matters : Regional Organiser, Institute of Extra- Northern Ghana. Now, there are some 150 classes of of national planning. How are we in Ghana in the \ "• twenty weeks' duration. Each class consists of about mailer Mural Studies, University College ofGhana. of educational provision ? twenty students. cover a wide range: " B The subjects , ,•! language and literature, studies in politics and govern- To make good the leeway, huge chunks of the state are thrust upon the shoulders of a literate ment, economics, history, geography, the arts, trade national revenue have gone into the development minority, the work of Adult Education can be even unionism, religion and philosophy and, the last to and expansion of formal education in all its aspects more important than formal education itself. In a come but now one of the most popular, international primary, middle, secondary, technical, teacher- country like this, the adult population who mean- affairs. training and university. yet. to say thai And much while have to hold the fort need and deserve every more remains to be is it done to put mildly. Our strengthening which training and education can give Extra-Mural Studies are organised with the help country is still only ten to fifteen per cent educated. them. The adults must be equipped to hold and pass of the People's Educational Association (P.E.A.) on the torch to the succeeding generations. If today's an association of adult students. The P.E.A. is non- An independent Ghana can hardly take comfort in adults fail, then there will be no nation or tomorrow. sectarian, and non-political. It is democratic and its a situation as depressing as that. In order to raise To do better fishing, to farm more efficiently, and to officers are elected annually. It has national, regional the standard of living of the people as a whole, to live cleanly satisfyingly, our and branch units. man the several tasks which no other but ourselves more and illiterate folk must be supplied with the basic tool of adding can tackle best, and, in fact, to make democracy work Other forms of similar serious Adult Education and writing. This is what mass education is trying at all in the country, it behoves us to reach out in exist. The In-Service training scheme organised by to do. To do the job quickly and effectively, mass unorthodox directions so that we may salvage the Department of Recruitment and Training is education must be revitalized: must be launched again our people from ignorance and superstition. doing a first-class job in vocational training. Under matter of urgency, mailer as a as a of national the sponsorship of the trade unions, the Workers' survival. It is "Operation Necessity". It must have Informal Education a Educational Association provides trade union target date within which to wipe out illiteracy in this education for its members. land. We can take pride in knowing that, more than has And what of those who have had some education ? been done by many a so-called underdeveloped Residential Courses Lest the little they learnt at school slipped back, and country, we in Ghana have already got to grips with in order to build upon their school education, to the enormous problem of education at its less formal In addition to systematic classes, various forms of keep them up-to-date and continually burnished, levels as well. Not only is Adult Education firmly informal activities are undertaken. Week-end these people have an opportunity of attending while established, but it is widespread and world-renowned. Courses on topical matters, One-Day Schools at they work the evening University classes which are Many countries have sent mass educationists to which a number of lecturers present opposing points held in most towns and villages in Ghana. study the methods and administration of our mass of view, public lectures and discussions, and a Once a week, the loneliness intellectual and social education. — number of residential courses the most important of loneliness of the village clerk or teacher is broken : a — which is the annual ten-day New Year School which Informal education through the churches, graduate lecturer comes in. He brings news from the the is held in the first weeks of January. There may be as political parties, town and from beyond the seas. He links his class trade unions and community many as fifteen seminars, each dealing with an aspect with world thinking. The atmosphere is academic. centres—this has been very lively during the year. of a general theme. Over three hundred adult Mind rubs against mind. Students are helped to Above all, as an apex of our adult educational students attend this School. structure, there is what in some counlries is think and think hard. Fresh knowledge is gained; called University Extension Course, or, in Britain old knowledge is examined and brought up-to date. In this way, year by year, the people in towns and and Ghana, University Extra- Mural Studies. The range is less, but the quality is that of inlra-mural rural centres help themselves and are helped to work. understand themselves, their own and others' In a country like our own where the ordinary man There is none of us who is so learned that he must societies, and thus leaders and potential leaders of is more important than the "uncommon" man, where not continue to learn. The Institute of Extra-Mural voluntary organisations, and local and central the responsibilities of running a modern democratic Studies, University College of Ghana, provides government, are equipped for leadership. ^*«'.''X'X'.^x^x<*«*^wx^>>vx«^x^^^^ For TRAVEL - BAGS
BUCKET - BAGS
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GHANA MANUFACTURING CO. LTD. Box 2274. ACCRA - TEL. 3372. MANUFACTURERS IN I GHANA. 1 20 I.IIANA: C)Nh YEAR OLD TWELVE MONTHS OF
' Al Jm ^m WLm {j&a»pi B&9 The Every,11an Theatre Guild, after a lapse of Wmt sprung into to give us least two ^^ ^^ & MA I BwE ItI ^T MlB B— ^L^ verv entertaining plays: "Dial M for Murder" and ^^ ! I J^V I S W II Iki I «i . ^^ "Little Lambs Eat Ivy". is said that visitors to any country are Itmore likely to gain a truer insight into the people's ,„. >>. Kl/»" "" Various similar groups all over the country are natural characteristics by observing how they J *"V doing their best to fill in the gap in our national entertain themselves than by any other means. y-^i-^^ni entertainment created by the lack of the theatres and If this statement is true then visitors to Ghana full-time theatrical companies and artistes. It is in HENRYi i_i n i\ i OFORv^ ^w i\ since March 6 last year must have found us a very p^cyi-jr sec tj on of entertainment that I " ^ see happy people inspite of our political teething troubles. Editor of " DRUM the birth of a truly Ghanaian contribution to world The last year has seen much deliberate effort *•••••» ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••# entertainment. being individuals well as groups of . . ,. made by as , ....', admiration people to provide a means of recreation for the poems and plays have certainly won the Night spots for dancing in Accra, and I should citizens of this new nation. of many Ghanaians. suppose for other parts of the country, are like the feature "Ghana Like any other place on earth, entertainment in The introduction of the new proverbial phoenix bird. They die and surprisingly perhaps done more to interest people comparatively short time under Ghana differs from place to place. On the whole we Theatre" has sprj ng up in a newly feature at can safely say that entertainment in the smaller in the radio programmes than any other acquired names. It is in this field of entertainment communities inland has not attained the same the moment presented by the Broadcasting System. tnat the owners of such concerns have shown very communities, the cinema standard as that in the large urban areas like Accra, In the larger urban ii lt ie imagination. In effect, the same sort of things all other forms of Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi. This situation is of business has certainly outstripped happen in all the night clubs dancing. Very in Ghana. With substantial financial putting life course to be expected, for we happen to be in a country entertainment ]j tt | e has been done as regards new and concerns like Caplan, where this venture is left almost entirely in the hands backing, big cinema M. colour into the nature of things. The past year in West African Pictures Company very little of individuals who want to make a living out of it. Globe and The tn j s form of entertainment has seen floor Corporation And of course such businessmen find it much easier (owned by the Industrial Development or ca baret shows, though there are many girls who to conduct their affairs in places where the population of Ghana) have brought much pleasure to the people are willing to earn a living by this means, version "Othello is large, for the returns are encouraging. with pictures like the Russian of , Cruel Sea" and "The Fallen c „ ».„,.„„„ "Julius Caesar", "The . small troupes >. Idol In fact> the string of very good films tnat nave Ghanaian ballet
for . Entertainment in the rural areas has been so far been shown here in Ghana has far exceeded any , Buddv Pl s efforts during the Independence provided by only a few concerns like the Government the same period during the last decade. P celebrations, to produce a typically unanaian oallet cinema vans which occasionally visit small settle- The rate at which the cinema houses are springing were very heartening although it seems, owing to ments to show films of instructional and entertain- up in Accra is so fast that it is not an over-statement difficulties the project has not been able to survive, ment value. What has characterised the past twelve to say that, very soon, every quarter of Accra will N°w Beryl Kankan, who has lived tor the greater months as regards entertainment in the rural areas is have its own cinema house. There are at the time of > "er llfe ln the world ot entertainment in the increase in the number of small troupes of writing fourteen picture houses in Accra. Part of to get a troupe of dancers comedians like the Bob Cole Trio, Kakaiku's Band Britain, has managed heartening thing to (which features guitar music and comical displays), going. This is perhaps the most twelve months. the Akan Trio and the many others. Dramatic groups happen in this field within the last though Scarcely does a day pass without a reader seeing Beryl herself is a first-rate dancer and she part in the acts of her an advertisement in the local papers announcing the Four of these have sprung up during the last does not at the moment take faith that her "storming" of a village or town by one of these groups twelve months. Who knows? Perhaps next year troupe of dancers, I have complete of comedians. by thistimeoftheyearfourmorewouldhaveappeared. enthusiasm in this form of entertainment will sustain To augment the two above-mentioned forms of The cinema houses have of course dominated the the troupe for a very long time, entertainment for rural areas the Broadcasting field of entertainment in the large towns, but this has .... proprietors the money to Thelast twelve months saw a desperate bid by many Sy tern ofGhana in he past year has performed f been so because the had _, dance bands to remam mactive service Except for a v$Commendable servfee £ their programmes order, the films and also" build the cinema houses, few like Blackbeals and Red Spots which have broadcast from Accra. Radio artistes who perform Relatively speaking, for very little effort on their own, laurels, (sometimes with much difficulty) been able to maintain in either the variety programmes or plays in the they have achieved much for the public. The their positions at the top, most of them have suffered various languages are now as well known to the however, in the entertainment world, must go to the very crippling misfortunes. They have themselves listener in Tamale as they are to those with whom little voluntary organisations which, with very little to blame. What most dance bands here don^ realise hey live in the same household in Accra. capital but with lots of tenacity, determination and js that the sound of the band is much more important The Broadcasting System, apart from promoting devotion, have given entertainment in Ghana a much ! than the number of riew scores that they can play in interest in local culture, has done more than any higher status than has ever been achieved in this each repertoire. The decline ,n he dance band business single Government Department in providing interest- field of our national life. « allied of course to the decline m the night dub ing and entertaining features in the leisure hours of In this respect, I speak of the amateur dramatic business, for without the night clubs I wonder how our fellow countrymen in the rural and outlandish groups like the British Council players who last year many dance bands in Ghana can survive for three of Ghana. gave us no less than four very good plays: "Present areas months, In the "Singing Net" programme many people Laughter" in April, "Julius Caesar" in May, "My to have come to realise that Ghana is not in the least Three Angels" in August and "She Stoops Conquer" in December. lacking in literary talents. Albert Kayper Mensah's Much to be (lone ""11 Ghana was very privileged to have the first-rate American Jazz outfit—Wilburn de Paris' New Orleans Band during the independence celebrations. There is at least one good thing that such famous outfits from across the ocean do when they visit Ghana .... our musicians and light music fans realise that there are standards very much higher than have been attained by our own dance band musicians.
With the independence celebrations also came the group of artistes from Britain .... the High Speed Variety entertainment. Though the standard of the actors cannot be said to be very high, at least to we Ghana it was something new . . . something that ourselves can easily add to our forms of entertainment here.
Late last year Ghana had her first view of a circus show. In fact, to many people in this country it was the Moreno circus that gave them their first opportu- nity of seeing a live lion and leopard ... yet both these animals inhabit the land on which we live.
To complete the record, mention must be made of the Chinese acrobatic troupe which invaded the Accra entertainment world during the Independence Anniversary celebrations featuring no less than 50 artistes, with a full-dress orchestra thrown into the bargain. Chang Tieh-Sheng and his party created a wonderful impression.
There is much left to be done in the field of enter- tainment in Ghana. What most people with more than enough money on hand don't realise is that money made from show business is more assured " " by Noel produced The British C otmcil Players' presentation of the comedy Present Laughter Coward, by than that made from trade; and I would that more Jean Clarkson, Bunce, Marion Grant 1-inal curtain— From left to right : — Geoffrey Stockell, Bunny Joan people will invest their money in the various forms of Kwesi Brew, Jill Carter. Cheeseman, Paul Gotch, Betty Bathurst-Brown, Willie Conton, Marion Gotch, entertainment, for unless this is done we shall never After the successful presentation of the play the bouquets were handed up to the leading ladies. achieve much in this field of human activity. 21 ART AND ARTISTS OF
Independence on March 6, 1957. actors in the ATtheatre of the arts in Ghana consisted of traditional bodies such as craftsmen and THE YEAR drummers, Government Departments of Agriculture, Vernacular Literature, Museum, Information, Film and Broadcasting, the United States Information Service, Educational institutions such as the Univer- -By sity College and the schools, the religious institutions, fetish groups, social organisations such as the British Council, the Ghana Arts Council (Interim Committee), KOFI ANTUBAM the Ashanti Cultural Centre, the Ghana Society of Artists and the Industrial Development Corpora- Head of the Art Department tion. They all featured well in the Independence of Achimota School, Celebrations and have been active since then. Hon. Secretary, Ghana Society of Artists. Among the traditional bodies, the Gonjas, Dagom- bas, Kusasis and Nanumbas celebrated their annual "DAMBA" festival to commemorate the birth of Ghana Information Services Mohammed. In at the Imperial Institute September the Lobis celebrated their London. annual harvest festival, "KOBENA". and, in Decem- It is to be recalled here also that the Arts ber, the Dagarti and Sesaala began their youth Council was responsible for the traditional swearing-in ceremonies with the commencement of drumming and dancing at the Accra Sports Stadium which their annual festival "BAARE" during which the brought an "Asafo" group from Mankesim, "Fontomforom" adolescent youth are initiated into adult life. drummers from Aburi and an "Asonko" group from At the same month, the Waala who spent had their Larteh in the Akwapim hills to Accra. annual little harvest festival "KYISON" in October, celebrated their The British great festival "DONGO", while the Council too has not been idle. In the Dagarti regions brought their thanksgiving festival "BAG- and in Accra it has been active all through the MAAL-DAAN" which began in March to an end. year producing plays with casts composed of Euro- peans and Africans. It has. on its record, the presenta- Outstanding feature tion of "Present Laughter" produced by Marion Gotch in April, 1957, "Julius Caesar" At all these festivals, traditional drumming and produced bv Helen Simpson in May, 1957, dancing were the outstanding feature. In Ashanti and "My Three Angels" staged in August and "She Stoops to Southern Ghana the "AGOROMA" (traditional Conquer" in December, 1957. It also organised, drumming and dancing group of the Ashanti Cultural jointly with the KOFI ANTUBAM Ministry of Education in Accra, the Centre) have been busy teaching traditional drum- 1957 Ghana Schools Art Exhibition. ming and dancing to both Africans and Europeans tional drumming and dancing group which has to its who have been attending their functions, while in the credit National some fifteen performances at the British Eastern Region the Akwapims and Akim Abuakwas stock-taking Council, Ambassador Hotel, the University College celebrated their "ODWIRA" and "OHUM" festivals. Apart from these organisations, certain individuals and other places in the country. In January, 1958, agricultural exhibitions organised deserve special mention in a national stock-taking While working as a busy medical practitioner, by the Agriculture Department were staged in Lawra, of Ghana's one year of existence as a free nation. Mr. Dr. Oku Ampofo has, during the year, been always Zuarungu and Bawku. In all these shows, craftsmen Ephraim Amu of the Kumasi College of Technology ready to submit pieces for in Northern Ghana showed some of who, for any exhibitions organised their best pieces the past twenty-five years, has been compo- by and either the Ghana Arts Council (Interim Committee) their natural love for gay colour showed itself at sing music and doing research into Ghana's indige- of which he is an active member, or the best in the raffia baskets, hats and mats. The nous music, has all "Akwapim Ghana through the Independence Year Six", a lively group of artists resident in the Akwapim Arts Council (Interim Committee) which is barely two been working hard at his research, and developing on State. It is to be recalled that Dr. Ampofo years old has in this first year of independence forged some traditional flutes of Ghana. was himself the founder of this group. ahead and is becoming a household word. Mr. J. H. Nketia of Mr. David Kimble, Through its six regional committees, it has been the University College the Director of the Institute of author of the Extra-Mural organising in all the regions Art and Craft exhibitions, "Akan Dirges" and other books, Studies of the University College of apart from Ghana, is traditional costume displays, choral competitions, broadcasting songs he has composed to be commended for the facilities his himself, has been Department native games and miniature "ODWIRA" festivals and collecting material on the traditional provides at the end of its New Year poetry of Schools installation of chiefs. It has also sponsored the forma- this country and using them in his lectures. for Ghanaian traditional music and dancing to be staged before tion of a Ghana Writers' Society and the organisation Mrs. Efua Sutherland, respectable and appreciative upon whose hopeful dreams audiences by Ghana Society of Artists of a national exhibition a.Wnters' such as the last one which took place at the Society is gradually coming into being in of art in connection with the first open-air theatre of the Commonwealth Ghana Indepen- Ghana, has all through the Hall, Legon year been working hard in dence Anniversary Celebrations. It January, 1958. He always wins a was also respon- towards staging a Writers' exhibition. soft mark of Mr. Philip credit for the University sible locally for thecollection, cataloguing and crating Gbeho, ihe Arts Council College which otherwise Chairman and composer of would have of the Ghana exhibition which was staged by the Ghana's been a terrible loss to Ghanaian artists for National Anthem, has maintained a tradi- failing to include in its list of subjects departments a school of fine art. The hidden gem
Deserving of equal mention is Mr. Henry Swanzy Senior Programmes Officer of the Ghana Broadcasting System, who has, all through the year, been compiling poems written mostly in English by Ghanaian authors for publication into what is expected to be the first anthology of Ghanaian poems. Much as his achieve- ment is praise-worthy, it would be a sad dereliction of duty if one omitted to venture the remark that such a book would have had a greater value and made a deeper impression if these young writers had been encouraged to express their poetical inner-selves in their vernacular instead of in English.
But the mental pain inflicted by this paradox be- comes more excruciating when one comes to think that when Ghana decided to carve and erect her Prime Minister's statue and paint his portrait in her first year of independence she did not give her young artists the chance of even a trial.
Nevertheless, one can only expect a crab to give birth to a bird in a country of a highly nationalistic people which has, on her own accord, chosen to nurture her infants on the dehydrated milk of English. But, of course, it is true that one cannot make a perfect judge of one's own time and, maybe, history will be in a better position to unfold the hidden gem of this paradox to which Ghana has elected to subject herself in her first year of freedom. In conclusion, may it be the prayer of Ghana at the close of this first year of Independence that all her artistic efforts may grow from strength to strength with their roots firmly entrenched in her own tradi- tions; A section of an All-Ghana Artists' Exhibition for, the greatest strength in the arts of any of paintings, sculpture, traditional and broadloom marines traditional carvings nation lies in her people's ability to and state umbrellas held at the Accra Community Centre recently. find vitality in the The Exhibition attracted traditions of the a large number of dark and hidden past of their spectators. motherland. ;
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 22 SPORTS -THE ORGANISATION
There are also regional sports Associations which Sports Council arc affiliated to the national Sports Council and history of Ghana Amateur By was conceived of exist to promote and develop sport in their respective THE lack to 1948 when the idea bocs though on a regional basis what the national which would devote l ime regions, doing SUM*- body whole country. and development of Quartey, Jr., Sports Council does for the These and energy to the promotion P. D. regional Associations are still in their formative Amateur soon to justify their existence the Government Secretary of the Ghana period, but they ought ^iS^'^eTby and assistance from our new was passed bringing into being^ and win recognition in 1952 an Ordinance Sports Council which ^charged regional administrations. he Ghana Amateur Sports Council developing Ghana Amateur Sports Council has been of "promoting, encouraging, The with the duty have as its Chairman this land of ours. fortunate since its early days to and controlling amateur sport" in responsible for the not yet Associations are solely M'Carthy, who has been ably assisted by a of planning and developmeii is and these particular Sir Leslie The period development of their all races. They have Sports Council, but Dopuiarisaiiuiarfeit on and large number of sportsmen of the Ghana Amateur »nu all that over for )cnt an(j control of freely to see that the future prospects 8 all given their time and energy progress has been made and to their great Ttey are all affiliated to carry out its work of KwiH "h" Council is firmly established Federations, and, in '° which International Sports developing sports in Ghana. now has a lirst-class Stadium respective promoting and thfcouncil into the field of world sport. the national sports way? bring Ghana serves as its headquarters, and is thaf well suited centre for the whole country; besides, it is and provided the for outdoor ceremonial occasions, the Celebra- venue for various functions connected with of Ghana's Independence in 1957. tion Matthews, The famous English soccer player, Stanley ever recorded to Leslie McCarthy cBt., attracted tiie biggest crowd Sir charm in one of the see him demonstrate his skill and for Accra Hearts best games ever seen when he played welcoming Dr. Kwame This was of Oak against Kumasi Kotoko in May. even greater crowd which followed in October by an to one of the a draw by Nkrumah thronged the Stadium to see Ghana held to each side scoring three goals. the Nigerian team, at the TWO GRANDSTANDS Sport events pomp, Then United Nations Day was observed with Stadium. On the organised by Accra and there was a massed Church Service connection with the Inter- the Christian Council in Major University left is the late national Christian Conference held at the College, Legon, in December. the one Collens whose There arc two grandstands at the Stadium, M. K. N. with an uncovered one in the west has a covered stand level with this and immediately below it and, on a sudden death in Britain one semi-circle, to the north and south, and forming steps known as are two sets of concrete terraced the year came seating later in North and South Wings which provide accommodation. - ,™«_J as a big blow, as well as The East has the new Stand which has a seating accommodation of 1,000 and towers above the centre standing spectators. A. H.R.Joseph, of a semi-circle of terraced steps for that of further development as This eastern half is capable of permit of extensions the new grandstand is designed to affectionately known as ultimate capacity of the in the standing area. The
20.000. . Stadium will be . Joe", to Ghana are changing "Pa Beside spectator accommodations, there and rooms with lockers for men and women athletes, of dormitory Sports. showers; also canteens and limited amount accommodation for visiting teams. the The Sports Council works mainly through affiliated to it, various national Sports Associations ACCRA GLIDING CLUB By "Sportsman" Accra Gliding Club has made considerable through the THEprogress during the year. Formed has enthusiasm of a few members, the Club performance, membership today achieved results in expectaUons of and equipment that are beyond the Burgess of Sir William its originator, Mr. P. G. Halcrow and Partners, who is its secretary. aroused considerable Gliding as a form of sport lias novel and unortho- interest in sports circles. Its the curiosity of dox nature has not failed to arouse opportunity of wa clung[the those who get the , ..which members being launched into the an; in a P'^e the aid of any soars like a bird without engine or other mechanical contrivance. from the contributions The first glider was bought few mishaps due to of a few enthusiasts and. afier a it came into use^in damage in packing and delivery, craft and carries a trainer May." H is a two-sealer SOME MEMBERS OF THE ACCRA GLIDING CLUB and a learner. . , , the,u a Mrs Sniee ideal area in Peter Bird ; A young enthusiast ; Mrs. Mitchell ; situated in an : Mr. Braithwaite ; Mr. The flying site, Left to Right Mr. Frank Clubby the Manche Mrs. Tiede ; Mr. Carl Tiede; Lt. Col. Skelton; Shai Hills, was given free lo the Mr Ronald Smee; Mr. Norman Foreman; who is patron ot Handscomb and Mr. Stewart Mitchell. of Prampram, Nene Annorkwei, which launches the plane members ihe Club. The tow car with no previous experience are now certificates of competency lo successful by the United who had joined info the air was sold to the Club of the Club. lor a song. gliding solo. African Company of Ghana almost Further information can be obtained from the Interior steadily~..j but— - there is of the Ministry of the Membership[V| t IllL'tl 31 tip islO increasingllivivuunie -»™ — U5,Accra Colonel Skelton Secretary, care Colonel Skelton. P. O. Box 1 : old Skelton is particu- is not quite one year room for more members. Colonel tells me that the Club which round. A syndicate anxious that Ghanaians should take interest re- has made good progress all larly * flying time 2 hours 19 minutes has been nation like A of Club have purchased a in gliding as ii is important ihat a new cross- formed by members of the ported since litis article was written. The first which can remain for long ours which is planning lo have its own air fleet was made second craft, a sail-plane, country flight from the Accra Gliding Cltth thereby its own pilots. Gliding, he says, makes periods in the air under good conditions, should have Sunday. 23 by Mr. C. Burgess, the Cluej prerequisite on March qualified gliders lo improve people air-conscious and this is a vital flight giving opportunity for Flying Instructor, in the new Spatz Sailplane. The flying time ol airmanship. on their performances. Recently, lo efficient was over a triangular route from Afienya. via /.a»'fa»- craft as against 81 minutes was achieved in the new to the British vaw, a total distance * The Accra Flying Club is affiliated Dodowah and back lo Afienya, old one. to cover 65 minutes in the . Association of which the Duke of Edin- of approximately 36 miles. The time taken flights since its Gliding Club has done over 1,500 issues this circuit — The is a keen member. The Association was 2hrs. 2mm. ED. and six of the members burgh first craft took the air in May ,
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 23 SPORTS -THE PERFORMANCE
from Ihe point of international competi- VIEWED It was the sixth victory of Ghana against Nigeria at tions, sport during the first year of Ghana's r hockey so far and Ghana emerged from the series of Independence was one of almost complete by \ / X defeats to her one major international triumph. failure. In the six annual competitions against Nigeria, Then came the soccer international matches against our national teams were victorious at hockey and Edmund \ Bannerman j Nigeria and Sierra Leone. A strong team had been gained some partial successes at table-tennis and selected under the football. auspices of the newly formed Radio Ghana Sports Commentator Football Association to meet Nigeria and, later, to But it is not altogether right to think of Ghana tour Sierra Leone. In the Nigeria encounter, at the sport in 1957 in terms of these competitions alone. A Accra Sports Stadium, the Ghana team held their Outside the playing fields, a number of successes opponents to a draw, each side scoring three goals. were achieved, outstanding among which was the The highlight of the year, however, was the visit At one stage, defeat was imminent but a final effort settlement of the long-standing dispute which had kept to Ghana of Hogan "Kid" Bassey to box an exhibi- in the closing moments of the game enabled Ghana Ghana football several years back. tion with the Ghana champion. Skipping Gilbert. to share the honours of the day. In Ihe month of Independence, Ghana's representa- Among the amateurs, there little activity in was ihe In Sierra Leone, the Ghana team acquitted itself tive cricket team failed in their annual fixture against capital but one or two tournaments in the Regions well, winning all the preliminary matches—three in Nigeria. The team was out-played kept the sport going. in every depart- all—and finally defeating the home representative meni of the offset game by the Nigerians who gave a most To this series of defeats and inactivity came team by two goals to one. impressive display of sound batting, accurate bowling the settlement of the long-standing football dispute The other sporting events were the table tennis and and tight fielding to gain a well-deserved victory. which had plagued the sport to the point of confusion the lawn tennis encounters with Nigeria which took Following this defeat, our athletes succumbed to and deadlock. place in Lagos. Both ended disastrously for Ghana Nigeria at Ibadan, losing the team championship At the start of the year, soccer was in a dilemma. It but the Ghana team won the table tennis trophy, the trophies for both the men and the women. was being organised with an air of indifference and Azikiwe Shield, for the first time in six years only to the atmosphere prevailing in its administration was fail in the West African Meritorious Performance by no means serene. championship contests which followed. The National League instituted the previous year But the most humiliating But here, Ghana had the consolation in the out had collapsed. A number of local football associations defeat of the year was to come. Although standing individual performances of some of her had withdrawn from the Ghana Amateur Football acclaimed to be the strongest set available, our lawn representatives—performances which bore marks Association to form another national association tennis players had nothing to offer against Nigeria and, for the first of the useful training that visits to this country by top- and these two jockeyed for position to control the time in the history of these annual fixtures, ranking American athletes had enabled them to sport. lost by the wide margin of 12 matches receive. R. M. Garber and R. A. Kotei both jumped to one. 6ft 6ins. to take first and second places respectively, Peace Returns To crown Ghana's first year of independence in beating the two crack Nigerian jumpers who had the field of sports, the Amateur Boxing Association made brought their impression in previous Olympic and While the "crisis" continued, an event took place Jack Roy, Britain's top coach who was res- Commonwealth ponsible for the Games. which changed the whole aspect of football in this preparation of the successful British success Olympic team of The of Yeboah in the shot-put was another country and which will, no doubt, go down in the 1956, down for a period of six meritorious performance from unexpected quarters. annals of Ghana soccer. months. The Football Association also employed the most widely Our girls too, although losing, showed promising The energetic and resourceful executive of the oldest travelled coach in the world, George form, in Edward Ainsley, especially the sprints and the 80 yards and one of the most popular football clubs in the a former Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers hurdles which was won by Helena Quartey-Papafio. country, Accra Hearts of Oak, invited to Ghana the player, on a contract for two lours. Indeed, as it turned out, it lack experience world-famous was of Blackpool and England international The West German Government too, very kindly, which finally them lose. made footballer, Stanley Matthews, to take part in a series awarded scholarships to four Ghanaian sportsmen Mid-way through the year, received another of Ghana matches as their guest-player. —two footballers and two athletes— to study coach- shock in boxing. Attu Clottey, our most accomplished Matthews was seen by nearly 100.000 people in all ing at the Sports University in Cologne. welterweight boxer, non-title fights his whose had matches here and his genius did a lot to improve These and many other things to follow, indicate inspired great confidence among boxing circles here the standard of many of Ghana's footballers who that the gloom that decended upon Ghana sports in and in Britain, again failed to win the Empire welter- played for and against him. 1957, was only the darkness before dawn. The at- weight title, losing on points to the holder, George But the Matthews visit did more than that. In- mosphere is becoming clearer now and Ghana sports Barnes, in Australia. directly, it brought a more peaceful atmosphere which can now look forward to prosperity. aided This was Clottey's in ihe final solution of the "crisis" in football. second defeat by Barnes. The beginning of the first anniversary year, 1958, The Ghana Amateur Sports Council appointed a At home, boxing made little progress in Accra but brought encouraging signs of revival and progress! committee of inquiry under the enjoyed much popularity in the Regions. chairmanship of especially for the Football Association which, under Lt. Col. F. Patridge, the then Director or Posts Four boxers returned home from overseas—Abe and its new national chairman, Mr. Ohene Djan. organised Telecommunications, and their report Quartey, Nye Ankrah, Sani Armstrong (who later and recom- two very successful competitions—the Independence mendations led to the two returned to the U.K.) and Andrews Martey; but of associations merging into anniversary regional competition one. for the coveted those who remained to campaign in the United Prime Minister's £250-Silver Cup which Ashanti As Ghana's footballers prepared for the annual Kingdom, Aryee Jackson created the greatest im- finally won by defeating Eastern Region by four goals pression international encounter with Nigeria, the hockey and was nominated a contender for the to two and the "Aspro Cup" competition in which Empire featherweight group stole the limelight. Under a capable adminis- eight championship—an honour of the country's top teams look pan. The final which tration, their representative team travelled to Nigeria the Nigerian, Hogan "Kid" 'Bassey.held before will be fought out on March 30 at the Accra Sports and won all their matches, including the he won the world title. international Stadium between Kumasi Kotoko and Accra Hearts match against the Nigerian Peter Cobblah and Tommy Tagoe also showed national side. of Oak. (Kotoko beat Hearts 4-2—ED.) promise and were rated within the top 15 in their respective weight divisions.
:rov:-:y >:•::* Wv The late A. H. R. JOSEPH His death was one of the saddest events Stanley Matthews, the soccer maestro in action, playing for his guest-club, Accra Hearts of Oak of the year. against Kumasi Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium. 24 GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD YEAR OF HOPE FOR FARMERS By MART APPIAH-DANQUAH GHANA General Secretary, IN A FREE United Ghana Farmers'' Council.
m?<\ : United Ghana Farmers' Council, the only Thecountry-wide farmers' organisation in Ghana, educated and inspired the" country's farmers to give their unflinching support to the Convention Peoples' Party— the vanguard of the struggle for Independence! to achieve independence for Ghana. The Council did so because it felt that it was only under the leadership of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and his Convention People's Party that our dear country could achieve independence in the shortest possible lime. . , \s soon as Ghana became independent, the United Ghana Farmers' Council decided to fight relentlessly against the adverse standard of living and economic servitude which the country's farmers have suffered the for a long time. It was fell that the hands of Council could be strengthened to engage itself successfully in this struggle when il is accorded an official recognition by the Government. The Govern- ment was approached on this important issue and now the Council enjoys recognition. To make good use of this official recognition in promoting the economic well-being of the country's farmers, the Council has established three Depart- ments: Department. (1) The Publicity and Education Department and (2) The Agricultural Development work in his Accra office. (3) The Marketing Department. Martin Appiah-Danquah at FUNCTIONS: forthwith the growth of any type of Amazonian 3. THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT 1. PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION cocoa in Ghana. Council shall are: (4) That the United Ghana Farmers' (a) To control a Propaganda Unit which This department has two sections. They policies be affiliated to the International Federation disseminate the views and agricultural Association (1) The Ghana Farmers* Marketing of Agricultural Producers, an international of the Government, the Cocoa Marketing Ltd. and farmers' organization. Board, the Agricultural Development Corpora- Council Agency. That the United Ghana Farmers' Council tion and the United Ghana Farmers' Council (2) The United Ghana Farmers' (5) Association Ltd. should engage legal advisers at the expense to farmers. The Ghana Farmers' Marketing free s monthly deals with the marketing of cocoa and the United of the Council to advise farmers, of (b) To organise and supervise the Council deals with the charge, in solving their legal problems in Magazine called "The Modern Ghana Farmer. Ghana Farmers' Council Agency to make their marketing of coffee, palm kernels and any other order that unnecessary litigation might be (c) To educate farmers on how Corpo- minimized. estimates within their annual income. crops which the Agricultural Development to im- efficient grading ot ration exports. (6) That the Government be requested (rf) To educate farmers on good quality cocoa. plement t h e recommendations of the cocoa and how to produce It is planning with the Agricultural Development and the Informa- "NOWELL REPORT" in the light of the O) To arrange with the Film Unit Corporation to organize the marketing of local to give present economic consciousness of the tion Department of the Government foodstuffs. shows through- country's farmers and that all cocoa buying regular public Agricultural Film organisations It is the policy of these two marketing agents should be ordered to stop operations out the country. principles. to adopt co-operative marketing forthwith. first post-Independence Annual 2. AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT The Council held its (7) That the existing Co-operative Ordinance 15 National Delegates' Conference on December should be amended to make it possible for itself with Ihe supply of agricultural (a) To concern last year at Sunyani. The Conference evinced the the Ghana Farmers' Marketing Association spraying machines, machines machinery: e.g., spirit with which the country's farmers were expected under the Co-operative machines lor to be registered for threshing and hauling rice, responsibility which independence and to shoulder the Ordinance. maize shelling, machines for dusting resolutions places on us. Among the many important (8) That farmers and their dependents should maize; also incubators, etc. storage of passed were the following: give abundantly to the C.P.P. Appeal Fund. organize demonstrations of the use of such (b) To write to The Council resovled to affiliate with the Inter- country so as to inspire (1) That the General Secretary should machines all over the Agricultural Producers, practicable. the Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, national Federation of farmers to use them when and where colleagues to congratulate them for because as Ghana is anxious to take its proper diversification of agriculture by and his (c) To foster is fit and proper new commercial leading the whole country to independence place in the comity of nations, it making experimental farms of to beans, and wish them success, best of luck and for its officially recognised farmers' organisation crops such as castor plants, potato, soya many years' stay in office. join the International Farmers' Organisation. inspiring farmers to grow them. etc., and Council As we take stock of the achievements of the farms of cocoa in the (2) That the United Ghana Farmers' UD To make experimental Indepen- modern methods should offer its sincere thanks to the Govern- Farmers' Council during this first year after cocoa-growing areas and adopt has ment for its official recognition of the Council dence, we can proudly say that the Council for farmers to copy. . ural and also to reaffirm the Council's unflinching achieved a lot and is even more determined to press arranee farmers to attend all agricul (e) To support for the Government. forward with greater vigour to bring prosperity and shows which the Department of Agriculture That the Government should discourage security to the farmers of our new nation. might organize. (3) EXAMPLE OF JOINT ENTERPRISE By "'Businessman'"
shortly. When that has been done, the Company's of the Government of home in the country. is the declared policy 50 and loster Travel bags, "zipp" bags, plastic buckets, hand production will be stepped up to between 40 to ITthe new stale of Ghana to encourage as would bags, brief cases, school satchels, etc. These articles per cent, of its present output. the development of such industries people which are made from imported plastic sheetings and bring mutual prosperity to investors and the The processes of cutting the material used in making industries are canvas are manufactured in Accra and are rapidly of this country. And when such the articles, making, machining and finishing are partnership ot finding their way into all parts of the country. The established in the spirit and letter of wonderful experience which the Ghanaian personnel particu- African staff of about twenty-eight were specially capital and management, the Government is are daily gaining as more and more up-to-date should be trained locally by the Company's manager, Mr. J. larly anxious that every facility possible machinery and techniques are introduced to meet the Philippi who has been in the trade all his life. given to ensure success. demands of an ever-increasing market. All this augurs Thus African labour have acquired a new skill and, During the period under review, there have been a well for the future of small-scale industrialisation of a taking judging from the excellent work produced so far, there few notable examples of such undertakings community which is traditionally agricultural. small-scale is every indication that, given the requisite training, the field in Ghana, especially in the most Africans can be expected to take (heir full share in With the wild enthusiasm which samples shown in enterprises which all the authorities agree are other manufacturing industries when they do come Nigeria have evinced in that insatiable market suited to the peculiar circumstances of such a young great, along. there is every confidence export conditions and relatively under-developed country such as that when and expatriate investors are confi- will Ghana. Both Ghanaian become favourable, Ghanaian plastic goods . future of this type of industry in Ghana and Africa One such industry which was established in Ghana dent of the invade the markets of the countries of West are going ahead to introduce more and more up-to- which have hitherto preserves during the first year of Ghana's attainment to indepen- been the unchallenged date machinery. In fact, more machinery are on order . of plastic goods bearing labelling: dence is the Ghana Manufacturing Company Limited the ubiquitous expected to arrive and be put into operation which manufactures articles in great demand in every and are "Made in Japan" and "Made in Hongkong." !
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 25 BATTLES OF THE BEAUTIES OSCAR TSEDZE
of the "Sunday Mirror" reports on the Beauty Contests of the Year
For a long time to come, March 6, 1957. will remain abstract to a vast majority of Ghanaians who are unable to read and write. Nevertheless, Ghana's attainment of independence will yea ply be brought closer and closer to their hearts—the hearts of that unfortunate section of the nation's citizenry—through the medium of the national compe- titions for the title of "MISS GHANA" which rages through the district, regional and national levelsT These hectic processes of competition and selection to the increasingly enviable crown of the nation's most beautiful woman is destined, for a very long time to come, to play a major and abiding pari in the annual celebrations of the anniversary of the achieve- ment of independent nationhood. Thus the name of Miss Monica Amekoafia, MISS GHANA 1957, will, for many years to come, remain a concrete reminder of our constitutional achievement and a subject of great historical significance to a large number of our people. This forecast is amply borne out by the feverish national excitement which marked every stage of the various competitions which preceded and culmina- ted in the election and crowning of Mrs. Janet Ohene Agyei as Ghana's new beauty queen for 1958, the echoes of event which have barely died down Picture shows "Miss Ghana 1957" (centre) with Mrs. M. B. Simms, (left) and Miss. E. Asafu-Adjaye But tin's is a review of the year 1 first 957, the year at a reception in the Board Room of The United Africa Company, Unilever House, London. of Ghana's independence, it and is only appropriate Miss Ghana was the guest of the Company for three days when she visited London in April last year. that we should confine ourselves to the events which Similar honours await "Miss Ghana 1958" when she visits London in May. followed Monica's victory and, in their own small but nevertheless exciting way, the various seductive battles-royal which followed. last year—the Monica days—have emphasised two general penchant of our womanhood to please and Beautiful and charming Monica was presented to things, namely, simplicity and modesty and the attract. of the Duchess of Kent who represented the Queen and dominating, restraining hand of tradition—lest the And the fortunate winner, Miss Odofole Acquaye Head of State of Ghana on that memorable day of tendency to modernity should run riot! Accra, was really proud of the gorgeous kente cloth Florence Inkumsah, wife of March 6, 1957. It was on the eve of the opening of Many were the competitions, and in each of ihem presented to her by Mrs. our first national Parliament. Thereafter, she travelled simplicity of dress, simplicity of hair-do and simplicity Ghana's Minister of Housing. to the United Kingdom where she played an impressive of make-up were outstandingly remarkable about Next in importance was the annual"Miss Odwira" and unique role as an "ambassador" from the young almost all the contestants. competition held at a dance at Akropong to round off the celebration of the Odwira festival by the people of and sovereign State of Ghana. First, there was the "Mirror Queen" beauty In spite of linguistic handicaps, Monica has since competition organised by the "Sunday Minor" of Akwapim. So importance was attached to this contest March last year done more than any one individual Ghana. A majority of the photographs entered for much that the Nifahene of the State, Nana Otutu Ababio IV, can claim by means of exquisite beauty and charm to this title showed much improvement over those was present at the dance and performed the ceremony publicise Ghana both through the medium of commer- entered for previous contests in as much as coaling of crowning the winner. cial advertising and through her personal manifesta- the face with thick layers of "pancake" was concerned. The winner of this contest, Miss Mary Woode, a tion of what is typically Ghanaian feminine character. camera, Varied were the poses—side facing the stores hit the Her ready smiles, her friendliness and modesty, her saleswoman in one of Accra'a leading "frontal attack" on the cameraman— looking at his regal smile a poise and carriage, her personality and sociability country's front page. She wore a and gadget nonchalantly over the shoulder! Some eyes for her were a big projection of truly Ghanaian womanhood. pretty crown—the satisfaction and the prize were bewitchingly slanted, heads tilted and there All beauty competitions that have taken place achievement. She dressed simply and attractively; no were displays of up-to-lhe-minutc fashions and hair- 1957". Her during the last twelve months beginning from March wonder she was selected "Miss Odwira dos galore and all showed delightful evidence of — victory, too, was unique in that she was "Miss Odwira" of the year in which Ghana became independent. And this goes for all other beauty queens of last year.
"MISS GHANA 1958" Tough Battle Now we travel to Ashanti where the battle was for the title "Miss Ashanti". A few days to thecompeti- lions, hundreds of glamour girls poured into Kumasi, SMILING capital of Ashanti. And, make no mistake, when the contest opened at the annual Revellers' Dance held at the Prempeh Assembly Hall, it was really a tough battle between the beauties of the region". RADLVNTLY Out of the scramble, a housewife emerged as "Miss Ashanti" and, incidentally, is it by chance that "Miss Ashanti, 1958" is also a housewife? Spinsters, look out! She was Mrs. Helena Aggrey, then 25 years old. The SHARES A "Miss Ashanti" contest showed conclusively that some of our Ghanaian women are very judicious about the use of make-up, lipstick and kindred glamour accessories. JOKE WITH There were quite a number of smaller beauty contests, too numerous to recount here. But among these was the "Miss Ashanti-Akim" contest. This competition took place at the Konongo Gold Mines' THE African Club and was organised by the Ashanti- Akim Social Club. It was as keenly contested as any of the big competitions. Over 34 glamour girls from all over the staleentered and, coming on top GOVERNOR-GENERAL, of them all, was Miss Rose Afuah Amoakowaa of Odumase near Konongo. Enough of this stuff? No, you just cannot say that. As if in a cycle, the twelve-month year, which began in LORD LISTOWEL, March 1957 and started with the first "Miss Ghana" beauty competition has jusi ended with another "Miss Ghana" beauiy contest. The prospects and the opportunities offered Monica last year were not in AT HIS PARTY vain. They have excited a much wider and keener interest in this year's contest for the selection of "Miss Ghana" 1958. 26 GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD
DEVELOPMENT: PLAN AND APPITROM ACHIEVEMENT ACCRA'S ALL-PURPOSE EDUCATIONAL CENTRE
(Continuedfrom page 17) It embraces the following departments: Day Nursery, Primary, Technical and Secondary- TRANS-l OLTA TOGOLAND all in ideal surroundings unsurpassed for of the city. DEVELOPMENT works carried out in the spaciousness and quiet in the heart Trans-Volta Tbgoland Region during the past year include pipe-borne water supplies classes in for Ho, Kpandu, Worawora; electricity supply for ADDITROM runs efficient night Ho: maternity clinics in the Buem-Kraohi District, and a 52-bed hospital at Adidome in the Tongu secondary and technical subjects which are District. popular. The official opening of projects in the Region has becoming increasingly always been marked with jubilation by the people and hardly a month passes by without the opening It prepares students for the General Certifi- of a postal agency, a school building, or a minor water supply being celebrated. But the biggest West African celebrations within the year were in connection with cate of Examination, the the opening of the Ho and Kpandu water-supplies, the Ho electricity supply and the Adidome hospital School Certificate and the London City and for which Government provided £80,000. The Hospital is managed by the Evangelical Guilds Examinations. Presbyterian Church and it contains an out-patients department, an air-conditioned operation theatre, a laboratory and quarters for the medical and It has an efficient and qualified staff. Excellent nursing staff. available. The water supply for Ho cost £30,000 while that of boarding facilities are Kpandu cost £51,000. Both water supplies come from boreholes. The water supply for Kpandu apply to comes from three boreholes. It is pumped to a For further particulars, service reservoir at the rate of 7,200 gallons an hour and the reservoir has a capacity of 10,000 gallons. in the ACCRA. The water is distributed through taps installed THE PRINCIPAL, P. O. BOX 854, town. As far as it is known, Kpandu is the first town in West Africa to get softened water.
The Ho electricity supply which was opened by the Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is the second one to be opened in the Region. The first one was opened about three years ago at Kela. The electric power is also used in pumping water from one town's new hill-top reservoir, problems: borehole into the 1 Consult us on your import wishes and which has a capacity of 100,000 gallons. Apart from water supplies, progress in the Region has been remarkable in the provision of schools, medical facilities, and in the improvement of roads. BANKOTO AGENCIES LIMITED NORTHERN GHANA Representing: ^ Lange Fr. Heinrich Buck order that the Northern Region might keep lmhoff&. | INabreast with other parts of the country in the scheme field of education, a special scholarship Sono Gurmels Walter Marr has been created whereby a limited number of \ Government scholarships will be awarded to persons from the Region. Sono Volkskunt G.m.b.H. Dr. Ing. H. 0. An outstanding feature of the scheme is that there is the first time an educational is no age-limit and this Scheid plan or this kind has been introduced for the people of the Nori hern Region. It is to allow more Northern- ers to be admitted into the University College of courses. The scheme is one of the EUGEN RICHTER Ghana for degree I blessings of independence. \ Another major landmark in the North is the Frafra Holding sole agencies for the latest scientific Land Resettlement Scheme. It involves redistribution of the surplus population of the Frafra and Zuarungu I I district. The districts in Damongo in the Gonja Acrylic Teeth, Pharmaceutical Specialties, embracing, apart I scheme is a combined operation from a Land Planning Committee, a number of I § Government Departments. 1 Patent Medicines, I People who have been resettled have been allotted farming lands and loaned seeds for planting and also I | every encouragement given them to grow such cash crops as maize and tobacco under the guidance I ^ of the Department of Agriculture. It is hoped that Building Materials, Hardware, Leather once confidence has been established, settlement will proceed more rapidly. ^ $ has A programme for the drilling of boreholes I Goods, Plastics, etc. | produced more sources of water for rural areas and has enabled piped supplies to be completed at Bole and Nangodi. § OFFICE: I quarter of a million A total of slightly less than a Knutsford Avenue, House No. 959/3 pounds was made available by Government for rural Regional development and development in the P. O. Box 368, areas. The money was satisfactorily divided among J all parts of the Region. The Navrongo, Nandon I Accra, Ghana. | and Bimbilla water supplies and an addition of a labour ward to the Mission Hospital at Nandon I I are among the projects for which the money was used. GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 27 REPORTS CORPORATIONS ON SOME PUBLIC AGRICULTURAL COCOA MARKETING BOARD DEVELOPMENT Chirman: Mr. Imoru Egala. General Manager: Mr. Harry Dodoo.
March, 1957 — Independence Week — an During the first week of October, 1957, the Prime In laid the foundation exhibition designed to put Ghana cocoa on the Minister, Dr. Kvvame Nkrumah, CORPORATION map was opened at Olympia in London by the stone of the Board's new offices on Station Road, then Ghana High Commissioner, Mr. T. Hutton- Accra, at a colourful ceremony. Some 300 guests, Mills, before a large crowd. It was at this exhibition including Cabinet Ministers, Chiefs, licensed buying Chairman: Mr. J. K. A. Quashie. that the Ghana Coat-of-arms was unveiled. Her agents, farmers and Government officials, attended Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had a preview of it and the function. The cost of the building which may be General Manager: C. F. Amoo Gottfried was shown round the Stand by the Board's Publicity completed towards the end of the current year is Officer, Mr. F. Therson-Cofie. about half a million pounds. most spectacular of the Corporation's activities Some 600 people called daily on the Stand to gain In November, 1957, the Board voted the sum of Theare schemes for the establishment of cocoa and its establishment of two Technical information about cocoa export, cropping, £68,000 for the oil palm estates, poultry, pineapple, tobacco, Region. production, preparation, marketing and the use of Field Units to operate in the Northern banana and coffee farms, fishing and boat-building the Board, the Board's funds. During the middle of November, 1957, and mechanical agriculture in which great progress Model cocoa trees were provided to lend brilliancy through its chairman, Mr. Imoru Egala, presented was made during the year. little du to the Stand, costing a over £2,000, manned by to the Director of Social Welfare, Mr. P. F. On the two pineapple estates, some 900 to 1.000 the Board's Publicity Officer and some Ghana Sautoy, a cheque for £12,000 out of a total allocation pineapples are harvested each week and are canned at 36-mile students in Britain. This exhibition which lasted for of £39,000 for the construction of the the Government experimental canning plant at a month was a tremendous success. Forifori—Amankwakrom road in the Kwahu district. Accra. Site for a third farm has been acquired. In May, 1957, the Board paid the sum of £200,000 to This road will facilitate the transportation of cocoa These pineapple farms are, however, being Government for the erection of 10 Health Centres at in the Afram plains. established primarily to supply their produce to a Keie-Krachi, Kadjebi, Sampa, Nkoranza, Akrokerri, The planning of the bridge as well as preliminary cannery which the Industrial Development Corpora- Assesseo, Swedru, Tikobo and Akropong is in progress. has provided Suhum, work Equipment been tion intends to establish and it is hoped that some near is start in earnest soon. Dunkwa. and the work to 1,000 acres will be under cultivation by the time the In August, 1957, the Board allocated the sum of Early this year, the Board paid to the Ghana cannery comes into operation. £166,000 for a secondary school to be built at Swedru. Educational Trust the sum of £2J million for the Negotiations have been conducted for a site at Work on it has begun under the supervision of the building and running of Secondary Schools in Kukurantumi where the Corporation hopes to start Consultant, Mr. H. P. Winful. cocoa-growing areas. Building of these schools will the first of three cocoa estates. The estate, which will a river transport The Board has undertaken to run begin this year. be run on a co-operative basis, will combine plantation service on the Tano river to facilitate the evacuation The object of this move is not only designed to give development with peasant ownership. of cocoa from the fertile areas around Elubo and secondary education to sons and daughters of cocoa An oil palm estate is being developed at Sese for to scholars in Alenda Wharf. farmers, but also encourage the rural the Corporation by managing agents. Some 3,000 In this connection, the voted in August to continue their education in their areas. Board towns own acres have been acquired and planted with 140,000 project the founda- avoid expenses incurred through travelling 1957 the sum of £200,000 for this This will specially selected high-yielding oil palm seeds imported tion stone of which arrangements are now being to other parts of the country to find admission from Nigeria. It is expected that this plantation will is constructing wharves, made to be laid. The Board F. Therson-Cofie, come into partial bearing in 1961 and into full cocoa sheds and other buildings in the areas in Publicity Officer, C.M.B. bearing two years later. question. The Corporation has started poultry farms at Takoradi and Kumasi where eggs are produced for sale locally; in addition to eggs, the Corporation also prepares poultry food for sale to other farmers. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT The Marketing Section is responsible for sale and grading of certain produce of Ghana, both locally and overseas. The section at present deals with the CORPORATION export of palm kernels, copra, coffee and shea-nuts. purchases are made through buying agents at Chairman: Mr. E. Ayeh Kami. General Manager: J. A. Harris Its prices fixed by the Corporation. formed part of year has been one of increased responsi- being done by the Ghana Laundries (I.D.C.) Limited The Loans Section, which formerly Agriculture, exists to aid the small THEbility, wider and more intensive activity and in providing first-class laundry and dry-cleaning the Ministry of their production. Under the fine achievement for the Industrial Development facilities to its rapidly increasing number of customers. farmers to expand of has been placed at the Corporation. In addition to its normal functions, the The operation of the establishment has been so scheme a fund £100,000 Government and attainment of independence saw the beginning of the successful that a receiving and delivery centre has disposal of the Corporation by the applicants. operation of the new luxury hotel, the Ambassador, been opened in the city for the convenience of from this loans are given to which it was the responsibility of the Corporation to customers and to relieve the inevitable congestion at Substantial assistance equip, staff and organise to a standard that would the factory. ensure comfort, efficiency and general satisfaction to The I.D.C. Furnitureand Joinery Limited continues On first application "Test Loans", not exceeding its guests, especially those who had come from abroad to make progress. Considered to be the best equipped £20, are issued to farmers. Such loans are intended to for the Independence celebrations. in West Africa and applying some of the most modern give borrowers an opportunity to prove that they can The Corporation was further entrusted with the techniques and skills in the industry, the Company and can be depended upon to has produced furniture of a standard that can use the money wisely responsibility for the management of loans invested in Applicants it back together with interest. who other new undertakings, West African Pictures compare favourably with any in the world. The pay pass this test and produce evidence that they did in (Ghana) Limited and Guinea Press Limited. exquisite beauty and dependable utility of the fact increase their food production, stand a good The Corporation, apart from the above under- furniture and fittings in the luxury Ambassador chance of obtaining more substantial assistance on takings, has fifteen Subsidiary Companies all of whose Hotel bear eloquent testimony to the excellence of second subsequent application. In no case, interests are held exclusively by the Corporation. its products. and does a loan exceed one hundred pounds. Besides those, however, the Corporation has Of interest to those who believe in the preservation however, have been granted to applicants for the interests in eight Associated Companies. In both and development of our indigenous works of art, the Loans additional acreage of food farms, for the categories, the Corporation has made considerable Company has stepped up the activities of its salesroom cul ovation of cash crops, other than cocoa, and for progress during the year. in Accra which is actively and profitably engaged in development of development. particular interest are experiments that were the sale of locally carved handicrafts which is the livestock Of loans to is separate arrangement regarding carried out during the year in the factory of the Ghana main source of assistance to Ghana craftsmen. There a Applicants who wish to buy motor Cigar Company (I.D.C.) Limited in Accra on the The Company proposes to organise shortly export fishermen. vessels are required to provide twenty-five production of cased leaf tobacco (black strap) which business in handicrafts and thus continue to provide fishing of the combined cost of the vessel and the is a popular importation from abroad involving the Ghana craftsmen with steady and gainful employment. per cent for the first year. The balance of expenditure of valuable foreign currency. When the scheme is implemented and gets going, it insurance premium advanced by the Corporation, The experiments have met with an appreciable will provide just that amount of fillip necessary to the cost and premium is places orders with the manufacturer. The measure of success and it is hoped that, before long, resuscitate and refurbish an industry which is slowly which given to the fishermen on a hire- locally grow n tobacco can be successfully processed to but steadily dwindling. vessels are then four-year period. commercially acceptable standard. The Corporation is actively engaged in the develop- purchase basis for a scheme has proved very popular. At the Another product which is an important item in the ment of an Industrial Estate in Accra which is The Loans the year, no less than £95,272 has been life of the people of the rural areas is matches, and the important to the industrialisation of the Accra area beginning of loan to 4,323 farmers, with 26,735 Ghana Match Company (I.D.C.) Limited which is on a small-scale basis. Of particular importance to given out on loans pending. ideally sited at Kade has put finishing touches to its the health and beauty of the capital is the fact that the applications for test has recently announced a equipping, staffing and organisation during the year industrial estates would help to solve the problem of The Corporation as small carpentry National Food Distribution Scheme which and it is expected to go into production any time small miscellaneous industries, such £27,000 distribution of foodstuff, from now. and fitting workshops and tin-smithies and other is designed to ensure even of shortage in certain The success of the Pioneer Biscuit Company industrial oddments which clutter the city. thereby solving the problem of living in the prin- Limited which came into production before the The Estates Department of the Corporation have areas and raising the standard country. Christmas is a strong justification of the wisdom of put in a great deal of work by way of preparatory cipal towns of the will, under the scheme, establish the policy of joint participation in economically investigation, planning and cost estimation. A leading The Corporation fish and meat, food- sound enterprises as a means of encouraging invest- firm of Engineering Consultants have already issued wholesale storage depots for garden eggs and pepper. ment. a preliminary report on a proposed site of 240 acres. stuff of all kinds as well as will buy them and store them for The Pioneer Biscuit Company in which Edward The field to be covered in so vast and complex an The Corporation Nassar & Company Limited and the Corporation organisation is so wide that it is impossible to do equitable distribution. already started in Northern have equal interests has a fine modern factory in adequate justice to the excellent progress that has been The scheme has the it food shortage in Kumasi and "Pioneer" biscuits have met with made in all sections of its activities. But will suffice Ghana initially to relieve that was area. enthusiastic reception and bid fair to become a to say, for the purpose of this report, much Navrongo . Agricultural household word throughout Ghana and, eventually, achieved during the year under review and much is The Corporation held a successful Ghana's the Independence Anniversary celebra- in other West African territories. planned to be done during the second year of Show during number of visitors. Other undertakings have made progress during the Independence. tions which attracted a larne "New Ghana year. Mention must be made of (he excellent work Moses Banquah 28 GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD NEW TREND IN HOUSING...
GHANA is still a long way from becoming "FUTURIST" says the keynote is beauty the architect's paradise but, even so, so blended with simplicity. much has been achieved within the last few years that the hope is not lacking that much leeway can be made within the foreseeable future.
Public as well as private buildings all point
to the shape of things to come. There is
increasing evidence of a definite tendency
towards the harmonious blending of striking
elegance and functional simplicity, the under-
lying principle being the importance of air and
coolness in a country like ours.
There is, however, one thing lacking. There
is little or no evidence of the traditional
architectural design—a great pity.
The enterprising Americans are, however, not allowing themselves to follow the crowd and did in fact instruct their architect, Mr. Harry Weese, to design their £100,000 Embassy in Accra on an indigenous pattern.
The result is the large sprawling structure that is going up in Accra near the Ministries. "FIASE LODGE" The inspiration? The Wa-Na's palace in One of the many features of the year was the increasing number of first-class residential buildings that
Northern Ghana! sprung up all over the country, particularly in the larger towns. A notable example is "Fiase Lodge" on Ring Road East, Accra, the residence of Mr. E. K. Dadson, Government Chief Whip and Ministerial Perhaps the first year of independence has Secretary to the Ministry of State. provided the beginning of a new architectural era in Ghana. Who knows?
VENUS HOUSE'
large apartment flats are increasingly being built especially in Accra, Kumasi and A number of Sckondi-Takoradi—all worthy efforts to help eas e the acuet shortage. One of these apartment flats is "Venus House" on Hall Avenue and Nsawam Road Junction, housing Adabraka, Accra, built by Messrs F. & M. Khoury of Nsawam. They have a row of similar block of flats on Prince of Wales Road, Takoradi. : .
GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 29 LEGION SHOWS GOOD RESULTS
"T he following is a Report on the work of the Ghana Legion during 1957 •*- submitted by the Secretary, Colonel Quigley, to the 14th Biennial Con- ference held in Melbourne.
This district is roughly 80 miles west of Tamale and is one of the Ghana Legion has headquarters at Accra richest farming areas in the country. The The scrub has with regional and sub-regional branches at the been cleared by the Gonja Develop- ment Corporation following places: Accra, Winneba, Cape Coast, and the land is now available for use. Tarkwa, Asuem, Tafo, Kumasi, Mampong (Ashanti), It is proposed to acquire a suitable tract of land Tamale, Bolgatanga, Kpandu, Mpraeso, Nsawam, and build a village within easy reach of the farming area. Saltpond, Takoradi, Asamankese, Koforidua, Juaso, Obuasi, Sunyani, Yendi, Navrongo and Akpafu. All ex-servicemen amputees in the country now Certain small branches in Togoland which had have three artificial limbs. Two are with the man been opened as a trial have been closed down as it and one is held in reserve at the Government Limb was found there is no real need for them in that area. Fitting Centre. When a limb requires repair it is Where the Legion has branch, no Government handed in, in the box provided, to the nearest Legion Agents act as Legion agents and forward recommen- Branch or Government Agent whence it is des- dations for assistance. patched to us. The reserve limb is then forwarded to In our estimates for 1957, allowance was made for the amputee, and the damaged limb is repaired an increase in pensions to bring them into line with Government Disability Pensions. This estimate was set at £18,000 per annum. We are in fact paying out now at the annual rate of £17,753. There are 449 "IT is doubtful whether there is pensioners on our books some of whom live as far any African away as Duala in the French Cameroons, Niamey in | territory that can French Niger and Sokoto and Gwandu in Nigeria. show such an outstanding and At the time of my last report we had Rent-Free successful organisation for the bene- villages in operation at fit of ex-servicemen as that which has been built Accra 60 residents up in Ghana since SIR PATRICK FITZ-GERALD Kumasi 80 the war. Chairman, Central Council, Ghana Legion. TamaJe 8 "So impressive is this that we are Yendi 16 Lately, the supply of wheeled attaching the report by Colonel invalid chairs has been taken over by the Legion and all ex-servicemen who Since then a further £2,000 has been expended on Quigley, the Secretary of the Ghana need these appliances have been supplied with them. improvements at Accra village. Another village to Legion, who describes the conditions Spectacles and artificial dentures are supplied free to cost £6,000 has been started at Bolgatanga and as those who require but cannot afford them and on soon as the rains are over a village will be built at at present prevailing in that country easy repayment terms to those who. although in Navrongo. The latter two villages will, in the first and shows what has been done and employment, have insufficient ready cash to meet the instance, each accommodate 12families. If it is found what can be done in a comparatively bill. there is a demand for these houses, further accommo- small country the dation will where ex-service be added. The Legion employment bureau continues to organisation is under the control of function most satisfactorily. At the start, jobs were a British Officer to whose imagina- obtained purely through Friends give help personal friends but now tion and enterprise there is no the word has been passed round that the bureau does try to provide reliable ex-servicemen limit and, what is equally important, of the type Except for Tamale, all villages have land attached required and the telephone rings endlessly for where that Officer is supported and for farming. The residents themselves do very little stewards, messengers, drivers, labourers and crafts- but their friends come in, generally on a Sunday, and encouraged by the Government of men of all types. give them a day's free work. the day and by other leading citi- A situation was obtained a few The village at Yendi has, in add ition to farming zens." weeks ago for a teleprinter operator who had been land, plantations of sisal, kapok, mangoes and out of employment firewood. for three months. We have a good contact with Excerpt from report No. 5 the of certain mines (gold and diamond) security forces We have an instructor touring the villages teaching British Empire Service League Work- who absorb all suitable types as soon as they leave the residents sisal mat making and grass basket and the Service. hat making. The trainees beat and dye their own ing Party on Colonial Ex-service We do like to get sisal and sell the products in the local an ex-serviceman into employment markets. Two affairs. as soon as he is discharged, few sitting mosques are under construction in the village at as a months' Kumasi. round the market-place does not improve his likeli- hood of holding down a job. There remain the same Last Christmas, all residents received a woollen old troubles—too many drivers and too many jersey The Central Council is now considering a scheme and two heavy blankets as a Christmas present. clerks. It is a great pity that intensive training They were for the settlement of ex-servicemen at Damongo. also given the necessary funds for a "beer cannot be given to these types for, say, one year and put in reserve. Amputees sometimes have to come and bun" party. before leaving the Service to give them a better in due to stump shrinkage. In these cases, Govern- chance of obtaining employment, as the average , On Independence Day (March 6, 1957) each Legion ment pays the fare in and out, the Legion accommo- driver or clerk is very seldom up to the standard Pensioner received an extra month's pension and all dates them and pays them sufficient to cover the cost required in civil life. It is hoped that, now the Services African staff a week's extra salary. This cost approxi- of their food. The Legion also provides them with here are Ghana Military Forces, it mately £4,500. clothes and footwear. will be possible to approach Government with a scheme for pre-dis- When Accra Memorial Hall was under construction charge Many aged ex-servicemen, when they feel their training. we had insufficient funds to complete the project. time has come, wish to return to their countries. Government very kindly gave us an interest-free loan The Legion pays for repatriation which generally Lotteries are popular of £7,000 and was, I think, very surprised to have it means air fare, as they are unlikely to stand up to refunded en bloc two years before it was due for Free legal aid is still given in necessitous cases. the long and arduous journeys by lorry to their own payment. All eases are first submitted to the Legion Legal country. In addition to paying their fares, we provide Adviser who states whether or not he considers the Government did, in the past, subvent the them with money for food and ensure that on arrival Legion case should be defended. to the extent of £2,000 per annum. This has not in their countries they do not starve. This is very been drawn since 1955 often difficult to arrange as the repatriates are: and Government was thanked Government still gives free Medical attention to all for its kind assistance and advised that this is no unemployed ex-servicemen their (a) very and dependants. longer required. vague as to the situation of their villages, There is the usual recurring crop of applications for (b) have not the slightest notion who is their Accra Hall has had additional improvements put (a) Replacement of lost nearest Government official through whom we Discharge Books. in at a cost of over £2,000. This has been money can make their monthly payments. (b) Supply of medal ribbons. well invested as the Hail now brings in £25 for each (c) Assistance to re-roof houses. dance or social function plus the electricity charges. If they are blind or decrepit, it is also necessary to (d) Complaints by It is also used for church services, commissions of send an escort with them. If it is a case of travelling Government Pensioners inquiry and was, in fact, used by Parliament for just by air, this becomes expensive particularly if the (e) Burial fees in respect of ex-servicemen who over a year. escort wishes to return to this country. Sadly enough, die destitute. these aged ex-servicemen seldom live long to enjoy Commencing in the school year 1958, the Legion their pensions. (f) Re-testing for heavy vehicle driving licences. will award six scholarships to Secondary Schools or (g) Minor financial assistance. Technical Institutes. This is to be reviewed at the end Widows and dependents of deceased ex-servicemen (h) into of each financial year to see if it is possible to award a Inquiry wrongful dismissal from employ- are also repatriated by the Legion but this is generally further six ment and a host of other items which would scholarships. A Ghana ex-serviceman done by road and /or sea. who migrated to the United Kingdom with the take too long to enumerate. intention of working by day and reading law by The Legion supports eight widows of ex-servicemen Our lotteries have become most popular and the night has done so well that the Legion has now who had distinguished careers in the Regiment and income from this source has enabled us to expand accepted the financial commitment for fees, etc., so pays for the education of fourteen children of deceased and take on more commitments. In December a far, at a cost of is £606. The case brought into review ex-servicemen. It also pays for the maintenance of monthly lottery was put on the market for the first after every Law examination. one orphan with the Child Care Society. time and this also has shown an appreciable profit. GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 30
CARL MUTT says: IT HAS BEEN A GRAND YEAR
that one year has is very surprising to think ace. It passed since Kwame Denlu, our football kicked down Ihe goal posts. Time really flies. IN ABOATI about Perhaps you are wondering how it came feat ef breaking that Dentil performed the astonishing with rather trying, for it means goal-posts into four pieces by kicking them makes the whole business the draughts and Ludo at the place. There is a on the day after Independence playing holidays we can hardly get his "iron leg". You see, unless he is home on between our village: If you want somebody year, there was a football match saying now in our to bring along day last on the project. He has promised just two miles away. house or gone to his farm, you going village and the village and he is not in his to help us to very his colleagues at the College is our right full-back, and a It two of Dentu of course sure to sec him at the Community Centre. match are next he is on holidays. dangerous one too. It happened during the build the dam or tank when was pressing hard to score a is true, you know. that the visiting team village gave him one to push tie thinking seriously of changing the chief and elders of the goal Dentu was at one moment forced We are The ingenuity. which stood the is the postal of our gratitude for his ball out of play over the line on chairman of our local council. He guinea as a token was for course a clear case of a corncr- from our up another plan for making goal posts. It agent and. what is worse, he does not come He has in fact drawn that into office he has not been out of the dam or the water will ' way of dealing with corner village. Since he came electricity Dentu has his own was taught the stand near construct a single public lavatory. We last down the dam. He said he kicks He usually makes the goal-keeper able to flow from which pigs must be I have decided to send my the post farther away from the direction advised him that all people breeding technique at his College. to be kicked. He stands abreast done College when he completes the ball is supposed made to stop the filthy trade but he has not eldest son, Kwame, to that and, as soon as the ball is kicked, of the goal-keeper respect us. school in 1961. parallel to the anything about that. He does not his elementary he and the goal-keeper dash out proves infallible in unanimously agreed to elect the letter- in our village. 1 goal line. This method always We have Everything is moving nicely of the writer as our new chairman. This discovery spirit that is doing it. SU believe it is the independence they both dashed out in the \Vell, as Iwas saying, potentialities as a good thinker was made and helpful Unfortunately, man's Everyone vou meet looks cheerful of the approaching ball. direction arrived from England as a the case and, quite shortly after his son 1 become rather suspicious of ihe ball was a very low one in this Sometimes with it atoms, barrister. . am in a fix. naturally, Dentu decided to smash to full-fledged enthusiasm shown by neighbours when 1 accomplished his our village his foot of course. He would have Ebenezer Amofa, a young man from line ol the for small thing. ball not been in the direct College of Yes, everything is fine except one desire had the who is an engineering student at Kumasi his dangerous right goal-post. Dentu swung is causing a lot of concern. He nearer has drawn a plan for making the stream The blacksmith goal-post was between the loot Technology, foot but, alas! the flag in front of his enter our insists on hoisting our national foot came with a terrific crash that flows under the bridge before you and the ball, so his given which we everyday. Despite the warnings we have on the bamboo goal-post. village into a pond or reservoir from shop lony that resounding crash like a shop is not an official building and There was a can draw v/ater all the year round. In December him that his goal-posts with running into a wall, and both hoist the flag in front of it, he does usually find it difficult to get water. he should not crashing upon Dentu and the and January we fht cross-bar came request. this Ebenezer. not pay attention to our goal-keeper. He must be a very clever fellow, not even allowing our chief to hoist the and the visitors is the only person who We are The ball rolled into Ihe goal The only trouble is that he could that be? of his palace—much more a blacksmith claimed a win; but, of course, how can read the plan he has drawn. This unfortunately flag in front are no goal- How could a goal be scored when there The match, posts for the ball to pass between? complete confusion. quite naturally, ended in a main subject of our But let us come back to the account—a year of independence. interesting year indeed. Never It has been a verv in our village before had so many things happened twelve months. in so short a lime—just day, Mr. Adolf For a week after independence returned Ami the son of our village letter-writer, is a lawyer from Britain after four years' studies He day of his arrival (he only one from our village. The was a great one for all of us.
The green car
from Accra, in a He arrived late in the afternoon large green car that had a flag on it. of his arrival, so I didn't We had all been warned understand why his father looked nrfnatoM out to meet him. almost the whole town turning were his drummers and The chief was there and so Akosua Afranie, was the our girls. One of the girls, left for his studies dri-friend long before the boy Rente. She looked overseas She was dressed in really beautiful. wore a dark Adolf Anti alighted from the car. He like a cooking-pot. I suit and a hat that looked ihe fashionable understand thai this is ihe hat looked very impressive youngmen in Britain wear. He one thing, his fhough somewhat changed. For was when he was kin looked a shade lighter than it said that if he had leaving for Britain. Our calechist would have become lived in Britain a bit longer he
fed. . . , l<^r-wriier-faiher Libation was poured by the everybody^was happy. and drinks were served. In fact, Assembly. He We have decided to vote him into he can help the Government is a very clever man and to make our village very nice. many ol During the independence celebrations, about forty miles our people went to the large town us all from our village and they came back to tell chief beat gong-gong sorts of series. This year our go to the large to the effect that no one should any one found or town for the celebrations and that fined tn. caught breaking the order would be months to We have done a lot within these twelve were able to brighten up life in our village. We built our community collect £400 with which we have do at the centre. The trouble now is what we should that hold centre. Some people are suggesting we should have dances there, others are saying that we already started night classes and still some have GHANA : ONE YEAR OLD 3J
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GHANA: ONE YEAR OLD 32
ADVERTISEMENT INDEX PRESSMEN Page AND Co. Lid. Inside Front Cover PRESS Machine Singer Sewing
(Continued from page 13) Texaco U. T. C. has a very wide circulation and distribu- nent branches and the men and women ei _ The group Ghana Ltd. scattered in all them, thereby bringing them into one family working Mobil Oil tion is done through some 3,000 agents Lid. parts of Ghana with the result that, they claim, for one common cause. A. G. Leventis & Co. Ghanaians are reached The C. M. B. Newsletter, a quarterly magazine "in a fortnight's time more John Holt 10 other newspaper in published by the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board, through these papers than any 12 Ghana." designed to provide information about the Board for /. D. C. The main columns of these papers are devoted to farmers, licensed buying agents, the press and the Ghana Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 19 achieving its "new literates"— men, women and children—and general public, is slowly and steadily 26 countries Additrom contain humour, sports, articles on morals and ethics objective. Copies are regularly sent to many the United Agencies Ltd. 26 as well as traditions and culture -and local and world including the United Kingdom, Germany, Bankoto the front States of America, India, South Africa, France and 30 news. Especial care is taken to have on S. C. O. A. (.Technical Dept.) pages topical or current news. Pictures are supplied Italy in addition to a long local list. 32 also the Metropole Hotel by the Information Services Department. Occasion- The editor, Mr. Fred Therson-Cofie who is writes: "Past issues have 32 ally, poems, idioms and the like are also published. Board's Publicity Officer, Publicity Promotions page cartoon strip contained useful matter relating to purchases of cocoa, A popular feature is the back U. A. C. (Motors) Inside Back Cover the Technical which depicts a Ghana folk tale in pictures and story. the work of the licensed buying agents, Back Cover Departmenl of U.A.C. The Vernacular Literature Bureau is at present Mechanical Field Unit attached to the which an independent statutory body and is controlled by Social Welfare and Community Development been cocoa-growing areas, the Vernacular Literature Board. But it has the Board maintains, news from - proposed by the Government that in the very near sales of Ghana cocoa abroad, the Board's financial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Ghana projects in various districts, future its name will be changed to "Bureau operations, development grateful to of We are Languages". This, in my opinion, is a sensible idea reports on the scholarship scheme and activities Services Department for their pictures status. The manage- the Board's students studying abroad." •Information in view of the country's presenl which they 6, 9, 11, 14, 17, 21, 22 and 23 then pass into the hands of The United Ghana Farmers' Council are producing, on pages 3, ment of the Bureau would and for the free use we unit the Modern Ghana supplied promptly on request Government and ii would become a of their own "house magazine' The the ... .r ii. •„ -,..i.i:, ,,,c^.. "\nw r.hnna _ whichwhirl! wewp on of 'their' publication, "New Ghana", Department of Information Sen ices. Farmer, which is expected to make ils debut made the that when found a mine of information. The present Director and Managing Editor of Saturday, March 29, and it is anticipated this pages 13 Bureau are UNESCO personnel.* Recently the these columns are written next year the report on The Guinea Press for the pictures on 5, vigorous us. Bureau was presented with a small "Rotapnnt new addition will be one of devoted and and 16 and all the very kind help they gave as of its equipment grant service to the cause of the farmers of this country. machine by UNESCO par) •The Ghana Graphic Co. for the pictures on pages their to Ghana. ,. . Club) and for lending us , 16 and 22 (the Gliding Another vernacular publication is the religious 25. that Mr. S. K. Otoo, Oscar Tsedze to do us the story on page (Twi and Ga) published by *lt has just been announced quarterly, Kristofo Abofo appointed M.P., senior editor of the Bureau, has been contributors for giving up their valuable time the Presbyterian Church. •Our officer-in-charge in succession to Mr. E. L. Read, There are a few "house magazines" and newsletters to oblige us. loaned to the Bureau by UNESCO and industrial houses. Junior, who was advertisements. published by some commercial Graphic, •West African Publicity for of The from March 1956 to March 1958 (Daily The Unicorn is the "house magazine' EDI TOR March 28, 1958). United Africa Company of Ghana Limited. It has a s wide circulation and is edited by the Company Information Officer whose office is in Swanmill, Accra. in The Unicorn took its present form as a magazine News January, 1955; its predecessor was The U. A. C. monthly news- which started in December 1949 as a METROPOLE HOTEL paper- . . u , ir Primarily intended for distribution among the stall, Company s The Unicorn is also issued to some of the interested Food and Best credit customers, schools, colleges and For Comfort, Good
bodies. . , The Company, the largest commercial organisation all service of employees round in the country, has a large number and town, scattered all over the country, in village and The Unicorn does a useful service by making compo- available news of the activities of the various METROPOLE
central HOTEL in ACCRA GHANA IN WORLD The most AFFAIRS Phone 3643. Box 266. (Continued from page 7) S Proprietor: Ghana from the Ihraldom of imperialism and lighting \ of freedom in dependent Africa. the torch \ E. S. SARKIS. | Durin" the course of the year various countries, varied organisations and individuals had made But presentations to the Ghana Prime Minister. envoys Egypt and Lebanon went further to send Grand to Accra to confer decorations on him. The Egypt s Cordon of the Order of the Nile", one of Prune Minister highest awards, was conferred on the PUBLICITY PROMOTION S? Colonel by a special envoy of the Egyptian President, Nasser. The envoy was Salah El Shahed. Lebanon's award was the "Grand Cordon ot the WHAT DO WE DO? which was National Order of the Cedar of Lebanon; Of course, as our name suggests, we promote publicity, Braidy, a special envoy ot the presented by Mr. Fouad In fact, any form of publicity. ..A new business... a new industry which you want the Lebanon. President Chamoun of public to know about.. .a football match or a dance.. .a house to let or to occupy.. .these forthcoming conference ot In connection with the arc only a few of the several activities in which we are interested and are eminently which will begin in Accra Independent African States qualified to undertake. Ako Adjei, on April 15, 1958, a delegation led by Mr. ot the * pamphlets... we will write them or "vet" them for Minister of Justice, visited the seven capitals Your posters leaflets and Libya, participating nations, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, you and arrange their lay-out and printing in attractive shape and at reasonable Liberia from Monday, Tunisia, Morocco and cost. March 5, February 10, and returned on Wednesday, celebrations. phone or the eve of the Independence Anniversary If you have anything to advertise in the press, drop in to see us or reported to The purpose of the mission, which was write us to drop in to see you. Many advertisements that appear in the papers went, was to have been successful wherever they written... they Agency, fail to achieve their desired effect. Why ? Because they are badly discuss, according to the Ghana News tor the "technical details and other arrangements DON'T CONVINCE ! Don't waste your money... come to us.
conference." , „ if your goods are not selling, if your services are not being sought, if Other members of the delegation were Mr. George Remember, Padmore, Adviser on African Affairs, and Mr. A. B. your ideas are not reaching the public, then you have only one thing to do... B Kofi, Ministry of Defence and External Affairs. IN TOUCH WITH PUBLICITY PROMOTIONS. and GET The year ended with the arrival of delegations Accra, messages of congratulations from several nations Our OFFICE is on the first floor of "Tunisia House", Station Road, throughout the world in connection with the hrsl opposite Bartholomew. Independence anniversary celebrations. Our TELEPHONE NUMBER (temporary) is 5096. Edited and published by Our POST OFFICE BOX NUMBER is 2208. MOSES DANQUAH For Publicity Come to Publicity Promotions. Publicity Promotions, P.O. Box 2208, Accra. Printed by Guinea Press Ltd., Ring Road West, Accra. :
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