Ghana: Christmas messages fill Ghana newspapers

Ghana: Christmas messages fill Ghana newspapers

MY COMMENT:
Ghanaian newspapers were full of this news and I thought he was a regular news will be surprised by this comment, but this is normal In the Christmas do what you like, I think it's FEAST

News - Africa news
Stories from Christmas messages, prayers and merry making to usher in the New Year filled Ghanaian newspapers this week.

The Graphic, which is the only daily that appeared on Friday and Saturday, carried messages from the New Year broadcast of President John Evans Atta Mills as its lead story on Saturday.

Under the headline, 'Future is bright â" Prez assures', the paper said the President, Professor Mills, on Friday ushered Ghanaians into the New Year with strong optimism that there is a brighter future ahead.

Delivering his New Year Message to the nation, he said the challenges faced last year would be confronted this year, pledging that life would be more bearable for all.

President Mills said the better part of last year was devoted to laying the foun dation that 'will put us in the right direction and I am convinced that with de termination, our lives will be greatly enhanced'.

He warned of the great task ahead, which must involve the determined effort of Ghanaians, saying, 'We need to remind ourselves that the second year is part of our four-year mandate.'

President Mills won a keenly-contested election to become the third president of the Fourth Republic one year ago.

'Ghanaians usher in New Year' was another story in the Graphic. It said churches were filled to capacity in the night of New Year's eve, as many Christians patronised them to usher in the New Year.

Entertainment spots had their fair share of the patronage, as some of those who did not go to church found themselves at bars drinking into the New Year.

It quoted the sermons of some reverend ministers at some of the churches as praying for God's blessing, good life and prosperity.

The Graphic, in a story with the headline 'Thumbs up for govt. in its handling of the economy and fight against corruption', said a number of people had been impressed with President Mills' handling of the state of affairs.

It said governance and economic experts, as well as captains of industry, had given the government high performance ratings for 2009 in its handling of key economic variables and the fight against corruption.

They were, however, quick to add that the government needed to do more to help cushion the economy.

The Graphic and Times carried stories of the distribution of free school uniforms to pupils in deprived areas of the country.

The Times' story with the headline 'Free school uniforms â" Distribution starts in deprived schools', said the government on Wednesday started the distribution of free school uniforms to pupils in deprived communities, giving a boost to its efforts at rigorously developing basic education in he country.

The distribution was launched by the First Lady, Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills, in Kwao-Labia, a very deprived community in the Awutu-Senya District in the Central Region.

The programme is expected to benefit 1.6 million pupils in 77 of the 138 districts in Ghana as part of measures to enhance school enrollment. The programme will cost 21 million Ghana cedis (about US$14.5 million). Already, pupils in deprived areas have one hot meal a day.

The year ended on a sad note on the political scene as veteran opposition politician Dan Lartey, known for his passionate campaign for 'domestication' of the economy, when emphasis is placed on what the people themselves can do, passed away on Monday. He was 83.

The Graphic's story was headlined, 'Nation mourns Dan Lartey' while the Times' headline read 'Dan Lartey passes on'.

The Times also had a story on security at the airport with the headline, 'Ghana tightens Airport security', in which it said security at the Kotoka International Airport had been tightened following reports of the alleged attempt by a 23 - year-old Nigerian to blow up an aircraft en route from Amsterdam to Detroit in the US on Christmas Day.

Accra - Pana 02/01/2010