He said a frank review of progress after the last summit indicated that its benefits were yet to manifest among member countries, especially the poorer ones.

He said cigarette smoking was the gateway to the use of hard drugs like Indian hemp (wee) and cocaine and when addicted to, leads to health problem, poverty and death.

The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) also urged the Ministry to publish a more detailed report on how the ABFA approved by Parliament was disbursed and also give more details of expenditure on Loan Repayment and Capacity Building in the report.

The Government has increased the VAT rate by 2.5 per cent, bringing it to 17.5 percent.

According to the court presided over by Mr Mustapha Habib Logoh, Mr George Heward-Mills had filed a notice before the court stating the withdrawal of service to Darkey.

This, he said, had come about due to extensive consultations with members and leadership of the National House of Chiefs.

Accra, Nov 20, GNA- Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur has met the Crown Prince of Bahrain Prince Salman Al-Khalifa in Kuwait and encouraged his country to invest in Ghana’s economy.

Koforidua, Nov. 21 GNA - The Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP), has, since its inception in December 2011, transferred GH¢ 16.25 million to over 92, 448  poor people in 49 districts.

Bogoso (W/R), Nov. 21, GNA - The 2012 New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Prestea Huni/Valley constituency, Mrs. Anastasia Wiredu Mensah, is dead.

Takoradi, Nov. 21, GNA-The Takoradi Circuit Court “B,” presided over by Mr Charles Nimako, on Thursday sentenced Emmanuel Okyere, a labourer, to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a five-year-old girl.

Kumasi, Nov 21, GNA – Forty-year-old Raymond Amoako, an auto-mechanic, has been arrested for allegedly swindling a businesswoman of GH¢95,000.00.

Ho, Nov. 21, GNA - The Social Security and National Insurance Trust's (SSNIT) lawn at Ho on Thursday morning became a temporary prayer camp where a group of about 20 women staged a prayer session to soften the hearts of the Police to pardon a driver for “careless driving.”

Koforidua, Nov. 21, GNA - Mr Kofi Portuphy, Co-coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), has said disaster management should not be seen only as the provision of disaster relief items to victims.

Bolgatanga, Nov 21, GNA- The Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC) on Wednesday signed an agreement with STAR Ghana, under a multi donor pool funding mechanism at a brief ceremony in Bolgatanga.