The NDC 100m cedis theft case, ‘tribunal has jurisdiction.’
Let’s make compromises – Rev. Asore urges religious leaders and traditionalists.
K’bu nurses disobey government directive…Ridge, Police Hospitals carry the burden.
UGM calls for cut in fuel prices.
Boycott CP congress—Johnny Hansen.
GIJ projects begin.
NDC candidate "subverts" army regulations
Don't go Kojo Yankah
NDC's bullying tactics exposed
The NDC 100m cedis theft case, ‘tribunal has jurisdiction.’
The Daily Graphic reports that the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision of five to nil yesterday ruled that the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal, hearing the case in which two policemen have been charged with stealing 100 million cedis belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from the residence of the Attorney-General, Dr Obed Asamoah, has full jurisdiction to hear the case.
The court, therefore, ordered the two accused persons, constables Felix Kwame Yebbi and Anthony Kwasi Avalifo, to appear before the tribunal on 18 April, for proceedings to continue, says the report.
The court, according to the report, was made up of Mr Justice A.K.B. Ampiah (presiding), Mr Justice F.Y. Kpegah, Mr Justice E.D.K. Adjabeng and MS Justice S.A.B. Akuffo.
The ruling became necessary after the regional tribunal had referred the case to the court for interpretation when the accused persons raised an objection that because the money alleged to have been stolen belonged to the NDC and not to the state, it was of no public interest and therefore no jurisdiction to hear the case.
In its ruling, read by Mr Justice Acquah, the court said the High Court has jurisdiction in all criminal matters, adding that the Courts Act makes provision that the Regional Tribunals have concurrent jurisdiction with the High Court in all criminal matters.
According to the court, although a political party is not the state, everything about a political party is a matter of public interest and, therefore, stealing money belonging to a political party is of public interest since members of the party have the right to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
The paper recalled that in 1997 the two policemen who were on guard duty at the residence of the Attorney-General, allegedly acted in league to dishonestly appropriate 100 million cedis which belonged to the NDC and was being kept by Dr Asamoah for disbursement in respect to party activities.
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Let’s make compromises – Rev. Asore urges religious leaders and traditionalists.
The Daily Graphic, in its front-page lead story focuses on a call made by a member of the Council of State, Rev. Dr Simon B. Asore, on religious and traditional leaders to make compromises to ensure the peaceful co-existence of traditionalists and Christians during the forthcoming ban on drumming in the Ga state.
Rev. Asore, who is also the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, said the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of worship and of association. It is therefore wrong for one party to infringe on the other in the name of traditional or religious beliefs.
Rev Asore made the call at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on managing religious conflicts organised by the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. It is at creating a platform to discuss strategies to find solutions to religious conflicts in the country, especially those between traditional rulers and religious organisations.
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K’bu nurses disobey government directive…Ridge, Police
Hospitals carry the burden.
The Ghanaian Times reports in its front page that striking nurses at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra have refused to comply with directives by the government and the hospital authorities to resume work while negotiations continue.
The paper says when it visited the hospital yesterday there were no nurses at any of the wards. At the Child Health Department, where the absence of nurses have had serious effects, ward assistants and relatives were present to assist the doctors in feeding and bathing the patients.
According to the story, a source at the Ghana Registered Nurses Association’s Regional Office indicated that a meeting would be organised to communicate the appeal to the nurses.
On Tuesday, the government and the management of the hospital issued a statement appealing to the nurses at the Korle-Bu Hospital to resume work but the nurses have so far not heeded the call demanding that their allowances are paid first. .
The nurses had since 3 April withdrawn their services to back their demands for payment of additional duty allowances covering the period of August to December 1999.
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UGM calls for cut in fuel prices.
The United Ghana Movement (UGM) has called for the immediate reduction of fuel prices in line with the recent substantial drop in the international prices of crude oil, reports the Ghanaian Times in another front-page story.
According to the paper, the Presidential candidate of the UGM, speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, said following the decision of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase production, the prices of crude oil has tumbled from a mid-February peak of 32 dollars per barrel to a new low of 21.30 dollars per barrel since Monday.
This is more than 33 percent drop in price, significant and substantial enough for the government to act on its recent public statement to reduce local prices if international prices should fall in the wake of the OPEC decision.
“The Government should reduce fuel prices now or the people must stand up and ensure that the government keeps its words”, the Times qoutes Dr Wereko-Brobbey as saying.
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Boycott CP congress—Johnny Hansen.
The Evening News reports in its lead story that Mr Johnny Hansen, a presidential aspirant of the Convention Party, has urged genuine and well meaning followers and activists of the party to boycott the 19 May national congress announced by the “so called Central Committee” of the party.
Mr Hansen in an interview with the paper said, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is using some subtle means to infiltrate the rank and file of the Nkrumahist tradition to woo some of its members to the NDC.
Mr Hansen cited groups such as The Liberated Nkrumahist Brigade, The Veranda Boys and Girls Club as some of the organs established by the NDC to break the front of the Convention Party and take away the legacy bequeathed them by Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
According to the story, he also mentioned a group within the executive headed by Mr Felix Amoah, calling itself Fante Confederation as having an agenda to mobilise people and sell them to the NDC, all in a move to break the front of the CP.
Mr Hansen said he does not recognise the present Central Committee adding that those who form the committee are not only deceiving the party but also the public that there is a friction in the party.
He pointed out that the constitutionally elected Central Committee would meet and come out with the date for the special national congress to elect the flag bearer of the party, the paper reported.
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GIJ projects begin
The Accra Mail reports that the ministry of Communication has released 1.2 billion cedis to the Ghana Institute of Journalism for the current financial year.
Over 450 million cedis of the amount has been earmarked for the construction of a permanent campus for the Institute at Okponglo, near the University of Ghana, Legon, Mr David Newton, Director of the Institute, announced at its 39th Graduation Day ceremony in Accra last Saturday, the paper said.
The minister for communications, Mr John Mahama, is quoted to have said at the ceremony that Ghana can not afford to be left out in the information technology industry, adding that the government would do all it could to assist the Institute to develop.
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NDC candidate "subverts" army regulations
The Crusading Guide reveals how the vigorous campaign being waged by the incumbent Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Shama Ahanta East, Colonel Kaku Korsah to win the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket to run for the Ellembelle
Constituency, is raising eye brows and sending tongues wagging in many circles, including the military.
According to the paper evidence of his electioneering manoeuvres, campaign posters and deep involvement in intra-party activities have been reported in sections of the media.
A junior officer, who requested anonymity, expressed his surprise about why the military high command has so far not acted to call Colonel Korsah to order, the paper said.
The junior officer referred to article 19.45 of the Armed Forces Regulations, headed "Political Activities and Candidature for officer", and argued that what ever Col. Korsah was doing or has been doing in terms of his parliamentary ambitions is a complete violation or subversion of the Military Regulations with reference to Article 19.45, section 2, clause a & b.
The junior officer is said to have added that the conduct of military appointees such as Colonel Kaku Korsah in their newfound civil or political roles, has strengthened his belief that the appointment of serving military personnel to civil or political positions in a multi-party system is a bad policy, which must be discarded and dumped into the dustbin of history.
The paper says he challenged the Military High Command to publicly react to the situation involving Col. Korsah in order to assure Ghanaians of the professional neutrality of the Ghanaian military.
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Don't go Kojo Yankah
The Independent in its front-page story reports that Mr Kojo Yankah's exit from the 2000 parliamentary election caused a stir when he tendered in his resignation from the Agona East seat to a co-chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Issifu Ali.
The paper says Alhaji Ali and some NDC gurus tried desperately to convince Mr Yankah to withdraw his decision but to no avail. Mr Yankah is said to have disclosed that his decision to quit active politics was personal and that it was irrevocable.
He however assured them of his support for the party contrary to perception by some party faithfuls that his decision not to run again would mean withdrawing his support for the NDC, the paper continues.
According to the paper, some supporters of the Party have threatened to abstain from voting in the 2000 elections unless Mr Yankah rescinds his decision and run for the party in the 2000 elections.
However, the paper states that Mr Yankah, tactful and diplomatic as he is, assured delegates at the congress that he would give to the constituency an able and hard working person to replace him who he said has the qualities to help the constituency move forward.
He also pledged his support for the candidature of the Vice President, Professor J.E. A. Mills to run for the presidency and called on all to support the Vice-President in the 2000 elections.
The paper further discloses that the ripples of Yankah's resignation are beginning to be seen as barely a month after his resignation, the constituency has been hit by an uprising, which is tearing members apart.
According to the paper, the uprising, which started as internal wrangling, has degenerated into serious crisis resulting in the passing of a vote of no confidence in the constituency chairman, Mr Philip Appiah.
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NDC's bullying tactics exposed
The Guide writes that a paper, alleged to be the documented campaign tactics of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from which the party draws its plans and vibrates it through its propaganda machinery to feed unto the people of Ghana is in the grips of the ever-watchful eyes of the private press.
According to the paper the document seems to fit into the game plan of the NDC tactics and exposes the party and its misinformation campaign.
The document starts by stating that: "Propaganda is the art of making nonsense what seem desirable". The document, it says urges those who use lies as propaganda to "tell your lie loudly, secondly, tell it in the simplest language which even the mentally subnormal can grasp".
The NDC has perfected this concept and has used it effectively over the past eight years on the predominantly ignorant electorate, the paper states, adding that the NDC's organisation of mammoth rallies and ensuring that free buses, "T" shirts and refreshment are offered are also part of this well thought out and written election propaganda.
The paper continues that the propaganda makes the leaders look like champions of liberty and independence, they indeed crush the liberty and the independence of the minorities.
The paper quotes the document to have added that "Newspapers that tell the truth about you must be banned as traitors to the people. Individuals who speak up against you must be imprisoned without trial, or framed up, accuse them of corrupt practises or of immorality or anything else," a tool the NDC uses effectively, the Guide said.
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