All set for NDC Congress in Ho
South Africa celebrates her sixth freedom
anniversary
Voters' Register opens on 6 May
Biography of President Jerry John Rawlings
Biography of Vice President John Evans Atta
Mills
First of May declared public holiday
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 April 2000
All roads lead to Ho, the Volta Regional capital on Saturday for the extra ordinary national delegates congress of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The main agenda for the one -day congress will be the selection of a presidential candidate for the party, to succeed President Jerry John Rawlings in the 2000 general elections, which comes off this December.
The country’s number two man, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, is expected to be nominated by popular acclamation by the 2000 delegates from the 200 constituencies.
Mr George Quaynor –Mattle, NDC’s national propaganda secretary says “no surprises” are expected by the close of nominations at the eleventh hours. That leaves, 56-year-old Prof Mills as the only candidate.
Reports monitored in Accra say delegates started arriving in Ho on Friday. A Joy FM report says vehicles, seem to have outnumber houses in the town.
Hotels in and around Ho are said to be fully booked and NDC members of parliament attending the congress, who are not executive members, have been asked to arrive on Saturday for lack of accommodation.
All political parties have been invited to send representatives to witness the congress. The party’s manifesto for the 2000 elections is also expected to be launched, followed immediately by a national rally which the NDC says about 100,000 members and supporters of the party are expected to attend.
President Rawlings, a former Air force pilot officer has been in power since 1981 when he became the leader of the now defunct Provisional National Democratic Congress, a military government, which overthrew the democratically elected government of the late Dr Hilla Liman of the People’s National Party, barely 18 months after his (Rawlings) military junta had handed over power to the same government.
Rawlings retires at the end of the year, after two terms of office as a civilian president.
The Volta Region, his home region, has been the stronghold of the NDC since its formation in 1992, when the country returned to constitutional rule. At the last elections held in 1996, the NDC won over 90 percent of the votes cast in that region and all sitting Members of Parliament of the region belong to the party.
Mills, a former university lecturer, is a political freshman who joined the ruling party in 1996 when the NDC called him from his post as the commissioner for the Internal Revenue Service, to become Rawlings’ running mate after a long search for the right man for the post.
When President Rawlings publicly declared his support for Mills two years’ ago, well ahead of an election year, there was disagreement within the party, which subsequently led to the breaking away of a faction which formed a new party, the National Reform Party.
By Efam Awo Dovi
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South Africa celebrates sixth freedom
anniversary
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 April 2000
Dr M. M. Phologane, the South African High Commissioner, last night said African leaders have a responsibility to complete the struggle for freedom started by the departed heroes of the continent.
He said it is only by completing the struggle that the souls of the departed heroes of Africa would be happy and rest in peace.
Speaking in Accra at a cocktail to mark the sixth anniversary of the South Africa's Freedom Day, Dr Phologane said, "the task is certainly daunting but surely challenging".
He said: "There are challenges that we certainly cannot run away from, we owe our nations, the continent, our children and ourselves the duty to restore the dignity of Africa.
The High Commissioner said, "we need an Africa that is focused on development and prosperity and a continent that is caring and peaceful".
He said the wave of strong democratisation process taking place on the continent is a beacon of hope and called on Africans to put to use their collective creativity and resolve for the common good of the people of the continent.
Dr Phologane said as democracy is taking root in our continent, it is important for the people of Africa to seize the moment and create favourable conditions for sustainable development to take place, adding, "we owe this to ourselves and generations to come".
"The time to lead the crusade for Africa's renewal has dawned on us. It cannot and should not be postponed any further".
Mr. Mike Gizo, Minister of Tourism, congratulated the government and people of South Africa on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of their National Freedom Day.
He urged Africans to reflect on the continent's missed opportunities and also the conflicts which continue to rage in some of its countries.
"Although we have achieved our foremost goal of the eradication of colonialism, apartheid and the democratisation of the continent, we will not see an end to our problems if we continue to be ravaged by internal conflicts".
Mr. Gizo noted that Africa could achieve economic development and improve the standard of living of her people only in an atmosphere of peace and stability.
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Voters' Register opens on 6 May
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 April 2000
The Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday said all logistics needed for the opening of the Voters' Register are ready for the exercise to begin as scheduled.
Four Optical Mark Readers donated by the British Government and electoral forms have already arrived.
Mr. David Adeenze Kangah, Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations, who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra said the distribution of registration forms to all the regions has started and will end on Sunday, April 30.
The revision of the Voters' Register was scheduled for April 15 but was postponed to begin on Saturday 6 May and end on May 15. The EC said the rescheduling was due to unforeseen difficulties encountered in the United Kingdom in the production of Registration Forms that could be scanned by computers.
Mr Kangah said the revision of the voters' register and the issuing of photo identification cards to eligible voters are part of electoral reforms adopted to ensure a free and fair election.
The exercise is in three phases. It involves the cleaning of the existing register, registration of prospective voters who have turned 18 years and any possible new entrants who might not have registered since the last exercise in 1995.
Mr Kanga said the objective of the Commission is to ensure that the particulars of deceased registered voters are removed from the register to make it credible.
It is also to give registered voters the opportunity to check their particulars and have them changed where necessary and to allow registered voters who have moved residence since the last exercise to change polling stations.
Mr Kanga said a nation-wide training of Registration Officials has started and will end on May four.
Mr Hubert Akomeah, Head of Information Technology Department, appealed to the general public to cooperate with the EC by providing the necessary information to enhance the exercise.
He said people must go to the registration centres to check their particulars and effect any changes in their records.
"Those who have moved residence and wish to change their voting stations must also do so during the exercise."
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Biography of President Jerry John Rawlings
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 April 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings, who completes his second four-year term in December, was born in Accra on 22nd June 1947, to a Ghanaian mother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish father.
He was educated at Achimota School where he obtained his General Certificate of Education 'O' Level in 1966.
He enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August 1967, and was subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra.
In March 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his course. He passed out in January 1969, as a commissioned Pilot Officer. He won the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship.
He earned the rank of Flight-Lieutenant in April, 1978. He was an efficient officer with a close rapport with his men.
During his service with the Ghana Air Force, he witnessed the deterioration of discipline and morale, reflecting the corruption of the regime of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) at that time.
As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged classes and their social values, his awareness of the injustices in society was sharpened. He was thus, regarded with some unease by the SMC.
He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.
On May 28, 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings, together with six others, appeared before a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny of junior officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces on 15th May, 1979.
There was strong public reaction, especially after his statement had been read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted him to act.
The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy with his stated aims.
When he was scheduled for another court appearance on 4th June 1979, Flt.-Lt. Rawlings was sprung from custody. With the support of both military and civilians he led a revolt which decisively ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) into being.
The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Flt.Lt. Rawlings, carried out a "house-cleaning exercise" aimed at purging corruption and graft from the Armed Forces and the society at large, as well as restoring a sense of moral responsibility and the principles of accountability and probity in public life.
Meanwhile, following the programme already set in motion before the 4th June Uprising for civilian administration, general elections were held.
On 24th September 1979, the AFRC handed over to the civilian Government of the People's National Party (PNP) under President Hilla Limann.
On 31st December 1981, Flt. Lt. Rawlings led a section of the Armed Forces to overthrow the PNP administration. A Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members, was established, with Flt-Lt. J.J. Rawlings as the Chairman. His interests include reading, building model aircraft, horse-riding and swimming.
He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings with whom he has four children - three girls and a boy.
Flt-Lt. Rawlings ceased to be a member of the Ghana Armed Forces with effect from September 14, 1992. He formed the National Democratic Congress, which contested and won the 1992 Presidential and parliamentary elections. He and the party again won the 1996 elections.
He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Prize. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Medgar Evers College, City University of New York and Lincoln University Doctorate Degree for Diplomacy and Development.
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Biography of Vice President John Evans Atta
Mills
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 April 2000
The following is the biography of the Vice-President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills who is expected to be elected the presidential candidate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) at their Congress at Ho on Saturday.
Date of birth: 21st July 1944. Marital status: Married
Educational background:
1957-63 - Achimota School ("O" and "A" Level certificates)
1963-66 - University of Ghana, Legon. Bachelor of Law)
1966-67 - University of Ghana, Legon. (Professional Certificate in Law)
1967-68 - London School of Economics and Political Science (LL M)
1968-71 - School of Oriental African Studies, University of London (Ph.D)
1970-71 - Stanford Law School, California (Fulbright Scholar)
Employment Experience:
1971-80 - Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon
1980-91 - Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon
1992 - Promoted Associate Professor of Law, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana
1978-79 - Visiting Professor, Temple Law School, Philadelphia
1986-87 - -do-
1985-86 - Visiting Lecturer, Leiden University, Holland
1986-1993 - Acting Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service of Ghana
1993-1996 - Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service of Ghana
Contribution to University Administration
He was Hall Tutor, Legon Hall, University of Ghana, Hall Librarian, Member of Legon Hall Council, Member of Board of Social Studies and School of Administration, Member of Admissions Board, Staff Housing Loans Scheme and Chairman University Superannuation Scheme.
Professor Mills has more than one dozen publications. They include:
(1) Taxation of Periodical or Deferred Payments arising from the Sale of Fixed Capital (1974) University of Ghana Law Journal pp 170- 78 (2) Exemption of Dividends from Income taxation: A critical Appraisal (1977) Review of Ghana Law Volume IX No. 1 pp 38-47 (3) Report of the Tax Review Commission, Ghana, parts 1,2&3, Accra, October 1977 (4) Casebook on Ghana Income Tax (5) Ghana's Income Tax laws and the Investor. An inter-faculty lecture published by the University of Ghana.
(6) Criminal Law Treatment of Sexual Activity Generally.
(7) The role of the state in the evolution of the family in Anglophone countries of Africa: An overview.
(8) A survey of taxes on the individual in Ghana.
(9) Ghana's wealth tax: Some issues and problems.
(10) Ghana's new Investment Code An appraisal (An inter-faculty lecture delivered in 1986)
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First of May declared public holiday
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 April 2000
The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday reminded the public that Monday, May 1, 2000, is a statutory public holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country, a statement signed by the sector Minister, Nii Okaija Adamafio, in Accra said.
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