Jake to widen vetting committee
Asantehene others to mediate in Yendi crisis
Land acquisition is a problem in Ashanti -Minister
Lack of co-ordination threat to environmental stability - Osafo Maafo
Registered voters to be issued with photo ID
cards later
Encourage widows to remarry to curb AIDS -
Pastor
Student’s Union expresses regret over Yendi
conflict
Former US Astronaut calls on President
Kufuor
"I will kill you like a snake" -
Accused
Five victims of Helicopter clash to be
buried on Thursday
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002 - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) said on Tuesday that after a consultative meeting with senior practitioners, it had noted that the directive from the Minister of Information that all media houses should submit their news reports on the Dagbon crisis for vetting "is unworkable".
It said the GJA was, therefore, arranging for a meeting with the Minister of Information, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey to seek clarification on the implementation of the directive.
A statement signed by the GJA President, Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie said: "While the GJA is making moves to resolve the matter amicably, it recognises the need for all media houses to be circumspect in their reporting of the Dagbon crisis and all other conflicts with a potential for national destabilisation."
The GJA said in the meantime; "the GJA insists that all journalists and media houses should abide by the provisions of the GJA Code of Ethics." The GJA said it remains committed to the ideals of free expression, peace and national cohesion as well as professional responsibility.
The Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs on Saturday directed media houses to clear all news items on the Dagbon affair with his Ministry before publication. "I am with the authority of the President serving you notice that unless you are reporting an official release from my office you should clear any other news items on the Dagbon affair with the Ministry," the Minister said in a statement.
The statement explained that under the Emergency Powers Act of 1994, the President had powers to censor any news emanating from or about the area affected by the state of emergency.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- The Minister of Information on Tuesday offered to widen the vetting committee of stories on the Yendi conflict. The members would include at least two representatives each from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), National Media Commission (NMC) and representatives of the National Security Council (NSC).
Mr Jake-Obetsebi-Lamptey who told journalists in Accra on Tuesday that it was yet to contact the GJA and other bodies on the matter, said the expansion of the committee was to ensure smooth and efficient vetting of the stories that would be submitted by journalists covering the conflict.
He said starting from today, there would be media briefings twice a day after the members of the Council of State currently in Yendi, returned to brief the President. "After this and a Parliamentary approval, the President would know whether to continue with the state of emergency or not." The GJA is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to deliberate on whether or not to submit stories for vetting.
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Asantehene others to mediate in Yendi
crisis
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002 - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei-Tutu, the Paramount Chief of the Mamprusi Traditional Area, Na-Yiri and the Chief of Damongo, Yagbonwura are on their way to Accra to help in the mediation efforts in the Yendi crisis.
The team, which was put together by the government would help in finding a solution to the crisis to bring peace to the area. Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information briefing newsmen in Accra on Tuesday, said the "three have been tasked by the President to meet with Dagbon leaders and their people to ensure that the current calm in the area produces peace".
It would also seek a lasting solution to the protracted problems facing the traditional area. He explained that the Asantehene was included in the team because "traditionally, they are brothers, all belonging to one of the five Kotokos".
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Andani Family Press conference postponed
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- A scheduled press conference by the Andani Family of Dagbon Traditional Area in Accra on Tuesday was postponed at the eleventh hour to enable the family to meet President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.
The Press Conference was for the family members to brief journalists on developments in the Yendi Traditional Area after the recent fighting in which the Ya-Na was killed.
Dr Gomda Yahuza, a nephew of the Late Chief of Dagbon, Ya Na Yakubu Andani told Journalists that President Kufuor had requested for an emergency meeting with the family members hence the postponement. The briefing has been rescheduled for April 3, at the same venue.
He said, "as a respect to the Office of the President we have the unpleasant duty to call this conference off at the eleventh hour." He, however, gave the assurance that the outcome of the meeting with the President would not affect the content of the Press Conference on Thursday.
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Akyease (Ashanti Region) 03 April 2002 - Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister has said the greatest problem facing the region's rapid industrialisation was land acquisition. He therefore, appealed to chiefs to document their stool lands and create industrial areas for prospective investors.
Mr Boafo was speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Atwima to mark the first anniversary of the enstoolment of Nana Badu Boakye Danquah II, Akyeasehene, at Akyease-Mim on Tuesday.
Traditional rulers, he said, should create healthy investment environment to enable them benefit from the government's Social Investment Fund (SIF) to create more job opportunities for the unemployed youth. Mr Boafo advised chiefs and other opinion leaders to enforce byelaws that ban children from patronising funerals and other social functions after 1800 hours.
He later donated 50 bags of cement for the renovation of the Akyease-Mim Basic School and 500,000 cedis cash to the Akyease stool. Mr James Adusei-Sarkodie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Nwabiagya, appealed to Atwima chiefs to release land for the construction of a teachers' village.
He said the Atwimaman Secondary School at Trabuom would be converted to a girls' school and renamed Serwaa Kobi Ampem after the Asantehemaa. Toase Secondary School would also be developed and equipped as the best school in the Atwima District.
Mr Adusei-Sarkodie said as part of incentives to motivate teachers, the National Education Review Committee has proposed that at least two children of a teacher be offered a scholarship by the state up to the university level.
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Alleged assassination of Journalists docket
forwarded to AG
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- The Police on Tuesday said it had forwarded a docket on an alleged assassination attempt on two journalists to the Attorney-General's Office for advice, a source told the Ghana News Agency.
The Police have charged Mr Victor Smith, an aide to the former president with conspiracy to commit crime and an attempt to commit crime after he and one A. K. Mensah, a member of the Action Forum, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Group, drafted a letter to warn the two journalists to desist from criticising former President Jerry John Rawlings.
The two journalists are Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, a social commentator and a lecturer at the School of Communications, University of Ghana, Legon and Mr Kwaku Baako Junior, Editor of the Crusading Guide.
The source told the GNA that investigators have finished with their work and were seeking further advice from the law office of the state. The source said as soon as the recommendation were ready, the Police would proceed on any further action.
Mr Smith is currently on police enquiry bail. An Accra Daily and a weekly newspaper, on March 19, published what was described as " a sinister plan to eliminate a number of journalists whose comments and writings were critical on the former president."
The alleged plotters specifically mentioned Mr Kwaku Baako's contribution on News File, a programme on an Accra FM station hosted on Saturday's and Mrs Margaret Amoakuhene's contribution on GTV's Breakfast Show. Mr Smith has admitted on an Accra Radio station that he drafted the so-called letter to the two journalists when he was approached by A.K. Mensah to do so.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Finance, on Tuesday identified lack of inter-agency co-ordination in planning and monitoring of natural resources use as one of the major threats to environmental stability in especially, the Northern savannah belt of the country.
"The Northern and coastal savannah zones support substantial percentage of the national population and provide about 70 per cent of Ghana's total supply of firewood and charcoal.
"Unfortunately, the area has been plagued with a number of constraints, which has limited rationalisation of its potential and threatened its sustainability," Mr Osafo Maafo said when he signed a 7.6 million-dollar environmental facility grant from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF). The grant is to be used to implement forestry policies towards the sustainable development of forest wildlife resources and the conservation of biodiversity and the environment.
Mr Osafo Maafo signed for the beneficiary Ministries, (Ministry of Lands and Forestry and the Ministry of Environment and Science) while Mr Peter Harold, Country Director, signed for the World Bank, which facilitated Ghana's access to the grant.
The Finance Minister enumerated some benefits from the savannah zones saying; "the area provides medicinal plants, roofing grass, fencing poles, fruits, bushmeat, (which provides about 12 per cent of rural community protein consumption) and revenue for local impoverished communities." He said the savannah woodlands also have beneficial effects on the local climate and constitute a natural barrier to harsh harmattan winds from the Sahara.
However, the forest wildlife administrations are weak, he noted, saying, "unregulated exploitation of natural resources to satisfy socio-economic needs has resulted in deforestation, destruction of wildlife habitat, loss of biodiversity and severe resource depletion. He said the grant would purposefully be used for the Northern Savannah Biodiversity and Conservation Project managed by the Lands and Forestry Ministry.
The project is aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity for biodiversity, improving the conservation and management of global and national significant plant and animal species and their habitat and developing a savannah resources management strategy framework.
It is hoped that the facility would help the government to improve the livelihood, health and environment of communities in the Northern savannah zone. Mr Harold echoed the sentiments of the Finance Minister and expressed the hope that the Lands and Forestry Ministry would collaborate with the Ministries of Food and Agriculture and Health for an effective implementation of the project.
Professor Kassim Kasanga, Minister of Lands and Forestry, requested for flexibility in the use of the grant to enable officials who would implement the project to pursue result-yielding measures. Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Environment and Science, also witnessed the signing of the agreement.
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Registered voters to be issued with photo
ID cards later
Sekondi (Western Region) 03 April 2002-An unspecified number of voters in the Western Region, who registered in the just ended Revision of Voters Register could not be issued with photo identity cards because of insufficient cameras.
The affected voters would continue to be issued with their identity cards till April 14, Mr John Reginald Amihere, Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) said in an interview in Sekondi on Tuesday.
He said during this period of the issuance of the photo identity cards, there would not be fresh registration of voters. Mr Amihere said there were only 50 cameras for 452 registration centres in the region and one cameraman had to cover so many electoral areas. The exercise was targeted at those who were 18 to 21 years and older people, who could not register from 1995.
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Encourage widows to remarry to curb AIDS -
Pastor
Zuarungu (Upper East) 03 April 2002- The Upper East Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, the Reverend Lazarus Akaburi, on Monday appealed to traditional authorities through the Regional Minister, Mr Mahami Salifu, to encourage young widows to remarry to curb the spread of the HIV/AIDS disease.
Rev Akaburi made the appeal at the end of a three-day Easter Convention at Zuarungu near Bolgatanga. He said the practice where traditional authorities prohibit young widows from remarrying but allow them to remain at their late husband's homes is a contributory factor to the spread of HIV/AIDS in Bolgatanga.
He said the widows, who are often molested, have no choice but to succumb to the wishes of the traditional authorities. He appealed to the government to act to save the situation. The Regional Minister Mr Mahami Salifu, said people's attitudes could not be changed by force but through education and persuasion.
He added, "it is not by power or might of man but by the will of God, that brings about change." The guest speaker at the function, the Rev. Christ Dzoadze asked Christians to follow the principles of the Bible prove that they are victors. He said they must live by the example of the crucifixion of Christ, without bitterness, sin or vengeance, and urged all people to "proclaim the newness of Jesus."
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Student’s Union expresses regret over Yendi
conflict
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002 - The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on Tuesday expressed its regret at the current happenings in the Northern parts of Ghana, especially Yendi.
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Edward Bawa, National President of NUGS advised students on the various campuses to desist from making unguarded pronouncements on the issue since such statements would only aggravate the already volatile situation.
" We are therefore, taking this opportunity to entreat all students from the Northern parts of the country to serve as the focal point for finding solutions to these chieftaincy disputes", the statement said. It called on all parties involved in the conflict to "give peace a chance, since Ghana is the only place we can call home."
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Former US Astronaut calls on President
Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- A former US Astronaut, Brigadier-General Charles Duke Jnr. (Rtd) of the United States Air Force (USAF) on Tuesday paid a courtesy call on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.
Astronaut Duke on a four-day private visit to Ghana as a Christian businessman and accompanied by a team of investors said, "we want to ensure the faith and power of God in the country. We share in the relationship with Jesus Christ in view of the many obstacles on our path to achieve socio-economic success".
He said this was his first time in West Africa, but had visited some countries in East Africa, where together with other investors they made some investments. Astronaut Duke, who recounted his experience on the moon to President Kufuor presented a photograph of himself on the moon and said, "I was on the moon 30 years ago this month. It was a great adventure".
President Kufuor said," he deemed it a singular opportunity to meet an Astronaut in Ghana". Astronaut Duke, who served as the lunar module pilot of Apollo 16 in April 1972, stayed on the moon for 71 hours and 14 minutes. He was one of the first to drive on the rough and block terrain of the moon, using the lunar vehicle, Rover-2.
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"I will kill you like a snake" -
Accused
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- An Accra Community Tribunal on Tuesday remanded in prison custody George Fib, a mechanic, who threatened to kill his wife like a snake.
Fiabu pleaded not guilty to threat of death and he would reappear on April 11. Before remanding the accused person, the tribunal, chaired by Mr. Kojo Owusu, ordered that Fiabu should return all the three children - 15, 11 and four and half years, living with him to their mother.
The Tribunal heard that the complainant, Ms. Gladys Kuzogbe, 38, a trader, lived with her husband, the accused, and their children in the same house in Accra. She said the couple had lived together for almost 16 years without the accused performing the necessary customary rites.
About a year ago, when Ms. Kuzogbe enquired from her him when he intended to perform the rites, he became offended and left the house with the three children to his father's house also in Accra.
On March 17, this year, the complainant heard that one of the children was sick and she decided to visit him but when she arrived at the entrance of the house, Fib and his family stopped her from entering the premises.
The accused, without any provocation, shouted: "I will kill you like a snake if you enter the house." The complainant, scared, made a report to the police and the accused was arrested.
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Five victims of Helicopter clash to be
buried on Thursday
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 April 2002- Five personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) who died in the March 16 helicopter crash in the Atiwa Forest at Sakyimase in the Eastern Region would be buried at the Military Cemetery, Osu, Accra on Thursday, April 4.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Directorate of the GAF in Accra on Tuesday and signed by Major Y. Dzotefe-Mensah, said a burial service would be held for them in the morning at the Air Force Base, Burma Camp.
They are Wing Commander Ben Acheampong, the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Seth Lartey, co-pilot, Corporals Joseph Bosomefi and E. Yao Akoensi, both technicians and Corporal Adu Buxton, the patient.
Other people on board the helicopter who also died were, Mr. Debrah George, another patient and a civilian employee of the Ministry of Defence and Mr. Victor Nyarko, a nurse from the Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw.
The Agusta Bell 412 helicopter, which was tasked to undertake a medical evacuation at Nkawkaw, took off from the Air Force Base at Burma Camp at about 0700 hours with an estimated flight time of between 45 minutes to 50 minutes. It crashed on its return trip to Accra.
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Pupils under 18 banned from wake-keeping
and video shows
Nsawam (Eastern Region) 03 April 2002- The Akuapem South District Assembly has banned pupils and children under 18 years from attending social events such as video shows and wake-keeping in the night.
Mr Andrew Yaw Nyarko-Adu, District Chief Executive, announced this at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Pakro and its surrounding villages near Nsawam, which was also attended by the MP, Mr Seth Wiafe Danquah.
The durbar was to climax a familiarisation tour of the district by the DCE and the MP. Mr Nyarko-Adu said information from assembly members indicated that if the assembly did not take the decision now, "in five years the children in the area would fail their examinations and would become useless".
He said some school children took advantage of such events in the night to involve in anti social vices, which accounted for the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the area. Mr Danquah said an urgent appeal would be made to the Minister of Energy to take steps to install more electricity transformers in the town to facilitate the establishment of small-scale cottage industries.
He congratulated Nana Offei Mensah II, Gyasehene of Pakro, for installing three streetlights in the town and providing a public address system. Nana Yaw Kese II, Chief of Pakro and Chairman of the School Management Committee, commended the DCE and MP for the visit, saying: "this is the government we want, a government that has time for the rural folks".
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