Take advantage of Intellectual Property Ordinance
Government spends much on chieftaincy problems
Brobbey questions frequent change
"Positive Change - So Far So Good"
15 more suspects arrested over Tamale violence
GJA condemns death threats on journalists
Dr Afari-Gyan speaks on Bye-election turn-out
Lack of representation cause of Tamale violence
Lift ban on chiefs from partisan politics
Asankragwa
(Western Region) 25 April 2003- Mrs Agnes Sonful, teacher, 52, was on Thursday
elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the Amenfi-West constituency of the Western
Region. She polled 9,218 votes, representing 63.9 per cent of the total valid
votes, while Gerald Danquah who stood on the ticket of the National Democratic
Congress (NDC) polled 5,097 votes representing 35.3 per cent.
Ebo
Archer, 60, of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) obtained 121 votes
representing 0.8 per cent. Out of the 38,983 registered voters in the
constituency, only 14,746 voted, representing 37.8 percent.
King
Addai-Danquah, Deputy Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, announced
the results. Speaking in an interview he said although the voter turnout was
low, everything went on smoothly and commended the security services and other
relevant organisations for their role in the election.
In the
1996 elections Abraham Kofi Asante, the NDC candidate polled 16,085 votes to
beat the NPP candidate Samuel Alberto Takyi, who polled 8,311 votes. During the
2000 parliamentary elections, Asante won again with 10,846 votes as against his
NPP opponent who that time round obtained 9,493 votes.
The
Amenfi-West constituency seat became vacant following the resignation of the
NDC parliamentarian, Abraham Kofi Asante a few weeks ago citing personal
reasons. This brings to six the number of bye-elections the ruling NPP has won
since coming to power in 2001.
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Asesewa
(Eastern Region) 25 April 2003- The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Gustav
Narh Dometey on Wednesday opened a District Magistrate's Court at Asesewa to
serve the people of the Manya Krobo District. The opening of the court
coincided with the launch of activities marking the celebration of the Local
Government Week in the District.
Dometey
said government was committed to ensuring that all courts in the country had
modern equipment to enhance the capacity for quick delivery of justice. He said
developmental projects including water, roads and schools had already been
spread all over the country and that by the end of the first term of office of
the New Patriotic Party government, every district and community would have had
at least some basic projects completed for them.
Dometey
said he was optimistic that the extension of the services of the Judicial
Service to the area would speed up delivery of justice and advised the people
to forge ahead as one people with one destiny.
The new
Magistrate, Kofi Tandoh, advised the people in the District not to wait until
cases reached the court before asking for out-of-court settlement. He warned
that he would not allow serious cases like rape, murder and defilement to be
settled outside the court.
In a
speech read on behalf of the Manya Krobo District Chief Executive, Andrew Teye,
he said the Assembly in its efforts to ensure that decision-making at the local
level was done effectively the Unit Committees would be empowered to manage
their own affairs.
To this
end, he said all Area and Town Councils would be assisted to have offices,
which would be manned by efficient people to co-ordinate Unit Committee
activities and keep the assembly constantly informed about developments at the
grassroots through their monthly reports and other presentations.
This
would also assist the assembly to have reliable and accurate data for planning
in the District, the DCE said, and cautioned the committees against lawlessness
and misappropriation "which have earlier characterised
decentralisation".
As part
of the programme a member of the National Health Insurance Task Team was
invited to explain the scheme to the people in the area. Ampong Darkwa, the
member, explained that the scheme had been designed to assist the poor and the
aged in the District, who needed health care and said the premium could be paid
in cash or in kind, depending on the peculiar circumstances prevailing in a
particular district.
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Wioso
(Ashanti Region) 25 April 2003-Kwabena Mensah-Bonsu, Ghana's Ambassador to
Togo, has called on Ghanaians to ensure a more united front and work with
renewed commitment and diligence towards national development.
He said
it was important for all to recognise that it is only Ghanaian themselves who
could change their socio-economic situation. Mensah-Bonsu was addressing a
fund-raising rally organised by the chiefs and people of Wioso near Mankranso
in the Ahafo-Ano South district in aid of the town's face-lift programme.
The
Ambassador said the era where people expected the government to solely provide
all their needs now belongs to history. Kwaku Obeng Boateng, the Ahafo-Ano
South District Chief Executive, announced plans by the assembly to provide
financial support for about 100 students in second cycle and tertiary
institutions this year.
Stephen
Kwaku Balado-Manu, Member of Parliament for the area, asked the people to have
confidence in the government and remain solidly behind it. Nana Anim Ababio,
Wiosohene, praised the government for assisting the community with social
amenities. He asked his people to be disciplined and to help protect the forest
and other natural resources in the area. An amount of 20 million cedis was
realised at the function.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 25 April 2003- Ghanaian inventors have been asked to seek
solace under the intellectual property ordinance in order not to lose their
inventions, Jospeh Tamakloe, a
Principal State Attorney of the Registrar General's Department, said on
Thursday.
Speaking
at the launch of this year's World Intellectual Day in Accra, he stressed that
intellectual property should be protected to propel the nation's growth. This
year's celebration, which takes off on April 26 is under the theme: "Make
Intellectual Property Your Business."
Tamakloe
noted that the nation's growth depended largely on individuals' creativity and
innovation in the area of science and technology and called on inventors to
take advantage of the ordinance on intellectual property. He said intellectual
property registration involved the use of trademarks, copyright and patent and
designs.
Tamakloe
stated that the use of patent protection right was not very common among the
populace because people were not aware and asked individuals, companies and
communities to seek direction on issues pertaining to patent protection rights.
He underscored
the importance of patent protection rights among developed countries, which, he
said, had steadily led to socio-economic advancement. "We should not allow
other nationals to come and take our innovation away but we must learn to keep
our innovations to promote our culture and values."
He
appealed to the government to assist the Registrar General's Department (RGD)
with enough funds to create awareness among the populace on the ordinance and
assist inventors as well.
Tamakloe
said over the years the RGD had received a number of applicants from Ghanaians
on energy and recycling of waste products. In a statement Kamil Idris, Director
of World Intellectual Property Organisation, underscored the importance of
intellectual property in achieving success in business and enhancing the daily
life of communities.
"The
intellectual property system enables innovators and creators to mint marketable
invention and works from artistry and ingenuity. This makes the intellectual
property system a driver of technological development and ensures a force for
the enrichment of our global cultural heritage and a powerful tool for wealth
creation," he said. Idris appealed to entrepreneurs to capitalise on their
intellectual assets and to use the tools of intellectual property system to
advance their business goals.
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Government spends much on chieftaincy problems
Lambussie
(Upper West) 25 April 2003- The Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Council and
Wa District Assembly have within two years spent about 250 million cedis to
maintain peace in chieftaincy related dispute area in the Wa District.
''Apart
from the financial constraint it is denying the people good roads, electricity,
telephones and potable water.'' Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister
who said this in a speech read on his behalf during the enskinment of Kuoro
Iddrisu Yesseh Bamie III, Paramount Chief of Lambussie Traditional Area, called
on kingmakers in the region to use tact, diplomacy and dialogue to fill all
vacant skins without bitterness and rancour.
Kuoro
Bamie III succeeds Kuoro Kewe Yesebie Baloro II who died over five years ago.
The Regional Minister expressed satisfaction that the people agreed on the
enskinment of the chief without any negative reaction.
Mogtari
advised the people of Lambussie to bury all their differences, bitterness and
personal and sectional interests and forge ahead with the new chief to elevate
to develop the area. Mrs Winifred Bawa Dy-Yakah, Jirapa/Lambussie District
Chief Executive, said the assembly was constructing a youth centre at a cost of
200 million cedis.
She said
the District Assembly under the HIPC and GETFUND would construct more day-care
centres and provide tables and chairs for the primary schools in the area.
Mrs
Alice Boon, Member of Parliament for Lambussie, called on the new chief to
co-operate effectively with his sub-chiefs to be able to highlight on burning
issues for redress in the area. Kuoro Bamie appealed to the government to
assist the area with more nurses, policemen and more dams. "We also need
more potable water to encourage workers to accept postings to our corner of the
country," he said.
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Brobbey questions frequent change
Agona
Swedru (Central Region) 25 April 2003-Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, Supreme
Court Judge, on Thursday questioned the frequent change of the head of the
Lands Commission pointing out that the high turnover was negatively affecting
the development and implementation of any meaningful land policy.
"Has
anybody thought of the consequences of not keeping the headship of the Lands
Commission for any reasonable length of time, to enable the head to plan, work
out policies and implement them?" he asked at the beginning of a two-day
roundtable on land administration reforms at Agona Swedru in the Central
Region.
Delegates
from the private and public institutions in land management, chiefs,
researchers, political party representatives, development partners and persons
from academia, among others, are attending the roundtable. It is on the theme
"A Ghanaian Convergence To End Land Hunger."
Organised
by the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), the participants are
brainstorming on ways of implementing the principle of local land management
and renewable resources and make inputs into the national consultations on land
policy reform currently underway.
Justice
Brobbey said for the past four or five years, many heads had passed through the
Lands Commission and queried why they were appointed if they were thought to be
unqualified or if their removals were because of slips.
"If
the person is not qualified, why appoint him in first place? If he is
qualified, but for some slips he has to be removed, how often is this going to
continue?" he asked. Justice Brobbey suggested to the Government to seek
the assistance of professionals in the land industry in making appointments of
the heads.
He said
the Ghana Institution of Engineers and the Ghana Institute of Surveyors must
give of their best to reduce the frequent changes in the headship of the Lands
Commission. He noted that by far the most serious concern of land in the
country related to intractable ownership, saying that litigation and
injunctions stunted any development that might bring social benefits to the
people, especially the vulnerable.
Justice
Brobbey called for practicable solutions to the problems of land ownership and
use. He expressed concern over the dilapidated nature of buildings in all the
10 regional centres, saying they constituted an eyesore and death traps.
Thomas
Akabzaa, a Lecturer in Geology, University of Ghana, expressed concern on the
high level of poverty among indigenes in mining towns. He said in the
development of any land policy, special attention should be given to the
vulnerable not to deprive them of their right to the land by large mining
companies.
Odeneho
Gyapong Ababio II, President of the National House of Chiefs, said royalties to
chiefs in mining and forest communities were not defined and asked colleague
chiefs to reject little homage's brought by large companies to allow them entry
to exploit their natural resources.
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"Positive Change - So Far So Good"
Accra
(Greater Accra) 25 April 2003-Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the outgoing Minister for
Information, on Thursday said government policy to continue all viable and well
intentioned projects by its predecessor was a refreshing departure from the
past when such projects were abandoned.
He said
completing a project initiated by a predecessor was an act of political courage
for which due credit must be given. "Currently dotted across the country
are projects initiated by previous governments but abandoned by their
successors. In such situations one can only talk about the waste of public
funds on projects that eventually have no benefits for the people."
Obetsebi-Lamptey
was speaking at the launch of an 83-page publication, "Positive Change, So
Far So Good," which catalogues the achievements and challenges of the New
Patriotic Party Government from January 2001 to December 2002. He said since
the government assumed office in January 2001, it had courageously and
competently confronted and tackled the problems that had bedevilled the nation.
"Today,
the macro-economic situation has been stabilised as a result of extraordinary
discipline by government in its borrowing and expenditure, and the diligent and
prudent management of the economy," the Minister said.
He said
due to prudent management of the economy, the government was able, during its
first year, to settle 214.1 billion cedis owed to contractors for roads already
constructed, 59 billion cedis to SSNIT to cover the debts of workers
contributions and 72.08 billion cedis in salary arrears.
Besides
projects like roads, schools, clinics, markets other programmes are being undertaken
for the benefit of the people and to their admiration. Obetsebi-Lamptey said
government's growing popularity stems from the faith it had kept with the
people and not from bribery and bullying as was being claimed in certain
quarters.
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15 more suspects arrested over Tamale violence
Tamale
(Northern Region) 25 April 2003- A combined Police and Military team deployed
to calm the communal violence in Tamale have so arrested 103 persons in
connection with the disturbances that erupted in the Municipality on Tuesday.
The
Northern Regional Police Commander, David Akrofi Asiedu told the Ghana News
Agency that the suspects were being kept in custody at the Kamina Military
Barracks due to the limited space at the Police cells.
He said
personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had been sent to
the Barracks to interrogate the suspects, but he could, however, not tell how
soon the interrogation would be completed or the next line of action to be
taken after the interrogation.
He
appealed to the government to provide the Police with modern cell facilities to
keep criminals and suspects in view of the volatile situation in Dagbon.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Municipality is returning to normalcy as
economic activities have bounced back.
The
Minister of the Interior, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, on Wednesday signed an
Executive Instrument imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the Dagbon Traditional
Area. The Curfew (Dagbon Traditional Area) Instrument 2003 said the curfew,
which shall be for a period of seven days from Wednesday shall run between 1800
hours and 0600 hours.
It said
Persons within the area shall not be out of doors between the hours specified
except under written permission of the Minister or a person authorised on that
behalf by the Minister.
The
Instrument said members of the security services - the Armed Forces; Police;
Prisons; Immigration; Custom, Excise and Preventive Services; Security and
Intelligence Agencies - and any other person duly authorised in writing by the
Minister to undertake a specific task shall be exempted.
The
Instrument said those exempt might arrest without warrant any person who
breaches the curfew. "The Regional Minister for the Northern Region may
suspend the operation of the curfew imposed by this Instrument in the whole or
any part of the specified area and may terminate the suspension of the curfew
and restore the curfew as and when he thinks fit."
The
Minister had told reporters earlier that the curfew was being imposed with
immediate effect following the clashes in Tamale, which could spread to other
areas in the area. A Junior Secondary School graduate was shot dead and his
body burnt in renewed clashes between New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National
Democratic Congress (NDC) youths in Tamale on Wednesday.
Several
houses and an NPP campaign van were also burnt. The cause of the violence was
not immediately known but it was believed to be linked to Tuesday's clash
between the youth of the two parties.
Business
activities in the Tamale Municipality virtually came to a halt as a result of
the confusion with several commuters stranded at the lorry station. Parliament
on Wednesday unanimously approved a Resolution for the re-imposition of the
State of Emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area.
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GJA condemns death threats on journalists
Accra
(Greater Accra) 25 April 2003- The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on
Thursday condemned recent attacks and threats on Journalists for exercising
their fundamental and constitutional rights. "Everyone has the right to
freedom of opinion and expression. This right includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media regardless of frontiers," Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, GJA
President, said in Accra.
"We,
therefore, call on the Minister responsible for the Interior and the Inspector
General of Police to investigate such threats against the media whenever
possible, and to apprehend people who attempt to engage in them", she told
a press conference to state GJA's stand on recent threats on some Journalist
and other people in the country.
Mrs
Affenyi-Dadzie expressed the Association's worry about the intolerable
development on freedom of expression that had engulfed the body politic of the
nation. She said the Association had received formal complaints from its
members on treats to their life.
Mrs
Affenyi-Dadzie referred to a story in the "Insight" of Wednesday, 23
April which said a man allegedly went to the office of "The Ghana
Palaver" with the intention of "dealing" with the Editor of the
paper, who he accused of "writing nonsense".
She said
that that threat was not the first adding that three major ones had been
received either verbally or in writing against Kwaku Baako Jnr, Managing Editor
of the Crusading Guide; Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, a Lecturer at the University
of Ghana; "Baby Ansaba" of the Daily Guide and General Emmanuel
Erskine, Member of the National Reconciliation Commission.
Mrs
Affenyi-Dadzie said the GJA had in the recent past issued statements condemning
"such barbaric and infantile behaviour" of people, it said, were
enemies of democracy, particularly of free expression and press freedom."
The GJA President said freedom of expression as entrenched in the Constitution
was not just for Journalists, but also for all Ghanaians.
Therefore,
any threat to such freedom was a threat to the liberal democracy, which
Ghanaians were currently enjoying. She, therefore, appealed to all Ghanaians,
particularly lovers of peace and democracy to take the recent threat of
violence against the media seriously and to impress upon people they know to
have such ideas and intentions to abandon them.
She said
the GJA was committed to accountability and responsible use of the media and
would continue to encourage Journalists to be sensitive to the rights of others
and respect its Code of Ethics. Journalists, she said, would be encouraged to
give the necessary respect to mechanisms, both constitutional and institutional,
that had been set up to promote seeking of redress and tolerance in the
exercise of free expression and press freedom.
Mrs
Affenyi-Dadzie said people should be encouraged to resolve conflicts that arise
from the exercise of free expression and press freedom at the law courts, which
has sufficient lawful means of dealing with such matters for aggrieved people.
The GJA
said it believed that what had occasioned the threat against Journalists was
the same factor largely accounting for exacerbating the conflict in the Dagbon
area. "Intolerance of differences of opinion continues to make the
resolution of the Dagbon issues more difficult."
The
Association, therefore, appealed to the national leadership of political
parties to prevail on their functionaries and supporters to appreciate the
importance of tolerance in the consolidation of Ghana's fledgling democracy.
It also
appealed to media practitioners to be circumspect in their coverage of the
Dagbon crises, taking into account the guiding principles for coverage of
conflict in a State of Emergency. "Journalists unite and stand by the
tenets of the profession and work together in an atmosphere that would make
people appreciate freedom of expression," she said.
Meanwhile,
the GJA President said the Association had distanced itself from the current
media debate between two of its members, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Managing Editor of
the Insight and Kwaku Baako Jnr because "we see the issues as purely
political that existed beyond journalistic grounds".
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Dr Afari-Gyan speaks on Bye-election turn-out
Asankrangwa
(Western Region) 25 April 2003- Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the
Electoral Commission has said though the Amenfi West Bye-election was smooth
turn-out was not impressive. Dr. Afari-Gyan said this on Thursday at
Asankrangwa at a press conference and attributed the low turn-out to a lot of
voters going to their farms.
He said
so far no major incident has been recorded in any of the 75 polling stations in
the constituency, adding "a few problems such as transfer votes, misplaced
voter identity cards and the presence of macho men". Dr Afari-Gyan said
many registered voters did not transfer their votes permanently thus being
unable to vote at their new places of residence.
He urged
Ghanaians to apply to the EC for permanent transfer of vote, to enable them
participate in future elections. Dr Afari-Gyan said at one of the polling
station, he met some machomen who alleged that "we are monitoring our
polling assistants" but the machomen did not indicate the particular party
they belonged to.
He
advised the machomen to cease their activities since such acts, creates tension
and intimidates voters, adding, "this macho thing is not necessary".
Dr Afari-Gyan called on the media to intensify its education on the manual of
the EC, and to change perceptions about the EC and improve public confidence in
the Commission.
In the
Asankrangwa township, voting is still going on and the Grade II Court, 259
votes had been cast as at 2:30pm out of 688 expected voters, 254 votes had been
cast out of 659 at the Roman Catholic Primary polling centre within the same
period.
Assistant
Commissioner of Police Gyeabour Ofosu-Mensah, Western Regional Commander of
Police told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that 140 peace officers were recruited
from the Western Central, Ashanti and Greater Accra to monitor the elections to
ensure peace in the township. He said no incidents have so far been recorded in
any of the polling centres they visited and added that two policemen have been
stationed at each of the polling centres.
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Lack of representation cause of Tamale violence
Tamale
(Northern Region) 25 April 2003- Dr Abubakar Alhassan, National Chairman of the
CPP, has attributed the disturbances in Tamale to lack of popular
representation at the Municipal Assembly. He explained that the Interim
Management Committee (IMC) arrangement put in place by the government to manage
the Assembly could not effectively debate issues affecting the broad masses of
the people.
Briefing
newsmen on arrangements towards uniting the "CPP family" and the
holding of a National Delegates Congress in June this year, Dr Alhassan said
the causes of could have been debated and the issues addressed if there were
elected Assembly Members.
He
called on the government and the Electoral Commission to resolve issues
impeding the holding of elections in the Dagbon State without further delay.
The CPP Chairman described the IMCs in the Dabgon area as "specially
selected and therefore running one-man show business to the detriment of the
masses" and urged the government to abolish them to create a situation for
free and fair elections in 2004.
He said
the recent violence in Tamale was unfortunate, adding that, the Executives of
the CPP in Tamale were mediating with those of the NPP and the NDC to find a
lasting solution to the problem. Dr Alhassan called on the leaders and
supporters of political parties to preach peace needed for democracy thrive in
the country.
Although
the CPP supported the NPP in the 2000 elections, this time round, the party
would not give the NPP any support because of differences in their ideologies,
he said. "For instance, while the NPP wants the private sector to lead in
the development process, the CPP wants the government to lead in development
process of the country".
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Lift ban on chiefs from partisan politics
Adwumakase-Kese
(Ashanti Region) 25 April 2003- A former MP for Offinso in the Third Republic,
has stated that the exclusion of chiefs from active partisan politics by the
1992 constitution was unfair, discriminatory and a violation of their rights.
Nana
Opoku Agyeman III, Chief of Adwumakase-Kese in the Kwabre District who was addressing
his sub-chiefs, therefore called for the removal of the provision from the
constitution. He noted that chiefs were closer to their people and understood
their problems better, saying, it was unacceptable to prevent them from playing
active part in the search for political solutions to their problems.
Nana
Opoku Agyeman said from the advent of colonial rule to the coming into force of
the 1992 constitution, chiefs had been pivots around whom development and
implementation of government policies revolved.
He
mentioned traditional rulers like Chief S D Dombo, Tolon Na Yakubu Tali, Nana
Akuoko Sarpong and Nana Kobina Nketsia, as prominent chiefs, who played
significant roles in the political administration of the country. Nana Opoku
Agyeman asked his subjects to embrace the National Health Insurance Scheme and
to ignore scepticisms from some quarters that it would be a failure.
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