GRi Newsreel 1 - 08 - 2003
Nominations for GJA poll close
ECOWAS Heads of State and Govt issue Communiqué
Stakeholders evaluate media coverage of NRC
Two Ho Central Constituency NPP factions restrained
Upper East Health Nurses Training School in crisis
About ¢1.4bn meant for HIV/AIDS programmes absconded
Ghana should be made permanent venue for PANAFEST
High court sentences ex-policeman to life imprisonment for robbery
Study leave has created serious vacancies in schools
Chief resists attempt to close down school at Faaman
Govt sets aside ¢10bn for skills training
Court of Appeal dismisses appeal by Peprah, others
Accra Zoo may stay
Nominations for GJA poll close
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - Two Senior Journalists would contest for the post of National President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) when Journalists go to the polls on August 21 to elect National Executives.
Mawusi Afele, GJA Election Officer said Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, Editor of the Daily Graphic and Yaw Owusu-Addo, Director of News, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation had filed their papers when nominations closed on Thursday.
He said George Frank Asmah, Features Editor of Ghanaian Times and Bright Blewu, a freelance Journalist, were returned unopposed as Vice President and Secretary, respectively.
The Vice Secretary slot would be another straight fight between Ken Nunoo, News Editor of the Evening News and Affail Monney, Chief Editor at the GBC.
Two ladies, Ms Yaa Oforiwaah Acquah, Senior Editor at Ghana News Agency (GNA) and Ms Tina Aforo-Yeboah, Acting Features Editor of Ghanaian Times would contest for the position of Treasurer.
Three members, Gideon Sackitey of the GNA Economics Desk, James MaCauley,
Assistant Editor of New Times Corporation and Matthew McKwame of the Ghana
Institute of Journalism would contest for two slots of Executive Members.
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ECOWAS Heads of State and Govt issue Communiqué
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - Herewith the full text of the Communiqué issued at the end the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of Economic Community of West African States held in Accra on Thursday:
TEXT:
Extraordinary Summit Of ECOWAS Heads Of State And Government On The Situation In Liberia
Accra, July 31, 2003.
FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ
1. An extraordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was convened in Accra, Ghana on 31st July, 2003 by His Excellency, President John Agyekum Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana and current Chairman of ECOWAS Authority.
2. The Summit considered the security situation in Liberia, characterised by continuing hostilities and its implications for Liberia and the Sub-Region.
3. Present at the session were the following Heads of State and Government or their duly Accredited Representatives
His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor
President of the Republic of Ghana and Current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority
His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo
President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria
His Excellency Gnassingbe Eyadema
President of the Togolese Republic
Her Excellency Isatou Njie-Saidy
Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia
His Excellency Mr Lamine Sidime
Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea
His Excellency Youssouf Ouedraogo
Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional co-operation
representing the President of Bukina Faso
Mr Mel-Eg Theodore
Minister of State for African Integration, Representing the President of the
Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
Rt. Hon. Nyundueh Monokormana
Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Liberia, Representing the President
of Liberia
Mr Moumouni Djermakoye Adamou
Minister of State in charge of African Integration and NEPAD Programmes,
representing the President of the Republic of Niger
Mr Bruno Amoussou
Minister of State in Charge of Unification, Prospecting and Development,
Representing the President of the Republic of Benin
His Excellency Mohamed Mahmoud Ben Labat
Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to the Republic of Ghana, Representing the
President of the Republic Mali
His Excellency Mr. Alli Bangura
High Commission of Republic of Sierra Leone to Ghana, Representing the President
of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Mr Alioune Diagne
Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Representing the President of the Republic of Senegal
4. The following personalities also attended the extraordinary session:
General Abubakar Abdulsalami
Former Head of State of Nigeria and Mediator for the ECOWAS Peace Process on
Liberia
Mr Ahmedou Ould Abdallah
Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for the United
Nations Office in West Africa.
5. The Heads of State and Government, after extensive deliberations on the current situation in Liberia, expressed grave concern over the continued fighting, which has resulted in the loss of lives and displacement of the peoples of Liberia.
6. The Heads of State and Government unequivocally condemned the warring parties for their roles in the ongoing hostilities and for the flagrant violation of the Ceasefire Agreement signed by them on 17th June 2003.
7. They expressed deep concern about the daily deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Liberia and especially the disheartening condition under which the civilian population of Monrovia has been forced to live in the last two weeks.
8. The Heads of State reiterated the position of ECOWAS on the non-recognition of any take-over of power by force and thus re-affirmed their support for the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance of 2001 and the OAU/AU's 1999 Decision in Algiers, both of which condemn unconstitutional change of government.
9. They called for an immediate Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities and respect by the warring parties, for their commitments under the Ceasefire Agreement.
10. The Heads of State and Government reaffirmed their full support for the ECOWAS Peace Process for Liberia and the Mediation process that is being conducted in Accra, which provides a forum for political dialogue. They reiterated their position that durable peace could only come to Liberia through dialogue and negotiation.
11. They called upon the Liberian stakeholders at the Accra Peace Talks to redouble their efforts to arrive at a comprehensive peace agreement
12. The Heads of State and Government expressed their appreciation to General Abubakar Abdulsalami for the time and effort he is dedicating to the Mediation process and commended members of the International Contact Group on Liberia (ICGL) for facilitating the process.
13. The Heads of State and Government formally approved the deployment into Liberia of the Vanguard Interposition Force, (ECOMILI) calling for an early deployment latest by 4th August 2003.
14. The Heads of State and Government welcomed the appointment of General Festus Okonkwo as the Force Commander for ECOMIL and also directed the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS to immediately commence the process for the appointment of his Special Representative in Liberia.
15 The Heads of State and Government expressed their appreciation to President Olusegun Obasanjo and the People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for offering political asylum to President Taylor and for taking the initiative for the immediate deployment of a Vanguard Force of 1,500 into Liberia.
16. The Heads of State and Government called on ECOWAS troop contributing States to ensure an early deployment of the additional troops within three weeks of the deployment of the Nigerian Troops.
17. The Heads of State and Government commit themselves to an immediate financial contribution into the ECOWAS Peace Fund, which will help facilitate the deployment of the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia. The Heads of State and Government agreed that an assessed contribution should be paid by each Member State into the ECOWAS Peace Fund to ensure a proportional sharing of the burden of the peace effort in Liberia.
18. The Heads of State and Government welcomed the invitation from the Government of Liberia to the ECOWAS to deploy its troops. They also took note of the pledge by LURD to turn over the Freeport of Monrovia to the ECOWAS forces.
19. The Heads of State and Government reaffirm the commitments made under the 1978 ECOWAS Protocol on non-Aggression not to encourage or condone acts of subversion, hostility or aggression against the territorial integrity of other Member States. They also commit themselves to disallow the use of their territories for mercenary activities.
20. The Heads of State and Government called for the establishment of Transitional Government in Liberia upon the deployment of the troops and the departure of President Taylor, which will begin the process for the restoration of democratic governance. They expressed the wish that the Transitional Government operates as closely as possible to the 1986 Liberian Constitution.
21. They decided to dispatch to Monrovia a delegation comprising the Foreign Ministers of Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS to inform President Taylor about the outcome of the extraordinary summit and to make arrangements for his handover of power and departure from the country.
22. The Heads of State and Government decided that the first task of the ECOWAS Vanguard Force should be to provide the appropriate conditions for the handover of power and departure from Liberia of President Charles Taylor. It was agreed that within three days of the entry of the ECOWAS troops into Liberia, President Taylor will handover power to his successor, and depart for Nigeria.
23. The Heads of State and Government were of the view that no Leader of the three Warring Parties should occupy the positions of President and Vice President in the Transitional Government of Liberia.
24. The Heads of State and Government welcomed the support so far offered to ECOWAS by the international community, in particular, the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Japan.
25. They commended President Bush of the United States for the principal role his country is playing towards the deployment of the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia.
26. The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government also applauded the role of the United Nations Secretary-General, Busumuru Kofi Annan, in facilitating the speedy deployment of the Vanguard Force with logistical and other support of the United Nations.
27. The Heads of State and Government also lauded the African Union and International Contact Group on Liberia for their continued support of the peace efforts on Liberia.
28. They expressed profound gratitude to President Kufuor, Chairman of ECOWAS and President of the Republic of Ghana, for this exemplary leadership and for his untiring efforts in the search for sustainable peace in Liberia. They further expressed appreciation to the Government and People of Ghana for their generosity in hosting the Accra Peace Talks and this extraordinary summit.
Done in Accra this 31st day of July 2003.
END TEXT.
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Stakeholders evaluate media coverage of NRC
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - Stakeholders at a meeting to evaluate media coverage of the National Reconciliation process on Thursday appealed to the Public Relations Unit of the Commission to improve on its work to help sustain the interest of the public in the proceedings.
They said public interest in the work of the Commission was dwindling and said the work of the PR section should be strengthened to enhance the Commission's work.
The stakeholders, including the National Media Commission (NMC) the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Media Watch Limited and the various media houses noted that it would help if those accused were called as early as possible to give their responses.
They said in so doing the momentum of the Commission's work and public interest would be maintained. The meeting jointly chaired by Cyril Acolatse, Kwamena Longdon and Dr Bonnah Koomson, all members of the NMC, was to evaluate the coverage by the media houses.
The report for June compiled by Media Watch was published as part of an agreement entered into by Media Watch Ltd and the NMC. It was funded by the UNDP through the National Governance Programme and supported by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
It indicated that the media generally improved on their coverage of the Commission's work for the month under review. Leonard Dey, General Manager of Media Watch, said during the period under review, Ghana News Agency (GNA) published a total of 28 stories all of which were neutral in tone and in their portrayal of witnesses.
He said for the Television stations, GTV continued to lead by 49.1 per cent in terms of airtime devoted to the proceedings, Metro TV followed with 34.1 per cent with TV3 following with 16.8 per cent. TV Africa did not broadcast anything on NRC.
Radio Savannah took the lead for the radio stations with more than one-tenth (17.7 per cent) of the total number of stories followed by Peace FM with 12.3 per cent and Uniiq FM with 11.2 per cent he said.
Dey said for the newspapers, Accra Daily Mail led with a little more than 20.6 per cent of the total stories published, followed by the Daily Guide with 19.0 per cent and the Independent with 12.1 per cent.
He said there was no unfavourable story in the print media monitored for the month of June adding that stories coded were generally neutral in tone and in portrayal of witnesses. Dey said all stories broadcast on television were enhanced with actuality and this was an improvement on what pertained in May.
He said the relocation of the NRC to Tamale in the Northern Region for two weeks had an impact on the volume of coverage for June that recorded the least in all media monitored.
Dey said there was a growing tendency where witnesses who appeared before the
Commission granted interviews to the media both before and after giving evidence
leading to contradictions. He suggested that the media should be circumspect and
to ensure uniform and consistent reportage.
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Two Ho Central Constituency NPP factions restrained
Ho (Volta Region) 1 August 2003 - A Ho High Court on Thursday directed the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to constitute a nine-member Interim Committee to administer the affairs of the Party in the Ho Central Constituency.
This was after the Court had restrained two feuding groups from holding themselves out as Executives of the Party in the Constituency, until further notice.
Justice Paul Gyaesayor, the Presiding Judge, also directed each of the factions to appoint a representative to assist in the taking of inventory of the Party's constituency office to pave the way for the interim body to assume duty.
He directed the General Secretary to submit a report on the implementation of the directives to the High Court within two weeks. Justice Gyaesayor said the interest of the Party was above those of the factions and that the order was to uphold its greater interest.
"The existence of the opposing Executives in the constituency is at variance with the political parties law and the Party's Constitution. "It is necessary to restrain both factions in the interest of the Party to ensure peace in the Ho Central constituency and Ho town."
Justice Gyaesayor said but for the legal vacation due to start soon the court should have heard evidence on oath from Kwame Atta, the suspended Regional Secretary, for his role in the dispute.
He said the Court could, however, not defer its decision until that time, as that would hold back the Party's preparations to select a parliamentary candidate for the 2004 elections. He asked the factions to return to court on 13 October.
The rumpus started early this year when a vote of no confidence was passed in the old Executive led by Vans Seshie Torblu and a new Constituency Executive led by Seth Anyadi was elected at a constituency delegates' conference on April. On 31 May the Regional Executives presided over another delegates' conference and it elected an Executive led by Torblu.
The Anyadi-led faction filed a writ at the High Court seeking to restrain its
opponents from holding themselves out as the Constituency Executives. The Torblu-led
faction also made a similar application to the court to restrain the Anyadi
group.
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Upper East Health Nurses Training School in crisis
Bolgatanga (Upper East) 1 August 2003 - The Upper East Community Health Nurses Training School in Navrongo is facing financial crises which could affect the school's programme and the admission of the next batch of students, Ms Rofina Asuru, Principal of the school has said.
In a statement to the press in Bolgatanga, Ms Asuru explained that the school was established with the expectation that the district assemblies and communities would sponsor the training of the students so that they would in turn serve their communities after school.
She said, however, that the idea of the school, which was accepted by all with enthusiasm and good promises, has not translated into the expected financial assistance to keep the school going.
"It is a miracle that we have managed to survive through one academic year but things are now getting out of hand," she said. The Principal, therefore, appealed to all district assemblies and other stakeholders to cooperate and contribute their quota towards the running of the school.
She further explained that, the establishment of the school in the Region was based on the need to share the cost of training nurses with district assemblies and communities, and also to ease the burden of financial commitment by the government in funding boarding schools "however, responses from the assemblies are discouraging," she said.
She said: "It was thought to be a direct and timely response to the need to find sustainable means of providing and training adequate numbers of good and well motivated health staff to provide services to under served and hard-to-reach communities."
The school, which is the only community health nurses training school in the
Region, was opened last October with 50 students and is now preparing to
interview 75 applicants for the next academic year.
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About ¢1.4bn meant for HIV/AIDS programmes absconded
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 1 August 2003 - Some 114 Community Based Organisation (CBOs), have absconded with over ¢1.4bn meant for HIV/AIDS programmes.
The amount was made available by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC). The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Nana Adjei Boateng said this in an address read on his behalf at a workshop for 55 members of workplace HIV/AIDS committees from the municipality.
The MCE described the attitude of the CBOs as "shameful". "The situation is very appalling and portrays our unsympathetic attitudes and tendencies towards people living with HIV/AIDS and also derails the government's effort and policy of reducing the infection rate in the country'', he said.
He warned that CBOs and NGOs who have either misused or absconded with the fund would face the law. Nana Boateng said some of these CBO's and NGOs that received funding from the Commission and the GARDFund are not using the funds for HIV/AIDS activities.
He said the assembly, through the Commission, has given ¢125m to support some CBOs in their activities. In addition 10 NGOs working on HIV/AIDS programmes were also given ¢200m each sourced from GARDfund to assist them in fighting the disease.
Nana Adjei Boateng said the workshop has come at a time when every effort is being made to curb the increasing infectious rate of HIV/AIDS in the municipality, which is leading with 8.5 percent, three per cent above the national rate. He called on people in Koforidua to help reverse the trend "else the municipality will be turned into a home of pain, death and disaster".
Mrs Kate Parkes, Co-ordinator of Policy Project-Ghana, an NGO, said the organisation has set up six reproductive health advocacy networks in five districts in the Eastern Region. They were provided with technical assistance to respond to the impacts of HIV/AIDS pandemic and sustain their advocacy activities.
She commended the New Juaben Reproductive Health Advocacy Network for
targeting the workplace and forming workplace committees to combat the spread of
the disease. Mrs Parkes suggested to the committee members to organise
programmes, which would educate their colleagues on facts based on HIV/AIDS/STI,
testing, counselling and treatment as well as components of successful
prevention programmes.
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Ghana should be made permanent venue for PANAFEST
Cape Coast (Central Region) 1 August 2003 - Dr. Leonard Jeffries, an African-American, on Thursday suggested that Ghana should be made the permanent host country of the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST), because of the stability in the country, as compared to other African countries.
Dr. Jeffries, a lecturer at the Department of African Studies, City College, New York, who is participating in the festival, stated this in an interview with the GNA at Cape Coast.
He said there was no need for the festival to be rotated among African countries, as was suggested in the early stages and pointed out that Ghana's stability, coupled with her "strong tradition and culture and the numerous festivals make it the right venue".
On the re-curing theme of "the re-emergence of the African civilisation" since its inception in 1992, he was of the view that it should be maintained, because it embodied culture, which as a unifying force, could help Africans to plan for the future.
Dr. Jeffries paid tribute to Mrs. Efua Sutherland for mooting the idea of the festival and observed that it had provided all people of African descent the opportunity to come together to deliberate on issues affecting the welfare of their brothers and sisters on the continent.
He said the various forums held during PANAFEST were geared towards the establishment of an "operational Pan-Africanist Union" that would seek to unite all Africans around the world. "This does not mean that we are seeking a common platform to limit our relationship with Europe, Asia and other continents, but that, we want a personal family, community, ethnic, national and global relationship with ourselves first," he declared.
He was happy that through their participation in PANAFEST, some
African-Americans had established links with many communities in Ghana and were
contributing to their development, by sponsoring the education of some children,
as well as assisting in projects like schools, clinics and community centres.
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High court sentences ex-policeman to life imprisonment for robbery
Cape Coast (Central Region) 1 August 2003 - Ex-police constable Armah Schandorf, 35, formerly at Anomabu, was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery, by a High Court in Cape Coast.
The court, presided over by Justice Nana Gyamera Tawiah, imposed the sentence, after the jury had returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on both charges. Two others charged with similar offences, Samuel Ghartey, 25, a driver at the Anomabu Beach Resort, whose accountant was shot dead during the robbery, and Kwadwo Addai, a 19-year-old trader at the Konkomba market in Accra were also sentenced to life imprisonment.
The seven-member jury, however, returned a verdict of not guilty in favour of Emmanuel Oduro, 34, a security man at the resort, and Daniel Owusu 23, also a trader at the Konkomba market.
Kwasi Fosu, the fifth accused person, was acquitted and discharged of conspiracy by the jury for lack of evidence, on Tuesday 29 July.
Schandorf, Ghartey, Oduro, Fosu and Owusu, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, while Addai pleaded guilty with explanation. Schandorf, and Ghartey, had also pleaded not guilty to robbery, while Addai pleaded guilty. In his judgement, Justice Tawiah implored the jury to avoid "all public sentiments", and consider only the evidence on record in order to reach a fair verdict.
In their defence, all the five who pleaded not guilty, had denied being involved in the robbery, with Schandorf who claimed that he went to Accra to collect his salary on the day of the crime.
The case for the prosecution, was that in December last year, Ghartey and Oduro approached Schandorf who sometimes performed night guard duties at the resort, to rob the resort, and he in turn, went to Accra to recruit some people to assist, but was not successful.
It said the two employees of the resort, again approached the ex-policeman after the Easter holidays this year, and he went to Accra again, and succeeded in getting Addai, who had been introduced to him by Fosu, "as an armed robbery expert".
It said on 28 April, Schandorf and Addai, laid ambush near the resort and robbed the accountant of the resort, Mathew Mensah who was on a vehicle driven by Ghartey while on his way to Cape Coast. Addai threw grounded pepper into Mensah's eyes, while Schandorf who had worn a mask to conceal his identity, tried to snatch a bag of money he was carrying.
In an ensuing struggle, Mensah removed the mask from Schandorf's face. Schandorf then shot him twice in the chest with a police sub-machine gun. With the injured accountant still on the vehicle, Ghartey drove to Waakrom junction near Anomabu, where Schandorf and Addai alighted. Ghartey then drove to the police checkpoint at Moree to report that he and the late Mr. Mensah had been attacked by armed robbers.
He was asked to send the injured to the Central Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The six accused persons were arrested after investigations, the prosecution added.
In another development, the court, sentenced Thomas Boadi, a 51-year-old auto electrician at Abandze near, Anomabu, to five years' imprisonment with hard labour, for causing the death of his wife, after the seven-member found him guilty of manslaughter.
The case for the prosecution was that on 28 May 1999, Boadi who lived separately from his wife, Madam Josephine Ewudzi, went to her for his supper and later asked her to fetch him some water for his bath, but she refused and told him that she did not have enough water at home.
The prosecution said Madam Ewudzi, then asked one of their sons to fetch water for his father, but Boadi ordered him not to do so, and this resulted in a misunderstanding as a result of which Boadi kicked her in the abdomen.
She became unconscious and died shortly or arrival at the Saltpond Hospital. The jury acquitted and discharged Kofi Gyasi, a farmer at Nyafeku-Ekroful near Abura- Dunkwa on a similar charge. This was after the judge had in his summing up, urged it to return a verdict of not guilty, since according to him, the " prosecution had discredited its own evidence" when it said that the bullet that had killed the victim, madam Efua Afremah, a trader, had not been fired from Gyasi's gun.
The prosecution had told that court that on 6 February 1999, Gyasi on his
return from a hunting expedition, had carried his single-barrel gun to Madam
Afremah's premises to purchase some cigarettes and the gun went off
accidentally. A ballistic examination of a bullet found at the scene of the
incident by the police, however indicated that the bullet had not been fired
from Gyasi's gun.
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Study leave has created serious vacancies in schools
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - The high number of teachers permitted to go on study leave has been identified as the most serious factor leading to the vacancies in the classrooms, a study conducted by the Unilever Teacher Education Unit of the University of Cape Coast has revealed.
The study released in Accra on Thursday said there is shortage of 40,000 trained teachers in the country and this may be on the lower side making the services of untrained teachers very important.
Such teachers are to be phased out under the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme. Currently, there are 24,000 untrained teachers and 84,963 trained teachers and the study said this number is not sufficient. The study conducted this year said the critical problem facing basic education in the country was inadequate trained teachers for instruction in the schools.
Dr Kofi Bassah Quansah, Chair of the University's Teacher Education, who conducted the study, said the vast vacancies created have affected the quality of teaching in both primary and junior secondary schools.
The study was to enable the University to raise critical issues concerning the present state of demand and supply of teachers. Dr Bassah Quansah said over the seven-year period, from 1997 to 2003, the number of teachers that were approved for study leaves averaged 94.4 per cent of the new teachers graduating from the training teacher colleges each year.
It is estimated that on the average, 6,283 new teachers graduated from the nation's training colleges while an average of 5,904 teachers went on study leave within the same period each year.
"This year alone, 4,676 teachers graduated from the training colleges and records at the Ghana Education Service indicate that 5,000 teachers have listed to go on study leave. This means that there would be no addition to the existing pool of teachers," Dr Bassah Quansah said.
Dr Bassah Quansah explained that, even though, teachers who went on study leave brought back improved knowledge to enrich the quality of teaching and learning in the school system, the number of teachers who left every year was disturbing.
"These teachers are doing a disservice to the teaching profession," he said. Dr Bassah Quansah noted that the work to be done by these teachers was now being done by the untrained teachers. Citing an example, Dr Bassah Quansah said some schools in the villages had only a teacher to three classes while a whole school might have the headmaster and one teacher manning the school.
He said the phasing out of the services of the untrained teachers would not be possible. They were well adapted to the difficulties of life in the rural areas and were willing to work in areas where trained teachers had rejected to work, Dr Bassah Quansah said.
He recommended that professional training through distance learning during vacations should be given to them to raise their knowledge and professional academic skills. To improve retention, Dr Bassah Quansah said attention should be given to improving the conditions of service of teachers who accepted to teach in the rural areas in terms of accommodation, salaries and the provision of solar lamps, which were very much needed in their work.
He also recommended that the GES should come out with a policy that would check the number of teachers who went for study leave whilst the training colleges also loosed their admission requirements and admitted more students.
He called on district assemblies to sponsor some of the teachers in their
communities saying, this would force them to stay and teach in their locality.
Rev Mrs Ama Afo Blay, Director-General of GES, commended the University for
conducting the study and said they had started implementing most of the
recommendations. He said they would collaborate with the University when
implementing most of the recommendations.
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Chief resists attempt to close down school at Faaman
Faaman (Brong Ahafo) 1 August 2003 - Nana Yaw Issah Boufour, Odikro of Faaman in the Techiman District has said he would resist attempts by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to close down the Takyi Local Authority Primary School in the town.
He said the school was the first to be established in the area and that the people and children of Faaman deserve to be educated. Nana Issah Boufour made this known at Faaman on Thursday during a town meeting jointly organized by the Chiefs, unit committee, the Assembly Member and Government Accountability Improves Trust (GAIT).
Nana Issah Boufour noted that the closure of the school would mean that the primary one to three pupils would have to walk about two kilometres along the Techiman-Sunyani highway to the nearest school.
The safety of the pupils cannot be sacrificed on the altar of low enrolment,
he said and asked the GES to work with the community to find a solution to the
problem instead of unilaterally threatening to close down
the school.
De-graft D. Mensah, Techiman District Community Officer asked the people to take advantage of the distribution of agro processing machinery such as grinding mills and gari processing machines under the Village Infrastructure Projects (VIP).
The acquisition of the equipment, Mensah said, would help the community to
add value to their agricultural produce thereby reducing poverty.
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Govt sets aside ¢10bn for skills training
Alavanyo-Kpeme (Volta Region) 1 August 2003 - The government has set aside ¢10bn out of ¢50bn of the Youth Fund to support the Skills Training and Employment Placement (STEP) project of the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment.
Alfred Ntow, Controller of Apprenticeship at the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), said this at the graduation ceremony of 60 apprentices at the Evangelical Presbyterian Trades Training Centre (EPTTC) at Alavanyo-Kpeme in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region.
The apprentices, including 15 women, spent six months training in sewing, carpentry and joinery, block laying and concreting and electrical installation.
He said the amount is to serve as seed money for apprentices under the STEP programme. Ntow said the amount could be accessed through the micro-finance desk of the Ministry of Finance and that the ministry has decided to increase the sponsorship of the trainees and enrolment under the STEP.
Ntow called on those who registered during the National Unemployment Registration Exercise to enroll at the various training centres to enable them to benefit from the programme.
Dr Michael Boateng, Director of NVTI in a speech read for him, said the acquisition of employable skills is a step towards the improvement of the living standards of the trainees and reduction of poverty. He said the contribution of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and religious bodies in the programme, was commendable.
Dr Boateng commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for setting up the Trades Training Centres and called on other religious bodies to emulate it. Newton Atengbley, Manager of the Centre, appealed to the government to reconsider the sponsorship of the STEP programme and increase the current ¢500,000 allowance to ¢1m to help them procure more training materials.
He also appealed to government to supplement the feeding cost of the
trainees.
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Court of Appeal dismisses appeal by Peprah, others
Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - The Court of Appeal on Thursday unanimously dismissed applications for bail pending an appeal filed by two former jailed government officials.
Kwame Peprah, Former Minster of Finance, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment and George Yankey, a Former Director of Legal Sector, Private and Financial Institutions of the Ministry of Finance was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
The Court of Appeal had Justice Julius Ansah, presiding, Mrs Justice S.O.
Adiniyira and Justice J. Akamba as members.
An application filed on behalf of Ibrahim Adam, Former Minister of Food and
Agriculture, who is serving a two-year jail term, was, however, adjourned sine
die as one of the judges on the panel hearing the appeal, had opted out.
On 28 Apri, this year, the three government officials were convicted by an Accra Fast Track Court presided over Justice Dixon Kwame Afreh, a Supreme Court Judge sitting as an additional High Court judge, for conspiring and causing $20m loss to the state in connection with the Quality Grain Project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.
Dismissing the appeal, the Judges contended that the applicants could not demonstrate to the court the special circumstances under which bail should be granted pending an appeal. They further stated that the applicants could not also show how the Judge did not show sympathy when judgment was pronounced.
Referring to the judgment of the trial, the Court of Appeal said the trial Judge had stated that, he was going to be as lenient as possible, adding; "this does not show that he (trial judge) had no sympathy". The Court of Appeal noted that the delay in the preparation of records could not be one of the basis by which bail should be granted adding that the records were ready and, therefore, the delays pointed out by the applicants was a thing of the past.
Earlier, in an affidavit by Yankey in support of the application for bail pending appeal, Nana Adjei Ampofo, his Counsel, stated that the Trial Judge in his judgment was influenced outside the courtroom saying; "this undermined the integrity of the courts".
Nana Ampofo said the Trial Judge had stated: "There had been arguments that because of the amount involved, accused person deserved longer sentences. "Who are those faceless persons who had argued?"
He noted that the Prosecution on the day of judgement, when the Trial Judge asked whether the Prosecution and Defence had anything to say before judgment could be delivered, the Prosecution stated that "it had left everything entirely to the court" while the Defence had pleaded for leniency".
He asked these were the only statements that were made and asked who were those, who had said the accused persons deserved longer sentences. Nana Ampofo said the Trial Judge listened to people outside the court, which he was not supposed to do.
Nana Ampofo said the Trial Judge slipped in his judgment, adding that the Judge while delivering his judgment, had stated: "Whether the law on causing financial loss to the State is good or bad, I leave it to Parliament to decide, but one day, when I am free I could talk on the matter".
This, Counsel said, indicated that the Trial Judge was "not free" adding: "Who is tying his hand behind him? Although he had sworn to dispense justice without fear or favour." Nana Ampofo said the Trial Judge also slipped when he said, "the accused failed to lead evidence to their superior who was authorising them".
Nana Ampofo stated further that the Trial Judge said he wondered how a woman with no background in rice cultivation could outwit government officials adding, "somebody up there liked the woman". Nana Ampofo said the Judge slipped out of his normal course, when he made those statements.
On the Trial Judge's pronouncement that applicants could have resigned when they were in disagreement with the project, Nana Ampofo said that the applicants only performed an executive act done for the President.
He said the various pronouncements made by the Trial Judge, destroyed his judgment and prayed the court to consider his application. When the second application in respect of Peprah was called, Nana Ampofo said Kweku Baah, who represented Peprah, was adopting the submissions made earlier on Yankey.
Colonel Alex Johnson (Rtd), the respondent from the Attorney's General's Department, submitted that he was not in opposition to the facts presented but prayed the court to scrutinise the grounds for the application. He said the Trial Judge references did not constitute grounds that the substantive appeal had any success.
Col Johnson said that an application for bail pending an appeal could be granted if there was unusual or exceptional ground, when the applicant needed to confer with counsel and when there was delay in the preparation of records. He stated that the applicant had not been able to show any of them, adding that the records were ready.
Col. Johnson said Judges, who are part of the society, are entitled to make
comments but could do better when they are on retirement. "Judges are free
to speak their mind, since they also live in the society," he said.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 1 August 2003 - Government on Thursday said it would consider the option of keeping the Accra Zoo as part of any future development of the Flag Staff House Area, the official residence of Ghana's First President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
This followed suggestions by Journalists that the Accra Zoo must be kept at its present location as part of the comprehensive development of a green belt within the capital. The Journalists made the appeal in Accra when Mrs Theresa Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry took her turn at the weekly press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information.
Mrs Tagoe said government was thinking of moving the Zoo to the Shai Hills, "but with this suggestion, I believe we, at the Ministry would consider it and see if we can include it in the future development of the Flag Staff House."
The Flag Staff House is to be developed into the official seat of government that would have the official residence of the President. The Zoo was used by Dr Nkrumah to entertain his guests. But went into disrepair after the 1966 Military Coup, which overthrew him and had never seen any significant repair since.
Mrs Tagoe explained that the original idea was to use the Achimota Forest but we gave up on it since there was some dispute over the land, adding that the overall purpose is to have a bigger zoo that could accommodate bigger and a high number of animals.
The Friends of the Accra Zoo have in recent months mounted a sustained
campaign to keep the Accra Zoo at its present location saying, it would not be
in the interest of urban children and adults if the facility were moved out of
the city. Besides, they complained that it would deprive the city of a modern
zoo.
GRi…/
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