GRi Newsreel 14 - 08 -
2003
Speaker recalls Parliament to sit on 18 August
Ghana to honour out-going Chinese Ambassador
Don't allow to be manipulated - Soldiers urged
Who heads Liberian interim govt?
President Kufuor to attend GJA Awards Night
Experts call for control of small arms
Workers say no to govt's decision on deductions
Amend GJA constitution on tenure of office - Member
Law School to train Career Magistrates
President Kufuor invited to Japan
Ivorian Minister delivers message to President Kufuor
Speaker recalls Parliament to sit on 18 August
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - The Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey on Wednesday announced that Parliament would be recalled from recess to sit from Monday, 18 August to Friday, 22 August.
A statement signed by Adjetey in Accra said the parliamentarians would consider the situation in the Dagbon Traditional Area, where there is a state of emergency.
It will also consider the National Health Insurance Bill, a loan agreement between Ghana and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for five million dollars to support the agricultural sector and the protocol of the treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament.
Other businesses would be a buyer credit facility agreement between Ghana and Fortis Bank of the Netherlands for 9.47 million Euros for the Odaw Drainage Improvement Works and a request for tax and duty exemptions of 3.92 million Euros on specified items for the execution of the project under the agreement.
Also to be considered is the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme
Regulations and the Report of the Committee of Selection on the Composition of
Committees.
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Ghana to honour out-going Chinese Ambassador
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - The Government is to honour Lu Yongshou, Out-going Chinese Ambassador, for his tremendous effort that has made China to increase its development assistance to Ghana and promoted good relationship between the two countries.
President John Kufuor, who announced this when Lu paid a farewell call on him at the Castle, Osu on Wednesday, said China supported the construction of various infrastructure for the health, cultural, communications and the social sectors of the economy during the period of Lu, who is leaving after 44 months duty tour.
He said details of the citation and the conferment would be worked out before Lu leaves Accra next Wednesday. President Kufuor said government looked for more investments and co-operation based on mutual trust. He urged Lu to continue to advocate for positive growth in the relationship between both countries.
Lu said it was the policy of his country to strengthen its relations with
Ghana because it enjoys peace and stability. "We feel safe when we live in
Ghana. Your government is doing well, it is on the right track and we are happy
to observe that. I am leaving but the friendship remains as we desire for
friendship and co-operation between us", he said.
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Don't allow to be manipulated - Soldiers urged
Sekondi (Western Region) 14 August 2003 - Soldiers have again been reminded of the need for them to be disciplined and not to allow themselves to be misused by civilians for their selfish motives.
Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Erskine (rtd), member of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) said at Wednesday's sitting of the Commission in Sekondi that equally, civilians must stop enticing friends and relations in the security to do their "dirty works" for them.
He made the remarks after a witness, Madam Victoria Essien, narrated to the Commission how in 1983, her husband, Charles Amankrah, was brutally assaulted by soldiers at Bonsa near Tarkwa, resulting in his death a few days later. Lt. Gen. Erskine said all aggrieved persons should learn to seek redress at the courts instead of using soldiers for their revenge that normally ends up in very unfortunate circumstances.
The soldiers came to pick the late Amankrah to the Apremdo military barracks in Takoradi at the instance of Obeng Yaw, who was engaged in protracted land litigation with Amankrah, the Commission heard.
Obeng Yaw was said to have committed suicide in Takoradi a few months after the incident. Madam Essien told the Commission that, her husband spent about four days at the barracks before he was released from the military guardroom and when he came home he complained of bodily pains.
He coughed loudly and vomited blood, and died at the Tarkwa hospital where he was sent for medical treatment. She said after the death of her husband, life had become extremely difficult for her and their four children and appealed to the Commission to recommend adequate compensation for the family.
Matthew Adams, a former worker at the Hohoe Government hospital, who is now a farmer at Biaho in the Western Region told the Commission of how, in 1979, he was accused of stealing drugs at the hospital and subjected to inhuman treatment by soldiers at the Ho Mortar Regiment.
He said he spent four days in the guardroom after which he and two others, also from the hospital were sent back to Hohoe and paraded through the town before they were stretched on a table and given lashes on their backs in public. They were placed in police cells for three months before being sent to court and jailed at Kpando for a few days and were released.
Adams said as a result of the ill treatment meted out to him, he became blind in the left eye whilst his left ear had become defective. He said even though he was exonerated and asked to go back to work, he became so peeved that he resigned after working for one year.
He also asked for Compensation from the government. Another witness, Madam Elizabeth Paidu, told the Commission that in 1979, soldiers from the Apremdo barracks surrounded the Takoradi Central Market and seized goods from traders and ruined the lives of many of them because they were the breadwinners of their families.
She said the soldiers took from her store ten bags of rice and other items, including items from other traders and sent them to the Takoradi Central Police Station and neither the items nor money were given to them. No explanation was given for the seizure.
She said at another time in 1982, she decided to buy crabs and bread at Jaway Wharf and sell them at Takoradi, but soldiers from the Apremdo barracks intercepted the vehicle on which she and other traders were travelling and seized their wares, once more ruining her trading activities.
Madam Faustina Dadzie of Takoradi, who dealt in wax prints told the Commission of how armed soldiers from the Apremdo barracks in 1979, seized all her consignment of more than 100 pieces of both local and foreign prints in her store at the Takoradi central market.
She said the soldiers ordered her to load the cloths into a sack and was ordered to carry it into a waiting military vehicle and she and the goods were sent to the barracks. At about 9.30 pm, she was asked to go home and come the next day, and according to Madam Dadzie, this went on for about two weeks before she was asked not to go to the barracks again with the explanation that they would invite her when there was the need to do so.
She said she became indebted to her trading partners and she and her husband had to sell all their properties to defray part of the debts. On another occasion when she decided to trade in gari, soldiers at the Nchaban barrier seized six and half bags of the commodity and gave them to the Takoradi Peoples Defence Committee (PDC) to sell.
Madam Dadzie said proceeds from the sale that was given to her could only buy two bags of gari. She, therefore, abandoned the business. She appealed to the Commission to recommend compensation for her.
Alexander Co-Nutsugah who lives at East Tanokrom in Takoradi told the Commission that in February 1982, armed soldiers came to knock at his door at dawn and demanded the keys to a Peugeot 504 car he had bought from a friend the previous day.
He said he gave in to their demand after they had threatened to kill him if he refused to comply. The witness told the Commission that his mother-in-law, who was then visiting the family, became so frightened that she collapsed and was pronounced dead upon reaching the hospital.
He said he recognized one of the soldiers as Corporal Amuzu of the Air Force Station in Takoradi and therefore, made a complaint to one Lt. Col. Ben Cole who ordered the suspects to be put in guardroom for using his name in unapproved operations.
Co-Nutsugah said he later found his car among others that had been seized and parked at Apremdo barracks but was asked to come for it later. But when he went there, he was told that the car had been sent to Accra for a special operation and did not see it again.
Answering questions, the witness said he became so angry that he bought a pistol to kill Amuzu at the least opportunity. He said he recently travelled to Tamale where Amuzu was currently working as a security officer with the aim of killing him, "but luckily for him, my lord, he was then in a group".
Co-Nutsugah said because he had been given the opportunity to tell the world about what happened to him and his family, he had forgiven those who wronged him.
Mohammed Shaibu alias Famous, a former yam seller, said he was forced to fight his senior brother, Ango Shaibu by soldiers at the Michel Camp in 1981.
Narrating his ordeal to the NRC, Shaibu said Ango, who was misbehaving around the Takoradi-Accra lorry park was arrested and jailed at the Sekondi central Prisons in January 1981 and during the period, soldiers went to the prison to demand his release to be killed, but some prisons officials assisted him to escape to Tema.
He said during the December 31 coup, soldiers went on a rampage in Takoradi, beat Policemen on duty at the market circle and disarmed them. Shaibu said that evening, a man who had returned from Mecca was being welcomed home amid music and dancing but a soldier followed the procession and shot the man in the leg.
"Being a Moslem, I rushed to the scene and rescued the man but the soldier, not satisfied, went into the house where I had sent the man for safety to kill him".
Shaibu said he removed the fuse from the electrical mains, disarmed the soldier and handed over the weapon to the Sekondi Central Police Station and fled to Tema. He said unknown to them, a message had been sent to the soldiers at the Michel Camp to arrest the two of them.
Shaibu said on seeing the military vehicle approaching their house, he fled, while Ango was arrested but released a few minutes later. He told the Commission: "Ango was bribed by the soldiers to ensure that they arrest me at dawn, but both of us were arrested and sent to the Michel Camp."
Shaibu said at the camp, one Corporal Martey asked him to face the wall and just as he did so, he was slapped from behind, resulting in blood oozing out of his ear. Shaibu said he and his brother were made to fight each other at gunpoint, though this was against their custom.
He told the Commission that out of fear, anger and betrayal, he fought Ango till he lost some of his teeth. He said he was forced to drink the urine of a soldier, while they were made to pound fufu for the wives of some soldiers. "We did menial jobs and spent three months in guardroom at the Michel Camp."
Shaibu said a message was sent that they should be transferred to the Airforce station at Takoradi. He said, while they were being escorted to the Accra AirForce station, he made efforts to see then Chairman Jerry Rawlings but to no avail.
"I was made to kneel down in the crowd while my hands and feet were tied aboard the plane till we arrived at Takoradi." He said they were locked in the Airforce guardroom in Takoradi and were joined later by a soldier, who hinted him about plans to kill him for disarming a soldier.
Shaibu told the Commission that he moulded his blanket into a human form, placed it at a corner in the guardroom. He said at mid-night, a soldier pointed his gun into the dark guardroom and fired five shots at the blanket thinking it was him. Shaibu said they were transferred to the Gondar Barracks at the insistence of Chairman Rawlings but since he was then at a meeting, they were sent to the guardroom.
He said Sgt. Alorigah Akatapore, Cpl. Halidu Giwa and one Nutakor came into the guardroom and interrogated them. He said the spent a year in detention at the barracks during which they were made to fill sand bags and collect refuse from several parts of Accra.
Shaibu told the commission that Ango developed high fever and died four years after their release. Robert Dadson Adams, who was a storekeeper with the CFAO provisions section, said one morning in 1981, he went to his warehouse and had information that soldiers had surrounded his house on suspicion that he was hoarding provisions.
He said when the group did not find anything in his house they destroyed his louvers and a dressing mirror. Adams said they came to the store, collected some provisions and took away 48 bags of cement and 196 pieces of iron rods he was using for his building.
He said he kept the materials there since he had no place to keep them but the soldiers did not listen, although he had receipts covering the materials. Madam Faustina Sam, a nurse resident at Effiakuma, said in 1983, she was trading in maize and travelled to Sekyere Odumasi near Kumasi to buy her wares.
Madam Sam said she bought 24 bags of maize and two and half bags of cassava flour but soldiers at the Asawasi barrier took four bags, while others at the Bekwai roundabout barrier also took two bags maize and gave her 5,000 cedis for the two.
Another witness, Francis Abeka, said in 1966, he was a bodyguard of the late President Kwame Nkrumah stationed at the Flagstaff House in Accra. He said they were in Hanoi when they heard about the coup but none of the bodyguards were ready to return home and that they stayed with him till he died there.
Abeka said they returned to Accra with the body of the late President but
they were arrested and detained for three months at the Peduase Lodge. He said
his brother, who was a Policeman assisted him financially when they were
released, but his wife deserted him.
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Who heads Liberian interim govt?
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - Ten names have come up for short
listing to head the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) that
would prepare the country for multi-party elections, sources at the Liberian
Peace Talks in Accra told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday.
The list include; Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of the Unity Party; Martin Sheriff of National Reformation Party; George Toe Washington of Peoples' Democratic Party and Jyude Bryant of the Liberia Action Party. The others are Wesley Johnson of United Peoples' Party; Togba-nah Topoteh of Liberians People's Party and Harry Monibah of the Liberia National Union.
The rest who are standing as independent candidates are Marcus Jones, President of the National Bar Association of Liberia, Roosevelt Quiah and Bishop Marweh. In another development, General Boi Bleaju Boi, Military Spokesman for Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) has called on the international community to prevail on the Liberian Armed Forces to stop its attacks on the Movement's positions at Grand Bassa County.
"Reports I received on Wednesday morning indicate that MODEL positions at Buchanan have been attacked." He told the Journalists in Accra that former President Charles Taylor was away, but he still controlled the Liberian Army through the new President Moses Blah to perpetrate such attacks.
Mohammed Dukuly, a Representative of the Liberian Government at Accra Peace
Talks, however, dismissed the General Boi's claim, saying:" We are on the
defensive how do we attack them. "Anytime they want to launch an offensive
they accuse the government of attacking their positions."
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President Kufuor to attend GJA Awards Night
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - President John Kufuor would grace the 10th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards Dinner Night to be held at the Banquet Hall of the State House on Saturday August 23, 2003.
The top-liner of the programme would be the crowning of the Journalist of the Year and the honouring of 12 other outstanding Journalists from 2001 to 2002.
It would be the first time that a sitting President would be attending the prestigious ceremony, the flagship programme of the Association.
This year's Awards ceremony would have the Daughters of Glorious Jesus, Western Diamonds Band, Abrantie Amakye Dede and Buk Bak in attendance. Tickets are on sale at the Ghana International Press Centre and selected media houses.
Members are to pay ˘80,000 while non-members pay ˘150,000.
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Experts call for control of small arms
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - Civil society experts in West Africa have urged governments and the international community to address the surplus of small arms in the Sub-Region to prevent further weapons from arriving in contravention of UN embargoes and a regional moratorium on small arms transfers.
A statement by International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) in Accra on Wednesday said with the departure of former Liberia President Charles Taylor and the arrival of more peacekeepers, much-needed humanitarian assistance to Liberia would help address the immediate needs of a nation wrecked by 10 years of armed conflict.
However, the statement said, civil society leaders think these steps are no guarantees for a lasting peace in the Region, as the fighting continues even after Taylor's departure.
"Whatever happens now to build a new Liberia, attention must be re-focused on removing guns currently in circulation there," the statement quoted Conmany Wesseh, Director of the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA).
"This will help ensure that they are not recycled in on-going conflicts in Liberia and elsewhere. At the same time, all efforts must be made to stop more weapons from coming in to the Region. Certainly these measures must be part of any lasting peace agreement," he said.
The statement said despite a UN embargo and a West African moratorium, arms are still being shipped illegally to the Region. It said in Liberia and its neighbours, small arms are the weapons of criminal activities, intra- and inter-communal feuds, local wars, armed insurrections, armed rebel activities and terrorism.
"Small arms are used to violate human rights, to facilitate the practice of bad governance, to subvert constitutions, to carry out coup d'états and to create and maintain a general state of fear, insecurity and instability.
It said small arms are also used to forcibly recruit children into armed conflicts and provide coercive tools for the committing of violence against women, including rape and murder. The statement said the millions of small arms in the Region have arrived in contravention of a UN embargo and the ECOWAS Moratorium on the import, export, manufacture and sale of small arms and light weapons in West Africa.
It added that the same guns have circulated freely between neighbouring
countries, including Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Guinea, thus contributing to
the extensive destabilization and conflict there.
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Workers say no to govt's decision on deductions
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - The Greater Accra Regional Delegates' Conference of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) on Wednesday resolved to fight government's decision to deduct two and half per cent from workers Social Security and National Investment Trust (SSNIT) contributions to establish the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
They said considering the low level of salary in the country it would be disastrous if government were allowed to have its way through to go ahead with the deductions.
They, therefore, called on the government to find another means of fulfilling its promise of abolishing the Cash and Carry System when it was voted into power. "Besides, we do not understand the basis for which part of workers SSNIT contribution should be used to fund the NHIS, especially so, when our union members already enjoy free medical attention," they said.
The conference also resolved to support the National Secretariat and Volta River Authority workers concerning the labour dispute at the VRA and called on the government to publish the report of the committee to restore peace.
"We are not concerned about who appointed who to head VRA but all that we are saying is that the government should appoint somebody who has the interest of the country and the people under him at heart and can work amicably with the staff."
Mensah Nyarkoh, National Chairman of PSWU, said those days that workers were taken for granted to satisfy selfish political interest was gone and workers were now prepared to defend their rights at every circle, adding, "we will continue to fight till we win the fight".
He said government was shifting from public sector services to private sector services because it did not want to face its responsibilities. Nyarkoh cited water privatisation and the sale of the government's share in Ghana Commercial Bank as a ploy to shirk its responsibilities because there was no justification for the decision.
"What is it that we do not have in place - we have river and big pumps at Kpong to treat and pump the water, we have laid all the lines for distributions to our homes and offices ...what is it that the strategic foreign investor bringing down to manage our water sector".
He urged all workers to resist any attempt by the government to frustrate
their efforts and long toils.
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Amend GJA constitution on tenure of office - Member
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - Matthew Mac-Kwame, an Executive
Member of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has advocated an amendment of
the Association's constitution to limit the number of times one could stand as
President.
"The constitution as it is now is silent on how many times one could stand for the Presidency, but being the topmost position and one who bears the Association's vision, it would be fair that after a certain time one goes away for a new face with new vision to come to the scene," he said.
"If the two years' term is not enough, three years for two consecutive terms would be an ideal period for which people should be allowed to be in office." Mac-Kwame, who is seeking re-election as an executive member of the GJA was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday advocated a review of the entire constitution when the new executive come into office.
"Journalism is dynamic and those who belong to the profession should have a document guiding its principles to be re-looked at from time to time to catch up with time."
He said the position, which had been with the Association since its inception has become a great concern for many in the profession in recent times adding, "about 10 years ago at a congress in Koforidua a consensus was arrived at for its amendment but it was ignored."
On his campaign for re-election as an executive member of the Association, Mac-Kwame said there was the need for the association members to look out for those who have the experience and would be dedicated to work at all times.
He said the Association has reached a stage where people who must be elected
to run affairs should know the nuances of the work and be willing and able to
continue what have been achieved so far. Mac-Kawme said there was the need to
build capacity that would deepen consultation for the advancement of the height
that the media had reach in efforts at strengthening the country's democracy.
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Law School to train Career Magistrates
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - The Ghana Law School will in October this year begin a two-year programme for non-lawyers to be trained as Career Magistrates to occupy vacant positions in district courts. The programme, which would start with 30 graduates with a minimum of three years working experience will be sponsored by the government.
Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Judicial Secretary, who said this at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday however, indicated that successful candidates would be made to sign a bond for a period of five years after completion. He said, the programme, which was in accordance of the Court Amendment Act, required that district courts are set up in each district to bring justice closer to the people.
Owusu-Ansah stated that currently there were about 58 districts capitals which did not have magistrates to preside over cases and that the programme was being introduced to address that shortfall.
"At the moment 19 magistrates are now sitting with additional responsibilities and these are invariably causing huge backlog of cases", Owusu-Ansah added. He said the situation was becoming more alarming as qualified lawyers turned down appointment into the Judicial Service as well as the Attorney-General's Department.
"The problem is becoming more complex as most lawyers prefer to go into private practice," he said. Owusu-Ansah said there were not enough lawyers in the country and it was not in the nation's interest to deprive any part of the country of courts. He noted that that there were no reasons why any area of the country should be deprived of essential services of the courts, hence the need to introduce career magistrates.
He hinted that the Judicial Service was negotiation with the Attorney General's Department to allow the lower courts to sit on Saturdays. The Judicial Secretary mentioned that the Court of Appeal would start sitting twice daily to off-load the backlog cases.
Kwaku Ansah Asare, Director of the Ghana Law School, expressed concern about the number of lawyers who refused postings to the northern part of the country. He said currently the Attorney-General's Department needs about 1,000 lawyers but the existing personnel is inadequate.
In this regard, the Ghana Law School would send all graduates to the Attorney
General's Department for their national service, the Director said. He said the
Judicial Service would offer opportunities to Circuit Court Registrars to apply
for the programme, adding that this would soon be extended to Civil Servants as
well.
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President Kufuor invited to Japan
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - The Japanese government has invited President John Kufuor, Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to deliver the keynote address at the Third Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD III), which opens in Tokyo on 29 September.
The invitation was announced by Mrs Kazuko Asai, Japanese Ambassador in Ghana when she paid a courtesy call on President Kufuor at the Castle, Osu on Wednesday. She said with the tremendous efforts made by President Kufuor towards the restoration of peace and stability within the Sub-Region, especially in Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia it was appropriate he shared his sterling leadership qualities with other world leaders.
President Kufuor, who accepted the invitation commended Japan for her support to socio-economic development efforts in Africa. Last month, President Kufuor accepted a similar offer by the visiting UN Under-Secretary and Rector of the UN University, Prof Hans J.A. Van Ginkel who led a three-man delegation from the UN University Institute for Natural Resources In Africa (UNIRIA) based in Accra to address the same conference in Japan.
The Conference, held every five years since 1993, and attended by African
Heads of State and Government, affords the Japanese government the opportunity
to co-operate with their counterparts.
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Ivorian Minister delivers message to President Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2003 - President John Kufuor on Wednesday received a special message from the Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo at the Castle, Osu.
The Ivorian Foreign Minister, Mamadou Bamba, who delivered the message also
held closed door meeting with the President.
The contents of the message were not disclosed.
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