We cannot be blamed – Utility watchdog
Police
fail to provide adequate security for by-election
Traditional
rulers asked to intervene in Bawku conflict
Remembrance
ceremony for September 11 victims
Parliamentarians
learn more on Ghana's Social situation
Bawku (Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - The government is to set up a high-powered commission to investigate the protracted Bawku ethnic conflict in a bid to finding a lasting solution to it, the Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor announced when he led a government delegation to Bawku on Tuesday to assess the extent of damage.
The trip was also to prevail on the people to use dialogue, rather than arms, to resolve their differences. The delegation met the Bawku Naba, Abugrago Azoka II and his people and the Mamprusi Opinion Leaders separately.
Other members of the delegation included the Minister of the Interior, Alhaji Malik Alhassan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Minister of Tourism, Ms Hawa Yakubu and the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Ms Theresa Tagoe.
The rest were the Army Commander, Lt. General Yachie and Inspector General of Police, Mr Ernest Osei-Poku. Dr Addo-Kufuor said until an appropriate political solution was found the military would continue to be in Bawku for as long as it was necessary.
He said some people had always assumed that a democratic government was not strong enough to restore law and order and warned that ''anybody who makes the assumption would be making a dangerous mistake".
"If anybody takes the law into his own hands to undermine the security of the country, we would go at all length to get the person to ensure that peace-loving people live in peace. "The Government of Ghana is strong enough to defend all the people of Ghana."
Dr Addo-Kufuor said the conflict in Bawku was not a local one, as it was being perceived, because it tarnished the image of Ghana and scared investors away.
He, therefore, appealed to the chiefs and opinion leaders in Bawku to work closely with their people to ensure that peace returned to Bawku.
The Defence Minister also appealed to those still in possession of arms and ammunition to give them up in order to restore permanent peace in the area.
Alhaji Alhasssan said a few people responded to the government's moratorium to surrender their weapons, stressing that the government would ensure that all illegal weapons were retrieved.
He presented 200 bags of rice, 300 buckets, 25 cartons of cooking oil, 50 packets of roofing sheets, 500 mattresses and 500 blankets to the security personnel deployed at Bawku.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the biggest problem facing the government was how to find jobs for the youth irrespective of ethnic origin and it was, therefore, regrettable that the youth were using their energies to kill one another.
He urged the chiefs and elders to counsel the youth that, "life is better than death" and "all should make sure that all our lives go forward".
Naba Azoka appealed to the government to prevail on the Bawku Mamprusis to recognise him as the legitimate chief of Bawku.
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Bawku (Upper East) 12 December 2001 - The Head of Defence Intelligence, Major Samuel Yengbe has said that the military solution to the Bawku conflict was temporary and that only political will would bring about permanent peace in the area.
Briefing a government delegation, led by the Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor at Bawku on Tuesday, Major Yengbe said it would not be in the interest of the country to withdraw the soldiers from Bawku now since the peace was fragile.
He also appealed to the government to appoint a substantive District Chief Executive (DCE) in an effort to resolve the impasse. The absence of a DCE had created a political vacuum at Bawku and the district assembly and its structures could not function effectively.
Major Yengbe said the number of weapons in Bawku was very alarming and that almost every household had an AK 47 rifle. Hr said these weapons were normally not kept in their homes and that the people were tight-lipped on providing information on where the arms were kept.
The military task force commander at Bawku, Captain Michael Opoku said the security agencies had seized locally made pistols, a shotgun, empty boxes of A.K. 47 ammunition and machetes.
Three suspects had been arrested for possessing a locally made gun and were assisting in investigations. Captain Opoku warned that the security personnel would pursue anyone, who undermined the security, 'to the extent that he or she would not have a place to hide.
The Bawku East District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Ibrahim Alhassan commended the security agencies for the rapid response to restore law and order.
He said education and health works, who left in the wake of the conflict have since not returned. Schools at Garu, Pusiga and Bawku, which were also closed down had not yet re-opened, in spite of the directive that all workers in the district must return to work.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 December 2001 - The Youth and Women's wings of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ashanti had held delegates' conferences to elect new constituency and regional officers as part of preparations towards the party's National Congress.
Mr Yaw Owusu Obimpeh, the Regional Youth Organiser, was re-elected unopposed in an election supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC).
The position of the First Deputy Regional Youth Organiser went to Alhaji Alhassan Napo, who polled 39 votes to beat his main challenger, Mr Kwadwo Kankam, who had 18 votes. Mr Asiedu Keteke was return unopposed as Second Deputy Regional Youth Organiser.
Miss Agatha Abrafi polled 45 votes to beat Miss Evelyn Edith Amamoo, who had 14 votes, to become the new Regional Women's Organiser.
The First Deputy Regional Women's Organiser went to Hajia Hajira Sadik, who secured 26 votes as against 18 votes polled by Miss Afua Frema and Miss Joyce Asante's 16 votes. Miss Ama Sarpomaa was elected unopposed as Second Deputy Regional Women Organiser.
Addressing them later, Mr Emmanuel Nti-Fordjour, Deputy Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, called on all members and sympathisers to work together to ensure the unity and cohesion of the party.
He advised those vying for positions at the regional and national levels to ensure that they engaged in healthy campaign devoid of mudslinging and vicious attacks.
Mr Nti-Fordjour noted, "saying bad things about one another with the view to discrediting those we see as potential threat to positions we have our eyes on, would not only tear us apart, but have negative effect on the image of our party".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) said on Wednesday that it could not be blamed for the inefficiencies of the utility companies since its role was only regulatory and not operational.
It said even though it appreciated the difficulties in which the companies operated, it would go by the Transitional Plan (TP) aimed at ensuring that tariffs moved from their current levels to full cost recovery levels, accompanied by commensurate improvements in the quality of service.
Nana Dr S.K.B Asante, Chairman of the PURC, restated the commission's position at a public forum in Accra to outline its role. "The regulator sets the broad parameters or framework for operations of the utilities, but is not legally competent to hire and fire or discipline executives of utility companies or supervise their operations."
Nana Asante said the most PURC could do was to deny an application for increased tariff by an incompetent company, or impose sanctions against a service provider pursuant to a successful complaint.
"In other words, PURC does not run the utilities. It regulates utility services; and regulation is not operation," he added.
Nana Asante said as the sole shareholder of the utility companies, the government might have to intervene from time to time to inject capital into them for purposes of investment. This was because some of the deficiencies in utility services were traceable to poor equipment that needed urgent replacement.
He asked the utilities to work seriously at ensuring high quality service to make people have value for their money and accept their calls for higher tariffs.
Nana Asante said TP would be done over two years, ending in 2003, adding that discussions so far indicated that even if the targets were met, "there will still be a financing gap that must be filled either by the government or some other body."
The PURC welcomed private sector participation in the utility services saying it would stimulate competition and ensure efficiency.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - The Greater Accra Regional Directorate of
the Electoral Commission (EC) on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the Police
Service for failing to provide adequate security for the local government
by-elections in the region.
The EC
noted that most of the police personnel detailed for the exercise failed to
report while others were late.
A GNA story
reports the Acting Regional Director, Ms Laurentia Kpatakpa as saying that out
of the 17 officers detailed for the Kpeshie District only four had reported by
1330 hours.
She said
this poor response by the police reflected throughout the other districts except
Osu Clottey where all the 10 men detailed reported and she commended the
officers for their loyalty and commitment to duty.
Meanwhile
turnout at elections was very low, compared to the December 2000 elections.
The Chief's
Palace Electoral Area at Osu Clottey recorded the highest number of voters, 150
out of 850 registered voters as at 1300 hours, while Kojo Sardine Trotro area
recorded the lowest of 29 voters out of 882 as at 1330 hours.
There were
vacancies in eight electoral areas in six districts with 18 candidates. Other
areas visited included Adiembra Primary Schools and Roman Catholic JSS in the
Kpeshie district, and St Barnabas Anglican Primary and Chief's Palace electoral
areas in Osu Clottey district.
The polling
staffs told the GNA that most of the electorate claimed ignorance of the
exercise and blamed the EC for ineffective publicity.
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Tamale
(Northern Region) 12 December 2001 - The Bawku Students' Union of the
University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, has appealed to traditional
rulers to bring their rich experience in conflict resolution to bear on the
people of Bawku to maintain peace.
The Union
called on Ghanaians "to consider the crisis in Bawku as a national problem
and not for the people in the north alone, because the crisis could escalate to
any part of the country.
A statement
signed by President of the Union, Mr Adamu Seidu Abariche, said "we
appreciate the role of the late Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, in helping
to resolve the conflict in the Northern Region. "We would, therefore,
appeal to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to play a similar role in resolving the Bawku
crisis".
The
statement expressed the hope that steps taken by the government would ensure
lasting peace in the area. The Union suggested the establishment of a permanent
detachment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) at Bawku to deal promptly with any
such situation in future.
The
students also appealed to both sides involved in the conflict to exercise
restraint and bury their political and ethnic differences and co-exist to
ensure development.
"It is
unfortunate that people who have lived together, inter-married, do business
together, worship in the same mosques and churches can in the least
provocation, resort to taking arms against each other," the statement
added.
The Union appealed
to factions in the conflict to adhere to peace initiatives of the Damongo
Accord, the Local Council of Religious Bodies, and the West African Network for
Peace (WANEP).
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - Ghana on Tuesday joined the United States to
commemorate the September 11 terrorists attacks in New York and Washington with
a solemn remembrance ceremony.
The Vice
President Aliu Mahama and some other dignitaries attended. Similar remembrance
ceremonies were held around the world to ensure that "the world never
forgets" the suicide attacks which claimed the lives of more than 4,000
people of 80 nationalities.
"Mullah
Omar's spokesman told us on November 20 to forget the September 11 attacks,
revealing a stunning lack of humanity and flawed appreciation of value accorded
to human life and to our way of life by democratic people everywhere" said
US Ambassador Nancy Powell. "We cannot and will not forget those who died
in the attacks on September 11 and those who died trying to rescue them."
Mrs Powell
praised the passengers of Flight 93, who prevented their plane from being flown
to attack Washington and consequently, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
She urged
nationals around the world to be inspired by the passengers' bravery and to
continue with and finish the fight against terrorism. "The global
coalition has opened a battle of many fronts-military, political, economic- to
stamp out the scourge of terrorism and it is making progress," she said.
Mrs Powell
thanked Ghanaians for their messages of condolences and efforts and their
participation in the global action against terrorism.
Mr Jake
Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Information, reiterated
Ghana's commitment to continuously support the global action against terrorism.
He
expressed regret at the September 11 attacks, which claimed the lives of some
Ghanaians, saying, the incident revealed that terrorism was no respecter of
borders.
"The
brutal and savage crime murdered thousands of lives in cold blood and we share
the grief of the victims around the world," he said.
"It
happened in Kenya and Tanzania and it can happen in Ghana. We are determined to
work together with the world to prevent such terror."
A moving
Ghanaian cultural performance, portraying disaster, death and sorrow by the Ghana
Dance Company, followed by a minute of silence and the anthems of the Ghana and
the US preceded the speeches.
Ministers
of State, members of the diplomatic corps were among those, who attended the
ceremony scheduled to coincide with the exact time (1346 GMT) the first
hijacked commercial liner crashed into the World Trade Centre.
The U.S.
President George Bush, on December 5, urged nations around the world to play
their national anthems or appropriate music at the time to send a "clear
signal to the terrorists," that the United States, its allies and friends
won't forget what took place on September 11.
On
September 11 terrorists hijacked four commercial planes and slammed two of them
into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and another Pentagon
in Washington. A fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 12 December 2001 - Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice Chancellor
of the University of Ghana, Legon, on Tuesday called on those mandated to
address crucial social issues facing the country not to allow emotions and
political considerations becloud their judegment.
He said
crucial social issues that aroused considerable emotions and passions including
education, health, the economy and their impact on poverty and wealth creation,
destitution, ageing, children and gender, required dispassionate and sober
reflection and assessment.
Speaking at
a day's workshop for parliamentarians in Accra, Prof. Addae-Mensah said in a
bid to retain their seats, parliamentarians tended to allow the political
future to dominate their thoughts in arriving at a decision rather than the
common good of society.
The
workshop, organised by the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) in
collaboration with UNICEF and Action Aid, was intended to examine and analyse
crucial social issues facing the country and make appropriate recommendations
in parliament towards their resolution.
The CSPS
connects academia to policy makers and planners both at the governmental and
non-governmental levels on the complexities of the social problems facing the
country, with the view of infusing them into policy making.
Professor
Addae-Mensah said since the establishment of the CSPS in the University of
Ghana, it had been a vehicle for carrying out the mandate for teaching research
and extension, yet several requests for government funding had not been heeded.
He said
such an important academic and extension institution had existed on external
donor funding yet scarce public funds had in recent times been channelled
through other areas that did not benefit society.
The Vice
Chancellor said as parliamentarians, information on social issues was extremely
important as this did not only help in the performance of their primary parliamentary
duties but in their duty to serve the interests and improving the quality of
life of their constituents.
He said
many of the country's developmental efforts had been stymied because vital
information for decision-making was unavailable and even if available, policy
makers had either been ignorant or had simply not bothered to draw the right
conclusions from such available information.
Prof.
Addae-Mensah expressed the hope that at the end of the workshop, the
parliamentarians would gain a greater insight to the complexities of the social
problems that would help them make relevant contributions to raise the standard
of living of their constituents.
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Effasu
(Western Region) 12 December 2001 - Ghana would soon pay 10 million dollars to
collect a barge ordered by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for
the Effasu Gas Project, near Half Assini.
The amount
is made up of demurrage and port maintenance charges on the barge, which has
been lying idle at a port in Italy, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy
announced when he paid a day's working visit to the Western Power Gas Project
at Effasu-Mangyea, near Half Assini.
He said the
barge was meant to convey gas from the Tano Oil Fields to generate electricity
adding that since the fields were about 18 kilometres offshore they should have
been developed before the construction of the Effasu plant.
The Energy
Minister observed that though all other facilities were ready at the site, the
absence of gas had prevented the plant from operating whilst the government
also incurred cost for the uncollected barge.
He said the
Western Gas Power Project could not benefit from the West African Gas Pipeline
Project (WAGPP) because it was not included in the original package. "The
WAGPP was meant to feed the Aboadze Thermal Power Plant and reduce its use of
light crude oil", he said.
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