Release Wuaku Commission Report - CHRAJ
There is need for well-developed legal systems - AG
Let’s build nation on peace and harmony - Kufuor
Accra faces waste management difficulties - Minister
"I gave ¢25m to Agbodo" - Witness
Reconciliation Commission appeals for public support
Kumasi NDC protests regional secretary’s conduct
"I have no hatred towards Statesman" - Mills
Small-scale enterprises coming of age -Minister
Tarkwa Hospital designated baby-friendly
Health partners summit opens
Priestess threatens customs officers with death
Release Wuaku Commission Report - CHRAJ
Accra
The Commission also asked government to come
out with a White Paper as soon as possible to ensure that the perpetrators of
this heinous crime and all those who breached the law during the disturbances
are made to face the full rigours of the law.
It said government's swift action on the
matter would bring peace and security back to normal in the area, thus
returning the people in the area to greater economic activity and development
of the region in general.
Justice Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of
CHRAJ, said this at a press conference in
He noted that ethnic conflicts, chieftaincy
and land disputes remain significant problems, adding that this year saw a
disturbing increase in the number of conflicts leading to several outbreaks of
violence across the country.
Short said the commission was particularly
dismayed at the serious outbreak of violence in Yendi. "This crisis
resulted in needless loss of lives and the destruction of property, and the
declaration of a state of emergency in the Dagbon area of the Northern Region.
"The disturbances should serve as a
sober reminder that much remains to be done to find a lasting solution to the
conflict."
He also expressed the hope that the
Attorney-General and Minister of the Interior would bring the police and
military officers involved in the killing of five members of the neighbourhood
watchdog committee at Taifa in
Short stressed that conflict retards
development and progress, saying communities in conflict have no opportunity
for participatory governance, social and economic development, which is already
minimal for Ghanaians.
He urged the National House of Chiefs,
Ministry of the Interior, religious bodies and the people of Dagbon to work
earnestly towards peace and restore calm to the area. Short appealed to the
feuding factions in all communities across the country experiencing conflicts
to put their faith in dialogue and avoid violence as a lasting solution to
their problems.
Commenting on "The State of Human Rights
in
He mentioned the cessation of arrests,
harassment and detention in military barracks of civilians by military
personnel, the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law and the sustained efforts
towards the enactment of Freedom of Information Bill and Public Interest
Disclosure Bill as means of consolidating the nation's democracy.
On indiscipline, Short regretted that it has
permeated virtually all spheres of society and urged Ghanaians to work
assiduously to change the trend in order to maintain their human rights.
He said the campaign so far has been skewed
towards indiscipline on the roads, parking at unauthorized places, punctuality
at work, hawking at unauthorized places, environmental degradation such as
dumping of refuse and urinating in the streets.
"The Commission endorses wholeheartedly
the Vice-President's campaign against indiscipline....However, the Commission
is of the view that the campaign ... should embrace other forms of indiscipline
such as failure of state functionaries to be punctual at official
functions."
He noted that leadership by example is one of
the primary ways of ensuring success of the campaign. Short said he was not
happy that armed robbery has assumed high proportions this year, adding that it
poses serious threat to the personal safety of many Ghanaians.
He, however, applauded government's move to
combat the menace by improving the state of the police in the country. "It
would also boost their morale." Short said the Commission is also
concerned about the continuing gender inequalities in the society and urged
government and other bodies to support efforts to empower women to meet their
full potential.
He welcomed the national reconciliation
effort by the government and expressed the hope that it would be free of
political partisanship. "The media should also observe the guidelines
agreed for reportage, when sittings commence. The decision to focus on victims
rather than perpetrators should be accepted by all peace loving Ghanaians.
"It is hoped that the exercise will
achieve the objectives of obtaining accurate record of human rights abuses
committed during the periods stipulated and of healing the wounds of the past
to reconcile the nation."
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There is need for well-developed legal systems - AG
Addressing a day's conference on corporate
corruption and governance, the Minister said democratic governance and rule of
law were important factors that would bolster investor confidence in the
economy and create the appropriate platform for wealth and employment creation.
"The lack of such democratic credentials
will not be enticing to investors, they would not attract and move them in to
create the conditions for economic growth and job creation," he said.
The African Capital Markets Forum (ACMF)
organised the conference as part of its corporate governance initiative to
strengthen capital market institutions and to promote private enterprise in
Participants drawn from academia, civil
society organizations and business entities were attending the conference on
the theme: "Combating Corporate Corruption with Effective Corporate
Governance: The Role of Business."
Nana Akufo-Addo said government would
continue to deepen democratic governance that would make the country the core
of rule of law to enable her partake in the competitive global economy.
It is in this connection that the government
was undertaking the necessary legal and institutional reforms to ensure that
the appropriate regulatory environment was created to enforce the high
standards that were required to make the business sector lead the way.
"We are working to remove obsolete laws
on the statutes books, modernizing laws on intellectual property as well as
removing other bottlenecks to reduce the level of corruption," he said,
adding that the high incidence of confidence needed was only attainable in line
with accountability.
Institutions such as the Commission on Human
Rights and Administrative Justice, the Registrar General's Department and other
bodies would be adequately supported to play their roles effectively.
According to the Minister, good corporate
governance was a prerequisite for economic growth, saying the country would be
unable to create wealth in the face of huge fraud. "The rule of law is the
only supreme way to measure the effectiveness of the policies we pursue,"
and added that more Fast Track Courts and commercial courts would be
established to ensure speedy delivery of justice.
Francis Tweneboa, Managing Director of the
Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) said the sure ways to fight corporate corruption is
not to avoid bureaucratic tendencies in organizations but also adopt rating of
companies and business entities to indicate their level of corruption.
Dr Sam Mensah, Executive Secretary of African
Capital Market Forum (ACMF) said corporate governance should be able to adapt
to new environment. Mumba Kapumpa, Chairman, ACMF said improvement in corporate
governance practices was one of the essential elements in strengthening the
foundation for long-term economic performance of countries and corporations.
He said good corporate governance would help
businesses tap capital from international capital markets to improve their
market's profile and make
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Let’s build nation on peace and harmony - Kufuor
Bawku (Upper East) 11 December 2002-
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday urged Ghanaians to use the prevailing
peace and harmony in the country to build the nation into the future. "We
should endeavour to seek our rights through the due process of the law",
he added.
President Kufuor made the call when paying
tribute at the 40th day anniversary celebrations and final funeral rites of
Imoru Salifu, a teacher and Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) held at Bawku in the Upper East Region. The late Salifu, 72, who
died on 17 October this year after a short illness, has already been buried.
President Kufuor said it was remarkable that
the death of Salifu had brought together disparity of forces from all parts of
the country to Bawku to mourn him. "We should all leave here affected by
the spirit of harmony, right for tolerance, respect for one another and make a
country in which the law rules", he added.
President Kufuor described the late Salifu as
someone who fought for justice, respect of rights and did not deny anyone the
right to speak his orher mind.
Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister called
on Ghanaians to ensure the country moved on the path of right, justice, peace
and unity. Mensah said the late Salifu would forever be remembered for the
establishment of the Cattle market at Mallongo and Kushia in the Upper East
Region, which made a positive impact on the cattle trade in the region.
He said the government delegation was in
Bawku to honour Salifu and also to signify the role he played in the affairs of
the Danquah-Busia tradition in the country. Mr. Mensah said the late Salifu was
determined to ensure liberal democracy prevailed in the country, adding,
"the work yet to be done is to build a country worthy of its
destiny".
Alhaji Sulemana Yirimao, a family spokesman
said the late Salifu left a legacy worthy of emulation by the people,
especially the youth to move the area and the country forward. Four wreaths
were laid on the tomb of the late Salifu.
President Kufuor laid the first wreath on
behalf of the government and people of Ghana. Harona Esseku, National Chairman
of the NPP laid the second wreath on behalf of the party; C.K. Tedam, a Member
of the Council of State laid the third on behalf of the elders of the party
while Alhaji Yirimao laid the fourth on behalf of the family.
President Kufuor donated ¢5m to the bereaved
family, the NPP donated ¢10m while the Elders Council of NPP donated about ¢1m.
Other members of the government delegation to the funeral, were Yaw Osafo
Maafo, Minister of Finance, and his deputy, Dr Gyesheka Adombire Agambila,
Hajia Alima Mahama, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
The rest were Colonel George Minyila (Rtd)
Ghana's Ambassador to Burkina Faso and H.E. Mustapha Roland Alhassan, Ghana's
Ambassador to Germany. A delegation from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
led by Enoch Teye Mensah, MP for Ningo-Prampam also attended the final funeral
rites.
The late Salifu entered into politics in the
early 1950's and was the Propaganda Secretary of the Northern People's Party
(NPP) as well as the United Party (UP) and the Upper Regional Chief Executive
during the Second Republic. He left behind four wives and 17 children.
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Accra faces waste management difficulties - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 December 2002-The
Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), the Industrial Research
Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Accra
Metropolitan Assembly have teamed up to examine proposals to possibly develop
an energy generating system from modern waste treatment and recycling plants.
Sheikh Ibrahim Codjoe Quaye, Greater Accra
Regional Minister said on Tuesday it was envisaged that the system would also
help manage waste efficiently. He announced further that proposal from several
local and foreign investors on waste recycling were being examined to make firm
recommendations to them.
Sheikh Quaye was speaking in Accra at a media
encounter dubbed: "Meet the Press", initiated by the Ministry of
Information and Presidential Affairs. A mini-fair to showcase products from the
region was also put up aside the press encounter.
Minister said finding a landfill site for
solid waste disposal in Accra was one of the biggest challenges of the
government when it assumed office in January 2001. This, he said, was because
the Mallam site for solid waste disposal had to be closed down.
He said the Oblogo Landfill Site, which was
commissioned in early this year would serve the city of Accra at least for the
next one-and -half years. Prior to the acquisition of the Oblogo Site, a
temporary landfill site at Gbawe Jaman, which was acquired through the efforts
of the RCC had to be decommissioned after four months of use.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister announced
that a more permanent landfill site was to be constructed at Kwabenya and
indicated that if there were no impediments, the project was be completed by
the end of next year.
He said the RCC, in collaboration with the
Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) had re-organised the membership of the AMA
Task Force and as a result improved sanitation around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle
and its environs and other ceremonial roads.
He called for an increase in the number of
the Task Force personnel to reach the Co-ordinating Council's focus on
sanitation management and to keep the cities clean. Sheikh Quaye announced that
funds had been made available for a joint project between RCC Ghana Tourist
Board to develop historical sites and monuments into first class tourist sites
next year and mentioned specifically the National Theatre, the Accra
International Conference Centre (AICC) as some of the projects.
He said a re-development of the historical
James Town, with its forts and castles was underway and prisoners in the Ussher
Fort Prison had been relocated to give way for its development as a first class
tourist site.
He deplored the numerous chieftaincy and land
disputes in the region, and said they were the greatest "headache in the
region apart from armed robbery and crime." "From Langma to Tema,
Ada, Dodowa and Amasaman, there appears to be no single town or clan without a
chieftaincy or land dispute."
The Regional Minister said the flashpoints,
which kept the security agencies unnecessarily busy were Weija, Oblogo,
Bortianor, Aplaku, Oshieye, Domeabra, Manhean and Oduman.
The rest were Ablekuma, Danchira, Osu, La,
Teshie, Nungua, Tema, Papase, Achiaman, Pokuase and "recently Prampram,
Shai and to some extent Ada." Sheikh Quaye identified disrespect for stool
elders and non-availability of lists of accredited kingmakers and their
functions, and documents on established procedures for election of traditional
leaders, among the causes of the disputes.
He said aside, the loss of lives and
property, the disputes creates a state of insecurity and make it difficult for
people to go about their normal day-to-day activities. Also they result in the
diversion of resources to resolve conflicts to the detriment of development
projects.
He spoke of the establishment of the
Permanent Conflict Resolution and Management Committee and asked the
traditional rulers and other stakeholders to lend their support to Government's
efforts at promoting peace in the region.
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"I gave ¢25m to Agbodo" - Witness
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 December 2002 - The
star witness in the Ghana Rubber Estates
Limited (GREL) divestiture case on Tuesday
told an Accra Fast Track Court that he gave ¢25m to Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, one
of the four accused persons.
Dr Albert Owusu-Barnafo, who was testifying
under cross-examination, said as former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture
Implementation Committee (DIC) Agbodo was to use the money to influence board
members of the committee to enable Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH)
to win the bid for GREL.
Agbodo, Hanny Sherry Ayittey, treasurer of
the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), Ralph Casely-Hayford, a
businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, a housewife are being tried on various
charges of bribery and corruption in connection with the privatisation of GREL.
The four allegedly influenced GREL's
divestiture in favour of that French company, SIPH. They have all pleaded not
guilty and the court has granted each of them a self-recognisance bail.
In answer to a question by J.E. Senoo,
counsel for Agbodo, as to why the amount he mentioned in his statement to the
police conflicted with that to the court, Dr Owusu-Barnafo explained that his
statement to the police in May 2001 was "based on recalling things from
memory about incidents that took place several years before the statement was
made.
He said the figure given in evidence in court
under oath was after he had had the chance to refresh his memory from the
records. Asked by counsel whether SIPH participated in other divestitures apart
from that of GREL, witness replied in the negative and said subsequent to
GREL's privatisation, SIPH did not take part in any divestiture.
Witness, however, stated that to the best of
his knowledge, there were other agro-industrial sector divestitures, but could
not tell the court whether SIPH participated in them.
When it got to the turn of Rodney
Heward-Mills, counsel for Casely-Hayford, he wanted to know how witness gave
statements to the police in connection with the case. Dr Owusu-Barnafo replied
that after GREL's board meeting in Takoradi around 17 or 18 April of last year,
he was invited by the police.
Witness said after spending the night at the
Takoradi police station, two policemen joined him the following morning in his
car and they first drove to Cantonments Police Station and then to the Police
Headquarters.
Witness told the court that after giving
statements to the police, and presenting to them certain documents, he was
granted bail. Dr Owusu-Barnafo disagreed with a suggestion by counsel that
after giving statements to the police, they charged him with stealing in
connection with GREL's divestiture case. The case has been adjourned to
Thursday 12 December.
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Reconciliation Commission appeals for public support
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 December 2002 -
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Erskine, a member of the National Reconciliation
Commission (NRC), on Tuesday appealed to all Ghanaians to assist the Commission
to reconcile the nation and bring about peace and unity among its people.
He said previous bitter political experiences
have polarised the nation and the people were so much politicised that they
were loosing objectivity in the discussions of every important national issue.
General Erskine made the appeal when he
addressed officers and men of the Uaddara Barracks in Kumasi, at a seminar
organised by the Commission for the soldiers. The seminar that was under the
theme: "National Reconciliation, Understanding and Process", aimed at
sensitising and creating awareness among the soldiers and the civilian
population in the barracks on the work, objectives and activities of the Commission.
Gen. Erskine said some people had suffered
various forms of human rights violation and abuses and there was the need for
the nation to hear the stories of these victims, reconcile them with the
perpetrators and bring about peace and unity in the country.
He said to achieve its objectives, the
commission was keeping accurate and complete historical records of all
violations and abuses, adding that, "There is the need to find out the
truth in order to achieve our objectives".
Gen Erskine explained that even though the
Commission was mandated to hear complaints in public, it would use its own
judgment to determine whether a complaint should be heard in public or in
camera.
This, he explained, was to reduce tension and
over sensationalism, especially from the media. He appealed to the soldiers who
had grievances to petition the Commission for redress.
Maulvi Wahab Adam, a member of the
Commission, said it would require the understanding, goodwill and support of
all Ghanaians to achieve the noble objectives of genuine reconciliation for the
nation.
He said the success of the exercise was
important for the unity, cohesion, development and progress of the country.
Brigadier George Ayiku, General Officer Commanding the Northern Command of the
Ghana Armed Forces, said a divided society could not develop and hoped the work
of the Commission would help bring about unity.
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Kumasi NDC protests regional secretary’s conduct
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 December 2002 -
The Coordinating Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the
Kumasi Metropolis has protested against the conduct of the Regional Party
Secretary, Sly Akakpovie, saying his behaviour ''is seeking to mar the hard
earned reputation of the NDC in the Ashanti Region.''
A statement issued in Kumasi accused the
secretary of not only sowing the seeds of discord among the membership but also
threatening to destroy the NDC in the region. Alex Sawyer Attivor, John Wemegah
and Ben Badu, chairmen for the Asokwa West, Subin and Bantama constituencies of
the party respectively signed the statement.
"The Regional Secretary's recent
outburst in the 4 December edition of the Daily Guide against the former
President Jerry John Rawlings was the climax of an orchestrated effort to
extremely polarise the party for some selfish interest."
It said: "whoever's interest Mr
Akakpovie is serving, we want to remind him that ex-President Rawlings is the
founder of the party and will continue to enjoy the goodwill from us."
The statement said it was interesting to note
that in spite of the importance the former President attached to the choice of
a presidential candidate he had not made any comment about the exercise,
"leaving it to the delegates to decide who the right choice should
be".
The release also dismissed speculations that
Professor John Atta Mills camp was engaged in dishing out huge sums of monies
to delegates, describing it as untrue and unfounded.
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"I have no hatred towards Statesman" - Mills
Agona Swedru (Central Region) 11 December
2002- Professor Evans Atta Mills, former
Vice-President and a contestant as National
Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate on Tuesday said he has no
hatred towards the Statesman, an Accra newspaper for cartooning and calling him
a poodle.
"What the paper published has even strengthened
my relationship with the media because, in democracy we must learn to be
tolerant with opposing views." Professor Mills was interacting with Senior
Journalists who are attending a two-day workshop and were brainstorming on the
theme: Ten (10) years of constitutional rule, challenges facing the Ghanaian
Media."
The journalists got in touch with the
aspiring candidate, who was in his campaign trail and had incidentally pitched
camp at the Greenland Hotel, where the workshop was being held. Professor Mills
was away from the country when the Statesman published the “Mills is a poodle”
story, which received condemnation from the NDC, the Ethics Committee of the
Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC).
Prof Mills said he was grateful to the GJA
and the NMC for the role they played in protesting to the paper. He said,
"their role depicted the strengthening of constitutional institutions in
place charged with the championing of democracy.
"You see, I alone cannot build
democracy, everybody has to defend our democracy. The NMC and the GJA did that
and are doing more. "We must agree that we are all learning. During that
process we would make mistakes but we must be ready to accept them and make
amends and move forward."
He said the poodle story "is one of the
occupational hazards that I have to accept as a politician. I am for peace. We
all want it." "As a politician you must accommodate and tolerate the
hazards. It is tolerance that makes democracy work."
Pressed for his stand on the criticism of the
abortive 1 billion dollar IFC loan, Prof. Mills said, "My concern is the
payment of the sovereign guarantee. It is on the payment of the guarantee that
would make the loan to be processed." He said, "if the guarantee was
not paid why was the government so sure that the loan was coming and committed
Parliament to approve of it."
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Small-scale enterprises coming of age -Minister
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 December 2002- Dr.
Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, has stated that the coming
together of weavers and leather workers to form an association was a
demonstration of the fact that micro and small-scale entrepreneurs were
developing.
This, he said, showed that they were coming
to grips with the stark realities of global and liberalised economic
environment where groups stood a better chance to survive than individuals.
These were contained in an address read on
his behalf at the inauguration and delegate's conference of the Ghana
Association of Weavers and Leather Workers (GAWAL) in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The five-day conference of the Association,
which is affiliated to the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) of the
Trades Union Congress (TUC), is being attended by delegates from the Northern,
Upper East, Upper West and Volta regions.
The participants would be taken through
accounting, management of small-scale businesses and improvement on the quality
of their work to meet international standards. Dr. Apraku reiterated that the
private sector was at the centre of the government's socio-economic
development, and that the micro and small-scale enterprises constituted the
bulk of the country's private sector.
He said in this regard, they had a lot of
contributions to make to the process through employment creation, wealth
generation, poverty reduction, rural industrialisation and social stability,
among others.
The government through its Golden Age of
Business programme would continue to create the enabling environment for the
private sector to thrive and particularly for the micro and small enterprises
to contribute their quota to economic development and growth, he reaffirmed.
He said in this connection, prudent
macro-economic policies would continue to be pursued, inflation would be
brought to manageable levels and with it interest rates, improved access to
investment capital, markets and information and communication technologies. The
Association was formed about four years ago as part of the ICU's effort at
mobilising the informal sector to raise its membership.
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Tarkwa Hospital designated baby-friendly
Tarkwa (Western Region) 11 December 2002 -
The Tarkwa Government Hospital has been designated Baby-Friendly Hospital,
bringing to 10 the number of institutions designated as such in the Western
Region.
There are 53 baby-friendly hospitals in Ghana
and 14,500 worldwide. Dr Sylvester Anemana, Western Regional Director of Health
Services, said the baby-friendly hospital initiative took off globally in 1991
with the aim of alleviating illness and death among infants due to poor feeding
practices.
He said the Ghana Health Service embraced the
initiative because of the high prevalence of poor breastfeeding practices in
the country, adding that, the main objective was to transform hospitals and
maternity homes into baby-friendly institutions.
Dr Anemana said ten steps to ensure
successful breastfeeding included intensive education for mothers attending
antenatal and child welfare clinics and the abolition of baby nurseries to keep
infants with their mothers.
Achieving this goal required attitudinal
change of both staff and expectant mothers. "These require dedication and
dint of hard work by both health staff and mothers," he said.
Dr Emmanuel Kofi Amponsah, Senior Medical
Officer in charge of the hospital said exclusive breastfeeding had a lot of
advantages, if properly managed. He said breastfeeding the child prevents
infection, iron deficiency, anaemia and obesity in later life, among others.
Dr Amponsah said advantages to the mother
include, prevention of ovulation, facilitation of involution and reduction in
incidence of cancer. Cumulatively, breastfeeding would decrease population
growth, child mortality, is economical and had a lot of ecological benefits to
the country, he said. Nana Kojo Toku, Chief of Awudua, near Tarkwa, asked men
to insist that their babies are breastfed exclusively for six months.
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Health partners summit opens
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 December 2002 - Dr
Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, on Tuesday urged health partners to assist
the ministry establish community health training schools in all the regions to
provide the needed manpower for the development of the sector.
"This capital intensive strategy will in
some way solve the issue of brain drain in the country," he said. The
Minister, opening this year's four-day annual health partners summit in Accra,
said the ministry needed to retain and find ways of deploying large numbers
health professionals to the deprived areas.
Dr Afriyie noted that the current doctor to
patient ratio was 1:22,000 whilst one nurse handled nearly 3,000 patients.
"These numbers become more disturbing in the deprived regions where the
ratio sometimes doubles."
He said the ministry would next year make
definite advances on motivation to retain the few professionals left in the
country and train more. The Minister said the incentive packages would include
salary increment, provision of vehicles and housing loans, support for the
child education and ensuring of a system of bonding that would involve the
district assemblies to give them the opportunity to negotiate and agree on
terms with health staff deployed to the deprived areas.
Dr Afriyie said the establishment of
community-based Health Planning and Services Compounds were being pursued to
increase access to primary health care in deprived areas.
He called on government to support the
establishment of multiple schemes including Mutual Health organisations, social
and private health insurance schemes. The Minister noted that proposals for
effective targeting and implementation of the exemptions for the disadvantaged
in society have been forwarded to cabinet for approval. This is to provide
relief and increase access to health care to the poor.
He said the ministry has identified the
Central, Northern, Upper East and Upper West as deprived regions by health
standards and should therefore be given special concessions under the Ghana
Poverty reduction Strategy HIPIC funds.
Jan van der Horst, a Representative of the
Partners, commended the ministry for the progress made over the years and urged
the ministry to urgently work on human resource development where
"affirmative action could no longer wait".
He said the institutional and organisational
changes at the ministry required special care, which, if not done, would have
negative consequences beyond the sector. The partners called for addressing of
issues of responsibilities, reinforcement of communication lines and creation
of enabling environment for development partners.
Samuel Owusu-Agyei, Acting Chief Director of
the ministry, said partners would discuss issues relating to the poverty
reduction strategy, common management arrangements, human resource strategy,
2003 programme of work and financial resources for the health sector.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Economic
Planning and Regional Integration, who presided, urged health partners to have
room for monitoring and evaluation of their programmes. This, he said, would
enable them to assess themselves and plan better in the subsequent years.
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Priestess threatens customs officers with death
Aflao (Volta Region) 11 December 2002 -
Personnel at the Aflao Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) are gripped
with fear for the past three weeks following a curse pronounced on seven
officers by a fetish priestess when they seized smuggled goods in a house near
a shrine at Nogokpo.
The fetish priestess was said to have gone
into frenzy, recited some incantations, sprinkled some liquid on the CEPS
personnel and said they would all die within one week for breaking a taboo
barring people from entering her compound in footwear.
Even though the seven days had passed and the
personnel are alive the CEPS command had petitioned headquarters to intervene
to address the issue. In all 346 pieces of imitation wax prints were retrieved
from five rooms.
A source close to the Task Force told the
Ghana News Agency that they had a hint that some smuggled goods were being kept
in a house near the Kadza shrine at Nogokpo, about 18 kilometres from Aflao.
At midnight on November 5, seven CEPS
personnel arrived at the Nogokpo and entered the house. When the occupants
refused to open the doors the officers forced them open and retrieved the
items.
''An old woman in the first room, the
priestess, then pronounced the curse.'' When contacted Kow Amissah-Koomson,
Assistant Commissioner of CEPS, confirmed the story and said it showed the
dangers and threats CEPS personnel were exposed to daily in their efforts to
check smuggling. "It is clear that smugglers are resorting to shrines for
protection against arrest as those areas remain no go places," he said.
GRi…/
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