UGM urges Defence Minister to keep military out of civil affairs

Salia urges transport unions to educate members on road regulations

Chiefs involved in visa deals

Northern electricity department to check illegal power connections

Ministry of Agriculture signs pact with 11 assemblies

Book on the evolution of Parliament launched in Accra

Public Service Commission, universities reach understanding

Accra (Greater Accra) 3 Feb. 2000

The Presidential Candidate of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby has urged the Minister of Defence to take immediate steps to keep the military out of civil authority.

This was contained in a letter to the Minister, Lt. Col. E.K.T. Donkoh, with copies to the press in Accra on Thursday.

Dr Wereko-Brobby said he was writing the letter following the recent detention of Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, Publisher of the Independent newspaper.

That action, he said, was "the latest incursion into matters which are the proper purview of civil authority."

He said there have been instances of the use of the military to pull down property, illegal show of weapons by off-duty military personnel in civil disputes and illegal killings of civilians by off-duty military personnel.

Dr Wereko-Brobby said he was urging the Minister to take "very practical initiatives" to keep the military out of civil authority.

He said the Minister should hand over all civilians, who are currently held in military detention for civil matters, to the Police for investigations and action as prescribed by the Constitution.

The Minister should inform the nation as to the nature and outcome of investigations into unlawful killings of civilians by military personnel in situations of civil actions, he urged, and asked him to also apologise to Mr Blay-Amihere for his "unlawful arrest and usurpation of his constitutional rights."

Dr Wereko-Brobby said the Minister of Defence should secure the commitment of the leadership of the military that it would not permit the use of soldiers in civil personnel matters in future.

Any service personnel who do so would be subjected to prosecution under the civil code and dismissed instantly from the service.

He said the President should give "a public undertaking not to use his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to coerce the military into actions which are in contravention of the Constitution of Ghana."

Dr Wereko-Brobby said the Ministry of Defence should ensure that the military is shielded from direct involvement in civil and partisan political matters.

"Specifically, the Ministry will undertake not to involve the military in the promotion or propagation of government policies nor negate its public relations responsibilities to speak on behalf of the military in civil matters.

"The Ministry of Defence (should) initiate a dialogue with service commanders and the country's political leadership (including Parliament and recognised political parties) to prepare, agree and implement guidelines which will enable the military to function effectively on the basis of subjugation to the civil authority and Constitution."

Dr Wereko-Brobby noted that the Ghana Armed Forces has worked for and attained an unenviable reputation as one of the finest and most professional military establishments in the world.

"It is a reputation that has been buttressed by Ghana's distinguished record of dedicated service in peacekeeping operations in the world.

"The recent appointment of the second Ghanaian Commander of UNIFIL (United

Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), perhaps the toughest and most challenging of

the UN peacekeeping initiatives, is unparalleled in Africa.

"The selection of Ghana as a centre for training African peacekeeping troops is yet another affirmation of the high regard the whole world has for our soldiers as defenders of democracy, good governance and integrity of the state."

Dr Wereko-Brobby said that with the country in a crucial election year, the whole world is waiting and expecting a smooth transition.

"An important part of this transition will be to ensure that the military is kept away from the partisan political fray or used as an instrument to subvert the Constitution through intimidation or other unlawful acts."

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Accra (Greater Accra) 3 Feb. 2000

Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport on Thursday urged transport unions to educate their members on the need to respect road regulations.

He was speaking at a day's forum organised by the Ministry for road transport operators in Accra.

It discussed, among other things, matters relating to traffic indiscipline, safety and divers' behaviour towards passengers.

Participants included the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), Cooperative Transport Owners,

and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service.

Others were the Ghana Highway Authority, National Road Safety Committee, the Ghana Haulage Association and the Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division of the Ministry of Roads and Transport.

Mr Salia said the Ministry has provided the MTTU with logistics to facilitate its work and appealed to drivers to co-operate with the police to maintain order on the roads.

On fares, the Minister noted that drivers charge fares above the approved ones with the excuse that the roads are not good. However, when the same roads are rehabilitated, they refuse to reduce the fares.

"We must appreciate (the) government's efforts when roads are rehabilitated or constructed by reducing the fares to give a little relief to passengers."

Some of the participants appealed to the ministry to reconstitute the Council of Transport Operators to solve problems associated with the fixing of fares. GPRTU, the biggest transport body, fixes fares, which are to be used by other transport unions.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 3^rd February 2000

A number of chiefs have been implicated in visa racketeering, according to preliminary findings of the Visa Racketeering Committee set up by the National Commission on Culture (NCC) in September, 1998.

Barimah Adanse Akyem Omane, Chairman of the Committee on Wednesday told a press conference in Accra that the action of the chiefs is a disgrace to the institution of chieftaincy.

He said the chiefs used forged documents bearing the name and signature of Nana Akuako Sarpong, former Presidential Staffer on Chieftaincy Affairs, to embassies for visa.

He said the Committee's enquiries at some of the embassies revealed the activities of some of the chiefs.

He accused Nana Kweku Abu, Odikro of Agona-Mpobi, with passport number H0402739 and his wife Linda Nyarko with passport number H0180125 of being involved in such a deal.

Nana Abu was alleged to have applied to the French embassy for a visa to travel to Paris as part of celebrations to mark the seventh anniversary of his ascending the stool.

He said the Odikro's Secretary, Isaac Ofori and his wife, Abigail Osei Boakye, holders of passport numbers H0406015 and H0404067, assisted them.

Others alleged to have assisted were the palace attendant, Yaw Gyasi and his wife Felicia Adoma, with passport numbers H0406084 and H0406086 respectively.

Barima Adanse Omane said in November 1998, the chief and the others presented applications to the French Embassy for tourist visas with forged documents bearing the signature of Nana Akuoko Sarpong.

Nana Kwame Sarkodie, Odikro of Daboase in the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area holder of passport number H0405018 was also accused of leading another group.

He said in October 1998, Nana Sarkodie presented an application to the Embassy to travel to France with his wife, Mercy Obiribeh Sekyiamah holding passport number, H0344781.

On his entourage were his secretary, Martha Owusu, passport number H040286, linguist Eric Adu-Poku, H0387707 and his wife, Beatrice Odei, A474233.

He said that although the embassy rejected the applications, they were embarrassment to the country.

Explaining the delay in the presentation of the Committee's report, Barima Omane, a legal practitioner, blamed the committee's inability to subpoena people to appear before it and the limitations placed on it by its terms of reference.

Barimah Omane said a comprehensive report would be out by the end of the month.

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Tamale (Northern Region), 3^rd February 2000

The Northern Electricity Department (NED) of the Volta River Authority has established a Loss-Reduction Gang (LORG) to check illegal connections of electricity.

It has also started a metre re-location exercise to minimise energy loss through theft, Mr. Frank E.K. Akligo, Area Manager of NED, said at a public education forum on the department's operations at Tamale on Wednesday.

He expressed concern about the proliferation of electrical contractors, some of whom do illegal jobs for unsuspecting customers using materials that are either stolen from or are of inferior quality and asked the public to report such contractors.

Mr. Akligo said the NED has embarked on the rehabilitation of its plant and equipment in the municipality to provide quality customer service and appealed to the public to give the department their active support.

Mr. E.Y. Keteku, Commercial Operations Manager, said the department makes 35 per cent loss on its power supply every month because units billed are not paid outright.

To correct this anomaly and ensure that the department operates on a sound commercial basis, a number of measures, including the introduction of pre-paid metres, have been taken to increase the number of bill collection points.

Mr. Nathaniel Baena and Mr. Thomas Agalab, Technical Operations Managers, took turns to explain the department's technical operations and tariff structure.

There were suggestions from the floor on the need for the NED to review its terms of extending electricity to new houses and to expedite plans to extend power to nearby communities.

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Sekondi (Western Region), 3^rd February 2000

The 11 District Assemblies in the Western Region and the Rural Infrastructure Co-ordinating Unit (RICU) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the Village Infrastructure Project (VIP).

The document is to enable the assemblies to have a clear understanding and agreement on the requirements of the VIP's credit agreement in terms of procedure guidelines and responsibilities.

District Chief Executives and Mr. Patrick Larbi, Zonal Co-ordinator of RICU, signed the memorandum on behalf of their organisations.

Mrs. Esther Lily Nkansah, Western Regional Minister, said the Zonal team had provided technical assistance to the assemblies in the region to prepare their two-year District Rural Infrastructure Development Strategies (DRIDS) under the VIP.

Mrs. Nkansah, who is also the Chairperson of the Regional Technical Steering Committee (RTSC) on the VIP, said the DRIDS have been prepared to provide an overview of existing agricultural and rural development problems, constraints, potentials and opportunities.

They are also to establish the development vision, goals and objectives of the districts in rural infrastructure development.

The strategies are to ensure that planning, implementation and management of sub-projects are systematic, well conceived, formulated, and offer all stakeholders the opportunity to identify, prioritise and implement their own sub-projects.

Mrs. Nkansah said the zonal team has been in touch with the district assemblies to consult with their project management teams on the selection of the first batch of prioritised sub-projects.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 3^rd February 2000

Mr. Justice V. C. R. A. C. Crabbe, retired Supreme Court Judge, on Tuesday launched a book titled "The Evolution of Parliament in Ghana" co-authored by the late K. B. Ayensu and S. N. Darkwa, both past Clerks of Parliament.

The 184-page book, which is in two parts, covers the period 1850-1997.

Mr. Justice Crabbe said the book was relevant and worth having on any bookshelf, and called on all to read it, saying: "what we are doing today determines what will happen tomorrow".

In his welcoming address, Dr. George Apenteng, Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), said the "decisions of parliament affect every citizen in Ghana and as such public education on the system under which we are all governed is a necessity".

Dr. Apenteng said the knowledge of the history, functions, role and expectations of parliament was crucial, particularly for the youth, "if we are to inculcate and develop in them respect for democratic values".

Mr. Rex Owusu Ansah, Acting Clerk of Parliament, bought the first copy of the book for 750,000 cedis.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 3^rd February 2000

The Public Services Commission (PSC) on Wednesday said it had reached an understanding with the universities in human resources planning, development, mobilization and utilization.

The objective is to establish a working relationship between the PSC and the universities in the areas of Public Service recruitment, manpower planning and related research activities.

"This is to ensure that persons of the right calibre in relevant disciplines are available in adequate numbers to man the Public Service at all times."

A statement signed by Mrs. Rebecca Ackownu for the Secretary of the PSC said Act 482, 1994 of the Public Service enjoins it to collaborate with local educational authorities.

This is with the view to helping to increase awareness among the universities of changing trends in the manpower needs of the economy and to address these new demands through a periodic review of the universities' curricula, the statement added.

It said the universities will research into human resources management aimed at streamlining, improving and reviewing procedures in the system.

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