GRi Newsreel 01 – 07 - 2002

Ghana celebrates 42nd Republic Day

Supreme Court Judge resigns

Minority levels fresh allegations against Govt

Let’s depeen our bonds – Burkinabe President

Lonmin comes to Ashanti's aid at 11th hour

New language policy to integrate Ghana into sub-region

Man in police custody for attempting to sell own son

Attorney General challenges legal brains

Crime, indiscipline could slow development - Owusu-Ankomah

Good luck, Ministry wishes BECE students well

Churches urged to support Reconciliation Commission

Religious bodies asked to assist in fighting corruption

Wars in Africa blamed on disrespect for human rights

 

 

Ghana celebrates 42nd Republic Day

 

London (United Kingdom) 1 July 2002 - On attaining independence in 1957, Ghana was still ruled by the British Monarchy until it attained full sovereignty on 1st July 1960 and became a republic. Thus between 1957 and 1960, Kwame Nkrumah was Prime Minister. He became the President of the first Republic in July 1960. Since then there have been three more republics as a result of military upheavals, with Ghana’s constitution being rewritten after the suspension of each republic. Today Ghana is in Republic number 4.

 

1960 – 1st Republic – Kwame Nkrumah, CPP

1969 – 2nd Republic, Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, PP

1979 – 3rd Republic Dr Hilla Limann, PNP

1992 – 4th Republic Flt. Lt. J J Rawlings, NDC

 

Republic day is being celebrated in Ghana as a public holiday.

GRi…/

 

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Supreme Court Judge resigns
 
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 July 2002 - One of the 11 Justices of the Supreme Court has tendered in his resignation from the Bench. Mr. Justice E. D. K. Adjabeng reportedly wrote to the President of his intention to retire about six weeks ago. The Daily Dispatch newspaper quotes credible sources as saying that Justice Adjabeng declared his intention to retire on 1st October 2002. He is 64 years, far below the mandatory retiring age of 70 years, but stated in his letter that he was retiring on personal grounds.

Mr Adjabeng was one of the judges who declared the Fast Track Courts unconstitutional and stood by the decision during the review last Wednesday.

The Dispatch says six people have been nominated to be Supreme Court Judges. They are Justices S. A. Brobbey, S.G. Baddoo and Mrs Geogina Wood. The rest are Prof Kofi Kumado, Dr Seth Twum and Prof Date Bah. – JoyOnline

 

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Minority levels fresh allegations against Govt

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 01 July 2002 - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament is leveling fresh allegations of corruption in connection with the renovation works at the seat of the Presidency, the Castle, Osu. According to the opposition Members of Parliament (MPS), the 2.1 billion cedi contract for the third phase of the renovation project has been irregularly awarded and executed. In a statement, the minority dismissed last Friday’s press conference by Works and Housing Minister, Yaw Barimah, at which he sought to clarify government’s position on the allegation that two senior officials of the administration have caused financial loss to the state.

The Minority says the press conference was a clever diversion, high on sound and fury but woefully failing to address the issues raised in the audit report on which the NDC is basing its allegation. “Despite all the protestations of the Minister of Works and Housing, he did not refute the fact that contrary to the Financial Administrations Regulations (FAR), Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey as the then Chief of Staff by memo had an amount of ¢150 million paid to him which he had not accounted for as at the time the audit was conducted.”

The statement also said the Works and Housing minister did not contradict the fact that the Ministry misinformed Parliament by not having the Special project fund of more than 15 billion cedis captured in its expenditure. “The Minister deliberately failed to address the issue of ¢140 million additional and unnecessary expenditure on the official residence of Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey after he rejected earlier work done as not suiting his taste.

The Minority also criticized former Works and Housing Minister, Kwamena Bartels for misleading the nation “by informing Parliament that the total cost of the Castle renovation project was ¢1.5 billion (ref Hansard 29th May 2001) while the audit report now reveals that as at October 2001, ¢4.5 billion had been spent on the project. - JoyOnline

 

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Let’s depeen our bonds – Burkinabe President

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 01 July 2002 - Burkinabe President, Blaise Compoare has stressed the need for Ghana and Burkina Faso to strengthen their unity as an example to the rest of Africa. “We are here because we want to deepen the spirit of understanding and co-operation between our nations. We have to bring our two peoples together,” the Burkinabe President said on his arrival in Ghana for a three-day official visit to Ghana during which he will participate in activities marking the 42nd anniversary of Ghana’s Republic Day.

Mr. Compoare who was accompanied by his wife, Chantal was met on arrival at the Airport by President Kufuor and his wife Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and his wife, Hajia Ramatu, Ministers of State, members of the Diplomatic Corp, traditional rulers and high government officials.

President Compoare said he was honoured by the “brotherly and friendly welcome” accorded him. Later the two President’s opened bilateral talks between officials of the two countries. The talks centred on the review of political relations between the two countries and a review of work of the Ghana-Burkina Faso Permanent Joint Commission for Economic Co-operation.

The political, social and cultural co-operation and issues of financial and economic co-operation between the two countries were also discussed. The talks also focused on review of political developments in the West African sub-region in respect of the situation in Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Mano river Basin as well as the sub regional economic integration within the framework of ECOWAS. – JoyOnline

 

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Lonmin comes to Ashanti's aid at 11th hour

 

London (United Kingdom) 01 July 2002 - Platinum miner Lonmin Plc came to the aid of itsfinancially stretched African cousin, Ashanti Goldfields Co Ltd , on Friday, pumping $75 million into the firm to protect its minority shareholding

 

Lonmin, which had previously baulked at injecting more money into Ghana-based Ashanti, was prompted by a recent surge in the gold price to make its 11th hour offer -- after the gold miner had already agreed a life-saving debt overhaul with its lenders.

 

Lonmin, the world's third-biggest listed platinum group, said the move aimed to protect its 32 percent stake. "This does not make our policy of being a pure platinum group any different," a Lonmin spokesman said.

 

As part of the original debt overhaul announced in January, Ashanti bondholders owed about $55 million were going to convert their debt into new Ashanti shares at $3.70 each -- a relatively small discount to the then share price of about $3.90.

 

But the gold price has surged 14 percent since then, taking Ashanti's shares above $5 and prompting Lonmin to stump up the additional equity itself, rather than see the bondholders making a handsome profit and dilute its holding. Under the terms of the new plan, Lonmin is to subscribe for the new shares at a price capped at $5.40 each as part of a wider rights issue, the size of which has yet to be determined.

 

The rights issue is to be launched sometime in the next 18 months and, if taken up, would ensure Lonmin's percentage stake in Ashanti did not jump far above 32 percent -- a level it sees as consistent with its view of the holding as a non-core asset.

 

Ashanti got into trouble after racking up huge losses on its hedge operations in 1999. The company, which sells gold forward in the derivatives market, almost collapsed that year as rising gold prices left its hedge book in tatters.

 

The original debt overhaul plan was designed to bolster the company's balance sheet and leave it in better shape to take part in rapid consolidation of the gold industry. In a side deal, Lonmin has written a call option giving the Ghanaian government, which owns about 20 percent of Ashanti, the right to buy $28.4 million of the new stock.

 

Lonmin's total $75 million investment is currently held in the form of mandatorily exchangeable notes which are to be converted into new shares at the time of the rights issue. Ashanti's shares were down 1.4 percent at $5.07 in New York.

 

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New language policy to integrate Ghana into sub-region

   

Larteh-Akuapem (Eastern Region) 01 July 2002 - The government has put in place a new language policy aimed at integrating Ghana into the rest of the West African sub-region with French as a key component.

 

To this end, the French government is to grant Ghana 1.2 million dollars to implement the French language policy under which French would be made a compulsory subject at the Junior Secondary School level initially and later extended to the Senior Secondary School.

 

The Minister of Education, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, announced this on Saturday, at the Founders' Day, Special Fund Raising, Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the Benkum Secondary School at Larteh-Akuapem.

 

Referring to the theme for the occasion: "Quality education: key to national development", he pointed out that "quality education is that kind of education that thinks globally and acts locally." On the criticisms of the government's policy regarding the use of English as the medium of instruction from primary one, the Minister described them as "largely as a result of ignorance of the policy."

 

According to him, "rather than abolish the use of local languages, this policy makes it compulsory for every school-going child to learn one local language right from primary one to Senior School."

 

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi explained that presently, the nation had study material developed for only five local languages including Asante Twi, Fanti, Dagbani, Ga and Ewe, saying "but these are not the only major languages that we have in the country." "To say, therefore, that we should instruct children in their mother tongue only is problematic, since there will be no study material with which to do so," he added.

 

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi challenged those advocates of the use of local languages to commit their energies to developing materials for all the major languages so that there would come a time when it would be easier to implement the policy of instructing children in the local languages.

 

He pointed out that the policy of instructing children in the local languages from primary one was fraught with abuse, noting that in the rural areas, teachers took advantage of the policy and "never spoke a word of English to the children such that, it is causing disastrous consequences to our educational system whereby some SSS graduates can barely communicate in English."

 

On discipline in schools, the Minister commended the Benkum Secondary School for not being among those recorded for indiscipline and urged the teachers and students to keep it up. Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi had earlier unveiled an 8.5 million-Cedi bust of the founder the school, the late Dr Alexander Ansah Koi and commissioned 40 computers and a 95-million-cedi 2-unit staff bungalow provided by the PTA.

 

A veteran lawyer, Mr B.J. da Rocha, who was also a pioneer tutor of the school, launched a five-year 10-billion-cedi Endowment Fund for the school, which yielded 187 million cedis with 100 million cedis pledged by the traditional rulers of Larteh.

 

Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio the Third, Larteh-Guanhene, thanked the founding fathers and promised more contributions from the people to improve conditions in the school. Prizes were awarded to deserving students and long serving teaching and non-teaching staff.

GRi../

 

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Man in police custody for attempting to sell own son

 

Bibiani (Western Region) 01 July 2002 - A 32-year-old car sprayer who attempted to sell his five-year-old son for 14 million cedis has been arrested by Bibiani police. Michael McCarthy is said to have offered the boy for sale to detectives who arrested and placed him in custody, Ghana Review has learnt.

 

Briefing the press at Bibiani on Friday, Police Superintendent Alhaji A.M. Sumaila, Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District Police Commander, said sometime in June this year, police had information that McCarthy was offering his son for sale and was therefore looking for prospective buyers.

 

He said detectives were detailed to Sefwi-Bekwai to feign interest in buying the boy and while the detectives were waiting in the informant's room, McCarthy arrived with his son.

 

He then started bargaining with them during which he was arrested. According to the Police Commander, Madam Abena Nyanta, the divorced wife of McCarthy, later informed the police that her ex-husband came to her house at about 10.15 a.m. on Wednesday and took away the child under the pretext of buying him a school uniform.

 

Superintendent Sumaila said when McCarthy was searched after his arrest, a match box containing wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was found on him. He would be arraigned before court after investigations.

GRi../

 

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Attorney General challenges legal brains

 

Ho (Volta Region) 01 July 2002 - Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo- Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice on Friday challenged anybody to cite an occasion in the legal history of the supreme court when reviews of decision were not decided by expanded panels.

 

He said in the case of the recent decision on the Fast Track Courts, it was only proper for the Judicial Service to prompt the government to appoint a judge to make the difference on a panel of 11. Nana Akuffo-Addo who was addressing Southern-Sector District Chief Executives (DCEs) meeting at Ho for a mid-year review meeting said the decision was justified by the entrenches positions of the judges as shown by the review judgement.

 

"Going back, therefore, to the same panel for a review would have been an attempt in futility", he stressed. He said the two swing votes were delivered by competent justices appointed by two different governments, Mr Justice George Lamptey by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and Mr. Justice Kwame Afreh by the Kufuor government.

 

Earlier, Mr. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboah, Volta Regional Minister said the Fast Track Courts were only meant to use modern techniques to facilitate proceedings without violating the norms of fair trial. Two other review meetings were held for the Northern and Central sectors at different venues with the aim to sharpen the capabilities of the DCEs to manage their districts.

 

Captain (Rtd) Nkrabea Effah Dartey, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development regretted the inability of some district to raise enough revenue to pay staff working with the lower structures of the government.

 

"Every settlement in Ghana should be able to generate revenue to manage its offices or send the impression out that their people do not pay basic and property rates, market tolls," Capt. Effah Dartey said.

 

Citing the "Maame Krobo" market in the Afram Plains where tolls hiked from six million cedis to 35 million cedis a month with good management, he said, "any district which says it is deprived then the people there are not serious".

GRi../

 

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Crime, indiscipline could slow development - Owusu-Ankomah

 

Kwesiminstim (Western Region) 01 July 2002 - Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, said on Saturday that armed robbery, juvenile delinquency, indiscipline and general disregard for environmental rules could slow the pace of development if they are not checked.

 

Papa Owusu-Ankomah said this at the 12th Annual Diocesan Conference of the Association of Methodist Men's Fellowship at Kwesiminstim. The present state of affairs demonstrate a lukewarm attitude by parents towards their children, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who is also the Member of Parliament for

Sekondi, who spoke on the theme "I Know Your Works", said.

 

Many Ghanaians had neglected the strict discipline they received in their childhood days. "Whatever you do today for your children would be reflected on the larger society," he stated, and asked Christians to get actively involved in all issues that relate to the nation.

 

He also entreated them to vote massively in the forthcoming unit committee and district assembly elections. "Don't vote for people based on their popularity but rather elect people of outstanding qualities and role models in your community."

 

Mr. John K. Cudjoe, Diocesan Chairman of the Fellowship, said so far it has invested 10 million cedis in a 12-acre citrus plantation at Gwira. He said a clinic has also been established at Gwira-Eshiem to provide health care for the inhabitants.

GRi../

 

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Good luck, Ministry wishes BECE students well

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 01 July 2002 - The Ministry of Education on Friday sent a message of best wishes to the Junior Secondary School students who would be re-writing some of their papers.

 

A statement in Accra signed by Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education said, "As you write your papers, we wish to assure you that you are in our thoughts and prayers. May God/Allah's guidance and wisdom be with you - success will surely crown your efforts".

 

It reminded them that Ghana's future depended them and said the Ministry regretted that they had to go through the trauma because of the selfishness of a few. The decision to call for a re-sit was painful but necessary, it said adding that measures had been taken to forestall future recurrence.

 

The Minister said, "We know what you have been through these past few weeks, the anxiety of waiting, the heart-ache, the tears that you have shed. You have been through the most traumatic way to vicissitudes that the world at times inflicts on the innocent as well as the guilty".

 

He said how they faced the experience would determine their future and asked them to remember the expression "when the going gets toughs, the tough gets going. This is how we know you have faced the challenge of this re-sit".

GRi../

 

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Churches urged to support Reconciliation Commission

 

Cape Coast (Central Region) 01 July 2002 - The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze on Saturday called on the Church to support the National Reconciliation Commission in uniting the nation on commencement of its work.

 

He, therefore, requested it to initiate measures that could help in healing the wounds of those who were offended in the past and to ensure that such people were reconciled with those who offended them.

 

Mr Edumadze was speaking at the graduation ceremony for priest at the St. Peter's Regional Seminary at Cape Coast and the celebration of the feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. He said the government was committed to ensuring that the commission achieved peace and stability for development.

 

The regional minister also appealed to the Church to co-operate with authorities in enhancing the social wellbeing of the people and reminded Ghanaians that the government's call for positive change required the collaborative efforts of all and sundry.

 

He asked the clergy to serve as role models by practicing what they thought their flock and called for the ex-communication of non-conformists leaders in the church in order to maintain its purity and sanctity. The minister commended the Catholic Church for its contributions to national development and urged it to join in the crusade against HIV/AIDS, indiscipline and crime.

GRi../

 

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Religious bodies asked to assist in fighting corruption

 

Ho (Volta Region) 01 July 2002 - Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the Vice President on Saturday called on religious organisations to assist the government in fighting corruption and indiscipline that have become pervasive in the country.

 

He said the trend if not reversed could sap the economic energy of the nation, scare investors, create mistrust in government and also make the citizenry reluctant to contribute to development. These were contained in a speech read for Alhaji Mahama at the two-day Seventh National Islamic Delegates Conference at Ho.

 

Muslim Chiefs Imams and Islamic Scholars throughout the country attended the conference under the theme, "The Islamic concept on corruption." The Vice President appealed to Ghanaians to collaborate efforts at solving problems in the education sector to ensure national development. He requested public officials and professionals to abide by the code of ethics that regulated their work and to refrain from cheating.

 

Aliu Mahama called on Muslims to condemn corruption, indiscipline, cheating, bribery, pilfering and other vices that were detrimental to progress and development since Islam forbids them. He urged Muslims to demonstrate humility, honesty, transparency and the fear of God in the discharge of their duties.

GRi../

 

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Wars in Africa blamed on disrespect for human rights

 

Ho (Volta Region) 01 July 2002 - Professor E.V.C. Danquah, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, has said that the lack of respect for human rights in most post-independent African states has brought about the numerous wars and strife on the continent.

 

"Unless we (Africans) make a conscious effort to treat fellow citizens as person entitled to basic human rights the suffering on our land would never end." Professor Danquah was delivering a paper on "The African Union and Human Rights in Africa at a Parliamentary workshop at Ho, in the Volta Region.

 

The two-day workshop is being organised for the parliamentary select committee on Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Legon Centre for International Affairs (LECIA) and the Fredrich Ebert Foundation, on the African Union.

 

He said Africans had for a long time cherished and respected human rights. "Our African ancestors had expressed this idea through migration to escape dictatorship, customs and traditions and even in the naming of children."

 

Prof Dankwa said his very name "Dankwa" is an Akan name translated into English as "having life everyday", adding that "it demonstrates how Africans valued human life and saw it as holy." He said the African Human Rights Commission had sought to portray the African perspective of Human Rights and the need to let Africans have a dignified life.

 

He said the commission could play an important role on the continent with the advent of the African Union. "It would have to depend on the political will of governments to make its verdicts enforceable since it has no power to enforce them."

 

Prof Dankwa said the commission had made strides in its short life adding that governments in Nigeria and Ghana had accepted its verdicts. Citing one of its success stories, he said a court in Nigeria had upheld a request of a stay in the execution of capital punishment saying the commission needed to ascertain whether or not the gallows-bound person's rights had been violated.

 

He expressed appreciation of the fact that human rights protection clauses enjoyed prominence in the constitutive act of the African Union. Prof Dankwa shot to fame recently when he represented Mr Tsatsu Tsikata in the case on the unconstitutionality of the Fast track courts.

GRi../

 

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