Zero Tolerance for corruption is a political tool - Dr Aning
Italy to assist in sunflower production in Ashanti
Annual Health Partners Summit opens in Accra
Authorities concerned about substandard alcoholic beverages
European Commission to give budgetary support to ACP countries
Health Ministry worried over increase in non-communicable diseases
Ministry signs contract on anti-retroviral drugs
Make research on fish available - Ashitey
Health workers call for action on working
conditions
About 16 billion cedis needed to maintain govt buildings
Education Minister visits examination centres
Twenty-seven BECE candidates failed to sit
examination
Threatened eviction undermines squatters' rights-Counsel
UN congratulates winners of its Award
American Red Cross evaluates child survival project in Upper East
Population Association of Ghana inaugurated
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Members of the Abudu Gate to the Ya-Skin of the Dagbon Traditional Area has requested the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to revoke its selection of Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama as its representative to the Northern Region Lands Commission.
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Huudu Issah Zico, member of the family, described the appointment as an error saying: "Alhaji Mahama is not only one of the accused persons in the Yendi crisis, but also has a vested interest in the Dagbon chieftaincy and land issues".
The statement said the nomination of Alhaji Mahama by the GBA to serve on the Commission was a sign of double standards because the Association had not long ago urged the government to relieve some pro-Abudu men from their positions in the national security network as a result of their alleged involvement in the
Yendi crisis.
It explained that Alhaji Mahama, a former Vice-Presidential candidate of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) in the last general election, was a prominent member of the Andani Gate and was also faced with similar accusations. The statement said despite that the "GBA went ahead and appointed him to serve in an institution considered as most the important aspect of the chieftaincy institution in Dagbon. This we saw as a clear sign of double standards on the part of the GBA".
Land, the statement said, was an integral aspect of chieftaincy and its control and acquisition process accounted for the increased conflicts in most parts of Dagbon. "It is in this light that we are calling on the GBA to acknowledge this obvious act of commission and maintain a level of neutrality required, by revoking the appointment of Alhaji Mahama until the final determination that led to the crisis in Yendi are unearthed", the statement said.
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Andani Counsel implicates security
operative in Ya-Na's removal plot
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) 04 July 2002- Mr Charles Hayibor, Leading Counsel for the Andanis on Wednesday alleged that Major Sulemana, a National Security Operative, participated in a meeting held in Bawku on 12 March this year to plan the removal of the late Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II. He said at that meeting, the plot was to be effected during this year's fire festival in Yendi.
Mr Hayibor, who was cross-examining Yusif Ziblim, alias Afa Zee, a tailor in Yendi at the Wuaku Commission sitting, said the meeting was held in the house of one Alhaji Leinkuha and chaired by Alhaji Mustapha, a prominent opinion leader in Bawku.
Ziblim, who testified as the 56th witness denied ever attending such a meeting and asked Mr Hayibor to restrict his questions to the period from 25-27 March, which was under investigation by the Wuaku Commission. "I am not supposed to ask you questions on what happened during the conflict alone, but also on circumstances that led to the events of March 25-27 in Yendi," Mr Hayibor maintained.
Ziblim who testified as the second witness for the day had been mentioned by Mohammed Awal Musah, the first witness for the day, as an accomplice in the assassination of the Ya-Na. He, however, denied this allegation, saying he did not even know his accuser.
Ziblim also denied ever knowing Alhaji Mustapha whose house the said meeting allegedly took place in Bawku to discuss and plan the removal of the Ya-Na. He said he went to the Bolen-Lana's house on the morning of 25 March to seek refuge as a result of intense gunfire at the Gbewaa palace area where his house is situated. Ziblim stated that since there were many people in the Bolen-Lana's house, it was safer for him to go there for safety.
He admitted to a submission by the Commission that those who ran to the Bolen-Lana's house did so ostensibly to protect themselves against the onslaught of the Andanis. Asked how many people were at the Bolen-Lana's house, witness said there were many people, including women and children.
When witness said in an answer to a question that he did not see Idana in the house of the Bolen-Lana, Mr Justice I.N.K. Wuaku, Chairman of the Commission remarked: "I am not surprised that you did not see Idana, because you are refusing to speak the truth."
The Commission at this point invited Awal to cross-examine Ziblim to substantiate his (Awal's) allegation that he (Ziblim) was the one who confessed that he was among those who killed the Ya-Na.
Awal said he was surprised that Ziblim was denying any knowledge of him (Awal), saying he even once contracted him (Ziblim) to sew a smock for him.Witness said it took three months before Ziblim could sew the smock after he had collected money from him. "I do not even collect advances before sewing smocks for my clients. I sew in bulk before offering them to my clients for sale," Ziblim countered.
When Ziblim was asked to cross-examine Awal, he maintained that he does not know him (Awal), "so I cannot, therefore, ask a person whom I do not know any question." Mohammed Awal Musah, 55th witness and a farmer in Binchanataga, a village in the Nanumba District told the Commission that Ziblim came to him between 3:00 and 4:00 am on Wednesday, 26 March, with a message for the local chief that "they have achieved their aim."
The witness alleged that, the aim, as Ziblim told him, was the capture of the Gbewaa palace. "I questioned Ziblim about the possibility of taking over the palace because of the presence of military and police personnel around the place," he added.
Awal said Ziblim replied that the Ya-Na had refused to be given security protection by the military and the police; hence, the palace had been taken over. Witness said in view of the proximity of their family house to the Gbewaa palace, his aunt, one Ayi Andani gave him 10,000 cedis the next morning to hurry to Yendi to ascertain the truth in the information.
"On arriving at Yendi, I saw that both the palace and our house were in flames and I could not, therefore, go near the palace," he said. Witness alleged that in reply to an enquiry by one Mohammed about the conflict on Thursday, 28 March, Ziblim said, "the Abudus did not bring soldiers to kill the Ya-Na but rather it was he (Ziblim) and some others who killed him (Ya-Na)."
At this juncture the Commission Chairman intervened and asked witness to go and identify Ziblim amongst the Abudus in the auditorium, Awal cooly walked to where Ziblim sat and pointed at him. When Nana Obiri Boahen, a Counsel for the Abudus asked Awal what he was doing with his friend at that "unholy hour" of between 3:00 and 4:00 am, witness replied that because of the hot weather in the dry season, they normally slept outside "for fresh air".
In reply to a submission by counsel that he (Awal) did not see Ziblim and that his claim was false, witness maintained that, "if I had not seen him that time on Wednesday, I would not have said I saw him." When the Abudu Counsel submitted further that witness' claims against Ziblim were untrue and invented stories, Awal retorted: "I have a lot of work to do and if what I have said were not true, I would not have come to sit here and waste my time."
At this juncture, the Commission Chairman asked witness as to why he had mentioned 35 as his age but gave 27 to the police in his statement? Awal replied that it was a mistake by the police because he is 35 years. Mr. Justice Wuaku then advised him to speak respectfully since there were some people at the auditorium who were even older than his father.
Witness replied to the Chairman's admonition that, "I am not being cheeky, since I have not slapped anybody here." As to why he was determined to go to Yendi even though he was told on the way that the place was not safe, witness said he wanted to go there to see his family house and the Gbewaa palace.
Awal said he did not make a report to the police about what transpired between him and Ziblim because "I first wanted to see if the Gbewaa palace and my family house were not burnt." Nana Boahen (Abudu's Counsel): "You went to Yendi to fight in defence of the Ya-Na?" Awal: "If we fought, the palace would not have been burnt."
Nana Boahen: "You took to your heels to the village when you realised that the odds were against you (Andanis)?"
Awal: I was not among the fighters.
Witness admitted to a question by the Commission that he is not a native of Yendi .He added that Ziblim was normal when he confessed that he (Ziblim) and others killed the Ya-Na. When the Chairman detected there were a lot of inconsistencies in his evidence, he warned that the commission would be forced to use other means to establish the truth if witnesses who continued to tell lies, since its mission is a fact-finding one.
The commission conditionally discharged Awal and told him that he would be invited again when it is necessary. After a 10-minute recess at 12.00 noon, proceedings came to an end when it was announced that the interpreter, Mr Salifu Hamidu Gonja, was not feeling well.
Earlier, Mr. Justice Wuaku told the audience that an unidentified person threw a stone at the vehicle conveying the Abudu's on the way to their hotel after yesterday's (Tuesday) sitting.
He therefore, directed that after each sitting, those who would not board any vehicle to town should remain seated for all vehicles to leave before they walk home. The Chairman ordered the security personnel to vigorously enforce this directive. Sitting continues tomorrow.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Dr Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, Fellow of African Security Dialogue and Research (ASDR), on Wednesday described the government's 'Zero Tolerance for Corruption' crusade as a political tool targeted at its opponents.
He said: "The crusade needs substantial amount of time before the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration can demonstrate any significant obligation to zero tolerance for corruption among its own members as opposed to the corruption of its political opponents."
Dr Aning, who was delivering the second of a series of lectures at an International conference on: "States in Africa" organised by the Foundation for Security Development in Africa (FOSDA) in Accra said the government was yet to translate the crusade from a "increasingly ridiculed and empty political phrase into a substantive set of specific implementing policy measures."
The conference under the theme: "The State of Africa: Re-invention, Re-thinking, Re-construction and Reconstitution," focused on a new wave of governance with emphasis on re-invention and re-thinking of the continent's democratic and developmental processes.
The conference was attended by African Academics both on the continent and in the Diaspora, parliamentarians, government officials and members of civil society groupings. Dr Aning said; "so far, the crusade is increasingly being perceived by social commentators as a political tool targeted at former ministers, opposition party functionaries, actions and activities of the National Democratic Congress regime."
Speaking on: "A Case Study Of Ghana Towards Re-inventing And Rebuilding The Ghanaian State For A New Triumphalism, "Dr Aning suggested that national political leaders should be committed to the significant transformation of the principles, laws and structures through Ghana's history, culture and legal framework and institutions.
He said the process of transformation must be based on consultation with governmental agencies, civil society groupings, political parties and other stakeholders in national development agenda. On Ghana's economy, Dr Aning described it as most critical and sensitive problem for government, but lauded the willingness of stakeholders to go the extra mile to make the new democratic transitional process a success.
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Audit report on Special Project Account was
not interim - Bagbin
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Alban Bagbin, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority Leader in Parliament, said on Wednesday that the audit report on the Special Project Account was final and not an interim one as misconstrued by the Executive and a cross-section of the public.
He said: "It was the final report and not part of a general audit. The auditing team raised queries and discussed it with the management of the Ministry of Works and Housing over renovation works at the Osu Castle."
Mr Bagbin, who is also the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in reaction to a press statement by the New
Patriotic Youth League (NPYL) asking him to apologise to Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the Former Chief of Staff for accusing him wrongly.
Mr Bagbin had accused Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, who is now the Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, of malfeasance in the Osu Castle renovation project, citing the audit report.
The Minority Leader described the NPYL the statement as having been made out of stark ignorance of the facts of the case and the procedures involved in the award and payment of the contracts. "They also deviated from the substance of an earlier statement issued by the NDC on the issue.
"When I got the report I went ahead and investigated all the queries raised in it. There is nothing that I have said that is not true. There is nothing that I have stated that is wrong; and there is nothing that I've said that is misleading. "I assure the NPYL that so far as I remained Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, I will continue to act as a mirror for the NPP government to enable it have a good look at itself."
Mr Bagbin said payment of money to Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was illegal under the Financial Administration Regulations, "and that was the thrust of the NDC's press statement." He said reference by the NPP youth to the payment of 330,000 dollars by the previous government for the purchase of a lift for the State House, which remained unaccounted for was reflected in an earlier audit report.
According to hem "the International Police (INTERPOL) was invited by the Kufuor administration to trace the contractor, who happened not to be a Ghanaian. "If they now find it necessary to make reference to that case why are they against the content of the special project account," he asked
Mr Bagbin denied ever questioning the huge expenditure over the renovation of the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament. He said his own investigations revealed that the Chairman of the Council of State objected to the re-allocation of the bungalow to the Speaker since it remained the official residence of the Chairman of the Council and that was reversed
Mr Bagbin also dismissed as false the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Yaw Barimah's allegation that Squadron Leader Clend Sowu (rtd) and Mr Abukari Sumani, Leading NDC members, evaded tax on the payment of their rent over their former official residence. He said it was rather the Ministry that defaulted in paying the tax element to the relevant tax authorities after deducting the rent from their salaries.
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Washington DC (USA) 04 July 2002- Dr Kwesi Botchwey, former Minister of Finance, has said that it is only with humility that Ghanaians, who had acquired skills in America and Europe could fit into the Ghanaian situation.
Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Skills Bank at the Ghana Embassy in Washington DC, Dr Botchwey said, some professional Ghanaians, who have worked abroad tended to portray an attitude of superior complex on their return home and invariably clashed with their colleagues whose sacrifices, sustained the economy.
He said the development of Ghana should be a burden for all to bear and described the government of President Kufuor as doing its best and that it was left to the professional to be humble and contribute their quota and stop being pessimists. Dr Botchwey is currently a Senior Fellow at Columbia University. About 400 professional Ghanaians travelled from all over United States for the launching ceremony.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 July 2002- The Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council was seeking Italian assistance for the youth to go into sunflower production, processing and extraction of oil for export and local consumption, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar on job opportunities for 150 people including graduates, tertiary, polytechnic and SSS students in Kumasi, Mr Boafo said this was an area those with "agro-based skills" could take advantage.
The Regional Minister said the seminar organised by the Liberal Studies Department of Kumasi Polytechnic was timely since the government had taken measures, which had won international support to ensure economic break through.
"There are big job opportunities available for your products on the sub-regional market under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The West African sub-region alone has over 200 million potential buyers and this is an opportunity for the youth to exploit and stop hankering for white collar jobs, which are not readily available," he said.
Mr Boafo said he would be holding discussions with District Chief Executives (DCEs) to initiate programmes to support the youth to start their businesses in the districts. Mrs Elizabeth Dwomo-Fokuo, Head of the Department advised the participants to strive to establish their businesses since Ghana needed entrepreneurs to enhance development.
Mr Vincent Atsu Midodzi, Assistant Project Officer of the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), urged them to put their skills into practice to achieve their hopes and aspirations. Mr Francis Asare, a lecturer at the Department said, "in spite of the opportunities that abound in the world of work, many people rely on white collar jobs which many a time becomes a mirage for them".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- The Government would soon submit to Parliament for approval revised legal and fiscal regimes to govern mining operations in the country to promote international competitiveness, Mr Kwadjo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Mines said on Wednesday.
Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the West African Mining and Power Conference in Accra, Mr Adjei-Darko said after successfully implementing the current mineral code for over a decade there was the urgent need to review and re-align it to attract investment into the sector.
In this connection, he said, the Attorney - General and Minister of Justice was currently considering the revised Minerals and Mining law and the relevant draft legislation to place before Cabinet. The Minister said attracting investment capital inflows, remaining competitive and ensuring sustainable mining practice were some of the challenges facing the sector.
He said government had adopted the Alternative Livelihood Approach to local economic development so that communities in which mining activities were located could be assisted to derive benefits from investments so that their towns did not become ghost towns when operations were stalled. Mining companies were also equally being encouraged to provide relevant skilled training to employees.
The Minister said for the countries in the Sub-Region to derive full benefits of investments in the mining sector, it was necessary to resource and to equip the monitoring and regulatory institutions.
He appealed to bilateral and multilateral agencies to support the institutions to collect store and present the geological and mining information in forms for investment promotion as well as offer training to personnel to enhance their supervisory capacity to make for orderly development of mineral resources. "Geological data should be packaged in a way to attract investor interest or for actual sale to increase equity," he said.
Mr Adjei-Darko asked governments in the Sub-Region to encourage cross-border mineral exploitation and programmes and information sharing to maximise returns on mineral resources and operations. They should equally adopt common mineral policy programmes to enable them to add value to some of the commodities.
Mr James Anaman, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said although African government had responded well to the legislative challenge, how to ensure that all governmental agencies and ministries did not negate what was enshrined in the law through independence of thought and action, was lacking. This, he said, sometimes subverted the incentives regimes guaranteed to the sector.
Mr Anaman cited junior companies engaged in exploration as particularly susceptible to "the capriciousness of this sort of juggling," adding that such practices endangered the development of the sector.
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Annual Health Partners Summit opens in
Accra
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- The Ministry of Health (MOH) Partners Summit opened in Accra on Wednesday with a pledge that definite efforts would be made to retain health professionals in the country over the next five years. Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, said this would be done through various incentive schemes and a deliberate shift of resources to difficult but needy areas.
He was addressing the Summit, which was to review the work done by the health sector over the last five years and to launch the second five-year programme of work from 2002 to 2006. The minister said current statistics show that over the last five years some regions have lost as much as 57 per cent of their nurses while the overall staffing position keeps deteriorating.
He said human resource problem was compounded by the significant inequality in the distribution of available staff with the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions having more than their fair share. "Continuing development of the health infrastructure will focus on low access areas and equitable distribution of health personnel, ” Dr.Afriyie observed.
The Minister noted that the second five-year programme based on the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy would need to show definite progress in curbing the incidence of HIV/AIDS to 25 per cent among the 15 to 24 years group. It would also reduce mortality due to malaria and tuberculosis by 50 per cent with improvements in the eradication of polio, guinea worm and trachoma in the country.
Dr Afriyie said the Health Insurance Scheme, captured in government's vision of ensuring universal access to health care also remained in focus adding that a bill had been submitted to Parliament to gain the legislative backing for the scheme.
He said though substantial gains had been made over the last five years, especially for the disease surveillance system, malnutrition, malaria and HIV/AIDS coupled with the less than 50 per cent sanitation coverage remained a problem.
Dr Afriyie expressed the hope that with strong partnership and collaboration including the private sector and civil society, the problems of the health sector would be minimised. The Summit is on the theme: "Partnership For Health, Bridging The Inequality Gap"
The World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO), USAID, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA}, European Commission and the
Netherlands Embassy are sponsoring the MOH in the implementation of its five-year development programme.
It includes organisational arrangements for priority areas of health interventions, human resource for health, infrastructure and support services, financial management systems, management of information and performance monitoring, private sector participation and promoting partnership.
The three-day summit, which would be concluded with the signing of an Aid Memoir, would focus on strategies for delivering pro-poor services, gender sensitivity, care for the elderly and disabled and financial risk protection in times of emergencies and other catastrophic events.
Mr Moses Dani Baah, Deputy Minister of Health, said Ghana was running a health care system that was constantly cash-strapped and that the sector was exploring ways of improving financial access through the introduction of pre-paid social health insurance schemes.
Dr Francois Decaillet Senior Public Health Specialist of the World Bank, who represented the Partners said achievements made so far puts Ghana in relatively good position to receive financial assistance from the World Bank and other donor agencies.
He said though it took about 100 years for some countries to accomplish their health insurance scheme, yet Ghana had achieved a relative success in that sector within a shorter period thus donors were ready to support the scheme to make it a success.
Dr Decaillet urged the MOH to control the brain drain problem and work towards a better protection of the most vulnerable groups in the population to reduce the inequalities in the health delivery system.
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Research should address specific needs of private
sector
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 July 2002- Ghanaian researchers have been told to come out with findings that were relevant and addressed specific growth needs of the private sector. Mr James Adusei-Sarkodie, Member of Parliament for Atwima-Nwabiagya, said it was through this that the drive to make the private sector the pivot of Ghana's economic growth would become a reality.
He told the GNA in an interview that for a developing country like Ghana "it is important to ensure that research is made to become need-driven. "The focus should be on how to develop simple technology, machines and equipment that will assist in the preservation of local food and boost agricultural production."
The MP made a strong case for syndicating researchers and tasked them to conduct research into specific areas and produce results within a given time frame. He said the situation where the researchers themselves identified areas they wanted to go into was not good enough, noting that this had been largely responsible for research findings ending up on the shelves.
Mr Adusei-Sarkodie said it was only when research became more focussed that the results could be adopted and applied for the benefit of society. The MP was critical of what he said was the overbearing political influence and dominance of seminars and clinics organised for scientists. ''Such special sessions must be attended by the right core of technical personnel and not politicians who can be changed at any time,'' he said.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Ghana Skills Bank that would provide information on Ghanaian professionals working outside the country has been established in Washington.
The Bank, which is a web-enabled interactive service and aims at storing data on the professional qualifications and experiences of Ghanaians abroad, was launched at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, a statement from the embassy issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said on Wednesday.
It would primarily store the details of the professionals from around the world and act as database for the government of Ghana, its Missions abroad, international financial institutions and development agencies to facilitate the execution of projects. The Bank would feature a personality of the month at its website to bring out the varied talents of the country.
Ghana's Ambassador to the US, Mr Alan Kyerematen is chairman of the Board with Mr Ivor Agyeman-Duah, Minister Counsellor of Information at the embassy as the Project Director. President John Agyekum Kufuor and Mr Kofi Annan UN Secretary-General sent congratulatory message on the launching of the Bank.
President Kufuor said; "the development of Ghana could only be accelerated with the humble application of skills of Ghanaians who were willing to share with their colleagues at Home.
Mr Ann said: It is clear that the effective international partnerships aimed at promoting sustainable development while improving governance, rule of law regulatory systems, investment and management in Africa require the full engagement of African talent, both on the continent and from abroad.
Dr Vincent Anku, a leading Specialist on cancer treatment in the US and a member of the prestigious Cosmos Club was among five eminent persons featured on the day of the launch. He is the Founder and director of the Cleveland Cancer Institute. He has invested over five million dollars in the Ghanaian economy and setting up what may be the premier Cancer Institute in Africa in Ghana.
Another Ghanaian, Dr Dotsevi Yao Sogah, Professor at Cornell University was also featured. He invented the Process for Preparing Living Polymers, which was hailed as the invention of the century. Others were Dr Kwame Boakye, Vice-President of Technology Planning for AT&T and Consultant on Information Technology, New Emerging technologies and Development and Strategic Planning for some UN Agencies.
Mr Anthony Kwame Appiah, a world leading authority on ethics and identity of Philosophy and Co- Editor of the "African Dictionary" and Dr Kwaku Ohene-Frempong a world leading authority on the sickle cell disease.
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Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 04 July 2002- The Bimobas Union in the Brong Ahafo Region has commended Mr J.H. Mensah, Senior Minister, for leading a reconciliation team to settle the conflict between the Puris and Tanmungs in Bimbagu, near Bunkpurugu, in the Northern Region.
This was after Mr David Drahamani Yaro, Techiman District Co-ordinating Director, had briefed members on the successful outcome of the reconciliation exercise in Accra, at a general meeting at Techiman at the weekend.
They said the resolution of the conflict was a great relief to them, "since the conflict was turning back the clock of development of the area" and urged the two clans to respect the peace brokered at Bimbagu and sealed in Accra. Mr Yaro who was the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee asked them to unite for the development of the area and urged them to use dialogue to settle differences.
Mr David Sambique, Vice Chairman of the Union, thanked Mr Yaro, the MP for Bunkpurugu-Yunyuo, Mr Lambum Berrick, the DCE for the area, Mr D.D. Konlan and the Paramount Chief of Bunkpurugu, Lanbon Tapang, for their roles in solving the conflict. The Union called for the creation of a District for the Bimoba area and the rehabilitation of the 15-kilometre road from Najung Number One to Bunkpurugu.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- The Ministry of Education has urged the public and stakeholders in particular to allow the due process to be followed to appoint a substantive Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
A press release signed by Mr Ahmed Ayuba, Special Assistant to the Minister of Education, on Wednesday said the announcement has become necessary in view of statements by some individuals and organisations protesting the misconstrued appointment of an applicant to the position of Director-General of GES.
It said the process involved the selection of the qualified applicants by the GES Council followed by their recommendation to the President for consideration and appointment. "The GES Council it must be noted, is comprised of very seasoned, experienced and competent personalities, who must be allowed to perform their duties without any encumbrances," the release said.
It said the Minister of Education had "taken note of the urgency of the matter by urging the Council to expedite the process leading to the appointment of a substantive Director-General for the GES".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Three persons, who allegedly sold forged West Africa Examination Council's (WAEC) question papers to some people for the re-sit of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) appeared before a Circuit Tribunal in Accra on Wednesday.
Frederick Williams, teacher, Emmanuel Quaye and Felix Armah Amartey, both school proprietors of Noble Child Academy and Graduate Institute, respectively, at Teshie have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, forgery, possessing and uttering forged documents and defrauding by false pretences.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim remanded them into prison custody after the prosecution had told the court that investigations were still going on. They would reappear before the tribunal on 10 July.
Inspector Emmanuel Boison told the tribunal that on June 30 the accused were arrested following a tip off that they had in their possession WAEC questions of some subjects of the ongoing BECE papers namely Science, Social Studies, English Language and Mathematics which they were selling to victims as leaked examination papers.
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Wa (Upper West) 04 July 2002 -The NPP government believes in the rule of law and would therefore, not subscribe to lawlessness and hooliganism by a few people as a means of setting personal and collective scores, Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West
Regional Minister has said. According to him the government would rather create an atmosphere for dialogue to solve problems and not by use of lawlessness.
Mr Mogtari was reacting to a statement by senior citizens, who called on the government to permit instant justice against thieves and other criminals. They made the call at a durbar to mark the regional celebration of senior citizens day at Wa.
"Until it is fully established by the law courts individuals cannot mete out instant justice to suspected people as it is unconstitutional," he said, adding that people would even kill their rivals and enemies and call them thieves.
He said the current spate of unrests in some parts of the country was due to the fact that dialogue was relegated to the background. "We cannot continue to live like people in jungle," he declared. Mr Mogtari called on senior citizens to share their experience with young people to enable them to maintain the level of productivity and discipline in government establishments.
"We also want you to be proud to be senior citizens of this proud nation, Ghana and to throw your weight behind this government, which is working hard to bring the good life to all Ghanaians" he said. Some 50 senior citizens drawn from all the region's five districts attended the durbar.
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Agona Swedru (Central Region) 04 July 2002- Mr. John Kwesi Agyabeng, Agona District Chief Executive has expressed concern about the sub-standard quality of alcoholic beverages being sold on the market.
He disclosed that many alcoholic beverages display labels with unsubstantiated claims for curing or preventing specific ailments and diseases, which under the Food and Drug Laws 1992, are not permissible.
Mr Agyabeng said this on Tuesday when he addressed a four-day training workshop for Quality Assurance and Production Managers of the Liquor industry throughout the country. The Food and Drug Board organized the workshop at Agona Swedru. The DCE noted that prominent among the claims made on most beverages were the cure for sexual weakness, veneral diseases and menstrual discomfort.
He expressed regrets that some of the products bear the approval marks of the Ghana Standard Board, "when the manufacturers themselves do not even know the required standards for the products." The DCE reminded the liquor manufacturers of the Food and Drug law of 1992 which calls for the registration of such products before they are put on sale. Section three of the same law provides that it is an offence to use false labels on products.
Mr Agyabeng exhorted the manufacturers to strive to achieve quality with safety in order to meet both local and foreign market demands for their products under the government's "Golden Age of Business" policy.
Mr Emmanuel K.K. Agyako, Chief Executive of Food and Drug Board said that the board was implementing a pilot programme with Environmental Health Officers on safety, particularly in the area of street food sales under the principles of Hazard Analysis and critical control.
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Invigilators refuse to turn up at BECE
Tema (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Candidates totalling 9,548 were expected to write the Basic Examination Certificate Examination (BECE) at 24 centres within the Tema Municipality with 300 teachers to invigilate.
However, GNA reports that when its reporters went round some of the centres, it came to light that some of the invigilators did not turn up and contingency arrangements were quickly made to bring in some primary school teachers to assist.
For instance, at the Aggrey Road JSS centre, out of 13 invigilators, five did not turn up and according to Mr John N. F. K. Afenyo, Supervisor; he quickly recruited five primary school teachers, who were in their classrooms to take their places.
He explained that this led to 30 minutes delay in the start of the first paper, which was English Language. At Sakumono Complex School, four out of 20 invigilators were absent and Mr Wilfred T. Ashidam disclosed that he anticipated that some of them would be absent and, therefore, had a back up of some primary school teachers, who were roped in to take their places.
He said out of 601 candidates at the centre, eight were absent adding that the same candidates did not report during the annulled April BECE. At Ashaiman Complex School where 403 candidates wrote the examination, seven of them were absent, however, five of them did not take part in April.
In an interview, Mr John Nyahe, Examinations Officer at Tema Municipal Office of the Ghana education Service (GES) said a number of teachers, who were recruited as invigilators, had decided not to supervise the candidates because the remuneration of 55,000 cedis which after tax of 15 percent comes to 42,000 cedis did not merit the risk involved in the work.
He said the teachers complained that if a candidate kept a paper in his pocket and the invigilator did not see it but a WAEC Supervisor came in to take such a paper, the invigilator was punished severely including transfer to another school, and all these happen because of 42,000 cedis, which was meagre.
Mr Nyahe said the teachers also complained that the travelling and transport (T and T) allowance of between 20,000 and 30,000 cedis that was paid to them took about one year to come.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, on Tuesday called for appropriate investments by relocating existing resources to address priority health issues for economic growth.
He said financial barriers were preventing a large majority of the population to access health care and said the high toll of malaria, guinea worm infection and tuberculosis as some of the diseases that affected economic productivity.
Dr Afriyie said these at a stakeholders meeting on World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Co-operation Strategy (CCS) in Accra.The meeting organised by World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) aimed at providing an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to WHO's strategic agenda and provide a framework to efficient health care delivery in the country.
The Minister noted that currently the nation had an unacceptable high rate of maternal mortality of 214 per 100,000 births. He said though the Insurance Scheme programme was ongoing to address the issue of financial access, there was the need for close monitoring so that lessons learnt could be fed back quickly to improve its operation.
Dr Afriyie called for an effective collaboration between government and the private sector to improve access to health care delivery. He advised the participants to develop innovations to ensure effective collaboration between WHO, MOH and other stakeholders to improve health delivery in the country.
Commenting on the findings of the report of the WHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, the Minister said the role of health in economic growth had been undervalued and the level of spending on health was insufficient to address the challenges in the sector. According to the report, poverty could be more effectively reduced if investment in health related sectors could be increased.
Dr Melville O. George, WHO Representative, said the organisation was having consultation with partners in the health sector to develop the strategic agenda for WHO and Ghana. He said in response to changes at the global level, the WHO was now adopting a broader approach to health in the context of human development and poverty reduction.
'WHO will work with the MOH, Ministries of Finance, Economic Planning and Regional Integration, the UN country team and other partners to advocate that health be placed at the centre of development and be promoted as the trigger for economic growth.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- The European Commission (EC) now gives budgetary instead of project support to African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) because the latter was not yielding satisfactory results.
Dr Helena Bourgade, EC's Co-ordinator for Health in ACP countries, said this at a meeting with the Minister of Health on Tuesday to discuss the activities of the health sector and look at the way forward.
This is a prelude to the Ministry of Health and Health Partners Summit scheduled for Wednesday, 3 July. She noted that in terms of achievements, the EC's support for the management of HIV/AIDS, Technical Assistance, Procurement and Education had not been satisfactory.
"Due to this, the EC had decided to give budgetary support to the ACP countries where indicators of achievements could easily be monitored". Dr Bourgade said the social sector would be the key area in this direction through the improvement in information technology, health and economic growth to reduce poverty.
She said greater benefits would be derived from the budgetary support as it would enable countries to give achievement indicators that would encourage the
EC to increase its funding. "There must also be a higher budgetary support from governments for the health sector for a corresponding increase in the EC budgetary support because we are interested in promoting quality economic growth."
Dr Bourgade commended the Health Ministry for achievements so far made but cautioned it to manage the exodus of health workers whose training had cost the country a fortune. Dr Kweku Afriyie, Minister of Health, noted that the Government of Ghana (GOG) budgetary support to the health sector was 68 per cent while donors made up remaining 32 per cent.
He said a budgetary support was a welcomed decision but urged the EC to continue to help in the provision of equipment to the health sector. Dr Afriyie said there was the need to make more investments in the human resource development for the health sector due to the intensity of labour needed especially in the Teaching Hospitals and the communities.
On the issue of brain drain, the Minister said though Ghana would not support a complete ban on the movement of health workers, their movement would be controlled in order to retain a substantial number in the country.
He said increased personal emoluments and remuneration would go a long way to curb the exodus of the health workers and called on the EC to provide assistance. Dr Afriyie also appealed for technical and financial support from the EC for Ghana's Health Insurance programme.
Dr Kwabena Yeboah, Manager of the National Aids Control Programme, said the EC's help in the management of HIV/AIDS had been tremendous but called for more support for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) where assistance had been lacking.
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Health Ministry worried over increase in
non-communicable diseases
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Moses Dani Baah, Deputy Minister of Health on Tuesday expressed concern over the rising levels of non-communicable diseases, and said there was the need to double efforts to bring relief to sufferers.
He said although life expectancy had increased from 46 years to 58 over the last decade, coupled with reduction in infant and maternal mortality, non-communicable diseases such as asthma, arthritis and stroke were still major diseases to contend with.
Mr Dani made the comment when Genuine Products Limited, a Ghanaian company dealing in health equipment and accessories, launched and donated a set of hydro massaging equipment to the Nyaho Medical Centre in Accra. The hydro massager is a mobile equipment that combines hydro and ozone therapy for general cosmetic use and relaxation, face and breast massaging; to reduce stress, skin problems, insomnia, bodily pains and aches.
Nicknamed "Italian Jacuzzi", the hydro massager has hand held accessories that are used to physically point at a part of the body that needs massaging. The price for the remote control hydro massager is 5.5 million cedis and that of the manual one is 3.5 million cedis.
Mr Dani Baah described the equipment as a milestone that would improve health care delivery and said government was prepared to support efforts and investments in the private sector to provide quality and affordable health care.
He urged the management of the Nyaho Medical Centre to maintain the equipment to ensure its durability. Mrs Vivian Nyaho-Tamakloe, an official of the Centre expressed appreciation for the donation and said it would help for faster pain relief and early recovery of patients.
The occasion was also used to inaugurate the enhanced Physiotherapy and Massaging Centre of the clinic. Mr Anacletus Gyinia, Administrator of the clinic, said the two departments would be opened to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1300 to 1800 hours.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday signed an agreement with Merck Sharp and Dohme Interpharma (MSD), a pharmaceutical company in France, to provide anti-retroviral drugs on non-profit basis to Ghana. Dr Kawku Afriyie, Minister of Health signed on behalf of the government while Mr Marc Devaux, Managing Director, MDS Africa, signed on behalf of his company.
Dr Afriyie said the need for accessing anti-retroviral drugs had been a problem in the country for a long time, especially in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS among the populace. He recounted the number of support offered by MSD in eradicating onchocerciasis prevalence in the country adding that the supply of the anti-retroviral drugs was another good step in humanitarian service.
Mr Devaux said, "the price of the drug is not the only success factor, which we should considered, but there was the need to develop our health infrastructure and human resource as well". He said the prices range between 5,000 to 6,000 dollars on the open market but they would be reduced by 90 per cent.
Dr Kofi Ahmed, Chief Medical Officer, MOH noted that Information Education Communication methods used over the years to control the disease was not yielding the required results and that the drugs had come at the right time when the Ministry was looking out for drugs and vaccines to curb the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
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Make research on fish available - Ashitey
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Ishmael Ashitey, Minister of State responsible for Fisheries on Tuesday urged African scientists involved in the conservation of genetic resources in the fishing industry to furnish policy makers with their research findings. This is to ensure that the key factors in long-term and sustainable food security being conservation of aquatic resources was attracting attention of policy makers.
Opening an international workshop for scientist on: "Biodiversity, Management and Utilisation of West African Fishes", he said research findings would contribute to planning, as well as make fish more scientifically managed and available to the people." "It is common knowledge that the world's traditional sources of fish from marine and fresh water systems have been and continue to be greatly abused by man depleting fish stocks," he said.
Water Research Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is hosting the three-day workshop with their research partners, the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), Peneang, Malaysia; University of Humburg, Germany and the German Agency for Development (GTZ)
Mr Ashitey said irrespective of the reduction in the fishery resources, a lot more people continued to demand for fish, since it had become the main source of protein in people's diet.
"The combined situation is highly pronounced in our part of the world, where insufficient knowledge of fish resources, limits our basis for their management. The situation is also compounded by easy degradation of the environment and wasteful over-exploitation," he said
Mr Ashitey said; "issues surrounding fish directly and indirectly influence the economic status of almost all the Sub-Regional countries hence the need for all the countries to collaborate and exchange research findings". He told the over 70 participants drawn from West Africa to devote efforts and resources to investigating the diversity of the resource, which he said would present opportunities of expanding fish utilisation within the Sub-Region.
The Minister expressed satisfaction with the fact that Tilapia, a well known fish to all groups of people in West Africa, was going to feature prominently in the three-day workshop saying it was a major socio-economic resource in the sub-region.
The workshop marks the end of a programme of collaborative research involving the WRI and its partners. It would review understanding of the biodiversity, culture and importance of the Black-Chinned Tilapia and explain the achievement of the collaborative research project as well as identify key implications for future research, conservation of fish biodiversity in West Africa.
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Health workers call for action on working
conditions
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Members of the various health professional groupings on Tuesday urged its members to remain calm as their leaders continued to negotiate with government on their service conditions.
They also urged government "to act decisively to find a lasting solution to the threat of the brain drain within the Health Sector posed to the continued delivery of quality health care to Ghanaians".
A statement the group comprising The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), Government and Hospital Pharmacists
Association (GHPA) and Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) issued in Accra said it viewed with "serious concern the mounting tension among health personnel particularly nurses, doctors and HSWU as a result of poor conditions".
Dr Jacob Plange-Rhule, President of GMA, Mrs Alice Asare Allotey, General Secretary, GRNA, Mr Philip Anum, Chairperson, GHPA and Mr Abu Kuntulo, Deputy General Secretary of HSWU signed the statement on the bodies stand on negotiations with the government.
The statement said in September last year, the joint negotiating group of health professional and the health workers group "submitted new salary proposals to government for consideration upon which we convinced our members not to take action that might jeopardize the smooth running of health facilities in the country.
"Our proposal took into consideration the massive brain drain in the health sector and the net workload on all of us, and also the experiences of sister African countries and how they have resolved the problems within health professional manpower attrition" The statement expressed regret that there had been little progress over the last seven months with negotiations on the submitted salary proposals.
"Meanwhile the brain drain continues. The nurses' attrition is threatening the shut down of facilities within a lot of our hospitals and clinics in the country. "In the last month alone Sunyani Regional Hospital lost five doctors to the USA out of a total number of 23 at post".
It said; "as time passes by the situation all over the country becomes graver and graver" The statement said "public pronouncements of government in recent months point to a heart warming picture very different from what is on the ground".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Works and Housing, on Tuesday said the Public Works Department would need 16 billion cedis a year to maintain and rehabilitate government buildings.
He said the annual 2.4 billion cedis given to the Ministry, as budgetary allocation, was woefully inadequate. Mr Barimah was answering a question that stood in the name of Mr Agyare Koi Larbi, NPP-Akropong, who wanted to know the total annual cost of maintenance of government bungalows throughout the country.
Mr Barimah said the average annual budgetary allocation under the administration activity service and investment activity expenses respectively was 1.2 billion cedis each. The total annual budgetary allocation for maintenance of government bungalows is 2.4 billion cedis. He said the PWD under the Ministry of Works and Housing had over 25,000 government houses under its management and it had the responsibility for maintenance of day-to-day wear and tear of fittings.
The Minister said after years of non-maintenance, most of these buildings were in various stages of disrepair and under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) the PWD objective was to rehabilitate them by yearly instalments of 200 bungalows at an average cost of 50 million cedis per unit. Mr Barimah said the department needed 10 billion cedis to carry out the repair works which included rewiring, re-roofing and repainting for the over
25,000 houses.
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Education Minister visits examination
centres
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, on Tuesday expressed satisfaction at the turn-up of students to re-sit the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Accra and the Dangme West District.
The Minister said: "I am impressed about the attendance of the students, invigilators and supervisors and commended the conducive atmosphere created for the candidates." Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi made the comment after visiting some selected examination centres.
The Acting Director General of Ghana Education Service, Mr John Budu-Smith and the Reverend John Annan Addotey, Head of Tests Administration, West African Examination Council (WAEC) accompanied him.
The Minister said the number of candidates absent at the centres were almost the same as that of the previous exams. At the Accra High Secondary School, it was realised that out of 782 candidates, eight students were absent as compared to the four in the April annulled exams.
The Supervisor at Accra High said one student, who could not make it to the centre the last time had the opportunity of writing it this time. The Accra Girls' Secondary School had 1,146 candidates registered at the centre but had 17 candidates were absent.
Miss Margaret Kubadzor, Supervisor for one of the Centres at the school said the attitude of the students was more encouraging than previously and also the invigilators turned up earlier despite the short notice. She said she was more comfortable with the new mode of supervision since the teachers of the various schools were not given the opportunity to invigilate and encourage examination malpractice.
Rev. Addotey said; "you must endeavour to complete the exams in order to gain access into senior secondary schools to give you a brighter future". Rev. Addottey said he was pleased with the performance of the supervisors and invigilators and expected the outcome of the exams to be successful.
He said the examination results would be released by September 4, 2002 in order not to disrupt the academic calendar. At the Ghanata Secondary School, Dodowa, the main exam centre for the BECE, 554 candidates turned up for the re-sit with only six absentees.
However, the second paper, which was agricultural science, was delayed for about 10 minutes. The Supervisor of the centre, Mr Anthony Yaw Poku, could not give any reason for the delay. It was observed that one female candidate was not in uniform because she was pregnant while another female candidate on admission at the Dodowa Health Centre was allowed to take her exams at the clinic.
Mr Budu-Smith said the time in which the papers were printed and the re-sit date reduced the possibility of any leakage and added it was a way of enhancing the credibility of WAEC. Most of the students, who gave their views, said the questions were easier than those in the April examinations and expressed optimism that they would come out with flying colours.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002-Twenty-seven out of 1,094 pupils could not turn up to re-sit their Basic Education Certificate Examination at two centres in the Kpeshie Sub-District in the Grater Region, when the examination began on Tuesday.
Fifteen of them did not turn up at Nungua Secondary School out of the registered number of 650 while 12 out of 444 also failed to turn up at the Nungua AMA Two Secondary School.
Mr Sylvester Dziani, Supervisor at Nungua Secondary School told Mr Henry Ofori Awuah, Deputy Director General of Ghana Education Service (GES), who was on an inspection tour that besides the 15, who could not turn up two candidates collapsed just as the examination papers were being distributed but they were revived and were able to write the English Language paper.
Mr Dziani said it was learnt that one of the pupils, who was absent was on admission at the "37" Military Hospital where she was being treated from gas burns and that the papers would be sent to her to enable her to write them.
Mr Emmanuel Obeney, Supervisor at the AMA Two Centre at the Nungua Secondary School, also said three candidates fell sick and that the Circuit Officer, who should have provided First Aid could not do so because he was also invigilating at another centre.
Mr Awuah then gave out 20,000 cedis for first aid drug to be provided to the sick candidates. He expressed satisfaction at the attendance of the re-sitters and at the security at the centres.
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Threatened eviction undermines squatters'
rights-Counsel
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Dominic Ayine, Counsel for squatters at Sodom and Gomorrah, on Tuesday told an Accra High Court hearing the case of the squatters at Sodom and Gomorrah, a suburb of Accra, that if the threatened action by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was allowed to go on as planned, it would irreparably and unjustly violate the rights of the squatters.
Mr Ayine said Article 12 (1) of the Constitution explicitly imposed a duty on all organs of government and their agents, such as the AMA, to respect and uphold the fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in Chapter Five of the Bill of Rights.
The Counsel made the submission when the court began to hear the case in which a legal aid and human rights non-governmental organisation is fighting the cause of the squatters. Mr Ayine is a member of the Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL) that had sued AMA on behalf of the squatters, for infringing on their individual liberties. On April 30, CEPIL filed the motion at the court seeking an order to restrain AMA from ejecting the squatters, until they had been re-settled or re-located.
The squatters claimed that they had occupied the land along the bank of the Korle Lagoon, normally referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah, since 1994, and that the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project (KLERP), proposed among other things, that residents in the area be re-settled or compensated before the project took off. Not satisfied with a two-week ultimatum to quit the area, the squatters had no alternative than to drag AMA to court.
Mr Ayine submitted that the intended eviction of his clients from a public land by a public authority constituted a conflict between the interests of the squatters, that is, their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution and the interests of AMA, and therefore prayed the court to exercise powers conferred on it by Article 33 of the Constitution to enforce fundamental human rights.
Counsel said that even though there was public interest dimension to KLERP, which, project was being financed through loans advanced to government, the efficient and effective utilization of the loans was in the general interest of Ghanaians.
Mr Ayine argued, however, that the question was not whether there was public interest dimension to the project, because the matter before the court was whether and the extent to which the public interest in efficient and effective execution of the project should be allowed to trump the enforcement of fundamental human rights.
Turning to Article 23 of the Constitution, Counsel stated that it imposed a mandatory duty on administrative bodies and officials to act fairly and responsibly and to comply with requirements imposed on them by law.
He said the same article also conferred on aggrieved individuals the right to resort to court action for redress when they felt decisions and acts by such administrative entities violated their freedoms and rights. Counsel submitted that since the people of Sodom and Gomorrah already lived in precarious conditions, the eviction of the squatters without provision for alternative place of settlement and/or compensation of any kind, would adversely affect their right to life.
Touching on the United Nations Human Rights Resolution 1993/77, Mr Ayine argued that the practice of forced eviction, in the manner contemplated by AMA, not only constituted a gross violation of human rights, but also harboured the potential to render some or all of the squatters homeless.
He submitted that even if the right to adequate housing was not guaranteed by the Constitution, the government must not be allowed to end-run its international obligations under the Covenant on Economic and Social Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as far as the right to housing or shelter for the citizenry was concerned.
Counsel said if the State could not be compelled to assist the squatters proactively to better their already deplorable state of existence, it should and must be prevented from exacerbating these worse and precarious conditions by the contemplated conduct of forced eviction without arrangements for alternative place of settlement, no matter how temporarily.
Counsel submitted that the forced unplanned eviction of the squatters would lead to disintegration of their families and said that unless their removal from the land was orderly and well planned, the process would be destructive of family life.
Mr Ayine argued that apart from adversely affecting the rights of children to grow up in the family as the fundamental unit of society, the forced unplanned ejection would disrupt the children's education, thus leading to their eventually dropping out of school, which was contrary to the constitutional right to Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education.
Counsel submitted that as part of the judicial arm of the State, the court could not, and had no business telling the Executive how to carry out its economic policies and programmes, since this was the internal logic of the doctrine of Separation of Powers. Counsel stated that once a rational economic policy programme was in place, the Judiciary could only stay its hands on how the Executive went about implementing such policy.
However, he said, the bench was not totally precluded from declaring that the government had failed to comply with its own policy commitments publicly undertaken and upon such declaration, the Judiciary could stay the hand of the Executive where the deviant manner in which it was proceeding with the policy implementation was threatening to violate constitutionally guaranteed human rights.
Mr Ayine concluded his submissions with a biblical quotation from Genesis and alluded to the story about the twin ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and said in their case when Abraham interceded on their behalf, their saving grace was the presence of a few righteous men in the two cities.
Counsel stated that God was prepared to spare the people insofar as there were 10 righteous men in there, but in the present case, the saving grace was not the presence of righteous men, but the Constitution which enjoined the government to exercise its powers in the name and for the welfare of the people.
Counsel submitted that the welfare of the squatters, as Ghanaians, would be greatly undermined if AMA was allowed to carry on with the project the way it was currently proceeding, and, therefore, prayed the court to restrain AMA from carrying out the eviction order. Mr Justice Yaw Appau, the Presiding Judge, adjourned proceedings to tomorrow to enable counsel for AMA and the Attorney General's Department to respond.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has congratulated a Ghanaian, Dr Kwasi Odoi-Agyarko, for winning this year's annual UN population award, saying he and other winners made outstanding contribution to the betterment of the world.
Dr. Odoi-Agyarko, Executive Director of Rural Help Integrated (RHI) in Ghana won the individual category. He was selected for his outstanding leadership and achievements in promoting community-based reproductive health services in Ghana.
A press release issued in Accra on Tuesday said, Mr Annan has pledged the UN's continued effort to address population issues as an integral part of "our global work for social and economic development".
Rural Help Integrated (RHI) is located in the Upper East Region, one of Ghana's poorest and least accessible sensitive reproductive health care is a model project that has received international attention for its scope and quality, it said.
According to the release, Dr. Odoi-Agyarko has also integrated the RHI model into the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana and has made substantial progress towards the promotion of women to leadership positions.
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American Red Cross evaluates child survival
project in Upper East
Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) 04 July 2002- The American Red Cross (AM-Cross) Society's sponsored three-year child survival and development project in three districts of the Upper East Region has ended.
The project covered 60 mother clubs in 47 communities with an estimated population of 15,000 children aimed at improving the health needs of children. The operational districts were Bolgatanga, Kassena-Nankana and Bawku West.
A three-member team of Am-Cross led by Madam Kate Robins spent three weeks in the region to evaluate and make recommendations on the project. Other members of the team were Ms Erika Lutz and Ms. Habiba Bihi, both technical advisers of the American Red Cross Society.
Briefing the Regional Executive of the Ghana Red Cross society, Madam Robins said even though the project made significant gains in disseminating key health messages to the people, the AM-Cross was unable to extend the project due to the financial constraints coupled with responsibilities it faced in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11.
Madam Robins outlined successes in breast feeding, oral re-hydration therapy (ORT) and complimentary feeding practices and commended the Ministry of Health and Red Cross mother club members, and other partners for effectively providing information and treatment at household levels for a change on health behaviours. She called on partner agencies to support the communities to access funds for their activities.
She recommended that the Ghana Red Cross Society should collaborate with the United Nations International children's Education fund (UNICEF) to provide resources to continue with project. The Regional Vice Chairman of Ghana Red Cross society Mr. Joseph Asakeyerigo thanked the AM-Cross for choosing to help children in the region.
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Population Association of Ghana inaugurated
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 July 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday called on Ghanaians to discard all archaic and retrogressive social practices that had affected population growth in the country.
He said: "Just as our aspirations are now higher because of global influences, so must our societal behaviour and beliefs match the economic practices and productive lifestyles of the advancing parts of the world".
President Kufuor was inaugurating the Population Association of Ghana (PAG) in Accra. The Association would provide the link between population policy and its implementation and spearhead discussions on population and related issues.
President Kufuor said with the current population growth rate of about three per cent based on the 2000 census statistics, the current intolerable pressure on social facilities like health delivery, education, housing and the resultant high cost of living would not abate in the foreseeable future unless all and sundry dramatically took control of and managed the rate of population growth.
He said the inefficient management and lack of effective policy for the rate of population growth had led to the overcrowded schools, patients lying on floor in hospitals, city slums, youth unemployment and the disappearing forests.
President Kufuor said the Association had a very important role to play to help mobilise civil society in supporting government and non-government efforts. He said; "it is up to you to promote the study of population and its inter-relationship with development and bring your influence to bear on policies that population must be at the core of every activity".
Dr Richard B. Turkson, Executive Director of the National Population Council, called on the Association to forge links with other professional associations whose work are related to population issues as well as the private sector and civil society.
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