GRi Newsreel 17 – 07 - 2003

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - The Minister of Information, Nana Akomea on Wednesday advised the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to always crosscheck information it picks from foreign news sources on Ghana in the national interest.

At a meeting with Senior GNA officials, he expressed concern about a story it used from a foreign news agency, which claimed that Ghana is among the five least attractive economic destinations. The Minister said he expected that if the GNA, which is a state organisation, picked a story about the country from a foreign source, "the least it can do is to cross-check".

Nana Akomea said: "While the government will not like to interfere in the running of the state-media, the national interest should be paramount at all times."

The Minister of Finance, Yaw Osafo-Maafo on 8 July dismissed the story that claimed Ghana is among the least attractive economic destinations. He said it was not true that the World Economic Forum ranked Ghana among the least five attractive investment destinations out of a total of 21 countries.

"The latest World Economic Forum Press Release ranks Ghana eighth out 21 countries," Osafo-Maafo said. The GNA picked a DPA story that quoted a report released the World Economic Forum released at the start of its Economic Summit in South Africa.

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Techiman South MP to seek re-election in 2004

Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 17 July 2003 - Prince Oduro Mensah, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Techiman South has indicated his intention to seek re-election in 2004.

Isaac Osei-Antwi, Techiman District Chief Executive, who disclosed this in an interview with Ghana News Agency at Techiman on Tuesday, said Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways would also contest the Techiman North seat.

He said the NPP had no problem in winning the two seats as "a large number of people in the area have acknowledged what the Government is doing for the nation."

"The people of Techiman will surely endorse the candidature of the two NPP contestants, come the general election in 2004." Touching on recent development projects initiated in the district, Mr Osei-Antwi said a block of three rooms had been constructed for a clinic at Aworowa, while the Offuman Health Centre was being renovated.

Osei-Antwi said the Techiman District Security Council (DISC) was doing its best to control the crime wave as neighbourhood watch committees were being formed in the communities to undertake night patrols to arrest suspected criminals.

The DCE advised party supporters to lead exemplary lives and to intensify their campaigns to educate the people on government policies and programmes.

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I was detained and dismissed on false charges - witness

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - George Daniel Asante, formerly with the Foreign Service, said he worked with the Service from 1961, but was humiliated, arrested, detained and later dismissed in 1985 on a false charge of having used his diplomatic status to misappropriate 20,000 Zimbabwean dollars.

The then Citizens Vetting Committee also seized his newly imported Mercedes Benz car in Accra, just after he had taken delivery of it at the Tema Port.

He said not long after he had returned from a five-year duty tour from Zimbabwe, he was called into the Office of the then Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, C. C. Lokko, where he met two armed men, who said they were from the CID Headquarters, and handed him an invitation for him to report there.

Asante, who was shedding tears, said Lokko failed to protect him. He said he was humiliated before his colleagues adding that after descending from the office upstairs, the two men frog-marched him to his old car and took him to the cells of the Legon Police Station and detained him for five and a half months.

He said when they got to the Police Station they took the keys of the car from him and drove it away. Asante said the cell had no mattress and he slept on the bare floor. During his incarceration, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) invited him to meet a panel led by Peter Nanfuri. It quizzed him on the said 20,000 Zimbabwean dollars, which he said he denied any knowledge of.

He said a team that was sent to Zimbabwe to investigate the alleged theft exonerated him but that, notwithstanding, he was dismissed from the Service. He was not paid his entitlements. He said he was later invited to the Citizens Vetting Committee at the Old Parliament House. He went in his old car that had then been released to him, in the company of his wife.

He said at the Old Parliament House he was informed about the arrival his Benz car at the Tema Port. Asante said an Officer pulled out an ID card and a pistol and told him that he was under instructions to seize the car from him. The Officer accompanied him to the Port where he cleared the car for the Officer to take away.

Asante said at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lokko, who is now deceased, told him that Captain Kojo Tsikata, then PNDC Member in charge of Foreign Affairs, was the one, who gave the instruction that the car should be taken away from him. He said when he went to Captain Tsikata's Office one Ambassador Fordjour, who worked there, told him the Captain was at a meeting.

Asante said he later wrote to the Office of the Ombudsman, but the then Ombudsman, Justice Andoh died a month later. He said he later petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) but it dismissed the petition on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction.

Olson Atteh Ocansey from Accra New Town, another Witness, said soldiers shot his nephew, Gerson Ocansey in January 1982 and while he was being operated upon at the 37 Military Hospital to remove the pellets he died.

He said his nephew, who was a driver plying between Ghana and Nigeria refused to stop when soldiers signalled him to stop during curfew hours. He said while attempting to drive away the soldiers fired at him and he had an accident and was subsequently arrested and taken to the Kotobabi Police Station, where he was detained.

He said in the night the soldiers went for him and took him to Dzorwulu where they shot him and left him to die. Atteh Ocansey said people, who saw Gerson Ocansey thought that he was a thief, who had been shot. He said later a friend of Gerson Ocansey found him and took him to the 37 Military Hospital and then came to report to the family.

Madam Josephine Agadzi, Gerson Ocansey's wife, corroborated the story of Atteh Ocansey. She prayed the Commission to compensate her and their four children. Daniel Eric Kofi Ameyibor, now a farmer at Peki Avetile, a former car dealer, narrated how a friend lured him into a gold deal that resulted in soldiers beating him up behind Independence Square. He was later taken to the Gondar Barracks where he was detained for 49 days.

In another narration, Ricky Atiana, a Lotto Agent, who petitioned the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on behalf of the Chiefs and people of Agortime Apedome, in the Volta Region on Wednesday told the Commission that the townsfolk suffered brutalities in 1988 because a young man refused to give a pot of palm-wine to some Militiamen to drink.

He said the Militiamen, who arrested and severely tortured the young man, whose name he did not mention, also ransacked the town, collected the regalia from the palace, beat the people up and forced about 210 people to seek refuge in Togo.

Atiana said in 1988, a native of Agortime, Emmanuel Ankrah died adding that during the funeral the young man was sent to bring palm-wine from the boarder to be served.

He said since Agortime was a boarder town, Militiamen were stationed there adding that when the young man was returning with the drink, the Militiamen requested that he should give them some of the drink which he refused.

The Witness said they forced the boy to offload the pot of wine but he managed to escape. He said after the burial of the deceased at about 1500 hours, the Militiamen, led by one W.O. Tonyeviadzi, came to the town with a Toyota Pickup, chased and arrested the boy and took him to Ho.

Atiana said some elders in the town followed up and found that the young man had been seriously manhandled adding that the Police station where the militia first sent him refused to take him and advised them to send him to the hospital.

He said the following Sunday, W.O. Tonyeviadzi sent a message to the chief that his cover-cloth had been taken away by somebody while they were on operation the previous day so the chief must look for it and bring it before the end of the day.

The Witness said the chief was invited to the District Security Committee meeting and was asked to produce the cloth else he would have himself to blame. Atiana said the following Monday, about 100 Militiamen went to Apegame ransacked the community, broke into the rooms, beat the people with some inserting the tip of pistols into the private part of some of the women.

He said they made a camp at the entrance of the village to prevent the exit or entrance of people, deflated the tyre of every vehicle in sight. He said some of the men were made to lie on their back facing the sun "until they received orders from above''.

The Witness said a complaint was made to the Regional Minister after which a committee headed by one Colonel Coleman was set up to investigate the case. He said report of the investigation that took place in 1988 had not yet been published.

The Chief and elders made a report to the Ministry of the Interior, ministry of Defence and ministry of local Government Local and Rural Development but they have heard nothing until now, he said. He said no compensation had also been paid to any of the victims.

Members of the Commission expressed regret that a pot of palm-wine should cause so much havoc adding that great lessons needed to be leant out of that.

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Do not mix trade unionism with politics - Appiah Agyei

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Christian Appiah Agyei, a Member of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Wednesday advised Trade Unionists to desist from mixing trade unionism with politics to the disadvantage workers.

Commissioner Apppiah Agyei, who is the Immediate Past Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) of Ghana, made the remark at a public hearing of the Commission in Accra on Wednesday.

He called on senior officers to protect their subordinates if they got into trouble in the course of discharging their duties. This was after Prince Saxbon, a former employee of the then Posts and Telecommunication Corporation (P&T) told the Commission that he was dismissed through press publications on December 28, 1984 after his 20 years service with the Corporation.

He said the publication accused him and 200 others, of stealing mails and embezzling monies, but no charges were preferred against him.

He said together with others accused of similar offences, he had no query, no dismissal letter and had not been paid entitlements to date, all in contravention of the provisions of Article 52 of the Corporations Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Commissioner Appiah Agyei asked Saxbon, who was the then TUC Secretary-General to whom the affected workers could have petitioned. The Witness mentioned one Ayikule. The two agreed that Ayikule was embroiled in the politics of the day and that it was unsafe for him to give the workers any assistance.

Saxbon said he heard that Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, then Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), who had a few days earlier visited the then P&T Headquarters main yard and spoke of a shake-up, was responsible for their dismissal.

Saxbon added that the contributions of Journalists of those times must have contributed to their dismissal. He said he sent a personal petition to Chairman Rawlings at the Castle, as well as other petitions to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, the then Ombudsman, who told them they must pray hard and that their case would be looked into if "Rawlings was no more on the throne".

The Chairman of the Commission, Justice Kweku Etrew Amua-Sekyi said the Commission would study the case of the affected workers and make the appropriate recommendations.

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Aspiring US Presidential candidate to visit Ghana

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - A delegation of African-American clergy, community leaders and educators led by an aspiring presidential candidate of the US Democratic Party for the 2004 elections, the Reverend Al Sharpton will arrive in the country on 20 July, for a sub-regional tour.

The visit is to add African-American moral support to the Liberian peace process and explore ways in which they could assist through humanitarian relief services to the refugees and other displaced persons in the West African sub-region.

A statement from the Institute for the Development of Pan African Policy (IDPAP) to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday said the delegation would also visit the Liberian refugee camps in Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea and report back to the US Congressional Black Caucus.

It said Rev. Sharpton has expressed concern for Africa's over 35 million refugees and displaced persons and would use the visit to explore ways in which an African-American Refugee and Relief Project could be established on the continent. The statement said the delegation would also visit South Africa where it would confer with Ex- President Nelson Mandela on a variety of topics, including the Senegal's proposal for a permanent representation of the African Diaspora on the African Union.

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Police urged to effectively enforce law

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 17 July 2003 - Haruna Iddrisu, National Youth Organiser of National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday urged the Ghana Police Service not to operate as "mere weapon operators or wielders" but as an effective law enforcement agency.

He was speaking at a symposium at the Sunyani Polytechnic organised by the northern sector branch of Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN)) of the party within Polytechnics.

The branch consists of polytechnics in Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions. Under the theme, "Ten years of democracy: the way forward for the youth," it was to rounded off the inauguration of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Youth Working Committee of the party.

Iddrisu called on the media to be impartial and to be unmindful of "whose ox their reportage could gore". He expressed surprise that a section of the media, which "constructively" criticised the NDC government had "kept mute" over government activities that should be criticised.

The Youth Organiser called on the government to demonstrate its commitment to multi-party democracy by sourcing the Electoral Commission to provide voters' identification cards to improve the electoral system.

Teachers at the basic, second-cycle and tertiary levels must be adequately remunerated to make the profession attractive, he added. Iddrisu said the exodus of medical doctors and nurses for instance was due to what he described as "unhealthy enticement" in terms of conditions of service.

If voted back to power in 2004, the NDC would streamline the cumbersome administrative procedures that students go through in their efforts to pursue further education especially at the tertiary level, he said.

Iddrisu said an NDC government would ensure that students had access to affordable and reliable higher education. Kofi Bonsu Boakye-Boateng, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretary of the NDC, suggested the adoption of a fee-free and compulsory education for females, at least up to the second-cycle level.

He said this would allow more girls to get better education to enable them to effectively contribute to socio-economic development. "We should begin to take education seriously and we can do this better by opening the fee-free chance by beginning or starting with the girl-child," Boakye-Boateng, who was deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Secretary in the PNDC regime, added.

A 13-member Regional Youth Working Committee was elected with Mohammed Seidu as Organiser, Justice Samuel Adjei, Coordinator and Sulley Mana, Second Deputy Organiser. Paul Yeboah, Ntena Dauda, Amos Oppong Boateng, Seidu Usman, Osei Bonsu and all constituency youth organizers were appointed ex-officio members.

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Liberian government lauds US framework for peace

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - The Liberian government representatives at the Ghana Peace Talks on their war-ravaged country, on Wednesday lauded a US proposed framework for a transitional government that excludes the two rebel groups from leadership positions.

Louis Brown, leader of the delegation at the one-month old ECOWAS brokered peace talks, commended the three-page document purported to have come from the US State Department at a Press Conference in Accra as a foundation for a lasting peace.

The document suggested that the chairmen of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) should not be eligible for the positions of President, Vice-President and Cabinet in the New Transitional Government of Liberia.

They are however, eligible to contest future elections in accordance with the Liberian Constitution. Brown stacked to the long-held opposition of the Liberian government to a transitional process that excludes the executive team of beleaguered President Charles Taylor from the leadership position.

He explained that the decision of President Taylor to step down in the interest of peace did not suggest a power vacuum that should be filled by a new administration.

He said the constitution of Liberia made it mandatory for the country's Vice-President, Moses Blair or a representative of the Executive to serve the rest of the term of President Taylor and organize fresh elections.

He said the US affront to the leadership role of the two rebel groups in a future administration of Liberia was in consonance with the constitutional arrangement although it did not meet all provisions in the enshrined clauses.

"We (government) will work within the framework, although some minor changes to the proposals should be within the Constitution." Brown called for an end to the prolonged cycle of violence waged by armed groups to seek political redress in Liberia and expressed satisfaction at efforts by the international community to outlaw such unconstitutional approach.

The US framework said the interim administration should ensure the scrupulous implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that includes the provisions of the Ceasefire Agreement, the political programme enunciated in the agreement and promotion of reconciliation to ensure the restoration of peace and stability to Liberia.

The framework also asked for the participation of all stakeholders in the preparation and conduct of internationally organized and supervised elections not later than October 2003, for the inauguration of an elected government next January.

Meanwhile ECOWAS mediators are working around the clock to beat a 30-day deadline that ends on Thursday to clench an interim administration for Liberia to implement the Ceasefire Agreement signed by the Liberian Government and the two rebel groups.

"We are going to get a peace deal but whether it will be available on 17 July, we cross our fingers and see," General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Chief Mediator told Journalists in Accra. He said ECOWAS Chief of Defence Staff would meet on July 20, in Senegal to work out the details for a Peacekeeping Force to Liberia.

General Abubakar admitted that the deployment of the 1000-strong Interventionist Force lacks logistics for the operation and looked forward to the US for support.

The US, the only remaining World Super Power has historic links with Liberia dating back to the founding of the Republic of freed Black Americans slaves in the 19th Century. Meanwhile, General Boi Bleaju Boi, Military Spokesperson for MODEL had denied reports of a power struggle within the armed movement that claimed to control over 50 per cent of Liberia.

He told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Wednesday that rumours of a power struggle was an alleged design of Alhaji G.V. Kromah, a former warlord to cause disaffection in MODEL.

General Boi said announcement of his dismissal and that of Tiah Slanger , Chairman of the MODEL delegation to the peace talks by people he described as disgruntled members of movement should be disregarded.

"We are the official delegation invited by ECOWAS to attend the Peace Talks, who can sack us." General Boi said those who announced the dismissal were usurpers who have assumed non-existent positions in MODEL.

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Investigate allegations of corruption - Mills

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Prof John Evans Atta Mills, Flag-Bearer of National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday called on President John Kufuor to initiate investigations into allegations of corruption and perceptions of illegal acquisition of wealth in his administration.

"To give meaning to President Kufuor's slogan of 'zero tolerance for corruption', we expect that the allegations would be investigated and those found to be corrupt or have caused financial loss and betrayed the trust of the people be prosecuted," he said.

Prof Mills was addressing a press conference in Accra in reaction to issues, which he said Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning "cleverly avoided" during his Meet the Press series last Tuesday.

Prof Mills said the purpose of the press conference was to refocus on the core issues of hardship facing Ghanaians as a result of the Government's insensitive economic policies, and corruption among government functionaries. He also urged the government to furnish Ghanaians with the cost of all the investigations and forensic audits that have been conducted so far, as well as disclose the names of the auditors, their appointment and how much was paid to each auditor in relation to each forensic audit conducted and its outcomes and benefit to Ghanaians.

"This is important, because the payment figures being bandied about are staggering and it is critical that those who are insisting on accountability are themselves shown to be accountable," Prof Mills said.

A sudden downpour prevented Journalists from asking questions at the Press Conference.

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Ashanti NPP to demonstrate against Rawlings

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - The Ashanti Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday said it would organise a demonstrations against Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings for his persistent insults on President John Agyekum Kufuor and members of his government.

A statement, signed by F. F. Antoh, Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP, said Former President Rawlings at a meeting with Regional Executives and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kumasi, on July 7, described members of the NPP government in derogatory terms.

The statement said the NPP had for many years shown lot of patience with Ex-President Rawlings with the hope that he would change for the better but "unfortunately this has turned out to be an illusion".

It said members of the Ashanti Regional NPP recognised the Ex-President's and any other person's right to free speech, "however, where that freedom is used to insult others and denigrate a sitting President, then our passivity to this rape of our sensibilities should be curtailed forthwith".

The statement said the demonstrators would be telling Ex-President Rawlings that they were tired of his tantrums and rabblerousing. It alerted NPP supporters to be on the lookout for the clarion call and to join the march against Ex-President Rawlings.

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“We could not guarantee Rawlings’ civility – Wa NPP

Wa (Upper West) 17 July 2003 - The Upper West branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said former President Jerry John Rawlings was not invited to the recent celebration of the 20th anniversary of the creation of the Region, because "we could not guarantee his civility" especially when the Vice President was invited as the guest of honour.

"We can corroborate this with his rejection of Christmas presents by the State Protocol last Christmas and his uninterrupted bashing of the President and the NPP Government."

Abdul-Aziz Mohammed, a Spokesman for the Party, said this at a press conference on Tuesday attended by four District Chief Executives, Regional and Constituency Executives and supporters of the Party.

NDC supporters in the Upper West on 6 July held a rally at Wa ostensibly to accord the former President recognition for the role he played in the creation of the Upper West Region. He said the purpose of the celebration was to unite the people of the Region and to showcase the investment potentials of the Region to the rest of Ghana.

"With this objective the whole celebration was organised on non-partisan basis without any party's influence. The issue of NDC or any other party not being, formally invited to the celebration is completely out of place."

Mohammed said the invitation extended to M. A. Seidu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa Central and Dr Benjamin Kunbour, MP for Lawra-Nandom, were in their capacity as sons of the Region. He called on the people of the Region to be thankful to the present administration for being the only one to ''remember our birth was of significance to merit a celebration."

While not denying that it was the provisional National Democratic Congress (NDC) government that established the University for Development Studies (UDS), "we can say with confidence that we defied all intrigues to bring the Faculty of Integrated Development Studies of the UDS to the Upper West Region."

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Ensure responsible conduct for the growth of democracy

Kumawu (Ashanti Region) 17 July 2003 - Yaw Baah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu, has appealed to his colleague politicians to be more responsible in their conduct to help remove the tension in the society and promote the growth of democracy.

"The intense hatred, recrimination and antagonism that characterised the relationship between the political parties and their supporters in the past should give way to mutual respect, tolerance, co-operation and peaceful co-existence."

Baah was presenting a cash donation of ¢4m to support the repair of a mosque at Kumawu Zongo, which was recently damaged when a truck crashed into it. The MP personally donated ¢3m while the remaining ¢1m was a contribution from Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing.

Baah said differences in political opinion should not make people see themselves as bitter enemies. He called on all to be vigilant to protect "our democracy. The price we all have to pay for democracy is eternal vigilance". The MP said the country had come a long way adding that the New Patriotic Party was in power to provide good governance for all Ghanaians without discrimination.

Baah told them that the government was working hard to transform the economic fortunes of the nation and bring qualitative changes to the life of the people. The Chief Imam, Seiba Waih, who received the cash, said Muslims of the area were grateful to the MP and the Minister for the support.

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Goodnews FM to open TV Station in Takoradi

Takoradi (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Goodnews FM, a local radio station in Takoradi is to add a television station to its repertoire next year. Kobby Aggrey, Executive Director of Goodnews FM, announced this at a press conference at Takoradi on Monday, as part of activities to mark the first anniversary of the station.

He said the management had applied to the National Communications Authority (NCA) for accreditation and was "anxiously expecting the approval" to enable it to begin test transmissions.

Aggrey expressed his appreciation to the media, private companies and individuals in the region who had contributed towards the sustenance and growth of the station.

Matthew Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, said although profit was the bedrock of every business, his company was also interested in the social development of the area and would contribute towards the establishment of libraries, places of entertainment and manpower development.

He said Goodnews FM had started a training programme for staff in the fields of programming, disc jockeying, news reading and other related areas.

Anderson said the management of the company would encourage interested public and private institutions, religious groups and individuals to patronise the TV station at reduced rates.

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Upper East - a good tourism destination

Bolgatanga (Upper East) 17 July 2003 - The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, Madam Mary Agangmikire has said that the region is among the finest and friendly tourism destination in the country with varied tourist attractions.

Madam Agangmikire said that the attractions included crocodile ponds, slave routes, rocks used as drums by the slaves under captivity in Paga, slave stops and slave resistant spots and shrines, including that of Babatu, the famous slave raider in Sandema.

Other places of interest, she said, were the Tenzug shrine in Tongo, believed to be a very powerful god that serves people's needs, no matter what the demands are, and also rocks, shaped naturally to the admiration of anybody who sees them.

She said an attraction such as the "tomb" of the famous warrior, Naa Gbewaa, which is also a shrine in Pusiga, near Bawku, is available and added that it is believed that the warrior vanished in the heat of one of the wars.

Besides, the Director said a museum that houses monuments of great men and warriors from the three Northern Regions of Ghana, palaces of chiefs as well as the traditions and cultures of the various ethnic groups is readily displayed for visitors to admire.

"The people are hospitable and ready to embrace all kinds of visitors," she added. Madam Agangmikire, noted that tourism although has the potential to grow and attract tourist to the area, little has been done to give these attractions good publicity.

She said the GTB has began a programme to sensitise the people, especially the traditionalists, who keep these attractions to make it flexible enough for visitors to have a look at the sights without difficulty. She said to visit some of the sights now, it demands that certain rituals are performed, although they may not be too significant in today's world adding that the delay in going through such formalities sometimes scare away visitors.

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I was neither dismissed nor interdicted-Investigator

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Detective Sergeant Amidu Imoro, investigator in the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case on Wednesday stated in court that he was neither dismissed nor interdicted after investigating the matter.

In answer to a question put to him under cross-examination by defence counsel, Sergeant Imoro, ninth prosecution witness in the case, told the Fast Track Court that, rather, he was transferred to the Ministry of the Interior after completing investigations into the theft at GREL.

Four persons are standing trial at the court for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices in connection with the privatisation of the company.

The four, Hanny Sherry Ayittey, treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former executive secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, businessman, and Sati Dorcas Ocran, housewife.

They have all denied their various charges, and each of them is currently on self-recognisance bail. Continuing his evidence under further cross-examination by Rodney Heward-Mills, counsel for Casely-Hayford, Sergeant Imoro recalled that on 12 April 2001, he was among a three-member investigation team, which looked into the matter.

He said on the 4th of the following month, he received instructions from his superiors to charge Casely-Hayford with the offence of stealing, which he did.

Witness disagreed with a suggestion by counsel that he struck a deal with two other prosecution witnesses, Etienne Marie Popeler, former managing director of GREL and Dr Albert Owusu-Barnafo, member of the company's board, not to charge them.

Sergeant Imoro disagreed with another suggestion by J E Senoo, counsel for Agbodo, that in the course of his assignment, he did not find anything against the accused person. Jonny Quarshie-Idun and Anthony Lithur are defending Ayittey and Ocran respectively.

Further hearing of the case has been fixed for Friday 18 July.

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"Prosecution's case was totally weak"- Counsel

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - The Attorney of the two persons charged with the assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, Paramount Chief of the Dagbon Traditional Area, on Wednesday told an Accra High Court that the Prosecution's case was totally weak.

The Attorney, Nana Obiri Boahen said: "It is unfortunate that the Prosecution was trying to appease an angry lion with an innocent lamb."

He said all the four Prosecution Witnesses, who were at the Gbewaa Palace, in their evidences concluded that they did not know the second accused person in the case and that the Prosecution had miserably failed to establish its case. Nana Boahen was addressing the court, presided over by Mr Justice Yaw Appau to close his case.

The two accused persons; Yidana Sugri and Iddrisu Gyanfo have been charged with conspiracy and murder. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Nana Boahene stressed that for his clients to be found guilty of the offence levelled against them, the Prosecution should have proved all the ingredients of the charge. He listed the ingredients to include: That the Ya-Na was dead. Who killed the Ya-Na and what was the cause.

He said the Prosecution was only able to prove that the Ya-Na was dead and that the rest were based on speculations. He said in its evidence, the Prosecution said that the severed head was seen around the neck of Yidana, so he killed the Paramount Chief, but this was wrong.

The Attorney submitted that in his defence, Gyanfo stated that on 21 March 2002, he travelled to his village, called Mempeasem and that his wife was aware.

The Attorney submitted further that when he asked the investigator in the case during cross-examination if he went to cross-check the facts from the village and Gyamfo's wife, the investigator said no. He, therefore, concluded that the investigation was not properly done and that was why Gyanfo was indicted for prosecution.

Nana Boahene noted that all along the trial, the Prosecution Witnesses could not tell the court what caused the death of Ya Na Andani. He said it was the Medical Doctor, who said in his evidence that the death was caused by excessive bleeding when the head was cut, adding, "the Medical Doctor was even not consistent with himself."

He contended that it could be possible that he shot himself or he caused someone to shoot him or he was strangled to death and that this confirmed the Investigator's assertion that he did not know who killed Ya-Na Andani and how he was killed.

The Attorney submitted that it was clear, therefore, that the accused persons could not be held responsible for the murder, since there was no evidence linking them with the killing of the Ya Na. To buttress his point, Nana Boahene said, "the law says you cannot put multiple of suspicion to make a proof of a case".

Nana Boahene prayed that when the trial judge had finished with his "summing up," the Jurors would ask Yidana and Sugri to go home and enjoy their freedom

Nana Boahen said his client were facing two charges which were conspiracy to commit crime - murder - but having gone into the background of the case, one realised that there was a communal violence between the Abudus and Andanis, through which the Ya-Na died.

He said it was the Andanis, who launched the attack on the Abudus before they fought back. He said not a single Witness told the court that Yidana and Gyanfo agreed together with a common purpose to hatch a plan, hence "they did not conspire". He said the Investigator could not tell the court during cross-examination if adventurous Abudus or a disenchanted Abudus killed the Ya-Na, adding that he indeed did shoddy investigations.

The Attorney said the Investigator admitted that he collected the severed head to the mortuary, saying if it were so, then at what point in time did Gyanfo take the head to the Ex-Zalankulana to recite incantation on it. The case was adjourned to 23 July, at the instance of the Prosecution, to enable it to respond in the address.

GRi…/

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"My client needs to be congratulated, not prosecuted"- Counsel

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Counsel for one of the six officers in the May Nine Stadium Disaster trial on Wednesday told an Accra High Court that his client should be congratulated for his timely effort to save the situation at the stadium.

The Counsel, William Ofori Boafo said though his client Chief Superintendent Koranteng Mintah was not on duty but his presence to watch a football match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, made him to readily join other officers on duty to restore order.

His involvement was therefore, that he advised the junior officers, who were already firing tear gas to direct it into the atmosphere in order to disperse the rowdy football fans from destroying state property at the stadium.

He was making a submission of no case to answer before the court, presided over by Justice Yaw Appau. The officers on trial are John Asare Naami, Faakyi Kumi, Francis Ayittey Aryee, Frank Awu, Benjamin B. Bakomora, all Assistant Superintendents of Police and Chief Superintendent of Police Mintah.

The accused persons, who had earlier denied the charges, are on a ¢20m bail each with two sureties. Boafo said there was the likelihood of danger as a result of the rioting behaviour of the fans and the destruction of state property.

He contended that the throwing of the plastic chairs could have caused damage to lives, saying a prosecution witness stated that they saw fans throwing chairs and other objects onto the field, which could have caused harm to other fans.

According to Counsel, witnesses stated that gestures were made to stop the fans but they were recalcitrant. "This triggered the firing," he added. He stated further that as a police officer, his client could not have watched the event without taking part in restoring order adding, "this was all that he did."

He then outlined the duties of police officers, which include restoring order and ensuring safety of persons and property. "A police officer, who stands by for indiscipline to take place could be charged," he added.

Boafo told the court that it was the responsibility of the police to restore order and that the law supports this assertion. He referred to the "Public Order 1994, Act 491, section 21 (b)" and stated that, "it shall the responsibility of the police to disperse crowd if there is breach of peace."

According to him, the medical officers who performed the autopsy stated in their evidence that the fans died as a result of suffocation. He also noted that one of the contributory factors of the disaster was the closure of the stadium gates, which the police did not have any responsibility for opening it.

Boafo stated that his client, Chief Superintendent Mintah was innocent and that he discharged his duty as expected of him and therefore, prayed the court to discharge him. The case was adjourned to 17 July, to enable prosecution to respond to counsel submissions.

GRi…/

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Iron pans destroying agricultural lands

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - Over 54 per cent of the total land area of Ghana is characterised by iron pan concretions that could have catastrophic effects on agriculture if nothing were done to check it.

Out of Ghana's total land area of 238,537 squared kilometres, about 128,581 squared kilometres is currently susceptible to iron pan formations, scientist at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) said on Tuesday.

Iron pan is formed when minerals are leached through the soil during the rainy season and they are drawn back to the surface through capillary action in the dry season to form sheets of rock in the subsoil that prevent the penetration of water and roots of trees, thus exposing the surface to erosion by rain water and the laying bare of large area.

Dr Rexford Dickson Asiamah, Director, Soil Research Institute of the CSIR, who made the disclosure said: "No clue has at yet been found to prevent the formation of the iron pan apart from ensuring a vegetative cover over the land the whole year round."

He was speaking in Accra at a national symposium and photo exhibition on environmental degradation under the theme: " Iron Pan in Ghanaian Soils: Problems and Prospects", organised by the Research Staff Association of the CSIR.

"This is a national problem which can be found everywhere from the rainforest, through mountaintops, valleys to plains and it needs the involvement of all stakeholders to ensure the availability of agricultural lands for generations yet unborn," he said.

Ms Theresa Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry called on the scientists to break away from the scientific language and come to the level of farmers, foresters, landowners, the developers and all land users to enable them to understand the problem at stake and how to find solutions to it.

"The challenge is not merely finding academic and laboratory solutions, but solutions that are practical, that work, and methods that our local farmers and other land users can readily understand and apply as well as technologies that are easy to use and are affordable," she said.

Mrs Cecilia Bannerman, Minister of Mines, said it was important that the Mining Sector collaborated with soil scientists to identify better ways in which iron pan formations in mined -out areas could be prevented.

"In line with government policy to minimize environmental degradation, the current regulation is that surface mining is done portion by portion so that each portion is reclaimed immediately after it has been mined, while each successive portion is being exploited," Mrs Bannerman said.

She said the Ministry's worry was the illegal miners, whose irresponsible practices, resulted in excessive degradation of the environment adding: "We are exploring ways of dealing with the problem".

Dr Matthew Kweku Antwi, Deputy Minister of Environment and Science, urged the scientists to find out the benefit to which the hardened soils could be put so that in the end, a national catastrophe could become a blessing.

GRi…/

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TUC, Civil Servants kick against Insurance Bill

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2003 - The Civil Servants Association, Trades Union Congress (TUC) and other groups have kicked against certain provisions of the National Health Insurance Bill currently before Parliament and called for a review of some portions.

They have also questioned the lack of consultation and haste with which the Bill was laid before Parliament in its present state, which they said was flawed. The Bill seeks to provide a policy and regulatory framework for health care financing to replace the 'cash and carry system', which involves paying for services at the point of delivery.

Speaking at a day's stakeholders' workshop on the Bill in Accra, Wilson Tei, an Official of the Ghana Insurers Association, said the administration of the National Health Insurance Scheme should be the duty of the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and not the Health Ministry, as captured in the Bill.

"The implementing agency being the Ministry of Health is a fundamental flaw in the delivery of health insurance as it is a financial service. The implementing agency should be the Ministry of Finance," he said.

The Bill makes provision for the establishment of the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) to license, regulate and supervise the operations of all health insurance schemes in the country.

"The NHIC should be under the MOF and not the MOH as is being proposed by the draft Bill," Tei noted. The workshop was organised by the Legal Resources Centre, a non-governmental organisation and PHRplus, an insurance organisation at present engaged in establishing mutual insurance organisation in the country.

Tei said the Bill proposes two and half per cent deductions from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) in addition to levies or taxes. This source of funding, he noted, would further place a burden on the formal sector in the face of inequalities in taxation between the formal and informal sector.

"The SSNIT funds belong to only about one million Ghanaians, who invariably already enjoy employer sponsored health delivery. Over the long-term the reductions of SSNIT contributions will compromise the solvency of SSNIT," he stressed.

Tei said the Bill, as it stood now, did not seek "to promote private health insurance business and seeks to kill already existing health insurance schemes". Smart Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association, said the Association has already started its own health insurance scheme, which the government had to build on.

He said it would be wrong to evolve a new scheme without reference to the existing ones. Chigabatia said the government was not the only employer and did not also own workers' contributions to SSNIT and, therefore, had no right to take any monies from SSNIT for the insurance scheme.

He also questioned the tax regime being proposed by the Bill as a source of funding. He said the government should be a regulator of the insurance scheme and not a businessman. He questioned why the government had hastily sent the Bill to Parliament without giving any chance for the majority of people to see copies including Parliamentarians, who had their copies on Tuesday.

Kwasi Adu-Amankwa, the TUC Secretary-General, also deplored the haste with which the Bill was sent to Parliament and the lack of consultation.

GRi…/

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