"I am Paul Gyamfi"...And I have never been in a Swiss hospital
Rawlings Honours June 4 Heroes
Government to compensate land owners - Minister
Wuaku Commission assures chiefs of
protection
Sixty percent of Keta Sea Defence Project
completed
Forty thousand dollars ultra sound scanner for KNUST hospital
President
Begins Two-nation Tour
Commission
Says No To Andani Gate
June Four Movement calls for peace and unity
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - Farce or mischief, why
would Flt. Lt. Rawlings and his handlers resort to using a false name to sign
medical bills that would eventually have to be authenticated by the Government
of Ghana before settlement?
That's what they did in the closing months of 2000 when they
signed medical bills for treatment Rawlings received in a Swiss hospital. They
signed the bills in the name of Paul Gyamfi (Gyamfi Paul). Since this rather
curious, if suspicious act hit the Ghanaian media circuit, different spins have
been put on it.
Some have seen it as an act of deception that may even be a pointer
to more serious acts of corrupt activities like stashing away public funds or
kickbacks in fictitious names in banks abroad. Others have also said it is
nothing but a security precaution taken to protect Rawlings' identity when he
checked into the Swiss hospital to be treated for what has become a closely
guarded secret ailment.
A name therefore, which until last week meant nothing to Ghanaians
has now assumed national dimensions and may well expose serious human rights
violations committed against a Paul Gyamfi and a Rose Pinkrah in 1998.
Did they sign the name by chance or did Paul Gyamfi mean so much
to them that his name was adopted as a security code for Rawlings when he was
in power? And who is Paul Gyamfi? Last weekend, he revealed himself and gave
The Accra Daily Mail an exclusive story which but for its tragic aspects would
have been put away as just another example of the capriciousness of the
so-called Rawlings Era when the seat of government also doubled up as a prison
and sometimes torture chamber.
Paul Gyamfi, a senior employee with a university degree then
working for the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), was incarcerated for
six days in the dreaded Castle Guardroom in March 1998.
Arrested with a co-worker, one Rose Pinkrah, now deceased
over botched paperwork regarding the release of cargo at the Tema Harbour for
which they were not even directly to blame, he ended up at the Castle Guardroom
and Rose Pinkrah ended up in the cells of the Osu Police Station.
He survived, Rose Pinkrah did not, as the shock of her
ordeal sent her into dementia and she died a few months later. He said to The
Accra Daily Mail that he is much more interested in clearing that "poor
woman's name and perhaps having some compensation paid to her than my own
ordeal."
He said he had appealed to CHRAJ, his former employees and even
the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama to have his case and that of the late
Rose Pinkrah re-opened for restitution. He said one of the principal characters
responsible for his woes, Warrant Officer Tetteh, former ADC to Flt. Lt.
Rawlings, himself now deceased, ordered his detention at the Castle Guardroom based
on a totally misleading report.
He was in the guardroom when the former US President, Bill Clinton
came to Ghana for his 8-hour stop over. On that day "we were all cleared
from the Castle Guardroom to Osu Police Station so that Clinton would not see such
happenings at the Castle. After Clinton's departure, we were sent back."
He said those of them from the Castle were added to the already overcrowded Osu
cells and it was a miracle that no deaths were recorded from suffocation. He
said he learnt later that the shock of their arrest sent Rose Pinkrah into
sudden menstrual bleeding and for the number of days she was held, she was
denied water to see to her personal hygiene.
"She worked for the Service for about 20 years before
the incident happened. And subsequently she developed dementia because when she
was arrested they never allowed her to have her bath for the whole six days,
and excuse me to say this" her menses came when she was sent to the Castle
and when she realised that things were getting out of hands" they never
allowed her [freedom] because they described her to the police as someone who
was dangerous” and it wasn't safe to allow her out of the cells and afterwards
[that is when they were released six days later] they sent us to our
headquarters in our disheveled appearance to issue us with letters of
interdiction."
The lady never recovered from what was obviously the most traumatic
and humiliating experience of her life. They were not charged. They were not
put before a court. The mere accusation of being responsible for botched
entries by others on landing accounts which nearly led to uncustomed goods
leaving the harbour was enough to send them to jail without trial and eventual
dismissal from work.
The Accra Daily Mail wanted to know if he knew Rawlings personally
and if he had ever been to a Swiss hospital for treatment before. "I have
never had any condition that required me to go out of this country for any
medical check up.
The only close association I have had with the former head
of state who I haven't met personally, was that I happen to have a car he also
used to own before he became a head of state which is an MG sports car and the same
mechanic who used to bring me parts from England was also contracted to restore
his for him.
Another close associate of the former head of state, Wing Commander Fojoe whom I knew, did his best to help me with my case but certainly the late RSM Tetteh was a very powerful figure even though he was a mere bodyguard." He explained that the vehicle with the uncustomed goods was impounded to the Castle, which later caught the eye of Rawlings who wanted to know what it was doing there.
Though it held only used vehicle parts from Japan, his captors
told the Flt. Lt. that it was seized on the suspicion that it was carrying
arms. No more questions were asked. He was immediately raised to the status of
an enemy. Paul Gyamfi, exhibiting the calmness of a wise man, said after his
release, when "they found nothing against me, Paul Fojoe said if I wanted
another job I could come and see him but it had to be in a government sector.
I refused, because I thought without the resolution of the
matter, it would be as if I did something wrong at Customs. The matter wasn't investigated
and I was not allowed to go through due process of the law." He said he
petitioned CEPS in April last year and was ignored. He sent a reminder again in
September through CHRAJ and was again ignored.
Eventually he petitioned CEPS directly again and they
finally acknowledged and agreed that his case "had merit but were dilly-dallying
and so I decided to petition the Vice President in January of this year.
The Office of the Vice President wrote to CEPS for an
explanation. The authorities at Customs have agreed between me and them that they
would do the right thing and I am still waiting for the letter stating what
action they are taking." He said there was no doubt whatsoever in his mind
that his name had been bandied about long enough at the time of his
incarceration for it to have registered on the memory of Rawlings and those
around him, either as Paul Gyamfi or as is sometimes done in officialdom, when
the surname precedes the Christian name: Gyamfi, Paul.
It is clear that he has suffered great injustice at the
hands of Rawlings and his men, but why would they use his name to disguise the
identity of Rawlings in a hospital in the land of milk chocolates and banks?
Even if that act could be explained away as a pseudonym, which was adopted
purely by chance to protect
Rawlings' identity, the wider issue of the abuse of his human rights by Rawlings and his security people cannot and should not be so easily glossed away. And who talks for Rose Pinkrah? Dead and gone". – Accra Mail
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - President John
Agyekum Kufuor says the use of a common currency in the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) will consolidate the political and economic
integration of the sub region. He said, “a common currency for West Africa
should underpin all our efforts of economic and social growth and development”.
The President was speaking at the official launch of the National Sensitisation
Programme of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) in Accra.
He
said although he is pleased that some progress has been made towards economic
integration in the sub-region, “a lot remains to be done”. Government, the
President said, is, therefore pursuing prudent fiscal and monetary policies in
order to achieve the convergence criteria necessary for the attainment of the
objectives of the monetary union.
“A
common currency in our sub-region will facilitate the calculation of money for
traders, travelers and save all stake holders from the current irritants that
accompany all commercial dealings with our neighbours. There is no doubt that a
common currency will provide the sub-region with the economies of scale to be
derived from a bigger market,” President Kufuor declared.
The
President urged the National Sensitisation Committee to mount a vigorous
campaign to sensitise all, not just about the benefits of the common currency
but also the responsibilities everybody faces to make the aspirations a
reality.” – JoyOnline
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Rawlings Honours June 4 Heroes
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - Former President Rawlings this morning laid a wreath at the
revolutionary square in front of the Flagstaff House in memory of those he
describes as the fallen heroes of the June 4th uprising. That uprising brought
the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council to power in 1979. Wreaths and route
matches by security agencies and Progressive Voluntary Organisations marked the
June 4th celebrations for 21 years before it was scrapped as a national holiday
last year.
President
Rawlings dropped a single flower at the cenotaph today. Although some people
have criticized the ex-President for laying the wreath without permission from
the ruling government, he told JOY FM that he does not see anything wrong with
laying a wreath at the Revolutionary Square.
According
to Mr. Rawlings, he was just showing respect to those who died in the quest for
probity and accountability. Members of the June 4 Movement will hold a lecture
at the Arts Centre in Accra to mark the anniversary. The ex-President and other
leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are expected to
address the lecture. – JoyOnline
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Bagbin accuses govt of "killing"
businesses with tax increases
Cape Coast (Central Region) 04 June 2002- The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Babgin on Sunday accused the government of "killing" private sector businesses and impoverishing Ghanaian workers through tax increases.
Mr Babgin, who said there was also a total collapse of national security, further accused the government of failing to deliver its campaign promises to make life better for the people and rather resorting to "politics of deceit and lies", thus worsening the plight of the people.
He was addressing a seminar organised by the University of Cape Coast branch of the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Cape Coast. The seminar, which was on the theme; " NDC vision, now, 2004 and beyond", was to brief the students on 'the state of the nation'. A new 10-member executive of the TEIN, led by Mr Emmanuel Adenyo, was inducted into office for a two-year term at the function.
The Minority Leader, described the government as a "disaster" because of its inability to scrap the cash and carry system and solve youth unemployment, challenging it to organise a platform where all political parties could analyse the state of the nation to enable Ghanaians to judge for themselves.
Mr Babgin, who is also the MP for Nadowli North, declared that the Minority would continue to criticise the government until it fulfilled its campaign promises. The Minority Leader expressed concern about ethnic imbalance in the membership of the Cabinet following the resignation of the former Minister of the Interior, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu and described the situation as unfortunate.
He reiterated NDC's determination to regain power in the next general election and said the party's leadership was revising its policies with the view to injecting new ideas towards achieving this goal. The MP for Bole-Bamboi, Mr John Mahama accused the government of not being committed to its principle of zero tolerance for corruption and also "discriminating" in the pursuit of offenders.
The government had turned a blind eye to acts of corruption by some government officials and is only interested in pursuing its opponents, to the extent of "sending innocent people to jail", Mr Mahama, a former Communications Minister said, adding that the real test of its commitment was to deal with corrupt officials.
The national youth organiser, Mr Iddrisu Haruna called on the youth to rally behind the party, which he said, would be training about 60,000 student loyalists to act as its agents during the next elections.
Dr Ato Quarshie, Central Regional Chairman of the party, urged the youth wings of the party to help the National Executives to map out new campaign strategies to facilitate its victory next time round.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday said Ghana has recognised that in the face of increased globalisation, regional economic integration is the way forward for West Africa.
He said integration is about larger markets, increased trade, significant domestic and foreign direct investment, more jobs and a higher standard of living for the people. President Kufuor was launching the National Sensitisation Programme for the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) in Accra.
The governments of six countries in West Africa - The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone at a meeting in Accra on 20 April, 2000 decided to work towards the establishment of a common Central Bank and the use of a common currency.
President Kufuor said: "We need to work together with our neighbours in West Africa to pool our resources together to create a larger regional market for the benefit of all citizens," adding that the most important and final stage in the integration process was the implementation of the common currency zone.
"A common currency in our sub-region will facilitate the calculation of money for traders, travellers and save all stakeholders from the current irritants that currently accompany all commercial dealings with our neighbours."
President Kufuor said government was therefore pursuing prudent fiscal and monetary policies in order to achieve the convergence criteria necessary for the attainment of the objectives of monetary union, which called for discipline on the part of governments and citizens.
He appealed to members of the National Sensitisation Committee to mount a vigorous campaign to sensitise all and sundry not just about the benefits of the common currency, but also the responsibilities everybody faces to make the aspirations a reality.
Dr M. O. Ojo, Director General of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) based in Accra, said the sensitisation programme would enhance the activities of the WAMZ in Ghana and facilitate the take-off of the envisaged monetary union.
He said the idea of a second monetary zone in the sub-region for the non-CFA Franc zone countries was part of the grand design of the Economic. A Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to establish a single monetary zone in the sub-region by 2004
Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance, in an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Mrs Grace Coleman, said the government was committed to the single currency objective and would take measures to ensure that the laws on the granting of credit to the public sector, the issue of currency and the overall custody and management of foreign exchange assets were amended.
He noted that the sensitisation programme would enlighten the Ghanaian public about the disciplines necessary for the attainment of monetary convergence and the achievements made so far.
GRi../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Monday said that the government would critically review the issue of government acquired lands and pay compensation to the owners.
"Large tracts of land have been acquired by government in the country, particularly in the Greater Accra Region, which have not been utilised for their intended purpose and for which compensation has not been paid to their owners," he said, when he inaugurated a 12-member Commission of the Greater Accra Regional Lands commission in Accra.
The reconstituted lands commission would, among other things, tackle all land issues in the region, assist to bring sanity into the activities of land owners throughout the country, inspect and make recommendations as to the sustainability, or otherwise, of any land proposed to be acquired.
The Regional Minister said acquired lands that government has not paid compensation to their owners in the region, due to inability to raise the requisite funds, is estimated at 800 billion cedis. He noted that lands acquired for educational, health, water works, residential and industrial purposes had been encroached upon and a solution had to be found.
Sheikh Quaye said as a first step, government was developing a strategic and systematic way of dealing with the issue. He said encroachment on land has been identified as one of the major problems that militate against national development adding that "investors are not happy due to difficulties involved in land acquisition".
He said encroachment on land acquired for water supply has threatened the survival of those systems, thereby creating an uncertain future for water supply to some of the urban centres as well as polluting the water supply system.
The Minister said government was committed to reform land laws and administration to attract investors, entrepreneurs and businessmen citing the Densu Dam in Accra and Owabi Dam in Kumasi as major encroachment points that pollute the water supply system and called for pragmatic measures to solve the problem.
Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Lands and Forestry, said the problems facing the region were due to over-concentration of administrative, commercial, educational, financial and other recreational facilities, thereby creating a lot of congestion.
He said the region displays a great level of unplanned inner city and peri-urban development, land related conflicts, disturbance and high incidence of urban poverty due to land and its management, yet people continue to flock to the region. Professor Kasanga charged the newly reconstituted commission to seriously check the proliferation of land guards, who extort money from landowners and those who acquire land.
He said government was still in the process of settling the problems of ownership management and land title registration in the country. Professor George Kofi Ansah Ofosu-Amaah, chairman of the commission, pledged their readiness to bring sanity into the commission. He said land as a key to development has to be dealt with seriously and the commission would deal well with land transaction to develop the country.
GRi…/
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Wuaku Commission assures chiefs of
protection
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- The Commission of inquiry into the Yendi chieftaincy conflict, sitting in Sunyani on Monday assured both invited and uninvited chiefs who wish to appear before it as witnesses of maximum security protection.
They would also be provided with transportation, accommodation and meals. According to a release from the Information Services Department, signed by its acting Director, Mr James Ampadu, the assurance was contained in a statement issued by the Wuaku Commission on the conflict in reference to a petition by the Andani Gate, a party in the Yendi matter, requesting that Sunyani venue for the inquiring body should be changed.
The statement, which was signed by the Chairman of the Commission, Justice I.N.K. Wuaku said any chief who wanted to give evidence on his own accord should notify the body to that effect. It said separate transportation arrangements to and from Sunyani would be made available for the parties and adequate security would be provided at all times.
The statement indicated that the Commission was of the opinion that, the venue was the most suitable in terms of security, transportation and accommodation. The commission, therefore, decided that Sunyani should remain the venue for its sittings.
GRi…/
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Sixty percent of Keta Sea Defence Project
completed
Keta (Volta Region) 04 June 2002- Mr John Jewitt, Civil Works Manager of Great Lakes, contractors working on the Keta Sea Defence, said 56 million dollars out of the total contract sum of 84 million dollars had been expended so far, representing 60 per cent of work done.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend, Mr Jewitt said work on four groynes had been completed while work on the remaining two was being delayed due to the inability of the Ministry of Works and Housing to relocate the affected communities especially people of Vodza. "If funds were made available to relocate the people, work on the entire project would be completed six months earlier than the June 2004 date", he said.
Mr Jewitt said 12 million cubic metres of sand materials and one million tonnes of rocks would be needed to fill the reclaimed the area, build flood protection bunks, beaches as well as the construction of the 13 kilometre-road network spanning the project area.According to him these materials were available at the Matsrikasa Querry Depot located 33 kilometres from Keta.
Awadada Agbeshie Awusu II, Acting President of the Anlo Traditional Council, expressed his satisfaction at the progress of work and appealed to government to expedite action on the relocation of people still living within the project area.
He also appealed to the government to urgently construct temporary access roads between Keta and Havedzi to ease the transportation problem between the two communities as a result of the Sea Defence Project. Awadada Awusu, in an answer to a question, said the reclaimed land now belonged to the Anlo State and ceases to be individual property.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- The late Justice Philip Edward Neequaye Kwesi Archer, former Chief Justice and former member of Council of State would be given a state burial for his contribution to the public service.
President John Agyekum Kufuor, who announced this said the late Justice Archer was skilled in the law and served with distinction in the public service and attained a respectful position as the Chancellor of the Anglican Church of Ghana. President Kufuor said this on Monday when Mr Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu, the Chief Justice led a delegation of the Judicial Service and the family to officially inform the government about Justice Archer's death.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice described the late Justice Archer as a distinguished lawyer, eminent jurist and an incorruptible judge during his 30 years service in the Judiciary and this was a legacy worthy of emulation by members in the Judicial Service.
He said the late Justice Archer also had compassion for mankind and as the 8th Chief Justice of Ghana after Independence and the first Chief Justice under the 1992 Constitution it was ideal he was honoured with a state burial.
Mr Justice Wiredu, who presented customary drinks of two bottles of schnapps on behalf of the delegation said the late Justice Archer was the first retired Chief Justice of Ghana to be given a state burial. Mr Samuel Archer a brother of the deceased said the family had decided to have the burial at the Osu cemetery on 22 June but there will be no wake keeping.
The late Justice Archer, 77, died on 10 May, this year after being hospitalised at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra for about a month.He was survived by his wife, Sheba Elizabeth, five sons, two daughters and grand children.
The late Justice Archer was the Chief Justice of Ghana from 1 April, 1991 to 22 February, 1995. He joined the judiciary as a temporary clerical assistant in 1945 after working in the administration section of the judiciary.
In 1948 he passed the Inter BSc (Economics) Parts II & I. He read law and graduated in 1953 with LL B after which he worked in England for a while. In 1956, he passed the Law Society's final examination and was called to the Bar in 1957. He returned to Ghana on the eve of Ghana's independence and was appointed Assistant Registrar General. He was promoted Judicial Secretary in March 1964.
In April 1964, he was promoted as a High Court Judge and later an Appeal Court Judge in October 1969.In September 1980, he was promoted to the Supreme Court. He went on voluntary retirement in September 1983, but was named the Chief Justice in 1991.
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Council of State mourns with Justice
Archer's family
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - A delegation of the Council of State led by its chairman, Professor Alexander Kwapong, on Monday called on the family of the late Justice Philip Edward Neequaye Kwesi Archer, former Chief Justice, to express their condolences.
Mr. Justice Archer, a former member of the Council of State, died on 10 May after being hospitalised for about a month at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Professor Kwapong, who lauded Justice Archer for the services rendered to the nation, pledged the council's support to give the late Chief Justice a fitting burial on 22 June.
He said Justice Archer was well known in Ghana and the council had followed his career with great respect and interest. "He worked honourably, served his country faithfully and retired honourably." Professor Kwapong said Justice Archer's contribution to the evolution of the Police Service Commission could not be over-emphasised, adding that his ideas would be revered in all their endeavours.
Before signing the book of condolence, he noted that such an important personality should have stayed a little longer to advise the council. Professor Isaac M. Ofori, a close associate of Justice Archer, who spoke for the family, said President John Agyekum Kufuor had promised to give the Chief Justice a state burial for his contribution to the public service
He said the President gave the assurance when a delegation of the Judicial Service and the family led by Mr Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu, the Chief Justice called on him to officially inform the government about Justice Archer's death.
Professor Ofori expressed the family's gratitude for the kind words spoken about Justice Archer and the government's decision to give him a state burial.
The Justice Archer, who born on 2nd February 1925 was survived by a widow Sheba Elizabeth, five sons, two daughters and grandchildren.
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KNUST receives over 1million Euros from
Netherlands
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 June2002 - The Centre for Biodiversity Utilisation and Development (CBUD) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has received 1,397,000 Euros from the government of the Netherlands for the second phase of the first five-year programme. This was in response to a request by the Vice- Chancellor, Professor John Sefa Kwadwo Ayim.
Receiving the document on the agreement from Mr. Bob Hensen, Second Secretary of the Netherlands Embassy on Monday, Prof Ayim said the programme had gained national and international recognition as an innovative approach towards the conservation, utilisation and development of biodiversity in Ghana.
The programme was addressing the problem of sustainable utilization of both plant and animal and non-timber forest resources towards poverty alleviation. "CBUD has established itself in the minds of the Ghanaian public as the centre developing and promoting indigenous biological food resources like snails, 'prekese', grasscutter and leafy vegetables as a means for sustainable livelihood towards poverty reduction".
Professor Ayim said the programme was operating in Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Western, Eastern and Volta regions while a team was conducting field studies in the Upper East region to prepare the ground for the programme in the northern sector during the second phase.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 June 2002- The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital has received a 40,000-dollar Ultra Sound Scanner from the Ghana-Netherlands Business Association (GNBA).
The presentation was made through Miss Agnes Adwoa Amankwaa Arthur, a final year student of the Saint Louis senior secondary school, who placed second in a competition organised by GNBA. The packages for the first three entries in the competition, which was part of activities marking 300 years of relationship between Ghana and Netherlands, included scholarships and packages for their communities.
Miss Arthur's prize was a scholarship to pursue university education and the ultra sound scanner for the KNUST community. Mr. Henn Van Gestern, an executive member of the GNBA presented the prize to her and the community at the library of the University in Kumasi, on Monday said the Board of the National Partnership for Children Trust Fund would manage Miss Arthur's scholarship.
Professor John Sefa Kwadwo Ayim, Vice Chancellor of the University, commended the Netherlands for its continued support and interest in the development of the country. Dr Agnes Akosua Aidoo, member of the board of trustees of the Partnership for Children Trust Fund Fund, praised Miss Arthur for her imagination and creativity and said; "you should become a role model for girls in your community".
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President Begins Two-nation Tour
Accra
(Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - President John Agyekum Kufuor begins a 10-day
two-nation tour today. The first stop of the President's visit is the Republic
of Germany from June 4- 8. From Germany, the President will attend the World
Food Summit in Italy. A statement issued in Accra said the official visit is at
the invitation of the President of the Republic of Germany, Johannes Rau. While
in Germany, President Kufuor will meet with leading Ministers and officials of
the German government in Berlin.
He will also
hold discussions with the German Minister of Economic Co-operation and
Development, Mrs. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zuel. The statement said the meeting
will probably centre on economic issues, the HIPC initiative, the Poverty
Reduction Strategy, Foreign Direct Investment and Private Sector Development.
"On Thursday,
the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder will host President Kufuor to a
luncheon, during which both leaders will exchange views on bilateral relations,
trade and investments, the NEPAD Initiative and international co-operation in
the fight against terrorism," the statement said.
The
President will then visit the Reichstag (German Parliament) after which he will
pay a courtesy call on German President, Mr. Rau. President Kufuor will also
meet the Lord Mayor of Hamburg, Ole von Beust. Finance Minister, Yaw Osafo
Maafo who is accompanying the President will address the German Afrika Verien
at the Chamber of Commerce. The President will leave Germany on Saturday to
join several other world leaders at the World Food Summit at the invitation of
the Food and Agriculture Organisation of UN. While in Italy, President Kufuor
will have audience with the Pope at the Vatican.
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Commission Says No To Andani Gate
Accra
(Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - The Wuaku Commission set up by government to
investigate the circumstances that led to the death of the Ya Na Yakubu Andani
and about 40 others in the Yendi clashes says Sunyani will remain the venue for
its sittings. This is inspite of the insistence by the Andani Gate, one of the
factions in the dispute that the venue should be changed. Consequently, the
commission, which has one month to complete its work, has decided to begin sitting
in Sunyani on Tuesday.
In arriving
at the decision not to change the venue, the commission was of the opinion that
Sunyani remains the most suitable venue in terms of security, transportation
and accommodation. Following the petition sent to the President by the Andani
Gate that a new venue be chosen for the sitting since Sunyani was not
convenient for them, the commission chaired by Justice I.N.K. Wuaku convened a
meeting with representatives of the Andani Gate in a bid to iron out all
differences.
But a
release issued by the commission after the meeting said the Andanis maintained
at the meeting that they have nothing to add to or subtract from the petition
they submitted to the President about the change of venue. The release said a Sunyani
based legal practitioner, Kwasi Boakye who stood in for the Andanis had little
to say since according to him, he was given "limited instructions" to
follow at the meeting. He could not tell whether the Andanis have decided to
boycott the sittings or not and could also not make concrete statement as to
the next line of action of the Andanis.
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French And Ghanaian Police To Co-operate
Accra
(Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - The French Police has expressed the willingness
to assist the Ghana Police Service in several areas, especially in scientific
investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department. A
three-man French delegation that met the Inspector General of Police, Ernest
Owusu-Poku said the assistance would enable Ghana to effectively combat human
and drug trafficking as well as armed robbery.
A source at
the Police Headquarters told the Ghana News Agency that France would also help
improve the capacity of the Police officers through training programmes.
Members of
the delegation are Mr Billa Frarak, Commissioner of Police and Chief of Brigade
responsible for investigations in Paris; Mr Gaillardon Dominique, Chief of
Scientific and Technical Policing and Mr Claude Dupont, Commissioner of Police
at the French Embassy in Lome, Togo. The source said this would be the first
co-operation between the French Police and the Police of a non-French-speaking
country.
The French
offer follows the President John Agyekum Kufuor(quote)s appeal for assistance
for the Police service during his visit to France last year. The delegation
would also hold talks with the Police Administration, schedule officers and the
National Security Co-ordinator.
GRi…/
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New York (United
States of America) 04 June 2002 - Seven Countries Send Advocates to Ghana
Aiming to Improve Government Policies
The HIV/AIDS
pandemic has spurred significant advances in reproductive health policies
across Africa, however, governments do not allocate sufficient legal and
financial resources to ensure that the policies are effective, according to a
report launched today by advocates from seven African countries: Ethiopia,
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, and the U.S.-based
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy (CRLP). The report is based on two years
of collaborative research and analysis of laws and policies related to women's
reproductive lives.
"Unlike
the rest of the world, women in Sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS
at double and triple the rates of men," said Katherine Hall Martinez,
acting director of CRLP's international program. "We have seen a dramatic
increase in policies that intend to improve women's reproductive health and
rights but governments must take the next step to safeguard these policies with
laws and programmatic funding in order to start saving lives."
The 175-page
report: Women of the World: Laws and Policies Affecting Their Reproductive
Lives, Anglophone Africa Progess Report 2001, is an extensive review of
developments that occurred since CRLP's groundbreaking 1997 study, which
examined the laws and policies related to women's reproductive health and
rights in the same seven African countries.
Critical findings
from the Progress Report include:
· Minimal
contraceptive use and acceptance, especially of condoms. In southern Africa,
where HIV rates are highest, condom use is lowest.
Similarly,
in Ghana, only 3% of women and 7% of men have ever used a condom to prevent
sexually transmitted infections.
· Female
circumcision/female genital mutilation (FC/FGM), despite many governments'
official objections, remains largely legal. Nigeria's policy aims to reduce by
half the incidence of FC/FGM by 2005, but shies away from making the practice a
crime. Ethiopia, where 73% of women have undergone some form of FC/FGM, has no
explicit law or policy prohibiting the practice.
· Movement
toward liberalizing abortion has gained momentum throughout the region
including in Kenya and Nigeria, which have the most restrictive bans.
Despite
this, Kenyan adolescents make up 60% of cases involving unsafe abortion
complications. In Ethiopia, 54% of all obstetric deaths are attributed to
clandestine, unsafe abortions. High maternal mortality rates in nearly all
seven countries is attributed to unsafe abortion.
The June 5-7
meeting of advocates is being hosted in Ghana by the International Federation
of Women Lawyers (FIDA)-Ghana, an organization which specializes in providing
legal aid services to women and children.
To download
or order copies of the report, see CRLP's website at www.crlp.org.
The Center
for Reproductive Law and Policy (CRLP) is a non-profit legal advocacy
organization dedicated to promoting and defending women's reproductive rights
worldwide. - Center
for Reproductive Law and Policy.
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Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) 04 June 2002 - Dr. Abubakar Alhassan, National Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP) at the weekend criticised the government's development policies saying, "They are fruitless and incapable of meeting the nation's aspirations, especially to the rural poor".
He mentioned mass privatisation, recognition for the private sector as the sole engine of growth and the government opting for the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative "with its unfavourable conditionality" as some of the bad policies.
Dr. Abubakar said the CPP would continue to resist the mass privatisation of the country's assets, adding that the policy was detrimental to the poor. The ultimate aim of private companies, according to him, was to maximise profit margin, and not the welfare of the people, as it is the state's duty to guarantee the people's welfare.
The CPP chairman described his party as a socialist party, which still held the view that notwithstanding one's background, every citizen should have equal access to basic social amenities such as health care, education and potable water.
He said the government's plan to privatise water supply was uncalled for and not in the interest of majority of the people who live under the poverty line. "It is diabolical to put water supply of this country into private hands" he added.
Dr. Abubakar called on functionaries of the CPP to continue to advocate for a government that would encourage the mass of the people to be on their own and develop the nation all by themselves. The General Secretary of the party, Dr. Nii Noi Dowuona explained the unity talks being pursued by the Nkrumaists parties and said there were positive signs of harmonising and uniting them. He said the CPP national congress would come off either in November or December, to discuss the unity talks and plan strategies to win power in 2004.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- The Adjabeng Community Tribunal will on Monday, 10 June, rule on whether to grant bail to Ram Beckley, a medical practitioner and occultist being tried for assaulting and kidnapping a class three pupil.
This followed a submission by leading defence counsel, Mr Akwasi Bosompim, at the tribunal on Monday for bail for his client. He said the accused had been on remand for more than a month while the prosecution had been giving different reasons just to keep him in custody.
Counsel pointed out that under the criminal code, charges levelled against his client were not mandatory for which bail must be refused. "As at now my client does not know where his wife and children are", he said, adding that his fundamental human rights were being trampled upon.
Mr Bosompim said public anger should not be used as a yardstick to keep the accused in custody contending that though it was the duty of the police to protect life and property his client's properties were destroyed and nobody had been arrested in connection with the mob action.
The tribunal, chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah, expressed outrage at the continued detention of the accused at the Police Striking Unit instead of the James Fort Prisons. Following this, Mr. Patrick Sarpong, apologised to the tribunal and explained that the accused was needed to assist police in their investigations.
Mr Sarpong said intelligence report indicated that the anger of the public had not subsided, adding, that the continued detention of the accused was in line with the police duty to protect life and property of the accused.
"His life is in danger and the police cannot guarantee his safety when released," Mr Sarpong added. He indicated that it was in the interest of the accused to enjoy his life in custody and rejected defence counsel's submission that the police were giving excuses for keeping him.
Beckley was first arraigned on 15 April and has since been on remand. The Prosecution had earlier told the tribunal that on 12 April, Beckley, who was driving along the Gbawe-Mallam Road in Accra, saw a young girl selling vegetables.
The accused was said to have lured the girl to join his car to his house under the pretext of buying some of the vegetables. In Beckley's house, he tied the girl to a tree overnight without water and food, until her stepfather was informed and he raised the alarm.
Beckley was arrested on Saturday 13 April after Police received a complaint from a parent that her daughter was abducted by the accused on Friday evening. An angry mob set ablaze his residence and property running into millions of cedis at New Gbawe in Accra.
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Kpone (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002- Ms Beatrice Naa Afieye Ashong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpone/Katamanso has welcomed the reported decision by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey , Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, to contest the constituency's parliamentary seat for the NPP in 2004.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the weekend at Kpone, Naa Ashong, the NDC member, said her party had never taken that seat unopposed or on silver platter. The MP was commenting on media reports that Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was gunning for the Kpone/Katamanso seat on the NPP ticket in 2004 elections.
She said in 1992 when NPP did not contest the parliamentary elections, the
NDC wrestled the seat from two other parties and in 1996 when the NPP contested the NDC retained the seat, which sent her to parliament for the first time.
The MP called on NDC supporters not to be disturbed by the reported interest expressed by Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey to contest the seat. "He is a citizen of Ghana and can exercise his legitimate right to stand at wherever he chooses, provided the people will vote for him," she declared.
Naa Ashong said what the NDC should do "as a party still on the ground," was to organise the people properly as it had done in the past. "We need to educate our people well so that they are not deceived with commodities and money when the time comes; that will give him the shock of his life as we have been doing to other candidates in the past" the MP stated.
Naa Ashong who has won the seat twice, said despite the fact that NPP was in power, it could not easily take the Kpone/Katamanso constituency, no matter the personality involved. According to her the NDC has achieved a lot for the constituency and she was confident that come 2004, the constituents would renew their mandate for the NDC to continue its good work.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 June 2002 - The June Four Movement (JFM) on Monday called on Ghanaians to strive to keep the nation stable, peaceful and hospitable for it become the metropolis of science, arts, technological advancement and learning.
It reminded Ghanaians that Ghana is the only country they have and that they should examine themselves "within the contest of the fight against corruption, call for national unity, progress and development before attempting to see all that is wrong with the state as an entity."
The leadership of the movement, in a statement issued in Accra in commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Movement said Ghanaians should see themselves as a centre of organisation and initiate the process of the perceived unity efforts and with the desired co-ordination the overall objective would be realised.
The Movement invited all other progressive entities to link-up with it as a medium for the creation of the much-needed framework for the unification of all progressives.
"We wish all political parties well, but particularly, the NDC whose manifesto and philosophy coincides with the aims and objectives of our Movement. We hope the success of the just-ended congress of the party will spur it on to greater heights, since the NDC remains one of our hopes for the future," it declared.
It urged the media to continue deepening their watchdog role on the evolving democratic dispensation, since, "we see them as one of our reliable allies for the consolidation and sustenance of liberty, development and prosperity."
It commended the Minority in Parliament for representing the voice of the voiceless and as a reputable body within the tenets of good-governance. It urged the government to work at its policies on poverty alleviation and called for "the development of our own productive capacities in the various sectors of the economy."
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