Police/Military investigating Taifa killings
Cholera outbreak at Cape Coast
The Church should be platform for reconciliation - Ledo
Universities urged to modify syllabuses
Capevars students to build hostels
Ministry, Police Administration vow to eliminate unethical conduct
Support for the NPP government will not be in vain
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2002 - Members of the Taifa Watchdog Committee at the weekend demonstrated against the security agencies over the "gruesome murder of innocent citizens," including four of their members.
The four are Nana Yaw Asante, Chairman of the Committee, Livingston Adzigble, Yaowofe Cephas and Armidu Alhassan. Mr Jacob Kwabena Ameyaw, spokesman for the committee told the Ghana News Agency after the five hour demonstration through the principal street of North Taifa that the Police/Military team have killed innocent persons suspected to be armed robbers.
The committee was officially inaugurated by the Mile Seven Police under the command of Inspector General of Police, Ernest Owusu Poku, who is staying at Taifa to assist the Police/military to combat crime and armed robbers in the area, with identification cards given to all the members.
Mr Ameyaw said one Elizabeth alias Awura-Akuamame of Burkina Taifa telephoned the members that some armed robbers have attacked her, so Nana Asante and his five men took a taxi cub to the scene.
He said the woman also gave the same message to the Police/Military team, but when the members of the Watchdog Committee arrived at the house Elizabeth told them that there were no armed robbers.
Mr Ameyaw said they met their death when they were returning to Mr. Asante's house when the Police/Military team fired them on, after they were able to produce their committee identity cards. Mr Frimpong Manso, Assemblyman for the area appealed to the Inspector General of Police to take serious view of the incident to enable the committee members to continue their duties.
He said the committee has helped a lot in combating crime and it was therefore, necessary to give them the needed material and moral support to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2002 - The Police on Monday said that its Rapid Response Squad had been tasked to investigate the circumstances that led to the killing of five persons at Taifa in Accra last Friday.
The Ghana News Agency reports a reliable Senior Police source as saying that the Squad had already begun work and would soon make its findings ready for any further action.
The Ghana Armed Forces has also begun an institutional enquiry into the incident, Lieutenant Colonel E. W. K Nibo, Director of Public Relations, also said in an interview, adding that the overall enquiry will be done by the Police. The Military was also doing its own investigations to get to the bottom of the matter.
The Joint Unit Committees of Taifa on Sunday called on the government to institute a full-scale enquiry into the circumstances that led to the death of four local neighbourhood watchdog committee members and a taxi driver at Taifa.
The deceased, whose names were given as Nana Asante, Leader of the Watchdog Committee, Livingstone Adzijbli, Yaovi Cephas, Alan Cash and the taxi driver were described by the Greater Accra Regional Police Command as armed robbers, who died trading fire with a Joint Military Police Patrol team. Two others, Kofi Kyei and Obeng Akrofi, who survived are in custody.
In an interview on Sunday, Mr Adu Gyamfi, Chairman of the Joint Unit Committee in the area, described the incident as a "premeditated murder" of the victims, whom he described as "Loyal Citizens".
He said the four and the two colleagues in custody were accredited neighbourhood watchdog committee members, who went to the assistance of a neighbour, one Lizzy, who claimed armed robbers were attacking her.
Mr Kwaku Asare, an executive member of the Watchdog Committee said on Thursday night the late Mr Asante had a telephone call from the Lizzy that armed robbers were attempting to invade her residence and needed assistance from the Watchdog Committee.
He said Asante sent two members of the committee to Lizzy's residence but returned because Lizzy told them the gang had left the area. Mr Asare said after some few hours, Lizzy called Asante again informing him that the robbers were back in the vicinity.
He said Asante, mobilised five committee members and boarded a taxi to assist Lizzy but never got to the residence when they met their death. Mr Asare said that a survivor of the debacle told him that on their way, they met a joint Police Military patrol, which ordered them to get out of the taxi with their hands up.
He said the survivor told him that they complied with the order and handed over their Watchdog Identity cards, a shotgun, a pistol and a mobile phone belonging to the late Mr Asante to the patrol team.
The survivor said a soldier in the team told the committee members that they were liars and ordered them to lie on their stomachs and asked them to dip their faces into rainwater running across the road.
The soldier started shooting them until a Police officer intervened by grabbing the soldier. Mr Asare said the survivor told him that two of the victims including Mr Asante died on the spot while another two died on the way to the hospital while the fifth victim died on Saturday. Mr Robert Obeng-Amoako, a resident of Taifa told GNA that he donated the raincoats described by the Police as military uniforms that the committee members wore.
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Cholera outbreak at Cape Coast
Cape Coast (Central Region) 17 June 2002- Fifty-two new cases of cholera have been reported at the Isolation Unit of the Cape Coast District Hospital since June one. Twenty of the cases were reported between June 14 and 15, but no deaths have been recorded.
Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, Municipal Director of Health Services, who disclosed this in an interview with the GNA on Saturday, said all the cases came from the municipality. He mentioned the affected areas as Ola, Kotokoraba, Pedu, Brimsu and communities along the beach.
Dr Ofori Yeboah said the unit had been recording perennial cholera cases over the years, but the situation had become alarming, following the acute water crisis that hid the municipality. He said with the rains setting in, human waste and other materials had been washed into existing water bodies leading to widespread contamination and environmental pollution.
Thirty-four cases were recorded at the unit between January and May, he said adding that adequate measures were being put in place to contain the situation .He advised the people to improve upon their personal and environmental hygiene and avoid eating cold and uncovered foods. Last year a total of 832 cases with seven deaths were recorded at the unit with 392 of the cases coming from Komenda.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2002- The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), would organise a workshop at Akosombo for senior journalists to brainstorm on the challenges the media would face covering the national reconciliation process.
Sponsored by Ibis, a Danish Non-Governmental Organisation from Friday to Sunday the workshop would bring together local and international reconciliation experts to discuss the process.
A statement on Sunday signed by GJA President, Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, said the discussions would enable the association put in place measures to ensure that coverage of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) and the reconciliation process did not create tensions and acrimony.
It would draw on the experiences of other reconciliation processes to help the GJA draft guidelines for coverage if necessary. There would be an encounter between the Attorney General and the media practitioners to deepen their understanding of the political and legal framework for the process and a dialogue between the GJA and the National Media Commission.
The statement said training workshops would be organised for reporters who would be covering the NRC before 31 July 2002.
The GJA said it would uphold its constitutional responsibility to uphold public accountability by keeping a "watchful eye" over the activities of bodies such as the NRC. It reminded journalists of the sensitive and fragile nature of the process and urged them to be circumspect and to exhibit a high sense of professionalism in their reportage.
The Association appealed to the NRC to be forthright in its dealings with the media "bearing in mind the importance of transparency and quality reportage to achieve the objectives of setting up the Commission".
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Kyebi (Eastern Region) 15 June 2002- The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, will on Monday leave for Washington D.C and New York/New Jersey area on an official visit to the United States of America.
In Washington, the Okyenhene would meet with Congressional leaders at a reception on Capitol Hill and would attend the annual Congressional Awards Dinner at the National Building Museum.
According to a release from the office of the Okyenhene, signed by Nana Asante Bediatuo, Apagyahene, the Okyenhene's schedule in Washington D.C include
a reception to be hosted by Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Alan Kyerematen and meetings with Christine Todd Whitman, former Governor of New Jersey and Secretary of the Department of Environment. The rest are Bob Johnson, Chairman of Black Entertainment Television and Michael Echardt, President of Solar Bank, among others.
In New York and New Jersey, the Okyenhene is expected to meet with Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, Bill Clinton, Former President of the United States and Governor Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, among others.
The Okyenhene, who is also expected to attend a special church service at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, would be away for two weeks and would be accompanied by senior divisional chiefs of Okyeman and leading business executives.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 June 2002- The Very Reverend J. Y. Ledo former Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana on Sunday urged the Church to serve as a platform for genuine reconciliation.
He said "the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ for the atonement of the sins of mankind is enough restitution for victim's pains as well as providing the grounds for remorse by perpetrators of crimes."
Rev. Ledo who was speaking at the commissioning service of three new pastors at New Abossey Okai branch of the church in Accra called on religious leaders to use the pulpit to unite the nation. The grandaunts included Rev (Mrs) Comfort Adusu-Afele, 46, who holds a Bachelor in Divinity certificate. She is the wife of Mr Mawusi Afele, News Editor of Ghana News Agency. The rest were Rev Mrs Alice Blunya Ankutse, 37, and a 28-year-old Rev Confidence K. W. Bansah.
The former Moderator said Ghanaians needed messages of hope for the future, directions and instruction against social vices and the solutions to their problems, which the church must offer. Rev Ledo charges the new pastors to sacrifice their lives for their congregation, spread the gospels truthfully and demonstrate Christianity through deeds, honesty and effectively guidance.
In an interview with the GNA, Rev (Mrs) Adusu-Afele said her vision was to establish an orphanage and also to focus on women, underprivileged, the venerable, the youth and marginalized in society.
She said her mission was to offer hope and new life through Christ to the present generation. Rev (Mrs) Adusu-Afele noted that worldliness and immoral practices served as the greatest challenge for the Christian faith and called on religious leaders to wage a holy crusade to eliminated it from the ministry.
The grandaunts were offered "right hands of fellowship" by Rev Ledo, Rev Seth Y. Ofori, Presbytery Clerk and Minister in charge of West Volta, Rev Frank K. Anku Synod Clerk, Rev B. K. Agboka, Acting Moderator, Rev J. K. Afele chairman, West Volta Presbytery and Mr P. M. K. Attakey Presbyter Executive.
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Universities urged to modify syllabuses
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 17 June 2002- An academician on Saturday requested the country's Universities to urgently modify their syllabuses and to introduce entrepreneurial skills as a course in all programmes to enable graduates to establish business without depending solely on the government for non-existing jobs.
Professor Stephen A. Osei, Dean of the Mampong Campus of the University College of Education, Winneba, made the suggestion at the opening session of the three-day Eighth National Congress of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) in Kumasi.
Forty delegates from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast and the University of Ghana, Legon, were attending the congress, under the theme "Golden Age of Business, its Prospects for the Graduate Students."
Prof. Osei noted that government alone could not secure jobs for all graduates, adding that it was crucial for students to opt for courses, which could easily be applied to ensure national development.
"Going in for a University course for the sake of prestige is now meaningless since a University degrees would be of importance unless graduates could be practically applied their knowledge to bring positive changes to bear on the individual, society and the nation as a whole", he stressed.
Mr Kwasi Abeasi, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, advised University graduates to collaborate efforts with their colleagues with similar skills before undertaking joint business ventures. This, he said would enable them secure funding for the improvement and expansion of their work.
Mr Abeasi called on government to evolve more effective mechanisms for the development of infrastructure to ensure acceptable standards. Mr Emmanuel Newman, President of the GRASAG, commended the government for the increase of Graduate theses grants.
He gave the assurance that the association would continue to maintain cordial and fraternal links with the National Union of Ghana Students, but GRASAG would however "remain its own mouthpiece on issues and represent itself on such issues."
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 17 June 2002- The Reverend Professor Emmanuel Obeng, Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), on Saturday cut the sod for the construction of a 1.3 billion-cedi Student Representative (SRC) village at Cape Coast.
The village would comprise chalets and flats to accommodate about 100 students. It would be constructed in phases with the first to be completed within a year. The construction of more hostels on the UCC campus has become necessary since about 60 per cent of the students were living in rented houses known as "Diaspora".
Professor Obeng said the sod cutting marked the beginning of an important step taken by the students - shifting from confrontation with school authorities to co-operation to address problems to improve their welfare.
He commended the SRC for the initiative and asked the new SRC not to make it a one-day wonder and to desist from playing politics to ensure it was completed on schedule. The Vice Chancellor said the administration assisted the SRC and would put all the resources of the university at their disposal to complete the project. Mr Aboagye Tandoh, SRC President said the village would help solve the accommodation problems facing students.
He said even with the building of SSNIT and VALCO Halls most student accommodation, were still over crowded. He said 70 million had so far been realised as seed money for the project adding that, the university authorities released land for the project and appealed to the government, NGOs and organisations for assistance to complete the project.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 17 June 2002 - The Ministry of the Interior and the Police Administration are to institute stringent measures to eliminate all forms of immoral and unethical conduct in the Police Service.
Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Deputy Minister of the Interior, said this at the launch of the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Endowment Fund in Sunyani on Friday. "The measures will guarantee that the few bad nuts within the service are weeded out to give it the positive image that it deserves," he said.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that the government believes in law and order and is determined to ensure that the police develop the necessary arrangements to promote law and order in the country. He noted that it was a fashion for some Ghanaians to consistently condemn the police for perceived acts of commission and omission.
"Admittedly, the police service, as an institution, has its fair share of bad nuts," he said, but urged the public to recognise the good deeds of the service and donate generously to the fund to boost the efforts of the service "to ensure that we sleep soundly at night".
Mr Asiedu advised the public not to always look at the negative side of the service but to recognise their good deeds to encourage policemen to work effectively and efficiently. "The police need our collective support since they alone cannot maintain the security of the country. "They must be seen as just spearheading the national effort to certify that the public have a safe and sound environment to develop."
The Deputy Minister underscored government plans to address the critical transport needs of the Police Service, among other problems, and said 260 Peugeot vehicles of various models and 100 new Land Rovers would soon be handed over to the police.
Most of such vehicles will be fitted with communication equipment. Mr Asiedu said the government, quite mindful of the negative impact of armed robbery on development and the well-being of society in general, had declared a war on the menace.
He gave the assurance that the security agencies, led by the police, "will be equal to the task of eliminating the evil forces involved in armed robbery and other criminal activities." Mr Ernest Akubuor Debrah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, noted that the recent spate of armed robbery in the country had created uncertainties in the business community and the society as a whole.
"This trend is not only a threat to our society but can adversely affect all socio-economic activities, evening programmes for students, churches, commercial activities and entertainment spots," he said.
The Regional Minister, therefore, appealed to all and sundry to assist in adequately resource the police to boost public protection. He said armed robbery incidents gave wrong signals to prospective investors and tourists who could provide employment and create wealth in the communities.
"Efforts to encourage investors in the agriculture business sector in the region could be thwarted by the activities of these hardened criminals as they create a perception of insecurity," he added. Mr Debrah urged traditional leaders and the general public to support and supplement efforts of the security agencies in areas that make crime detection and prevention difficult.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ephraim Oku Brakatu, Regional Police Commander, expressed the preparedness of the police to work with the public to combat crime, and advised people to join neighbourhood watchdog committees to enhance the work of the police. More than 80 million cedis was realised at the function.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2002 - About 4,000 civil
servants will not be paid their salaries at the end of July this year as a
result of non-compliance with laid down regulations governing secondments
within the civil service. Already, the Head of Civil Service has issued a
directive to all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, giving all
affected civil servants by the end of June this year, to normalize their
appointments or face salary blockade and subsequently have their names deleted
from the payroll.
Though the exact number is unknown, it is estimated that over 4000 (5%) of the
80,000 civil servants are currently on secondment. Records at the office of the
Head of Civil Service indicate that some civil servants have been on secondment
for over 18 years well exceeding the accepted maximum period of three years
without proper authorization and without completing the relevant documentation.
The unauthorized placements and distort records at the office of the Head of
Civil Service in turn affect the accuracy of the government’s payroll and
pension benefits.
Investigations by the Business and Financial Times newspaper has revealed that
the unauthorized placements and secondments are arranged on individual basis
instead of using laid down procedures. Apart from the unauthorized people on
secondment, study leave (without pay), retirement or death personnel continue
to have their names on the payroll for years. – JoyOnline
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2002 - The Bole-Bamboi constituency executives of the NPP have accused Mr. John Mahama, MP for the area and a group of NDC members, for creating panic and fear in the Bole town and its surrounding areas through the use of explosives to celebrate June 4.
A petition signed by Alhaji Salifu and Haruna Mahama, NPP constituency chairman and acting constituency secretary respectively, said the MP and NDC members' action was not only a threat to the people, but also a violation of the government's ban on the use of explosives for any kind during festivities, including Christmas and other anniversaries.
The petition said the sound of the explosives was so frightening that people were forced to run into their houses for shelter, thereby creating panic and chaos. "The incident was so frightening with the heavy explosives used by the NDC members, such that most of the people were driven to bed as early as 9 am until their celebration ended at about 10 pm.
The NPP executive therefore called for a probe into the circumstances that lead to the use of explosives by the NDC, particularly in the night, when people needed peace. The petition said the three northern regions had been engulfed in all kinds of disputes and "the NPP should not sit down unconcerned for a few people to drag the people into a meaningless conflict."
The petition said although a formal report was made to the paramount chief of the area, they were yet to receive any word. "The NPP has been in opposition for many years without causing any unrest or confusion and we shall not sit down to allow the opposition to destabilize the government's hard won peace" the petition said.
The NPP petition called on Mr. Mahama to concentrate on
acquiring good signals for television reception, combat grave looting for human
parts rather than abetting the people to fuel disputes and confusion, which
bring nothing but, misery hunger and poverty to the people. – Newsinghana
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Support for the NPP government will not be
in vain
London (United Kingdom) 17 June 2002 - A Presidential Aide has assured Ghanaians that they would never regret for throwing their full weight behind the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He said the tangible gains recorded by the Government within a short span of its rule should galvanise the people of Ghana for the arduous task of regenerating and restructuring of various facets of the nation’s economic life.
Nii Ayite Boafo, who made the remarks during an interaction with the executives of the UK and Ireland Branch of the New Patriotic Party in London, said that despite the fact that the Government inherited massive problems, it had managed to put its house in order to begin the onward drive towards solving the multifaceted problems bequeathed to the nation by the previous government.
The NPP government is a progressive government; it is dynamic and concerned about the need for all-round improvement in the lives of the people. We promise to make something out of nothing because we inherited nothing, he said. Mr Boafo said the foundation stone for the creation of wealth for all Ghanaians would materialise in the creation of employment for the skilled and unskilled throughout the country.
The Presidential Aide thanked Ghanaians for their patience and understanding and called for their continued and unflinching support for the government in the task of concretising the foundation for the take-off of the country for the future generation. Touching on investments, Mr Nii Ayite Boafo who is also the NPP Regional
Secretary for the Greater Accra Region asked Ghanaians outside the country to be torch-bearers of the investment drive into the country.
At another meeting with the members of the Ga Adangbe Foundation, Nii Ayite Boafo, said the restoration of macro-economic stability, reduction of inflation and interest rate, the halt in the free fall of the cedi, adherence to the rule of law and good governance epitomised the determination of the government to reverse and bring life into the national fabric.
He urged them to complement whatever efforts the government is putting in place for the development of the Ga Adangbe areas by contributing their quota either financially or materially. - The Ghana High Commission
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