National Reconciliation Commission asserts its
independence
Women call for re-opening of nominations for district level election
President Kufuor inaugurates Civil Service Council
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002 - The Supreme Court (SC) by a six-five-majority verdict on Wednesday reversed its earlier decision on the constitutionality of the Fast Track Court (FTC).
The six judges made up of the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu, Mr Justice George Acquah, Mr Justice Williams Atugubah, Mrs Justice Sophia Akuffo, Mr Justice George Lamptey and Mr justice Kwame Afreh held the view that the FTC was not alien to the Constitution.
The five dissenting Judges, who were hitherto in the majority and maintained their earlier decision that FTC was unconstitutional were: Mrs Justice Joyce Bamford Addo, Mr Justice A. K. B. Ampiah, Mr Justice F. Y. Kpegah, Mr Justice E. D. K. Adjabeng and Mr Justice Thoedore Kwame Adzoe.
The court awarded a cost of 10 million cedis against Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), who brought the application, challenging the constitutionality of the FTC.
Tsikata was arraigned at the FTC for wilfully causing financial loss of 2.15 billion cedis to the State. He allegedly circumvented laid-down corporate objectives of GNPC, when he by-passed the Board and on his own, committed the GNPC to guarantee a loan.
The amount, 5.5 million French Francs was granted by Caise Francaise de Development, a French Aid Agency to Valley Farm, private cocoa-growing company, in which GNPC held initial equity shares of 17.39 per cent.
Distressed, Valley Farm defaulted in the repayment of the loan and without prior approval of the GNPC Board, Tsikata allegedly paid out of its operational funds, the principal amount plus interest, all totalling 6,919,123. 23 French Francs.
This action of his, adversely affected the financial status of GNPC, hence a loss to the State. Tsikata did not plead to the charge and the trial judge. Mr. Justice Julius Ansah entered a plea of not guilty for him and admitted him to a 500 million-cedi self-recognisance bail. In his application before the Supreme Court Tsikata stated that the FTC had no jurisdiction to try him.
At Wednesday's sitting, while the majority contended that the Chief Justice (CJ) had discretionary powers under the constitution to create divisions of the High Court, which the FTC was one, their counterparts on the minority side, maintained that the FTC needed parliamentary approval to bring it into being.
The majority argued that since Article 136 (4) of the 1992 Constitution conferred on the CJ, the exclusive powers to set divisions of the High Court, the FTC which he helped to establish remained legal. To them, the FTC was an innovation of the High Court in that it used automated systems that helped to speed up proceedings to ensure the quick delivery of justice.
The majority argued further that Article 139 (2) did not spell out methods for the CJ to create new courts, clause (3) of that same article, however prescribed that the CJ established courts to try criminal, civil, investment and other related matters, hence the establishment of the FTC.
The judges with dissenting view, stated that the CJ had no discretionary powers to create divisions of the High Court and to do so, he needed the nod from Parliament.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- Mr. Justice George Acquah, a Supreme Court Judge, on Wednesday called for the establishment of a commission to study the country's criminal justice system (CJS) and to make recommendations for reforms in order to make the system more efficient.
He said: "Since this country obtained independence in 1957, the system has not undergone any review and assessment in respect with its physical and human resources for containing crime.
" ...Piecemeal review of the individual institutions would not ensure efficiency that the public demands from the system. Nothing does more damage to people's confidence in the CJS than a perception that criminals are getting away with crimes they commit," he observed.
Mr. Justice Acquah was delivering a lecture in Accra on the "The Challenge of Crime and Our Criminal Justice System -Which Way Forward?" to mark this year's "Martyrs Day." The lecture also focused on armed robbery, rape and sexual offences, spousal murders, child trafficking, traffic offences, cross border and economic crimes among others.
Mr. Justice Acquah said the rising crime wave, coupled with sophistication and advanced technology, required institutions involved in the dispensation of justice to upgrade technological infrastructure, train personnel in the use of devises and to make them to acquire skills to keep them abreast with the intricacies of offences. "Indeed the CJS appears to be taken unawares by the sheer sophistication and modernism involved in the planning and execution of some of the crimes," he said.
Mr. Justice Acquah noted that apart from the Police, which in criminal prosecutions worked under the Attorney General's Department, there were no institutions to assist agencies administering criminal justice to co-ordinate, review and assess their performance. He said the institutions had problems that effected capacity and competence in dealing with the crime.
Mr. Justice Acquah noted that the Attorney General's Department was understaffed, with some branches in the regions having only two lawyers each while some of the high courts were often denied legal assistance in tackling criminal matters brought before them. He said there was the need to re-appraise the operations of the courts to meet the current requirement to reduce delays, and to respond to criminality.
Mr. Justice Acquah bemoaned the lack of trade training, recreation, worship facilities and clinics and inadequate ventilation in the prisons. He said there were 11,000 inmates in the country's 35 prisons instead of the authorised number of 6700, giving rise to over-crowding making it difficult for the Prison Service to undertake classification of prisoners.
This, he said, had given rise to unsanitary conditions, poor feeding of inmates and indiscipline in the Service, with convicts coming out of prisons in worse conditions. Mr. Justice Acquah requested the authorities to revisit the adversarial system of justice because according to him it did not protect innocent persons against wrongful conviction.
He asked the public to have confidence in the Police and to report criminals to the personnel to facilitate their work. "Martyrs Day" was instituted by the Ghana Bar Association eight years ago, to remember the late Justices Sarkodie, Koranteng Addow and Agyepong and Major Sam Acquah (rtd) who were abducted, killed and their bodies burnt after the 1981 revolution. Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament, chaired the function.
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Reaction of Attorney General to Supreme
Court ruling
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002 - The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo Addo has said the ruling of the Supreme Court yesterday in favour of the Fast Track High Court was in accordance with the rule of law.
“The rulings are matters of the judges and in accordance with the rule of law”. He declared. According to him the initial decision, which declared the Fast Track High Court unconstitutional was fundamentally wrong hence the reason for asking for a review. He said he was satisfied with the decision of the justices adding that the Fast Track Court has modernised the judicial system in the country.
The Supreme Court by a 6-5 majority reversed an earlier decision, which declared the Fast Track High Court as unconstitutional. The Chief Justice Mr. Justice Edward Wiredu empanelled all eleven justices of the court to sit on the review.
The Supreme Court in March this year, by a decision of 5-4, ruled the Fast Track High Court as unconstitutional. Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation brought the substantive case before the Supreme Court asking the court to declare the Fast Track High Court as unconstitutional.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 27 June 2002- Mr Francis Laryea Okang, Yendi Area Manager of Ghana Telecom (GT) on Wednesday told the Wuaku Commission that the cut-off of telephone links from Yendi to the outside world from 25 Monday to Wednesday 27 March during the Yendi conflict was a "a sheer co-incidence".
He attributed the fault to "power fluctuation", which caused the blow up of the fuses within the circuits, thus making it impossible to make or receive external calls during the period.
Mr. Okang, who was testifying before the commission in Sunyani as the 42nd witness, ruled out sabotage either within the company or from elsewhere to make the work of GT difficult during the crisis. His assertion was however, debunked by counsel for the Volta River Authority, Mr. Raymond John Lartey, who stated that the fault "might be an internal cause within the GT system and not from the VRA".
Mr. Okang said that he was on duty in Salaga on Monday, 25 March, when he was informed, after calling Tamale that calls from outside to Yendi were not going through. On Tuesday, 26 March, he said he arranged with a technician from Tamale to rush to Yendi to save the situation and when he verified at noon, he was told that the technician had left for Yendi.
Mr Okang recounted that he realised that there was a major problem when he called from Tamale at about 5.00 p.m. and was informed that nothing had been heard from the maintenance team that went to Yendi. He added that he, therefore, left for Salaga at 7.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 March, and when he reached the Yendi barrier at 9.00 a.m. he saw a lot of people fleeing from the town.
I noticed that there were no cars on the road, nobody at the Yendi market whilst there were no activities going on in the town, he said. Mr Okang continued that those in his car told him they saw at the other side of the road towards the police station four men dragging somebody.
He said they became very frightened and had to speed-off to Tamale instead of remaining in Yendi to check whether the telephone problem had been rectified.
Mr Okang said after seeking security assistance from the Regional Co-ordinating Council, he mobilised another maintenance team at 5.00 p.m. and they reached Yendi at 8.00 p.m. during the curfew period.
He added that after a check, the team detected that one of the fuses in the unit supplying power to the radio had gone off. Mr. Okang said in a reply to a question from counsel for the commission, Mr G.K. Owoo, that it does not take a long period to repair a blown fuse but when this was done other problems were detected.
During cross- examination, counsel for the Andanis, Mr Charles Hayibor alleged that a watchman at the Ghana Telecom Repeater Station in Sam rpt Sam had confirmed that when GT officers came to the station during the period, the lines went off. Counsel added that according to the watchman when GT officials came back to the station on Wednesday after the crisis, the lines started working.
Mr Okang replied that the watchman did not know anything about the system and the whole allegation was "a very big lie". After being bombarded with a lot of questions and fumbling in answering some of them, the commission discharged him on a note that he was not credible.
Another official from the Telecom, Mr Justice Kwame Segbefia, said he was part of the team that was detailed to repair the breakdown of communication in Yendi on Tuesday, 26 March. He confirmed that the fault was due to a fault within the power supply system since he realised after checking that the electricity voltage was faulty.
Asked by the Commission if the fault could have been created by someone who was not a staff of the company Segbefia answered that he could not tell, because he was not from the transmission.
To a question by the Commission as to whether it was possible that the fault could have been created by someone from outside Segbefia said it was not possible since the place was a restricted area. Segbefia, the 44th witness and a mechanic with the company in Tamale, was thereafter cross- examined by counsel for the Volta River Authority, Mr Lartey.
Witness told the commission that the VRA is the source of power supply to the Ghana Telecom and if there was fault as a result of fluctuations, then nobody else could be blamed but VRA. Mr Segbefia accused the VRA of sometimes taking power from the transformer allocated to the Telecom to supply power to some private residences and that, he said could cause power fluctuations.
Alhassan Naziru, a security assistant of GT in Yendi told the commission in an answer to a question that on the morning of Monday, 25 March, both their standby electric power generator and electricity supply from the VRA were working simultaneously. He said that was not unusual since in the event of low-voltage power supply by the VRA system, the generator worked to supplement the system's power requirement.
Naziru, the 45th witness, said the situation had been like that till 6.45 p.m. on the Monday when some customers who were using a public pay-phone booth drew his attention to the line cut-off.
Witness said he realised after verification that whilst the Yendi local circuit was working, the circuit for the Tamale and the outside world was not. He said on Tuesday morning, he sent a young-boy, one Tajudeen, a nephew of the Yendi post-master to go and inform the GT office in Tamale about the problem.
I, however, did not hear from him until 4.00 p.m. when the maintenance team arrived from Tamale but they could not restore the line that day and had to spend the night in Yendi. He told the commission that it was until Wednesday evening that the team was able to restore the Yendi lines to the outside world.
Mr. Peter Duku, a staff engineer of the VRA in Yendi, who testified as the 43rd witness, said he was not aware that telephone calls from Yendi to other places did not go through during the crisis period. He told the commission that there was no power fluctuation on 25 and 26 March as had been alleged by staff of the Ghana Telecom.
There was, however, power fluctuation on Wednesday, 27 March, when it was reported that some poles at the Gbewaa Palace had got burnt, exposing live wires on the ground, he said. The engineer added that a mechanic with the Authority therefore, requested for a power fluctuation to enable him to go and repair the lines.
Asked by the Commission when the poles got burnt Duku said he could not tell. Witness told the commission that no report about the alleged power fluctuation has been received from Ghana Telecom after the crisis.
In an answer to a number of questions pertaining to the supply of power to the Ghana Telecom in Yendi, Mr Duku said he was not qualified to give any answer since that was the duty of the Northern Electricity Department (NED) of the VRA. Earlier, Iddrisu Gyamfo, a farmer and former tender of Ya-Na's cattle was called to testify as the 41st witness to answer some allegations levelled against him by Nantogmah Alhassan Andani, the 21st witness.
Andani had told the commission that Gyamfo was one of the men who set the Gbewaa palace ablaze on Wednesday, 27 March. Gyamfo, however, denied during his testimony tat he took part in the burning of the palace, saying he was nowhere near the palace at that time. He stated that he went to the Ya-Na's palace in the company of his father and one Damanko, an elder, to greet the chief on the morning of Monday, 25 March
.
Witness said the late Ya-Na gave them 10,000 cedis to buy drinks when they were leaving and as they enjoyed the drinks at Damanko's house, near the palace, he heard gunshots in the area. I was hit by a bullet on one of my fingers when I came out to verify what was happening, the farmer added.
Gyamfo said when he realised that the situation was tense he took his sick father, wife and three children to a safe place and did not return until Wednesday evening. Unable to give clear answers to most questions from the commission, it (the commission) asked Nantogmah to cross- examine him.
During cross-examination Gyamfo said it was not that he held a gun on Tuesday, 26 March, in the company of others. Gyamfo said because he was Ya-Na's cattle tender he used to go to the chief's palace with his father on several occasions.
When counsel for the commission, Mr. George Owoo, asked if he knew of any reason why Nantogmah had levelled the allegation against him, Gyamfo replied in the negative. Mr Owoo, therefore, told him that, "the only reason is that what Nantogmah is saying is true". To a question by Nana Obiri Boahen, counsel for the Abudus, as to which of the gates he belonged to, Gyamfo replied that he is an Andani.
Witness said he even wanted to take his gun to go and protect the Ya-Na during the crisis "because I am one of his junior warriors". The commission at this juncture told witness that despite being a member of the Andani Gate, he had had a problem with the Ya-Na for sometime now.
Gyamfo: I was the Ya-Na's cattle tender and could not have had problems with him.
Commission: Why did the Ya-Na sack you as his cattle tender?
Gyamfo: It was due to the loss of two of the cattle.
Commission: Couldn't the dismissal be a good reason for you to join the opposing group?
Gyamfo: No, I couldn't have joined the opposing faction and burnt the Ya-Na's palace since he was my breadwinner.
When the commission discharged him, Gyamfo asked through the interpreter, "since the Ya-Na was feeding me, how could I have burnt his house?" The chairman of the commission, Justice Wuaku, retorted that "nature is wonderful, hence a son can rise up against his parent at anytime".
Gyamfo insisted that it was impossible for him to do anything against the Ya-Na, to which Justice Wuaku replied that, "I cannot believe you, for even the devil does not know anybody's mind". Sitting continues tomorrow.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- The Chairman of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Wednesday asserted the independence of the Commission against any undue influence from especially those in authority to undermine the objectivity and impartiality of its findings.
"No member of the Commission will allow himself or herself to be pushed around. The Parliamentary Act establishing the Commission also ensured its independence," Mr Justice Kweku Etrew Amua Sekyi said at a press conference in Accra.
Justice Sekyi, a retired Appeal Court Judge, was answering a question, which challenged the neutrality of some members of the Commission, whose past public pronouncements, allegedly revealed their hatred for the Rawlings' Administration. "We are not going to victimise any past regime or anybody associated with these regimes.... In principle all our hearings would be in public except matters of security concern," he declared.
The Commission with nine core members would start sitting at the Old Parliament House in Accra after the recruitment and training of the supporting staff. It has 12 months to do its public hearing and three months to write its report with an estimated budget of five million dollars.
Justice Sekyi said a code of conduct has been prepared for every member of the Commission to subscribe to whilst a document on the terms of appointment was also being prepared. He said as soon as all those preparatory works were completed the public would be invited to submit complaints and petitions.
To make it easier for persons residing outside Accra to participate in the exercise, five zonal offices have been established at Bolgatanga to cater for the Upper East and the Upper West Regions and at Tamale for the Northern and Brong Ahafo. The rest are Kumasi for Ashanti and Eastern Regions, Takoradi for Central and Western and Ho for Greater Accra and Volta regions. The head office in Accra would also be functional.
Justice Sekyi said it was in the interest of all those might be accused of wrong doings to appear before the Commission when invited to set the record straight before the final report was prepared. He said the indemnity clause protecting some members of the previous administration would not hinder the work of the Commission, "since it is just a fact finding Commission and no one will be put on trial."
Lieutenant General Emmanuel Erskine and Bishop Charles Palmer Buckle, members of the Commission asked media practitioners, who would cover the proceedings to be sensitive and circumspect in the choice of words since " the media can make or unmake the country by their coverage."
Mrs Sylvia Boye, a member out-doored a logo for the Commission, which was in the national colours. There was a white dove carrying an olive branch in the map of Ghana, which Mrs Boye said was a symbol of the peace and reconciliation the Commission aimed to achieve for the country.
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Stop the practice of Nepotism - Mahama to
Gov't
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002 - Dr. Edward Mahama,
leader of the People's National Convention (PNC) on Thursday advised the
government to stop the practice of nepotism in the country to ensure the
equitable distribution of the national cake. He said the introduction of
nepotism by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government would not only deny some
members of the public certain basic amenities but would not foster good
governance in the country.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, Dr Mahama said since the
assumption of office of the NPP administration, "it has shown clearly that
it works only to satisfy some few individuals within the NPP, forgetting that
it owed it a duty to distribute the national cake equitably the very day it was
sworn in".
Dr. Mahama said the appointment of Ministers and their deputies and other
high-ranking officials to the Cabinet had clearly shown that the NPP was
tainted with nepotism and called on the government to do something about it, if
it really wanted to run an-all-inclusive government.
He said the recent appointment of Parliamentarians to the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, without a PNC member was an indication
that the NPP did not recognise the PNC in Parliament.
Dr. Mahama said, "the entire PNC wants to remind government that this
country belongs to all of us and the way to maintain national unity is to
divide the 'HIPC' national cake equitably". He said the PNC was the third
largest party in Parliament and it was expected that one of its members would
be selected as a delegate to the ECOWAS Parliament.
NPP has so far shown ingratitude to PNC for supporting it during Presidential
runoff by marginalizing it, he said, adding, "PNC has always maintained
that our purpose was to unseat the NDC and that aim has been achieved by
supporting NPP and that would not stop me from fighting for the distribution of
the national cake".He deplored the situation where two delegates to the
ECOWAS Parliament came from the same district.
Dr. Mahama criticised President Kufuor for not visiting Bawku and Yendi after
the crises there, saying the usual Ghanaian tradition was that when people were
bereaved or in crisis, it was for the father of the nation to go there
immediately and know what could be done to alleviate their plight.
When the GNA contacted the Ministry of Information and Presidential Affairs on
the issues raised by the PNC leader, the Special Assistant, Mr. Ferdinand Ayim
said in statement that, " it is amazing that Dr. Mahama, of all people
should be accusing the NPP government of nepotism.The statement said, " if
there is any administration that would go on record as having demonstrated a
genuine commitment to all-inclusiveness in governance of this country, it is
that led by President J.A Kufuor."Indeed the NPP government team included
a Minister and two Deputy Ministers from the PNC, as well as other political parties."
It said Dr. Mahama "is a very respected politician, credited with a lot of
savvy and his remarks are unfortunate and disappointing, to say the
least."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- The youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday accused the government of using the NDC as a scapegoat any time it came under public scrutiny over its mal-administration.
"The country is now tired of the excuses of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to try to cover up for their ineptitude, miss-governance and corrupt activities," says a statement issued by the youth wing in Accra.
The statement was in reaction to an earlier statement the New Patriotic Youth Wing (NPYL) made yesterday calling for a probe into circumstances surrounding the audit of the special projects account of the Ministry of Works and Housing which some Ministers of financial malfeasance against them. "The NYPL must be told in no uncertain terms that the job of auditors is to make sure that procedures in the utilisation of government funds are followed to the letter. In doing its work, officials of the Audit Service cannot be described as whistle-blowers."
The statement challenged the NYPL to produce any previous reports of the
Auditor-General that indicted ministers who served in the NDC administration as alleged. It said the audited report dated 8 May 2002 gave the Ministry of Works of
Housing 30 days within which to react to queries.
The Minority leader, who was criticised for commenting on the Report, did so only last Friday 21 June. The statement said if the 150 million cedis which was in the centre of controversy over the audit report was released to Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey in his official capacity as Minister, then why should the former Chief of Staff
Nana Ato Dadzie be arraigned before court for handling official money.
The statement said the call by the NPYL for a zero tolerance for public officials who are out to sabotage or embarrass the government was an excuse for the NPP to dismiss the Audit Service Officials who conducted the audit exercise.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- A roundtable conference by a cross section of people on the National Health Insurance Bill in Accra on Wednesday was divided over the viability of the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme being capable of addressing the huge financial demands of health care delivery.
The conference, the third, to be organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation to seek public views about the Bill attracted divided opinion over whether a National Health Fund was not a better alternative instead of the proposed Health Insurance Scheme, which was to be run on experimental basis.
Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director - General of the Ghana Health Services argued for a Health Fund that could be sustained through a health lottery. He said the projected coverage of between 50 and 60 per cent of the people by health insurance over a period of 10 years meant that the Cash and Carry system could not be abolished immediately as promised by the government.
Professor Gilford Amarh Ashitey, a Lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School was against any form of additional health funding when there were irregularities in the management of the 80 per cent capital flow from the government to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
He suggested the need to streamline the utilisation of such a huge capital and the strengthening of Primary Health Care to check preventable diseases like malaria that was caused by unhygienic conditions.
Professor Ashitey said the MOH should not over burden itself with health care delivery since that called for a multi-sectoral approach. He said a Health Insurance Scheme could only succeed if there was a proper demography of the country's population to determine the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Mr Agyeman Manu, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, expressed dissatisfaction about the long time frame of 10 years implementation during, which the scheme could cater for the majority of the deprived.
Mr Kwesi Eghan of the MOH said the vision of the scheme was to ensure equitable universal access to quality basic package for health services. "Every Ghanaian shall belong to a health insurance scheme that adequately covers him or her against the need to pay out of pocket at a point of service to obtain access to a defined package of acceptable needed health services."
He said the scheme was a fusion of the concepts of Social Health Insurance and Mutual Health Organisations operating in some districts. The National Health Insurance Council, General Assemblies and Management Boards that would be in direct contact with the district assemblies would manage the scheme.
Mr Eghan said 40 districts had been selected throughout the country to start the scheme on pilot basis. Mr B.J. da Rocha, Chairman and Senior Fellow at the IEA, said all options must be considered to make the scheme a success, adding, " I do not share the pessimism that the scheme would not succeed". Professor Fred Sai, another Senior Fellow of the Institute, said decentralisation of health care financing was the best form of sustaining the health system.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- Professor Edmund Osae, Acting Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), on Wednesday said despite the enormous contribution the Commission made to the country's development yet its operations were becoming difficult because of poor financing.
He said since the establishment of GAEC in 1963, it had been able to enhance activities in the agriculture, health, industrial and environmental sectors and called for private sector participation to make its work viable.
Professor Osae was speaking at a symposium organised by GAEC as part of activities marking this year's Scientific Renaissance of Africa Day, which the Organization of African Unity has set aside to be observed every year to create awareness and interest in science and technology.
It was to educate the public on the important role GAEC plays in all matters relating to the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Day, which focused on the health sector was under the theme "Science and Technology for Health, The Role of GAEC."
Professor Osae said GAEC was established to consolidate and promote research into peaceful and safe application of nuclear science and technology and biotechnology in agriculture, health, industry, environment and energy. "It was not established to manufacture atomic bomb as a lot of people believed" adding that it had saved the country billions of cedis, especially with its first class cancer treatment centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Professor Osae mentioned radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and radio-pharmacy, medical sterilisation, radiological health and safety as some of the functions GAEC provided for the health sector. He said for the industries, it undertook Non Destructive Testing (NDT), Radiotracer and nuclear reactor facility while it monitored industrial and mining areas with a view to detecting pollutants.
For agriculture, he said GAEC worked on food preservation, integrated pest management, micro-propagation of disease free planting materials, development of new variants of cocoa and cassava known as "Tek Bankye". GAEC also conducts researches and studies on the feasibility of Ghana introducing nuclear power into the energy mix as well as the teaching of nuclear science and technology at some of the countries universities and other African countries.
Dr Isaac K. Wilson, Scientific Officer of the National Nuclear Research Institute, who gave an overview on Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy, said the Centre for Radiotherapy at Korle-Bu since it started operation in 1997 had treated over 2200 patients with various cancers. He said 50 per cent of those treated were cervical and breast cancers with prostrate, liver, testicular, colon, and thyroid cancers accounting for the other 50 per cent.
Professor George Yaw Klu, Director of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, who talked about Food Irradiation and Medical Sterilization said the institute researches into fish, shrimps, spices, yam, cowpeas and maize among other foods before they were sent to the market.
He said the institute was planning to link up with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to reduce post harvest loses. Apart from this, Professor Klu said the institute also undertook purification of drinking water and decontamination of water. Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Environment and Science called for the integration of science in all spheres of the country's development efforts.
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Cape Cost (Central Region) 27 June 2002- Representatives of various women's group in the Central Region, on Wednesday called on the Electoral Commission to re-open filing of nomination for the district level elections to enable more women to file their nominations.
According to them, this has become necessary in view of the fact that among 1,557 candidates contesting for the district assembly elections, only 117 are women. The women made the call at a public forum on the theme "Why should district level election concern women," at Cape Coast.
The forum was geared towards affording women and other members of the public an opportunity to discuss and be informed about women in politics and was organised by the Network for Women's Right (NETRIGHT), an NGO, in collaboration with the Women and Children's Affairs in Cape Coast Municipal Assembly CCMA.
The women attributed the low number of women candidates for the elections to inadequate education about the elections, and their lack of knowledge on the socio-political role women could play in the development of their communities. They were therefore, of the view that nominations should be re-opened and education intensified as a means of encouraging more of them to participate.
Earlier, Professor Tekyiwah Manu, Deputy Director of the Institute of African Studies and Governor of NETRIGHT express concern about the fact that most of the women who have filed their nominations are teachers and that many more women who qualify to contest the elections have failed to do so, saying this could affect their work in the classroom.
Prof. Manu who spoke on local level governance and women told the women that it is imperative for them to help trace the kind of society they desire, and to strive to have a say in the allocation and use of resources, particularly at the community level.
She was unhappy that the region ranks forth among the poorest regions in the country and has a high infant mortality rate and told them that they could help addressed the situation by getting involve in issues geared towards poverty alleviation and improved health care delivery.
She briefed them on the provision of the Ghana poverty reduction strategy adding that a local government service act is to be passed to increase employment generation at the district level and said women should therefore have adequate representation at the assemblies to enable as many women as possible to benefit since poverty is one of the main factors inhibiting women's advancement.
Others present at the forum include Madam Araba Bentsi-Ench, a member of the CCMA, Nana Amba Eyiabah, Krontihenmaa of Ogwaa traditional area and Mr.
Ferdinart Anku, Regional Director of the NCCE, also echoed the important role women can play in the socio-political and economic development of the country and called on more women to participate in decision -making process.
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About 1.4 million Ghanaians to be with AIDS by 2014 if ...
Saltpond (Central Region) 27 June 2002- The Central Region AIDS Co-ordinator, Miss Stella Duodu has cautioned that if the current HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of HIV were not reduced about 1.4 million Ghanaians would be down with the virus by 2014. Miss Duodu said the most unfortunate thing was that many Ghanaians did not perceive themselves as being at risk of contracting the virus ''thinking it is the other person out there who can be infected.''
She was speaking at a workshop for the Mfantseman District AIDS Committee and the District AIDS Response Initiative (DRI) at Saltpond. Miss Duodu cautioned people with HIV/AIDS to desist from indulging in indiscriminate sex since it could shorten their lifespan. "Patients, who harbour wicked intentions of infecting others with the disease rather die early because they increase the virus in them through coming into contact with people who are also HIV positive" she stated.
Miss Duodu said patients who take good care of themselves, could live for about 15 years adding that the incubation period for adults who are infested with the virus was between two years to 5 years.
Mr Paul Djan, Central Region Population Officer, took the participants through community assessment and mobilisation, strategic planning, managing local responses and behaviour change communication. He urged members of the DRI to visit all communities to be able to make better assessment of human and physical resources in the area.
Mr. Jonathan Benefo, Co-ordinator of the Mfantseman District Assembly's AIDS programmes urged parents and teachers to educate their children on activities that promoted the virus. He said it was the determination of the assembly to reduce the infection rate in the district by 30 per cent by 2004 and appealed to the people to help achieve the target.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- Ghana and Iran on Wednesday agreed to co-operate with each other at international forums and in the areas of investment, maritime and rail transport, construction, education and health, a statement issued in Accra said.
It said further emphasis was on increased trade and the processing of raw material for export and local consumption. The agreement was reached at the Second Session of the Ghana/Iran Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation held in Accra.
It was attended by a delegation from Iran headed by Dr Ali Abdul Ali Zadeh, Minister of Housing and Urbanisation while the Ghanaian delegation was led Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Ghanaian side, the statement said, further agreed to export to Iran tropical fruits, hardwood products and assorted handicrafts while Iran agreed to undertake constructional and engineering works in Ghana, especially in laying and the maintenance of railways and the sale of pharmaceutical products.
During discussions, on the review of the content and state of implementation of the decisions reached at the inaugural session of the joint commission in 1990, the two sides agreed that some gains had been made and resolved to implement future sessions more assiduously.
The statement said to that end the Ghanaian side acknowledged Iranian technical and financial assistance in the establishment of an Islamic university and rural agricultural development in Northern Ghana. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the cordial and frank atmosphere, which prevailed during the two-day intensive deliberations.
Whilst in the Country the Iranian Minister paid courtesy calls on President J. A. Kufuor, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament and Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Works and Housing. The head of the Iranian delegation also laid a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and inspected Iranian projects in the country.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002-The seven-member committee that investigated the cyanide spillage at Goldfields Ghana Limited (GFGL) on 16 October, last year, says the spillage was purely an accident.
Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, who presented the report of the committee to Professor Dominic Kweku Fobih, Minister of Environment and Science on Wednesday said the cyanide spillage led to the contamination of a nearby stream at Tarkwa where the company was located.
Prof. Akosa said the committee established that the exit of the solution into the environment was as a result of an unauthorised construction of a culvert and the bridging of the protective ramp with agglomerated ore to enable a conveyor repair work to be done.
"The detoxification process appeared to have been a panic reaction in view of the poor estimation of spillage time and flow rate of the solution. The quantities of detoxification agents used were excessive and could have contributed to some of the acute ailments," he explained.
Prof. Akosa said the investigation established that the relationship between GFGL and the communities were poor "and this was exposed during the accident. The Committee recommended that the company should foster good community relationship by supporting them, as was the case with the Resolute Amansi Limited.
Prof Akosa said the Committee found out that the mineral royalties, even though paid by the mining companies, had had little or no impact within the communities and recommended that the 55 per cent of mineral royalty monies disbursed to the District Assemblies should be 'ring-fenced and a well laid out prescription for the use clearly stated."
The proportion of the total mineral royalties that was disbursed to District Assemblies was inadequate and it, therefore, supported an upward adjustment on the basis of an increase in the actual proportion to the affected communities.
The Committee recommended that in view of the poor sewage disposal practices and inadequate toilet facilities, the assemblies should adopt measures commensurate with the environment.
Prof Akosa said during investigation it was realised that even though the function of the Mineral Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mines Department were supposed to be complementary, they were found to be conflicting in certain areas leading to inaction or delays during emergencies. There should be sharing of information and documentation between them and a joint monitoring team established to manage emergencies, he said.
He also said in order to improve public awareness on environmental, safety and risk of mining operations, the EPA must be charged with bridging the knowledge gap between the mining companies and the communities.
Prof. Akosa noted that all mining companies were safety conscious, however, the non-involvement of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in their general activities and the communities in their emergency response procedures gave cause for concern. The Committee, therefore, recommended that mining companies involved GNFS in their fire fighting and safety procedures.
Prof Akosa said the management of mining waste was in conformity with environmental management plans, however, the absence of any guideline on the haulage of hazardous chemicals and disposal of containers and packaging materials was of concern. It was recommended that the Hazardous Chemical Committee of the EPA should be mandated to formulate the necessary guidelines for the haulage of hazardous chemicals and management and disposal of containers and packaging materials.
"Private contractors engaged in mine waste management must be monitored to ensure compliance," it said Prof. Akosa said since the communities were engaged in oil palm cultivation and processing and "akpeteshie" distilling, which was an associated occupation, the District Assembly should organise training programmes to improve the distillation methods to avert any ecological damage.
The Committee also recommended the communities to the National Onchocerciasis Programme for support since they were hyper-endemic for river blindness. Prof Akosa appealed to government to ensure that the report did not sit on the shelves as many other reports in the various ministries, adding: "We hope that this report would be given the needed attention."
Prof Fobih said: "The situation actually created panic among the public and it was the duty of government through the appropriate agency to alleviate the panic and restore confidence in the public, adding: "The structured information would be a guiding post in dealing with all mining companies and communities in the country."
Mrs Joyce Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, appealed to the government to ensure that a greater part of the royalties that were paid got to the communities for their development.
Members of the committee were; Professor Anthony A. Adimado, Dean, Graduate School, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Professor Daniel Mmireku Gyimah, Director Western University College and Mr Samuel Gyasi, Senior Scientific Officer, Ghana Standards Board.
The rest were Dr Derrick Carboo, Lecturer, University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Borlier Ed Nighpense, Public Health Practitioner, Ministry of Health and Mrs Patience Damptey, Deputy Director, Ministry of Environment and Science, who was a member secretary.
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Tema (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- Reginald Hermann, 32, suspected to have killed his mother in cold blood on Wednesday appeared before the Tema Circuit Tribunal charged with murder.
His plead was not taken and he was remanded in custody to re-appear on 3 July. Herman allegedly butchered his mother, 66 year-old Madam Nazik Bouhari, at 10:30 p.m while she was sleeping in her room at the Regimauel Gray Estates, Sakomono.
Though the facts of the case were not read at the tribunal, the Prosecutor told GNA that there had been petty squabbles between Hermann and his mother over a transport business he was running on behalf of his four brothers living abroad. On 22 June at about 10:30 p.m Hermann returned from town and found that the evening meal that was reserved for him was cold but there was no fire to heat it since there was no gas.
The mother asked him to use the microwave but he became annoyed and insulted her and retired to bed. Not satisfied with what transpired between him and his mother, Hermann picked a blunt cutlass rushed to his mother's room with the message that he had come to kill her and then inflicted wounds on her killing her instantly.
His younger sister Matilda, who heard her mother's screams, went to her rescue but she had her share as he inflicted wounds on her left hand. After committing the crime, Hermann travelled to Aburi, Akwapim and confessed to his uncle, Mr Osei Mills and he immediately reported the case to the Aburi Police, who also brought him to the Tema Community Police.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday asked the reconstituted Civil Service Council to re-focus and re-invigorate the Service. He said the country deserved a Service that would demonstrate excellence in its duties devoid of excessive bureaucracy, divided loyalty and corruption.
President Kufuor made the call when he swore-in seven out of the eight members of the Council at the Castle, Osu. He administered the oath of office and secrecy to the members, who would advise the government on the appointment, training policies and other activities of the Service.
President Kufuor said it was unacceptable that a Civil Service that should serve as the Secretariat of the government should under-perform and be trapped in poor management, divided loyalty and red-tapeism especially against the private sector.
He said government was aware of the malaise in the Service and other government departments and agencies due to poor motivation, low morale, lack of opportunities for training and self-advancement.
President Kufuor said, " while I acknowledge that these are largely the result of years in which the Service had been marginalized and attempts had been made to politicise it to lose its integrity and efficiency through changing governments, I cannot but also blame some of the Civil Servants, who have been over opportunistic and have not always demonstrated sufficient integrity in their office for the current parlous state of the Civil Service".
To the members of the Council, President Kufuor said there was some urgency attached to their functions because the difficulties that the Civil Service faced had tended to weaken its capacity to respond promptly, effectively and selflessly to the expectations of the government and the Ghanaian public including the private sector whose interest the Service had to serve.
President Kufuor said government was aware that one of the pressing concerns of the Civil Service was over their conditions of service, their low salaries and poor incentives.
Dr Ebenezer Moses Debrah, a former Secretary to the Supreme Military Council (1973-76) and Chairman of the Council, said members would work towards a Service that would be professional, knowledgeable, and trustworthy and could be relied upon to execute decisions with despatch and in a transparent and cost effective manner. He said they would also ensure that the Civil Service enjoyed the respect and confidence of civil society because it was courteous, helpful, patient and problem solving and acceptable to the private sector.
Dr Debrah said the Service required personal commitment, a refreshing change of attitude to duty and a clear acceptance that the progress of the country did not depend on the government alone.
Other members of the Council were, Mr Justice Oduah Kwesi Sampson, a retired Supreme Court Judge, Professor Mrs Akua Kuenyehia, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon and Mr K. Obeng Adofo, Chief Director and
Acting Head of the Civil Service.
The rest were Mr B.K. Otoo, a retired Senior Principal Secretary, Mr Smart Y. Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association and Mr E. N. Nortey, a Director at the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). Dr Adu Gyamfi of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was the only member absent.
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UN Day of Torture Victims observed
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002 - A Human Rights Activist on Wednesday urged Governments to ensure law and order and provide services that together would enable all citizens to enjoy their rights. Mr Chrismek Christopher Mensah, the Activist, made the call on Wednesday at a Press Conference to mark the UN Day in Support of Torture Victims on a global theme: "Together Against Torture" in Accra.
The Day, commemorated yearly on June 26, has been set aside by the International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture (IRCT) to encourage rehabilitation centres and health, legal, human rights, media and other professional organisations to fight the war against torture.
Mr Mensah, who is also the President of the Chrismek Rights Foundation, a local non-governmental organisation, described the two forms of torture as physical, which is visible and carry injuries and scars and the psychological or mental torture, the invisible, such as a marathon interrogation, legal torture, mock execution and intimidation, among other things.
According to him various forms of torture were perpetrated in Ghana, including domestic violence, gender related deprivations, widowhood rites, trokosi, tribal marks, rape and sexual abuse and media related torture.
Mr. Mensah, therefore, urged governments to officially condemn torture in any form saying, victims of torture suffered from flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, severe anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, depression, memory lapses and breakdown in familial and social relations that destroy the dignity, worth and hope of its victims.
He called for action against torture at all levels to include the denunciation of perpetrators, redress and reparation for torture victims, developing and enforcing national and international legislation against torture and promoting human rights education. "The State must also provide safeguards during interrogation or in custody, prosecute alleged torturers irrespective of their status or political affiliation and custody payment of compensation and rehabilitation of victims of torture,"
Mr, Mensah said.
The Reverend Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, who chaired the function, called for the total abolition of some of the negative cultural values in the country, saying, they also constituted a form of torture. He urged all to stop tortures from the home, where children are continually maltreated and wives battered by their husbands.
The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in a message read by Mr Iddrisu A. Siddiq, Information Officer, UNDP, said the horrific events of the September 11,
2001 have prompted a debate on many fronts about the means that might be required and justified to combat the threat of terrorism.
He said security could not be achieved by sacrificing human rights, therefore, humankind must continue to stand united in the fight against torture. Mr Annan called on all governments to support the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture so that an even greater number of projects could be funded in the coming year to eradicate torture.
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Nadowli (Upper West) 27 June 2002- The Energy Commission in collaboration with Ghana Oil (GOIL) would establish 1,200 kerosene distribution outlets nationwide by December 2004. There would be 20 certified retail outlets in each district selling at officially approved prices.
Mr Patrick Affum, Assistant Development Planning Officer of Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development said this at Nadowli during a day's workshop on educational campaign on the judicious use of energy. The workshop, which was organised by the Energy Commission and sponsored by World Bank, attracted about 40 participants from the Nadowli and Jirapa-Lambussie Districts.
Mr Affum said the country had been demarcated into zones to ensure effective monitoring of the programme. Zone one comprised Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, Zone two had Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions, Zone three has Central and Western Regions while Zone four consists of Eastern, Volta and Greater Accra Regions.
Mr Affum said under the first phase of the programme five tanks would be given to each district. He said any private investor interested in the distribution would have to apply to district assemblies and adhere strictly to the officially approved prices of the government.
Mr Victor Owes, Communication Co-ordinator, said the Energy Commission was seeking ways of establishing alternative sources of energy, partly due to the erratic rainfall pattern of the country, which was making hydro-electricity unreliable. He said the search for alternative sources of energy had become imperative now than before due to the high depletion of forests for fuel wood and the high cost of crude oil used for Aboadze Thermal Plant.
Mr. Owusu said plans were advanced to develop wind energy particularly, in the coastal areas to generate energy for rural areas. Apart from being the cheapest, wind energy was also the most available in terms of raw materials, he added.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- The Ministry of Education on Wednesday announced that the re-writing of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) would begin on 2 July and end on 5 July throughout the country. The Ministry in a statement warned "all unauthorised persons to stay away from the examination centres and to desist from any acts that may, mar the successful conduct of the examination"
It asked supervisors and invigilators "to be vigilant and to ensure that the examination is conducted free of any incidence of malpractice." The statement appealed to all parents and guardians to give their children and wards all the necessary support to enable them to re-write the examination. It wished all candidates every success and the best of luck in the examination.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Wednesday sentenced Darshan Bipin Shas, an Indian Marketing Consultant, to seven years' imprisonment with hard for defiling two girls.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim, however, ordered that Shas, who had been diagnosed HIV positive, should serve his jail term in his country. It noted that the medical expenses of the convict would be a burden on the taxpayer if he were kept in Ghana and recommended his immediate deportation. Shas was accused of having defiled two girls, aged 14 and paid them 150,000 cedis each night for two days.
The tribunal, therefore, asked Shas to compensate the victims with five million cedis each to cater for their medical expenses. Meanwhile two accomplices Kwabena Amesigah and Jonathan Sowu, who were also charged with abetment of crime, have been discharged.
At Wednesday's sitting, Defence Counsel told the tribunal that Shas had regretted his actions and prayed the court to deport his client to India to serve his jail term because if his ailment.
The Counsel further cited a publication in the Ghanaian Times, which said a Tema Tribunal had granted a 32-year old armed robber bail because the Prison Service said they had no facilities to care for people with HIV/AIDS. "It is likely that Shas may infects other inmates with the disease if he were kept in the Ghanaian prison," defence Counsel said.
The tribunal heard that on March 14, complainants, who were relatives of the victims, had a tip off that the girls had visited the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra where the two accomplices had lured them so that they could have sex with Shas for a fee. Shas then sent them to Green Leaf Hotel at Osu where he was lodging and had sex with them on two different occasions and paid them 150,000 cedis each for a day.
When Amesigah and Sowu were arrested they led the Police to Shas's shop and during interrogation, Shas admitted the offence and told the Police that he did not use any protective measure when he had sex with the two girls. Accused was subsequently sent to the Police Hospital for medical examination where he was diagnosed HIV positive.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 27 June 2002- The Ghana Institution of Engineers has called for a legislation that would ensure that engineers executed projects efficiently. Mr Frederick Adu-Nyarko, President of the Institution, said this on Tuesday when launching the third annual week celebration of the Engineering Department of the Takoradi Polytechnic.
The week is being celebrated under the theme: "The Polytechnic Engineer - A Major Factor In Wealth Creation And Development". Mr Adu-Nyarko said the legislation would provide legal backing for the Institution to make sure that engineers had the requisite skills and qualification to undertake projects, especially public works. He said the legislation envisaged would empower the Institution to regulate and ensure professional ethics among practitioners.
Mr Thomas Eduafo Amoah, Dean of the Department of Engineering, expressed concern about unsanitary condition at the school and tasked the students to take responsibility of their environment. One other canker that was eating into the fabric of the school was examination malpractice, he said, adding that a semester hardly passed without anyone being caught cheating in examination.
Mr Anthony Hasford, Dean of Student Affairs of the Polytechnic, said the school had had its share of student indiscipline and this had been tarnishing its image. He urged students to take a second look at their life outside campus because "academic qualification alone will not take us anywhere".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2002- The government says Monday July 1, Republic Day is a statutory public holiday and should be observed as such, a statement signed by Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the Minister responsible for the Interior said in Accra on
Wednesday.
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