Relatives of "Taifa killings" call for speedy prosecution
He said: "Judges' legal
philosophies, their judicial styles and of course, their integrity and
efficiency as well as their efficient and honest administration of justice is critical
to effective adherence to constitutionality and good governance in the
country.''
Nana Asante,
who is also the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) said
this during the opening of a three-day public lecture under the general theme;
"The Judiciary in the Fourth Republic."
The lecture, which was organised
by GAAS in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) and the
British Council, was to throw a searchlight on the institution of the Judiciary
and the judicial process in the fourth republic.
Nana
He said the pivotal role of the
Judiciary calls for a close study of the institution, its judicial process and
the entire machinery of justice to ensure that law in the country, is not what
the Judges say.
Nana
Speaking on "How
Independent has the Judiciary Been?'' Justice George E. K. Aikins,
a retired Supreme Court Judge, called for strict adherence to Judicial
Independence to ensure that the appointment and removal of judges were not
intermingled with political influence and fettered executive discretion.
He criticised the filling of
certain vacancies in the Supreme Court with nominees more popular within party
circles than within the legal fraternity over the last few years.
Justice Aikins,
who is now a private legal practitioner, cited the appointment of the late Chief
Justice, I. K. Abban whom he said was widely
perceived to be excessively beholden to former President Rawlings.
He said Justice Abban was incapable of dealing with cases with high
political stances impartially. Justice Aikins said
the Judiciary allowed it to be improperly manipulated or cowed into submission
by the politicians.
He said: "any country whose
judiciary is subjected to any form of control by or directive from the
executive arm of government or any other individual or group of persons would
be heading towards its doom. "
J. Ebow
Quarshie former President of the Ghana Bar
Association, who spoke on, "The role of the Supreme Court Under the Constitution", said the Supreme Court has not
been consistent with its decisions in upholding the 1992 Constitution.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
President Kufuor back from Libya
A communiqué, issued at the end
of the visit and read by the Nana Akufo Addo, at the
He said they reaffirm to depend the excellent relationship existing between the two
countries. Nana Akufo Addo
said the two leaders promised to strengthen the economic relation between the
two countries, particular in the area of agricultural development agro
processing and marketing.
He said to this end, the two
leaders agreed to reactivate the operation of the Ghana/Libya Permanent Joint
Cooperation and set another meeting for the last week of July in
President Kufuor
expressed his appreciation for the effort of Col Al-Qathafi,
which aimed at achieving the unity of the African people that resulted in the
launching of the African Union and his continuous endeavours to consolidate
peace, security and stability on the continent.
The Foreign Minister said Col
Al-Qathafi expressed his appreciation for the efforts
by President Kufuor to accomplish the hopes and
aspirations of Ghanaians for rapid economic development, social progress and
national prosperity in
The Libyan leader was
particularly appreciative of the effort of President Kufuor
in bringing an end to the Ivorian crisis and efforts at restoring peace to
The two leaders stressed the
importance of supporting and strengthening the launch of the African Union and
its institutions and expressed their determination to work together to put an
end to conflicts and wars on the continent.
President Kufuor
extended an invitation to Col Al-Qathafi to pay an
official visit to
President was meet
on arrival by Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Chief of Defence
Staff Lt. Gen. Seth Obong, the Libyan Ambassador and
some Minister s of State.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2003
- Civil society groups attending the Liberia peace talks on Monday expressed
opposition to the stalemate in discussions for a ceasefire agreement to end
more than 12 years of bloodshed in their country.
The belligerent groups -
Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and Movement for
Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) - are at loggerheads with representatives of the
Liberian government over the legitimacy of President Charles Taylor to rule
following his indictment by the UN War Crimes Tribunal in
Marcus Jones, President of the
Liberia National Bar Association described the stalemate as "not
necessary". He said factional differences that have emerged from LURD and
MODEL had created a deadlock to a ceasefire agreement.
The talks, which have travelled
since June 4, have not yielded any positive results. Jones said the
preconditions by LURD and MODEL for an agreement were
not conventional for any ceasefire talks.
"All parties agreed to the
(
"If there is no ceasefire
agreement, President John Kufuor should pack us away
and we go home." Members of women pressure groups at the talks also
circulated a signed document that calls on the belligerent factions to agree to
a ceasefire.
They referred to the escalation
of the conflict that has caused scores of deaths and led to a humanitarian
crisis. ''End your intransigence and immediately sign a ceasefire agreement
that would allow for humanitarian assistance to be delivered to the suffering
masses, particularly women, children and the elderly in
"Failure on your part as
belligerent parties to sign the ceasefire agreement today (Monday), would
indicate your belief to sanction the continuous suffering and death of the very
people for whom you claim to be fighting."
Eugene Wilson, spokesman for
MODEL, gave the assurance that his group was close to signing a ceasefire
agreement when he interacted with journalists.
"Nobody is more important
than the Liberian people," he said. General Boi Bleaju Boi, military spokesperson
for MODEL, told the GNA that renewed attacks on the their
positions by the Armed Forces of Liberia were undermining the talks.
"My own brother Harrison
Smith was killed by
Alhaji Kromah,
a former rebel leader, told journalists that he had arrived in
Alhaji Kromah
who led ULIMO-K in the early 1990s said he would put his weight behind the
peace process to ensure its success. Meanwhile hopes of a ceasefire agreement
on Monday appear to be fading although closed-door consultations with
stakeholders are still going on.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
"(President) Charles Taylor
is doing this to undermine the peace process," General Joe Wylie, Senior
Military Adviser of LURD, told journalists at the M-Plaza Hotel in
General Wylie, however, pledged
the commitment of LURD to continue with the ECOWAS-sponsored peace talks, which
have moved from Akosombo to
"We are being careful to
avoid the mistakes of the past," General Wylie said. He called on the
ECOWAS mediation team to prevail on President Taylor to stop the attacks.
General Wylie said the fugitive
former
He fled
The indictment of President
Taylor has overshadowed the peace talks and led to calls by the LURD and
Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) the second rebel group, for
Daniel
Soony Ugoh
told the GNA that closed door negotiations were going on. "We have already
spoken with the MODEL and their position that
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
He said the media, as the fourth
arm of government, must, therefore, play its expected role by conscientising the people and by showcasing the functions
and highlighting the role of Parliament.
Owusu- Agyapong
said this when he interacted with members of the Parliamentary Press Corps on
Monday at the State House to seek collaborative measures of bringing Parliament
to the people.
He said if the country was to
resist and be protected against what was happening in the West Africa
Sub-Region, then it was time Parliament and the Government re-focused their
activities for the benefit of the people.
The Majority Leader urged the
Press Corps to endeavour to cross-check on any information they had doubts
about with the Leadership of the House so that the public would not be fed with
half truths.
Owusu-Agyapong said it was about time new ways
were found to ensuring that Parliament was accountable to the people and for it
to be closer to them for the socio-economic development of the country.
He said the role and functions
of Parliament had been misunderstood because there had not been enough
publicity about what was expected of it, adding that there was, therefore, the
need to create a new image of Parliament.
"Sometimes the public
perceive the absence of Members of Parliament from the Chamber of the House as
an act of indifference, he said, explaining that the members might be attending
workshops, committee sittings or addressing the problems of their constituents.
Owusu-Agyapong gave the assurance that
Parliament would continue to play its expected role as the Legislative arm of
government and that government was desirous of ensuring that it fulfilled its
mandate of diligently governing the country.
Jones T. Kugblenu,
Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, urged the Parliamentary Press Corps
to do well to project and promote the activities of the House so as to
strengthen democratic governance in the country.
He said the Leadership of the
House was prepared to give every assistance to members
of the Press to enable them to play their expected role and appealed for fair
reportage.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Initial Talks on the agreement
on 9 June could not go on due to inadequate consultations with the second rebel
group, the Movement For Democracy In Liberia (MODEL)
over the text of the agreement.
The talks dragged on until 14
June without an agreement due to major differences between the belligerent
forces in the 12 year-old-conflict. The other players that comprised 18
political parties, peace activists and civil society groups have not raised any
objection to the ceasefire text as it stands.
Former Nigerian President,
General Abdulsalami Abubakar,
the facilitator of the Peace Talks, would continue with closed-door
negotiations to bring representatives of the Liberian government, MODEL and
Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) on board.
The rebel groups have maintained
an entrenched position over the legitimacy of President Charles Taylor to hold
himself as Head Of State since his indictment by the
UN War Crimes Court in
Sonny Ugoh,
Spokesperson of the ECOWAS Secretariat, told the GNA that arguments about
President Taylor's leadership was a "red herring" and not important.
"An indictment is not
synonymous to a conviction," he said. The Executive Secretary of ECOWAS,
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who
said he was hopeful of clinching a ceasefire on Saturday, and told Journalists
that it should not be conditional.
LURD and MODEL, however, are
demanding the immediate resignation of President Taylor as a pre-condition to
ceasefire. They are also calling for a multi-national force in
Liberian Defence Minister,
Daniel Chea has described the demand by the rebels
for
If a ceasefire agreement is
arrived at on Monday then an ECOWAS Verification Team would move to
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
"The government does not
consider prisons as warehouses where prisoners are kept and released at
specific times when they have finished their sentences," he said. "People
who come out of our prisons should have acquired skills which would make them
contribute positively to the country's development," he added.
Owusu-Agyemang was addressing prison officers
at the Prisons Headquarters in
He urged prison officers to work
together to able to overcome problems in the service. "Let us use this
opportunity to encourage you to undertake regular review of your
operations."
Owusu-Agyemang reminded the officers of their
role in national development saying, "your
responsibility as prison officers is to ensure that the laws of the country are
adequately implemented."
Richard Kuuire,
Director-General of the Prisons Service, called on government to consider the
well-being of officers of the service since a frustrated officer also posed a
security risk as well. "Because of the perceived low premium placed on the
needs of staff, they are projected inferior to their colleagues in the other
security services."
He appealed to government to
help tackle the acute transportation and accommodation problems facing the
service, adding that government should explore external avenues for funds for
the service.
Kuuire expressed concern over
inadequate vocational training facilities. The Prisons boss called for the
introduction of non-custodial sentences such as community service, suspended
sentences, relaxation of bail terms to help decongest
the prisons, which are overcrowded.
He expressed dissatisfaction
with the development of prisons camps concept, which had slowed down due to
lack of funds. At The James Fort Prisons, the Minister and his deputy, Thomas Broni saw the deplorable conditions. Some parts looked like
death trap, as they could collapse at any moment.
The Minister noted that the
buildings, which were very old, could be used as tourist sites rather than
prisons. At the Nsawam Prisons, Owusu-Agyemang
and his entourage noted that most of the facilities had either broken down or
were in a serious state of disrepair. The prison was also heavily overcrowded.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Relatives of
"Taifa killings" call for speedy prosecution
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June 2003 - Residents off Taifa and relatives of the "Tiafa Killings" on Sunday appealed to the government to expedite action on the prosecutions of those involved in case and to compensate the families of the deceased.
They noted that one year had
passed and the families of the five killed on June 13, 2002 had not received
compensation from government, in spite of the promise given them.
These sentiments were expressed
when the residents organised a memorial ceremony for the members of the Taifa Neighborhood Watchdog
Committee who were killed by a joint military/police patrol.
Speaking at the ceremony,
Sampson Darko, MP for Ga
North, said one year had passed and the mystery surrounding the incident had
not been unveiled, adding that, as a result "pain persists in the hearts
of many wives, relatives, friends and loved ones.
The vacuum created is not
filled, scarcities and emptiness created in some homes remain a bother, the
general public may seem to have grossed over it, but the situation in some
quarters tell a different story".
Darko urged the residents to use the
occasion to foster unity instead of grieving saying, "let us remember that
certain bad and painful things happen to pave the way for other good things to
follow, others happen to unite the people in an area".
He said the 13 June tragedy had
left unparallel goodwill, sympathy and recognition from the authorities and
called on the youth not to be daunted, but to rise to the occasion to
reactivate the watchdog committee to the highest level to the benefit of the
society.
Jacob Ameyaw,
Chairman of the Committee, said the peace and security that
Ameyaw said the residents would
remember the "five heroes" every year. He said government had
promised to compensate relatives of the deceased after the case, which was in
court, adding, "government has done very well in
the matter, it voted 25 million cedis, five million
each to the deceased relatives for the funeral rites".
Later, with the assistance of
the MP, Ameyaw said the first phase of a 60-million
streetlight project had been commissioned.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com