Foreign Ministry invites relatives of Stephen Addo Boateng
Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Ghana is now as a major supplier of child slaves in child trafficking in the West Africa sub region. Internal routes for the illicit trade include Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa, Ningo, Ada, Adidome and Winneba.
Sunyani, Accra, Takoradi, Afram Plains and some towns along the Volta Lake including Dzemeni and Kpando-Torkor are the prominent receiving points identified. Outside the shores of the country, the children are sold in Togo, La Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
Mr Wilbert Tengey, Executive Director of the African Centre for Human Development, made the revelations on Thursday in Accra, in a report on study on child trafficking in Ghana, at the launching of a national programme on combating the trafficking in children for labour exploitation in Ghana.
The two-phase project being implemented by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in partnership with the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment (MMDE), United Nations Development Programme, Ghana Employers' Association, the Ghana Trades Union Congress and other organisations meant to address the rising problem of child trafficking, would focus on prevention through advocacy, awareness creation and community mobilisation programmes.
It would also build the capacity of legal and security agencies, government ministries, non-governmental organisations, employers and workers organisations and sensitise the media, civil society organisations and religious bodies to respond to the problem of child trafficking and expose child trafficking syndicates with the help of the security agencies.
Phase one would focus on building partnerships and creating awareness while phase two would focus on withdrawal of sold children, rehabilitate and mainstream them into formal and non- formal school systems.
The target is to rescue 2,500 children over a two-year period, and priority would be given to the youngest children and girls, especially those working in extremely hazardous conditions.
The extremely hazardous conditions include working in the mines, quarries, plantations, child fishermen, prostitutes and drug pushers as all these expose the child to physical, psychological, social and spiritual harm.
Mrs Cecilia Bannerman, Minister for Manpower Development and Employment, said the sector Ministry was about to obtain 2.3 million dollars from the World Bank to help street and other working children.
She gave the assurance that with the present programme to combat trafficking of children for labour exploitation, the Ministry was joining hands with the Women and Children's Ministry, other relevant ministries, the ILO/IPEC and development partners to eliminate the illicit trade.
Vice President Aliu Mahama launched the programme and inaugurated an 18 member Task Force headed by Mr Ben C. Eghan, Chief Director of the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment.
He urged the security agencies to arrest child traffickers and deal with them according to the law. "Child trafficking is never in the interest of the child's well-being and is an affront to the national motto of 'Freedom and Justice.'
"Their circumstance does not justify the abuse meted out to them." He said the government was committed to providing for both children in and out of school and would implement programmes that would give all children access to basic education and employable skills. "This will encourage our children to go to school when they should, rather than engaging in child labour."
Alhaji Mahama noted that Ghana was the first country to have signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has also ratified ILO Convention 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. "We should act now to assure our children that we are committed to our promises.
"It is time for us all to act now to ensure that things that unite us as family members are not sacrificed on the altar of a few selfish individuals." Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, identified recruiters, intermediaries, transporters, distributors and employers within the child trafficking syndicate as the key players. She said child trafficking interferes with the country's efforts to participate in the global economy.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Mr George Aryeetey, the Judicial Secretary on Thursday said it was only the courts that could order the release of the convicts of the Fast Truck Court and not the Attorney -General.
The Ghana News Agency reports Mr Aryeetey as dismissing calls for the immediate release of the convicts saying that this could only be done after the judicial review upheld the Supreme Court's ruling on the unconstitutionality of the courts. "Until this is done the status quo ante should prevail."
Mr Aryeetey said since the Attorney General had opted for a review nothing could be done at the moment, explaining that the call for a review was like an appeal, which when pending, a litigant could not enjoy his success in a case.
"It is like an appeal or a stay of execution and once a review had been initiated the matter is not conclusive to warrant any implementation." Mr Aryeetey said that even when the review goes in favour of the defendants prison officers could not simply release the convicts since they were sent to jail on committal warrant from the court and would need similar action from the court for their release. The Judicial Secretary said that lawyers of the convicts could initiate procedures for the release of their clients if the ruling is upheld after the review.
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Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 08 March 2002 - Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday said in Techiman that the Supreme Court's ruling on the unconstitutionality of the Fast Track Courts was a victory for democracy.
Former President Rawlings, who was speaking at meeting of National Democratic Congress (NDC) functionaries and supporters at Techiman, said it was a demonstration of the success of democracy in the country.
He said the change of government in the 2000 elections was a learning process for all Ghanaians as unfolding events had shown them the truth that the economic hardships were not caused by the NDC.
The Ex-President denied media reports that he had castigated Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama for his lack of punctuality, explaining that he was only apologising on behalf of his own group and the Vice-President's for their late arrival at the funeral of the late NDC Northern Regional Chairman, Alhaji Mahamadu Maida.
The Former President said the NDC would always stand by the truth and justice and urged supporters of the party to stand firm to be able to recapture power in the 2004 general election.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it would be inappropriate for the Chief Justice, Mr Edward Kwame Wiredu to sit on the review panel since he could not be a judge in his own court as "the Chief Justice swore to safeguard, protect and defend the Constitution.
"His conduct in breaching the Constitution by setting up unconstitutional and illegal court is extremely grave and serious and undermines his judicial oath". Alhaji Mumuni said the Chief Justice hit the limit of judicial propriety when he condescended to justify his position on radio while abandoning his colleagues, who had cause to disagree with him.
Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, NDC Parliamentary Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, at a press conference on Thursday implored the government and those making provocative pronouncements on the ruling in the Tsatsu Tsikata's case to be careful not to create a situation where the populace will loose confidence in the judiciary.
There was "clearly a subtle and orchestrated campaign to cajole and intimidate the Supreme Court and the five majority judges in particularly in the run up to the review that the NPP (New Patriotic Party) government has applied for.
"We refer in particular to a statement by Mr Kwamena Bartel, Minister of Private Sector Development on the GTV breakfast show on Tuesday (March 5), and others by Mr Sam Okudzeto, a Former President of the Ghana Bar Association as well as statements on FM radio stations by lawyers from the former chambers of Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the Attorney-General".
Alhaji Mumuni, who was flanked by some NDC MPs and Mr Kwaku Baah, Legal Adviser of the Party, said it was unfortunate that the five judges were being scandalised and subjected to verbal harassment by a section of the media that had compromised their objectivity and could not see that the judges were performing their judicial duties.
He said the; "NDC believes firmly that anyone, who has misappropriated state funds or causes unjustifiable loss to the state, whether yesterday, today or tomorrow, must face the law, but it must be before a constitutionally established court".
Alhaji Mumuni said the Government had directly interfered with the work of the judiciary by expecting all such persons put before the fast track court to be found guilty.
He said the Government has done that "by linking the court's decision to the alleged government conviction that people who have misappropriated state funds or caused unjustifiable loss to the state would not be allowed to go scot-free". Alhaji Mumuni said; "the Supreme Court's decision was clear and lucid, it admits of no interpretation, it admits of no ambiguity, it only admits of compliance".
He said Nana Akuffo-Addo had boxed himself into a corner because "a review does not imply a stay of execution. "Until the review the decision of the Supreme Court stands especially as it is a declaratory judgement and takes immediate effect so that contrary to what Nana Akuffo-Addo says the ' status quo ante' does not remain".
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Lome (Togo) 08 March 2002 - The opening of the Ghana-Togo border on a 24-hour basis to facilitate free movement of people and goods would soon be implemented, Kwabeng Mensa-Bonsu, Ghana's Ambassador in Togo, has said.
Addressing a cocktail party the Ghana Embassy organised to mark Ghana's 45th Independence Anniversary at Hotel Sarakawa in Lome on Thursday, he observed relations between Ghana and its neighbours had improved.
''This is the result of the new approach adopted by President John Agyekum Kufuor during his tours of ECOWAS countries in the first year of his administration''. Mr Mensa-Bonsu said: "I am happy to note that our relations with Togo have grown in strength based on genuine friendship, mutual respect and co-operation.
"The suspicions are gone and the two countries can now fight their common enemies of disease, corruption and destabilisation", he added. Mr Mensa-Bonsu said though the hope lighted in Ghanaians at independence 45 years ago still burns, the dream of prosperity was yet to materialise.
He said the nation had sacrificed true democracy on the altar of adventurism with democratically elected governments not allowed to end their term until January 2001. ''The positive drive of the government, which means hard work, change of attitude and adherence to the principles of the Constitution and democracy, is to turn around the country's fortunes for the better.''
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Wa is calm contrary to reports received earlier on Thursday, which said that National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters and those of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were heading for a confrontation.
The first report said tension was building up in Wa following an alleged directive given by the Regional Minister Mr Shahanun Mogtari to Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader in Parliament, to stop a radio programme he was doing for which he had paid for the air time.
The report said Mr Mogtari ordered that Mr Bagbin should not be allowed to carry on with the programme at the local Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) radio station and that if he did not leave the studio he would use any means to get him out.
Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, NDC Lawra-Nandom, broke the news to newsmen at the end of a press conference the NDC held in Accra. Dr Kunbuor said he had just received a telephone call from Wa indicating that tension was building up at the local F.M. station since supporters of the two parties were massing up at the station.
He said Mr Bagbin was insisting that he had paid for the programme but the Regional Minister was also threatening that if Mr Bagbin did not stop the programme, he would get him out of the studio.
However, when the Ghana News Agency called the Regional Minister, he explained that he just phoned in to a radio programme Mr Bagbin was doing to correct a statement he made.
He said the Presenter of the programme told him that there was not enough time and it was upon that he said that if there was not enough time then Mr Bagbin should also be made to stop.
When the Ghana News Agency called the Local Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Station, that hosted the programme, two presenters, who did not want to be identified, said even though they did not like the intrusion by the Regional Minister, since Mr Bagbin had bought the airtime, there was no tension in the town and supporters of the two parties have not massed up.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs on Thursday said although women have chalked remarkable achievements in various fields, negative cultural and traditional beliefs and practices continued to relegate them to lower status in the family, community and society.
"The incidence of incest, rape, defilement, marital rape and wife battering have been the various forms of gender-based violence in our homes," it said in a statement to mark the International Women's Day, which falls on Friday.
The UN theme for this year is: "Afghan women today: Realities and opportunities." The day is being celebrated in Ghana under the theme: "A year of women peace and security."
The national event to commemorate the day would take place at Apam in the Central Region. The Ministry said while these developments had been unnerving, the new dimension of spousal murder posed a serious threat to women's lives and the stability of the home.
"Lack of economic independence of women gives rise to their insecurity in the home and society, with single mothers being the worst victims. "Unable to feed their children, some mothers willingly hand them over to be engaged in child labour."
The statement noted that a large number of children, mainly from the Central Region were currently engaged in fishing along the Volta Lake, with many of them losing their lives.
"There is no denying the fact that a sound and secure home is inseparable from a peaceful society that we have all been advocating for. "When there is chaos in the home, it spills over into the community and society at large.
"As we celebrate this year's International Women's day, let us all acknowledge the important role women play in the development of our nation." The statement said there was no conflict that could not be resolved peacefully, adding, let us learn to settle our differences without resorting to violence."
Turning to the international theme, the Ministry said the aftermath of the attack on the US World Trade Centre and consequent declaration of war against terrorism brought into the glare the gender discrimination among the Afghan people.
It said Afghan women had been silent victims of the worst kind of social and economic injustices for the past 20 years. "Today, an enabling environment has been created to facilitate peaceful resolution of the many problems that confront them."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The Ghana Section of the Amnesty International (AI), a non-governmental Organisation on Thursday called for drastic measures to be taken against "wife killers" to deter them from such activities.
"This brutality in our society today, which must be nipped in the bud." A statement signed by Wendy Asiamah, AI's Ghana Section Vice Chairperson and Women's Co-ordinator, said "something drastic should be done to these wife killers by applying the full rigours of the law to serve as a deterrent to like minded men, who might be contemplating similar escapades."
The statement said at the dawn of the celebration of International Women's Day, it was sad that Ghanaian women continued to experience a spate of spousal violence from husbands.
"In less than a month, four married women, one from Takoradi, two from Accra and one from Tema have died on mere suspicion of infidelity out of the sick minds of their husbands.
"And we ponder to ask why? Why kill a woman who has mothered your child or children, or a woman you have vowed to love forever. Why murder someone's child in cold blood on mere suspicion. Who arrogated to men the right to take the life of another, more especially their wives?" The statement said.
It said Ghanaian women continued to suffer immeasurable violence from their male counterparts in the society despite the existence of various legislative interventions to deal with specific forms of violence.
The statement said Ghanaian women did not suffer this fate alone but that the situation was even worse in Kenya, adding; "it is in this direction that the global organisation is launching a special campaign on violence against women in Kenya".
It said Kenya had agreed to be bounded by the UN convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and that its government was obliged to ensure that men and women enjoyed the rights to equal protection under the law, including the right to physical integrity.
The statement, however, said the Kenyan government was failing in its human rights obligations towards half of the country's citizens and called for the reform of both its laws and practices to end violence against women.
"Today the world has an opportunity to listen to the concerns of women and have them properly addressed because human rights are women's rights, and gender justice must be promoted".
It said; "as the world celebrates the Women's Day, the Intersectional Women's Network of AI expresses it solidarity with all women, especially Kenyan and Ghanaian women, whose rights are continually violated and suppressed.
"By their sheer number as representing more than half of the world's population, women deserve to be treated better. They need to have access to equitable distribution of the nations resources."
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Tolon (Northern Region) 08 March 2002 - Mr Joseph Guo, Tolon/Kumbungu District Director of Education has attributed illicit sex and sexual harassment of schoolgirls by teachers to the high school dropout rate among girls in the area.
The development could also put girls at the risk of becoming pregnant especially at the basic level and contracting HIV/AIDS, Mr Guo told a parade of school children to mark Ghana's 45th Independence Anniversary at Tolon on Wednesday.
He said a committee had been formed to investigate all reported cases of illicit sex between teachers and girls and gave the assurance that such cases would be referred to the police. The day was on the theme "Delivery of quality education, truancy and absenteeism, the way forward."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry on Thursday urged Journalists to look forward to the government support in the development of a proactive, courageous and effective media in the country.
He said when the President made a campaign pledge to support the development of the media he meant business, adding that "in the coming years the NPP government would assist the media in every way possible to ensure that the media played its watchdog role effectively and efficiently."
Dr. Apraku gave the assurance when he launched a five billion cedi Ghana International Press Centre (GIPC) Building Project for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
The building, to be located on a 1.4 acre land donated by the government, adjacent to the Ghana Institute of Journalism, is envisaged to be a media complex comprising an administrative block, a 100-seater seminar hall, 50-seater indoor conference hall, 120-seater indoor (pavilion) and conference hall.
It would also include an Internet cafe, a library and resource centre, 21-room hostel, 80-seater restaurant, offices to cater for GJA and other media related organisations and a store room for gadgets and equipment.
Dr. Apraku noted that the role of the media in the development process of the country had been magnificent over the years, saying that time was ripe for the media to have a befitting monument to crown its efforts.
"It was therefore not only in order but timely for the president to offer such a facility to house the media permanently," he said. "The fulfilment of our campaign promise is a sign of our commitment to press freedom and an indication that we are finally beginning to realise our destiny as a nation."
Dr. Apraku said it was time for the media to look ahead to higher standards in the face of the challenges of globalisation and information technology, adding that much as government expected the media to be responsible, it was equally important for the media to have the necessary support to protect citizens' freedoms.
He made a down payment of 10 million cedis as government's initial financial contribution towards the project, saying that the president signalled his support for the project before he left for Australia and would surely make a bigger donation on his return.
Several other donations made towards the project by corporate organisations, media houses and individual summed up to about 500 million cedis, with the Freedom Forum, an international freedom of speech organisation topping the list with 25,000 US dollars.
Mrs. Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, president of the GJA noted that for the past nine years, the GIPC had been in rented facilities, adding that the NPP government's prompt response to the plea of the GJA for a permanent facility was much appreciable.
"Over the years the media in Ghana had played a very effective role during elections, and other major national programmes in spite of the fact that we had been renting a place," she said. "I have not doubt in my mind that this new permanent facility would enrich our important role."
She paid tribute to Mr. Kabral Blay-Amihere, former GJA President for being the architect of the establishment of the GIPC in 1993, "which begun from an apartment the two of us rented on Korle Bu Mortuary road."
She said the proximity of the GIPC to the GIJ would go a long way to ensure excellence in the training and practice of Journalism, adding that the role of the GIPC as a resource centre for both local and foreign Journalist would further be enhanced.
Mrs. Afenyi-Dadzie inaugurated an 18-member project committee drawn from the media, banking, estate development, mining sectors and other private individual professionals.
Mr. Kofi Amoah, Chief Executive Officer of Progeny Ventures, who presided, noted that the economic independence of this country depended on the people of Ghana and not on donors and multi-lateral organisations.
This he said called for an intensive education and awareness campaign to instigate a sense of responsibility in every Ghanaian towards wealth creation. Mr. Amoah made the biggest single donation of 50 million cedis, while the Graphic Communications Group also donated 50 million cedis.
Other initial donations include First Africa Financial Service, 20 million cedis, Kabral Blay-Amihere, Ghana's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, five million cedis, Ghana Chamber of Mines 10 million cedis, US Embassy, five million cedis and PG's Company Limited, 10 million cedis.
Meanwhile the project consultants, FAB Arch Consult, have completed the feasibility studies and the project on the administration block, which involves the renovation of a one storey building on the land, is currently underway.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - Mr Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, has sent a message to congratulate President John Agyekum Kufuor and Ghanaians on the occasion of Ghana's 45th Independence anniversary, celebrated on March 6.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday by the French Embassy and signed by President Chirac said: "On the occasion of the independence day of Ghana, it is my great pleasure to present my sincere and warmest congratulations to you and transmit all my friendly wishes of prosperity to the people of Ghana.
"I was very glad to hold discussions with you on major bilateral and international issues, which are of interest to our two countries, during your recent official visit to France.
"France and Ghana have been sharing for a long time the same vision on stability and development. Therefore, I wish that our relations, based on a trustful dialogue and diversified actions of co-operation, will keep on deepening."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 08 March 2002 - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday asked the parents of Stephen Addo Boateng, who died in a hospital in Munich, Germany, on February 28 to report to the legal and consular bureau for discussions.
A statement issued in Accra said the parents of the deceased are Mr Kweku Boateng and Madam Comfort Asiedu. His relatives are Mr George Asirifi and Mr Lawrence Asibey.
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