Polytechnic students cautioned about their demands
Tamale (Northern Region) 25 March 2002 - A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed on Yendi in the Northern Region due to mounting tension between the Andani and Abudu chieftaincy gates to Ya-Na Skin of the Dagbon Traditional Area.
Two people sustain gunshot wounds when the two factions clashed on Monday morning forcing the Northern Regional Security Committee to deploy armed soldiers and police to the area to stop the violence.
The Regional Security Committee have also banned the celebration of this year's annual Bugum (Fire) Festival at Yendi that was expected to take place on Monday night. Tension has been mounting between the two gates since last January over the celebration of the Muslim Eid ul-Adha festival.
The Andani Gate that is currently occupying the Dagbon Skin was said not to have been happy when the rival Abudu Gate celebrated the festival in the traditional way at the house of its regent.
Since then, there had been rumours of an imminent attack and counter-attack by the rival chieftaincy gates, which boiled over into an exchange of gunfire on Monday morning.
The clash was precipitated when one of the factions allegedly attacked a young man from the rival camp and destroyed his bicycle. Soldiers deployed in the town managed to bring the situation under control.
It is to avert a possible clash during the fire festival that the District Security Committee and the Regional Security Committee cancelled the festival and imposed a dusk to dawn curfew. There had been a long-standing dispute over the succession to the Ya-Na Skin.
The District Chief Executive of Yendi, Mr Mohammed Habibu Tijani told the Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview that the two have been admitted to the Yendi Government Hospital.
He said the two sides exchanged fire for about five minutes. Mr Tijani said he was going round the town to assess the situation adding that the Police had not made any arrest yet.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 25 March 2002 - The Government has condemned the alleged plot to harass, intimidate and possibly eliminate some Journalists and social commentators including Mr. Kweku Baako Junior, Editor in Chief of the Crusading Guide and Mrs. Margaret Amoakohene, a Lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana-Legon.
A release signed by Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, said the alleged plot is being treated with all seriousness by the security agencies.
"A major commitment of this government is the expansion of the scope of individual liberties and freedoms, especially freedom of speech which is the principle underpinning fundamental human rights, very much at the heart of democracy," it said.
It was in this spirit that the government repealed the Criminal Libel Law, the release said, adding that the government would ensure the stability of the state and the protection of individuals in the conduct of their duties.
The statement assured Journalists of their safety and urged them to report any threats on their lives or freedoms to the security agencies. "Government is determined to ensure the deepening of democracy in this country.
It would therefore, safeguard the tenets of our burgeoning democratic culture against the culture of intolerance, viciousness and violence." It said investigations are underway to uncover those behind the alleged plot.
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NPP Member of Parliament defends NDC
Osino (Eastern Region) 25 March 2002 - The New Patriotic Member of Parliament for Atwiama Kwabigya, Mr Kwesi Ankomea Kyeremanteng, has stated that although the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) government committed some errors whilst in power, it is however, not fair for anybody to claim that they did not do anything for the country.
The NDC, in line with its ideologies and party manifesto did what they could but that was not sufficient to take the nation out of the wood, he said. Addressing the congregation of the Salvation Army Church of which he is a member at Osino in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region over the weekend, Mr Kyeremanteng, asked Ghanaians not to condemn wholesale the performance of the former government.
He contended that there were serious problems the NDC could not solve, adding that the current government was making efforts to rebuild the nation's fortune and put it on the road to economic recovery.
He said the problems left unsolved by the NDC government are those currently engaging the attention of the government of the NPP, some of which, he said, required painstaking attention. Mr Kyeremanteng therefore, said as untrue assertions being made to the effect that President Kufuor had failed in tacking the problems.
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Senya-Beraku (Central Region) 25 March 2002 - Students who misconduct themselves in school and wilfully destroy state property would be summarily dismissed or given a long-term suspension.
The Minister of Education, Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi said the measure was designed to curb the increasing act of indiscipline in the country's educational institutions once and for all.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary and prize-giving day of the Senya-Beraku Senior Secondary School at the weekend, Prof. Akumfi made it clear that the government would no longer tolerate any violent and destructive student demonstrations in secondary schools and higher places of learning.
He said the nation could not afford to spend billions of cedis to provide infrastructural facilities for secondary and tertiary institutions only for a bunch of undisciplined students to wilfully decide on their own to destroy such valuable national assets with impunity.
Prof. Akumfi said his Ministry has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure the implementation of strict disciplinary procedures and sanctions in educational institutions in order to curb this trend.
He asked chiefs, religious leaders, teachers, Parent/Teacher Associations, parents, guardians and other stakeholder to actively involve themselves in the national crusade against all forms of indiscipline among the youth so that the nation could produce good future leaders.
Prof. Akumfi said the government would no longer entertain parents, guardians, chiefs and other prominent citizens in the society, pleading for riot students after such lawless students have woefully and intentionally destroyed state property and in some cases, brutalised their headmasters and other officials of their institutions.
Prof. Akumfi reiterated government's desire to provide quality education for the youth to make them dependable and resourceful nation builders, and charged all Ghanaians to contribute to this effort because it is a collective approach that would help achieve this objective.
He commended the board of governors, the management and the students of the Senya-Beraku Senior Secondary School for their hard work and unity of purpose in the face of all odds, and promised that the new six-classroom block which has come to a standstill for a couple of years now, would be completed within the next four months.
In addition, his ministry would also assist the school to complete work on its dormitory and also provide other facilities that would enable the institution to march up with its counterparts in the urban centres.
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Christians mark Christ's triumphant entry
into holy city.
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 March 2002 - Christians throughout the world are holding special church services on Sunday to commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ, king of the Jews and Saviour of the world, into the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The day, known as Palm Sunday, also marks the beginning of the events leading to the death and resurrection of Christ. Delivering the sermon at Christ the King Church in Accra, Rev. Father Gabriel Liashiedzi, Parochial Vicar, said Christians should not be afraid of suffering and death since Christ had triumphed over both.
He said death is a transition to eternity and Christ's death symbolises victory, and questioned why Christians fear death and do not want to die but would rather want to enjoy the things of the world.
Rev. Liashiedzi said most Christians complain when they face trials and suffering. He explained that sufferings are tests to try "our faith and equipping us to console others who may also go through similar problems." Earlier, parishioners were seen holding various sizes of palm branches to honour Christ.
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New Abirem (Eastern Region) 25 March 2002 - The Chairman of the Ho Polytechnic Council, Professor Frank Kwami, has stated that polytechnic students do not have the right to determine grading system in their institutions.
He said although the President could intervene, it was only the statutory bodies regulating polytechnics and not the President that could effect any changes in the academic system. Their attempted invasion of the presidency and hunger strikes could not resolve the impasse unless they complied with laid down regulations, he said.
Professor Kwami who is a member of the Educational Review Committee, was responding to concerns expressed by some participants at a forum at New Abirem in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region, on Friday.
He admitted there was merit in some of the issues raised by the students but said majority of their request involved issues that require long term attention and advised them to return to the classroom while efforts were being made to address their concerns.
Prof. Kwami, former Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said until last week, the students of the Ho Polytechnic had not made any representation to him through the academic board as required by regulations.
He said based on a representation from the Committee of Principals of the Polytechnics, the chairmen of the schools have forwarded a report to the National Board for Polytechnic and Technical Examinations for a look to be taken at the students concerns.
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