Stay away from
Military lands - Addo-Kufuor
Public urged to
volunteer information on criminals
ECOFORCE Commander
arrives for meeting
Reward for
information on armed robber
Four prisons
directors promoted
GREL divestiture
case adjourned
Scholarships to
1,000 children
Assembly receives
¢1.65bn from HIPC Fund
EC to demarcate
Tamale for Metropolis
The late Gomoa East MP to be buried
Supporters hurl
stones at each other at Wulensi
I didn't seek
spiritual help - Adjei Boadi
NRP to hold
Extraordinary National Congress
By Alfred Marteye – GRi Correspondent
Accra (Greater Accra) 4 March 2003 – A former Baker and Proprietor of Pre Na Dzi Enterprise and now unemployed Madam Mabel Kaitoo, alias Abena Kitiwaa on Tuesday told the National Reconciliation Commission that her life had now become like that of a beggar, as she had to depend on relatives and friends to run her life. “I even depend on my brother for medical fees and sometimes my son-in-law for daily bread”, she said.
Briefing the Commission, she said that in 1979, she lost her
business in
According to her, she was elected the leader of the Zone 6
Bakers Association in
She said the Association decided to contribute money to buy flour in bulk and share amongst themselves. “That was when the whole trouble started”, she remarked. Madam Kaitoo said one Kwame Forson, who was then the District Secretary seized 80 bags of flour and she (Madam Kaitoo) was accused of diverting about 10 bags of flour. “Knowing that was false I did not react to the allegation.
According to Madam Kaitoo said she
was arrested by one Aboagye together with two PDC
Officers and two Police Officers and taken to the Council in
She said she later in the Daily Graphic, which appeared on
the
She said the publisher refused saying “hey, Madam don’t you know that Daily Graphic is a governmental property”. She said effort to get the Ghanaian Times to her in this wise proved futile, thus she reported the case to a Military Officer, who she named Officer Quarshigah of the Military Police and then Officer Tackie, all to no avail.
Madam Kaitoo said she was later on attacked and beaten by a group of people she believed to have been organised by Kwame Forson, the District Secretary. “I reported to the Gondar Barracks and the taxi driver, Billy who drove her to the Gondar Barracks was later arrested and interrogated by the Police accusing him of conspiracy.
She said the case was investigated and was freed of her charge. Madam Kaitoo said the Coordinator of the District Secretary apologised on behalf. “But I was not compensated”, she remarked.
She said on one occasion her husband was attacked and beaten. According to her, she had to save her husband’s life by firing a gun belonging to her husband, which she took from their room, thereby dispersing the mob who had to run for their dear life at the shot of the gun.
At this point a member of the Counsel for the Commission asked her “Where did you learn how to shoot a gun? She replied, “It is only God who can tell”. She said she and her husband where taken to court and she was asked by the Magistrate to sign a bond that she would never shoot a gun. Madam Kaitoo said she refused and told the Magistrate that should what caused her to shoot the gun happen again she would shoot. “Who knows? My husband might have been killed if I had not shot the gun.
Concluding, she told the Commission that though her two children are now of age, all those atrocities she experienced made her unable to properly cater for her two children. General Erskine and other members of the Commission appealed to Madam Kaitoo to support her allegation with receipts, documents and at least two witnesses for the necessary help to be provided her.
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Sekondi (Western Region) 05 March 2003-
Justice Steven Kanyoke, a Supervising High Court
Judge, on Monday said the refusal of some members of the Ghana Bar Association
(GBA) to accept and defend in criminal cases was a source of worry to the
Judiciary.
"In the interest of justice
and in the best tradition of the profession take up these cases irrespective of
the financial implications," he said. Justice Kanyoke
said this at the opening of the 2003 criminal session (assizes).
''The session has been delayed
due to lack of logistics and problems associated with the transfer of some
Police investigators from the Region.'' Justice Kanyoke
said out of 35 cases received only 12 would be prosecuted this year.
He cautioned jurors not to give
statements whether written or oral relating to any case to journalists and
advised journalists that cover such proceedings "to report accurately
without any embellishments or deliberate distortions.''
Justice Kanyoke
appealed to State Attorneys to show a more serious commitment by attending
court regularly and promptly and to avoid the adjournment of cases. Augustine Arvo-Mensah, Western Region President of Ghana Bar
Association (GBA), said out of the 35 cases listed for prosecution last year in
the region only five were dealt with and noted that ''such delays deprive
accused persons the chance of tasting justice."
He said the Police had become
helpless and looked up to the judiciary for assistance to curb armed robbery
nationwide but the Judiciary itself ''is facing several internal challenges.''
Arvo-Mensah said the unavailability
of witnesses, non payment of allowances, the frequent transfer of
investigators; the ever dwindling staff of the
Attorney General’s Department coupled with the lack of computers was a few
challenges facing the delivery of justice. Joseph B. Aidoo,
Western Regional Minister, called on the GBA, to launch an education programme
on the nature of the judiciary and how cases were handled.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 March
2003- The Energy Commission on Tuesday said it would investigate a publication
in which officials of the Ghana Standards Board and some dealers in petroleum
products were accused of corrupt practices.
A statement in
It said the Commission would
start its investigation around all petrol filling stations in the country. The
Wednesday 19 February edition of the Daily Dispatch published that officials of
the Ghana Standards Board and some dealers in petroleum products had embarked
on deals in the sale of petrol. According to the publication the deal had
created a situation where users of petroleum products, especially motorists
were being cheated.
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Stay away
from Military lands - Addo-Kufuor
He said although the Ghana Armed
Forces was ensuring that its magazines did not pose danger to residents around,
it was always dangerous to live close to Military barracks.
The Minister, who was answering
parliamentary questions, said the Nigerian experience where scores of civilians
were killed when a Military armoury exploded should guide Ghanaians.
He said the Military was
relocating armouries in densely populated areas to places that were quite
remote and ideal for ammunition storage and supply practices.
"It should also be noted
that the land size in each case could contain the maximum safety distances of
all natures of ammunition held in the Ghana Armed Forces."
He said planners of military
installations around the country, sited these armouries and magazines away from
civil residential areas, adding, "however with
time, the expansion of civil dwelling areas has caught up with all military
barracks, offices and training areas."
The Minister cited the Base
Ammunition Depot in Michel Camp built in the 1960s. "At that time, the
facility had a safety distance of four kilometres from the residential areas
and this posed no danger to residents. Presently, the depot has been massively encroached by developers to a distance of less than one
kilometre."
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Public urged to
volunteer information on criminals
Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo)
Miss Namadie,
who was addressing the "Young People's Guild" of the Victory
Presbyterian Church, as part of activities to mark its annual week celebrations
at Nkoranza, spoke on: "You and the
Police".
She advised the youth against
acts of violence and attacks on Police Stations, which often led to the
destruction of public property. Miss Nyamadie advised
them to be law-abiding and respectful to people in authority, saying it was an
offence for people to issue threats and use abusive language against the Police
and that offenders were liable to prosecution.
She reminded the Police that it
was also against the law to maltreat or mishandle a suspect adding that only
the courts had the right to impose punishment.
She advised the Police to
protect persons, who gave them information about suspected criminals. The
Reverend Joseph Dankyi, District Pastor in-charge of
the Presbyterian Church, advised the members to lead upright life since they
were role models in the communities. Miss Ethel Acheampong, President of YPG,
urged members of the guild to pay heed to the education they had received.
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ECOFORCE
Commander arrives for meeting
General Fall told Journalists at
the airport that the security situation in
General Fall said the problem
facing the force now has to do with resources promised by the advanced
countries. He said these promises had not been fulfilled and urged them to
honour them to ensure that the force operated at full strength without any
difficulty.
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Reward for
information on armed robber
Hope, cited in many robberies in
He said Hope was connected to
the Zoti robbery at Lartebiokoshi
on 17 January at about 0615 hours where Ms Ninnete
Mensah, who had returned on holidays from
Oduro said Hope was also involved in
the Osu daylight robbery of
Wing Commander Pat Sogborjor of 50m cedis and Voltic Company at Dzorwulu where
31m cedis was taken away from one Jerry Aggrey.
He said the Police have arrested
another notorious robber, Paa Harry. Oduro said concerned citizens, who heard that the Police
wanted Paa Harry arrested him at the Kokomba Market.
Paa Harry was also involved in some
car snatching incidents. In one instance he robbed one Auntie Ama of her Opel Astra vehicle on the Korle-Bu road.
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Four prisons
directors promoted
A statement from the Ghana
Prison Service said their promotions, were authorised by President John Kufuor
in consultation with the Prisons Service Council. The statement said: "The
promotions are part of a structuring exercise embarked upon by the Prison
Service Council to streamline administration, promote efficiency and
effectiveness in the Service."
It said: "As part of the
ongoing exercise, Regional Prison Commanders will no longer be in charge of
particular prisons in the country, but they will be detached to play their
supervisory roles in the Service in the Region of their responsibility.
"There will also be
re-alignment of staff in line with the restructuring exercise," the
statement said.
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The grant was in response to
appeal by the two institutions to build teachers, bungalows for their various
schools.
At the signing ceremony in
She said with such facility, the
teachers would be nearer to the school to provide extra quality classes for the
pupils and students. Mrs Asai expressed the hope that
the facility would also help retain qualified teachers at the various schools
and help to curb the situation where teachers refused to accept postings to
deprived communities.
She, however, urged the
recipients to use the funds judiciously in implementing the projects since her
government would do all it could to reach as many communities as possible in
"These projects under the GGP, would help to promote the friendship between the
peoples of
Krowu said only 12 members of staff
including the headmaster and his two assistants out of 38 staff were currently
housed. He expressed his appreciation for the gesture, which he said would go a
long way to improve the academic performance in the school.
Anabah said the gesture, which was the
first of its kind to the school, would be used to construct four bungalows and
sink six boreholes for the community.
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GREL
divestiture case adjourned
David Lamptey,
Defence Counsel in the trial, who was to cross-examine the Witness, was a
little bit late when the case was called. The situation compelled Mr Justice J.
C. Amonoo-Monney, Appeal Court Judge with an
additional responsibility on the case as a High Court Judge, to adjourn proceedings
to Tuesday, 11 March for continuation.
At the court's last sitting, Mr Lamptey, Counsel for Hanny Sherry
Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, started
cross-examining the Prosecution Witness, Madam Georgina Okaitey.
The three other accused persons
are Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo,
former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, Businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, Housewife.
The four are being tried by the
court for their alleged involvement in acts of bribery and corruption in
connection with the privatisation of GREL. They have all pleaded not guilty to
their various charges and the trial judge has granted each of them a
self-recognisance bail.
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Scholarships
to 1,000 children
New Edubiase
(Ashanti Region)
Though details of the directives
were not outlined, the President said concentration must be in the hinterlands
where poverty was rife and educational performance was abysmal.
This was contained in a speech
read on behalf of Mr Dominic Yeboah, Adansi East
District Chief Executive at the teachers' awards day celebration held at New Edubiase.
The DCE noted that some parents
had misplaced priorities where the education of their children was concerned
and that they did not take the education of their children with the seriousness
it deserved.
He said even though it was true
that the economic conditions at present were harsh and had adverse effect on
parents, it was equally true that some parents wilfully reneged on their
responsibility to their children's education.
"The purchase of expensive
funeral clothes, expenditure on drinks takes much prominence over our
children's education. But our greatest asset worth investing in is our
children's education," he said.
Yeboah said the assembly, in
collaboration with the District Education Office had rejuvenated all
institutional structures and processes aimed at improving educational
performance in the district.
He, therefore, appealed to the
District Education Office to strengthen structures like the Parent/Teacher
Association (PTA), School Management Committees (SMCs)
and others to enhance performance.
Yeboah advised teachers to
demonstrate extreme patience in handling the kids that had been entrusted into
their care. The teacher, who holds the cane and chalk to mould a child's
character could be more dangerous than a soldier who wields a weapon if he
chose to renege on his responsibilities, he said.
A.
He said the GES and Ministry of
Education had added incentives for teachers in the rural areas, and would give
them priority in the granting of study leave with pay.
Henry Atsu
of
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Assembly
receives ¢1.65bn from HIPC Fund
Sekondi (Western Region)
Philip Kwesi
Nkrumah, Metropolitan Chief Executive, announced this at the first meeting of
the second session of the Metropolitan Assembly at Sekondi.
He said the assembly was undertaking 10 projects with the money. They included
the construction of a health post at New Takoradi, a 16-seater aqua privy
toilet at Kwesiminstim Sabon
Zongo, Anaji, Effia, New Site, Effiakuma, Asemansudo and Nyankrom.
The other projects were the
construction of two refuse hard standings at Shama
and the construction of a block of six-classrooms for the
They included
Nkrumah said ¢350m had been
disbursed to various groups and individuals as micro credit under the Poverty
Alleviation Fund. "The disbursement of the fund for next year would focus
on micro enterprises in particular and in the spirit of poverty reduction"
he said.
He said government had approved
¢500m for the implementation of the health insurance scheme in the Metropolis
to replace the "Cash and Carry System". In this direction, the
Metropolitan Director of Health was liasing with
districts where the scheme had already started to learn from their experiences,
to avoid hitches in its implementation.
Nkrumah said the assembly
received ¢905m last year as its share of the District Assemblies' Common Fund
(DACF). He noted that a short fall in the assembly's estimated budget of ¢3.7bn
last year, made it difficult for the assembly to pay contractors who had
completed their projects.
Nkrumah called on the assembly
to consider how to replicate the President's Special Initiatives (PSI) in the
Metropolis. He said the Metropolis abounded in natural and human resources to
successfully partake in these initiatives particularly that of cassava, oil
palm and sugarcane.
Nkrumah said as a first step
towards pursuing these initiatives, the assembly would set up a business desk
to deal with issues relating to investments. He, however, lamented that Shama continued to lag behind other areas of the Metropolis
in education and he had instructed the Metropolitan Director of Education to
open a Sub-Office in Shama to arrest the situation.
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EC to
demarcate Tamale for Metropolis
Wulensi (Northern Region)
Dr Afari
Djan was touring some of thee polling stations in the
Wulensi constituency where a parliamentary
bye-election is in progress. The bye-election became necessary following a
court ruling declaring Samuel Nyimakan disqualified
as MP for Wulensi.
Dr Afari
Djan told the GNA that in furtherance of the
elevation process he would consult with chiefs and other stakeholders on
Wednesday on the demarcation of the boundary.
He said Wa, Bawku and Bolgatanga were demarcated and would be raised into
municipalities. On the bye-election, Dr Afari Djan expressed satisfaction with the orderly manner of the
voting saying "so far so good."
Voting at all polling stations
took off on schedule, though on a low key as voter turn out at about 0850 hours
was not impressive. However, voting began to pickup with polling stations
recording significant figures in course of the day. The EC said it was doing
everything possible to ensure that every polling station received its full
complement of election materials.
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The message released by the
British High Commission in
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The late Gomoa East MP to be buried
Acheampong died through a motor
accident together with Isaac Laryea Quarshie, the
Constituency Chairman of the (NPP) and Kofi Amissah
an activist of the party.
Dr Kweku Ghartey,
Central Regional Chairman of the NPP, who led a delegation of party
functionaries and the bereaved family to officially inform President John
Kufuor at the Castle, Osu said Acheampong would be
buried on Saturday 5 April at Nyayano, near Kasoa.
He said the Quarshie
would be the first to be buried on Saturday 21 March at Gomoa
Jukwa to be followed by the Amissah
on 28 March at
He said it was rather the nation
that was in trouble because the party in its determination to pull the nation
out of its socio-economic mess was bound to face such problems. President
Kufuor said the deceased were going about party activities that would have
ensured the betterment of the nation when the accident occurred, therefore,
these gallant nationalists should be accorded the honour they deserved.
Isaac Edumadze, Central Regional
Minister, said their death was a big loss to the party, government and the
nation. He said the Acheampong was the best MP for the Region and the party, as
he was humble, had respect for both the old and the young and participated in
all activities of the Central Regional Co-ordinating Council.
Edumadze said the Quarshie was hardworking and respectful while the Amissah was the "right-hand" man of Acheampong
and travelled everywhere with him.
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Supporters
hurl stones at each other at Wulensi
Wulensi (Northern Region) 5 March 2003
- Just as everyone was waiting expectantly for the votes in the Wulensi byelections to be counted
in a section of the town, supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) suddenly engaged in stone throwing at each
other.
This happened barely 30 minutes
to the end of the voting at 1700 hours. People, who had gathered around the
market place in small groups waiting for the counting of the votes
had to run helter-skelter to avoid being hit by flying stones.
The timely intervention of
military personnel deployed in the town prevented the incident from
degenerating into violence. It was not immediately known how the incident
started but both sides blamed each other for starting the stone throwing.
Meanwhile voting has officially
closed and counting of ballot papers is in progress. Five political parties and
two independent candidates contested the Wulensi
by-election.
They were the NPP, NDC, DPP, PNC
and EGLE. Alhaji Musah Ziblim,
a businessman and Peter Ogah are the independent
candidates. The Wulensi Parliamentary seat became
vacant when a Tamale High Court disqualified Samuel Nyimakan,
NDC Member of Parliament for the constituency.
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I didn't
seek spiritual help - Adjei Boadi
He told a National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC) public hearing in
"It is never true;
throughout my military life, I never knew any juju man, prophet or Malam. I
believe in my own capabilities. All those stories are lies to destroy my
reputation," Adjei Boadi said.
In his evidence that lasted for
more than two hours, Adjei Boadi said he began
associating with the Church at Okyereko in 1972 and
won many soldiers and civilians to it. This was after coming into contact with
the Prophet Kwabena Ekwam, the founder and the then
leader, through a friend who had testified to the healing prowess of the
Prophet.
Adjei Boadi
said when he was convinced that the Prophet was doing a good work he saw it fit
to offer him protection and assistance. He also became an active member of the
Church.
Adjei Boadi
said the Prophet on a number of occasions claimed he had received Divine
revelations to move the church to Pokuase in 1975.
Not long after that the Prophet had a problem with the youth of the Pokuase community and moved the church to a neutral ground,
Ekwamkrom, near Buduburam.
Adjei Boadi
said Prophet Ekwam began having problems with the
traditional authorities of his new camp and he used military equipment then at
his disposal to frighten those who were worrying the Prophet and the church
members.
He said he advised the Prophet
to secure the necessary documents on the land after the traditional authorities
had taken the matter to court but Ekwam rejected the
advice saying the land belonged to his ancestors.
Adjei Boadi
said Prophet Ekwam was once arrested by the Armed
Forces Revolutionary Council and sent to the
He said Prophet Ekwam was arrested again in 1982 and together with Olormi were severely beaten. He again used his association
with Chairman Rawlings to have Prophet Ekwam
released.
Adjei Boadi
said he began having doubts about Prophet Ekwam and
the church when in 1988, Ekwam declared himself God
and one woman in the church, Baaba, Jesus Christ.
He said his doubts heightened
and he decided not to be part of the church again when one day the woman
invited him and told him that he had to marry her because God had spiritually
ordained their marriage. Adjei Boadi said the church
was involved in a number of rituals involving long separation from one's spouse
or children, abstinence from certain kind foods and taking one's bath on a
refuse dump.
He also alleged that Prophet Ekwam performed two abortions for his own daughter whom he
impregnated, and after failing to terminate a third pregnancy for the daughter,
Prophet Ekwam poisoned her, buried her within one
hour in a makeshift coffin, and pierced a machete to the side of her head.
Adjei Boadi
alleged that the Prophet Ekwam sexually abused the
women at the prayer camp and impregnated one of the wives of the men in
community and pushed the woman back to the husband. The man, one Otoo later discovered that he was not responsible for the
pregnancy.
After beating his wife up, Adjei
Boadi said he accompanied Otoo
to lodge a complainant with the Awutu Beraku Police, who dismissed it as a civil case.
He said he was later invited to
the
He said Prophet Ekwam later packed and went to hide in the bush. Adjei Boadi said on
He said during the attack, one
taxi driver hit him with a stick on his head and his assailants fired pistols
at him. They threw stones at him, which hit his ribs, he said, and added that
one Police officer by the name Nkrumah looked on with glee and urged the
attackers on to kill him. Adjei Boadi said during the
struggle he never fired even a single shot.
He said surgery was later
performed on him at the 37 Hospital. Adjei Boadi said
after a number of contacts with Gondar Barracks and
Police Headquarters, he went to then Chairman Rawlings, who after seeing his
predicament ordered the church camp and structures to be pulled down. However,
he said, he reasoned with Flt. Lt. Rawlings, Peter Nanfuri,
the BNI boss and Naval Capt. Assasie-Gyimah, to preserve
the place.
The former PNDC member said
there were a number of anonymous letters to the BNI alleging sexual abuse by
the church hierarchy and also burning of the Bible. On his relationship with
former President Rawlings, Adjei Boadi said it was a
prophecy come true.
He said it was prophesied in
1969 that he would become a great friend to a half-cast and so when he became a
friend to Flt. Lt Rawlings he saw it as the fulfilment of that prophecy. He
said their friendship continued until 1979 when Rawlings came to power.
Adjei Boadi,
who said he was once an Anglican Sunday Sunday-School Teacher, said the killing
of the three High Court Judges and the retired army Major excited his anger and
spoiled his relationship with the AFRC and the Rawlings family.
However, Flt. Lt. Rawlings and
his wife later came to apologise to him that they had realised their mistakes
and pleaded with him to come back into their fold. Adjei Boadi
said he did not believe in violence but dialogue in the resolution of
differences.
He said he resigned from the
PNDC for two reasons: A spiritual message, which he would not disclose, and a
realisation that the revolutionary principles were not being followed.
Adjei Boadi
said he would "look stupid, a stooge and a sycophant" if he continued
to be part of the PNDC. During cross-examination by Adjei Boadi's
counsel, Agyare Koi Larbi, he said he collected his bulk pension when he
resigned, without any special emolument and had no house. He had a 504 Peugeot
caravan, which he used as his personal car, from Chairman Rawlings.
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NRP to hold
Extraordinary National Congress
According to an official
statement signed by Kyeretwie Opoku,
the General Secretary, the Congress would review party work since the 2000
congress and chart its future. It said delegates were expected from the 200
constituencies. Issues to be discussed include national and international
situations, the State of the Party and the challenge of self-reliant activism.
The rest are the future of the
progressive and Nkrumaist parties, merger/alliance
policy and organisation building strategy and programme. The statement said the
congress would not elect National Officers.
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