Elmina (Central Region)
He, therefore, called on participants
at a two-day seminar on metropolitan governance in
The Minister said in an address
read for him at a seminar organised by the ministry in collaboration with the
Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the
It is being attended by members
of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural
Development, Members of Parliament from both majority and minority sides, key
administrators from the ministry, public service providers including those from
security and representatives from the
The seminar is under the theme
"Accra Today and Tomorrow" and aims at examining problems of
metropolitan governance, using the (AMA) as a case study. It will seek to
identity issues, derive lessons, distinguish between legislative and
administrative requirements and propose action that may be considered by the
The Minister was not happy that
the three Metropolitan Assemblies are treated like any other district, which he
said is unfair saying that there is the need to classify their chief executives
into a different category.
Baah-Wiredu advised the
participants to come out with recommendations to guide policy makers in the
city. He also urged them to come out with 'prescriptions on how to govern
The Minister assured them that
the findings and recommendations would be submitted to the Cabinet so that the
necessary legislative backup would be given for its implementation.
Chairman of the Select Committee
who is also the Member of Parliament for Bosome-Freho,
Gabriel Amoah was of the opinion that at the end of
the seminar, participants would be able to come out with recommendations that would
help address most of the problems identified with the metropolitan assemblies.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
"It is important that Ghana
whose son occupies the high office as the Secretary General of the United Nations
(UN), formally joins the international community and demonstrate its position,
whether it support the war," the participants stated.
The participants who were
contributing to a discussion under the theme, "US Hegemony: A Threat To
World Peace," includes representatives from Third World Network, Africa
Global 2000, Student Bodies, New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic
Congress (NDC), Convention People's Party (CPP), Social Political Commentators,
Academia, Political Analysts and Media practitioners.
They expressed concern about the
Government's seemingly silence on an international issue that had serious repercussions
on the economy and had generated heated debate and demonstrations.
They disclosed the intention of
Civil Society Organizations in joining the Anti War Movement through demonstrations
and press statements in condemning the American/British invasion of
Speakers at the Forum included, Micheal Nunoo from the United
Kingdom CPP Branch, Professor Ansah Asamoah CPP
Activist, Kofi Wayo a Socio-Political Commentator and
leading Member of the ruling NPP, Kwesi Pratt Jr. a Journalist, and Lee Ocran
of the NDC.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Bongo (Upper East)
They included a three-storey
block of residential flats for teachers at the Bongo Senior Secondary School
(SSS) and a bridge on the Sumbrungu-Namoo trunk road
at Nyariga.
In a speech, the Vice President
said it was the government's desire to open up vibrant economic routes,
especially those in rural areas as part of efforts to boost economic activities
to drastically, reduce poverty so as to bring hope to the people.
He said the Bongo-Bolgatanga road, which has not seen any tarring for years,
has already been awarded on contract and work is expected to begin soon. He
added that all these activities are geared towards the development of
infrastructure in the rural areas to discourage migration of the youth to southern
He said the Bongo District was
dear to the heart of government because it has been identified as one of the
most deprived communities with majority of its people living in poverty due to
its disadvantaged nature. The place is full of rocks, and densely populated,
which does not allow proper tilling of the land, he observed.
The Bongo District Chief
Executive (DCE), Clement Apikiya, said the Assembly
had decided to construct the flats of residence since lack of accommodation was
one major reason for the refusal of teachers to accept postings to the school.
He said the Assembly had so far
spent about 455.3 million cedis from its share of the Common Fund on the first
phase of the project. He added that the Assembly paid 5.8 million cedis as
compensation for the piece of land on which the flats were being constructed.
On the construction of the Nyariga bridge, the DCE said it
was in a bid to open up the area to commercial and farming activities, since it
was the shortest route to the vibrant Yelwongo Market
in neighbouring
He said before the construction
of the bridge, Nyariga, Zorko
Samboligo, Namoo and other
communities in the north-western part of the district were usually cut off from
both Bongo and Bolgatanga during rainy seasons.
The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu,
had earlier paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Bongo, Bo-Naba Ndo Akumulga,
and announced that an incentive package for farmers in the three northern
regions will soon come out to encourage them to cultivate sorghum in lager
quantities for consumption and also supply to the country's breweries.
The Bo-Naba
pledged his unflinching support to the government adding that all that the
people needed is development and once government was ready to bring development
to the people, it was only proper that the government is given the necessary
support.
The Vice President later visited
the Bongo Senior Secondary School (SSS) and interacted with the student body
and urged them not to be discouraged, but rather be determined to go all out to
have the best of results
He noted that being in a rural
area and writing the same examination with their city counterparts could be difficult.
"The trick, is to be obedient, respectful and
most importantly concentrate on your studies" he added.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Francophonie believes "that linguistic
and cultural exchanges are powerful instruments for better understanding
between peoples and, therefore, a source of tolerance and integration,
Jean-Michel Berrit, the French Ambassador, said at a
reception to mark the 8th Francophonie week in Accra,
He said Francophonie,
therefore, encouraged dialogue and ensured that cultural rules were equitable
for all states and that those rules gave them the means to implement their own
policies.
Berrit said it was unfortunate that
the celebration was taking place at a time when the world was worried by
possible risk of coming into power of a dominant cultural model characterised by
intolerance; violence and the "tendency shown by some people not to respect
the rules of international law, by which relations between nations and states
are governed."
He said the answer to "this
increasing intolerance and non-respect for others' position could be found
through dialogue between cultures and by the strengthening of links, which have
become loose".
Berrit said there could be no dialogue
without first accepting that cultural diversity existed. "And to strengthen
this diversity, we must make sure that the cultural rules are equitable for all
States and that those rules give them the means to implement their own
policies".
He lauded the recent decision of
President John Agyekum Kufuor to recommend that the teaching of French should
be made compulsory in Ghanaian schools and said it demonstrated the need to
build bridges between diverse cultures.
The Francophonie
is a community of more than 200 million people sharing the French Language and
90 million others who learn it. It is made up of 51 member states and
governments from all the five continents of world. Six states have observer
status.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
It has, therefore, called for an
immediate cessation of hostilities and recourse to the United Nations Security
Council, which is the appropriate and civilised forum for the resolution of all
international conflicts.
The statement signed by Kwesi Pratt Jnr, for the National Co-ordinator of the
Forum, said "the action will contribute significantly to the exacerbation
of international tension." It pledged the Forum's full solidarity with the
Iraqi people, the Palestinians and the people of the
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
They are to restore legality,
national cohesion and civil peace and ensure the early restoration of democracy
According to an official statement issued in
The statement said members of the
Council renewed their support for the efforts of the Central African Economic
Community and the Monetary Union (CEMAC) and the African Union and deplored the
losses suffered by the regional force.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
The Sun Oven, which has a depth
of 11 inches and weighs of 21 pounds, is fitted with reflectors and a tempered
glass door, which retain the sun's heat. Some of the features of the appliance include
the ability to maintain high temperature, maintain the flavour and nutrients in
the food and at same time break down complex foods substances.
Apart from baking, boiling and
steaming of foods, the sun oven could also be used to cook a variety of Ghanaian
and continental dishes. The sun oven could be used to sterilize medical tools
and dry fish, pepper, cassava and plantain.
Picking said the oven would save
money when compared to the use of fuel wood, charcoal, kerosene and gas. It
would also save people from inhaling smoke with its attendant problems.
He said the appliance is
environmentally friendly and complements government's effort at controlling
deforestation since some of trees cut are used for fuel wood. "One can
enjoy his peace of mind knowing that as long as there is sunshine he would have
power to cook his meal."
Picking said with proper care
the sun oven could last for 20 years. He presented one sun oven valued at 1.950
million cedis to the Ministry of Energy. Stanley Quarcooporme
Barnor, Chief Director of the Ministry, thanked the
company for their kind gesture.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 March 2003-
Professor Sakyi Amoa,
Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, on Friday said about 58 per cent
of adult males in the country do not perceive themselves as being at risk of
contracting the HIV/AIDS virus.
He said though the level of
awareness created among Ghanaians was about 99 per cent, the personal risk
perception was very low. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in
This, he said, was because men
tended to have more partners than women thereby making them very vulnerable in
contracting the virus. Prof. Amoa noted that though
the prevalence rate was 3.6 per cent "we should not relax but work harder
to ensure that it is reduced to the very minimal".
The menace has always been
associated with some groups of people like prostitutes and "bad nuts"
in society, he noted, saying this perception should be stopped. "We should
all rather see ourselves as being at risk and live decent life-styles."
At the end of September 2002, a
cumulative total of 60,312 cases had been reported throughout the country, but this only accounts for those who reported at health
facilities. He said majority of the people infected were the age group 15-49
with the ratio of female to male standing at 2:1.
Prof. Amoa
noted that despite all the efforts by the Commission, National AIDS Control
programme, Ghana Social Marketing Foundation and other stakeholders about
abstinence, being faithful and the use of condom there has not been any
significant change in the prevalence rate.
"The knowledge about the
use of condom as an effective method of prevention is about 90 per cent among
adults. Yet, condom use is very low such that 16 per cent of men and six per
cent of women are known to have used condoms at their last sexual
activity." Prof. Amoa urged Ghanaians to change
their attitude, live decent lives and everybody
perceive himself or herself as being at risk of contracting the virus.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 March
2003- Four Hundred and five fleeing refugees including 150,000 children
travelled by sea from Liberia to Ghana in March this year, enroute
to Burkina Faso.
Mrs Eunice Osae,
an official of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said the
children, mostly Burkinabe, were as young as two
weeks old. They were fleeing from the
crisis in
Mrs Osae
was speaking at a day's workshop on children in crisis situation with
particular reference to the situation in
It was organised by the Ghana
Non-Governmental Organisation Coalition on the rights of the child and UNICEF
to increase awareness on the rights of children in war situations.
Mrs Osae
said more refugees are expected in the country and said tents had been set up
at some entry points into the country including Axim
where the refugees were first picked up.
Mrs Beatrice Duncan, Rights
Promotion and Protection Officer at UNICEF, said between September and March
this year, more than 66,000 refugees had moved into
She said women and children
suffer most in times of war with abuses coming from various people, including
aid workers, peacekeepers and rebels. She called for protection of children from
war practices involving arming them to commit crimes against humanity. According
to Mrs Duncan, children separated from their families or unaccompanied are most
vulnerable in crisis situation.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 March 2003-
An Accra High Court on Friday asked the prosecution in the case of the six
police officers being tried for the 9 May stadium disaster to re-call Police
Constable Sergeant Mark Sam Atulesi, a prosecution
witness to court.
This followed a submission by
William Ofori Boafo, counsel
for Chief Superintendent Mintah Koranteng,
that at the last sitting, his attention was drawn to some events, which took
place at the Okudjeto Commission.
Boafo said he would like to cross-examine
the witness further on some of the events, which also occurred when the Commission
visited the Accra Sports Stadium to have first hand information after the
incident.
He stated that in order for the
court and jury to come to a fair judgement, his submission should be accepted. The
court, presided over by Justice Yaw Apau obliged,
saying the court should be soft in the case of the defence so that at the end
of the trial there would be fairness.
The officers on trial are John Asare Naami, Faakyi
Kumi, Frank Awuah, Francis Aryee, Mr Benjamin B. Bakomora,
all Assistant Superintendents of Police and Chief Superintendent of Police, Koranteng Mintah.
They have pleaded not guilty to
127 counts of manslaughter and are on 20 million cedis bail each with two sureties.
When the fifth prosecution witness, Constable Joseph Agbenyegah
of the Striking Force unit, took his turn, he told the court that on
He said at the station he and
his colleagues were briefed on what they were going to do at the stadium. He
said they were handed over to Inspector Ampomah who
was in-charge of the stadium, and he instructed some of them to stand in and
around the perimeter. Some of them were also to escort match officials,
referees and players to and from the field. Sgt. Agbenyegah
said about five minutes to the end of the match, he joined his colleagues who
were converging at one place because the match officials and players were about
to be escorted off the field.
Sgt. Agbenyegah
said just before the final whistle, spectators at the Ade
Coker Stand started throwing plastic chairs, stones and bagged water onto the
field. A few minutes later, the witness said, the Chief Superintendent got to
where he was standing and asked, "don't you see
what they are doing? Fire to disperse them".
Sgt. Agbenyegah
stated that he fired three times above the crowd. The crowd then began to find
their way to the entrance of the stadium. During cross-examination by Ellis Owusu-Fordjour, a counsel, the witness said he was enlisted into
the Police Service in 1999 and passed out in September 2000.
He agreed with counsel that he
had less than a year's experience in the Ghana Police Service. Counsel: Have
you used a canister in real situation before the 9 May incident?
Witness: I have used one at Buduburam. We have been taking canisters to places but we
only use them when the need arises.
Counsel: How many canisters did
you use on 9 May?
Witness: I used three. When
asked whether he saw dead bodies when he was leaving the stadium he replied in
the negative.
When Boafo
took his turn to cross-examine the witness, he disagreed with counsel that he
had told the Okudjeto Commission that he returned
five canisters.
Witness further disagreed with
counsel that he retracted the statement he made to the Commission. When counsel
demanded the whereabouts of Inspector Ampomah who was
in charge of the stadium during the accident, witness replied, "I do not
know". The witness was discharged and the case adjourned to 25 March.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 March
2003- The Fast Track Court in Accra will on 28 April determine the fate of five
former senior public officials including two Ministers of state in the Quality
Grain case. They charged with conspiracy and wilfully causing financial loss to
the state.
The Court, presided over by
Justice Dixon Kwame Afreh, a Supreme Court Judge
sitting as an additional High Court Judge, fixed the date on Friday after the
prosecution and the defence teams completed addresses to close their cases.
The officials, who have been accused
of conspiracy and causing financial loss of 20 million dollars to the state in
a rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region have denied any wrongdoing.
They are Ibrahim Adam, former
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Samuel Dapaah, former
Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Mr Kwame Peprah, former Minster of Finance.
The rest are George Yankey, a
former Director of Legal Sector, Private and Financial Institutions of the
Ministry of Finance and Nana Ato Dadzie,
former Chief of Staff.
Nana Akufo
Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice who
led the prosecution, on Friday took his turn to address the court. He submitted
that the concept of wilful embraces recklessness.
Nana Akufo
Addo, who was responding to the address by the
defence Team, said he wondered how a former Finance Minister could go to court
to say that "since I got the approval for the first loan, I did not think
that there was the need for subsequent approval".
He argued that the authorisation
of the first loan by Parliament did not cover subsequent loans. According to
him, the former Finance Minister failed to seek Parliamentary approval for
other loans.
Nana Akufo
Addo pointed out that the Constitution did not state
that there was something like Presidential approval. Otherwise the President,
the Vice President or the Cabinet could set aside the Constitution and do
whatever they wanted to.
The Attorney-General said the
prosecution's charge against the accused persons was that "they conspired
to wilfully cause financial loss to the state". He said the conspiracy was
hatched between the accused persons. He submitted that the accused persons came
together to make use of the financial facility, saying, "that is the heart of our case". Justice Afreh, at a stage, advised the prosecution to address the court
on evidence adduced before it.
The trial Judge asked the
prosecution to avoid the word "recklessness" in its address. He said
that he did not want to introduce a new concept into the evidence before him. He
reminded the Attorney-General that what was at stake was "intentional and
negligent," but not "recklessness."
Justice Afreh,
at a stage, advised the prosecution to address the court on evidence adduced
before it. The defence team, which comprised Mr Samuel Cudjoe,
Nene Amagatse, Kwaku Baah, David O. Lamptey and Nana Ampofo Adjei, said the Finance Minister
did not deliberately refuse to seek Parliamentary approval. Counsel also prayed
the court to remind the prosecution to address on issues on law.
The Court had earlier deferred
delivering judgement in the Quality Grain case to allow counsel to argue out
some points they had raised in their submissions. Justice Afreh
told the court that counsel had raised a number of issues that needed to be addressed
and therefore gave them the opportunity to bring out their points.
The Presiding Judge explained to
the court that he met the prosecution and defence teams and both indicated that
they wanted to address some issues, which were not embodied in their addresses.
He explained further that as a
result, he decided to listen to further arguments on contentious matters by the
two teams and, therefore, had to suspend the judgement Justice Afreh said in order to ensure effective administration of justice
and based upon persistent request by the defence team to be offered the
opportunity to argue their cases further, he obliged.
He said some of the points
raised by the defence team were that there were no explanations to the charges
levelled against their clients. The defence also said since all moneies were paid into the project, there was no loss to the
state.
On 28 February the Court
suspended proceedings on the trial to allow the Supreme Court to determine a
writ filed by Frank Bo Amissah of Accra against the
Attorney-General, which sought to challenge the constitutionality of one of the
charges preferred against the accused persons.
Last year, the trial was given a
long adjournment in February and resumed on 17 May awaiting the review of the
Supreme Court ruling, which declared the Court unconstitutional.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
A letter signed by A.O. Achiluwor on behalf of the family of the late MP to the
press on Friday said the original date for the memorial service was scheduled
for
The letter said the postponement
was due to the by-election that would take place in Navrongo
on
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
He said this was important if
"we were to be successful in maintaining our identity as Africans." Agyekum
was speaking at the launch of three publications namely the Akan
Dictionary, the "Gbe/ Ewe Authography
and the United Akan Orthography for the Akan Languages of Ghana and the
Agyekum, who is also one of the
six writers of the United Akan Orthography
said since language contained expressions, which threw more light on the
culture of a people, there was the need to write Dictionaries in our local
languages for better preservation of our cultural values.
Professor Hounkpati
Banikpo Christophe Capo,
Author of the Ewe Orthography, said he studied the Ewe language in
He said although some
differences existed between the languages in the four countries, his aim was to
combine and find a common ground where writing in the Ewe language could be
understood by all.
Edward Osei-Kwaku,
Minister for Youth and Sports who launched the books, described them as
important landmarks in the development of our local languages. He said they
would go a long way to enhance not only education but also the cultural
development of the country.
The books are initiatives by
their Authors to preserve and promote languages in their indigenous forms in
the country. The other five writers of "A Unified Akan
Autography for the Akan Languages of Ghana and the
The rest are Kalilou
Tera and Djabang Tano Kouame, both advocates for
the development of the Bono Language in
The rest are Samuel Kantamanto of the Bureau of Ghanaian Languages and Alex Oteng Boakye also a teacher. Professor
Hounkpati Banikpo Christophe Capo, Author of the Gbe/Ewe
Orthography, teaches Linguistics and African Languages at the Universite Nationale du B'enin where he has built up a
Doctorate program.
He is also Scientific
director of the International Gbe Laboratory and the Founder
and President of the
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com