GRi Newsreel 07 – 10 - 2002

Highlight development instead of politics - Media urged

Enhance unity of Ghanaians - VEEP

Former BoG Governor buried at La

Moral uprightness is vital to law and order-Otabil

Corrupt Judges and officials to be expunged- Chief Justice

100-acre marijuana farm destroyed

 

 

Highlight development instead of politics - Media urged

 

Takoradi (Western Region) 07 October 2002- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has called on the media to highlight "agricultural and developmental issues" confronting the nation instead of the emphasis on personalities and political issues, adding that, the neglect of other important areas should be reversed.

 

Alhaji Mahama was speaking at the commissioning of a 2.5billion cedis office (SKYY House) for Skyy Power FM station at Takoradi. "I want to suggest that the media heads in the areas of socio-economic and developmental issues, just as it has done in the music, dance and fashion industry," Vice President Mahama said.

 

He said, "If the media is a powerful tool, then there is an urgent need for it to take a second look at its role". The Vice President asked the media to lead the campaign for the patronage of Made in Ghana goods and said "This would lead to job creation, growth of the economy, make us less dependent on others and give a greater meaning for our independence".

 

Mr Rod Pollen, British High Commissioner said Ghana benefited from a 700 billion-cedi grant last year and pledged Britain's continued support for Ghana's development. He called on the government, to create a "friendly and enabling environment" for private entrepreneurs, investors and lending institutions.

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Enhance unity of Ghanaians - Vice

 

Kumasi (Greater Accra) 07 October 2002- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has stressed the need to promote understanding and unity among Ghanaians, "since any nation held by internal cohesion and togetherness, regardless of tribal, political and religious differences, stands to gain from the human and material resources it has been endowed with".

 

This was contained in an address read on his behalf by Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Deputy Minister of Education, at the eighth annual conference of the Tijania Muslim Movement in Kumasi on Saturday. Several Muslims including Regional and District Imams, Muslim Chiefs and Clerics are attending the conference under the theme, "Crusade against indiscipline -The role of Muslims".

 

Alhaji Aliu said, "it is a fact that a nation divided against itself cannot realise any meaningful development no matter the abundance of its human and material resources". To play an influential role in the promotion of national unity, Muslims should start fostering inter-denominational understanding through dialogue on issues of national interest for a consensus.

 

Another way of helping to achieve national unity "is to explore avenues for inter-religious dialogue and understanding, especially among the Christian and Islamic faiths and the traditional religion,” Vice President Mahama said.

 

He said plans were being made to implement the President's directive that Arabic language should be made part of the curriculum. Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharabutu, National Chief Imam, said Muslims could also enhance unity by supporting national reconciliation efforts.

 

The National Chief Imam stressed "such collaboration can be done by helping to educate Muslims on the purpose and wisdom of national reconciliation.” In an address by Alhaji Boniface Sadique, Deputy Minister of Trade and Tourism on behalf of Mr S.K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, called on Muslims to fight indiscipline by practising the teachings of the Holy Quran.

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Former Bank of Ghana Governor buried at La

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 07 October 2002-Burial took place at the La Cemetery in Accra on Saturday of Dr. Amon Nikoi, former Governor of the Bank of Ghana. Earlier a burial service was held at the Accra Ridge Church, which was attended by dignitaries that included President John Agyekum Kufuor, his wife Theresah, Ministers of State, relatives, friends and sympathisers.

 

President Kufuor and his wife on arrival filed past the body in a coffin on a raised dais and exchanged greetings with the bereaved family and the widow, Mrs Gloria Nikoi and her children. The Reverend (Mrs) Ernestina Afriyie of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the immediate Co-ordinating Chaplain of the Church, in a sermon said God gave everyone a talent to be used for the welfare of mankind.

 

She said the talent was to be used at an opportune time and to the ability of the individual not for selfish gains or only to enrich himself but to be used to improve the welfare of society and mankind. The late Dr Nikoi, 72, died on Thursday, September 5, after a short illness. Born on  January 19 1930 at La, Accra, Dr Nikoi was educated at the Roman Catholic Jubilee Primary School at Cape Coast and then Achimota School from 1945-48.

 

He continued his education at the Amherst College in USA where he obtained a Bsc in Economics in 1953, a Fellow of Harvard University, USA 1953-55 and Honorary M.A. Amherst in 1963.

 

Dr Nikoi continued his academic and intellectual pursuits at Harvard University, where he obtained a Master's degree in Public Administration and a PhD in Political Economy and Government simultaneously in 1956.

 

He became a member of the Ghana Commonwealth and Foreign Service from 1957-1960 and was posted to the Ghana Embassy in Washington to become the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations (UN). From 1960-1966, Dr Nikoi was made the Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and between 1966-1968 became the Executive Director of the IMF.

 

In 1969, Dr Nikoi returned to Ghana to assume office as the first Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and later was appointed Senior Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Finance between 6 January 1969-February 1973.

 

On 1 March 1973, he was appointed Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Ghana and within the same period was the Chairman of Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) and Chairman, Grains Warehousing Company.

 

He was retired in 1977 as the Governor of the Central Bank by the National Redemption Council (NRC) under the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong. In 1979, Dr Nikoi was decorated with the State Honour of the Order of the Volta (Civil Division) for public service in Public Administration and Banking by the SMC II under General F.W.K. Akuffo.

 

During the Third Republic, under Dr. Hilla Limann and the People's National Party (PNP), Dr Nikoi was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. After his retirement, he worked as an Economic and Financial Consultant until his death. He left behind a widow, Mrs Gloria Nikoi, three children and two grand children.

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Moral uprightness is vital to law and order-Otabil

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 07 October 2002- The Rev. Dr. Mensah Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), on Saturday said the break down in law and order in the country was the result of lack of adherence to moral uprightness within the society.

 

He said it therefore, behoves on religious organisations to turn around the situation, adding that a key player responsible for creating an atmosphere for moral uprightness and the prevalence of law and order was the Church.

 

Rev Dr. Otabil, who was speaking at a special service for the opening of the 45th Legal Year in Accra, said for this to be effective, the Church had to be upright in order to win the confidence, respect and trust of the congregation.

 

"If the Church is upright, the congregation would be motivated to do according to its teachings," he said. Rev. Dr. Otabil urged Judges to avoid pitfalls within their profession such as partiality and the collection of bribes to pervert justice, noting that as humans they could falter.

 

He said the main aim of the courts should be to provide solutions to problems being encountered by people and not just be interested in passing sentences. Rev. Dr. Otabil noted that true justice within a nation conferred honour and dignity on the people and said punishment of the guilty should not be to humiliate but to correct. "God made man in his own image and therefore, upholds the sacredness of life and the dignity of man," he said.

 

He noted that as a nation, there was the need to always ensure that principles formed the basis of all actions and said bending such principles to suit individuals or groups was the surest way to halting progress.

 

Rev. Dr. Otabil said even though there was bound to be shortcomings in the past; they only served as a guide for success in future and not a setback. He observed that unity was most vital to success and urged Judges to work in love and unity for better dispensation of justice.

 

Among those present at the service were the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Attorney General, Miss Gloria Akufo, Deputy Attorney General and Mr. Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions.

 

Others are the Justices of the Supreme, Appeal and High Courts as well as Tribunal Chairmen. A minute's silence was observed for departed souls including Justice Philip Edward Archer and other Justices.

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Corrupt judges and officials to be expunged- Chief Justice

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 07 October 2002- The Chief Justice, Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu has said that Judges and officials of the Judicial Service, who indulge in corrupt practices, would be expunged from the service. "I wish to caution that any judge or official who engages in corrupt practices should bear in mind that he stands the risk of being removed from the service if he is caught by the law."

 

Justice Wiredu said this in a message to usher in the 45th legal year at a special service held at the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Accra. He noted that one of the major problems the service was facing was the charge of corruption, saying that hardly a week passes by without news of corruption against a judge or officials of the service in the print or electronic media.

 

"This situation is very disturbing, but there is one thing for certain and it is that no one would correct this negative perception about us, we have to correct it ourselves," he said. The Chief Justice announced that the Judicial Council has therefore, embarked on a crusade to weed out the bad nuts amongst the Judiciary.

 

Justice Wiredu said apart from a few bad one whose misdeeds have dented the respectable and admirable image of the judiciary, a number of judges and officials have really worked hard during the past year, adding, "this is evident by the substantial number of hard working and incorruptible judges and officials who have been promoted and elevated.

 

One of the serious problems, the Chief Justice said, facing the Judiciary was uncomplimentary perception of long delays in the administration of justice and announced that within the next few years all the Superior Courts would be automated to ensure that cases are expeditiously dealt with.

 

"The automation process of the court would give meaning to the age-old adage of justice delayed, justice denied." he added. Justice Wiredu announced that the service would soon launch an HIV/AIDS programme to be dubbed "AIDS Sub-Project in the Judicial Service" in Accra and Kumasi as the Service's contribution towards the fight against the dreadful disease in the country.

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100-acre marijuana farm destroyed

 

The drug control authorities in Ghana have a 100-acre marijuana farm located in the Volta Region. Ten people, including a couple and three students, were arrested in connection with the farm. A combined team of police, prison service officers and armed forces were involved in the exercise.

 

The mature cannabis weighed three tons and it is claimed that drug barons in Ghana and outside the country sponsored people to cultivate the marijuana. The farm was later set ablaze. More farms have been identified and would be destroyed. - Sapa-DPA

 

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