Importers of over aged vehicles to pay penalties
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 September
2002- Members of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) must be neutral
and upright to avoid negative results, Dr Baffour Agyeman-Duah, Associate
Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana),
said on Thursday.
He noted that, "the
establishment and process of reconciliation may not necessary lead to national
unity and peaceful co-existence of victims and perpetuators, in fact it could
explode with serious consequences if the Commission failed to maintain a
neutral and upright role." Dr Agyeman-Duah stated this in a response to a
question at a debate on "War and Peace" in Accra organised by the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the British Council.
The debate focused on "Living
With War-its Causes and Experiences," and "The Road to Peace-conflict
resolution and peace-building mechanisms". He emphasised that the management
of reconciliation by stakeholders including victims, perpetuators, media and
civil society would determine the effectiveness of the process at the end of
the exercise.
Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Erskine, a member
of the NRC explained that most of the complaints received so far were on
torture, brutalities, murder, disappearance and confiscation of property during
the periods of unconstitutional rule from 24 February 1966 to 21 August 1969;
13 January 1972 to 23 September 1979 and 31 December 1981 to 6 January 1993.
He said human rights abuses brought
before the Commission would be scrutinised and further investigated by a team
comprising experienced and retired police officers, Bureau of National
Investigations (BNI) and others organisations.
After investigations, dockets would
be forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for advice. Gen Erskine who was a
Commander of the United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), compared the
work of the Commission to that of a court, saying that, while some complaints
would be heard, others ones would be dismissed, adding that, some would not be
under its jurisdiction.
He said compensation to victims
would include monetary payments, scholarships for their children and the
erection of a monument in remembrance of their sacrifices. The NRC member said
the Commission was not a judiciary committee, "we are going to reconstruct
our history to heal wounds and there is need for reporters to be circumspect in
their reportage".
Ms Thelma Ekiyor of the West African
Network for Peace Building said mercy and amnesty in reconciliation could be
effective tools for compensation. Students from the University of Ghana,
Academicians and Civil Society Groupings from Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Liberia,
and Cote d'Voire took part in the debate, which was moderated by Mr David
Edmonds of the BBC.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 06
September 2002- Five persons including a woman lodged complaints of injustice
and human rights abuses at the Takoradi Regional Office of the National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC) at its second day of sitting at Takoradi on
Wednesday.
Mr James B. Acquah-Harrison, Zonal
officer of the NRC, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the addition brought
to 12, the number of cases before the commission, since it started work on 3
September.
Women filed two out of the 12 cases.
Mr Acquah-Harrison said the Commission had lined up a series of radio talk
shows and press conferences to sensitise the people on its work and also direct
potential complainants to the offices of the Commission.
He said the Commission would use
churches with extended branches in the region to disseminate information on its
activities. Mr Acquah-Harrison, however, stressed that the Commission was not a
court but a forum to listen to the injured and aggrieved persons, adding that
victims' information or complainants would be treated with confidentiality.
This, notwithstanding, the NRC could
summon anyone to appear before it to give evidence. "We are here to
identify hurts, find means of avoiding and alleviating them, for a peaceful
co-existence" he said.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 September
2002- The National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) is setting up a website at
Ghana's foreign missions to publicise its activities to create an avenue for
victims and people with complaints of human rights abuses in unconstitutional
regimes who cannot come back home to lodge their complaints.
Mr Justice Kweku Etru Amua-Sekyi,
the Commission's Chairman, announced this at a press briefing at the
Independence Square at Accra, the temporary office on Thursday. He said when
the website became operational, victims and people with complaints would be
given the modalities to make complaints and statements.
He said some people living abroad
with complaints had indicated their desire to the Commission to come back home
at their own cost to file their complaints and the arrangement for the creation
of the website was to give a fair opportunity to them.
He said the Commission would seek
the approval of the authorities to grant immunity to people who were tried in
absentia to be able to come back to lodge complaints. Mr Justice Amua-Sekyi
said as at Wednesday, he had seen only one white man coming to make a complaint
and added the doors of the Commission were open to both Ghanaians and
foreigners for statements and complaints.
The NRC Chairman said a cumulative
number of 128 complaints and statements had been taken in Accra since the
exercise began on Tuesday. The Kumasi zonal office had 50 and that of Takoradi
was 11.
Most of the complaints were on
torture, brutalities, murder, disappearance and confiscation of property and
spanning unconstitutional periods from 24 February 1966 to 21 August 1969; 13
January 1972 to 23 September 1979; and 31 December 1981 to 6 January 1993.
He said all complaints of human
rights abuses brought before the Commission would be scrutinised and subjected
to further investigations by the Commission's team of investigators. The team
comprises experienced and retired police investigators, retired officers of
Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and others. After investigations, the
dockets would be forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for advice.
Mr Justice Amua-Sekyi compared the
work of the Commission to that of a court and said that some of the complaints
would be heard, others would be dismissed and some would not be under the
jurisdiction of the Commission.
He indicated that the opinion of the
legal team of the Commission was not binding on it. He said among the
compensation to victims would include monetary payments, scholarships to
victims' children and erection of monument in remembrance of victims'
sacrifices. Mr Amua-Sekyi asked those who would make complaints and statement
to bringoriginal of documents and the Commission would make copies and give the
originals back to them.
GRi…/
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Toase (Ashanti Region) 06 September
2002-A university lecturer has advocated for the designing of a comprehensive
syllabus to promote gender equity that will assist girls to play effective role
in nation building.
Mrs. Martha Danso of the University
College of Education Winneba, who made the suggestion said the society should
be adequately sensitised to have an attitudinal change towards science and
technology concept and that girls should be motivated into the insight of technological
learning so as to inspire others to greater feats.
She was delivering a lecture on the
topic: "The importance of Science, Technology and Mathematics Education
(STME) to the girl-child for national development" at a six-day STME
clinic for 50 selected girls in the Atwima district of Ashanti at Toase
Secondary School.
Mrs. Danso said that there is no
myth surrounding the study of science and technology by girls and stressed the
need to bridge the learning and developmental gaps in the subjects. She called
for the intensification of awareness creation of the negative effects of such
gender imbalance towards the subjects in schools and colleges.
The rapid development of the
country, she said, depends on the effective participation of women and that girls
should be guided to acquire knowledge, understanding and the technological
know-how of the operations of simple scientific and technological tools and
equipments.
"Gender differences exist as a
matter of course of our creation which possibly lead to differences in gender
roles and the mode of dressing in our traditional set-ups also aggravate the
situation", the lecturer said.
Mrs Danso called for the
sustainability of the clinic to benefit majority of the girls and cautioned
that, "we should not loose sight of the fact that the situation of our
boys too could deteriorate if they are neglected".
Nana Adom Frimpong, headmaster of
the school, who presided hoped the clinic would help alleviate the fears and
panic which have crippled girls and for that matter, women from venturing into
the male dominated profession.
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Wa (Upper West) 06 September 2002-
Dr Bashiru I. Koray, National President of the Ghana Association of the Blind
(GAB) on Thursday called on the government to expedite action on the draft bill
on persons with disabilities.
This, he said would ensure that
physically challenged persons were properly integrated for participation in all
spheres of national life with her able-bodies counterparts without
discrimination. Dr Koray made this call at the 19th annual conference of the
association, which opened at Wa, the Upper West regional capital.
The three-day conference, which is
under the theme: "Awareness raising as a tool for an inclusive
society," is being held in the region for the first time in the 39 years
existence of the association. It has more than 2,000 registered members
throughout the country.
The role of GAB, among other things,
is to identify needs and priorities of its members, participate in planning,
implementation and evaluation of services and programmes concerning the lives
of the blind and partially sighted.
Dr Koray called on the state and the
society to take action to raise awareness about blind and partially sighted
persons in particular and persons with disabilities in general, with regard to
their rights, needs potential and contribution.
The conference, which brought
together national and regional officers as well as representatives of its
branches, will take stock of its successes and failures during the past year
and map out strategies for the ensuing year. The GAB president appealed to the
authorities to make specific provision the need of students with disabilities
in the disbursement of the Ghana Education Trust Fund.
Dr Koray also called on
metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to give representation to the
association in the assemblies to enable it promote the cause of members. The
GAB president also appealed to the assemblies to earmark a percentage of their
common fund to finance and promote activities of the physically challenged.
In his welcoming address, Mr Robert
Mumuni Tia, Upper West Regional President of GAB appealed to the Wa District
Assembly to help install telephone facility at its regional office at Wa. Mr
Godfrey B. Tangu, Wa District Chief Executive commended the association for its
achievements so fair, in spite of many difficulties.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 September
2002- The law on importation of over-aged vehicles has been amended with the
introduction of a system of penalties instead of outright ban.
The amendment was in accordance with
the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service Amendment Act 634, 2002, Mr. Harry
Owusu, Executive Secretary of the Revenue Agencies Governing Board said at a
news conference on Thursday in Accra. The news conference was called to explain
the revision to the CEPS Act 634 on the importation of over-aged vehicles.
Mr Owusu said any over-age vehicle
that had already been imported before the coming into force of the Act might
now be cleared from the ports and stations on the payment of relevant duties
and taxes in addition to the appropriate over-age penalties under the
provisions of the current law.
The concession, which, he said, was
valid until 30 September 2002, was granted by the Commissioner under Section
336 of the Customs Management Law, which empowered the Commissioner to issue
instructions on any other matters not covered by the law or any amendments.
However, any vehicle that was not
processed and cleared by 30 September would be forfeited to the state and
disposed off accordingly. Under the current law, a vehicle that remained
uncleared within 60 days after the date it was imported into the country would
be forfeited to the State but the grace period did not apply to over-aged
vehicles currently awaiting clearance at the ports.
Mr Owusu explained that penalties
for motorcars aged not more than 12 years old would attract a penalty of five
percent, those not more than 15 years would attract 20 percent while vehicles
aged over 15 years would attract 50 per cent CIF value respectively.
He said buses, coaches and vans that
were not more than 12 years would attract a penalty of 2.5 percent, those aged
not more that 15 years would attract 10 percent, those not more than 15 and 20
years, respectively would attract 15 and 50 percents.
Trucks, lorries and tippers aged not
more than 12 years shall attract a five percent penalty, those not more 22
years shall attract 10 percent and those over 22 years would attract 30
percent.
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Twenty Ghanaians
benefit from British scholarship scheme
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 September
2002- Twenty Ghanaian scholars are due to leave the country this month to
pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom under a British High
Commission sponsorship, dubbed the Chevening Scholarship Scheme.
A statement issued in Accra on
Thursday said the cost of the sponsorship was 3.75 billion cedis and that since
its inception in 1983, about 125 Ghanaians had benefited from the Chevening
scheme and over 40,000 scholars from 150 countries around the world had enjoyed
the scheme.
It said the aim of the scheme was to
bring present and future leaders, decision makers and opinion formers to the UK
for further training. The statement said those sponsored this year would pursue
Masters degree in courses ranging from design to e-commerce over one year to
three years.
It said preference was given to
candidates already in established career, with proven academic skills and with
prospects of becoming leaders in their chosen fields. "These scholars have
the potential to play an important role in continuing social, economic and
political development of Ghana. They should be an important element of Ghana's
future."
The statement noted that to prevent
a brain-drain situation, the beneficiaries of the scheme have been made to make
a commitment to return to their countries and contribute to the development
process.
The British Chevening Scholarship
scheme is a Foreign and Commonwealth programme named after 'Chevening House',
the official country residence of the British Foreign Secretary. British High
Commission in consultation with the British Council Director make the
selection.
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Hohoe (Volta Region) 06 September
2002- The Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) is to construct a tourism village at Wli
where the highest waterfall in West Africa is located. Mr James Komla Dogbe,
Hohoe District Chief Executive, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that
feasibility studies have been done for the start of the project.
He said the assembly had spent 165
million cedis to construct a four-room reception centre at Wli that would be
turned into a guesthouse when the tourist village project was completed. The
DCE said the assembly would construct four rest stops on the two-kilometre
route from the Wli to the waterfalls. A summer hut would also be built near the
waterfalls to serve drinks and other items to tourists.
Mr Dogbe said 10 bridges have been
built on the Agumetsa and Nubui streams along the route to the waterfalls. The
DCE said the assembly constructed three out of the 10 wooden bridges at a cost
of nine million cedis and commended the Game and Wildlife Division for
constructing the remaining seven.
Mr Divine Kpodo-Tay, Hohoe District
Co-ordinating Director, said the assembly had renovated the government
guesthouse at Likpe-Todome for use by tourists, who preferred to spend the
night to experience the culture of the people of the area.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 September
2002- The People's National Convention (PNC) on Thursday said the political
environment was not conducive for the beginning of talks intended for alliance
or merger with any of the political parties for the 2004 general election.
"The internal political
wrangling within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People's
Party (CPP) and other minority parties were not good signals for the PNC to
consider any serious political business and negotiations with," Dr Edward
Mahama, PNC leader told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.
He said periods after general
election were normally used to assess the electoral systems, behavioural
changes of the electorate if any, weakness of a party, its strengths and
opportunities to map-up strategies to win the next elections.
Dr Mahama said most of the political
parties now seemed to be using the period for unnecessary infighting,
blackmailing and undermining party leaderships, leading to break down of party
discipline and cohesion necessary for building up a strong and viable party to
win elections.
He noted that PNC was a serious
minded political party with an alternative concept of "A New Ghana
Philosophy" which focused on building up a holistic system with a humane
policy for the citizenry.
The PNC Leader, however, maintained
that the party would co-operate with all political parties for good governance
and also ensure that the New Patriotic Party government was defeated in the
next elections.
Dr Mahama said: "Ghanaians
deserved a better change and not just change, we succeeded in changing a
worn-out party in 2000, only to implant a-lack-of-focus, self-centred and
property owning party to the detriment of the people."
On the political directions of the
party, Dr Mahama explained that its National Executive Committee would meet in
November to outline modalities for holding its National Delegates' Congress to
nominate the flag bearer and other executives in the first quarter of next
year.
He said the party had initiated
moves to develop and resource its national, regional, districts, constituencies
and local branches for effective membership mobilisation and political
education.
Dr Mahama called on all stakeholders
and political parties to sound the alarm and alert their activists to watch out
against the over exploitation of incumbency and the temptation to rig the
general election by the NPP.
He said although this caution might
be too early, "a stitch in time saves nine, therefore, it is in the right
direction to be on the political guard to avoid the publication of any 'Stolen
Verdict' after the 2004 elections".
GRi…/
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