Eradicate violence against women
Practitioners laud govt efforts to mainstream homeopathy
National Reconciliation Commission to open offices in Bolga and Tamale
Cost of fire outbreaks stood at 900 million cedis
Seven arrested over highway robbery
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002 - The President, John Agyekum Kufuor left
Accra last night for New York, to attend the 57th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly. The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, some
ministers and the Inspector-General of Police, saw off the President who was
accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, at the airport.
The meeting
is the first to be attended by President Kufuor since he assumed office, and he
is expected to address the assembly on Monday. While in the US, the President
is expected to hold bilateral discussions with other world leaders as well as
discussing the NEPAD, and find ways of seeking assistance from the
International Community.
According
to the Foreign Minister, President Kufuor would also visit Utah where he would
meet with Information Technology (IT) Companies, with the view of attracting
them to Ghana.
He would
also visit the salt industry at Utah, where he hopes to woe investors to Ghana
to participate in the President's Special Initiative on salt to help the
industry to grow.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Tamale
(Northern Region) 10 September 2002- Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah, Member of Parliament
for Okaikoi North and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee
investigating the Yendi conflict has called on the people of Dagbon to bury
their differences and let peace prevail.
He said
Parliament had been working closely with government towards a lasting solution
to the conflict to ensure peaceful co-existence between the factions in the
crisis. Mr Darko-Mensah said this when he and the 13-member Parliamentary
Committee met with the Northern Regional Security Committee at Tamale on
Monday.
He said the
committee was in the region to find out the real situation on the ground and
advice the government accordingly as to what measures was to needed to be
taken. The committee among others would ascertain the security of people,
suggest measures to mitigate the suffering of the people as well as find out if
there have been excesses on the part of security agencies in the discharge of
their duties, especially during curfew hours.
Mr
Darko-Mensah said Parliament was handling the Yendi conflict on non-partisan
basis and said the House would not politicise the issue. The committee would
pay a courtesy call on the regent of Tamale Naa Ziblim Abdulai, interact with
social groups and individuals, observe the curfew hours, visit Yendi to meet
the District Security Committee and also call on the Andani and Abudu gates.
Mrs Ama
Benyiwa-Doe, MP for Gomoa West and a member of the committee, appealed to the
Andani and Abudu gates to co-operate with the committee to find a lasting
solution to the conflict.
Mr Ernest
Debrah, Acting Northern Regional Minister gave the assurance that the Regional
Co-ordinating Council would support the committee. He said the peace and
security of the Northern Region should be a matter of concern to all Ghanaians.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002 - Mr. Dan Lartey, Founder of the Great
Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), on Monday said that the National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC) set up by government to address human rights
violations of past unconstitutional regimes was not necessary in the wake of
current political occurrences.
He said there
were still some forms of human rights abuses in the country under the
administration of President J.A Agyekum, which, needed to be checked and
corrected before thinking of "healing old wounds." Mr. Lartey said,
"there is no need for institutional reconciliation on the past when even
now human rights were being abused".
According
to him, the recent invitation of former President Rawlings by BNI operatives
was one form of human rights violation in a volatile environment and the crowd
that thronged there could have further led to the breach of the peace.
Mr. Lartey,
who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the
former President like any other person was subject to his opinion and that
unless it could be proved beyond reasonable doubt that there was an element
beyond expression of his opinion then the law must be allowed to take its
course.
"At
the moment, the NPP government has fallen short of making peace and must change
its policies towards peace making for the good of the country," he said. He
said actions by the Wuaku Commission, which investigated the Yendi crisis and
during its work saw the boycott by the Andani family, did not impact peace and
therefore, made reconciliation an infantile one.
He deplored
the actions of both President Kufuor and Vice President Aliu Mahama in refusing
to visit the conflict areas of Dagbon to reconcile the people before even the
NRC started hearing of human rights violations, adding that everybody would
welcome the NRC if it would bring about peace.
The
government, he said, must as much as possible avoid confrontations of this
nature and work hard to bring about peace. "We are all praying to God that
the NRC was not set up by government to defame political opponents to retain
power forever," he added.
Mr Lartey
said there would be no true reconciliation if all forms of human rights abuses
were still there and new abuses were being added to existing ones. He urged the
UN team currently on peace-making mission at the Dagbon area to find lasting
peaceful solution to the crisis.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Monday said the strike
action of the junior doctors of the hospital was a punishment to patients and
not the authorities.
The doctors
embarked on the strike action on Friday evening to demand their Additional Duty
Hour Allowance (ADHA) for June and July. Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who was
speaking to Journalists in reaction to the strike action, described it as
illegal adding: "This amounts to indiscipline and in contravention to the
Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors."
He said the
doctors were informed beforehand that the allowances would be delay for some
few days adding that there was no reason at all for them to go on the strike
since they consented to the arrangement.
Prof
Frimpong-Boateng, who is also the Director of the National Cardio-Thoracic
Centre, said the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) had promised to tackle the
issue and he expressed the hope that the doctors would start work by Tuesday.
He said allowances could be paid as and when they were ready.
"The
process goes through a long chain of bureaucratic procedures through the
Ministry of Finance, The Accountant General's Department and to the Bank of
Ghana" he explained and impressed on those in the chain to speed up the
process.
Prof
Frimpong-Boateng said; "the strike is most unfair to Ghanaians, who have
paid for their training adding the action would surely lead to deaths". The
doctors' action had resulted in a build up of patients at the Out Patients
Department (OPD) that were not being attended to, when GNA visited the Hospital
at 1100 hours on Monday.
According
to him, senior doctors and some House Officers were attending to in-patients
and no admissions had been made since Friday. Professor Frimpong-Boateng said
the Hospital has over 2,000 patients on admission but no serious emergencies
had been recorded since the strike.
The
Accident and Emergency Ward, the Surgical and Medical Block had similarly been
deserted. The OPD at the Maternity Block was virtually empty. A senior doctor,
who pleaded anonymity, said though the strike had affected work at the
hospital, patients who were on admission were being attended to.
"We
had to refer most patients to the Polyclinic because of the load so that we
could concentrate on those already on admission," he said. He appealed to
government and those responsible for the processing of the ADHA, to work hard,
to forestall recurrence for the benefit of the patients.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002 - The National Cardio-Thoracic Centre said on
Monday that Frank Asubonteng, the 14-year-old heart patient, had died when he
was brought to the hospital at 3am on Saturday morning.
In an
interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, the Centre denied media
reports that Asubonteng died because he was refused medical attention due to
the current doctors strike at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Professor
Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng Director of the Centre told the GNA that the boy's
father, Nana Asubonteng, Dwantuahene of the Dormaa Traditional Area in the Brong
Ahafo Region, reported to the nurse on duty that morning that he had brought a
patient who needed medical attention.
According
to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the nurse, Mr. Alex Abrefa, who is a Senior Nursing
Officer, immediately prepared a bed and went for a wheel chair to carry the
patient. He said he found to his surprise that the two people carrying the
patient had deposited him on the floor. When he got closer, the nurse said, he
found the boy already dead.
According
to the nurse, because he was unqualified to declare the patient dead, he
advised Nana Asubonteng to send the boy to the Emergency Centre, where he knew
a medical officer would handle the issue professionally.
However, he
said, Nana Asubongteng refused to take the advice and rushed to the Police and
Military Hospitals, respectively where his son was pronounced dead which was
collaborated by Mrs Rebecca Essilfie Matron at the Centre.
Prof.
Frimpong-Boateng said he was saddened by the boy's death because he had to
sacrifice personally and professionally to operate on him in 1996 despite the
controversy that was created by his father Nana Asubonteng, who was then
refusing that the boy should undergo the surgery.
"It is
unfortunate that the parents of the boy have neglected him by refusing to
follow up his treatment with the routine check-ups, a situation that must have
caused his death," he said. The Asubonteng case became a national
controversy when his father claimed at a press conference that the boy had been
healed spiritually through the prayers of Rev. Owusu Tabiri, his brother.
Though part
of the money needed for the operation had been raised through donations, Nana
Asubonteng refused to approve of the money because of his claim and at one
point threatened to sue the surgeon if he went ahead with the operation without
his approval.
The surgery
was carried out with money from the Heart Foundation after the intervention of
the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice when the boy's
mother, Madam Addae lodged a complaint.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Participants at the just ended conference of
the International Transport Federation (ITF) in Vancouver, Canada, have
appealed to governments to assist in the eradication of violence against women.
The
conference also urged the ITF women's committees throughout the world to
organise debates on the issue with a view to developing a consensus to address
the problem. Mr Isaac Oboh, General Secretary of the Railway Enginemen's Union
of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and a participant, was briefing the Ghana
News Agency on the outcome of the conference.
The
conference was on the theme: "Globalise Solidarity," and the
participants consisted of workers in the transport industry. Mr Oboh said the
conference appealed to governments to assist employees of the liquidated Air
Afrique airline to get adequate compensation.
About 4,000
people lost their jobs following the liquidation, throwing some 40,000 families
into impoverishment and desperation. Mr. Oboh said the conference resolved that
ITF should strengthen international efforts to promote safety of rail
transport. Mr K. Owusu-Afriyie, General Secretary of the Maritime and
Dockworkers union of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) represented Ghana.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday,
called on African leaders to rid the continent of religious factionalism or
extremism for its adverse effect on socio-economic development. He said Africa
was bedevilled with ignorance, disease, poverty, and intolerance in
factionalism and extremism in religion.
President
Kufuor made the call when Sheik Hassan Cissie, Senegalese National Imam, who is
also the Head of Tijania Movement worldwide, led a Moslem delegation to pay a
courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.
He said
Ghana was blessed, because Ghanaians would not allow themselves to be involved
in political or religious extremism, in addition, the present leadership made
up of Christians and Moslems had not allowed any friction to divide their ranks
but lived in peace and progress for the country.
President
Kufuor urged Sheik Cissie to continue with his objective of preaching peace and
humanity on the continent because "we want peace, prosperity and fairness
to be the binding force for our development, not only in Ghana, the sub-region
or Africa but beyond."
Sheik
Cissie commended President Kufuor for his love and respect for the Moslems in
the country with the nomination of a Vice President and 14 other Moslems as
Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State to form the government.
He said,
"with your love and respect for Moslems in Ghana, they would never
disappoint you but assist you for the country to progress." Present were
Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice- President, and Sheik Osman Nuhu Sharabutu, the
National Chief Imam.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 10 September 2002- The leader of Al-Tijanniya Movement in
Ghana, Sheikh Abdul Wadud, had charged Moslems to desist from practices that
contradict the teachings of Islam, especially acts of violence and bloodshed.
Sheikh
Wadud, also the Chief Imam of the movement, was speaking at an international
seminar to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Mohammed in Kumasi. Eminent
Islamic leaders from West Africa, including Imam Madinatul Kaolack of Senegal
attended the celebration that was under the theme: "Unity, a tool for
national development, -role of Islam."
"There
is no where in the Koran that Prophet Muhammed had engaged in unnecessary acts
of violence," Skeik Wadud said. He entreated Moslems to ensure peace,
love, and unity since the prophet stood for such virtues. The leader of
Al-Tijanniya also requested Moslems to abide by the country's laws so that they
could live harmoniously with people of other faiths.
Alhaji
Ibrahim Tahir, chief of Kumasi Sabun Zongo, appealed to Moslem women to enrol
their girls in formal education to enable them acquire skills and qualification
needed for national development.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- The Most Reverend Thomas Mensah, the
Episcopal Chairman for Health of the Catholic Church, on Monday said no attempt
should be made by governments to make condom use mandatory. He said governments
should preach the "culture of life and not death."
"We
should not be seen to be promoting other people's industry through the
promotion and sale of condoms," Rev. Mensah said, at the opening of a
five-day seminar on the "Role of the Catholic Intellectuals in Combating
the HIV/AIDS Menace." It was organised by the International Movement of
Catholic Students (IMCS) in Accra.
Rev Mensah
deplored some reports that condoms were being made available in hotels and
noted that hotels were not brothels. He urged governments to help make
anti-retroviral drugs affordable for the poor and needy.
Vice
President Aliu Mahama, in a speech read for him, said the youth needed to be
well informed and empowered to reduce the risk of transmission. He called on
religious groups to educate all segments of the society on the AIDS menace.
Touching on
the devastating effects of the scourge on the African continent, Alhaji Aliu
said the disease had become a developmental crisis. He said as at the end of
2001, some 40 million people had become infected with the disease since it made
its appearance, with Africa recording around 28.1 million of the figure.
He said
Ghana had since 1986 recorded over 56,587 cases of the disease, which claimed
three million lives in 2001 globally. Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi,
Minister of Education, in a speech read for him, said even though Ghana's three
per cent HIV prevalence rate was low as compared to other countries, there were
high pockets of prevalence rates in certain parts of the country.
He said a
prevalence rate of 40 per cent was recorded among some students from second
cycle schools, who donated blood, recently. He said the Education Ministry had
opened a secretariat, which would be responsible for the prevention of new
infections among the youth.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Dr Alex Essuman, medical practitioner, has
said government's effort to promote and integrate Homeopathy into the
mainstream medical system indicated its commitments to improving the health
delivery system. He said Homeopathy is a medical system, which uses pure
natural scientific medicines in the treatment of chronic diseases, including
diabetes.
Speaking at
the General meeting of the Homeopathic Physician Association of Ghana in Accra
at the weekend, Dr Essuman said homeopathy drugs prepared without chemical
components had no side effect, saying it must be encouraged to improve on the
health of the public.
Dr Nana Yaw
Eturu, a homeopathy Physician, said the association would institute a
homeopathy week to sensitise the public on its importance to the medical field.
He said the Association was collaborating with some international institutions,
including British institute of Homeopathy in London, to establish a homeopathy
medical school in Ghana.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Tamale
(Northern Region) 10 September 2002- Tamale residents have called on the
government to lift the State of Emergency imposed on the Dagbon state after the
Yendi crisis. They said the Tamale area was peaceful, adding that the
government should limit the State of Emergency to Yendi, and not the entire
Dagbon State.
These were
the sentiments gathered when the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Yendi
crisis sampled opinion on the State of Emergency in Tamale on Monday.
The MPs
were assessing the security situation in the area with the aim of advising
government on whether to extend the State of Emergency or not when Parliament
reconvenes this week. They were also assessing the impact of the curfew on
businesses and other commercial activities in the area.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002 - The Bolgatanga and Tamale offices of the
National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) would be opened this week for victims
of human rights abuses in unconstitutional governments to make statements and
complaints.
A source
close to the Public Affairs Secretariat of the Commission said the Tamale
office, which would be located in the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC)
opens on Tuesday while that of Bolgatanga, which would be in the SSNIT
building, begins taking statements and complaints on Wednesday.
Zonal
offices of the NRC have so far opened in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Ho. The
source said a cumulative 298 complaints and statements had so been taken as at
last Friday, the fourth working day of the Commission, and added that prominent
features among the complaints were torture, disappearance, confiscation of
property, unlawful detention and illegal dismissals from work.
Of the 289,
there were 170 complaints and statements from Accra, 81 from Kumasi, 18 in
Takoradi and 20 from Ho. The source said most of the statements and
complainants had documents for evidence. It said no person tried in absentia
had so far filed any complaint.
The NRC was
established by an Act of Parliament, Act 611, to seek and promote national
reconciliation among the people by recommending appropriate redress for
persons, who have suffered any injury, hurt, damage, grievance or have, in any
other manner been adversely affected by violations and abuses of their human
rights arising from activities or in-activities of public institutions and
persons holding public office during periods of unconstitutional government.
The
unconstitutional periods named are from 24 February 1966 to 21 August 1969; 13
January, 1972 to 23 September 1979; and 31st December 31, 1981 and
6 January
1993.
The
Commission, which has one year and three months to submit its report and
recommendations to government, may on application by any person pursue the
object of reconciliation in respect of human rights violation in any other
period between 6 March, 1957 and 6
January 1993.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Property worth 900 million cedis was lost in
the Accra Metropolis from January to August this year, as a result of fire
outbreaks.
Mr David
Alleonu, Greater-Accra Regional Fire Officer (RFO), disclosed this in an
interview with the Ghana News Agency on Monday. He said the figure excluded
that of the recent fire outbreak at the Makola Market.
Mr Alleonu
stated that the figure stood at one billion cedis for the same period last year.
He said the metropolis recorded 456 outbreaks from January to August this year
as against 408 for the same period last year, an increase of 48 cases.
He said as
many as 224 of the outbreaks this year were domestic in nature, while
commercial/industrial and vehicular fires followed in that order with 79 and 62
cases. The RFO, who is a Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) said the remaining 81
fires were jointly institutional, electrical installations, bush/refuse and
liquid fuel in nature.
Mr.
Alleonu, turning to the causes of the fire outbreaks from January to August
this year, said electrical fires topped the list with 237, followed by naked
lights, accounting for 176. He said there was only, one arson case while the
remaining 42 cases were being investigated to know their causes.
Explaining
why this year's figure of outbreaks exceeded that of last year, the officer
said it was regrettable to note that whenever educational fora were organised
for the target groups, especially traders, attendance was always low. He
therefore, appealed to market women to take education on fire prevention
seriously to help save precious lives and property.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Seven armed robbers who allegedly mounted a
road- block on the outskirts of Asiakwa on the Accra-Kumasi road and robbed
passengers of monies and their belongings on Friday appeared before a Community
Tribunal in
Accra charged with conspiracy and robbery.
The plea of
Ezeuduji Chijikoe, Mike Fiagbe, Joseph Okeke, all traders, Isaac Chidi and
Chuks Eke, both barbers, Mohammed Uke, a student and Kelvin Ogbonnaya, unemployed were not taken.
They were
remanded into prison custody by the tribunal, chaired by Mr Kwadwo Owusu to
reappear on 25 October. Prosecuting Police Inspector Alice Yeboah said accused
persons were all Nigerians except Fiagbe who was a Ghanaian.
Inspector
Yeboah said on 28 June this year, the Police Patrol Team operating on the
Accra-Kumasi Highway had information that a gang of armed robbers had blocked a
section of the road at the outskirts of Asiakwa and were robbing passengers.
The police
and military team rushed on the scene, but found out that the robbers had fled
with a BMW car, which they had snatched from one Mr. Kwame Gyan, a Lecturer at
the Faculty of Law. At the scene, the robbers fell a tree to block the road in
order to carry out their act.
The security
personal traced the BMW car to Amafrom, where they found out that the car had
been abandoned after it had developed faults. The security personnel also found
out that due to the fault on the car, the robbers sought solace in a school
block where they shared their booty.
Prosecution
said later in the day, the inhabitants of Amanfrom spotted and apprehended
Chijioke, Okeke, Ogbonnaya, Fiagbe and Eke, who were attempting to escape. When
they were searched one axe and two mobile phones belonging to two of the
victims were found on them.
On 22 July,
Uke was arrested at Segyimase, near Kyebi as a suspect in another robbery case,
while Chidi was apprehended at Russia-Zongo in Accra with a locally
manufactured gun.
Inspector
Yeboah said Chidi told the police that with the exception of Uke, the rest took
part in the robbery, adding that they met at a barbering shop to plan how they
were going to execute their plan.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Judiciary Committee holds forum in Takoradi
Takoradi
(Western Region) 10 September 2002- Mr Joseph Aidoo, Western Regional Minister,
on Monday asked Ghanaians to have confidence in the judiciary if internal peace
and stability were to be attained. He was speaking at a one-day forum on
perceived corruption and other alleged malpractices in the judiciary in
Takoradi.
The forum
that was organised by the Parliamentary Committee on the Judiciary and the
Centre for Democratic Development (CCD) was sponsored by the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID).
Mr Aidoo
said it was necessary to raise the image of the judiciary so that people would
have confidence in it and respect for the law. "Indeed, the greater our confidence
that the law is being impartially administered the greater our respect for the
law," he noted.
Mr Aidoo
said recently, perception of alleged corruption within the judiciary, making
some people to feel that they have not been given fair trial, if not urgently
addressed, would erode the confidence of the public in the judicial system.
He said in
a young democratic country like Ghana, the rule of law was very crucial for
deepening the roots of multi-party. ''In this respect the judiciary must ensure
that the law is importantly administered irrespective of one's background
profession or tribe since no one is above the law.''
Mr Kwame
Osei -Prempeh, Chairman of Judiciary Committee of Parliament, said the forum
was to identify the causes of perceived corruption in the judiciary and to
restore people's confidence in the justice system. He said the forum would also
find out if corruption was a reality in the judiciary and also to come out with
recommendation to put a stop to it.
Mr Kwesi
Prempeh, a Director of CCD, said the focus of the discussion of the perceived
corruption in the judiciary was not only on judges and other members of the
bench but the searchlight was also on prosecutors, lawyers and their clients,
court registrars and staff of the judicial service.
''Corruption
in this instance covers receipt of money to influence judiciary decisions.'' Mr
Prempeh said corruption did not only persist in the judiciary and said forums
would be organised to focus on other sectors.
He said the
CDD and USAID were collaborating with other committees of parliament to enhance
oversight activities. The objective of this measure, according to Mr Prempeh
was to facilitate formulation of public policy on effective justice system to
bridge the gap between the people and government.
Discussants
were of the opinion that corruption existed in the judicial and that the Bench
was influenced by money and pressure from higher authorities resulting in some
unfair judgements. They said some personnel of the judiciary were not qualified
and suggested that the Bar should be involved the appointment of members to the
bench.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Takoradi
(Western Region) 10 September 2002- Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and
Sports, on Monday called on the youth to help erase the negative and
"stereotype" image about Africa through education and culture.
"The
portrayal of violence as an acceptable way of resolving conflicts and the
dominance of alien cultural norms and values, run counter to our development
efforts," he added. These were contained in an address read on behalf of
the Minister at the opening of a five-day Students and Youth Festival (SYFEST
2002) at Takoradi.
The
festival, which was under the theme: "Reinforcing African Renaissance
through culture," brought together 200 delegates from 12 African
countries. Mr Osei-Kwaku said the youth, who constituted over a third of the
total population of Africa, were the greatest resource for Africa's
renaissance.
Mr
Osei-kwaku said African Renaissance could be achieved through a disciplined and
empowered youth, who held the key to the continents achievement and sustainability.
"The challenges and opportunities facing Africa are those brought about by
the interrelated phenomena of globalisation and the emergence of new
information and communication technologies," he mentioned.
Madam
Sophia Horner-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister said the only way the
continent could enhance its capacity building for sustainable socio-economic
development, was through harmonisation, regional integration and easy access to
information among African countries.
"It is
clear that the continent has suffered for so long from self afflicted conflicts
and wars, resulting in famine, illiteracy, diseases, hardships and more
importantly the disintegration of the continent, unfair international trade and
global transfer of economic and human resources," she stressed.
Madam
Horner-Sam suggested that the developmental policies and programmes of the
Ghanaian government should reflect the country's cultural background. "Blind
copying should be substituted with strategies which are consistent and suitable
to our environment," she added
Mrs Rebecca
Dadzie, Deputy Regional Director of Education, advised the delegates not to
turn the festival into an entertainment event but rather, assess the
continent's problems and develop strategies for its total emancipation.
She tasked
the youth not to allow language barrier to divide them and proposed a common
"lingua franca" aimed at uniting the African continent. Mrs Dadzie
asked them to come out with suggestions on how to handle persons affected and
living with HIV/AIDS, drug addicts, the disabled and visually impaired, to
enable them contribute to development.
Mr Albert
K. Mensah, co-ordinator of SYFEST said the festival was meant to make
information easy and accessible to all youths within the continent, to enhance
capacity building and facilitate regional integration. He said the Pan African
Youth Think Tank (PAYOTT) resource centre, would be established after the
festival.
Mr Mensah,
explained that the centre, would serve as a centre of excellence, to encourage
research work aimed at linking together the Centre for Economic and Policy
Analysis (CEPA) in Accra, the African Institute of South African and the Human
Sciences Research Council all in South Africa.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 10 September 2002- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has
linked most irreversible physical impairments in developing countries to
poverty. A survey conducted recently indicated that most recorded cases of
impairments could have been prevented if the victims had had access to good
health conditions.
Mr Charles
Appiah-Agyei, President of Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD),
said this at the 11th biennial general meeting of the organisation in Kumasi. The
meeting was on the theme: "Ghana's poverty reduction strategy and persons
with disabilities - a way forward."
Mr.
Appiah-Agyei stressed that given the high proportion of People With
Disabilities (PWDS) in West Africa, it was encouraging that the NPP government
was committed to providing vocational training, mobility assistance devices,
occasional assistance and job placement for the disabled.
Mr.
Appiah-Agyei reiterated that since this was in accordance with the Ghana
Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) and in conformity with the international
development targets, most of the GSPD could be achieved.
He was
hopeful that the National Disability Policy (NDP), informed by the standard
rules on equalisation of opportunities, would mainstream PWDS into the
socio-economic development process of Ghana.
Mr. Ben
Bukari Salifu, a Minister of State at the National Development Planning
Commission (NDPC), urged the participants to approach metropolitan and district
assemblies in order to take advantage of various programmes and projects being
implemented under the GPRS.
He said,
now that the relief accruing to Ghana from the HIPC initiative has started
coming in, the move was important to bring pressure to bear on decision makers
not to gloss over the needs and issues relating to the physically challenged.
Mr. Salifu
admonished Ghanaians to erase the erroneous impression that exists that PWDS
are objects of pity whose only means of livelihood was begging. Mr Sampson
Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, entreated the leadership of the GSPD to
demonstrate transparency in their activities and observed that there was no
dignity in idling and begging for alms.
Mrs Jayne
Grier, a philanthropist and a British volunteer of the Voluntary Services
Overseas (VSO), was presented with batik tie and dye and a traditional stool
for her immense contribution to the success of activities of GSPD.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra
(Greater Accra) 10 September 2002- Mr Akwasi Bosumpem, Counsel for Dr Sri Yogi
Ram Beckley, on Monday prayed the Adjabeng Community Tribunal to discharge his
client or grant him a long adjournment so that whenever the Prosecution was
ready they could commence with the trial.
The
tribunal chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah said that it was too early for
counsel to call for his client's discharge. Dr Beckley has been charged for
assaulting and kidnapping a class three pupil. He has pleaded not guilty and is
on five million cedis bail.
Mr Bosumpem
noted that his client had no place of abode in Accra and had to travel from the
Volta Region at every sitting, which were only postponed at the instance of
Prosecution.
He said his
client nearly had an accident, while returning to his home after one of the
hearings. During every sitting the Prosecution informs the tribunal that it was
awaiting advice from the Attorney General's (A-G) Office.
Superintendent
Patrick Sarpong, however, said the Police was ready to commence trial but it
was only waiting for the advice of the A-G adding, "we cannot try him
without hearing anything from the A-G" The tribunal adjourned the case to
23 September.
The facts
as presented by the Prosecution were that on 12 April Beckley was said to have
lured a girl to his house under the pretext of buying some vegetables she was
selling. In the house, he tied the girl to a tree overnight without water and
food, until her stepfather was informed and he raised the alarm.
Beckley was
arrested on Saturday 13 April after Police received a complaint from a parent
that her daughter was abducted by the accused on Friday evening. An angry mob
set ablaze the residence of Beckley at New Gbawe in Accra.
GRi…/
Send your
comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com