GRi Newsreel 08

Accra (Greater Accra) 8 September 2003 - The Leadership-elect of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) has appointed a 30-member Transitional Committee, to facilitate a smooth and orderly transfer of power on 14 October 2003.

Prof Willie Belleh, former Dean of the College of Business and Public Administration, University of Liberia and also a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Liberia chair the Committee.

The Committee is to work closely with authorities of ECOWAS, the ICGL, ECOMIL, the present government, LURD, MODEL, leaders of political parties and civil society organisations.

A press statement issued in Accra by the NTGL said the Transitional Team includes representatives of the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, technocrats and eminent citizens from a cross section of the grass roots and community based organisations.

The statement noted that Prof Belleh would lead an 8-member Transitional Team to Monrovia on September 7, to initiate discussions on the transitional process.

The Team would also begin the process of selecting representatives to the National Legislative Assembly, representing the 15 political subdivisions as well as civil society organisations. The Chairman and the Vice Chairman-Elect of Assembly would also be inducted on 14 October.
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Kwesimintsim (Western Region) 8 September 2003 - The popularity of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) among the electorate had slumped to a record low of 31 per cent from 41 per cent over a period of six months, says Nana Alex Asamoah, Western Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He said according to the first research, on the popularity of the ruling NPP and the leading opposition party NDC, conducted by the Government's own intelligence network six months ago, the former polled 41 per cent and the later, 42 per cent. He did not elaborate.

Nana Asamoah said he had documentary evidence of the results of the research that he described as "very authentic". The NDC regional chairman was addressing a general meeting of the Effia-Kwesimintsim constituency of the party at Kwesimintsim, a suburb of Takoradi on Saturday during which a new party membership card was launched.

"The research is causing panic within the NPP, and as a result, its leadership had decided to adopt poaching, deception and vote rigging during the 2004 elections to ensure that the party remains in power", he alleged.

Nana Asamoah also alleged that foot-dragging on the part of the government to release enough funds to the Electoral Commission to procure logistics, update the voters register and issue new voters identification cards are among tactics being employed to facilitate the "rigging plan" during the elections.

He said the success of the "Kafo Didi" demonstrations, especially in Kumasi had sent "Shock waves" among the rank and file of the NPP, "precipitating their launch of weapons of mass deceit."

He announced that a similar demonstration would be organised in Takoradi soon. He accused some Journalists of helping the government to perpetrate its programmes to the detriment of the people and warned that those reporters would be held accountable for any civil strife that their actions may engender.

"Those Journalists who have been condoning deceit and wrong doing will be held responsible for any civil war in the country that their actions would cause".

Yaw Gyan, Regional Organiser of the party said the NDC lost the 2000 elections due to complacency, and advised party activists to work hard to win more members for the party to ensure victory in the 2004 elections. He said there was the need for members of the party to sacrifice their time and resources to start an effective membership drive without relying too much on the party since it is cash strapped.
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Kwesimintsim (Western Region) 8 September 2003 - Nana Alex Asamoah, Western Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday accused the Government of using the state security machinery to harass him unnecessarily.

He alleged that, for the past six weeks plain cloths security personnel have been detailed to trail him "24 hours a day for reasons best known to the authorities".

Addressing a well-attended general meeting of the Effia-Kwesimintsim constituency of the NDC at Kwesimintsim near Takoradi on Saturday, Asamoah said in-spite of the this, he would go on to expose the "wrong-doings of the NPP administration without fear".

"I have known no peace, since I first exposed the plan to put the effigy of President Kufuor on the national currency, some months ago", he revealed and said he still stands by the allegation he made about the currency. The NDC regional chairman challenged the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to explain to the people why the serial numbering of the ten and 20,000 notes in circulation did not begin with the alphabet "A" as it had always been the case.

"Could it be that after the exposure, the first printed currency were destroyed as being rumoured?" Asamoah asked. He advised the government to cut down foreign trips of the president and his ministers since they have became a drain on the country's coffers.
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Ho (Volta Region) 8 September 2003 - Justice Richard Apaloo, a Ho High Court Judge said on Friday that changes to laws which restrict freedom to information must be pursued "in a piece meal fashion to avert the collapse of state institutions", when the right to Information law comes into effect.

These laws included the Official Secrets Act, Civil Service Law, Armed Forces Act, Police Service Act and the Prisons Service Decree.

Justice Apaloo was delivering a paper on " Right to Information: A Judge's Perspective on Counsel's Assistance in a Trial", at a day's public seminar on the Right to Information organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in collaboration with the British Council in Ho.

"The creation of a situation which public office holders cannot handle may lead to anarchy", he cautioned saying, "I believe this may be the policy behind the failure to pass the bill since 1999".

Justice Apaloo said the citizens right to information was an assurance that the public can hold "state institutions accountable for contracts, funds, grants loans, for and on behalf of the public" and ensure transparent and accountable governance.

He however, contended that the power of the Supreme Court to determine Constitutional Challenges to access to information as provided in Articles 135 and 21 of the 1992 constitution (1) inhibits the public's right to access information. Justice Apaloo said the reason for this view " is based on Article 140 (2) which vests jurisdiction in the High Court to enforce Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution".

"I have no doubt in my mind that access to information is a Human Rights Issue", as stipulated in Articles 21 (1) (f) and 33 (1)", of the 1992 Constitution, he said. He wondered whether the Supreme Court would not be inundated with referral cases from the lower Courts in addition to initiation and commencement of fresh cases to determine whether or not information withheld by a state institution should be made public.

"In my view the Supreme Court should be enabled to exercise an appellate jurisdiction only in challenges to the production of information", Justice Apaloo said.

Justice Apaloo held that for an application to compel a public official to provide information under the law, such an application must be to the appropriate body for precise information and be within the time limit required, the information should not have been provided already, it must not violate the sanctity of individuals or group and should not spread fear and destabilise the government and jeopardise trade secrets.

In a speech read for him, the Volta Regional Minister, Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa said citizens right to information was a necessary requirement for their active participation in government. "If the people for whom we are placed in government cannot effectively participate in governance, then our task as members of government becomes impossible", he said.

Owusu-Yeboa however, cautioned that there must be responsible use of information to prevent the destabilisation of the country.

Oscar Vulor, President of the Volta Region branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) observed that "ouster" clauses in the right to information bill must be deleted because they could be used by those in authority to frustrate timely access to information.

Vulor said by vesting in the Supreme Court the power to hear complaints of denial of access meant that many applicants who live outside Accra would not be able to pursue their complaints. Dr A. Bonnah-Koomson, a member of the National Media Commission (NMC) in an overview of the bill said it is strengthened by the fact that it places an obligation on public officials to satisfy the public demand for information, it promotes proper record-keeping and makes it mandatory for all institutions to have information officers to serve the public.

He said the bill is weakened by its lack of a definition of a government agency, the determination of complaints by the Supreme Court instead of the High Courts, and the 20 years prescribed for withholding access to certain types of information. Reacting to the last point however, Justice Apaloo said it was necessary to preserve national security and civil order.

Cyril Acolatse, another member of the NMC said, "it is my strong conviction that the coming of the Right to Information Law will drastically stem the overly speculative and sensational journalism that we now live with. Indeed, civic and responsible journalism... warrant such a law in Ghana."

In a paper titled, "Free Flow of Information Not Only from or For Media", presented on his behalf, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Editor of the Daily Graphic said " ...a freedom of information law could protect us from harassment by media personnel, for information, which from all intents and purposes, is private, but which could be leaked to them."
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Takoradi (Greater Accra) 8 September 2003 - Bakers have been alerted of the re-introduction of the banned chemical, Potassium Bromate, on the market in a deceptively packaged form by some unscrupulous people.

The chemical, known to be a health hazard now comes in the form of a whitish powder, giving it the same appearance as that of the permitted ascorbic acid.

Nuhu Sumaila, a Laboratory Technician at the Takoradi Flour Mills Limited, dropped the hint when members of the Ghana National Flour Users Association visited the Mill.

He told them to report people who come to them with the chemical to the security agencies, pointing out that, laboratory tests had shown that combination of potassium bromate and ascorbic acid produces a reaction that could have devastating health problems for people.

Sumaila said the level of ascorbic acid in the flour supplied by the mills was sufficient and bakers have no reason to add any additional chemicals.

Responding to complaints by the Association about the poor quality of flour at times delivered to them, Boakye Boateng, the Plant Engineer, said their company places premium on the maintenance of high quality standards. He blamed the problem bakers sometimes encounter in the use of flour to fungi infection and advised them not to compromise on environmental standards.

Mrs Comfort Akotua, President of the Association, called on the mills to ensure that their bagged products meet the approved weight measurement.

She said there had been instances where some bagged flour produced by the companies do not meet the 50-kilogramme weight, pointing out that, some weighed as low as 45 kilogrammes. Mrs Akotua asked the flour producers to institute annual awards for bakers as they do for the distributors.
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 8 September 2003 - The Traditional and Alternative Medicine Practice (TAMP) Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MOH) is to screen and give accreditation to traditional medicine practitioners who should be accessed by patients under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The Acting Director of the Directorate, Peter Arhin, who announced this at Koforidua on Saturday at the end of the Fourth Traditional Medicine Week, said, to this end, a database of reputable and standardised practitioners is to be created and a legal and regulatory framework established.

This, he hoped, would also help facilitate the integration of herbal and orthodox medical practice in the health delivery system to complement each other through cross referral of cases for improved health delivery for the people.

Commenting on the celebration in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he noted that the joint celebration of the Week and the First African Traditional Medicine Day, brought together over 600 practitioners, including about 40 exhibitors from Ghana and neighbouring countries to exchange experiences.

He said the combine support of the government, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and donors, in addition to media coverage, had contributed greatly to make an impact of this year's celebration locally and internationally.

Dr Joseph Lartey of the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), Mampong-Akuapem, said traditional medicine had long being recognised worldwide, and cited the experiences of other countries in developing the system to provide alternative choice of health delivery to the people.

He advised the practitioners to also allow further research into their herbal preparations to ascertain their efficacy and safety to make them more readily acceptable by all for integrative health delivery service under the NHIS.

The Co-ordinator of the National Drug Information Unit, Philip Anum, announced that a collaborative conference comprising his outfit, the MOH and research institutions, including the CSRPM, the Food and Drugs Board would soon be held to institute mechanisms for collating and creating a data base of traditional medicine.

He said the documentation could lead to some of the herbal drugs to be included in the MOH Essential Drug List as well as enable his outfit to provide adequate information on them to foreigners who enquire about them.

On his part, the president of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM), Dr. Anthony Normeshie commended the government and the WHO for efforts being made to promote the development and application of traditional medicine in the country.

He assured that every effort would be made to eliminate quacks from the system to enable the country to benefit from the integration of herbal and orthodox medicine in the health delivery service under the NHIS.
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Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 8 September 2003 - Maulvi Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary in-charge of Ahmadiyya Mission in Ghana, at the weekend advised men to change their attitudes towards women as inferior beings to ensure a just and fair world situation.

"Since women have the unique privilege of producing men, men must be charitable to them," he said. Maulvi Adam was addressing a Silver Jubilee rally of Lajna Imaillah, Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association, at Techiman in Brong Ahafo.

About 5000 delegates throughout the country, La Cote D'Ivoire, Benin and the United Kingdom attended the rally, which was under the theme, "25 years of Service to Allah".

Maulvi Adam said the daily subjection of women to domestic violence, sexual abuse and pre-mature widowhood, among others, "cannot be said to be the best reward for all the sacrifices they make for the preservation of mankind".

He exhorted women to be conscious of their unique status and not to regard childbirth as an end in itself but to prepare their children adequately for the future through proper upbringing and good education.

Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister in an address read for him called on Muslims to work hard enough to erase the misconception that Islam is a religion of violence.

Islam is a honourable and peaceful religion and charge its adherents to live by its tenets, he added. The Regional Minister entreated Muslim parents to ensure that their children lead decent lives and are faithful to Allah to ensure discipline in their communities.

Nana Seinti urged the Ahmadiyya Mission to form virgin clubs and counselling centres to steer their members away from contracting HIV/AIDS. He advised Muslims to send their children to school to be able to achieve academic excellence and abhorred the incidence of early marriages and child labour in some Muslim communities.

Hajia Sara Bonsu, National Vice-President of the Women's Association who presided said the Association was founded in 1992 and has its headquarters in Pakistan.

She said the Association has the aim of educating Ahmadi women on their rights and responsibilities at home and in communities to ensure the proper upbringing of their children.

Hajia Bonsu encouraged the women to make an impact as good role models to effect a revolutionary change in the attitude, lifestyle and behaviour of their children and Ghanaians as a whole.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 8 September 2003 - The insertion of Ghanaian troops into the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia (ECOMIL) operations entered its second day on Sunday with the airlift of more personnel, equipment and other logistics into Monrovia.

The troops, who are under the command of Lt. Col. J.A. Adolinama are part of the leading elements of Ghanaian troops to be deployed in Liberia under the ECOWAS brokered peace plan for Liberia.

This is contained in a release issued by the Public Relations directorate of Ghana Armed forces in Accra on Sunday. Addressing the troops shortly before they enplaned for Monrovia, the Commander of the Support Services Brigade, Brigadier J.K. Attipoe, said the troops were part of the vanguard for the ECOWAS inter positional force for Liberia. Their purpose was to maintain the fragile peace that was holding in that country.

He recalled the important role Ghana had played in securing a cease-fire in the Liberia crisis and cautioned that much more would be expected of Ghanaian troops operating in ECOMIL.

Brigadier Attipoe reminded the troops that, though they have performed in various operations and posses a store of experiences, every operation was unique in its own special way. Troops must not be complacent but combine their training and experience, so as to achieve the desired results.

Additionally, as pacesetters of the subsequent battalions, they cannot afford to relax but maintain that professional posture to ensure that the mission of ECOMIL was achieved.

The Commander admonished the troops to be conscious of the fact that they were a peacekeeping or peace facilitating force and not an occupation force. They must therefore, respect the culture and customs of the people. Also at the Air Force Base to see the troops off was Mary Carlin Yates, the United States Ambassador. The insertion of the Ghanaian troops is expected to be completed by Monday.

In another development, another battalion, United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leon (UNAMSIL) Ghanbatt 8, under the command of Lt. Col. G. Biah will start relieving UNAMSIL Ghanbatt 7, who have completed six months tour of duty in Sierra Leone on Tuesday 9, September.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 8 September 2003 - Emmanuel Opoku, Acting Managing Director (MD) of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRC) on Saturday said that government had accepted the policy to allow private sector finance and participation in the operations of the Company.

He said as part of the package, the infrastructure and equipment of the GRC, would be given to the private sector to operate for a period, while the operators pay annual fees to the government.

Opoku made this known at the inauguration of the Ghana Railway Senior Officers Pensioners Association (GRASOPA) at Takoradi. He said bids have been advertised and would be opened after December 1, this year and the winner would be expected to begin operations in March 2004.

The Acting MD said the winner would be expected to expand the central line to link Cote d'Ivoire, Benin and Nigeria. Another line to link Tema and Akosombo would be constructed to facilitate multiple transport on the Volta Lake. He said the GRC increased its freight traffic from 816,000 tonnes in 1998 to 1,682,000 tonnes in 2002.

Francis Baidoo, Assistant Secretary of GRASOPA appealed to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to refund former GRC workers' contributions to the fund to them. He explained that although most of them opted for the "Cap 30" scheme when SSNIT was introduced, their contributions were paid into the SSNIT fund, and therefore, appealed to the Western Regional Minister, Joseph B. Aidoo, to assist them to retrieve their contribution to the fund.

Baidoo spoke about unsatisfactory medical care pensioners receive at some hospitals and appealed to the Ministry of Health, to implement the free medical care policy for Pensioners and the aged.

Francis Eghan, a pensioner who chaired the function appealed to the government to assist pensioners and retrenched workers to collect their outstanding benefits. He said though a court had given judgement in favour of the affected workers, their entitlements had still not been paid.

Eghan commended the government for the establishment of a Ministry of Ports, Harbours and Railways, adding, "this falls in line with the holistic plan of the late Dr. Kofi A. Busia".
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Aflao (Volta Region) 8 September 2003 - Francis Nyatiglo, an apprentice Electrical Technician was on Wednesday September 3, this year, found hanging in his room in an advanced state of decomposition at Abeliakope, a suburb of Aflao.

His bloated body was discovered by his co-tenants after they had been engulfed in a strong stench emanating from his room and therefore forced the door open.

A source from the area told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Nyatiglo had been heard several times threatening to take his life because his wife had deserted him.

Baba Moro, Assistant Superintendent of Police In-Charge of Crime at the Aflao District Police Command confirmed the story when contacted, saying Police initial investigations did not suggest any foul play. He said that Nyatiglo, who had been attending his father's funeral at Agbozome on August 30, this year, returned to his room at Aflao secretly, and hanged himself with a piece of cloth tied to a roofing board.

Moro said Nyatiglo's body had since been released for burial, while investigations continued.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 8 September 2003 - Rev Robert G. A. Okine, Archbishop and Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa of the Anglican Church, has said that the action of the Episcopal Anglican Church of USA in endorsing the election of a gay priest as Bishop contravenes traditional Anglican norms and practice, which are based on Scripture, tradition and reason.

In a pastoral letter, dated September 5 2003, addressed to the Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the Anglican Church of the Province of West Africa, Archbishop Okine noted that, "It is not the practice of the Anglican Church to allow the appointment and ordination of homosexuals/lesbians as clergymen or women".

The action taken by the Church in the USA is out of step with the teachings and practice of the worldwide Anglican Communion and does not promote Faith and Order in the Church."

The letter registered its sadness on the approval of homosexuals to the high offices since "the action seems to have lowered the Gospel to the level of Society instead of raising Society to the level of the Gospel." The Church of the Province of West Africa therefore said it does not subscribe to the appointment and deems it most reprehensible.

The pastoral letter attributed the action to the placement of undue emphasis on the civic rights of the individual, which it said it appreciates.

However, decisions, which do not respect collegiality or treat with "contempt the mind of the Church of God, can best be described as insensitive, if not heartless. The recognition of the individual's rights the letter, said is " unfortunately, that is the price the Anglican Church has to pay for being democratic to fault".

Archbishop Okine urged all faithful of the Church of the Province of West Africa, to remain steadfast in the face of "ecclesiastical inconsistencies and provocation" and pray for God's intervention peace and sanity to prevail.

The letter was in reaction to the appointment in June this year of Canon (Dr) Jeffery John, a noted gay activist who is reported to have been living in a same-sex relationship for over 20 years as the Suffragan Bishop of Reading in the Diocese of Oxford, United Kingdom.

It was also in reaction to the authorisation in July of a "rite of blessing of same-sex unions" by the synod of the Diocese of New Westminster, Anglican Church of Canada and the confirmation in August of the election Rev Canon Gene Robinson described as a "man partnered to another man" as Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of New Hampshire, USA.

The letter reaffirmed the Resolution on Hum Sexuality of the Lambeth Conference of Bishops held in Canterbury in 1998 rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with the Scripture.

It called on members of the Church in West Africa to remain steadfast in the face of "ecclesiastical inconsistencies and provocation" and to pray for unity, peace and sanity in the Church.
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