President Kufuor airlifts warlords to Accra for peace talks
Police
offer ˘10 million reward
President Kufuor airlifts warlords to Accra for peace talks
Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - President John Kufuor is sending a special
aircraft to the Northern Region on Tuesday to pick leaders of the warring
factions at Yendi to meet him in Accra. Also to be flown back to Accra on the
same plane is the Nayiri or King of the Mamprusis who, traditionally, is
recognised as a big brother to the Ya-Na of Yendi.
Mr
Ferdinand O. Ayim of the Ministry of Information, who disclosed this in an
interview on Monday night explained that the Nayiri will be expected to lend
his “weight and authority to the talks to be held between the President and the
two factions.” The aim of the talks is to calm tempers and get both sides to
the fight to agree to a peaceful resolution as a short-term measure, Ayim
added.
As a
measure to broker a long-lasting solution to the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute,
President Kufuor intends constituting a team of three very prominent kings
including the Asantehene, the Nayiri and the Yagbonwura who is king of the
Gonjas to deliberate on the age-long Yendi disputes, the Information Ministry
officials further disclosed.
He was
happy to note that the situation at Yendi, Tamale and other Dagbon settlements
have calmed since the dastardly deed was done last Wednesday. “We are told
there is no further breach. And as I talk now the Council of State has a
delegation in the area holding talks for peace.”
As would be
recalled the clashes between the Andani Gate and Abudu Gate of Yendi hit a
crescendo last Wednesday when 25 people, including the Yendi chief were
massacred, aside of billions of cedis worth of property that were destroyed.
The Ministers for the Interior and Northern Region resigned as the government
plunged into investigations to expose architects of the assassinations.
The moves
to restore peace and normalcy to Yendi as soon as possible are also considered
to be of prime necessity as planning season for the district, which is one of the
chiefs yam, rice and maize producers is just around the corner. – The
Chronicle.
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Presence of 444 troops at Yendi
Yendi
(Northern Region) 02 April 2002 - To ensure peace and stability in Yendi and
other parts of Dagbon, about 444 soldiers have been deployed in the area. They
are made up of 24 officers and 420 men.
This was
disclosed by the Army Commander, Major-General Clayton B. Yaache, at a news
briefing at the Kamina Barracks, Tamale, at the weekend. The Army Commander
also gave the assurance that adequate security measurers had been taken to
forestall a spillover of the Yendi chieftaincy disputes.
Maj-Gen
Yaache said the security forces were not taking any chances, and therefore
appealed to all the citizens in the area to remain calm while efforts were
being taken to arrive at a lasting solution to the problem. He commended the
leadership of the Andani and Abudu gates for cooperating with the security
forces to restore peace to the area. He also noted that he was satisfied with
the level of compliance by the inhabitants of Yendi and Tamale.
Maj-Gen
Yaache disclosed that 23 of the dead at Yendi, most of whom were supporters of
the late Ya-Na Andani II, were on Sunday, buried at Sambu, a village near
Yendi, while five sub-chiefs were buried at Yendi. In addition to the burnt
palace and a few traditional houses where the Ya-Na’s wives and relatives
resided, 37 round huts were also burnt.
Despite the
heavy military presence in the area, Maj Gen Yaache said the effort of the
ground troops would be complemented by daily air surveillance in the entire
Dagbon areas to ensure that any trouble that might arise was nibbed in the bud.
However,
the Easter celebration in the area, was dull particularly in the Tamale
Municipality where most night activities were cancelled due to the curfew,
including the popular annual Easter picnic at the premises of the Tamale
Training College. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The police have offered a ˘10 million reward
for any accurate and reliable information leading to the arrest of the culprits
who carried out last week’s attack on the Ya-Na’s palace at Yendi, which
resulted in the death of the Ya-Na and a number of people at the palace.
This was
contained in a release issued in Accra on Monday, and signed by the
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku. The release assured
the public that an all-embracing impartial and thorough investigation had begun
into the circumstances leading to the attack on the Ya-Na’s palace.
It said
that in furtherance of the police effort, a Special Investigative Team (SIT)
had been set up to coordinate the investigation. It is made up of officers from
the CID headquarters and their colleagues from the Northern Police Command. The
IGP therefore, appealed to members of the public with any information on those
who executed the dastardly acts to contact the police in Accra, Yendi or
Tamale. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Reconsider decision to vet Yendi reports - Minority
Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The NDC Minority in Parliament has called on
the Minister of Information to immediately withdraw the directive to media
houses to submit news reports on the Dagbon crisis to his office for vetting.
The Minority has described the minister’s directive as unconstitutional and
illegal.
A statement
issued in Accra on Monday and signed by the Minority spokesman on
Communications, Mr John Mahama, said the Emergency Powers Act of 1994, under
which the Minister claims to be acting, “confers no power of censorship on the
President, neither does any provision of the Constitution.” The statement made
it clear that: “The Minister of Information can, therefore, not claim to
exercise any such powers on behalf of the President to censor news reports on
the Dagbon crises.
The
Minority described the directive from the Minister of Information as an obvious
attempt to present a one-sided view of events on the Dagbon area and, thereby
cover up the alleged inept handling of the crises by the intelligence and
security operatives.
The
statement called on the Ghana Journalists Association and the National Media
Commission to take urgent and immediate action to halt this gross encroachment
on the freedoms and independence of the media as enshrined in Chapter 12 of the
1992 Constitution.
The
Minority reminded the government about the constitutional requirement for the
declaration of a State of Emergency and added that such a declaration should be
on the advice of the Council of State; should be published in the gazette and
placed before Parliament immediately. The statement said it does not appear
that theses constitutional procedures have been adhered to.
The
Minority re-echoed its call for the immediate convening of an emergency meeting
of Parliament to deliberate on the crises and the setting up of an independent
judicial inquiry to investigate the crises. The statement noted that while the
Minority believes that the situation in the Dagbon area warrants the imposition
of a State of Emergency, it will not condone any attempt to circumvent or
violate constitutional procedures and the rule of law.
It said the
Minority has confidence in the good sense and judgement of the media, and noted
that: “so far, journalists covering the crisis have exercised maturity and a
sense of responsibility.”
As a point
of reference, during the 1994 conflict, which occurred in parts of the Northern
Region, during which a State of Emergency was declared, news reports filed by
journalists, who were covering the unfolding events, were subjected to vetting
before they could be published. According to information available to the
Graphic, a special information desk was set up at the Kamina Barracks in Tamale
and all news reports had to be seen by military personnel, who manned the desk,
before publication.
Those
responsible for the vetting, the information said, did mark out portions of the
reports which they considered distasteful or circled words they thought could
inflame the situation, after which they passed them off, by putting the
censorship mark on the reports. The military, at that time, was involved in a
special operation to restore peace to the conflict area. – Daily Graphic.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The Office of the Minister of Information and
Presidential Affairs has described the declaration of the State of Emergency and
the directive to media houses to submit their news reports on the Dagbon crisis
for vetting as constitutional and legal.
It said the
President has complied with all constitutional and legal requirements,
including the advice of the Council of State and publication in the gazette for
the declaration of the State of Emergency. Mr Ferdinand O. Ayim, the Special
Assistant to the Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, in reaction
to a statement from the NDC Minority in Parliament calling for the withdrawal
of the directive to the media, said the government’s actions are based on solid
and firm constitutional grounds.
He said the
government derives its powers from Article 31 and 64 of the Constitution and
Section (1) of the Emergency Powers Act 1994 (Act 472). He said the declaration
allows the President to take “measures which are required for securing public
safety and maintenance of public order in the specified areas.”
Mr Ayim
said the President is expected to place before Parliament seven days after
publication in the gazette the facts and circumstances leading to the
declaration of the State of Emergency. He said the seven days have not yet
elapsed and described the NDC Minority’s stance on the matter as a deliberate
distortion of the Constitutional provisions. He explained that the directive to
the media houses is part of measures to ensure law and order in the area.
Meanwhile,
the Gazette on the Executive Instrument 28 (E.I. 28) on the State of Emergency
(Specified Areas) Proclamation, 2002, has been published. According to the
Gazette published on March 27, 2002, the President, acting on the powers
conferred on him under Clause (1) of Article 31 of the Constitution and Section
1 of the Emergency Powers Act of 1994, has declared a State of Emergency in the
Dagbon Traditional Area, Tamale Municipality and the Yendi District.
The Gazette
notes that unless Parliament, by a resolution of the Majority members, rejects
the declaration, the proclamation shall continue in force for three months beginning
“with the date of its being approved by Parliament or until such earlier date
as may be specified in the resolution.”
The Gazette
noted that while the State of Emergency is in force, the President “shall cause
to be taken measures that are reasonably justifiable for dealing with the
situation that exists.” – Daily Graphic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Coordinator of the National Economic Dialogue Secretariat, has disclosed that over 60 business projects made up of joint ventures and sole Ghanaian proprietorship have been established by Ghanaians resident abroad since the HomeComing Summit was organised last year.
Speaking in an interview with The Crusading Guide, he affirmed that over ˘228 billion have been invested in various sectors of the economy by Ghanaians resident abroad. Mr Asamoah Boateng intimated that Agriculture, Export Trade, Tourism, General Trade, Construction, Manufacturing and other sectors had benefited tremendously from the HomeComing summit by way of investment.
To help tap more from Ghanaian residents abroad, he disclosed that a non-resident Ghanaian Secretariat had been established to prepare a comprehensive data on the professionals amongst them.
He added that data on medical and accounting professionals have already been completed by the Secretariat’s regional representative in North America and Europe. “There is an estimated three million Ghanaian residents outside. If we can at least rely on even one million of them on consistent and regular basis in terms of finance, experience and their knowledge transfer, we would gain a lot as a country”, Asamoah Boateng said.
He said his outfit had been in touch with all who came to the HomeComing Summit as well as those who could not make it. Mr Boateng said that various packages have been put in place to help halt delays at the ports. He underscored that his outfit and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) have arranged for non-resident Ghanaians to settle their customs duty and other taxes at their originating countries in order to speed up the process of clearing goods.
The Coordinator of the National Economic Dialogue Secretariat, intimated that his outfit was working with financial institutions to increase the contributions of the non-residents to the economy. Asked whether another HomeComing Summit was going to be organised soon, Mr Boateng said that the country was still tapping the benefits of the recently organised one, adding that his Secretariat was in touch with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the Volta Region to organise something of a similar nature.
He said that when any organisation or professional body wants his outfit to assist in organising Ghanaians to come home “We would be involved and help them.” Mr Boateng thanked Ghanaians for the hospitality they offered “the homecomers” during the last Homecoming summit.
“And we are urging them to talk to their friends, brothers and sisters that this country is taking resources, we need their inputs. It’s an appeal to those outside that we have realised a lot of investment since the last summit. We want them to increase it, we want to tell them a lot of their counterparts have come and established and they should follow suit,” Mr Boateng said with a smile. - The Crusading Guide
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The Managing Director of the Ghana Post Company
Limited (GPCL), Mr Isaac Adu-Boahen, has noted that the arrival of modern
technology when people can communicate from every corner of the country without
the use of the company’s facilities is posing a serious threat to the survival
of the company, which must be addressed immediately.
He said
contrary to what people may be thinking, the company does not see Federal
Express (FEDEX), DHL, among other competitors, as posing any threat to the
survival of his company than the modern technology where students in tertiary
institutions and even secondary schools have easy access to mobile phones to
communicate with friends and relations without recourse to letter writing.
“When you
go to schools, you would realise that most of the students are having mobile
phones to communicate. Any small village, which has telephone facilities you
could see a communication centre there. In effect, these people no longer rely
on letter writing as a means of communication,” he said.
Adu-Boahen,
who was speaking at the annual review conference of his company, which took
place in Takoradi last week, said since there is nothing they can do to stop
this emerging technology, management has decided to diversify its activities in
order to stay in what could be described as a keen competition in the sector.
According
to him, it was based on this that management of the company decided to
establish partnership with other organisations, like Agricultural Development
Bank (ADB), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GCB), Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
State Insurance Company (SIC), among others, to provide agency services on
their behalf.
This
strategy helped Ghana Post not only in providing additional revenue to support
its operations, but also to improve the conditions of service of staff in the
face of very low postal rates,” Adu-Buahen said.
Touching on
the tampering of mail by some unscrupulous workers, the MD said it is not only
in Ghana that such things occur, adding it is a global problem. He, however, gave
an assurance that management, in harmony with Universal Postal Union, postal
security action group of which Ghana is a member, is working towards
strengthening mail security in the mail offices and vans.
The annual
review conference was instituted about seven years ago with the objective of
ensuring that the company remains focused on its vision of becoming the best
postal organisation in Africa. The occasion is used to review the operational,
financial, and management performance for the proceeding year and outline
strategies for addressing the shortfalls with vision and mission of the company
in focus. This year’s review conference was attended by representatives from
all departments of the company. – The Chronicle.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The Ameer and Missionary in charge of the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi Wahab Adam, has said that there is no chapter
or verse in the Quran, which prescribes stoning to death as punishment for
adultery.
“I
challenge those Muslims who prescribe stoning to death as punishment for
adultery to cite just one verse from the Holy Quran to support their
contention. The truth is, there is none,” he said. The Ammer was speaking at
the 73rd annual convention of the Mission in Accra at the Weekend.
It was under the theme, “Promotion of world peace: the role of religion.”
He said
such unfortunate practices and other distortions, which had crept into Islam
scared non-adherents of the religion. Maulvi Wahab said that Islam, as a
religion, was pure but had been unjustifiably painted black by its adversaries
and followers alike and called on Muslims to study the Quran diligently in
order to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Turning the
spotlight on the spate of armed robbery, destruction of school property and
spousal murders in the country, the Ammer blamed them on rap music, drugs,
broken homes and Hollywood movies and advised the youth to avoid them. – The
Ghanaian Times.
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Koforidua
(Eastern Region) 02 April 2002 - A new FM station, Sunrise FM 106.7, has been
commissioned at Koforidua. The radio station, owned by the Ghana Broadcasting
Corporation (GBC), will cover activities in all parts of the Eastern Region.
Speaking at
the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hackman
Owusu-Agyemang, asked heads of public organisations to cut down the cost of
running their institutions. He said it is only by doing this that the
government can save huge sums of money for development. Mr Owusu-Agyemang said
most organisations have to streamline their workforce in order to reduce
government expenditure, which has of late been very high.
The acting
Chairman of GBC’s Board of Directors, Mr Idris Egala, urged the directors of
the new station to ensure that its programmes are tailored towards improving
the quality of life of the people.
He also
called on the people in the region to show interest in the station’s programmes
and give meaningful contributions for its sustenance. Mr Egala also advised
staff of the new radio station to create a positive image for the corporation
by ensuring that they are objective in their news reportage.
The Deputy Eastern
Regional Minister, Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, said the government considers the FM
station as a partner in the development of the region. He called on the station
to promote business and tourism in the region and also educate the people on
topical issues that are of concern to the region and the nation.
The
Director-General of GBC, Mr Ago Adjetey, said the corporation has been able to
change its negative image of being a tool in the hands of government to a
positive one of a reliable, fair and objective medium. He also said that the
present management has, within a very short time, been able to establish four
new FM stations. These, he said, are Radio Upper West at Wa, Obonu FM, Uniq FM
and Sunrise FM.
Mr Adjetey
said the management have also brought the corporation’s accounts up-to-date,
explaining that the accounts for 1992 to 1998 have been audited, signed and
presented to the Auditor-General’s Department. He added that accounts for 1999
and 2000 have been submitted to the corporation’s external auditors.
The
Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, who
chaired the ceremony, called on the media to safeguard custom and tradition. –
Daily Graphic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - The pro-NDC Action Forum had categorically denied any role in any attempt to harass or possibly eliminate journalists in the country. The Action Forum also distanced itself from the ‘one page fire paragraph directive’ written by Mr Victor Smith, Special Aide to former President J.J. Rawlings, which is at the centre of the plot to harass and possibly eliminate two Ghanaian media practitioners, Kweku Baako Jnr., Editor The Crusading Guide and Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, Lecturer at the School of Communications Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.
Mr Victor Smith had intimated in an interview with The Independent last week that he had helped one A.K. Mensah of the Action Forum to draft what Mr Ekwow Spio-Gabrah and the NDC have officially described as a “ONE paragraph outline of a proposed open letter” intended for publication in the newspapers.
Significantly, The Crusading Guide which first broke the story never mentioned the Action Forum as the source of the threat. “Neither Kweku Baako nor Margaret Amoakohene has accused the Action Forum of being behind the malicious plot.”
However, in the name of fairness, the paper publishes unedited the full text of the Action forum’s statement on the ongoing saga. The statement was signed by eight (8) leading members of the Action Forum; namely Mr Kwaku Atuahene, National Coordinator, Kojo Wiafe, Yaw Osei-Badu, Nana Yaa, Women’s Organiser and Opanin Kwadwo Oppong, Eastern Regional representative. The others are Opanin K. Nuamah, Wofa Yaw and Opoku Mensah.
The attention of Action Forum has been drawn to recent media reports concerning the alleged threats against two eminent journalists. The Forum has been linked with a draft of a letter purported to have been drafted by Mr Victor Smith, an aide to President Rawlings.
We of the Action Forum categorized deny that we have ever seen or heard of such a draft letter before it became public. We want to assure all interested parties and the general public that there is absolutely no way the FORUM will ever abuse any journalist let alone be part of a plan to hurt them. We are aware that no government the world over ever succeeded when it targeted journalists.
As far as the NDC Action Forum is concerned, journalism has developed so beautifully over the past few years and must be sustained as an important factor in our democratic development. We recognise that journalism is a double-edged sword for any politician and any discerning politician cannot hope to have a perfect romance with journalists.
Either way they do so (journalist and politician) to their mutual detriment in the long run. We recognise the right of every Ghanaian to voice out his or her concerns. For the journalists, it is his or her job or duty to do so. Action Forum does not see why it can be part of an alleged scheme to intimidate any journalist. However, journalists are not beyond reproach and must be criticised in substance when we disagree with any particular view of theirs. Such criticisms could even be good for the journalist.
Therefore, it is far-fetched for anybody to link any letter with such negative political and social implications with the Action Forum. Before the Action Forum goes public on any issue there is exhaustive collective discussion on the contest and on the actual text of the document. We, therefore, know absolutely nothing of what is alleged to be a draft of a threatening letter to journalists.
Action Forum however pauses to ask: of what benefit would such an act of intimidation of journalists be to the NDC? We find it difficult to find any advantage to the NDC and would quickly treat these threats with serious contempt. The Action Forum thinks that those who stand to gain by such a publication and execution of the plans purported to be contained in the letter can never be the NDC. So why should the NDC shoot itself in the leg at a time it wants to build a good bridge between them and journalists?
The political undertones in the whole saga of a draft letter threatening journalists are too clear. We add our voice to the call for the reproduction of the offending letter in full. We suggest that it be published in its natural form and size for public scrutiny.
The agenda of the Action Forum includes promoting better internal democracy within the NDC and encouraging the holistic participation of all members of the party in the grassroots administration and activities. We know the harm that has been done to the party by people who held elective and operational positions without due regard to the dignity of the individual members. We believe in the principle of probity and accountability.
Several years before the 2000 elections, people who have come together to form the Action Forum became targets of suspensions, abuse and ridicule by the very officers and functionaries charged to ensure the growth of the party. Therefore, if we appear to express doubts on the sincerity of any member of the party seeking high offices within the Party after we have lost political power it is not due to the prompting of any individual or a group of persons. At the right time the whole world will know the qualitative and quantitative strength of the Action Forum, understand and appreciate what we stand for. - The Crusading Guide
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2002 - A.K. Mensah and K. Atuahene, were National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists, but recent events show that they are agents of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). They are known to have been the pets of all Ashanti Regional Executives of the NDC but they are also known to have hounded out of office Mr Frank Osei Mensah, first NDC Chairman for the Ashanti Region.
They consistently pestered and harassed Mr Ohene Agyekum when he was the Ashanti Regional Minister. The two traitors made life very, very difficult for Mr P.E.K. Antwi, who succeeded Mr Osei Mensah as the Regional Chairman of the party.
Mensah and Atuahene’s modus operandi was to come to Accra to tell fanciful stories about the Regional Executives and party dignitaries in Ashanti. In the process, they succeed in convincing leading members of the National Executive about their bona fides and set them on collision course against the Regional Executives.
Somewhere along the line, they became very close confidants of Dr Obed Asamoah, but it did not take long for Dr Asamoah to see them for what they were and they soon parted ways. When it appeared there was a rift between Dr Asamoah and former President Rawlings, the two traitors quickly aligned themselves with the staff of the former President’s household.
The two in a very cunning manner wormed their way into the confidence of Mr Victor Smith, the Personal Assistant to the former President. So when A.K. Mensah approached Victor Smith to assist him to write an open letter to certain Journalists who have been using abusive language against former President Rawlings, the latter did not suspect any treachery.
Having discussed the outline of the proposed open letter, Victor Smith then put down the points of the letter, which A.K. Mensah took away. Whether A.K. Mensah took the letter to the intelligence agencies, who also leaked the contents to Kwaku Baako or vice versa, we don’t know but somehow, the document got to Kwaku Baako.
The intelligence agencies then launched on onslaught against Victor Smith which was joined by Mr Jake Obetseibi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, President of The Ghana Journalists Association several other Journalists and commentators also jumped on the band.
As at now, Ghana Palaver sources indicate that the said, A.K. Mensah is being kept in a safe house by the intelligence agencies while his internal NDC opponents in Kumasi have all been systematically picked up and interrogated. It is suspected that their names were given to the intelligence agencies by A.K. Mensah, however, the fanciful story put out was that they were arrested for suspected involvement in coup plot.
Those arrested, detained, interrogated and subsequently released included Mohammed Sanni the Chairman of Ashanti Regional NDC Re-organisation Committee and Ex-WOI Imoro Salifu, NDC activist in Kumasi.
As at Monday evening, the Ghana Palaver was reliably informed that Alhaji Awudu Ariff Abubakari, the former Ashanti Regional Organiser of the NDC was to report to the BNI on Tuesday 2 April 2002. Anybody who knows anything about the internal NDC politics in Ashanti, would know that there was no way those people who were arrested and interrogated, sworn enemies of A.K. Mensah, can ever conspire with him for any purpose whatsoever.
This is what makes statements attributed to them during interrogation highly suspect. Ghana Palaver is still monitoring events as they unfold. – Ghana Palaver
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