A call for independent Electoral Commission
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 April 2002- All non-professional magistrates, grade two magistrates or court chairmen, who are not professional lawyers will stop working for the Judicial Service when the Court Amendment Bill becomes a law.
Mr Justice Edward Kwame Wiredu, the Chief Justice who announced this on Friday said the panel system of trying cases would also stop very soon except at the Family Tribunal and Juvenile Courts, when the Courts Amendment Bill receives a Presidential assent.
He was opening a two-day workshop in Accra, on the rights of children for more than 30 magistrates in the Southern Sector as part of the continuing education in the Judicial Service. It was organised by the African Society of International and Comparative Law and the Ghana Judicial Service with sponsorship from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Mr Justice Wiredu said with the cessation of the panel system of trying cases, the magistrate would sit alone, unless he sits at the Family Tribunal or Juvenile Courts adding, "this is indeed a return to the position before the introduction of the panel system in 1993".
He said until the date is announced the status quo would be maintained, but the lay magistrates "who have rented rooms, found schools for their wards and employment for their spouses in places where they work" should start arrangement to relocate when the need arises.
Mr Justice Wiredu told the participants; "it is obvious you may not have to start any complicated case that will inevitably take some time to complete. Ideally, efforts should be made to complete partly heard cases."
He, however, stressed that the Act does not do away with lay participation in the administration of justice in the country, adding: "We still retain lay participation in areas where opinion of non lawyers are beneficial in dispensing meaningful justice.
This is particularly the case with regard to matters affecting children."
The Chief Justice said in taking decisions on cases of custody and paternity, it was ideal to have inputs from people, who were parents or had greater interaction with children and were alive to their peculiar problems adding; "that explains why the panel system has been retained in respect of cases in Family Tribunal and Juvenile Courts."
Mrs Beatrice Duncan, Protection Officer of UNICEF, said Ghana was endowed with a considerable amount of legislation and conventions but the challenge was how to enforce them. She noted that with increasing levels of poverty, women and children were having it difficult to access the justice system.
"The relatively high cost of filing fees and the gnawing problem of delays in our court procedures discourage the common woman or child from initiating the court process," Mrs Duncan said.
Mrs Duncan said court attendants required a prospective applicant to possess enough financial resources for commuting to and from court in addition to remaining responsible for the servicing of their writs and called for mechanisms to ensure that indigent victims were not denied access to justice.
She reminded the Chief Justice of his prerogative under the Children's Act, which permitted him to waive part or all of the filing fees or other fees payable through Legislative Instrument.
Mrs Duncan expressed concern about the burden of proof placed especially upon child victims of abuse, saying "children as young as six years old have to undergo the rigours of cross-examination and re-examination in open court" and "prove beyond all reasonable doubt that they have been assaulted.
"Many counsels engage these children in heated debates over crimes committed by adults," she said, adding, "the children in their confusion do not speak, with the result that the cases are thrown out of court for want of prosecution." Mrs Duncan said initiation of prosecution of rape cases had also been delayed due to low staff levels and morale within the Attorney-General's Department.
She called for an inter agency co-operation and collaboration with agencies responsible for child protection, such as the medical services, the police, social welfare and prisons service and said there was the need to put in place a comprehensive networking system that would afford the agencies the opportunity to relate to each other.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 April 2002- The Executive Committee of the Civil Servants Association of Ghana on Friday said it was disappointed at the "unduly slow pace" of negotiations between the Association and the government, represented by the Central management Board (CMB), on salary increases for 2002.
"Even though negotiations started as far back as February, very little progress has been made in the direction of reaching a mutually acceptable salary adjustment level," it said in a statement after an emergency meeting in Accra on Friday.
The Association said it blamed this on the casual attitude of the CMB and, for that matter, government, and called on the authorities "to quicken the pace in order to contain the incipient discontent in the Civil Service."
The statement said the implementation of the Ghana Universal Salary Scale (GUSS) was to span a period of three years in the medium-term during which disparities between salaries between civil and public servants would have been bridged.
"As we enter the fourth year of implementation of GUSS, it is disheartening to note that these disparities have rather widened. "The Association is disappointed at these developments and would wish to see a positive move in this gap-closing exercise this year."
The statement said the Executive Committee has also noted with dismay the slow attention given by the Appellate Body to petitions from civil servants regarding their salaries and called on it to expedite action on these petitions.
The Executive Committee also called on the Office of the Head of Civil Service to put in place immediately a new scheme for civil service departments for better placement on the GUSS in order to forestall frustration among civil servants.
It said it believed that most of these problems had arisen because of the absence of a substantive Head of the Civil Service and called on the government to take immediate steps to appoint a substantive head for effective service delivery.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 06 April 2002- A draft programme of activities for the celebration of the third anniversary of the enstoolment of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has been released by Yankah and Associates and the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. According to the programme, the activities would begin from 26 April and end on 6 May 2002.
Addressing a press conference in Kumasi, on Friday, in connection with the celebration, Mr Ivor Agyemang-Duah of Yankah and Associates, said it would involve a photo exhibition of the enstoolment of the Asantehene, settlement of disputes, his sitting with Asanteman Council and honouring by international and local institution.
Film shows that would show the Golden Stool, settlement of cases at Manhyia, his trips abroad and strips from television stations in the country as well as cultural performances, lectures, sales of films on Asantehene, calendar, portraits, posters and souvenirs.
Mr Agyemang-Duah said on Sunday, 5 May, there would be a church service, an awards night and a reception on 6 May to commemorate the Asantehene's birthday. He noted that within the short period that the Asantehene ascended the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu had distinguished himself as a progressive, forward-looking, development-oriented leader.
He said the Otumfuo had resolved long-standing chieftaincy and land disputes, set up an education fund to assist needy children and community schools, established an investment company to help create jobs and attract investments into Asanteman. The Otumfuo had further shown great concern for the HIV/AIDS epidemic and set up a foundation to assist in its eradication.
Mr Agyemang-Duah said Otumfuo Osei Tutu had contributed significantly to the transformation of the image of traditional leaders in Africa by his initiatives over the past few years.
He said the Asantehene had been recognised both locally and internationally, leading to his being honoured by the universities of Glasgow, Scotland, Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne in the USA and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. It was, therefore, appropriate and fitting that the third anniversary of Otumfuo Osei Tutu be marked to provide a documentary of his reign.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 06 April 2002- The Aflao Police have stepped up their search for Kwame Torsavi, 42, unemployed, who attempted to poison his wife by lacing her alcoholic beverage with acid on 27 March.
Torsavi, a citizen of Hohoe, was said to have broken into Faustina Agbeli, the wife's room through the roof while she was away in Lome and doused her seven wax prints, blouses, pants and other with acid, destroying them. Faustina, 42, in a story corroborated by a police source at Aflao, said she and Torsavi had been married for the past 13 years and lived in the same room at Gbedekope, a suburb of Aflao.
The police said Faustina, who operates a chopbar in Lome, the Togolese capital rented the room they were occupying but later decided to rent another room and advised Torsavi to move with her to the new accommodation.
The police source said Torsavi agreed, collected the key to the room and moved there. Faustina and Torsavi's eight year-old son with another woman were to join him later. Torsavi was said to have raised objection to the new place and suggested they maintained the old place to which his wife objected.
The source said when Faustina returned from Lome she noticed changes in her bedroom and a search revealed that a substance had been poured on her clothing. The source said when Faustina picked her drink she noticed it had changed colour on examining it detected that it was laced with acid. Torsavi's son is still under the care of Faustina while his father is on the run.
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Bolgatanga (Upper East) 06 April 2002- The Muslim community in Bolgatanga on Friday offered special prayers for lasting peace in Bawku and the Dagbon traditional area. The prayers, which were held after the Friday "Jumma" or congregational prayer, was led by the regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Yusuf Adam.
Verses were recited from the Quran, after which Imam Adam invoked God's intervention in all conflict areas in the country, particularly Bawku and
Dagbon. He prayed for peace and stability in Ghana, calling on the people to co-exist in the spirit of brotherliness and good neighbourliness. The Chief Imam also prayed for God's protection and guidance for President J.A. Kufuor, ministers of state and all members of government.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 06 April 2002- A non-governmental organisation (NGO) has requested government to ensure that all displaced students of junior secondary schools in the Dagbon Traditional area write their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), scheduled for 22 April.
The Centre for Human Rights Education and Advocacy, asked government to protect the students' right to education by putting in place the necessary security measures to enable them write their examination. This is contained in a release signed by the Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Awudu Issah Mahmudu.
It said most of the affected students had fled the Dagbon area with their parents in the wake of the crisis. The release asked the Ministry of Education and the security agencies to jointly ensure that that the affected students returned to their communities without any fear.
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Cape Coast Central Region) 06 April 2002- The Central Regional Director of Education, Mrs Kate Amartey, on Saturday said current indiscipline in the schools could be curbed when teachers and students cooperate for effective and efficient academic work.
This cooperative effort, she noted, requires dedication, commitment, endurance and professionalism on the part of the teacher and obedience, humility, respect, gratitude and hard work from the student.
Mrs. Amartey was addressing a forum organised by the Central Region Scripture Union-Ghana for heads of second cycle institutions, and Christian teachers in the Cape Coast Municipality under the theme "Making Effective Christian Impact in Our Schools".
She said a student's vision to aspire to a higher level could be gingered by the teacher's professional competence, adding that most students had selected subjects and careers as a result of the way their teachers aroused their interest in specific subjects.
Mrs Amartey said that, to some extent, the degree of poverty was forcing some parents to shed their responsibilities, adding that lack of parental supervision offers the youth the opportunity to stay out of the house, thereby making them prone to all forms of negative influences.
She, therefore, advised the youth to desist from all forms of negative tendencies that can undermine their studies and take their lessons seriously. "We want our youth to be highly educated, well equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge that will make them fit into this technological era.
"We do not want them to be armed robbers, rapists or HIV/AIDS patientsand drain the coffers of the nation. Rather, they should be contributing their quota to the progress and development of Ghana after schooling," Mrs Amartey stated.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 April 2002- The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama returned home on Friday from an ECOWAS leaders meeting on the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
The meeting, which was at the invitation of the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, brought together heads of governments from Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria. Briefing journalist at the airport, Alhaji Mahama said the Canadian Prime Minister, who is expected to chair the impending G8 Summit, brainstormed with the leaders on how best he could advocate Africa's case at the June Summit in his country.
The meeting, he said, discussed peace and security, good governance, agriculture, access to foreign markets. Foreign inflows into Africa and health issues were also discussed. Alhaji Mahama said Prime Minister Chretien assured the leaders that he would articulate Africa's concern at the Summit.
The leaders stressed the need for a peaceful and stable environment on the continent in order to attract the needed investments. Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, who accompanied the Vice President said, Canada had made an initial contribution of 500 US dollars toward the implementation of the projects and programmes of NEPAD.
He underscored the need for Africa to ensure the success of NEPAD, which is its own initiative to alleviate poverty. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Owusu-Agyemang said, would undertake a fact-finding tour of the various sub-regional groupings on the continent before the Summit.
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Accra Greater Accra 06 April 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday said Ghana has resolved to play a leading role in the unification of the West African Sub-region through the energy sector.
He said the idea to unify countries within the sub-region had been a dream over the years, but such unification required a basic infrastructure and the energy sector could provide the needed impetus.
President Kufuor made the pledge when ECOWAS Ministers of Energy on the West African Power Pool Project (WAPP) attending their third meeting in Accra called on him at the Castle, Osu.
The WAPP is a 15-year development project to establish a regional energy policy conceived about 20 years ago when serious electricity shortages began to occur in most countries and the need for action became apparent.
The one-day meeting, attended by ministers from about 14 countries including Ghana, Benin, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal and representatives from some donor agencies such as the World Bank and the Kuwait Fund, was to initiate immediate steps to begin the process for the Project.
President Kufuor said the Accra meeting, which was not attended by only technocrats, but representatives of donor agencies would make a break-through in the project, adding, "this should augur well for the sub-region to realise its dream and vision in the energy sector".
He said the meeting would, in addition review the West African Gas Pipeline Project, which was moving at a snail's pace. Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy who led the Ministers, said deliberations at the meeting indicated realisation of the objectives of the project.
He said on its completion, countries with energy surplus could assist countries that were deficient in energy supply to create a balance in energy supply. Miss Aribisala Remi, Deputy Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, said WAPP had been incorporated into projects to be financed under the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
She appealed to the governments of Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria to use their influence on other member countries to improve on the pace of the implementation of the project, which on completion would create more employment opportunities and improve the health and educational facilities in the sub-region.
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Heman (Western Region) 06 April 2002- A total of 43 pupils from the Heman Methodist Primary and Junior Secondary School (JSS) dropped out of school during the second term of 2002 academic year.
Mr John B. Ocloo and Mr James Amponsah, headteachers of the JSS and primary schools respectively, told the Ghana News Agency that 12 pupils from the JSS and 31 from the primary school failed to return to school for the third term.
Ten pupils from the District Council Primary School were transferred during the same term but there was no significant record of dropouts in the first term. The headteachers attributed the high dropout rate to economic hardship, poor parental care and the lack of commitment on the part of the pupils towards schooling.
Additionally, most children of school going age, the teachers said, stopped attending school and went into illegal gold mining popularly known as "galamsey". "To the children it is the fastest way of making money because many parents do not earn much from the farming and palm wine tapping, which are the major occupations in the area'', they said.
Many homes, the teachers said, were supported by children, who engaged in illegal gold mining operations. The headteachers said while some parents were unable to pay their children's fees, others did not show any interest in their education, leading to the high dropout rates.
Some teachers of Heman Methodist Primary school hinted that since the school was far away from the community, most parents had rented rooms in the town for their children but the girls have resorted to attending dances, video shows and indulging in other anti-social acts.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 April 2002- The fourth in a series of international seminars organised by the Commonwealth Press Union on issues relating to press regulation in the newspaper industry of the Commonwealth opens in Accra on Tuesday.
A statement by the British Council in Accra on Friday said two eminent persons in the field, Prof. Robert Pinker, London School of Economics and Acting Chairman of the UK Press Complaints Commission and Ian Beales, an expert in the field of press codes of practice, would participate in the programme.
The statement said the previous seminars were held in South Africa, Australia and South and Southeast Asia. These, it said, provided "a fascinating and valuable insight into the issues confronting countries which aspire to self-regulatory system for their newspaper industry and the problems they have to overcome."
It said at the end of the seminar series, a full report would be published to provide an accurate and complete picture of the regulatory issues of the Commonwealth newspaper industry.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 April 2002- The government has agreed to help the Dagbon Traditional Council to immediately restore the Gbewaa Palace, which was damaged in the fighting between the two factions involved in the Dagbon Chieftaincy dispute in Yendi as its contribution towards restoring peace and normality.
As a first step, personnel of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Tamale have been despatched to Yendi to assess the situation while the Ministry of Works and Housing has been tasked to appraise all resources required to ensure that portions of the Palace destroyed were restored as quickly as possible.
This was announced by Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Deputy Government Spokesman, when briefing newsmen on developments on the Yendi crisis at the Castle, Osu, on Friday.
He said the situation on the ground had stabilised to the extent that the Army Commander, Major-General C.D. Yaache would return to Accra on Friday. However, Brigadier George Ayiku, Commanding Officer of the Northern Sector, would remain in Tamale to oversee the State of Emergency.
Mr. Agyepong said President John Agyekum Kufuor during consultations with the three-member Mediation Team on the Yendi crisis, gave the assurance that the on-going criminal investigations being undertaken by the security agencies into the crisis would be pursued vigorously to the end.
"These enquiries are entirely even handed and thoroughly professional and will aim at bringing to book anyone who is found to have infringed the law," he added. Mr Agyepong appealed to interested groups with any relevant information on the crisis to inform the police or the Ministerial Task Force which has been set up by President Kufuor to help manage and resolve the crisis.
On the work of the Mediation Team, Mr Agyepong said it advised both factions in the crisis to desist from any further public utterances that could jeopardise the negotiations by inflaming tempers and hardening positions.
He said the team had set up a timetable of work during the coming weeks that would take them through the whole range of issues in the crisis. "The team re-affirmed their commitment to help government and the people of Dagbon to find lasting solution to the problem," he added.
Mr Agyepong said the delegations from the Andani and Abudu Gates involved in the crisis would return to Dagbon on Friday, adding that they had pledged to make themselves available for the programme of work that had been set out and to co-operate with the team.
Twenty-eight people were reported killed in the fighting, which occurred between March 25 and 27. The Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Paramount Chief of the Dagbon Traditional Area was also reported killed.
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Agona Swedru (Central Region) 06 April 2002- Mr Charles Denkyi, Assistant Civic Education Officer of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has suggested to the government to establish an independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections without the control of government.
He also suggested an independent Judiciary to handle electoral disputes to ensure good governance. Mr Denkyi made the suggestion at a day's seminar organised jointly by the National Commission for Civic Education and Agona district secretariat of National Service at Swedru.
The theme was " Sustenance of democratic culture in Ghana, the role of the national service personnel". He said the establishment of these bodies would facilitate democracy and eliminate electoral fraud.
Mr Denkyi said without these bodies to handle issues related to general elections, governments would continue to be intolerant and suppress opposition and exert control over the media.
Mr Paul Owusu Appiah, Agona District Co-ordinator of National Service, said for democracy to strive, the people should be educated to know their rights and responsibilities. Mr Kwesi Omananor, an official of NCCE in the Agona District, called on Ghanaians to campaign against coups since they retard progress.
Mr Omananor stressed the important role national service personnel play in the socio-economic advancement of the country and appealed to the government to support the service.
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