Minority leader meets supporters
Complaints of sexual harassment cases low, Short
Forestry division constructs fire belts around B/A forest reserves
UNIC hold meeting on challenges in globalisation
Errors still exist in salaries - Survey
Tema ICU protests against police harassment
Minority leader meets supporters
Bolgatanga (Upper East) 27 Aug '99
Mr J. H. Mensah, Minority leader in Parliament, has said a government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will create a conducive atmosphere to facilitate increased productivity in all sectors of the economy.
He said there is now a generally low level of productivity, particularly in the public services, "which reflects directly on the low incomes of Ghanaians as well as their living standards".
Mr Mensah was addressing supporters of the NPP as part of an outreach programme embarked upon by opposition members in Parliament to introduce NPP's policies to the electorate.
The Minority leader said productivity has been low because of the poor economic infrastructure, lack of motivation in workplaces, poor management as well as relaxed rules and regulations in the public sector.
He warned that not until "these issues are passionately discussed in an atmosphere devoid of political bias, the country's development goals would be difficult to achieve".
"As a first step towards addressing these problems, an NPP government will ensure good governance by eliminating corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
He said the minority in Parliament would continue to keep government on its toes by ensuring that the proper thing is done.
He appealed to supporters to bear with minority MP's when circumstances lead them to walk out of Parliament since "our actions are in your interest".
He regretted that seven years into constitutional rule, the government has not been able to provide MP's with offices and library facilities to enable them to prepare adequately for debates on national issues.
Mr Alex Acheampong, Minority spokesman on Cocoa Affairs, said it was useless encouraging farmers to increase production when they "cannot market their produce during bumper harvests".
He urged the government to address the problems of farmers especially in the areas of marketing, storage facilities, and the provision of low interest loans to make agriculture attractive to the youth.
The Member of Parliament for Obuasi, Mr Boadi Mensah, said it is now time for the government to desist from adopting "ad-hoc measures to address national issues".
He called on the government to come out with long-term policies on mines and energy to resolve the crisis in those sectors.
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Complaints of sexual harassment cases low, Short
Cape Coast (Central Region) 27 Aug '99
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice of Ghana (CHRAG) has so far investigated only three complaints of sexual harassment although the incidence of sexual harassment is widespread in the society.
He pointed out that like rape, most victims of sexual harassment do not report the violation; many victims are also unaware that it is against the law while many others are persuaded by families and friends to drop the charges for fear of being victimised, especially when the alleged offender is highly placed.
Mr Emile Short, Commissioner for CHRAG, said at a day's seminar in Cape Coast for heads of departments and personnel officers in the Central Region on Wednesday that CHRAG would organise series of educational campaigns nation-wide on the issue.
The commissioner said since the inception of CHRAJ, about 60 percent of the cases handled centred on human right violations at workplaces, which include wrongful dismissals, transfers and promotions.
He stressed that an employee being punished or dismissed should be given fair hearing for him to defend his actions and called on public sector officials to observe the principle of administrative justice, adding that "the right to administrative justice in Ghana is constitutionally rooted".
Mr Short said since the CHRAJ brought to light some unsatisfactory conditions at the country's prisons including overcrowding, congestion and sentencing of expectant mothers, conditions had considerably improved.
Certain dehumanising cultural practices which were also brought to the limelight are gradually being phased out and pointed out that the fight against the violations of human rights should be a collaborative one since the commission alone cannot fight it.
The Central Regional Minister, Lt. Colonel Charles Agbenaza (rtd), charged people in high public offices to ensure that they do not violate the rights of their subordinates just because they are ignorant of their rights.
The Commission presented 18 cartons of soap and a quantity of books donated by Unilever Ghana Limited to the Ankaful, Anomabo and Winneba prisons.
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Forestry division constructs fire belts around B/A forest reserves
Sunyani (Western Region) 27 Aug '99
The Forestry Division is constructing fire belts around all the forest reserves in the Brong Ahafo region to protect them against bush fires.
About 100 kilometres of the belt has already been built around the Paamu-Berekum, Bosomkese, Tain Number Two and Asukese forest reserves.
Mr Yaw Frimpong, a forester at the Regional Office of the Division, told a closing session of a three-day orientation course for district rural fire officers and chairmen of anti-bush fire volunteer squads in Sunyani on Thursday.
The seminar, organised by the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), was aimed at identifying effective strategies to reactivate and equip the anti bush fire volunteer squads to enhance their capacities.
Mr Frimpong observed that bush fires have depleted the Tain Number Two reserve and expressed the hope that the creation of the fire belts would prevent wild fires from spreading to the other reserves.
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UNIC hold meeting on challenges in globalisation
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Aug. '99
Ms Margaret Novicki, Director of the UN Information Centre, Accra, on Thursday pledged the world body's commitment to make democracy in Africa part of the globalisation process.
Speaking at the 52nd conference of the Department of Public Information (DPI) and Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs), she said Africa alone could not meet the challenges of globalisation, which is commonly understood as advances in technology and communication.
''The international community and the UN will play their part,'' she said, adding that the UN has taken the lead in calling for greater debt relief for Africa.
She, therefore, appealed to donor governments, bilateral and multilateral institutions to increase official development assistance and guarantee open markets for African exports.
The conference, dubbed "meeting the challenges of a globalised world" is to advance the dialogue on some of the challenges presented by globalisation.
It will discuss the debt burden and the need for debt relief for Africa and the role of the United Nations (UN) in the globalisation process, among other issues.
The outcome will serve as an input at the United Nations Conference to be held in New York from September 15 to 17.
Dr Frank Young, Mission Director, United States Agency for International Development, said globalisation is now a political concept in its own right and becoming "an increasingly salient mechanism for communities to deal with critical issues like environmental degradation, conflict mitigation, large population movements and epidemics.
Dr Young said the UN has effective means to network ideas and link solutions to these challenges across national boundaries and continents.
''The challenges for the early decades of the next millennium will require full involvement of all organisations and governments.
Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA), delivered a paper on ''The Role of Partners - The Debt Burden and the need for Africa's debt Relief''.
He said the debt burden of the continent has increased and relief should be aimed at countries with genuine commitment to overcoming their problems.
He said the overriding objectives of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) programme is to reduce the debt of countries that have maintained good economic polices to sustainable levels.
He explained that the initial evaluation of HIPC shows that it has been slow and stingy. ''Only Uganda, Bolivia, Guyana and Mozambique have benefited so far and in most cases the amount of debt service that will actually be paid was unlikely to change much.
Dr Akoto Osei said for the first time, 20 billion dollars worth of concessional loans are to be included in the debt circulation, adding that some financing mechanism have also been introduced.
Recipient countries, he said, must begin to find new ways of diversifying their exports, which would require a skilled labour force - the only way to sustain economic growth within the new paradigm of development.
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Errors still exist in salaries - Survey
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Aug. '99
Anomalies and technical problems that characterised the implementation of the universal salaries policy have reappeared in August pay slips of workers.
This is the third time this has happened since the implementation of the Price Waterhouse report began in June this year.
Investigations conducted by the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday and Thursday indicate that workers continue to experience shocks and receive salaries with errors.
While some workers had their salaries increased others had theirs slashed or remained unaltered.
As a result, worker are mounting pressure on the executive officers of the Civil Servants Association in Accra calling on them to step down for incompetence and betrayal.
A source at the office of the association called for restraint among workers.
It said the secretariat is compiling a report on the anomalies for submission to the Central Management Board (CMB) for rectification.
The source said the situation of workers is still appalling with their conditions worsening because of the anomalies in the new policy.
It condemned a statement by the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, that the situation of the workers has improved under the new policy.
It described the statement as "pre-mature and unacceptable," adding that repeating the mistakes for three times is unpardonable.
It urged the CMB and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department to spell out clearly the deductions and additions being made under the policy to enable workers to determine the levels of their salaries.
Mr Austin Gamey, a Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, said in an interview that the implementation of the first phase of the new salaries and wages policy, popularly known as "Price Waterhouse report," is not meant to "put money in the pockets of people.
"It is meant to transpose the existing salary structures, eliminating salary disparities."
He said the government pay roll has increased by about 10 billion cedis since the implementation of the new policy and "this has gone into the system to improve the well-being of workers."
Mr Gamey said many workers have benefited from the new policy and that it is those who are not enjoying salary increases that are complaining.
The government spends between 18 to 35 million cedis annually on senior officers' accommodation, fuel, security and others.
Attempts to contact Mr Augustus Yankey, Chairman of the Central Management Board, on this month's anomalies and errors failed because he is out of Accra.
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Tema ICU protests against police harassment
Tema (Greater Accra) 27 Aug. '99
The Tema Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) on Thursday expressed concern about alleged harassment of two of their leaders by the police a fortnight ago.
The Union said such harassment were part of plans by certain identified interest to destabilise the ICU and warned that "it will hold the Police responsible if anything should happen to any of their leaders".
At a meeting held in Tema, the ICU said on August 11, this year, eight policemen, six of them armed with AK 47 rifles, stormed the ICU office at Community Two looking for Mr Wilson Agana, the chairman and Mr Daniel Bruce-Ghartey, the First Trustee.
The policemen who were led by Superintendent Robert Azu, Community One police District Commander, met only Mr Agana and asked him to enter the Jeep because he was wanted at the Police Headquarters in Accra.
Mr Agana refused to go with them explaining that he was to attend a meeting in Accra that morning. When Mr Agana, Mr Bruce-Ghartey and other ICU officials later reported at the police headquarters, they were told that nobody had sent for them.
When news filtered to the ICU local unions that their leaders were being sought by the police, about five buse loads of workers, particularly from Wahome Steel Limited, invaded the Tema Regional Police Headquarters to protest against the harassment.
The union has also declared its unflinching support for the ICU leadership particularly its General Secretary, Mr Napoleon Kpoh.
It said allegations that over 400 million cedis has been embezzled by the leadership "is aimed at dividing the ICU front".
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