GRi Newsreel Ghana 06 - 02 - 2001
Surrender unlicensed weapons in two weeks - Yakubu
Security Fund to be established soon - Yakubu
UGM calls on former government appointees to return ESB
Rawlings was chosen on merit - UNV envoy
Ghana lacks standardised information on environment, development- EPA
Find solution to
chieftaincy dispute - Youth
Keep pornographic sites beyond adolescent access, CYDE
Lack of funds stalled development projects last year - DCE
Surrender unlicensed weapons in two weeks -
Yakubu
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
The Ministry of the Interior on Monday ordered all persons who are in possession of unlicensed weapons to surrender them to the police within two weeks.
No penalty will be attached to the possession of unlicensed weapons during this period, which becomes effective immediately.
There will also be rewards for those who promptly hand over their weapons, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, Minister for the Interior said.
He was speaking at a press conference to announce measures by the government to tackle the upsurge of criminal activities that have rocked the nation, especially Accra.
Alhaji Yakubu ordered that weapons stored in locations outside the strict control of the Ghana Armed Forces or the Police Service must be turned over to the two security institutions to be stored in their authorised armouries.
He said after the expiration of the two-week moratorium, the police and military will mount a joint exercise to retrieve all unlicensed weapons and weapons stored in locations not authorised and controlled by the Armed Forces and the Police Service.
Those found in possession of unlicensed weapons after the period expires would face the full rigours of the law.
Alhaji Yakubu stressed that the current move to withdraw all unlicensed weapons in the system is an indication of the country's readiness to implement the ECOWAS initiative to tackle the proliferation of arms in the West Africa sub-region.
He announced that the government is exploring possibilities of collaborating with friendly foreign nations to find solution to the serial killing of women, saying security officials will hold discussions with US homicide experts, including officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
The government, he said, is rigorously pursuing plans to adequately equip the Police Service so that it would play its constitutional role of maintaining law and order.
Consequently, the Ministry of the Interior will closely monitor the operations of the police to ensure that they have put in place effective all round mobile, foot and static patrolling of Accra. It will also replace the fixed roadblocks on major roads with strategic flexible and unpredictable roadblocks within the city.
Also, the police are putting in place enough contingency measures to deal with criminals who might move into other regions to continue with their activities.
On reports that criminals had been coming from neighbouring countries, Alahji Yakubu said the Interior Ministry is stepping up security measures at the borders to observe suspected criminals who might be coming in.
He decried the attitude of some police personnel who disclose the identity of informants.
He said organisations like the Progressive Voluntary Organisations (PVOS) will be allowed to exist, but they would not be allowed to operate in the security forces.
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Security Fund to be established soon -
Yakubu
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
A security fund is soon to be established by the Ministry of the Interior as supplementary revenue to the security sector to provide further resources and to raise its performance.
The fund will not be charged to the national budget. Rather, there will be "goodwill contributions" from individuals, corporate bodies and Ghana's foreign allies, the sector minister Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu announced in Accra on Monday.
He was answering questions at a press conference on his ministry's plans to equip the Police with efficient transportation.
Alhaji Yakubu said the security fund would serve as additional source of revenue for the police, saying that with this in place more commitment would be demanded of the police.
On the withdrawal of the military from patrol duties he explained that maintaining internal peace, law and order rests with the police and until the police need the assistance of the military, their presence is not necessary.
Mr Ernest Poku, Inspector General of Police, said the single-cabin pick-ups recently allocated to the police are not specifically designed for police operations, but they were ordered to deal with an emergency situation.
Mr Poku promised an overhaul of the communication system of the police service, saying police emergency telephone numbers will soon be displayed boldly at vantage points in the metropolis.
The IGP said not much has been done by way of training of police personnel for the past 20 years.
The Attorney General, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the unsatisfactory performance of the police has resulted in public bashing, adding that the morale of the police needs to be raised to make them more efficient.
He said despite the fact that some nationals of neighbouring countries have been accused of complicity in crimes, aliens will not be expelled without any just cause.
The expulsion of aliens involved in criminal activities would be done in accordance with the due process of the law.
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UGM calls on former government appointees
to return ESB
Tamale (Northern Region) 06 February 2001
The United Ghana Movement (UGM) on Monday called on former ministers, presidential staffers and district chief executives to return all the monies they collected as end-of-service benefits (ESB) since it was not approved by parliament.
A press statement signed by the national vice-chairman of UGM, Mr Basharu Alhassan Daballi, said the package for the ex-government officials should have been discussed and approved by parliament and "not by a unilateral decision taken by one person who is also a beneficiary of that generous package"
The UGM was reacting to a publication, which said former government appointees collected a total of 3.4 billion cedis as ESB in addition to the vehicles they bought at "give away prices."
The statement said the NDC government has no moral justification to pay its functionaries such a generous package as ESB since it was the very government that deprived workers of the same benefits.
The UGM said if the ministers and other beneficiaries refuse to return what they have taken, "the NDC would be setting a precedent for other governments to loot and drain the economy if they know they would not be forming the next government".
The statement said political office is not a licence to loot the nation. "Politicians are there to serve their nation and should therefore not expect generous benefits in exchange."
It called on the government to probe the alleged "dubious deals" of the NDC, especially the sale of state-owned enterprises and the debts incurred by Tema Oil Refinery.
The UGM commended the NPP for keeping to its promise of being transparent and ensuring accountability.
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Rawlings was chosen on merit - UNV envoy
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
Ms. Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Co-ordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), on Monday said the choice of former President Jerry John Rawlings as a UN Eminent Person for voluntarism was on merit based on his deep commitment to basic health issues.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, she said, "we also thought we needed a bold and candid speaker like Rawlings to tell people what behaviours they need to put away in order to avoid malaria and HIV-AIDS infection."
"Moreover Rawlings has in his years as head of state expressed very deep feelings against malaria in particular," she said. "He is also free from the work of governance and, therefore, available for the role given him."
She was responding to a question on whether the choice of Ex-President Rawlings as an eminent person was not a calculated attempt by the UN to shield him from being taken on by those who felt his government committed some human rights abuses.
Ms Capeling-Alakija said the new role of Rawlings as a UN Eminent Person is not an employment by the UN, but an opportunity for him to continue his fight against killer diseases such as AIDS and malaria in a voluntary capacity, but on a wider scope.
"With his background as a former president and fighter against diseases in his country, we believe his contribution would intensify our efforts at combating the two killer diseases," she said.
She said in his new capacity, Rawlings would spearhead UNV activities against AIDS and malaria in Africa under a specific programme of action, adding that his responsibility would spread to other parts of the world under a UNAIDS programme.
Ms Capeling-Alakija said Flt. Lt. Rawlings started work this morning and would continue till the end of the year when he would have the choice to renew his commitment or not.
"In his capacity, Rawlings would soon embark on a programme in which he would address international conferences and rural communities on how to effectively combat AIDS and malaria," she said.
She announced that UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan has nominated Ms. Nafis Sadique, former UNFPA Director,, to serve in the same capacity as Flt. Lt. Rawlings.
This brings the UN Eminent Persons on voluntarism to four. The other two are Crown Prince Philip of Spain, who will deal with youth issues and Anita Roddicks, proprietor of UK-based Body Shops, who will deal with women issues.
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Asamankese (Eastern Region) 06 February 2001
The 31st December Women's Movement (DWM) at Asamankese Zongo is to have a permanent structure for its palm kernel extraction industry.
Miss Mary Amankwaa, Eastern regional organiser of the movement who visited Asamankese at the weekend in connection with the project said the European Union is to fund the construction of the workshop.
She said the EU selected Asamankese Zongo and Adeiso Dzaglatla for financial assistance following a request by the movement.
Miss Amankwaa did not, however, mention the amount to be released for the projects.
She said the movement has established 15 Gari processing factories in the region, adding that five more would be opened soon.
The movement has also provided permanent structures for palm oil and palm kernel extraction as well as a bakery at Mangoase.
Miss Amankwaa said the movement would continue to pursue its programmes to improve the lot of women and children.
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Kibi, (Eastern Region) 06 February 2001
A remembrance service and wreath laying ceremony took place at Kibi at the weekend in memory of the late Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, a founding member of the erstwhile United Party.
The service, which was officiated by the Kibi District Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, The Reverend Charles Asare Ababio, was attended by a large number of NPP dignitaries and members, including Vice President Aliu Mahama who laid a wreath on behalf of the government and the people of Ghana.
The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa and Attorney General, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also laid a wreath on behalf of the NPP while Nana Yaw Danquah, eldest son of Dr Danquah laid one on behalf of the family and children.
Rev. Asare in a sermon said Dr Danquah, who is described as the doyen of Ghana politics, sacrificed his life for freedom and democracy to be entrenched in Ghana and urged Ghanaians to emulate his life.
The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, said it is important for Ghanaians, Africans and all lovers of democracy to remember Dr Danquah for the truth and freedom he stood for.
He called on Ghanaians to defend their hard won freedom and said if Ghanaians had challenged dictatorship, politicians such as the late Obetsebi-Lamptey and Dr Danquah, would not have died in unlawful detention.
Dr Danquah, born in 1895, was in the forefront of the independence struggle but was imprisoned by the Convention People's Party government dying in 1965 at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons at the age of 70.
Among the dignitaries present at the ceremony were the National Security Adviser, Major- General Joshua Hamidu (Rtd), the first Vice Chairperson of the NPP, Madam Amma Busia, Members of Parliament and other top NPP functionaries.
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Ghana lacks standardised information on
environment, development- EPA
Amasaman (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
Dr Peter Acquah, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday expressed concern about the lack of standardised information to guide people taking decisions about environment and development planning in Ghana.
He said the need for such suitably packaged information for planning and monitoring of development has led to the development of a CD-ROM depicting the map and other geo-spatial information of Ghana.
He was speaking at the launch of the map, titled "Ghana - Country at a glance" and inauguration of a steering committee to be in charge of the development of the national framework for geo-spatial information management (NAFGIM).
Some of the information on the CD-ROM includes the national and international boundaries of Ghana, topography, soil, conservation areas and climate information collected from 11 co-registered national institutions.
These include the Survey Department, Ghana Standards Board, EPA, Forestry Commission, Statistical Services Department, Geological Survey and the Centre for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Services (CERSGIS).
Alhaji Iddrisu Abu, Director of the Survey Department, is chairman of the 14-member Steering committee.
Dr Acquah said the development of NAFGIM would satisfy both the socio-economic aspirations of the people and the integrity of the environment.
He said NAFGIM is to be implemented as an inter-disciplinary, inter-agency and a cross-sector network of institutions and agencies that will provide standards for the production, distribution and utilisation of geo-spatial information.
Dr Kweku Twum-Baah, acting Government Statistician, who chaired the function, said the establishment of NAFGIM should be seen as an important contribution to the overall objective of the national statistical system to harness information for development.
"The development of information and communication technologies has become a major business concern all over the world and Ghana should not be left out," he said.
Dr Twum-Baah said for NAFGIM to play its role effectively, the steering committee should ensure that it does not come under the control of any ministry or institution.
"The independence of NAFGIM should be a guarded jealously," he said.
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Find solution to
chieftaincy dispute - Youth
Wa (Upper West) 06 February 2001
The Naakpaha Youth Association
(NYA) in Wa, on Saturday appealed to opinion leaders in the Wala Traditional
Area to help find a solution to the chieftaincy dispute in the town.
Addressing the third annual
general meeting of the association in Wa, Naa Seidu Braimah, Chief of Siiru and
a member of the NYA said the absence of a chief in Wa is affecting the
socio-economic development of the town.
Naa Braimah appealed to
Kingmakers, elders and religious groups to join in a crusade against the
chieftaincy dispute, which is gradually eroding efforts and resources to
develop the area.
"Let us not spend all our
resources in promoting conflicts, to the detriment of development," he
advised.
Mr Ibrahim Abu Tammah, secretary,
advised parents to send their children to school and announced that the NYA is
organising extra classes for both basic school pupils and students of senior
secondary schools.
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Tema Manhean (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
Residents of Aboitsewe, a suburb of Tema Manhean, were on Monday horrified to find the burnt body of an unidentified teenage girl after quenching fire in a bathroom in the neighbourhood.
Mr Felix Ashietey, a resident told the GNA that at about 4.25 a.m., someone raised the alarm about a fire outbreak in the bathroom of house number 53 D.
He said after putting off the fire neighbours were surprised when they found the body of a young girl because they did not hear anybody shouting during the blaze.
Members of the household where the incident occurred said they suspect that the victim might have been killed somewhere and dumped in the bathroom before setting the body ablaze.
Some people linked the incident to the recent cases of serial killing of women in Accra and called for immediate measures to nip it in the bud.
Mr Robert Azu, Tema Community One District Police Commander said the police suspect foul play and have sought the assistance of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in investigating the matter.
He appealed to the public to volunteer information to help in the investigation.
Assistant Divisional Officer Ebenezer Quarshie, GNFS Investigation Officer, said preliminary investigations indicated that the killer doused the body with petrol and lit it with a match but added that it is only a medical expert who can determine whether she died before being set ablaze.
It was the second time in a month that such a tragedy has occurred at Tema Manhean.
On January 6, another woman, Faustina Aidoo, 33, was found dead in the Chemu Lagoon when she went out at about 11 p.m. to attend nature's call.
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Keep pornographic sites beyond adolescent
access, CYDE
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 February 2001
The Centre for Youth Development and Education (CYDE) on Monday said the law barring the public showing of pornographic material to people less than 18 years should rope in cyber cafes.
"We call the attention of the Ministries of Youth, Education and Communication to address the issue of access to such information.
"We are fully aware that in some countries Internet providers have been forced to remove certain web sites from their systems," a CYDE statement said in Accra.
The statement called on cyber cafe owners and operators to put up signs that bar people less than 18 years from accessing pornographic sites in their cafes.
It said: "all must help in the fight to mould young people as responsible citizens; access to pornographic material is not in the least educative."
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Lack of funds stalled development projects
last year - DCE
Winneba (Central Region) 06 February 2001
The District Chief Executive for Awutu- Effutu- Senya, Lieutenant Daniel William Osedu, on Monday said the district assembly's inability to complete a number of development projects in the area last year was due to lack of funds.
In an address at a meeting of the assembly at Winneba, Lt Osedu said the assembly received only 438,380,981 cedis out of the 1.4 billion cedis allocated to it.
He said communities that have been earmarked for projects will receive priority attention as soon as funds are made available to ensure early completion of the projects.
Lt Osedu charged members of the assembly to place the national interest above partisan consideration to enhance teamwork.
He announced that under the world bank- sponsored "Urban 5" project, the stalled Kasoa Market Project, would be completed.
On behalf of the assembly, the DCE congratulated Mrs Hannah Tetteh-Kpodar, MP for Awutu /Senya and Mr Mike Allen Hammah MP for Effutu on their election to represent the two constituencies in the district and pledged the assembly's co-operation to ensure the success of their tenure.
Mr G.B .L Siilo, District Co-ordinating Director, advised defaulting beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation fund loans to settle their indebtedness so that others could benefit from the scheme.
He said the assembly would not hesitate to take legal action to retrieve the loans should the beneficiaries refuse to heed the advice.
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