GRi Newsreel Ghana
26 - 02 - 2001
Joint team retrieves arms cache
Domestic fires on
the rise in Upper West
Ghana looses 3.7 m cubic metres forest
annually
NPP committed to freedom of press - Aidoo
CHRAJ settle more
family-related cases in Eastern Region
Retain some of former government appointees
- Chief
Atta Mills Clubs urged to remain resolute
Revoke GPRTU monopoly over lorry parks -
Co-operative drivers
President directs expansion of Nsawam Bridge
Africa deserves compensation - Maulana
Queues vanish after new fuel prices
Joint team retrieves arms cache
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 February 2001
The police are investigating separate cases in which Mr Kwame Addo, an arms and ammunition dealer and Mr Michael Sousoudis, a businessman, were suspected to have flouted regulations regarding the sale and possession of weapons.
This followed the retrieval of more than 1,000 assorted guns and a large quantity of game-bore cartridges from Mr Addo's magazine, located in his Achimota House on Saturday during a joint police-military swoop.
The weapons include double-barrelled shotguns, guarding guns, pump action guns and baikal shotguns, Mr Yaw Adu-Gyimah, Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of operations and leader of the joint team told the GNA on Sunday.
At Mr Soussoudis house, the team found 15 shotguns, six pistols, a revolver, eight packets of cartridges and 32 pieces of nine-millimetre ammunition. Out of these, three shotguns and two pistols were unlicensed.
Also found in the house located at 22 Giffard Road, Burma Camp, were two bayonets, three binoculars and two day-and-night telescopic sights.
Mr Adu-Gyimah said the team had to carry away all the weapons and the ammunition to reconcile with official records.
He said Mr Soussoudis has been granted police bail after submitting a written statement.
In the case of Mr Addo who was said to have travelled out of the country at the time of the swoop, he was believed to have been opening the magazine and selling the weapons without recourse to the police, as provided by the regulations.
According to Deputy Commissioner Adu-Gyimah, arms and ammunition dealers are required to submit a duplicate of keys to their magazines to the police who should be present each time it is being opened.
This is to enable the police to keep track of all arms and ammunition being released into the system and also make sure that only people with no questionable background acquire them.
He said Mr Addo and Mr Soussoudis, as well as any other person proved to have flouted the laws will be prosecuted.
Following the expiry of a government moratorium for voluntary submission of illegal weapons last Monday, the operation, dubbed "Etuo Mu Ye Sum" was launched to recover arms and ammunition still in unauthorised hands.
"It is going on well. Public co-operation has been very encouraging," Mr Adu-Gyimah said.
While commending Ghanaians for helping the police and related agencies to fight crime, he appealed for closer co-operation from the public.
He expressed the belief that there are many more people in possession of weapons illegally and gave the assurance that with adequate information from the public, these arms would be recovered to make the country much more safe.
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Domestic fires on
the rise in Upper West
Wa (Upper West) 26 February 2001
Sixteen of the 18 fire outbreaks
recorded in the Upper West Region last year were domestic, resulting mainly
from electrical faults.
Mr. Ernest Aklamah, Upper West Regional
Fire Officer announced this on "Radio Progress" a private radio
station at the weekend, in an overview of fire outbreaks in the Region.
Mr. Aklamah said although the
Region is vast, the service has only 87 officers and men instead of the
required 250, adding that the region's eight fire stations and two fire tenders
were inadequate for the effective execution of their duties.
Mr. Aklamah said to stem the
effects of these inadequacies, arrangements have been concluded with the
various district assemblies for the training of at least three persons in every
community as fire volunteers.
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Ghana looses 3.7 m cubic metres forest
annually
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 February 2001
Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines, during the weekend said the nation loses 3.7 million cubic metres of its forest annually instead of the allowable cut of one million cubic metres.
"If this practice goes on unchecked, there will be no forest to manage in the next 10 years and generations yet unborn will be at a great disadvantage", the minister told a cocktail reception in Accra organised by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to interact with its members.
Dr Afriyie said due to the fast depletion of the forest, wildlife of the country is seriously threatened.
"This is one of the most serious challenges facing the ministry which handles about 60 per cent of Ghana's exports", he said.
He gave the assurance that very soon, certain stringent measures would be instituted to solve the problem.
Dr Afriyie, a medical practitioner, advised his colleagues to get involved in the affairs of the nation. "If we leave politics to the so-called professional politicians they will lead us astray", he added.
The Minister of Health, Dr Richard Winfred Anane said government recognises the positive contribution being made by the GMA in national development.
"We are going to rely on you the more because it is the aim of government to ensure that Ghanaians are in total health all year round and this cannot be done without you", he said.
He hinted that a national health forum which will bring together stakeholders to discuss the way forward of the sector would be held very soon.
Prof. F T Sai, a senior fellow also advised members to actively play their part in building the nation.
He said: "there are three of our members in the present government. They are Dr Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister of Health and Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines.
"Our strong showing indicates (the) government preparedness to work with the association in the new dispensation."
Earlier, Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosah, President of GMA said the interaction which was first of its kind will be held twice every year to tap the expertise of fellows
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NPP committed to freedom of press - Aidoo
Sekondi (Western Region) 26 February 2001
Mr Joseph Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, has reiterated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will uphold freedom of the press as enshrined in the constitution.
Speaking at a maiden meeting with journalists in the region in Sekondi on Saturday, Mr Aidoo said the reason why the party has taken this position is its belief that the press has a positive role to play in the country's development.
Mr. Aidoo said it is also the conviction of the Party that a true democracy must be backed by a free and vibrant press, which is prepared to offer positive suggestions and constructive criticisms.
"We are not going to discriminate against any media house, whether public or private," he said.
He stressed that the NPP would therefore give true meaning to freedom of expression to enable the individual to contribute positively to national development.
"It is in furtherance of this objective that the NPP government will repeal all obnoxious laws, including the criminal libel law, which restricts the press and individuals from participating freely in the democratic process.
Mr. Aidoo said Ghanaians have made the right choice in electing the NPP to power to turn the fortunes of the country around for the better.
He said his administration will identify and remove factors, which are militating against the development of the region.
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CHRAJ settle more
family-related cases in Eastern Region
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 26
February 2001
Family-related cases constitute
about half of the 1,160 cases reported to the Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), in the Eastern Region last year.
More than five hundred and fifty
of such cases, mostly relating to child maintenance and custody, deprivation of
child education and medical care and intestate succession, were received as
against 300 in 1999.
Briefing the GNA, at Koforidua, on
Thursday, the Eastern Regional Director of the CHRAJ, Mr Patrick Baayeh,
disclosed that last year, the office was able to settle a total of 852 cases,
including 262 carried over from 1996 to 1999.
He said last year, 120
labour-related cases, 170 property and inheritance issues and 150 unlawful
cases involving unlawful arrest and detention were reported to the Commission.
Others are discrimination and
harassment of women at workplace and 160 miscellaneous cases including delay or
denial of trial of cases by courts, delay in the processing of insurance
claims, debts and contracts.
Mr Baayeh said CHRAJ was compelled
to refer some family maintenance decisions to the courts for enforcement,
because the men involved have deliberately refused to abide by its rulings.
Concerning the lack of power by
the CHRAJ to enforce its rulings, Mr. Baayeh said even though such power was
"ideal", the Commission lacks the required personnel and logistics to
do so.
"At the moment, we have only
an old vehicle for the regional office and six motor-cycles in the districts
and this affects the work of the commission."
Mr. Baayeh, therefore, appealed to
the government and non-governmental organisations to assist CHRAJ to enable it
fulfil its constitutional duties."
He attributed the Commission's inability
to settle cases on time to the fact that parties involved are often not
punctual and also the "complexity" of some cases, the absence counsel and time constraints."
Mr. Baayeh gave the assurance that
the Commission will continue to assist the public in seeking redress to human
right abuses but said: "we deal with cases that fall within our
jurisdiction. You must also abide by our rulings."
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Retain some of former government appointees
- Chief
Mumford (Central Region) 26 February 2001
The Krontsi and Akwamuhene of Mumford, Okumtwi Esamuadu VII has appealed to the government to retain some of the people appointed to the assemblies by the previous government who have performed creditably.
"In the spirit of reconciliation some of these assembly members who were holding key positions such as Presiding members, Chairmen, and Secretaries to subcommittees of the assemblies should be retained", the chief said.
Speaking to Ghana News Agency at Mumford on Friday, Okumtwi Esamuadu said such action, will fulfil President Kufuor's promise to run 'all-inclusive' government.
He commended the NDC government for instituting the district assembly concept, which has brought a number of development projects to the communities.
He appealed to the government to increase the percentage of the District Assemblies Common fund from five percent to seven and a half per cent to enhance the work of the assemblies.
Okumtwi Esamuadu urged the assemblies to strengthen the unit committees and town/area councils to make them function effectively.
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Atta Mills Clubs urged to remain resolute
Winneba (Central Region) 26 February 2001
The Central Regional Chairman of the Atta Mills Brotherhood, Friends and Fans Club (BFF), Dr. E.G.A. Don-Arthur, has exhorted members of the Club not to let the setback suffered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the last general elections dampen their spirits but remain resolute to champion the cause of Professor John Atta Mills.
Dr. Don-Arthur gave the advice when a delegation of the Club called on him at Winneba to console him on the death of his mother.
He urged leaders of the various groups to organise regular meetings to educate the people on some misinformation and lies being peddled about the NDC government and its functionaries.
Dr. Don-Arthur called for teamwork among the branch and constituency executives of the NDC and its affiliate organs to enhance the rebuilding of the party at the grassroots.
Mr. Ralf Botchwey, Central Regional Vice-Chairman of the BFF, appealed to Prof. Mills not to think of ending his political career on the account of the defeat he suffered in the last elections, adding "we are solidly behind you and will ensure that you win the 2004 elections".
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Revoke GPRTU monopoly over lorry parks -
Co-operative drivers
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 February 2001
The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Ghana Co-operative Transport Association (GCTA), on Saturday appealed to the government to revoke the monopoly of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) over the use and administration of lorry parks.
Mr. Emmanuel Odam Ashley, National President of the association who made the appeal at a press conference in Accra said, the monopoly of GPRTU over lorry parks is not only unconstitutional, but also tramples on the rights of other transport associations and kills investor initiative.
He noted that in 1998 and 1999, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, issued two circulars, giving the right to the use and administration of the parks solely to the GPRTU of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Mr. Ashley said the ministry did not give any specific reasons for the action, except for saying that, it was for the effective management of the lorry parks.
This, he said, was unconstitutional and unfair to the other transport unions, as the ownership and management of parks are, according to the 1992 constitution and Act 463, for the districts assemblies and not for a particular transport union.
"The circular letters issued by the ministry, denied the co-operative drivers access to operate at the parks in the country," he said.
Mr. Ashley said, "in view of the directive, brutal attacks were visited on co-operative transport societies, between 1990 and 1992 at the Mankessin Goodwill, Circle-Nkawkaw and Accra-Ho lorry parks by the GPRTU, in which our kiosks, money and other items were burnt."
"Even stations established by some district assemblies at the request of the co-operative transport societies have been taken over completely by the GPRTU," he said, and mentioned the Blow Up, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Odawna and the Kaneshie-Takoradi Stations as examples."
Mr. Ashley said the GCTA is of the view that a mere circular cannot hold the 1992 constitution to ransom for the benefit of a particular association to the detriment of others.
He said, though the association has filed several suits in the law courts to seek a redress, nothing was achieved since the GPRTU usually succeeded in winning contempt of court charges against the GCTA in such matters.
Mr. Ashley said several representations were also made to Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, who was then the minister in charge, and to the previous parliament on several occasions, but to no avail.
"We are therefore appealing to the authorities, especially His Excellency, President John Kufuor to come to our aid," he said.
"We also appeal to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to revoke those directives, which gave the GPRTU monopoly over lorry parks."
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President directs expansion of Nsawam
Bridge
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 February 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor has directed the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) as a matter of urgency to expand the Nsawam Bridge to alleviate traffic congestion.
Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Roads and Highways, said during a visit to the bridge on Friday that a new bridge has been designed that provides for a footbridge for pedestrians.
He said engineers at the GHA have finished the design and are now evaluating the cost of the project, which would jointly be undertaken, with the Field Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces.
According to him officials at GHA have said that the project would be completed in three months.
Motorists have complained bitterly about the narrow bridge, which has been the cause of heavy traffic jams on the Accra-Kumasi road.
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Africa deserves compensation - Maulana
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 February 2001
Dr Harmet Maulana, Co-Chairman of the Afrikan World Repatriation and Reparation Truth Commission (AWRRTC), on Friday said the "damage" the continent suffered from the slave trade is the root cause of the continent's woes and not bad leadership and political conflicts.
"According to a UNESCO report on the slave trade, 210 million Africans were murdered and an additional 50 million were carried from the continent to work on farms in the West," he said.
"No one has cared to apologise for the impact this history has had on Africa, much more compensating us," Dr. Maulana said at the 133 birthday party of William Edward B. Dubois, the founding father of Pan-Africanism, in Accra.
"Africa deserves compensation and we demand it now," he said.
He noted that other groups of people on other continents, who suffered relatively milder damage from other countries, have been duly compensated.
Dr. Maulana mentioned groups such as victims of the Gulf war, that has received an aggregate of 12.8 billion US dollars as compensation, whilst those who suffered human rights abuses in Japan in the past have received a total of 2.5 billion US dollars.
"Victims of the World War two and their families have so far been paid a total of 705.8 billion US dollars as compensation," he said.
"Africa suffered greater damage than any of these groups and yet we have not received a cent - not even an apology."
He called on African leaders to be serious about the demand for restitution, saying that there is every legal and moral justification for Africa to be compensated.
Dr. Maulana said it is time Africans stopped blaming their woes on bad governments and had a united front in confronting the root cause of the present state of affairs on the continent.
"Africans at home and in the Diaspora must put the childish ways of handling the problem aside and confront it with the seriousness it deserves."
He said the AWRRTC is pursuing the need for Africa's compensations at every available level, both national and international.
"We have made representations to the OAU, the UN and we have filed a suit at the World Court to ensure that Africa is duly compensated for the damage it suffered during the slave trade," he said.
Professor George Kugblenu, Board Chairman of W. E. B. Dubois Memorial Centre, announced that as part of moves to rehabilitate the centre, the African-American Association of Ghana (AAAG) has almost completed a library complex on the premises of the centre.
He called on the youth to patronise the library and have first hand information on Pan-Africanism and its significance to the total liberation of Africa.
A representative of the AAAG announced that the association would also construct restaurants and other facilities at the centre to make it a one-stop research, food joint and leisure point for patrons.
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Queues vanish after new fuel prices
Takoradi (Western Region) 26 February 2001
Some few hours after the announcement of new fuel price increases by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, the long queues at filling stations in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have vanished.
Also most stations, which had displayed "No Petrol" Signboards around 5:00pm were at about 8:00am this morning busily selling petrol.
When the GNA, visited some filling stations, in the metropolis, on Saturday morning, attendants were doing brisk business.
In separate interviews, drivers, passengers and fuel station attendants, said that they suspected hoarding of petroleum products by some station managers in anticipation of price increases thereby creating artificial shortage.
In a related development, many commercial and taxi drivers did not operate on Saturday leaving passengers stranded at several bus terminals.
Some of the drivers GNA spoke to, said they did not know how much to charge, while others explained that they wanted to avoid confrontation with passengers for charging unapproved fees.
Kwesi Kwarteng a taxi driver said he informs passengers of the new transport fares before they board the vehicle, to avoid any misunderstanding.
However, there were misunderstandings at the Anaji, Kwesiminstim, Apowa, beach road, Kojo Krom, and Sekondi trotro and taxi ranks over the new fares.
While some passengers said they expected the new prices to be charged from next week Monday, others claimed they were not aware of any increment in the price of petroleum products.
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