Let us stand up for the truth- President Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 January 2002 - Peace Seekers International, a Non-Governmental Organisation, on Thursday declared its support for the National Reconciliation Act and called on Ghanaians to ignore those who are kicking against it.
The group, which comprises over 700 former military, police and intelligence personnel, is led by Group Captain Thomas T. Kuttin, a former Commissioner of Transport and Communications under the Acheampong Regime.
Speaking to newsmen in Accra, G/Capt. Kuttin said Peace Seekers supports January 6, 1993 and the period preceding it for the commencement of the reconciliation exercise.
This, he noted, is to give true meaning to "first reconcile the living and prevent the tendencies of frustrated persons to personally take up the exercise of revenge and retribution". "It is only when peace has been made among the living that the dead who have been wronged will smile for the peace on earth and indeed rest in peace."
G/Capt. Kuttin observed that the options for the National Democratic Congress and its supporters "are either reconciliation or recrimination and retaliation for committing the worst human rights abuses in the country".
"Ghanaians should ignore those who stand accused of the worst crimes against fellow citizens and humanity and are trying to impede the law. "Such people paid lip service to confession and restitution when they had the power and opportunity to do so," he stated.
G/Capt. Kuttin said members of the group, who were chased out of office under various guises, had opted for reconciliation and were prepared to state their cases before the National Reconciliation Commission.
Moving away from the reconciliation issue, the Peace Seekers went on to launch a bitter attack on Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings, warning of the threat that the former President poses to national security. They claim that Tuesday’s his Tuesday interview granted to Peace FM and picked by Joy FM, both Accra radio stations, undermined the integrity of “our country’s judicial system”. “The implication that the case is not being pursued impartially was regarded as “a clear slap in the face of our judiciary and a contempt of court.”
In their eyes Rawlings is an “over-ambitious power hungry “trouble-maker”, an enemy within, with no respect for democratic institutions and a “charlatan” in revolutionaries’ clothing. As evidence to support these allegations the Peace Seekers mentioned that they had already notified the security agencies of “certain clandestine meetings by Rawlings and his close former military guards.”
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 25 January 2002 - The Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs on Monday upheld the ruling of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs that Mr Yakubu Seidu is the Wa-Na-elect.
The Upper West Regional House of Chiefs on June 27, 2000, ruled that Yakubu Seidu from the Nakpaha Gate of Guli, one of the four gates to the Wa Skin was properly nominated and elected as the Wa-Na.
The Judicial Committee chaired by Nana Aboagye Agyei 11, Ejisuhene, awarded cost of five million cedis against the appellant, Mr B. K. Adama, a former Minister of State and a Kingmaker, who appealed to the National House of Chiefs against the ruling of the Regional House of Chiefs.
Other members of the Judicial Committee of the National House of Chiefs, who heard the appeal included Nana Atta Amanafo Poku 11, Omanhene of Breman Asiam, Naa Alhaji Iddrisu Abu 11, Kumbun-Na, Nene Tetteh Djan 111, Prampram Mantse and Nana Kwadwo Nyarko 111, Omanhene of Prang.
Following the death of Wa-Na Momori, who hailed from the Jonyuohi Gate on January 16, 1998, there had been conflict over the enskinnment of the Wa-Na.
Since then the case had travelled from the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs through the National House of Chiefs to the Supreme Court, which ordered that the parties return and follow tradition in the nomination and election of a Wa-Na.
It was established at the Supreme Court that instead of the three gates to the Wa skin, there was a fourth gate and that a system of rotation among the four gates had been established in 1951 by the then Wa-Na Mumuni Koray 11.
Yakubu Seidu, who contested the skin with the Kutua Na Amidu Yakubu, claimed he was the automatic choice of the Nakpala Gate whose turn it was to provide the Wa-Na. The other Gates are Jonyuohi from Sing, Naageri from Perisi and Yigiihi from Busa.
Mr Felix Naa Sabie, a Wa-Na lawyer represented the Wa-Na-elect while Messrs Amadu Mumuni an Accra-based lawyer and Michael Kabumoh, a Wa-based lawyer represented Mr B. K. Adama.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kasotie (Ashanti Region) 25 January 2002 - Nana Kwame Adjei, Odikro of Kasotie, a predominantly farming community near Nyinahin in the Atwima District of Ashanti had denied misappropriating seven million cedis given to the village by Franco Timbers, a Kumasi-based Timber Company, for the rehabilitation of the road in the village.
He said the money, which he solicited from the Timber Company, was for the construction of a school and that the company gave him five million cedis, leaving a balance of two million cedis.
Nana Adjei, who is also the Adontenhene of Nkawie-Panin, said the five million cedis was used to cater for the contractor and his workers, who put up the primary school under the European Union Micro Project, for which he was commended by the former District Chief Executive for Atwima.
He said it was, therefore, not correct that he had misappropriated money meant for the rehabilitation of the road in the village as was alleged by the youth. On the scuffle with some of the youth over the money, Nana Adjei said on January 2, at about 1900 hours he heard his daughter quarrelling outside the house so he called her into the house.
He said his house immediately came under a hail of stones one of which hit his son Kwame Poku, who sustained a cut on the forehead. When his wife asked to know those, who were throwing the stones he said, one John Obeng rained insults on her and dared her to come out and face him.
Nana Adjei said he was just in time to see Obeng raising a cutlass to slash his wife so he held him and collected the cutlass from him and that while still holding Obeng, one Kwaku Thomas came from behind and grabbed him enabling Obeng to escape.
He said he sent his son to the Nyinahin Government Hospital for treatment and consequently lodged a complaint at the Nyinahin Police Station and continued to Nkawie.
Nana Adjei said the next day he went to the Nkawie Police Station to arrange for Police to go to the village to arrest Obeng and Kwaku Thomas when some of the youth also came to Nkawie to report to the Akwamuhene, Nana Kwaku Duah, who is acting as the chief pending the installation of a new chief.
He said it was, therefore, not true that he fled Kasotie and also not true that two people were on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) following the scuffle.
Nana Yaw Gyamfi, a linguist of Kasotie and Mr Abraham Owusu Junior, Assemblyman for Kasotie collaborated Nana Adjei's story.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 25 January 2002 - The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Thursday, launched a 12-billion cedi environmental protection programme for the Brong Ahafo Region aimed at controlling bush fires and regenerating the forest cover to protect water basins.
Speaking at a ceremony at Techiman, he called on district assemblies and traditional authorities to jointly manage the five-year programme, which would employ 350 people effectively.
Alhaji Mahama expressed concern about the rapid loss of forest cover, which had affected 12 of the 13 districts in the region and said "degradation of our forest resources through inappropriate concession management practices has put our forests and national economy at risk".
He said the felling of timber without effective afforestation measures pose a grave danger to the survival of forests. The Vice President also attributed the destruction of hectares of forest and the degradation of Savannah lands on bushfires
Alhaji Mahama, noted that, culprits of such negative practices rarely get arrested and prosecuted and said some assemblies even encourage chainsaw operators to exploit protected trees, which are not mature.
The Vice President charged assemblies to deal drastically with environmental offenders and said the programme managed effectively would lead to the increase of water in rivers and water basins for domestic and irrigation purposes.
An improvement in the forest cover would result in a micro-climatic environment for improved agricultural practices in the region, described as the nation's food basket. He appealed to farmers and concession owners to adopt environmental friendly practices to save the forest from further degradation.
Mr Ernest A. Debrah, Regional Minister, noted that, the volume of water in the Tano River and its tributaries had drastically reduced over the past few years because of the depletion of the vegetation along the river.
Mr Debrah said the Tano River, which runs through five districts in the region and enters the Western Region, must be protected as a main source of water for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes.
He urged non-governmental organisations, business concerns, district assemblies and communities to undertake massive tree plantation projects to protect water bodies and the environment.
Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Science and Environment, urged those engaged in plantation programmes to nurture the trees to maturity and to protect them against bush fires. He called for the formation of environmental protection volunteer corps to arrest offenders
The Minister said a Desertification Fund would be established with the support of international partners to assist communities in the three regions in the northern part of the country and Brong Ahafo who depend solely on the environment for their sustenance to seek alternative livelihoods.
Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Lands and Forestry, said the nation's forest cover had reduced from 18 million hectares to less than two million hectares over the years and cautioned Forestry and Land Commission officials to desist from condoning with those who destroy the environment.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 January 2002 - About 340 beggars registered on the streets of the Accra-Tema Metropolis are to be given free technical and vocational skills training from March.
Mr Sampson Adjei, a Senior Social Development Officer of the Department of Social Welfare, said the programme formed part of government's effort to rid the streets of beggars by giving them skills that would enable them to live a meaningful and an independent life.
He said those registered were aged between 20 and 45 years. They would be given free hostel facilities, feeding, medical care and other basic facilities. Mr Adjei said the social menace being portrayed everyday on the streets of Accra and other parts of the country by beggars was creating a lot of problem to the Ministry in its vision to cater for all human resources.
He said the Somanya Rehabilitation Centre in the Eastern Region and the Edwenase Centre in the Ashanti Region had been selected as the centres for training in vocations such as carpentry, shoemaking, dressmaking and tailoring.
Mr Adjei said though begging for alms on the streets was illegal under the NLC Decree 392; the Ministry was not looking at the problem from the legal point of view but from the humanitarian position.
He expressed the hope that the programme would be successful because some of the beggars registered voluntarily and a Beggars' Rehabilitation Fund had been created.
Mr Adjei appealed to the public, especially non-governmental organisations that were concerned with the plight of the socially disadvantaged, to see this move of the Ministry as a step in the right direction by liasing with it or donating to the fund.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 January 2002 - Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Mines on Thursday advised the media to be circumspect in reporting conflicts between mining companies and people who live within their areas of operation.
He said in order not to misinform the public, the media must always investigate complaints by people concerning activities of mining companies. The minister was speaking during a familiarization visit to the Precious Minerals Marketing Corporation (PMMC) in Accra.
He said investigations by the Ministry have revealed that some people staying within the operational areas of mining companies often fail to abide by regulations of the companies.
Mr Adjei-Darko said some farmers, for example, would cultivate land designated for mining activities even when they have been cautioned, adding that when they later suffer the consequences, they rush to the media and create a bad impression about the companies.
He said mining activities that pose a problem to the country are those carried out by illegal miners who are popularly referred to as "galamsey operators". The minister said unlike the licensed ones, illegal miners end up degrading the land without reclaiming it since their activities are carried out secretly.
He said an environmental statement is requested from any company that is granted mining rights by government to ensure that the land on which they operate is reclaimed after their operations, adding that steps are also taken to see to the welfare of people staying in and around their areas of operation.
Touching on the PMMC, the minister said a board would soon be inaugurated for the corporation and noted that since 1992 the PMMC has worked without a board.
He said it is necessary for the corporation to expand its activities, particularly in the area of getting more schools involved in the practical learning of jewel making, adding that the Labone Secondary School is so far the only school involved in that activity.
Mr. Adjei-Darko urged the PMMC to study the ECOWAS marketing strategies in order to develop better marketing strategies for the company. Departments of the corporation toured by the Minister included the showroom, production unit, and the value and purity determination sections, after which he had an interaction with some members of staff.
The visit forms part of the minister's tour of departments and agencies under his ministry.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
NPP Executives of North America call on
President Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 January 2002 - The newly elected executives of the North America branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday held a meeting with President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, behind closed doors.
Mr Philip Tawiah, Chairman of the branch, briefing newsmen said they introduced the new executives to President Kufuor and government officials. He said they held discussions with the government on efforts to bring investors into the country, taking into account the stability and progress made by the government's fiscal and monetary policies.
Mr. Tawiah said in their determination to assist in the development of the country, it was time for them to utilise the technology and expertise they had acquired to develop the country's resources to create jobs for the youth.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Tamale (Northern Region) 25 January 2002 - The Northern Regional House of Chiefs has joined the national quest for positive change, saying, "we the traditional rulers also want positive change to permeate the institutions of chieftaincy."
In this regard, the house had reached out for assistances to enable it to educate itself in key areas relevant to social transformation and development. This was announced by Yagbon- Wuru Bawa Doshie, President of the house at its first ordinary meeting at Tamale on Wednesday.
The Yagbon Wura said, "We have called for collaboration and received positive support from some donors to build the capacity of chief in the three northern regions". "The main areas of collaboration are good governance, human rights and democracy, as well as conflict prevention among other issues," he said.
The Yagbon Wura, who is also the paramount chief of the Gonja Traditional Area, observed that the challenges facing chiefs in the 21st century are enormous and they could not afford to be indifferent to what was going on in the world around them.
"Nanima" would gird their loins and provide the needed leadership to their people. Consequently we intend to collaborate among ourselves, not just within the northern regions but also with our sister regions." The House congratulated the government for its catalogue of achievement since assuming office
Notably among these were the stabilisation of the cedi and the subsequent fall in inflation, the halt in the serial killing of women and the government's non-discriminating stands against the private press.
The Yagbon Wura on behalf of the House also congratulated John Agyekum Kufuor and his government for spear heading the election of Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas as ECOWAS Executive Secretary and Untied Nations General secretary M Kofi Annan for winning the Nobel peace prize for 2001.
In a speech read on his behalf, Prince Imoro Andani, Northern regional Minister attributed the government's achievement within such as short time to prudent fiscal measures and careful planning.
"What government is seeking from noble members of the Northern region House of chiefs is support and co-operation to ensure a conflict free society. This would enable the government to pursue its programme,” he said.
Prince Andani assured the chiefs that they would never be marginalised, saying, "In achieving the above successes, government has not lost sight of the contributions made by chiefs".
He assured them that their constitutional guarantees would be respected and that they would be free to pursue their legitimate aspiration without victimisation or intimidation from any quarter.
Prince Andani called on the chiefs to prop -up the President's declaration of 'a golden age of business' by making land readily available to prospective investors in the region.
He also asked the chiefs to participate effectively in the President's special initiative on cassava and industrial starch production, which is expected to generate 2500 jobs for people and the targeted district in the region.
The revenue expected from this initiative is a minimum of 2.5 million dollars for the estimated 10,000 tonnes of cassava to be produced, Prince Andani announced.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 25 January 2002 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday said government officials and parliamentarians should stand up for the truth in the interest of humanity. He said this was necessary in the light of government's determination to build a nation that is progressing in harmony.
President Kufuor said this when a seven-member delegation from the family of the late Patrick Kwame Kusi Quaidoo, a teacher, politician and industrialist, called on him at the Castle, Osu, to officially inform the government of his death.
The Mr Quaidoo, 77, died on January 2. He said the late Mr Quaidoo was a distinguished statesman who, as a Parliamentarian and Minister of State during the first Republic, stood up against injustices and spoke the truth that led to his detention under the Preventive Detention Act (PDA).
"Government officials and Parliamentarians should take a cue from him and stand up for the truth despite the political divide which you belong in the interest of humanity," he said.
Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister, said because the late Mr Quaidoo could not condone injustices in the society, he spoke the truth and the government labelled him a traitor and was detained.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Integration, said the legacy left behind by politicians in the calibre of the late Mr Quaidoo was not that of a hard line politician.
The legacy, he said, was how to strengthen constitutional rule, rule of law and democracy in the country, taking a cue from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) the first political party in the country.
Dr. Bonnah Koomson, a lecturer of the School of the Communications, University of Ghana and nephew of the deceased who led the delegation said the country had lost one of its illustrious sons.
He said there would be wake-keeping at his residence in Accra on Friday, February 15, burial service at the Christ the King Catholic Church and burial in his hometown, Abeseswa-Gyaman in the Western Region on Saturday, February 16.
Dr Koomson, on behalf of the family presented one carton of schnapps to the government. The late Mr. Quaidoo was a tutor of Saint Augustines College from 1945-54, Member of Parliament for Amenfi Constituency and Minister of State in the first Republic, 1954-61.
He was also an MP for the same constituency during the second Republic. The late Mr Quaidoo was awarded the Honorary Order of the Lion of Judah (Ethiopian decoration) and was a founding member of the National Symphony Orchestra. He left behind a wife and six children.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com