Politicians urged
to exercise restraint
Election task force
inaugurated
Women must use education to achieve social
justice – Panellists
It is wrong to conscript people into the
Armed Forces - Tony Aidoo
Ashanti Region NPP retains 15
"sitting" parliamentary candidates
NDC supporters asked to respect decisions of
the leadership
Lawyer condemns sexual demands made on female employees
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July 2000
Mr. Kofi Annan, United Nations
(UN) Secretary-General, would pay a five-day official visit to Ghana from
Saturday July 29 to Wednesday August 2.
His wife, Mrs. Nane Annan would
accompany him, a statement by the United Nations Information Centre in Accra
said on Wednesday.
It would be the first official
visit to Ghana since Mr. Annan became UN Secretary-General. The statement said
the visit is in recognition of Ghana's distinguished leadership role in
regional and international matters and its long-standing participation in UN
and regional peacekeeping efforts.
While in the country Mr. Annan
would pay a courtesy call on President Jerry Rawlings and receive a National Honour
in recognition of his service to the nation and humanity and as a mark of
Ghana's pride in his achievements.
He would lay a wreath at the Kwame
Nkrumah Mausoleum, receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Ghana,
and cut the sod for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre
at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Teshie.
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Politicians urged
to exercise restraint
Elimina (Central Region) 27 July
2000
Politicians have been asked to
exercise self-restraint and to educate their supporters to desist from acts,
which could disturb the peace and stability of the country.
Nana Kwamena Ansah IV, Omanhene of
Eguafo Traditional Area, made the call on Wednesday at a roundtable discussion
for representatives of political parties in the Komenda- Edina-Eguafo- Abirem
(KEEA) District at Elimina.
Under the theme "building a
bridge of trust among politicians," it aimed at promoting a peaceful
atmosphere for the elections, and attended by chiefs, the clergy and some
opinion leaders.
Nana Ansah stressed the need for a
political atmosphere free from intimidation, incitement, vote buying and other
malpractices, which could threaten the peace and stability of the country.
He called on the parties to strive
to leave a legacy of "peaceful transition" for the country and said
"politics is not a dirty game. Political parties muddy the waters and make
it unclean."
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Election task
force inaugurated
Mpraeso (Eastern Region) 27 July
2000
A 24-member Election Security Task
Force to ensure that the forth-coming political campaign and general election
are conducted in a peaceful manner in the Kwahu South district was inaugurated
at Mpraeso on Wednesday.
Members of the Task Force include
representatives of all the political parties operating in the district, members
of security agencies, the Electoral Commission and the media.
It would also provide a forum for
the parties to exchange ideas, remove fears, hatred, speculations and
ignorance, to enable their supporters to interact to ensure peace and unity in
the area.
The Chairman of the Task Force,
Chief Superintendent Daniel Owusu-Prempeh, advised supporters of the parties to
accept divergent views and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms
of other people.
He charged the parties to adhere
strictly to the Public Order Act and to co-operate with the police in the
discharge of their duties to maintain peace and order.
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Women must use education to achieve social
justice – Panellists
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July 2000
Women should consider both formal and non-formal education as the springboard to achieve social and equitable justice while ensuring the preservation of good cultural and moral values.
They must also use international conventions to put pressure on governments for more gender sensitive policies and legislation.
This was the common theme that ran through presentations by various speakers at a symposium and exhibition held on Thursday in Accra.
The symposium, which forms part of activities marking the Emancipation celebrations, was aimed at educating women on gender related issues, the role of the family in national development and the empowering of Ghanaian and African women with the requisite knowledge on seeking redress for their rights when they are infringed upon.
Participants were drawn from the public and organised women's groups, including the Ahmadiyya Women's Fellowship, the Presbyterian Women's Fellowship, and the 31st December Women's Movement.
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It is wrong to conscript people into the
Armed Forces - Tony Aidoo
Takoradi (Central Region) 27 July 2000
Dr. Tony Aidoo, Deputy Minister for Defence, on Wednesday refuted allegations of ethnic imbalance in the Ghana Armed Forces, saying it is an attempt to stir tribal sentiments in the military.
He said it is not true that some ethnic groups dominate the Ghana Armed Forces.
Dr. Aidoo, who was speaking at a forum organised by the Two Garrison in Takoradi, said tribal and ethnic backgrounds are not requirements for recruitment into the Armed Forces.
He noted that the Armed Forces are a professional body and therefore the suggestion that all ethnic groups should be represented in the Armed Forces is impractical.
He said it would be wrong to conscript people into the Armed Forces, adding: "only those who want to enlist in the Armed Forces apply and are recruited".
Dr. Aidoo said no amount of agitation by politicians would discourage the government from deploying the military in national development when necessary.
He urged the military to conduct themselves within the democratic framework and desist from using the profession to pursue personal interests.
Military personnel can protect their rights but should employ constitutional means so far as they remain citizens of the country, he added.
Dr. Aidoo said that the role of the media is indispensable in every democracy and as such its rights and responsibilities should be recognised by all.
He however expressed regret that a section of the media had hijacked these constitutional rights and embarked on "media terrorism".
Concerning corruption, he said the media are duty bound to expose both government officials and private individuals.
Dr. Aidoo mentioned that the concentration of media attack on government officials in respect of corruption was hypocritical, saying individuals accused of corruption should be allowed to prove their innocence.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July 2000
Mr. Jerry Akwei Thompson, Chief Executive of the Ga District Assembly, on Wednesday expressed regret at the breakaway of the African extended family system, which has rendered many children wayward.
"The extended family system, which the European envied so much, has now been destroyed by the society and this has brought a lot of hardship on the African child."
Mr. Thompson said this when he received a certificate of appreciation from the Sports and Cultural Academy for Street Children (Street Academy) at a ceremony at Amasaman, near Accra.
The presentation was to honour him for his immense contribution to the Academy since its establishment in 1986.
The District Chief Executive blamed parents and society in general for the plight of street children and called for a restoration of "that good old relationship where each one is the other's keeper".
He assured the Academy of the district's continued support, saying "our doors are always open and we promise we will involve the Academy in all our programmes".
The founder and proprietor of the School, Atta Lartey, thanked the DCE for "always being there for the Academy", adding: "he has come to the aid of the Academy in cash and in kind when the road was very rough".
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Ashanti Region NPP retains 15
"sitting" parliamentary candidates
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July 2000
The Ashanti Regional Executive of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has retained 15 "sitting" MPs to contest the December 8 parliamentary election.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by Mr. Frederick Freduah Antoh, Regional Chairman of the party, said the decision was taken in consultation with the National Executive Council.
The candidates are Mr. Sampson Kwaku Boafo (Subin), Dr. Kwame Addo Kufour (Manhyia), Mr. Edward Osei Kwaku (Asokwa West), Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu (Asante Akim North), and Mr. Anthony Boadi Mensah (Obuasi).
Others are Mr Kwame Osei Prempeh (Nsuta Kwamang), Mr. Samuel Nkrumah Gyimah (Odotobiri, Mr. J.Y. Amoah (Bosome Freho), Nana Asante Frempong (Kwabre), and Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah (Afigya Sekyere West).
The rest are Mr. James Adusei Sarkordie (Atwima Nwabiagya), Mr. Kwasi Afriyie Dante (Atwima Mponua), Mrs. Grace Coleman (Effiduase), Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku (Offinso North), and Mr. Stephen Kwaku Manu Balado (Ahafo Ano South).
The statement said candidates have been selected in all five constituencies where the party lost in the 1996 elections.
They are, Madam Elizabeth Owusu (Ejura-Sekyedumasi), Dr. Edward Baffoe Bonnie (Asokwa East), Mr. Francis Dorpenyor (New Edubiase), Mr. K.T. Hammond (Adansi Asokwa), and Mr. K. Frempong (Ahafo Ano North).
The statement said it had also been decided that constituency congresses should be held in four constituencies - Sekyere West, Offinso South, Asante Akim South and Bosomtwe, not later than August 7.
The party asked all aspiring candidates and their agents in these constituencies to refrain from mudslinging, provocation or acts that may bring the party into disrepute.
It said the party is "unravelling a few outstanding knots" in the remaining constituencies.
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NDC supporters asked to respect decisions
of the leadership
Kumasi (Greater Accra) 27 July 2000
A leading member of the NDC, Alhaji Sulemana Gado, has called on the party's supporters at all levels to respect the decisions of its leadership.
This, he said, is necessary to maintain and strengthen the unity and cohesion of the NDC that has made it the most potent and formidable political force in the country.
Alhaji Gado, who was speaking to newsmen in Kumasi, expressed concern about misconduct among some party members, saying it could not afford to waste time and energy on solving individual petty differences and intra-party feuds in view of the crucial nature of this year's general elections.
He therefore advised all genuine supporters of the NDC to use the internal process of conflict resolution to redress all grievances.
Alhaji Gado condemned the recourse to demonstrations by some party activists and urged that they use dialogue to resolve all problems.
They must also refrain from actions and utterances that could undermine the government efforts at attracting foreign investment.
He praised the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his drive to woo investors and promote education.
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Matse (Volta Region) 27 July 2000
Mrs Hilary Gbedemah, a Ho based legal practitioner, has condemned the habit among some men to demand sex before offering employment to women.
She said such demands are not only immoral but also constitute sexual harassment at workplaces.
Mrs Gbedemah, who is also a Senior Legal Officer of Women in Law and Development in Africa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) was answering a question at the second annual girls education week durbar of the Ho district, held at Matse on Tuesday.
She said women in such situations should not only resist but also remind the men of the impropriety of their demand and seek legal advice.
Captain George Nfojoh (rtd), Ho District Chief Executive, Togbe Osei Tutu VI, Paramount Chief of Matse Traditional Area and officials of the Ghana Education Service attended the durbar, which was preceded by a route march by pupils in first cycle schools bearing placards extolling girls' education.
Mama Agblatsu III, Ho District Director of Education, said some socio-cultural practices frustrate and serve as a great disincentive to girls' education in Ghana.
She said "for instance the girl-child is saddled at home with house chores that begin early in the morning so that by the time she reaches school she is already tired".
Mama Agblatsu listed other factors that negatively affect girls education as "poverty, parental and community attitudes due to gender stereo-typing, the opportunity costs of sending daughters to school, lack of friendly school structures, early marriage and gender insensitive curriculum".
She said these factors seem to perpetuate and even widen further the gender gap, whereby the number of girls, as compared to that of boys continue to reduce at all levels of education in the country.
Statistics made available to the Ghana News Agency by the Ho District Directorate of Education indicate that there has been a marginal drop in the enrolment of girls in schools in the district this year.
For example at the junior secondary school (JSS) level, 6,751 are on roll this academic year, compared to 6,841 in the 1998/99 academic year.
According to the data, in the primary section, 17,879 females were on roll in the 1998/99 academic year but it dropped to 17,319 in the 1999/2000 academic year.
Mama Agblatsu said the trend could be due to early pregnancy and migration.
Captain Nfodjo urged the chiefs and people of Matse to institute a fund to help the brilliant but financially distressed pupils to continue school.
He said moneys, instead of drinks fines should be imposed on culprits from cases settled at the chief's court and such monies used for the fund.
Mrs Alice Stella Ayebi of the EP Church, Ghana, Headquarters, who chaired the function, asked both parents to co-operate in the education of their children.
There was a sketch by the Matse 31 December Women's movement depicting the result of irresponsible parenthood.
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