Families of victims of June 4 uprising agree on Military burial
Public urged to assist police in curbing domestic violence
Government urged to adopt long-term planning
Kwabena Agyapong discharged from hospital
Staff asked to integrate vulnerable in society
Architects asked to make impact in the country
Kufuor appoints chief executives for six public institutions
Psychology centre to offer counselling for street children
Scientists conduct studies into farming in Breman Asikuma
Chiefs urged to use authority responsibly
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2001
The families of the Army officers, who were executed in the wake of the June insurrection have expressed their wish for military burials for the deceased, a statement from the office of the President said on Monday.
The statement, signed by Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, government spokesperson, mentioned the deceased officers as Generals. A. A. Afrifa, I. K. Acheampong, F. W. K. Akuffo, Major-General R. E. A. Kotei and Real Admiral Joy Amedume.
The rest are Air Vice Marshal Yaw Boakye, Major-General Emmanuel Utuka and Col.. Roger Felli.
The Executive Committee on the exhumation and burial, under the chairmanship of Air Marshall M.A. Otu, on Saturday had a meeting with the widows and families together, before holding separate meetings with each of them to discuss their wishes.
The widows and families of the executed officers expressed their gratitude to President J.A. Kufuor for acceding to their request to exhume and accord the affected officers, including three former heads of state, decent funerals.
The committee promised to start the exhumation of the bodies next week.
It also informed the widows and families that, even though records are available to identify the burial sites of the deceased, it deems it extremely important to establish their true identities.
To ensure this, therefore, the executive committee has decided to conduct forensic studies (DNA tests), to determine the absolute identities of the remains of the senior officers.
Members of the executive committee are, Gen. E.A. Erskine, retired Commander of UNFIL, Cdr. G.E. Osei (rtd), representing VAG, Wing Cdr. Osei Kyeremeh of the General Headquarters of the Ghana Armed Forces, Supt. B.A. Ashong of the Ghana Police, Deputy Director F.R.Y. Anka, representing Ghana Prisons and Col. Dr.Wadhwani, a pathologist at the 37 military hospital.
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Ho (Volta Region) 17 July 2001
Mr James Amo, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Volta Region, has called for co-operation from the public and victims of domestic violence to enable the Police to deal with the culprits effectively.
Domestic violence against women is often committed in privacy and it is difficult for the Police to act on such abuses unless victims are willing to volunteer information, he told a one-week training course for 16 officers and men of the Police Service from the region at Ho.
The training on domestic violence against women and children was organised by the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) with sponsorship from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
He said the Police have been found wanting in their response to domestic violence in the past because of society's attitude to women and expressed the hope that the training would bring about a positive approach.
Miss Edna Kuma, Executive Director of AWAL said the course focuses on: "The Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women", "African charter on Human and Peoples rights" "Dynamics of domestic violence, national laws" and "Handling of victims of domestic violence".
It was the last in a series of seminars for a total of 150 Police personnel nation-wide and aimed at changing the attitude and perception of the Police towards domestic violence, which she claimed, affects more than one-third of women in the country.
She said marital homes, which should be places of refuge and security for women have rather become places of torment.
Miss Kuma said the AWAL would make recommendations to the government on how the Police could be assisted to deal with the problem effectively.
Mr Fred Pappoe, Programme Officer of DANIDA, said domestic violence required a thorough understanding of its social and psychological underpinnings if it should be effectively addressed.
This he said called for a specific level of capacity building and the provision of input for the Police to carry out their duties.
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Tema (Northern Region) 17 July 2001
A Muslim leader on Monday suggested the adoption of long term national planning as against ad-hoc measures as a solution to the country's problems.
Maulvi Yusuf Yawson, Naib Ameer (One) Ahamadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Ghana, equated such long term national planning to the nine-month pregnancy of a woman and said anything short of this faces problems for the new child or the mother.
Maulvi Yawson, who was the guest speaker at the Circuit Conference of the Jama'at held at Tema under the theme, "Self sacrifice-a tool for spiritual development", said in many cases, ad-hoc measures cost the nation dearly.
He said in taking long-term planning measures, leaders should ensure that they put down proper monitoring systems to check corruption, malfeasance and nepotism that were common among the people.
Maulvi Yawson advised Ghanaians to show tolerance in their daily lives and eschew ill feelings, which in turn breed animosity towards other people.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2001
Mr Kwabena Agyapong, Deputy Government Spokesman, who was injured when he was attacked in his home on July 4 has been discharged from 37 Military Hospital and is expected to resume work soon.
"He is in good health and is expected to resume work in a few days' time," Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Government Spokesperson, said in a statement released in Accra on Monday.
"Mr Agyapong wishes to thank the many thousands who sent messages, flowers and cards. He is deeply touched by the outpouring of concern and is grateful to all."
He sustained injuries when armed men suspected to be robbers attacked his house at East Legon in Accra.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 17 July 2001
Madam Margaret Kutsoati, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Welfare on Monday asked staff of the department to work towards integrating the vulnerable into the mainstream of society.
She said it is the responsibility of the department to ensure the total well being of the citizenry and charged the staff not to shirk that responsibility.
Madam Kutsoati was addressing a five-day refresher-training course organised by the department for 60 field staff drawn from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions at Tamale on Monday.
The course was designed to sharpen the skills of the participants and to expose them to modern techniques in meeting the challenges of the decentralisation policy.
Save the Children Fund, a Canadian NGO is sponsoring the course, which will treat topics like report writing, professional ethics of the probation officer, conventions on the rights of the child, court orders and procedures and adoption and fostering of children.
Madam Kutsoati urged the staff to adopt strategies to assist the disadvantaged and persons with disabilities to develop their potentials and contribute towards the development of their communities and society at large.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday asked architects to put their technological know-how and expertise at the disposal of the Town and Country Planning Department for an effective planning of the environment.
"Let us feel the impact of your profession in the country", President Kufuor told a delegation of the Society of Black Architects (SOBA), Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) who called on him at the State House in Accra.
The delegation is in the country to participate in a two-week exhibition at the British Council in Accra.
SOBA intends to foster working relationships with their Ghanaian counterparts to improve on the infrastructure, physical development and planning in the country.
President Kufuor said lack of an effective urban planning system has been a problem over the years and a solution should be found.
Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing, said his ministry has held a series of meetings with the Ghana Institute of Architects to come out with an integrated and comprehensive approach to the role of engineers, planners and architects in the building of cities.
He said the government would use all the expertise available to find solution to the perennial flooding of parts of the country and other problems.
Mr Paul Hyette, President of RIBA, said SOBA has been an effective group since its establishment about 10 years ago and the exhibition was to expose the quality of its work to Ghana.
He said SOBA was prepared to assist Ghana solve most of its problems including the causes of flooding in Accra.
Mr Kenneth Ampratwum, President of the Ghana Institute of Architects, said the institute is worried about floods and construction failures and has set up a committee to investigate them.
He said governments had not taken advantage of the Institute's expertise to solve urban, drainage, sea defence and construction problems.
Mr Kobby Mensa-Kuma, former President of SOBA, said Ghanaian architects in the UK with the support of RIBA are breaking new grounds and it would be ideal to come down and work with their counterparts at home to bring about a meaningful solution to the problems.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2001
The government has named chief executives of six public institutions.
They include Ms Esther Dzifa Ofori, a public relations and management consultant, who has been named head of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited.
A statement signed by Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Government Spokesperson said the President has also appointed Mr Abel Adusei, formerly of the Ghana Tourist
Development Company and currently with the UN Mission in Kosovo as head of the
Ghana National Procurement Agency.
It said Nana Dr Baa Boakye, Principal of Accra Polytechnic heads the National Board for Small-Scale Industries, Mr Edward Collins Boateng becomes the Chief Executive of Ghana Export Promotion Council and Mr Timothy Obeng is the Chief Executive of Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF).
The statement said Mr Daniel Bartels-Kodwo, who is the Marketing Manager of GIHOC Distilleries, has been appointed acting Managing Director.
The statement said the appointments take immediate effect.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 July 2001
Sheikh Ibrahim Codjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Monday said the Regional Co-ordinating Council is setting up a psychology centre to offer free counselling and assistance to street children in the metropolis.
He said the counselling would enable them to develop into responsible and productive adults.
Sheikh Quaye said this at an awareness programme organised by Women's Refuge-Africa (WORA) and Horizon Girl Child Development Programme, NGOs, in Accra.
The refuge centre serves as a temporary residence for women and children facing domestic violence.
They are given counselling, medical care, emotional and psychological support where necessary.
Sheikh Quaye said the unfortunate phenomenon of street children in Accra is that the majority of the children are supposed to be in school and catered for by their parents.
"However, due to poverty, negligence or broken homes they are left to loiter on the streets in search of odd jobs to earn a living."
He said the status of the Ghanaian women is nothing to boast of, even though they are more than men.
He attributed the problem to the negative attitudes and certain outmoded traditional beliefs that pose a threat to their welfare.
Madam Atawa Akyea, Director of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, called for equal opportunity for boys and girls at all levels.
Mrs Jane Adu, Executive Director of WORA, said the centre has for the past three months counselled over 100 married couples.
She said the centre would not promote divorce but rather help women have basic securities in life.
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Breman-Asikuma (Central Region) 17 July 2001
A ten-member team of scientists from the Crops Research Institute in Kumasi have conducted feasibility studies into the establishment of large-scale farms and agro-based factories in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa district.
The team was at the invitation of the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr P.C. Appiah-Ofori.
The report of the team would enable the district to know the type of crops to grow and factories to be installed to give employment to the youth.
Briefing the GNA the leader, Dr Kofi Marfo Agricultural Economist said the team visited about ten towns and villages to interview the farmers on their activities and to survey the land.
He said the district is rich in forest reserves and farming of plantain cocoyam, cassava, maize and vegetables.
Other members of the team were Dr. N. Owusu Akyaw, Entomologist, Dr Ernest A Asiedu, Seed Technologist, Dr Justice J. Afuakwa, Agronomist, Dr Ansong Aware Dankyi, Economist and Dr F. Anno-Nyarko, Virologist.
The rest were Mr Kwadwo Obeng-Antwi, Maize Breeder, Mr S. Agyenim-Boateng, Soil Scientist, Mrs Joyce Haleegoah, Rural Sociologist and Mr Lawrence Kwasi Mensah of the Business Development Unit.
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Abeadze Dominase (Central Region) 17 July 2001
The Omanhene of Abeadze Traditional Area in the Central Region, Nana Kwebu Ewusie VII on Sunday called on Chiefs, Queenmothers and heads of clans not to use their positions to exploit the people.
Nana Ewusie said chiefs derive their authority from God to serve the people and they should do it with humility and honesty.
Speaking at a ceremony to introduce the new Ebusuapanyin of Kona Clan of Abeadze Kyeakor, Nana Kojo Edua at Dominase, he urged heads of clans to cooperate with their chiefs in their efforts to maintain peace and promote development of the community.
Nana Nketiah Afful, Abontsindomhene of the area advised Nana Edua to account for the clan's property periodically to ensure peace.
He said he should not be concerned about funerals alone but to initiate programmes to assist the needy to earn a decent living.
Nana Edua thanked the Omanhene and members of the clan for the honour done him and promised to live up to expectation.
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