Accra (Greater Accra) 14 June 2000
The Ministry of the Interior is to appoint a Committee of Enquiry into the circumstances leading to the demonstration by a section of the Prisons Service.
The Prisons Directorate has also ordered all officers of the Service, who are not at post to report for normal duty with immediate effect.
A statement signed by the Minister for National Security, Mr Kofi Totobi Quakyi said these measures followed a meeting by the National Security Council on Tuesday to review the unrest among the personnel.
It said all officers leaving the barracks are to obtain the appropriate authorisation from their superior officers while those on release have been recalled to report to their various stations without fail.
The statement said any officer, who fails to comply with the instructions would have himself or herself to blame.
Junior Prisons Officers took to the streets on Monday and Tuesday to press home their demands for better working conditions.
The personnel, in red arm bands, carried placards some of which read, "Why are we being frustrated", "We don't want Djangmah - He is worse than Hitler", "Without us, there is no Police or Judiciary".
Some of the demonstrating personnel, who spoke to the GNA said their action was not aimed at fighting the government but at calling for changes in "our conditions of service and also to display our displeasure for the Price Waterhouse package".
They have also threatened to let out prisoners and petitioned government, for "decent accommodation".
The Security Council assured the public that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure security of all the country's prison facilities.
It deplored the action, saying the conduct of the personnel contravened the service regulations as spelt out in NRC Decree 46 of 1972.
The Council noted that the dissatisfaction of the staff over their placement on the Universal Salary Structure was already receiving attention.
Besides, members of the security service including the Prisons officers are enjoined to respect and abide by their service regulations and channel their grievances through the established channels and chain of command.
The Council, therefore, called for immediate steps to restore normalcy to the Service while discussions on their conditions of service are finalised.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 June 2000
The poor salaries and conditions of service of personnel of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is an absolute challenge to its capacity to work, CHRAJ Commissioner, Emile Francis Short said in Accra on Tuesday.
He told newsmen at the weekly "Meet the Press" series in Accra on Tuesday that they deserve to be "better paid, better resourced and better motivated than is the case.
"Our resolve is resolute and we ask for the necessary support to enable us to meet our constitutional obligation of promoting and defending the human rights of all persons in our beloved country."
He said the situation has led to a high turnover of CHRAJ personnel, particularly lawyers, recruited and trained with care, adding that it has weakened the morale of the staff.
At the moment there are only 12 officers, each of whom handles about 200 cases at a time.
Mr Ben Oppong, Deputy Commissioner in charge of Legal and Operations, said the CHRAJ has, under such dire conditions, been able to deal with more than half of 8,000 complaints in the first half of this year.
Common in such cases are unlawful dismissal or termination of appointment, unlawful detention and unlawful arrests.
He said this has been made possible due to their amicable approach to handling cases mainly through mediation, counselling and education.
Mr Oppong said the Commission has liberated more than 600 "Trokosi" girls from shrines while communities in the Northern Region, where alleged witches are maltreated are gradually stopping the practice due to education given by CHRAJ.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 14 June 2000
Mrs Getrude Zakaria Ali, former
Deputy Secretary for Local Government has noted that the 1979 June four
uprising was an epoch making event, which would remain an important landmark in
the political history of the country.
She said it was absolutely
necessary to rehabilitate the sinking image of the Armed Forces and to ensure
social justice in the society.
Mrs Zakaria who was also a former
Executive Secretary of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD)
said this at a lecture organised by the Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating
Council (RCC) on the theme: "the challenges of June four in the new
millennium" at Sunyani on Tuesday.
The realisation of the principles
of probity, accountability, transparency and social justice, which June four
stood for, requires Ghanaians to pursue political tolerance, she said.
Mrs Zakaria reminded political
parties of their primary role in promoting tolerance to enhance democratic
governance.
Mr Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, National
Organiser of the NDC said that corruption is a phenomenon that cuts across
every sphere of national life.
He said that it would be erroneous
for some politicians to argue that the June four uprising was not necessary
because it could not wipe out corruption in the country.
Mr Akrasi Sarpong explained that
the uprising conscientised the people to expose corruption.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 14 June 2000
Vice President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday toured facilities at the Aflao Border Post and assured the personnel of security services working there of government's commitment to improve the conditions under which they work.
Addressing the personnel of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Police at a mini-durbar to round off his inspection tour of the frontier, Vice President Mills appealed to them to adopt peaceful means of addressing their grievances.
He said there was the need for a collective responsibility to push the country ahead for the benefit of all.
"We must all, together decide where we want to go from here and work towards it."
Vice President Mills commended the personnel for working hard, to achieve revenue targets and in some cases, exceeding them despite the poor facilities with which they work.
Prof. Mills, who had earlier on cut the sod for the construction of a cement factory at Aflao, also called on the Paramount Chiefs in the district.
They were Togbi Amenya Fiti V, Fiaga of Aflao, Togbi Hor II, Fiaga of Somey and President of the Somey Traditional Council and Togbi Addo VIII, Fiaga of Klikor.
They expressed their appreciation for the government's efforts, in bringing the cement factory to the district, saying it would provide jobs for the youth.
The traditional rulers also expressed total support for the Vice President in the forthcoming elections.
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Ya Na expresses sympathy to families of
plane crash victims
Yendi (Northen Region) 14 June 2000
Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, the Over-Lord of Dagbon, has expressed his sympathy to the bereaved family of those who lost their lives during the recent plane crash at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra.
Ya-Na also wished those still on admissions at 37 Military Hospital speedy recovery.
He said this should not discourage the Ghana Air Force Airlink from operating to the northern part of the country.
Airlink flight 200 from Tamale crashed on Monday, June 5, killing six of the 52 passengers and crew on board.
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Akim-Oda (Eastern Region) 14 June 2000
The Birim South District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr John Effah Boadi has appealed to politicians not to create panic in the society by introducing politics of lies, which tends to divide the people.
Mr Boadi, who was addressing the first ordinary meeting of the third session of the assembly held at Akim Oda, on Monday, called for concerted effort at ensuring a peaceful electioneering campaign.
He also charged them to educate the people on government policies and the impact of the world market on the country.
The DCE urged the members to work hard, reminding them that at the end of their tenure they would be assessed by the extent to which poverty and unemployment have been reduced and also by the number of projects implemented in their areas.
Mr Boadi further advised them to assist to settle land and chieftaincy disputes, which he said, have always been an impediment to development and progress.
Earlier, the Presiding Member, Mr Quad Attacker, whose two-year term of office had ended, was re-elected.
He pulled 59 out of the 60 votes cast in an election supervised by the Electoral Commission.
Mr Atakora thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him and promised to reciprocate the gesture by working harder.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 14 June 2000
About 900 investors have so far been attracted into the country, since the government investment promotion incentive was launched in 1994, the Vice President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills said on Tuesday when he cut the sod for work to begin on a 16 million-dollar Diamond Cement Factory Limited at Aflao.
He said to attract levels of investment that would have maximum impact on the short and long-term development, a review of the investment incentives is being undertaken.
"I expect the review to be completed before the end of the year to come out with a new targeting strategy to improve our prospect as an investment attractive destination."
The Government, he said, has laid the foundation for industrial growth by creating a stable environment through good governance.
Professor Mills said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has been supportive of the private sector and private entrepreneurs because they are the best means to advance the industrial sector in terms of production and employment.
Prof. Mills said Ghana has always been part of the global system and would continue to put in place the necessary steps that are needed for the country to benefit fully from the new trend in the world economy.
Factors such as infrastructure, technological base and managerial capacity, which weaken the country's ability to compete successfully, were being addressed.
Ghana, he said, abounds in resources, which could aid among other things in transforming iron ore into steal and tertiary product, such as machinery for wood processing, textile and garment production in the rural areas for the needed economic and social benefit.
There are also resources available for transforming limestone into clinker and cement, bauxite into alumina and other chemicals for water treatment as well as gold into jewellery of international standard, he said.
The Vice President said the company's proposal to construct a railway line from Togo to the project site at Aflao to convey raw material, demonstrate the possibility of pursuing the development of the larger West African railway system to link major industrial centres under the ECOWAS fast track programme.
Professor Mills said this new investment is a major activity for the Ketu District and should mark the beginning of the development and growth of other industries in that part of the country.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Motaparti Prasad, was full of praise for Ghana's attractive investment environment.
The company decided to invest in the cement industry, due to the positive result made in the divested Tema Steal Works Company of which they are co-partners.
He said the 16 million-dollar plant, which is expected to produce about 600,000 tonnes of cement annually, would generate 36 million dollars for Ghana annually.
Mr Prasad said the project would generate economic activity within the Volta Region in particular and the country at large and also reduce the unemployment level, as it would employ about 1,400 workers directly and indirectly.
The desire of West African states for such regional integration, under the ECOWAS protocol formed a priority for the company.
The raw material for the project such as clinker would be drawn from the West African Cement Limited (WACEM), a sister company in Togo to speed up the realisation of the dreams of leaders in the region.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Dan Abodakpi said the establishment of the factory by an Indian Company is a fruitful outcome of the South South Co-operation.
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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 14 June 2000
Mr Hayford Francis Amoako, Secretary at the Sunyani Polytechnic has filed his papers to contest on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Nkoranza constituency parliamentary seat.
The party secretariat at Nkoranza indicated that Mr Amoako is among six people, who have filed their nominations for consideration to contest on the party’s ticket.
The 45 year-old Secretary, who holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, told the Ghana News Agency that he has been a member of the NDC since its inception and now wish to offer himself to serve the people.
He appealed to the executives and the entire membership of the party in the constituency, to give him the mandate during the party's congress.
"I am confident that I will win the December election if I am offered the opportunity by the party to contest for the seat", he declared.
In another development, Mr Kwaku Tutu, a Circuit Supervisor of the Nkoranza District Education Directorate has also declared his intentions to contest the Wenchi East NDC ticket.
He said he would be able to snatch the seat from the incumbent NPP Member of Parliament (MP) of the area, Alhaji Musah Bamba.
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