Independent honours journalist
NDC suspends Old Tafo-Suame Constituency chairman
Don't give NDC your mandate – UGM
It has Mr. C. K. Kuadey, a Retired
Deputy Commissioner of Police and member of the Police Council, as Chairman.
A statement signed by Nii Okaija
Adamafio, Minister for the Interior, said that it would determine whether there
were any breaches of the provisions of the Prison Service Decree and
Regulations by the demonstrators and to make recommendations.
It would also examine the issues
contained in the petition submitted to the Minister on June 12, 2000 and to
enquire into any other matter, which in the opinion of the committee is
relevant to the matter.
The other members of the Committee
are Mr. John Hoffman, Retired Assistant Director of Prisons and Secretary
Retired Prisons Officers Association, Mr. J. K. Owusu, Chief Collector
(Training) Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, Miss Mercy Kwaa, Principal
State Attorney and Miss Adelaide Amankwa, Assistant Director Ministry of the
Interior, who is the Secretary.
It would submit its findings and
recommendations to the Minister within one month. Prisons officers last Monday
embarked on a protest to demand better working conditions and the resignation
of their Director General, Brigadier A.K. Djangmah. The demonstration has since been called off.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June 2000
The All African Students Union
(AASU), on the eve of African Students Day, Thursday commended students who
have dedicated their lives to the struggle against oppression, domination,
human rights abuses, corruption and all forms of injustice.
The 6th AASU Congress in Addis
Ababa in 1982, declared June 16 as a Remembrance Day for the Soweto massacre of
defenceless students protesting against the apartheid regime in South Africa in
1976.
A statement signed by Mr. Seth
Ofori-Ohene, Acting Secretary General to mark the Day expressed regret that
certain parts of Africa continue to witness abuse of students' rights.
"We condemn governments
involved in these inhuman acts to desist from them and calls for board of
inquiries to be set up in these countries to investigate and bring the
perpetrators to book", the statement added.
AASU called on African governments
to put in place educational policies that would lessen the burden of students
and parents in their quest for a better education.
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Mr Emile Short, Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, who said this observed that the simplification of complex laws and regulations to the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian would enable them to enforce their rights.
Launching five booklets on fundamental human rights in Accra on Thursday, Mr Short noted that many Ghanaians have little appreciation of the law as a means of ensuring certain standard of behaviour among citizens in the interest of peace and good order.
"Too many people have only a negative experience of the law; and never fully understand the ways in which the law exists to protect them, their family, and their property."
The booklets published by the Ghana Legal Literacy and Resource Foundation, the outreach arm of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), aim at simplifying the law in a language that lay men will understand.
The publications, which are in English and five local languages - Asante Twi, Ga, Dagbani, Ewe, and Kassem - were published with the assistance of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). They were, "A Citizen's Right to a Fair Trial", "Rights Before Trial" and "Rights after Trial".
The others were, "Equality and Freedom from Discrimination", and "Right to Home and Property.
Mr Short expressed the hope that the booklets would help reverse the situation and enable ordinary Ghanaians to understand the law as it applies for their protection.
Professor Akua Kuenyehia, who chaired the function, said to sustain the gains of democracy there was the need to demystify legal concepts for the populace to understand.
She said it is the Foundation's aim to reach to the majority of the people, who cannot read through audio-visual means and outreach programmes.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June 2000
President Jerry Rawlings returned home on Thursday from Tokyo, Japan, where he attended a symposium on conflict prevention, organised by the Japan Institute of International Affairs.
He was accompanied by Mr Victor Gbeho, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Daniel Ohene Adjekum, Minister for Chieftaincy and Protocol and Doctor Tony Aidoo, Deputy Minister for Defence.
Briefing Journalist on arrival, Mr Gbeho said the President delivered the keynote address where he gave account of the conflict situation on the continent, especially how West Africa had coped and managed the situation.
He said President Rawlings helped to clarify the problem of conflict management, resolution and prevention and appealed to the developed countries to assist the continent in solving political conflicts.
Mr Gbeho said President Rawlings met with the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the new Prime Minister and chief executives of companies and organisations operating in Ghana.
He said the symposium would prepare a paper, which would be an input in the forthcoming G8 Summit to be held in Okinawa, Japan.
At the airport to meet the President were the Vice President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, Ministers of State, The Inspector General of Police, Peter Nanfuri, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Ben Akafia and the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June 2000
Participants at a workshop on feminist perspective on gender and violence against women have called for stiffer sanctions for perpetrators of such acts.
In a communiqué issued at a five-day workshop organised by the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentary Centre at Sogakope on Thursday, the participants registered their concerns on the issue, and said violence on women is not an isolated occurrence but rather a regular experience for an unacceptable number of Ghanaians.
They were of the view that violence on women is pervasive in Ghana and can take various forms including, physical, psychological, sexual or economic and can stem from traditional practices.
The communique said silence, tolerance and ineffective sanctioning of perpetrators on the part of the state and society perpetuates this violation of women's rights and their rights as citizens entitled to protection by the state.
Violence against women is not limited to any one social group. It affects women in all classes of ethnic groups and of all ages.
It causes harm and suffering and has multiple ramifications to both the victim and society. The impact might be a lifelong psychological trauma and economic disability and underdevelopment. The participants said silence or tolerance to such perpetrators is no longer acceptable.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June 2000
The Branch Chairman of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) of Ghana Telecom, Mr Emmanuel Darkwah has denied that workers of the company were on strike to press home demands for better conditions of service.
Mr Darkwah told the Ghana News Agency that the Union was still negotiating with the management and the workers have been asked to go about their duties pending the outcome of negotiations.
He said the workers became agitated on Thursday morning when negotiations broke down due to the apathy of management. “They pulled us (Union executives) to the rally ground to find out what was exactly happening."
He said the management has adopted a lukewarm attitude to the plight of the workers since their collective bargaining agreement expired in December last year and has refused to look into a proposal submitted to it, maintaining it has no mandate to implement, without consulting the Board.
Mr Darkwah said since negotiations started in May, they have met with management six times and also with the new Managing Director Dato Abdul Malek Mohamed twice but their demands of a 20 per cent payment of Ghana Telecom profit margin and other conditions were not being met.
"It appears management is negotiating reluctantly and if care is not taken the result will not be in the best interest of the company."
He said the management was trying to impose certain conditions, including a cut in the payment of allowances including those for height (risk) and vehicle maintenance, which were not in the best interest of the workers.
The height allowance is paid to workers, who climbed the mast for repairs. Currently, there are only ten of such workers in the company, according to him.
Mr Darkwah said, "these issues have remained the centre of controversy in the negotiations," and warned that, "If management will not sit up and negotiate, the result will be in a bad taste."
Mr Darkwah said workers in the 18 branches in the regions have been asked to remain calm until they hear the outcome of negotiations from the executives.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June 2000
The "Independent", a private newspaper in Accra on Thursday honoured Mr Kwaku Baako Junior, Editor of the Crusading Guide, also a private newspaper for his contribution to journalism in Ghana.
The honour was also in recognition for his struggle for free expression and democracy in Ghana.
He was named the Independent "Man of the Year" and presented with a plague by Mrs Gifty Afienyi-Dadzie, President of the Ghana Journalist Association.
The "Independent" has in the last three years been organising a "Man of the Year" competition, which allows readers to select men and women, who in their view have made unique contributions to the socio-economic development of Ghana.
The first winner was Mrs. Agnes Dzordie, a High Court Judge in 1997, followed by Dr Kwabena Duffour, Governor of the Bank of Ghana in 1998 and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in 1999.
In the 1999 competition, readers cited Kwaku Baako, who came second in the poll for special mention for his contribution to the consolidation of democracy.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 16 June 2000
The Ashanti Regional Executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has suspended Mr A.D.D. Quarshie, Old Tafo-Suame Constituency Chairman of the party, with immediate effect.
Mr Quarshie was alleged to have attacked and inflicted a deep cut on the right cheek of Mr Ibrahim Yakubu, Constituency Secretary, after an executive meeting at Tafo last Tuesday.
The Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Philip Edward Kwabena Antwi, who announced this in Kumasi on Thursday, said Mr Yakubu received four stitches at the Tafo Polyclinic and was later referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
He explained that the suspension would remain in force pending the outcome of police investigations.
Mr Antwi said the party would not compromise on any acts of indiscipline that could tarnish its image.
"We would enforce party discipline without fear or favour," he declared. Mr Quarshie was said to have attacked Mr Yakubu when he attempted to prevent him from receiving the curriculum vitae (CVs) of two of the contestants vying for the NDC parliamentary seat for the constituency.
Mr Yakubu was said to have insisted that since Mr Quarshie himself was contesting for the party's parliamentary ticket for the area, it was improper for him to take personal possession of the CVs of other contestants.
Meanwhile, Mr Osei Bosie, Constituency Vice-Chairman, has been asked by the regional executive of the NDC to act as Chairman of the party.
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Berekum (Brong Ahafo) 16 June 2000
Mr Atta Fuseini, Brong Ahafo
Regional Co-ordinator of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), has urged Ghanaians
not to give the incumbent government another mandate to rule the country.
He said voting for the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) would mean an endorsement of the government to
continue mismanaging the economy and perpetuating the hardship, sufferings and
high cost of living in the country.
Mr Fuseini, who was addressing a
meeting of supporters of the party at Berekum on Wednesday, said the NDC
government had woefully failed the nation.
"It is only the Presidential
Candidate of the UGM, Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, who has the key to salvage the
economy."
Mr Fuseini urged Ghanaians not to
hesitate to give Dr. Wereko-Brobby the nod to save the country from further
mismanagement of national affairs.
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