Consensus-building is crucial to national unity - Owusu-Ankomah
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2001
The NDC said it supports the move to reconcile the nation and that current initiative to that effect should not be hijacked by the NPP as if it is their policy.
Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said what NDC objects to is the zoning of the period to the Rawlings' era alone.
The period to be covered for Ghana's reconciliation should as well span all the regimes the country has had after independence.
He said if the NPP begins to read partisan consideration into the establishment of the Commission the process would lose its national character and becloud the nation.
Mr Bagbin said it was civil society in 1999 that mooted the idea of reconciliation and invited all political parties to consider reconciling the nation, which did not initially work because at that time all the parties were in the election mood.
He said in 1993 the NPP boycotted Parliament and the issue of reconciliation could not be tackled and in 1997 when NPP came to Parliament as an opposition party it was charged with a lot of emotions to even consider reconciliation.
He said the current international conference on "National Reconciliation: International Perspective," being held in Accra is examining the possibilities of how a National Truth Commission should be set up to bring human right abuses to the fore and to seek redress to such actions.
The conference is aimed at helping Ghana to design appropriate framework for its reconciliation initiative.
Mr Bagbin said one of the parameters of reconciliation was that any victim of human right abuse of any previous government was entitled to seek redress before the Commission yet to be established either in the form of compensation or restoration of any property the one must have lost.
It also enjoins the perpetrator of the action to justify his or her action since the conference believes "that perpetrators are often victims and victims are often perpetrators" in the sense that an action begets a reaction.
He said the NDC was calling for a national conference that would be organised on the model of the current international conference, to look at Ghana's peculiar situation of reconciliation that would enable the proposed legislation to have inputs from all sectors of the society so that an acceptable bill or legislation could be formulated.
It was also important to hold workshop for the media to understand the issues at stake so that they could lead a dispassionate discussion on the issue.
He said the formation of the Commission should not be rushed "because we need to sensitise the people to know what the issue was to exact maximum public co-operation".
Mr Bagbin said the composition of the Commission should be non-partisan and must be composed of people, who command national respect and are noted for objectivity.
The country would have problems if the Commission to be established with powers granted to it would have to deal with retroactive legislation because the Constitution objects to retroactive legislation.
Mr Bagbin said the country would have to deal with that legality and about the indemnity clauses of the 1969, 1979 and the 1992 Constitutions.
He said that issue must be looked at carefully since it would be a crafty way of sidestepping the constitutional provisions.
He said: "Commissions established during the previous regimes looked at specific issues such as confiscation of assets, bribery and corruption, assets recovery and did not deal with human rights issues like killings, torture and abductions in the way Mr Boye Moses was caged and paraded through the principal streets of Accra by the National Liberation Council."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2001
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Deputy Majority Leader, last night observed that democratic consensus-building was crucial to national unity and sustained national development since it promotes peace.
To this end, he said, Ghanaians should endeavour to build confidence and trust with one another by ensuring that they were committed to what they say.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah made this observation when he presented a paper on the last day of a series of public lectures organized by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) at the British Council Hall in Accra.
The main theme that run through the three-day lectures with financial assistance from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation was "Consensus-Building: A Tool for Effective Democratic Governance in Africa."
His topic was: "The role of Parliament in promoting Consensus-Building in Ghana."
Other topics discussed during the period included: "The role of the National Commission for Civic Education" and "The role of the Media".
Papa Owusu-Ankomah said to enable Ghanaians to achieve consensus effectively, there was the need to consider certain elements, which he said were open communication channels; transparency and openness; tolerance and respect for divergent ideas and views.
The others, he said, were the willingness to compromise or dialogue; intellectual humility and fair-mindedness.
The Deputy Majority Leader, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi, pointed out that intellectual arrogance was a bane to consensus-building, since in his view, "it disables us from appreciating the viewpoint of others and realise that our view may be wrong.
"Consultations and dialogue should not be purposely to gain political advantage over the other but out of a genuine desire to arrive at a compromise."
He made it clear that consensus-building did not mean shielding, protecting or condoning wrongdoing, neither should it mean yielding to unreasonable demands or perpetuating injustice.
Turning to his topic, "Parliament's role in promoting Consensus-Building", Papa Owusu-Ankomah pointed out that, even though, Parliament might be said to be a hotbed of potential conflict, more so when one considered the fact that MPs also represent partisan interests.
However, he said, by the nature of the rules and regulations governing its practices and procedures, Parliamentarians were compelled to get their colleagues to accept their point of view only by force of persuasive arguments and compromise.
The Deputy Majority Leader stated that by its standing orders, Parliament undertakes most of its work through its standing committees and particularly its select committees, which deal with matters relating to the various sector ministries.
The committee meetings, he said, promote frank and normally bi or multi-partisan discussions, which creates a very good atmosphere for consensus-building.
On ranking members, Papa Owusu-Ankomah said, even though, there was no such provision in the Standing Orders, the second Parliament instituted it.
He explained that the ranking member was the designated spokesperson of the biggest minority party and "shadows" a sector ministry.
The Deputy Majority Leader said by the nature of this position, there was a salutary relationship between Ministers and Ranking Members and gave the assurance that this cordial relationship would be deepened under the present government to intensify the process of consensus-building.
He said the Third Parliament of the Fourth Republic has been presented with a unique opportunity to expand the frontiers or boundaries of consensus-building in all aspects of national life.
"By the very nature of the balance of political forces in the House, we have no alternative than to work together to ensure the smooth development of the nation."
He gave the assurance that in spite of the limitations to the institutional capacity of Parliament, MPs were committed to achieving this goal bearing in mind that "we represent the hopes and aspirations of the people of Ghana in whom sovereignty resides," adding, "we dare not, cannot and ought not fail our people in this regard."
Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, MP for Gomoa West, and ranking member for the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment, who spoke on the topic, pointed out that in order to reach a consensus on any issue, parties involved must be ready to move away from their entrenched positions.
She was of the view that in consensus-building, the minority's opinions have to be considered and taken into account.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe stated that after eight years of uninterrupted democratic and constitutional rule, Ghanaians should be able to "move away from partisan considerations to consider issues more in the national interest".
Professor Reginald Fraser Amonoo, a Fellow of the Academy and Vice President of the International Conference of Philosophy and Humanistic Studies, who chaired the function, urged Ghanaians to critically study the Constitution in order to know their rights and responsibilities.
Among those present were Mr R. R. Amponsah, a veteran politician, Professor Daniel Adzei-Bekoe, a former Vice-Chancellor and Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon both Fellows of the Academy.
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Anyinam (Eastern Region) 21 June 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor has announced that the government would re-introduce the rural development programme of the Progress Party (PP) government in the Second Republic.
He said the development of the rural areas had been neglected since that period, therefore, the policy was to be re-introduced to ensure the provision of potable water, good roads, schools and agro-processing industries.
President Kufuor was addressing the chiefs and people of Anyinam on Thursday on the last day of his two-day official tour of the Eastern Region.
He announced that the cash and carry system and other policies that have impoverished the people would be scrapped and more efficient policy that would make life bearable for the people introduced.
Nana Ampofo Wiredu II, chief of Anyinam, appealed to the government to carve out a separate district for the Atiwa Constituency from the East Akyem District.
He also called for more schools to be established in the area as well as cottage industries to provide employment for the youth and extension of electricity to all parts of the area.
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Government approves petroleum-pricing
formula
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2001
Government on Wednesday approved the petroleum pricing formula that will adjust ex-refinery prices automatically in line with international oil prices and exchange rate of the cedi.
A statement from the Energy Ministry signed by Mrs. Veronica Wiredu, acting Chief Director, said this is in fulfilment of the commitment made by the Minister of Energy on February 23, 2001, to publish a formula that will adjust the ex-refinery prices automatically, based on the principle of full cost recovery.
The statement said consequently, the formula was developed and discussed with all stakeholders for use to determine the ex-refinery prices on monthly basis.
It said the Ministry will publish the petroleum products pricing policy and details of the pricing formula latest by the end of June this year.
"In order to ensure proper understanding and transparency, the Ministry will conduct public forum and workshops to educate the general public so that every Ghanaian living everywhere would be able to do their own calculations to verify future adjustment in ex-refinery prices," it said.
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Anyinam (Eastern Region) 21 June 2001
Obaapanin Ama Oforiwaah, aged 120 years of the royal Bretuo Family of Anyinam had her wish fulfilled, when President John Agyekum Kufuor visited Anyinam on the last leg of his two-day tour of the Eastern Region on Thursday.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Obaapanin Oforiwaah said, "it has been my wish to meet President Kufuor before I die. My wish has been fulfilled today and I'm grateful to the Almighty God".
Obaapanin Oforiwaah with a walking stick shook hands with the President to wish him well and good governance to move Ghanaians away from economic hardship. President Kufuor in appreciation of the Obaapanin Oforiwaah's gesture gave her some money.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2001
The first preparatory meeting for the Eighth Session of the Ghana/Libya Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation (GLPJCC) started in Accra on Thursday with a review of the implementation of decisions of the seventh session held in November 1995 in Tripoli, Libya.
The seventh session agreed on trade exchanges and the problems associated with the execution of contracts, intensifying trade exchanges between the public and private sectors and importation of fresh and processed agricultural products from Ghana.
The first review and preparatory meeting is between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ghanaian experts and inter-sectoral heads from the various ministries, departments and agencies. It is to assess progress of the Tripoli Agreement and to fine-tune the document for the Eighth Session.
The GLPJCC was established in February 1985 to promote the development and co-operation between the two countries and work out modalities for the implementation of agreements reached by the Commission.
The Libyan side had shown interest in importing furniture, lumber, dry Virginia strips tobacco, aluminium products and joint investment ventures.
Other areas for co-operation included establishment of Ghana-Libya Joint Bank, direct telecommunication links, consular matters, an extradition treaty, a social security agreement and discussion by the two national airlines on commercial and technical issues.
The co-operation was also to establish a booster station in Ghana to link Ghana News Agency and their Libyan counterparts.
The inter-sectoral heads urged the government to address the initial problems associated with the co-operation, especially with the Central Banks in monetary transactions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang on Monday returned from Libya where he held bilateral discussions on the need to strengthen relations between the two countries.
He said they also discussed the next meeting of Ghana-Libya Permanent Joint Commission to be held in July this year as well as exchange of ambassadors.
He announced that Libya had agreed to supply 30,000 barrels of oil per day to Ghana to augment the supply from Nigeria.
The deal, which is on favourable terms, makes up for the 60,000 barrels needed daily by Ghana. Nigeria supplies the other 30,000 barrels.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 21 June 2001
The Ministry of Trade and Industry on Thursday announced that a temporary ban has been placed on the importation of beef and beef products, including corned beef, from Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands.
A statement issued in Accra said this follows the outbreak of Mad Cow disease, or BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) in some European Union countries.
The statement advised importers to take note of the temporary ban.
"The Ministry is monitoring the crisis in Europe regarding the Mad Cow Disease and will review the ban as and when necessary."
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