Opposition parties dissociate themselves from alleged coup plot
Sissala flood victims not satisfied with aid
Peace-keeping operations course end in Accra
Party Chairman laments injunction on congress
Opposition parties dissociate themselves from alleged coup plot
Accra (Greater Accra), 29th November 99
Five opposition political parties on Friday dissociated themselves from the alleged coup plot a group calling itself the Ghana Armed Liberated Movement said it would stage on November 26.
"We are totally opposed to any unconstitutional intervention in national process and coup d'etats," they said.
The parties are the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention Party (CP), People's National Convention (PNC), United Ghana Movement (UGM) and National Reform Party (NRP).
At a news conference in Accra organised by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the parties, Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the NPP described the linkage of the opposition parties to the alleged coup plan as "a figment of imagination of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)."
He said the opposition's demonstration slated for November 25 is aimed at strengthening the constitutional system by involving the people in ensuring good governance.
Mr Botwe said no amount of intimidation would deter them to rescind their decision and appealed to the general public to join the march.
He said the crisis facing the country did not suddenly erupt with the fall of cocoa and gold prices in 1999 adding "they have been with us for years."
"Our crisis is essentially the result of disrespect for democracy, and bad governance. The NDC has mismanaged the economy in the interest of a small minority rather than in the interest of ordinary Ghanaians."
Mr Botwe accused the government of misplaced priorities and wrongful expenditures which, he said, NDC parliamentarians always try to justify.
He cited the acquisition of a presidential jet and the 20 million-dollar agreement between the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Chagnon Company of Canada as examples.
Mr Botwe said the answer to the current economic crisis is not increment in fuel prices and Value Added Tax rate. Rather, the waste in government spending must stop.
Mr Peter Kpordugbe, Interim Chairman of the NRP, said the opposition's demonstration is a first step of co-operation adding that other plans are underway to educate the masses on the ineffectiveness of the NDC.
Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Publicity Committee Chairman of CP, said "nothing will stop the demonstration."
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Sissala flood victims not satisfied with aid
Funsi (Upper West), 20th November 99
Flood victims in the South Sissala communities in the Wa District have expressed their disappointment and dismay about the way food relief assistance from the government was distributed in the area.
They described the food aid as inadequate and that the items given to them did not also meet their basic needs to enable them to rebuild their houses and live normal lives.
These were made known to Dr Edward Mahama, presidential candidate for Peoples' National Convention (PNC), when he visited Funsi as part of a fact finding tour of areas affected by the recent floods in the Upper West Region.
The Kuoru Nwadei Bayong, chief of Funsi, expressed doubt about those involved in the distribution of relief items and described the method used as inappropriate.
''We needed food, hoes, shovels, pick-axes roofing sheets and cement to enable us to rebuild our houses and not blankets, plastic cups and buckets.
Two mini bags of maize were also given to Yala number one, Yala number two and Kulung with a total population of about 3,500 to share.
Communities in the Kajoperi Traditional Area have not received any support, even though, they have been affected by the floods.
Kuoru Bayong appealed to non-governmental organisations and other relief organisations to channel their assistance direct to the people and not through third parties.
''You cannot give maize to a chimpanzee to be given to a monkey and expect that monkey will receive it'', he said.
Dr Mahamma deplored the poor nature of the roads in the area and assured them that he will open-up the area to the Upper East and Northern regions if he wins the elections next year.
He advised the people not to sell their votes to the NDC for crumbs for them to mismanage the country's economy.
Mr. Prince Hasimu Momori, Wa District Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation, (NADMO) when contacted, said relief assistance to the affected area was conveyed to Funsi, the only accessible point at the time of the disaster and left under the care of assembly members to distribute.
Earlier, it was planned to airlift the items to the people in their communities but the aircraft that was detailed to carry out that assignment broke down when it arrived at Wa.
He said it was the assembly members, who compiled the list of affected victims of the disaster and it was, therefore, deemed that the most appropriate means of distribution was to leave the items with them to effect the distribution since they are the people from the grassroots level.
The NADMO co-ordinator appealed for means of transport to enable them to effectively distribute and monitor relief supplies.
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Peace-keeping operations course end in Accra
Accra (Greater Accra), 20th November 99
Lieutenant-Colonel E. K. T. Donkor (Rtd), Minister of Defence, on Friday called on African governments to consider form a regional military high command to effectively address security problems and rampant armed conflicts plaguing the continent.
He recalled that the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah proposed the formation of a sub-regional military high command but the idea was met with much scepticism and suspicion by some African leaders.
"I can now say that the creation of sub-regional peacekeeping forces and the growing understanding and military co-operation among African armies prove the point that sooner than later the noble objective of establishing an African high command will be realised."
Lt. Col. Donkor was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Peace Support Operation (PSO) Course Two at the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College (GAFC) at Teshie.
The three-week course attended by 36 military officers and one civilian from 13 countries was sponsored by the American and British governments.
It was aimed, among other things, at offering a standardised training that would ensure smooth peacekeeping operations and co-operation among allied countries under a multi-national environment.
It was also meant to bridge the Anglophone and Francophone divide that has plagued the continent for a long time.
Participants were taken through topics such as law of armed conflicts, civil-military co-operation in peace support operations, the role of the media in the United Nations (UN) PSO Mission and the role of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in conflict resolution.
Lt. Col. Donkor noted that the maintenance of peace in Africa depends not only on the skill and knowledge of peacekeeping experts but also on the political will of African States.
"I, therefore, urge you to sensitise your governments on the importance of establishing an African Military High Command to ensure an integrated approach in our peacekeeping efforts".
He charged the participants to concentrate on conflict prevention rather than conflict resolution by cultivating the virtues of tolerance, patience, transparency, peaceful and constructive expression of opinion.
These virtues would facilitate good governance, which would not only lead to socio-economic development "but also strengthen our ability to prevent disagreements from degenerating into armed and violent confrontations".
Colonel K. Kwayisi, Acting Deputy Commandant of the Staff College, noted that the second course was an improvement on the first one.
There were experts from Belgium, USA and Germany who exposed the participants to peacekeeping experiences of the West.
All the participants, including one woman from South Africa, were presented with certificates and gifts.
Those from Germany, Belgium and the USA presented gifts to the Staff College.
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Accra (Greater Accra), 20th November 99
Houston Airport System of the United States on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for co-operation, which, among other things, will establish direct flights and special services between the two sides.
The agreement was initialled and exchanged by Houston Mayor Lee P Brown and GCAA's Deputy Director-General in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Amos Afful.
It provides for Houston's Continental Airlines and the national carrier, Ghana Airways, to fly direct to Accra and Houston respectively.
The two carriers will also enjoy special support services from the respective ports under the deal, which the signatories described as "a dream come true".
The deal provides for further co-operation and exchanges in technical expertise between the two bodies.
"It is a refreshing and fulfilling dream that we are proud to be part of," Mr Afful said, and added that the GCAA attaches great importance to the new relationship.
Mayor Brown said the move means a vital link between the thousands of African-Americans and their brothers and sisters back home.
"It's gonna bridge that gap between us," Mr Brown, an African-American, stated.
More importantly, Mayor Brown believes that the deal with Houston City Airport, the sixth largest in the world and which serves as the gateway to the Americas, will enhance trade and investment between the outside world and Africa in fulfilment of his mission.
He said both sides should be mindful that the memorandum alone cannot achieve anything without commitment from the parties and pledged his support for the implementation of the deal.
The Houston Mayor, who arrived at the head of a business delegation last Monday on a trade and investment promotion tour of Africa, has also been to Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Togo.
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Party Chairman laments injunction on congress
Accra (Greater Accra), 20th November 99
The Acting National Chairman of the Convention Party (CP), Mr Felix Amoah has described the court injunction restraining the party from holding its National Delegates Congress on November 20 as "unfortunate."
He, however, gave the assurance that the party would respect and abide by the decision of the court.
The Congress was to have been held on Saturday but about one dozen leading members obtained a court injunction on Thursday stopping the party from going ahead with it.
Mr Amoah said on Friday that the CP will not do anything to flout the law adding that the party has directed that delegates to the congress should not travel to Accra.
Mr Amoah announced that an emergency meeting of the Central Committee of the CP would be convened not later than Tuesday to deliberate on matters regarding the court injunction and the party's way forward.
"I am disappointed by the actions of certain leading members but they are entitled to them."
Mr Amoah said although certain unfortunate developments in recent times had affected him as the Acting Chairman and the party, such developments are not serious enough to break up the CP, adding "CP is one family".
Mrs Justice Sawyer Williams, a High Court Judge, on Thursday prohibited the party's Chairman and General Secretary from holding the congress until all the "particularised violations of the party's constitution have been remedied" in an order.
The plaintiffs in their statement of claim stated that by reason of a multiplicity of the party's constitutional violations, it would be unconstitutional to hold the congress on November 20.
They were, therefore, seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants, jointly or severally from holding the congress until all the violations have been remedied.
They claimed that the party's constitution demanded that the audited account and party's budget statement should be presented to the Central Committee of the party before the congress was held but this had not been done.
Again, the plaintiffs stated that on July 10, this year, the CP held its National Party Congress and according to the constitution, a full report of the said congress should be made ready before the next congress but this had not been fulfilled.
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Accra (Greater Accra), 20th November 99
An envoy of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda on Friday delivered a special message to President Jerry John Rawlings, inviting him for an official visit.
The message, handed in by Mr Alfred Mubanda, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Relations, invited President Rawlings to be the Special Guest at the 14th anniversary of President Museveni's ascending to power.
The anniversary would be held in January next year.
President Museveni led the National Resistance Army, then a guerrilla force, to overthrow the government and brought to an end a civil war that was engulfing the East African country following the ousting of President Iddi Amin by Tanzanian forces.
Mr Mubanda said Uganda would deem it an honour to have President Rawlings as the Special Guest at the celebrations.
President Rawlings said he regarded the invitation as an honour and would give it a careful thought.
Among those present were Mr Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs and officials of the ministry.
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