GRi Newsreel Ghana 13 - 11 - 2000
EC to erect eleven electronic scoreboards
President Rawlings defends sale of cutlasses to farmers
Communities threaten to boycott election
Candidate could loose their election if…
Institution of Engineers holds fifth
National Congress
Elmina (Central Region) 13 Nov. 2000
Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, an Appeals Court Judge on Saturday stressed the need for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to lobby parliament for the repeal of the criminal libel and sedition laws.
He observed that so far as these laws remain in the statute books the judiciary would have to administer judgement in accordance with what the laws say.
Mr Justice Afreh, made the call when he spoke on " the Judiciary and the Press" at a two-day seminar on " The Law and the Media In Ghana" which is underway at Elmina.
The seminar which is jointly organised by the National Media Commission (NMC) in collaboration with the National Institutional Renewal Programme(NIRP), brought together about 20 senior journalists from both the state-owned and private media.
Mr Justice Afreh said judges should not be called names and described as callous or wicked if they deliver judgements against journalists for offences under these laws.
He said Judges apply the laws, which were handed over to them from the colonialists and still remain in the statute books.
He expressed regret that even though it was even under the sedition law that the colonial government imprisoned the late Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and others, nothing has so far been done to repeal them.
Mr Justice Afreh explained that the judiciary must not be seen as being hostile to the media, neither is it influenced by the government, nor under any executive control.
The judge said although there could be errors in the delivery of judgements this should not be taken as being bias or prejudicial.
He stressed that the courts would continue to apply the laws as they exist and not those "proposed or deemed to be ideal."
He lamented the fact that drafters of the various constitutions and other commissions of enquiry have not touched on the repeal of criminal libel laws.
Mr Justice Afreh, said a well informed media which understands the rule of law can better explain the role of the judiciary and called on media houses to help avoid some flaws in court reporting.
He called for specialisation in court reporting as well as the need to introduce continuing legal education for journalists to avoid the temptation of being held for contempt.
He further called for the regular publication of cases decided on at the superior courts that are of national interest, and could be beneficial to the administration of justice in the country.
Mr Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Chairman of the NMC, who opened the seminar, expressed concern about the continued existence of inimical laws in the statute books "although the nation's economy has been liberalised".
He said the NMC has commissioned a study into the laws that have negative impact on the media and hoped the study would enable the Commission to address the issue effectively.
The NMC chairman noted however, that this task should not be left solely to the Commission, and called on the GJA, PRINPAG and all stakeholders to support to facilitate the necessary changes.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 Nov. 2000
The NDC on Friday urged the Police
to investigate several cases of alleged acts of harassment and intimidation by
the NPP.
A statement issued in Accra urged
the police to intensify its hunt for Kwaku Boateng, a Purchasing Clerk of
Trans-Royal Cocoa Buying Company at Bibiani, who is alleged to have removed and
destroyed NDC posters.
He is also accused of destroying
two billboards with portraits of Professor Atta Mills and three NDC flags.
A statement signed by the National
Propaganda Secretary of the party, Mr George Quaynor-Mettle, said Boateng, who
was handed to the Police by some passers-by, escaped on October 29, 2000.
"Although the party has taken
note of the offer by the relatives of Boateng to pay for the items destroyed,
his arrest and interrogation will help unravel the circumstances surrounding
the destruction of several NDC billboards and flags in the area."
The statement also called on the
Bimbilla Police to expedite investigations into an assault case involving two
NPP suspects on November 2, which was reported by Sumanu Huudu, an NDC
supporter.
It further asked the Police to
take urgent steps to deal with "persistent acts of violence and harassment
being perpetrated by supporters of the NPP in the Gushiegu".
The NDC expressed regret that the
Police have not taken prompt action against the NPP supporters, all of whom
have been identified.
The statement also called on the
Ashaiman Police to take urgent steps to investigate rumours being peddled by
NPP supporters that the NDC Chairman, Mr Issifu Braimah, has begun registering
voters at his residence.
"The NDC is ware that NPP
supporters precede their acts of violence with such flimsy and baseless
rumours," it said.
It reiterated its call on the
country's traditional rulers, religious leaders and elder statesmen to prevail
on the NPP hierarchy to instil discipline among their supporters.
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Mpasatia (Ashanti Region) 13 Nov.
2000
Mr Akwasi Dente-Afriyie, MP for
Atwima Mponua, on Wednesday said an NPP government will institute a pension
scheme for farmers, aged between 55 to 60 years.
It would also abolish the cash and
carry system and give priority attention to pregnant women and accident
victims.
Mr Dente-Afriyie was speaking at
an NPP rally at Mpasatia organised by the constituency branch of the Young
Elephant Movement, the youth wing of the party.
Mr Daniel Donkor, a leading member
of the party called on members of some religious sects to re-consider their
decision not to vote on December 7 and to exercise their civic responsibility.
He explained that they could
worship, evangelise and practise their beliefs better in a peaceful environment
and improved economy.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 Nov. 2000
The Electoral Commission (EC) is
to erect ten giant electronic scoreboards at convenient place in each regional
capital for the public to view the results from the various constituencies.
A national scoreboard would be
erected at the Independence Square in Accra to display the results received
from the regions.
Mr Albert K Arhin, EC Director of
Elections in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the erection
of the boards would be completed by the end of the month.
He said EC regional offices are
linked to the 'Operation Room' at the Headquarters in Accra, by telephone,
radio and fax machines to facilitate the transmission of results as soon as
they are received from the constituencies.
"As usual the political party
officials will be allowed in the operation room to observe the transmission
from the regions," he said
All district capitals without
communication links have also been provided with facilities for transmission to
the regional capitals for onward transmission to Accra.
Mr Arhin said as soon as the
District Electoral Officer receives the signed copies of the Declaration of
Results Form from the Returning Officer, it is immediately communicated to the
regional office either by telephone, radio, fax or drive directly to the
office.
Mr Arhin said the Regional Officer
would then relay it to the regional scoreboard and fax the signed copy of the
Declaration of Results Form from the District Election Officer to the operation
room in Accra.
He said delays in the release of
results are often occasioned by the relative inaccessibility of certain
electoral areas, particularly the 'overseas' and other inaccessible areas in
the country.
He mentioned the Northern and
Upper East regions, the Afram Plains areas of the Eastern, Ashanti and Brong
Ahafo Regions and certain parts of the Volta and Western Regions.
Mr Arhin said measures have been
put in place to avoid any undue delay in the transmission of the results
including the use of helicopters, canoes, tractors, motorcycles and bicycles to
transport election materials and personnel as well as results to and from the
overseas areas.
He said Presiding/Returning
Officers have undergone intensive training to understand how to complete the
declaration of results form particularly on ballot accounting.
Party Agents have been informed
that if they failed to sign the declaration of results form electoral officials
would go ahead and declare the results, he said.
Mr Arhin said in 1996 some agents
refused to sign the declaration of results form when they realised that their
candidates had lost, which contributed to some of the delays.
He said the results of election
can be verified at various stages all the way down to the individual polling
station, therefore, the allegation of changing or altering 'doctoring' or
'cooking up' of election results is unfortunate.
Mr Arhin appealed to political
parties, media personnel and the general public to study the process and
disabuse their mind of pre-arranged results.
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Government to strengthen its agricultural
policy-Mills
Abura (Western Region) 13 Nov. 2000
Vice President Professor Evans Atta Mills was the guest of honour at this year's Western Region National Farmers Day at Abura in the Ahanta West District where 34 farmers who excelled in various agricultural fields were presented with prizes.
Thirty- three-year-old Mr. Modibo Baali of Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District was
adjudged the Western Regional best Farmer.
He had as his prize an oil palm extracting machine worth 15 million cedis, a bicycle, sewing machine, seven pairs of wellington boots, radio cassette record player, a piece of wax-print, two cutlasses and a certificate.
Addressing the farmers, Professor Mills stated that Agricultural Officers would no longer be allowed to stay in their offices. Instead, they would be made to go to the field to assist farmers adopt modern agricultural practices to improve their yields.
He expressed regret that Agricultural officers trained with public funds rather choose to stay in their offices and refuse to go to farmers on their fields to impart what they have learnt.
Professor Mills noted that in the midst of higher production, farmers unfortunately appear to be receiving fewer returns on their labour in terms of real value for their produce.
In this regard, he said, it is necessary to regard post-harvest handling and storage facilities important in the production of high quality agricultural produce.
"Our middlemen and women, farmers, retailers and food processors as well as drivers should be educated and assisted to ensure that food items are transported with minimal damage,"
Professor Mills said Government intends to further strengthen agricultural sector to make sure that its full potential is realised.
Professor Mills said Government would also continue its programme of providing economic and social infrastructure such as good roads, electricity, and health facilities in every part of the country.
He therefore appealed to farmers to support the NDC to continue with the good works started by President Jerry John Rawlings.
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Essiama (Western Region) 13 Nov. 2000
The Vice-President and flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, on Friday said the opposition parties are accusing the NDC of planning to rig the December 7 elections because they are panicking about defeat.
He said most Ghanaians are satisfied with the performance of the NDC and would like to return it to power. Professor Mills was addressing a rally organised by the Ellembele constituency branch of the NDC at Essiama as part of his campaign tour of the Western Region.
"We want to ensure very clean, transparent and convincing victory and would never like to assume power through falsehood", Professor Mills said.
The Vice President cautioned the people of the constituency not to believe the promises of the false apostles of the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and throw away their votes.
He said they should rather vote massively for the NDC, which has shown in concrete terms its love and reverence for the first president.
"You will regret if you vote for an opposition candidate who might not be able to approach the President to discuss your developmental needs with him", he cautioned.
Alhaji Issaka Innusah formerly of the NPP, predicted that the Convention People's Party (CPP) will win only one seat in Parliament because they are not strong on the ground and therefore asked the people of the area not to waste their votes on that party.
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"We have not seen much development in the constituency because of the political stand we took in the 1996 general elections," he said, and called on the electorate not to repeat the mistake this time by not voting for the NDC.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Akrokerri branch of the Veranda Boys and Girls Club of the party, Mr Donkor observed that it is only the NDC that can facilitate the development of the Adansi state.
"This is because the NDC is the only party that has demonstrated in diverse ways that it is sensitive to the plight and development of the rural communities."
The way the NDC had held steadfastly to the district assembly concept was an indication of the party's commitment to the speedy development of the rural areas, he added.
Mr. George Adu-Mensah, District Chief Executive for Adansi West, who inaugurated the club, said Ghana is on the road to becoming a middle income country and therefore there was the need for that momentum to be kept alive.
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Nalerigu (Northern Region) 13 Nov. 2000
The Presidential candidate for the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr Dan Lartey, has assured chiefs that when voted to power, the GCPP will amend the chieftaincy act to restore traditional power to chiefs.
He said the act is not only restricting chiefs from exercising their power but also limits them from playing their roles as custodians of the traditions and cultures of their people.
Mr Lartey said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Nayiri, Naa Gamni Mohamadu Abdulai, paramount chief of the Mamprugu state and President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs.
He said he would introduce the Operation Feed Yourself programme, which was abandoned after the overthrow of Ignatius Acheampong and revitalise the agricultural sector.
The party would make available mining inputs at reasonable prices, subsidise farm implements and motivate extension officers to rededicate themselves to passing on new trends in crop production to farmers.
Mr Lartey assured the chiefs and people that he would abolish the cash and carry system and reduce unemployment.
The General Secretary of the GCPP, Mr John Amekah, described the flag- bearer of the party as a hard-working man who has contributed immensely towards the development of the country.
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Tarkwa (Western Region) 13 Nov. 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings on Saturday urged that certain portions of the constitutions must be amended to meet the changing conditions of society.
Addressing the Western Regional rally of the NDC at Tarkwa, President Rawlings said the constitution is not a Bible but man-made and since society is dynamic, it should be amended when necessary to ensure that proper justice prevails in the country.
President Rawlings expressed concern about a court ruling on some 35 armed robbers and said such decisions would not have been tolerated in the PNDC era, adding that those who commit terrible crimes should be made to pay for them.
He said the Media Commission has not been performing creditably because of its silence over the misuse of radio stations and newspapers.
Referring to a recent decision by the Brong Ahafo Security Council to close down a Berekum FM radio station, President Rawlings said that decision was in the right direction because the opposition was using it to destabilise the peace and security of the area.
He said the NDC does not want to be part of corruption in the country, adding that, because of this, the government had decentralised power to enable the district and the people to stand up against corruption.
The president said those who want positive change should maintain the political institutions in the country.
President Rawlings said every registered voter should cast his vote, and urged them to prevent intimidation at polling stations and vote for capable and honest people but not on tribal grounds.
He also put a word in for his vice, saying Professor John Atta Mills is an asset to the country and should be voted to power to carry on with development projects in the
country.
On his part, Prof. Mills said the election is crucial in the political history of the country because the outcome would determine whether the country would progress or retrogress.
He said the NDC has a large following because the party has always honoured its promises to the electorate and stands for development.
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Wa (Upper West) 13 Nov. 2000
Dr. Edward Mahama, presidential candidate for the People's National Convention (PNC), on Saturday began a five-day campaign tour of the Upper West Region.
He was met on arrival at Bamahu, near Wa, by a large crowd of party supporters amidst chants of "Two Sure, Two Direct" and brass band music.
The tour will take him to 30 communities in the region where he will pay courtesy calls on chiefs and hold rallies at Nandom, Tumu and Wa to sensitise the electorate on the need to vote for the PNC during the December 7 elections.
Addressing a cross-section of supporters on arrival at Wa, Dr. Mahama said the NDC government has impoverished Ghanaian farmers and workers by removing subsidies on agricultural inputs and paying low salaries to workers.
He said he was surprised to hear from President Rawlings at this year's National Farmers' Day celebration at Wa that the NDC will now restore subsidies on agricultural inputs.
Dr. Mahama asked whether President Rawlings did not know the implications of withdrawing subsides on agricultural inputs before implementing that action.
On the poverty alleviation programme, he said no poor man could better his lot with loans, adding: "the only way out is to give the people skills and jobs and better salaries to increase productivity".
Dr. Mahama said under a PNC government, he would increase workers' salaries, subsidise agricultural inputs, offer free basic education and introduce a national health insurance scheme to improve the living standards of the people.
He appealed to his supporters to be law-abiding and not to do anything that would tarnish the good image of the party.
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Kyekyewere (Ashanti Region) 13 Nov. 2000
A government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will make farming rewarding and attractive to the youth, Mr. Ignatius Kwasi Poku Adusei, NPP parliamentary candidate for Bekwai, said at the weekend.
He said it would remove bottlenecks in the marketing of agricultural produce and allow for increased access to credit.
Mr Adusei addressing separate rallies at Kyekyewere, Patase, Achiase, Daa and Kokoben, all in his constituency, asked the people to vote massively for the NPP to restore hope and confidence in the country's tottering economy.
The NPP parliamentary candidate said his party has credible alternative programmes to turn the economy around and raise the standard of living of the people.
Mr. Adusei accused the NDC of incompetence and mismanagement, saying: "we have had enough of the NDC's bad policies that have left in their trail widespread economic suffering".
Mr. Joe Osei-Owusu, Bekwai Constituency Chairman of the NPP, asked the party's agents to ensure effective policing of the polling centres on Election Day to prevent cheating and rigging.
He told them not to allow themselves to be intimidated or bullied during the elections.
Mr Osei Owusu noted that the NPP now enjoys massive support and goodwill and is poised to win the December 7 polls.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 13 Nov. 2000
Mr. Peter Dei-Kwarteng was on Saturday re-elected unopposed as president of the Ashanti branch of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) at its annual general meeting held in Kumasi.
Other executive officers elected included Mr Authony Osei-Poku, Vice- president, Mr Jose Osei Owusu, Regional Secretary; and Mr Kwabena Asante-Krobea, Assistant Secretary.
The rest were Mr. Kwabena Berchie Antwi, Treasurer; Mr. Stephen Oppong, Social Secretary; and Mr. Arnold Prempeh and Michael Owusu, senior and junior member representatives respectively.
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Wa (Upper West) 13 Nov. 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings on Friday defended the decision by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to involve District Chief Executives in the sale of cutlasses to farmers by District Chief Executives (DCEs).
Speaking at the celebration of the 16th National Farmers' Day held at Wa, in an apparent reference to criticism of the decision by the private press and some opposition parties as a vote catching ploy in the run-up to the December 7 general election, President Rawlings said the DCEs or MPs were simply doing their work.
"That is ensuring that farmers of their area can get these basic tools at reasonable cost, instead of leaving them to the mercy of traders who unjustifiably inflate the price of cutlasses in our rural areas."
Mr Stephen Baba Kumase of Zebilla in the Upper East Region was adjudged the Best National Farmer and was presented with a Nissan double cabin Pick-up as his prize.
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Apam (Central Region) 13 Nov. 2000
Eight communities in the Fawomanye
Electoral Area of the Gomoa District have threatened to boycott next month's
poll if the Electoral Commission insists that they belong to the Agona East
constituency.
They communities are Fawomanye,
Kwaafedzi, Asamoakrom Suromanya, Bewadze,
Okotokwaa, Otweikwaa and
Kwesi-Twikwaa.
In a petition presented by a
delegation of Chiefs to the District Security Committee (DISEC) at Apam on
Friday, to protest against an Agona Swedru High Court ruling that the area is
part of Agona District, Nana Asare Ansah II of Gomoa Suromanya and leader of
the delegation, argued that they were not heard in the case instituted by the
Chief of Agona Kwanyaku.
He said the court gave judgement
after hearing only the Kwanyaku Chief and an official of the Electoral
Commission.
Clad in mourning cloth, they
pointed out that "we are from Gomoa and will always want to be identified
with our people. Our votes would be for candidates from Gomoa East and not from
Agona East".
They also urged the authorities to
act swiftly to ease tension mounting in the area. Mr. Kow Anyanful, District
Chief Executive and Chairman of the DISEC advised them to exercise restraint
while a solution is found to the problem.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 13 Nov. 2000
Mr Hayford Ampomah, Director of
Public Education of the Electoral Commission (EC), on Saturday said the
election of a candidate could be declared void if it is proved that the process
was influenced with bribery, threats or undue influence.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA
in Accra, he said election offences are acts or omissions made illegal with a
view of ensuring free, fair and competitive elections.
He said a person found guilty of
an election offence may be fined, imprisoned or both and could be disqualified
from voting in subsequent elections or from holding public office.
Mr Ampomah said election officers,
candidates and their agents and voters could commit election offences.
He explained that candidates could
be held liable for the offences committed by their agents adding that any
person who impersonates during the December elections would be arrested.
"It is an electoral offence
for minors or a foreigner to attempt to vote, to claim to be another person in
order to vote or to attempt to vote more than once at the same polling station
or different stations during the elections," he said.
He said a person in possession of
a Voter ID Card may still be challenged and if proven ineligible would not be
allowed to vote.
An eligible voter must be 18 years
or more, registered as a voter at a specific polling station and posses a Voter
ID Card issued by the EC.
Explaining the procedure for the
December 7 election, Mr Ampomah said voting would start at 0700 AM and end at
5:00 PM with the entire process taking place in the open view of the public.
He said party or candidates agents
would be allowed at polling stations to observe proceedings. Presiding Officers
in-charge of Polling Stations would inspect the ballot papers in the presence
of the agents, enter the total number, show the ballot box to the public to
ascertain that it is empty and then placed in the open for voting.
He said that the ballot paper
would bear the names of candidates, parties and symbols. Voting will be in
secret even though in the open.
Mr Ampomah said every voter in the
queue at the polling stations before 5:00 PM would be allowed to vote. Counting
starts immediately the Presiding Officer opens the box in the presence of Party
Agents and any other person who would like to witness at a reasonable distance.
The Presiding Officer would sort
out ballots cast in favour of each candidate, count them one by one to the
hearing of those present and once everybody is satisfied, results will be
recorded on the Result Form.
The Presiding Officer would sign
the form while the agents certify and the results recorded.
The Presiding Officer would then
publicly announce the results and a signed copy given to the party, candidate
or their agent.
"It is to be noted that once
the results of a polling station have been certified in this way, the ballot
papers are not counted again anywhere," Mr Ampomah said.
He said even though each polling
station declares its own results, "the overall winner of the election for
the constituency is not known until all polling stations within have been added
up".
Each Presiding Officer submits a
copy of the Result Form to the Returning Officer at the Constituency Centre for
collation in the presence of the candidates or their agents.
Mr Ampomah said Returning Officers
sign the Result Form counter-signed by the candidate or agent after which he
publicly announces the result and declares the winner for the constituency for
both the presidential and parliamentary.
He said it should be noted that
the declaration of a winner for the parliamentary at the Constituency Centre
"ends it, provided there is no dispute". However, the results are
transmitted through the EC Regional Director to the Head Office in Accra for
gazetting.
Mr Ampomah said in the case of the
presidential, the whole country is considered as a constituency, "so the
separate declarations of the winner in the 200 parliamentary constituencies
cannot be the end, until all are added up".
He said the EC Regional Directors
in the presence of candidates or their agents add up the scores from each
constituency to determine the over all winner for the regions.
The regional and constituency
results are sent to the EC Head Office and added up for the declaration of the
national winner by the Chairman of the Commission who is the Returning Officer
for the presidential election.
Mr Ampomah said the process
leading to the declaration of the final results of the presidential and
parliamentary are thoroughly decentralised and transparent.
"The results of presidential
election are first declared at 20,000 polling stations, 200 constituency
centres and ten regional capitals before they are finally transmitted to the EC
head office in Accra," he said.
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Institution of Engineers holds fifth
National Congress.
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 Nov. 2000
Mr. John Budu-Smith, Deputy Director General (Academic) of the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Saturday called on the government to consider Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as an integral part of the entire educational system.
He said the TVET had been neglected in the provision of resources, which has over the years, made the institution to lose its reputation as the producer of skilled and competent craftsmen and technicians.
Mr Budu-Smith was speaking at the fifth national congress of the Ghana Institution of Incorporated Engineers (GIIE) in Accra on the theme; "Technical education in Ghana: The way forward." Its members are purely technicians unlike the Ghana Institute of Engineers who are chartered engineers.
The congress saw the election of a new executive council to run the affairs of the institution for two years.
Mr Budu-Smith swore into office, a 13-member executive that has Mr Tony Lawoe, Deputy Chief Fire Officer in charge of Greater Accra as president.
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