GRi Newsreel Ghana 16 - 11 - 2000
No artificial fingernails on voting day – EC
No Bloodshed! Prof. Mills assures nation
NDC members say disgusted by leadership
threats over polls
Three foreign
vessels arrested by Ghana Navy
Women’s Commission condemns killing of women
Rawlings cautions electorate against apathy
on polling day
CPP to reactivate all abandon projects –
Hagan
Police Commander condemns spate of violence
Commission, Boards cannot interfere with
editorial policies – Adjetey
Pentecost Deacon who killed wife dead
GCPP will abolish VAT – Lartey
Inadequate pest control identified as cause
of low food production
Individuals can have access to government
lands – Minister
Constituency chairman urges massive vote for
NPP
CPP urges government to prevent election
disruption
No artificial fingernails on voting day –
EC
Wa (Upper West) 16 November 2000
All eligible voters, particularly women, who wear artificial fingernails will have to remove them before they can cast their votes on December 7.
This is because the Electoral Commission (EC) has been informed that such people can easily remove their nails after voting to enable them to vote a second time.
Mr Kwame Boateng, Upper West Regional Electoral Officer, announced this when he presented a paper on "Towards Peaceful, Free and Fair Elections - How Prepared is the Electoral Commission" at a day's seminar organised by the International PEN at Wa on Monday.
Mr Boateng advised polling agents throughout the country to send back voters with artificial fingernails if they refuse to comply with the directive.
The seminar, which was sponsored by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), attracted 48 participants made up of journalists, political leaders, heads of departments and collaborators in peaceful elections.
He said every polling station would be given five per cent additional balloting papers to take care of spoilage and transfers on voting day.
Mr Frank Mackay Anim-Appiah, President of the Ghana Centre of International PEN, said there cannot be free and fair elections when constitutional institutions like the National Commission for Civic Education, EC, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice are financially starved.
He said such institutions and the state-owned media play important roles in the electoral process and called on the next legislature to ensure that the necessary funding is provided to enable them to carry out their work effectively.
Mr Anim-Appiah urged journalists not to allow themselves to be swayed by political parties throughout their reportage as that could be disastrous to nation building.
Mr Frankie Asare-Donkor, Secretary of International PEN, urged all media houses to be fair to all political parties before, during and after the elections as contained in the constitution.
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No Bloodshed! Prof. Mills assures nation
Gomoa-Nyanyano (Central Region) 16 November 2000
The Vice President and flag bearer of the NDC, Prof. John Atta Mills, on Wednesday reiterated his assurance to the nation that the NDC would not use bloodshed to win the election.
He has therefore advised Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to exercise the greatest restraint in the run up to next month's polls.
Prof. Mills was addressing separate NDC rallies at Gomoa Nyanyano and Kasoa as part of his four-day tour of the Central Region.
He said the NDC does not believe in bloodshed, adding: "We shall continue to preach wherever we will go and also impress upon others who are not on our side to follow suit",
Prof. Mills advised members of the progressive alliance to desist from the removal and destruction of posters belonging to other parties.
He said at the moment what is expected of every NDC faithful is to intensify his or her campaign to attract more votes for the party on December 7. Prof. Mills reminded Ghanaians of the immense contributions which the NDC government has made for the nation and asked them to retain the party by voting massively for it.
To a request by the chief of Gomoa-Nyanyano, Nana Obeng Wiabo, Prof. Mills said the government would find a lasting solution to the water problem confronting both Nyanyano and Kasoa, as well as the protracted land litigation between the people of Nyanyano and the Bortiano.
He introduced the NDC parliamentary candidates for Gomoa East and the Awutu-Senya constituencies, Mr Richard Annan and Mrs Hanna Serwaah Tetteh-Kpodar.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
Chiefs on Wednesday urged political parties contesting in the December 7 elections to carry out their campaigns in a civilised and tolerant manner to ensure a peaceful and non-violent vote.
They also called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to faithfully discharge its constitutional function by conducting and supervising the election in a free, fair and transparent manner to prevent upheavals during and after the electoral process.
This was contained in a 12-point declaration, dubbed, "Osu Declaration", compiled and signed by heads of the 10 Regional Houses of Chiefs, as their contribution to the urgent call for a peaceful poll.
The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, read the declaration on behalf of the chiefs, to representatives and leaders of all the political parties, including Vice President John Atta Mills.
The declaration read: "We, the traditional rulers and leaders of the various Ghanaian communities, call upon all presidential candidates, their running mates and leaders of all political parties to carry out their partisan political campaigns and programmes without rancour and in conformity with civilised behaviour."
The chiefs also urged the Police Service to discharge their primary function of maintaining law and order during the elections.
They entreated the Armed Forces to continue to play their national defence role in a neutral manner and stay out of partisan politics.
These, the chiefs said, are necessary conditions for a peaceful and smooth democratic process.
The chiefs said they would inculcate in their people, the national qualities of tolerance, fairness, justice, civilised conduct, good sense and good humour.
"As custodians of the customary and cultural values that bind our nation together, we urge all our people to continue to uphold and sustain the culture of political tolerance during and after the presidential and parliamentary elections," they said.
The chiefs noted with regret the recent clashes among political party activists at Berekum, Alajo and Prestea and appealed to members of the public to refrain from threats and acts of violence in the exercise of their democratic rights.
They said the declaration is in the interest of the women and children and not for any political party as has been rumoured in some sections of the political spectrum.
Osagyefo Ofori Panin called on people who commit political offences to be bold and apologise, saying; "the power to our development rests on our ability and spirit to forgive one another. "Nii Adote Obuor II, acting Ga Mantse, who presided, called on political parties to abide by the ideals of the May 18 code of conduct for election that they adopted.
In separate remarks, the chiefs said it should be possible under the current multi-partisan democratic system, for parties to debate without necessarily engaging in violent acts.
They said as political parties, they must know that issues are more important than insults.
The chiefs said though the contest for leadership can sometimes be acrimonious, political parties must know that Ghana has a reputation to maintain peace. Leaders and representatives of the various political parties commended the chiefs for organising the function describing it as the best so far on political tolerance in this year's elections.
Some, however, said the Electoral Commission should have been invited.
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NDC members say disgusted by leadership
threats over polls
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 16 November 2000
A group calling itself the Aggrieved National Democratic Congress members have expressed disgust at alleged threats by the leadership of the party, if it should loose the December election.
According to them, speaker after speaker at the party meetings keeps on threatening the members that should the NDC lose the elections, the opposition would arrest some of them, kill them or drive them out of the country and make life unbearable for them.
A statement signed by Mr Victor Adu Mensah for the Aggrieved Members and copied to the press, said the group was fed up with such threats and intimidation.
It said members of the party are not used to resorting to the press to express their dissatisfaction when things go wrong but said they are now using the medium of the press to express their disgust at such threats.
The statement said if the leadership of the NDC has anything to hide, they should mind their own business and leave the members alone to examine their current status as Ghanaians and vote wisely since they are free to use their conscience this time.
The group touched on sensitive issues, which they claimed had brought about discontentment from Ghanaians, saying they are not a party to all these.
"They only come to us during election time and promise us millions of cedis which never come any way," the group stated.
The aggrieved members called on the leadership to stop the psychological warfare because they are now matured.
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Three foreign
vessels arrested by Ghana Navy
Sekondi (Western Region) 16
November 2000
Three foreign fishing vessels
illegally fishing in the country's territorial waters were last Thursday
arrested by patrolmen of the Ghana Navy, about 26 nautical miles south of Half
Assini.
The vessels, which had no license
to fish in the country, have since berthed at the Naval Base in Sekondi.
The vessels are M/S Montecelo and
M/S Egazule both registered in Spain, while the third, M/S Cap Saint Pierre is
registered in France. They are all based in Cote D'ivoire.
Briefing newsmen, Commodore
Jonathan Y. Adoko, Flag Officer Commanding the Western Naval Command said the
country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) abounds in large marine resources,
especially fishes which are being exploited by foreign and local vessels.
He said to check the illegal
practice, Naval patrols along Ghana's Territorial waters has been intensified
and those arrested have each paid fines ranging between 38 and 136 million
cedis.
"The fisheries law among
other things states that no foreign fishing vessels, shall fish or attempt to
fish within the fishing waters in Ghana without a valid license or
authority."
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Women’s Commission condemns killing of
women
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
The Women's Commission of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has condemned the killing of another woman at Ogbojo, near Madina, a suburb of Accra.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday said the latest killing is more disturbing considering the numerous calls on both the security agencies and the general public to help arrest the perpetrators after more than 20 women had fallen victim to the unfortunate incident.
The union appealed to the Interior Ministry, the police and other security agencies to take immediate steps to safeguard the security of women.
It also pledged its support to actions of other women’s groups and well-wishers, that seek to unravel the mystery surrounding serial killings in Ghana.
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Rawlings cautions electorate against apathy
on polling day
Odumase-Krobo (Eastern Region) 16 November 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday urged all eligible voters to take their franchise seriously by casting their votes on the polling day, on December 7.
He said they should not be apathetic towards the process and appealed to them to vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to enable it to continue with its good governance.
President Rawlings was addressing separate NDC rallies at Odumase-Krobo and Akorabo in the Suhum constituency at the beginning of a two-day tour of the Eastern Region.
He said is the people that have borne the brunt of the hardships in support of the economic recovery programme and other harsh policies to improve the economy over the past 19 years.
They should therefore not allow themselves to be misled by "some unscrupulous politicians", who want to win power only to reverse the trend of development chalked so far.
President Rawlings said to be in government is not like lottery. It demands proper planning and foresight, which had contributed to the stability and development of the country since the advent of the 31st December Revolution.
He called on the electorate to vote massively for Vice- President John Atta Mills and the NDC parliamentary candidates to enable them make the necessary amendments to continue to administer the country effectively.
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CPP to reactivate all abandon projects –
Hagan
Atimpoku (Eastern Region) 16 November 2000
The Flag bearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Professor George Panyin Hagan has ended a four-day tour of the Eastern Region, which took him to Atimpoku, Adukrom, Upper West Akim, Adeiso, Asamankese, Achiase, Nkawkaw, Asubone Rails, Anyinam, Asikasu, Asuokaw and Akim-Oda.
During the tour he paid courtesy calls on the Chiefs of the various towns and addressed political rallies.
At Atimpoku, Prof. Hagan assured Ghanaians that if voted into power, the CPP will Re-activate all abandoned projects initiated by Dr Kwame Nkrumah to enable it fulfil its promise of creating job for the youth.
He said a CPP government would also ensure free education at all levels, improve health services and re-introduce the Workers Brigade to mobilise the youth on the streets for agriculture activities.
Prof. Hagan promised that his government would not discriminate in offering appointments since it stands for national integration.
The CPP flag bearer assured the chiefs that the party would conduct its campaign in a peaceful manner, adding that the nation requires stability for development.
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Police Commander condemns spate of violence
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 16 November 2000
The Eastern Region Police Commander, Mr George Obeng on Monday condemned the spate of violence that has characterised the political scene and said it is un-productive.
He said Ghanaians should not do anything to disrupt the political process adding that democracy is about peace, stability and development.
Mr Obeng was speaking at a meeting with representatives of political parties, Regional Electoral Officer and heads of security agencies at Koforidua.
He reminded the party representatives to adhere to the laid down regulations regarding their campaigns and rallies as stated in the Public Order Act 491 of 1994.
It stipulates among other things that all political campaigns and rallies should begin at 6am and end at 6pm.
He said, "we should all strive to sustain the gains the country has made so far."
Mr Obeng advised party supporters to desist from defacing posters belonging to their political opponents.
The Police Commander assured the people that the police would guarantee security to ensure peaceful elections.
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 16 November 2000
The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has relieved four activists of the party in the Abetifi and Akropong constituencies of their posts for allegedly engaging in "activities inimical to the interest of the party."
The four who have also been suspended from the party with immediate effect, are Mr Ebenezer Opare Addo and Mr Christian Yirenkyi Boateng, Akropong constituency chairman and secretary respectively and Mr B. B. Addo and Mr James Atta Effah , Abetifi constituency organiser and youth organiser .
A release issued at Koforidua on Tuesday and signed by the Eastern Regional Secretary, Mr S. M. Ahyiah, said "the four persons have no authority to transact business for and on behalf of the party. They cannot also put themselves up as representing the party or any leadership of the party."
It said the official NPP parliamentary candidates for Abetifi and Akropong constituencies are Mr Eugene Atta Agyepong and Mr. Agyare Koi-Larbi respectively.
It urged the party's supporters and sympathisers as well as the voting public to rally behind the two MPs and vote for them.
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Commission, Boards cannot interfere with
editorial policies – Adjetey
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
Freedom of the media guarantees that neither the National Media Commission (NMC) nor the Boards of Directors of the media houses have the right to interfere with the editorial policies or daily operations of the State-Owned Media (SOM), Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, a renowned legal practitioner, said in Accra on Wednesday.
He said the state-owned media do not come under the control or administrative interference from any sector ministry.
Presenting a paper on the implications of the Supreme Court ruling for state-owned media and the National Media Commission at a day's seminar for Board Members of state-owned media organisations, Mr Adjetey said the appointment of chief executives to various public media exclusively rests with the NMC.
He said from that judgement and the provisions of Chapter 12 of the constitution, the NMC has to do the appointments in consultation with the President and anything above that "would be illegitimate and should be rejected".
For a healthy relationship to exist between the corporations managing the state-owned media and the NMC, care should be taken not to expose public media "to the very danger which chapter 12 of the constitution seeks to protect them from and insulate them against," Mr Adjetey cautioned.
He suggested that a presidential aide should be made to liase between the NMC and the President to deal with relations of the SOM.
Mr Adjetey said any other governmental agencies such as the Ministry of Communications, Information Services Department interfering with the operations of the media "would mean to attempt to undermine the independence of the media".
Mr Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Chairman of the NMC, speaking on the relations between the Commission and the state-owned media, said the provisions on the operations of the media cover those of the public and private press, which must all be insulated so as not to compromise the freedom of speech.
The media must uphold the directive principles of state policy to defend the constitution and the rights of others in promoting the prestige and good name of Ghana.
He said "the media should be the tool for promoting unity and peace of the country" and not to resort to publications that might lead to a situation like that of Rwanda where the press contributed to chaos in that country.
The media should just do to others, as it would want it to be done to them, for it is painful to be libelled, Mr Kuenyehia said.
He condemned an Accra weekly, the Newsmaker, for publishing in its November 14 edition pictures of homosexuals in action.
Mr Kuenyehia said no decent member of society would like to read such a thing and asked the private press to remember the cultural values of the country.
The Chief Executives of the four state-owned media organisations, the Ghana News Agency, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, New Times Corporation and Graphic Communications Group Limited briefed the seminar on their preparedness to cover the elections.
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Pentecost Deacon who killed wife dead
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 16 November 2000
Kobina Bonsu, the deacon of the Church of Pentecost at Yamfo in the Tano district who beheaded his wife on Sunday and attempted to take his own life is dead.
He died at the Saint John of God Catholic hospital at Duayaw-Nkwanta. A hospital source confirmed to the GNA that Bonsu, 52, died at 12.50 a.m.
Bonsu murdered his wife, Anna Frempomaa Bonsu (alias Abena Frempomaa), 48,by slashing her throat with a machete. He then made an abortive attempt to commit suicide.
Before his death, GNA visited him at the hospital and had the chance to hear his last words.
Asked why he killed his wife, Bonsu replied, "I did it without a cause", and he pleaded with God to forgive him.
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GCPP will abolish VAT – Lartey
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
Mr Dan Lartey, Presidential candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), on Wednesday said he will abolish the Value Added Tax (VAT) when he is voted into power.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, he said the country does not manufacture anything that necessitates the use of VAT as a tax system.
"We only import goods and put VAT on them to burden importers with double VAT as most of those imports have attracted VAT in their countries of origin," he said.
Mr Lartey said until the country "domesticates and begins to process its raw materials in local industries on a high scale," VAT would not be an appropriate tax system in Ghana.
"My GCPP government will restore the sales, personal and services tax systems that this country used to have to ease the tax burden on our traders," he said.
He said under the "domestication" policy of the GCPP, there is provision for the introduction of VAT at the appropriate time, when the local manufacturing industry has improved enough to make Ghana self-sufficient in food production.
Mr Lartey also promised to give every Ghanaian worker a cost-of-living allowance as the first step of solving the income and living standard problems.
"Prior to our permanent improved income structure, we shall give every Ghanaian worker a cost of living allowance to encourage him/her to work harder as we prepare to solve the low income problem," he said.
He also assured the public of free education from the nursery to the tertiary level, saying that the country has the capital base for that. What is needed is how to tap it; and GCPP has the ability to do so, he said.
On why his party does not have a full complement of parliamentary candidates, Mr Lartey said that is not necessary, since MPs, despite their political parties, are supposed to work in the interest of the whole nation.
He said the GCPP has the ability to get the consent of and make use of all the 200 MPs for the development of the country.
Mr Lartey dismissed statements by the ruling party that it moved the economy from below negative growth rate to the current 4.4 per cent, saying that the current state of the economy reflects more poor people than rich people.
"Over the past 19 years the PNDC/NDC governments have failed to make the poor rich and the rich poor as they promised," he said adding, "The rich has become richer and the poor, poorer."
This, he said, is because the government, like all other past governments, has fallen into the trap of neo-colonialism set by the colonial masters which works in favour of Western countries to the detriment of the country's development.
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Inadequate pest control identified as cause
of low food production
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
Inadequate pest control is contributing to farmers' inability to produce enough food to keep pace with the growing population, a Director in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said Wednesday in Accra.
"Despite improved farming practices in Ghana, including the application of fertiliser and pesticide, crop production is not sufficient to meet our social and economic targets, Mr Godfrey Agyei Dixion, Chief Director of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Service, told a two-day workshop on developing crop protection policy.
This is simply because, often plant protection is not considered as part of the crop production process, he noted, and said attempts to increase food production have usually been accompanied by mounting pest and disease problems resulting from poor agronomic practices.
Pre- and post-harvest crop losses due to weed infestation, arthropods, disease organisms and vertebrate pest are estimated to be on the order of 30 to 50 per cent.
The workshop, organised by Plant Protection and Regulatory Services and the German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) Crop Protection Project, reviewed a study done on pesticide use in Ghana.
The study analysed the current economic, political and institutional framework and practices of Ghana's agriculture in general and crop protection in particular. It identified major factors influencing the current level of pesticide use.
Ghana imports on average about 970 tonnes of pesticides a year, the report said. " Imported chemical pesticides are offered on the market at the lowest possible price due to the lack of import duties. Alternative crop protection measures have to compete with imported chemical pesticides."
Most farmers interviewed in a field survey involving 270 questionnaire, said they used pesticides.
The report said, however that " pesticide handling often does not meet safety standards. About two-thirds of the interviewed farmers reported health problems after applying pesticides."
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Individuals can have access to government
lands – Minister
Juaso (Ashanti Region) 16 November 2000
The Minister of Lands and Forestry said on Tuesday that Ghanaians can have access to government plots for development upon application through the appropriate channels.
Dr. Christina Amoako-Nuama said such plots could, however, only be allocated to individuals and organisations when there is evidence that the government has no immediate use for the land.
She was speaking at the commissioning of a 42 million-cedi office for the Asante-Akim South Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Juaso-Ashanti.
The Friends of Dr. Amoako-Nuama financed the building, which comprises an office of the Constituency Chairman, Secretary, Administrator, Members of Parliament and other facilities.
The minister, who is a citizen of the town, denied rumours in the area that the land allocated for the NDC for the office belonged to the Forestry Services Department.
She said it was her desire to assist in the development of the community but expressed regret that her efforts were being thwarted.
According to her, a piece of land she asked for to construct a community library since 1998 had not received any favourable response although two containers of books had already been sent to the town for the project.
Mr. Samuel Nuama-Donkor, Ashanti Regional Minister, who commissioned the office, said the contribution by Dr. Amoako-Nuama was a living testimony of her desire to assist in the development of the area.
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Constituency chairman urges massive vote
for NPP
Coaltar (Eastern Region) 15 November 2000
The Ayesuano constituency chairman of the NPP in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District, Mr Kwasi Agyei, on Tuesday urged the youth to vote massively for the NPP to win the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Mr Agyei was addressing more than 5,000 supporters from seven communities in the district.
They are Otoase, Otoase Amanfro, Ayibontey, Kwabokese, Marfukrom, Awereso and Abiesi.
Mr Agyei said the NPP, when voted to power, would give a further boost to agriculture to give employment to the youth.
The party will also establish small cottage industries, rehabilitate the Nsawam Cannery and assist pineapple and citrus farmers to expand their farms to earn foreign exchange for the country.
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CPP urges government to prevent election
disruption
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 November 2000
Dr Abubakar Al-Hassan, National Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), has called on the government to prevent any attempt to disrupt this year's elections.
"It is important for the national political leadership, especially those in government, to do all in their power to prevent the eruption of chaos and anarchy".
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday said Dr Al-Hassan was addressing executive members of the United Kingdom and Ireland branch of the party in London.
He said the CPP pledges to abide by the electoral regulations and display a high sense of morality in the conduct of its campaigns.
"Ghanaians want to live in peace and be governed by a government of their choice elected through a transparently free and fair process," Dr Al-Hassan said.
He told the meeting that the CPP would provide leadership, which would focus on the eradication of poverty through judicious use of national resources.
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