Judges may accept car loans-Akufo Addo
Debate on Motion on National Reconciliation
Commission Bill continues
Judges may accept car loans-Akufo Addo
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001-Nana Akufo-Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, on Thursday said a car loan scheme may appeal to Judges but a decision on the issue would have to emanate from the Judiciary.
"Car loans for Judges! Well, if that is the best way to improve on their mobility, I am sure they would take it but as you know I can't speak for them."
Nana Akufo-Addo was answering a subsidiary question posed by Dr. John Abu, NDC-Amenfi Central, on whether judges would be given loans to buy cars.
Nii Adu Daku Mante, NPP-Osu Klottey , had asked an urgent question, demanding the category of persons in the Judiciary, who are provided with vehicles for their official use and what the condition of the use of the said vehicles are.
The Minister said according to the conditions of service of Superior Court Judges, each judge is entitled to chauffeur driven car.
He said in September 1996, government acquired 6 Audi cars for Supreme Court Judges, 4 Audi cars for Appeal Court Judges and Toyota Corona cars for High Court Judges and Chairmen of Regional Tribunals.
Nana Akufo-Addo said:" The understanding was that such cars were to be used by our Judges for five years after which they were to be boarded and sold to the assignees. This is, however subject to government ability to replace them."
Nana Akufo-Addo said:" Most Judges now drive these cars without functioning air-conditioners and several have had to either maintain the cars and provide tyres and batteries themselves as the high cost of maintenance can no longer be contained by the approved budget for the Judicial Service."
He said the only prudent alternative is to replace the cars. According to the Minister, 14 High Court Judges and 2 Chairmen promoted in January 2000 have no cars.
He said Judges of the inferior Courts are not entitled to official cars. Ten Judges including the Chief Justice form the Supreme Court, 18 Judges make up the Appeal Court while 41 Judges administer High Courts. There are 17 Chairmen of Regional Tribunal across the country.
GRi…/
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Debate on Motion on National Reconciliation
Commission Bill continues
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001- Mr J.H. Mensah, Senior Minister and Chairman of Government Economic Team on Thursday said the passing of the National Reconciliation Commission Bill is a big price for ensuring national unity, peace and stability.
He said this was an opportunity for righting the immediate past wrong doings, which could not be done during past constitutional regimes.
Mr. Mensah, who is also the MP for Sunyani said this when contributing to the debate during the second reading of the Bill at today's sitting in Parliament.
He said he had recourse to call on the NDC government during the last parliament to initiate such a Bill but his call fell on deaf ears, as "my call was misconstrued to mean I was calling for witch hunt of members of the PNDC era".
Mr. Mensah said there was the need to create an atmosphere that showed that former presidents like Jerry John Rawlings do not feel threatened even though people still harbour feelings of personal vendetta.
He said he proposed that the commission was made to finish its job expediously and that the process was confined to deal with specific periods without digging unnecessarily into some past mistakes which are better forgotten.
Mr. Mensah said it was necessary that the activities of the commission are not made to look like it was a Truth commission as in other countries since the idea was to help solve wounds. He said it was gratifying that both sides of the House were fully united in its stand to ensuring the passing of the Bill.
Mr. John Kwekucher Ackah, NDC-Aowin-Suaman said many countries have bleak history and so there was the need for the history of Ghana to be looked at in a dispassionate way to end certain harboured sadness among the people.
He advised that efforts should be made so that the reconciliation exercise do not open wounds, especially following certain remarks been made by some government officials on the whole process.
Nana Asante -Frempong , NPP-Kwabre said a forum need to be created to allow for those who feel aggrieved to be given the opportunity to say their minds and clear the air of their mental agony.
He said Ghana was not the first to undertake such an exercise and added "if we do not do it some people would continue to be sitting on time bombs".
Dr Kwabena Adjei, NDC-Biakoye said the set up of the commission was in the right direction especially during an era when there is disunity and festering sores.
He said he was however doubtful whether by treating the festering sores it was not an orchestrated plan to achieve a certain political or parochial interest.
Mr. Joseph Darko-Mensah, NPP-Okaikoi North said vengeance was God's and appealed to all who have committed crimes to come forward, open up and asked for forgiveness of their "sins" to enable the commission accomplish its work..
He said this was the time for the whole country to unite and move forward by allowing for co-existence and to enhance the democratic dispensation.
Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC-Wenchi West said there should not be any ambiguities about the time frame for the Commission's work because for genuine reconciliation all issues need to be looked into.
He said if people did not take advantage of the structures in the past, then it was an indictment on the structures itself for non-performance.
Mr. Nketia said, "if we want proper reconciliation, then we should not take half measures since half measures would not correct all the wrongs in the society".
He said looking at the memoranda, it seems the Attorney-General did not want the Commission to cover the period when his father was the President of the country and some people would certainly have cases of atrocities to complain about.
Mr. Nketia said chiefs, who are custodians of the land even before independence have their mode of reconciliation and their contributions should be sought in arriving at suitable reconciliatory moves.
He said the composition of the commission is another area of concern since the President and other ministers of state, in one way or the other, served in previous governments, which are now accused of certain atrocities.
GRi…/
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