GRi Newsreel Ghana 03 - 10

GRi Newsreel Ghana 03 - 10 - 2000

Vote for CPP to continue Nkrumah's works - candidate

Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 3 October 2000

Mr. Kwaku Poku Boah, the CPP parliamentary candidate for Nkoranza, has urged Ghanaians to remember the noble deeds of the country's First President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and vote for the party "for a change of government and ideology of governance".

Speaking at a meeting with members at Nkoranza, he said Ghanaians want a change of government adding that, it is only the CPP that has the vision and philosophy to promote democracy.

He called on the electorate to give it their mandate to ensure improvement in the living standard of the people.

The parliamentary candidate called on members and supporters to rally behind the party to win power to continue the social services of the First Republic.

He called on zonal executives to pay regular visit to the constituency's office at Nkoranza to learn about the party's plans and programmes to enable them to carry out effective campaigning.

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Minister expresses concern

Accra (Greater Accra) 2 October 2000

The Minister of Communications, Mr. John Mahama, on Monday described as "regrettable" the incident at the offices of the Crusading Guide and Dispatch newspapers in which some unidentified persons reportedly smeared human excreta on the front of the premises.

A statement by the Ministry of Communication in Accra said, Mr. Mahama's attention was drawn to the incident by His Excellency the Vice President, Professor John Atta Mills, who had earlier received a report on the matter from the President of the GJA, Mrs. Gifty Afenyi Dadzie.

The Minister said the government believes that the current democratic dispensation imposes on all citizens to engage in a "civil battle of ideas without recourse to such unorthodox methods".

The statement said, it could be the work of "agent provocateurs who wish to drive a wedge between the media and the government in this critical electioneering period".

Mr. Mahama expressed satisfaction that the matter has been reported to the police and said the security agencies, should be able to uncover the culprits and take appropriate action.

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Unidentified persons destroy eight NRP banners at Wa

Wa (Upper West Region) 3 October 2000

Unidentified persons at the weekend destroyed eight banners of the National Reform Party (NRP) displayed at key locations at Wa to welcome the party's presidential candidate to the Upper West Region.

The banners, estimated at 1.2 million cedis, were hoisted on Saturday but vanished by Sunday morning.

Mr. Goosie Tanoh, NRP presidential candidate, was scheduled to be at Wa on Monday to begin a campaign tour of the region.

Mr. Gaale Roger, Regional Secretary of the party, made this known at a meeting of the Regional Elections Security Taskforce and representatives of the various political parties, including the NDC, NPP, NRP, PNC, and the DPP, at Wa on Monday.

He appealed to the Taskforce to investigate the issue and bring the perpetrators to book, warning that the party would advise itself if no action was taken on the issue.

The Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr. Kwame Boateng, briefed the Taskforce and the parties on steps being taken to ensure free and fair elections in the region.

The Regional Police Commander, Mr. F. K. Agyemang, who is Chairman of the Taskforce, urged politicians in the area to advise their supporters to avoid mixing chieftaincy issues with politics.

He observed that, as a result of the Wa chieftaincy dispute, some factions had moved en masse to join certain political parties without studying their programmes.

"The swinging of block votes from one political party to another because of chieftaincy dispute undermines freedom of choice," he stated.

Representatives of the NPP, NRP and PNC called on the Taskforce to prevail on the NDC to separate party functions from official ones.

They observed that the over-use of incumbency by the ruling party was rendering the code of conduct signed by the political parties meaningless.

The minority parties insisted that they would attend all meetings involving the EC and election affairs in the run-up to the elections to ensure transparency.

They called on the EC to cease according equal status to political parties, which are not contesting the elections.

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NPP calls for commission of enquiry to investigate SSNIT

Accra (Greater Accra) 3 October 2000

The New Patriotic Party on Monday called on the President to set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) following media allegations of misuse of funds.

In a statement signed by Ms Amma Busia, First Vice Chairperson, of the party said the commission should cover SSNIT's management structure, the expenditure or remuneration and fringe benefits for members of the board, the salary structure of employees and its investments.

"This is the only way speculations about SSNIT will stop and public suspicions and unease about its operations will be allayed," it said.

The statement noted that over the past six months, there have been media reports and allegations which suggest that the Board of SSNIT has been spending money in the fund in a manner which is not for the benefit of the workers who own it.

"The NPP is particularly concerned that SSNIT has been significantly silent in the face of these serious allegations. If the allegations are false, then it is the duty of SSNIT to refute them and give the public the true and correct facts. If the allegations are true, then SSNIT is sowing the seeds of social instability."

The statement said the main object of the fund is to provide for the payment of pension to the workers who contribute when they retire.

"If the money is dissipated by bad investments or dishonest management as the media reports suggest, then the workers of this country will suffer.

"It is in the national interest that the workers' savings should be protected from mismanagement and from careless or dishonest investments."

The NPP cautioned that if SSNIT goes broke, the consequences will be disastrous saying, the only way to avoid such a disaster is to compel SSNIT to come out with the truth.

"The NPP believes that this is not a matter of political bickering. The NPP calls on the other political parties, the TUC, GNAT, the Civil Servants Association as well as the Ghana Employers' Association to join the call for the setting up of a commission of enquiry.

"If this is not done, SSNIT may well become a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. And if the explosion does come, all of us will be wounded directly or indirectly."

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GBA holds annual general conference in Tamale

Tamale (Northern Region) 3 October 2000

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Obed Asamoah, on Monday stressed the importance of administrators of justice to review and assess the level of achievement of accessibility of justice to all in the country.

He said despite the various provisions in the constitution, for various reasons, justice is daily denied to very many people through the paucity of human resources as well as the inadequacy of facilities for effective administration of justice.

Dr. Asamoah was speaking at the annual general conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) at Tamale. It is being held under the theme "Justice for all in Ghana: Problems and Prospects".

The three-day conference, which for the first time is been hosted by the Northern Region, brought together members of the bar and bench, traditional rulers and the general public to discuss the theme, access to justice, reports, and presentations by registered political parties.

It will also deal with matters affecting the legal profession, conference resolutions, appointment of auditors and election of officers.

Dr. Asamoah conceded that, justice is also denied through delays, adding that, at the end of the period, several of the benefits accompanying a successful litigation are eroded.

"This is therefore the time for enforcement of the code of ethics and regulations as well as the legal professional (conduct and etiquette) rules which are meant to cure incidents of undue delays caused to court proceedings."

Dr. Asamoah said delays mean expense in terms of time and money, adding that not only are the poor intimidated by the rich but their economic circumstances also deter the pursuit of their rights.

The minister said as part of strategies to increase access to justice, a court, at least a community tribunal, has been established in each district but added that several of these are not operational because of the absence of chairpersons, judges or state attorneys to serve on them.

Dr. Asamoah said with the enabling environment created by the policies of the government, private legal practice is more lucrative and attracts more qualified lawyers than the public sector where there are not enough physical structures.

He said other areas, which undermine the effectiveness of the administration of justice, are the procedures and processes that are labour intensive and time consuming since judges still take down court proceedings in writing long hand.

He said the adoption of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method is a viable strategy for decongesting the courts and enhancing the effectiveness of the judicial system.

The Attorney General said the apparent intimidating nature of the legal and judicial system is a possible barrier to access to justice since most people are not familiar with the processes for securing justice.

This problem can be addressed through civic and community "legal" education and "activities such as 'law in action' undertaken by lawyers, law students and para-legals", adding they can contribute to the creation and strengthening of the citizens' awareness of law as a means of obtaining justice.

Professor John S. Nabila, Wulugu-Naba, on behalf of the Nayiri, Na Gamni Abdulai Mahamadu, President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, who opened the conference, said even though the northern regions form one third of the land mass, the people are faced with enormous challenges which have the potential of letting justice elude them.

He said the incidence of chieftaincy and land disputes was on the increase and required the assistance of legal expertise for resolution. However, the deprivation in the area is not attractive to lawyers to set up their practices to serve the communities.

Prof. Nabila appealed to the GBA to encourage its members to consider setting up their chambers in the three northern regions as well as members of the GBA from the northern parts by establishing themselves to assist their kinsmen and women.

He gave the assurance that chiefs in the North would continue to supplement the delivery of justice by the courts in engaging in arbitration and alternative strategies for conflict resolution within their cultural milieu in the interest of justice, peace and stability.

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Reject NDC in December polls for failed economic policies - Asmah

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 3 October 2000

Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Member of Parliament for Takoradi, has called on the electorate to vote massively to reject the NDC in the December polls for its failed economic policies that have led to widespread suffering.

She cited the high level of unemployment, soaring inflation and the worsening cost of living in the country as clear evidence of the NDC government's failure.

Mrs. Asmah was addressing a well-attended rally organised by the Ashanti Regional Women's wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Abbey's Park in Kumasi.

The MP, who repeatedly accused the government of corruption and overspending, told the cheering supporters of the party that, when voted into power, the NPP would salvage the economy from its present mess and put it on a real path of growth to make life better for the people.

She advised voters to remain alert and not to sell their votes or allow themselves to be influenced with gifts and other forms of inducement.

Mrs. Grace Coleman, MP for Effiduase-Asokore, gave the assurance that a government of the NPP would create jobs to enable the youth to live decently.

She told Ghanaians not to accept what she termed "the lame excuse by the government" that the country's present economic problems had been caused by pressures on the international market.

Mrs. Coleman could not understand why cocoa, for example, could not be processed in the country to help add more value to the product.

Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, MP for Old Tafo Suame, said the government had no moral justification to ask the electorate to renew its mandate for another term of office if after almost two decades of the PNDC/NDC rule it had not been able to turn the economy around.

Other MPs who addressed the rally were Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Manhyia; Dr. Richard Winfred Anane, Bantama; Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Afigya-Sekyere West; Alhaji Muktar Bamba, Wenchi East; and Mr. Sampson K. Boafo, Subin.

They all stressed the need for peace and vigilance at the polling centres.

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GCPP reiterates call for second chamber

Accra (greater Accra) 3 October 2000

Mr. Dan Lartey, Presidential Candidate of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) on Monday reiterated his call for the establishment of a government, which would involve the chiefs and eminent statesmen whom, he said, have been sidelined from the power base of governance.

He said a GCPP government would amend the constitution to create a second chamber to serve as the highest legal authority for justice to make the sovereignty of Ghana complete and "out of the apron strings of Westminster."

This is contained in a radio and TV broadcast to be delivered on Monday night received in advance by the Ghana News Agency (GNA). All seven presidential candidates would be making a five-minute radio and television broadcast to the nation.

The GCPP presidential candidate said although Ghana's presidential and parliamentary system is fashioned along the lines of the US system, Ghana's system does not have a Senate, which "is the final legal authority for justice and control of domestic affairs."

"The second chamber proposed would be the equivalent of the US Senate to regulate and control Ghana's domestic affairs and to make Ghana become a real sovereign state. This will provide the appropriate checks and balances for good governance."

Mr. Lartey said "Ghana's sovereignty is incomplete unless measures are taken to establish a second chamber of legislature as the highest legal authority for justice and then we will have the capacity to develop our full potential politically, economically and culturally."

On the economy, Mr. Lartey said the country is in serious crises and all hands must be on deck to solve the problems.

"Policy makers must have a clear understanding of the crises and find the right solutions."

He said the party has identified the problems as a colonial exploitative system, a trap to sap all our foreign exchange earnings dry under the pretext of trade liberalisation.

He promised to change this into "a new economic order of domestication" which he defined as "domestic production for development."

He said GCPP would vigorously embark on production with heavy capital base to phase out the country's huge importation bill, which has led to the accumulation of debt.

Mr. Lartey criticised the media saying it is characterised by "sophistication and other considerations such as dis-information and misinformation" to the extent of "concealment and distortion of facts, figures and the truth."

Sometimes, he said, the media places a blackout on the activities of groups and parties they do not favour, adding, "this portrays journalism as unprofessional in Africa."

Mr. Lartey said the National Media Commission is charting a path of fair reporting of all political parties and groups for the purpose of the impending general election and expressed the hope that this would continue after the vote.

Mr. Lartey, who was a special adviser to the National Redemption Council (NRC) led by the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, claimed that the January 13, 1972 coup was to restore the government of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

"Acheampong's coup was for a purpose...The purpose was to turn back the government of Ghana to Kwame Nkrumah when those who claimed they could do better had failed."

Mr. Lartey claimed General Acheampong decided to bring Dr Nkrumah back home to take over the government before nightfall on January 13.

He added contacts he and several people made showed that Dr Nkrumah was seriously ill and had been flown to Bucharest, Romania. When he died, therefore, his body was returned to Ghana for a fitting burial.

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Rawlings receives envoy from Bouteflika

Accra (Greater Accra) 03 October 2000

President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday deplored the seemingly intractable conflicts still raging in some parts of Africa and said efforts should be redoubled to curb them.

He said if solutions are not found to these crippling conflicts quickly they would escalate and it would become more difficult to solve.

President Rawlings said this when he granted audience to an envoy from President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria. The envoy, Mr. Abdelkader Messahel, also held private talks with the President.

He said unfortunately, some other parts of the world are having their fair share of conflicts and mentioned the carnage in the Middle East as an example.

President Rawlings said Palestinians have suffered so much humiliation at the hands of the Israelis for so long and that the latest violence, which has resulted in the death of several Palestinians, is despicable.

He said the longer this continues the more lives would be lost.

Israeli security forces opened fire on demonstrating Palestinians over the weekend in Gaza and the West Bank, killing at least 30 and wounding several others.

Mr. Messahel said his mission is to brief President Rawlings on efforts the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) is making to solve the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.

President Bouteflika, the immediate past Chairman of the OAU, is one of 10 Heads of State mandated by the OAU to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

''You play a stabilising role in the region that is why my President wants to seek your opinion''.

Mr. Messahel said he would also discuss with President Rawlings, Sierra Leone, the Sahroui Arab Democratic Republic and the Ethiopia/Eritrea War.

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Vice President's interaction with the press rescheduled for October 10

Accra (Greater Accra) 03 October 2000

The first in a series of interaction by the vice-president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills with Ghanaian journalists planned for Wednesday, October 4, at the NDC Party

Headquarters, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 10.

A statement on Monday signed by Mr. John Mahama, Minister of Communications, explained that the re-scheduling had become necessary as a result of a change in the date of arrival of President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, for a four-day official visit.

It said President Mbeki was originally expected in Accra on Thursday, October 5 but he will now arrive on Wednesday, October 4.

"In the circumstances, the media interaction by the NDC flag-bearer will now take place at 10.00 am on Tuesday, October 10. The venue has also been shifted to the Accra International Conference Centre."

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GJA condemns smearing of Crusading Guide's offices with human excreta

Accra (Greater Accra) 03 October 2000

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on Monday condemned the smearing of the offices of the Crusading Guide, a private newspaper, with human excreta and declared that journalists would never surrender press freedom and media responsibility for anything.

A statement signed by Mrs. Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President, said it is shocked and dismayed at "this cowardly and dastardly act" and appealed to the authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice.

"The GJA urges its members not to be intimidated (to change) from their genuine pursuits.

"We must state clearly that nothing can dim the spirit of Ghanaian journalists to pursue their profession and move ahead with freedom.

"We will not waver in our bid to ensure transparency in public affairs and to hold public officers accountable to the people."

The statement said GJA is disgusted and appalled by the latest demonstration of intolerance, bigotry and sadism to intimidate a media house in the performance of its professional duties.

It said those who think that intimidation, insolence, blackmail and high-handedness could cow journalists into submission must be deluding themselves.

"The GJA calls on all lovers of free speech to openly condemn it as a dastardly act to put to shame those behind it.

"The over zealous sycophants who think that the only way to resist media responsiveness and alertness is the resort to criminality should know that the media's role in upholding accountability is in the interest of Ghanaians."

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