GRi Newsreel Ghana 28 - 09

GRi Newsreel Ghana 28 - 09 - 2000

NDC parliamentary candidate proposed urban regeneration law

Accra (Greater Accra) 27 September 2000

Dr. Nii Armah Josiah-Aryeh, National Democratic Congress parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma South, on Tuesday said he will ensure an Urban Regeneration Law when voted to power.

This would restore land ownership rights in various urban constituencies to the locals, "as most of the lands in these areas are now owned by either foreigners or people from outside".

He was speaking on a radio talk show, dubbed Talk Shop. The programme was dedicated to a parliamentary debate between all the political party and independent contestants for the seat in the December election.

Dr. Josiah-Aryeh noted that due to urbanisation and indiscriminate sale of land, indigenes of the Ablekuma South constituency and other urban areas have become landless.

The situation allows "foreigners and strangers to develop and trade with land in the urban areas" without adequately paying rent to the original owners.

This, he said is unfortunate, adding that "much us we can not hold foreigners and strangers liable for the current state of affairs, we need to put an urban regeneration law in place to re-orient the status and ownership of urban lands."

Dr. Josiah-Aryeh said it would be his major goal as a Lawyer to ensure that parliament passed a law to that effect.

He deplored the attitude of some MPs who hide behind the non-availability of the district assemblies' common fund adding that, there is much more for an MP to do for his area even without the fund.

Dr. Josiah-Aryeh dismissed claims that the NDC has not done enough in the education sector, saying, "apart from adding two more universities to the three in the country, the party's educational policies have also made room for private universities to operate among others".

Mrs. Theresa Amerlay Tagoe, the incumbent of the New Patriotic Party, noted that for the past few years, new communities have developed in the area, which are not on the map and development plan of the city and the country as a whole.

"Several efforts to get the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) to extend some development projects to these communities have proved futile with an excuse that they are not on the map.

"I have therefore decided as a matter of urgency to ensure that these new communities in the environs of Dansoman are put on the map and development plan of the city".

Mrs. Tagoe said she has also drawn a facelift programme for Chorkor and Kamara, adding that, the development of Korle Gonno is under the Urban-Four programme.

In response to a question on the dilapidated state of the Mamprobi Polyclinic, she said "the medical doctor in charge has assured me that a programme has been drawn up for a total renovation of the polyclinic and I am also taking steps to give a facelift to other hospitals in the area".

Mr. Kweku Sintim Misa, moderator of the talk show urged the electorate to eschew ethnicity and allow issues such as the candidates' ability to address health, development, education, congestion and others problems, to be the deciding factor

Other candidates on the show assured the electorate of their commitment to ensure the development of the area.

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Four students arrested for gang raping girl,15

Takoradi (Western Region) 27 September 2000

Four out of six Senior Secondary School (SSS) students who allegedly gang-raped a 15-year-old student of the Bedu-Addo Junior Secondary School in Takoradi have been arrested by police.

Three of them are from Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), with the fourth from St John's Secondary School.

Two others, Dominic Abanjye of GSTS and Albert Prah of St. John's Secondary School, are on the run.

The four have been granted police enquiry bail and are assisting the police to locate the whereabouts of the other two.

Disclosing this to the Ghana News Agency,(GNA) at Takoradi on Tuesday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Yusif Chilala, in charge of Crime at the Takoradi Central Police station said, the victim who lives with her mother at the Airport Ridge, was invited by one of the accused to accompany him to visit a friend.

DSP Chilala said the first accused took her to the house of the second accused at Kwesiminstim on September 11, where they met five other boys.

The group entertained the girl and later had sex with her in turns, a practice popularly referred to among students as "gala".

The girl was released at around 10.00 pm after all the boys had had, sex with her the DSP added.

DSP Chilala said the victim who could hardly walk, narrated her ordeal to her mother when she got home. A report was made to police and some of the boys were arrested.

DSP Chilala said the boys would be prosecuted as soon as investigations are completed.

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Minister: Government working out strategies to process agricultural raw materials

Accra (Greater Accra) 27 September 2000

Mr. Joseph H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture, said on Tuesday that the Ministry is considering pragmatic strategies for processing at least 50 per cent of Ghana's agricultural raw materials to add value to them by the year 2003.

For a start, the ministry and the African Development Bank have initiated a feasibility study on the agro-processing sector to review past and on-going programmes with the view to prioritising areas that have potentials for development.

Mr. Owusu-Acheampong outlined the strategies after Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Chairman of the Council of State, had launched this year's National Farmers' Day in Accra.

The day will be marked on November 10 at Wa in the Upper West Region under the theme, "Processing of Agricultural Produce - The way forward."

He said government has also created an enabling environment for investors to enter agro-processing by way of granting them incentives as outlined in the investment code. These include exemption of custom duty on plant and equipment.

In addition, arrangements are being made for credit facilities for businessmen in agro-industry to ease the difficulty in acquiring machinery and equipment.

There is also an ongoing agricultural engineering training programme for local artisans in the manufacturing and fabrication of simple low-cost processing equipment, especially for small-and medium-scale farmers.

The Minister said the Youth-In-Agriculture programme, which focuses on production would be repackaged to place more emphasis on agro-processing as a way of adding value and to enhance the shelf life of agricultural produce leading to the development of cottage industry.

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Women's role in national development vital - Candidate

Kade (Eastern Region) 27 September 2000

Mrs. Faustina Korantema Addo, Kade constituency parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked women to get actively involved in the national reconstruction effort so as not to be found wanting in any sphere of national life.

Speaking at a four-day convention of the Women's Movement of the Church of Pentecost at Oda, Mrs. Addo urged women to be actively involved in national affairs including seeking political positions.

She said gone were the days when women were considered only fit to work in the kitchen and for childbearing.

The situation has changed with women holding high positions including being heads of governments.

Mrs. Addo said in Ghana, the 31st December Women's Movement continues to raise the consciousness of women, who today are holding important positions in society.

Mrs. Addo called on parents to take the upbringing of their children seriously and give them the best education possible.

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NPP Running mate spells out priority areas of party

Kpembe (Northern Region) 27 September 2000

Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice Presidential Candidate of New patriotic Party (NPP), on Tuesday said the party would make education, health, and unemployment its priority when voted into power.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Kpembe, near Salaga during a campaign tour of the East Gonja District, he said the government has either neglected these areas or done very little to provide good quality education, health care delivery and employment for the youth.

Alhaji Mahama said an NPP government would accelerate the pace of development, adding that the party could have done far better with the resources that the country had received over the years had they been used judiciously.

The present government has squandered most of the country's resources and seems to have ran out of ideas, he said, and urged the people to vote massively for the NPP to bring about positive changes in their lives.

The Kpembe-wura, Alhaji Harruna Kiba-Ssibi called for political tolerance among all party supporters and asked for respect for each other's political opinion.

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Armed robbers attack two companies in Tema.

Tema (Greater Accra) 27 September 2000

Armed robbers at the week-end attacked two companies at the Tema industrial area, broke into their safes and hauled away large amounts of money including foreign currency.

Aluminium Enterprises Limited (AEL), producers of Aluminium Ingots for export, lost 13,000 dollars and four million cedis, while SK Engineering Company, which is undertaking the expansion of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), was robbed of 12,000 dollars and four million cedis.

A police source told GNA that the robbers numbering about 10 entered AEL at 02:30 hours and attacked a security-man at the gate, tied him at gun point and locked him up in his office.

The source said the robbers then moved to the factory floor, rounded up 10 men who were on night duty, and broke through the safe of the Administrative Manager where they took four million cedis. They then entered the office of the Managing Director and made away with 13,000 dollars.

The source said some of the robbers who were speaking a Nigerian language, assaulted and wounded Anane Agbavifor, a security man who dared challenge one of them, adding, one of the workers sneaked to Aluworks company which is more than a kilometre away and informed security men who called in the police, but before the police arrived, they had bolted.

At SK Engineering, the armed robbers started their operation at 04:10 hours and succeeded in taking away 12,000 dollars and four million cedis.

Mr. Daniel Angor, Regional Crime Officer who confirmed the story said no arrest has been made.

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Seven more survivors of sunken boat found

Tema (Greater Accra) 27 September 2000

Seven more out of the 22 fishermen, who were on "MV Resurrection" that sunk last Sunday, have been rescued bringing the total number of survivors to 10. Twelve persons still not accounted for Mr. Moses Tettegah, Captain of the vessel, said.

The seven, who were rescued at Dzita, near Keta in the Volta Region on Monday, hung onto the corks of the fishing net for 36 hours before they were saved by a group of canoe fishermen at the high seas.

They are Tettegah, 48, Godwin Dzotopeh 44, and John Ampah, 35, first, second and third captain, in that order.

The others are George Ayittey, 40, Delashie Dzokoto, 40, both sailors, Kofi Atippoe, 48, fisherman and Kwasi Yowetu, 44, boatswain.

They looked very worn-out, weak and tired and are receiving medical attention at the Tema General Hospital.

The three survivors, who brought the message about the accident on Sunday evening, after some canoe fishermen saved them, are Mensah Amudzi Deku, Charles Bleboo and Kwame Akakpo. There were 22 people on the vessel.

Mr. Tettegah said the accident occurred at about 60 fathoms (110.8 metres) deep sea near Ningo, in the Greater Accra Region and the boat finally sunk on Sunday morning.

He said when the boat started taking in water they tried to keep it afloat by using the two pumping machines to pump out the water from morning to evening until both machines broke down.

They finally ended up close to Dzita in the Volta Region, when a canoe rescued them and took them to a clinic at Anyanui in the Volta region before bringing them to Ada Foah.

On the fate of the others, he said they all scattered when the accident occurred leaving each person to his fate.

Meanwhile, family members have started crowding the Tema General Hospital to find out if their relatives are among the survivors.

Those who found their relatives were jubilating while others were mourning for not finding theirs.

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NDC not involved in the murder of women - Deputy Minster

Huni-Valley (Western Region) 27 September 2000

Mr. Kwaku Acheampong Bonful, Member of Parliament for Prestea/Huni -Valley constituency, and Deputy Minister for the Interior, has denied the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) involvement in the serial killings going on in some parts of the country.

He also explained that it was not true that 30 women should be murdered to enable the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to become the Vice President of Ghana.

Mr. Bonful was addressing an NDC rally at Huni-Valley at the weekend at which he was introduced as seeking re-election in the December 2000 parliamentary election.

The Deputy Minister said though some suspects have been arrested, investigations were still going on, and appealed to the public to volunteer information of any suspects to the Police.

Touching on trade liberalisation, Mr. Bonful said the policy has led to the importation of a variety of foreign goods into the Ghanaian market.

Due to this, he said, there is always high demand for dollars by businessmen for importation of goods.

He explained that the country's scarce foreign exchange reserve could not be used for only that purpose.

Mr. Bonful said the only panacea to the high prices of goods on the market is that Ghanaians should patronise "made in Ghana" goods.

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NRP government would pass on true cost of fuel - Goozie

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

Mr. Goozie Tanoh, presidential candidate of the National Reform Party (NRP) said on Wednesday that when faced with the current energy crisis, an NRP government would pass on the real cost of crude oil to consumers.

It will however, look at government levies and taxes on petroleum products so as not to overburden the ordinary Ghanaian, Mr. Tanoh said when answering questions at the first ever presidential forum in Accra.

He said when elected to power, an NRP government will explore alternatives for sources of energy such as solar power.

Mr. Tanoh said because of the high capital involved in the provision of solar energy, he would first encourage its use by institutions like schools and companies that can afford it.

He said although the initial cost of solar power is high, it tends to be cheaper in the long term and must be adopted gradually.

The two-day forum dubbed "Press, Power and Politics" is jointly organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) with sponsorship from the Freedom Forum, an international foundation dedicated to free press.

Six out of the seven presidential candidates participated. They included Dr Edward Mahama of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Mr. Dan Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), and Prof George Hagan of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).

The rest were Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby of the United Ghana Movement (UGM). Vice President John Atta Mills, candidate for the ruling NDC did not attend.

Mr. Tanoh, well composed and spotting a dark blue suit, answered questions spanning the perceived external pressures on the country's economy, declaration of assets by public office holders, celebration of June Four as a national holiday and the prevention of crimes such as the serial killings of Ghanaian women.

He said for Ghana to absorb external shocks on the economy, there was the need for structural and policy changes to boost the country's agricultural production base leading to surpluses.

There is also need to add value to commodities to make them competitive in the external market.

He said over the years, government's policy towards agriculture had been "rhetorical", adding that, the time has come to be practical and provide the necessary response to supply.

Mr. Tanoh said there is no problem per se on the celebration of June Four, because its principles of probity, accountability and selflessness are good tenets that must be recognised.

However, he said, the problem may be the character in which the day is celebrated.

Mr. Tanoh said if the day is made a statutory holiday then it's celebration would in any way continue to divide the people, an NRP government will seek the opinion of the nation through a referendum for amendment.

He said a key element of NRP's programme is to involve the communities in their security concerns by facilitating the formation of crime and neighbourhood watch committees to help the police in their duties.

Besides, adequate attention would be given to the needs of security personnel, especially the police, to motivate them to combat crime in the society.

Mr. Tanoh said police officers are currently not motivated enough to take up their responsibility in fighting crime, adding that his government will review the quality of training, promotion procedures, among others, to make the service more efficient.

The NRP flagbearer told the packed audience which included journalists, students, politicians as well as diplomats that the party stands first and foremost for the well being of every Ghanaian.

"We're not in politics to line our pockets or that of our relatives," he declared, adding that NRP is committed to putting Ghana first as reflected in the party's motto.

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Rawlings will be an elder statesman in a post NDC era - Kufuor

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer on Thursday said President Jerry Rawlings would be accorded the position of an elder statesman if the NPP comes to power in December.

He said the nation would exalt him, give him the respect and all the courtesies needed, "as long as he retires into lawfulness".

The NPP Presidential Candidate, said this at the first-ever Candidates' Forum organised by the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA), the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Freedom Forum, a non-partisan international foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people.

He said this in an answer to a question on what role an NPP government would have for President Rawlings, if they win the December 7 election.

The forum, which was attended by six of the seven presidential aspirants was to give the participants a platform to espouse their views on how they intend to manage Ghana if they win.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not participate, citing disagreement over the format and undue foreign interference in the country's internal politics.

Mr. Kufuor said a President Rawlings out of office, will also be given all the services and courtesies deserving of a former president, especially, since none of Ghana's former leaders are alive today.

"President Rawlings will be an elder statesman, that we will invite to grace our functions in his capacity as a former leader. This would be done so long as his activities remain lawful and within the dictates of the constitution".

Mr. Kufuor said if President Rawlings' activities fall foul of the law, the law would be made to take its full course in bringing him to justice.

On what his government would do in its first 100 days, Mr. Kufuor said his cabinet, which is already being formed, will be in place, besides, the tension and disharmony in the country today, will be fully addressed.

"Coming out of two decades of tension and disharmony, my government will have reconciliation for peace paramount on its agenda in order to put the tension behind us and work to move forward purposefully."

He said it was important to ensure that the tension and disharmony is eased and replaced with peace.

Mr. Kufuor said an NPP government would create a golden age of businessmen, in which distinguished businessmen and women, chiefs and other noble citizens made up of technocrats and men of repute, would be brought together and sent abroad to seek assistance for the development of the nation.

The NPP flagbearer said the Criminal Libel Law is a colonial relic that will be stopped by his government.

He said the law was used by the colonial governments to gag the press and had unfortunately remained on the statute books since independence.

"The law has outlived its usefulness and allows too much power for the government to gag the press".

Mr. Kufuor said an NPP government would use meaningful civil pursuit of exonerating people who are victimised in one way or the other, adding that the NPP would not back the law but rather scrap it since it does not benefit society.

He however, asked the media to be responsible and adept to its role in society to enable them to earn the trust of the people.

He said the NPP would strive for a balanced budget, work at containing inflation to the minimum and upscale the role of the private sector in order to make Ghana's economy competitive in the global market.

He said education would be computer based, while teacher-training institutions would be revitalised to meet the new demands of the 21st century.

Mr. Kufuor said the youth of the country would within the first 100 days of his administration, be supported by the government in the areas of agriculture and cottage industries to help them find their feet.

"We will also collaborate with the district assemblies who will make budgetary allocations for them".

He said the state would assume responsibility to pacify aggrieved persons.

The offenders he said, will be brought to accept responsibility and expressed the hope that they, in the spirit of reconciliation, would accept their faults and apologise.

He said a trial would be an untrue pursuit of reconciliation, but aggrieved persons would be brought before a commission of enquiry to look into their grievances and compensate them.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Kufuor said the problems in Ghana were those of failure in leadership since independence.

He regretted that a nation formerly called the Gold Coast could now be best described as a poor coast in view of the state of its economy.

"What has failed us is the failure of leadership to husband the people of this country.

For 43 years the nation had not found the need to use the ballot to effect a change in government.

"This year, Ghanaians are being given this opportunity. Let us use the ballot box to change the government and if they do not do well, the people would have the opportunity four years later, to throw them out of office," he said and urged Ghanaians to vote for the NPP.

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Aspiring Presidents show how they would address issues

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

Ghanaians on Wednesday night had the rare occasion to assess how their aspiring presidents in the December election would address critical national issues under stress.

With a packed hall of an audience that cheered or booed at anything remarkable, most of the candidates faltered in their statements, went beyond the one and a half minute answering time or gave 'to the point' responses to avoid controversy.

The programme, broadcast live on national television, saw the moderator, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, CNN Johanesburg Bureau Chief, making various interventions for the audience to respect the candidates and stop interrupting their speeches.

The landmark event themed, "Press, Power and Politics", was organised by the US-based Freedom Forum, the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

Questions ranged from the economy to health and education and the June Four uprising, with candidates taking turns to stress the need for change and their parties' alternatives to governance.

Candidates present were Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, UGM, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, NPP, Mr. Goosie Tanoh, NRP, Professor George Hagan, CPP, Mr. Dan Lartey, GCPP and Dr John Mahama, PNC.

The Vice President and presidential candidate of the NDC, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, was not present, having excused himself earlier that there were urgent national assignments he had to undertake.

Ms Hunter-Gault's explanation of Prof. Mills' absence was greeted with shouts of "NDC adwaneoo", Akan for "NDC has run away".

While a cross-section of the audience gave the thumbs-up to Mr. Tanoh for his articulation, Mr. Kufuor faltered in some of his replies and in some cases overshot the time limit.

Dr Wereko-Brobby was at his usual 'take it or leave it' self with a relaxed poise, Prof. Hagan would not mince words and gave crisp replies, while Dr Mahama, also appearing relaxed, stuck to his campaign rhetoric.

Perhaps the relaxed pose of Dr Wereko-Brobby and Dr Mahama emanated from their being the only two candidates donning African attire, flanking the extremes of their suit-wearing colleagues.

Mr. Lartey, clearly the unfancied choice, stressed throughout the programme, his party's policy of domestication and did not fully address questions posed to him.

If slogans alone could win the presidency he would have done a good job tonight since his chatter about 'domestication' was the talk of the audience after the function.

Earlier, hectic scenes greeted some political party and GJA executives in their effort to enter the hall with the entrance besieged by an unruly crowd also eager to enter.

A Greater Accra Regional NPP executive sported a bruised lower lip when he finally entered, after braving the electric shockers of the security men hired from the International Central Gospel Church.

Executives from the CPP and UGM including the Publicity Officer and parliamentary candidate of the latter, Mr. Fiifi Essilfie, were held up for minutes before they could enter.

Mr. Ewart Ladzaglah, GCPP running mate, got stranded for minutes prior to the start of the programme with his tall physique visibly shuffling up and down one side of the hall in search for his reserved seat.

"I have no comments for now", was the reply from a female member of the Freedom Forum when the GNA asked whether they had not anticipated such bustle.

One of the security men blamed the problem on invitations made open to the public, saying, "the organisers should have limited attendance to those with invitation cards."

Mrs. Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, GJA President, expressed joy that the forum had seen an impressive turn up "given the different positions a plural and divergent society like ours epitomises."

She said as the candidates discussed issues with reference to their manifestos and policy statements, "the people are the witnesses and would be the judges if the candidates failed to deliver what they promised."

Mrs. Affenyi-Dadzie said the event represents victory for freedom of expression and serves as an indication of Ghana's desire to institutionalise democracy.

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CPP will use media for development - Hagan

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

Professor George Hagan, CPP flagbearer, on Wednesday said his party would use the media to mobilise the people for development just as in the First Republic when it was strategically used to achieve independence and unity of the country.

He was speaking at the forum for six presidential candidates contesting the December 7 election organised by the Freedom Forum in collaboration with the Ghana Journalist Association and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.

Prof Hagan said a free and vigorous media would create a vibrant society for the development and establishment of a democratic culture.

Underlining the position of his party on education, he said teaching would be improved while science laboratories of schools would be sufficiently equipped.

He said once the nation has accepted cost sharing of education the students loan scheme would be improved and scholarships extended to more deserving students.

District Assemblies would be taxed to provide assistance to needy pupils and students in their areas.

Prof Hagan said his party would support both state and private ownership of production adding that those state enterprises that were divested and were not paid for would be reverted to state ownership.

The military would be adequately provided for and with Ghana's democratic maturity, his party would conduct itself creditably to make military intervention uncalled for, he said.

The Social Security Scheme would be enhanced to give meaning to the earnings of pensioners and a new Board of Directors established for the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to restructure the scheme.

Professor Hagan said the judiciary would be well paid to deal with cases expeditiously so that at most a case should not be delayed for more than three weeks.

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I do not support destruction of cocoa - Wereko-Brobbey

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

The Presidential candidate for the United Ghana Movement (UGM), Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, said on Wednesday that destroying tons of cocoa as being proposed by some producers in Africa including Ghana, would not achieve any positive result.

Rather, what needs to be done is to critically assess the future of exporting the commodity in its raw form with the view to adding value to it to make it attract a favourable price on the world market.

Dr Wereko-Brobbey, popularly called 'Tarzan', was answering questions at the first ever forum organised to put before the electorate the country's presidential aspirants in a general election scheduled for December this year.

He suggested that cocoa should be processed into finished goods such as chocolates that can meet the global competition.

The event was part of a two-day Africa media forum on "Press, Power and Politics," organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) under the auspices of 'The Freedom Forum', a media-related foundation based in Arlington, Virginia in the United States.

All seven aspirants, except Prof John Evans Atta Mills, candidate for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), participated in the event, which was televised live from the Accra International Conference Centre.

They include Mr. Dan Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr. John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Goozie Tanoh of the National Reform Party (NRP), Dr Edward Mahama of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) and Prof George Hagan of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP).

Dr Wereko-Brobby answered questions covering workers' wages, murder of the three judges and an army officer in 1982, his plans for the evolving Information Technology, and the much-trumpeted Affirmative Action.

Dr Wereko-Brobbey said a government of the UGM would establish a minimum wage that would be pegged to purchasing power to improve the living conditions of workers.

In addition, UGM will adopt a policy to motivate workers to increase productivity from which they will be remunerated.

He said it is not prudent to wish away the issue of the murdered judges and the retired army officer just for the sake of reconciliation.

"There should be an acknowledgement that something went wrong before we can expect the relatives of the victims to forgive and forget.

"The best we can do is to establish the truth on how the judges were murdered and move quickly to reconcile the people."

Dr Wereko-Brobby said the world had reached a stage that no nation can do away with the evolving Information Technology and that Ghana could not afford to be left behind in that sphere.

He said a UGM government would introduce computer knowledge at the basic level of education and also consider computerising government information systems.

He said currently Ghana benefits a lot from the new trends in Information Technology by accessing data on the Internet from externally produced software.

What is required now is for Ghanaians to develop to the level where they could device local contents to direct the country's peculiar course of development.

Dr Wereko-Brobby said if elected to power, the UGM will adopt initially an affirmative policy through which one-third of appointments will go to women.

"But, it is the belief of the UGM that only those women, who are capable of taking up the roles will be offered the opportunity".

He said his party had a vision to grow people for their development needs, develop institutions to ensure human rights, and create employment for the people, among others, adding that, "UGM will make Ghana totally independent."

He urged the electorate to give the mandate to his party saying he does not believe in the situation where people will take power just to turn their back against the nation.

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PNC will introduce health insurance scheme

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

Dr Edward Mahama, presidential candidate of the PNC, said a government under his leadership would introduce a National Health Insurance Scheme for all Ghanaians.

He was presenting his party's position on health at the forum on Press, Power and Politics organised by the Freedom Forum supported by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in Accra on Wednesday.

Dr Mahama said the scheme would be operated on the American system adding that, those who are vulnerable would depend on government subvention.

He noted that the country's medical bill could be brought down if people observe personal hygiene and keep the environment clean and said a PNC government would ensure this through public education.

AIDS is a preventable disease, he said adding that, a PNC government would increase public education with emphasis on the youth and students.

Dr Mahama said the PNC would provide agricultural subsidy to give relief to farmers to maximise production and to increase their incomes.

He said the PNC would within its first 100 days in office introduce self-reliance to get the country out of the woods.

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UGM asks EC to disqualify candidates without tax certificates

Accra (Greater Accra) 28 September 2000

The United Ghana Movement (UGM) on Wednesday called on the Electoral Commission to verify the accuracy of the statutory declarations in respect of tax obligations made by all parliamentary candidates.

A statement from the Public Affairs Directorate of the party in Accra said the EC should disqualify any candidates who do not possess valid certificates from the Internal Revenue Service to show that they have paid their taxes.

This exercise, it said, should be undertaken before the printing of ballot papers.

Explaining why the party fielded only 106 candidates, the statement said it approved 190 people as the accredited candidates but made it clear that every one must satisfy their income tax obligations.

This is because it believes that every candidate must have demonstrated that they have fulfilled their civic responsibilities.

The UGM said it notes with concern that information published by the EC has indicated that many candidates filed their nominations without producing tax certificates or evidence of having made satisfactory arrangements to do so.

"Even though the EC has suggested that it took the sworn word of the candidates, we have evidence to suggest that many of those who did not produce their tax clearance certificates at the time of filing, have not made any arrangements with the IRS as stated in their statutory declarations."

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