GRi Press Review 14 - 05 - 2002
Major Sulemana says, “I won’t resign…today or tomorrow”
Investment Advisory Committee will quicken economic move - IMF official
Boakye Djan ready for Reconciliation Commission
Fraud charges at diamond house
Mahama Iddrisu to challenge Atta Mills for 2004 flagbearership
Ghana needs new capital city - Prof Andam
Ohene Agyekum, Akwasi Agyeman for court
NPP moves to ‘vapourise’ Rawlings from Ghana’s political history
National Communications Authority threatens to sue WESTEL
Residents say police/military swoop missed
gangs
Fetish priest exposes ritual murderers
Major Sulemana says, “I won’t resign…today
or tomorrow”
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - Retired Major Abubakar Sulemana, who has been accused of involvement in the Yendi massacre of 40 people, including the overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, says no amount of threats, accusation and provocative words would force him to resign from his sensitive position in the National Security apparatus.
“I know who are hiding behind these individuals and organisations calling for my resignation.” He said they are making all those ugly noises to achieve their political ambition. The regent of Tolon in the Northern Region of Ghana, who hinted this to the Chronicle in an exclusive interview over the weekend, observed that his presence in the National Security machine is a threat to the enemies of the NPP administration who want to retard the progress it has so far made.
Major Sulemana cautioned that those perpetrating diabolic acts to destabilise the Kufuor administration would definitely face the music. “If anybody takes a gun to attack Kufuor’s administration, surely I will retaliate, even if I am far away in Tolon,” warned the regent.
He observed that his presence in the security apparatus can do nothing to impede the work of the commission set up by the government recently. According to him, he has no powers whatsoever in the investigations of the commission. Major Sulemana recalled that a lot of wild rumours, including one to the effect that he had been involved in the Yendi bloody conflict, had been peddled about him.
He said those rumours cost him a lot, as he had to answer a stream of telephone calls from his sympathisers who wanted to verify what they had heard. According to him all were calculated plans by his enemies to tarnish his good reputation.
He added that on the Friday, it was also reported on radio that he had been seen at the Burkina Faso border trying to cross into that country, though he was in the Asoma Banda mosque at Airport Residential area for his normal Friday prayers. He said the last time he left Tamale to Accra was 9 March 2002.
He contended that those who have even had military training, in assessing to the situation at Yendi, know the truth. Major Sulemana, therefore, declared that he has confidence in the Wuaku Commission and knows that they would definitely unearth the truth. – The Chronicle.
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Investment Advisory Committee will quicken
economic move - IMF official
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - The International Monetary Fund Country Representative in Ghana, Mr Enrique de La Pieda, has said the inauguration of the Investors Advisory Council (IAC) shows how the fund recognizes the economic performance of the government.
The stability in the macroeconomic environment through the slowing down of inflation, reduction in interest rate and the halting of fast depreciating currency are all efforts worthy to write home about. In addition, the five priority areas, the government has set for itself are an indication of its critical appraisal of the country's development needs.
Speaking in an interview in Accra, Mr Pieda said: "So far the government has done an impressive job and outsiders have realised that is why corporate members on the council came on their own." Companies came from United States of America, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Korea and India to participate in the inauguration of the 26-member council under the chairmanship of President Kufuor.
The IMF representative said: "It is gratifying that the council members agreed to act as ambassadors to promote Ghana as an investment destination. In addition, they also agrees to host the president whenever he traveled to their countries." The fund sees that the development of the private sector is dear to the heart of President Kufuor and the setting up of the Private Sector development Ministry is an eloquent testimony to that, says de la Pieda.
He suggested that the public service give support to ensure that the 18 areas identified as critical, are given the needed attention so that come November when the council meets, there would be some concrete development in those areas. The areas include energy, land reform, mining and labour laws, and telecommunication and Information Technology. Others are: the need to re-orient the economy and restore the mining sector to competitiveness.
On the IMF Managing Director's address, he said it is clear that the fund is ready to do business with Africa and the MD called on the international community to do the same. During his trip, the MD, Mr Horst Koehler, saw that the countries are determined to do something for themselves that is why they need great support.
The fund on its part will go all out at various forums to articulate the impression on how Africa's readiness to help to build technical capacities of countries ready to move forward is illustrated by the signing of documents to set up two technical assistance centers in Dar-Es Salaam in Tanzania, Abidjan, and Cote d'Ivoire. Both President Kufuor and the fund's managing director agreed on the need to make the private sector work for stability and growth. - Daily Graphic.
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Boakye Djan ready for Reconciliation
Commission
London (United Kingdom) 14 May 2002 - Major Kojo Boakye Djan has offered his contribution to the work of the National Reconciliation Commission in his double capacity as a fighter of unconstitutional governments both in and out of military service.
His double offer is contained in a statement he issued in London to The Crusading Guide on 10 May 2002 when contacted for his reaction to the inauguration of the National Reconciliation Commission recently. “In my capacity as a key member of the AFRC, in fact, its Deputy Chairman and Official Spokesman, and as Chairman of the premier and overseas based Campaign for Democracy in Ghana from April 1982, I have a contribution to make to the work of the Commission on unconstitutional governments in Ghana.”
He emphasised that while the AFRC was directed at the sitting SMC II and the preceding NLC, NRC and SMC I unconstitutional governments, in 1979, the Campaign for Democracy in Ghana was the first exiled resistance movement overseas launched by him to fight the unconstitutional PNDC and its successor NDC on the same principles underlying the efforts of the AFRC.
Boakye Djan, the principal of Boakye Djan & Co., a firm of Public Policy Advisers, said he had instructed his solicitors to open contact with the Commission to make arrangements that “will enable me to come home as soon as practicable to contribute to the work of the Commission in my two separate but closely related roles in fighting and resisting unconstitutional governments in Ghana.”
“The inauguration of the National Reconciliation Commission to begin its work in July this year, has come with both relief and excitement for me personally,” he declared in his statement. He then went on to provide the basis for his relief and excitement. A relief because as someone who advocated the formation of a Fact-Finding Commission as far back in 1980, “it is a dream come true.”
“When I called for a Commission to examine the records of the AFRC first in February 1980 with one officer member of the AFRC (Major {rtd} Mensah Poku), and in July 1981 with another officer member (Capt {rtd} Baah-Acheamfour), the idea was dismissed outright by all parties with interest in the AFRC”, he recalled.
He claimed that the government of the day headed by Dr Limann, dismissed it as unworkable. “Then the All People’s Party, a recently united front opposition party in Parliament, including the Popular Front Party, the immediate past predecessor of the New Patriotic Party, condemned it as an attempt to shore up the government in office.
The legal and judicial establishment ignored both warnings to them to stop putting at the affairs of the AFRC in courts and instead support my efforts to set up the Commission as the best way forward,” he noted. Boakye Djan wondered why some of his colleagues on the AFRC and its key supporters accused him and his two colleagues of initiating moves to erode the gains of June 4 with their probe call then.
He recalled that, “almost 21 years to the day of our repeated call for its formation in July 1981, the Commission is now set to begin its work on July first this year,” and then took the opportunity in his statement to register his appreciation for the Kufuor-led administration that has made it all possible for the Commission to be set up.
Making a case that if the PNP government had heeded their calls to set up the Commission in 1980 and 1981, Ghana would almost certainly have avoided another unconstitutional government in the form of the PNDC in 1981 and all its consequences for us as a people. Boakye Djan expressed his amazement that, “after missing the opportunity to lead the whole world in these efforts then, today we are even content to be hailed for following the lead of countries like South Africa, Peru, Chile, etc., which were then engrossed in their own internal conflicts when we called for the Commission here in Ghana, 21 years ago.
He switched on to the issue of his excitement at the prospects of the Commission beginning its work soon and after all these years. “I cannot allow the difficulties that have caused its delayed formation to obscure my excitement today. We have the opportunity to negotiate a settlement of a major obstacle to our collective development as a nation and a people,” he said.
He reminded all that, “nobody can deny that, right from the run-up to independence in 1957, through to today, Ghanaians as a people have been locked in a deadly and largely self-inflicted and politically induced conflicts: conflicts within and between individuals, families, tribes, religious, and public institutions.”
He attributed the slow down of our collective march to prosperity to these conflicts, and added: “today, our country as a business entity, has literally been declared bankrupt and is in the receivership of the IMF, World Bank and others.”
Major Boakye Djan then wished the Commission well in his fervent hope that it will make an important contribution in removing this obstacle so that we shall live in peace with each other while developing in real democracy.
Reactions to his statement and support for the Commission were quite euphoric especially, in the exiled community in London. Mr Baffour Ankomah, the editor of New African, a London-based and leading African monthly magazine has this to say: “Ghana will be better for it. He is the one person in Ghana who has worked so hard to give meaning to the justice part of our national motto: Freedom and Justice since 1979. He has done this with selfless, fearless and clinical efficiency. He is indeed the true justice warrior of our time.”
A Ghanaian Solicitor and an Immigration Law specialist who has worked closely with him said: “The Commission will benefit immensely from his rich experience if it does not uphold the details over and above the principles of fighting unconstitutional governments in Ghana.” – The Crusading Guide.
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Fraud charges at diamond house
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - The Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) is again at the centre of charges of fraud and illegal dealings. The man allegedly perpetrating the fraud on the PMMC is the Acting Managing Director, Peter Boachie.
He is alleged to have listed company vehicles, in very good condition, for auction and then sold the vehicles to himself and his Director of Operations, George Asante. The vehicles in question are two Mitsubishi Saloon cars. Boachie is said to be so obsessed with the zeal fro perpetuating vice, that he gets rid of anyone who stands on his way.
One D.Y. Kumasi, a former Director of finance had his appointment terminated, because he tried to block a move to contract some foreign loans from Switzerland. The appointment of Messrs Nyamful and Abbey were also terminated in like manner. Another management member, George Asante, the Director of Operations is said to have between 1989 and 1992 “deliberately over valued some parcels of diamonds” to a friend of his.
The PMMC had to sell the diamonds at a loss, only for Asante and his friend to enjoy the largess that accrued out of the deal. Out of the proceeds of this deal, Asante is said to have “purchased his present accommodation at Dansoman and paid cash for it.”
Among the series of allegations against the management of PMMC headed by Peter Boachie is that it has without approval from the sector Ministry, approved a salary increase of 80 per cent across the board for all categories of workers. This according to our source is “in spite of the fact that the company is heavily indebted to the banks and finding it difficult to repay.”
The Acting MD is specifically accused of taking unauthorised loans from the company’s cashier. “He does this by issuing the cashier with his personal cheques. Most at times when these cheques are presented to the banks, they are returned for lack of funds.” Management is also accused of granting loans, totaling ¢100 million to the senior metallurgist and the Chief Internal Auditor to purchase houses from the Home Finance Company.
Management of PMMC however, denies all the charges. “Rather than running this place down, management have made $10 million for the state in the first quarter of this year alone,” they contend.
On allegation that they sold cars to themselves, the Acting MD showed the Statesman a copy of a letter from the castle, signed by the Honourable Moctar M. Bamba, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs authorising the auction of those cars. The Acting MD also showed the Statesman a copy of the valuation from the authorised the sale of those cars at the prices that they bought them.
Regarding the dismissal of Messrs Kumasi, Nyamful and Abbey, the Acting Director submitted that they were dismissed based on wrongful acts. Abbey for example was dismissed because he had illegally granted loans to people who did not deserve them. He could however, not remember the charges preferred against the two other gentlemen.
George Asante, the Director of Operations, on his part denied ever under valuing or over valuing diamonds. According to him, he did not purchase his present accommodation or Dansoman as is alleged. Rather it is renter. He however, said that it is being paid for by loans from the welfare fund, which gets deducted from his salary. Besides, every other worker has access to that facility.
Regarding the increase in salaries, the Acting MD said it is a normal practice for salaries to be reviewed based on negotiations with the Mine Workers Union. He added that salaries at PMMC are still the lowest compared with other mineral companies. The Acting MD further denied ever issuing any dud cheques to the company in lieu of loans collected.
On the allegation of purchasing homes for two officers, he explained that the two officers took loans from the company to buy houses from HFC on mortgage. In time however, the interest that these officers were paying to HFC far outstripped their salaries. To bail them out, the company decided to buy the houses, and then rent to the officers in question. The houses therefore belong to PMMC now and the officers, tenants. If in time however, they finish paying the cost of the houses to PMMC then ownership reverts to them. – The Statesman.
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Mahama Iddrisu to challenge Atta Mills for
2004 flagbearership
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has seven clear months before deciding on who should be its flagbearer for the 2004 elections. But, the political manoeuvres have started in earnest. In fact, the campaign for that position took off right after the party's delegates' congress late last month. Like in such political games, most of the aspirants are keeping their cards close to their chest. They are now in the period of what political analysts call "testing the waters."
Professor Evans Atta Mills, the man who carried the party's flag to the last general elections has, in his usual style, dodged the issue on several occasions. Now lecturing in a Canadian University, the tax lawyer has, in interviews, neither confirmed nor denied media speculations that he will go for a second round.
However, his close associates, keep dropping hints that come December this year, when the decision would be taken, Prof. Mills will make himself available for consideration. A favorite of the "Fante Confederacy" in the NDC, also being pushed by the continuity believers, who think, the one-time Internal Revenue Service boss should be given another chance. If he decides to run (which he will do anyway), the former Vice-President should not expect another Swedru Declaration, which will make him an unopposed candidate.
The Evening News can tell that Prof Mills will be given a good run for his money, if he fills the nomination form to contest the flagbearer position. Two other names, incidentally from the same camp, the Rawlings faction, are making the news. Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, who lost to Dr Obed Asamoah in that acrimonious fight for the chairmanship, is seriously nurturing the ambition of becoming the NDC flagbearer.
A week after his defeat, the one-time Defence Minister, threw a party at his North Kaneshie residence for those who fought for and supported him at the congress. The Evening News gathered that the Alhaji cleverly floated that idea among those present who appeared to have bought it.
Alhaji Iddrisu, according to our credible source, is basing his chances on the congress results, which saw him losing by just two votes to Dr Asamoah. "He is of the strong believe that the result is an indicative of his strong popularity among party members," said the source.
But NDC analysts say Alhaji Iddrisu came that close, because of the Rawlings factor, which worked on the minds of some of the delegates. He is not likely to get that Rawlings support, should Nana Agyeman Konadu, the former First Lady, decide to join the race.
Party insiders tell the "Evening News" that the President of the 31 December Women's Movement is reviving her 2000 ambition of leading the NDC. As part of the game plan, her supporters managed to get the clause on constituency representations at congresses changed. The original clause gave two delegates for each constituency.
But that was changed to allow every constituency to select five delegates including two women. The idea behind the amendment cannot be lost on anybody. It is to sway the women votes to the former First Lady during voting. Most delegates, according to our source, did not see through this and voted to change the clause. – The Evening News.
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Ghana needs new capital city - Prof Andam
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 14 May 2002 - A lecture at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Kwesi Andam, has stated that the chaotic state of Accra as well as its vulnerability in the event of any seismic activity, makes it unsuitable as the capital of Ghana. He has, therefore, called for a national debate on the issue with the view to finding a suitable place to site the capital.
"A new capital city for Ghana will not only check the population explosion in Accra, but will also ensure that all relevant infrastructure, notably reliable potable water supply, electricity, telecommunications facilities, among others, are all well-planned and put into place," he said.
Prof Andam said this when he delivered the first of two special Golden Jubilee inaugural lectures of the university. His topic was, "Beyond the tower of Babel: The confluence of computers and structures." Prof. Adam said with its three million inhabitants, Accra currently does not only suffer from population explosion but also perennial flooding as well as unreliable potable water supply.
He noted that Accra is situated at the meeting point of two major faults-the costal fault, which he said has been dormant since 22 June 1939 and the Akwapim fault, described as the more active of the two. Prof. Adam said considering the weak houses and other structures in Accra, the country stands the risk of suffering from a large number of fatalities and casualties should there be a sudden activation of the dormant coastal fault resulting from an earthquake in any part of the capital city.
He said moving the capital to a more suitable and convenient place would afford the nation the opportunity to plan and build a capital devoid of any risk from seismic activity. Prof Andam said since the new capital would be well-planned, it would give the country an additional opportunity of showcasing its splendour to investors in particular and the whole on the level at development talking place. According to the lecturer, Accra may still maintain its commercial and administrative capital status, while the new capital will assume the status of a political capital.
He, however, dismissed calls from certain quarters proposing Dodowa as the modern capital and stressed that the area comes nowhere to satisfying the criteria for modern capitals. He said a modern capital, should as much as possible be at the coast, and in my estimation, a suitable site for such a city will be the area where River Pra joins the sea in the Western Region," he stressed.
Prof. Adam also called on Ghanaians to desist from the use of sandcrete, mud and laterite in the construction of residential houses and other structures. He said clay deposits in the country are estimated to last for about 200 years and recommended the use of baked clay bricks, which is less expensive, in addition to concrete blocks. "The use of baked clay bricks and concrete blocks will reduce fatalities in case of natural disasters," he said. - Daily Graphic.
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Ohene Agyekum, Akwasi Agyeman for court
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - A former Ashanti Regional Minister, Daniel Ohene Agyekum, and the ex-Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Nana Akwasi Agyeman, will soon be dragged before a Kumasi Court to answer charges of assault.
Their victim, a Kumasi-based businessman Yaw Brefo, claims the two former public officials allegedly assaulted him on 24 April 1998 for no apparent reason but when he lodged a complaint with the police at that time, they refused to take any action. He claims that the two persons were holding their respective offices at the time and the police even failed to invite both Ohene Agyekum and Nana Akwasi Agyeman for questioning.
According to Yaw Brefo, he turned to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) but the case dragged on agonisingly for years and hence his decision to resort to the law courts for justice.
Narrating the assault incident to the Statesman last Wednesday, Yaw Brefo said on 24 April 1998, he was at his store at the Kumasi Central Market when Ohene Agyekum, in the company of two other young men, arrived. The complainant said he had then bought some food to eat and called his friend, nicknamed ‘Osonaba’ (now deceased) because of his huge frame, to join him.
He said when Ohene Agyekum heard him mention Osonaba, he ordered the men to arrest the complainant. According to Yaw Brefo, the men arrested him and took him to Nana Akwasi Agyeman who ordered him to strip and de-silt a gutter in front of the Central Market. He also ordered some macho-men to beat him and he was mercilessly assaulted till he collapsed.
The complainant suffered extensive injuries and a medical report issued by the Ophthalmic Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he was treated, indicates that he suffered “massive subconjuctrial haemorrhage. – The Statesman.
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NPP moves to ‘vapourise’ Rawlings from
Ghana’s political history
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - It had been billed as a “make or break” Congress, but for the anti-Rawlings media, it was hoped to be more of a “break” than a “make”. Thus when ex-President Rawlings made his “triumphal entry” into the Trade Fair Site Hall for the 5th biennial congress of the NDC, they could neither believe their eyes nor their ears. The crowd was tumultuous; the cheers were deafening; and, with that, the congress was more or less over success, which was assured.
But not so for the group of Rawlings bashers in the media and in the NPP; and not so for the small clique of malcontents within the NDC who seem bent on ensuring that Rawlings’ place in history is not assured and, like they tried to do to Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, that he is ‘vapourised’ (apologies to George Orwells’ “1984”) from the political history of Ghana.
The latest strategy, Ghana Palaver has learnt, is for them to take court action to have the amendment that was passed at the recent NDC congress acknowledging ex-President Rawlings as the “Founding Father” of the NDC declared unconstitutional and therefore null and void.
The NDC malcontents who are part of this plot are particularly bent on ensuring that Rawlings plays no future role in the Party’s organisation and management, convinced in their belief that the epoch of Rawlings’ charisma is over and done away with. Ghana Palaver has learnt that following a series of secret meetings of the group, all is now set and the group is only looking for a “willing” plaintiff to whom they are prepared to pay a whooping ¢20 million to file the action.
The Palaver has further learnt that the group is basing its action on the grounds that at the time the NDC was founded, then Flt. Lt Rawlings, though Head of State and Chairman of the PNDC, was also in active military service and was a serving officer of the Ghana Armed Forces. As such, he was and is prohibited from being a founding member of a political party under Section 6 (2)(a) of the then Political Parties Law, 1992, PNDCL 281, now Section 7(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act, 2000, Act 574.
Both sections state that a political party shall not have as a founding member, a leader, or a member of its executive, a person who is not qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament. Under Article 94(3)(b) of the Constitution, a person shall not be eligible to be a Member of Parliament, if he is a member of the Armed Forces, among other institutions mentioned. Therefore, if the argument of the malcontents and their co-conspirators goes, ex-President does not qualify to be the Founding Father of the NDC.
Legal analysts consulted have however, pooh-poohed the argument. They make specific reference to the exact wording of the constitutional amendment as passed by Congress, which is in the new Article 6 of the amended Constitution and states as follows. “The Founding Father of the NDC is Flt. Lt Jerry Rawlings upon whose vision and leadership the party was established,” and argue that the Article only recognises a historical and factual reality.
The legal analysts draw a distinction between a “Founder” or “Founding Father” and a “Founding Member.” They argue that a “Founder” or “Founding Father” is a matter of fact and refers to a person who factually “founds” a thing or an institution. A “Founding Member” is a legal requirement, so that under the Political Parties Act, for example, there must be 110 ‘founding members’ representing each of the 110 districts in the country. A ‘founding member’ need not even know how the Party was founded. All that is needed is his agreement to sign on as a “founding member.”
Significantly, and with hindsight wisely, ex-President Rawlings did not sign on as a “founding member” of the NDC. He therefore, broke no law.
Activists of the NDC that the Palaver spoke to are very unhappy about this development, referring to the group of NDC malcontents in conspiracy with the anti-Rawlings bashers in the media as “traitors” and “betrayers.” They wonder who but a traitor that can come up with such a diabolical scheme after such a beautiful and successful congress that has come with a National Executive Committee that is clearly a winning team for 2004.
The Palaver has the names of all the traitorous malcontents in the NDC who are involved in this diabolical diversionary political manoeuvre, as well as the names of some of their co-conspirators in the NPP and in the media. However, in the hope that this publication will serve as a pre-emptive warning that their plans are known, we are keeping the names close to our chest for now. – Ghana Palaver.
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National Communications Authority threatens
to sue WESTEL
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - The National Communications Authority (NCA) has threatened to institute court action against Western Telesystems (WESTEL) Limited to compel it to pay $70.5 million in penalties for failing to deliver satisfactory services to the public.
The acting Director General of the NCA, Major J.R.K. Tandoh (rtd), who issued the threat on Monday, said should negotiations with the company (as agreed upon) break down, the NCA may resort to court action. He was speaking to a cross section of newsmen after a news conference to mark the 34th ITU World Telecoms Day Celebrations in Accra on Monday.
Major Tando said the management of WESTEL has petitioned the Minister of Communications on the issue "but we will continue to demand the money from them." "We are mandated to instill discipline in the telecommunications sector to ensure that customers have value for money, and any operator who does not conform to the rules will have to be sanctioned," he stressed.
On the operation of Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Mobitel and its projected GSM network, Major Tandoh said the company has not been granted any licence and, therefore, cannot operate the GSM service. He said the authority was compelled to seize the GSM equipment of the company because it realised that although Mobitel did not have the licence to operate, it had started conducting some trial tests.
Major Tandoh said the procedures, which need to be followed to acquire a licence to operate are clear and, therefore, the NCA would not sit down for operators to flout the law. He said, "We do not want others to take the law into their own hands and that is why we need to stop those who are flouting the rules as well as laid down procedures."
On problems between Ghana Telecom and Scancom Ghana Limited, operators of Onetouch and Spacefon GSM service respectively, he said the matter is being resolved. He said operators in the sector need to publish their rates in the media to serve as a guide to the public to enable them to make informed choices. Major Tandoh said the authority will soon come out with rules to determine the coverage of FM stations in the country.
He said in other countries, the wider the coverage, the more the station pays as fees, and that may be applied after careful consideration of the matter. Major Tandoh said the new board of the authority has taken a decision to limit the number of FM stations in the country and that will be carried out in due course.
In a speech to mark the day, he said the NCA is now in tune with the current trends in the industry and has evolved strategies to address present and future technological changes that would ensure the orderly development of the sector. He said convergence in the telecommunications sector is bringing with it several regulatory, legislative and policy changes across all the ITU member states and said a series of seminars and workshops have been planned to specifically address the issue of convergence. A director of WESTEL declined to comment on the issue, saying the company has petitioned the sector ministry on the issue. - Daily Graphic.
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Residents say police/military swoop missed
gangs
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - Some residents in areas of the recent military and police operations to arrest armed robbers have described the exercise as unsatisfactory. "We still have the known hardened criminals among us," a resident of one of the areas told the Times'.
The 'Times' was retracing the routs of some of the recent operations to find out the impact of the exercise, and to ascertain whether it was yielding the desired results. The areas visited included Sabon Zongo, Mataheko, Laterbiokorshie, Sukura, Korle-Bu, Mamprobi, Chorkor, James Town, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Accra New Town, all in Accra.
While some outrightly condemned the team for excluding community leaders from participating in the exercise, others expressed lack of confidence in the team to carry out the tasks successfully. Some of the residents interviewed were emphatic that the operations had not been successful because the known criminals were still walking free.
"Just after the team withdrew, they all (criminals) came back," a resident of Russia said. Some of the residents even said that the behaviour of criminals suggested that they had foreknowledge of the operations. "Most of the hardened criminals escaped the cordon and have returned to the area after the team left," said a resident of Mataheko.
Most people in the area were of the view that, the majority of those arrested were homeless people, drivers' mates who spent the night in vehicles and on the streets, and innocent people. Another resident said that the criminals were still walking free in the area.
He said the team did not know the area well and also failed to seek information on criminals in the area from community leaders before embarking on the operation. "I am one of the opinion leaders. I was ready to point out the criminals if I had been contacted, but, I did not trust that the police could protect me from the criminals."
At Russia, a driver (name withheld) told me that his mate who was coming to join him for the day's work was arrested. He confirmed that the real criminals escaped long before the operation started. We are ready to assist in arresting them if only the police can assure us of protection from the criminals. "While they were making the arrests, I saw one of the criminals pretend to be washing. The team just by-passed him without any question."
At Chorkor, a resident told the 'Times' that had the team carried out the operation between 2.30 a.m. and 4.30 am, it would have been more successful. "It is that time that they (criminals) undertake their 'operations." He suggested that the team should devise means of seeking information from residents on the exact abodes of the criminals before embarking on the operation.
"Not everybody in the community is a criminal and the way you cooperate with residents and get them to have confidence in you will drive them to give you information on the hide-outs of the criminals. "The overbearing and intimidating presence of the team, only succeeded in driving the criminals underground and prevented willing residents from volunteering information on them," he explained.
At James Town, most residents interviewed said some of the criminals joined the large crowd of people who watched the operation, while others escaped the cordon. "We saw them immediately the team left and they are still around," they said. The resident commended the team for their initiative but noted that, "it is only residents that can pin-point the criminals out."
Residents interviewed at Sodom and Gomorrah said after the operation last week, the criminals who escaped came back to throw a party. "They threw a big party to celebrate their escape from the team," the residents told the Times. Others suggested that the only way criminals could be wiped out of the area "is by demolishing all the unauthorised structures at the place."
Residents in Sukura, Korle-Bu and Accra New Town expressed similar views and called on the joint team to involve the communities in their operation to ensure great success. - The Ghanaian Times.
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Fetish priest exposes ritual murderers
Old Ningo (Greater Accra) 14 May 2002 - An attempt to kill a 12-year old Primary 5 pupil, Prince Kwabena Darko, of Roman Catholic Primary School at Akrodea, near Goaso in the Brong Ahafo Region for ritual purpose was foiled by a fetish priest at Banuhene-Korpe, near Old Ningo.
Information received had it that the culprits, Isaac Owusu Mensah, 21, from Akrodea and uncle of victim; Issah Seidu, 24, farmer from Sefwi, and Kwabena Kondau, 26, a teacher of Faith International School at Santase-Kumasi have been arrested by the police at Prampram.
Investigations by the Chronicle revealed that last Saturday, Owusu Mensah and Issah Seidu went to Akrodea and secretly took away little Prince Kwabena Darko from the house at the time the mother was on the farm. Teacher Konadu joined them at Kumasi and boarded a vehicle to Accra. Kidnapped Prince Darko was transported to Tsopoli on the main Tema-Aflao road, near Old Ningo at about 10.30 pm.
Owusu Mensah and Issah Seidu went to a herbalist at the village of Banuhene-Korpe and told him that they brought the boy to be killed for ritual purpose. If agreed, Prince was going to be killed on Sunday night. He declined the job, so they offered the boy for sale.
The herbalist, George Palas, feigned interest and the boy was sent to him on Sunday morning at which time, a price tag of ¢200 million was placed on him, but later ¢150 million was arrived at. The herbalist produced a polythene bag containing some money he alleged was ¢50 million and so he left to bring more money to add up. George Palas after frantic efforts from about 11.00 am to get in touch with the Prampram Police District Commander, ASP Prosper Amoah-Ayisi, finally reached him at 3.00 pm. His difficulty was due to the telephone lines, which went bad after torrential rains overnight.
Mr Ayisi reportedly mobilised men, armed to the teeth, joined a taxi, followed by a police Land-rover at a distance and met the suspects in the house of the fetish priest, together with the ‘sacrificial-lamb-to-be’ sitting.
After their arrest, which was without resistance, a knife was found in the pocket of Owusu Mensah, apparently for ‘action’ on his nephew. When questioned, the suspects, who admitted the attempt, said that if they had succeeded in killing Prince in the night of Sunday, they were going to remove his heart and other vital organs for the rituals.
As to what he was going to tell the sister, named only as Dufie, Owusu Mensah said that they were going to cause an announcement of a missing boy to be made as a cover-up.
The Prampram District Commander was not available for his comment when Chronicle visited the place, but police sources in the district said that the suspects were going to be transferred to the Tema Regional Police office. The fetish priest, who was visited more than twice by Issah and Konadu, is reported as saying that he detests pouring blood, hence he exposed the criminals. – The Chronicle.
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