Curfew clamped on Agona Nyakrom following clashes
GJA condemns court ruling on Eben Quarcoo
Asante-Akim North and South Assemblies to get new name
Planned demonstration against Asante-Bekwaihene put off
Speaker grants audience to political parties
Catholic Church donates to flood victims
Police investigate burning of Judge Ofoe's car
Four hundred trokosis liberated in Akatsi and Ketu districts
Curfew clamped on Agona Nyakrom following clashes
Agona Nyakrom (Central Region), 15th November 99
The Central Regional Security Council (CRESEC) on Sunday imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on Agona Nyakrom following violent clashes between the Zongo Community and the youth of the town.
Mr. H. Q. Jehu-Appiah, Deputy Regional Minister, announced this when he inspected damage caused by the youth to property estimated at billions of cedis belonging to the Zongo Community.
Among these were personal effects, corn mills, livestock, three Mosques, about 100 houses and property belonging to the Sidique Secondary School.
Mr. Jehu-Appiah also ordered the Agona District Security Council to set up, as a matter of urgency, a committee to investigate the cause of the incident.
He said the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. curfew is to ensure peace and stability in the town which erupted into violence following a football match between Nyakrom Methodist JSS and Holy Koran Junior secondary school which ended abruptly after the referee had disallowed a goal scored by the latter.
Supporters of Holy Koran not happy with the referee's decision attacked their colleagues from Methodist JSS and the ensuing confusion spread to the town as the Zongo community was attacked.
The clash, most of the Zongo residents have fled to nearby towns and villages such as Odoben, Asikuma, Nkum, Swedru, and Nima in Accra to seek refuge.
Five people received gunshot wounds and are being treated at the Swedru government hospital.
Mr Jehu-Appiah appealed to the Nyakrom youth and Zongo Community to exercise restraint while efforts were being made to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Mr. Bedjimah, Swedru Divisional Police Commander, said police reinforcement had been sent in from Accra and Winneba to protect life and property.
Mr. Samuel Edu Yeboah, Agona District Chief Executive, and Mr Samuel Oppong, Member of Parliament for Agona West, expressed shock and dismay at the incident and appealed for calm while efforts are made to return the town to normalcy.
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GJA condemns court ruling on Eben Quarcoo
Accra (Greater Accra), 15th November 99
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), on Sunday condemned the 90 days' imprisonment term and 1.5 million cedis fine imposed on Eben Quarcoo, former Editor of the Free Press for criminal libel as "disgusting and obnoxious to our young experimental democracy."
An Accra Circuit Court last week imposed the sentence after finding Quarcoo guilty for criminal libel in a case filed against him by the first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.
Quarcoo will serve an additional two-year jail term if he fails to pay the fine.
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, GJA President said "the Association wishes to re-emphasise its disgust at the continuous existence and application of criminal libel laws in Ghana, seven years into the nation's new democratic experiment."
It said though the GJA has always promoted and upheld media accountability, "we think that to still maintain outmoded criminal libel laws at the dawn of the second millennium is untenable, dangerous and inimical to the smooth practice of journalism and free expression in the country".
The GJA appealed to Parliament, the judiciary, civil society, the donor community and the public to join in the fight against such draconian laws that undermine democracy in this country.
It assured the public of high journalistic standards and media accountability, adding however that it will continue to resist all unfriendly media laws.
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Asante-Akim North and South Assemblies to get new name
Juaso (Ashanti), 15th November 99
The Asante-Akim North and Asante-Akim South District Assemblies are to be re-named to reflect the history and identity of the people of the two areas.
Mr. James Boadi Danquah, the District Chief Executive for Asante-Akim South, said already the two assemblies had held several meetings on the issue and a committee set up to find appropriate names set up under the auspices of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) at Juaso.
Mr. Danquah said the present name of the two assemblies portray a bi-ethnic identity of the people which in effect is not the case.
The District Chief Executive called for the establishment of an archival institution to preserve the cultural information of the two districts.
The assemblies should hold consultation with the paramount chiefs to identify formerly important festivals that used to be celebrated by their ancestors but have been discontinued for unknown reasons.
Mr. Danquah noted that re-enactment of such festivals could provide a platform for communal interaction and cohesion and thereby eliminate acrimony, bitterness and frequent squabbles bedevilling the people of the two districts.
Mr. Kwaku Kyei, Asante-Akim North District Chief Executive, appealed to chiefs to show firm commitment towards eliminating traditional practices that demeans womanhood.
Customs that also give honour and therefore encourage families to have more children must be jettisoned.
The Chief Director of NCC, Nana Brefo Boateng, called on Chiefs to organise the youth into cultural troupes to enable them "to respect and pride their culture and traditions".
They should also help establish community centres to serve as focal points for revival of folklore, indoor games, traditional dances and performances.
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Planned demonstration against Asante-Bekwaihene put off
Bekwai (Ashanti), 15th November 99
Police reinforcement from Obuasi to Asante-Bekwai on Sunday forced the postponement of a planned demonstration against the enstoolment of Nana Karikari Appau II, as Asante-Bekwai Omanhene by some members of the Royal Oyoko family.
Early Sunday morning, tension began to mount as preparations went on towards the demonstration to be led by the Royal family members and the citizens to express concern over the manner the new Omanhene was nominated, installed and enstooled.
The Royal Oyoko family and some of the citizens are alleging that "the royal stool of Asante-Bekwai had gone into wrong hands".
Police sources at Asante-Bekwai told the Ghana News Agency that four people arrested by the police in connection with the demonstration have been granted one million cedis bail each and ordered to report daily to the police to assist in their investigations into the demonstration.
The suspects are Opanin Kwasi Poku, member of the Oyoko Royal family, Mr. Eric Ntem, Baffour Karikari and Mr. Raphael Otu, all Bekwai citizens.
An Oyoko Royal family spokesman said they would not relent in their efforts to ensure that "the right thing is done for peace to prevail at Asante-Bekwai.
Nana Appau, who ascended the "Ayeboafo Stool" of Asante-Bekwai after eight years of chieftaincy dispute, swore the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, on Monday, October 25.
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Speaker grants audience to political parties
Accra (Greater Accra), 15th November 99
The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Justice D.F. Annan, on Friday granted audience to the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the five political parties planning to lead civil society groups to demonstrate to defend the nation's democracy and protest against hardships the ordinary Ghanaian faces.
A statement named the five-member JAC team as Mr. Sam Odame of the People's National Convention (PNC), Mr. Nii-Armah Tagoe of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), Madam Amma Busia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Felix Asamoah of the Convention Party (CP) and Mr. Peter Kpordugbe of the National Reform party (NRP).
Mr. Kpordugbe, spokesman for the group, briefed the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, the Minority Leader, Mr. J.H. Mensah, and the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Rex, Owusu-Ansah on plans for the November 25 demonstration.
He told them about the programme and selected routes for the demonstration as well as the status of consultations with the police.
The group also informed the Speaker of their desire to present a statement to Parliament after the march through the principal streets of Accra.
Mr. Justice Annan affirmed the constitutional character of marches and protests and their place in the democratic order.
He, however, cautioned the JAC to plan the march such that it does not degenerate into violence.
The speaker requested that the JAC remain in close touch with his office to work out the presentation programme in line with parliamentary procedures.
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Catholic Church donates to flood victims
Tamale (Northern Region), 15th November 99
The Catholic Relief Services has donated 27 million cedis worth of relief items to victims of the recent floods in communities within the Tamale archdiocese of the Catholic Church.
The Archdiocese comprises Tamale municipality, Tolon-Kumbungu, Savelugu-Nanton and East Gonja districts of the Northern region.
The items, made up of 576 mini bags of maize and 624 bales of blankets, five cartons of canned fish, and a quantity of biscuits were a gift from CARITAS, a Catholic Italian charitable organisation.
It was in response to an appeal by the Archbishop of Tamale, the Most Rev. Gregory Kpiebaya, who handed over the items to Mr Ali Yakubu, Regional Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in Tamale on Thursday.
Archbishop Kpiebaya said another appeal he made to the Catholic community for assistance for the flood victims has so far brought in contributions of foodstuffs, clothing and five million cedis.
He said the foodstuffs and clothing would be distributed at the Tamale parish along with the donation from the CRS.
Mr. Yakubu said the donation had come at tan opportune time when NADMO's own stocks had been exhausted and at a time when all the affected communities are clamouring for food and therefore appealed to other organisations for more assistance.
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Police investigate burning of Judge Ofoe's car
Accra (Greater Accra), 15th November 99
The Police says it has instituted an enquiry into the cause of the fire that destroyed the car of Mr Justice Victor Ofoe, a Circuit Court judge on Friday, November 12.
A statement signed by Inspector David Eklu of the Police Public Relations Directorate said initial investigations have shown that the fire, which destroyed the Mazda car belonging to Mr Justice Victor Ofoe, a Circuit Court Judge at his residence, was detected at about 2300 hours on Friday.
The judge last Thursday sentenced Eben Quarcoo, a former Editor of the "Free Press" to 90 days in jail on a criminal libel offence for publishing that the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings smuggled gold and narcotic drugs outside the country.
The court in addition, fined him 1.5 million cedis or go to jail for two years in default.
The court also fined Tommy Thompson Books Limited, Publishers of the "Free Press", which was charged with Quarcoo for the same offences, five million cedis each on the two counts. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The police will also investigate why two policemen who were supposed to be on guard duty and the Judge's Cantonments house reported late for duty. The two policemen are said to have arrived after the car had been burnt down.
At the time of the incident, the judge and his family were indoors and no one was hurt.
The burning car was detected by a neighbour who informed them. By the time the Fire Service arrived, the car had been razed to the ground.
No suspects have been apprehended yet.
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Four hundred trokosis liberated in Akatsi and Ketu districts
Akatsi (Volta Region), 15th November 99
Mr. Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), on Saturday said the liberation of trokosis was not an attempt to impose Christianity on practitioners of traditional religion.
Trokosi is the practice under which maidens are held at shrines in atonement for offences committed by their relatives.
He said the retention of the practice could not be justified on the mere assertion that it is part of culture.
Mr. Short was speaking at a durbar at Akatsi in the Volta region, where 400 women from 100 small shrines, in the Akatsi and Ketu districts were liberated.
It was the 11th liberation ceremony organised by the International Needs, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is spear-heading the abolition of the system.
The fetish priests and the custodians of the shrines have now agreed to receive livestock from offenders in place of human beings.
Mr. Short said the ceremony marks another milestone in the joint struggle to liberate thousands of women and children, who for many years have been deprived of their human dignity under the system.
He said the issue at stake, therefore, is neither religion nor culture but simply one of human rights and called on law enforcement agencies to enforce the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 1998 that prohibits everybody from subjecting anyone to any form of ritual or customary servitude.
He said failure to implement the law would undermine the legitimacy and the public confidence in Parliament and the law enforcement agencies themselves.
Mr. Short said the resolution of the social problems inherent in the negative aspects of the practice calls for concerted efforts by district assemblies, community leaders, state institutions, NGOs, traditional rulers and religious leaders.
It is necessary to understand and fully appreciate the human rights dimension of the practice so as to arrive at a consensus on what is objectionable and what is not.
He urged the priests to convince their colleagues in other shrines, where the practice persists to emulate them.
The Commisioner stressed on the need for the liberated women to be counselled, rehabilitated and integrated into the society and commended the priests and the owners of the shrines for their voluntary decision to liberate trokosis in their shrines.
Mr. Wisdom Mensah, Programmes Co-ordinator of International Needs, said 170 million cedis have been spent so far to negotiate with the 100 shrines, to assist the priests in performing liberation rituals, and to rehabilitate the priests and the liberated women.
He said the unique thing about the ceremony is that it is happening at a time when the campaigns of the traditionalists, who espouse the virtues of the obnoxious and dehumanising practice that infringes on the fundamental human rights and freedoms of innocent girls have reached its peak.
He said the practice discriminates against women and contravenes most of the international conventions that Ghana has signed.
Mr. Mensah said although various sections in the Constitution frowns on this practice, it still exists and violates the dignity and self worth of innocent girls by reducing them to beasts of burden and sex objects.
He said last year Parliament passed into an Act the bill against ritual servitude in Ghana and questioned when this law is going to be enforced.
Mr Mensah called on the law enforcement agencies to closely monitor the activities of Wenu of Avenorpeme traditional area, Dasuma of Big Ada, the Agave Shrines in South Tongu district, the Afife and the Klikor shrines both in Ketu districts, who have refused to liberate their trokosis.
Mr Mensah expressed his gratitude to the people and the government of Denmark for assisting the organisation in its liberation efforts.
One special thing about the ceremony was that it was the first time that as many as 100 trokosi shrines had come together to set free those they had held in bondage for several years.
Among the liberated women were 15 young girls aged between four and 10. The youngest among them, Salome Agumenu, four, was brought to Avorvoe shrine at the age of two because her grandfather had sex with a trokosi of that shrine.
The priests removed garlands, black and red stoles worn by trokosis from the women to signify the end of their slavery.
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