27/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) has established an Internal Affairs Unit to help fight corruption and promote integrity within the service.
The new unit will receive complaints from the public and institutions on the conduct of customs officials which will be fully investigated and the appropriate punishment meted out to offenders.
The Commissioner of CEPS, Mr Emmanuel Doku, made this known in Accra when he received four specialised computers valued at $50,000 from the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency at the end of a capacity-building training programme. The computers are for the unit.
Mr Doku said apart from safeguarding the service against possible revenue leakage, CEPS also had the responsibility of ensuring the security of cargo to prevent the entry of harmful substances into the country.
He said while the role of customs in the past had been more of revenue collection, the threats to national security in the 21st century required customs to take a greater role in enforcement.
Mr Doku said since customs officers were at the entry and exit points of the nation, they needed to be appropriately equipped to enable them to tackle the proliferation of illegal arms and dangerous goods in the country.
The commissioner said the effort displayed by the US customs in extending their capacity-building initiatives to other customs administration was, therefore, commendable. “CEPS is indeed glad to be one of the beneficiaries.”
Presenting the computers the Head of the Consular Section, Mr Michael Evans, who represented the US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Pamela Bridgwater, said the role of CEPS in protecting Ghana’s security and economic prosperity was crucial.
Mr Evans urged CEPS to remain vigilant against the violation of Ghana’s borders by traffickers and smugglers who traded in drugs and people.
A director of US Customs and Border Protection, Mr Charles Stallwart, said the US targeted 10 countries and provided assistance to them in areas of capacity building to enable them to do their work effectively and efficiently.
He said out of the 10 Ghana was the first to have established an internal affairs unit and this showed the commitment of the government of Ghana to fight corruption and other malpractices within the service.
Monday, March 31, 2008
TWO NIGERIANS FRAUDSTERS NABBED
26/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
Two men who posed as UN officials and succeeded in duping some foreigners of thousands of dollars have been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The two were arrested in an Accra restaurant where they had gone to meet one of their victims who had flown down from the United States of America.
They are Benjamin Zuma, alias Duke Nino, and Godwin Mete, both suspected to be Nigerians.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the CID, Inspector Joseph B. Darkwa, on February 4, 2008, the security advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana reported to the police that the organisation had received a number of mails from foreigners abroad enquiring as to whether the UNDP had issued an Anti-Drug Certificate enabling holders to establish businesses in Ghana freely.
He said the mails also indicated that the UNDP was charging various amounts of money running into thousands of dollars.
Inspector Darkwa said the suspects designed fake certificates and sent copies to the foreigners as samples and directed them to pay the required amount of money into an account at a bank in Accra.
According to him, the foreigners also wanted to know whether there was a United Nations office at the Christiansborg Castle at Osu where the two suspects were supposed to be working.
He said the UNDP refuted the claim and, suspecting that the two were fraudsters who were out to dupe the foreigners, directed them to forward all correspondence between them to the police to enable them to carry out their investigations.
The Public Relations Officer said in some of the mails the two claimed to be officials of the UN Army in Accra or Public Relations Officer of the UNDP and in one of the mails which was received on March 17, 2008, suspect Zuma posed as Prof. Duke Nino and had even placed his MTN mobile numbers on it.
Inspector Darkwa said during investigations it turned out that the suspect had lured another victim into the country under the pretext of supplying her with gold and they had scheduled a meeting with her at a restaurant in East Legon.
He said a team of police personnel from the CID headquarters led by ASP Ebenezer Nketia, were quickly dispatched to the spot and the two suspects were arrested while having lunch with the victim.
Upon interrogation they admitted the offence but refused to show the police where they live.
Story: Mary Mensah
Two men who posed as UN officials and succeeded in duping some foreigners of thousands of dollars have been arrested by the Commercial Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The two were arrested in an Accra restaurant where they had gone to meet one of their victims who had flown down from the United States of America.
They are Benjamin Zuma, alias Duke Nino, and Godwin Mete, both suspected to be Nigerians.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the CID, Inspector Joseph B. Darkwa, on February 4, 2008, the security advisor of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana reported to the police that the organisation had received a number of mails from foreigners abroad enquiring as to whether the UNDP had issued an Anti-Drug Certificate enabling holders to establish businesses in Ghana freely.
He said the mails also indicated that the UNDP was charging various amounts of money running into thousands of dollars.
Inspector Darkwa said the suspects designed fake certificates and sent copies to the foreigners as samples and directed them to pay the required amount of money into an account at a bank in Accra.
According to him, the foreigners also wanted to know whether there was a United Nations office at the Christiansborg Castle at Osu where the two suspects were supposed to be working.
He said the UNDP refuted the claim and, suspecting that the two were fraudsters who were out to dupe the foreigners, directed them to forward all correspondence between them to the police to enable them to carry out their investigations.
The Public Relations Officer said in some of the mails the two claimed to be officials of the UN Army in Accra or Public Relations Officer of the UNDP and in one of the mails which was received on March 17, 2008, suspect Zuma posed as Prof. Duke Nino and had even placed his MTN mobile numbers on it.
Inspector Darkwa said during investigations it turned out that the suspect had lured another victim into the country under the pretext of supplying her with gold and they had scheduled a meeting with her at a restaurant in East Legon.
He said a team of police personnel from the CID headquarters led by ASP Ebenezer Nketia, were quickly dispatched to the spot and the two suspects were arrested while having lunch with the victim.
Upon interrogation they admitted the offence but refused to show the police where they live.
THERE 'S NO TENSION AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS
26/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration has denied that there is tension at the Police Headquarters.
It said it was also untrue that the police had failed to carry out instructions given by the Kojo Armah Committee to arrest a businessman, which had led to tension at the Police Headquarters.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told a news conference in Accra yesterday that the Police Administration had also not been asked to interdict any officer.
The news conference was in reaction to media publications that there was tension at the Police Headquarters.
DSP Ofori said there was no tension over the creation of the Police Research Department (PORD).
“PORD was not an instant creation; it was decided and established to specific terms of reference to meet the contemporary needs of the police in crime intelligence,” he explained, adding that the proposal to create the department was made in 2007 following representations made to the Police Council to undertake research work that would benefit the service.
DSP Ofori said Chief Superintendent Adu-Amankwah, who was the Head of the Organised Crime Unit (OCU) of the Ghana police Service, was asked to co-ordinate, leading to the proper structure and organisation of PORD.
According to him, chief Supt Adu-Amankwah was heading both the OCU and PORD but it was observed that he could not combine the two offices when PORD was ready to take off.
He said the OCU had itself been restructured and re-organised and that other officers had been asked to supervise the two units, Narcotics and Human Trafficking, while the Director of CID, Operations, would exercise day-to-day supervision over the OCU.
“The fact must not be lost that it was at the instance of the Police Administration that the Ghana Standards Board was invited to test the drugs in our exhibit stores following suspicions based on credible information,” he said.
DSP Ofori said there was ample evidence to show that the Police Administration had given maximum co-operation to facilitate the work of the committee by making available officers invited before the committee.
He said the police had kept the public informed about the issues right from the onset and intended not to hold any information from them.
DSP Ofori said the Police Administration did not intend to comment on the findings and procedures of the committee at this stage because the committee was yet to finish its work.
“It is hoped that the leaks that have appeared in sections of the press in the last four weeks have not emanated from the members of the committee itself,” he noted.
The Public Affairs Director urged the media not to engage in discussions, innuendoes and outright insults in the absence of a published and certified report of the committee.
“When the committee’s findings are made public, any police officer may then be in the position to comment on or challenge aspects of or all of the findings of the committee,” he said, saying that “at this moment, the hands of our officers are tied and we urge members of the press not to conduct trial by the media”.
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration has denied that there is tension at the Police Headquarters.
It said it was also untrue that the police had failed to carry out instructions given by the Kojo Armah Committee to arrest a businessman, which had led to tension at the Police Headquarters.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told a news conference in Accra yesterday that the Police Administration had also not been asked to interdict any officer.
The news conference was in reaction to media publications that there was tension at the Police Headquarters.
DSP Ofori said there was no tension over the creation of the Police Research Department (PORD).
“PORD was not an instant creation; it was decided and established to specific terms of reference to meet the contemporary needs of the police in crime intelligence,” he explained, adding that the proposal to create the department was made in 2007 following representations made to the Police Council to undertake research work that would benefit the service.
DSP Ofori said Chief Superintendent Adu-Amankwah, who was the Head of the Organised Crime Unit (OCU) of the Ghana police Service, was asked to co-ordinate, leading to the proper structure and organisation of PORD.
According to him, chief Supt Adu-Amankwah was heading both the OCU and PORD but it was observed that he could not combine the two offices when PORD was ready to take off.
He said the OCU had itself been restructured and re-organised and that other officers had been asked to supervise the two units, Narcotics and Human Trafficking, while the Director of CID, Operations, would exercise day-to-day supervision over the OCU.
“The fact must not be lost that it was at the instance of the Police Administration that the Ghana Standards Board was invited to test the drugs in our exhibit stores following suspicions based on credible information,” he said.
DSP Ofori said there was ample evidence to show that the Police Administration had given maximum co-operation to facilitate the work of the committee by making available officers invited before the committee.
He said the police had kept the public informed about the issues right from the onset and intended not to hold any information from them.
DSP Ofori said the Police Administration did not intend to comment on the findings and procedures of the committee at this stage because the committee was yet to finish its work.
“It is hoped that the leaks that have appeared in sections of the press in the last four weeks have not emanated from the members of the committee itself,” he noted.
The Public Affairs Director urged the media not to engage in discussions, innuendoes and outright insults in the absence of a published and certified report of the committee.
“When the committee’s findings are made public, any police officer may then be in the position to comment on or challenge aspects of or all of the findings of the committee,” he said, saying that “at this moment, the hands of our officers are tied and we urge members of the press not to conduct trial by the media”.
NGO SUPPORT 4 DAY-CARE CENTRES (Page 32 lead)
27/03/08
Story: Mary Mensah
The International Child Resource Institute (ICRI), an international NGO, has donated learning materials valued at $12,000 to four neighbourhood day care centres in Accra.
They are the La, Teshie, Osu Presby and Mamprobi Neighbourhood Day Care Centres.
The items included books, stationery, toys, video games, woollen carpets, tables and canopies.
Presenting the items, Mrs Hannah Odjenma Botchway, Country Director of the institute, said last September the NGO organised a training workshop for nursery teachers.
She said the institute had selected the La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre as a model child care centre and had been subsidising the salaries of the teachers and feeding of the children.
Mrs Botchway indicated that ICRI had developed partnership with child and family projects in more than 35 countries and had 52 field representatives around the world.
She expressed the hope that the items would help to unearth the talents of the children and advised the teachers to take good care of them.
Receiving the items on behalf of the centres, Ms Philomena Sackey, Supervisor of the La neighbourhood Day Care Centre, thanked the NGO for the support, which, she said, had motivated the teachers to offer their best.
CAPTION
PIX 1
Some children of La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre and Osu Presby Kindergarten picking some of the learning materials after the presentation by the International Child Resource Institute at a ceremony in Accra.
PIX 2
Mrs Hannah Odjenma Botchway (right), Country Director of the International Child Resource Institute, presenting some learning materials to Ms Philomena Sackey (left), Supervisor of the La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre at a ceremony in Accra.
Story: Mary Mensah
The International Child Resource Institute (ICRI), an international NGO, has donated learning materials valued at $12,000 to four neighbourhood day care centres in Accra.
They are the La, Teshie, Osu Presby and Mamprobi Neighbourhood Day Care Centres.
The items included books, stationery, toys, video games, woollen carpets, tables and canopies.
Presenting the items, Mrs Hannah Odjenma Botchway, Country Director of the institute, said last September the NGO organised a training workshop for nursery teachers.
She said the institute had selected the La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre as a model child care centre and had been subsidising the salaries of the teachers and feeding of the children.
Mrs Botchway indicated that ICRI had developed partnership with child and family projects in more than 35 countries and had 52 field representatives around the world.
She expressed the hope that the items would help to unearth the talents of the children and advised the teachers to take good care of them.
Receiving the items on behalf of the centres, Ms Philomena Sackey, Supervisor of the La neighbourhood Day Care Centre, thanked the NGO for the support, which, she said, had motivated the teachers to offer their best.
CAPTION
PIX 1
Some children of La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre and Osu Presby Kindergarten picking some of the learning materials after the presentation by the International Child Resource Institute at a ceremony in Accra.
PIX 2
Mrs Hannah Odjenma Botchway (right), Country Director of the International Child Resource Institute, presenting some learning materials to Ms Philomena Sackey (left), Supervisor of the La Neighbourhood Day Care Centre at a ceremony in Accra.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
US AMBASSADOR DONATES TO TI AHMADIYYA AT NKAWKAW (Inside Pages)
18/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah, Nkawkaw
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Pamela Bridgwater, has presented stationery and a cheque for GH¢5,300 to the Nkawkaw T.I. Ahmadiyya School to enable them to complete a three-classroom block under construction.
The presentation forms part of the Ambassadors Special Self-Help programme which encourages projects that promote individual and community empowerment through increased access to education, health, vocational training and sanitation.
Since she took up office in 2005, the ambassador has given over $210,000 to 45 communities throughout the country.
According to the Director of the US Information Service, Chris Hodges, the programme started in 1964 in Togo and was initiated in Ghana in 1990.
The ambassador commended members of the community, especially single mothers, for their self-help spirit and dedication and for naming a new academic resource centre under construction in the school in her honour.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Joseph Acquah, said the school, established in 1962, had only five classrooms accommodating the KG and primary one to six, together with a population of 338.
He said there was not a single chair and the children sat on the floor or a piece of wood while wawa boards placed on blocks served as tables.
Mr Acquah said in 2003 rainstorm blew off the roof of the primary block, completely destroying three classrooms.
He said the PTA of the school and the Ahmadiyya Mission started the construction of the new classroom and office block and appealed to the ambassador for assistance.
Story: Mary Mensah, Nkawkaw
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Pamela Bridgwater, has presented stationery and a cheque for GH¢5,300 to the Nkawkaw T.I. Ahmadiyya School to enable them to complete a three-classroom block under construction.
The presentation forms part of the Ambassadors Special Self-Help programme which encourages projects that promote individual and community empowerment through increased access to education, health, vocational training and sanitation.
Since she took up office in 2005, the ambassador has given over $210,000 to 45 communities throughout the country.
According to the Director of the US Information Service, Chris Hodges, the programme started in 1964 in Togo and was initiated in Ghana in 1990.
The ambassador commended members of the community, especially single mothers, for their self-help spirit and dedication and for naming a new academic resource centre under construction in the school in her honour.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Joseph Acquah, said the school, established in 1962, had only five classrooms accommodating the KG and primary one to six, together with a population of 338.
He said there was not a single chair and the children sat on the floor or a piece of wood while wawa boards placed on blocks served as tables.
Mr Acquah said in 2003 rainstorm blew off the roof of the primary block, completely destroying three classrooms.
He said the PTA of the school and the Ahmadiyya Mission started the construction of the new classroom and office block and appealed to the ambassador for assistance.
POLICE BREAK UP DEMONSTRATION AT REFUGEE CAMP (Back Page)
18/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The Security Agencies yesterday embarked on a special exercise at the Buduburam Refugee Settlement to arrest Liberian refugees for continuing with their illegal demonstration.
More than 200 people made up of women and children who were demonstrating in violation of the Public Order Act (Act 491) were arrested during a dawn operation and taken to the Kordiabe Youth Leadership Centre in the Eastern Region for processing after which their refugee status will be revoked.
The refugees began their demonstration on February 19, 2008, demanding, among other things, that they did not wish to remain in Ghana to be integrated into the Ghanaian society.
They rather wanted resettlement in a Western country and $1,000 to be paid to each of them opting to voluntarily repatriate. They had since been mobilising the elderly, women and children to demonstrate in support of a petition they submitted to the UNHCR in Geneva to that effect.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, the aim of the exercise was to stop further infringement of the Public Order Act.
He said it was also to end the lawlessness and chaos that had engulfed the camp where children were prevented from attending school leading to the closure of the schools and preventing the aged and those who were in dire need of medical attention from being taken care of.
DSP Ofori said the demonstration by the refugees also led to a continuous traffic jam on the Accra-Cape Coast road, thus making it impossible for traders and other road users to get to their destination on time.
The director said the police were not acting unilaterally but in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Refugees Board and NADMO.
DSP Ofori appealed to the refugees to respect the laws of the land and make sure they co-operated with all other stakeholders and warned that the police would not tolerate any acts that would compromise the laws of this land.
In a release issued in Accra yesterday, the Minister for the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, said the government would not countenance such unruly behaviour by refugees who had been given hospitality by the country for 18 years, and has directed the security agencies to hold the refugees at the centre.
He said the government intended to return all the arrested persons to Liberia especially since the war in Liberia had ended.
The minister, at a meeting with representatives of the refugees, the UNHCR and the security agencies in Accra last Tuesday, described the demonstration as illegal and a breach of the Public Order Act of 1994.
He said the government viewed the demonstration as a breech of the goodwill extended to the refugees by the Government and the people of Ghana in their time of need.
Mr Bartels, therefore, warned that the government would use the full rigours of the law to deal with the issue should the refugees persist in the illegal action which had been ongoing for the past 26 days.
He announced that the government had initiated a consultative process with other relevant stakeholders to invoke the Cessation Clause for Liberian Refugees under the International Refugee Convention, adding that “there must be an end to the protracted Liberian refugee situation”.
He indicated that the demands of the refugees were very misplaced and without merit and said the government had not taken any decision to locally reintegrate Liberian refugees and that it had no intention of doing so.
“Besides, nobody is holding any refugee hostage and so they are free to leave the country,” he added.
Currently Ghana hosts some 40,519 refugees, 26,967 of them being Liberians.
Story: Mary Mensah
The Security Agencies yesterday embarked on a special exercise at the Buduburam Refugee Settlement to arrest Liberian refugees for continuing with their illegal demonstration.
More than 200 people made up of women and children who were demonstrating in violation of the Public Order Act (Act 491) were arrested during a dawn operation and taken to the Kordiabe Youth Leadership Centre in the Eastern Region for processing after which their refugee status will be revoked.
The refugees began their demonstration on February 19, 2008, demanding, among other things, that they did not wish to remain in Ghana to be integrated into the Ghanaian society.
They rather wanted resettlement in a Western country and $1,000 to be paid to each of them opting to voluntarily repatriate. They had since been mobilising the elderly, women and children to demonstrate in support of a petition they submitted to the UNHCR in Geneva to that effect.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, the aim of the exercise was to stop further infringement of the Public Order Act.
He said it was also to end the lawlessness and chaos that had engulfed the camp where children were prevented from attending school leading to the closure of the schools and preventing the aged and those who were in dire need of medical attention from being taken care of.
DSP Ofori said the demonstration by the refugees also led to a continuous traffic jam on the Accra-Cape Coast road, thus making it impossible for traders and other road users to get to their destination on time.
The director said the police were not acting unilaterally but in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Refugees Board and NADMO.
DSP Ofori appealed to the refugees to respect the laws of the land and make sure they co-operated with all other stakeholders and warned that the police would not tolerate any acts that would compromise the laws of this land.
In a release issued in Accra yesterday, the Minister for the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, said the government would not countenance such unruly behaviour by refugees who had been given hospitality by the country for 18 years, and has directed the security agencies to hold the refugees at the centre.
He said the government intended to return all the arrested persons to Liberia especially since the war in Liberia had ended.
The minister, at a meeting with representatives of the refugees, the UNHCR and the security agencies in Accra last Tuesday, described the demonstration as illegal and a breach of the Public Order Act of 1994.
He said the government viewed the demonstration as a breech of the goodwill extended to the refugees by the Government and the people of Ghana in their time of need.
Mr Bartels, therefore, warned that the government would use the full rigours of the law to deal with the issue should the refugees persist in the illegal action which had been ongoing for the past 26 days.
He announced that the government had initiated a consultative process with other relevant stakeholders to invoke the Cessation Clause for Liberian Refugees under the International Refugee Convention, adding that “there must be an end to the protracted Liberian refugee situation”.
He indicated that the demands of the refugees were very misplaced and without merit and said the government had not taken any decision to locally reintegrate Liberian refugees and that it had no intention of doing so.
“Besides, nobody is holding any refugee hostage and so they are free to leave the country,” he added.
Currently Ghana hosts some 40,519 refugees, 26,967 of them being Liberians.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
DEMONSTRATION IS ILLEGAL- BARTELS
13/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah & Naa Lartiokor Lartey
THE Minister for the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, has described the demonstration currently taking place at the Buduburan settlement as illegal and a breach of the Public Order Act of 1994.
He said the government viewed the action as a breech of the goodwill extended to the refugees by the government and the good people of Ghana in their time of need.
He, therefore, warned that the government would use the full rigours of the law to deal with the issue should the refugees persist in the illegal action which had been ongoing for the past 21 days.
Mr Bartels gave the warning at a meeting with representatives of the refugees, the UNHCR, the Refugee Board, the IGP and Service Commanders in Accra on Tuesday.
He described the statement by the refugees that they did not want to be resettled here as an insult to Ghana and a show of ingratitude to a country that had protected, fed and given them and their children free education.
He said the government had initiated a consultative process with other relevant stakeholders to invoke the Cessation Clause for Liberian Refugees under the International Refugee Convention, adding that “there must be an end to the protracted Liberian refugee situation”.
“ I wish to sound a final warning to all refugees living in this country that they are obliged under the International Refugee Convention to obey the laws of the land and we shall ensure that they do so,” he stated.
The Minister indicated that the demands of the refugees were very misplaced and without merit and said the government had not taken any decision to locally reintegrate Liberian refugees and that it had no intention of doing so.
“Besides, nobody is holding any refugee hostage and so they are free to leave the country,” he added.
He said refugee status was not granted indefinitely and that the Liberians were granted prima facie refugee status at a time they were fleeing a civil crisis under the 1969 OAU Convention governing specific aspects of the refugee problem in Africa.
“Liberia has gone through a lot since then and is now peaceful with a democratically elected government and since then over 100,000 Liberians have returned home in safety and dignity from the Sub-region.
The UNHCR Representative in Ghana, Ms Aida Haile Mariam, reiterated that resettlement to a third country was no longer an option and that the organisation was not in a position to pay $1,000 per person.
The UNHCR received a communication sent to it on the Liberians’ demand for allowance of $1,000 as grant to rebuild their homes and restart their lives in Liberia, resettlement to a Western country and opposition to local integration.
She said the Refugee Agency had made available over 2,000 copies of an information bulletin on its programme in Ghana to the Liberian refugee community and also displayed same on bulletin boards.
She announced that all those efforts did not yield satisfactory results as the “Liberian Refugee Women with Refugee Concerns” decided to go on demonstration, saying they had disrupted the delivery of services to the most needed in Buduburan — the elderly, women and children — leading to avoidable medical emergencies.
The representative noted that the first group of refugees who embraced the self-reliance programme were refugees with special needs and the physically-challenged.
“Unfortunately, the “ Liberian Refugee Women with Refugee Concerns” disrupted the programme which had to be closed to prevent physical harm to the participants,” she added.
The refugees at the Buduburan Settlement camp began demonstrations from February 19, 2008, demanding that they did not wish to remain in Ghana to be locally integrated into the Ghanaian society.
They rather wanted resettlement in a Western country and $1,000 to be paid to each refugee opting to voluntarily repatriate.
They have been mobilising the elderly, women and children to demonstrate in support of a petition they submitted to the UNHCR in Geneva.
Ghana hosts some 40,519 refugees, 26,967 of them being Liberian refugees.
Story: Mary Mensah & Naa Lartiokor Lartey
THE Minister for the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, has described the demonstration currently taking place at the Buduburan settlement as illegal and a breach of the Public Order Act of 1994.
He said the government viewed the action as a breech of the goodwill extended to the refugees by the government and the good people of Ghana in their time of need.
He, therefore, warned that the government would use the full rigours of the law to deal with the issue should the refugees persist in the illegal action which had been ongoing for the past 21 days.
Mr Bartels gave the warning at a meeting with representatives of the refugees, the UNHCR, the Refugee Board, the IGP and Service Commanders in Accra on Tuesday.
He described the statement by the refugees that they did not want to be resettled here as an insult to Ghana and a show of ingratitude to a country that had protected, fed and given them and their children free education.
He said the government had initiated a consultative process with other relevant stakeholders to invoke the Cessation Clause for Liberian Refugees under the International Refugee Convention, adding that “there must be an end to the protracted Liberian refugee situation”.
“ I wish to sound a final warning to all refugees living in this country that they are obliged under the International Refugee Convention to obey the laws of the land and we shall ensure that they do so,” he stated.
The Minister indicated that the demands of the refugees were very misplaced and without merit and said the government had not taken any decision to locally reintegrate Liberian refugees and that it had no intention of doing so.
“Besides, nobody is holding any refugee hostage and so they are free to leave the country,” he added.
He said refugee status was not granted indefinitely and that the Liberians were granted prima facie refugee status at a time they were fleeing a civil crisis under the 1969 OAU Convention governing specific aspects of the refugee problem in Africa.
“Liberia has gone through a lot since then and is now peaceful with a democratically elected government and since then over 100,000 Liberians have returned home in safety and dignity from the Sub-region.
The UNHCR Representative in Ghana, Ms Aida Haile Mariam, reiterated that resettlement to a third country was no longer an option and that the organisation was not in a position to pay $1,000 per person.
The UNHCR received a communication sent to it on the Liberians’ demand for allowance of $1,000 as grant to rebuild their homes and restart their lives in Liberia, resettlement to a Western country and opposition to local integration.
She said the Refugee Agency had made available over 2,000 copies of an information bulletin on its programme in Ghana to the Liberian refugee community and also displayed same on bulletin boards.
She announced that all those efforts did not yield satisfactory results as the “Liberian Refugee Women with Refugee Concerns” decided to go on demonstration, saying they had disrupted the delivery of services to the most needed in Buduburan — the elderly, women and children — leading to avoidable medical emergencies.
The representative noted that the first group of refugees who embraced the self-reliance programme were refugees with special needs and the physically-challenged.
“Unfortunately, the “ Liberian Refugee Women with Refugee Concerns” disrupted the programme which had to be closed to prevent physical harm to the participants,” she added.
The refugees at the Buduburan Settlement camp began demonstrations from February 19, 2008, demanding that they did not wish to remain in Ghana to be locally integrated into the Ghanaian society.
They rather wanted resettlement in a Western country and $1,000 to be paid to each refugee opting to voluntarily repatriate.
They have been mobilising the elderly, women and children to demonstrate in support of a petition they submitted to the UNHCR in Geneva.
Ghana hosts some 40,519 refugees, 26,967 of them being Liberian refugees.
1,578 CHILDREN DEFILED LAST YEAR (Page 50)
13/03/2008
By Mary Mensah
One thousand five hundred and seventy eight children between the ages of three and 15 were defiled throughout the country from January to December 2007.
This forms part of 17,315 criminal cases recorded by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service for the period.
The cases involved rape, defilement, sodomy, child trafficking, non-maintenance, bigamy, murder, assault, threatening, stealing and kidnapping, among others.
The Accra region topped the list with 5,193 cases, followed by the Ashanti region with 2, 844 cases, the Central and Tema regions with 1, 866 and 1, 833 cases respectively.
The three northern regions recorded the lowest cases, Upper West, 184, Upper East, 240, and Tamale 285 cases.
The Public Affairs Officer in charge of the DOVVSU, Inspector Irene Oppong, who disclosed this to The Mirror in Accra said 1,091 of the cases were sent to court and only 93 had so far been convicted while 54 have been acquitted.
She said 13, 679 of the cases were still under investigation and 944 were awaiting trial while 2,015 cases had either been closed or settled out of court.
Inspector Oppong said following the increasing number of defilement cases the DOVVSU had began a nation-wide outreach programme in schools, lorry stations, churches and other social gatherings to sensitise people to the dangers of rape and domestic violence and the psychological effect it had on victims.
She said as part of the measures some teachers had been selected from the schools so far visited to frequently counsel the children to give them security tips, and advise them to confidently report any cases of abuse.
She said defilement was on the increase because parents tended to entrust the care of their children to tenants, relatives, family,friends or strangers.
Inspector Oppong said in Accra it was realised that the majority of the cases were reported from Chorkor, Mamprobi and Dansoman areas so the outreach had been intensified in those areas.
She indicated that non-maintenance topped the list with 6,297 cases, followed by assault with 4,709 cases and 1,142 cases of threats.
By Mary Mensah
One thousand five hundred and seventy eight children between the ages of three and 15 were defiled throughout the country from January to December 2007.
This forms part of 17,315 criminal cases recorded by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service for the period.
The cases involved rape, defilement, sodomy, child trafficking, non-maintenance, bigamy, murder, assault, threatening, stealing and kidnapping, among others.
The Accra region topped the list with 5,193 cases, followed by the Ashanti region with 2, 844 cases, the Central and Tema regions with 1, 866 and 1, 833 cases respectively.
The three northern regions recorded the lowest cases, Upper West, 184, Upper East, 240, and Tamale 285 cases.
The Public Affairs Officer in charge of the DOVVSU, Inspector Irene Oppong, who disclosed this to The Mirror in Accra said 1,091 of the cases were sent to court and only 93 had so far been convicted while 54 have been acquitted.
She said 13, 679 of the cases were still under investigation and 944 were awaiting trial while 2,015 cases had either been closed or settled out of court.
Inspector Oppong said following the increasing number of defilement cases the DOVVSU had began a nation-wide outreach programme in schools, lorry stations, churches and other social gatherings to sensitise people to the dangers of rape and domestic violence and the psychological effect it had on victims.
She said as part of the measures some teachers had been selected from the schools so far visited to frequently counsel the children to give them security tips, and advise them to confidently report any cases of abuse.
She said defilement was on the increase because parents tended to entrust the care of their children to tenants, relatives, family,friends or strangers.
Inspector Oppong said in Accra it was realised that the majority of the cases were reported from Chorkor, Mamprobi and Dansoman areas so the outreach had been intensified in those areas.
She indicated that non-maintenance topped the list with 6,297 cases, followed by assault with 4,709 cases and 1,142 cases of threats.
GRIME ALERT- Police remove roadblocks to combact lawlessness (Lead Story)
13/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Ghana Police Service has announced a review of its road check operations with a view to intensifying the hunt for illegal arms and ammunition and combating armed robbery and other forms of violent crime.
Consequently, night snap checks have been intensified across the country and all checkpoints mounted by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service have been removed until further notice.
The Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who disclosed the measures to the Daily Graphic, said as part of the new measures, ECOWAS and NEPAD approved barriers would be operational for 24 hours to facilitate the free flow of goods and persons within the West African sub-region.
He mentioned the Doblo Barrier in the Eastern Region, the Fulfuso, Pwalugu and Paga barriers, all on the northern corridor, as those which would operate 24 hours.
He said on the western corridor, the Kokrobite and the Half Assini barriers, the Ningo and Sogakope barriers on the eastern corridor and the Denu and Agbozome Junction barriers in the Volta Region would be operational.
DSP Ofori said all others, such as the Nungua and Afienya barriers, would not operate during the day but night snap checks in and around the area would be intensified to check criminal activities.
He said from April 1 to 5, 2008, the Police Administration would embark on a special nation-wide massive motor check operation to cover the whole country, during which the police would check the road worthy and insurance certificates of all motorbikes.
DSP Ofori said from the middle to the end of March the police would organise public education forums at vantage points to sensitise members of the public, especially drivers, to the importance of the two documents.
He said the police were urging organisations and all security personnel who drove without insurance and road worthy certificates to, as a matter of urgency, acquire them before the beginning of April.
The director said the aim of the exercise was to ensure compliance with motor traffic laws and reduce the number of barriers within the country to the barest minimum to facilitate the free flow of goods and persons.
He urged members of the public, especially drivers, to co-operate with the police during the exercise.
DSP Ofori said the absence of day motor checks would enable the police to have enough men to respond to situations that needed prompt attention and enforcement.
In recent times the police have come under intense criticism following the number of road checks and barriers on the various roads which cause traffic in some areas for several hours.
From Accra to Cape Coast one can count about seven or eight road blocks to check documents and licences.
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Ghana Police Service has announced a review of its road check operations with a view to intensifying the hunt for illegal arms and ammunition and combating armed robbery and other forms of violent crime.
Consequently, night snap checks have been intensified across the country and all checkpoints mounted by the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service have been removed until further notice.
The Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who disclosed the measures to the Daily Graphic, said as part of the new measures, ECOWAS and NEPAD approved barriers would be operational for 24 hours to facilitate the free flow of goods and persons within the West African sub-region.
He mentioned the Doblo Barrier in the Eastern Region, the Fulfuso, Pwalugu and Paga barriers, all on the northern corridor, as those which would operate 24 hours.
He said on the western corridor, the Kokrobite and the Half Assini barriers, the Ningo and Sogakope barriers on the eastern corridor and the Denu and Agbozome Junction barriers in the Volta Region would be operational.
DSP Ofori said all others, such as the Nungua and Afienya barriers, would not operate during the day but night snap checks in and around the area would be intensified to check criminal activities.
He said from April 1 to 5, 2008, the Police Administration would embark on a special nation-wide massive motor check operation to cover the whole country, during which the police would check the road worthy and insurance certificates of all motorbikes.
DSP Ofori said from the middle to the end of March the police would organise public education forums at vantage points to sensitise members of the public, especially drivers, to the importance of the two documents.
He said the police were urging organisations and all security personnel who drove without insurance and road worthy certificates to, as a matter of urgency, acquire them before the beginning of April.
The director said the aim of the exercise was to ensure compliance with motor traffic laws and reduce the number of barriers within the country to the barest minimum to facilitate the free flow of goods and persons.
He urged members of the public, especially drivers, to co-operate with the police during the exercise.
DSP Ofori said the absence of day motor checks would enable the police to have enough men to respond to situations that needed prompt attention and enforcement.
In recent times the police have come under intense criticism following the number of road checks and barriers on the various roads which cause traffic in some areas for several hours.
From Accra to Cape Coast one can count about seven or eight road blocks to check documents and licences.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
LEADER OF A GANG ARRESTED AT AGBOBLOSHIE (Metro Page)
12/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The Old Fadama Police say they have arrested the leader of a gang which is engaged in performing illegal abortions for young ladies, especially porters, at Agbogbloshie in Accra.
It said the group assisted porters and other young women around Agbogbloshie to terminate unwanted pregnancies at fees ranging between GH¢30 and GH¢50 depending on the duration of the pregnancy .
The police identified the leader of the group as Diana Darko, and that a search had been mounted for her arrest as well as other accomplices who managed to escape.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Inspector Irene Oppong, one of the victims, Lamisi Akugule, became pregnant and decided to abort on January 31, 2007.
She said Lamisi consulted Diana whom she learnt had been assisting young women in the area to terminate their pregnancies.
The PRO said Diana charged the victim GH ¢40.00 but later accepted GH¢20.00 which Lamisi said was all she could afford.
She said Diana then gave Lamisi water and some tablets to swallow and asked her to lie down for sometime and the foetus was aborted.
Inspector Irene said after the abortion Lamisi pleaded with Diana to give her sometime to raise the GH¢20.00 but Diana was so annoyed that she locked Lamisi up in the a wooden structure and refused to release her to go.
She said on February 2, 2008, a policeman at the Old Fadama Police Station had the information that a young woman had been detained in a wooden structure by another woman who had refused to feed her for two days and that her condition was deteriorating.
The police proceeded to the house where they found the victim locked from behind in a wooden structure and the two, suspect and victim, were arrested and sent to the police station for questioning.
Upon interrogation, Diana narrated a different case to the police, so an extract of occurrence together with both accused persons were referred to DOVVSU for further investigations.
In their caution statements, both denied the offence but Lamisi who looked pale was sent to the Police Hospital in Accra where a medical report on her confirmed that she had had an incomplete abortion.
She was therefore sent to the theatre for the correction of the anomaly. After investigation both accused persons were charged with the offence and they are to appear before court.
Story: Mary Mensah
The Old Fadama Police say they have arrested the leader of a gang which is engaged in performing illegal abortions for young ladies, especially porters, at Agbogbloshie in Accra.
It said the group assisted porters and other young women around Agbogbloshie to terminate unwanted pregnancies at fees ranging between GH¢30 and GH¢50 depending on the duration of the pregnancy .
The police identified the leader of the group as Diana Darko, and that a search had been mounted for her arrest as well as other accomplices who managed to escape.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Inspector Irene Oppong, one of the victims, Lamisi Akugule, became pregnant and decided to abort on January 31, 2007.
She said Lamisi consulted Diana whom she learnt had been assisting young women in the area to terminate their pregnancies.
The PRO said Diana charged the victim GH ¢40.00 but later accepted GH¢20.00 which Lamisi said was all she could afford.
She said Diana then gave Lamisi water and some tablets to swallow and asked her to lie down for sometime and the foetus was aborted.
Inspector Irene said after the abortion Lamisi pleaded with Diana to give her sometime to raise the GH¢20.00 but Diana was so annoyed that she locked Lamisi up in the a wooden structure and refused to release her to go.
She said on February 2, 2008, a policeman at the Old Fadama Police Station had the information that a young woman had been detained in a wooden structure by another woman who had refused to feed her for two days and that her condition was deteriorating.
The police proceeded to the house where they found the victim locked from behind in a wooden structure and the two, suspect and victim, were arrested and sent to the police station for questioning.
Upon interrogation, Diana narrated a different case to the police, so an extract of occurrence together with both accused persons were referred to DOVVSU for further investigations.
In their caution statements, both denied the offence but Lamisi who looked pale was sent to the Police Hospital in Accra where a medical report on her confirmed that she had had an incomplete abortion.
She was therefore sent to the theatre for the correction of the anomaly. After investigation both accused persons were charged with the offence and they are to appear before court.
TWO SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR FALSE ALARM (Page 20)
12/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
Two men who allegedly raised a false alarm that led to the lynching of Terry Adjei, their own friend, near the St John’s Senior High School at Achimota have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The suspects, Yaw Anane and Reggie Oppong, both aged 28, were arrested at their house at Tantra Hill near Achimota upon a tipoff.
According to the Director General of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Adu Poku, the suspects and Terry, a 29-year-old mechanic who lived at Dansoman, had been friends for quite sometime and were involved in a business deal.
He said on January 19, 2008, the deceased, who owned a Kawasaki motorbike with registration number ER 2897 U, was accompanied by another friend, Desmond Eze, a Nigerian, to the house of the suspects at Tantra Hill to collect his money from them.
Mr Adu Poku said the deceased had told his Nigerian friend that Yaw Anane had been indebted to him (Terry) since last year but he had been playing “hide and seek” with him.
The deceased, he said, further indicated that Yaw was planning to return to Canada where he was domiciled and so he (Terry) needed to collect his money before Yaw travelled.
The Director General said on reaching the house of the suspects at Tantra Hill, they found Yaw in the company of Reggie and other friends who are now at large.
He said a misunderstanding ensued between Terry and Yaw as a result of which Yaw and his friends attempted to attack the deceased and his Nigerian friend.
Sensing danger, the deceased pulled a gun and fired warning shots which scared his assailants , and the two managed to jump on the motorbike and sped off.
However, Yaw and his friends pursued them in an unregistered Infinity Saloon, shouting to draw the attention of onlookers that the two persons on the motorbike were armed robbers who had attacked them in an attempt to snatch the Infinity saloon car.
DCP Adu Poku said on reaching the St John Grammar Senior Secondary area, there was traffic on the road compounded by an articulated truck with registration number AS 726 F, that had been parked at the side of the road.
He said Yaw and his friends crashed into the Kawasaki motorbike and the deceased and his Nigerian friend were trapped under the stationary articulated truck.
DCP Adu Poku said at that time, the false alarm raised by suspects had attracted a large crowd to the scene, and they dragged the two from under the truck, lynched them with big stones, sticks and other offensive items.
He said the police arrived on the scene later and took the two victims to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where Terry was pronounced dead on arrival.
An autopsy conducted by Dr Ato Taylor of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital gave the cause of death as subarachoid haemorrhage and fractured skull.
The Nigerian friend of the deceased fell into coma with severe body and head injuries but later regained consciousness.
It was on regaining consciousness that he narrated what had transpired to the police.
The two suspects, Yaw and Reggie, were immediately arrested but they denied any knowledge of the incident and claimed that they did not know the deceased.
However, further investigations led to the discovery of pictures the deceased had taken with the suspects.
The Director General appealed to members of the public to desist from meting out instant justice on suspected criminals.
He said if they had arrested the two alleged armed robbers and handed them over to the police for investigations, an innocent person would have been saved.
The deceased has since been buried while investigations continue.
Story: Mary Mensah
Two men who allegedly raised a false alarm that led to the lynching of Terry Adjei, their own friend, near the St John’s Senior High School at Achimota have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The suspects, Yaw Anane and Reggie Oppong, both aged 28, were arrested at their house at Tantra Hill near Achimota upon a tipoff.
According to the Director General of the CID, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Adu Poku, the suspects and Terry, a 29-year-old mechanic who lived at Dansoman, had been friends for quite sometime and were involved in a business deal.
He said on January 19, 2008, the deceased, who owned a Kawasaki motorbike with registration number ER 2897 U, was accompanied by another friend, Desmond Eze, a Nigerian, to the house of the suspects at Tantra Hill to collect his money from them.
Mr Adu Poku said the deceased had told his Nigerian friend that Yaw Anane had been indebted to him (Terry) since last year but he had been playing “hide and seek” with him.
The deceased, he said, further indicated that Yaw was planning to return to Canada where he was domiciled and so he (Terry) needed to collect his money before Yaw travelled.
The Director General said on reaching the house of the suspects at Tantra Hill, they found Yaw in the company of Reggie and other friends who are now at large.
He said a misunderstanding ensued between Terry and Yaw as a result of which Yaw and his friends attempted to attack the deceased and his Nigerian friend.
Sensing danger, the deceased pulled a gun and fired warning shots which scared his assailants , and the two managed to jump on the motorbike and sped off.
However, Yaw and his friends pursued them in an unregistered Infinity Saloon, shouting to draw the attention of onlookers that the two persons on the motorbike were armed robbers who had attacked them in an attempt to snatch the Infinity saloon car.
DCP Adu Poku said on reaching the St John Grammar Senior Secondary area, there was traffic on the road compounded by an articulated truck with registration number AS 726 F, that had been parked at the side of the road.
He said Yaw and his friends crashed into the Kawasaki motorbike and the deceased and his Nigerian friend were trapped under the stationary articulated truck.
DCP Adu Poku said at that time, the false alarm raised by suspects had attracted a large crowd to the scene, and they dragged the two from under the truck, lynched them with big stones, sticks and other offensive items.
He said the police arrived on the scene later and took the two victims to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where Terry was pronounced dead on arrival.
An autopsy conducted by Dr Ato Taylor of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital gave the cause of death as subarachoid haemorrhage and fractured skull.
The Nigerian friend of the deceased fell into coma with severe body and head injuries but later regained consciousness.
It was on regaining consciousness that he narrated what had transpired to the police.
The two suspects, Yaw and Reggie, were immediately arrested but they denied any knowledge of the incident and claimed that they did not know the deceased.
However, further investigations led to the discovery of pictures the deceased had taken with the suspects.
The Director General appealed to members of the public to desist from meting out instant justice on suspected criminals.
He said if they had arrested the two alleged armed robbers and handed them over to the police for investigations, an innocent person would have been saved.
The deceased has since been buried while investigations continue.
EVANGELIST ARRESTED FOR RAPE
10/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
A 28-year-old-man who posed as an evangelist and succeeded in luring a 26-year- old petty trader to an abandoned house where he raped her, has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, Peter Ahoadin, was alleged to have severely assaulted the victim after the act for lying on his bible which fell down during a struggle between the two.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic in Accra, Inspector Irene Oppong, Public Relations Officer of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, said on February 26, 2008 at about noon, the victim, Ishatu Ibrahim, went to the St John’s School area at Achimota to buy cocoa drink for sale.
Inspector Oppong said the victim decided to eat before going on her usual rounds to sell the drink and sat on a bench at a carpentry shop to eat.
She said while eating, the victim was approached by the suspect who was holding a bible.
The suspect, she said, told the victim that he was the leader of a group of pastors who go round lorry stations to preach and that he had seen evil spirits following her and that she would never know any happiness in life unless she was delivered from the hands of the spirit.
The victim, who became convinced, quickly knelt down for the evangelist to pray for her but he insisted that the place was too open so they should rather go to his assistant’s house, which was nearby for the prayers.
Inspector Oppong said Peter ordered her to kneel down and raise her hands and while she was doing this, Peter was chewing something which later turned out to be ginger and pepper.
When Peter called out to the victim to open her eyes and look at him, and he quickly spat the contents into her eyes and this blinded her.
The Public Relations Officer said the suspect then pushed her onto the floor after struggling with her for some time, he succeeded in raping her. Though the victim shouted for help, nobody came to her rescue because the place was isolated.
After the act, the suspect started looking for his bible and when he realised that the victim had been lying on it during the act, he was so infuriated that he severely assaulted the victim before leaving her to her fate.
The victim managed to crawl out of the house and after walking for sometime met a good Samaritan who helped her to the roadside to pick a vehicle back home.
Three days after the incident, the victim went back to the area to buy cocoa drink as usual.
Inspector Oppong said Peter spotted the victim first and quickly walked up to her to ask how she got home the other day.
The victim raised an alarm which led to Peter’s arrest and he was handed over to the Mile 7 Police at Achimota.
Story: Mary Mensah
A 28-year-old-man who posed as an evangelist and succeeded in luring a 26-year- old petty trader to an abandoned house where he raped her, has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, Peter Ahoadin, was alleged to have severely assaulted the victim after the act for lying on his bible which fell down during a struggle between the two.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic in Accra, Inspector Irene Oppong, Public Relations Officer of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, said on February 26, 2008 at about noon, the victim, Ishatu Ibrahim, went to the St John’s School area at Achimota to buy cocoa drink for sale.
Inspector Oppong said the victim decided to eat before going on her usual rounds to sell the drink and sat on a bench at a carpentry shop to eat.
She said while eating, the victim was approached by the suspect who was holding a bible.
The suspect, she said, told the victim that he was the leader of a group of pastors who go round lorry stations to preach and that he had seen evil spirits following her and that she would never know any happiness in life unless she was delivered from the hands of the spirit.
The victim, who became convinced, quickly knelt down for the evangelist to pray for her but he insisted that the place was too open so they should rather go to his assistant’s house, which was nearby for the prayers.
Inspector Oppong said Peter ordered her to kneel down and raise her hands and while she was doing this, Peter was chewing something which later turned out to be ginger and pepper.
When Peter called out to the victim to open her eyes and look at him, and he quickly spat the contents into her eyes and this blinded her.
The Public Relations Officer said the suspect then pushed her onto the floor after struggling with her for some time, he succeeded in raping her. Though the victim shouted for help, nobody came to her rescue because the place was isolated.
After the act, the suspect started looking for his bible and when he realised that the victim had been lying on it during the act, he was so infuriated that he severely assaulted the victim before leaving her to her fate.
The victim managed to crawl out of the house and after walking for sometime met a good Samaritan who helped her to the roadside to pick a vehicle back home.
Three days after the incident, the victim went back to the area to buy cocoa drink as usual.
Inspector Oppong said Peter spotted the victim first and quickly walked up to her to ask how she got home the other day.
The victim raised an alarm which led to Peter’s arrest and he was handed over to the Mile 7 Police at Achimota.
ROYALHOUSE CHAPEL ORGANISES HEALTH WALK (Page 20)
12/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
Members of the Royalhouse Chapel International have organised a health walk and free medical screening exercise to commemorate Ghana’s 51 years of independence.
More than 3,000 members took part in the three-hour exercise which started from the church premises through Abossey Okai to the Korle Lagoon and back.
Over 40 health workers, including 10 doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians were on hand to offer medical services while Ebenezer Pharmacy Limited and Healthy Vita Pharmacy provided drugs cheaply to the participants.
They were also screened for Diabetes, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Malaria, prostrate for men over 40 years and cholesterol, among others.
Those who were found to be positive were referred for further treatment.
The General Overseer of the church, Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah, said the exercise was aimed at promoting the good health of members.
Rev. Ankrah said the Bible teaches in Ecclesiastics 7:17 that it is an indication of foolishness if you are careless with your health and die.
Rev. Ankrah indicated that wisdom and knowledge are defences and urged the members to establish good eating habits and cook food under hygienic conditions for long life and prosperity.
He said the exercise would be an annual affair to ensure that members lead healthy lives.
Dr Eyisi Addo, head of the medical team from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said Hepatitis B was very dangerous, attacked the liver and could be fatal if not detected early.
He said the disease was hereditary and mothers could pass it on to their babies. He, therefore, advised the members to endeavour to test for the disease to save themselves from unnecessary death.
He advised those above the age of 25 to eat three eggs a week to boost their metabolism and also eat low fat diets, more vegetables and fruits.
Story: Mary Mensah
Members of the Royalhouse Chapel International have organised a health walk and free medical screening exercise to commemorate Ghana’s 51 years of independence.
More than 3,000 members took part in the three-hour exercise which started from the church premises through Abossey Okai to the Korle Lagoon and back.
Over 40 health workers, including 10 doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians were on hand to offer medical services while Ebenezer Pharmacy Limited and Healthy Vita Pharmacy provided drugs cheaply to the participants.
They were also screened for Diabetes, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Malaria, prostrate for men over 40 years and cholesterol, among others.
Those who were found to be positive were referred for further treatment.
The General Overseer of the church, Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah, said the exercise was aimed at promoting the good health of members.
Rev. Ankrah said the Bible teaches in Ecclesiastics 7:17 that it is an indication of foolishness if you are careless with your health and die.
Rev. Ankrah indicated that wisdom and knowledge are defences and urged the members to establish good eating habits and cook food under hygienic conditions for long life and prosperity.
He said the exercise would be an annual affair to ensure that members lead healthy lives.
Dr Eyisi Addo, head of the medical team from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said Hepatitis B was very dangerous, attacked the liver and could be fatal if not detected early.
He said the disease was hereditary and mothers could pass it on to their babies. He, therefore, advised the members to endeavour to test for the disease to save themselves from unnecessary death.
He advised those above the age of 25 to eat three eggs a week to boost their metabolism and also eat low fat diets, more vegetables and fruits.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
GJA CALLS FOR NATIONAL BROADCASTING FUND (Page 3)
06/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the government to establish a National Broadcasting Fund to support public service broadcasting in the country.
It said the fund, to be managed by the National Media Commission (NMC), should come predominantly from public sources and must be substantial enough to prevent marginalisation in the sector.
The call was contained in a six-point communiqué presented to the NMC by the GJA on the way forward for Public Service broadcasting in the country.
The communiqué, which was drafted by all players in the communication industry in December last year, covers six areas such as general issues, policy and legal framework, funding, programming, GBC efficiency and the way forward.
They contended that effective public service broadcasting was crucial for the consolidation of democratic culture in Ghana as well as the country’s overall development process in view of its unique role in disseminating information and knowledge and in providing a forum for all sections of the society to express their opinion.
It said the executive, legislature and the NMC should work to develop policy for broadcasting in Ghana, which policy must be backed by legislation and must be in conformity with the letter and spirit of the constitution especially at it related to the freedom and independence of the media.
According to the communiqué, there is the urgent need for the organisation and restructuring of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and to enable the process to take place successfully under the public sector reform, the NMC, the legislature and the Attorney General’s Department should revisit the Subvented Agencies Act and rectify any contradictions that might affect the state-owned media.
The Chairman of the commission, Mr Adu Gyamfi, who received the communiqué, which was presented to him by the President of the GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, said the NMC was committed to public service broadcasting.
He said the NMC would continue to seek support from all stakeholders to ensure a free media landscape in the country.
Mr Adu Gyamfi said a media advocacy bill had already been presented to parliament and the NMC would lobby to ensure its passage before the end of the year.
Mr Ransford Tetteh thanked the Fredriech Herbert Foundation for supporting the GJA to undertake sampling of opinion about the future of Public Service Broadcasting in the country.
In conducting the exercise, he said, the GJA did so in order to protect journalists working at the GBC, which is a major constituency of the GJA, and also to re-define the role of the GBC in the dissemination of information.
He expressed the hope that the NMC would carry the debate on the future of the Public Service Broadcasting further in the country’s effort to re-structure the GBC.
Mr Kwesi Afriyie-Badu of KAB Consult said regional consultative fora on the same theme were organised in five regions, namely Volta, Eastern, Western, Ashanti and Northern to collate views on public sector broadcasting, with emphasis on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
He said there was the need for the government to resource GBC to enable it to play its public service role effectively and added that the NMC was well placed to lead the process to its destination.
Mr Afriyie-Badu said other agencies like the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and Parliament had a role to play in the process.
The Resource Person for the programme, Mr Berifi Appenteng, said public service broadcasting served as a platform for all ideas and added that it would not be limited only to GBC but other private ones that could also come in as time went on to be assisted.
Story: Mary Mensah
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the government to establish a National Broadcasting Fund to support public service broadcasting in the country.
It said the fund, to be managed by the National Media Commission (NMC), should come predominantly from public sources and must be substantial enough to prevent marginalisation in the sector.
The call was contained in a six-point communiqué presented to the NMC by the GJA on the way forward for Public Service broadcasting in the country.
The communiqué, which was drafted by all players in the communication industry in December last year, covers six areas such as general issues, policy and legal framework, funding, programming, GBC efficiency and the way forward.
They contended that effective public service broadcasting was crucial for the consolidation of democratic culture in Ghana as well as the country’s overall development process in view of its unique role in disseminating information and knowledge and in providing a forum for all sections of the society to express their opinion.
It said the executive, legislature and the NMC should work to develop policy for broadcasting in Ghana, which policy must be backed by legislation and must be in conformity with the letter and spirit of the constitution especially at it related to the freedom and independence of the media.
According to the communiqué, there is the urgent need for the organisation and restructuring of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and to enable the process to take place successfully under the public sector reform, the NMC, the legislature and the Attorney General’s Department should revisit the Subvented Agencies Act and rectify any contradictions that might affect the state-owned media.
The Chairman of the commission, Mr Adu Gyamfi, who received the communiqué, which was presented to him by the President of the GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, said the NMC was committed to public service broadcasting.
He said the NMC would continue to seek support from all stakeholders to ensure a free media landscape in the country.
Mr Adu Gyamfi said a media advocacy bill had already been presented to parliament and the NMC would lobby to ensure its passage before the end of the year.
Mr Ransford Tetteh thanked the Fredriech Herbert Foundation for supporting the GJA to undertake sampling of opinion about the future of Public Service Broadcasting in the country.
In conducting the exercise, he said, the GJA did so in order to protect journalists working at the GBC, which is a major constituency of the GJA, and also to re-define the role of the GBC in the dissemination of information.
He expressed the hope that the NMC would carry the debate on the future of the Public Service Broadcasting further in the country’s effort to re-structure the GBC.
Mr Kwesi Afriyie-Badu of KAB Consult said regional consultative fora on the same theme were organised in five regions, namely Volta, Eastern, Western, Ashanti and Northern to collate views on public sector broadcasting, with emphasis on the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
He said there was the need for the government to resource GBC to enable it to play its public service role effectively and added that the NMC was well placed to lead the process to its destination.
Mr Afriyie-Badu said other agencies like the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and Parliament had a role to play in the process.
The Resource Person for the programme, Mr Berifi Appenteng, said public service broadcasting served as a platform for all ideas and added that it would not be limited only to GBC but other private ones that could also come in as time went on to be assisted.
GHANA @51 SPECIAL PULL OUT (BRIEF HISTORY OF GHANA POLICE SERVICE)
06/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah
Brief History of the Ghana Police Service
The Ghana Police Service is the main law enforcement agency in Ghana. It is organised at national level and is generally under the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Although there are many regional and divisional commands, they all report to the National Headquarters in Accra.
Policing in the Gold Coast was originally organised by traditional authorities led by local kings or chiefs. This they did by employing unpaid messengers known as "ahenfie police" to carry out executive and judicial functions in their respective communities.
Professional policing was introduced by the British colonial authorities in 1831, the colonial administrator at the time. Captain George Maclean, Governor of the Gold Coast, recruited 129 men known as the Gold Coast Corps and later the Royal Corps, to patrol the trade routes between Ashanti and the coast and to protect colonial merchants and officials around the castle.
However, these groups were disbanded in 1860 and replaced by the more efficient West Indian Regiment and when the British colonialists gained control over the entire colony of Gold Coast in 1871, there was the need to create a police force which would help them deal with the "warlike" Ashantis and Akan tribes.
The colonial masters then brought an army of 700 Hausa men from Northern Nigeria and the West Indies into the Gold Coast; 400 of these men were used to form the Gold Coast Constabulary in 1871, guided the Police Force Ordinance, which was promulgated in the same year. As years went by, more Ghanaians were added and it became the Gold Coast Police Force.
All the commissioned officers at the time were British and the force became the "Gold Coast Constabulary" in 1876. The Police Ordinance, passed in 1894, gave legal backing to the formation of a civilian police force in the colony.
By 1902, the police had been divided into General, Escort, Mines and Railway Police and this was legalised by the Police [Amendment] Ordinance of 1904.
A Marine Police unit was formed in 1906 but was replaced by the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service in 1942.
In 1921, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was established. The plain-clothed personnel of this branch are employed as specialists in various aspects of crime detection.
The organisation of the service first started during the 1950s, when the British instituted several changes in the Gold Coast Police Service to modernise, enlarge and better equip the police.
Of greater importance was the decision by Britain to Africanise the police. Initially they had restricted access to senior positions in all branches of colonial administration, but following the agitation which erupted after the three ex-servicemen, Sgt Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, who were killed in 1948 by the colonial police, while leading a peaceful march to the Osu Castle to present a petition to the then Governor of the Gold Coast, this trend was gradually reversed.
In 1951, for example, 64 of the 80 senior police officers were foreigners but by 1958 only 11 of these senior officers were of foreign origin.
The first Ghanaian Police Commissioner was Mr E.R.T Madjitey. There have been 17 IGPs after him, with Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, the current one, being assisted by two deputies; one for operations and the other for administration.
The attainment of independence in 1957 saw the Ghana Police Force being renamed Ghana Police Service to give it a human face and serve the citizens better.
In consonance with Ghana’s status as an independent state, 1959 saw the establishment of an Armoured Car Squadron to deal with security threats to the state and the establishment of a Police College to undertake the systematic training of officers.
With an initial intake of 14 selected Inspectors and Chief Inspectors, the college provided local training to enable them to man key positions in the service. Before then, commissioned officers of the Ghana Police Service were trained in the United Kingdom.
The college now offers a nine-month officer cadet course and two to six weeks refresher courses in general and technical subjects.
The subjects taught are Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Law of Evidence, Criminal Investigations, Practical Police Duties, Criminology, Sociology, English/General Paper, Psychology, Map Reading, Health Education, Acts & Decrees and Financial Administration. The course also offers the cadet officers training in musketry.
In 1970 the Police Service was backed by an Act of Parliament - Act 350 of 1970 and this was supported later by other legislative instruments which have given the service a high level of legitimacy.
With the enactment of the Police Force (Amendment) Decree in 1974, the Ghana Police Service was removed from the control of the Public Service Commission and restored to the status of an autonomous organisation. The serviced branched was divided into smaller units i.e. districts and divisions, to enable it to cope with the increasing demands of the public.
Under the Fourth Republic, the Police Service was given constitutional backing in the discharge of their duties.
The core duties of the Police is to ensure a proactive and professional approach to the prevention and detection of crime, protection of life and property and the apprehending and prosecution of offenders.
Organisation and Administration
The Police Service is currently divided into two main groups; the overall command, control, supervision and monitoring activities are done at the national headquarters level while policing in general has been spread throughout the length and breadth of the country under a regional command structure, with a regional commander at the helm of affairs. Each of the 11 regional commanders operates from a regional headquarters.
The Police has shifted to a new paradigm of operations to make it more humane and democratic and community policing is at the core, where members of the public are involved in policing. Human rights and related issues have now been brought to the fore and the rights of the citizenry are taken into consideration in the handling of suspects and police operations.
The service has also created specialised units to meet contemporary demands. Among these are the Rapid Response Unit, Organised Crime Unit and Crime Scene Management to ensure that all crimes are well investigated, using forensic science application and the Critical Intelligence Response Team, an anti-terrorist unit created by the police administration to manage crises and terrorist-related activities.
The service has forged partnerships with other police organisations such as INTERPOL, FBI, French National Police and the British police in the fight against transnational crimes.
The Ghana Police Service prides itself on the newly established Women and Juvenile Unit, popularly known as WAJU. Established in October 1998, WAJU, now Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) responds to the increasing number of abuse and violence against women cases.
Ghana Police Service’s peacekeeping missions
The Ghanaian Contingent of the International Civilian Police (CIVPOL) has been involved in peacekeeping missions around the world, including Liberia, Namibia, Cambodia, Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor and Haiti, crediting the service as one of the most acclaimed peace-keeping forces.
The force was specially lauded in 2004 by the United Nations for its work in Liberia. Ghana's participation in peacekeeping began 34 years ago with the first deployment to the UN peacekeeping operations in the Congo in 1960.
Currently there are 13 regions under the Police Service and each of them is headed by a Regional Commander with a rank of Assistant Commissioner; there are the 10 geographical regions: Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Western. The last three regions are Tema, Railway and Ports, and finally National Headquarters.
Each region, with the exception of the National Headquarters, has divisions. There are 51 divisions nationwide. These are further subdivided into 179 districts and 651 stations across the country.
Its law enforcement establishment consists of 351 police officers, 649 inspectors, and 15,191 personnel in other grades distributed among 479 stations.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the Police Service in Ghana performs one of most essential key services to the state. It is also one of the most misunderstood state organisations in the country.
Recent INTERPOL records indicate that Ghana has the lowest crime rate in the African Commonwealth Region. (Source INTERPOL Analysis 2004).
For a country that has borne the brutality of colonisation - from the looting of its mineral wealth to the enslaving of its people - Ghana retains a remarkable sense of self-sufficiency in its subsistence. Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, the country, in 1957, became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence.
It boasts of a rich cultural history, from the colourful kente cloth woven by the Ashanti tribes to the intricately designed of wooden artefacts and the splendid architecture of castles lining the coast.
(Courtesy the Ghana Police Service).
Story: Mary Mensah
Brief History of the Ghana Police Service
The Ghana Police Service is the main law enforcement agency in Ghana. It is organised at national level and is generally under the Inspector General of Police (IGP). Although there are many regional and divisional commands, they all report to the National Headquarters in Accra.
Policing in the Gold Coast was originally organised by traditional authorities led by local kings or chiefs. This they did by employing unpaid messengers known as "ahenfie police" to carry out executive and judicial functions in their respective communities.
Professional policing was introduced by the British colonial authorities in 1831, the colonial administrator at the time. Captain George Maclean, Governor of the Gold Coast, recruited 129 men known as the Gold Coast Corps and later the Royal Corps, to patrol the trade routes between Ashanti and the coast and to protect colonial merchants and officials around the castle.
However, these groups were disbanded in 1860 and replaced by the more efficient West Indian Regiment and when the British colonialists gained control over the entire colony of Gold Coast in 1871, there was the need to create a police force which would help them deal with the "warlike" Ashantis and Akan tribes.
The colonial masters then brought an army of 700 Hausa men from Northern Nigeria and the West Indies into the Gold Coast; 400 of these men were used to form the Gold Coast Constabulary in 1871, guided the Police Force Ordinance, which was promulgated in the same year. As years went by, more Ghanaians were added and it became the Gold Coast Police Force.
All the commissioned officers at the time were British and the force became the "Gold Coast Constabulary" in 1876. The Police Ordinance, passed in 1894, gave legal backing to the formation of a civilian police force in the colony.
By 1902, the police had been divided into General, Escort, Mines and Railway Police and this was legalised by the Police [Amendment] Ordinance of 1904.
A Marine Police unit was formed in 1906 but was replaced by the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service in 1942.
In 1921, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was established. The plain-clothed personnel of this branch are employed as specialists in various aspects of crime detection.
The organisation of the service first started during the 1950s, when the British instituted several changes in the Gold Coast Police Service to modernise, enlarge and better equip the police.
Of greater importance was the decision by Britain to Africanise the police. Initially they had restricted access to senior positions in all branches of colonial administration, but following the agitation which erupted after the three ex-servicemen, Sgt Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, who were killed in 1948 by the colonial police, while leading a peaceful march to the Osu Castle to present a petition to the then Governor of the Gold Coast, this trend was gradually reversed.
In 1951, for example, 64 of the 80 senior police officers were foreigners but by 1958 only 11 of these senior officers were of foreign origin.
The first Ghanaian Police Commissioner was Mr E.R.T Madjitey. There have been 17 IGPs after him, with Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, the current one, being assisted by two deputies; one for operations and the other for administration.
The attainment of independence in 1957 saw the Ghana Police Force being renamed Ghana Police Service to give it a human face and serve the citizens better.
In consonance with Ghana’s status as an independent state, 1959 saw the establishment of an Armoured Car Squadron to deal with security threats to the state and the establishment of a Police College to undertake the systematic training of officers.
With an initial intake of 14 selected Inspectors and Chief Inspectors, the college provided local training to enable them to man key positions in the service. Before then, commissioned officers of the Ghana Police Service were trained in the United Kingdom.
The college now offers a nine-month officer cadet course and two to six weeks refresher courses in general and technical subjects.
The subjects taught are Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Law of Evidence, Criminal Investigations, Practical Police Duties, Criminology, Sociology, English/General Paper, Psychology, Map Reading, Health Education, Acts & Decrees and Financial Administration. The course also offers the cadet officers training in musketry.
In 1970 the Police Service was backed by an Act of Parliament - Act 350 of 1970 and this was supported later by other legislative instruments which have given the service a high level of legitimacy.
With the enactment of the Police Force (Amendment) Decree in 1974, the Ghana Police Service was removed from the control of the Public Service Commission and restored to the status of an autonomous organisation. The serviced branched was divided into smaller units i.e. districts and divisions, to enable it to cope with the increasing demands of the public.
Under the Fourth Republic, the Police Service was given constitutional backing in the discharge of their duties.
The core duties of the Police is to ensure a proactive and professional approach to the prevention and detection of crime, protection of life and property and the apprehending and prosecution of offenders.
Organisation and Administration
The Police Service is currently divided into two main groups; the overall command, control, supervision and monitoring activities are done at the national headquarters level while policing in general has been spread throughout the length and breadth of the country under a regional command structure, with a regional commander at the helm of affairs. Each of the 11 regional commanders operates from a regional headquarters.
The Police has shifted to a new paradigm of operations to make it more humane and democratic and community policing is at the core, where members of the public are involved in policing. Human rights and related issues have now been brought to the fore and the rights of the citizenry are taken into consideration in the handling of suspects and police operations.
The service has also created specialised units to meet contemporary demands. Among these are the Rapid Response Unit, Organised Crime Unit and Crime Scene Management to ensure that all crimes are well investigated, using forensic science application and the Critical Intelligence Response Team, an anti-terrorist unit created by the police administration to manage crises and terrorist-related activities.
The service has forged partnerships with other police organisations such as INTERPOL, FBI, French National Police and the British police in the fight against transnational crimes.
The Ghana Police Service prides itself on the newly established Women and Juvenile Unit, popularly known as WAJU. Established in October 1998, WAJU, now Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) responds to the increasing number of abuse and violence against women cases.
Ghana Police Service’s peacekeeping missions
The Ghanaian Contingent of the International Civilian Police (CIVPOL) has been involved in peacekeeping missions around the world, including Liberia, Namibia, Cambodia, Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor and Haiti, crediting the service as one of the most acclaimed peace-keeping forces.
The force was specially lauded in 2004 by the United Nations for its work in Liberia. Ghana's participation in peacekeeping began 34 years ago with the first deployment to the UN peacekeeping operations in the Congo in 1960.
Currently there are 13 regions under the Police Service and each of them is headed by a Regional Commander with a rank of Assistant Commissioner; there are the 10 geographical regions: Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Western. The last three regions are Tema, Railway and Ports, and finally National Headquarters.
Each region, with the exception of the National Headquarters, has divisions. There are 51 divisions nationwide. These are further subdivided into 179 districts and 651 stations across the country.
Its law enforcement establishment consists of 351 police officers, 649 inspectors, and 15,191 personnel in other grades distributed among 479 stations.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the Police Service in Ghana performs one of most essential key services to the state. It is also one of the most misunderstood state organisations in the country.
Recent INTERPOL records indicate that Ghana has the lowest crime rate in the African Commonwealth Region. (Source INTERPOL Analysis 2004).
For a country that has borne the brutality of colonisation - from the looting of its mineral wealth to the enslaving of its people - Ghana retains a remarkable sense of self-sufficiency in its subsistence. Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, the country, in 1957, became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence.
It boasts of a rich cultural history, from the colourful kente cloth woven by the Ashanti tribes to the intricately designed of wooden artefacts and the splendid architecture of castles lining the coast.
(Courtesy the Ghana Police Service).
EDUCATIONAL REFORM REQUIRES CHANGE IN MENTALITY (Lead Education Page)
06/03/2008
Story: Mary Mensah, Saltpond
Educational reform requires change in mentality
THE Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. A. Asabre-Ameyaw, has stated that the new educational reform calls for the total and fundamental transformation of teaching and management of the educational enterprise.
He said the reform required a change in mentality and a complete conceptual switch in the thinking and practices of education, coupled with the commitment by all stakeholders.
Prof. Asabre-Ameyaw was delivering the keynote address at the 45th Speech and Prize-giving Day of the Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School at Saltpond in the Central Region at the weekend.
The celebration was on the theme, “Successful Implementation of the New Educational Reform - The role of Stakeholders”.
The Vice Chancellor said the new reform called for quality education and any educational institution that professed quality education should produce students with the knowledge, skills and work habits needed to become productive and fulfilled citizens.
He said such institutions should provide clear goals, set high standards, have good and disciplined teachers and a well organised curriculum.
Prof. Asabre-Ameyaw reminded those involved in managing educational enterprises that to maximise the productivity of teachers, they should be remunerated well to prevent them from engaging activities for extra income in order for them to have adequate time for their work.
He said the government had the first responsibility in ensuring that schools had what it took to provide quality teaching and learning by providing basic resources such as buildings, utilities, teachers, teaching materials and vehicles for field trips.
The vice chancellor called on board of governors of schools to exercise effective supervision over academic and financial administration of the school.
He said it was important for them to have good working relations with heads of schools and hold all staff accountable for the results of the school.
The vice chancellor said quality education was one of the productive investments we should make and so we should provide funds and invest in the future citizens whose skills and knowledge would determine the direction of our economic development.
“Unless we make changes that will make us proud of our schools, to hold the teachers in high esteem and to decide that there was no better way for children and teenagers to spend part of their every day life than studying, we will squander the nation’s potential for future excellence,” he said.
The headmistress of the school, Mrs Sarah Wilson, said the school registered 519 candidates for the 2007 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and recorded 99.6 percent pass.
She said even though there was a slight improvement over the previous year’s results, the school had not been particularly impressed with the overall performance as several factors militated against achieving expected goals.
She said the school was in urgent need of assistance in order to cope with challenges that faced it and mentioned the expansion of the dining hall to serve the entire student population at one sitting. Currently, she said, students had to go to the dining hall in shifts.
Miss Jiaui Sapathy of the Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, who emerged the overall best student of the school, during the West Africa Senior Secondary Certicifate Examination (WASSCE), receiving an award from a member of the school board, Bishop Jeremiah Morrison, when the school held its 45th speech and prize-giving day last week-end.
Story: Mary Mensah, Saltpond
Educational reform requires change in mentality
THE Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. A. Asabre-Ameyaw, has stated that the new educational reform calls for the total and fundamental transformation of teaching and management of the educational enterprise.
He said the reform required a change in mentality and a complete conceptual switch in the thinking and practices of education, coupled with the commitment by all stakeholders.
Prof. Asabre-Ameyaw was delivering the keynote address at the 45th Speech and Prize-giving Day of the Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School at Saltpond in the Central Region at the weekend.
The celebration was on the theme, “Successful Implementation of the New Educational Reform - The role of Stakeholders”.
The Vice Chancellor said the new reform called for quality education and any educational institution that professed quality education should produce students with the knowledge, skills and work habits needed to become productive and fulfilled citizens.
He said such institutions should provide clear goals, set high standards, have good and disciplined teachers and a well organised curriculum.
Prof. Asabre-Ameyaw reminded those involved in managing educational enterprises that to maximise the productivity of teachers, they should be remunerated well to prevent them from engaging activities for extra income in order for them to have adequate time for their work.
He said the government had the first responsibility in ensuring that schools had what it took to provide quality teaching and learning by providing basic resources such as buildings, utilities, teachers, teaching materials and vehicles for field trips.
The vice chancellor called on board of governors of schools to exercise effective supervision over academic and financial administration of the school.
He said it was important for them to have good working relations with heads of schools and hold all staff accountable for the results of the school.
The vice chancellor said quality education was one of the productive investments we should make and so we should provide funds and invest in the future citizens whose skills and knowledge would determine the direction of our economic development.
“Unless we make changes that will make us proud of our schools, to hold the teachers in high esteem and to decide that there was no better way for children and teenagers to spend part of their every day life than studying, we will squander the nation’s potential for future excellence,” he said.
The headmistress of the school, Mrs Sarah Wilson, said the school registered 519 candidates for the 2007 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and recorded 99.6 percent pass.
She said even though there was a slight improvement over the previous year’s results, the school had not been particularly impressed with the overall performance as several factors militated against achieving expected goals.
She said the school was in urgent need of assistance in order to cope with challenges that faced it and mentioned the expansion of the dining hall to serve the entire student population at one sitting. Currently, she said, students had to go to the dining hall in shifts.
Miss Jiaui Sapathy of the Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, who emerged the overall best student of the school, during the West Africa Senior Secondary Certicifate Examination (WASSCE), receiving an award from a member of the school board, Bishop Jeremiah Morrison, when the school held its 45th speech and prize-giving day last week-end.
31 SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS RE-ASSIGNED (Page 3 Lead)
06/03/2008
Thirty-one senior police officers have been re-assigned as part of a major exercise within the Ghana Police Service.
As part of the exercise, two officers have been promoted to the position of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police. They are the Director-General in charge of Human Resource Development, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mrs Joanna Osei Poku, who has been promoted to the position of Commissioner, while the Tema Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) John Kudalor, has also been promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, the exercise followed approval by President J.A. Kufuor and the Police Council.
He said in addition to the promotion of some of the senior police officers, others had been transferred to other regions.
He said ACP Seth Charles Oteng, until recently the acting Ashanti Regional Police Commander, had been confirmed as the Commander for the region.
DSP Ofori said the acting Director of the Police Hospital, ACP Dr Godfred Asiamah, had also been confirmed as the substantive Director of the hospital, with ACP Seidu Mahamadu Zakaria as the Deputy Director.
Other changes involve ACP Bright Oduro, the Ashanti Regional Crime Officer, who has been appointed the Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, with additional responsibilities to supervise the regional CID until a substantive crime officer is appointed; the acting Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who has now been confirmed as the substantive Director.
Chief Superintendent of Police Vincent Dedjoe, the Course Director for Law Enforcement Officers at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre (KAIPTC), has been posted to the Police Headquarters as the Director of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS).
DSP Ofori said all the three senior police officers in charge of the Bawku District had also been posted to various areas. They are Chief Superintendent Peterkin Yentumi Gyinae, the Bawku Divisional Commander, who is to head the Akosombo Division; DSP Alex C. Acquah, the Bawku District Commander, who goes to the Dambai District in the Volta Region, and ASP Isaac C. Akligbe, in charge of Crime at Bawku, who goes to Enchi in the Western Region.
According to DSP Kwesi Ofori, all the postings take immediate effect.
Thirty-one senior police officers have been re-assigned as part of a major exercise within the Ghana Police Service.
As part of the exercise, two officers have been promoted to the position of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police. They are the Director-General in charge of Human Resource Development, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mrs Joanna Osei Poku, who has been promoted to the position of Commissioner, while the Tema Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) John Kudalor, has also been promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police.
According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, the exercise followed approval by President J.A. Kufuor and the Police Council.
He said in addition to the promotion of some of the senior police officers, others had been transferred to other regions.
He said ACP Seth Charles Oteng, until recently the acting Ashanti Regional Police Commander, had been confirmed as the Commander for the region.
DSP Ofori said the acting Director of the Police Hospital, ACP Dr Godfred Asiamah, had also been confirmed as the substantive Director of the hospital, with ACP Seidu Mahamadu Zakaria as the Deputy Director.
Other changes involve ACP Bright Oduro, the Ashanti Regional Crime Officer, who has been appointed the Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, with additional responsibilities to supervise the regional CID until a substantive crime officer is appointed; the acting Director of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, DSP Kwesi Ofori, who has now been confirmed as the substantive Director.
Chief Superintendent of Police Vincent Dedjoe, the Course Director for Law Enforcement Officers at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre (KAIPTC), has been posted to the Police Headquarters as the Director of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS).
DSP Ofori said all the three senior police officers in charge of the Bawku District had also been posted to various areas. They are Chief Superintendent Peterkin Yentumi Gyinae, the Bawku Divisional Commander, who is to head the Akosombo Division; DSP Alex C. Acquah, the Bawku District Commander, who goes to the Dambai District in the Volta Region, and ASP Isaac C. Akligbe, in charge of Crime at Bawku, who goes to Enchi in the Western Region.
According to DSP Kwesi Ofori, all the postings take immediate effect.
REVIEW LAND TENURE-AKUFO ADDO
06/03/08
The Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo has called for a review of the land tenure system in the country to make land more accessible to the ordinary Ghanaian especially estate developers.
He said the present system makes it very difficult and cumbersome for people to acquire lands to build their houses or farm.
Nana Akuffo-Addo made the call at a meeting with the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) in Accra last Friday.
He said the housing industry plays a critical role in the development of the country and every effort ought to be made to enable them maximise their full potential.
He said infrastructure is of grave concern to the government because it makes development meaningful and the government is considering buying land so that the developers will be free of all problems associated with land acquisition and bridge the housing dificit in the country.
The flag bearer indicated that the development of every nation is where its citizenry are well housed, clothe and fed.
He said the time has come for the country to wean itself from donor funds and hand outs should be a thing of the past.
On his part, the minister of Finance, Mr Baah Wiredu advised the developers not to centre their operations in the capital but should expand it to the other regions.
He said with the discovery of the oil in the western region they explore the possibility of shifting their attention there before any foreigner takes the opportunity.
He said the government has reduce taxes on raw materials imported into the country to enable the private sector to grow.
Mr Baah Wiredu said the impact of the influx of foreign banks in the country is now being felt because they have brought stiff competition into the market and some are currently providing affordable financing to people to enable them buy homes.
The Minister advised the developers to take full advantage of the new challenges and services being offered by the banks to enable them build more affordable houses for the good people of this nation.
He said sound macro economy is crucial to the development of the nation and a precondition for growth adding that ‘the biggest achievement of the government is by ensuring a sound macro economy in the country”.
He indicated that for the whole framework of the housing delivery to be enhanced there is the need to build the capacities of all spheres of the nation.
The President of GREDA, Dr Alexander Tweneboa said the association will be celebrating its 20th year this year and this is the first time an aspirant has taken it upon himself to meet with developers.
He said this shows that Nana Akuffo Addo is giving meaning to the private sector being an engine of growth in the country and the potential housing has for the socio economic development of the country in terms of attracting investment and providing a stable social climate for economic growth and progress.
Dr Tweneboa assured the aspirant that the developers are ready to co-operate and partner with government and any other bodies to greatly enhance the delivery capacity of houses in both the urban and rural areas.
He said GREDA believes that housing can become the country’s vital engine room for growth, employment, economic prosperity and stability.
He said “the only way that we can make significant inroads in the chronic housing deficit is by private participation and government should play the role of a facilitator and create a conducive enabling environment for the private real estate developers to develop a strong private sector participation housing delivery in the country.
The Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo has called for a review of the land tenure system in the country to make land more accessible to the ordinary Ghanaian especially estate developers.
He said the present system makes it very difficult and cumbersome for people to acquire lands to build their houses or farm.
Nana Akuffo-Addo made the call at a meeting with the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) in Accra last Friday.
He said the housing industry plays a critical role in the development of the country and every effort ought to be made to enable them maximise their full potential.
He said infrastructure is of grave concern to the government because it makes development meaningful and the government is considering buying land so that the developers will be free of all problems associated with land acquisition and bridge the housing dificit in the country.
The flag bearer indicated that the development of every nation is where its citizenry are well housed, clothe and fed.
He said the time has come for the country to wean itself from donor funds and hand outs should be a thing of the past.
On his part, the minister of Finance, Mr Baah Wiredu advised the developers not to centre their operations in the capital but should expand it to the other regions.
He said with the discovery of the oil in the western region they explore the possibility of shifting their attention there before any foreigner takes the opportunity.
He said the government has reduce taxes on raw materials imported into the country to enable the private sector to grow.
Mr Baah Wiredu said the impact of the influx of foreign banks in the country is now being felt because they have brought stiff competition into the market and some are currently providing affordable financing to people to enable them buy homes.
The Minister advised the developers to take full advantage of the new challenges and services being offered by the banks to enable them build more affordable houses for the good people of this nation.
He said sound macro economy is crucial to the development of the nation and a precondition for growth adding that ‘the biggest achievement of the government is by ensuring a sound macro economy in the country”.
He indicated that for the whole framework of the housing delivery to be enhanced there is the need to build the capacities of all spheres of the nation.
The President of GREDA, Dr Alexander Tweneboa said the association will be celebrating its 20th year this year and this is the first time an aspirant has taken it upon himself to meet with developers.
He said this shows that Nana Akuffo Addo is giving meaning to the private sector being an engine of growth in the country and the potential housing has for the socio economic development of the country in terms of attracting investment and providing a stable social climate for economic growth and progress.
Dr Tweneboa assured the aspirant that the developers are ready to co-operate and partner with government and any other bodies to greatly enhance the delivery capacity of houses in both the urban and rural areas.
He said GREDA believes that housing can become the country’s vital engine room for growth, employment, economic prosperity and stability.
He said “the only way that we can make significant inroads in the chronic housing deficit is by private participation and government should play the role of a facilitator and create a conducive enabling environment for the private real estate developers to develop a strong private sector participation housing delivery in the country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)