Essay Competition for Ghana’s oil

Wednesday November 17, 2010

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday November 17, 2010
The Jubilee First Oil national Essay Competition was launched in Accra last week with a call on the government to strive to use oil revenue for accelerated development.

The competition is in two categories for pupils in Junior and Senior High Schools (junior) on one hand and students in tertiary institutions (senior) on the other hand.

It forms part of activities to get the youth involved and harness their ideas on how to manage Ghana’s oil for the benefit of the people. The competition has been designed to coincide with the pouring of the country’s first oil.

Under the competition, student entering the junior category will write on the topic “To what use should Ghana put its oil wealth” – (not more than 500) while these entering the senior category would tackle the topic “Ghana’s oil is for development; outline some developmental benefits of Ghana’s oil find” – (not more than 750 word), and entries should reach the secretariat by November 30, 2010.

The five-member panel to review all entries expects students to present ideas in balanced, objective, and also display integrity and resourcefulness and communicate ideas to make the issue relevant. They are expected to send the entries to firstoilessay@yahoo.com or firstoilessay@gmail.com or post it to P.O. Box CT 5976, Cantonments, Accra where winners will prizes including educational grants.

Launching the competition, Mary Quaye, Director of Pre-Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education who represented Elizabeth Amoah-Tetteh, a Deputy Minister of Education said the competition offers the youth an opportunity to be part of an important national issue which is the discovery of oil.

She said “today marks a changing environment in corporate Ghana’s attitude towards the youth. This opportunity is a unique test to our young ones as they are put in the position to think as future leaders.”

She said the competition forms part of the efforts to ensure that the oil find does not become a curse, saying “through their research our youth will realise for themselves that we will reap the benefits of this industry as long as certain measures are observed.”

Dr. Mawuli Adjei, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, who is also a member of the judging panel, stressed the need for the youth to be given the opportunity to contribute significantly towards national development.

Elizabeth Bentil, a Manager at Tullow Oil, said the Jubilee Oilfield partners would continue to sensitize the youth on the oil find, saying “what we are doing is a form of exhibition to let the youth know how oil is drilled and the benefits for the country.”

The partners of the Jubilee Oilfield include Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, EO Group Ghana Limited, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Kosmos Energy, SABRE Oil and Gas and Tullow Oil.

TUC To Protect Domestic Workers

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday November 16, 2010.
The Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has initiated a series of advocacy programmes to formulate rules and regulations that would promote decent work and protect domestic workers in the country.

Data compiled under the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) in 2005 show that domestic workers in the country are the least paid and mostly work under inhuman conditions.

The TUC, together with Global Network Africa, say the time has come for the rights of domestic workers to be respected.

At a workshop in Accra yesterday on ‘Social protection for domestic workers,’ participants from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), National Labour Commission (NLC), Ghana Employers association (GEA), Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and TUC officials discussed pertinent issues affecting domestic workers.

Speaking on the topic: ‘Decent work deficit in the informal sector’, Clara Osei-Boateng, a researcher at the Labour Institute in Accra said certain provisions in the current labour laws made it impossible for domestic workers to enjoy the same rights as all other workers, describing the situation as “pure discrimination.”

She said research conducted on domestic work shows that public recruitment centres do not always ensure the enforcement of labour laws whenever people approach them for domestic workers, explaining that private recruitment agencies mostly adhere to the rules, saying “there is laxity in the public recruitment centres.”

Ms. Osei-Boateng also said that expatriates who approach recruitment centres for domestic workers tend to comply with the rules more than non-expatriates and added that most domestic workers prefer to work for expatriates.

She said the problem has come about because domestic workers do not realise that they have rights under the labour laws, saying “most of them have not even heard about the labour laws, let alone know where to seek redress.”

She said organized labour is seeking for a law that would protect both the domestic worker and the employer, adding that “there should be a situation where an employer can locate and seek redress against a domestic worker who goes against the rules.”

Togbe Adu Drayi II of TUC said the issue of domestic workers should be addressed, taking into consideration the socio-cultural settings of the people.

He said poor socio-economic circumstances are fuelling the situation where by people take up appointments as domestic workers saying “the right of domestic workers has become a major concern for the TUC and its needs serious attention.”

He noted that domestic workers render important services but their contributions to the economy are not recognized, explaining that the lack of protection for them was due to the kind of contracts they enter into with their employers.

Togbe Drayi called on government to partner the organized labour to develop standards that would regulate activities of domestic workers, saying we should have a comprehensive framework for domestic workers to be safe.

Spio jabs Kwabena Adjei over JJ’s House

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday November 15, 2010
Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a first vice chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is angry with his party members following a statement issued by their national chairman.

Dr. Kwabena Adjei is accusing Dr. Spio-Garbrah of abandoning a task given him to resolve former President Jerry John Rawlings’s accommodation problem.

Spio described portions of the chairman’s statement as “a sophisticated hoax”, as the section quoted was “totally false”.

Spio had castigated President John Evans Atta Mills for leaving ex-President Rawlings homeless, when he honoured an invitation to speak at a Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN) workshop in Accra on November 9, 2010.

This incurred the wrath of the NDC leadership, which expressed what some political analysts believed was a belated concern about the housing issue.

The statement condemning Dr. Spio-Garbrah, Dela Coffie, Communications Director of Friends of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings (FONKAR) as well as the TEIN members, was signed by NDC national chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei whose ‘there are many ways of killing a cat’ statement, with reference to judges in the country, caused fear and panic among judges recently.

It had said among other things that “the FEC (Functional Executive Committee) wishes to state that Dr. Spio-Garbrah was appointed chairman of a three-member committee set up to resolve the former first couple’s accommodation problem. Unfortunately, Dr. Spio-Garbrah left Ghana for his UK base without calling a meeting of the committee. Indeed, he is yet to call a meeting of that committee.”

Reacting to the ‘falsehood’ put out by the NDC chairman, Dr. Spio-Garbrah said, “My attention has been drawn to a statement issued yesterday, purportedly under the signature of Dr Kwabena Adjei, the chairman of our party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC)…I hope that this statement allegedly put out by the party chairman is a sophisticated hoax, as the section quoted above is totally false.

“I wish to state categorically, without fear of contradiction, that I have not been appointed the chairman of any three-man NDC party committee to deal with the Rawlings house issue. Another vice chairman of the party was the one appointed at a NEC meeting at the KAMA Conference Centre about two months ago, where I was present, and the important issue of why Rawlings’ official accommodation problem was not even on the agenda to be discussed by NEC.”

He stated that earlier at another meeting of FEC, about four months ago, which he chaired in the absence of the chairman, he raised the issue of why “this important matter was not on the agenda.”

He noted that following the discussion of the subject, he was part of a large party delegation which met urgently at the Castle to discuss the issue with President Mills and other senior Castle officials, saying, “So, yes, I have been concerned with this matter, as one of several factors which in my opinion is detracting from party unity, and I have tried to use all internal party channels to have it addressed.

“In fact, it would have been awkward and inappropriate for the only vice chairman of the party who is known to reside outside Ghana to have been appointed as chairman of a committee that needed to urgently address such an important matter of state which affects the party, when there are four or five other vice chairmen who could have handled this matter.

“Indeed, closer scrutiny of the minutes of that NEC meeting, or even quiet conversations between the chairman and some of those present at that NEC meeting, would reveal that the party chairman has made what I consider to be simply a genuine and honest mistake, if indeed he issued the statement under his signature.”

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said there was no NDC party letter appointing him to the position with relevant terms of reference, time-table or deadline to report and no NEC resolution of the NDC giving him such an assignment, adding, “The unfortunate impression that the NDC chairman's statement may have created that I, a mere private citizen, and an elected party official with no executive power could have somehow commandeered the Presidency to give this or that house to former President Rawlings and his family, and I have failed to act, is simply incredulous.”

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said the whole spectacle and the blame-game over the Rawlings house issue was a shame, noting that there was not a single person at the Castle, the seat of government, who was not benefiting from the sacrifices made by former President Rawlings.

He said he had never denigrated President Mills “for this situation or any other matter”, even though he bore part of this collective responsibility and asked NDC members who could not maintain joint respect for both President Mills and ex-President Rawlings to explain their positions to the public, and not drag him into their problems.

He had told TEIN members at the workshop in Accra that the NDC government had not shown gratitude to Rawlings for all his sacrifices.

“I understand that President Rawlings cannot award contracts today and that is because he doesn’t make appointments anymore. He is not relevant and of no value to the party. Otherwise it is not possible that even when disaster victims faraway in Haiti can receive a donation of $3million but when a disaster befalls the founder of the party and former President of the Republic of Ghana who by the Constitution is required to be given official accommodation, till today he does not have official accommodation. And yet there are over one thousand Government bungalows in Accra and I personally have identified some of them and have recommended it to the people concerned.

“NPP don’t take us serious because they see that we are unable to house our own father and are aware that the party is not strong enough to face them in the 2012 election,” he said.

Konadu Stings Mosquito

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu
The unprovoked attacks by Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that President John Evans Atta Mills has left Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings homeless is fast deepening the woes of the ruling party which is already struggling to paper the deepening cracks ahead of the 2012 general elections.

It has emerged that former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings who was also present at the controversial Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN) workshop in Accra which has been described as inciting accused the party’s national executives of hypocrisy and biased in favour of President Atta Mills.

The former first lady did not understand why NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia aka General Mosquito, should chastise her publicly when the party’s foot soldiers displayed her posters declaring their support for her presidential ambitions even though she had not publicly declared herself.

She said the same Asiedu Nketia and the party’s executives were silent when President Mills was said to have explicitly expressed interest in running again for the presidency in 2012 on more than one occasion, when nominations had not been opened for the NDC’s presidential slot.

The former First Lady did not understand why the provisions in the NDC’s constitution should be applied in a discriminatory manner saying “the party has a constitution that says that two years to the general elections we should have a congress and choose a flagbearer…the General Secretary says nobody should declare until the ban is lifted…so if this is in the constitution does it apply to one or two people or it applies to everybody.”

Unlike Vice President John Dramani Mahama who has publicly declared he would “never run” against President Mills, the former First Lady is yet to confirm or deny that she would contest to lead the NDC for the 2012 general election but she maintains that the only way to make the Mills administration perform was to be critical of the President and his functionaries.

“We have to be critical of the government, if that is what is going to make the government to properly work for us, because of handout the people are quiet, and because of small money the people are quiet” she said.

The open defiance and disrespect displayed by some TEIN members despite a directive from Ludwig Hlodze, the National Youth Organizer calling on the TEIN executives not to hold the workshop which was believed to have been sponsored by the Rawlings faction in the NDC shows how the party was struggling to deal with indiscipline.

Mr. Hlodze who had earlier tried to stop the workshop said “I still insist it was an illegal workshop. It does not have the blessing of the party or the youth wing of which I am the head. They did not have my consent to hold the workshop.

“Some people are trying to create power blocs in the party. People who claim to be members of the NDC must respect the rules and regulations of the party. We should not do things to undermine the very structures that we have all helped to put together,” he said.

He said Dr. Sunu cannot be a member of TEIN because he is a practicing medical officer and not a student and wondered how they came by the funds to organize the workshop and even camping some of the delegates, when the same people had been coming to him for chop money and rent allowances.

But Dr Sunu says members of the network have not in any way been incited by comments made by Dr Spio-Garbrah against the party at the workshop.

The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the NDC expressed what some political analysts believe a belated concern about the activities of a group calling itself "Greater Accra TEIN".

The FEC said it was studying details of the TEIN workshop which was convened by one Dr. David Yaoga Sunu and would soon come out with an official position on it in a released signed by NDC National Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei whose infamous statement “there are many ways of killing a cat’ in reference to judges in the country caused fear and panic among judges recently.

The statement issued in Accra condemned a speech by Dela Coffie in the name of Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings (FONKAR), which attacked the integrity of President John Evans Atta Mills and Vice President John Dramani Mahama and distanced NDC from the publication since "the party does not recognize FONKAR or any of such groups and their purported executives".

"For the avoidance of doubt, the party shall fish out and identify the likes of Dela Coffie and deal with them in accordance with the relevant provisions of the party's constitution," the statement said.

Della Coffie who had since issuing the damming statement attacking the integrity of Vice President Mahama had received tongue lashing from Mills apologists had not kept quiet firing from all cylinders.

Della virtually thrown the integrity of Vice President John Dramani Mahama into question by describing him as somebody who has no ‘conscience’ and can easily be bribed, tainting the image of the number two citizens.

Tackling Spio’s attacks on President Mills for allegedly failing to provide accommodation for the former first family, the FEC expressed dismay about the statement and said Spio was appointed Chairman of a three-member committee set up to resolve the former first couple's accommodation problem, but unfortunately, he left the country for his UK base without calling a meeting.

Meanwhile the NDC youth in the Ashanti Region have asked the party’s executives to stand up against the persistent attacks by some leading members of the party on President Mills.

NDC Regional Youth Organizer, Kwaku Boafo, speaking to Nhyira FM in Kumasi said ‘disaster’ awaits the in 2012 should the leadership of the party fail to curb indiscipline in the party.

They vowed to resist any group or individuals who attempt to make President Mills unpopular saying “If we hear anybody insulting or castigating the President and the Vice-President so that they cannot achieve the Better Ghana Agenda then we the youths in Ashanti Region will stand against them. We don’t know where this is coming from.”

Ban Surface Mining-Catholic Bishops

Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong and President of Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.


Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday November 11, 2010
Catholic Bishops of Ghana have called on government to, as a matter of urgency, abolish surface mining in the country because of the devastating effects mining activities are having on the people.

Out of the 14 or more multi-national mining companies in the country, it only AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine which is engaged in underground mining as the rest are into hot surface mining sometimes in forest reserves, which environmental experts say, is contributing to the rapid depletion of Ghana’s forest cover.

Interestingly, these multi-national mining companies would never be allowed to engage in surface mining in their parent countries and environmental advocates believe that these companies are taking advantage of what they call “relaxed mining laws” in Ghana to do their operations.

In the communiqué issued at the end of the annual plenary assembly held at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western Region from October 29 to November 5, 2010 under the theme, “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation”, the Bishops said “we advocate the immediate abolition of surface mining because of its obvious harmful social and environmental consequences. In this connection, we commend those traditional rulers who are making great efforts to protect the environment.”

The communiqué, signed by Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong and President of Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said even though mining has been going on for a long time, the country cannot affirm that the advantages derived from the mining activities are in any way commensurate with their disastrous impact on the natural environment.

“As pastors, we also want to single out for attention the worrying development of mining in forest reserves. It is gradually becoming the trend for the government and some traditional rulers to grant foreign mining companies the concession to mine in forest reserves. The clearing of natural habitats for mining, especially surface mining, oil and gas exploration and exploitation has led to the unprecedented loss of biodiversity in the ecosystem, threatening a sizable number of plant and animal species.”

They also expressed concern about the level of pollution that the country is experiencing saying “air, water and noise pollution is increasing at an alarming rate today so much so that it appears to have been taken for granted.”

The Bishops said it is very sad to note that many of rivers in the country including Ankobra, Birim and Pra are no longer potable due to excessive pollution and also attributed the escalation of prices of food items in the country to shortages in agricultural production as a result of poor soil fertility and erratic rainfall patterns due to deforestation.

“At present, according to reliable sources, the forest cover of the country is only 1.2 million hectares, down from 8.2 million hectares in 1957. The annual deforestation rate is 65,000 hectares per year and yet there are numerous officially licensed timber companies in addition to the illegal ‘chain saw’ operators still at work in our forests,” they said.

Apart from the concerns about the environment, the Bishops also touched on the oil find and the need to ensure national peace and security.

They urged the international community to insist on transparent, fair and accountable processes in the exploration and production of the oil as well as the management of revenue for the creation of wealth to enhance the quality of life of all people in the country.

TEIN demands legal backing

Dr. David Yaoga Sunu is the Greater Accra Regional president of TEIN.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday November 11, 2010
THE CONTROVERSIAL workshop organized by the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) that sparked a war of words in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)has issued a communiqué asking the party leadership to give them legal backing in the NDC constitution without delay.

At the end of the workshop themed: “Resources untapped; harnessing the full potentials of TEIN,” participants issued a communiqué saying “as a matter of urgency, due legal recognition must be granted the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) as far as the NDC constitution is concerned.”

It was at this workshop held on Tuesday that Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah, a first National Vice Chairman of the NDC accused President John Evan Atta Mills of neglecting Ex-President JJ Rawlings, founder of the party and not making any effort to resettle him since his house was gutted by fire on Valentine’s Day.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah who is currently the Chief Executive of Commonwealth
Telecommunication Organization (CTO) in London said at the workshop that many believe was sponsored by the Rawlings faction with NDC matriarch, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings in attendance, that he does not understand why government was giving the former president a raw deal in spite of his role as party founder.

Spio-Garbrah noted the state’s inability to resettle Rawlings had given the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) the chance to ridicule the government.

“I understand that President Rawlings cannot award contracts today and that because he doesn’t make appointments anymore he is not relevant and of no value to the party. Otherwise it is not possible that even disaster victims far away in Haiti can receive a donation of $3million but when a disaster befalls the founder of the party and former President of the Republic of Ghana who by the Constitution is required to be given official accommodation, he does not have official accommodation till today.

And yet there are over one thousand government bungalows in Accra and I personally have identified some of them and have recommended it to the people concerned.”

“The NPP don’t take us serious because they see that we are unable to house our own father and are aware that the party is not strong enough to face them in the 2012 election,” he said.

The participants said the social democratic ideals and historical background of the NDC makes it the most ideal party which the youth of this country must join and work for and called for regular budgetary support for TEIN at all levels.

They noted the appointment of regional TEIN coordinators must cease immediately and that TEINs must be established at all regional levels across the country with elected executives. Participants added that a national TEIN must be established as the umbrella body for all TEINs with elected national executives.

“As a matter of urgency, a copy of the amendments to the party’s constitution adopted at the 2010 National Congress must be provided to TEIN through the Greater Accra Regional TEIN and all requests in the document of ‘TEIN Proposals’ must be provided for TEIN.”

The meeting was organized by Dr. David Yaoga Sunu, President of Greater Accra TEIN.

Mills is Wicked – Spio-Garbrah

Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is a leading member of the ruling NDC in Ghana.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday November 10, 2010
A comment by Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a first Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that President John Evans Atta Mills is a wicked and callous person has sparked new war of words in the ruling party, causing fear and panic among the rank.

Spio who has penchant of dropping bombs in the Mills administration told a gathering of NDC student wing in Accra that he doesn’t understand while the government was giving former President Jerry Rawlings a raw deal inspite of his role as the founder of the party.

Addressing a controversial Tertiary Education Institution Network (TEIN) workshop in Accra yesterday, Dr. Spio-Garbrah who is currently the Chief Executive of Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization (CTO) in London said President Mills is wicked and callous because he had rendered Ex-President Rawlings a destitute, in the midst of thousands of state houses in Accra.

He had said among other things that even though there were over 1000s state bungalows in Accra alone the President Mills has not made any effort to resettle the founder of the party whose house was gutted by fire on Valentine’s Day this year.

Spio said that the government’s inability to resettle Rawlings had given the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) the chance to ridicule the government.

“I understand that President Rawlings cannot award contracts today and that because he doesn’t make appointments anymore he is not relevant and of no value to the party. Otherwise it is not possible that even when disaster victims faraway in Haiti can receive a donation of $3million but when a disaster befalls the founder of the party and former President of the Republic of Ghana who by the Constitution is required to be given official accommodation, till today he does not have official accommodation. And yet there are over one thousand Government bungalows in Accra and I personally have identified some of them and have recommended it to the people concerned.

“NPP don’t take us serious because they see that we are unable to house our own father and are aware that the party is not strong enough to face them in the 2012 election,” he said.

Spio took on members of the party who claim the term ‘foot soldier’ was a creation of the NPP and alien to the NDC.

According to him, the NDC has been hijacked by certain individuals - mainly CPP and NPP elements - to the detriment of loyal party members.

He expressed regret that National Executives of the party, who were begging foot soldiers for votes some few months ago, are now distancing themselves from them, claiming the concept is alien to them.

“Foot soldiers were not something created by the NPP as some people are trying to suggest. So we cannot alienate the foundation of our party being the foot soldiers and the Leader and Founder of our party being President Rawlings, and then be hanging in the middle and call ourselves a party that is going for an election,” he said.

He also re-emphasized that some of the appointees in the Mills government are incompetent and mourned over the fact that many others like him (Spio) had been sidelined and loaded the government with under age people which popularly refers to as ‘Team B’.

But the Dr. Spio-Garbrah met his match in Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information who lambasted the NDC vice chairman, accusing him of inciting NDC youth against President Mills.

He said Spio wants to say that he is the most experienced politician who was not serving in the Atta Mills-government but the Deputy Minister said there were many ways that one can contribute to the party.

He reminded Spio that not everybody could be appointed by the President to serve in the government and compared governance to the game of football where there are substitutions.

“Alban Bagbin, Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing and Nii Afotey Agbo a Minister of State were all critics of the government yet President Mills appointed them as Ministers later on,” he told Joy FM last night in reaction to Spio’s bomb.

Okudzeto Ablakwa said what Spio-Garbrah was doing that to incite the youth against President Mills and his appointees and asked rhetorically that chasing officials with clubs and sticks, is that what Dr. Spio-Garbrah wants?

“He said President Mills is callous and wicked and when he was caught on tape he says he did not know the media were there,” the Deputy Minister queried.

It is now clear that misunderstandings and confusion that has rocked top echelons of the ruling NDChas trickled down to the youth wing of the party as the yesterday’s event was sponsored by the Rawlings faction of the party with NDC matriarch, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings in attendance.

The open defiance and disrespect displayed by some TEIN members despite a directive from Ludwig Hlodze, the National Youth Organizer calling on the TEIN executives not to hold the workshop shows how the party was struggling to deal with indiscipline.

A text message from Dr. David Sunu, the organizer of the workshop had asked the TEIN executives to report at the Teachers’ Hall aka GNAT Hall near the Ministry of Information in Accra between 8 am and 6 pm yesterday for a youth empowerment workshop which was believed to have been sponsored by the Rawlings camp.

Themed “Resources untapped: Harnessing the full potential of TEIN”, the workshop was to encourage the youth of the party to work hard for the NDC to achieve its goals but Mr. Hlodze released a statement on Sunday asking TEIN executives who received the message to disregard the content because it was a hoax.

However the TEIN members defied the directive and attended en masse.

But yesterday at the Teachers’ Hall where Dr. Spio-Garbrah dropped the bombshell in the presence of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, the workshop was held with about 50 of TEIN members in attendance.

At the main entrance of the Teachers’ Hall, a large NDC banner with the inscription: “Our Road to Freedom” while the workshop was held on 4th floor of the GNAT complex.

The workshop details were that Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor, Health Minister who was at that moment taking his turn at the meet-the-press series was to speak on the topic: The historical antecedents, core principles and values of the NDC, while Kofi Kukubor, a patron of TEIN in the Greater Accra Region was to speak on the topic: Identifying, harnessing and improving the potential of TEIN.

Furthermore, Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare was billed to speak on the relevance and place of TEIN in the NDC while one Mr. Shaw was to speak on the topic: Empowering the youth to take their destiny into their own hands/job creation.

Dr. Gameli Norgbe was to address them on: The succession plan – Preparing the youth for leadership while former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was billed to tackle the topic: NDC youth participation in governance.

As at about 11:45 am, only Mr. Kukubor was present to address the participants and the youth took turns to bemoan persistent neglect of the party’s youth by the NDC leadership.

Spio later joined the workshop where he dropped the bombs saying that he did not know that journalist were in the hall.

When reached for his comments on the defiance by the TEIN, Mr. Hlodze said “I still insist it was an illegal workshop. It does not have the blessing of the party or the youth wing of which I am the head. They did not have my consent to hold the workshop.

“We are preparing for the TEIN national conference in Winneba and all those concerned are working towards it. We should not be distracted by anybody.”

“People who claim to be members of the NDC must respect the rules and regulations of the party. We should not do things to undermine the very structures that we have all helped to put together,” he said.

Later on Citi FM, Mr. Hlodze said some people want to create power blocks for themselves in the party but the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NDC will soon ask the Disciplinary Committee to bring such people to book saying “people must pay for the wrongs they do in the party.”

He said Dr. Sunu cannot be a member of TEIN because he is a practicing medical practitioner and not a student and wondered how they came by the funds to organize the workshop and even camping some of the delegates, when the same people had been coming to him for chop money and rent allowances.

But Dr. Sunu said it was Mr. Kukubor, some TEIN members as well as some officials in the government who sponsored the workshop.

KONADU BOYS HIT JOHN MAHAMA

Dela Coffie is the Communications Director of FONKAR, a pro Rawlings group in Ghana.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday November 9, 2010
FRIENDS OF Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (FONKAR), an ultra loyal Rawlings group has virtually thrown the integrity of Vice President John Dramani Mahama into question by describing him as somebody who has no ‘conscience’ and can easily be bribed.

The accusation by the group is coming in the face of recent allegation that the vice president lobbied COCOBOB to lift a ban placed on Armajaro; a cash-soaked British cocoa buying firm after the company was indicted for allegedly smuggling cocoa to Cote d’Ivoire.

Without providing any evidence, FONKAR which is fighting a proxy war for Nana Konadu’s presidential ambition said it has declassified information that John Mahama and Haruna Iddrisu Minister of Communications were compromised with cash inducements during the Kufuor administration which made them burry their conscience and truth when they were supposed to be defending the avowed principles of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The group, a couple of weeks had also attacked President Atta Mills calling him a traitor and an ingrate, who surrounded himself with ‘strangers.’

The current attacks from the FONKAR was signed by Dela Coffie, Communications Director and it is direct response to an interview granted by Vice President Mahama to Radio Ghana’s ‘Behind the News’ programme in Accra last Thursday, the Vice president indicated that he would not contest the for presidency in President Mills will take second shot.

Dela Coffie said Mr. Mahama had entreated the NDC to find ways and means of addressing the concerns of former President Jerry John Rawlings, founder of the ruling NDC concerns as his comments did not augur well for the party.

The Vice President during the interview said among other things “it gives the impression of a party that is not united and solid and often that can affect your chances electorally. So it is an issue that the party needs to confront and deal with. He has some grievances and if I pick some of the issues that he normally raises, one is about justice, you can’t just pick people and put them in jail, you need to go through a process to prove their guilt”.

But FONKAR says it have carefully studied the content of the interview of the Vice President and was convinced that such a statement could only be part of a grand scheme orchestrated by certain ‘elements’ within the Presidency to cause dissatisfaction for Mr. Rawlings with the hope of taking over the power base of the NDC.

“FONKAR is wondering what John Mahama meant by ‘You can’t just pick people and put them in jail, you need to go through a process to prove their guilt’. Has Mr. Rawlings stated that government should pick people and put them in Jail? Who said justice should not take its course? And again, who said the wrongs of the past should not be investigated?”

Dela Coffie said the re-election of the NDC to power in 2009 was as a result of the people’s believe in the party as having the capability to clean the rot that had engulfed the social fabric of the country, after the NPP had virtually taken the country as its private property.

“If the likes of John Mahama are happy that the current government has dithered in investigating and prosecuting the fraud perpetrated by the Kufuor’s government, some of us are not and he should not fool himself into believing that the better Ghana that was promised is being delivered.”

He said every Ghanaian knows that Professor Mills is the President of the country and also said it was not in doubt that the NDC as a party brought him into power saying “we seriously wonder if John Mahama and his boss are really running this country or a bunch of sycophants who have their ears are the ones ruling Ghana.”

Dela Coffie said President Mills and Vice President Mahama have not done anything meaningful to protect the principles and ideals of the NDC saying “instead of protecting the ideals on which the NDC was founded they have rather encouraged their trusted media contacts to run down the ideals, principles and idiosyncrasies of the party.”

The Konadu boy asked: “How many times are we going to allow ourselves to be victimized by the unbridled folly and reckless remarks of our experimental politicians? John Mahama, and many who think like him, has conveniently forgotten the machinery that won them their elections, adding “where was John Mahama’s conscience when he made this bizarre remark?”

Dela Coffie said it will be acceptable for Mills and his cronies, to treat Jerry Rawlings as a fugitive in his own party, yet see the scrutiny of John Mills as a taboo?

He said when the NDC was in opposition struggling to challenge the NPP, then Prof. Mills was in Canada teaching, Kofi Totobi Kwakye was ‘ill’ in all eight years, Kwamena Ahwoi ‘retired’ from politics, Kwesi Ahwoi went to work abroad, John Mahama had time to concentrate on African Union matters: It was President Rawlings who held the fort and kept the NDC alive with endurance.

“We are amazed at the level of extreme obsession by people in government to run down the Rawlingses and will not sit by and allow “strangers” in the NDC to destroy what has been built for well over 19 years”.

He said FONKAR deems John Mahama’s comments as very reprehensible and injurious to Mr. Rawlings and added “we wish to denounce this carefully planned and projected agenda to obliterate the former President and to send a warning that such intrigue will not work for their benefit today or ever.”

Veep fears for NDC

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday November 8, 2010.
Vice President John Dramani Mahama appears to have predicted the downfall of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2012 with his frank assessment that the current cracks within the ruling party could send them back into opposition.

In his candid opinion the rift between President John Evans Atta Mills and former President Jerry John Rawlings who is the founder of the NDC is killing the party and underscored the need for NDC to take a careful look at the phenomenon and deal with it with the needed urgency.

He admitted that from the way things look the NDC will bear the brunt of voters at the polls in 2012.

Speaking on Radio Ghana’s ‘Behind the News’ programme in Accra last Thursday the Vice-President said “it is an issue that creates a difficulty for us (the NDC) because it gives the impression of a party that is not united and solid and often that can affect your chances electorally.”

Highlighting on a wide range of issues, the Vice President ruled himself out of the race to lead the NDC in 2012 stating categorically that he will not contest President Mills for the 2012 presidential slot.

“Let me say this very emphatically that I will not contest President Mills for the Presidency…at whatever time that President Mills stands for the Presidency I would never run against him,” the Veep stated.

Mr. Mahama said he will rather support President Mills to excel in his first term in office so he can win convincingly a second term.

“For now my commitment is to work with President Mills and ensure that he has a successful Presidency. Professor Mills has indicated that he wants to run for a second term and so I want to support him to make a success of the first term and be able to have a second term in office…the constitution says he is entitled to two terms in office so if the man says I will utilize my second term, there is nothing wrong with that, of course he has to go to the party for endorsement which I am sure the party would endorse him and if he goes for a second term he would win”, he said.

He said added that managing former President Rawlings was a challenge to the party, as some of his open criticisms on the Mills-led government are too stinging and generalized.

He asked the party to find ways and means of addressing Mr. Rawlings’ concerns as his comments do not augur well for the NDC.

“It gives the impression of a party that is not united and solid and often that can affect your chances electorally. So it is an issue that the party needs to confront and deal with. He has some grievances and if I pick some of the issues that he normally raises, one is about justice, you can’t just pick people and put them in jail, you need to go through a process to prove their guilt”.

The Vice-President defended the NDC government’s management of the economy and waded into the debate why government was not spending enough insisting that the economic gains that have been achieved by the government were being eroded by the debt incurred by the Kufuor administration.


Vice-President Mahama said government’s expenditure has been geared towards servicing the debts that was generated in the past while some new programmes, which form 30 per cent of the overall government expenditure, are being implemented.

On the accusations of the government’s neglect of flood victims in the northern parts of Ghana, Mr. Mahama said it was unfounded saying that the government has been working to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

Ya Na Suspects File No Case

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday November 6, 2010
The 15 men standing trial for their involvement in the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, overlord of Dagbon have indicated to the Accra Fast Track High Court trying them that they intend to file a ‘Submission of Case” because the prosecution has failed to establish a case against each of them.

This follows the announcement by Anthony Rexford Wiredu, one of the Principal State Attorneys handling the case that the prosecution had rested its case and called on the court to order the accused persons to open their defense.

During four conservative sittings of the court, the prosecution failed to bring two prospective witnesses that it had announced to the court that it was inviting to testify but yesterday when trial commenced, Mr. Wiredu said the prosecution had closed its case.

“My Lord, we are here to announce to the court that we have rested our case,” he emphasized and the court, presided over by Justice E K Ayebi of the Court of Appeal asked “are you sure you have rested your case?” to which Mr. Wiredu answered in the affirmative.

The prosecutor then tendered in evidence the statutory statements of the accused persons when they were taken to the Adjabeng District Magistrate Court in Accra for committal to the high court for trial and the defense team led by Mr. Atta Akyea said they have no objection to it.

Mr. Wiredu had said it was in conformity with Part 4 of the Criminal and other Offences Act, citing Sections 182, 184 and 187 as well as the 6th Schedule of 118 to support his argument.

When the prosecutor took his seat, Mr. Atta Akyea said “we wish to bring to the attention of the court for your consideration a submission of no case.”

He appealed to the court to assist them to get all the proceedings of the trial saying “we have got a few but they are not up to date.”

Immediately defense counsel made the submission, Mr. Wiredu started another argument saying it was the prerogative of the judge to say whether or not there should be a submission of no case and not for the defense to decide.

He cited a case titled: Republic Versus Akosa in the 1967 Ghana Law Report but the judge reminded him that the case being cited had been reviewed in subsequent cases and asked to prosecution to allow the application because they (prosecution) would also have the right to reply.

The court then ordered the registrar to make available to the defense all the proceedings of the trial before November 12, 2010 and adjourned the case to Tuesday, November 23, 2010.

The prosecution called 12 witnesses in the case.

All the 15 accused persons, except Zakaria Yakubu aka Zakaria Forest, the seventh suspect who is currently at large, were in court.

They have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, with Forest (A7) facing an additional charge of murder.

They are currently on remand except Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu, due to old age.
Those on trial are Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu, Alhaji Baba Abdulai Iddrisu aka Zohe, Kwame Alhassan aka Achiri, Mohamadu Abdulai aka Samasama, Sayibu Mohammed, Alhassan Braimah and Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, 45, former District Chief Executive (DCE) of Yendi as second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth accused persons respectively.

The rest are Baba Ibrahim aka Baba Zey, Alhassan Mohammed aka Mohammed Cheampon, Mohammed Mustapha, Shani Imoro, Yakubu Yusif aka Leftee and Hammed Abukari Yussif and Abdul Razak Yussif aka Nyaa as 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th accused persons respectively.

67 Prisoners Freed From Nsawam Prison

Remand prisoners queuing to get photographs and fingerprints taken after being discharged.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

From William Yaw Owusu, Nsawam

Friday November 5, 2010
Sixty-seven prisoners on remand for committing various offences including robbery have been discharged by special courts set up at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons under the Justice for all Programme.

It forms part of the effort to decongest the country’s prisons and also ensure speedy disposal of criminal cases.

Under the programme, all prisoners who have been on remand without trial for more than five years can benefit but would have to be screened in advance by the Center for Human Rights and Civil Liberties (CHURCIL), a non-governmental organization collaborating with the Judicial Service to sustain the programme.

Before a remand prisoner is released a motion was filed by CHURCIL and the police team attached to the programme makes sure that accused person’s fingerprints as well as photographs and particulars are taken so that should he or she commit another crime, the courts would determine the type of sentence to be imposed.

Yesterday, at the Male section of the Nsawam Prisons, seven special courts were set up with justices from the superior courts handling the cases.

In all 145 cases were heard. Fifty (50) cases were struck out for want of prosecution, Fifteen (15) were adjourned sine die (indefinitely) while thirteen (13) accused persons were granted bail for their cases to take its natural course.

Justice B.T. Aryeetey, a Supreme Court Judge who was one of the supervisors of the programme said everything was working according to plan and hoped it would be sustained so that the prisons would be decongested.

He said the time has come for all stakeholders including lawyers to show interest in the programme to ensure the criminal justice system becomes more effective.

Chief Superintendent Frank Kwofie, Head of Legal and Prosecutions at the Greater Accra Regional Police Command said all those whose cases are currently being tried by the courts are exempted from the programme.

He said the programme started in 2007 with those who were on remand for more than eight (8) years and when it became successful it was reduced to cover those who have spent five (5) years on remand.

On the question of some of the beneficiaries being released but getting involve in crime particularly armed robbery later, the Chief Superintendent said “that is why were are collecting data on every beneficiary under the Remand Review Project Database so that when such situation arise the police will pass on his or her records to the courts to impose deterrent sentence”.

He said the police has record of about eight (8) people who benefited from the programme but went back home to commit crime including armed robbery and the courts have been alerted to deal with them severely.

He said the special courts do not go through the merits of the cases and therefore the police make sure that such persons are carefully monitored saying in the cases of the beneficiaries either the dockets of some of them cannot be traced, their investigators have retired or transferred or there are no witnesses to testify in the cases.

Rexford Gyimah, Chief Registrar of the Fast Track High Courts said “legally they are free but we have to process their discharge warrants before they can be released. I would have to go back to Accra, study their dockets before issuing the warrants.”

Andrew Daniels, a legal practitioner with CHURCIL was elated that more judges are being put on the programme saying “this shows that the judiciary is taking the programme more serious.”

He said legal services has become expensive but CHURCIL is committed to ensuring that all remand prisoners are given the chance to have their cases heard, adding “we would appeal to colleague lawyers to join us to ensure an effective criminal justice system.”

“Once we are a democratic country we are enjoined to uphold the human rights of all people including prisoners.”

Dismissed NPP rebels back

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday November 5, 2010
FOURTEEN MEMBERS of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Yilo Krobo Constituency of the Eastern region, who were dismissed for breaching the party’s constitution in 2004, have been accepted back into the fold of the elephant family.

The 14 were allegedly seen at the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) rallies and were said to have incited NPP members against the party’s polling agents and some chief farmers on the eve of the 2004 general elections claiming they were given monies to share but failed to do so.

But on October 30, 2010 a high-powered meeting co-chaired by Mr. Fred Oware, First National Vice Chairman and Kojo Opare Hammond, Director of Finance and Administration of the NPP resolved the issue amicably in Somanya and recalled the errant members.

Addressing the NPP executives at the meeting, Mr. Oware underscored the need for members of the party to allow peace to prevail so that they can work together to achieve the objectives of the party.

He said the time has come for all NPP members to close their ranks and work hard to wrestle power from the NDC in 2012.

Mr. Hammond for his part thanked both former and present executives of the party for their effort to get the issue resolved and urged all members to continue to educate the public on the need to get the NPP back to power.

Those present at the meeting were Yaw Barimah, former Eastern Regional Minister, and former DCEs from Fanteakwa, Dodowa and Somanya.

There were also representatives from the regional capital including Dr. Samuel Annor, Alhaji Omar Bodinga, Seth Antwi and Frank Annor Dompreh as well as all executives of the constituency who also took turns to ask members of the NPP to live in unity and work hard for the party to come back to power.

Those expelled and reinstated are: Nicholas Addai, Okyeame Otum, Matthew Bawa, Moses Tetteh Kwao, Alex Adjirackor, Johnny Borrows, Raphael Odonkor, Stephen Nartey, John Lartey aka Carpenter, Agyei Paddy, John Tetteh Kwasi aka Olani, Desmond Afutu, Phillip Okunor and IK Charkitey.

Abudus Pull Out From...Otumfuor Committee

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday November 4, 2010
The Abudu Royal Gate in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute has vowed never to cooperate with any committee set up by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to bring peace to Dagbon.

It says it prefers the judiciary to settle the protracted issue rather than the Asantehene Committee handling the matter.

A news release issued in Accra yesterday and signed by Dr. Ziblim Iddi, spokesperson of the Abudu Gate said it has come to the notice of the Abudu Royal Family that the President has called on the Asantehene to continue with his mediation effort in the Dagbon conflict.

“The family wishes to state emphatically that it would no longer subject itself to any peace-building process under the auspices of the Asantehene,” it said.

Dr. Iddi said the Abudu family has lost faith and confidence in the Asantehene as an honest peace broker in the Dagbon conflict and said “we did not come to this position lightly.”

He said “we wish to remind all Ghanaians, including the President, that the traditional aspect of the Dagbon conflict is a matter of litigation before a Kumasi High Court. We expect everybody to respect the judicial process and desist from any action that could be prejudicial to the case.”

Dr. Ziblim said “it is the height of hypocrisy and absolute naivety for anybody to think that the government can embark on a partisan political persecution of members of the Abudu family and still expect the family to be part of a mediation process sponsored by the same government.”

He lambasted the Atta Mills government for doing selective justice with regards to the dispute saying “the selective justice pursued by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the Yendi conflict is clearly not the mark of a government interested in reconciling members of the two feuding families.”

He emphasized that the Abudu family has faith in the justice system saying “we trust the arbitration process in a High Court more than the Asantehene mediation committee.”

The Dagbon Chieftaincy dispute reached a sad end when between March 25, 2002 and March 27, 2002, thirty people including Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, overlord of Dagbon were killed in the intra-ethnic conflict between the Abudu and Andani Royal Gates at Yendi.

Currently, 15 persons, all Abudus including a former District Chief Executive of Yendi, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani are standing trail at an Accra Fast Track High Court in connection with the murder of the Ya Na.

Lands Commission Clears Chief Justice

Dr. Odame Larbie (second left) Executive Secretary and Nana Agyei Ampofo (third left) Chairman of Lands Commission addressing the media in Accra yesterday.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday November 3, 2010
The Chairman of Lands Commission, Nana Agyei Ampofo says Chief Justice Georgina Wood did not do commit any offence in the acquisition of a piece of land for her personal use.

“Records at the commission as far as the Chief Justice is concerned show that she has not done anything wrong. If it is in respect of the International Student’s Hostel land then it not enough for Ghanaians to say bad things about her.”

Addressing a news conference in Accra yesterday to brief the media on the manner the Lands Commission has handled the management of state lands in the country; Nana Ampofo virtually blamed the erstwhile New Patriotic Party government under President JA Kufuor for the mismanagement of state lands particularly in Accra.

He said the redevelopment scheme which was to ensure the redevelopment of government bungalow sites starting on pilot basis in 1995 was grossly abused under the Kufuor administration saying “it was in the last few years that the scheme was grossly abused when lands were allocated under political considerations.”

He said another scheme called ‘In-filling scheme’ which was carried out extensively in the 1970s but stopped in 1977 were restarted between 2004 and 2008 and areas such as Cantonments, Switchback Road, Ridge, Airport and Roman Ridge all in Accra and an area near the residency in Kumasi were affected.

“The in-filling plots in Accra and Kumasi were allocated at below market prices and subject to the payment of premiums and development charges.”

Nana Ampofo said the government has revoked the rezoning of the International Student’s Hostel land by the NPP administration from civic and cultural use to residential for 25 beneficiaries and added that the land around the Borstal Institute which was rezoned and given to NPP functionaries has also been revoked.

The Lands Commission Chairman said all developments that have encroached the 150 feet reservation zone on the Accra-Tema Motorway corridor “would be abated”.

He said about 77 state lands allocation for which payments were not made had been withdrawn and applicants who followed due process but applied for plots using different names will have the allocations withdrawn.

He said the NDC government has decided to return one-third of plots to be withdrawn to the GaDangme Council adding that most of the state lands allocations were done before the 1992 Constitution was promulgated and the constitutional provisions did not help the case of the Ga people.

Dr. Odame Larbie, Executive Secretary of Lands Commission said his outfit was currently reviewing their operational manual to make the commission more responsive to the challenges of land administration in the country.

Ya Na Witness In Transit

The accused persons entering a police van yesterday.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday November 3, 2010
For the third time running, the prosecution has failed to bring witnesses to testify in the case in which 15 persons have been charged for the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II, overlord of Dagbon during the intra-ethnic conflict between the Abudu and Andani Royal Gates at Yendi in March 2002.

On Monday, October 25, 2010, Mr. Anthony Rexford Wiredu, a Principal State Attorney asked the court, presided over by Justice EK Ayebi of the Court of Appeal to adjourn proceedings because the next prosecution witness could not be brought to the court by the police.

He said that the investigators were in the Northern region to get the witnesses to testify and the court granted the request by adjourning the case.

When the case was called yesterday, Solomon Atadze, a Principal State Attorney said “the Deputy Commissioner in charge of this case rung this morning that the witnesses we were expecting are still in transit from Tamale.”

He said “we were trying to wait for them but we realized that we were getting late and therefore we could not wait any longer. Even if they arrive now, we need to have conference with the witnesses before they can testify.”

“We will humbly ask for a date on Friday and whether they come or not we will let our case rest.”

Reacting to the turn of events, Atta Akyea, lead counsel for the accused persons said, “I do not blame the Attorney-General’s Office. I have worked there before. It is the police who are supposed to liaise with the witnesses.”

“I wonder why they should be in transit when they are supposed to testify. Why did the police not put them in a hotel as they did when they took their statements?”

Mr. Atta Akyea said “if by Friday they do not come voluntarily, we will pin the AG’s office down on their word. The bottom line is that the constitution says the liberty of the accused is also important and justice delayed is tantamount to justice denied.”

Mr. Atta Akyea had mentioned on October 25, 2010 that Nantongma Alhassan Andani and Grundo Wumbei, whose names appeared on the bill of indictment as some of the witnesses were hosted in the hotel but were not in court to testify.

Justice Ayebi then said “once again, at the request of the prosecution, further hearing is fixed for Friday, November 5, 2010 because the witnesses the prosecution said they were calling are still unavailable.”

On the Bill of Indictment, the Attorney General’s Department has indicated that it intends to bring 14 witnesses to testify in the trial and already 12 witnesses, including two police investigators and the pathologist who conducted an autopsy on the body of the Ya Na have appeared in court to testify.

The prosecution at a point substituted PW3 for PW6, but defense counsel, Phillip Addison complained to the court that the prosecution had not been furnishing them with statements of their clients on time; a development which according to him could affect speedy trial.

All the 15 accused persons, except Zakaria Yakubu aka Zakaria Forest, the seventh suspect who is currently at large, were in court.

They have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, with Forest (A7) facing an additional charge of murder.

They are currently on remand except Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu, due to old age.
Those on trial are Iddrisu Iddi aka Mbadugu, Alhaji Baba Abdulai Iddrisu aka Zohe, Kwame Alhassan aka Achiri, Mohamadu Abdulai aka Samasama, Sayibu Mohammed, Alhassan Braimah and Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani, 45, former District Chief Executive (DCE) of Yendi as second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth accused persons respectively.

The rest are Baba Ibrahim aka Baba Zey, Alhassan Mohammed aka Mohammed Cheampon, Mohammed Mustapha, Shani Imoro, Yakubu Yusif aka Leftee and Hammed Abukari Yussif and Abdul Razak Yussif aka Nyaa as 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th accused persons respectively.

Since the commencement of the trial, scores of police officers with riot control equipment including weapons have been patrolling the court premises to deter supporters of both Abudu and Andani Gates from physically settling scores.

Vice President Named In UK Cocoa Scandal

Under fire: Andrew Mitchell, British International Development Secretary

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday November 2, 2010
Andrew Mitchell, British International Development Secretary, is facing questioning, following his alleged involvement in getting a ban imposed on world's richest cocoa dealers lifted in Ghana.

According to UK’s Sunday Times newspaper, published on Sunday October 31, Mr. Mitchell, a Cabinet Minister was said to have ‘intervened’ on behalf of a cocoa company Armajaro Holdings that had given his political campaign tens of thousands of pounds to help overturn a trade ban by the Ghana Cocoa Board.

The Ghana Cocoa Board imposed a ban prohibiting Armajaro Ghana from purchasing cocoa until it reviews the smuggling situation in the Western Region.

The company's license was withdrawn after an undercover operation by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, New Crusading Guide journalist revealed massive cocoa smuggling by some Ghanaians aided by security operatives across the border into Ivory Coast and Armajaro Ghana was said to be involved.

The Sunday Times said that cocoa trader and billionaire Anthony Ward wrote to the minister in July asking him to help lift a trading ban imposed by Ghana on his firm after one of its contractors, Armajaro Ghana was involved in cocoa smuggling.

The paper said Armajaro Holdings gave money totaling £40,000 ($64,000) to Mr. Mitchell's parliamentary office between August 2006 and December 2009.

According to the paper, although it was not in his ministerial remit, Mr. Mitchell telephoned the British High Commissioner in Accra, to discuss the matter, and his officials in London asked the Foreign Office to give it "urgent attention".

Henry Bellingham, the Foreign Office Minister in charge of Africa subsequently lobbied Vice President John Mahama on behalf of Ward's firm, Armajaro Holdings, and the partial trading ban has now been lifted except for one district of the country, the paper said. The said district is Enchi in the Western region.

The company, whose audacious deals have earned Mr. Ward the nickname "Chocfinger", also gave £50,000 in May 2004 to the Conservative party that Cameron leads and of which Mitchell is a member.

This has generated heated debate in the UK with Paul Farrelly, the Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, saying it was “naive at best” for Mitchell to have become personally involved in the case.

“There will always be the accusation that, through political donations or contributions to a minister’s office, influence is being sought or bought,” he said.

The UK ministerial code says: “Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise.”

The internal documents, obtained by The Sunday Times under the Freedom of Information Act, show that even Foreign Office civil servants raised questions as to why the government should intervene to help Ward’s company.

One official wrote: “Is this ... something we should lobby on? Or should the UK company realise they have broken the rules and have to pay the price?”

Mr. Mitchell’s intervention is the first case the Conservative government has faced of a potential conflict of interest.

A spokesman for Mr. Mitchell denied any wrongdoing saying “the letter from Armajaro was dealt with in accordance with normal ministerial procedures.”

Mr. Ward declined to comment on the letter he wrote to Mitchell.

John Jinapor, Spokesperson for Vice President Mahama has however denied any wrong doing on the part of the Vice President.

He told Joy FM, “we remember meeting with the British Minister in charge of African Affairs (in London) and he raised an issue with Armajaro and their concern was that if an employee of the company is caught committing an offence, you don’t embark on a collective punishment of the entire company and this is normal,” he said.

Jinapor said all the Vice President did was call on the affected company to petition the appropriate authorities – the Ghana Cocoa Board.
Vice President Mahama recently travelled to London to attend NDC fundraising ceremony organized by the UK and Ireland branch of the party.

Monitor Mining Companies…US body

Ariel Dulitzky, Director of Human Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law, United States.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday November 2, 2010
Human Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law, United States has made a passionate appeal to the government to check mining companies that are abusing the rights of local people and engaging in wantom destruction of the environment in the quest for gold and other mineral resources.

“Human Rights Clinic is calling on the Ghanaian government to enforce existing laws that protect Ghanaians and change laws that allow mining companies to exploit them.”

According to the clinic, it has uncovered and documented the problems that Ghanaians living in the Tarkwa area in the Western Region face on a daily basis after it collaborated with the Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL) and the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) to research into mining activities.

The clinic brought researchers to Ghana in October 2009, surveyed the Tarkwa area and conducted interviews to produce a report, entitled: “The Cost of Gold: Communities Affected by Mining in the Tarkwa Region of Ghana”.

A news release signed by Ariel Dulitzky, Clinic Director said researchers were able to establish that “the Ghanaian government allows mining companies to enter a given community with little input and no consent from the affected community, any consultation and cooperation means very little to the local communities who are disadvantaged in negotiations and cannot adequately participate in the decision-making process.”

It said “most importantly, Ghanaians are left without recourse when they are ignored. Many community members who have lost their property have been inadequately compensated, if at all, however, illegal eviction without adequate compensation is just a small component of the abuses in Ghana, the Clinic’s report noted.

“The mining companies frequently spill toxic waste and cyanide into rivers in Tarkwa,” the report said, adding that “the mining companies are able to exploit Ghanaian communities due to their financial strength and ability to lobby chiefs, public servants and government officials with no accountability. Therefore, those responsible for protecting the rights of Ghanaians are left without any incentive to do so.”

“Local communities affected by mining suspect that chiefs and government officials receive illegal benefits from the mining companies. These benefits are not passed on to community members,” it said.

“Tension between exploited Ghanaians and mining companies are on the rise. Peaceful protests have lead to violent encounters between locals and the military sent to keep the peace at mining sites. Tear gas, beatings and bullets have been unleashed on crowds of demonstrators.”

The clinic, an interdisciplinary group of law students and graduate students, work under the supervision of Clinic Director Ariel Dulitzky on human rights projects through fact finding, reporting and other public advocacy.

The Clinic is involved in a multitude of activities including supporting advocacy in domestic and international fora; investigating and documenting human rights violations; and engaging with global and local human rights campaigns.

GBA defends judges

Some executives of GBA at the news conference from left to right: Peter Zwennes(National Secretary), Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo (National Vice President) and Mrs. Yaa Gyakobo (Assistant Publicity Officer).

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday novenber 1, 2010
The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has frowned on what it calls ‘persistent attacks’ on members of the bench (judges) particularly the Chief Justice Mrs. Georgina T Wood saying “we have resolved not to compromise on any attempt to bring the administration of justice into disrepute.”

They said anybody who has issues with the Chief Justice or any judge should use the appropriate channels to seek redress and would sit down for anybody to remove the Chief Justice or any judge through unconstitutional means.

At news conference in Accra on Friday to highlight on GBA 2010/2011 resolutions passed at the bar conference in Tamale in September, Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, GBA National Vice President standing in for National President W.K. Beecham said “this association, conscious that its core obligations under its constitution… will without fear, favour or apology, spring to defend or criticize persons or bodies charged with the administration of justice in this country, and will uphold the dignity and respect for law which ensures a law-abiding citizenry and a responsible and fair judiciary.”

He however said just as the bar will protect the judiciary in the fair and lawful exercise of their duties, “it will not condone corruption and misconduct on the bench.”

Mr. Premo said “the bar deplores the attitude of disrespect and discourtesy shown by certain judges and magistrates in the courts, and urges the executives of the bar to bring such misbehaviour to the attention of the Chief Justice for her action, whilst ensuring that the Disciplinary Committee of the bar takes action where members lapse in professionalism.”

He said the GBA has taken notice of a publication in a newspaper called Herald which they said published an article titled “Predict and win judges” saying “we have tasked our Legal Committee to advise us on its legal ramifications and appropriate course of action.”

He said the said publication is in bad taste and has the tendency to expose the judges to public hatred and ridicule.

The GBA added its voice to the call on the Police Administration to ensure that there is even enforcement of the law saying “we note that there is uneven enforcement of the law and that this can lead to lawlessness and thus call on the police and law enforcement agencies to enforce the law fairly and evenly, without fear or favour.”

He said the recent elections at Akwatia and Atiwa have shown that in spite of the excellent work of the Electoral Commission “there is a lot be desired where security at such times is concerned, and thus, while appreciating the work done by the police at these times call on the IGP to work relentlessly to plug the loopholes in security and ensure that future elections, especially that of 2012 are conducted without violence and in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

The GBA advised the public to respect the dignity of the offices being occupied by the President, Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice saying “when referring to them, employ words that match our status as a civilized nation that seeks honour and good conduct in all persons, especially our leaders.

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

PEF Encourages Business

Monday November 1, 2010.

By William Yaw Owusu
Osei Boeh-Ocansey, Director-General of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), says the foundation is committed to helping business associations to become stronger and able to articulate the views of their respective members to government without distortion.

He said the effort would not only help the large companies but other Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) who constitute the majority of businesses in the country and often feel left out during consultations in enacting policies beneficial to the private sector.

Mr. Boeh-Ocansey was speaking at a three-day workshop organized by PEF to promote business associations in the country with sponsorship from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in Sunyani on Thursday.

He said the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index 2010/2011 ranks Ghana 114th out of 139 countries saying “in other words, we are the 114th most competitive country in the world meaning our private sector businesses would find it difficult to compete in the world and already do so.”

He said the upcoming Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) presents a challenge for the country and it was up to leaders of business associations to organize the people to be able to meet the challenges.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, said for the private sector to become the engine of growth for the nation, intermediary organizations such as trade and business associations must be able to act as the real voices of the sector, build their capacity and determine policy and the allocation of resources.

He said government was committed towards ensuring that there was an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish and tasked SMEs to create the platforms that would enable them to articulate their concerns to attract the attention of policy makers.

“They can advise government on the adoption of prudent economic policies that will create the appropriate environment for private sector growth and development,” he said.

Saeed Owusu-Brobbey, Regional Manager of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) said in the current competitive business environment, it was impossible for any small scale entrepreneur to survive as an individual.

He urged business associations to attach professionalism, transparency and accountability to their work.

Isaac Owusu-Mensah, Senior Programmes Manager of KAS said the foundation was committed to helping to strengthen institutions in the country to ensure accelerated development.

CPP Chairman is ‘Konongo Kaya’

Mr. Ladi nyalander is the National Chairman of the Convention Poeple's Party (CPP)

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday November 1, 2010
The intractable in-fighting that has dogged the Convention People’s Party’s (CPP) effort to make good impressions on the Ghanaian electoral landscape is rearing its ugly head once again, even as the party struggles to present a united front.

Supi Araba Bentsi-Entchil, National Vice Chairperson of the CPP has unleashed a stinging attack on National Chairman and leader of the party, Ladi Nylander, describing him as ineffective.

“He will not travel to encourage the building of the party and he will also not allow people to do it either. He has become “Konongo Kaya” – he will not work for the party and will not allow others to do it,” the Vice Chairman had said in a memo sighted by Daily Guide.

The memo dated March 21, 2010 titled: “Visit to Constituencies” copied to all members of the Central Committee, the highest decision-making body of Ghana’s first ruling party said “I want to ask the Central Committee that if, if we sit down doing nothing, how are we going to develop the party.”

“I want the Central Committee to know that of all the four Chairmen under whom I have served namely: Alhaji Banda, Dr. Adubakar Alhassan, Dr. Delle and Mr. Nylander, the latter is the most ineffective, uncompetitive and divisive amongst them”.

“I would like to point out to him that when the members become angry about his ineffectiveness, they will say the leadership is doing nothing, they will not say Chairman Nylander is doing nothing. By leadership it includes all of us who were elected, so I want the Central Committee to ask him why he thinks we should sit down doing nothing after elections.”

Araba’s problem stem from the fact that when she needed a vehicle to use to help strengthen the support base of the party at the grass root, Chairman Nylander allegedly scuttled the plan by refusing to release a vehicle.

The memo said “I am wondering why he is behaving this way towards me; could it be because I once called a leadership meeting to confront him and ask him to resign if he thought he could not do anything.”

Prior to the 2008 general elections, the National Women’s League of the party expressed similar worry about Chairman Nylander’s leadership style when they said among other things that they are handicapped by the lack of good vehicles, fuel and other logistics to enable them to perform their task and even questioned whether it was a sabotage or an oversight.

Mr. Nylander made it clear when he was elected CPP Chairman that he will not seek re-election when his tenure of office expires but recent media reports have it that the plan could change following a call on him by some un-named leading members of the party to contest the position again.

However, DAILY GUIDE learnt that most of the publications attributed to unnamed sources urging My Nylander to re-contest the chairmanship slot were stage-managed by either the chairman or his associates, because of damming verdict by the Central Committee which has lost confidence in the chairman.