LANDS COMMISSION ACCUSES JUDGE OF BIAS

Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, May 28, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The Lands Commission has accused an Accra High Court judge, Justice D. K. Ofosu- Quartey, of showing open bias in his ruling in a land case between the Commission and one Mrs. Francisca Ofori-Atta.

They have thus petitioned the Judicial Secretary to call for the docket on the case for study, to avert what they describe as a 'travesty of justice.' The petition, which is dated April 27, 2009, was written and signed by the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Alhaji Baryeh, and his Assistant Lands Officer, Ridley H. Lutterodt.

The two were compelled to file the petition, following a ruling on the case which did not go in their favour.

In June 2007, the Lands Commission embarked on a demolition exercise, which affected encroachers on all state lands situated at the Tema Motorway Industrial Area.

In the process, the plaintiff in the case, Francisca Ofori-Atta, sued the Lands Commission from disputing her ownership of a parcel of land situated at East Airport in Okpoi Gonno, in view of a search report from the same Lands Commission which confirmed her as the owner of the said land, which was affected by the demolition exercise.

The court therefore entered judgment in favour of Madam Ofori-Atta on July 27, 2008, and ordered the defendants, being the Lands Commission, from disputing the plaintiff's ownership of the land embodied in the search report tendered as exhibit in the course of the proceedings.

He further declared: “The search report is correct and authentic, and the defendants are bound by same, among others, as per reliefs granted the plaintiff.

“I order the Lands Commission to lapse and cancel from its records, any purported grant and registration of the plaintiffs land to any other person or authority, which was made after the trespass and improper demolition exercise.”

The judge further noted: “any such or further grant or alienation of plaintiffs land to any person or authority, shall be void and of no legal effect, and shall accordingly convey no title whatsoever to such guarantee (s).”

However, the plaintiff was compelled by circumstance to file a contempt case against the Lands Commission.

The present contempt case arose when the plaintiff caused one Samuel Adjaho to conduct a search dated February 16, 2009, which gave results that the land was state land acquired under an Executive Instrument dated October 10, 1976 for the Tema Motorway Industrial Area.

It again affected a lease dated May 15, 2006 from government to a company called Eakaza limited.

In the course of the proceedings, the Secretary of the Commission informed the court that the Lands Commission had plotted the plaintiff's judgment plan as embodied in the search report dated February 9, 2007.

Upon this information, the petitioners noted that the court discharged them, only for the plaintiff to later file for a review of the court's decision to discharge the two, arguing that they misled the court by plotting the land in Regimanuel Gray Estates.

For this reason, the two officers say they are taken aback, since according to them, to the best of their knowledge, the plan embodied in the search report dated February 9, 2007, which the court declared authentic and correct, was what they used in the plotting of the judgment dated July 21, 2008 by Justice Ofosu-Quartey.

Both individuals are therefore wondering if the plan given to Mr Adjaho falls within the judgment plan or outside it, and whether the information given Mr. Adjaho, as per his search dated February 16, 2009, was a willful act to disobey the court's order, assuming Adjaho's plan falls within the judgment plan of the plaintiff.

The Lands Commission is thus seeking to know from the Judiciary Secretary whether the court's decision was retrospective, to enable it be cited for contempt for a lease dated May 15, 2006 to be affected by the case, which was filed on February 5, 2008, be said to be in contempt of court, as was held by Justice Ofosu Quartey on April 24, 2009.

I AM READY TO SURRENDER

… Mpiani tells BNI Boss
Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, May 28, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The once most powerful Chief of Staff, who was feared by virtually every government employee in President Kufuor and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, seems to have turned a new leaf, after agents of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) were alleged to have gone to his house to invite him for questioning.

Mr. Mpiani, who used to speak with a high level of authority and bluff, that he was not afraid of a probe into his role and involvement in certain businesses of the previous administration, appears to have been shaken by the BNI invitation, and has softened his hard stance.

In an interview with Joy FM's 'Super Morning Show' host, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, yesterday, Mr. Mpiani said he was prepared to make himself available to the BNI boss, who was looking for him, on Monday next week.

According to him, his aide, who was holding his phone, told him that the Secretary to the Director of the BNI called that her boss wanted to have a meeting with him (Mpiani). He was then at a funeral in his hometown.

Mr. Mpiani could however not tell what the invitation or the meeting was about.

He has however offered to turn himself in to the BNI by Monday morning, after returning from a funeral he was attending in his hometown.

In his hey days at the Osu Castle, the seat of government, Mr. Mpiani rarely answered probing questions from journalists.

Occasionally, when he was invited to Parliament, he refused to answer specific questions, in strict disregard for the Members of the august House, who had a hell of time dealing with him.

Not long ago, Mr. Mpiani dared the new administration to send him to court for prosecution, if they found anything wrong with the role he played as Chief of Staff in the previous administration.

He thus indicated his readiness to face the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the law courts, over threats that he and other former Ministers would soon face prosecution, indicating his preparededness to answer questions relating to his duties under the NPP administration, and that he had done nothing untoward to be afraid of any court action.

This paper quoted him as saying, “I am not worried about the threats. It is the prerogative of the government to prosecute people that they think have done something wrong.

If the NDC claims they have incriminating evidence, after their transitional team investigations, to put us before court, we are ready for them.”

The tough talking politician said, “It is good that this is not a military era, where it would be difficult for anybody to express his views. I am entitled to go to the court and explain my case,” he said, adding, “For me, I am not worried at all.

The threats are not something that I think about, but it is important that things are done through due process.”

Nana Addo steals show

…As NPP supporters urge him on

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 27, 2009

By Charles Takyi Boadu

There was a rapturous and thunderous uproar when the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2008 general elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo arrived at the Emmanuel Presbyterian hall in Osu yesterday, to address a press conference.
Hours before the much awaited press conference to assess President Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration’s five months in office, hundreds of party supporters clad in party colours gathered at the forecourt of the church premises to give Nana Addo a heroic welcome.
Some of them displayed with motorbikes draped in NPP colours whilst others waved their flags singing party songs.
All this time, party activists and leaders including Chairman Peter Mac Manu, General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, National Organizer, Lord Commey, National Youth Organiser, John Boadu among a host of others were arriving at the grounds one after the other. Finally, when Nana Addo arrived around 11:30am in a convoy of vehicles, the entire crowd went agog, amidst shouts of “Nana oo Nana”.
In response, Nana Addo waved back to the crowd, with a thumps up and victory signs.
Some rushed to his vehicle, wanting to catch a glimpse of the man they have so long been yearning to hear speak, whilst others tried to shake his hands.
Nana Addo then stepped out of his vehicle exchanging pleasantries with both supporters and party leaders present. At this point the atmosphere was charged as party supporters cheered him on.
The crowd went haywire when they heard the Daddy Lumba-composed song Nana Addo’s 2008 campaign, ‘Nana, Nana, Nana die oye winner’ in the background.
At this point, most of those who were trying to shake the hands of Nana Addo abandoned the idea and jumped to the floor to dance their hearts out.
There and then, Nana Addo could not but join the supporters on the dancing floor, doing the ‘we are moving forward’ sign.
When he got the opportunity to address the anxious crowd, Nana Addo launched a scorching attack on President Mills and his barely six-month old NDC administration, saying “instead of uniting us and fostering peace, the last four months have been spent intimidating innocent citizens and political opponents.”
If not for anything at all, he said “we have seen physical attacks on NPP members in several parts of the country, including Agbogbloshie, Kumasi and Tamale.”
Whilst appreciating the fact that the leadership of the NPP have worked very hard to restrain their supporters from reacting to the acts of intimidation and provocation from their colleague NDC supporters, Nana Addo emphasized that sooner than later, the militants among them might be compelled by circumstances to take measures to protect themselves, their interests and their loved ones.
At that point, he said “events will then be out of control, driving all of us towards a point of no return.”
He therefore asked all stakeholders including the President of the Republic to help protect and preserve the country’s democracy for posterity.

Nana`s assurance to NPP supporters

``We shall be back in 2012``

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 27, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The events that have characterized the almost six-months of President Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration give the 2008 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo more than enough reason to believe that his party will be returned to power in the year 2012.
He has, therefore, asked the rank and file of the NPP to keep faith with the party since better days are yet to come.
Nana Addo was speaking to an emotionally charged and anxious crowd at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Hall in Osu, yesterday, where he took the opportunity make his personal assessment of the current and prevailing situation in the country. “Therefore I say, together with NPP members across the nation, no shaking! We shall be back!” he said.
He talked about how the NDC government has reneged on the numerous promises it made to Ghanaians during the 2008 electioneering campaign, and have rather focused their attention and energies on the seizure of cars, public places of convenience, harassment of political opponents, especially the members of the NPP among others.
He also touched on how the ruling government had virtually become helpless and insensitive to the plight of the masses, with their inability to control the depreciating value of the cedi against the United States Dollar and the other major world trading currencies, and the dramatic rise in the prices of goods and services, with the belief that this will inform the decision of Ghanaians in the next elections.
Instead of lightening the hardship that have been imposed on Ghanaians by an allegedly insensitive and uncaring NPP government, as then Candidate Mills promised Ghanaians during the election campaign, Nana Addo said “we have seen in this brief five-month period of NDC rule, even greater hardships being visited on our people.”
He wondered how the prices of Gari, which used to sell at GH ¢1 have risen to GH ¢1.60 per an ‘olonka’, while a tuber of yam which used to sell for GH ¢1.50 is now selling for GH ¢3.00, with products like maize now selling at ¢2.50 per an ‘olonka’, rice (50kg) GH ¢75.00, five fingers of plantain for GH ¢1.00, vegetable oil (1 litre) for GH ¢3.50 and tomatoes (four small fruits) for GH ¢1.00.
This, according to him, is the practical effect of the growing inflation and loss of confidence in Ghana’s economy.
In spite of all these, he said the NDC government had announced a whopping 14% increase in tuition fees for the country’s Universities for the next academic year, while loans have not been released though the semester have ended.
For the past five or so months, he noted that the leadership of the NPP has been strategizing to bring the party back to power, stressing “all of us in the leadership of our party are fully aware that unity in our ranks is vital to the prospects of the victory in 2012.”
According to Nana Addo, Ghanaians are very discerning and have braced themselves up to the tenets of democracy, and stressed that they will boot the NDC out of power in the next elections.
Even though the NPP has always welcomed competition for office as a bedrock principle of democracy, Nana Addo emphasized that well-meaning Ghanaians and the overwhelming majority of our rank and file hope that this time round, the competition will be conducted in a way that will facilitate reconciliation among competitors and their supporters, thereby reinforcing the unity of our party.”
Though he is confident of a return to power in 2012, Nana Addo openly admitted “we have much work to do.”

If the economy is broke, fix it

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 27, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu & Bismark Bebli

NANA ADDO Danquah Akufo-Addo, the 2008 Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has prevailed upon President John Evans Atta Mills to fix the economy and stop complaining that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has inherited only liabilities from the NPP.
“The NDC claims almost on daily basis that this or that problem was left by the NPP administration. I say to President Mills today, if you say that the system is broke, fix it.”
According to him, every government inherits both assets and liabilities, and expressed grave concern that the NDC continues to create the impression that everything went wrong under the NPP.
Nana Addo Dankwah, who was making his first public statement after the crucial 2008 elections, where he lost narrowly to President Mills, said “In 2001, the departing NDC administration left a few assets and lots of liabilities. Amongst the liabilities were high inflation and interest rates, historic levels of debts and very low external reserves. Instead of complaining, our government went to work to build our country, with its bold decision to join the HIPC initiative, for which our nation has reaped much benefit.”
The 2008 presidential candidate, who received a rousing welcome when he arrived at the premises of Osu Ebenezer Presby Church, yesterday, to deliver his first speech, said it was true that every government leaves some unfinished business, saying “And our government too, did leave some unfinished business, just as the current NDC government will leave some unfinished business when it leaves office in 2012.”
Nana Akufo-Addo, who indicated that the NPP left economic growth as well as social intervention policies such as National Health Insurance Scheme, (NHIS), the National Youth Employment Program, the Capitation grant, the School Feeding program and a host of others, recounted how the NPP managed to break the culture of silence, which he observed every Ghanaians can today attest to.
According to him, it was unfortunate that the NDC government is misusing energies in seizing caes instead of focusing on relevant matters. “Our energies should be focused on harnessing our talents, so that we can improve the lives and liberties of Ghanaians and move our nation forward. The real challenges of our people are poverty, unemployment, crime and the burden of ignorance, squalor and disease.”
On the free-fall of the cedi, Akufo-Addo urged the government to act with dispatch to address the free-fall of the cedi by working with private businesses here, and with Ghanaians in the Diaspora, the Central bank and private banks, while making responsible utterances on the economy at home and abroad. According to him, the relative stability of the cedi has been very crucial in the creation of jobs, stimulation of commerce and the strong performance of the economy. “The restoration of a stable cedi will go a long way to restoring the confidence of the business community which is absolutely essential for getting the investment that will bring systematic growth and the rapid expansion of our economy. This is the surest way to prosperity for the broad masses of our people.”
On the drug menace, the NPP firebrand, who received intermittent applause from teeming supporters who gathered at the auditorium, noted that even though Ghanaians welcome the commitment of the NDC government for combating it, there was the need to walk the talk and urged that distinction should be made between the talk and the action.

NPP can’t escape retribution

NDC Chairman warns
Posted: The Chronicle Tuesay, May 26, 2009.


By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The ruling National Democratic Congress has hinted that it would not hesitate to hunt down the so-called ‘witches’ of the opposition New Patriotic Party, if they indeed exist.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Daniel Anang who dropped the hint, said the previous government officials should be prepared to face the con­sequences of their actions and inactions which may have caused the nation to suffer loses in one way or the other.
According to him, there was no way that such persons in the former government would be allowed to go unpunished.
Mr. Anang, according to The Chronicle, was reacting to claims by the claims by members of the erstwhile NPP administration that they were being witch-hunted.
He said “we are only asking them to account for their stewardship and nothing more”. He noted that the NPP is only trying to court pub­lic sympathy, in order to prevent the NDC government from prose­cuting them.
He wondered why members of the NPP should be afraid of accounting for their stewardship to the good people of Ghana if they know that they have done nothing wrong against the state. He con­demned the attempts being made by the NPP to create a false impression on the minds of Ghanaians that they were being politically persecuted or witch-hunted.
Borrowing copiously from the Managing Editor of ‘The Insight’ newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt, Mr. Anang said “if there are witch­es in the system, we will bunt them down. They did worse things. they should not talk about witch-hunting at all. you and I were in this coun­try in 2001 when they chased peo­ple out of even church rooms, they were ready to arrest Tsaasu Tsikata in a church”, he said.
He recalled how public servants were asked to ‘proceed on leave’ without due recourse to the law, citing the cases of Kofi Portuphy and Hodari Obi, who suffered similar fates.
“Are they (NPP) now afraid of their own shadows?”, he asked.
According to him, the NPP should rather count themselves blessed that Ghana has a leader like President John Evans Atta Mills, who is always preaching peace and discouraging political vendetta.But for the President, he noted that the NDC could have also done worse things like the NPP did to their political opponents during their 8-years stay in power.
He however cautioned against taking the President’s generosity to be a weakness since according to him no matter what happens, those who dipped their bands into state coffers for their personal benefit will be made to account for their deeds.
“From the handing over notes, areas where we think somebody must answer a question, of course we will make them answer, as sim­ple as that. I don’t want anybody to read any other meaning into that” he said, asking rhetorically “is that witch-hunting”?
He said the former Chief of Staff is making noise all around on the air waves and print media just to court public sympathy. But he issued a stern warning that “the NDC will ensure that the law takes its course, without fear or favour”.

Ghanaian Journalists dying slowly

Charles Takyi-Boadu writes
katakyie@gmail.com, okofotakyi@yahoo.com
In recent times, many have complained about the falling standards in the theory and practice of journalism in Ghana.
Genuine as the concerns may be, I believe most of the arguments that have been advanced have been cluttered by mere speculations and hearsays.
Whatever the case may be, there is an underlying factor to this debate which Ghanaians especially most of those who advance arguments against or for the issue in contention easily gloss over through no fault of theirs.
Having practiced journalism for the past five years or so has given me a fair opportunity to make an assessment of the Ghanaian media landscape which I am part of.
There appears to be a growing trend of dishonesty, greed, self-centeredness and selfishness in the practice of journalism in the country, which I believe to a large extent, is contributing to the fall in standard of journalism practice.
Much as I agree that there are a lot of quack journalists in the system, I also know and to a large extent believe that their very existence have been given a boost by the sheer negligence of some media owners, most of who do not want to invest in quality.
As a result, every Tom, Dick and Harry can just wake up from his slumber and assume the role of a journalist in no less a time without any pre-requisite skill in the theory and practice of journalism.
Though I respect the views of people like Accra-based legal practitioner, Yonny Kulendi who believe journalism is not a profession but a vocation, I don’t subscribe to the belief and the school of thought which says that everybody and anybody at all can get up an say he is a journalist, especially when he or she does not have any rudimentary knowledge about the basic ethics of the profession.
But the issue of the falling standards in journalism practice in Ghana is one that goes beyond mere rhetoric’s and talk-shops.
Unlike other countries, journalism practice in Ghana has been reduced to naught, where the journalists’ only pride rests in his or her by-line, his or her voice on air and his or her face on the screens of our television sets at home.
In true sense, this is not what journalism is all about, neither is it the way it was meant and supposed to be.
I know and have seen very senior and respected journalists in this country who have passed on to glory under very deplorable conditions.
Having had the opportunity to attend courses relating to the journalism in Asia and Europe has given me a fair idea of what and how journalism practice is really like.
It thus appears that here in Ghana, we take journalism for granted, forgetting the power vested in us by the very foundations of our constitution.
Though journalism practice the world over is not a paid job but as some have branded a ‘thanking’ job, unlike other professionals like accountants, auditors, lawyers, doctors etc. I have seen journalists in other country’s living what can be described as average and comfortable lives as compared to those of us here in Ghana.
I remember discussing my salary with some colleague journalists from the war-ravaged and transition country, Afghanistan when I was on a course in India.
I bet your wondering that these guys laughed it off upon hearing how much I end at the end of each passing month.
They could not fathom how I was surviving on such paltry salary and yet took so much pride in the fact that I was a ‘Senior Staff Reporter’ of my media house.
Considering my experience in the practice of journalism and having seen some of my stories and write-ups, they said I would have been well off in their country for the simple reason that even they who were green horns in the profession were earning better salaries than myself.
Aside that, they are given spending allowances whenever they have to travel outside their country to attend courses which will inure to the benefit of their employers.
After interacting with other colleagues on the same course, I realised the situation cut across board among other colleagues from Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nepal, Mauritius, Uzbekistan, and Yemen except for one or two countries whose journalists were living in conditions similar to those of Ghanaians.
I can thus say without fear of any contradiction whatsoever that majority of media owners in Ghana are over-exploiting their staff.
It will interest you to know that there are many journalists in Ghana who comb the length and breadth of the country and the streets and pavements of Accra and beyond in search of stories yet they earn less than hundred Ghana cedis or a little over that.
Don’t laugh! This is no joke. It is a serious issue, which should see the fathers and founders of journalism turning in their graves and thus have to engage the attention of you and me if we indeed want to help improve the falling standards of journalism practice in the country.
Yet the few of us who stand up to fight for structured conditions of service and our rights to either good or better conditions of service are branded as unionists and agitators and victimised for speaking our minds.
I have come to realise that journalism is either one of the worse or the worse profession in Ghana today for the simple reason that it is the only profession which practitioners so much pride themselves on fighting for the rights of others but yet cannot fight to salvage themselves from the whims of fear.
Most media owners in this country have virtually become demi-gods and tyrants who must be feared at all cost and whose positions are not to be challenged, no matter how crooked and weird they may be.
Their disposition are those of vampires of a ruling elite whose parochial interest is to fill their bellies and line their pockets with the toils and sweat of others who fall prey to their antics.
These are the very people who do not allow the growth of journalism with a better agenda setting, but consider politics as the only news that sells on the stands and would not allow any other thing apart from that on their front pages.
For them, the concept of development journalism or agenda setting is not part of their vocabulary since they believe you should ‘seek ye first the political kingdom and all other things shall be added’.
I remember trying to introduce or better still implement ‘development journalism’ as a concept in my media house but was told in the face that if I want to put this into practice then I better my way out, for the simple reason that political stories fetch more money.
The question I want to ask owners of most of the country’s media houses most of whose content are so politically inclined who said development-oriented stories don’t sell.
It is a hoax to believe in this kind of sceptism and fallacy since it has no basis, so they should stop making a whole faux of this whole idea and move forward; for it only takes a confident businessman to make a bold decision to venture into an unknown territory.
Personally, I find it is extremely difficult to renege on the principles on which I opted to practice journalism as a profession.
This conviction goes way beyond mere monetary consideration since I cannot trade my consciences for money.
The quest to get thing done in the right way is what has inspired some of us to this day, either than that appalling and prevailing conditions in the profession would have compelled us to join the fray of ‘business journalism’.
My only pride is the fact that I always stand and live for these principles which only a few of today’s journalists can uphold, but I don’t blame them though, considering the poor conditions under which they live.
However, I don’t think the condition under which one lives should make him to compromise his conscience that much for monetary since every journalist have but his name and image to hang on and protect.
I stand for these principles and would find it extremely difficult to allow monetary considerations to influence or colour my decision-making.
What many of those of us in the practice of journalism do not know is the power that we wield and the fact that we can effect changes in society.
We are sometimes made to believe that we are just passing through the system hence would compromise everything, including the only asset that we have, our conscience, in exchange for money.
But what I want to tell all Ghanaian journalists is for them to remain resolute and not be cowed and intimated by fears and threats of dismissals or demotion long as their certificates are still intact because the truth pains but it really pays to say as it is.
I therefore throw an open challenge to all journalists, stakeholders in the industry and especially media owners to gird their loins and brace themselves to the tenets of the profession and the tests of time since journalism is indeed a noble profession.
The next time you see somebody on you television set, don’t mistaken him for a rich man for he or she may be reeling under the shadows of poverty.
I live the rest of the debate for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and all other persons and institutions who recognise the essence and value of this profession.
May the good lord save us all from the reels and shadows of the ravaging wind of poverty, which is sweeping across the spectrum without mercy.
I rest my case.

Rawlings visits Castle

…To brief Mills on his South Africa trip

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 20, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

For the first time in almost nine years that he left office as President of the Republic of Ghana, Former President Rawlings was at the Osu Castle last Friday to meet the incumbent President John Evans Atta Mills to brief him on his recent trip to South Africa.
The meeting was said to have been held in a friendly atmosphere where the two exchanged pleasantries. Mr. Rawlings, who led a government delegation to the inauguration of South Africa’s new President, Jacob Zuma is reported to have told President Mills that South Africa was looking forward to forging mutual and beneficial relations with Ghana in the areas of commerce, technology transfer, investment, tourism and agriculture among others.
A statement signed and issued by the President’s Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga said the ex-President had very good impressions about Zuma’s commitment to work with Ghana.
On his part, President Mills was said to have thanked Mr. Rawlings for having accepted to represent Ghana at the inauguration and assured him that there would be follow up measure to take advantage of the opportunities available for mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.
Rawlings led a delegation that included his wife, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and astute businessman and renowned soccer administrator, Herbert Mensah, to South Africa.
They were there to officially represent President Mills at the inauguration ceremony of Jacob Zuma , which took place in Pretoria.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rawlings left Accra for the United Kingdom on Saturday night.
He is there on the invitation of the Oxford Research Network on Governance in Africa (ORENGA) and the University of Oxford, to give a lecture under the theme “Democracy and Security in Africa”.
President Rawlings, who was accompanied by his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings will be addressing students and academics at the Faculty of Law auditorium of the University of Oxford. Other activities lined up for the former President include an informal interaction with students and a dinner in his honour.
ORENGA is a research network that co-ordinates and facilitates research on the politics and modern history of government in Africa. It serves a vital need at the University of Oxford by bringing together scholars from several departments and faculties who work in different disciplines on common sets of issues.
Members of the network supervise research students and contribute to teaching undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in African Studies.

New IGP`s challenge to officers, men

Get on, or be booted out

… Stresses on need for `Service with Integrity`

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 20, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

In his quest to restore what he admits to be the dented image of the Service, the new Inspector General Police (IGP), Paul Tawiah Quaye, has sent a word of advice to the officers and men of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), to live up to expectations.
According to him, any individual or group of persons in the service who act contrary to expectations would be made to face the full consequences of his or her actions and inaction, since the Police Service was no more going to compromise on its integrity.
He made these comments at his maiden address at the Police Headquarters in Accra, to outline his vision and objectives to the media.
Mr. Quaye therefore asked his officers and men to ensure a high degree of discipline and accountability within the service, indicating his commitment and preparedness to enforce, what he described as a rigorous equitable discipline in his administration.
“Officers and men, who for whatever reasons may run crisscross to the ethics of the police profession, will be dealt with drastically, without favour,” he emphasised.
He further advised the officers and men of the service, to operate within the parameters of democratic principles of policing, devoid of acts which tend to undermine the tenets which govern the protection of the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the citizenry, as enshrined in Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
That notwithstanding, the IGP was optimistic the officers and men of the Ghana Police Service would abide by the rules and regulations governing the profession, in order not to fall prey to the law.
The police administration has also set specific goals and targets for all police stations, districts, units, divisions, and regions, against which performance would be measured periodically. Consequently, the aggregate of results will be analysed in the context of the overall national objectives of the country.
This way, the IGP believes, “negative variances reflecting non-performance or under-performance can be immediately identified, evaluated and rectified,” with the main control mechanism being the effective monitoring of performance at all levels.
Mr. Quaye envisions seeing a world-class police service that uses best professional practices and strategies to combat crime, including apprehension and prosecution of criminals in Ghana, with the belief that this would enhance the peace and security of the various communities in the country.
Based on this vision, the Inspector General of Police says it is his principal objective to implement systematically, short to medium term strategic national policing plans, aimed at significantly improving the maintenance of law and order, and the protection of life and property. In order to achieve this objective, the police administration has resolved to embark on a programme of undertaking a major internal re-structuring and capacity-building in the service, with a review to effectively and efficiently utilising the limited human and logistic resources of the service.
It has also expressed willingness to develop a professionally competent workforce, through what they call systematic core and related training and development, to establish a high delivery.
In this light, the IGP said there would be regular in-service training programmes for the officers and men of the service, with a view of sharpening their professional skills and keeping them abreast with contemporary developments in policing, with particular focus on the Ghanaian society.
Emphasis in these courses are expected to be put on integrity, discipline, leadership and management skills, fairness in dealing with the public, and the retention of staff in core operational roles.

The Oxford Lecture

JJ EXPLODES IN LONDON

…Accuses Kufuor’s gov’t of profligate spending

Posted:The Chronicle Wednesday, May 20, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

It has virtually become impossible for former President Rawlings to mount any political platform without launching vitriolic attacks on his political opponents, especially members of the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, led by former President John Agyekum Kufuor. When he recently got the opportunity to address a forum at the prestigious Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Mr. Rawlings accused the Kufuor administration of abusing the country’s scanty resources.
In his opinion, “never before in our country’s history has there been such blatant dissipation of national resources” as witnessed under President Kufuor and his NPP regime. He accused the NPP of having left a huge debt to the tune of GH¢ 47 billion on the government and people of Ghana, when the country’s “combined debt from Independence was GH¢ 44 billion”, the former President said.
To him, the irony of the situation was that “there is absolutely no significant infrastructural development to show for it!”. Mr. Rawlings was speaking on the issue of ‘Security and Democracy in Africa’.
Mr. Rawlings at his recent address at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, also did not spare the immediate past government when he was reported to have said “contrary to the assertion that their (NPP) tradition was truly democratic, the NPP government was an excellent example of an undemocratic regime”. To buttress his point, Mr. Rawlings stressed that under the NPP regime “once you belonged to the party you did no wrong. Every effort was made to obliterate the P/NDC legacy and the institutions of government were so politicized that even when they took decisions against government officials, such decisions were disregarded with impunity.”
Rawlings told his Oxford audience that Ghana under NPP sunk into a democracy of nepotism, non-accountability, power to the rich and a complete disregard for the feelings of the electorate. He believed that these and other reasons led to the NPP losing power in the 2008 general elections.
He described as very dangerous the allegations of abuse of the structures of the Security Services, the hounding and persecution of some security personnel, refusal to follow laid down promotion procedures and a complete politicisation of the military under the erstwhile administration.
“The NPP could not co-exist with Institutions which had integrity. The Security Services were not spared and the Judiciary also took a serious beating as well”, he stressed.
According to the ex-President, some of his colleagues were also aware of the deepening crises in the barracks. Mr Rawlings recounted that a ban was placed on respectable and senior security officers from visiting security and military installations.
Mr. Rawlings said despite all these efforts to muffle people’s rights, Ghanaians did not hesitate to vote out the ruling party when it mattered most, despite the clear doctoring of figures that took place in a desperate bid to cling on to power.
“The NPP took us to the abyss as far as democracy was concerned, and such methods do not entrench our democracy. It allows for chaos, lack of confidence in the electoral process and political apathy”, he emphasized.
In spite of this, the former President said Ghana has managed to be stable because of the culture of tolerance that had been created between 1981 and 2000. According to him, these achievements have not come as a matter of the pressures imposed by the West, but “a desire by the people to prove that peoples’ power is most sacrosanct.”
For this reason, he noted that “democracy is democracy so long as it is propped up by freedom and justice, probity and accountability”, stressing that “our problem is how to deal with the Western double standards,” he stated.

The Akosombo declaration

Journalists commit themselves
… To help achieve MDGs
Posted:The Chronicle Tuesday, May 19, 2009


By Charles Takyi Boadu
With just six years to go, a team of Ghanaian media practitioners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the academia, have committed themselves to helping the country towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In all, the thirty-six participants have resolved to intensify and expand the coverage of programmes and activities towards the attainment of these goals by the year 2015.

This was after three days of intensive deliberations at a workshop organised by the Ministry of Information, with support from the United Nations Development Planning (UNDP), at Akosombo over the weekend.

The theme for the programme was ‘The state and the media as development partners in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).’

In recognition of the political polarisation in the country, the group pledged to enhance professional media practice as a means of contributing to national stability and peace, a critical consideration for the attainment of the MDGs, which include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal basic education, promote gender equality, and women empowerment.

The rest are reducing child or infant mortality, improve maternal mortality, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and to develop a global partnership for development.

In a seven-point communiqué, the group recommended for government consideration, the need for the establishment of a multi-sectoral team, comprising representatives of the Ministry of Information, UNDP, National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), media, political parties and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) by the end of June 2009.

The team would be tasked with a responsibility of submitting progress reports on Ghana’s efforts at attaining the MDGs, to the Ministry of Information by the end of September 2009.

It was further recommended, for the consideration of government and other stakeholders, the formulation of a national development agenda, which recognises the attainment of the MDGs as binding, regardless of which government is in power.

“We further recommend the setting up of a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the performance and progress made or achieved in attaining the MDGs,” the communiqué said.

In order to ensure community participation and ownership towards the attainment of the goals set, it was further recommended that stakeholder meetings should be organised at district, regional and national levels, to create awareness and commitment in attaining the MDGs.

Investors to Troop After Mills's Trip to UK

Posted: The Chronicle| Wednesday, 13 May 2009


By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The Government says it is confident that sooner than later, foreign investors and businesses will be trooping into the country in droves, to either invest or partner Ghanaian companies to do business.

The Trade and Industry Minister, Ms. Hannah Tetteh, has thus sought to clear doubts being expressed in some quarters about the prudence or otherwise of President Mills' recent trip to the United Kingdom, accompanied by a delegation of some members of his government.

At a press briefing in Accra yesterday, the Minister noted that they were in talks with a lot of foreign investors, and businesses who have not just expressed, but also shown keen interest in coming to invest in the country.

In spite of the global economic effect, she noted, "it was quite clear that Ghana was considered to be a very interesting and exciting business destination, with very good future prospects."

She has thus given Ghanaians her word that they would soon realise the benefits of the President's trip to the UK.

As a first step towards the realisation of this dream, she indicated that the British Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Lord Davies of Abersoch, will be leading a trade delegation to Ghana in September this year, to facilitate the move.

It has thus been agreed that the Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana would work together with Ghanaian Business Associations to develop a list of UK businesses that the government will like to attract to Ghana, either to invest on their own, or enter into joint ventures with their Ghanaian counterparts in various business sectors.

This is to ensure that Ghana received the maximum benefits from such an investment trip.

Hannah Tetteh gave details of some of the meetings and engagements the government delegation held with some of these prospective investors, stressing that the discussions on investment opportunities were engaging and frank.

According to her, most of the discussions focused on private sector investors.

Over the next few weeks or months, the government says it will be continuing the dialogue to ensure that more of such businesses have the opportunity to join the country do business profitably.During the trip, the Trade and Industry Minister said she and her other colleague Ministers of Finance, had discussions with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) on the issue of private sector development and trade facilitation.

This was in view of an existing private sector development programme, which will come to an end this year.

The programme is a multi-donor supported facility, with DFID being one of the donor partners.

The discussions were thus centered on the renewal of the facility, and the focus areas which the government would like to have addressed in the next phase of the programme.

It was later agreed that the discussion be continued in Accra with the DFID and other development partners, to fashion out a programme that would address the priority areas for private sector investment, as defined by the Mills' administration.

I did my best at Korle Bu -Frimpong Boateng

Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, May 15, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the nation’s premier hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), and the first blackman to undertake a successful heart transplant in sub-Saharan Africa, Professor Dr. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, is obviously not happy with what appears to be a deliberate and calculated attempt by sections of the media to tarnish his reputation.

He said he did not have any intentions whatsoever of descending into the gutters with the papers, since his achievements as CEO of the hospital speaks volumes.

Speaking in an interview with this reporter, Prof. Frimpong Boateng wondered why some Ghanaians took delight in ruining the reputations of individuals in the country.

Frimpong-Boateng, who is the head of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, noted that despite all accusations being made against him, the Ghana Post had crowned his deeds by embossing their newest stamps with a couple of the things he managed to achieve for Korle-Bu during his days as CEO.

He talked of three of the new stamps, which have the embossment of the new Administration Block of the hospital, the Cardiothoracic Center, and the third one which has his own embossment.

After achieving this and other monumental feats for the nation and Korle-Bu, he could not fathom why anybody, or his detractors, would seek to drag his name and reputation into the mud without cause.

He also takes pride in the fact that he has been able to establish a Cardiothoracic Centre which is now recognised by the West African College of Surgeons, for training heart surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac anesthetists, operating room nurses, intensive care nurses, cardiac technicians, and other cardiothoracic technicians.

Newspaper reports had alleged that contrary to the praises heaped on Frimpong-Boateng, for his instrumental leadership in the building of the administrative block for the hospital, the children’s block, which is a few meters close to the administration, was in a deplorable condition, such that between four and five children, and in some cases six, new-born babies share a bed.

It was also alleged that some of the basic necessities like water filters are not available, stressing that the situation at the Surgical Medical Emergency (SME) unit and other departments of the hospital, was more pathetic.

This is what baffles Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s imagination, wondering why such blame could be apportioned to him, when he left office almost two years ago.

In spite of this, the learned doctor has indicated that he was not the least moved by the continuous churning of falsehood by his detractors, to tarnish the image and reputation he has built for himself over the years.

VEEP PROMISES BRIGHT FUTURE FOR GHANA

… Urges Ghanaians to explore oil sector
Posted:The Chronicle | Friday, May 15, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Vice President John Dramani Mahama is optimistic of the government’s ability to lift Ghana’s struggling economy from its present state. According to him, they are working hard to reverse what he described as the ‘serious deterioration’ in the economic fortunes that his party inherited.

He gave this assurance in a speech read on his behalf by Trade and Industry Minister, Ms. Hannah Tetteh, at the 15th Anniversary celebration of Strategic Communications Africa (Stratcom Africa) in Accra on Wednesday.

“We are bringing down the huge budget deficit that reached record levels that have never been seen in the Ghanaian economy,” he said.

He believes this can be achieved through austere measures, as announced by Finance Minister, Dr. Kwame Duffuor, in his maiden budget presentation to Parliament.

For this reason, he was confident that his government would be able to bring down the deficit, and restore the health of the economy.

This, according to him, was what would enable local enterprisesto have access to cheaper credit, stressing “the credit needs of smaller scale enterprises, in particular, are occupying centre stage for the government of President Mills.”

He consequently encouraged local enterprises to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the rapidly developing oil and gas industry in Ghana, to better their lot.

“We cannot accept that out of the billions of dollars to be invested in the exploration and development stages of a large project like the Jubilee project, only a small share goes to local enterprises,” he said, and encouraged Ghanaians “to be active in pursuing opportunities in this sector.”

The Vice President, however, had a word of advice for those who may have interests. “We should not do this by being passive fronts or agents for foreign companies. We must work to create local enterprises, even if it is not easy in the beginning.”

That way, he said, the benefits of the country’s natural resources would accrue to its people, and not the foreigners who are descending on the Western Region in their numbers.

Mr. Mahama cautioned foreign partners involved in developing the Jubilee fields, to endeavour to stick to the rules of the game, by strictly conforming to the provisions of laws that were passed in 1980’s by the Provisional National Defdence Council (PNDC) to regulate petroleum exploration, which requires that preference be given to using local goods and services, and that Ghanaians be employed at all levels of the operations, once they have the requisite expertise.

To him, the challenge was for Ghanaians to show their capabilities and exhibit the highest levels of professionalism, whether as welders, rig workers, engineers, financial or administrative staff, in order to lay claim to the job positions that are being created.

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stratcom Africa, Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, urged her colleagues in the communications industry to rise up to the challenge, to ensure that they scale new heights of effectiveness in what they do.

“As we see with athletes, the raising of the bar inspires people to new levels of effort and achievement. We train harder to make us able to break that old record,” she emphasised.

Through self-discipline and with a sense of responsibility to the nation, she urged her colleagues to rise to new heights of performance.

She identified one of the major challenges in the country’s communications industry, as the rush to produce materials such as brochures, without determining what the real communication need was.

This, according to her, could lead to the wasting of resources, and therefore advised those in the communications industry to device new and innovative methods in meeting the demands of their clients.

Though she admits there have been challenges over the years, the CEO said one thing that kept the company going, was the determination to maintain a good reputation.

Ms. Cobbah took the opportunity to express her profound gratitude to all stakeholders in the industry, especially Stratcom’s numerous clients, staff and the media, for helping to build a brand name for themselves.

Present were government ministers and business tycoons, including Bernard Mensah, a partner of the United Kingdom-based Goldman Sachs, who was the Guest Speaker.

Barbara Sika Baeta, Founder and Managing Director of Flair Catering Services, chaired the programme.

Mills sells Afari Djan abroad

… For keeping Ghana in one piece

Posted: The Chronicle Tuesday, May 12, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

During his recent visit to the United Kingdom, President John Evans Atta Mills hurled praises on the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari Djan, the man credited for holding the country in one piece during the recent general elections.
This was during a meeting with David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party of the UK.
Cameron had commended Prof. Mills and Ghanaians, in entirety, for the way and manner in which the elections were conducted, but in thanking the Mr. Cameron for his kind words, the President singled out Dr. Afari Djan for his sterling performance during and after the elections, stressing that the Commissioner took decisions that were in the best interest of Ghana.
“The Commissioner was firm, and at the times that he needed to take critical decisions, he did not waver,” he noted.
He however commended the entire populace of Ghana for deepening and entrenching the nation’s democracy.
According to him, the majority of Ghanaians wanted a change, and were determined to safeguard their mandate through acceptable channels.
Having invested so much time and effort in the country’s peace and democracy, Prof. Mills noted: “at this point, there is no turning back.”
The leader of the Conservative Party praised Mills for his matured approach to politics, and his open-minded style of governance.
Mr. Cameron said the world was still glued to happenings in Ghana, and commended President Mills’ style of governance.
According to him, Ghana, as a country, had done herself and the continent proud.
With regard to Ghana/UK ties, the leader of the Conservative Party expressed appreciation that the President was making a strong case, not only for government assistance, but for more British entrepreneurs to make Ghana their preferred investment destination.
On the issue of attracting donor support and investments into Ghana, President Atta Mills said that as a government that was anchored to the tenets of social democracy, it was his prime concern to make sure that his government invests heavily in social intervention programmes, hence his unrelenting approach to seeking the needed funds to execute his agenda.
“At the end of my term, I will be judged by the extent to which my team has been able to improve the standard of living of the people of Ghana, and not by any other yardstick, and so I am committed to nothing, but building a Better Ghana,” the President noted.
President Mills congratulated David Cameron for the leadership role he was playing in the British politics.

Rawlings charges Zuma to emulate Mandela

Posted: The Chronicle Monday, May 11, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

On the day of his inauguration, as President of South-Africa, former President Jerry John Rawlings had a word of advice for Jacob Zuma.
He asked him to take over the ideals and leadership style of former President Nelson Mandela, the man who salvaged South Africa from the jaws of the apartheid regime.
In a statement to coincide with the inauguration of Zuma this past Saturday, Rawlings stressed on the need for all South Africans, with Zuma’s inclusion, to uphold the humility, strength of character, and the virtues of Nelson Mandela.
Rawlings noted that Zuma faces a huge challenge, as he takes over the mantle of leadership at a time when the world’s economy was in a shambles, stressing that the entire region look up to South Africa for leadership.
He advised Zuma to: “select people who have the quality, capacity, and patriotism required to lead, when appointing your ministers and aides. It is also important that you sow seeds of true unity, as you start your tenure.”
The former President, who led Ghana’s delegation to the inaugural activities, which took place in Pretoria, congratulated Zuma on his election as President.
Considering the unique infrastructural and technological development of the country, JJ was convinced that South Africa was in a unique position to economically and politically set the tone for the rest of the continent, and urged all South Africans not to allow political pettiness to derail it.
Rawlings said it was positive to see democracy take root in South Africa, with new parties cropping up, and minority parties being strengthened.
While it was beautiful to see citizens taking diverse positions in the name of democracy, he said it was imperative that maturity and diplomacy, rather than confrontation and intolerance, are employed in managing such diversity.
”The years of apartheid that saw the sacrifices of Mandela, Biko, Kathrada, Tutu and the thousands of your kith and kin, cannot be allowed to whittle away, due to the dislike of one person or the other,” he cautioned.
The former President was full of praise for Nelson Mandela, who at the age of 90 still takes an active interest in the political affairs of his country, and has continued to provide inspiration to his party, the African National Congress (ANC), and millions of South Africans and others worldwide.
“Mandela is the epitome of resilience, humility, reconciliation and unity. South Africans owe their political stability to this man, who sacrificed 27 years of his life behind bars to ensure that apartheid was eradicated. He held the bitterness of his people in check, and ensured that there was no retribution, when apartheid ended.
“This true patriot of South Africa should always be the inspiration behind each South African. The world is watching as the Zuma era takes off, and I hope the ideals of Mandela will continue to inspire his leadership.”
Rawlings also advised the new government of South Africa to take stock of the true state of democracy in the country, and to make adjustments where necessary, to strengthen its young and vibrant democracy even further.
Zuma, 67, was elected as President on April 22, in a landmark election, which saw a breakaway faction of the ANC, COPE also contest.

Blows at AMA elections

...as `Bukom Banku` strips naked
Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, May 08, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The election of both Metropolitan Chief Executives (MCE) and Presiding Member (PM) for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) yesterday did not go without an event.

Though the President’s nominee for the position MCE, Mr. Afred Okoe Vanderpuije, sailed through by polling 86 out of the total of 88 votes cast, the beauty of the programme was nearly marred by three events: one between the Assembly Member for Chorkor, Derrick Myers popularly referred to as ‘Showman’ and the Assembly Member for Dansoman, Comfort Awinya, another involving Braimah Kamoko, a boxer popularly known as Bukom Banku, and the third between the Assembly Member for Nii Boi Town and a cameraman of Ghana Television (GTV).

This was in the heat of the first round of the election of the Presiding Member, which virtually ended in a deadlock, due to the inability of both Professor Nii Ayaa Armah and Desmond Addo Biney, to secure the needed votes to carry the day.

In the first round of the elections, Biney, who is the substantive Assembly Member for East-Legon, polled 57, whilst Prof. Armah, who is a government appointee, secured 30 out of the 88 votes cast. The Electoral Commission, Nana Oduro Numapau, could not declare any of them the clear winner.

In the process, some of them started pointing accusing fingers at some of their colleagues, whom they suspected to be members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), for blocking the chance of their preferred candidate, in the person of Biney.

The Chorkor Assembly Member made an open statement, which sought to indict those he suspected of being members of the NPP, of blocking the chance of Biney, who they considered as one of them in the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

This attracted stinky comments from some members on the floor, including the Member for Dansoman.

The comment brought a heated argument between the two honourable members.

Though they were separated by those present, ‘Showman,’ who had lost his temper, threw caution and decency to the winds and managed to steal a jab at his colleague Member for Dansoman, attracting the attention of all the dignitaries present.

Another Assembly Member also attacked a cameraman of Ghana Television (GTV) who was filming the scuffle between the two assembly members.

The burly-looking man was later identified as Ako Gunns, the Assembly Member for Nii Boi Town.

Considering the tension and events that characterised the election process, with some members openly showing their ballot papers to the crowd, Professor Armah decided to withdraw his nomination and throw his weight behind Biney in the interest of the Assembly.

Biney thus managed to poll 73 of the 88 votes cast in the second round, thereby making him the Presiding Member.

Earlier on, ace boxer and Light heavy-weight champion of Africa, Braimah Kamoko popularly referred to as ‘Bukom Banku,’ created an ugly scene at the premises of the Assembly, when he virtually stripped himself naked.

His reason was that he had seen some people he claimed were members of the opposition NPP wearing T-shirts of Mr. Vanderpuije, when people like himself, who owe allegiance to the NDC, did not have any.

Not even the pleadings of the security guards and the women present could prevent him from causing a scene, as he moved up and down chanting and insulting the organizers of the event, with tonnes of foul and filthy language.

Most of those present, especially the journalists, were extremely surprised at the attitude of the ‘celebrity,’ since he virtually stripped to his pants, leaving his bare chest.

His pants/trousers were virtually falling apart, with his briefs showing in the full glare of the huge crowd.

All this while, some of his fans followed him and cheered him up, supporting his bid to cause confusion at the event venue.

When he was later brought under control, the Banku-man cursed the NDC, saying that they would suffer.

This, he said, was because the NDC was giving him and his colleagues reason to believe that they had suffered in vain, thereby relegating them to the background.

The Presiding Member and the newly-elected City Mayor, Desmond Addo Biney and Alfred Vanderpuije respectively, asked their supporters and members of the Assembly to help to move forward.

The event was presided over by the Cordinating Director of the AMA, T. I. Adjovu, while Justice Abodakpi took the elected officers through the oath of office. Present at the function were high-ranking members of the NDC, including the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashittey, Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodioo, Nii Tackie Kommey, MP for Ablekuma-south, Fritz Baffour and Director of the Regional Coordinating Council F.A.T.S Nartey.

The rest included Jerry Acquaye Thompson, Sylvester Mensah, and the NPP MP for Okaikoi-north, Elizabeth Sackey.

Fear grips Accra residents

…over increasing spate of crime
Posted: The Chronicle Thursday, May 07, 2009


By Charles Takyi-Boadu
There is growing concern about the security situation in the capital city, Accra. This follows increasing reports of cases involving armed robbery, fraud, mobile phone snatching and Internet fraud, otherwise known as ‘sakawa’, among others.
Though the police claim that crime is on the decrease, and have managed to make a couple of arrests in some cases, the contrary appears to be the situation, since the security situation in the country, especially Accra, keeps degenerating from bad to worse, as the days go by.
This is evident in a series of news carried by the various media houses, which seek to expose the activities and operations of some of these criminals.
In places like the Kaneshie market, Nkrumah Circle and Accra Central, it has virtually become a norm to see thieves snatching phones and other valuables from people in broad daylight.
It has therefore become either impossible, or extremely dangerous for Accra residents to go about their normal duties and transactions freely, knowing very well the constant danger they expose themselves to.
Some have even called for the return of the man labelled as the ‘Crime-buster,’ Assistant Superintendent of Police (ACP) Nathan Kofi Boakye, whose fate is still unknown, in spite of Presidential fiat by former President Kufuor, which exonerated him of any wrongdoing in a cocaine case in which the Georgina Wood Committee indicted him.
Though security expert and head of Conflict Prevention and Resolution at the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra, Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, admits there is a surge in crime wave in the capital city, he was cautious in his submissions, saying the issue goes beyond Accra and its environs, but one that cuts across the entire nation.
According to him, when one goes to town, and talk to ordinary people including market women, forex bureau operators, owners of fuel stations, he or she would notice that they were all worried.
In an interview with The Chronicle, he attributed the increase in crime wave to the transition period, stressing, “During transition periods, criminals groups and criminal gangs always want to test the mettle of the new regime.”
To him, what Ghanaians are witnessing in recent times, is nothing but what he described as ‘a battle of field of accommodation’.
Dr. Aning said the country witnessed similar events in the year 2001, when former President Kufuor assumed office, and in 2004 when he was again re-elected to serve his second term of office.
He noted that the situation looks like a nationwide thing, and therefore stressed on the urgent need for those in charge to step-up their efforts in fighting crime and its related incidents.
“From where I sit, I think this is a testing of the mettle of those who need to deal with crime; the criminals are saying, are these guys up to the job.”
For this reason, he believes there was also the need for those responsible to respond as quickly as possible with some level of toughness, in order to bring things under control.
Dr. Aning was therefore not surprised that, in terms of the cost of doing business in Ghana, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) rated crime as the fourth.
This, according to him, was something the country needs to do something about, even if it would take resourcing the Ghana Police Service, and bringing in more intelligence.
“So far as people are beginning to feel uncomfortable, or beginning to think that this has a cost implication, then I think we need to do something about it,” he concluded.

Mills denies Blay`s claim

Posted: The Chronicle Wednesday, May 06, 2009
By Charles Takyi-Boadu


President Mills has denied The Chronicle report that he was beside himself on hearing the news of the withdrawal of Mr. Stephen Blay, who claims to be related to him by virtue of his marriage with he (the President’s) niece.
Blay was the District Chief Executive (DCE) nominee for Jomoro in the Western Region, but his nomination was later withdrawn, following protests by National Democratic Congress (NDC) executives in the constituency.
According to the President, at no point in time did he express shock or tell anyone about being pressurised into withdrawing any nominee for the post of DCE.
A statement, signed and issued by Information Minister, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi, said the Presidency wishes to state that the decision to withdraw the nomination of Stephen Blay, would not have been affected by the President’s knowledge, or otherwise, of any supposed family relationship.
Stephen Blay claimed in The Chronicle publication, yesterday, that President Mills expressed shock upon learning that he (Stephen Blay) was married to his niece.
He also claimed the President told his (Blay’s) wife that he was pressured into withdrawing the nomination.
The statement was however silent as to whether the Blay’s wife was related to the President or not.