Ghana is moving backwards

-Arthur Kennedy

Posted: The Chronicle Monday, June 29, 2009.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

The Director of Communications for the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2008 general elections, Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, believes the country’s image has sunk to its lowest ebb in recent times. Ghana’s economy is believed to be suffering a major setback, which is gradually affecting investor confidence in the country. In an interview with The Chronicle last Tuesday, the party stalwart noted “even Africa, as a place to invest, Ghana has dropped from our position to fourteen,” stressing that during the Kufuor and NPP era, the country became the best place in Africa to invest and do business. Apart from that, he noted, that one of the most significant things was the spirit of the people, indicating that people were no longer optimistic and hopeful, when you talk to them about the economy of Ghana. If one should ask ordinary people whether they are more hopeful or less hopeful just before the elections, or when the NPP was in power, he emphasised that one would come to the realisation that people are less hopeful, “it is something that should worry us.” He believes the free-fall of the value of the cedi against the United States Dollar, and most of the world’s major trading currencies, d contributed to the situation to a large extent. Meanwhile, Dr. Arthur Kennedy believes that a lot of the success of countries was due to psychology, stressing “when people are hopeful and optimistic, things go better, and I think probably the silver-lining is how well the Black Stars (the senior national football team) are doing.” Whilst he admits that it is not as though the government had done something bad, the NPP kingpin emphasised that people were not comfortable with the way and manner in which some things, including the harassment of members of the opposition NPP, the rejuvenation of the Dagbon and Bawku crises, were being handled. “It is just that people don’t feel about how some things are being done, because they have had serious omissions, things like the way the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has done its job, has been very bothersome to a lot of people,” he said. Whatever the case may be, Dr. Arthur Kennedy believes there is always hope, indicating “if the President starts doing things differently, there is still hope, for example, you know, I think when you pick up from the BNI stuff, when people are supposed to operate within the law and ask for accountability, and people are corrupt, they should be prosecuted, but I do not think that it is the place of the BNI or the Security Coordinator to be announcing imminent prosecutions.” Once he does that, he believes “it undermines the integrity of decision, because then what he is telegraphing is that prosecutorial decisions are being made by political operatives, so people can reasonably be said to be having an axe to grind with other people.” Asked whether he had any level of confidence in the President, Dr. Arthur Kennedy said “I don’t.” Though he sees President Mills as a ‘fine person’, he stressed: “we don’t look at people’s reputations and say that things are alright, we need to look at what is happening. “When we look at the celebration of June 4th, the things that the BNI is doing to people, you get the feeling, and I hope I’m wrong, that this is a very decent guy who does not appear to be in control often times.” That notwithstanding, he wished President Mills well in his endeavours, with the hope that he is able to change the perception people and investors are having about him and his government.

NPP should forget 2012

–NDC chairman declares

Posted: The Chronicle June 29, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

If what the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Daniel Anang is saying, is anything to go by, then the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) must indeed strive to put their house together, before the year 2012 approaches. He believes the NPP, as a party, has no chance to come to power anytime from now, since Ghanaians have lost confidence in them. This, according to him, was evident in what he described as 'the loot and mess' the party caused the country before they handed over the reigns of government to they in the NDC. He wondered what informed claims and the belief of some members of the NPP that their party would be returned to power by the year 2012, stressing: “it is either they are living in dreamland, or reeling under the shadows of what I call wishful thinking, so they should stop dreaming and accept the reality that they are far from coming back to power in 2012.” The Regional Chairman made these comments in an interview with the Chronicle on Saturady. “What makes them think they are coming back, the think they can use the six months that we have been in power to judge our four-years mandate?” he asked rhetorically, saying “Ghanaians are not fools, okay! Well, we live to see.” Whilst he admits that things are currently difficult in the country, he noted that the existing situation in Ghana was not the making of the NDC, but the NPP, which virtually left the country in a state of bankruptcy, with a huge debt and deficit to service. That notwithstanding, he indicated that President Mills and his government would give Ghanaians reason to retain the NDC in power after the first four-years mandate, for them to go the full eight-year stretch and beyond. Mr. Anang thus saw the NPP's claim as a mere rhetoric, which, in his opinion, is far from reaching, saying, “it is always easier to say I can do this, I can do that. They should have done it when they were in power.' Asked why he was confident his party, the NDC, would go beyond the four-year mandate given them by Ghanaians, the Regional Chairman said: “because we would ensure to repair the damages they caused to Ghanaians, and lead Ghanaians to the road to prosperity.” “We are saying they have damaged the economy, and we are repairing it, would do it, and as we promised Ghanaians, we said that prosperity for all, we said we create an enabling environment, and we said we would create jobs for all. We are sure of fulfilling those four-pronged promises, and once we are able to do this, what makes you think Ghanaians want them to come back,” he emphasised. He thus noted: “we are sure to do that excellently within the four years, and that is what would propel to the eight years and beyond.” For this reason, Mr. Anang believes the NPP should forget election 2012, and rather focus their attention on sealing the seeping cracks and holes in the party, which has been created by internal bickering. He has thus given the party a liberal and unsolicited advice to try and put their house in order, and do an introspection of itself before thinking of either winning or coming to power in the year 2012, when the next elections would be held. It is therefore his belief that the 2012 election was out the question for the NPP, since it does not have what it takes to return to power now.

GBEVLO LARTEY STRIKES AT KIA

…over 600 jobs set to be on line
Posted: The Chronicle Thursday, June 25, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Tension is mounting at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as private security companies currently operating at the airport face a possible termination of their contracts with their respective clients.
Credible sources at the airport have hinted The Chronicle of a directive issued by the National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Gbevlo Lartey (Rtd) to the various state institutions operating at the airport not to renew the existing contracts they have with the various private companies.
Not long after the directive was issued, Gbevlo Lartey was said to have issued another one asking the companies involved to terminate existing contracts with some of these private companies.
One of such companies being affected by this directive is Magnum Force Security Company Limited (MFS), a fully-Ghanaian owned private security company who has been holding the fort at the Arrival and Departure Halls amongst other sensitive areas at the airport for the past two and half years.
Though the company has managed to bring and maintain sanity to the international airport, Ghana’s first point of call which was once bedeviled with serious issues of theft, the National Security is said to be exerting excessive pressure on companies including Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Ghana Civil Aviation Authorities (GCAA) and Aviance formally AFGO to terminate their contract without reason.
In all this, the National Security Coordinator who happens to be the main architect, has not offered any tangible reason why MFS’s and for that matter any of the private security companies should not remain at KIA.
Meanwhile, Gbevlo Lartey is said to be preparing the grounds to bring back the former private security company, Elite Security, a company he has a stake in, which used to be one of the many private security companies at KIA before Magnum Force bided and won the tender on merit from among nine other bidders in the year 2006 to take over security operations at the airport.
At the time MFS won the contract, there was a lot of talk and controversy from members of the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, surrounding the selection of the company because the Managing Director was known to have worked with the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
It is however not clear why the company is suffering this fate under the new administration.
If the directive is carried out to the letter, it is feared that well over 350 individual jobs are likely to be loss under Magnum Force alone, not to talk about the remaining companies who may be equally suffering a similar fate.
This is likely to have a telling effect on the already highly approaching economic crunch, with a bearing consequence on unemployment.
To a large extent, this will surely be a variance to President Mills’ much-avowed promise of job creation considering the fact that it stifles local business initiatives.
The situation has compelled some individuals and group of persons operating at the airport to raise questions about the prudence of any such decision since it appears to be like ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’.
But Lt. Col. Gbevlo Lartey is not forthcoming with information on the issue.
When The Chronicle contacted him to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the said directive, he feigned knowledge of it.
Instead of answering the substantive question of whether or not he indeed issued such a directive, he sought to know the papers source of information.

Logical conclusions

TONY AIDOO, DAN BOTWE SLUG IT OUT
…Over Transition team’s ¢1bn tea-time spending

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
Two stalwarts of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), yesterday set the tone for what appears to have ignited the passions of political observers into a wide debate.
The two, Dr Tony Aidoo who has been made head of the Evaluation and Oversight Wing Presidential Policy Unit at the seat of government, Osu Castle and the NPP Member of Parliament for Okere constituency, Dan Botwe yesterday justified their positions on why they think the expenditure of the transition team was either within normal spending or overboard on Joy FMs super morning show yesterday.
Whilst the loud-speaking Dr Aidoo believed the cost involved was reasonable, compared to what was spent by the then NPP government in 2001 when it was assuming the reigns of power, Mr. Botwe thought otherwise, considering the fact that the NDC government had promised Ghanaians to cut down on what President Mills himself has often described as ‘profligate expenditure’.
Tony Aidoo juxtaposed his position with the argument of the accommodation, fuel and transportation of members of the team, some of who had traveled from other parts of the country to do what he described as national service to buttress his point.
Ironically, Dr Aidoo said allowances on accommodation, fuel and transport was arranged in a manner that cut across board since according to him, there was no means of determining who was renting and spending in other areas.
That notwithstanding, he said consideration was given to those who were coming from outside Accra in the area of accommodation, saying “but then those who were living in Accra had sacrificed their private means of earning to participate in this exercise, so whichever way you look at it, the across the board determination of the allowances, can be justified.”
“If you look at the number of people who were involved and you calculate that number or you multiply that number by the allowances that were given to these people, you will find that the amount of money paid to a person who performs national service for well over one month, and one month was a minimum because as at March other people were still working, then I think that was reasonable”, he emphasized.
He explained that the determination of the allowance was done on the basis or consultation with the Ministry of Finance and the Chief of Staff at the Presidency who decided to cut down on amount by 20%.
In all this, Dr Aidoo said what surprised him the most was what he described as Dan Botwe’s exhibition of “a serious deficiency in the intellectual articulation of the issues and honoured presentation of the facts.”
He described as quite illogical Mr. Botwe’s assumption that many of those who were paid these allowances for their participation in the process were appointed by the President, as though they were in the mind of the President or they had been assured of appointments by the President.
Now that most of these appointees have not received salaries, he wondered whether Mr. Botwe would recommend to Parliament for a special fund to be set up to pay these government appointees.
He sees no reason why Dan Botwe and members of his party, the NPP, will be making a mounting out of a mole-hill when an estimated ¢1.3billion, which constitutes a third of the cost of the transition on refreshment, stressing “virtually everybody who participated in the transition process were fed, including even the NPP personnel whenever they came to the conference centre.”
He also identified Journalists, security personnel and those he described as ‘the gate-crushers’ among those who were fed.
Dr Aidoo thus noted that the question of cost is not a function for the determination of the leadership of the transition team but the function of those who provided bill for the catering services.
For this reason, he emphasized “whether thy inflated the prices or not, they inflated the quantity or not is a matter that probably needs to be investigated.”
But Mr. Botwe ridiculed Tony Aidoo’s argument indicating that some teachers and civil servants who have not received their salaries for close to a year.
His wondered why a government that claims the country is broke would make such lavish spending on refreshment, wondering how for example, people like the NDC Chairman for Nadowli we be found among those noted to have benefited these allowances when indeed he was not a member of the transition team.
He thus emphasized that the allowances and the cost involved in the work of the transition team was too much.

The overbearing confidence

NANA ADDO SNUBS ELDERS’ COUNSEL
…and display perceived weakness - arrogance

By Charles Takyi-Boadu
There appear to be little or virtually no headway in bringing the two major factions, the Nana Addo and Allan camps that exist in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) together.
Credible sources within the high ranks of the NPP have been speaking with The Chronicle about how the party’s Presidential Candidate in the 2008 general elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has and continues to refuse to pay heed to advices for him to try and make amends with Allan Kyeremateng and his boys.
Information has it that though the two individuals exchange pleasantries in public as though everything is fine, a cold war exist between them.
Party sources attribute this to what they describe as ‘the overbearing confidence’ of Nana Addo.
“You see we wanted him to take the initiative to talk Allan down as a young brother so we could all go and add our voices to it but he has continuously refused to pay heed to these advice, thereby making it extremely difficult to broker a deal for him to go as a compromised Candidate in 2012 since Allan and his boys could pose a serious threat to his Presidential bid”, the source said.
Our sources have it that just after the 2008 elections; some key but influential members of the party advised Nana Addo to not only call but also thank Allan for his immense support during the electioneering campaign, taking into consideration that fact that he (Allan) buried his difference and accompanied him to almost every part of the country to canvass for votes.
This advice came in the wake of the party’s bid to present a formidable front to the 2012 elections in order to avoid a fully-fledged Presidential primary, with party elders and leadership trying to broker a deal to get a compromised Candidate to stand in the next elections.
However, this is said not to have yielded any fruits since according to sources, Nana Addo have relegated the counsel to the background as he was nursing an ambition to re-run for the position in the next NPP Presidential primaries.
On virtually all occasions that Nana Addo was said to have been advised to try and make amends with Allan who by all standards wield a large following and influence in the NPP, our sources say he has swept it under the carpet, boosting of being confident to floor Allan in any given elections and thus does not need his support to sail through, all in the name of pride.
This is said to have raised concerns among party guru’s, some of who have even sought to question Nana Addo’s sense of commitment to his claim of wanting to unify the party in the face of creeping and seeping divisions in the rank and file of the NPP.
As a result of this, the two are said to be engaged in a vicious media warfare, trying to make or unmake one another.
But former Spokesperson and close aide of Nana Addo, Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy denies there is a rift between Nana Addo and Allan let alone for talks between them to break down.
According to him, the supposed rift is only perceived and not real in its original sense.
Interestingly, Nana Addo is yet to say thank you to the seventeen or so NPP Presidential Aspirants who rallied support behind him after party’s Presidential primaries which saw him emerging as its Presidential Candidate in the 2008 elections.
That notwithstanding Nana Addo seems to be making headway in his bid to make amends with former President Kufuor, having visited him at his residence for not less than three times within the month of May alone.
Not too long ago, Nana Addo was said to have visited the former President at his Airport with a team of prominent citizens as efforts to iron out their differences and presented Mr. Kufuor with a white goat to pacify him for whatever differences they might have had in the past.
Though the meeting was said to have been held and ended in a friendly atmosphere, Mr. Kufuor was said to have spoken his heart and mind out and after indicated his preparedness to make amends with Nana Addo since he was holding nothing against him.

On rights of prisoners to vote

NGO OPPOSES EC AT SUPREME COURT
...As gov`t insists their franchise should not be allowed
Posted: The Chronicle | Monday, June 22, 2009



By Charles Takyi-Boadu
All is set for the Attorney-General (A-G) and the Electoral Commission (EC) on one hand, and the Centre for Human Rights and Civil Liberties (CHURCIL) on the other to battle it out at the Supreme Court on July 7, this year, in a landmark suit brought against the state.

The suit, which was brought against the A-G (1st defendant) and the EC (2nd defendant), was filed by CHURCIL (plaintiff), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) committed to upholding the rights of remand prisoners, for the court to determine whether or not to give remand prisoners the right to vote.

But, even before the date set for the final hearing, the Government of Ghana (GOG) has, through its agents, the AG and the EC, have stated its opposition to the writ, which seeks to advocate for remand prisoners to have voting rights.

The Attorney-General says the fact that prisoners have the right to vote in some jurisdictions “should not ‘ipso facto’ give prisoners the right to vote in Ghana,” stressing that “the absence of the right to vote by prisoners is not a curtailment of their rights under the constitution.”

In her response to the suit filed by CHURCIL, the A-G noted: “in the attempt to get them to exercise the franchise, we do not forget the pain, the mental agony, despair and experiences of a vast majority of Ghanaians, who have at one time or the other been victims of criminals, and their hope, desire and expectations that criminals pay for their crimes.”

This was contained in a response filed by Chief State Attorney, Samuel Neequaye-Tetteh, on behalf of the A-G.

CHURCIL, represented by Kojo Graham of Law Group and Co, is seeking for a declaration, among others, that section 7 (5) of the Representation of the People Law, 1992 (PNDC 284) was inconsistent with, and in contravention of Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution, and that consequently, to the extent of such inconsistency the said PNDCL 285 is null and void, emphasising: “the enactment was made in excess of the powers conferred on Parliament by section 93 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, or any other head of legislative power.”

It is also seeking consequential orders in exercise of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction, under Article 2 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, compelling/ordering the Electoral Commission to exercise its constitutional powers under the electoral laws, and where necessary, under Article 45 of the Constitution, to facilitate and ensure the registration for effective voting of all remand prisoners to vote by reason of Article 42 of the Constitution.

It is the argument of Kojo Graham that section 7 (5) of law 284 was discriminatory in terms of article 17, because law 284, as amended, grants exemption of the same electoral laws and thereby creates a classification based on social status or standing, referring to the Representation of the People (amendment) Act, 2006 (Act 699) which exempts Ghanaians living abroad from the residency requirement of the same electoral law.

Considering the fact that this Act was enacted only recently, to give Ghanaians in the diaspora the right to vote, which had been guaranteed them by the Constitution since 1992, the A-G argues that whatever rights citizens have under Article 42 of the Constitution, those rights granted can only be exercised when the necessary procedures have been put in place by the EC.

For this reason, the A-G submitted: “those rights should not be granted to persons who have deliberately violated the laws of the land and the rights of other citizens.”

That notwithstanding, lawyers for CHURCIL noted: “if the impugned provision is ultimately found to be unconstitutional and void, the plaintiff respectively prays this honourable court to order the Electoral Commission to take steps and measures to ensure effective exercise of the universal adult suffrage of all remand prisoners in the upcoming 2008 elections.”

However, solicitors for the EC, Lynes Quarshie-Idun and Co, believe their client was not a substantive defendant in the instant suit, but was only a nominal, but submitted that the impugned provision is a common provision found in electoral laws, which is designed to prevent voter registers and electoral statistics in polling districts, in which prisons etc., are located from being inflated by reason of the location of prisons etc., in those districts, describing it as completely illogical.

In the light of the above, the EC says “it would be in order for this honourable court to strike out the 2nd defendant as a defendant in this suit, to enable the plaintiff to pursue his reliefs, if such reliefs are indeed valid, against the 1st defendant and to release the 2nd defendant, thereby enabling it to carry out its duties to the nation.”

Renovation of Korle Bu Audiology Center to cost $500k

Posted: The Chronicle | Friday, June 19, 2009

By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Management of the nation’s premier health facility, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), have started counting the cost involved in renovating the Hearing Assessment Centre-Audiology, which was razed down by fire on Tuesday night.

Initial and provisional estimates provided by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the hospital, Mustapha, indicates that they may need about US$500,000 to put the place back in shape, since the extent of damage was extensive.

In an interview with The Chronicle on Wednesday, Mustapha noted that the hospital spent over US$200,000 in putting up the building and staffing it with equipment in the year 2005.

Under the current circumstance, with the rising cost in goods and services and the rapid growth in inflation, he noted that the cost involved in resuscitating the facility would be more than double the figure used in constructing it.

The fire, which gutted the Hearing Assessment Centre-Audiology, which is part of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the hospital, started around 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday evening, when staff of the facility had closed from work, and left for their various homes.

Some staff of the hospital, who were around the area at the time of the incident and saw smoke coming out of the building, raised an alarm, which made the authorities call in personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to put it out.

The fire destroyed the ceiling of the building, and caused serious damage to equipment and the building itself.

Before personnel of the Fire Service arrived at the scene at 6:00 p.m., some of the hospital’s security men, who have been trained in firefighting, used extinguishers to battle the flame.

By that time, thick smoke had covered the whole vicinity, compelling authorities of the hospital to evacuate children-patients and their caretakers at the Children’s Block, which is close to the Hearing Centre, to the Central Out-Patient Department (OPD) for safety.

It is however not clear whether the little equipment retrieved from the building would be in good shape for use.

The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Professor Otu Nartey, arrived at the scene at a time the fire had virtually been put off, around 7:38 p.m.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area (Ablekuma-South constituency) and Board Member of the hospital, Mr. Fritz Baffour, arrived at the scene around 6:45 p.m. to observe things.

The fire is suspected to have been caused by an electrical problem, which may have erupted as a result of the recent intermittent power outages.

Meanwhile, the management of the hospital has launched an appeal for funds to put the Hearing Centre back in shape, considering its invaluable purpose to the hospital and humanity.

Where is the `I care for you?`

…AFAG asks gov`t
Posted:The Chronicle | Wednesday, June 10, 2009


By Charles Takyi Boadu



Prevailing economic conditions in the country has compelled Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group, to remind President Mills and his National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration of the much-touted ‘I care for you message’ they bandied around in their campaign promises during the 2008 elections, which brought them to power.

The group is not too sure whether the President still believes in his campaign message and has therefore charged government to as a matter of urgency consider an upward review of the salaries and wages of Ghanaian workers to commensurate with the rippling effects on the economy and the sudden increase in prices of goods and services.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, Spokesperson for AFAG, Daniel Marfo Ofori-Atta said “the current increase in fuel prices portrays the real character of the NDC as a group willing to use subterfuge to gain electoral advantage,” since according to him, “the increase is the outcome of a government that is failing to show direction, and lost the essence of its role in solving the prevailing economic hardship of the Ghanaian.” Instead of putting money in the pockets of Ghanaians, he noted that the NDC administration has done the opposite, noting “more than ever

before, the masses of our people are confronted with the severe problem of high food prices, fuel cost and high cost of utilities and allied expenditures.”

He wondered why a government such as that of the NDC, which claims to be a social democrat in its ideas and belief would now be selling kerosene, the main source of energy for the country’s poor rural folks at a whopping price of GH ¢ 86.45 pesewas per a litre (¢34,500) as against GH ¢66.50 pesewas per a litre (¢26,600), whilst Premix fuel now sells at GH ¢51.48 pessewas per a litre as against the previous price of GH ¢39.60 pesewas per litre.

For this reason, AFAG says it is opposed to the current 30% and previous 10% price increases in fuel, under the Mills’ administration which is barely six months old in government, since in its opinion “it increases the hardship on Ghanaians as there is no commensurate increase in salaries of workers”, charging “Mr. President, the economy is dying. Where is the ‘I Care for you’ slogan you so eloquently chanted during the campaign?”

It therefore asked -“Has the President forgotten the poor Ghanaians he promised to save from the NPP? It seems that the ‘I care for you’ slogan has turned into ‘I would kill you with a blunt machete.”

In spite of all these untold hardships, AFAG says it is reliably informed that government, on the advice of IMF intends to increase the prices of utilities by taking off subsidies including water and electricity.

The group reckons this would further increase the hardship on the average Ghanaian, stressing that it is well aware an increase in toll fees whilst more are being constructed.

AFAG believes “this in no small means would add to the burden of the Ghanaian, which the President eloquently vowed to protect and feed in the course of his campaign.”

It also complained about the current high cost of living in the country, as a result of the continuous fall in the value of the cedi, which currently trades for ¢1.46 GH to US $1 USD (inter-bank rate closing Friday 16th May), emphasizing “the harsh effects of this fall in the value of the cedi has resulted in the high cost of operations of firms who trade in import goods, hence the likelihood of some folding up, the inability for petty traders to break even with poor sales, difficulty in acquiring bank loans which previously were available at their doorstep and the tendency of the Private sector performing poorly due to the high bank lending rates and decrease in demand for goods and services due to a fall in value of workers’ salaries are just a minor part of the consequences of the fall in the value of the cedi.”

“We would want to remind the President’s Economic Advisory Team of basic macro-economic expectations that in the face of price increases, Governments are advised that ‘labour do not suffer money elusion’ (meaning as prices goes up, labour expect an immediate increase in wages/salaries. Indeed, not a nominal increase but a real increase)”, said the group.

It thus noted “any attempt by Government to practice income policy (i.e. deliberate attempt by governments to hold wages in the wake of price increases), a policy rejected by seasoned economists, which could lead to civil unrest and many strike actions.

We therefore could sense some social turbulence as a result of strike actions in the next 4-8 months, if the situation remains the same.” Members of AFAG also noted that they foresee the deepening in poverty levels, upsurge of corruption, crime, poor nutrition and all other forms of social vices by the end of the year if prudent fiscal policies are not immediately put in place, stressing “these consequences unfortunately plaques the majority of ordinary Ghanaians who have no security provision, unlike members of Government households of the ordinary Ghanaian who suffer one way or the other from this avalanche of social brute.”

AFAG thus envisages a gradual return to the harsh conditions of the 1980s and 1990s under former President Rawlings’ PNDC and NDC regimes, indicating that the worsening economic situation would not change because “the character of the social and political forces which dominated the twenty years administration of J.J Rawlings are the same forces in government today.”

For AFAG, “what has changed is that, mediocrities and misfits have been transplanted overnight from situations of obscurity and poverty into positions of influence and affluence. Within six months in government, many Ghanaians including ardent supporters of the current regime have realised the benefit of social democracy for a privileged few.”

It therefore expressed disappointment in the silence of the TUC, GNAT, NAGRAT and the leadership of other trade unions and civil society organizations, as they observe decreases in the purchasing power of workers.

After months of evasion

Police grab terror fugitive
…who dragged Policeman with motorbike
Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009


By Charles Takyi Boadu
A 25-year old fugitive commercial motor rider (Okadaman), who made a police officer, Constable Lot Joseph Mensah, suffer excruciating pain, after dragging him behind his motorbike for a distance of over 300 meters, has finally been arrested.
Theophilus Quaicoe, who went into hiding after escaping arrest, was nabbed by the police at Osu, when he and another person were alleged to have robbed an internet café of a laptop computer.
He has since been charged for committing criminal and motor traffic offences.
His charges range from causing harm to a serving police officer, causing damage to a police uniform, using a motorbike for commercial purposes, which is not allowed by the law, to riding a motorbike without a license.
Upon hearing of his arrest, the police at Korle-Bu sent a signal to the Osu Police Station requesting for him to be transferred to the station to face charges, after he was granted bail by a court on the case in which he an another person are accused of stealing a laptop computer.
At the Korle-Bu Police Station, Quaicoe admitted to the District Commander, Superintendent Ernest K. Maayeb, in the presence of an independent witness, of having committed the offence and pleaded for mercy.
Though he is said to have admitted to committing the offence, when Quaicoe appeared before the Motor Court yesterday, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.
He was however remanded into prison custody by the court, presided over by Justice Nimako, and is scheduled to reappear on June 19, 2009.
On January 28, 2009, the accused dragged the policeman in question with his motorbike for over 300 metres, from the bus stop opposite the administration block of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), to the main trafficlights.
This was after the officer attempted to impound his motorbike during a swoop sanctioned by the Regional Police Command to clamp down on the activities and operations of these ‘Okadamen’ who were operating illegally.
In the process of impounding the motorbike, the Constable attempted to put his truncheon between the spokes of the back wheel of the motorcycle.
The truncheon however ended up stuck between the mud guard of the motorbike and the tyre.
The accused thus sped off with the policeman hanging loosely behind the motorbike, whilst he screamed for help.
But, this did not prevent the ‘Okadaman’ from dragging him, as people poured to the streets and pavements of Korle-Bu to catch a glimpse of what looked like a ‘Hollywood style movie’.
All this while, the ‘Okadaman’ was blowing the horn of his motorbike, for oncoming vehicles and road users to give way.
For fear of loosing his life or hitting his head against the asphalt road, the policeman held onto the carrier of the motorbike with his left hand. The policeman released his hold on the motorbike when they got to the trafficlights, where some his colleagues were directing traffic, when the motorbike slowed down.
The accused again sped off for fear of being arrested.
When he was rescued, Constable Lot, whose wife had given birth only a few days before the incident, sustained various degrees of injuries, whilst his police uniform was torn beyond imagination.
Theophilus Quaicoe was given a hot chase, but managed to escape arrest, compelling the police to declare him wanted, until his arrest on Monday, May 25, 2009.