Sunday, September 13, 2009

UNITING BEHIND NKRUMAH'S CENTENARY (SEPT 12, 2009)

ACTIVITIES to mark the historic celebration of the centenary birthday of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, were launched in Accra yesterday amid pomp and pageantry.
The ceremony, which took place at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, in Accra, also witnessed the sod cutting for the renovation of the park, as well as the unveiling of the logo for the celebrations.
Inasmuch as the celebration of Dr Nkrumah’s centenary birthday is most significant, the Daily Graphic finds the presence at the launch of political heavyweights across the political divide, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, among other dignitaries, as most refreshing.
That is because their presence gives a huge national and international recognition to Dr Nkrumah’s stature and the need to celebrate him in a most befitting manner.
Furthermore, the presence of the Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, and the party’s flag bearer in the 2008 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for instance, is a clear indication of the unity of purpose that Ghanaians will accord this historic occasion.
The Chairman of the Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Planning Committee, Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, emphasised that unity of purpose when he said in his welcoming address at the launch that in developing the programme of activities, the committee was guided by the need to make the celebration assume a national character, involving all sections of the Ghanaian society.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that such an approach would go a long way to not only ensure the success of the celebration, but also that honouring the memory of such a great personality revered in many parts of the world is not diluted with our own internal wrangling and differences.
This is the time for all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political or ethnic affiliations, to bury their differences and rally behind the planning committee to make the celebration as grand as a man of Dr Nkrumah’s stature deserves.
It is in this respect that the DAILY GRAPHIC applauds Mr Mac-Manu endorsing the decision taken by the Mills administration to organise the celebration and also declare a holiday in Nkrumah’s honour.
Although Mr Mac Manu is from the Busia-Danquah stable, he acknowledged that Dr Nkrumah was a visionary leader who had worked to unite the country, adding that “this is a national celebration and we must all get involved”.
That is the kind of spirit the DAILY GRAPHIC wishes all Ghanaians to bring to bear on the celebration of the centenary birthday of Dr Nkrumah. Undoubtedly, his personality is bigger than Ghana and under no circumstance must an event meant to celebrate him be made to divide us.
But beyond the celebration, we counsel all Ghanaians to accord all national events the same unity of purpose.

Friday, September 11, 2009

BE MINDFUL OF DAY OF RECKONING (SEP T 11, 2009)

ISSUES of accountability and good governance are very critical principles that all public office holders must strictly uphold.
Indeed, these principles are enshrined in our Constitution that mandates every Ghanaian to hold high these cherished principles.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends the Asantehene for boldly telling public office holders, including regional ministers and their deputies, to be mindful of the day of accountability when they find themselves out of public life.
We remind everybody of the statement by former American President, Ronald Reagan, when he said: "We must reject the idea that every time a law is broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the precept that each individual is accountable for his actions."
The caution by the Asantehene is timely and very relevant because the advice was given to new ministers of state, who have been entrusted with authority to serve their people instead of lording it over them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the advice from the Asantehene was not only meant for our political leaders but a call to all Ghanaians, irrespective of whether one finds himself in public life or in private endeavour.
It is sad that as a nation, we have consciously or unconsciously accepted certain vices as virtues.
Indeed, public and civil servants who retire in dignity and have little material possessions are regarded as failures, who, with all the trappings of office, could not amass wealth to enjoy during their retirement.
The crave for material possessions is driving the Ghanaian society towards what happens in the animal kingdom, where every creature fights for survival.
In our communities, drug peddlers and persons labelled as “connection men” are our heroes. And in our churches and social engagements, the rich are given the front roles, without questioning the sources of their wealth so long as they pay their dues and tithes.
Is it any wonder that teenagers are now engaged in what is popularly called “sakawa” instead of being in school to learn and acquire knowledge for the future?
Such is the extent of depravity in our society today that the public good becomes secondary to personal gain.
Our sense of nationalism has been grossly overshadowed by our selfishness. Unless, we take action to play by the rules, we would face the music, when we are each called upon to account for our deeds.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on all Ghanaians to step up the call for the principles of accountability and good governance.
We must insist that things are done right, even if it means dying for the truth, because posterity will one day vindicate us for the principles we stood for.
Article 41 of our Constitution states clearly that the exercise and enjoyment of rights and freedoms is inseparable from the performance of duties and obligations.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that if all Ghanaians uphold the principles espoused in Article 41, Ghana will be a better place to live in.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

OUR RIGHT TO KNOW (SEPTEMBER 10, 2009)

THE power of the media is captured succinctly by Malcolm X when he says, “The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
The media’s role in democratic governance has been acknowledged worldwide, primarily because our people need accurate, fair, unbiased, timely and relevant information in order to participate in national discourse.
In our effort to promote democratic governance, the media, indeed, must be encouraged in their efforts in deepening democracy in the Fourth Republic.
The last elections pushed the whole country to the brink of chaos, primarily because of the irresponsible acts of some media fellows.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, commends the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) for providing the platform in Accra yesterday for media practitioners and politicians to assess their role in deepening democracy.
Politicians have also not helped our cause as a nation. Pronouncements on political platforms, which we have all come to accept as “political talk”, where politicians openly castigate one another and inflame tribal sentiments, have been the stock in trade of many of the people who seek our mandate to govern.
Every morning, programmes on radio and television feature politicians and self-acclaimed experts, feeding us with their ignorance, be it on contract law, oil, and gas, marine, economy, energy and any other issue under the sun.
In the end, programmes that ought to inform, educate and offer enlightenment and knowledge poison the atmosphere with half-truths.
Media freedom places upon us a major responsibility to ensure the development of the country. Some have argued for tougher laws to regulate the media landscape but the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks there are enough laws to deal with recalcitrant journalists who flout our codes of ethics with impunity.
Sometimes, as journalists, we need to step back and reflect on our work because the stocktaking will determine whether we should continue with the old ways or make amends for the betterment of society.
The DAILY GRAPHIC cautions against sacrificing our country on the altar of political expediency largely facilitated by gutter journalism that only endangers our society.
Our collective responsibility is to ensure the overall good of our people even as we pursue the multiparty democratic agenda.
For, it will be a tragedy to return to the dark days of the ‘culture of silence’ because journalists have shirked their mandate to exercise the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution with responsibility.
With the right information, the people are empowered to demand accountability from their leaders. The media will thus act as the public watchdog in scrutinising the activities of public office holders, especially our elected leaders.
The media thus holds the key to entrenching good governance in the country, although without other actors such as the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, democracy cannot endure.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

LET GUNS REMAIN SILENT IN BAWKU (SEPT 9, 2009)

THE recent acts of lawlessness on the part of some faceless criminals who killed five of our countrymen in Bawku cannot be condoned by law-abiding citizens.
The DAILY GRAPHIC condemns in no uncertain terms the brutal murder of these people, including public servants who are serving the public good in Bawku.
Swift action needs to be taken to deal with these criminal deeds, if peace-loving citizens are to be given space to contribute to nation-building.
The DAILY GRAPHIC finds it extremely difficult to appreciate the recent security lapses in the Bawku area, especially when the area has been under curfew for sometime now.
It is scary that armed men, on their own, can mount roadblocks and shoot to kill innocent citizens without the law catching up with them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that the Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka, has directed personnel of the various security agencies to effect the prompt arrest of all troublemakers in the volatile areas of Bawku.
The culture of impunity can only end in that area, if criminals are dealt with according to the law but not left off the hook because of their connections in society.
Bawku used to be a very vibrant town because of its proximity to the borders of Burkina Faso and Togo and also served as a market area for many people, especially our women in northern Ghana.
However, the increasing acts of lawlessness with political and ethnic under-tones have reduced the town to a pale shadow of the once vibrant town of Bawku.
We have observed that ethnic politics has eaten deep into the social fabric to such an extent that we are prepared to sacrifice the national interest for political or ethnic expediency.
The DAILY GRAPHIC urges the Upper East Security Council (REGSEC) and the national security apparatus to help resolve the Bawku conflict immediately and punish all offenders to send a clear signal to others who have such diabolical intentions.
These criminals do not have a place in our peaceful country because they can destabilise our society and push us down the road of a failed state.
We also call on the media to watch their reportage on the conflict, especially live radio reports, which can inflame passions.
The DAILY GRAPHIC reminds the media fraternity of what happened during Rwanda and Burundi, the genocide that almost cleansed an entire ethnic group, in order that we can learn useful lessons from that experience.
The people of Bawku are brothers and sisters and the time has come for them to resolve to maintain the peace.
We urge the chiefs and their elders in dispute to smoke the peace pipe now.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also appeals to the youth of the area to hold their leaders accountable and commit them to abide by the road map to peace.
The resources being spent by the government to maintain peace in Bawku can be channelled into projects that can improve the lot of the people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, makes a passionate appeal to the people of Bawku to look at their deteriorating conditions and resolve to let the guns drop silent immediately in the area.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

GHANA-ISRAEL RELATIONS (SEPT 8, 2009)

MORE than any other time in our history, globalisation today imposes on us the concept of each being his brother’s keeper, implying that we need co-operation in finding solutions to the many problems confronting the world.
This means that in times of need an entity can fall on the other but, of course, not from sources that would not help the cause of the beneficiary.
It is within this context that the visit to Ghana by the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Avigdor Liberman, ought to be placed.
Besides trade and commerce, we need to explore opportunities for partnership in other areas. And since agriculture is the mainstay of our economy, we need strong partnership with countries and organisations that have developed their agricultural sector.
The area Israel occupies, according to geologists, is largely composed of rocks and yet its citizens have been able to till it so well to feed themselves and have some for export.
Sometime ago, the Israelis expressed interest in the irrigation of the Accra plains, but this project did not materialise for unexplained reasons. Again, Israelis were involved in the construction of the underground Accra sewerage system, but this initiative also fizzled out after the overthrow of the Second Republic.
Some of our compatriots have kicked against the visit of the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation, citing Israeli policy towards Palestine.
We do not begrudge them for expressing their opposition to the visit, but for how long can we continue to preach isolation instead of adopting the path of dialogue in resolving the Middle East crisis?
While we endorse the right of Palestinians to self-determination, we must avoid any move that denies Israel’s place on earth.
The DAILY GRAPHIC encourages the two states to adopt the path of dialogue as it holds the key to promoting total peace in the Middle East in particular and the world at large.
We are happy that already the two states have recognised the need for dialogue as demonstrated by their adoption of the road map to peace.
The paradox of our circumstance is that while we sing praises to all visiting American Presidents to our country, we are quick to denounce an Israeli Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Ghana.
In fact, both the US and Israel share the same ideological inclinations with regard to the Palestinian state.
The dynamics of global politics require that we identify our friends with whom we share similar aspirations but this same situation demands that we make friends with nations that can help advance our interests.
After all, Ghana is not at war with Israel, neither is it against a Palestinian state.
Our doors must, therefore, remain open, as a peaceful nation and pioneer in African liberation interested in the total freedom of all oppressed people of the world.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes the coming of the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel would mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana-Israel relations.
Furthermore, we hope Ghana can explore the rich experiences of Israel in agriculture and other areas so that the arable and fallow lands can be cultivated to feed our people.
Almost all the regions are food baskets but the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that dream can be attained if dams are built to promote all-year-round farming activities. Israeli expertise will be vital in this regard and Ghana stands to gain from the visit of the Deputy Israeli Prime Minister.

GHANA-ISRAEL RELATIONS (SEPT 8, 2009)

MORE than any other time in our history, globalisation today imposes on us the concept of each being his brother’s keeper, implying that we need co-operation in finding solutions to the many problems confronting the world.
This means that in times of need an entity can fall on the other but, of course, not from sources that would not help the cause of the beneficiary.
It is within this context that the visit to Ghana by the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister, Avigdor Liberman, ought to be placed.
Besides trade and commerce, we need to explore opportunities for partnership in other areas. And since agriculture is the mainstay of our economy, we need strong partnership with countries and organisations that have developed their agricultural sector.
The area Israel occupies, according to geologists, is largely composed of rocks and yet its citizens have been able to till it so well to feed themselves and have some for export.
Sometime ago, the Israelis expressed interest in the irrigation of the Accra plains, but this project did not materialise for unexplained reasons. Again, Israelis were involved in the construction of the underground Accra sewerage system, but this initiative also fizzled out after the overthrow of the Second Republic.
Some of our compatriots have kicked against the visit of the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation, citing Israeli policy towards Palestine.
We do not begrudge them for expressing their opposition to the visit, but for how long can we continue to preach isolation instead of adopting the path of dialogue in resolving the Middle East crisis?
While we endorse the right of Palestinians to self-determination, we must avoid any move that denies Israel’s place on earth.
The DAILY GRAPHIC encourages the two states to adopt the path of dialogue as it holds the key to promoting total peace in the Middle East in particular and the world at large.
We are happy that already the two states have recognised the need for dialogue as demonstrated by their adoption of the road map to peace.
The paradox of our circumstance is that while we sing praises to all visiting American Presidents to our country, we are quick to denounce an Israeli Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Ghana.
In fact, both the US and Israel share the same ideological inclinations with regard to the Palestinian state.
The dynamics of global politics require that we identify our friends with whom we share similar aspirations but this same situation demands that we make friends with nations that can help advance our interests.
After all, Ghana is not at war with Israel, neither is it against a Palestinian state.
Our doors must, therefore, remain open, as a peaceful nation and pioneer in African liberation interested in the total freedom of all oppressed people of the world.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes the coming of the Deputy Prime Minister of Israel would mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana-Israel relations.
Furthermore, we hope Ghana can explore the rich experiences of Israel in agriculture and other areas so that the arable and fallow lands can be cultivated to feed our people.
Almost all the regions are food baskets but the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that dream can be attained if dams are built to promote all-year-round farming activities. Israeli expertise will be vital in this regard and Ghana stands to gain from the visit of the Deputy Israeli Prime Minister.

Monday, September 7, 2009

COCOA FARMERS NEED THEIR BONUS (SEPTEMBER 7, 2009)

“COCOA is Ghana and Ghana is cocoa” is how some analysts have described the country, which is the second-leading exporter of cocoa in the world.
Cocoa beans and products from Ghana have gained world acclaim such that in faraway Japan, if the chocolate on their shelves is not from Ghana, buyers from that country hesitate in patronising the product.
That is the extent to which our cocoa beans and products are perceived and adored by buyers on the international market such that they describe them as “premium” quality.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, finds as a worrying development the impasse between the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the licensed buying companies (LBCs) over the non-payment of bonuses to some cocoa farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Consequently, the farmers may be at the receiving end of this tango because as the saying goes, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
The DAILY GRAPHIC is not interested in the blame game, but rather to appeal to the conscience of the two parties to resolve to find a quick solution to the impasse.
The COCOBOD recently announced preparation towards its yearly ritual of syndicated loans to finance the purchases of cocoa for this year’s cocoa season.
The over US$1 billion dollar syndicated loan is a testimony of the international financial system’s faith in our ability to deliver on the yearly cocoa purchases.
Be that as it may, the worry is that such wrong signals from the cocoa sector can impact negatively on our ability to source such funds, use them for the intended purpose and repay same in good time.
Over the past four years, the country has been able to produce cocoa beyond our regular yields. the windfall has been very encouraging and the opportunity to even go beyond the more than 600,000 tonnage exists for us to explore to make money to wean ourselves off donor partners.
Furthermore, there have been heavy investments in the cocoa industry. Cargil has doubled its cocoa processing plant to about 60,000 tonnes during the same period, likewise Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), which, at the end of its expansion programme, would have the capacity to produce about 62,000 tonnes of cocoa products for export.
All these companies depend on cocoa purchases for their production.
Therefore, the row between the COCOBOD and the LBCs has far-reaching implications for the country.
As our leading export crop, cocoa should not be undermine in any way by us, bearing in mind that the country is in difficult times.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls for reason and above all responsiveness on the part of all the parties to ensure that our farmers are not denied the very little compensation due them as a reward for their hard work.
If anything at all, this is the time for prompt action to enable the country to take advantage of the commodity boom on the international market in respect of our cocoa exports.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, recommends dialogue between the Cocobod and the LBCs to resolve the issue amicably and we trust that good reason will prevail.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

SODOM AND GOMORRAH CAN'T STALL DEVELOPMENT (SEPTEMBER 6, 2009)

THE Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, has indicated the readiness of the government to demolish the sprawling and famous squatters’ dwelling in the heart of Accra, popularly called Sodom and Gomorrah, because of security concerns.
This move may be good news but one that is long overdue.
For residents or rather squatters of this hotbed of political manoeuvring, however, the move may not be very pleasant.
Indeed reports indicate that the settlers, or for want of a better description, the squatters, have indicated their resolve to resist any attempts at ejecting them from their illegal abode.
We do not want to enter into the debate as to the legal justifications or otherwise of the action being taken against the squatters.
The Daily Graphic’s concern is primarily the inertia of state institutions to enforce by-laws within their jurisdiction and the seeming lack of political will to do what is right.
The problem of Sodom and Gomorrah manifests itself at other slums in every part of the city of Accra and other urban settlements in the country.
From Airport, through East Legon, Dansoman, Tema, name it, every part of the city, be it residential or the central business area, has slums that defy the harmony required among spatial, social and environmental aspects of a city.
The only way we can guarantee ourselves liveable places in Accra and other cities is to remind the people of a popular quote from former President Jerry John Rawlings that; “Our problem is not knowing what is right but rather doing what is right.”
It is this same lack of appreciation for what is right and lawful that today we are confronted with such national challenges like what to do with the squatters of Sodom and Gomorrah. Is it surprising that as a nation, we are where we are because we all have failed in our individual roles to do what is right?
But much as the Daily Graphic blames such state institutions for the lack of professionalism on their part, we equally lay the blame squarely on politicians who, at the turn of every event, would want to use every opportunity to score cheap political gains at the expense of national development.
Our attitude to approaching every thing under the sun with a political eye has led us to take decisions that only go to aggravate our national crisis.
The move by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) should not only be limited to squatters, who mainly are the vulnerable in our society, but extended to include all illegal structures in every part of the country.
While we do not condone acts of lawlessness in our society, we must make it point to ensure that as a state, we adhere strictly to United Nations convention on the right to a decent accommodation.
The Daily Graphic shares in the statement by Helen Keller, who said, “Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.”
Unless something positive is done now, this group of people in the slums can create social problems for society. That is why the squatters must be foremost in our planning.
It is our wish that the exercise will be carried out in the best interest of the people, and that we will learn lessons from our mistakes and resolve never to look on unconcerned when people flout the regulations on spatial development.

Friday, September 4, 2009

MEDIA CAN BE LETHAL (SEPTEMBER 4, 2009)

THE debate over social responsibility in the media has become relevant today given the claim that journalists are partly to blame for the spectre of a polarised nation.
Leading members of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in Ghana have taken politicians and the media to task for the polarisation when they spoke on behalf of millions of Ghanaians who do not have the opportunity to speak publicly.
Indeed, recent events have made many people to question whether some media practitioners do not have any better way of handling national issues than the hate speech and propaganda they force down the throat of their readers, listeners and viewers.
In fact, the venom that sometimes comes from the pens and microphones of journalists and commentators, makes society wonder whether the media can count on the public trust to behave responsibly.
Without advocating a return to the era of the “Culture of Silence”, as well as the restoration of the Seditious and Criminal Libel Laws, it is important for the inky fraternity to appreciate the power they wield so as to use it for the public good.
The DAILY GRAPHIC would always encourage the media to hold public office holders accountable for their actions but it is equally essential for media practitioners to recognise that although the media can be a tool for development, it can be a lethal weapon, if misapplied.
The actions and inaction of journalists sometimes create the impression of a conspiracy of silence within the media when it comes to upholding its own ethics.
Whatever the challenges, the media have done a lot to guide and guard our democracy to the present level, where it has won international acclaim.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the media to take a cue from the harm a reckless statement on a radio station in Rwanda did by way of causing a genocide and make a vow to exercise media freedom with responsibility.
Let us not have any illusions that God loves us better than people in countries ravaged by war. We are on course because we are trying hard to play by the rules.
The barbaric incident at Agbogbloshie on Tuesday, August 25, 2009, when some Ghanaians took machetes, chased their own brothers and butchered three of them, should not be lost on us.
The determination on the part of journalists to build public confidence in their businesses will determine which media organisations survive and prosper and which ones fail in the current financial crunch.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is very much aware of the fact that good stories sell newspapers, draw viewers and win accolades but these are attained if the stories represent the truth and facts on the ground.
While we bemoan bad journalism, we should also celebrate the efforts of many good journalists who have used their skills to promote the well-being of the people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to play more proactive roles in encouraging journalists to spike stories that cannot stand up to the truth.
The NMC, as the regulator, should bite while the GJA should encourage its members to be more ethically conscious and responsible.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

CALL THEM TO ORDER (SEPTEMBER 3, 2009)

AN efficient road transport system provides the oxygen for the free movement of people and goods across the length and breadth of the country.
Although we have not been able to pave all the road networks in the country to first-class standards, our rail and air transport was considered the most efficient in post-independent Ghana.
At least in the 1960s and early 1970s the rail network served the needs of the travelling public and businesses in the catchment areas of the rail road.
Students enjoyed travelling by trains to and from their schools and those in areas not served by the rail roads would connect to their destinations by road. Those were the days of the rail romance when it was a delight to travel by rail because of its safety, comfort and reliability.
Even as a small country struggling to build its economy many years ago, Ghana Airways was then the airline of choice of most travellers on the continent.
There is no doubt that Ghana is doing well in many spheres of human endeavour and for which reason we have been touted as a model but the failures in certain areas can be avoided if we get our act together.
The country has not done well in managing its transport companies over the years. The popular Omnibus Service Authority (OSA) and the City Express Service (CES) have collapsed because of mismanagement while Intercity STC is a shadow of its former self.
While the state finds it challenging to run mass transportation, the private operators, but for whose efforts the economy would have come to a standstill, are in brisk business.
The mass transit system offers the best way to address the bottlenecks in the transportation system and facilitate the free and quick movement of the people.
The previous government established the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) to break the monopoly of the private operators and offer cheaper alternatives to commuters.
Mass transit systems do not offer all the solutions to the transportation challenges. Some commuters complain about the system because it can be crowded, dirty and uncomfortable.
Also with limited budgets from subsidised services, such a system is not able to maintain its equipment and fleet of buses.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the MMT has decided to ground 400 buses imported from China in 2006 because of the non-availability of spare parts and trained mechanics to repair them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC finds it very worrying that the buses have been grounded due to lack of foresight on the part of those who secured the buses on behalf of the company.
The mass transit system has fulfilled a felt need in our cities and rural areas where commuters always struggle for transport, especially during the peak periods.
But as things stand now, many commuters including schoolchildren and workers who have relied on the buses will be stranded and will have to look for alternative means to travel to and from their destinations.
No matter the challenges, the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the government to renew interest in reviving the country’s moribund public transportation system.
The surge of interest that greeted the introduction of the mass transit system must never be made to die but rekindled to complement the efforts of hardworking private operators.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that it is unpardonable for the company to acquire the buses from China without due diligence and technical support in the event of breakdowns.
We dare not kill the interest that mass transit has engendered after efforts to increase ridership of the public transport system. The Ministry of Transport should do everything to save the MMT but action should include severe sanctions against those whose actions or inaction has led to the current state of the MMT.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

SAD CASE OF REMAN PRISONERS (SEPTEMBER 2, 2009)

THE plight of remand prisoners at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons cast a slur on our reputation as a country committed to freedom and justice.
It was revealed during a visit to the Nsawam Prisons on Monday by Mr Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), that 1,554 remand prisoners had demanded their immediate trial since their continued stay in prison without trial was an abuse of their fundamental human rights.
It is difficult to understand why the prosecutors from the police service and the Attorney-General’s Department will keep remand prisoners in our prisons for as long as 20 years when the burden of proof rests on the prosecution.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is saddened by the plight of the remand prisoners in view of the principle in legal circles that it is better to have 99 criminals breathe the air of freedom than to have one innocent person convicted.
Most of the remand prisoners find themselves in their present circumstances because of their involvement in petty crimes.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks it is not just enough to bemoan the overcrowding in our prisons. The entire penal system requires an overhaul, if our prisons are to be decongested.
Oftentimes, judges are blamed for the delay in the dispensation of justice and the overcrowding in the prisons.
The courts only interpret the law and unless provisions of the criminal code are reviewed to give discretional powers to judges to grant bail for certain offences, our prisons will be choked with remand prisoners.
Also, police prosecutors and state attorneys delay trials when they plead with the courts for long adjournments to conduct investigations into the cases.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends the CHRAJ for its persistent crusade for improvement in the conditions of our prisons.
Unfortunately, the CHRAJ does not have the powers of a court to grant bail to the remand prisoners. It can only sensitise the authorities about the conditions of the prisoners.
However, the good news is that the Minister of Justice, the Chief Justice, the Inspector-General of Police and other stakeholders have initiated moves to right the wrong inflicted on some of the remand prisoners.
Any review of the penal system should give our judges power to be innovative in dispensing justice instead of the general practice of what is called the “warehousing” of criminals.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recommends community service as an alternative to prison for petty criminals. This approach, however, raises the issue of the capacity of the Department of Social Welfare to supervise criminals on community services.
In many jurisdictions, petty criminals are forced to pay their debt to society by offering certain services to the community such as the clearing of garbage.
Our prisons should help to repair the deficiencies in prisoners and return them as productive members of society.
The thousands of remand prisoners in our prisons are knocking at the door of justice and it should be opened to them now.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

GLOOM OVER HEALTH CARE (SEPT 1, 2009)

THE lack of a law to enforce guidelines, standards and codes of practice on private medical laboratories sends shivers down the spines of Ghanaians so far as the quality of health care in the country is concerned.
The immediate past President of the Association of Private Medical Laboratories (APML), Mr Otuo Adade-Boateng, who raised the issue in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the absence of regulation was also hampering the fight against HIV and AIDS because there was the possibility of being diagnosed of having contracted the pandemic when that was not the case and vice versa.
The lack of legislation to regulate the operation of private medical laboratories has opened the floodgates for any individual with or without the know-how but is desirous of entering the business to establish a medical laboratory without any licence or authorisation.
Although quite late in the day, we have been told that the Ministry of Health is in the process of developing guidelines, standards and codes of practice to regulate private medical laboratories in the country under an Allied Health Bill.
Our worry is that a number of people may have lost their lives due to wrong diagnoses from sub-standard laboratories in the country.
But knowing how long it takes for bills to be passed in this country, do we have to wait any further before something is done about the situation?
The Daily Graphic thinks that in the interim, steps must be taken to put in place a regulatory body to handle the situation, since the issue has to do with life and death.
Already some health professionals have described the trend as a very dangerous phenomenon which must be regulated immediately to ensure that unlicensed health facilities do not qualify as service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and put the health of premium holders at risk.
We are told that if someone belonging to one blood group was transfused with another type of blood, he or she would die within an hour.
This is a serious matter which should receive the attention of the authorities immediately, instead of the lukewarm approach to the mushrooming of private laboratories in the country.
If for any reason we are unable to act on a number of issues with despatch in the past, we should now see the danger signals when the challenge concerns the health of the people.
The good news is that without waiting for a bill to be passed, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has begun an exercise to evaluate its accredited health facilities, which include laboratories.
When that is done, the authority can save the lives of its clients and in addition save the scheme from unnecessary claims for wrong diagnoses, which usually lead to wrong and expensive prescriptions.
The Daily Graphic believes that the gloom and doom that apparently hang over our health service as a result of the operators of fake medical laboratories can give way to a bright future, if the axe is made to fall on those who breach the standards and regulations, as well as their collaborators in the Ghana Health Service or Ministry of Health.
It is about time our public officials who are paid by the taxpayer to run the country’s health services sat up and acted decisively to save lives.