Graphic Editorial

LET’S HAVE PEACE IN AKUAPEM (PAGE 7, JAN 29, 2011)

2011-01-31T04:47:00.001-08:00

Peace is a prerequisite for development and for this reason everybody is enjoined to be a troubleshooter in the society in order to facilitate growth, development and prosperity. Anything to the contrary will lead to stunted growth and the deterioration of living standards and conditions.
Ghana has become the beacon of hope on a continent with many trouble spots because for more than two decades the country has enjoyed peace and stability despite the existence of a few flash points.
We have held five successful elections since 1992 to usher in new regimes or remove ruling governments from power without any serious security problems.
It is recalled that before, during and after the last general election many of our friends thought that the country would fall apart because of the tempo of the campaign for power by the political parties.
The dividends of democracy cannot be reaped fully if peace and tranquillity are taken for granted, for good governance, rule of law, respect for civil liberties, and the conduct of regular elections cannot be guaranteed in an atmosphere of war or disturbances.
All eyes are on Ghana now from all over the world because of our success at promoting democratic governance. Investors, tourists and everybody feel safe in the country as a result of our respect for rule of law. It is only when those who feel aggrieved can seek redress in the law courts and are guaranteed a fair hearing that they will risk their capital in the country.
Nonetheless, when certain internal developments threaten the peace and stability of the country then there is cause for worry.
We make reference to the one-time peaceful environment on the Akuapem Ridge that has been rocked in recent times by disputes among residents of towns that used to sit together to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The Akuapems are noted for their discipline and respect to such an extent that it is said that if an Akuapem wants to be rude he or she will precede such a remark with an apology.
Thus for a very long time the people of the Ridge have enjoyed peace and development until the 1990s when the Akuapem Traditional Council disintegrated with some of the wings breaking away from the centre to claim their autonomy as paramountcies because of a dispute between the people of Akropong and Abiriw.
The latest dispute between the people of Abiriw and Dawu that led to the death of one person over a land dispute will further aggravate the volatile situation in the area.
The dispute between Abiriw and Dawu will also retard mediation efforts by the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council to bring peace onto the Akuapem Ridge.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the parties in the dispute to bury the hatchet and come together as one people determined to fight their common enemy of poverty, disease and ignorance.
We are concerned about the developments on the Ridge just like any flash points in the country because conflicts distract us from the serious business of providing for the needs of the people.
It costs a lot of money to maintain peace in any conflict zone and it behoves all to maintain the peace so that the government can channel resources for the deployment of security personnel into the provision of basic amenities such as schools, roads and hospitals.
The Daily Graphic calls on all people of goodwill on the Ridge and beyond to impress upon the troublemakers to give peace a chance in order to maintain the area as a tourist hub and a citadel of education.

MAKING OUR ROADS SAFE (PAGE 7, JAN, 31, 2011)

2011-01-31T02:52:00.000-08:00

For some time now members of the public have expressed disquiet over the carnage on our roads. The statistics indicate that this month alone about 123 people lost their lives through road accidents, while many hundreds sustained various degrees of injury.
Suddenly road accidents have become a major cause of death, relegating factors such as malaria, maternal and child mortality and HIV/AIDS to the background. These road accidents have become both a social and a health dilemma for policy makers in the country.
The unfortunate thing is that the death of these precious citizens of the land could have been avoided if the people behind the steering wheels had taken extra precautionary measures by adhering strictly to road traffic regulations. It is on record that most road accidents are caused by human error such as drink driving, over speeding, overloading, overtaking at unauthorised places and the abandoning of breakdown vehicles on the highways.
The Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Roads and Highways and, indeed, the government have initiated many interventions to address the carnage, but with little success. Perhaps looking at the spate of accidents so far, it may not be out of place to conclude that the actions initiated by the authorities have not been results-oriented, which means that more must be done to get the motoring public to abide by road traffic regulations.
The Daily Graphic believes that there are no shortcuts to the challenges facing the road transport industry.
The only solution lies in naming and shaming; that is, those who break the regulations must be punished, instead of the present system where sometimes the police look on helplessly while drivers break the regulations.
The decision by the Police Administration to ban the movement of heavy duty trucks after 6 p.m. as part of measures to curb the carnage on the country’s roads can only achieve the desired results if it is implemented alongside existing regulations.
Many vehicles plying our roads are death traps, as they are not road worthy and lack the necessary documentation. But they do business every day with the acquiescence of some police personnel.
Meanwhile, we remember that heavy duty trucks were banned from operating in the night some time ago. It is recalled that the ban was lifted, in part, as a result of agitation from our neighbours in the sub-region who use our country as a transit point.
Already, some heavy duty truck drivers are protesting against the move, saying it lacks any scientific basis. We believe that the Police Administration has very cogent reasons for imposing the ban on heavy duty trucks, so that when the issues are subjected to serious interrogation by members of the public, it will stand the test of time.
It is obvious that everybody is concerned about the carnage on our roads and we believe that Ghanaians will support any intervention that will restore sanity on the roads.
As things stand now, the decision by anybody to travel brings about anxious moments in every home and if this is allowed to persist, every human endeavour, including the movement of goods and services, will suffer and the economy will stagnate.
We share in the concerns of the Police Administration to stem the carnage and we urge our compatriots to join the crusade to make our roads safe.

CHANGING HOUSING LANDSCAPE (Jan 28, 2011)

2011-01-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

A HISTORIC ceremony took place at Tesano in Accra yesterday to mark the commencement of work on the Ghana National Housing Project.
The Ghana government partnership with STX Korea to build 30,000 houses for our security agencies did not come to fruition without the manifestation of the deep-seated political division in the country, with the Minority in Parliament walking out during the debate on the deal.
Although both sides of the divide agree that something must be done to improve our housing stock, the means to achieve that goal has always been parallel.
Conservative estimates put the housing deficit at about one million units and those in need are in the lower to middle- income bracket.
The fear of paying high rent advances to Shylock landlords has forced many ordinary people to acquire land to put up their own houses.
In the emerging communities in Accra and other urban centres, both estate and private developers have encroached on public lands earmarked for schools, playing grounds and green belts.
We believe that the haphazard development in the country will cease if the state plays a major role in the construction of houses.
Whatever the disagreements that characterised the negotiations with STX Korea, the Daily Graphic thinks we need all hands on deck now that the sod-cutting ceremony for the project has been performed by President J.E.A. Mills.
Anybody who has visited the barracks of our security agencies will be saddened by the state of the accommodation facilities provided for our soldiers and policemen and women.
In some cases, rooms meant for new entrants into the security services are occupied by families of between four and eight, compelling them to keep most of their belongings such as refrigerators and deep freezers in the balconies.
It is important, therefore, that we all embrace the Ghana National Housing Project that will provide safe and decent accommodation for all our security personnel.
Sometimes the fanfare that greets new projects is not sustained, leading to the neglect of the projects because of lack of supervision and commitment from all the stakeholders.
The Ghana National Housing Project, it is hoped, will provide the catalyst for a housing boom in which every working person can afford very decent accommodation.
The Daily Graphic reminds the authorities not to limit the project to the first phase but build all the 200,000 houses and more to ensure the availability of decent housing for all.
In our bid to achieve this dream of transforming the housing industry, we appeal to the government to try and secure the resources to complete the houses started by the previous administration, so that the squatters do not gain at the expense of the taxpayer. Again, it is important to factor local content into the project by involving local real estate developers in its execution.
The Daily Graphic congratulates all the partners in the Ghana National Housing Project on their efforts to bring to fruition this huge investment that will create jobs and wealth.
It is our prayer that the monitoring and evaluation of the project will be at its best, so that the taxpayer will get value for money and we will also avoid shoddy work that the President warned against.

rLG SHOWS THE WAY (JAN 27, 2011)

2011-01-27T07:27:00.001-08:00

IT is said that every big thing has a small or humble beginning. That is why any river, no matter its size, flows from a very small source.
Many big companies start from humble beginnings and by dint of hard work they grow to become the blue chip companies.
Companies which began as backyard operations but which today have grown to be blue chip companies include Kasapreko, Zoomlion, Sikkens, UT Bank, Manet, Comet and Regimanuel Estates. A few of these companies are listed among the Ghana Club 100 companies or are preparing to be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
During the First Republic, the then government created many industrial zones, with local and foreign industrialists establishing small, medium and large-scale enterprises with various forms of incentives. But that momentum could not be sustained because of various factors, key among them being the lack of raw materials and credit to run the factories.
It appears we have not yet recovered from the collapse of many of these businesses in the North Industrial Area in Accra where most of these factories have been turned into warehouses to keep cheap imports from all parts of the world.
The Daily Graphic thinks that the government should put in place deliberate policies to support local industries to grow to create employment and wealth.
The growth of the economy does not lie in the hands of foreign investors but indigenous people who understand our circumstances.
We call on the government to initiate the necessary policy interventions that will provide the framework for support for all local industries as part of the Better Ghana Agenda.
The Daily Graphic has no doubt that the future of the country lies in the hands of Ghanaians, not on aid from our development partners. The development partners have played their part and we have reached a stage where we should say ‘thank you’ to them and take our destiny into our own hands.
It is for this reason that the Daily Graphic is excited about the decision of the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) to secure 3,000 computers from rLG Communications Company to be distributed to schools nation-wide.
The rationale behind the intervention requires everybody’s support because it is intended to boost digital learning relevant to local curricula in disciplines such as Mathematics, Science and Technology in schools.
The collaboration between the ministry and rLG, under the Better Ghana ICT Project, should help achieve many objectives, such as bridging the digital divide between well-endowed schools and those in deprived areas, as well as expanding the scope of operations of rLG to create jobs and wealth.
Certainly, rLG Communications has blazed the trail in assembling mobile phones in the country and through this venture it has offered employment to many young people throughout the country under one of the modules of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
The Daily Graphic suggests to the government and the banks to continue to support companies such as rLG to grow to compete on the international market to generate the needed revenue for development.
We salute the young and enterprising owner of rLG, Mr Roland Agambire, for demonstrating entrepreneurial skills to grow the company into a major partner in national development.
The Daily Graphic believes that more of such government interventions will help develop the potential in our local industries.

WINDOW OF HOPE, INDEED (JAN 26, 2011)

2011-01-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

FOR quite some time now senior high school (SHS) graduates have had to stay at home for at least one year before entering the public universities in the country.
That is because while the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is written in May/June of any ensuing year, the academic year for the public universities begins in September, for which reason they close admissions in March.
Therefore, SHS leavers are forced to mark time until the following year when they can buy the admission forms of the universities to put the process of gaining admission to the institutions in motion.
It is against this backdrop that the declaration by Vice-Chancellors, Ghana (VCG), the umbrella body of the heads of our public universities, that this year, final-year SHS students will be given the opportunity to gain admission to the various public universities comes as welcome relief.
The universities say they are going to offer this opportunity to this year’s SHS leavers by delaying admissions, so that the leavers can purchase admission forms, fill and submit them immediately the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) releases their results.
The WAEC will also play its part by making sure that it releases the results early to enable the students to complete the filling of the admission forms.
When all these go according to plan, then the public universities will begin the 2011/2012 academic year in late September or early October.
The Daily Graphic wholeheartedly welcomes this move to do away with the one-year waiting period that had hitherto become the norm before SHS leavers could get admission to the public universities.
Apart from the fact that the one-year waiting period prolonged the number of years our youth spent in school, which, in itself, defeated one of the aims of the educational reforms of 1987 of cutting down the number of years spent in school, there were other negative effects of the delay.
It is said that many female SHS leavers waiting to gain admission to tertiary institutions became pregnant, while some of the boys fell into bad company, with its concomitant effects, such as drug use, Internet fraud, stealing, etc.
Now that it is going to be possible for SHS leavers to go to university in October after writing their examination in May/June, it is our hope that our students will work harder than before, so that they can take advantage of this new window of hope opened to them.
Until now, the common perception among many SHS final-year students was to relax in their studies because they knew they had a whole year within which to re-write the WASSCE (if they didn’t do well at the first attempt) before they could fill university admission forms.
The Daily Graphic takes its hat off to the stakeholders who have agreed to bring about this innovation — Vice Chancellors, Ghana, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service — and prays that they sustain the programme into the future to make the one-year waiting a thing of the past.
After all, that was the situation before the education reforms brought about two batches of secondary school leavers — sixth formers and SHS — to compel the university authorities to adopt the one-year waiting policy.

REVAMPING RAIL TRANSPORT (JAN 25, 2011)

2011-01-25T07:29:00.001-08:00

RAIL transport is the most efficient and reliable mode of travelling in any country. Most people who were born in the immediate post-independent Ghana enjoyed the comfort of rail transport or witnessed how efficient the system was in the areas trains plied.
Commuters, especially traders and students, preferred rail transport to any other mode of travelling across the length and breadth of the country. Whatever the destination of travellers, they never missed the services of the trains by either starting the journey with trains or connecting rail services from various areas.
Until the major rail disaster at Asuoyaa near Koforidua in the 1980s, there had been no serious accident on the western, central or eastern railway lines, making the system the safest mode of transportation.
Unfortunately, the decay that characterised the governance system and the conduct of public affairs in the country from the mid 1970s also affected the operations of the railway network.
The quality of services began to decline, forcing many travellers to abandon rail transport. A few of the traders who continued to patronise the services were also forced to stop because of their dwindling fortunes.
Patrons of rail services in the past always look back to the days of the “rail romance” with a feeling of nostalgia, hoping that one day the authorities will raise the necessary capital to revamp the existing services and extend same to other parts of the country.
Residents of towns and villages where railway stations are located are not happy that the infrastructure of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) Limited has been left to deteriorate and, in many instances, reduced to rubbles.
The good news, however, is that the government has secured support from the Chinese government to rehabilitate the rail system and extend the service to other parts of the country.
As a result of the decay in services, GRC properties have been taken over by certain unscrupulous individuals, in many cases with the connivance of some railway workers.
It was well-known in communities where the rail system served that a few metres of land on each side of the rail line was the property of the GRC and nobody dared to put up permanent structures on it. Farmers cultivated that stretch of land free of charge but those who put up permanent structures on it did so at their own risk.
Today, the picture is different. The properties of the GRC have been encroached upon in cities and villages throughout the country.
But, one may ask, where were the authorities looking when this massive encroachment took place? Does it confirm fears that these acts were done with the connivance of the big wigs at the GRC?
It is against this background that the Daily Graphic endorses the decision of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to demolish all structures that are within 100 feet of railway lines in the metropolis to pave way for work to begin on the project to extend the Accra sub-urban railway network.
We know that such an exercise will not be easy to accomplish, with all interest groups exerting pressure on the AMA to either delay the programme or cancel it.
The time has come for all men of goodwill or people with conviction to stand up to defend this laudable stance of the AMA so that efforts to rebuild the economy through the renewal of infrastructure and the creation of jobs can bear fruits.
The Chief Executive of the AMA, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, has what it takes to set the example for other state appointees to take steps to protect government property. We urge the Accra Mayor to carry on with his statutory duties without fear or favour.
We do not have to miss this opportunity to right the ills of our society.

LIGHT AT END OF TUNNEL (JAN 24, 2011)

2011-01-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

Many Ghanaians heaved a sigh of relief last weekend following the announcement that two of Ghana’s major partners have offered budgetary support to the country.
The World Bank board approved a $215 million Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) for the government of Ghana, while the UK government announced the disbursement of £36 million towards general budget support.
These inflows are anticipated to further stabilise the economy and reduce inflation and the prime rate to further accelerate efforts at job creation and growth.
The government, since assuming the reins of power in 2009, has initiated some policy interventions to reduce the budget deficit it inherited, reduce inflation and stabilise the cedi against other currencies.
Some modest gains have been made over the last 24 months, with inflation hitting the lowest level in 19 years, reserves improving and the right environment being created to enable the banks to reduce their interest rates further.
The cost of doing business is still high, though, but indications are that the factors militating against the steady growth of the economy are being removed.
The economy cannot take off if structural bottlenecks, such as high interest rates, unemployment, deficiencies in the supply of utilities, as well as high tariffs, are not addressed pretty soon.
We are yet to come out of the woods, as the policy interventions are yet to bear fruits. Perhaps the time has come for the government to start looking at deliberate pro-poor policies to reduce the burden on the poor.
The upward adjustment in utility tariffs last year and the recent rise in the prices of petroleum products will hit the poor harder than any segment of society.
That is why it behoves the social partners to expedite action on moves to introduce a new minimum wage.
When the prices of utilities go up without a corresponding adjustment in wages and salaries, the purchasing power of working people declines and their living standards deteriorate.
The UK support for this year is very critical towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the provision of improved health, education, water and sanitation.
Already, certain policy measures have been initiated in these sectors to achieve the MDGs which will be key drivers for the achievement of our development agenda.
The era of oil production will change the development equation in the country. Now Sekondi/Takoradi in particular and the entire Western Region have become a beehive of economic activities since the discovery of oil in 2007.
Ghanaians must position themselves well to take advantage of the boom that will be associated with the oil industry, instead of allowing foreigners to dominate the sector.
There are other nationals, even in the West African sub-region, who have expertise in the oil industry, but we can compete with them if the country develops the expertise of its people in oil and gas.
These can both be challenging and interesting times, depending on whichever way the situation in the country is looked at. The challenges come with many opportunities that can be exploited to our advantage.
The STX housing project and the Chinese support for the reconstruction of the railway network will inject substantial amounts of money into the economy and create jobs for many people.
With the declaration of 2011 as an Action Year, the expectation must be very high among the populace, especially the youth who look forward to new opportunities and challenges to achieve their career objectives.
The Daily Graphic believes that the signs for economic take-off this year are very bright, judging from the show of goodwill from our development partners.
However, we must bear in mind that no amount of foreign aid will help rebuild our economy if we do not empower the indigenous people to “take over the commanding heights of the country”.

ALL EYES ON ECG NOW (JAN 21, 2011)

2011-01-21T03:40:00.000-08:00

ONE of the key drivers of national development is the availability of an efficient power supply. It is for this reason that many countries spend huge sums of money to develop the power supply base or import power from neighbouring countries to run their business and domestic activities.
Ghana recognised the need for a reliable power supply system early in its nationhood by securing the support of external partners to establish the Akosombo hydro electric dam.
That was followed later by the construction of the Kpong Dam, the Aboadze Thermal Plant and the installation of generating sets at some vantage points in the country.
However, power generation and supply face many challenges because of resource constraints and the attitude of consumers. In recent times, the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana Grid Company (GriDco) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have come under severe criticism for poor service delivery or intermittent outages.
Quite a substantial percentage of the power generated is unaccounted for because of the use of obsolete distribution systems and illegal connections. Some of these challenges account for the frequent hikes in utility tariffs, compelling consumers, both commercial and domestic, to protest against poor services.
Consumers have always petitioned the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) against upward adjustments in tariffs because of poor services, but the utility companies have always countered any such petition with the explanation that they need realistic tariffs in order to meet operational costs and fix the system.
Officials of these companies are always at their wits’ end, especially in the cities and urban areas, trying hard to deal with the intransigence of some of their consumers.
Residents of these urban areas, notably the emerging communities, always besiege the offices of the utility companies for power and when the services are not forthcoming, they resort to third parties who use illegal means to supply the services.
The time has come for better collaboration between private developers and estate developers, on the one side, and the utility companies, on the other, so that the provision of power is factored into the construction of new communities.
The Daily Graphic believes that this collaboration will reduce the incidence of abuse of the system by which those looking for power bypass the existing structures.
It appears that the ECG is overwhelmed by the high demand for power supply, to such an extent that many consumers are compelled to use unofficial means to get power.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, welcomes the acquisition of 10,000 prepaid meters with features to enable the ECG to monitor any attempt by consumers to tamper with the running of the meters.
We urge the ECG to step up its efforts at providing more prepaid meters for all its consumers to reduce the rate of default in the payment of bills.
It has taken the ECG far too long, since 1994 when the first prepaid meters were introduced, to provide every facility with prepaid meters to help improve the revenue base of the company.
The Daily Graphic calls on the ECG to put its act together to provide efficient services for consumers following the upward adjustment in tariffs last year.
We believe there are no grounds for excuse on the part of the utility companies. Rather, consumers demand improved services.

FACING THE HARSH HARMATTAN (JAN 20, 2011)

2011-01-20T03:49:00.000-08:00

THIS time of the year is always associated with harsh weather conditions which we call harmattan. The dryness of the weather comes with cracked lips, unusual heavy dust in the atmosphere, poor visibility and diseases such as cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM), especially in the northern part of Ghana.
This year, however, it looks like the harmattan will be exceptionally harsh and already weather experts have confirmed our fears. It is in the wake of this and the warning given by the experts that the Daily Graphic is adding its voice to calls for everyone to be exceptionally careful, since we are likely to be affected one way or another.
In the first place, it is important to dress appropriately to face the dry but cold weather. In the mornings, we must wear warm clothing to ward off infections, especially those likely to affect the respiratory organs.
Drivers are also advised to be extra cautious, especially those who ply various routes early in the morning and at night, to avoid unnecessary accidents due to poor visibility.
The harsh weather sometimes results in good rains during the farming season, but before then, the severe harmattan is likely to bring in its wake widespread bush fires and the drying up of most water bodies.
It is, therefore, equally important that our farmers, palm wine tappers and hunters are very circumspect in the use of fire in their operations.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) just carried out an extensive education on fire prevention and everybody is required to abide by the directives.
It is essential for farmers to construct fire belts around their farms before setting fire to the dry weeds to prevent the fire from spreading to other farms.
Palm wine tappers could cause a lot of havoc around this time if they do not handle their operations well. In the same vein, charcoal burners and game hunters also cause indiscriminate destruction to the vegetation at this time of the year. Smokers who do not dispose of their cigarette butts professionally also end up destroying the vegetation.
Weather experts have also advised food vendors to properly cover their foods because disease-bearing micro-organisms are likely to be carried along with the dust to contaminate the food.
Already, Ghanaians are alarmed at the rate of accidents on our roads and this situation is likely to deteriorate further if our drivers do not observe road traffic regulations, especially on the highways.
The Daily Graphic pleads with drivers not to speed, overtake other vehicles wrongly or abandon breakdown vehicles on the roads. While it is important that every individual takes the necessary precautionary measures, we need to collectively resolve to be one another’s keeper during these critical times. Any action to the contrary can only bring about more hardship to everyone.
The security agencies, especially the police, ought to be more vigilant to ensure strict adherence to road traffic regulations.
The GNFS should also continue with its educational campaign on the dangers of bush fires in order to protect the vegetation for our productive activities.
On many occasions, regulations do not work because the enforcement agencies turn a blind eye when law breakers take law-abiding citizens for granted.
The Daily Graphic believes that if the law enforcement agencies act decisively, the consequences of the harsh harmattan conditions will be manageable.
The weather is a natural phenomenon over which we do not have control, but its effects can be managed if the rules of engagement are respected.

CENTRAL GONJA SHOWS THE WAY (JAN 19, 2011)

2011-01-19T06:47:00.001-08:00

Not too long ago, Ghana’s educational infrastructure was second to none, while the quality of education was the envy of many countries, including our colonial masters.
In the past, which our senior citizens refer to as the “good old days”, middle school pupils from many rural communities gained admission to the best second-cycle schools in the country.
At that time, the government was able to provide adequate budgetary support for the running of the schools, while the teachers showed more commitment to the teaching and learning processes.
The teachers did not worry too much about their reward on earth, as they were content with the fact that their “reward is in heaven” and committed themselves to the welfare of their pupils and students.
It was an honour for the teachers to continue to impart knowledge to their pupils after school hours for free in order to prepare the pupils adequately for their external examinations.
Some communities honoured teachers through whose efforts pupils and students excelled in the Common Entrance Examination, the Middle School Leaving Certificate Examination, as well as the School Certificate Examination.
The communities even played a part in the promotion and demotion of teachers and that helped develop community ownership of our educational system.
Now, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that pupils in rural schools do not make good grades to gain admission to senior high schools.
There are communities in all the districts where schools have scored zero per cent in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Various stakeholders, such as the government, the district assemblies, religious bodies, communities, non-governmental organisations and parents, have individually or collectively initiated moves to address the falling standards of education in the country.
At the beginning of the academic year, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) abolished the shift system in the metropolis in what has been described as a progressive step towards resolving educational challenges.
The AMA has faced some challenges in the implementation of the policy, but just as it is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, this must be the AMA’s first step towards improving the quality of education in the metropolis.
The Daily Graphic thinks that the nagging issue of schools under trees must also be resolved as part of the larger agenda to make teaching and learning conducive throughout the country.
At the last count, it was said that there are about 4,000 schools under trees in the country and the government has set out to provide permanent structures for all of them.
The Daily Graphic commends the Central Gonja District Assembly in the Northern Region for replacing 41 schools under trees with permanent structures, as reported in the Ghanaian Times of yesterday.
We urge all district assemblies to intensify efforts to replace schools under trees with permanent structures in order to improve teaching and learning and upgrade the standard of education in the country.
The Daily Graphic calls on the Ministry of Education to improve its monitoring and supervisory roles in schools to compel teachers to give of their best. For, without the commitment and dedication of teachers, no amount of resources pumped into education will yield the desired results.

CLEAR BEGGARS OFF THE STREETS (JAN 18, 2011)

2011-01-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

THE physically challenged fraternity has always reminded able-bodied persons to focus on ability rather than disability when weighting everybody’s contribution in society.
It is true that a section of the physically challenged does not want to work but resorts to begging along the streets in the major cities and urban centres of the country.
The irony of the situation is that many of the people begging along the streets and at vantage points have received training in different kinds of vocations in order to make them more productive. Some of those training programmes were organised at a cost to the taxpayer.
The business of begging appears to be thriving because of the attitude of the Ghanaian towards the so-called vulnerable in society. For religious reasons, both Christians and Muslims are enjoined to give alms, while majority of members of society believe that we should be one another’s keeper.
However, the same religious teachings remind the faithful about the importance of work in our everyday lives. Indeed, the Bible puts it very succinctly, “He who does not work must not eat.”
The time has, therefore, come for all Ghanaians to re-orient their minds towards the role of the physically challenged in nation-building and stop spoon-feeding them, especially if they have the capacity to be productive.
We are not trying to suggest that nothing is being done to move the physically challenged from the streets into more productive activities.
A few years ago, the Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled (GSPD) established a chalk factory in Accra as a means of creating employment opportunities for its members.
The factory faced many problems, the major one being the lack of market for the chalk, although the Ghana Education Service (GES) had initially pledged to assist.
It is good to hear that the management of the factory has now secured a contract from the GES to produce chalk for schools.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on all well-meaning citizens of the land to assist the GSPD to expand its productive activities to create more jobs for the physically challenged.
We commend the society for going the extra mile to expand its scope to bring additional avenues for employment and income to its members, without waiting for central government and corporate support.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes the GSPD well in its latest endeavour to venture into dressmaking, especially in an era when the government is sewing free uniforms for schoolchildren.
What the society proposes to do requires the support of all, especially the state institution in charge of the sewing of the school uniforms, because any contract in that regard will help enhance the capacity of the GSPD’s sewing business.
We think the government alone cannot deal with the menace of begging, spearheaded largely by the physically challenged. The establishment of the National Disability Council by the government is part of the overall intervention to put in place an apex body to promote the necessary advocacy for the mitigation of the challenges facing the physically challenged.
Begging could be a good business for those who engage in it, but, for goodness sake, that venture undermines the dignity of the players. There is dignity in labour and everybody must resolve to contribute to the country’s productive endeavours. Let us rid the streets of all beggars now.

MOTIVATING OUR COCOA FARMERS (JAN 17, 2011)

2011-01-17T04:18:00.001-08:00

SINCE Ghana discovered oil in commercial quantities in 2007, many countries have offered various forms of counsel to help us escape the “Dutch Disease”.
Experiences from some countries, even in the West African sub-region, indicate that when those countries struck oil in commercial quantities, they abandoned all business endeavours, concentrating solely on the exploration of oil. The end result was that agriculture suffered, other businesses were neglected and the living standards of the people deteriorated.
Certainly, expectations are very high among Ghanaians concerning the oil find. Many even think that with the commencement of the exportation of oil, the country’s economic woes are behind us. Some expect jobs, while the people in the Western Region think that part of the oil revenue should be given to them or channelled towards specific development activities in the region. A section of the populace even think that the government should no longer increase the prices of petroleum products because we are now an oil-producing country.
One major sector of the economy that will suffer serious repercussions if we focus solely on oil is the agricultural sector, especially the cocoa industry. For many years, the sector has been the life blood of the economy and contributed immensely to the provision of many social amenities in the country.
In the area of education, for instance, cocoa revenue has helped provide scholarships for children of cocoa farmers and a cross-section of other children and construct school infrastructure, health facilities and roads.
Successive governments have spared no effort at maintaining the cocoa industry as the major income earner of the country. Good farming practices, the provision of inputs such as fertilisers and chemicals, as well as high-yielding varieties, and spraying free of charge have all been introduced to ensure a vibrant and productive cocoa industry. Governments have also taken steps to deal with the swollen shoot virus that threatens many cocoa farms in the six cocoa-growing regions of the country.
In 2009, the Mills administration announced some interventions to sustain the interest of farmers in the cocoa industry and also motivate the youth to go into agriculture. These include a periodic review of the producer price of cocoa, the payment of bonuses and plans to introduce a pension scheme for farmers.
Last Thursday, the leadership of the Cocoa, Coffee and Sheanut Farmers Association called on President J.E.A. Mills at the Castle to express their gratitude to the government for the unprecedented increase in the producer price of cocoa since he assumed office in 2009.
The President used the occasion to commend the farmers for their support for the national economy and re-affirmed his commitment to ensure that “you have the strength and encouragement to contribute more to improve the lives of the people”.
The Daily Graphic believes that the government will develop all the sectors by committing the necessary resources to them, including the oil industry, for them to play a major role in achieving the government’s Better Ghana agenda.
If we dare abandon other sectors because of the oil find, the “Dutch Disease” will certainly catch up with us and the consequences may not be pleasant.
For this reason, the Daily Graphic appeals to all, including our cocoa farmers, to reciprocate the government’s gesture of an attractive producer price with increased production of the produce so that we can regain our position as the largest cocoa producer in the world.

LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE (JAN 15, 2011)

2011-01-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

GHANAIANS are reputed to be the most hospitable people on the African continent and even beyond. Any first-time visitor to the country does not fail to notice the amiable and warm character of the people.
The Ghanaian easily opens up to foreigners and offers them the necessary assistance to be able to overcome the cultural shock and adjust to the local environment.
There is no doubt, however, that in every community there is a deviant, but, generally, the majority of Ghanaians are law-abiding in their own country and abroad.
Unfortunately, however, certain developments indicate that some foreigners are taking the Ghanaian hospitality for granted.
It is also sad that a section of foreign nationals mistake Ghanaian hospitality for timidity and abuse the welcome that is extended to them by engaging in illegal acts. There are very clear rules governing the activities of legal immigrants in any country, but in Ghana some of the immigrants are engaged in retail trade and other business ventures reserved for the indigenous people.
Some of the aliens in our midst are involved in illegal activities such as pair trawling, fishing in restricted areas along the coast and illegal mining activities, otherwise known as galamsey.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recalls that in the 1970s, the then government introduced a policy to help Ghanaians capture the “commanding heights of the economy” by reserving certain business activities for Ghanaians.
Retail trade, for instance, is a no-go area for foreigners. But today, the central business district of Accra and other urban areas are under siege by foreigners who are selling every item under the sun.
The people of Ghana appreciate the essence and benefits of globalisation, but the global village still has room for sovereign laws that must be respected by citizens and foreigners alike.
Indeed, Ghana has benefited immensely from its relations with a number of countries across the globe and this support has helped to improve the well-being of the people.
However, we call on the appropriate authorities to let the law take its course in the trial of the 49 fishermen, including some foreigners, who were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in restricted areas along the coast.
The Ghana Immigration Service, for instance, has an obligation to screen all foreigners entering the country so that illegal ones can be turned away at the point of entry.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks our immigration laws must be tightened further to make it unattractive for illegal immigrants to live in the country, let alone engage in illegal activities.
We shall not advocate the expulsion of foreigners in our midst because even though some of them are criminals, we know others are contributing immensely to the development of the country.
Over the last two years or so, the government has secured huge sums in loans from some foreign countries to expand the infrastructure base of the country. This gesture speaks volumes about the positive dividends to be derived from the development of healthy relations with our neighbours and other countries in the comity of nations.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, calls on the government to shut its doors on foreigners who are bent on causing a strain in relations between Ghana and the countries from where the illegal immigrants come from.
We cherish international brotherhood but from the quarters of those who reciprocate our hospitality.

THE CARNAGE MUST STOP (JAN 13, 2011)

2011-01-13T03:56:00.000-08:00

GHANAIANS woke up on Tuesday to the sad news of a fatal road accident on the outskirts of Akomadan in the Ashanti Region.
Fifteen people died on the spot when two Yutong buses collided, while many others suffered serious head and body injuries.
The occurrence of such a gory incident quite early in the New Year must be a matter of serious concern to the agencies charged with ensuring safety on our roads, the government and, indeed, all Ghanaians.
For some time now, many Ghanaians have been expressing their displeasure at the spate of accidents on our highways, leading to the loss of precious lives.
The statistics on road accidents from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service are not to be taken lightly.
Six thousand deaths in three years make road accidents one of the major causes of death in the country, not to talk about loss of productivity, high health bills and pain to bereaved families.
Many Ghanaians heaved a sigh of relief when, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, very few road accidents were recorded, as a result of which the travelling public commended drivers for the achievement.
It must be placed on record that prior to the Christmas and New Year festivities, the MTTU and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) embarked on a vigorous educational campaign to encourage drivers and the travelling public to respect road traffic regulations.
One dividend of those educational campaigns was the reduced accidents on our roads during the holidays, a development which was applauded by the people.
No sooner had the applause died down than Ghanaians had the shock of that fatal accident on the outskirts of Akomadan three days ago.
For our roads to become safe, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks drastic measures must be taken to ensure compliance with road traffic regulations in the country.
The causes of accidents on our roads are inexhaustible, including speeding, drink driving and the use of unworthy vehicles.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the time has come for all to join the crusade to rid our roads of all undesirable users, so that the roads will be safe for the motoring public.
Any move to the contrary or inaction on the part of stakeholders, such as government agencies, transport unions, the police, drivers and the travelling public, can only cause more pain and grief to families who lose their relatives through accidents.
We think public education, without the enforcement of the regulations, will not yield the desired results. The spate of road accidents require that those who break the regulations are punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
Many of the accidents are avoidable because they are caused through human error. Tragedies such as the one on the outskirts of Akomadan can easily be avoided if we all resolve to respect road traffic regulations.
Every soul is needed in our nation-building efforts, while the huge medical bills on road accidents can easily be used to address development challenges in health and education.
Let us be one another’s keeper by policing drivers to play by road traffic regulations. Through that, we may save lives that are dear and close to us.

HARNESSING POWER OF YOUTH (JAN 12, 2011)

2011-01-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

THE youth are the heritage of any society because they hold the key to the future. Our young ones have abundant energy that can be channelled into the productive endeavours of their communities.
However, recent reports of indiscipline on the part of a section of the youth give cause for worry in the light of the fact that the present generation will hand over all public affairs to the youth in due course.
The young people of today are faced with a lot of challenges, prominent among them being peer pressure, drug addiction, indiscipline, cyber fraud and unemployment.
During the era which is referred to as the ‘good old days’, every adult in the community had the responsibility to correct his or her neighbour’s child anytime the child went wayward. Unfortunately, today our society has also become very individualistic and nobody dares to bring any indisciplined child to order without incurring the wrath of his or her parents.
Even teachers who are supposed to help in the formation of the characters of our young ones are assaulted by some parents and relations of students whom they are to restrict within the ‘narrow path’ of discipline and societal norms. It should have dawned on us by now that we cannot build a strong and progressive society with an army of indisciplined youth.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, commends the organisers of this year’s New Year School and Conference for focusing attention on the youth with the theme, “Harnessing the power of the youth for accelerated development”.
There is no way the country can prosecute the agenda of accelerated development without the involvement of the youth because they constitute a very crucial human resource base.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on them to learn useful lessons from the admonition by the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof Kwesi Yankah, that “if the raw energy and power of the youth should be unleashed, let it be let loose in the destruction not of property but of poverty in Africa. Let the youthful exuberance of the youth be galvanised not to seize toilets but the canker of illiteracy in society; let them seize it by the horn and kill it....”.
It is about time the youth resolved to fight against the challenges that are working to retard our development. Indeed, the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that if the youth come together to kick against the common enemies of illiteracy, diseases and poverty, the country may be on the path to accelerated development.
The youth should be interested in the future development of the country because that is the only guarantee that they can have a secure future. For, if they should take to the destructive path, vandalising everything in their way because of their disagreement with the status quo, they may grow up to meet a failed state that cannot meet their aspirations.
The President has in his team a crop of youthful ministers who have so far performed creditably. They have become role models and their achievements must inspire the youth to greater heights, in the hope that their hard work and perseverance will be duly recognised and rewarded in the not-too-distant future.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, calls for the creation of the enabling environment to help the youth contribute to nation-building. The National Youth Policy has well-thought out programmes for the youth and it is our fervent prayer that this year it will be operationalised to help the youth to achieve their ambitions.

AMA, TREAD CAUTIOUSLY (JAN 11, 2011)

2011-01-11T05:15:00.001-08:00

THE future of any country lies in its ability to invest in its people, especially the youth who are the future leaders. Any move to the contrary can only spell doom for any community, no matter how well resourced it is.
It is, therefore, normal for any society to be concerned about the future of its youth. The development of the child is essential if society is to be able to regenerate itself.
We must underscore the fact that a more secure and enduring democracy is one that assures its citizens of the most basic necessities of life and the state is enjoined to take appropriate measures to promote the development and growth of the child.
This means that the state has a responsibility to facilitate the education of all children of school age so that those who come out successfully will have jobs and a secure future.
Against this background, the directive by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) that parents who neglect their children and allow them to loiter on the streets of Accra face the risk of arrest by officials of the AMA is well intended but the assembly should tread cautiously.
The AMA said the children themselves, some of whom operate as hawkers, others in the fishing business and other commercial activities, will also be arrested in the exercise designed by the assembly to get more children of school age into the classroom.
Although this move is well-intentioned, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the AMA has a Herculean task in trying to legislate against parental irresponsibility.
The phenomenon of streetism can have its roots in social challenges, but it can equally be attributed to the economic difficulties facing most of our compatriots. Children whose parents are wayward and have neglected their responsibility can be dealt with through peer pressure or sanctions envisaged by the AMA.
But we also know that there are many children in the streets of Accra and other commercial centres whose parents cannot be traced readily. The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the challenges of parental irresponsibility and streetism can only be resolved through a multi-sectoral approach.
The fact is that without the involvement of all stakeholders, the AMA will fail to achieve its objectives. Where, for instance, will the AMA accommodate those who will be loitering, especially in our society where the remand rooms at the police stations are overflowing with hardened criminals?
Furthermore, does the AMA think the solution to parental irresponsibility and streetism lie with custodial sentencing and fines to deter others from doing same?
We believe the best option is for the AMA to engage all stakeholders, such as churches, communities, child rights organisations and other civil society organisations, in constant dialogue to find a more practical way to deal with the challenge.
Certainly, let us take steps to deal with some of the deviants in our society who have made life unbearable for law-abiding citizens. But the move to use the law to bring about sanity in our society must be accompanied by the necessary social interventions to provide safety nets for the vulnerable in our communities to enable them to cope with the exigencies of urban communities.
We urge the AMA to put in place a policy intervention that will receive the support of majority in our society, not measures that will attract scorn and anger from the people.

CARNAGE ON ROADS AVOIDABLE (JAN 10, 2011)

2011-01-10T10:19:00.000-08:00

THE statistics from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) paint a very grim picture of safety on our roads. It is becoming increasingly clear that some reckless motorists want to turn our roads into death traps.
Sometimes we find an alibi for accidents in the poor nature of roads in some parts of the country but accidents on our roads do not support this line of argument.
Just last weekend seven persons, including three chiefs, lost their lives near Apedwa in the Eastern Region through the recklessness of a driver who had left a break-down vehicle without any warning signs on the Apedwa-Kumasi highway.
We have been told by the experts that most accidents are due to the negligence of reckless road users while mechanical faults account for very negligible percentage of road accidents.
Elsewhere in so-called advanced society, road users are not allowed to take the law into their own hands, but unfortunately in Ghana, motorists and, in some cases, pedestrians break road traffic regulations with impunity.
The country can boast institutions such as the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Department of Feeder Roads and indeed the supervising ministry, the Ministry of Roads and Highways charged with the responsibility to enforce compliance with road traffic regulations as well as provide the structures for road safety.
The Daily Graphic believes that there is recklessness on our roads because some officials of these institutions have turned a blind eye to the utter disregard for traffic regulations.
Police presence can be noticed on all major roads every day and yet rickety vehicles, overloaded vehicles, speeding and disrespect for other traffic regulations are the order of the day. We are paying the ultimate price for our inaction so it is time for us to act.
We urge all road users to turn on a new leaf this year and vow in support of the declaration of 2011 as an action year to mend their ways so that the needless accidents and loss of lives would be a thing of the past.
We need every human soul to help in the agenda of the government to reconstruct the country to ensure better living conditions for the people. But first we must appreciate that compliance with road traffic regulations would not come if the law enforcement agencies refuse to apply the law.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the police and other law enforcement agencies to be ruthless with those who have decided to make travelling on the highway a nightmare and a journey of no return.
We also call on motorists and pedestrians to respect road traffic regulations to save lives on our roads.
On many occasions, some passengers had urged drivers to do the wrong thing. Such group of passengers who always want to get to their destination fast should note that it is always better to be late rather than the Late so and so. Drivers who drive even when they are tired and sleepy must remember the popular adage, “Never drive tired”.

A USEFUL ENCOUNTER (JAN 8, 2011)

2011-01-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

THE 1992 Constitution enjoins the media to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people of Ghana.
Some of the key drivers of good governance are accountability, transparency and the participation of the people in the decision-making process.
Therefore, for the activities of any government to be known to the people, the President and his appointees must engage the people in constant dialogue so that the people can demand answers to how the government is keeping its social contract with the electorate.
The President’s encounter with the media at the seat of government, the Castle, Osu, yesterday must have been informed by his desire to reach out to the people. Before the encounter, there were very nagging questions agitating the minds of majority of the people.
The President had declared 2011 an action year and, not long after that, petrol prices were adjusted upwards by between 25 and 30 per cent, followed by a Cabinet reshuffle the next day. These major policy interventions required further explanations.
The upward adjustment in the prices of petroleum products especially was greeted with a lot of hue and cry by transport operators, the travelling public, labour unions and industrialists who felt that petroleum prices were on the high side.
The media encounter was, therefore, in the right direction to enable the President to engage the public in a discourse on those pressing national issues.
By all standards the media took the President through a grilling session and he also acquitted himself well by being forthright with his responses and the rationale behind some of the policy interventions he had taken to achieve the government’s Better Ghana agenda.
We concede that not every Ghanaian would be satisfied with the responses from him but his answers had helped Ghanaians to better appreciate the direction of the government.
Yesterday’s encounter may not be the last and also does not close the door on future interactions between the media and the Presidency and other functionaries of the government.
The media are a very powerful tool for development and if they are properly harnessed, they can galvanise the people for nation building. They can also be a lethal weapon in the hands of misguided elements in society, hence our appeal to all journalists to use the media for the public good.
As the President said, the media should focus on the national interest and the public good. We think journalists are at liberty to take issues with the government but, in doing so, one thing must be paramount — they should provide information, education and entertainment that is wholesome for the public weal.
The DAILY GRAPHIC congratulates the President on the second anniversary of his tenure and hopes that the channels of communication between the Presidency and the entire Ghanaian society will be open, so that the people can engage the President in constructive dialogue.
That is the only way the people can be in tune with the declaration of 2010 as an action year in line with the Better Ghana agenda.

DEAL WITH THE HUMPS, MTTU (JAN 7, 2011)

2011-01-07T09:23:00.001-08:00

THERE is a growing phenomenon on many highways in the country — the emergence of unauthorised speed humps everywhere.
Individuals and groups in some communities have arrogated to themselves the power to erect speed humps on major roads. These humps come in various forms. They could be heaps of sand stretched across the street or, in a more bizarre manner, streets are dug up deep to slow drivers from speeding in the communities.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC acknowledges the concern of such communities in ensuring that drivers observe speed limits in towns and cities, it does not endorse the illegal construction of speed humps on especially the highways of the country.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recalls an incident at Apegusu on the Atimpoku-Ho highway where unauthorised speed humps have caused accidents which have led to the loss of lives on the road.
The construction of speed humps is done by the required state institutions, such as the Ghana Highways Authority, and that work goes with certain standards, as required by law.
Again, drivers and pedestrians alike are cautioned over speed humps ahead through road signs.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service must take action on this illegality on our roads to stem this development, which is gaining ground on many major roads in the country.
It cannot be that individuals and communities become law unto themselves and determine what should be done on the roads.
It is also equally important that drivers observe road signs. It is disheartening that drivers tend to speed beyond the 50 kilometres per hour limit that is required by law when driving through communities on the country’s highways.
Such recklessness has led to some unfortunate deaths in some of these communities, thereby giving some justification for individuals and communities to take the law into their hands by erecting speed humps.
That is why the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the MTTU to, as a matter of urgency, devise strategies that will ensure that drivers observe road signs in communities, so that nobody is forced to do things contrary to the laws of the land.
We are happy that in his interaction with the management of the Graphic Communications Group Limited last Wednesday, the new Commander of the MTTU, Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, pledged the preparedness of the unit to crack down on reckless and irresponsible driving and the use of roads for funerals and other social events.
As he clearly pointed out, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse and the MTTU is willing to fight offenders with harsh penalties”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC trusts in the ability of the new MTTU Commander to deliver, as he has shown, in all earnest, to be on top of his job and we, therefore, urge the media and other stakeholders to extend a hand of partnership to the MTTU to make our roads safe, both for drivers and pedestrians.
Drivers, individuals and communities have a civic duty to be law-abiding and ensure the safety of passengers and other road users at all times. Anything short of that will lead to grave consequences and the MTTU cannot compromise on that.

RESHUFFLE WAS INEVITABLE (JAN 6, 2011)

2011-01-06T09:17:00.001-08:00

CABINET reshuffles in any governance process are necessary to achieve the vision of the government and give a new impetus to the achievement of national goals.
In such an endeavour, fresh limbs are introduced into the team, tired ones are shown the exit and others given appointments elsewhere with the view to channelling their energies into more productive activities.
With two years left for President J.E.A. Mills to end his first term in office, it was obvious that a Cabinet reshuffle was obvious, more so when the President had declared 2011 as a year of action.
And four days into the New Year, the President has walked the talk of positioning his team to deliver on his pledge to the people.
It is, therefore, surprising that last Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, coming on the heels of petroleum price hikes, has been given weird interpretations as a diversionary tactic to take people’s mind off the new prices.
The price of fuel on the world market has shot up to about $90 per barrel and this, obviously, has a concomitant effect on developing economies such as Ghana.
There was, therefore, no way the government could absorb the price apart from passing it on to consumers as part of the increases. Admittedly, such an increase will have implications for the economy and impact on the cost of living of Ghanaians.
These are difficult decisions which need to be taken in order to address budget deficits which have been occasioned by the shortfall in revenue as against expenditure.
It is partly to address these challenges and accelerate socio-economic transformation that the President has decided to re-energise his administration to face the Herculean task ahead.
Much as the reshuffle is necessary, the DAILY GRAPHIC advises that the full impact of such an exercise would only be realised when the leadership is able to give direction on the implementation of government programmes, in order to achieve the Better Ghana agenda.
It is our hope that those who were affected by the changes and those still at post will continue to work even more efficiently to achieve national development.
The worse enemies of government are not those who have contrary views and opinions. Rather, the enemies are poverty, unemployment, squalor, diseases and lack of potable water which confront both rural and urban dwellers. Fortunately, the government has been able to stabilise the economy and indications are that we will be able to achieve phenomenal development and set the economy on the path of growth.
This optimism becomes even more heightened with the commercial production of oil. While the government remains focused on its agenda, it behoves all to remain united, for united we stand, divided we fall. We should eschew corruption, conflict and tension which can affect national development efforts.
Instead of bashing the government for the reshuffle, which every administration undertakes periodically, it is essential for us to receive the changes in good faith and support the President’s men in their task of nation-pbuilding.
The DAILY GRAPHIC wishes the President’s men well in their new assignments. The advice is that instead of being masters of all that they survey, they should work as a team and involve the people in their various ministries in the decision-making process.
We call on all Ghanaians to take a cue from the President’s declaration of 2011 as action year and be part of the solution to any problem in the rebuilding of the new society outlined in the Better Ghana agenda.

GO ALL OUT, ECG (JAN 5, 2011)

2011-01-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

EVERY country thrives on energy. It is one of the basic requirements in any human endeavour.
It is from this realisation that Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, undertook what was then the biggest investment in sub-Saharan Africa, the construction of the Akosombo Dam.
At that time, the capacity of the dam extended to other countries in the West African sub-region. Sadly, however, as has been the bane of our development agenda, lack of proper planning led us to abandon most of our hydro-electric projects almost 40 years after independence.
Today, the country is faced with serious national electricity challenges, to the point that it is no longer news to report the blackout that some parts of the capital suffered prior to the Yuletide.
We recognise that the people must pay realistic tariffs for the use of power, but the challenges facing electricity supply in the country do not support this argument of charging realistic tariffs.
One such challenge is the huge indebtedness of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) for electricity consumption, a situation that has nearly crippled the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The news that about 900 prepaid meters have been installed in some MDAs, in spite of some initial resistance, gives some reprieve to domestic users of power.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC commends the ECG for going ahead to install the prepaid meters, we are not happy at the slow pace at which the exercise is being carried out.
Altogether, there are more than 4,000 prepaid meters to be installed in the MDAs and ECG officials will have to step up the pace to make the exercise successful.
Commercial consumers of power are reeling under pressure from the increases of last year. Individual consumers have also been through the harsh reality of paying high tariffs for power.
It cannot be that the government, whose interest is to work for the people, will overburden individuals, as well as commercial users of energy, by accumulating huge bills and subsequently passing on their cost to the ordinary consumer of power.
The prepaid concept has helped generate the cash flow which the ECG badly needs to address its shortcomings. However, the DAILY GRAPHIC cautions that if the inefficiencies and corrupt practices inherent in the administration of power in the country are not addressed head on, the country will not be able to overcome its power needs, irrespective of the installation of prepaid meters.
But, above all, the DAILY GRAPHIC strongly believes it is about time the country took a long-term approach to solving our energy challenges. For starters, the MDAs must take a cue from the Energy Ministry which currently uses solar energy to generate its power needs.
Everybody will be too willing to pay realistic tariffs for power only when the issue of illegal connections is firmly dealt with and a conscious effort made to improve service delivery.
It is said that the ECG loses about 13 per cent of the power it regularly purchases from the Volta River Authority (VRA) to illegal connections and the earlier this canker is uprooted, the better it will be for all of us.

POLITICAL TOLERANCE CRUCIAL (JAN 4, 2011)

2011-01-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

TOLERANCE and respect for one another’s views is the bedrock of any democracy and, in mature democracies, though people may hold divergent political views, the discourse is laden with decorous language.
Since Ghana set off on the democratic path in 1992, the language used by our politicians has notoriously become offensive. The inordinate zealousness to score cheap political points has led to the use of intemperate language, abuses, slander and outright peddling of falsehood.
On radio and television and at political fora, political opponents have sought to win the support of the public by displaying intolerance.
In the process, we have witnessed political discourse characterised by name-calling, such as freaks, punks, thieves and many other unpalatable tags.
The problem arises when people hold on strongly to their views and consider those of others as wrong and are unwilling to change, no matter the circumstance.
As we enter 2011, a year before the 2012 elections, political activities are expected to increase and if care is not taken, the nation will witness a further rise in the political temperature.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC sees a lot of wisdom in the advice given by the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Agyeman Badu, for Ghanaians to accommodate one another’s political views as we draw closer to the 2012 elections.
Speaking at an end-of-year get-together organised by the Dormaa Traditional Council, Osagyefo Agyeman Badu said, “Democracy thrives on the free expression of divergent views and opinions. The fact that you disagree with the views or opinions expressed by someone who does not share your political ideology does not make the person an enemy.”
In that regard, he appealed to supporters of both the NPP and the NDC in his jurisdiction not to allow their political differences to divide them as a people, saying they should rather unite for the sake of Dormaa and the nation at large.
Perhaps we need to stress that no development engagement can take place without unity and respect for the views of others. Many of the countries that slide down the path of civil war or unrest started with intolerant gestures which ended in chaos and anarchy.
As a nation, we have remained united since independence, although we have witnessed some skirmishes which sought to undermine our cohesion.
President John Evans Atta Mills has declared 2011 an action year but his efforts at transforming Ghana into a new haven could seriously be undermined by division, rancour, bitterness, intolerance and pettiness.
The Good Book says a house divided against itself cannot stand. We should, therefore, look at the issues that unite us, instead of the things that divide us.
Fortunately, as a nation, everything seems to be going well for us. We have discovered oil in commercial quantities and managed to stabilise the economy and set it out on a plateau for take-off.
Undoubtedly, we have recorded impressive democratic credentials which have made the nation an international showpiece. We, therefore, call on Ghanaians to avoid conflicts and unnecessary tension which can only disturb the country and jeopardise our development efforts.
Let us all rally behind the national vision of reducing poverty, improving access to education, providing better roads, ensuring better electricity supply and, above all, putting butter and bread on the table.
For, posterity will hold us accountable and responsible if we mess up this golden opportunity to contribute to the development of the country and humanity.

MAKE CHIEFTAINCY RELEVANT (JAN 3, 2011)

2011-01-03T07:03:00.001-08:00

Ghanaians from all walks of life hold their chiefs in high esteem because of the roles the latter play in the governance of our communities.
The first place of call by persons seeking justice for any wrongful acts meted against them is the chief’s palace.
Consequently, in all palaces our chiefs have established councils of elders to adjudicate in cases involving residents of their communities in order to promote law and order.
These councils use the alternative dispute resolution mechanism to settle disputes in their communities and some of these decisions are upheld in the courts of law.
The Daily Graphic believes that the importance of the chieftaincy institution cannot be downplayed by anybody who has followed keenly the political evolution and development of the country.
Although the Constitution debars chiefs from taking part in active party politics and advises any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament to abdicate his stool or skin, politicians visiting any locality first stop over at the chief’s palace to announce their presence in the community.
However, certain developments in recent times give cause for concern among a section of our population.
One school of thought holds the view that the chieftaincy institution has become irrelevant in the present modern governance system, especially when chiefs are debarred from participating in active party politics.
That school of thought also believes that the chieftaincy institution is the source of the numerous instances of land and communal violence in our communities.
But there are others who think that the future of our country rests on how effectively we are able to reform the chieftaincy institution to spearhead participatory democracy and good governance.
While we agree with Daasebre Prof (Emeritus) Oti Boateng that traditional leaders could do better without political interference in chieftaincy matters, our chiefs should also lead by example by not encouraging divisions in their localities through support for factions in dispute over a stool or skin.
Daasebre Oti Boateng answered his concerns over political interference in chieftaincy matters when he urged his peers “to prize honour and virtue above anything else and resist all undue influence in whatever shape and form so as to restore the dignity of the sacred institution of chieftaincy”.
The Daily Graphic is worried about instances when chieftaincy disputes have led to loss of lives and property in many communities.
The local economies of some communities have been shattered because of chieftaincy disputes, as is the case in Bawku, Dagbon, Buipe and Anloga, as a result of which once very vibrant communities are struggling to stand on their feet.
When these developments rear their ugly heads, the political authorities, including the central government, will step in to restore law and order and these actions give a semblance of political interference in chieftaincy matters.
Of course, there are occasions when the long arm of the government has been seen in the choice of who occupies a stool or skin in particular localities. This is unacceptable.
The chieftaincy institution has a lot of work to do to regain its dignity because there are many communities where rival chiefs are fighting for the control of the stool or skin.
The Daily Graphic calls on the National House of Chiefs to put its act together by making it unattractive for non-royals to buy their way to the stools or skins of our communities.
The practice of king makers and paramount chiefs offering skins or stools to the highest bidders must stop.
Chiefs and those who have a role to play to keep the chieftaincy institution sacred must just live above reproach. If they do so, our traditional leaders will remain relevant to the aspirations of their people.

2011 — A YEAR OF HOPE (JAN 1, 2011)

2011-01-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

AS the clock struck midnight on December 31, 2010, celebrations began all over the world in different forms and shapes to usher in the year 2011.
Although the new year comes with both hope and uncertainties over what the future holds, it offers mankind the opportunity to cherish the memories of the previous year, learn from its mistakes and make resolutions to make life better.
For us in Ghana, 2010 went down as one of the most exciting and challenging years. It was the year in which the country witnessed the commercial production of oil, in which the senior national team became the third African country to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup, in which the Black Satellites won the FIFA-under 20 World Cup and in which the attainment of a middle-income status became a reality.
Also, the managers of the economy succeeded in stabilising the cedi, reducing inflation to a single digit and reducing the lending rate. The nation also witnessed an impressive food production and set in motion a number of initiatives to deal with the myriad of problems in the health, education, housing and road sectors.
Ghanaians ended the year united as a people with a common destiny, upholding the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance to the admiration of the watching world.
Notwithstanding the successes, challenges of poverty, unemployment, hunger and squalor continue to confront us as a nation.
As we welcome the new year, the DAILY GRAPHIC looks forward to good things happening all over the world and, particularly, to Ghana. We expect to see a marked reduction in all troubles in the world — natural disasters, terrorism, hunger and famine.
We look forward with hope that our development engagement in the country will be fast-tracked on all fronts.
President John Evans Atta Mills has already given the signals that the year 2011 will be full of action. In his New Year message, the President was very optimistic and confident that there would be massive improvement in the country’s development.
It is instructive to add that the vision and purposefulness of the government to build a strong, united nation, and improve the lives of Ghanaians could only manifest if we spend a lot more time looking for things that unite us than those which divide us.
If we devote much attention to things that unite us than those which separate us from one another, we would appreciate that Ghana is a blessed country.
Indeed our enemies are not the people with different ideologies or views but rather the poverty, squalor, hunger, diseases and general under-development that manifest themselves in many parts of the country.
We are hopeful Ghanaians will witness unstoppable favour in the year 2011. As we welcome the year, we urge all Ghanaians to continue to work hard for prosperity, since no nation has failed from working hard but many nations have collapsed because of laziness.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also hopes that the resources which would be made available from the commercial production of oil and other economic activities will be managed well for the common good of the people.
Even as we wish all Ghanaians a Happy and Prosperous New Year, we ask every Tom, Dick and Harry to put all hands on deck to build a prosperous nation. For, together we swim or sink.

A GOOD ONE THERE, MTTU (DEC 31, 2010)

2010-12-31T07:24:00.000-08:00

DRIVING in any part of the world is a privilege enjoyed by those who wish to abide by the rules and not a right.
That is why in most advanced countries, depending on the particular driving offence, one’s driving licence can be withdrawn. The licence will only be given back upon evidence that the offender has shown commitment to go by the rules of driving.
It is a global requirement that only people of sound mind are given driving licences. However, in our part of the world, it seems rather weird that some motorists can fit into the category of “mad people”. Such is the driving behaviour of some Ghanaians that our roads have been turned into death traps. They cross red lights and breach other traffic regulations with impunity.
The decision by the Commander of the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Angwubutoge Awuni, to arrest drivers speaking on the mobile phone is a very pragmatic move.
But that should not only be the focus of the MTTU. It is only in this country that many motor riders do not obey traffic regulations. These riders can go at you from the opposite direction, cross red lights with impunity and drive on walkways, tooting their horns at pedestrians when they do not have the right to drive on pedestrian walkways.
The statistics on motor accidents in the country indicate that 80 per cent of all accidents in the country are caused by human error. These are needless errors that a properly trained driver with the requisite discipline can avert at all cost.
In Ghana, you can count the number of commercial drivers, in particular, who have attained their driving licence from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). Some of them obtain their driving licences through the back door.
Indiscipline on our roads has caused so much pain to families, maimed others, and ruined homes throughout the country.
These cannot be allowed to continue. The fight to stop this“madness” on our roads should not be left to the MTTU alone. Every Ghanaian is a potential victim of such careless driving. Therefore, we should all be concerned.
Equally important is the issue about our law enforcement agencies on the streets showing some high degree of professionalism. Reports of policemen unduly delaying law-abiding citizens so as to make them bend the rules are common in the public, not to mention the payment of bribes to some policemen.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, for its part, will create the platform, as well as the awareness, to ensure that life on the roads in our dear country is much safer and so would support efforts by the MTTU to do the right thing to ensure sanity on our roads.
In addition to jail terms, the DAILY GRAPHIC will recommend the revocation of licences and banning of careless drivers from our roads. We believe such an action will complement other efforts at curbing the “madness” on our roads.

LAUDABLE INITIATIVE (DEC 30, 2010)

2010-12-30T06:55:00.000-08:00

THE provision of street lights goes a long way to boost socio-economic activity because it enhances road safety for both motorists and pedestrians. It also hinders the anti-social activities of such persons as robbers and other societal saboteurs.
It is in the light of this that the DAILY GRAPHIC applauds the government’s efforts at lighting up all regional capitals and some metropolises in the country. So far, work on street lights in seven regional capitals and one metropolis has been completed.
They are Koforidua, Tamale, Sekondi/Takoradi, Cape Coast, Ho, Sunyani, Wa and Tema, while work on those in Bolgatanga, Accra and Kumasi is currently 85 per cent complete. The project, which covers 900 kilometres, is an initiative of the Ministry of Energy and was started last year.
The cost of the installation of the street lights in the eight regions is pegged at $50,556,724, while that of Accra and Kumasi will cost €26,807.
A similar project, dubbed the District Capitals Street Lighting, is expected to take off in January 2011, during which a total distance of 4,300 kilometres is expected to be provided with street lights.
At a press conference in Accra to announce this laudable initiative by the government, a Deputy Minister of Energy, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, stated that work on the installation of lights in Koforidua, Tamale, Sekondi, Cape Coast, Ho, Takoradi, Sunyani, Wa and Tema Phase One and Two had also been completed.
Street lights on all ceremonial roads in the national capital are also expected to be functioning by the end of the year.
So far, work on the Achimota Road, Castle Drive, Fourth Circular Road, Independence Avenue, Liberia Road, Kanda Highway and Nima Highway has been completed, while work is ongoing on the Kaneshie-Mallam road and the Graphic Road.
The provision of street lights started long ago in this country, dating back to the Acheampong regime, with subsequent regimes seeking to improve on the situation. The exercise has suffered many setbacks, with the activities of saboteurs and unscrupulous drivers being on top of the list of the setbacks.
Nowadays, it has also been the craze of some unpatriotic persons to vandalise the aluminium poles and especially the cables, treating them as scraps which they sell for a pittance.
These remain major challenges which have to be tackled by all and sundry, especially the police and the courts, so that culprits will be severely dealt with to serve as a deterrent to preserve our national assets. Associated with the bad lighting system is the removal of slabs covering culverts along main roads or streets causing many accidents and serious damage to vehicles and injuries to persons.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is, therefore, happy that Alhaji Fuseini announced that as part of measures to resolve the challenges affecting the installation and maintenance of street lights, a Street Lighting Policy had been drafted and was currently being reviewed by stakeholders.
It is our hope that this draft policy would bring on board some of the concerns being raised in order to preserve our very important national assets for effective national development.
But, above all, our maintenance culture has to be activated in order not to render these street lights useless as they had been virtual white elephants in the past.

EC, THIS MESS MUSN'T RECUR (DEC 29, 2010)

2010-12-29T05:01:00.000-08:00

THE Electoral Commission (EC) had, time and again, assured Ghanaians that it was on course to conduct successful district level elections throughout the country on December 28, 2010.
But, out of the blue, the commission announced late Monday afternoon that it had rescheduled the polls in eight regions to today and tomorrow, citing delay in the printing of ballot papers.
The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Djan, had earlier raised the red flag about the polls when he expressed concern over delays in the release of funds to the EC to conduct the district level elections.
But the assurance given by the EC later that it was ready for the conduct of the polls did not give cause to the candidates and the electorate that there was danger ahead.
It had been envisaged that the turnout at this year's district level polls would be high because the day of voting fell on a public holiday. However, the expected enthusiasm has been blown away by the unanticipated rescheduling of the polls.
Local level elections in the country have always been poorly patronised, largely because of their non-partisan nature. On the contrary, this year's elections had promised to be more exciting, judging from the way aspiring assembly members displayed their pictures in the cities, towns and countryside.
It appears the candidates must have spent fortunes on their door-to-door campaigns, posters, billboards, text messaging and special Christmas cards for which many of them received no sponsorship from the central government or the local authorities.
The DAILY GRAPHIC does not want to be part of any blame game but officials in charge of the polls as umpires or those responsible for the release of funds for the exercise cannot refuse to take responsibility for the mess in which we find ourselves.
If there had been delay in the printing of ballot papers, the EC should have rescheduled the polls long ago and not wait until the eve of the event. What is more worrying, however, is the inability of the EC to anticipate the challenge and take the necessary action to avert the postponement.
The postponement means extra cost to the EC, the government and the candidates, especially as the candidates will require extra resources to campaign until the eve of voting day.
Short of calling for heads to roll, we demand that useful lessons be learnt from the present challenge in order to take the necessary action to prevent its recurrence.
We know that the EC operates within the confines of the law, hence the decision to hold the polls before the end of the year. Nonetheless, it is said that things that are worth doing are worth doing well and, for this reason, if we all recognise that the future direction of our democracy will be anchored on the effectiveness of the decentralisation process, then no price is too high to pay to ensure the successful conduct of the district level elections.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the EC to keep to its latest timetable in order not to complicate matters and kill the enthusiasm that a section of the electorate has for the district level polls.
The EC since its establishment has won local and international acclaim for the successful conduct of elections and it dares not fail now.
The low turnout in certain parts of the two regions in which the polls were conducted yesterday must be due to the late announcement on Monday, leaving the candidates and the electorate confused and frustrated.
We call on the EC to redeem itself by conducting successful polls in the other eight regions.

COMMISSION NEEDS OUR TRIAL SUPPORT (DEC 28, 2010)

2010-12-28T06:16:00.000-08:00

IT is said that for public opinion on any issue to be effective, the opinion must be sustained. This, we believe, explains the decision of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) to introduce the innovative information technology approach targeting 17.6 million mobile phone subscribers in the country to collate views on issues identified by the CRC via text messaging.
The “Text-in Question Campaign”, which was rolled out last week Friday, will help Ghanaians to state their views on issues in the 1992 Constitution that require amendment.
The fact is that Constitutions all over the world are living documents which must be reviewed from time to time to stand the test of time and meet the aspirations of the people.
Our Constitution has been in operation for about 18 years now which, by all standards, is such a short period for any major review.
There are written and unwritten constitutions and in the case of the latter, the governance system is shaped by conventions instead of a rigid legal framework.
Be that as it may, there are many Ghanaians who have very strong views on certain provisions in the Constitution. The payment of ex gratia to Article 71 public office holders, the Indemnity Clauses, the election of district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives and an upper ceiling for Supreme Court judges are among a number of issues agitating the minds of such people.
In a democracy, no one expects unanimity on a number of issues, but by the rules of the game, if the majority decides along a certain direction, the rest are bound to abide by that decision. The essence is that in all these exercises, minority rights would be upheld even if their views are shot down.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC urges all Ghanaians to participate actively in the Text-in Question Campaign embarked upon by the CRC so that their views will be factored into the review document that will be made available to the Constitutional Conference in March next year.
The country’s democracy has been touted as a model on the African continent because as a people we all have tried to respect the provisions in our Constitution.
When any organ of state breached provisions in the Constitution, those who had the strong passion for the rule of law used due process to bring about law and order.
This achievement must be celebrated by all because it has led to a situation where Ghana has avoided any constitutional crisis since we adopted multi-party democracy in 1992.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recalls the calamity that nearly befell the country during the 2008 elections when we were on the brink of civil strife as a result of the tight nature of the polls.
Thankfully, cool heads prevailed as the protagonists agreed to respect the provisions in the Constitution, leading to a peaceful transfer of power from the government to the opposition, the second in less than a decade.
One useful lesson from such an experience is that the future of democracy lies in the dynamics of our national Constitution. Therefore, any sticky provision in the Constitution must be reviewed to pave the way for a document that will facilitate our march towards building a stronger and better society.
Next year, the international community will focus on us as we try to review the Constitution to make it a better document to improve the governance system and the new development agenda.
This import of the exercise requires that every Ghanaian puts his or her shoulders to the wheel so that with unity of purpose, the review exercise will meet the expectations of all.
The import of the exercise is to strengthen the governance system by championing the rule of law, respect for civil liberties and holding public office holders accountable to the people to ensure that the public purse is used to promote the welfare of the people.

LET'S SUPPORT ASSEMBLY POLLS (DEC 27, 2010)

2010-12-27T07:15:00.000-08:00

IN 1988, Ghana took the giant step of introducing the district level elections in its desire to involve the people in the decision-making process.
At the time we embarked on that project, some sceptics felt that the resources of the country would not be able to facilitate the smooth devolution of power from the central government to the district level.
The progress so far has not been without the hiccups associated with change but in retrospect every level-headed Ghanaian will admit that we have chalked up major successes that have impacted positively on national development.
The DAILY GRAPHIC admits that there are still challenges in devolving power and resources from the centre to the district level because bureaucrats and technocrats, as well as politicians, are not willing to let go the power they wield over determining the fate of the people.
Thanks to the decentralisation process, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies have the authority to award contracts with their Common Fund and internally generated funds. This way, projects are no longer imposed on the districts by the central government. Even when the projects have a national character, the input of the assemblies is solicited.
We think this positive development must be supported by all to bring power and resources to the people, by whose mandate our leaders govern at the national and district levels.
As we celebrate the modest gains chalked up since the district level elections were introduced, the DAILY GRAPHIC salutes those who mooted the idea and sacrificed their time and resources to help it to become part and parcel of our governance system.
We want to mention Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings, then Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC); the late Mr Justice D.F. Annan, a member of the PNDC; Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, then PNDC Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development, and the first batch of assembly members for their immense contribution to the growth of the process.
In spite of the international recognition that the district level concept has gained, in recent times there appears to be growing apathy towards the decentralisation process.
We encourage the government to do everything within its resources to revive the interest of the electorate in the district level polls and the decentralisation process.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recognises the personal sacrifice and commitment of all aspiring assembly members towards tomorrow’s polls. However, individual commitment is not enough to achieve the objectives of the decentralisation process.
We are particularly concerned about the low level of female participation in the district level polls, bearing in mind the fact that women form more than half of the population of the country.
Another equally worrying issue is the low publicity given tomorrow’s district level polls. The decentralisation process is the foundation on which the democratic structure will be built or constructed and, therefore, if the local structures are weak, the dividends of democracy will elude the people.
We call on the authorities not to sweep under the carpet concerns being raised over the interference of political parties in the district level polls because it is explicitly provided in the Constitution that the assemblies and the district level elections are non-partisan.
Whatever the challenges are, the DAILY GRAPHIC urges every eligible voter to cast his or her ballot tomorrow to elect a new crop of assembly members to champion the cause of development in the districts for the next four years.

PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TO ALL (DEC 24, 2010)

2010-12-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

“GLORY to God in the highest; and on earth, peace and goodwill towards men” was the proclamation by the messenger of God on the occasion of the birth of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago.
Ever since then, the celebration of Christmas has become an annual event across the globe.
Jesus was born at a time when ignorance, superstition, greed, hatred and hypocrisy prevailed upon the land, while purity was forgotten and morality neglected. His mission, therefore, was to transform lives and, through that, the world.
Today, we are celebrating the birth of Jesus at a time when our dear nation has witnessed some growth and development over the 53 years of its existence as an independent entity. We have abandoned some of the cultural practices and customs which were inimical to human progress and affront to fundamental human rights.
We have not only built roads, hospitals, harbours, houses and schools but also developed our governance structures, expanded the frontiers of free speech, upheld the principles of the rule of law and deepened democracy generally.
The government, led by President John Evans Atta Mills, is on course to building a very strong and vibrant economy. Currently, inflation is single digit, the cedi has stabilised and lending rates have reduced. Additionally the STX housing scheme is expected to be rolled out next year to bring relief to our security services and workers. And, more important, the much-awaited commercial production of oil has come on stream to provide resources for national development and job opportunities for the people.
The result of these monumental achievements is that today Ghana has become the beacon of hope in Africa.
In spite of the progress made so far, we are, admittedly, confronted with challenges and difficulties which demand urgent attention and solutions. For example, in the area of education, children still study under trees, power supply is still not stable, there is a huge gap between the development of the north and that of the south, while unemployment is also very high.
Meanwhile, our national unity is sometimes undermined by polarisation along party lines, while almost every issue is politicised.
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour who has brought hope to the dejected, inspiration to the despondent and peace and joy to the world, we need to remind ourselves that the occasion is not just a period for merry-making but an opportunity to promote unity, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and love in our national discourse.
Let us cross over to 2011 with a renewed commitment to national development and devote our energies to activities which will change our destiny and build a solid foundation for posterity.
We should eschew insults, disrespect for our political leadership and intolerance of divergent opinions. There is the need for us to rally behind the national vision to make the country a better place to live in especially when President Mills has declared 2011 ‘a year of action’.
Indeed, the best gift that we can give ourselves and our neighbours is peace and goodwill to all men and women. But in all our celebrations, let us remember the less privileged because, as the Bible assures us in Isaiah 58:11, “We shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring or water whose waters fail not.”
Finally, the DAILY GRAPHIC takes this opportunity to wish our readers, partners and all Ghanaians a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

OUR MOTHERS DESERVE BETTER (DEC 23, 2010)

2010-12-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

THE high incidence of maternal mortality has been one major scar on the conscience of the nation’s health sector. With mortality rates at such high levels, the introduction of the free maternal care was a big relief and has helped reduce the rate of maternal deaths in the country in recent times.
Perhaps, the global nature of these deaths led the United Nations to declare the reduction of high maternal mortality as part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The MDGs give a central place to maternal health and gender equality and MDG 5 — improving maternal health — is often called “the heart of the MDGs” because the attainment of the other goals revolve around it and if it fails, the other goals will also fail.
Maternal mortality is a global issue and the concern for reducing it stems from the fact that at least 583,000 women die each year from the complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The alarming situation is that almost 90 per cent of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
The situation in Ghana is equally gloomy, with an institutional maternal mortality rate of 250 per 100,000 live births. Reducing maternal and neonatal mortality has been a challenge in Ghana over the past decades, as many more women continue to fall prey to this problem, in spite of the efforts by the government, development partners, the private sector and civil society.
Therefore, news from the Northern Region of 81 expectant mothers dying from January to November this year, is very worrisome. It appears to the DAILY GRAPHIC that such deaths have become so common that it is no longer part of the human equation.
We note that some of the reasons for the high mortality rate in the region include the cultural practices, deplorable roads and the delays in bringing such pregnant women to hospital.
But the question is: What then is the role of the community health service personnel, whose role is to, among other things, undertake public education and offer support to households?
It cannot be that 81 people will die and yet no action is taken to avert the situation. The point is, these challenges of lack of education and the deplorable roads would still be with us at least for sometime to come.
However, pragmatic steps and actions need to be taken, and quickly too, to avert our mothers dying needlessly.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also takes this opportunity to appeal to the District Assemblies and the Regional Co-ordinating Council to, as a matter of urgency, address the infrastructure deficit to ensure access roads to some of these towns.
This again brings our attention to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and the need to speedily resource this outfit to start the process of designing solutions to the problems of the three northern regions.
Much too often, we take the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian for granted. We dare say, if among the 81 deaths was the wife of one high-up public servant, the hospital would have been given a facelift and resourced to deliver.
Happily, the DAILY GRAPHIC notes with gratitude the support given to the hospital by Dakpema Naa Dawuni Mohammed Alhassan, a chief of Tamale. Individuals can do so much; but it behoves the government through its agencies to be up and doing.
Such reports only draw us back in terms of meeting our Millennium Development Goals and question whether the country is serious about addressing this very cancerous challenge.
We need to be up and doing.

WE ENDORSE THIS APPEAL (DEC 22, 2010)

2010-12-22T02:04:00.001-08:00

ABOUT 22 years ago, Ghana began the process of decentralising power to the grass roots by introducing the district assembly concept via the decentralisation programme.
Since then, the necessary structures on which hinge the concept have been put in place, including the creation of the unit committees and the zonal and area councils.
Perhaps the success of Ghana’s multiparty democracy can be traced to our decentralised system of administration.
Through the system, the people are already aware of the dividends of democratic governance and have since contributed to the conduct of five successful parliamentary and presidential elections.
Similarly, incumbent governments have been removed on two occasions through the ballot box, a feat which has been applauded the world over.
Thankfully, there is another opportunity on December 28, this year, for the people to vote a new breed of assembly members into office. The future of the decentralisation programme will be determined by this set of assembly members.
It is in the light of the upcoming district level elections that the DAILY GRAPHIC endorses the appeal made by the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin, to the government to enhance the decentralisation programme to ensure the effective implementation, evaluation and monitoring of various development projects across the country.
The Okyenhene particularly called for priority in the area of education in order to instil a sense of communal ownership, accountability and transparency at all levels of society.
This call must be heeded and given all the needed attention in view of the increased population and government programmes to bring development to the people.
It is a truism that a centralised system of administration has its attendant negative effects, such as bureaucratic tendencies, which do not augur well for any meaningful socio-economic development. This is because bureaucracy breeds delays, red-tapeism, corruption and other anti-social activities which impinge negatively on effective national development.
With the call by the Okyenhene, we need to put in place the necessary infrastructure and resources to equip the various municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies to enable them to adequately face the numerous challenges bedevilling them.
As rightly pointed out by the Okyenhene, through the decentralisation programme the various communities could effectively mobilise resources to complement the government’s efforts at improving basic infrastructure and provide the needed facilities, as well as set up boards, to evaluate and monitor the performance of teachers.
This will create the needed impetus for all to put their shoulders to the wheel, since they will see themselves as part and parcel of the overall decision-making and national development agenda to minimise the lackadaisical tendencies associated with the centralised system of governance.
The Okyenhene’s appeal probably should open the vistas for debate on the election of district chief executives (DCEs), who are the political heads at the district level, so that inputs could be made for consideration by the Constitutional Review Commission if that had not already captured its attention.
Through the election of DCEs, accountability at the grass roots will be greatly enhanced to pave the way for the ownership of the development agenda at the district level.

AN EXAMPLE WORTHY OF PRAISE (DEC 21, 2010)

2010-12-21T08:44:00.000-08:00

FOR the simple reason that the sages say “A healthy mind is in a healthy body”, individuals, communities and the government spend a major part of their resources to keep themselves and their people healthy.
It is only when the people are healthy that they can contribute to economic development to create wealth for themselves and society.
It is also a fact that the gap between healthcare delivery and access to health care is especially pronounced in rural Ghana.
The architects of the country’s decentralisation process had in mind the need to spread development throughout the country, a development that will, in the end, bring services such as education, health care and infrastructure to our rural communities.
However, this exercise has been fraught with challenges whose solutions seem out of sight in the foreseeable future, though the challenges themselves are surmountable.
The DAILY GRAPHIC takes note of the “can do” spirit exhibited by the authorities of the University for Development Studies (UDS) by taking the bull by the horn and determining their own destiny.
The construction of three blocks, at the cost of GH¢319,000, through internally generated funds to solve the major challenge of the medical students having to travel to the nearest teaching hospital, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, a journey of more than 300 miles from the campus of the UDS, is commendable and worthy of praise.
We also take note of the short period (three months) within which the project has been completed by the UDS. It goes to show the seriousness the authorities attach to solving their own challenges.
Like many public sector institutions, the UDS has not relied on government funds, which could have taken years, if not decades, in coming to achieve that dream.
Recognising the need to close the doctor-patient ratio and also help produce more qualified doctors, the authorities have taken a rather bold decision to do what is right.
The DAILY GRAPHIC does not, therefore, hesitate to doff its hat for the exemplary leadership and visionary achievement of the UDS authorities. Some will dismiss this feat, but if all public institutions take a cue from this development and take decisions that will help alleviate the plight of the very people whose taxes keep public institutions running, Ghana could be making giant strides towards progress.
The example shown also brings to the fore once again the argument of making public universities autonomous.
This particular act by the UDS authorities clearly makes a strong case for partial independence for the public universities, if not absolute independence.
Many of our public universities have chalked up some tremendous achievements and the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that further support will make them stand on their feat, especially so when foreign universities are finding Ghana a fertile ground for their recruitment and business development.
The health sector needs the collective support of all Ghanaians. We need more doctors, as well as healthcare facilities and projects that will further make the life of every Ghanaian much better.
The UDS authorities need our encouragement in their efforts at training more doctors, especially for the three northern regions of Ghana.

INCREASING PROTECTION FOR THE PEOPLE (DEC 20, 2010)

2010-12-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

THE existence of an enduring climate of peace, order and stability in any society is a sine qua non for the accelerated and sustained socio-economic development of that society.
The prevalence of these factors creates a conducive atmosphere for the creative talents, energies and expertise of the people to be brought to bear on the production process, so that the requisite level of wealth is created to support the needs of the people.
Additionally, such a climate emits the signal to entrepreneurs and investors, both local and foreign, that not only are their investments safe and secure but also that they are guaranteed just earnings and rewards for their efforts.
It is, therefore, a matter of course that nations which, in addition to the above, also wish to boost job creation to effectively tackle serious unemployment in the ranks of their people would place premium on national security.
Throughout our history as a nation, we have, at various times, battled the threats to the security of our people such as armed robbery, stealing, fraud and other acts of deviant behaviour.
Not too long ago, the Police Administration, in response to the upsurge in robbery in some urban centres and on the highways, intensified police patrols, in collaboration with the Army, and within a short space of time brought the menace under control.
However, with the approach of Christmas reports have emerged from certain quarters that criminals are rehearsing their strategies to unleash another round of their atrocities on the people.
It is from such a background of anxiety over the potential of such nefarious activities to create fear, panic and alarm among the ranks of our people that we heave a sigh of a relief over reports that the Police Administration has drawn a national contingency plan to combat criminal activities even before the Yuletide arrives and after it.
Dubbed “Operation Father Christmas Two”, the operation is expected from now onwards to see an intensification in both mobile and foot patrols within communities, especially urban areas, as well as on the highways.
There can be no doubt about the fact that many criminals see in the period leading up to the Yuletide and the Yuletide itself an excellent opportunity to reap where they have not sown from what they perceive as a season of plenty.
The importance of this assurance by the Police Administration lies in the fact that the police are not just outlining a programme on paper to deal with such miscreants; they have actually put their officers and men on the ground, who are willing and ready to deal with such nation wreckers.
This is not just to deter such elements from seeking to carry through their diabolical actions but also reassures the public that a lot is being done to ensure that they go about their legitimate activities without let or hindrance.
It is our hope that this important exercise will not die with the Christmas but will be consolidated well into the future to offer better protection for our people.
It is important for an unmistakable message to be sent to the miscreants bent on compromising our peace, order and stability that they will never be allowed to succeed and that the security forces will pursue them 24 hours a day, seven days a weak, 365 or 366 days a year until they and the evil trade they ply are completely extinguished.
We wish to commend the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and his men for significantly improving security and protection for the people through the introduction and intensification of the community policing idea.
This must continue so that our people can live in security and peace and be more productive.

ENHANCING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUTH (DEC 18, 2010)

2010-12-20T02:40:00.001-08:00

ONE of the most serious drawbacks to the accelerated socio-economic development of our nation is the non or under-utilisation of the talents, energies and expertise of large numbers of our people, especially the youth.
It is a common yet depressing thing to see large numbers of able-bodied and energetic youth sitting idly for days on end when they could be engaged in productive ventures that could contribute to increasing the stock of the nation’s wealth.
The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), along with its significant expansion, has, among other objectives, been designed to tap and channel these abundant energies and talents into productive ventures that will help move the fortunes of the nation forward.
It is on record that the NYEP has provided jobs for thousands of the youth and given them the opportunity to contribute their quota to the development of the many communities across the country. Through the various modules, multitudes of the youth have been engaged in rendering services ranging from sanitation through rendering assistance in health delivery to teaching in second-cycle schools across the 10 regions of the country.
As important as this has been in partly addressing the unemployment problem and also helping to mobilise and tap the energies of the youth, the design of the programme to only offer jobs for a two-year period, after which beneficiaries have to rejoin the ranks of the unemployed and mount fresh searches for jobs, limits its effectiveness.
Until recently, there was no exit plan for those who attained the maximum two years’ service with the programme. That, among others, created a situation where such persons who dreaded rejoining the ranks of the unemployed decided to use all manner of tricks and methods to remain in the programme. That obviously created a big jam and prevented millions of youth waiting their turn on the programme to be denied the opportunity.
We are happy to note that through the ingenuity of the current crop of government and state officials, an exit plan has been fashioned out which ensures that beneficiaries who serve out their terms and have demonstrated competencies in a number of areas are moved on to more permanent jobs.
Only this week, 296 such beneficiaries of the programme were mobilised by the Ghana Police Service to support the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the service to help the police control traffic in some urban centres of the country. According to reports, they are to be engaged for two years and, subject to satisfactory performance, be absorbed fully into the Police Service.
We highly commend this initiative and would want to urge the NYEP ‘graduates’ to endeavour to vindicate the name of the programme by being honest, punctual to duty and disciplined at all times. The lure of cheap money on the roads from some reckless and indisciplined drives who take delight in flouting road traffic regulations must be resisted if they are to discharge the functions of their office effectively.
As the Commander of the MTTU, ACP Angwubotoge Awuni, pointed out to the NYEP recruits, the opportunity for their absorption into the service permanently was a function of the discipline, honesty, punctuality and efficiency they exhibited.
Their work and conduct will be their testimonial for more permanent work and this is an opportunity they, in their own interest, should not miss.
We believe that others migrating from the NYEP to other areas of national life will exhibit exemplary conduct so that together they will all work to vindicate the vision for providing this new opportunity for permanent jobs for the youth.
We wish to add that the precarious over-dependence on the state for jobs is not an effective panacea to the serious unemployment problem and our youth, many of whom are very talented, should explore ways of using such talents to create jobs not only for themselves but also for others.
Fortunately, MASLOC and an array of institutions supporting small businesses exist to support such causes and they must be exploited to help us mount a successful onslaught on the nagging unemployment problem.

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS THE WAY FORWARD (DEC 17, 2010)

2010-12-17T08:03:00.001-08:00

PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills yesterday admonished the country’s clergy to endeavour to point out the mistakes and shortcomings of his government in order to bring about the requisite corrective measures that would contribute to the building of a better Ghana.
The President, who was interacting with a delegation from the National Catholic Bishops Conference at the Castle, Osu, noted that intolerance or the absence of constructive criticism had the tendency to breed an unhealthy system of sycophancy and personality cult, both of which were counter-productive to the national development effort (see front page).
There is a lot of sense in the adage that it takes some one other than the one constructing the path to realise that it has gone crooked.
The burdens of government and of governance are so numerous and enormous that ordinary fallible mortals in leadership positions, even with the best of intentions, may, from time to time, err or show their weaknesses.
Since perfection is not an attribute of man but an ideal to strive for, those exercising power and authority for and on behalf of members of society may engage in certain actions or institute certain measures which may not, in the end, confer the right or expected benefits on members of society. This may happen even in the face of their best intentions.
In such circumstances, a leader with a good listening ear and who is amenable to divergent, even opposing views and suggestions could decipher from such body of information what is constructive and can help in achieving the set objectives so that the general expectations of the people are met.
This attitude will be good not only for those in leadership but also for the betterment of society as a whole.
What has caused the downfall of many political, social and even religious leaders in the world, particularly Africa, is the tendency to be surrounded by sycophants who inundate these leaders with grossly overblown platitudes.
In so doing, such leaders are cocooned from the rest of society and, therefore, cannot, from such an isolated standpoint, know and understand, let alone appreciate and deal with, the true feelings, wishes and aspirations of the people they are supposed to be leading.
We cannot agree more with the President when he urged the members of the clergy to regard the people in government as human beings with human shortcomings like any one and, therefore, standing in need of sincere, constructive and well-intentioned criticisms or suggestions.
Indeed, it is a patriotic duty to alert our leaders to policies, issues and events that are inimical to the interest of our nation and people, just as it is a commendable civic duty to commend and support them when they act to protect the national interest and advance the well-being of the people.
It should be noted that such positive advice should not go for only politicians but also all who occupy leadership positions in the various spheres of human endeavour in our society, including our religious leaders.
For, what constitutes a national attitude is a sum total of individual and group attitudes or behaviour at different segments of society. Therefore, if we get it right at those elementary levels, we are likely to succeed at the national level.
We wish to take this opportunity to recall the very decent politicking the President did at the launch of the Jubilee Oil when he not only assembled leaders of diverse political and social backgrounds, including his opponents, but also paid tribute to each of them, even if they differed and disagreed politically with him.
These are the things needed to consolidate our democracy.
The escalating political vilification and insults, apart from being counter-productive to our efforts at consolidating our democratic dispensation, undermines the image and integrity of politics and politicians and must cease forthwith.

A PROUD MOMENT FOR GHANA (DEC 16, 2010)

2010-12-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

THE sweetness of a pudding, it is said, lies in the eating.
Yesterday, December 15, 2010, will go down the annals of the country’s history as one by the most memorable following the visit of President John Evans Atta Mills to the offshore Jubilee Oilfield in the Western Region where he turned the wheel for the first official flow of oil from that field.
With that feat, the country has been ushered into a new era, both as a producer and an exporter of crude oil (see front page).
That the nation has, about three years after the discovery of the oil in the area, been able to assemble the huge array of complicated and very expensive infrastructure and skilled manpower to enable it to commence the commercial production and export of oil is an eloquent testimony to the keen sense of co-operation that exists among the main partners — the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Tullow Oil, Anardako, Kosmos and the E.O. Group.
For many, including even industry players, this is a feat worthy of parading.
We find in yesterday's ceremony a classic display of national unity, a sense of common belonging, the acknowledgement of credit and good working attributes which, for decades, have been missing in our national political, economic and social discourse.
The very presence of three important personalities — President Mills and former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor — who, at different times have led and still lead governments in the management of the affairs of state, even for its symbolism, added beauty, colour and a sense of national pride to the event.
What we even found more heart warming was the profound sense of humility, candour and political astuteness demonstrated by President Mills in, among others, paying glowing tribute to his predecessors for laying a strong foundation and opening the way for the commercial production and export of oil.
In a society where political adversity is taken for enmity and where zero tolerance for the recognition and according of any credit to the opponent is the rule, this speaks volumes of the desire of President Mills to chart a new and positive political course for the country where credit due will be given and criticisms and corrections, where necessary, will also prevail.
The President's pledge to ensure that proceeds from the oil accruing to the state would be used judiciously and appropriately utilised to ensure maximum benefits for the people and thus make the oil find a blessing rather than a curse is also very re-assuring.
As a people with vested interest in this new resource, we have a bounden duty to assist the President to realise the duty he has placed on himself and all other officials to be guided by a keen sense of honesty, transparency and accountability by ensuring these important tenets are followed.
We wish to reiterate our position that the most important concern of the people is not so much about how the funds are utilised, including the vexed issue of whether to collateralise them or not, but what the funds are used for, whether there is value for money and whether such expenditure impacts positively on the lives of our people, especially those in the deprived and poverty-endemic areas.
The pledge of the government to ensure that significant resources, not only from the oil but others as well, will be devoted to an accelerated infrastructural improvement, including building more and better roads, clinics, schools, provisding good drinking water, etc in the Western and other regions must have gone a long way to assuage the feelings of the chiefs and people of the area who had earlier demanded 10 per cent of the oil revenue for development of the area.

ROOF OVER OUR HEADS AT LAST (DEC 15, 2010)

2010-12-15T06:43:00.001-08:00

THE good old books of Christianity and Islam assert that when society is led by a good, righteous, selfless and humane leader, it will witness the bounties of the Almighty which will contribute to the realisation of a just, peaceful and prosperous society for the good of all.
That Ghana is today a beneficiary of such uncommon grace is as true as the Machiavellian dictum which holds that one cannot make omelette without breaking eggs.
As early as the first quarter of last year when inflationary rates were in high double digits, the national deficit at an all- time high, the exchange rate depreciating fast and the general economic outlook very weak and uncertain, the support of many development partners, complemented by the hard work and the sacrifice of the people, helped to pull us from the brink.
Today, not only is inflation, the national deficit, the exchange rate and interest rates more stable but also Ghana is widely regarded as the gateway to business and investment in the West African sub-region.
Only last September, President John Evans Atta Mills, after trips to China and Japan, returned home with over $13 billion financial support from China and other forms of substantial assistance from Japan to support the accelerated expansion of national infrastructure.
These include the Eastern corridor road stretching from Hohoe in the Volta Region through to Bimbila, Salaga and Yendi in the Northern Region to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region, the Western corridor from the Sefwi and Nzema areas through the Brong Ahafo Region.
Others are the extension of the railway network from Kumasi through Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region to Tamale in the Northern Region to Paga in the Upper East Region and the rehabilitation of the Yamoransa-Cape Coast road.
Only yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffour, and the Chief Executive Officer of STX of Korea signed the Government of Ghana-STX Housing deal to construct 200,000 housing units, 90,000 of which will be given to the security services and other important sectors of the state.
The remaining 110,000 units are to be made available to the general public for hire purchase at affordable rates through the Home Finance Company (HFC), a mortgage company.
By all accounts, this STX deal is the largest, most comprehensive and, in terms of economic impact, most far-reaching in the country's history.
Out of the estimated 1,000,000 housing deficit the nation is said to be facing, the 200,000 STX housing units constitute the single most aggressive and ambitious onslaught on the spectre of homelessness and inadequate housing facilities for people in this country.
The project, which will be spread over five years, is expected to offer direct employment to over 400,000 people across the 10 regions of the country.
We are happy that at last the picture of uncertainty that was created about this project in sections of our society has been removed with the signing of this agreement and the commencement of work in January next year.
It has been a long-standing national shame to see large numbers of our security forces, especially our hardworking police, military, fire service, prison and other personnel, live in ramshackle, overcrowded and poorly ventilated colonial era barracks that have defied any renovation since they were put up.
It is gratifying to note that the priority accorded the building of 30,000 housing units immediately for the security services will, in addition to the greatly enhanced salary paid to the police and the other security services under the Single Spine Salary Structure, serve as great incentives to motivate them to give of their best.
Additionally, the availability of more houses will not only make it possible for more houses for the people in the lower income bracket and the middle-class to buy and thus liberate them from the shackles of Shylock landlords but also help increase substantially the national housing stock and in this way help bring down the prices of houses to affordable levels.
So let the houses flow.

OUR OIL SHOULD BE A BLESSING (DEC 14, 2010)

2010-12-15T06:04:00.000-08:00

Ghana will make history tomorrow when President John Evans Atta Mills presses the button to inaugurate the Jubilee Oil Fields and thereby officially signal the first flow of oil from the country. (See front page).
With this event, Ghana will not only enhance its stature as a member of the powerful league of petroleum producing and exporting nations but also stand on the threshold of accelerating its wealth generation that holds the potential to significantly raise the quality of life of the people.
We are happy that many Ghanaians of this generation have lived to witness the day. In making this assertion, we are only conscious of the immense roles the various regimes that have steered the affairs of this nation have played in laying the foundation for the eventual pouring of oil that we are about to witness tomorrow.
It should be pointed out that the search for oil has taken us many decades; indeed, way back to the pre-colonial era through the colonial period to the days of our hard-won freedom as the first African country south of the Sahara to break the back of colonialism.
Over this extensive period, explorations have been done, precious data gathered, analysed and preserved and the critical human resource needed to safeguard the drive to find oil in commercial quantities trained.
Under the nation’s Founder, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, many exploration activities took place, both onshore and offshore, which led to the gathering and processing of vital information on the country’s petroleum resources.
In the 1970s, the exploration of oil actually commenced in the Saltpond oil fields in the Central Region and although the oil there was not in substantial commercial quantities, it served notice of the country’s real hydrocarbon potential.
The setting up of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), under the leadership of Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, by former President Jerry John Rawlings accelerated the tempo of the search for oil and concretised efforts at exploiting the resource.
The further streamlining of the system by the Kufuor administration contributed to the discovery of oil in the Jubilee Field.
It is worth pointing out that a great deal of work, including the commercial installation of oil rigs and pipes, the building of the mammoth FPSO Kwame Nkrumah, the laying of subsea infrastructure and others, has been done in record time by the Mills administration to ensure that production commences at this time. This is a credit which all Ghanaians must justifiably be proud of and which they must collectively share in.
The most important issue about this resource is that it must be of benefit to the people. The decision to collateralise part of the revenue accruing from the oil is, for us, a step in the right direction, as it will anchor the nation to undertake massive infrastructural development.
What we believe we should do is ensure that the relevant institutions and structures that will monitor the use of the funds are empowered to work to ensure that the funds are properly utilised for what they are intended.
We are also happy to note that traditionally important sectors of our economy such as agriculture will still get the attention they deserve from the government so that we do not catch the Dutch disease.
After all, this oil find cannot have and must never be seen as having the magic wand to instantly resolve all our economic difficulties and challenges.
While we rejoice on this occasion, let us all collectively work to protect and safeguard this resource for our collective benefit.

PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES (DEC 13, 2010)

2010-12-15T04:51:00.000-08:00

THE prosperity of every nation and the progress and well-being of its people are, to a large extent, a function of how much wealth it can create and sustain for itself.
Nations that have the capacity to create, retain and control a substantial quantum of wealth will, all things being equal, have the ability to ensure a qualitatively higher standard of living for their people than others with less capacity.
It is largely on account of these and other factors that nations and governments the world over which are keen on the positive transformation of their economies and improving the lives of their people take the exploitation, control and utilisation of natural resources very seriously.
The discovery of oil in the country in the 1970s and now in larger commercial quantities at the Jubilee Field has brought in its wake opportunities and challenges.
While the opportunities largely rest on raking in more revenue through crude exports and promoting local industries through the processing and utilisation of the by-products of the crude, the challenges have been many and varied.
One of such key challenges is in the domain of security; that is, how to effectively protect the oil fields from damage and sabotage, as well as theft of the product by well-organised gangs that have specialised in stealing the product.
Reports abound in many oil-rich nations, particularly our sub-regional neighbour, Nigeria, where criminal gangs and aggrieved local people have combined to siphon and destroy huge quantities of crude oil which, otherwise, could have brought more substantial revenue to the state.
The story of the Niger Delta, where shadowy groups are reported to have the capacity to load tankers with crude oil outside the knowledge and control of the Federal government, is ample testimony to this assertion.
If ever we had underrated the capacity of any such groups to operate in the country and deprive the state of the maximum benefits from the oil find, we need to rethink and react fast.
The report that eight people have been arrested for siphoning crude oil from the Saltpond Oil Fields in the Central Region at the weekend must awaken us to the reality of the existence of these groups in areas where oil exploration goes on.
The group was reported to have already siphoned a significant quantity of the crude, using an array of equipment, and had actually some how refined and transferred the product into a waiting tanker on the shore when they were apprehended (see front page).
We have reason to believe that this clandestine act has been ongoing for some time now and that it took the information provided and the appropriate response of the police to arrest the culprits.
This, in our view, is a practical manifestation of the kind of positive dividends we can reap as a nation when there is good police-public co-operation in the fight against organised crime and the activities of nation wreckers.
However, beyond this, the important question is, was there any security at the oil fields at the time of the incident or even before? If there was, where was the security? Why that negligence? Has the oil field been abandoned altogether?
As we get set to pour the nation’s first oil from the Jubilee Field in the next few days, we would want to remind all stakeholders in our oil — the government, the oil companies and the public — to take security at the oil facilities seriously in order not only to forestall similar incidents but also ensure a safe and conducive atmosphere for the exploitation of the resource for the collective benefit of the people.

THIS MUST NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN (DEC 11, 2010)

2010-12-15T04:30:00.000-08:00

IN July 2005 an unspecified number of Ghanaians lost their lives under bizarre and tragic circumstances in The Gambia.
A number of accounts of the incident, including one from the sole survivor of the tragic event, alleged that as many as 44 Ghanaians had been killed and that they had been murdered with the complicity of Gambian security forces.
Following the intervention of the government of Ghana, investigations were conducted into the matter by a joint United Nations (UN) and ECOWAS team which found that the lives lost were far lower, while many others were unaccounted for.
Even though the report did not directly blame the Gambian government for the deaths, in recognition of its responsibility as the state within whose jurisdiction the said incidents occurred, The Gambia accepted some obligations, including paying compensation for the lives lost and facilitating the retrieval and return of the remains to Ghana for interment.
It is worthy of note that only yesterday the remains of eight victims of the said tragic event were finally laid to rest at the Osu Cemetery in a state-organised and assisted funeral (see front page).
While this event will forever leave a sour taste in the mouths of Ghanaians, the co-operation of the Gambian government, albeit one extracted largely from intense international pressure, and its acceptance of some obligations have helped to pull the matter from the brink.
The initial denial of the event and the shocking levels of disinterest in carrying out investigations by the Gambian government raised domestic pressure in Ghana for the matter to be probed and for the Gambian government to accept its responsibilities and obligations in the matter.
Among others, a number of international laws and treaties, including the International Refugee Law which The Gambia is a signatory to, oblige The Gambia to not only protect the lives of foreigners within its territory but also accord them certain basic or fundamental human rights.
The fact that both Ghana and The Gambia are members of the ECOWAS fraternity and the victims ECOWAS community citizens raised the level of obligation of The Gambia in the matter.
While we acknowledge that the current level of development of the matter does pave the way for a thaw and even an improvement in relations between our two fraternal relations and people, the entire case is by no means closed.
Like any other crime, local or international, there is no statute bar or closure to such cases and any time fresh evidence can be procured or adduced to support the reopening of the matter, it must and will be done in the supreme cause of ensuring that not only will justice be done but it will be seen to be manifestly done.
We see in this tragedy two important lessons, among others.
First, Ghanaians seeking asylum or economic opportunities in other nations need to take steps to regularise or legitimise their stay in those nations so that they can enjoy the full protection of both the laws of those nations and the diplomatic support of Ghana’s missions there.
Second, nations of the ECOWAS fraternity need to improve upon the enforcement of democracy and human rights protocols and agreements, as well as exert greater control on and accountability of the actions of the security services within their domain.
This is the way forward to enhancing the rights of all ECOWAS citizens and ensuring that this never happens again anywhere in the sub-region or on the entire African continent.
We once again express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, empathise with them in this difficult moment and pray that the Almighty God will give them the strength and the means to carry on with their lives.

ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE ANSWER (DEC 10, 2010)

2010-12-10T05:15:00.001-08:00

IN a democracy, the process of governance is bound or dictated by the law.
Meanwhile, the law is supreme and, therefore, both the government and the governed are enjoined at all times to recognise, respect and adhere to the law. In this way, all individuals, groups, institutions and what have you are all equal before the law and no one, irrespective of status, colour or creed, is immune from sanctions of the law where a breach of it can be shown to have occurred.
We are, for the second time, returning to developments on the nation’s soccer front because certain developments are emerging that are not only an affront to our democratic process but also pose a veritable threat to the national interest.
Following the events of last Tuesday when the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), on the strength of a court order, took away computers and documents from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to help in its investigations of alleged malfeasance at the GFA, a number of developments have emerged.
The Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) has announced an indefinite suspension of the Glo Premier League.
The GFA has itself indicated that it is contemplating instituting a court action against the EOCO for its action taken at the GFA Headquarters..
Unofficially, some members of the GFA have made comments on the matter, seeking to link the government with the action of the EOCO.
The Minority in Parliament yesterday held a press conference accusing the government of interfering in football administration and calling on it to wash its hands off the GFA.
This action of the soccer controlling bodies, political parties and politicians is clearly designed to take the matter away from soccer and its management to the realms of politics and something else.
Given that none of those alleging government interference has provided an iota of evidence to support that allegation, it would seem to suggest that that allegation and the decision to halt the national league are calculated to embarrass and cause disaffection for the government in the public eye.
It is on record that about 24 hours after the documents and the computers had been taken, the EOCO, after taking whatever information it wanted, returned them to the GFA offices, even though no GFA official was ready to take them.
It does appear, from a dispassionate appraisal of the unfolding events, that these things are being staged to divert attention from the overriding need of the GFA to honour its obligation of being accountable for the public funds it has expended and win public sympathy and support it does not deserve.
The pertinent questions we are asking are: Is the GFA above the laws of Ghana? Is the GFA a law onto itself, such that it is immune from any action by other legally constituted bodies in the discharge of its duties? Does the GFA have the power to ignore or undermine lawfully administered court orders or impede other lawfully established bodies from discharging their functions?
As we pointed out yesterday, the resort to excessive indulgence in partisan politicking of national issues, including crime, and the undue haste on the part of political parties to take a plunge into such issues even before they are properly informed on them undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of state institutions.
This, we wish to point out, does not augur well in our bid to consolidate democracy as the system of government for our nation, as the effective functioning of the system rests solidly on the efficacy of state institutions, not strong individuals, as President Barack Obama pointed out.
It should be noted that FIFA, the world soccer governing body itself, has been under investigations by the Swiss authorities. So FIFA itself is not above the law.
Therefore, let the EOCO and other state institutions, including the GFA and even FIFA, all do their work.

ALLOW STATE INSTITUTIONS DO THEIR WORK (DEC 9, 2010)

2010-12-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

ONE of the clearest signals emerging from the functional democratic order is the prevalence of the rule of law, which includes but is not limited to the unhindered and effective functioning of organs and legally established institutions of State.
When State institutions are recognised and allowed to function within their respective functions, they attain a higher national stature that anchors them to promote the public interest and, in so doing, function to meet public expectation.
This notwithstanding, there are certain important values we can lend to our democratic dispensation that will better protect and promote social peace, cohesion, order and stability and in this way help accelerate socio-economic development for the betterment of the lives of our people.
This is in the area of building, supporting and sustaining strong State institutions with the objective of protecting the interests of all.
Unfortunately, by virtue of the extreme partisan politicking we practise here, important State institutions whose effective functioning is crucial to efforts at building a successful nation are being unduly chastised, run down, sabotaged and even condemned by some members of our society on account of their narrow parochial interests.
The Police Service, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Judicial Service, National Security, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), etc, have, at one time or another, suffered from such acts.
The latest to be visited with such negative acts is the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the successor body of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) whose powers have been enhanced to empower it to perform.
First, it was some members of the public who sought to undermine the efforts of the EOCO as it commenced investigations into allegations of malfeasance in some State media organisations.
Only recently, similar efforts were made to attempt to stop the office from probing allegations of financial impropriety at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) which emerged largely from the sporting fraternity itself.
One of the key reasons advanced by the so-called protectionists of the independence of the GFA was that FIFA (the world soccer governing body) does not brook interference in soccer matters by governments and that such investigations as started by the EOCO amounts to interference and should, therefore, cease if the country is to avoid the furry of FIFA.
Some of the arguments have been stretched to indicate that money paid by private institutions as sponsorship to football authorities cannot be the subject of enquiry by bodies external to the football authorities.
No one can justifiably argue against the fact that the State has an uncontested right to demand and go for a process of getting the football authorities to account for every pesewa given to them, as they are officers who generate the expenditure.
Again, it is a huge fallacy to assert that money paid to the GFA by sponsors is private money and, therefore, the State cannot demand accountability on it.
It is worth pointing out that money paid by such sponsors to the GFA invariably gets back to those sponsors in the form of tax reliefs and other incentives given by the government.
These tax reliefs, in opportunity cost terms, are funds that the State could and should have taken from those companies into the Consolidated Fund to promote national development.
How, then, can one argue that such money is not State money or has no bearing on the State and, therefore, the government has no business demanding accountability on it.
If the GFA has nothing to hide, why is it resisting accountability?
Again, it must be noted that the GFA, as a legal entity registered under the laws of Ghana, cannot claim immunity from action by legally constituted bodies such as the EOCO whose mandate even entitles them to probe malfeasance in private entities that do not receive government money but money from the people.
We wish to urge the GFA, as a law-abiding entity, to recognise that notwithstanding FIFA’s non- interference regulations, it is not above the laws of Ghana and must, therefore, submit to and co-operate with all lawfully established probes.

WE WANT DEVELOPMENT NOW (DEC 7, 2010)

2010-12-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

IT is not in contention that the global scene is characterised by huge disparities in the level of economic and social development and, by extension, varying levels in the standard of living of the people of individual nations.
While a number of factors usually combine to explain such a development, a key factor in this regard has to do with the quantity and quality of resources, including human and material, available to a nation and how and where such resources are exploited and utilised.
There are many nations on the face of this earth that are sitting on huge volumes of natural resources such as oil, gold, diamonds, etc and yet are tagged as poor, under-developed nations, with the standard of living of their people being nothing to write home about.
In recent times, the issue of the use to which we put our resources, including the new oil find, has engaged the attention of the nation, with the term ‘collateralisation’ gaining currency.
Only yesterday, we published on our front page the assertions of the former GIMPA Rector, Professor Stephen Adei, to the effect that collateralisation of the nation’s resources for national development was in the national interest and, therefore, the right thing to do.
We are sad that what should ordinarily have passed for a simple, straightforward issue of using national resources to help accelerate the pace of socio-economic development to promote better and more dignified lives for our people has degenerated into a partisan political matter and is posing a threat to the national interest.
This development particularly arises out of the bid by the government to effect amendments to portions of the Petroleum Bill which currently does not permit the collateralisation of the oil money for development.
It has been pointed out that the amendment being sought is for the collateralisation of a portion of the oil money, that is, about 70 per cent of what is expected to go into the Consolidated Fund, with the remaining 30 per cent going into the Stabilisation and Heritage funds.
One of the reasons advanced to seek to deny or stop the collateralisation of the country’s oil money is that oil is a non-renewable resource and that proceeds from it be largely put in a fund to cater for the needs of the future generations who may otherwise be denied such a benefit.
While it is true that oil is a non-renewable resource which will run out after a time, for which reason funds accruing therefrom must be judiciously utilised, the contention that a Heritage Fund be set up to hold the bulk of the funds for future generations is neither the most rational nor prudent way of utilising this important resource.
No one with a dispassionate and patriotic mind who has a true feel of the nation’s socio-economic developmental challenges will deny even for a moment that the country needs all the resources it can gather now to push for an accelerated infrastructural facelift to help improve the lives of our people.
It is common knowledge that millions of our people, especially those in the rural areas such as Otwebeweate in the Eastern Region and Asakai in the Western Region are condemned to drinking contaminated water infected with all sorts of parasites, pregnant and sick people being carried on poles for many kilometres in order to seek medical care, children, even in those urban centres, still learning to read and write under trees, of tens of thousands of people having no place to lay their heads and forced to sleep on the streets.
How can the government, in the face of these monumental challenges, stay away from using whatever natural resources it can get to accelerate the pace of infrastructural development in order to ameliorate the suffering of our people?
The state and the government have a bounden duty to secure the well-being of the people and whatever resources are available must be used now to answer the pressing needs.
It begs the argument to contend that if roads, bridges, railways, hospitals, schools, etc are built with oil money and other resources, collateralised or otherwise, it will only serve the interests of the current generation and not those yet unborn.
We are already late in building our infrastructure and need no further waste of time.
The time for accelerated infrastructural development is now, collateralisation or not.

THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE MUST PREVAIL (DEC 6, 2010)

2010-12-06T03:12:00.000-08:00

IT is true that in a functional democracy, strong institutions, more than strong individuals, are what is needed.
When institutions are independent or autonomous and are alive to their responsibilities, they are neither petrified into inaction nor prompted to act by anyone on important matters of state within their jurisdiction.
They act in the supreme interest of the state because the law empowers them to do so.
Thus it is a cardinal principle in a democratic order for everyone, ranging from the Head of State or government through ministers of state to the ordinary people on the street or farm, to abide by the rule of law..
There is no denying the fact that the acceptance by all parties or stakeholders of the verdict of the people expressed in elections adjudged by the relevant electoral body to be free, fair and transparent is a sine qua non for the successful functioning of the democratic order.
Last week, Ivorians went to the polls in what many across the world saw as a wonderful opportunity to bury the last decade of political infamy and instability and open a new chapter of hope, democracy and prosperity it was once known to be in the sub-region.
It is a sad commentary on that country’s political leaders that they have woefully failed to utilise this wonderful opportunity to extricate Cote d’Ivoire from the quagmire it has been stuck for the past decade.
In is important to state clearly that the unwillingness of the government of President Laurent Gbagbo to allow the Independent Electoral Commission do its work of announcing the verdict of the people and respect the will of the people, as corroborated by virtually all observers of the polls, has driven Cote d’Ivoire back to the anarchy in which it found itself a decade ago.
By getting the Constitutional Court to overturn the verdict of the Electoral Commission and proceeding swiftly to have himself sworn in, in flagrant disregard for the clear mandate of the Ivorian people, as well as appeals from ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and other members of the international community, President Gbagbo has placed premium on clinging to power and damned the consequences.
No one needs to look into the crystal ball to predict that the country is on the brink of a devastating explosion if something very urgent and appropriate is not done now to tackle the crisis.
As the AU itself noted, the crisis could have “incalculable consequences” for the nation and, we dare say, the entire West African sub-region.
We wish to appeal to the AU mediator, former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, to employ all his diplomatic and political skills to help pull back Cote d’Ivoire from the brink.
Additionally, we wish to urge ECOWAS leaders who are due to meet shortly to demonstrate in clear terms their abhorrence for short-changing the democratic process and strict adherence to their own protocols on democracy and good governance which frown on what the Ivorian leaders are doing now.
If need be and if flexibility towards finding a reasonable way out is not forthcoming, the necessary actions, including political, diplomatic, economic and other sanctions, should be brought to bear to force the leadership to rethink.
We are sad that after many painstaking efforts at consolidating the democratic system in the sub-region and improving the image and standing of Africa in the eyes of the international community that Africa is capable of managing its affairs, Ivorian political leaders have engaged in this anti-democratic and counter-productive practice
Finally, we wish to point out to the Ivorian leaders that whatever they do in respect of this crisis will not only affect Cote d’Ivoire but also the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole. Therefore, they have a duty to subsume their narrow political ambitions in the greater supreme interest of the Ivorian and African people.
This is the only sane way forward to resolve the crisis.

WE SALUTE OUR FARMERS AND FISHERMEN (DEC 4, 2010)

2010-12-06T02:04:00.001-08:00

NO nation that has travelled the path of greatness has lacked the ability to feed itself.
Indeed, securing domestic or national food self-sufficiency is a prerequisite for a nation to truly assert its independence, sovereignty and freedom and by dint of this be in a position to stand tall and demand equal and fair treatment in the comity of nations.
It is, therefore, no accident that those nations that have laid claim to the status of great or developed nations have met their domestic food requirements leaving surpluses for export to food-deficient nations.
It is a puzzle for some that a nation like China, with one quarter of the world's population, can feed itself and have surplus for export while some other nations in Africa and Latin America with smaller populations cannot feed themselves.
For nations like Ghana located in the tropics and with smaller populations and huge tracts of uncultivated arable lands, there is clearly no excuse for our inability to feed ourselves and even become net exporters of food.
Yesterday, as we marked yet another Farmers Day in honour of our hard-working and dedicated farmers and fishermen, the evidence of their ability to feed this nation was made manifest.
Reports from across the country indicate that the nation, through the hard work of our farmers and for the good climatic conditions, is set to record one of the best harvest in recent times. Cereals like rice, maize and root crops like yam and cassava are reported to have done so well that they will outstrip the impressive record chalked up last year.
In the face of these developments, we are duly concerned about the lack of adequate machines to facilitate a speedy, timely and efficient harvests of huge quantities of these crops which still remain on the fields.
Many farmers, especially those who cultivate rice and maize, are compelled to harvest those crops manually because of the lack of combine harvesters and the very huge cost of the few available.
This not only results in significant post-harvest losses and thus reduces yields and incomes of farmers but also exposes large hectares of produce to the threat of bush fires, which are, particularly, devastating during harmattan, which is the period we are experiencing now.
The government, through the Minister of Food and Agriculture, must do something urgent about the procurement of combine harvesters, which should have come to enhance the work of the tractors the government imported and distributed to farmers late last year and early this year.
We are also aware that steps are being taken by the Bulk Produce Buying Company to purchase available produce from our farmers and thus guarantee them ready market for their produce.
This is clearly an incentive to ensure greater production of food and so steps should be taken to ensure that prices for farm produce are good as the case was last year, to keep the enthusiasm of farmers going.
We would want to use this occasion to appeal to the government to endeavour to enforce its own decision that public institutions, especially schools, would patronise or be supplied rice and maize produced locally.
This should help provide additional ready market for our farm produce and in this way encourage our farmers to produce more.
On this important occasion of Farmers Day, we would want to join millions of Ghanaians who appreciate the sacrifices and hard work of our farmers and fishermen to say Ayeekoo to all of them for continuing to make food and fish available at reasonable prices for all of us. We salute you our hard-working farmers (both crop and animal farmers) and fishermen.

WE CANNOT WAIT FOR ACTION (DEC 3, 2010)

2010-12-05T23:59:00.001-08:00

ONE of the key attributes of a true democratic system is that government is a product of the will or consent of the people expressed freely and under conditions that are conducive to the free and fair participation of all qualified and willing parties.
It, therefore, follows from this that such a government must not only be responsive to the needs, interests and aspirations of the people but must also actually be accountable to them.
A government (the executive) which exercises the right to steer the affairs of state on behalf of the people does so on the strength of a social contract it has reached with the people.
This contract, among others, implies that government, in the exercise of this mandate within a stipulated period, is enjoined to act in a manner that would help maximise and efficiently use resources to promote a qualitatively higher level of well-being or to secure the barest minimum level of deprivation and suffering possible.
Thus, using the manifestos of political parties, on the strength of which they get elected into government, the people who are the original owners of power can and oftentimes do hold government to their promises.
This obviously keeps governments, all of whom seek the renewal of their mandates, on their toes and push them to endeavour to deliver.
Since our adoption of this system of governance nearly two decades ago, our political parties which contest elections to form governments, have largely functioned along these lines and with the electorate getting ever more sophisticated by the day, no government that cherishes a renewal of its mandate can afford to toy with such ‘sacred’ commitments as contained in their manifestos.
It should be noted that in the process of fulfilling such pledges, development projects such as the building of roads, bridges, railways, hospitals, schools, industries and the provision of jobs are brought to the society.
In what appears to be a re-affirmation of his determination to redeem promises made in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2008 manifesto for a Better Ghana agenda, President John Evans Atta Mills has declared 2011 as a year of action.
According to the nation’s Chief Executive, next year would see physical evidence of the Better Ghana agenda, especially in the area of infrastructural development (see front page).
We are happy that the President is focussed on redeeming his pledges and that his government has put in place a variety of measures to ensure that next year is one in which many development projects and programmes would see the light of day.
Any public-spirited person who hears and sees the prospects of more development projects and programmes being actualised must be elated because not only do our suffering people deserve them but also such levels of progress are sine qua non for a better life for the people.
We take particular note of key projects such as the Eastern and Western corridor roads and railways which are not only unprecedented in the country’s history but also hold a huge potential for opening up the entire country for efficient exploitation of our human and material resources and the uplift of the lives of our people.
Only recently we carried reports and pictures of very bad roads in the Northern, Volta and Western regions with many trucks carrying cocoa and foodstuffs having been stranded and the people of those areas issuing desperate appeals for help.
As the saying goes, the sweetness of the pudding is in the eating. Let the government, therefore, expedite action on those projects so that they can take off quickly to affirm that its pledges have been translated into concrete phenomena which bring the much needed relief to the people.
The people of Bimbila have said in reference to their bad roads that government after government had promised them good roads but none actually walked the political talk.
Will it be the same again?
We cannot wait to see the action, Mr President.

COMBATING AIDS (DEC 2, 2010)

2010-12-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

IT is a truism that a nation’s health is its wealth.
The quality of a nation’s workforce, its productivity and its capacity for hard and sustained work depend, to a great extent, on the state of health of its people.
Indeed, it has been universally acknowledged that the qualitative differences in health conditions between people of different nations contribute largely to differences in the magnitude of wealth created and thereby the standard of living of nations.
Given this important role of health in the lives of nations and people, it is no surprise that many governments the world over allocate a significant chunk of their budgetary resources to cater for the health needs of their people.
In Ghana, this has been the trend over the years, with resources for the health sector being either the single largest item or the second.
Most of these resources have, however, been devoted to the curative aspects of health where diseases ranging from malaria, cholera and dysentery to HIV/AIDS are tackled at various health facilities across the country.
Outside of malaria, which has been the most prevalent and pervasive disease in the country, HIV/AIDS has gained the most attention and resource mobilisation both locally and foreign.
Within a few years of its introduction into the country, it has grown into a pandemic, creating fear and panic in society and demanding an even greater share of national resources to contain.
Even as substantial sums of money are spent to procure medicines, including vaccines and anti-retroviral drugs to help combat the disease, additional sums are expended on organising workshops and mounting other forms of educational campaigns to help increase the level of awareness of the pandemic to help reduce it to manageable levels.
Notwithstanding the availability today of detailed knowledge of the disease and ways of avoiding it, there are still a good number of people who believe that they are somehow immune to it and, therefore, can do whatever they like with any sexual partner and still escape HIV/AIDS.
This lackadaisical attitude has, in no small way, contributed to the spread of the disease, which has claimed the lives of many who, otherwise, could have contributed more to wealth creation and a better life for this nation.
It is on account of developments such as these that we find timely and appropriate the call by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on the occasion of World HIV/AIDS Day, on Ghanaians to endeavour to lead healthy lifestyles and refrain from reckless behaviour in order to lend a boost to the fight against the pandemic.
We also believe that one other way that society could be more helpful in the fight against the pandemic is changing our attitude of stigmatising those afflicted with the disease.
The scorn, discrimination and isolation meted out to those afflicted with the disease not only infringe on their fundamental rights and freedoms as citizens but also create and sustain a situation where many who may unknowingly be carrying the virus will be afraid to go for tests to determine their status on account of the fear of similar treatment.
Let us, therefore, treat victims of the disease like anyone of us in society and a better atmosphere will be created to enhance the crusade against it.
Additionally, we wish to urge the government, the private sector, the nation’s development partners and all stakeholders to pool resources towards increasing prevention, that is, reducing new cases, especially mother-to-child transmission and the common usage of shaving and blood transfusion instruments.
These interventions will help make important contributions to ensure a further reduction in the number of infected people and thereby save more lives to boost national development.

ENTRENTCHING OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM (DEC 1, 2010)

2010-12-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

IT is no accident of history that Ghana, under its illustrious Leader and Founder, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, broke the colonial yoke on March 6, 1957 and rose to the status of the first African nation south of the Sahara to take its destiny into its own hands.
Among others, this nation has been blessed by the Almighty with visionary, selfless and dedicated leaders who, when it matters most, live up to the expectation of the people by rising to the occasion.
In the early 1990s when most parts of the African continent were still caught in the throes of military regimes and other forms of non-constitutional governance, Ghana, under former President Jerry John Rawlings, led the way to institute a multi-party democratic political dispensation to give vent to the realisation of the interests, wishes and aspirations of the people.
Along with a few African countries, including Benin and Botswana, which were the early trail blazers, this example in representative and accountable governance has blossomed and, today, almost the entire continent is practising this system of governance in which those steering the affairs of state not only derive their mandate from the people but are also accountable to them.
We will not for a moment pretend to present the Western democratic political model we are practising as one that has the attribute of infallibility or even all the answers to the interests, needs and aspirations of our people. Far from it, as no such system or act of human endeavour has as yet been unveiled.
It is only to say that against the other systems that we have practised so far, this model, on the balance of probabilities, appears better.
Ghana’s example in this endeavour particularly appears commendable, not only for the fact that it holds elections periodically (every four years) to elect a President, members of Parliament and local assembly members but, more so, because painstaking and transparent measures have been put in place to ensure that only the true will of the people in the free and fair exercise of their franchise emerges.
Indeed, this has already resulted in two change-over of governments, changes in which the incumbent parties or governments were defeated by parties in opposition, a rare phenomenon on the continent.
Therefore, in the bid to entrench our democratic dispensation, further boost our credentials as a haven of peace and stability and give way to business and investment and protect and promote the well-being of the people, we find the pledges of the government to ensure that the 2012 elections are free, fair and transparent very appropriate and assuring.
The pledge to further increase the independence of governance institutions such as the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Judiciary is particularly refreshing (see front page).
Today, there are many nations and people across the world who visit our country to imbibe the useful lessons of political and social stability we have chalked up as Ghanaians, which also lend a big boost to the nation’s stature in the eyes of the international and business communities.
Image, and a positive one at that, is hard to build and maintain and we would, therefore, urge all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious differences, as well as the difficulties and challenges we face individually and collectively, to strive to rise above these and work together to safeguard and further advance these gains.
Let us be good corporate and individual citizens with selflessness, discipline, honesty, respect for the law and the protection and promotion of the national interest being positive attributes that should inform our actions.

ACCELERATING PACE OF INFRASTRUCTURAL DEV (NOV 30, 2010)

2010-12-02T11:09:00.001-08:00

THERE is so much meaning and substance in the saying that those who depend on others for their sustenance cannot assert their freedom and independence.
At least, if for nothing, freedom and independence for many people begin with the stomach and whoever controls what goes in there, when and at what frequency wields a lot of influence, if not total control, over the one at the receiving end.
This development transcends to the international level where nations which are unable to feed themselves and are dependent on food aid handouts from others are prone to manipulation and being dictated to by their more independent and self-reliant counterparts.
In our own history, there have been times when we have taken advantage of our advantageous geographic location in the tropics to produce enough food to feed ourselves, with surplus for export.
The period from 1972 to 1975 when the military government of the National Redemption Council (NRC), led by General Kutu Acheampong, launched the Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) programme really comes to mind here.
It is unfortunate that over the years, through a combination of factors, including the lack of political will, inappropriate agricultural policies and adverse climatic conditions, we lost this initiative and drive and have had to import food to feed ourselves.
We are happy that today, courtesy selfless and visionary leadership, committed and appropriate support for the agricultural sector and the hard work and perseverance of our farmers, the good old days when we beat our chest in pride that we could feed ourselves and even take care of our brothers and sisters in the sub-region and beyond are here with us again.
Reports from across the country speak of a bumper harvest in food and export crops and this looks set to outstrip the impressive over six per cent growth the agricultural sector chalked up last year.
In the Northern Region, which has been recognised as the nation's granary, food crops ranging from maize through rice to yam are reported to have been harvested and are still being harvested in record quantities.
Sadly, however, in a number of areas in the eastern corridor of the region, large quantities of foodstuffs, particularly yam, have been locked up, unable to reach the urban centres of consumption owing to the bad state of the roads there (see front page).
First, the inability of farmers to get their produce purchased and taken to the consumption centres means, among others, that they have been denied the legitimate and just rewards they richly deserve.
Again, the loss of such income not only erodes the capital base of farmers and limits their capacity to grow and expand but also serves as a disincentive to increased production. After all, what is the point in expanding production if produce cannot be marketed?
These setbacks notwithstanding, we are comforted by some interventions put in place by the government to address these serious challenges.
The government, in September this year, after President John Evans Atta Mills's return from Japan, had announced that assistance been secured for the construction of the eastern corridor road network stretching from Hohoe in the Volta Region through Bimbila and Yendi in the Northern Region to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region.
We wish to urge that in the face of this emergency, the government, in consultation with its Japanese counterpart, take urgent steps to fast-track the commencement of the project to help bring relief to the people of the area.
Again, we are aware that the establishment by the government of the Bulk Purchase and Storage Company to absorb farm produce at guaranteed prices will go a long way to ensure that all farm produce are bought for farmers to earn just rewards for their toil and sweat.

BUILDING UNITED AND PROSPEROUS NATION (NOV 29, 2010)

2010-12-02T07:17:00.001-08:00

THE importance of the adage, “United we stand, divided we fall”, can neither be understated nor overemphasised.
The unity of all forces in a nation, among others, ensures that the collective wisdom, talents and energies of the citizenry are harnessed, mobilised and channelled into productive activities to create wealth for the benefit of all.
If all or the vast majority of people in a situation of unity pull together in the common pursuit of progress and the good of society, the strength, if at all, of forces of opposition to the national goal will be relatively minimal to undermine or overcome such a mass convergence towards the national good.
In the history of nations, various means, tactics and strategies have been adopted at different times and stages to forge unity among the people and proceed on that basis to mobilise them for national development and progress.
In the United States in the 19th century, Abraham Lincoln had to take charge of the war effort by the Federal forces of the North to defeat the slave-exploiting South of the Union and institute empowerment policies and programmes to reunite and rebuild the US into a powerful nation.
As he pointed out then, a nation could not be united and prosperous if half of its citizens were slaves living in bondage, with the other half living as free men and women with fundamental rights and freedoms.
In China, it took Chairman Mao Zedong to organise a decade of cultural revolution from which China emerged not only as a united and strong nation but also each citizen thought of himself or herself as the best in the world and second to nobody.
These two examples bear testimony not only to the vision and selflessness of their leaders but also the unity and resolve of the people to attain the heights of economic and social progress and live better and more dignified lives.
As a people who attained freedom from colonial servitude and subjugation within the last five decades and a country where the practice of the Western multi-party democratic model is only slowly gaining root, national unity and cohesion in Ghana has been a challenging endeavour.
The divisive nature of party politics, which has been aggravated by the policy of winner-takes-all by the party system we currently practice, has, undoubtedly, thrown up more issues that challenge our national unity and development effort.
There are some who, unable to come to terms with their inability to secure political power, consign themselves to the fringes of the system as “fence sitters” and act in ways that can undermine the peace, unity and progress of the nation.
It is, therefore, not strange, in circumstances such as this, to hear the expression, “I will only give of my best when my government is in power.”
This kind of mindset is as unfortunate as it detracts from national unity and progress.
It is important for all of us to understand and appreciate the fact that once elections which are adjudged free and fair are over and a government has been formed, everyone who means well for the State must work hard, honestly and selflessly to increase the stock of national wealth, peace and stability without reference to political, ethnic, religious or social symbols.
Working hard and conscientiously for the progress, peace and stability of one’s nation should be seen as a civic responsibility.
It is on the strength of this that we agree with President John Evans Atta Mills that it is better for us, in this post-election era, to shelve our differences and work together as one people bound by a common destiny to build a better Ghana.
If all of us put our shoulders to the wheel and give of our best, the Lord Almighty will hear our prayers and bless our efforts for a better Ghana.

IMPROVING HEALTH CARE FOR THE PEOPLE (NOV 27, 2010)

2010-12-02T06:27:00.000-08:00

IT is a truism to equate health with wealth.
Indeed, health, in some aspects, carries more weight than wealth, for while health can always engender wealth, not all wealth can secure health.
It is also worth pointing out that the difference in levels of socio-economic development between one nation and another, in many respects, comes down to the quality of health of their respective people.
This is largely so because the ability of individuals to engage in productive work to increase productivity to facilitate the creation of wealth on a sustainable basis is a function of the state of health of these individuals.
It is largely on account of the huge importance attached to the health of the people that the government devotes a substantial amount of state resources to develop health-related infrastructure and train and develop the requisite level of human resource for the sector.
Within the past three or four decades, Ghana has widely been acknowledged as one of a few African countries to have shown that they have the indigenous capacity to turn out hundreds of well-trained and competent medical practitioners, including doctors, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, nurses, among others, on an annual basis.
This notwithstanding, the number of health workers, particularly doctors, per the population is still very low and this is undermining the delivery of quality health care at affordable cost to the people.
One of the key factors responsible for this development is the general brain drain whereby competent and often more experienced doctors and other health personnel leave the country and take up appointments in other countries across the world.
It is no secret that unattractive conditions of service and lack of the requisite equipment to work with have contributed mainly to frustrate many of our doctors to abandon their jobs here and look outside for similar jobs with better remuneration and working conditions.
While there may be some justification for this movement of our health personnel, the full story, when told, also leaves them important questions to answer.
It is on record that the government, on an annual basis, spends colossal sums of money to train doctors and other health personnel to the highest possible standard.
The money expended is from taxpayers, many of whom are poor and cannot patronise the expensive medical care readily available at private clinics and hospitals.
It is, therefore, widely expected that this expenditure will be reciprocated by our doctors by staying back and rendering to the people the benefit of their expertise.
After all, doctors, in conformity with their Hippocratic oath, are enjoined to consider the health of their people first, more than any considerations, including monetary.
This is what makes the medical profession one of the most noble professions and an important calling to which not only the brilliant and persevering must respond but also the most diligent and humane.
It is on account of these and other factors that we want to add our voice to the call by President John Evans Atta Mills on our doctors living and working abroad to return home to help improve healthcare delivery in the country.
While the doctors cannot be given the kind of remuneration and conditions of service given them abroad, it is worthy to note that remuneration levels have, over the years, seen some improvement and efforts are underway to make them even better under the Single Spine Salary Structure.
We wish to take this opportunity to salute the many doctors and health workers who have sacrificed to stay behind and also the hundreds of Cuban doctors, many of whom are serving in rural areas, for the immense contributions they have made to improve the lives of the people.

LET DECENCY PREVAIL (NOV 26, 2010)

2010-12-02T05:22:00.000-08:00

Political parties are generally perceived as indispensable ingredients in the operations of a functional democratic political system.
This appears to be the case because of a number of important functions they exercise within that dispensation.
One of the most overt functions that political parties exercise is serving as the conduit for representing and realising the interest and aspirations of the people of a given political entity.
There are many more, and even though some may appear anonymous, they are no less important than this representative function.
One such function of political parties is serving as vehicles for the political education of the electorate in particular and the entirety of the populace in general.
In any democracy worth its salt, the political party system thrives on a free contest of ideas, policies, programmes, etc of the various parties on the political landscape.
Political parties, through the crafting and propagation of these ideas, policies and programmes in their respective manifestos, help educate the populace on the what, why, how and when the parties are seeking the people’s mandate to run the affairs of the state.
Thus in their direct and indirect interaction with the people, these parties help enlighten and conscientise the people on the better way forward for society and thereby position them well to make better and more informed choices.
One of the essential prerequisites for the provision of an enabling environment for political parties to educate their followers is the adoption of and adherence to a culture of civility, decorum and respect for the truth.
Any sacrifice of this sane political culture will inexorably lead to confusion and chaos and thereby undermine the ability of the system to realise this lofty objective.
Regrettably, our political discourse in the public sphere has traversed this negative terrain where bellicose, vituperative and obscene language not fit to be published in any decent medium is exchanged among our politicians in the name of politics.
Indeed, name-calling and the concoction and peddling of deliberate falsehood by politicians and their agents, mainly to score what is termed cheap political points in the false belief that it will boost their political fortunes, have assumed a more alarming dimension.
Only recently, many well meaning leaders of society, including President John Evans Atta Mills, religious leaders, chiefs, etc, have all decried this negative development and called for respect for the truth and decency to prevail.
Today, we are happy that our politicians themselves are not enthused about this development and are calling for truth, decency and decorum to prevail in our political discourse.
We unreservedly endorse the call by Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister for Information, for an end to such culture of insults and the peddling of falsehood and non-dignified language and urge everyone, not just our politicians, to demonstrate, at all times, respect for one another, truth, honesty and the supreme national interest (see front page).
We, in this admonition, would want all of us to endeavour to let those positive attributes of telling the truth, respect for others, decency and decorum and the pursuit of the national interest commence from our actions in our homes, offices, churches, mosques, shrines and, more specifically, within our individual political parties.
For it is only when we demonstrate respect for these values at such basic levels that we will inculcate in ourselves and our youth, who are the leaders of tomorrow, the culture of adhering to them.
We also wish to urge our compatriots in the media to endeavour to exercise a great deal of circumspection in the manner in which such negative developments are reported and highlighted.
Sensational reporting in the name of commercialisation could undermine, if not compromise, our hard-won democratic gains, even though we may, as professionals, want to assert the right to mirror our politicians.
Let’s all exercise good judgement and moderation.

GHANA ATTRACTS INVESTORS (NOV 23, 2010)

2010-11-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

Just last September, President John Evans Atta Mills embarked on a trip to China and Japan where he signed a number of bilateral agreements with the two countries for the development of the country’s infrastructure, as well as its oil and gas sector.
In China, Ghana signed a comprehensive finance project facility with the China Development Bank for the development of infrastructure for the upstream, mainstream and downstream development of the country’s oil and gas sector. The Shangai Construction Company also agreed to build hospitals in Wa and Kumasi.
Barely three months after the President’s trip to China, we hear that Chinese investors are here to inject about $570 million into three major projects in the mining, health and agricultural sectors.
The investments include a $500-million project meant to facelift some parts of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the construction of a $42-million gold refinery in Accra and a $25-million oil palm refinery and processing factory in the Central Region.
In all, these three projects are expected to create more than 200,000 jobs, particularly for the youth, and also have a major impact on the country’s economy.
Already, we hear officials of the China and Africa Fund Holding, a Chinese government agency for investments in Africa, are due in Accra pretty soon to conclude arrangements and sign an agreement on the agency’s commitment to provide funding for the Korle-Bu project. They will also hold meetings with officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to seek confirmation for the funding of the $25-million oil palm processing factory.
This should be good news for all Ghanaians, especially the establishment of the gold refinery project in the country in June next year.
At the moment, all gold produced here is sent to Europe to be refined, at a huge cost to the nation. What is sadder is that when we send, say, 1,000 ounces of gold out to Europe to be refined, we do not have the means to know what percentage is refined.
The establishment of the gold refinery here will enable us to derive maximum benefit from our gold production. It will also provide ancillary work and services for our people, as the production of jewellery, gold coins, medals and other gold products will boom in the country.
In addition, with a gold refinery here, we can upgrade the quality of our bullion to the standard required for sale on the world bullion market.
We believe that if the three projects are successfully established and become operational, the impact on the national economy will be immense.
By all means the Chinese investors will come and so the onus is now on us to put in place the necessary regulatory framework in terms of tax regimes, export procedures and what have you.
We want to believe that Dr Lorinda Liang, the Chief Executive Officer of Modern Gold Refinery, a part of the Chyuan Chya Group of Investment, under whose auspices the three projects will be executed, and her company are here to partner us to develop our economy and not to take advantage of us.
We can co-operate for our mutual benefit.

A COMMENDABLE ACT (NOV 25, 2010)

2010-11-25T03:28:00.001-08:00

The availability of natural resources has always been a significant contributory factor for the socio-economic development of the areas where they are found and, by extension, the nation-state within whose jurisdiction they exist.
However, the manner and extent of exploitation of these resources, the ownership structure and control of the instruments or institutions exploiting them, the extent of retention and use of the wealth so generated, among others, are decisive in influencing the quality of life of the people of those areas where they are found.
There is no doubt that Ghana abounds in substantial mineral wealth whose exploitation over the many decades of the nation’s existence has left in its wake a legacy of mixed blessings.
While mining has generated a lot of wealth for the nation and also enhanced its share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings, it has left in its wake a number of untold negative consequences for the communities where such exploitation goes on.
One just needs to take a cursory look at some mining communities, especially areas where galamsey is carried out, to appreciate the extent of destruction of water bodies, farmlands, forests, among others.
The deciding factors, therefore, have been whether or not the political system is willing and ready to work to secure a significant share and control of the mineral wealth and put it to good use for the generality of the people of the country.
The example of the difference in development between Obuasi and Johannesburg in South Africa, both of which are anchored on gold mining but with the former lacking in infrastructure and socio-economic development and the latter cited as a showpiece of progress in Africa and even the world, bears enough testimony to this assertion.
It is acknowledged that a lot of the country’s mineral wealth, ranging from bauxite, through gold and now oil, comes from the Western Region.
It has always been our contention that since Ghana is a sovereign, independent and unitary state, it behoves the government, as the trustee of the nation’s resources, to exploit and harmonise the benefits of resources from all parts of the country to pursue and realise a programme of balanced development for all the regions.
It is only in the pooling of such resources and their proper and efficient use that the interests and aspirations of all our people for a more dignified life could be met and sustained.
This is why we are elated at the action of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to commence a comprehensive needs assessment programme to tackle serious development challenges in the Western Corridor of the country embracing the Central and Western regions.
The programme is expected to ensure the rapid infrastructure and other development of the area as the nation gets set to pour its first oil (see front page).
In commending this move, we take notice of the implementation of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which is designed to accelerate economic development and substantially reduce poverty in the three northern regions, as well as parts of the Brong Ahafo and Volta regions.
We believe that this development should provide a healthy platform for the chiefs from the Western Region who recently advocated for a 10 per cent share of the oil revenue for the development of the area to team up with the government to ensure the realisation of this laudable project.
After all, the common objective is to ensure the infrastructure and general socio-economic development of the Western Region and Ghana as a whole.
We, however, wish to urge the government to endeavour to speed up the assessment process so that whatever projects and programmes are needed will be carried out faster and sooner than later.

HELP INTEGRATE THESE RELEASED PRISONERS (NOV 24, 2010)

2010-11-25T02:41:00.000-08:00

The Centre for Human Rights and Civil Liberties (CHURCIL), a non-governmental organisation fighting for the release of 160 remand prisoners, through a motion at the High Court in Accra, has managed to secure the freedom of 82 remand prisoners from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
The prisoners, whose cases have not been heard since their long incarceration, were released under the Justice for All programme.
The programme, which is meant to grant the release of prisoners under incarceration between 1993 and 2005, forms part of a series of measures institutionalised by the Judicial Service to decongest prisons in the country.
According to CHURCIL, it filed the motion at the High Court to secure the release of those whose warrants of arrest had expired and whose dockets could not be traced, pointing out that that action was in compliance with Article 14, Section 4 of the 1992 Constitution.
It is self-evident that one is not guilty of a crime until it is proved in a law court that he or she is guilty beyond all reasonable doubt, after which he or she is convicted of the crime and either incarcerated or fined.
The 1992 Constitution states categorically, “Where a person arrested, restricted or detained under Paragraph 4 or 13 of Article 14 is not tried within reasonable time, then without prejudice to any further proceedings that may be brought against him, he should be released unconditionally or upon reasonable conditions, including in particular conditions reasonably necessary to ensure that he appears at a later date for trial or proceedings preliminary to trial.”
It is based on this constitutional provision that we agree with CHURCIL that those remanded and whose cases have not been heard but have been incarcerated for too long a time should be released.
We are of the belief that detaining suspects without trying them is a clear violation of their fundamental human rights.
These remand prisoners are invariably forgotten when they are thrown into prison and in one instance a remand prisoner was reported to have been incarcerated for 30 years or so.
The CHURCIL has done well in fighting for the interest of those remand prisoners. However, we caution that those released do not revert to their bad ways to infringe on the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens of this country.
The released remand prisoners should be made to sign bonds to be of good behaviour for at least three years.
They should also be monitored strictly by the security agencies and other social service organisations and be helped, through skill training, so that they can be reintegrated into society.
It is the belief of CHURCIL that some of these remand prisoners were innocent individuals who got caught during police swoops and dumped in the prisons without the due process.
We want to call on the police that during these swoops to smoke out criminals, they should carry out due diligence to separate the criminals from the innocent ones and also follow due process to avoid sending innocent people into custody.

POLICE NEED OUR SUPPORT (NOV 22, 2010)

2010-11-25T02:09:00.000-08:00

THE notorious fugitive criminal and two-time jailbreaker, Johnson Kombian, is reported to have been arrested in Togo and handed over to the Ghana Police.
The 35-year-old recidivist, also known as the Nakpanduri Terror, was said to have been shot in the arm after a violent struggle between him and the Togo security officers and eventually handed over to the Ghana Police in Aflao under heavy security.
Before the police declared him wanted, with a reward of GH¢3,000 for information leading to his arrest, Kombian was alleged to have killed a number of his robbery victims in the course of his deadly and brutal operations at Nakpanduri, his last victims being two policemen, Constables Prince Agyare and Owusu Frimpong.
After killing the two constables, Kombian escaped from the country through the northern border post at the Nakpanduri area to Togo and Burkina-Faso.
The police quickly gave his picture to the Daily Graphic to publish to alert the public to his identity.
From their intelligence report on his movements, the police contacted Interpol in Burkina Faso and also made available to them Kombian’s picture.
According to police intelligence report, Kombian, described as the brain behind a number of robberies, had earlier escaped from jail at the Tamale Prison on January 15, 2010 and crossed the border into Togo from his hideout at Gomsuka, a small village near Nakpanduri.
The Ghanaian authorities again alerted Interpol in Togo and provided them with vital information on the fugitive, including his picture, to facilitate his arrest.
From our information, the Police Command in the Upper East and Upper West regions also worked in close collaboration with their counterparts in both Togo and Burkina Faso, sharing information on Kombian’s whereabouts and movements.
These operational activities of the police, we believe, eventually led to Kombian’s arrest in Togo last Friday.
We have always held the belief that the Ghana Police Service, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, is one of the best in Africa, if not the world.
This is not the first time they have arrested and brought back a fugitive who has broken jail and escaped into one of our neighbouring countries.
About three years ago, the police arrested and brought back a fugitive, John Malm, 12 days after he had broken jail at the Nsawam Prisons and escaped to Togo.
They have done that again, barely five weeks after Kombian had escaped from the country.
We, like all well-meaning and patriotic Ghanaians, are very much elated at the arrest of this dangerous and deadly criminal and wish to congratulate the Ghana Police Service on this splendid professional performance.
Our policemen are professionals and very competent and if they are given the necessary logistics, support and fair opportunity to exhibit their expertise, they will stand out for all to acknowledge them.
It is our expectation that the government will do everything possible to furnish the Ghana Police Service with good and durable vehicles, modern communication gadgets and the necessary tools for it to combat crime, especially armed robbery which is taking a sophisticated trend in the country.
The police need support not only from the government but also all the citizens of this country. Giving vital tip-offs that will lead to the prevention of crime and arrest of criminals will help the police to discharge their statutory duties.
Once again, we say well done to the Ghana Police Service.

GIVE WESTERN REGION AN EAR (NOV 20, 2010)

2010-11-25T01:39:00.000-08:00

ON Wednesday, November 17, 2010, the chiefs and people of the Western Region petitioned Parliament to cede 10 per cent of Ghana’s petroleum revenue to a Western Regional Development Fund to be established under the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill.
That, according to them, was for the purpose of developing the region.
In addition, they called for the establishment of a special fund to take care of any disaster that might occur during the exploration and production of the oil and gas in the area.
After the presentation of the petition by the President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Awulae Atibrukusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, referred it to the Joint Committee on Finance and Mines and Energy for consideration.
The committee, in its deliberation, acknowledged that the region was endowed with many resources which had been used to support the development of the country over the years.
It also acknowledged that the Western Region had suffered under-development over the years, despite its numerous natural resources, and stated that it was important that the government come up with special interventions to expedite the development of the region.
However, for one reason or another, the committee stated that ceding 10 per cent of petroleum revenue to a fund for the region might defeat the primary objective of the Petroleum Revenue Management Bill, which is to avoid “the ring-fencing of petroleum revenues”.
We believe that the issues raised by the chiefs and people of the Western Region were pertinent and the House should have taken more time to go into them because the exploitation and control of oil have become some of the contentious intractable issues in some countries, as is happening in the Niger Delta in Nigeria.
Really, the chiefs have the right to make some demands because as custodians of the assets and heritage of the people, they have the duty to protect and promote the interest, aspirations and welfare of the people, including enhancing their standard of living.
The region is one of the poverty-endemic areas in the country and even in sections of the capital, Sekondi-Takoradi, one can see abject poverty.
The Takoradi Harbour, the Ghana Railway Company offices and workshop, known popularly as Location, and other allied companies which in the past offered employment to the people are not as vibrant as they used to be.
If, for the reasons assigned by the committee, the petition of the chiefs and people of the Western Region are to be rejected, then we call on the government to set up an institution similar to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) for the Western Region to serve as a vehicle for the accelerated development of the region.
Another way out, as we said some time ago, is for the government to increase resource allocation for the purpose of building more economic and social infrastructure in the Western Region and also help empower those with employable skills in the oil sector to be absorbed into the oil industry.
We should not lose sight of what is happening in the Niger Delta where, as a result of neglect and the destruction of the environment resulting from oil exploration, the people are waging an armed struggle to have a stake in that industry.
The demand for 10 per cent of oil revenue by the chiefs and people of the Western Region is coming at a time when Ghana’s oil is yet to hit the international market to accrue revenue for the nation, for which reason the demand can be nothing more than an act of desperation arising out of what the chiefs and people see as the marginalisation of the region in the past.
We, therefore, appeal to the government to give the chiefs and people of the Western Region an ear.

A VOTE FOR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM (NOV 13, 2010)

2010-11-20T00:45:00.001-08:00

THE adage that he who constructs the path may not realise where it has gone crooked and that it takes those who traverse it to point that out is full of meaning, especially for those who assume leadership roles at various levels of society.
A leader may set out with the best of intentions to secure the best of conditions for his or her people through the initiation of policies and programmes, but as human as he or she is, he or she may fall short in one or more ways.
To fall short of achieving all that one sets out to do or to have some things done contrary to what one espouses or believes in is only an eloquent testimony to the fallibility of man. After all, to err is human.
The most rational thing for leadership to do in the face of this human frailty is first to acknowledge this weakness, demonstrate a capability and willingness to listen to others who have the capacity to offer constructive suggestions or alternatives and adopt those suggestions to enrich the policies and programmes being undertaken.
It is on the strength of the above that we recognise as heart-warming and a mark of humility and moral strength the exhortation by President John Evans Atta Mills to religious leaders to endeavour to draw his attention to the weaknesses or lapses in his government.
The President, who was interacting with a cross-section of the clergy at the Peduase Lodge yesterday, also admonished them to give his government constructive suggestions that could serve as useful inputs into policies and programmes crafted by the government (see front page).
It is not a usual human disposition for individuals or groups to openly embrace criticism or remarks that are regarded as uncomplimentary, especially so as they seek to lower one’s esteem or popularity rating in the eyes of the good people in society.
More often than not, people savour or enjoy sweet, sweet words sung to or about them as praises, for these are naturally ego-boosting epithets.
It takes only a few people, especially in our part of the world, on account of a number of factors, including cultural and political, to willingly and genuinely accept well-meaning criticisms and more so take on board such suggestions in the formulation of policies and programmes for society.
We find this call by the President very appropriate and timely as society continues to grapple with an array of age-old vices, such as corruption, robbery, child abuse, moral decadence, etc.
For, is it not an indictment on us as a people that in spite of our professed fear of God, we still indulge in these vices in our homes, offices and even in the churches and other sacred places?
This makes it more imperative for not only the government and religious bodies but also other sections of society to join hands to keep these vices in check and also help improve the material conditions of the people.
We also urge all to join hands to jettison the politics of lies and concoctions, vilification and insults, as well the shameful politics of mobilising people to rally behind individuals who have infringed the law, thereby preventing or seeking to influence the law away from the normal course it otherwise should have taken.
The politicisation of crime is a stab in the back of justice, national development and progress and we all have a duty to work to end that negative development.
We also wish to urge the President to expand such interactions to include other groupings and the masses who are all important stakeholders in our national development effort.
We believe that with such interactions on a regular basis, the President can gain more useful information and support to enrich the content of government policies and programmes to contribute to the realisation of the “Better Ghana” agenda Ghanaians have endorsed.

BUDGET OF HOPE (NOV 19, 2010)

2010-11-20T00:24:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, the Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, delivered the Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government for the fiscal year 2011 to Parliament.
The 2011 Budget is on the theme, “Stimulating Growth for Development and Job Creation”.
It would be recalled that on November 18, 2009 Dr Duffuor presented the second budget statement of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government based on the government’s vision of a “Better Ghana” to the House, which budget was based on growth and economic prosperity anchored on creating opportunities for improved standard of living for all Ghanaians.
The “Better Ghana” agenda was crafted in a way to achieve, through the implementation of sound, prudent economic policies, stability and stimulate growth within an environment of good governance.
Two years after the implementation of the 2009 Budget, the economy, despite many challenges, has shown strong resilience and stability.
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 4.1 per cent outstrips the sub-Saharan growth of 2.0 per cent.
Fiscal deficit reduced significantly from 14.5 per cent of GDP on cash basis at the end of 2008 to 9.7 per cent GDP in 2009.
Inflation has gone down in 16 consecutive months from 20.74 per cent at the end of June 2009, reaching 9.38 per cent in October 2010, the lowest in the last two decades, while gross international reserves of $3,973 million at the end of October 2010 have exceeded three months of import cover, compared to reserves of $2,036.2 million at the end of December 2008 which could barely cover two months of import cover.
The cedi has also strengthened and appreciated by 0.1 per cent, 2.2 per cent and 5.4 per cent against the US dollar, the British pound and the euro, respectively.
From the interim growth figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service and the oil and gas production scheduled to begin early December, one can confidently state that the country is ready to make the transition from stability to accelerated growth.
In fact, whatever has been achieved so far is the result of our collective efforts towards good governance since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.
We believe that the theme for the 2011 Budget was chosen to focus attention on the need to propel the economy for the further growth and development of our nation.
It stands to reason that the government will focus on major growth-oriented programmes and projects that will improve and sustain Ghana’s middle income status achieved barely two weeks ago.
It is our expectation that the government will invest in the areas of energy, road and rail transport to further expand the economy and bring relief to the people.
These growth-driven investments should really be complemented by sound intervention programmes in line with the core values of the government to provide equal opportunities for and improvement in the social development of our people.
The 2011 budget should be a budget of hope for our people.

AVOIDING OIL WEALTH PITFALLS (NOV 18, 2010)

2010-11-18T07:03:00.000-08:00

IT was the legendary Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory, the Founder of Ghana, who made the poignant observation that though the African continent was the richest in the world, Africans were the poorest.
What a paradox!
It is not in doubt that Africa has enough natural resources to support a qualitatively higher standard of living for its people if only it can attain and maintain some significant degree of access to and control of those resources.
Ghana, for many decades, has exploited an array of minerals, ranging from manganese through to diamond to gold. The huge quantities of these minerals exploited and the colossal earnings accruing from them have not reflected in the lives of the vast majority of the people, not even the majority of the indigenes of the areas where these resources are exploited.
Today, as Ghana stands on the threshold of producing oil in commercial quantities, this vexed question of just how much of a benefit this resource will be to the majority of the people has reared its head.
In a bid to hit the iron when it is still hot, the chiefs of the Western Region are demanding that 10 per cent of the value of oil extracted in the area be given to them and their people to prosecute their development agenda.
They have served notice of their desire to be actively involved in determining how the oil wealth generated from their area will be distributed (see front page).
Ideally, one cannot quarrel with the chiefs for making this demand, for, as custodians of the assets and heritage of the people, they have a bounden duty to protect and promote their interest and aspirations, including enhancing their standard of living.
However, the situation in which we are is far from ideal.
For a start, the exploitation and control of the oil is, to a very large extent, in the hands of the state or the government. An overwhelming percentage of the shares in the oil is held by private companies with commitments and loyalties to nations other than Ghana.
Second, the relatively small share the state has stands in the name of the whole nation and millions of our compatriots are looking up to it as the panacea for their economic woes. The government, from its inexhaustible list of needs and wants, has to struggle to make use of this oil money and other limited funds to meet these wide interests of the people.
Thus while the chiefs of the Western Region are entitled to make their claim, the reality of the control structure of our resources and the demands and expectations of the generality of Ghanaians call for a moderation in these demands and the urgent introduction of dialogue between the government and all the major stakeholders to address this and other nagging matters on the oil front.
We wish to caution that in a bid to assert our right to make just demands for our share of resources, we must remain mindful of the fact that we are still operating within a monolithic, sovereign and unitary state, the government of which has a bounden duty to the equal and fair distribution of the national cake, which also includes its resources.
In the face of this development, we believe the state had a justifiable basis for increasing its share or control of the oil and we, therefore, applaud the wisdom of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) in seeking to buy out the Kosmos share. This is a venture worthy of the support of every patriotic and well-meaning Ghanaians.
Another way out, we believe, is for the government to increase resource allocation for the purpose of building more economic and social infrastructure in the Western Region and also empowering those with employable skills in the oil sector to be absorbed into the oil industry.
We wish to urge Ghanaians to be moderate in their expectations of this oil find, as it is by no means a panacea for our economic difficulties.

BARKA DA SALLAH (NOV 17, 2010)

2010-11-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

YESTERDAY, Muslims throughout the country celebrated Eid-Ul-Adha, one of the important events on the Islamic calendar.
Eid-Ul-Adha is a festival of sacrifice and it arises from Abraham’s obedience to God when he was asked to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a testament of his faith in the Almighty Allah.
And when Abraham was about to sacrifice Ishmael, God intervened and brought him a ram in place of his son, hence the sacrifice of rams during the festival.
The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, joined hundreds of Muslims in Accra to celebrate the festival and implored them to let the spiritual virtues of Abraham — obedience, faithfulness, love for God, kind-heartedness and love for one another — be written on their hearts.
As the President said, this festival of sacrifice should bring about the spirit of self denial, which will position our Muslim brothers and sisters to receive the bountiful blessings of Allah the Merciful.
On this occasion, which marks the end of the ritual of the Hajj, we need to remind ourselves, as Maulvi Dr Wahab Adam said, of the importance of unity, mutual co-operation and co-existence, despite our political, religious and ethnic diversity.
For, although the Eid is a celebration for Muslims, it provides an opportunity for them to share their joy, peace and goodness with all. Muslims, on this day, share the animals they slaughter and their food with all, even non-Muslim neighbours.
Mankind today lives in an inter-dependent world where followers of various religions go to school together, work together and live in the same neighbourhood, making peace, which Muslims show abundantly on this occasion, a necessity.
We would like to congratulate not only our Muslim brothers and sisters but also all other religious groups who have made it possible for the country to enjoy religious tolerance and peace.
When we take a look at what is happening in some of our neighbouring countries where religious intolerance has brought about strife and death of hundreds of innocent people, then we in Ghana must count ourselves blessed.
As the Chief Imam, Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, said at the prayer grounds, we must be mindful of our constitutional role, rights and responsibilities as religious men and women and also acknowledge the government’s efforts at creating a democratic culture to enhance good governance.
We would want to call on Muslims to use this wonderful occasion to rededicate their lives to live in peace and harmony with all and continue to make the necessary sacrifices to push this country forward.
We want to join all Ghanaians to wish our Muslim brothers and sisters Barka da Sallah.

NO BREATHING SPACE FOR FRAUDSTERS (NOV 16, 2010)

2010-11-18T05:55:00.001-08:00

Ghana, like any other country with ambition to attain the heights of socio-economic development and improve the well-being of the people, has, within the past two decades, liberalised many areas of the economy.
The intention has primarily been to stimulate competition and attract more capital and the requisite human resource into enterprises so that the people can enjoy better services at cheaper and competitive prices.
The telecommunications sector, undoubtedly, is one area of the economy that has enjoyed the fastest growth and development within the period, attracting a significant number of operators.
Indeed, such has been the competition among the various players in the industry that they are trying to outdo one another not only in the crafting of new products but also in the reduction of call tariffs, a development which has sparked what many call price wars in the sector.
All these have functioned to the benefit of the consumer, while many good things have followed.
Meanwhile, in the wake of this development, some people whose motives and dispositions are anything but noble have also entered the system, albeit through the back door, to try and exploit it to their selfish advantage.
We recall that only recently, the Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, lamented the loss of substantial revenue to both the telecom companies and the State through what he termed the actions of fraudsters operating outside the regular system.
But, thank God, today the cover has been blown off one such miscreant and the magnitude of the fraud and the modus operandi of those fraudsters have puzzled many.
The police, at a press conference in Accra yesterday, revealed that a Ghanaian said to have resided in Italy for the past 23 years had been arrested for engaging in the illegal termination of international telephone traffic at his hideout at Achimota.
He was said to have had in his possession at the time of his arrest 3,869 SIM cards, mainly from Vodafone and Zain, in addition to sophisticated telecom equipment such as a Cisso Router, Telles I Gate, etc (see front page story).
The Daily Graphic, like all well-meaning and patriotic Ghanaians, is elated at this development and wishes to congratulate the Ghana Police Service, under the leadership of the IGP, Paul Tawiah Quaye, on chalking up this splendid feat.
Notwithstanding the existence of a few bad lots in the service, we have always held the belief that our Police Service is one of the most competent in the world and that given the fair opportunity to exhibit their expertise, the personnel will stand out for all to acknowledge them.
We regard the arrest as a vindication of the government’s decision to mandate the National Communications Authority (NCA) to put in measures to intensify its fraud watch activities over the telecom operators in the country.
It bears eloquent testimony to the wisdom of the government and the NCA in implementing the Consolidated International Gateway Project in June this year which has already netted significant revenue for the State, revenue which had been ending up in the pockets of miscreants and nation wreckers.
Since these matters have been demonstrated beyond doubt that they are in the national interest, we would want to appeal to all, including the telecom companies, consumers, the NCA, government officials and the public to be readily forthcoming with information so that together we break the back of these fraudsters whose actions threaten the peace, order, stability and progress of the nation.
At a time when the government needs all the revenue it can get to prosecute its programme of qualitative uplift of the lives of the people to befit the status of a middle-income nation, the last thing we must countenance is the nefarious activities that undermine the viability of enterprises that contribute to the Consolidated Fund.
It is time up for all such miscreants and they will know no sleep.

LET'S GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS MATTER (NOV 15, 2010)

2010-11-18T03:36:00.000-08:00

THE essence of founding and sustaining political parties is to realise the true and basic tenets of democracy, which include but not limited to the attainment of the true will of the people, a representative and responsible government and probity and accountability of government to the people.
Democracy, to attain its true meaning of government of the people by the people for the people, can only flourish in an environment of even and fair competition, a free and professional media unreservedly committed to the pursuit of the truth, an independent, just, fair and courageous Electoral Commission (EC) and Judiciary and an enlightened and conscious electorate alive to its rights and responsibilities.
It is when these and other ingredients are present in the contest of ideas among political parties that choices could be made that reflect both the true will and interest and aspirations of the people.
It is not uncommon in many political systems, especially those that aspire to wearing the democratic tag, to witness the injection in the electoral process of issues that not only sharply divide the people but also create serious confusion, fear and panic in society.
In the run up to Ghana’s independence on March 6, 1957, the political atmosphere was one of an appreciable degree of violence, with bombs, gunshots and even catapults deployed as instruments of terror designed to intimidate and petrify opponents of those deploying them into inaction and thus enable them to capture political power.
Again, in the run up to the 2008 general election, the same instruments for creating fear and panic were at play when the nation was awash with reports that if a particular political party was elected, it would murder some prominent members of society.
Clearly, such negative acts do not only poison the political atmosphere but also seek to walk the truth on its head and, in so doing, subvert the true will of the people in the democratic process.
Such actions also contribute significantly to further divide and polarise the people, thereby making the quest for national unity and cohesion, which is essential for accelerated development, very difficult to attain.
Again, such acts undermine the confidence of the people and the development partners in the country as they emit potential signals of instability and scare away investment, in the process undermining national socio-economic development and progress.
It is largely on account of these and others that we endorse the call by President John Evans Atta Mills for the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to probe the alleged serial murder of women in the run up to the 2000 elections (see front page).
We do so on account of the fact that episode was and still is one issue of great importance touching on the very lives and existence of our people and one in which the government has a bounden duty to ensure that all within its jurisdiction are safe and free from fear and panic.
Again, this matter, even after 10 years, still evokes fear in the ranks of the people, especially so as important questions such as who was behind them, what was their motive, how were the killings carried out, how and when were they conceived, who were those who supported and facilitated them and many more, have not been answered.
We believe that such a probe will get to the bottom of the matter, unearth the truth, ensure that the law takes it course and then the good people of this country will then rest assured that the real miscreants have been smoked out and dealt with and that their safety and freedom from fear is enhanced.
We also urge the media to endeavour to adopt a zero tolerance for falsehood and mischief makers whose stock in trade is to create fear and panic and destabilise the system, compromise national development and progress and then turn round to cry that the nation is not moving forward.
We take this opportunity to call on all to support this probe and volunteer information to the police to enable them to unravel this matter to ensure the prevalence of the national interest.

A GOOD JOB DONE (NOV 12, 2010)

2010-11-13T01:40:00.000-08:00

ONE factor that has contributed to undermining the tempo and depth of the socio-economic development of the nation is the speed with which succeeding governments move to dismantle projects and programmes instituted by their predecessors, even when those projects have amply proved to be in the supreme national interest.
Nowhere has this negative phenomenon been more manifest than in the industrial and manufacturing sectors where, soon after the overthrow of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) government by the military cum police junta, a process was set in motion to dismantle everything that he did, including his industrialisation programme.
Important industrial and manufacturing concerns started in virtually every part of the country were forcibly shut down and, in many cases, valuable plant and machinery looted and totally dismantled or abandoned.
Here, mention could be made of the atomic reactor at Kwabenya, the glass factory at Aboso, the sugar factory at Asutsuare, the meat factory in Bolgatanga, the State farms at Ejura and many other places across the country.
These important state enterprises did not only provide jobs for thousands of Ghanaians and their dependants but also created significant wealth for the nation.
They also contributed to the strengthening of the country’s bid to industrialise, reduce imports, become more self- reliant and propel Ghana to a middle-income status even before many countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America which today are far ahead of us on the development ladder.
Notwithstanding these serious setbacks, we are happy today that the government is not enthused by this narrow logic of which regime instituted what project but is concerned about the extent to which projects or programmes advance the national interest.
The continuation of projects and programmes of past governments by the current government bears eloquent testimony to this move to bury this negative past and institute a progressive policy for the future.
We are elated that an agreement has been reached between the government and its Czech Republic counterpart to rehabilitate a number of projects which were abandoned after the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah on February 24, 1966.
The agreement for the revamping of the glass, shoe and sugar factories at Aboso, Kumasi and Asutsuare, respectively, followed the visit by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to the Czech Republic and his fruitful interaction with the leaders of that European country.
There can be no doubt about the fact that the rehabilitation and commencement of operations at these enterprises will create many jobs to put money in the pockets of many Ghanaians and also contribute to relieve pressure on the government from the teaming mass of unemployed people.
These enterprises will also contribute to the diversification of the national economy, add value to our exports, increase technology transfer to Ghanaians and increase the stock of wealth to lend credence to the quest for a better and more prosperous and peaceful Ghana.
While we say Ayekoo to the Vice-President and the government for chalking up these feats, we will not go back to rest on the strength of the belief that we are through with everything.
All the necessary arrangements for the Czech team due to visit the country next month for appraisal works to conclude the deal must be made now so that the commencement period could be brought forward. We cant wait.
The immense goodwill that this country enjoys among the international community, including China, Japan, the US, Britain, the IMF, the World Bank, etc, as a result of the selflessness and committed leadership demonstrated, must be tapped to the full for the supreme benefit of our nation and its people.

IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE ANSWER (NOV 10, 2010)

2010-11-13T00:47:00.000-08:00

ONE of the key factors for the accelerated development and integration of any nation is the level of its infrastructure, principally its road and rail networks.
It is not in contention that the free movement of people, goods and services within the national territory is a sine qua non for sustained national development on which rests the creation of wealth to meet the needs, interests and aspirations of the nation.
It is, therefore, no accident that nations that aspire to mobilise and optimise the potential of their people and other national resources undertake massive infrastructural development, in particular the construction of roads and railways to open up their territories.
This, among others, facilitates the exploitation and easy transportation of raw and processed materials not only for the domestic market in larger and more prosperous urban centres but also for export to increase the national income.
While our governments have, over the years, undertaken some infrastructural development across the 10 regions, the level and quality in many aspects have not been such as will catapult us to the higher rungs of the development ladder.
Indeed, there are many areas of the country which are cut off from the rest of the country during the rainy season, bringing in its wake prohibitive losses in human and material terms that go to undermine national development.
Though a sad commentary on our national development effort, we are not surprised at reports that thousands of bags of cocoa and foodstuffs have been locked up in the northern part of the Western Region as a result of the poor road network in the area this year (see front page story).
Notwithstanding its status as the richest area in the country, the Western Region, paradoxically, has one of the worst road networks in the country, at least one that does not meet the socio-economic challenges of the region.
While the climate of the region, in particular the copious rainfall for a greater part of the year, is a contributory factor, the real problem has been the lack of a comprehensive and sustained programme of infrastructural development of the area over the years.
The result has been the pronounced deterioration of the few motorable roads and this, coupled with the breakdown of the railway system, has worsened the movement of people, goods and services in the area.
From such a challenging background, we cannot wait to see the government commencing its comprehensive infrastructure roll-out for the Western Region captured in the Western Corridor Infrastructural Development Programme.
This programme, which involves principally the construction of first-class roads through many areas of the region to link the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions, will no doubt contribute significantly to answering this yawning and artificial infrastructure deficit.
We want to appeal to the government to expedite action on agreements with our development partners so that work on these important projects will commence sooner than later.
This should also include the northern corridor road stretching from Hohoe in the Volta Region through Bimbilla and Yendi in the Northern Region to Kulungugu in the Upper East Region.
These, together with the projected rehabilitation of the western railway line and the extension of the network to the northern part of the country, will open up the country as never before and lend a great boost to agriculture, manufacturing, agro-processing, industry, mining, commerce and other economic activities that will create immense wealth and bring millions of our people out of the quagmire of poverty, deprivation, want and misery.
This is the time.

WE NEED TO WORK HARDER (NOV 9, 2010)

2010-11-13T00:09:00.001-08:00

IT is refreshing news that Ghana has joined the group of middle income countries in the world. Through a rebasing exercise undertaken by the Ghana Statistical Service, the value of goods and services produced in the country has increased more than two-fold.
This follows the use of 2006 as the base year for the calculation of economic activities, instead of 1993 which has been the base for more than 10 years.
For some time now Ghanaians from all walks of life, especially our political leaders, have been working out various strategies to catapult the country into the middle income bracket.
In actual fact, our leaders set the time frame of 2015 to attain a middle income status but if we have attained that height in 2010, then we need to pat ourselves on the back.
Nearly three decades ago, the then government embarked upon a Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) to reshape the direction of the economy by stimulating productivity at all levels.
Luckily for Ghana, Western donors endorsed SAP and, therefore, assisted us in many spheres to rebuild the economy.
Unfortunately, however, the revival of the economy faced many challenges, as the implementation of SAP came with the devaluation of the cedi. In the long run, many companies that took loans to expand their businesses could not service the loans, thereby strangulating those firms with heavy debts.
Several reviews of the economy have taken place, including the latest rebasing exercise to fast-track our journey towards the middle income bracket.
The Daily Graphic, however, believes that this is just the beginning of good things to come which will only be made possible through hard work, commitment and sacrifice.
The days when manna used to fall from heaven are part of history and we can only survive through hard work and sacrifice.
We echo the sentiments from government sources that “although it is happy about news that the country now has a larger economy, it will remain resolute and focused on resolving the many challenges that still confront the country” to challenge our people to continue to work harder.
We know that this news comes with its own challenges, such as the lack of access to concessionary loans and aid, as well as a reduction in grants. The tendency will be for the country to go to the open market to access commercial loans now that our economy has expanded.
The Daily Graphic suggests to the government to encourage more local investors or partnerships so that the returns on investment stay in the country for expansion, instead of being repatriated as dividends.
We are certainly on the right path towards economic development, for which everybody should lend his or her support.
The Daily Graphic appeals to the government to use the 2011 budget to remove all the bottlenecks militating against economic development to ease the burden of eking out a living on the people.
We commend all the players who helped in getting Ghana to the middle income status ahead of schedule, while noting that more needs to be done to go a step further to become a developed economy.
All the parameters exist for the attainment of that feat, such as an improved services sector like telecommunications and the exploration of oil and gas.

NO HIDING PLACE FOR CRIMINALS (NOV 8, 2010)

2010-11-12T23:37:00.000-08:00

Undoubtedly Ghana is a peaceful country. With unquestionable democratic credentials, the country is carving a niche for itself as a haven for investment and beacon of hope for Africa. The silver lining points to the fact that the country can witness quantum leaps in its development engagement to become a middle-income economy in future, more so when we are about to join other oil-producing countries as we begin the commercial production of oil and gas.
Our development efforts can, however, be easily truncated if we are not able to fight crime and reduce insecurity, violence, fear and panic.
Recent cases of armed robbery, rumours of rape and creation of fear and panic, especially when we are gliding towards the end of the year and for Christmas celebrations, have given cause for worry by all public-spirited citizens.
This explains why the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has sent yet another clearest message to such evil minds and social miscreants bent on derailing the process of development that they are bound to fail.
The President’s assurance could not have come at a better time.
Addressing the 50th anniversary celebration of the Upper East Region, the President indicated the unhappiness of the government about the situation where some people had taken it upon themselves to create fear and panic in the society and engender a feeling of insecurity among the people.
Although, the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) enjoins the Ghana Police Service to prevent and detect crime, apprehend and prosecute offenders, maintain law and order, and enforce the law, modern control of crime is now a shared responsibility.
The pursuance of community policing ensures that collectively the police and communities fight crime for the good of the rest of the larger society.
Again, a partnership between the police and members of the various communities can help in identifying accurately potential crime problems and responding proactively to address them.
Furthermore, community policing will change negative factors such as hostility, prejudice, apathy and ignorance into a positive corporate image that would portray the police service as one that is sympathetic, accommodating, interesting and knowledgeable.
The Daily Graphic is, however, worried sometimes about the unwillingness of the public to volunteer information about suspected criminals, who live in our communities, and yet complain about the rising rate of crime in the country.
Some of the suspected criminals, in most cases, are our relatives and we are aware of the harm they do to the rest of society.
We are sometimes even beneficiaries of their nefarious activities and so instead exposing them, we protect them at the peril of the rest of society.
The Daily Graphic calls on such characters to mend their ways if we are to make any headway in the fight against crime.
We passionately enjoin the public to give all police personnel every support, encouragement and information to enable them to achieve the purposes for which the police institution was established.
Additionally, it is our fervent prayer that as a nation, we should not allow politics and parochial interests to divide us in our common resolve to deal with social miscreants and crime.
The leadership of the Ghana Police Service has stated categorically that it will reduce crime by 20 per cent by the end of the year. Even with the limited resources at their disposal, they have demonstrated that they are prepared to defend the society and ensure security even at their peril.
All that the police require from members of the public is support in the fight against violent crime and other criminal activities in the country.

EXPANDING TELECOMS SECTOR (NOV 6, 2010)

2010-11-12T23:18:00.001-08:00

Good corporate citizens and governments have a common goal, and that is to create value for their businesses and offer job opportunities to the people.
That is why business and the government cannot operate independently of each other.
It is the responsibility of the government to strive to improve the policy space and create the enabling atmosphere for which businesses can operate.
It is such a close collaboration that has led to the advancement of most economies.
Therefore, the directive by the President to the Ministries of Communications, and Environment, Science and Technology to facilitate the launch of Glo, the sixth mobile operator in the country, is laudable.
The Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that the challenges with respect to the spectrum requirements have since been resolved and that the challenge is for Glo to show its commitment to the country by launching its services.
Much as the delay has been at a cost to the company and could have been avoided, the Daily Graphic is of the view that a continuous delay in deploying its services would further compound its financial position and subsequently affect its operations.
The anticipation with which many Ghanaians were waiting for the final launch of Glo has not waned because the stories of Glo in neighbouring countries provide ample evidence of its performance for which Ghanaians are waiting patiently to experience Glo services.
Again, Glo, even before its launch, has indicated the seriousness with which it intends to play ball in the Ghanaian telecommunications sector by being the first mobile operator to launch its fibre optic cable in the country.
The signal was that of a company ready to do things differently. That is the more reason why the Daily Graphic thinks the government has demonstrated its seriousness to faciliate Glo’s unhindered launch of its service.
Even before it launches its operations formally in Ghana, Glo has committed resources to promoting the Premier League game that many have passion for and also helps to unite the nation.
The goodwill of the people of Ghana, has been expressed by the President in his directive; the ball is now in the court of Glo to take up the challenge, and reciprocate the government’s gesture by mobilising resources for the launch as soon as possible.
But that also offers the country the opportunity to redefine its policies with regard to the telecoms sector, to offer a level playing field for the six players in the sector.
Beyond that, Ghana and Nigeria enjoy good neighbourliness, for which reason we must support such investments in the spirit of ECOWAS without compromising the country’s laws and procedures.
We believe that issues related to the environment also need serious considerations just as discussions about infrastructure sharing among telecoms companies should be speeded up.
The Daily Graphic believes Glo has the ability to take the good signal of the government to launch by the end of the year. There are more exciting times for users of cellular phones.

STABILITY YIELDS INVESTMENT DIVIDENTS (NOV 5, 2010)

2010-11-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

THE globalised nature of world economy requires each country to make a conscious effort at wooing investments and Ghana is no exception.
This is quite critical, especially so when the world economy is yet to come out of the global recession, precisely its second wave, which is negatively impacting on some developed economies.
Figures from the World Trade Organisation reveal how investments, especially those of transnational firms, were shrinking in the face of global economic crises.
Interestingly, however, Ghana is recording some appreciation in investments into the country as reported by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) statistics for the first nine months of this year.
The country’s oil find has obviously become attractive to the international and multi-national firms. Rightly so, because oil will continue to drive the world economy in the foreseeable future.
The growing investor confidence is the result of dividends from our democratic dispensation because rule of law and respect for human rights have become a major factor in investment decision.
This, therefore, calls for the need for the country to re-think its development priorities in relation to how we treat investors in the country.
For if the country aims at playing in the big league of development economics, then we need to play by the rules of the game.
Businesses have one major goal, and that is to create shareholder value, so that such value can be re-invested in the business for growth and expansion.
The Daily Graphic believes that this is the time the country could tighten its regulatory framework to deliver the very best for the country.
Issues related to taxes of expatriate staff, local content laws and human resource development aimed at creating the needed opportunity for every Ghanaian should be put in place.
Ghana cannot on its own develop without the support of those who have the capital and technology to assist us join the club of middle-income countries.
While we welcome investors, our strategy must be to look at the opportunities that exist for our people.
Our development priorities lie in huge investments in infrastructure, expansion in educational facilities, quality health care and above all improved living conditions for every Ghanaian.
Therefore, any investment must be geared towards these priority areas that have the potential to leapfrog our economy to the middle-income status.
The Daily Graphic welcomes the news of increased investments in the country from Nigeria and China, which promotes South-South co-operation and a sign that we may well be on course towards our drive to national development.
But again, we caution that since there is increased attention on us, we should not send the wrong signal that we are not ready for a major economic take-off.
That is why the regulatory framework governing all businesses needs to be carefully scrutinised and transparently discussed devoid of any political twist but purely for the common good.

HELPING THE POLICE CURB CRIME (NOV 4, 2010)

2010-11-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

UNFORTUNATELY, there seems to be an attempt by miscreants in the society to create a sense of insecurity among the populace. These miscreants engage in all kinds of criminal activities, especially armed robbery, to put a sense of fear in the people, including inter-city travellers.
Another craze, very alien to our culture, which is rearing its nasty head in our society, is car-jacking by hardened criminals. This is happening not only on the highways, but also in even our neighbourhoods. These criminals do not only sell the vehicles across the borders, but use the vehicles to commit other crimes.
Indeed, what is happening has given cause to a section of the Ghanaian public to develop the perception that the police are losing the fight against crime but this necessarily may not be so.
When the Inspector General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, took over office he pledged to take the fight to the criminals by intensifying night and highway patrols.
The Police/Military operations were also re-introduced all in an attempt to make life uncomfortable for the criminals. The IGP also introduced the concept of Tent Cities in some parts of the country to position the police in the areas where they can readily respond to emergencies or distress calls from residents in those areas.
Not too long ago, it was established that armed robbers could run but could not hide because the police and other security agencies were regularly on their heels engaging them in fierce battles that sometimes led to fatalities on both sides.
The police were not deterred by the apparent sophistication exhibited by armed robbers, who even dared to engage in day-light robbery, including attacks on bullion vans.
In spite of these challenges, the police and other security agencies are not daunted in their efforts to bring the criminals to their knees. Many arrests have been made in recent times, including the latest police operations that led to the retrieval of 21 vehicles suspected to have been seized from their owners by car-snatching syndicates operating in the various parts of the country.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio-Atinga, described the mastermind of the gang, Stephen Aklago, as a notorious car snatcher who had recruited a number of robbers to work for him.
The Daily Graphic commends the police for this latest endeavour leading to the smashing of the car-jacking syndicate operating in Accra, Kumasi, Akim Oda and Akwatia.
Our police personnel have won international recognition anywhere they have been posted to perform security duties and have mounted operations locally to bust criminal gangs to the admiration of many Ghanaians.
The Daily Graphic would like to appeal to the police to remain focussed in their activities. They should not allow negative comments from a section of the public to distract them from their chosen career to maintain law and order in our society.
The government should also continue providing the police with the appropriate logistics to enable them to continue with their fight against crime, particularly on the highways.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also reminds the populace that combating crime is a collective task between the police and the larger society.
We need to be each other’s keeper by forming neighbourhood watch committees to protect lives and property.
The Daily Graphic calls on the police administration to also revamp the concept of Neighbourhood Watch Committees throughout the country to help instil basic security skills in everybody so as to guarantee and sustain a safe environment in the neighbourhoods.
Unless we partner the police in crime combat, there is very little that they can achieve on their own. It is our collective resolve to fight crime.

LET'S RESPECT REGULATIONS (NOV 3, 2010)

2010-11-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

GONE were the days when the city of Accra was seen as a well planned city befitting its status as the gateway to Ghana. In the early days of independent Ghana, laws worked, people obeyed laws and the syndrome of “whom you know” was non-existent.
Today, however, virtually all major cities in Ghana can be described, at best, as big slums. The problem is not far-fetched. Laws have become nothing but mere words in the statute books as they are breached with impunity.
Institutions mandated to do their jobs have failed to do what they are, by right and law, established to accomplish.
One of the results of the inaction of statutory institutions is the haphazard development in which buildings and structures are scattered all over the city, destroying the beauty of Accra.
The call by Prof Jacob Songsore of the University of Ghana to enforce the building regulations in the country is a step in the right direction.
The Daily Graphic has on countless occasions called for the right policies to deal with the canker of haphazard siting of buildings and structures springing up in the cities, even in areas classified as first class residential areas.
Not that we are frustrated at the apparent inertia on the part of authorities to crack the whip, but it is our mandate and duty to alert the authorities about the nuisance and threat that the trend poses to the citizens.
The yearly flooding that the city of Accra experiences with its resultant death toll is one that should wake us up from our slumber to act with despatch to preserve human lives.
But the problem goes further to even those issuing legal permits in areas that are clearly not suitable for buildings and structures.
Areas such as water courses, swampy areas, low lands and even to some extent lands close to the sea as is the case at Mpoase, near Dansoman in Accra have all been developed into residential areas.
It is not for nothing that even the spilling of water by the Volta River Authority (VRA) is anticipated to cause some discomfort for people living along the banks of many rivers in the country.
What the country needs is the strict enforcement of the laws. Beyond that there is the need for public education to sensitise the citizenry to the need to follow the rules and regulations of land acquisition and development in the country.
It is not just enough to break down buildings; rather it would be much easier preventing the buildings from springing up.
This year most parts of the country are flooded because of the spillage of the Bagre Dam and heavy rains in other areas.
The Daily Graphic believes the devastation caused to life and property would have been on a much lesser scale if residents in those areas had followed laid-down building regulations.
Some of the people in even the rural areas have constructed houses on water courses or very close to water bodies and any amount of rain causes havoc in those communities.
It is sad that when the challenges emerge as a result of wrongful actions, we are quick to lay the blame at the door of the government.
The Daily Graphic calls on the statutory authorities to sit up and make sure that the building regulations are followed by all in the country.
We also urge all developers to respect the country’s building regulations.

MEDIA MUST NOT BE DESTRUCTIVE (NOV 2, 2010)

2010-11-06T02:57:00.001-07:00

For the umpteenth time, the Daily Graphic has had to add its voice to discussions condemning verbal assaults on the airwaves and the use of foul language in the newspapers.
The framers of the 1992 Constitution were very clear in their minds when they guaranteed the freedom and independence of the media.
Article 162 Clause 3 says that “there shall be no impediments to the establishment of private press or media; and in particular, there shall be no law requiring any person to obtain a licence as a prerequisite to the establishment or operation of a newspaper, journal or other media for mass communication or information”.
The same chapter on the freedom and independence of the media guarantees that “all agencies of the mass media shall, at all times, be free to uphold the principles, provisions and objectives of this Constitution, and shall uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of Ghana”.
Although the media is to act as watchdog of society, some media practitioners abuse the role by using the media platform to hold their readers or audiences hostage.
A section of the media that uses the power of the media to blackmail and distort issues in society must be feared and this group poses as a danger to media freedom.
This is because ethical commitment is the cornerstone of any effort to define or redefine and strengthen the journalist’s role to serve the public good.
Journalists must understand their role better and pay particular attention to their sources in the search for the truth, verification of the fact, balanced treatment of the various positions, appropriate use of language and strong story telling.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, at its meeting in Sefwi-Wiawso in the Western Region, has added its voice to a call made earlier by the President for a stop to the verbal assault in our body politic.
The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference, Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, charged Christian leaders to rise up and speak against “the culture of insults”, which is creeping into Ghanaian politics.
He charged the men of God to not be silent and allow “the noble art of politics to be dragged into the quagmire of insults, character assassination and threat of violence”.
The Daily Graphic will go beyond men of God with the appeal to all leaders of our society, to ensure sanity and decency on the media landscape.
We believe that no matter our disagreements, they can be expressed without necessarily insulting those who do not share our beliefs.
There are many failed states on the African continent whose experiences can serve as a guide to protecting our democracy.
There is little doubt that much of the current concern about the role of journalism in nation building has its roots in the utter disregard for the code of ethics of the profession.
The Daily Graphic thinks that it is about time any ethical breaches were cured before the country entered the stage for preparations towards the 2012 general election.
If journalism is to continue to be relevant, then journalists should listen to the admonitions of the President, the Ghana Bishops Conference and others and pledge to defend the ethical values of the profession and encourage men of goodwill to support excellence in journalism for the public good because anything to the contrary will be a lethal weapon meant for destruction.
The Daily Graphic urges the inky fraternity to endeavour to serve society with accurate, balanced and fair reportage in order to enhance participatory governance and national development.

TIME TO LEND A HAND (NOV 1, 2010)

2010-11-06T02:27:00.001-07:00

Torrential rains, coupled with the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, have caused floods, leaving thousands of people displaced, bridges damaged as well as farms and houses destroyed.
According to relief agencies, as many as 700,000 people have so far been displaced and more than 35 lives lost in the Greater Accra, Central, Volta and Northern regions.
Meanwhile it appears our woes are yet to be over.
The consistent rise in the water level of the Akosombo Dam has compelled the Volta River Authority (VRA), for the first time in 20 years, to spill the excess water from today , to save the dam from any danger and possible damage.
Unless the managers of the dam take precautionary measures and are meticulous in their approach, the spillage can adversely affect communities along the Volta Lake.
After leading an official delegation to ascertain the extent of disaster caused by floods in the Central Gonja area in the Northern Region at the weekend, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu, has described the flood situation in the country as a national disaster which calls for international support.
The floods, which have occurred in different parts of the country, have stretched us beyond our response mechanism and contingency plans, hence the need for our development partners to assist us to salvage the situation.
As a nation, we have become vulnerable to flood disasters as a result of economic, socio-cultural, educational, attitudinal, physical, political and organisational factors. In some instances people do not have the material and financial resources to develop effective mechanisms. In other instances they are either uninformed, or deeply engrossed in their cultural beliefs that even against all advice they choose to stay in flood-prone areas instead of moving away. We cannot also discount the weak national and local structures to effectively manage disaster situations.
The Daily Graphic believes that we cannot put the blame on any individual or institution. There is the need for all of us to rally together and pool our resources to deal with the current situation and more especially the aftermath of the floods.
We should be able to handle diseases which might occur and rebuild the devastated infrastructure, as well as deal with post-flood traumas.
The government has decided to provide logistics such as relief items in the meantime and find lasting solutions to the perennial floods in the long term.
Since the floods are partly caused by the spillage of the Bagre Dam, the government should liaise with its counterpart in Burkina Faso to establish a joint Volta Basin Management Agency.
That agency should be mandated to adopt action plans by the appropriate governmental agencies within each country to control the perennial floods in the northern parts of Ghana due mainly to excess water spilled from the Bagre Dam, as well as free flow of water from rivers that have their sources in Burkina Faso.
Additionally we want to suggest that we develop a clear policy to mitigate floods and manage water flow, as well as prepare a national framework for the integrated development and utilisation of the Volta and Oti Water Basins in Ghana.
While we plan and programme for long term solutions, the Daily Graphic appeals to the international community and the country's development partners to assist us to deal with our current predicament. This is yet another opportunity for them to lend a hand.

AWAY WITH POLITICS OF INSULTS (OCT 30, 2010)

2010-11-06T02:05:00.000-07:00

ON Thursday, no less a personality than our President himself expressed serious concern about the trading of insults in the body politic to the neglect of national development, reconstruction and renewal of the society.
Relatedly, the Ghana Bar Association, in a 25-point resolution released yesterday, also called on Ghanaians to respect the dignity of the office of the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice and chiefs.
Similarly, many individuals have also added their voice to calls on Ghanaians not to add more to the current political tensions, acrimony and insults, which are doing the nation no good but undermining national development efforts.
Indeed, the DAILY GRAPHIC is equally worried about the increasing rate of intolerance permeating the fabric of the Ghanaian political landscape. We are disturbed because abusive or intemperate language in political discourse is not part of the country’s value system.
Unfortunately, the trend where many newspapers focus on sensational issues, scandal mongering and gory pictures to shore up circulation figures has caught on in our society. Regrettably, it is those issues which are reviewed on the airwaves, while issues about health, education and the economy are relegated to the background.
Currently, our children who have been admitted to senior high schools this year are going through challenging moments, with some not even knowing where to lay their heads. Yet, the issues being discussed on the airwaves and in the newspapers are not about those challenges in our education sector but sadly about which political party is better than the other or who can insult more than the other.
The debate in our media is also devoid of alternatives to policy decisions or measures initiated by the government to move this country forward or accelerate the pace of progress.
Indeed, our President made reference to detractors but we think political insults cut across the political divide and we should all resolve to use temperate language on the airwaves and political platforms, and be courteous to one another.
We are in a democracy with political parties of different persuasion and ideologies contending for political power in order to govern the country. Certainly, we are not enemies but one people with a common destiny.
That is why it behoves all of us to treat our leaders, especially our President and his appointees, as well as those who lead the other arms of government, including their functionaries, with respect because they represent the face of this nation.
But if it is also an acceptable principle that all powers of government spring from the sovereign will of the people, then those in leadership positions must desist from engaging in verbal assault that further divides our ranks.
As a nation, we need to maintain a united and stable front, even in the face of extreme provocation, and demonstrate tolerance and commitment to nation building.
We know that the blame game can sometimes be placed at the door of the media for publishing issues that divide our ranks. It is in this connection that the DAILY GRAPHIC would like to encourage the media to play its watch-dog role in a more responsible manner.
The media has no choice but to help in this crusade initiated by our President and reinforced by the Ghana Bar Association and other bodies and individuals by making sure that they give voice to the people whose contributions promote knowledge, enlightenment and the unity of our society.
Anything short of that should not be encouraged for it has the potential to disrupt our democratic dispensation just as in the case of Rwanda, where a reckless statement on a radio station caused the genocide in that country.

REVIVING RAIL TRANSPORT (OCT 29, 2010)

2010-10-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

RAILWAY transport plays a significant role in the transport system of a country because the development of trade, industry and commerce largely depends on the efficiency of the rail road.
Other advantages of an effective rail transport in any economy include the facilitation of long distance travel and transporting of bulky goods that cannot easily be transported by motor vehicles; the transporting of goods with speed and certainty and the quick movement of goods from one place to another at a time of emergencies like famine and scarcity.
Additionally, the railway is believed to be one of the safest forms of transport. The chances of accidents and breakdown of railways are minimal as compared to other modes of transport. Moreover, it helps in the management of road traffic.
The carriage capacity of the railways is extremely large. Its capacity is elastic, which can easily be increased by adding more wagons.
Simply put, rail transport is a national necessity because in any national economy, it has its specific and irreplaceable position.
Over the years, however, we have watched in silence as this important national asset hit one crisis after another and virtually sank into oblivion.
Problems of mismanagement, the lack of a national development agenda and the hurry to undo the work of previous governments for political advantage all combined to derail the Seven-year Development Plan by our first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, under which extensions of the rail system from Awaso to Sunyani and from Shai Hills to Akosombo had been planned.
So today, about 53 years after Nkrumah boldly declared that “the black man is capable of managing his own affairs”, the reverse is our lot by way of a collapsed rail system, a collapsed airline, a collapsed Black Star Line and many other mismanaged institutions.
Thankfully, all that would soon change for the better. A ray of hope that emerged during the previous administration by way of work begun on the rehabilitation of the rail network was yesterday illuminated with the inauguration of a $23-million diesel engine train with the capacity to carry 600 passengers on an expanded Accra-Tema rail network.
President J. E. A. Mills, who performed the ceremony, used the occasion to assure Ghanaians that the railway sector would receive a major boost during the next two years to link various parts of the country, especially the rural communities, from where foodstuffs, mineral ore and cash crops could be transported to urban communities and the ports for export.
He said the complete overhaul of the country’s infrastructural network, especially the rail sector, was uppermost in the scheme of activities of the government during its tenure of office, adding that “we promise to work assiduously in actualising that objective".
The DAILY GRAPHIC shares the President’s vision and it must not die, no matter the circumstances. The fact is there are enormous challenges but the opportunities also exist in the railway system and we all have a duty to ensure that the dream is translated into reality.
Nations such as Germany, China, India, UK, USA, Switzerland and Spain saw remarkable improvements in the lives of their people, their economic development and the social reconstruction of their nations with the effective utilisation of the railway system as a major means of transport.
The Indian railway system, which today is the largest in Asia and ranks second in the world, had a modest beginning in April 1853, when the first train journeyed from Bombay to Thane — a total of 35 kilometres.
Let us be inspired by India’s laudable achievement by working assiduously to ensure improvement of the rail sector in no small measure, thereby reducing pressure on the country’s roads while boosting the economy.
All developed and stable economies have had to build very good railway systems and Ghana cannot be an exception. We dare not fail.

STOP THESE MISCREANTS (OCT 28, 2010)

2010-10-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

THE activities of illegal miners, popularly called galamsey operators, are destroying the environment across the length and breadth of the country.
Some years ago, mining, including the activities of galamsey operators, was confined to the traditional mining towns of Tarkwa, Prestea, Akwatia and Obuasi and their immediate environs. But, today, it seems Ghana, which used to be called the Gold Coast, is living up to its original name because gold can be mined in any part of the country.
Perhaps the problem of galamsey operations is on the ascendancy because of the collapse of state-owned mines in Tarkwa, Prestea and Akwatia, a development which has provided the illegal miners a field day to ply their dangerous trade.
There was a period when the government tried to wean off galamsey operators from their dangerous trade by initiating alternative livelihood ventures in the mining communities but the initiative lacked the incentives to motivate the illegal miners to abandon their business.
That initiative attracted the support of big-time mining operators who provided seed money and inputs to motivate the galamsey operators to venture into cash crop production.
The outlook in towns such as Prestea, Akwatia, Tarkwa and Obuasi gives the impression that those communities will be better off without the mining operations.
However, the mining companies are quick to point accusing fingers at galamsey operators for degrading the environment because it has become difficult for mining regulators to instil sanity into the activities of the illegal miners.
The question to ask, therefore, is: What has gone wrong with mining in Ghana?
In the first place, the laws of our country give advantage to the mining companies that repatriate their earnings and leave only a paltry percentage for the good people of the country.
That is why courageous citizens in the mining communities have adopted the illegal means to earn a living from their heritage.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, cautions the galamsey operators to desist from their activities because they undermine every effort at sustainable development.
The reckless abandon with which these illegal operators, with their foreign collaborators, are destroying the environment now can no longer be tolerated.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that unless these illegal operators, who have extended their activities to all major water bodies in the country, are immediately stopped in their tracks, they will disturb the country’s development plan.
The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has mounted a personal crusade to stop galamsey operations, especially in the Birim River, without success.
Now the Ankobra and Pra rivers have all been encroached upon by galamsey operators with heavy equipment to pollute the source of drinking water for many communities.
In all these negative activities, some foreigners, especially Chinese nationals, have been mentioned as accomplices and this does not augur well for the cordial relations between Ghana and China.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the Chinese Embassy in Ghana to impress upon its nationals who have come to Ghana to transact business to do so within the confines of our laws. The activities of these foreign nationals are very provocative and they can never be good ambassadors of their countries.
The patience of Ghanaians, especially law-abiding citizens, is being stretched by these miscreants who are bent on destroying our heritage. But they must not be allowed to have their way.
The axe must fall heavily on all galamsey operators, including the foreign nationals, as well as Ghanaian public officials who condone such dangerous endeavours.

ENSURING LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT (OCT 27, 2010)

2010-10-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

IN a matter of five days — just last Friday and then only yesterday — a negative aspect of African politics — which is very rife in our dear nation — has been brought to the fore.
First, it was former UN Secretary-General, Busumuru Kofi Annan, who slammed the way African governments took delight in undoing the work of their predecessors for political advantage.
He noted that instead of focusing on how to build on the good initiatives of their predecessors, governments sometimes spent half of their terms dismantling the work of their predecessors with the intention of making them unpopular.
The situation, he said, was a disincentive to development efforts and should be discarded, emphasising that regardless of which party was in power, efforts should be made to continue with viable projects and programmes inherited to help accelerate the development process.
Then, only yesterday, in a positive response to the concerns raised by Mr Annan, the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Mr P. V. Obeng, advocated the inclusion of all political parties on the commission to ensure that long-term national development plans were sustained and not truncated by the pull-him-down syndrome which had permeated our political landscape.
Speaking on: “Perspective on Building a National Development Agenda”, as part of the debate organised by the Institute of Progressive Research Advocacy and Joy FM, a private radio station, Mr Obeng condemned the lack of continuity of national programmes and projects and said if all political parties were allowed to make inputs into the national agenda, even while outside office, those parties would readily continue from where others left.
It is important to state that the NDPC is a body created by the 1992 Constitution and established by Act 479 with the mandate to advise the President on development planning policy and strategy.
The commission, at the request of the President, Parliament or on its own initiative, is expected, among other issues, to: Study and make strategic analysis of macro-economic and structural reform options and also make proposals for the development of multi-year rolling plans, taking into consideration the resource potential and comparative advantage of the different districts of Ghana.
Given the strategic role of the NDPC, the DAILY GRAPHIC finds a lot of wisdom in the suggestion put forth by Mr Obeng that all political parties should be allowed to “co-author and own” the nation’s long-term plans that would emanate from the commission.
Happily, Mr Obeng has had a long association with the NDPC, having served as its first chairman in 1994 before being re-appointed this year, and we trust that he was propelled by his wealth of experience in his call for a framework that would ensure participation by all in national development.
Looking back, the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that every Tom, Dick and Harry must be saddened by the challenges that rock the nation after every change of government, with the post-Nkrumah era being the worst hit.
From locations across the country, about 300 factories intended for the production of a wide variety of products were abandoned. Among the industries that collapsed or became desolate were the Tema Food Complex, the State Housing Corporation (SHC), the State Construction Corporation (SCC), State Fisheries, the Takoradi Paper Mill, the Takoradi Flour Mill, the Tema Flour Mill, the Glass Factory at Aboso, just to mention a few.
Today, only a few of those early post-independence era projects remain, while our people cry for food, shelter and employment.
So let us shake off all the negative tendencies that hinder our progress and adopt a development agenda that transcends political and generational barriers, an agenda that embraces the entire spectrum of the population.
That is the surest way to kill the “PHD” syndrome and open the floodgates for true development on all frontiers.
It is also the way to achieve sustainable development that can lead to long and healthy lives, enlightenment and knowledge and access to resources needed for a decent standard of living and be able to participate fully in the decision-making process.

MAKE HAJJ FRUITFUL (OCT 26, 2010)

2010-10-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

MUSLIMS across the world have begun the journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. About two million Muslims world-wide perform the Hajj every year.
In Ghana, the first batch of 266 Muslim pilgrims was expected to leave for Saudi Arabia yesterday.
Hajj organisation in Ghana in the past had been characterised by delays in departure, sleeping in the open in the vicinity of the airport by prospective pilgrims, poor accommodation in Saudi Arabia, late return journey and loss of luggage.
But last year's Hajj saw a significant improvement, as the pilgrims were, for the first time, made to sleep in air-conditioned tents at the Hajj Village, leave for the Hajj without delay, return home on time and had their luggage intact.
It is reassuring that for the second year running, the National Hajj Committee (NHC), with support from the government and Zoomlion, has constructed the Hajj Village near the El-Wak Stadium in Accra to cater for the about 2,500 pilgrims expected to perform this year's Hajj.
Facilities at the Hajj Village include 500-capacity air-conditioned tents for pilgrims, washrooms, places for the performance of ablution, a clinic and offices for the NHC and Immigration officials.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, yesterday inaugurated the Hajj Village, with a declaration that this year's Hajj would be problem-free and far more successful than last year's.
The Chairman of the NHC, Alhaji Alhasan Bene, said pilgrims would be more comfortable in the tents this year, as the capacity had been increased from 300 to 500 this year.
The Hajj Village has several advantages: It saves the pilgrims from sleeping under dehumanising conditions in the open before departure, allows them some privacy, while only prospective pilgrims and accredited members of the NHC and the Hajj task force are allowed into the Hajj Village.
Besides, the pilgrims receive medical care at the clinic and enjoy maximum security as they are protected by the Military Police, while Immigration officials have mounted their equipment to screen the documents and the luggage of pilgrims. Immediately after the inspection, the pilgrims are transported directly to the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to board their flights.
The annual construction of tents at the Hajj Village is good, but it would be better if permanent structures were put in place at a designated Hajj Village for pilgrims to observe this strong pillar of Islam.
That will ensure security, save cost and allow for effective planning and expansion of the facility.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends Zoomlion for constructing the Village to eliminate the drudgery and hassle associated with the annual pilgrimage.
We wish the pilgrims a fruitful pilgrimage and hope that they will be good ambassadors of Ghana in Saudi Arabia.

KEEP SSSS DREAM ALIVE (OCT 25, 2010)

2010-10-25T05:09:00.000-07:00

FOR some time now the government and its labour partners have been mapping out the necessary strategies to improve the wages and salaries of all public sector workers.
The migration process so far has not been smooth sailing, especially since it was announced that the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) has helped improve the salary structure of policemen in the country.
We recall the protest by personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service more than a month ago over delays in the implementation of the new pay policy in their organisation. At that time reports were rife that other security agencies and public sector workers were lacing their boots to also hit the streets to protest against what they perceived as the slow action on the part of the government to improve their conditions of service.
Notwithstanding various assurances from government officials, many public sector workers are still not sure when it will be their turn to benefit from the SSSS. Indeed, from all indications, the government is desirous of using the SSSS to address the distortions in public sector pay across the board.
Just when the government was grappling with labour agitation from the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG), presto, a section of the media went to town with information that the implementation of the SSSS had been deferred until next year.
That piece of news caused considerable concern and alarm among members of labour unions in the country who have been looking forward to the early implementation of the SSSS in their organisations in order to improve their living standards.
It is, however, reassuring that the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has indicated that the implementation of the SSSS is on course and that the next organisation to migrate onto the structure is the Ghana Armed Forces.
There is a major lesson to be learnt from the information making the rounds in some sections of the media. It is necessary at this stage for the partners involved in the implementation of the SSSS to deepen the channels of communication so that information on the new pay structure can be obtained at all times.
The Daily Graphic is worried that anytime there is a break in communication among the parties, it sends the wrong signals to public sector workers yet to migrate onto the SSSS. We are just coming out of some weeks of industrial action by members of UTAG, while POTAG members are yet to return to the classroom.
The Daily Graphic cautions against any action that will further aggravate the concerns of other public sector workers and create additional turmoil on the labour scene. We are aware of the Herculean task ahead of the government in ensuring that all public sector workers migrate onto the SSSS.
Some of our development partners have already expressed concerns over the implementation of the new wage structure, saying it has the potential to widen the government’s fiscal deficit.
The Daily Graphic believes the new pay structure will impose an additional burden on the economy but it will, in equal measure, improve the salary structure of public sector workers and motivate them to improve productivity.
We urge public sector workers to reciprocate this gesture by the government by working extra hard to improve productivity and help create more opportunities for everybody in the economy.

LESSONS FROM UTAG STRIKE (OCT 23, 2010)

2010-10-25T04:08:00.000-07:00

IT is great news that the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has decided to call off its strike which kept them away from the lecture theatres in our public universities for nearly three weeks.
The UTAG decision to go back to the lecture theatres comes in the wake of the resolution of the impasse between the association and the government over UTAG’s unpaid arrears.
There had been a marathon meeting between the government and UTAG on Thursday to resolve the grievances, attended by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffour.
It is the wish of the DAILY GRAPHIC that whatever decisions were arrived at in connection with addressing UTAG’s grievances and demands would be implemented to the letter to forestall any future industrial action by the lecturers.
Already, our public university students have lost three weeks in the first semester of this academic year and we hope nothing will be done to make the situation any worse.
Now that the lecturers have been promised their arrears, leading to industrial peace on our campuses, we would like to appeal to them to make up for lost time, so that our students are not short-changed.
Snippets of information gathered from the campuses indicate that there are pockets of aggrieved students who feel cheated by the fact that while the strike was on, foreign students were attending lectures.
We call on the authorities of the various universities to devise the appropriate strategies to assuage the fears among the student body that the period lost to the strike will be recovered, one way or another.
While commending both UTAG and the government for seeing eye to eye with each other to bring the impasse to an end, we would like to single out President John Evans Atta Mills for greater commendation for his timely intervention which led to the softening of the stance taken by UTAG on the issue.
The President’s decision to set up a committee to examine the lecturers’ demands brought the elements of transparency and fairness into the resolution of the matter and we thank His Excellency for displaying such astuteness.
Having said so, let us now turn attention to the strike by the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) which is still ongoing. Although we are aware of efforts to resolve that one too, we call on President Mills to step in quickly to end it sooner than later.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is of the belief that since education is the bedrock of development, the educational sector must not experience any turmoil that is likely to discourage our youth from pursuing education to the highest level possible.
While we are at it, we would like to say that the situation in most senior high schools (SHSs) is, to say the least, very regrettable.
The lack of both classrooms and dormitories has rendered first-year students and their parents uncomfortable. Scenes of freshers loitering or grouped under trees on the compounds of our SHSs are common, even when the students are supposed to be in class.
As for dormitory accommodation, the least said about it the better. The question is: If a fresher from Tamale who has gained admission to Achimota SHS cannot get boarding accommodation on the school compound, where should he or she stay?
The DAILY GRAPHIC suggests that if the government cannot provide the classrooms and dormitories in our SHSs, it could invite parents to help out. After all, the same parents help, in no small measure, in putting up magnificent edifices in private basic schools which, invariably, are privately owned.
All of us are stakeholders in the education of our youth and, in the view of the paper, no contribution will be too small in our collective bid to improve facilities in our public SHSs.

ACHIEVING THE MDGS (OCT 22, 2010)

2010-10-22T05:16:00.000-07:00

AT the beginning of the 21st Century, the United Nations and its member states committed themselves to what has now been accepted as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
These are: Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; Achieving universal primary education; Promoting gender equality and empowering women; Reducing child mortality; Improving maternal health; Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; Ensuring environmental sustainability; and Developing a global partnership for development.
Recent reports issued by the United Nations have showed that most developing countries lag behind in the achievement of the eight goals set by the United Nations.
Ghana is touted as making progress in four out of the eight MGDs, and indications are that the country could do better.
While the challenges may be daunting, the real issues relating to achieving the MGDs have got to do with political commitment and the will to pursue pro-poor policies as rightly stated by the former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
His call on African governments to sustain the political commitment and momentum towards achieving the MDGs could not have come at a better time.
It is a fact that the lack of political will and commitment to address issues of equity and fairness in favour of a large segment of our population who are vulnerable accounts for the situation where the African continent lags behind its development goals.
The DAILY GRAPHIC draws the attention to the implementation of social intervention policies such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the Free Maternal Care, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Free School Feeding Programme and the Free School Uniforms initiative as examples of the policies likely to make an impact in the lives of the ordinary people.
However, we wish to state that in most cases, such policies do not go far enough to the vulnerable people in society, while in some cases those who can afford such services become the beneficiaries of these policies.
The gap between the rural poor and urban centres in the country calls for policies that address the social needs of people in rural Ghana.
That is not to say the DAILY GRAPHIC is oblivious of the scary urban poverty imposed on us by rural-urban migration.
But the reality of Ghana’s economy is that majority of Ghanaians reside in rural Ghana. The extension of social services and interventions that have the potential to lift the lives of people in these areas is enormously essential.
The DAILY GRAPHIC observes that even in capitalist societies in the western world, social safety nets abound because of the governments’ social contract with the people from whom they have the power to govern.
One would say the comparison is too far-fetched, but we hesitate to add that such comparison gives us the opportunity not to re-invent the wheel when it comes to adopting pro-poor policies.
The call by Kofi Annan, at a high-level session on the MDGs organised by the United Nations Foundation in Accra yesterday, therefore, gives an indication that there is more job to be done, for which the government needs to adopt other innovative policies to deal with our challenges.
After all, governments are voted into power on the basis of a social contract with the electorate to improve the lives of the people who gave them the opportunity to manage the affairs of state for the mutual good.

BUDGET 2011 MUST ENSURE GROWTH (OCT 21, 2010)

2010-10-21T03:42:00.001-07:00

THE government has indicated its readiness to present the 2011 Budget to Parliament by November 30, in line with Article 179 (1) of the 1992 Constitution that requires that the financial statement and economic policy of the government be presented to Parliament a month before the end of the fiscal year.
The year 2011 is an interesting one, as it ushers the country into the league of oil-producing countries and marks the start of the implementation of a new medium-term development agenda of the government — the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) is at the same time rebasing the economy which, according to studies from many quarters, indicates the possibility of an enlarged Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that makes the economy larger, placing it into a middle-income status.
Although this year has been challenging, the government has managed to stabilise the economy, reducing inflation from the end-2008 figure of 18.1 per cent and 20.7 per cent in June 2009 to 9.38 per cent in September this year.
The exchange rate has experienced relative stability for the past 18 months and interest rates have fallen drastically from the region of 28 per cent at the end of 2008 to 21.2 per cent at the end of September, while gross international reserves have improved significantly from barely two months of import cover in June 2009 to over four months of import cover in September 2010.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that these commendable achievements should now be translated into tangible benefits for the expectant public. This is because for all this while that the stability has been pursued through austerity measures, growth, which creates employment and better standard of living, has been somewhat sacrificed, as the figures suggest. The economy achieved a 4.5 per cent growth rate in 2009, down from the 7.3 per cent at the end of 2008 when it was expected to achieve growth rates in the region of 6.5 per cent.
However, the paper takes a cue from assurances from the Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, that the economy was ready for growth to be achieved through the implementation of the 2011 Budget.
The budget, he said, would focus on agriculture, human resource development, oil and gas, among other areas, to create jobs and employment for the youth.
It is the view of the DAILY GRAPHIC that the policy of modernising agriculture should be pursued with all seriousness and efficiency to lend credence to the refrain that agriculture is the backbone of the economy.
Over the years, agriculture has contributed an average of 30 per cent to the GDP, at an average growth rate of 6.2 per cent, powered by the cocoa sub-sector. This trend needs to be reversed. The other sub-sectors of agriculture should be strengthened to enable the entire sector to attain its potential as the backbone of the economy.
The 2011 Budget needs to promote and give incentives for large commercial farming and continue the irrigation policy introduced in the budgets of 2009 and 2010.
The need to emphasise and concretely develop the agricultural sector is of paramount importance because the sector employs the greater chunk of Ghanaians and so improving the lot of farmers will mean dealing with poverty head on. This will also attract many youth into the sector.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on the government to use the 2011 Budget to drive agricultural growth to create jobs for the teaming youth in rural Ghana and stop their migration to the urban areas in search of non-existent jobs.

LET'S PREPARE FOR DISASTERS (OCT 20, 2010)

2010-10-20T05:20:00.001-07:00

IT is good news that we have enough water in the Volta Dam to help us meet our energy and other needs. However, it is equally distressing that communities downstream of the Volta River are in danger of being flooded when the Volta River Authority (VRA) begins spilling excess water from the dam within 10 days to avoid possible damage to the dam.
It will be the first time in 20 years that the VRA will be spilling water from the dam, which is the main source of hydroelectric power generation in the country. The maximum operating level of the dam is 278 feet, but the level as of Monday, October 18, 2010, was 274.80 feet.
A table from the Greater Accra Regional Disaster Management Team indicated that the water level, which had been 273.30 feet on Monday, October 11, 2010, had quickly risen to 274.80 feet by Monday, October 18, 2010, an indication that the dam was building up too fast and must be relieved of excess water.
From the emerging trends, the issues involved are very alarming and if the situation continues, the spillage cannot be avoided.
According to estimates by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the floods are likely to affect more than 177,000 people nation-wide. The prudent remedy is for those living around the watercourse to relocate. Unfortunately, this has been the problem defying solution.
The six regions which have communities either close to the Volta Lake or lying along the path of the lake are the Northern, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern and Volta. Some of the specific areas at the lower course of the lake and most likely to be affected are the Dangme East and West districts in the Greater Accra Region and the Afram Plains, which covers areas within the Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Volta regions.
According to NADMO and VRA sources, the places likely to be affected are Kete Krachie, Nkwanta, Kpando, the North and South Tongu districts in the Volta Region; Atebubu, Yeji and Kwame Danso in the Brong Ahafo Region; Damongo, Salaga and Bimbila in the Northern Region, among other towns and villages.
This brings up the issue of our disaster preparedness plan. Regrettably, over the years our country’s disaster preparedness plan has not been the best.
For instance, when the rains are about to come, we give promises of clearing choked drains, only to wait till the last hour when the rains eventually come and destroy everything. Recent events concerning the Bagre Dam spillage which caused deaths and loss of property attest to this.
This time around, however, the DAILY GRAPHIC hopes that enough action will be taken to contain the challenges. What is good is that we have been informed of the spillage well in advance. This requires that we take all the necessary steps and checks to avoid any disaster. We should be adequately prepared to face the challenges.
It is in this vein that the DAILY GRAPHIC would like to call for intensified public education involving opinion leaders in the affected districts to let the inhabitants prepare for any eventuality. It is equally instructive for the district chief executives (DCEs) for Dangme East and West and all the other DCEs whose areas will be affected to ensure that the inhabitants close to the lake, as well as those living downstream, relocate to safer areas before the spillage occurs.
The people need to know about the possible disaster and the urgent need for them to leave the area for safety grounds.
In the past, we dreaded load shedding as a result of low levels of water in the dam. That is why now that we have more water in the dam, it should not be a curse. Now that it has come out that the water level keeps rising, there is no option left for the VRA but to get some of the water out of the dam to save that important national asset.
Our sincere prayer is that the exercise should be incident-free. Our dear nation should not lose lives and property anytime we have water spillage from our dams or heavy downpours. Such disasters must surely be things of the past.

AFRICA NEEDS NEW IMAGE (OCT 19, 2010)

2010-10-19T03:24:00.001-07:00

AFRICA is classified as the poorest continent in the world. Out of the 75 least developed countries, 52 are in Africa. Illiteracy, hunger and disease have become the bane of the majority of the people.
This sad situation is a direct reflection of several factors, including political instability, conflicts, wars and leadership failure. The continent has a sad record of dictatorship, tyranny, abuse of human rights, corruption and maladministration.
Briefly put, Africa’s problems could be attributed to poor governance. The question is, how can the continent extricate itself from poverty and poor governance?
It was in response to how Africa could lift itself out of its predicament that nine years ago the leaders on the continent took a bold initiative to come up with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which captured the vision and strategic development framework for the continent.
A major component of NEPAD is the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), which enjoins member countries to adopt policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth and sustainable development through sharing of experiences and enforcement of best practices.
The APRM does not only underscore the new political will of African leaders but also challenges the citizenry and other stakeholders to act responsibly.
Ghana was the first African country to accede to the APRM and subject itself to be peer- reviewed by African leaders. Ever since, the country has continued to take steps to deepen the process of good governance and ensure best practices.
In spite of the modest successes achieved so far, there is still more room for improvement and nobody can run away from that.
Indeed, Vice-President John Mahama hit the nail right on the head when he told a two-day sub-regional conference on the APRM in Accra that “there cannot be accountability in Africa if there is a deliberate exclusion of the mass of the people from the governance process”.
The involvement of people in any endeavour is paramount to its success. Democracy, after all, is a system of government of the people by the people and for the people. The ultimate aim of any political system and good governance should be the benefit and welfare of the people.
Luckily, the government has made a conscious effort to involve citizens in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the various processes to achieve good governance. No doubt, the nation’s credentials in governance have won the admiration of the world at large.
However, there is still room for improvement. The challenges confronting the decentralisation process, especially the malfunctioning of the unit committees are all issues that need to be critically examined to give true meaning to our quest for good governance and broaden the base of political participation.
Having said so, the DAILY GRAPHIC urges other African countries, particularly those still in the dark days, to borrow a leaf from the modest gains made by our dear country and other progressive nations on the continent to involve the people in governance from the very grass roots and turn things around for the better in their respective countries.
In this time and age, it is sad and regrettable that so many African countries are still engulfed in wars, chaos and utter confusion, mainly from political blunders. The situation is certainly not good for the image of the continent, for it stalls any attempt to make significant progress.
Therefore, African leaders must put their act together and prosecute their mandate of ensuring the political and socio-economic well-being of their people.

AFRICA NEEDS NEW IMAGE (OCT 19, 2010)

2010-10-19T03:24:00.000-07:00

LET'S ALL ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM (OCT 18, 2010)

2010-10-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

REVERTING to the three-year senior high school programme, as promised by the government, has finally taken effect with its accompanying challenges.
Without going into the merits and demerits of the policy, all of us must acknowledge that any new programme or policy faces some teething challenges. In this particular case the main challenge has to do with classroom and dormitory accommodation.
That is why the DAILY GRAPHIC highly commends the various headmasters and their staff for putting into practice, one of the cardinal ingredients of teaching — improvisation.
Across the country, the headmasters and their staff are improvising to ensure that the students are accommodated for earnest work to begin.
Some schools have imposed heavy levies on freshers, which, according to these school authorities, are meant to be used to provide accommodation and other academic facilities.
Indeed, their attempt to improvise has brought in its wake certain developments that have elicited some criticisms. The loudest of the criticisms have perhaps come from the Ministry, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and some parents.
Is it not ironical that the very parents who paid huge sums of money to private school proprietors at the basic school level for infrastructure and maintenance tend to complain when they are to make similar payments at the senior high school level? In most cases, the payments they are asked to make are just a fraction of what they pay to private school proprietors at the basic level.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is tempted to ask whether it is because almost all the senior high schools are owned by the government. We think Ghanaians should be prepared to pay something little to provide or improve facilities in these schools, which are properties of the government, which we are all part of.
We also suggest that instead of the Ministry and the GES criticising and contemplating on applying sanctions against these schools, the schools should rather be encouraged for their initiative. What the Ministry of Education and the GES should do is to ensure that these additional payments are streamlined, controlled and monitored so that people do not take advantage of the situation to fill their pockets. The Mnistry and the GES should as well ensure that parents are not unnecessarily overburdened with financial commitments.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also thinks that all stakeholders — the senior high schools, the government through the Ministry of Education, the GES, parents, old students associations and teachers — should come together at this time and find innovative ways of addressing this challenge.
Having said so, we wish to remind the government to provide accommodation for teachers as well even as it is providing for students across the country. A number of educational policies have failed to yield the desired dividend because the most important stakeholder — the teacher — was not catered for.
Finally, we entreat Ghanaians, irrespective of political affiliation, to partake in addressing this temporary obstacle. Thereafter, we can give ourselves a pat on the back. After all, that is what nationalism is all about.

LABOUR FRONT NEEDS PEACE (OCT 16, 2010)

2010-10-17T07:21:00.001-07:00

THE labour front appears to be boiling these days as workers from various institutions are walking away from their jobs in protest against poor conditions of service.
Not too long ago, prison officers in some parts of the country surprised everyone when they embarked on a demonstration to register their dissatisfaction with the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
Before the nation could recover from the shock of their action, the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTOG) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) abandoned the lecture theatres to demand better conditions of service.
We have had cause to draw attention to the fact that the implementation of the SSSS would not be without some hiccups because the number of workers on government payroll is quite monumental and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) will require some time to deal with the issues.
We are aware of efforts by the government to deal with the conditions of service of all public sector workers through the SSSS, but listening to the concerns of teachers in our tertiary institutions, it appears that the authorities were a bit slow in reacting to their demands.
So long as our needs are insatiable, working people will continue to demand better wages and salaries in order to maintain themselves and their families. However, the bottom line is whether government resources will be able to meet the demands of public sector workers.
The tendency for working people to demand their “pound of flesh”, no matter the state of the economy, is also not good enough because nation-building is a partnership between the government and the governed.
In circumstances like this, it is common for working people to point to certain government expenditures, but they forget that the salaries of workers form part of the recurrent expenditure of the government and that requires that money is available throughout the year to take care of wages.
Successive governments have called for a national debate on a national minimum wage for the country but this has not been successful so far. The SSSS was, therefore, conceived as a way of addressing the disparities and distortions in salary administration in the country, but recent agitation for improved salaries gives the impression that some working people do not think the SSSS holds the key to addressing their concerns.
We recall that on World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2010, the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, said although teachers had bargaining power to demand higher salaries, they should be mindful of budgetary constraints and limitations on the government.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is concerned about the plight of working people in this country and, therefore, calls on the government to step up efforts at bettering the lot of all working people.
All workers, especially members of UTAG and POTAG who have left their lecture theatres, should rescind their decision following the intervention of President J.E.A. Mills.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also appeals to all the parties involved in the current impasse over improved conditions of service to remain committed to the negotiating table and stay there until a solution is found. The parties must also bear in mind that the moment they decide to negotiate, they must be prepared for compromises so that the outcome will be to the mutual benefit of both parties.
The current turmoil on the labour front will not be to the advantage of any of the parties and, indeed, Ghanaians as a whole and we plead with all of them to let good judgement prevail for the sake of our children who are in the universities and the polytechnics, as well as Mother Ghana.

TH CARNAGE MUST STOP (OCT 15, 2010)

2010-10-15T07:11:00.001-07:00

RECENT developments on our roads have become a cause for concern, especially among the motoring and travelling public. Though it appears that the spate of accidents has reduced, the level of fatalities and injuries is on the ascendancy.
The statistics from January to September this year indicate that 9,997 accidents were recorded nation-wide, out of which 1,333 deaths were recorded, while 9,628 people were seriously injured.
Speaking at the National Police Command Conference in Accra yesterday, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu, hit the nail right on the head when he said the country was increasingly gaining notoriety for the upsurge in the figures of road accidents, pointing out that “the earlier we push harder in finding a lasting solution to the problem, the better it will be for all of us”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that stakeholders at the National Police Command Conference decided to dedicate part of their time to deliberate on the menace of road accidents and how to control or eliminate them.
We cannot agree more with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, that the provision of requisite resources and equipment, the allocation of realistic budget for road safety activities and improvement in road safety service delivery mechanisms must be given national priority.
It is no secret that the police and the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) are ill-equipped to deal with the challenges that hamper safety on our roads. Although these institutions are hampered in the performance of their duties, some road accidents occur because officials of these institutions fail to act or encourage drivers to continue to infringe on road traffic regulations.
It is also no secret that personnel of these institutions extort money from the motoring public, instead of enforcing the regulations and making sure that those who breach the regulations are punished to serve as a deterrent to others.
However, since it is on record that many of the accidents on our roads are due to human error, it is imperative that the authorities target their campaign towards behavioural change. For instance, public education on a regular basis should help to discourage drivers from unnecessary speeding, unnecessary overtaking and parking at unauthorised places.
Some fatal accidents occur on our roads because certain drivers decide to leave their faulty vehicles on the roads without the necessary signs to warn other motorists of the danger ahead of them.
Other drivers too are fond of driving under the influence of alcohol, thereby putting their own lives and those of their passengers at risk. The crusade to rid the road of carnage must be a collective one because some passengers also contribute to accidents by encouraging drivers to over speed in order to get to their destinations early, forgetting the popular axiom, “IT IS BETTER TO BE LATE THAN BECOME THE LATE MR/MADAM X”.
We recall that when road accidents became common occurrences last year, the authorities put in place highway patrol teams to instil order on the roads, but it appears that intervention has not made any meaningful impact.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on the police, the NRSC, the Ministry of Road and Highways to go back to the drawing board to devise means of halting the carnage on our roads. But this cannot be achieved without the active support of all road transport operators, especially the Ghana Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA), the Co-operative Transport Society and other transport organisations.
What we must all realise is that the carnage on our roads affects productivity and is also a huge drain on the national economy and we will be better off if we pool our resources to fight it.

AGRIC DESERVES EVERY PUSH (OCT 14, 2010)

2010-10-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

GHANA’S economy is largely agrarian, accounting for about 60 per cent of the workforce, especially in rural Ghana. From all indications, the agricultural sector will continue to play a key role in the economy for some time to come.
Over the past years, however, the growth of the agricultural sector in terms of its contribution to the economy has not been very encouraging.
However, year in and year out, our political leaders profess that that sector is the pivot around which our economy revolves, without providing the necessary logistics to leap-frog the sector to its proper place in the national economic scheme.
Happily, Vice-President John Mahama has attributed the country’s current economic successes to the government’s prudent policies and investments in agriculture which have, to a large extent, helped in bringing down inflation and stabilising other economic indicators.
For the DAILY GRAPHIC, the Veep’s comments only go to buttress the point we have had cause to elaborate time without number that a comprehensive strategy in the agricultural sector has the potential to lift the economy from its dependence syndrome.
By a comprehensive policy, we mean a programme that addresses the challenges from the land tenure system through planting to the value chain processes that deliver value for money. This is exactly what our dear nation needs.
The example of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) which is to address the challenges in the agricultural sector and also serve as a model for dealing with this sector cannot be lost on us.
Certainly, the challenges in this sector are enormous, but they can be surmounted. The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that it takes more than political will and passion to support the agricultural sector to be at the forefront of our economic recovery programme.
It is not that the politicians and policy makers do not know the answers to these challenges; it is the enormity of the challenges that seems to defy solution.
But the solution lies in pragmatic policies that can change the status quo, so that the challenges can be seen as opportunities to promote growth in the agricultural sector.
The linkages of the agricultural sector to industrialisation, employment generation, economic development and sustainable growth are such that any government committed to the development of its people will fully commit itself to pursuing the right policies to overcome our dependence on donors.
It is also important to establish a fund that supports the agricultural sector to deliver on its mandate of providing food at all times for Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the government to put a ring around some of the donor funds which can be channelled through specific banks for on-lending to those interested in farming.
Our continuous dependence on the hoe and the cutlass, which in our context is euphemistic for peasant farming, cannot hold the key to increased agricultural production.
The youth of the country are drifting to the cities in droves because there are no attractions in the countryside to motivate them to take over from our ageing farmers. The courageous ones who brave the odds are regularly confronted by an unfriendly land tenure system, lack of credit and late delivery of inputs, resulting in poor yields from their toils.
The Daily Graphic is convinced that until these challenges are addressed, our country will continue to beg for food handouts from even countries that don’t have arable lands.
We should bear in mind that our esteem is reduced in the comity of nations so long as we continue to beg others to feed us. We have the capacity to produce to feed ourselves and even export the surplus and so it is about time the necessary interventions were put in place to change the impression that we cannot feed ourselves.

PINEAPPLE TRADE MUST NOT DIE (OCT 13, 2010)

2010-10-13T03:47:00.001-07:00

The Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) sector has seen increases in revenue in recent times. From a mere US$400 million in 1999, it rose to about US$1.4 billion at the end of 2009.
The sector’s growing significance has boosted the economy, especially in terms of foreign exchange earnings.
Pineapple was a key feature of the NTEs until 2005, when the MD2 variety from Costa Rica, which is yellowish in colour and also has a longer shelf life, nearly wiped away Ghana’s smooth Cayenne, especially from the European market.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recollects efforts in the past that led to a support of US$ 2 million to the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) and the Sea Freight Pineapple Exporters of Ghana (SPEG).
This support was to buy the suckers, which were then sent to South Africa to test the authenticity of the products. The efforts by the government yielded some positive results, which the exporters praised highly.
At a point, our research institutions developed the suckers for the country to support the sector to enable it to compete favourably on the world market.
The question then is: What has happened thereafter? The news that pineapple export has witnessed a decline of about 60 per cent in export volumes at the end of last year (as reported elsewhere) is very worrying indeed.
But the problems of the horticultural sector of the NTEs go far beyond the change in taste and preferences of our main markets. The problem, the DAILY GRAPHIC believes, has got to do with structures, procedures and regulatory requirements covering this very important sector of the economy.
Today, any Tom, Dick and Harry with a small briefcase of Ghana cedis can just plant, harvest and export most NTE products without being controlled by any regulatory framework.
The nature of smallholding farming in the country and the unwillingness of such smallholders to co-ordinate their activities in this crucial sector to give value for money have contributed, rather immensely, to the mess in which the country currently finds itself.
Today, yam exports have overtaken pineapple as the leader in the horticultural exports, but the DAILY GRAPHIC can predict that the yam exports will suffer the same fate as the pineapple sector, if the same lackadaisical attitude to business is pursued.
Indeed, the DAILY GRAPHIC is worried that the government’s projection of US$5 billion worth of exports in the next five years will be a mirage if steps are not taken to address the challenges facing the NTEs sector.
We, therefore, suggest and very strongly too that the government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry and sector agencies, must quickly draw up the legal requirements that must govern all exports under the NTEs.
Again, every exporter must be made to register with the GEPC and their licence renewed every year to ensure that the wheat is separated from the chaff.
In this global village, where businesses strive on information and timely delivery of services, individuals must not be allowed to do things anyhow, especially when it comes to exports.
The government has an active role to play in this sector. The potential of the NTEs to bring about the hard-earned foreign exchange to shore up the government’s external reserves, as well as improve the economic well-being of the rural folks, in particular, is tremendous.
Let the GEPC take the bull by the horns and crack the whip to make all exporters fall in line. However, in doing that we must not create the impression that Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises are not welcomed. Rather, they should be supported to grow and contribute their quota to the Better Ghana agenda.

LET'S GO BEYOND THIS LAND GRAB (OCT 12, 2010)

2010-10-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

THERE is no doubt about the fact that land, which is listed as one of the factors of production, is an indispensable asset necessary for human existence.
Indeed, such is its overwhelming importance that without it no productive activity, on the strength of which any wealth can be generated to sustain society, can be undertaken.
Ethnic and regional groupings and nations acting individually and collectively have waged war on account of disputes over land and what is contained in it.
This is why any nation and people who aspire to become a developed, independent, sovereign and prosperous nation would not only hold land dear to its heart but also consciously craft a progressive policy for its acquisition and use.
It is no secret that this was the philosophy behind the decision of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the Founder of this Republic, to acquire large tracts of land across the length and breadth of the country in the early days of the life of the nation and later.
Regrettably, in the recent past we have, under various guises, witnessed the subversion of this good intent and the massive expropriation of the state of these lands and their appropriation by state officials, their relatives, friends, acquaintances and cronies.
Indeed, this has ignited what many label as ‘land grab’ via officialdom or the scramble for state lands with official blessing and support.
We find it ironic that in the face of this development, the government has had to contend with a huge land deficit to prosecute its development agenda and has many a time had to resort to other means to obtain land for developmental purposes at a prohibitive cost.
It is worthy of note to point out that many political appointees, top civil and public servants and workers whose labour, toil and sacrifice have kept the nation going cannot be housed by the state largely on account of this retrogressive action.
In areas in Accra such as Ridge, Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, La, etc, public servants who have had to contend with low salaries and conditions of service over the years have had to be ejected to make way for these beneficiaries, some of who are reported to have already sold these lands they bought so cheaply at between 40 and 50 times what they paid to the state, if, indeed, they paid at all.
We are aware that there are regulations in this country which enjoin the state to return lands no longer needed for the purposes for which they were acquired to their original owners, at least as a matter of first instance.
This accords with equity, the principles of justice and fairness in a democratic system worth its salt.
Already, in areas such as Accra, this ‘land grab’ has ignited tension and conflict and given birth to indigenous groupings such as the Ga Dangme Association vowing to wage a relentless struggle for the repossession of their lands and thus posing a serious threat to the peace, order and stability of the nation.
It is on account of this and other unhealthy developments arising from this ‘land grab’ that we applaud the government for halting this unhealthy measure in the name of the redevelopment of the capital.
According to the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the system had been so massively abused that the government had to intervene to remedy the situation (see fronts page).
We find it unacceptable that those who have made all the name and money on the back of public service and are in positions to buy land outside the domain of the state are the very ones grabbing these lands which could be developed for the benefit of millions of public servants and other working people.
Given that the government had made this a campaign promise, we urge that this net be expanded as wide as possible to ensure that all those who have abused the measure are made to return the lands and measures put in place to prevent its recurrence in the future.

RESTRUCTURE POLICE SERVICE (OCT 11, 2010)

2010-10-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

With the beginning of the drilling of oil in this country, possibly in November or December, there is going to be a lot of people coming into the country.
We should anticipate that all manner of people — the good and the bad — will be coming.
It is in line with this that we must now start thinking and taking adequate measures to strengthen or restructure our police service to cope with the maintenance of law and order in the country.
There is the perception that the nature and the psychology of our constabulary are not to the level that can cope with the criminal activities that would come with the booming oil industry and economy.
The functions of our police service as stated in the Police Service Act 1970 (Act 350) are as follows:
Crime detection and prevention;
Arrest and prosecution of offenders;
Maintenance of law and order; and
Due enforcement of the law.
But we know for a fact that the police are not adequately performing these functions.
From their functions the police are entrusted with the responsibility for the maintenance of public order and prevention and detection of crimes.
They are empowered to enforce the law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in the country.
Even though their motto is Service with Integrity, we do not often see them performing their service with integrity.
Our policemen and women do not exude the confidence that they have the law backing them, and as such people do not recognise them.
It is about time we did something about our police service.
We should start looking at the calibre of people we enlist into the Service.
The entry point into the service should be changed to allow people with tertiary education or qualification to be enlisted as constables.
Of course, the training programme should lay more emphasis on subjects like Human Psychology, Rudiments of Law, Management, Social Sciences, Physical Training and Martial Arts.
The police uniform itself must be changed to give our policemen and women a look that would exude confidence and elicit respect from the citizenry.
The conditions of service of the police should be looked into to reflect modern policing.
These changes must start as soon as practicable because the reality is that in a few months the social life of this country is going to change and we will need a modern police service to deal with its attendant social problems.
We should not forget what happened in Nigeria during her oil boom in the mid-1970s when all sorts of criminal activities reared their ugly heads in that country.
The country had to form a para-military police – the Mobile Police – to deal with the criminal gangs that sprang there.
We should not wait for that to happen but start to restructure our police service to meet whatever comes up when we start drilling the oil in commercial quantities.

THIS POLICY MUST WORK (OCT 9, 2010)

2010-10-10T08:34:00.001-07:00

THE successful participation of every country in international trade is dependent, to a large extent, on the ability of its policy advisers to negotiate favourable terms of trade with its development partners within the context of the country’s priorities.
Every country wants the best for its people, and so at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and regional groupings, the capacity to negotiate would go a long way to influence a country’s development agenda.
As a result, every country has put together its trade policy. For a developing country such as Ghana, the priority of such a trade policy will obviously hinge on industrialisation.
The reason for this is not far-fetched. Industrialisation is the surest way for a third world country like Ghana, wishing to break the back of poverty, to pursue because of its linkages to poverty reduction, employment generation, higher standard of living, revenue generation, savings and investments, among other interventions.
Therefore, the news of Cabinet approval of a new industrialisation policy must be one that groups such as the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Association of Ghanaian Industries, in particular, will be interested in and desirous of taking advantage of.
The DAILY GRAPHIC notes that this is not the first time an industrial policy has been approved by the Cabinet and, certainly, it would not be the last of.
Considering, however, the evolution of world trade, the challenges of technology and our oil find, a new industrialisation policy that takes stock of the challenges of the industrial sector and provides some concrete relief to ensure the rapid development of the country is the ideal.
The DAILY GRAPHIC has on numerous occasions reported the distress call by the textile and garment industry, in particular, and many other sectors concerning unfair trade practices that have nearly crippled the once vibrant industrial sector of this country.
Much too often, it is only when the situation has worsened that action seems to be taken, albeit piecemeal solutions instead of resolute ones.
If, as announced by the Trade Minister, the key development objectives of the industrialisation policy are to expand productive employment and technological capacity in the manufacturing sector and promote agro-based industrial development, among other issues, then the new policy must be radical in thinking, and innovative in implementation.
Currently, industry is reeling under intense pressure from cheap foreign products imported under very unscrupulous circumstances.
The DAILY GRAPHIC therefore, believes that if the proposal of moving the country to a middle-income status in the shortest possible time is to be achieved, then the country needs an industrial policy that will provide some reprieve for industry with all the seriousness one could imagine.
We are convinced that the industrialisation policy is comprehensive enough and tackles issues of planning very seriously. This is with regard to government policy, such as the recent increases in utility tariffs without the proper consultations with industry, which nearly brought some industries to their knees.
An industrialisation policy that has short, medium and long-term objectives and which would not be the subject of political “football” when there is a change of government is what this country needs.
After all, industry and the government have a common goal; that is, to provide jobs and steady incomes for the people, while creating value for shareholder funds, the returns on which are re-invested in the economy.
It is about time the industrial sector was put in its rightful position in the national economic scheme to develop the Better Ghana Agenda. Anything short of that could be disastrous for our dear nation.

LET'S SUSTAIN PEACE IN BAWKU (OCT 8, 2010)

2010-10-08T04:50:00.001-07:00

THOUGH Bawku has enjoyed relative peace over the past five months, the shooting incident that rocked the municipality last Sunday leaves much to be desired.
Many organisations, including the Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee (BIEPC), have already condemned the incident and described it as the work of isolated individuals bent on disrupting the prevailing peace in the area.
Though this latest incident is not related to the protracted ethnic conflict in the area but a criminal act whose motive is yet to be established, it is still worrying and calls for national concern.
The Daily Graphic would like to remind the people of Bawku that nobody can bring peace to the area except they the good people of Bawku themselves.
While the Bawku conflict generally needs a concerted national solution, it primarily requires the people of Bawku to be prepared not to condone crime but expose the criminals living in their midst and fomenting trouble.
Undoubtedly, the activities of those who do not want the area to develop in peace are very detrimental when weighed against the huge chunk of revenue and resources the government spends on conflicts.
Working relentlessly to restore permanent peace in the area will not come easy, but with a united front, the guns can fall permanently silent.
Since the youth constitute the bulk of the country's workforce, they must show concern for the challenges facing Bawku which are impeding development efforts there. The youth of Bawku must, therefore, galvanise their energies towards productive ventures that will promote peace and facilitate the socio-economic development of the area.
Since the escalation of the conflict in December 2007, it has been very difficult for many pupils and students in the area to carry on with their academic activities which have frequently been interrupted by a resurgence in the conflict.
In a situation of conflict, it is not easy for children to study in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, even when teachers agree to risk their lives to go to school to teach.
It is, therefore, imperative for the residents of Bawku and its environs to let the peace being enjoyed be an everlasting one.
In this regard, the Daily Graphic would like to appeal to all and sundry to help maintain and sustain peace in Bawku
Following last Sunday’s shooting incident, three persons have been arrested and four deadly weapons — two AK 47 assault rifles, two G3 assault rifles, six empty AK 47 magazines and three G3 empty magazines — as well as half a gallon of Rangoon oil for servicing the weapons, have been retrieved. The three — a Frafra and two Bissas — are currently assisting the police in their investigations.
While the Daily Graphic would like to commend the security personnel for the prompt action they took that led to the arrest of the suspects when the shooting started last Sunday, it is our hope that those who were arrested will be quickly arraigned to serve as a deterrent to others.
The peace currently prevailing in Bawku must be maintained at all cost and this requires the police to be on the alert at all times. They must also guard against the misuse of their weapons. While it is good to establish a good relationship with the people of Bawku, the police should be wary of taking sides or being seen to be taking sides, as that could mar the peace efforts.
The security forces must do everything possible to ensure that last Sunday’s incident does not throw the area into any more chaos. Indeed, they must ensure that calm and peace in Bawku are maintained, in spite of the sporadic shooting in the area last Sunday.
Peace is an essential ingredient that is required to preserve humanity. Peace-building also calls for consistent and co-ordinated efforts from all stakeholders. There is, therefore, the need for everyone to think, speak and teach peace.

MAKE ASSEMBLY POLLS SUCCESSFUL (OCT 7, 2010)

2010-10-08T03:56:00.000-07:00

AT long last the Electoral Commission (EC) has fixed December 28 as the date for the election of assembly members at the district level.
Though belated, the delay has presented an opportunity for all stakeholders to reflect on the need to re-examine elections at the local level and also reform the decentralisation process.
Local level representation and Ghana’s decentralisation process have been hailed as two of the best concepts and they have attracted other African countries to come and study them.
Interesting, however, is the issue of the vacuum to be created as a result of the delay in the holding of the district assembly elections, as current assembly members’ term of office ends this month.
This, obviously, will pose a challenge for the assemblies all over the country. This is because Article 241 Clause 3 of the 1992 Constitution stipulates: “Subject to this Constitution, the district assemblies shall be the highest political authority at the district level and shall have deliberative, legislative and executive powers.”
Thus the work of the assemblies, as per the performance of their legislative and deliberative functions, will be hampered.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that while this development will pose some administrative challenges for the assemblies, it provides this country an opportunity to re-examine the executive powers of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), especially within the context of the election of MMDCEs.
It is the hope of the DAILY GRAPHIC that this challenge does not provide opportunities for MMDCEs to award contracts during the brief period of the absence of assembly members.
Again, the DAILY GRAPHIC revisits the pledges made by the government to make the position of MMDCEs elective. We believe the time is ripe, as the Constitutional Review Committee undertakes the exercise of collating views in the hope of amending the Constitution.
If the country aims at entrenching its democracy, especially at the district and unit levels, one sure way of achieving that feat is to give the citizenry the opportunity to have a say in who becomes their representative.
The DAILY GRAPHIC again calls for a conscious effort to attract more women to contest this year’s assembly elections.
We also hasten to call on the security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities. Although the assembly elections are meant to be non-partisan, word on the ground is contrary to that view.
The DAILY GRAPHIC takes the opportunity to wish all aspirants well in the coming elections. We pray that their electioneering would be devoid of pettiness.
We also remind them that the call to duty to serve the nation is a noble one for which anyone granted that rare opportunity must be thankful and dedicate himself or herself to the work at hand.
Much too often, people go into public office only to amass wealth. We urge the electorate to shun such people whose sole aim of standing for elections is to fill their pockets, at the expense of national service.

TEACHERS, 'AYEKOO' (OCT 6, 2010)

2010-10-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

YESTERDAY, 84 teachers were presented awards in 17 categories under the National Best Teacher Awards scheme instituted by the government in 1994.
Two things are worthy of note here — the magnitude of the awards and the theme for this year’s awards, which is: “Recovery Begins with Teachers”.
Generally, awards recognise best performance and spur on both the awardees and others in a certain profession or any other group to do more.
On this score, we commend the government for improving on the Best Teacher Awards scheme to the point of giving the overall best teacher, since 2005, a handsome amount of money to put up a house at a place of his or her choice. It started from GH¢30,000 and within a relatively short period it has been raised to GH¢60,000. This is really significant and a worthy gesture from the government.
Looking at the theme, it is obvious that the “driving” word is “recovery”. Dictionaries will give you more than one definition for “recovery”, but the one which will fit any debate or discussion on the theme is “retrieve or make up for a loss, setback, etc”. (The Concise Oxford Dictionary)
If those who adopted the theme agree with us, then we can say that “recovery” implies formal education which can take place only when teachers are available, willing and ready to teach.
Every society depends on education for progress because in today’s global village where knowledge explodes or increases every now and then, many of us would lose track of most of the things happening around us. This way, we lose a lot that must be retrieved or made up for.
We cannot help losing some of the things happening now to retrieve them later. Our ability to read and write and to make meaning out of figures is the only skill that helps us to retrieve.
And the ability to retrieve calls for an educational system that has all the basic facilities that stand teachers in a good stead to do the “recovery”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, wishes to appeal to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, the two main government bodies which are in charge of education in the country, teacher organisations such as GNAT, NAGRAT and CHASS, student bodies, churches and parents, as well as individual teachers and students, to play their respective roles to improve education in the country.
The current situation where a greater percentage of the products of basic education, particularly those from the public schools, can neither read nor construct even single sentences, whether in speech or writing, should prick the conscience of teachers to assess their own performance.
A good, dedicated and caring teacher must be the one who helps his students to acquire the skills with which they can also recover and even go beyond to discover. We should remember that the untrained mind is a great disaster to any nation and most of the blame for the inability of school leavers to express knowledge should be borne by teachers.
But it is only when all stakeholders in education play their roles as is expected of them that we can say with all the confidence that, indeed, “recovery begins with teachers”.
That, we dare say, is the bottom line and we must all be ready and willing to play our respective roles with distinction to move education in the country forward.

SAVE ODAW PROJECT (OCT 5, 2010)

2010-10-05T03:23:00.001-07:00

THE beauty of every city in the world is measured not only in terms of the number of high-rise buildings and the provision of street lights but also how water bodies are utilised to derive the most benefit in terms of health and sanitation.
It was with this in mind that over a decade ago our development partners supported us with huge resources to carry out the Odaw development project.
Characteristic of our inertia, the drain, completed over a decade ago, has been left to go waste, with silted sand, garbage and weeds.
It is, therefore, no wonder that (as reported elsewhere) our development partners are unwilling to support the country in constructing further drains in the capital to ease the perennial floods in the city.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is saddened that the Odaw project that has the potential to create a serene atmosphere for residents of the capital city is yet to be fully realised.
The challenge involving squatters along the drain is a major one which cannot be wished away. This is because of the United Nations’ position on the status of squatters and the enforcement of laws that will be to the disadvantage of the vulnerable in society.
Thankfully, the situation is not a totally bad case. The DAILY GRAPHIC expects state authorities whose mandate it is to oversee this project to do whatever it takes to revive this project to assure our development partners that it can be done.
The quantum of funds sunk into this project cannot be allowed to go down the drain just because people tasked with this work have thrown up their hands in despair.
The potential of the project to create job opportunities, provide healthy surroundings and recreational edifice for many residents of Accra should spur the authorities on to pursue this project with all the vigour it deserves.
The construction of a 7.2km canal from Abossey Okai to the Tema Motorway will not only be a befitting monument for the status of Accra as a Millennium City but also, more important, position the country as one of the eco-friendly places on earth and thereby attract tourists.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, cautions that should we fail to undertake this project with the zeal that it deserves, the Odaw River will slowly die as a result of the heavy pollution it has seen in recent times.
We acknowledge that dealing with the squatters will be a difficult endeavour. However, with tact and careful planning, that problem can be overcome to pave the way for work to resume on the project.
This project cannot be left for the government alone to handle; civil society groups and the entire citizenry must be part of the solution to the problem.
It is crucial. Let us save the Odaw project now.