Front Page: Wednesday, September 24, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, has attributed cases involving political conflict in some parts of the country to the wayward behaviour of some political event organisers.
He has, therefore, challenged political parties and their leaders to stick to their schedule of programmes to avoid the recurring violence in the ongoing electioneering.
The IGP also appealed to the followers of political parties, particularly the youth among them, to learn to comport themselves during political events.
Mr Acheampong, who, together with the Director-General of Police Operations, DCOP Patrick Timbillah, and other officers, spoke to the Daily Graphic yesterday, said any time organisers of political events went against their scheduled programmes, it often resulted in conflicts.
The IGP and his officers from the Ghana Police Service were commenting on the recurring political violence between supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Acheampong said because the police were often not informed of those events which brought about the conflicts, it often created challenges for security personnel.
He said if the youth comported themselves in their interactions, there would always be peace.
He explained that the leadership of the various political parties interacted frequently without any problems, but anytime their followers were involved, there was trouble.
Mr Acheampong said what was surprising was that prior to the electioneering, the youth interacted at both formal and informal levels without conflicts.
For his part, DCOP Timbillah urged political parties to abide by the code of conduct they had all agreed upon to sanitise the electioneering, adding that if they did not abide by their own code of conduct, it would be difficult for the police to compel them to live by it.
Throwing more light on the Public Order Act, Ac 491, Superintendent Zakaria Dudimah said the police could only advise that political parties should not hold semi-events after their main fora for which permission had been granted by the law.
He explained that the law did not indicate the specific time for the close of special events and that the only occasions when the police could refuse the holding of special events at certain places were when the areas had been identified as flash points.
Supt Dudimah said if organisers or patrons of special events went outside the purview of their programmes, the law would deal with them as it would to other citizens.
He said the framers of the law could not have foreseen such violence, saying that explained why the law was silent on rallies held in the night.
Supt Dudimah said politicians must, however, look beyond the law and act in good faith and organise their activities between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, DSP Kwesi Ofori, said the abrupt holding of mini rallies on the way to scheduled places must be reconsidered by the political parties.
He said it made it difficult for the police to be in firm control of events in terms of protecting the leaders and the followers of political parties, as well as ward off any untoward event.
“These dotted spots on the way to planned destinations should be looked at carefully,” he added.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
OIL BOOM * 100 US scholarships for petro-chemical industry
Front Page: Tuesday, September 23, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE US Government has agreed to offer scholarship to Ghanaians to train in the petro-chemical industry in three states in the United States of America (USA).
The programme, which will be conducted at the Masters degree level in universities in those states, will enrol 100 students to begin with from January next year.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that the deal was clinched during the recent State Visit of President J. A. Kufuor to Washington, D.C.
The minister, who was part of the government delegation to the USA, said on his return home that the training programme was part of the US government’s support for the country in its preparation towards the drilling of oil in the country.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the graduate programme was geared towards building the manpower base before the drilling of the oil in 2010.
He said under the programme, accounting and legal staff would also be trained in readiness for the oil boom.
He said the duration of the programme would be between one-and-half years and two years and indicated that although the exact number to be trained would be worked out later, the programme would be rolled on to enable as many people benefit from the petro-chemical-engineering field.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng explained that the government had wished to begin the programme this month but that was not possible because contact with the universities in Texas, Oklahoma and California would take some time.
He noted that hopefully the programme would take off after the mid-semester holidays in January next year.
The minister said the government was grateful to the US government for the support and expressed optimism that the programme would help Ghana to have the optimum number of personnel to man Ghana’s oil industry.
He said a Cabinet sub-committee would be formed to work out the modalities, with support from technocrats in the public service.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the technical team would work out very clear guidelines and criteria for the selection of applicants for the programme.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE US Government has agreed to offer scholarship to Ghanaians to train in the petro-chemical industry in three states in the United States of America (USA).
The programme, which will be conducted at the Masters degree level in universities in those states, will enrol 100 students to begin with from January next year.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, told the Daily Graphic that the deal was clinched during the recent State Visit of President J. A. Kufuor to Washington, D.C.
The minister, who was part of the government delegation to the USA, said on his return home that the training programme was part of the US government’s support for the country in its preparation towards the drilling of oil in the country.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the graduate programme was geared towards building the manpower base before the drilling of the oil in 2010.
He said under the programme, accounting and legal staff would also be trained in readiness for the oil boom.
He said the duration of the programme would be between one-and-half years and two years and indicated that although the exact number to be trained would be worked out later, the programme would be rolled on to enable as many people benefit from the petro-chemical-engineering field.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng explained that the government had wished to begin the programme this month but that was not possible because contact with the universities in Texas, Oklahoma and California would take some time.
He noted that hopefully the programme would take off after the mid-semester holidays in January next year.
The minister said the government was grateful to the US government for the support and expressed optimism that the programme would help Ghana to have the optimum number of personnel to man Ghana’s oil industry.
He said a Cabinet sub-committee would be formed to work out the modalities, with support from technocrats in the public service.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng said the technical team would work out very clear guidelines and criteria for the selection of applicants for the programme.
Security Task Force assures political parties
Page 53: Monday, September 22, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Greater Accra Regional Elections Security Task Force has assured all political parties and the electorate that it will be fair, firm and transparent in its work before, during and after the December elections.
It said the regional task force would hold a series of fora with the political parties to address their concerns and also collaborate with them to ensure peaceful elections.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) James Oppong-Boanuh, who is also the chairman of the task force, gave the assurance yesterday when the task force held its second meeting to discuss its strategies and how it would work with all stakeholders in this year’s elections.
Other members of the task force are the Tema Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor; the regional crime officers for Accra and Tema, representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Prisons Service and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).
The rest are the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council, the regional directors of the Electoral Commission (EC), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD).
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said the task force would ensure that at every given moment there was peace and that the security of the elections was guaranteed.
He said an educational campaign was crucial in the work of the task force, hence its decision to engage representatives of political parties to deliberate on issues of concern to all the stakeholders.
He said the task force was a non-partisan body and would, therefore, be fair, firm and transparent in all its deliberations with the stakeholders.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said the task force had identified all the flash points from different perspectives and had mapped up appropriate strategies to deal with them.
“We can assure all the electorate in the region that there will be adequate security before, during and after the elections. All cases that will be reported to us will be speedily investigated and any person found culpable will be dealt with,” he stated.
He advised against making phone calls to radio stations with unverified information which could inflame passions.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said anyone with information on any electoral malpractice should call the task force for it to deal with the problem.
He said it was important that people did not take the law into their own hands, since that was not the way to resolve disputes.
He called on Ghanaians to support the task force by providing relevant information to it for speedy investigations.
On whether private security personnel would be enrolled to support in the work of the security agencies, DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said private security firms did not have any role to play in the elections.
He said private security personnel would, however, continue with their normal guard duties at residences and institutions where they were already providing services.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Greater Accra Regional Elections Security Task Force has assured all political parties and the electorate that it will be fair, firm and transparent in its work before, during and after the December elections.
It said the regional task force would hold a series of fora with the political parties to address their concerns and also collaborate with them to ensure peaceful elections.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) James Oppong-Boanuh, who is also the chairman of the task force, gave the assurance yesterday when the task force held its second meeting to discuss its strategies and how it would work with all stakeholders in this year’s elections.
Other members of the task force are the Tema Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor; the regional crime officers for Accra and Tema, representatives from the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Prisons Service and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).
The rest are the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council, the regional directors of the Electoral Commission (EC), the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD).
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said the task force would ensure that at every given moment there was peace and that the security of the elections was guaranteed.
He said an educational campaign was crucial in the work of the task force, hence its decision to engage representatives of political parties to deliberate on issues of concern to all the stakeholders.
He said the task force was a non-partisan body and would, therefore, be fair, firm and transparent in all its deliberations with the stakeholders.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said the task force had identified all the flash points from different perspectives and had mapped up appropriate strategies to deal with them.
“We can assure all the electorate in the region that there will be adequate security before, during and after the elections. All cases that will be reported to us will be speedily investigated and any person found culpable will be dealt with,” he stated.
He advised against making phone calls to radio stations with unverified information which could inflame passions.
DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said anyone with information on any electoral malpractice should call the task force for it to deal with the problem.
He said it was important that people did not take the law into their own hands, since that was not the way to resolve disputes.
He called on Ghanaians to support the task force by providing relevant information to it for speedy investigations.
On whether private security personnel would be enrolled to support in the work of the security agencies, DCOP Oppong-Boanuh said private security firms did not have any role to play in the elections.
He said private security personnel would, however, continue with their normal guard duties at residences and institutions where they were already providing services.
Fleeing cocaine suspect injured* 2 others in custody.
Front Page: Saturday, September 20, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 31-year-old man, David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine outside the country jumped from the first floor of the Departure Hall of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to escape arrest.
The suspect, who was fleeing from operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) after he had been invited by them, received multiple fractures on his left thigh as a result of the heavy fall on the ground floor of the main airport building.
He is currently on admission at the 37 Military Hospital receiving treatment and the doctors say he will be there for the next 10 weeks.
Two other suspects, Daniel Mensah, 23, and Frank Amoako, 37, who were arrested later are in custody pending further investigations.
The three suspects have together expelled a total of 199 pellets of the drug.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that about 10:30 p.m. on August 30, 2008, Danso, who was resident in London, was the last person to go through departure formalities to board a London-bound flight.
Mr Amoah said while Danso was on his way to board the aircraft, operatives of NACOB invited him for random checks but he quickly turned and took to his heels.
According to the NACOB PRO, after meandering his way through Immigration Control, Danso jumped onto the ground floor.
Mr Amoah said Danso was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.
While on admission, he said, the suspect expelled 64 pellets of the substance.
He said upon interrogation, Danso claimed that a United States of America-based friend of his, Alhaji Musah, had sent him £1,500 to enable him to meet his financial obligations in Ghana before returning to London.
Mr Amoah said Danso, however, claimed that Alhaji Musah gave him that amount on condition that he took some drugs to London on his behalf.
On Mensah, the PRO said the suspect was arrested at the airport about 7.00 p.m. on September 6, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Holland.
Mr Amoah said the suspect confessed to swallowing 65 pellets of the drug which had been given to him by someone he identified only as Emma at Madina for a fee of 3,500 euros.
He said the suspect had since expelled all the 65 pellets.
According to Mr Amoah, Amoako was arrested on September 10, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Germany, where he was based.
He said Amoako confessed to swallowing 50 pellets but expelled 70 pellets after he had been detained.
The PRO said Amoako claimed that he was to deliver the drugs to someone he identified only as Shivry in Berlin for a fee of 3,500 euros.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 31-year-old man, David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine outside the country jumped from the first floor of the Departure Hall of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to escape arrest.
The suspect, who was fleeing from operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) after he had been invited by them, received multiple fractures on his left thigh as a result of the heavy fall on the ground floor of the main airport building.
He is currently on admission at the 37 Military Hospital receiving treatment and the doctors say he will be there for the next 10 weeks.
Two other suspects, Daniel Mensah, 23, and Frank Amoako, 37, who were arrested later are in custody pending further investigations.
The three suspects have together expelled a total of 199 pellets of the drug.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that about 10:30 p.m. on August 30, 2008, Danso, who was resident in London, was the last person to go through departure formalities to board a London-bound flight.
Mr Amoah said while Danso was on his way to board the aircraft, operatives of NACOB invited him for random checks but he quickly turned and took to his heels.
According to the NACOB PRO, after meandering his way through Immigration Control, Danso jumped onto the ground floor.
Mr Amoah said Danso was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.
While on admission, he said, the suspect expelled 64 pellets of the substance.
He said upon interrogation, Danso claimed that a United States of America-based friend of his, Alhaji Musah, had sent him £1,500 to enable him to meet his financial obligations in Ghana before returning to London.
Mr Amoah said Danso, however, claimed that Alhaji Musah gave him that amount on condition that he took some drugs to London on his behalf.
On Mensah, the PRO said the suspect was arrested at the airport about 7.00 p.m. on September 6, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Holland.
Mr Amoah said the suspect confessed to swallowing 65 pellets of the drug which had been given to him by someone he identified only as Emma at Madina for a fee of 3,500 euros.
He said the suspect had since expelled all the 65 pellets.
According to Mr Amoah, Amoako was arrested on September 10, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Germany, where he was based.
He said Amoako confessed to swallowing 50 pellets but expelled 70 pellets after he had been detained.
The PRO said Amoako claimed that he was to deliver the drugs to someone he identified only as Shivry in Berlin for a fee of 3,500 euros.
Modernisation work on Police Hospital begins
Page 72: Thursday, September 18, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
WORK on the £22 million Police Hospital redevelopment project has started in earnest.
The government-sponsored project, which is expected to be completed in January, 2011, is being undertaken by the International Hospitals Group (IHG).
When completed, the hospital would comprise a Medical Block to house an Accident and Emergency Unit, an Imaging Department with MRI and CT operating theatre, an Intensive Care Unit, Central Sterile Stores, an Outpatients Department, a Dental Suite, a Dispensary and a three-storey 250-bed capacity wards, VIP units and a mortuary.
Infrastructure such as a ramp to link up departments and facilities for the physically challenged would also be provided.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr P. K. Acheampong, accompanied by members of the Headquarters Management and Advisory Board (HEMAB), visited the site to apprise themselves of work on the ground.
The resident engineer of the project, Mr Mord Jehu-Appiah, who conducted the HEMAB members and newsmen round the site, said the hospital would be fortified against earthquakes.
He said in view of the location, the hospital would be protected with cavity walls to make it sound-proof from the sounds of aeroplanes taking off or landing and any other noise that might disturb patient care.
Mr Jehu-Appiah observed, however, that there was a major problem with the main sewage from the Flagstaff House and surrounding areas to the discharge point.
He, therefore, appealed to the IGP to draw the attention of the authorities to the problem so that it could be addressed before any disaster struck the nation’s capital.
For his part, Mr Acheampong said he was highly impressed with the amount of work done so far.
He noted that what was being referred to as the Police Hospital was in fact properties seized and being used as a hospital.
He said the current facility would be integrated into the new hospital when work was completed.
Mr Acheampong urged the contractors to work hard to complete the project ahead of schedule.
Story: Albert K. Salia
WORK on the £22 million Police Hospital redevelopment project has started in earnest.
The government-sponsored project, which is expected to be completed in January, 2011, is being undertaken by the International Hospitals Group (IHG).
When completed, the hospital would comprise a Medical Block to house an Accident and Emergency Unit, an Imaging Department with MRI and CT operating theatre, an Intensive Care Unit, Central Sterile Stores, an Outpatients Department, a Dental Suite, a Dispensary and a three-storey 250-bed capacity wards, VIP units and a mortuary.
Infrastructure such as a ramp to link up departments and facilities for the physically challenged would also be provided.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr P. K. Acheampong, accompanied by members of the Headquarters Management and Advisory Board (HEMAB), visited the site to apprise themselves of work on the ground.
The resident engineer of the project, Mr Mord Jehu-Appiah, who conducted the HEMAB members and newsmen round the site, said the hospital would be fortified against earthquakes.
He said in view of the location, the hospital would be protected with cavity walls to make it sound-proof from the sounds of aeroplanes taking off or landing and any other noise that might disturb patient care.
Mr Jehu-Appiah observed, however, that there was a major problem with the main sewage from the Flagstaff House and surrounding areas to the discharge point.
He, therefore, appealed to the IGP to draw the attention of the authorities to the problem so that it could be addressed before any disaster struck the nation’s capital.
For his part, Mr Acheampong said he was highly impressed with the amount of work done so far.
He noted that what was being referred to as the Police Hospital was in fact properties seized and being used as a hospital.
He said the current facility would be integrated into the new hospital when work was completed.
Mr Acheampong urged the contractors to work hard to complete the project ahead of schedule.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Speak up against politics of falsehood - Prah
Page 17: September 16, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Supreme Knight of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Sir Knight Eddie Prah, has called on its members to speak up against the politics of falsehood and violence that sections of the society are perpetuating.
“It is possible that some of the people who are issuing threats, using abusive language and spreading falsehood about political opponents on radio and in the print media are our friends, family members, church members, work colleagues, or even Marshallan brothers and sisters,” he noted.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, urged members of the Marshallan fraternity, a catholic friendly society, not to keep silent while people perpetuate actions that could create problems for all Ghanaians.
In his monthly message to the Marshallan fraternity for the month of September 2008, Sir Kt. Prah urged members to opt for peace in whatever way possible during the period of political campaign.
He said members had a duty and responsibility to conduct themselves in ways that expressed love for their political opponents.
He entreated members and the society at large, to get involved in issue-based discussions that threw light on which political grouping one ought to associate with.
“Let us attend political rallies if we feel so inclined. Let us even join in the many discussions on radio and in the print media if we contribute to the quality of debate and win members for our preferred party,” he said.
He, however, advised that in doing all those, Ghanaians should also remember that an election was not a do and die affair and neither “was electioneering campaign a preparation for war”.
Sir Kt. Prah reminded Ghanaians of a communiqué issued by the Knights of Marshall in January, this year, which appealed to all political parties in the country to be civil in their campaign messages, avoid infractions of the electoral laws and refrain from the use of language that would likely inflame passions and disturb the peace of the country.
“In the same communiqué, the Noble Order cautioned both the print and electronic media to think Ghana first in their reportage of events leading to the December elections. Similarly, the communiqué urged the Electoral Commission to ensure that it conducts free and fair elections,” he recalled.
According to him, if the interest shown in the recent voters’ registration exercise was anything to go by, then Ghanaians were in for very interesting times in the next few months.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, enjoined all Marshallans including those in foreign countries, to pray unceasingly during “these critical moments preceding the national elections in Ghana for the Lord to look with favour on his people, tame the hearts of trouble makers and protect us from all dangers”.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Supreme Knight of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Sir Knight Eddie Prah, has called on its members to speak up against the politics of falsehood and violence that sections of the society are perpetuating.
“It is possible that some of the people who are issuing threats, using abusive language and spreading falsehood about political opponents on radio and in the print media are our friends, family members, church members, work colleagues, or even Marshallan brothers and sisters,” he noted.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, urged members of the Marshallan fraternity, a catholic friendly society, not to keep silent while people perpetuate actions that could create problems for all Ghanaians.
In his monthly message to the Marshallan fraternity for the month of September 2008, Sir Kt. Prah urged members to opt for peace in whatever way possible during the period of political campaign.
He said members had a duty and responsibility to conduct themselves in ways that expressed love for their political opponents.
He entreated members and the society at large, to get involved in issue-based discussions that threw light on which political grouping one ought to associate with.
“Let us attend political rallies if we feel so inclined. Let us even join in the many discussions on radio and in the print media if we contribute to the quality of debate and win members for our preferred party,” he said.
He, however, advised that in doing all those, Ghanaians should also remember that an election was not a do and die affair and neither “was electioneering campaign a preparation for war”.
Sir Kt. Prah reminded Ghanaians of a communiqué issued by the Knights of Marshall in January, this year, which appealed to all political parties in the country to be civil in their campaign messages, avoid infractions of the electoral laws and refrain from the use of language that would likely inflame passions and disturb the peace of the country.
“In the same communiqué, the Noble Order cautioned both the print and electronic media to think Ghana first in their reportage of events leading to the December elections. Similarly, the communiqué urged the Electoral Commission to ensure that it conducts free and fair elections,” he recalled.
According to him, if the interest shown in the recent voters’ registration exercise was anything to go by, then Ghanaians were in for very interesting times in the next few months.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, enjoined all Marshallans including those in foreign countries, to pray unceasingly during “these critical moments preceding the national elections in Ghana for the Lord to look with favour on his people, tame the hearts of trouble makers and protect us from all dangers”.
Blueprint for election Task Force released
Page 3: September 16, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
WITH 12 weeks to Election 2008, the National Elections Security Task Force has made public the blueprint by which it hopes to ensure credible and violence-free polls.
The strategy, contained in a document titled, “Know Your Responsibilities as a Security Officer”, specifies the activities of the members of the task force on election day, their role in curbing election infraction and how they are to relate to the various players, including the media.
It said security officials to be deployed to maintain the peace on voting day were to ensure the safety of all election materials by guarding and escorting them, ensuring orderliness of voting queues and taking steps to prevent violence before, during and after the elections.
The National Election Security Task Force is made up of personnel from the Police Service, the Immigration Service, the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Fire Service and the Prisons Service.
They are required to take measures to prevent any activity which has the potential of disturbing the process, carry out lawful instructions from the presiding or returning officers of the Electoral Commission in relation to the elections and stand at the end of the queues at 5.00 p.m. prompt on election day to ensure that no person joined them after that time.
Additionally, the security personnel are forbidden from accepting gifts, presents, favours, gratitude or promises that could be interpreted as seeking to influence them in the performance of their official responsibilities. They are not to leave the polling stations during voting and before counting and declaration of results and are to ensure the security of the ballot boxes to designated sites after the voting exercise.
The brochure admonishes security personnel not to “take part in the actual administration of the elections, do not check the ID cards of voters, do not take part in the counting of votes, do not harass or intimidate any candidate or voter and not to be partisan”.
Touching on their relationship with the media, the brochure said security personnel were to refer media personnel to the public affairs directorate/unit or the command headquarters. They were also admonished not to intimidate the media but be polite to them. But they were not to give out information that could or might jeopardise the conduct of the elections.
On election day, security personnel are required to be punctual and alert on duty, treat everyone fairly, be open and honest, be team players, use minimum force when necessary and provide responsible, effective and high quality services with honesty and integrity.
The electoral offences outlined in the document included giving one’s voter ID card to another person to vote, forging, counterfeiting or fraudulently destroying a ballot paper or the official mark on a ballot paper, supplying a ballot paper to any person without authority, selling or offering to sell a ballot paper to any person, as well as purchasing or offering to purchase a ballot paper from any person.
Other offences are intentionally putting anything other than the ballot paper into the ballot box, possessing a ballot paper which has an official mark without authorisation, opening, taking, destroying or interfering with a ballot box, ballot paper in use or intended to be used for the purposes of an election, printing a ballot paper or anything capable of being used as a ballot paper at an election, making a mark on a ballot paper issued to somebody with the intention of it being counted as the vote of that person and voting at an election at which one is not entitled to vote.
The rest are voting more than once at an election, interfering with the work of a presiding officer, removing posters lawfully posted in connection with the election, compelling somebody to vote in a particular way, impeding or preventing a voter from freely exercising his/her right to vote, assisting a political party or candidate to gain unfair advantage over others and making or publishing by written or spoken word or by song a false statement about the personal character of a candidate or the conduct of a political party.
Story: Albert K. Salia
WITH 12 weeks to Election 2008, the National Elections Security Task Force has made public the blueprint by which it hopes to ensure credible and violence-free polls.
The strategy, contained in a document titled, “Know Your Responsibilities as a Security Officer”, specifies the activities of the members of the task force on election day, their role in curbing election infraction and how they are to relate to the various players, including the media.
It said security officials to be deployed to maintain the peace on voting day were to ensure the safety of all election materials by guarding and escorting them, ensuring orderliness of voting queues and taking steps to prevent violence before, during and after the elections.
The National Election Security Task Force is made up of personnel from the Police Service, the Immigration Service, the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Fire Service and the Prisons Service.
They are required to take measures to prevent any activity which has the potential of disturbing the process, carry out lawful instructions from the presiding or returning officers of the Electoral Commission in relation to the elections and stand at the end of the queues at 5.00 p.m. prompt on election day to ensure that no person joined them after that time.
Additionally, the security personnel are forbidden from accepting gifts, presents, favours, gratitude or promises that could be interpreted as seeking to influence them in the performance of their official responsibilities. They are not to leave the polling stations during voting and before counting and declaration of results and are to ensure the security of the ballot boxes to designated sites after the voting exercise.
The brochure admonishes security personnel not to “take part in the actual administration of the elections, do not check the ID cards of voters, do not take part in the counting of votes, do not harass or intimidate any candidate or voter and not to be partisan”.
Touching on their relationship with the media, the brochure said security personnel were to refer media personnel to the public affairs directorate/unit or the command headquarters. They were also admonished not to intimidate the media but be polite to them. But they were not to give out information that could or might jeopardise the conduct of the elections.
On election day, security personnel are required to be punctual and alert on duty, treat everyone fairly, be open and honest, be team players, use minimum force when necessary and provide responsible, effective and high quality services with honesty and integrity.
The electoral offences outlined in the document included giving one’s voter ID card to another person to vote, forging, counterfeiting or fraudulently destroying a ballot paper or the official mark on a ballot paper, supplying a ballot paper to any person without authority, selling or offering to sell a ballot paper to any person, as well as purchasing or offering to purchase a ballot paper from any person.
Other offences are intentionally putting anything other than the ballot paper into the ballot box, possessing a ballot paper which has an official mark without authorisation, opening, taking, destroying or interfering with a ballot box, ballot paper in use or intended to be used for the purposes of an election, printing a ballot paper or anything capable of being used as a ballot paper at an election, making a mark on a ballot paper issued to somebody with the intention of it being counted as the vote of that person and voting at an election at which one is not entitled to vote.
The rest are voting more than once at an election, interfering with the work of a presiding officer, removing posters lawfully posted in connection with the election, compelling somebody to vote in a particular way, impeding or preventing a voter from freely exercising his/her right to vote, assisting a political party or candidate to gain unfair advantage over others and making or publishing by written or spoken word or by song a false statement about the personal character of a candidate or the conduct of a political party.
Towards success of Dec 7 elections - Security Alert: Police Command holds crucial meeting in Accra
Front Page: September 13, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Police Command Conference opened in Accra yesterday to review the security situation and prepare for the forthcoming elections.
It will also look at issues of co-ordination between the Ghana Police Service and the National and Regional Election Task Forces.
It aims at ensuring that the commanders come on top of security issues before, during and after the elections.
Opening the conference, the Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, said the unfortunate incidents associated with the just ended voter registration exercise and the recent conflicts in Tamale and Gushiegu gave cause for concern.
He said Ghana had become a beacon of hope in the sub-region with many looking up to Ghanaians to maintain the peace and tranquillity the country was currently enjoying.
He said it was unfortunate that there remained some individuals who wanted to undermine and subvert the stability of the country and warned that anyone caught in such acts would be dealt with according to the law.
He noted that peace-loving Ghanaians had questioned the capability and preparedness of the security agencies to live up to the task of maintaining law and order before, during and after the elections.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said he was, however, convinced that the Police Command would deliver on its responsibilities to maintain law and order and provide a safe environment for all citizens to go about their normal duties without harassment and intimidation from any quarter.
“The nation is going to depend very much on you to ensure a peaceful and congenial atmosphere in the period ahead of us. I know you have the experience and the capability to maintain law and order.
“You have not only carried out this task many times in this country in the past but the people of Ghana know they can count on the service in these difficult times,” he added.
The Interior Minister urged personnel of the service to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties at all times.
“It is also important to inculcate in your officers the need to uphold the very high standards of the service as the principal state agency responsible for internal security,” he admonished.
The Chairman of the Police Council, Mr Justice Sam Glenn Baddoo, said a lot had been done to transform the police contrary to some unguided criticisms by a section of NGOs and the general public that the Police Council and the Police Administration were not willing to adopt policies and programmes that would transform the service.
He said those laudable policies and programmes had been stifled as a result of lack of funds.
He said the service was overstretched in meeting normal operation demands.
Mr Baddoo cited the low staff strength, incidence of demonstrations and related riots, ethnic conflicts and other demands such as traffic duties and special operations, banks and VIP security guard duties, among others, as the reasons for the inability of the service to meet its constitutional obligations as effectively as required.
“I wish to assure the Ghanaian society that Council is doing its best to improve upon the delivery by personnel of the service,” he stated.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Police Command Conference opened in Accra yesterday to review the security situation and prepare for the forthcoming elections.
It will also look at issues of co-ordination between the Ghana Police Service and the National and Regional Election Task Forces.
It aims at ensuring that the commanders come on top of security issues before, during and after the elections.
Opening the conference, the Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, said the unfortunate incidents associated with the just ended voter registration exercise and the recent conflicts in Tamale and Gushiegu gave cause for concern.
He said Ghana had become a beacon of hope in the sub-region with many looking up to Ghanaians to maintain the peace and tranquillity the country was currently enjoying.
He said it was unfortunate that there remained some individuals who wanted to undermine and subvert the stability of the country and warned that anyone caught in such acts would be dealt with according to the law.
He noted that peace-loving Ghanaians had questioned the capability and preparedness of the security agencies to live up to the task of maintaining law and order before, during and after the elections.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said he was, however, convinced that the Police Command would deliver on its responsibilities to maintain law and order and provide a safe environment for all citizens to go about their normal duties without harassment and intimidation from any quarter.
“The nation is going to depend very much on you to ensure a peaceful and congenial atmosphere in the period ahead of us. I know you have the experience and the capability to maintain law and order.
“You have not only carried out this task many times in this country in the past but the people of Ghana know they can count on the service in these difficult times,” he added.
The Interior Minister urged personnel of the service to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties at all times.
“It is also important to inculcate in your officers the need to uphold the very high standards of the service as the principal state agency responsible for internal security,” he admonished.
The Chairman of the Police Council, Mr Justice Sam Glenn Baddoo, said a lot had been done to transform the police contrary to some unguided criticisms by a section of NGOs and the general public that the Police Council and the Police Administration were not willing to adopt policies and programmes that would transform the service.
He said those laudable policies and programmes had been stifled as a result of lack of funds.
He said the service was overstretched in meeting normal operation demands.
Mr Baddoo cited the low staff strength, incidence of demonstrations and related riots, ethnic conflicts and other demands such as traffic duties and special operations, banks and VIP security guard duties, among others, as the reasons for the inability of the service to meet its constitutional obligations as effectively as required.
“I wish to assure the Ghanaian society that Council is doing its best to improve upon the delivery by personnel of the service,” he stated.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Election Security Task Force reviews political violence
Page 17: September 12, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Election Security Task Force has reviewed the violence that characterised the recent voter registration exercise and has accordingly instituted measures to prevent a recurrence on voting day.
In this regard, the task force will next Tuesday, September 16, 2008, outline security arrangements for the forthcoming general election in December.
Members of the task force, which is chaired by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr P. K. Acheampong, would also be introduced to the public. All the country’s security agencies are represented on the task force.
The task force would outline their role in the management of the security aspect of the elections at all polling stations in the 230 constituencies.
It would also address issues relating to the patrols and use of arms at polling stations and other election designated sites.
Meanwhile, the IGP has summoned all Police Regional Commanders and their crime officers to an emergency meeting in Accra today.
The Regional Commanders meeting, which would be attended by the Headquarters Management Advisory Board, is to discuss security issues relating to the electioneering.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that the two meetings were crucial, particularly as the campaigns were getting heated.
He said the IGP would challenge the Regional Commanders to ensure that they and their subordinates approached their work in a non-partisan manner so as to instil confidence in the police before, during and after the elections.
He said already the police were providing security at campaign rallies and meetings of political parties and their leaders.
DSP Ofori appealed for public support and co-operation, particularly from the political parties and their leaders, to ensure a possible incident-free elections.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Election Security Task Force has reviewed the violence that characterised the recent voter registration exercise and has accordingly instituted measures to prevent a recurrence on voting day.
In this regard, the task force will next Tuesday, September 16, 2008, outline security arrangements for the forthcoming general election in December.
Members of the task force, which is chaired by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr P. K. Acheampong, would also be introduced to the public. All the country’s security agencies are represented on the task force.
The task force would outline their role in the management of the security aspect of the elections at all polling stations in the 230 constituencies.
It would also address issues relating to the patrols and use of arms at polling stations and other election designated sites.
Meanwhile, the IGP has summoned all Police Regional Commanders and their crime officers to an emergency meeting in Accra today.
The Regional Commanders meeting, which would be attended by the Headquarters Management Advisory Board, is to discuss security issues relating to the electioneering.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that the two meetings were crucial, particularly as the campaigns were getting heated.
He said the IGP would challenge the Regional Commanders to ensure that they and their subordinates approached their work in a non-partisan manner so as to instil confidence in the police before, during and after the elections.
He said already the police were providing security at campaign rallies and meetings of political parties and their leaders.
DSP Ofori appealed for public support and co-operation, particularly from the political parties and their leaders, to ensure a possible incident-free elections.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Woman nabbed for dealing in cocaine
Page 43: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A woman suspected to have gone on a cocaine distribution business in Accra has been arrested.
At the time of her arrest, one slab of cocaine was found in her bag.
The suspect, Nana Ama Martin, is currently in custody pending further investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that some personnel of the Panthers Unit of the Ghana Police Service, who were on duty in town, had information that the suspect and a man were in a taxi carrying substances suspected to be cocaine.
He said the personnel picked up intelligence and identified the taxi in which Nana Ama and the man, who is yet to be identified, were travelling.
He said the police traced the taxi, with registration number GE 9342 X, and ordered the driver to drive to the Police Headquarters.
DSP Ofori said while on the way, the man jumped out of the taxi and escaped and when Nana Ama’s handbag was searched on arrival at the Police Headquarters, one slab of whitish substance suspected to be cocaine was found in it.
He said the suspect had subsequently been handed over to the Organised Crime Unit for further investigations.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A woman suspected to have gone on a cocaine distribution business in Accra has been arrested.
At the time of her arrest, one slab of cocaine was found in her bag.
The suspect, Nana Ama Martin, is currently in custody pending further investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that some personnel of the Panthers Unit of the Ghana Police Service, who were on duty in town, had information that the suspect and a man were in a taxi carrying substances suspected to be cocaine.
He said the personnel picked up intelligence and identified the taxi in which Nana Ama and the man, who is yet to be identified, were travelling.
He said the police traced the taxi, with registration number GE 9342 X, and ordered the driver to drive to the Police Headquarters.
DSP Ofori said while on the way, the man jumped out of the taxi and escaped and when Nana Ama’s handbag was searched on arrival at the Police Headquarters, one slab of whitish substance suspected to be cocaine was found in it.
He said the suspect had subsequently been handed over to the Organised Crime Unit for further investigations.
"Let's tackle desertification
Page 20: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN environmentalist, Chief Dr Newton Jibonuh, has warned that Africa will face the worst form of hurricanes if desertification is not tackled with the needed seriousness.
He said the United Nations estimated that 87 billion trees needed to be planted on earth within the next five years.
Chief Jibonuh gave the warning when he presented a copy of a report of his eight-week journey from Africa to Europe between February and April, this year to the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Muhammed Muslim O. Obanikoro, in Accra yesterday.
The report, which would be made public after it has been officially presented to African governments, looks at the perspective of what is happening to Africa and how Africa is prepared to cope with any environmental hazards such as hurricanes and the consequences of desertification.
Chief Jibonuh, whose team included five young scientists and environmentalists, said it would not be long when Africa experienced the magnitude of Hurricane Ike.
He said it was, therefore, important for Africans to talk together to put a programme in place to fight desertification.
He explained that the research tour, which took his team through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, France and finally ended in London among other countries, was his third such journey, which he started in 1967.
Chief Jibonuh said his earlier journeys did not receive the needed support until recently when the former US Vice-President Al Gore launched a similar climate change and global warming project.
He was grateful to the Nigerian government and other sponsors who supported the journey.
Chief Jibonuh, who is 70, said he decided to select young researchers to accompany him so that they could keep the flame burning even after his death.
He said the team interacted with both government officials and academia during stops in the countries they visited.
For his part, Senator Obanikoro commended Chief Jibonuh for the good work he continued to do for Africa.
He explained that Africans were in a better position to take their destiny into their own hands than relying on outsiders to determine their destiny.
He, therefore, called for support for researchers in Africa to unearth solutions to the challenges confronting the continent.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN environmentalist, Chief Dr Newton Jibonuh, has warned that Africa will face the worst form of hurricanes if desertification is not tackled with the needed seriousness.
He said the United Nations estimated that 87 billion trees needed to be planted on earth within the next five years.
Chief Jibonuh gave the warning when he presented a copy of a report of his eight-week journey from Africa to Europe between February and April, this year to the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Muhammed Muslim O. Obanikoro, in Accra yesterday.
The report, which would be made public after it has been officially presented to African governments, looks at the perspective of what is happening to Africa and how Africa is prepared to cope with any environmental hazards such as hurricanes and the consequences of desertification.
Chief Jibonuh, whose team included five young scientists and environmentalists, said it would not be long when Africa experienced the magnitude of Hurricane Ike.
He said it was, therefore, important for Africans to talk together to put a programme in place to fight desertification.
He explained that the research tour, which took his team through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, France and finally ended in London among other countries, was his third such journey, which he started in 1967.
Chief Jibonuh said his earlier journeys did not receive the needed support until recently when the former US Vice-President Al Gore launched a similar climate change and global warming project.
He was grateful to the Nigerian government and other sponsors who supported the journey.
Chief Jibonuh, who is 70, said he decided to select young researchers to accompany him so that they could keep the flame burning even after his death.
He said the team interacted with both government officials and academia during stops in the countries they visited.
For his part, Senator Obanikoro commended Chief Jibonuh for the good work he continued to do for Africa.
He explained that Africans were in a better position to take their destiny into their own hands than relying on outsiders to determine their destiny.
He, therefore, called for support for researchers in Africa to unearth solutions to the challenges confronting the continent.
Police, GAF worried * Over abuse of radio phone-in programmes
Front Page: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service have expressed worry about phone-in programmes on radio stations during which hosts fail to control contribution from callers.
They, therefore, urged media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage and presentation of national issues.
They also expressed concern about the use of non-experts on security issues to discuss matters they did not understand and, thereby, put out wrong information.
The two institutions made the appeal when their Public Affairs Directors made presentations at a forum organised by the Editors Forum, Ghana on “reporting issues bordering on security — the perspectives of the Army (military) and the Police” in Accra yesterday.
Colonel E. W. Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the GAF, with the support of Colonel William Ayamdo of the Defence Intelligence and DSP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, represented their respective institutions.
Contributing to the discussion, Col Ayamdo conceded that there was the need for clear-cut guidelines to be set out on reporting on security issues or the national interest.
He explained that security cut across all facets of life and needed to be broken down for people to appreciate its meaning.
Col Nibo, for his part, said the GAF was for the state and, therefore, running down the GAF was tantamount to destroying state assets.
He appealed to presenters and guests of radio programmes to educate themselves on security issues before going on air.
He said when the hosts were enlightened on security matters, they would not provide the avenue for people to express their ignorance or use the channel to inflame passions or settle personal scores with their opponents.
Col Nibo suggested that every media organisation should set up a defence/security desk, whose staff should be well educated on security jargons and ranks of the security agencies, particularly the military.
He also called for more dialogue between the military and the media for them to appreciate each other’s role in the country’s democratic process.
“The more professional we are the better the relationship is,” he stated.
For his part, DSP Ofori said the media must learn to trust the security agencies and not misinterpret information issued to them.
He said the media must also refrain from blowing out of proportion security operations and given it twists to suit political interest, stressing that “we must show respect to the security institutions”.
DSP Ofori said the neutrality of the police must be respected by all and that the police should also work to protect state interests.
He reminded the media that in the event of any conflict, practitioners would not be safe to practise their chosen profession and if they did, they would be working for rebel groups or factions in an unfavourable environment.
The Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, observed that the media were working in a highly polarised society and this required tact and professionalism.
She said the forum was the beginning of a programme to discuss topical issues to promote peace, stability and development of the country.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service have expressed worry about phone-in programmes on radio stations during which hosts fail to control contribution from callers.
They, therefore, urged media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage and presentation of national issues.
They also expressed concern about the use of non-experts on security issues to discuss matters they did not understand and, thereby, put out wrong information.
The two institutions made the appeal when their Public Affairs Directors made presentations at a forum organised by the Editors Forum, Ghana on “reporting issues bordering on security — the perspectives of the Army (military) and the Police” in Accra yesterday.
Colonel E. W. Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the GAF, with the support of Colonel William Ayamdo of the Defence Intelligence and DSP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, represented their respective institutions.
Contributing to the discussion, Col Ayamdo conceded that there was the need for clear-cut guidelines to be set out on reporting on security issues or the national interest.
He explained that security cut across all facets of life and needed to be broken down for people to appreciate its meaning.
Col Nibo, for his part, said the GAF was for the state and, therefore, running down the GAF was tantamount to destroying state assets.
He appealed to presenters and guests of radio programmes to educate themselves on security issues before going on air.
He said when the hosts were enlightened on security matters, they would not provide the avenue for people to express their ignorance or use the channel to inflame passions or settle personal scores with their opponents.
Col Nibo suggested that every media organisation should set up a defence/security desk, whose staff should be well educated on security jargons and ranks of the security agencies, particularly the military.
He also called for more dialogue between the military and the media for them to appreciate each other’s role in the country’s democratic process.
“The more professional we are the better the relationship is,” he stated.
For his part, DSP Ofori said the media must learn to trust the security agencies and not misinterpret information issued to them.
He said the media must also refrain from blowing out of proportion security operations and given it twists to suit political interest, stressing that “we must show respect to the security institutions”.
DSP Ofori said the neutrality of the police must be respected by all and that the police should also work to protect state interests.
He reminded the media that in the event of any conflict, practitioners would not be safe to practise their chosen profession and if they did, they would be working for rebel groups or factions in an unfavourable environment.
The Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, observed that the media were working in a highly polarised society and this required tact and professionalism.
She said the forum was the beginning of a programme to discuss topical issues to promote peace, stability and development of the country.
Minister calls for debate on prisoners conjugal visits
Page 31: September 10, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, has called for a nation-wide debate on whether or not to allow conjugal visits for inmates of prisons in Ghana.
He said the ministry would appreciate views from civil society including human rights organisations, legal and health related organisations.
He added that a number of countries had started holding discussions on the subject matter because of its positive impact on reformation of prisoners, their re-integration and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections at the correctional centres throughout the world.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Nana Boahen explained that conjugal visits maintained family bonds, enhanced image changes of inmates and lessened the risks in and out of prisons.
He noted that the suggestion might not be pleasant to a lot of people but it must be looked at critically.
“Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Malaysia are currently debating the subject because they see it as an incentive for better social integration and preservation of family bonds,” he added.
Nana Boahen said in the United States of America, the authorities allow conjugal visitation under a programme known as the “extended family visits”.
He said under the programme in the USA, there were clear regulations under the rules of detention.
“In the USA, to qualify under the extended family visits programme, the spouse or person must be on the prisoner’s visit list, show proof of relationship, pass a background security search, submit to a search on the day of visit and dress appropriately”.
Nana Boahen said the authorities only needed to create special places or centres for prisoners for such purposes where they would spend some hours with their partners once a month.
He said another option would be to consider the programme in Morocco in which the authorities facilitate marriage between male and female prisoners on long-term jail sentences.
Nana Boahen said the issue needed to be given a serious thought and, therefore, called on Parliament to take up the issue.
As to whether the country had the facilities to encourage it, the minister said there might be merit in going for it and the state would, therefore, have to find the resources to sponsor it.
He explained that the benefit to the state might be greater than the cost and, therefore, urged Parliament, civil rights organisations and the public at large to debate it.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, has called for a nation-wide debate on whether or not to allow conjugal visits for inmates of prisons in Ghana.
He said the ministry would appreciate views from civil society including human rights organisations, legal and health related organisations.
He added that a number of countries had started holding discussions on the subject matter because of its positive impact on reformation of prisoners, their re-integration and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections at the correctional centres throughout the world.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Nana Boahen explained that conjugal visits maintained family bonds, enhanced image changes of inmates and lessened the risks in and out of prisons.
He noted that the suggestion might not be pleasant to a lot of people but it must be looked at critically.
“Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Malaysia are currently debating the subject because they see it as an incentive for better social integration and preservation of family bonds,” he added.
Nana Boahen said in the United States of America, the authorities allow conjugal visitation under a programme known as the “extended family visits”.
He said under the programme in the USA, there were clear regulations under the rules of detention.
“In the USA, to qualify under the extended family visits programme, the spouse or person must be on the prisoner’s visit list, show proof of relationship, pass a background security search, submit to a search on the day of visit and dress appropriately”.
Nana Boahen said the authorities only needed to create special places or centres for prisoners for such purposes where they would spend some hours with their partners once a month.
He said another option would be to consider the programme in Morocco in which the authorities facilitate marriage between male and female prisoners on long-term jail sentences.
Nana Boahen said the issue needed to be given a serious thought and, therefore, called on Parliament to take up the issue.
As to whether the country had the facilities to encourage it, the minister said there might be merit in going for it and the state would, therefore, have to find the resources to sponsor it.
He explained that the benefit to the state might be greater than the cost and, therefore, urged Parliament, civil rights organisations and the public at large to debate it.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Multi-million forgery at TOR, GBC - Ringleader grabbed* Remanded in custody
Front Page: September 9, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Richard Kwame Afari, the man suspected to have masterminded the multi-billion cedi scandals that rocked the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) last year, has finally been arrested.
Afari, also known as Burgger, is alleged to be the leader of a signature-forging and cheque book-printing syndicate which facilitated the illegal withdrawal of large sums of money from the two companies’ accounts and those of other reputable firms at various banks in Accra.
He was arrested by personnel from the Organised Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service last Sunday at his hideout at a village in the Ga West District.
He was taken to court yesterday and remanded to re-appear on September 22, 2008.
Three members of the syndicate, Mohammed Bagigah, alias Parker, said to be an expert in the forgery of signatures, Bernard Sallah, alias Big Ben, and Frank Mensah Kpemli, alias George Owusu, together with the cashier of TOR, were arrested in July, last year.
Those still on the run are Cecilia Mabogumje Abimbola, Daniel Addo, alias Sampson Omeruah, and Hajia Helen Leyandrou, alias Mamaah.
The Deputy Director of Police Public Affairs, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cephas Arthur, told the Daily Graphic that the group was said to have specialised in the theft of cheque books and financial documents from reputable organisations and then proceeded to siphon billions of cedis from their bank accounts.
According to him, that led to the illegal withdrawal of more than GH¢200,000 (¢2 billion) from the National Investment Bank (NIB), the International Commercial Bank (ICB), the SG-SSB Bank, the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and Stanbic Bank, all in Accra.
ASP Arthur said the modus operandi of the group was to target a reputable organisation and then recruit an employee there into its fold.
He explained that whoever was recruited was asked to steal a cheque book, together with any documents bearing the signatures of the rightful signatories to the cheques of that organisation.
He said Afari would then recruit other persons to open accounts at various banks within the city, while Parker employed his expertise to copy the relevant signatures.
ASP Arthur said the syndicate then deposited the cheques at the various banks for them to pass through the three-day inter-bank clearing system, after which the money was cashed.
In the case of TOR, he said, the syndicate wrote cheques totalling GH¢650,000 and at the time of their arrest in July last year, they had managed to cash more than GH¢200,000 from the amount.
ASP Arthur said the vigilance of some workers at Stanbic Bank, however, led to the arrest of one of the suspects, who had cashed more than GH¢300,000 within a week and had gone back to cash GH¢65,000.
He appealed to members of the public to provide information on suspicious characters and criminal activities for the police to deal with them.
He said sometimes members of the public thought the police were reluctant in investigating cases reported to them, which is the case, and stressed that the arrest of Afari showed that with public co-operation and support, the police would apprehend all criminals, no matter how long it took to do that.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Richard Kwame Afari, the man suspected to have masterminded the multi-billion cedi scandals that rocked the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) last year, has finally been arrested.
Afari, also known as Burgger, is alleged to be the leader of a signature-forging and cheque book-printing syndicate which facilitated the illegal withdrawal of large sums of money from the two companies’ accounts and those of other reputable firms at various banks in Accra.
He was arrested by personnel from the Organised Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service last Sunday at his hideout at a village in the Ga West District.
He was taken to court yesterday and remanded to re-appear on September 22, 2008.
Three members of the syndicate, Mohammed Bagigah, alias Parker, said to be an expert in the forgery of signatures, Bernard Sallah, alias Big Ben, and Frank Mensah Kpemli, alias George Owusu, together with the cashier of TOR, were arrested in July, last year.
Those still on the run are Cecilia Mabogumje Abimbola, Daniel Addo, alias Sampson Omeruah, and Hajia Helen Leyandrou, alias Mamaah.
The Deputy Director of Police Public Affairs, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cephas Arthur, told the Daily Graphic that the group was said to have specialised in the theft of cheque books and financial documents from reputable organisations and then proceeded to siphon billions of cedis from their bank accounts.
According to him, that led to the illegal withdrawal of more than GH¢200,000 (¢2 billion) from the National Investment Bank (NIB), the International Commercial Bank (ICB), the SG-SSB Bank, the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and Stanbic Bank, all in Accra.
ASP Arthur said the modus operandi of the group was to target a reputable organisation and then recruit an employee there into its fold.
He explained that whoever was recruited was asked to steal a cheque book, together with any documents bearing the signatures of the rightful signatories to the cheques of that organisation.
He said Afari would then recruit other persons to open accounts at various banks within the city, while Parker employed his expertise to copy the relevant signatures.
ASP Arthur said the syndicate then deposited the cheques at the various banks for them to pass through the three-day inter-bank clearing system, after which the money was cashed.
In the case of TOR, he said, the syndicate wrote cheques totalling GH¢650,000 and at the time of their arrest in July last year, they had managed to cash more than GH¢200,000 from the amount.
ASP Arthur said the vigilance of some workers at Stanbic Bank, however, led to the arrest of one of the suspects, who had cashed more than GH¢300,000 within a week and had gone back to cash GH¢65,000.
He appealed to members of the public to provide information on suspicious characters and criminal activities for the police to deal with them.
He said sometimes members of the public thought the police were reluctant in investigating cases reported to them, which is the case, and stressed that the arrest of Afari showed that with public co-operation and support, the police would apprehend all criminals, no matter how long it took to do that.
Two raise concern about missing weapons
Page 28: September 8, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO leading voices on security matters in the country have expressed fears of widespread leakage in the armouries of state institutions.
Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Dr Kwesi Aning of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre and Mr Emmanuel Sowatey of the National Peace Council, said there was therefore the need to set up a broader panel of experts, including representatives of civil society organisations, to deal with the menace.
They agreed on the view that there were too many hot spots in the country and the matter needed to be treated with all the urgency it deserved and called for the inclusion of matured and responsible civil society representatives on any investigations team to deal with the alleged disappearance of weapons in state institutions.
They also said the investigations should not be focused on the police alone but should include all security agencies, the Forestry Commission, and licensed importers of weapons.
Dr Aning, who is the head of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the Kofi Annan Centre, said there had been a long history of leakage in official state armouries since time immemorial and the problem keeps recurring.
He said the investigations should look at the procedures in checking the stocks of weapons and the regulations regarding the collection and retrieval of weapons from officers.
Dr Aning said the Arms and Ammunitions Act provided the detailed procedures in keeping weapons, collecting them and accounting for them.
He, however, said if there were leakages in the system, then the Act would have to be reviewed.
Dr Aning said when reports of the missing weapons made everyone in the society highly insecure, especially in an election year when elections had been tagged as “do or die” and “mother of all elections”.
For his part, Mr Sowatey, who is a research officer at the National Peace Council, said the security agencies and all licensed weapons importers must abide by the international stockpiling management principles to help deal with the leakage in the system.
He said finding the motive for the theft of the weapons was also important, if the problem was to be resolved, citing the issue of whether the weapons were stolen for robbery, tribal conflicts, protection or whatever reason.
He said everyone must be interested in such matters, especially the investigations, because the outcome assured the citizenry of their security.
Mr Sowatey said the matter also required the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service to sit up in dealing with such issues because the slow process of the judicial system discouraged people from reporting such crimes.
He said the National Action Plan on Small Arms was already in place and it behoved all to play their part to deal with the problem.
“Being an election year, everyone must come on board to ensure that there is peace and sanity before the elections,” he said.
Fortunately, Mr Sowatey said, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties abhorred the use of arms and enjoined political parties not to seek the release of any suspect in connection with arms.
He identified smuggling of arms from neighbouring countries, leakage in the state armouries, registered but not renewed licenses, local manufacturing and licensed importers as the source of illicit arms in the country.
Mr Sowatey said Ghanaians could, therefore, help nip the sources of supply in the bud by reporting such illegal dealings with the security agencies.
They said the investigative panel must also establish the motive for the theft, supply and demand for such weapons.
They said identifying with the motive for the arms deals would help outline a major programme to assure the populace of their safety and security, and thereby remove their trust in guns.
“The presence or the perceived presence of weapons anywhere heightened tension and insecurity in the society, and undermined any peace process as people use it to threaten and intimidate others,” they said.
They commended the Police Administration for the swift response in investigating the matter and suggested that independent persons should be included on the panel.
They also called on the accuser to avail himself before the committee as people oftentimes made allegations but refused to testify before the investigative panel.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO leading voices on security matters in the country have expressed fears of widespread leakage in the armouries of state institutions.
Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Dr Kwesi Aning of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre and Mr Emmanuel Sowatey of the National Peace Council, said there was therefore the need to set up a broader panel of experts, including representatives of civil society organisations, to deal with the menace.
They agreed on the view that there were too many hot spots in the country and the matter needed to be treated with all the urgency it deserved and called for the inclusion of matured and responsible civil society representatives on any investigations team to deal with the alleged disappearance of weapons in state institutions.
They also said the investigations should not be focused on the police alone but should include all security agencies, the Forestry Commission, and licensed importers of weapons.
Dr Aning, who is the head of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the Kofi Annan Centre, said there had been a long history of leakage in official state armouries since time immemorial and the problem keeps recurring.
He said the investigations should look at the procedures in checking the stocks of weapons and the regulations regarding the collection and retrieval of weapons from officers.
Dr Aning said the Arms and Ammunitions Act provided the detailed procedures in keeping weapons, collecting them and accounting for them.
He, however, said if there were leakages in the system, then the Act would have to be reviewed.
Dr Aning said when reports of the missing weapons made everyone in the society highly insecure, especially in an election year when elections had been tagged as “do or die” and “mother of all elections”.
For his part, Mr Sowatey, who is a research officer at the National Peace Council, said the security agencies and all licensed weapons importers must abide by the international stockpiling management principles to help deal with the leakage in the system.
He said finding the motive for the theft of the weapons was also important, if the problem was to be resolved, citing the issue of whether the weapons were stolen for robbery, tribal conflicts, protection or whatever reason.
He said everyone must be interested in such matters, especially the investigations, because the outcome assured the citizenry of their security.
Mr Sowatey said the matter also required the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service to sit up in dealing with such issues because the slow process of the judicial system discouraged people from reporting such crimes.
He said the National Action Plan on Small Arms was already in place and it behoved all to play their part to deal with the problem.
“Being an election year, everyone must come on board to ensure that there is peace and sanity before the elections,” he said.
Fortunately, Mr Sowatey said, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties abhorred the use of arms and enjoined political parties not to seek the release of any suspect in connection with arms.
He identified smuggling of arms from neighbouring countries, leakage in the state armouries, registered but not renewed licenses, local manufacturing and licensed importers as the source of illicit arms in the country.
Mr Sowatey said Ghanaians could, therefore, help nip the sources of supply in the bud by reporting such illegal dealings with the security agencies.
They said the investigative panel must also establish the motive for the theft, supply and demand for such weapons.
They said identifying with the motive for the arms deals would help outline a major programme to assure the populace of their safety and security, and thereby remove their trust in guns.
“The presence or the perceived presence of weapons anywhere heightened tension and insecurity in the society, and undermined any peace process as people use it to threaten and intimidate others,” they said.
They commended the Police Administration for the swift response in investigating the matter and suggested that independent persons should be included on the panel.
They also called on the accuser to avail himself before the committee as people oftentimes made allegations but refused to testify before the investigative panel.
Three arrested over GH¢90,000 fraud case
Page 3: September 6, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THREE directors of the Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited have been arrested by the police for allegedly swindling the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of GH¢90,000.
Rajesh Mirwani, Naresh Lachand Mirwani and Lachand D. Mirwani, are currently on bail while two other suspects, identified as Fidel Ribeiro alias Sekyere and Miguel Augustus Ribeiro, are currently on the run.
A source at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra told the Daily Graphic yesterday that Rajesh, Naresh and Fidel went to the bank in September last year for a loan to augment the operations of their company, Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited.
It said as part of the requirements, the applicants presented a legal mortgage over a building property situated at Adabraka in Accra, among others, as collateral based on documents and a purported statutory declaration using documents covering the landed property that belonged to Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
The source explained that Fidel, who is a friend of the Indians, introduced Miguel Ribeiro as an uncle who owned the property at Adabraka.
According to the source, the GH¢90,000 granted to the applicants was to be paid over a 12-month period with 25 per cent interest.
It said repayment of the loan should have started in October 2007 but the applicants failed to do so.
It said the bank later detected that the beneficiaries had closed down their offices at Osu since November 2007 and could not be traced.
The source said the bank attempted to execute the mortgage presented to the bank as collateral but were informed that the documents were fake.
Moreover, the bank was informed that the actual Miguel Augustus Ribeiro who owned the property died in 1995, for which evidence of his obituary and other documents were shown to the bank officials.
It said the bank was informed that Fidel was not known in the family neither was he the executor of the estate of the late Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
It said when the bank lodged a complaint with the police, Rajesh, Naresh and Lachand were arrested while efforts to apprehend Fidel and the purported Ribeiro had failed.
The source, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Fidel to notify the nearest Police Station or the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID headquarters.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THREE directors of the Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited have been arrested by the police for allegedly swindling the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of GH¢90,000.
Rajesh Mirwani, Naresh Lachand Mirwani and Lachand D. Mirwani, are currently on bail while two other suspects, identified as Fidel Ribeiro alias Sekyere and Miguel Augustus Ribeiro, are currently on the run.
A source at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra told the Daily Graphic yesterday that Rajesh, Naresh and Fidel went to the bank in September last year for a loan to augment the operations of their company, Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited.
It said as part of the requirements, the applicants presented a legal mortgage over a building property situated at Adabraka in Accra, among others, as collateral based on documents and a purported statutory declaration using documents covering the landed property that belonged to Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
The source explained that Fidel, who is a friend of the Indians, introduced Miguel Ribeiro as an uncle who owned the property at Adabraka.
According to the source, the GH¢90,000 granted to the applicants was to be paid over a 12-month period with 25 per cent interest.
It said repayment of the loan should have started in October 2007 but the applicants failed to do so.
It said the bank later detected that the beneficiaries had closed down their offices at Osu since November 2007 and could not be traced.
The source said the bank attempted to execute the mortgage presented to the bank as collateral but were informed that the documents were fake.
Moreover, the bank was informed that the actual Miguel Augustus Ribeiro who owned the property died in 1995, for which evidence of his obituary and other documents were shown to the bank officials.
It said the bank was informed that Fidel was not known in the family neither was he the executor of the estate of the late Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
It said when the bank lodged a complaint with the police, Rajesh, Naresh and Lachand were arrested while efforts to apprehend Fidel and the purported Ribeiro had failed.
The source, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Fidel to notify the nearest Police Station or the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID headquarters.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Ex Inspector Johnson to report to Director CID
Page 21: September 5, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has invited ex-Inspector Albert Johnson to report to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist in investigations into the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
Ex-Inspector Johnson, alleged on an Accra-based radio station on Wednesday that a number of rifles and ammunition had been stolen from the Tamale armoury and sold to civilians, who use them to commit violent crime and to fuel the ethnic conflict in the Northern Region.
In response to those allegations, the Police Administration constituted a team of police experts to investigate the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
It further caused the arrest of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Mahama Nantogma, who was in charge of the police armoury in Tamale to assist in the investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic today that it was unfortunate that during the tenure of Ex-Inspector Johnson’s job in the police, he never alerted the authorities on the alleged theft of weapons but rather chose to make those allegations on radio after his resignation.
He said Ex-Inspector Johnson was required to substantiate those allegations.
He said it was in line with the open policy of the Police Administration that a team of officers from the Arms and Ammunition Registry of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, the Police Intelligence and Professional Standard Bureau and the Internal Audit Directory, had been constituted to investigate the allegations.
In addition to the investigations, he said, the team was also to conduct a thorough audit of the weapon facilities of the police in the Northern Region.
DSP Ofori said the appearance of Ex-Inspector Johnson before the Director-General of CID would go a long way in the investigations.
He appealed to any member of the public who had information regarding any weapon dealings to contact the CID boss.
He said those who knew of such offences but failed to report could not be described as good citizens.
DSP Ofori said the outcome of the investigations would be made known to the public to assure Ghanaians that the Police Administration would do whatever it could to ensure the safety of the people at all times.
He said the administration was determined to flush out all miscreants and indisciplined police personnel from the system.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has invited ex-Inspector Albert Johnson to report to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist in investigations into the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
Ex-Inspector Johnson, alleged on an Accra-based radio station on Wednesday that a number of rifles and ammunition had been stolen from the Tamale armoury and sold to civilians, who use them to commit violent crime and to fuel the ethnic conflict in the Northern Region.
In response to those allegations, the Police Administration constituted a team of police experts to investigate the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
It further caused the arrest of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Mahama Nantogma, who was in charge of the police armoury in Tamale to assist in the investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic today that it was unfortunate that during the tenure of Ex-Inspector Johnson’s job in the police, he never alerted the authorities on the alleged theft of weapons but rather chose to make those allegations on radio after his resignation.
He said Ex-Inspector Johnson was required to substantiate those allegations.
He said it was in line with the open policy of the Police Administration that a team of officers from the Arms and Ammunition Registry of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, the Police Intelligence and Professional Standard Bureau and the Internal Audit Directory, had been constituted to investigate the allegations.
In addition to the investigations, he said, the team was also to conduct a thorough audit of the weapon facilities of the police in the Northern Region.
DSP Ofori said the appearance of Ex-Inspector Johnson before the Director-General of CID would go a long way in the investigations.
He appealed to any member of the public who had information regarding any weapon dealings to contact the CID boss.
He said those who knew of such offences but failed to report could not be described as good citizens.
DSP Ofori said the outcome of the investigations would be made known to the public to assure Ghanaians that the Police Administration would do whatever it could to ensure the safety of the people at all times.
He said the administration was determined to flush out all miscreants and indisciplined police personnel from the system.
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