Sunday, May 29, 2011
WESTERN STEEL CLOSED DOWN AFTER SERIES OF EXPLOSION
THE Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare has ordered the immediate closure of Western Steel and Forgings Limited for a period of one month.
This is to ensure that the managers of the company adhere to health and safety instructions which are statutory requirements for the establishment of factories.
The Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, gave the order when he toured the factory at the Kpone Industrial Area in Tema yesterday.
The minister, accompanied by the acting Factory Inspector, Mr Felix Adjei Boye, met the management of the company, in the presence of the national executive of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the Chief Labour Officer and officials of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA).
The order to the management to close down the factory comes on the heels of four explosions at the factory since February 2011 which have claimed the life of one worker and injured 15 others.
The explosions occurred on February 1, April 21, 22 and 30, 2011. Reports indicated that they were caused by inadequate safety measures and procedures.
Mr Mensah chastised officials of Western Steel for maximising profit without taking adequate measures to ensure the safety of workers.
“It is for this reason that the Labour Unit of the ministry must take up this issue seriously to serve as a test case to others,” he said.
A technical team from the Factories Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, led by Mr Boye, had, on Tuesday, visited the premises of Western Steel, after the division had come under fire from the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) for its failure to ensure safety measures.
The GFL also petitioned the Ministry of Employment to close down the factory with immediate effect to compel its management to put in proper safety measures.
Mr Mensah said an amended Factory’s Act would be ready by the end of the year which would make provisions for sanctions against recalcitrant factory owners who took employees for a ride.
The three-member management team of the company, made up of Mr Pius Tamakloe, the Managing Director; Sibnath Bhandophaty, the Chief Operation Officer, and Nana Tamakloe, the Corporate Affairs Director, was distraught at the minister’s verdict and would not answer further queries from the media regarding the explosions.
The minister recommended that all cylinders, pressure vessels and leaking equipment be examined properly by a certified engineer.
The Greater Accra Regional Factory Inspector, Mr Ohene Mensah, told the minister that preliminary investigations conducted by the division had revealed that residual oil and other gases that could lead to explosion were not adequately catered for, while employees were equally not properly protected.
“We also observed that there was over-exerted pressure on the furnace, while the gauges of cylinders were not reading accurately,” Mr Mensah said.
According to him, the technical team that inspected the factory further observed that cylinders and pressure vessels were not tested, as required by the law.
The team further observed that house-keeping at the furnace platform was poor, while the furnace itself was not well protected, leaving gas, hot air, fumes and other emissions to interact freely in the working environment.
Mr Mensah said the team also found that the overhead crane operator cage was enclosed, while the absence of bins resulted in scrap metals being deposited haphazardly at the furnace platform.
The President of the AGI, Nana Owusu Afari, called on the ministry to adequately resource the inspectorate division to ensure that proper monitoring mechanisms were adopted as preventable means against the any untoward occurrences.
Source: Della Russel Ocloo, Daily Graphic, May 6, 2011
WORK PLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY, FOURTH EXPLOSION AT WESTERN STEEL, DAILY GRAPHIC, WED MAY 4, 2011 (FRONT LEAD)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
Another explosion, the fourth since February 2011, has rocked Western Steel and Forgings Limited in the Kpone Industrial Area in Tema, injuring another employee of the company.
The victim, Mr Martin Gyekye, 43, sustained severe injuries to his face and some parts of his body at the melting plant where the latest explosion occurred.
He is currently on admission at the Narh-Bita Hospital.
The latest incident occurred about 2 p.m. Saturday, following similar explosions at the factory on February 1, Thursday, April 21 and Good Friday, April 22, 2011 which injured 13 employees, one of whom died later at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the material put into the furnace for melting was not properly screened to ensure the absence of any explosive material which might have caused the latest explosion.
Company officials have, meanwhile, mounted surveillance on Mr Gyakyi to prevent the media from having access to him.
When the Daily Graphic visited the Narh-Bita Hospital where he and other victims are on admission, the company officials who were at the hospital at the time of the visit denied the paper access to the victims’ wards.
A technical team from the Factories Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, led by the acting Chief Factory Inspector, Mr Adjei Boye, yesterday visited the premises of Western Steel, after the division had come under fire from the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) for its failure to ensure safety measures.
The GFL also petitioned the Ministry of Employment to close down the factory with immediate effect to compel its management to put in proper safety measures.
The General Secretary of the federation, Mr Abraham Koomson, who has been following up on the victims at the hospital, expressed disgust at the failure of the authorities of Western Steel to report the incident to the labour union.
He was not happy at the unco-operative attitude of officials of the company who had failed to make comments on the incident.
Mr Adjei Boye told the Daily Graphic that the team was compiling its report for submission to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and would, therefore, not want to prejudice the decision of the ministry.
The Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, said a decision on whether or not to close the factory would be informed by the recommendations of the technical team.
Mr Mensah is expected to visit the factory today to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, the management of the company has embarked on a massive clean up of its premises in anticipation of the minister’s visit.
Another explosion, the fourth since February 2011, has rocked Western Steel and Forgings Limited in the Kpone Industrial Area in Tema, injuring another employee of the company.
The victim, Mr Martin Gyekye, 43, sustained severe injuries to his face and some parts of his body at the melting plant where the latest explosion occurred.
He is currently on admission at the Narh-Bita Hospital.
The latest incident occurred about 2 p.m. Saturday, following similar explosions at the factory on February 1, Thursday, April 21 and Good Friday, April 22, 2011 which injured 13 employees, one of whom died later at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that the material put into the furnace for melting was not properly screened to ensure the absence of any explosive material which might have caused the latest explosion.
Company officials have, meanwhile, mounted surveillance on Mr Gyakyi to prevent the media from having access to him.
When the Daily Graphic visited the Narh-Bita Hospital where he and other victims are on admission, the company officials who were at the hospital at the time of the visit denied the paper access to the victims’ wards.
A technical team from the Factories Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, led by the acting Chief Factory Inspector, Mr Adjei Boye, yesterday visited the premises of Western Steel, after the division had come under fire from the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) for its failure to ensure safety measures.
The GFL also petitioned the Ministry of Employment to close down the factory with immediate effect to compel its management to put in proper safety measures.
The General Secretary of the federation, Mr Abraham Koomson, who has been following up on the victims at the hospital, expressed disgust at the failure of the authorities of Western Steel to report the incident to the labour union.
He was not happy at the unco-operative attitude of officials of the company who had failed to make comments on the incident.
Mr Adjei Boye told the Daily Graphic that the team was compiling its report for submission to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and would, therefore, not want to prejudice the decision of the ministry.
The Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, said a decision on whether or not to close the factory would be informed by the recommendations of the technical team.
Mr Mensah is expected to visit the factory today to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, the management of the company has embarked on a massive clean up of its premises in anticipation of the minister’s visit.
ILLICIT DRUGS WORTH £214m SEIZED At KOTOKA, DAILY GRAPHIC, TUE APRIL 5, 2011, (BACK PAGE)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
Illicit drugs totalling £214 million have been seized at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) since the introduction of the Operation Westbridge project in 2007.
Operation Westbridge was set up by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) of the British Government, in conjunction with the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) of Ghana, to arrest drug smugglers who used the KIA as a gateway to the United Kingdom (UK) and other European countries.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Executive Secretary of NACOB, Mr Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, said the programme was aimed at giving technical and operational expertise to Ghana’s intelligence operatives to deal with the drug trade.
Prior to the introduction of the project, the West African sub-region was classified as a region for class ‘A’ drugs by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Annual Drugs Report, 2006.
According to Mr Akrasi-Sarpong, the project had brought about a significant improvement, particularly in the area of organised crimes and narcotics.
He indicated that although the installation of a body scanner at the airport had also limited trafficking, the increased volume of flight schedules had seen the profiling of travellers becoming enormously difficult.
He said the system where airline operational offices were also located inside the departure halls, with people accompanying travellers into the halls for no apparent reason, also needed to be examined thoroughly.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said the intelligence community ought to come up with a comprehensive programme and project that would bring meat to government policies on drug trade, while making sure airport security was of topmost priority over commerce.
“If one was entering the Castle (seat of government), there were various security processes one had to go through,” he noted and wondered why the situation at the airport was different.
“It is for this reason that NACOB has submitted a proposal to the government for the installation of an additional body scanner at the VVIP section to check abuse of the unit, for which the government has pledged to release funds shortly,” he explained.
Although concerns had been raised over the malfunctioning of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the airport which people believed was a major setback in the fight against the narcotics trade, Mr Akrasi-Sarpong was optimistic that the Ghana Airport Company, as the owners of the facility, would adequately address the issue.
He said persons working at the KIA must be made to have backgrounds in security intelligence, as the current situation where employees had limited knowledge was not encouraging.
Expatiating, he said the practice whereby people manning strategic points at the airport indiscriminately moved from their desks also ought to be checked.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said plans were underway by the board to install security technology at various points that would give NACOB and its collaborative agencies an insight into everyday occurrences at the airport.
Illicit drugs totalling £214 million have been seized at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) since the introduction of the Operation Westbridge project in 2007.
Operation Westbridge was set up by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) of the British Government, in conjunction with the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) of Ghana, to arrest drug smugglers who used the KIA as a gateway to the United Kingdom (UK) and other European countries.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Executive Secretary of NACOB, Mr Yaw Akrasi-Sarpong, said the programme was aimed at giving technical and operational expertise to Ghana’s intelligence operatives to deal with the drug trade.
Prior to the introduction of the project, the West African sub-region was classified as a region for class ‘A’ drugs by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Annual Drugs Report, 2006.
According to Mr Akrasi-Sarpong, the project had brought about a significant improvement, particularly in the area of organised crimes and narcotics.
He indicated that although the installation of a body scanner at the airport had also limited trafficking, the increased volume of flight schedules had seen the profiling of travellers becoming enormously difficult.
He said the system where airline operational offices were also located inside the departure halls, with people accompanying travellers into the halls for no apparent reason, also needed to be examined thoroughly.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said the intelligence community ought to come up with a comprehensive programme and project that would bring meat to government policies on drug trade, while making sure airport security was of topmost priority over commerce.
“If one was entering the Castle (seat of government), there were various security processes one had to go through,” he noted and wondered why the situation at the airport was different.
“It is for this reason that NACOB has submitted a proposal to the government for the installation of an additional body scanner at the VVIP section to check abuse of the unit, for which the government has pledged to release funds shortly,” he explained.
Although concerns had been raised over the malfunctioning of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the airport which people believed was a major setback in the fight against the narcotics trade, Mr Akrasi-Sarpong was optimistic that the Ghana Airport Company, as the owners of the facility, would adequately address the issue.
He said persons working at the KIA must be made to have backgrounds in security intelligence, as the current situation where employees had limited knowledge was not encouraging.
Expatiating, he said the practice whereby people manning strategic points at the airport indiscriminately moved from their desks also ought to be checked.
Mr Akrasi-Sarpong said plans were underway by the board to install security technology at various points that would give NACOB and its collaborative agencies an insight into everyday occurrences at the airport.
FIVE EXPLOSION VICTIMS DISCHARGED, DAILY GRAPHIC, TUE APRIL 26, 2011 (CENTER SPREAD)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
Five victims of the explosion which occurred at the Western Steel and Forging Limited at the Kpone Industrial Area, Tema, last week have been discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for burns suffered in the incident.
Messrs Richard Adu, Precious Kpormego, Robert Asmah, Ernest Addotei and another who is yet to be identified were treated for minor burns on their hands and other parts of the body at the Narh-Bita Hospital in Tema.
Five others, namely, Chandirka Bhagt, an Indian technician; Richard Nartey, Tetteh Ago, William Nuamah and Ebenezer Lamptey, all machine shop operators, are still on admission at the same hospital.
Two other employees, Messrs David Atsagli and Joseph Nortey, who were rushed to the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre and the Intensive Care Unit, respectively, of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in a second explosion at the Oxygen Plant at the factory on Good Friday, are said to be in stable condition.
The Tema Regional Police Command has since launched investigations into the incident.
The Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Augustine Gyening, told the Daily Graphic that although the company’s officials were yet to lodge an official complaint with the police, the command had visited the scenes of the incidents and were gathering further information on the disaster.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Mr Timothy Affum, for his part, said since no report had officially been made to his outfit, no decision had been taken on conducting any investigations into the incident.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) and its affiliate body, the General Manufacturers Metal Workers Union (GEM), will today hold talks with the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare on the failure of the Factories Inspectorate Division of the ministry to undertake regular inspections to ensure that employers safeguard the safety of employees at all workplaces.
Five victims of the explosion which occurred at the Western Steel and Forging Limited at the Kpone Industrial Area, Tema, last week have been discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for burns suffered in the incident.
Messrs Richard Adu, Precious Kpormego, Robert Asmah, Ernest Addotei and another who is yet to be identified were treated for minor burns on their hands and other parts of the body at the Narh-Bita Hospital in Tema.
Five others, namely, Chandirka Bhagt, an Indian technician; Richard Nartey, Tetteh Ago, William Nuamah and Ebenezer Lamptey, all machine shop operators, are still on admission at the same hospital.
Two other employees, Messrs David Atsagli and Joseph Nortey, who were rushed to the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre and the Intensive Care Unit, respectively, of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in a second explosion at the Oxygen Plant at the factory on Good Friday, are said to be in stable condition.
The Tema Regional Police Command has since launched investigations into the incident.
The Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Augustine Gyening, told the Daily Graphic that although the company’s officials were yet to lodge an official complaint with the police, the command had visited the scenes of the incidents and were gathering further information on the disaster.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Mr Timothy Affum, for his part, said since no report had officially been made to his outfit, no decision had been taken on conducting any investigations into the incident.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) and its affiliate body, the General Manufacturers Metal Workers Union (GEM), will today hold talks with the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare on the failure of the Factories Inspectorate Division of the ministry to undertake regular inspections to ensure that employers safeguard the safety of employees at all workplaces.
EXPLOSION INJURED 13, MON, APRIL 25, 2011, DAILY GRAPHIC, Front C
Story & Pictures: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
TWO separate explosions which occurred at the Western Steel and Forging Limited at the Kpone Industrial Area, Tema, last week have caused serious injuries to 13 employees of the company.
The two incidents which occurred at the Melting and Oxygen plants of the company on Thursday and on Good Friday respectively left the genitals of one of the employees identified only as Nortey completely severed while another victim, identified as David Adzakli, had a metal lodged in his chest.
The two victims, whose conditions are said to be critical, are receiving attention at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra while the remaining 11 are on admission at the Narh-Bita Hospital in Tema.
The 11 are Richard Nartey, Tettteh Ago, Robert Asmah and William Nuamah. Others are Adu, Ernest Addotei, Ebenezer Lamptey, Precious Kpormego, all melting shop assistants, and Charndika Bhagt, a technician from India.
The incident is the third in a row since the beginning of the year. A similar incident which occurred at the factory on February 1, 2011 injured four employees.
One of the victims, Mr Nartey, said the first incident occurred about 7:30a.m. on Thursday when he and two others, including the technician, conveyed a disused caterpillar to the furnace to be melted.
He said in the process, they heard an unusual explosion from the machine, which later set a section of the premises ablaze.
Mr Nartey was of the view that there were some explosives in the caterpillar which were not properly disposed of.
The Corporate Affairs Director of the company, Nana Tamakloe, declined to comment on the incident.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Mr Abraham Koomson, who visited the victims at the hospital, expressed disgust at the failure of the authorities of the company to report the incident to the police.
Mr Koomson, who was accompanied by Mr Caleb Nartey, the General Secretary of the General Manufacturers Metal Workers Union (GEM), said it was unfortunate the company’s management was unwilling to explain what might have caused the explosions.
According to him, the explosions raised serious concerns about safety in the country’s industries.
Quoting from the Labour Act, 2003, Act 651, Section 118, which clearly states that, “it is the duty of an employer to ensure that every worker employed by him works under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions, Mr Koomson said, the uncaring attitude of the company officials clearly demonstrated their disregard for laid-down regulations.
The Act further states that, “without limiting the scope of section 1, an employer shall (a) provide and maintain at the workplace, plants and systems of work that are safe and without risk to health; and (b) ensure the safety and absence of risks to help in connection with use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
Mr Koomson said those were major prerequisites for which the Factory’s Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare had to undertake regular inspections to ensure that they were in place at all workplaces to safeguard the safety of employees.
Unfortunately, he said, those regulations had been disregarded by both employers and the inspectorate division, thereby exposing workers in factories to such accidents like explosions.
When the Daily Graphic visited the factory about 11:am on Saturday, security personnel manning the entrance to the factory refused to allow this reporter entry to the premises.
TWO separate explosions which occurred at the Western Steel and Forging Limited at the Kpone Industrial Area, Tema, last week have caused serious injuries to 13 employees of the company.
The two incidents which occurred at the Melting and Oxygen plants of the company on Thursday and on Good Friday respectively left the genitals of one of the employees identified only as Nortey completely severed while another victim, identified as David Adzakli, had a metal lodged in his chest.
The two victims, whose conditions are said to be critical, are receiving attention at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra while the remaining 11 are on admission at the Narh-Bita Hospital in Tema.
The 11 are Richard Nartey, Tettteh Ago, Robert Asmah and William Nuamah. Others are Adu, Ernest Addotei, Ebenezer Lamptey, Precious Kpormego, all melting shop assistants, and Charndika Bhagt, a technician from India.
The incident is the third in a row since the beginning of the year. A similar incident which occurred at the factory on February 1, 2011 injured four employees.
One of the victims, Mr Nartey, said the first incident occurred about 7:30a.m. on Thursday when he and two others, including the technician, conveyed a disused caterpillar to the furnace to be melted.
He said in the process, they heard an unusual explosion from the machine, which later set a section of the premises ablaze.
Mr Nartey was of the view that there were some explosives in the caterpillar which were not properly disposed of.
The Corporate Affairs Director of the company, Nana Tamakloe, declined to comment on the incident.
The General Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Mr Abraham Koomson, who visited the victims at the hospital, expressed disgust at the failure of the authorities of the company to report the incident to the police.
Mr Koomson, who was accompanied by Mr Caleb Nartey, the General Secretary of the General Manufacturers Metal Workers Union (GEM), said it was unfortunate the company’s management was unwilling to explain what might have caused the explosions.
According to him, the explosions raised serious concerns about safety in the country’s industries.
Quoting from the Labour Act, 2003, Act 651, Section 118, which clearly states that, “it is the duty of an employer to ensure that every worker employed by him works under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions, Mr Koomson said, the uncaring attitude of the company officials clearly demonstrated their disregard for laid-down regulations.
The Act further states that, “without limiting the scope of section 1, an employer shall (a) provide and maintain at the workplace, plants and systems of work that are safe and without risk to health; and (b) ensure the safety and absence of risks to help in connection with use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
Mr Koomson said those were major prerequisites for which the Factory’s Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare had to undertake regular inspections to ensure that they were in place at all workplaces to safeguard the safety of employees.
Unfortunately, he said, those regulations had been disregarded by both employers and the inspectorate division, thereby exposing workers in factories to such accidents like explosions.
When the Daily Graphic visited the factory about 11:am on Saturday, security personnel manning the entrance to the factory refused to allow this reporter entry to the premises.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Molestation Of Amina Haruna Women's Groups Want Investigations Expedited, Daily Graphic, Fri April 8, 2011 (Page 3)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
Three women’s rights groups have called on the Legon Police and the authorities of the University of Ghana, Legon, to expedite investigations into the alleged sexual molestation of Amina Haruna by some students of the Mensah Sarbah Hall (Okponglo) of the university.
The groups are the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (Netright), the Women’s Manifesto Coalition and the Domestic Violence Coalition.
Convenors of the coalition, Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Ms Hillary Gbedemah, Dr Akua Britwum (Netright), Ms Hamida Harrison (Women’s Manifesto), Ms Adwoa Bame (Wise) and Adolf Awuku Bekoe, the National Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence Coalition, said the action of the students was not only ghastly but barbaric and demeaning to womanhood.
They said the behaviour of the students was anti-social and tantamount to gang rape.
According to them, the delay by the authorities and the police in apprehending the suspects and taking appropriate action had the tendency to increase gender-based violence against women.
Addressing a news conference in Accra, members of the coalition said the historical silence surrounding sexual violence perpetrated against women had given rise to the kind of effrontery that transcended the frontiers of moral decadence in the country.
“We are dismayed that this criminality was executed by persons expected to provide national leadership in the not-too-distant future,” they stated.
They indicated that sexual violence against women was reprehensible and a criminal offence under the statutes.
“It, therefore, behoves the government, as a signatory to international human rights law statutes, to ensure justice is done to the victim,” they said.
While commending the university authorities for taking proactive measures to bring the perpetrators to book, they also called on the Students Representative Council (SRC) to set up a security committee to follow up on the case.
Three women’s rights groups have called on the Legon Police and the authorities of the University of Ghana, Legon, to expedite investigations into the alleged sexual molestation of Amina Haruna by some students of the Mensah Sarbah Hall (Okponglo) of the university.
The groups are the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (Netright), the Women’s Manifesto Coalition and the Domestic Violence Coalition.
Convenors of the coalition, Mrs Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Ms Hillary Gbedemah, Dr Akua Britwum (Netright), Ms Hamida Harrison (Women’s Manifesto), Ms Adwoa Bame (Wise) and Adolf Awuku Bekoe, the National Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence Coalition, said the action of the students was not only ghastly but barbaric and demeaning to womanhood.
They said the behaviour of the students was anti-social and tantamount to gang rape.
According to them, the delay by the authorities and the police in apprehending the suspects and taking appropriate action had the tendency to increase gender-based violence against women.
Addressing a news conference in Accra, members of the coalition said the historical silence surrounding sexual violence perpetrated against women had given rise to the kind of effrontery that transcended the frontiers of moral decadence in the country.
“We are dismayed that this criminality was executed by persons expected to provide national leadership in the not-too-distant future,” they stated.
They indicated that sexual violence against women was reprehensible and a criminal offence under the statutes.
“It, therefore, behoves the government, as a signatory to international human rights law statutes, to ensure justice is done to the victim,” they said.
While commending the university authorities for taking proactive measures to bring the perpetrators to book, they also called on the Students Representative Council (SRC) to set up a security committee to follow up on the case.
Fall-Out From Legon Female Molestation - Identified Students To Be Handed Over To Police, Dailty Graphic, Tue May 3, 2011 (Page 3)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
Authorities of the University of Ghana are to hand over students who have been identified on a video tape as having molested Amina Haruna, 25, who is alleged to have stolen some items from the Annex B (Okponglo) of the Mensah Sarbah Hall, to the police on Wednesday.
The Crime Officer of the Legon Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Basintale, told the Daily Graphic, that the police had agreed with the authorities of the university to hand over the culprits by Wednesday to allow the police to carry out further investigations into the incident.
He said the names of the students identified so far by the police were being withheld for security reasons.
A fact-finding committee of the university recently presented its findings to the Dean of Students and the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ernest Aryettey.
The committee, according to a statement issued by the Registrar of the university, Mr J.S. Budu, had identified a number of students who were present during the molestation, as seen on the video clips produced, as well as credible eyewitness accounts.
It said based on the recommendations of the committee, students identified were given hearings by the disciplinary committee as per a writ of summons.
A number of students were said to have caught the suspect with mobile phones and a laptop at the hall at dawn on Thursday, March 30, 2011, stripped her naked and inserted their fingers into her private parts.
She was, however, rescued by security officers of the university who took her to the Legon Police Station at about 3 a.m.
Unknown to the students, the act was being filmed by an unidentified person who later released the footage on the Internet.
The occurrence, which authorities say has dented the image of the university, was widely condemned by human rights groups, with women’s rights activists calling on the security agencies to expedite action on the matter.
Authorities of the University of Ghana are to hand over students who have been identified on a video tape as having molested Amina Haruna, 25, who is alleged to have stolen some items from the Annex B (Okponglo) of the Mensah Sarbah Hall, to the police on Wednesday.
The Crime Officer of the Legon Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Basintale, told the Daily Graphic, that the police had agreed with the authorities of the university to hand over the culprits by Wednesday to allow the police to carry out further investigations into the incident.
He said the names of the students identified so far by the police were being withheld for security reasons.
A fact-finding committee of the university recently presented its findings to the Dean of Students and the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ernest Aryettey.
The committee, according to a statement issued by the Registrar of the university, Mr J.S. Budu, had identified a number of students who were present during the molestation, as seen on the video clips produced, as well as credible eyewitness accounts.
It said based on the recommendations of the committee, students identified were given hearings by the disciplinary committee as per a writ of summons.
A number of students were said to have caught the suspect with mobile phones and a laptop at the hall at dawn on Thursday, March 30, 2011, stripped her naked and inserted their fingers into her private parts.
She was, however, rescued by security officers of the university who took her to the Legon Police Station at about 3 a.m.
Unknown to the students, the act was being filmed by an unidentified person who later released the footage on the Internet.
The occurrence, which authorities say has dented the image of the university, was widely condemned by human rights groups, with women’s rights activists calling on the security agencies to expedite action on the matter.
NPP Activists Kick Against Disqualification, Daily Graphic, Tue April 12, 2011 (Political Page)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
A group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists in the Tema West Constituency has described the disqualification of Dr Elis Ebenezer Donkor, an aspirant, as unjustifiable, an action that could spell doom for the party in the constituency.
According to the group, the action also sought to undermine the tenets of democracy which the party believed in and practised.
They are therefore appealing to the national executive of the party to ensure a free and fair conduct of polls in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
They indicated that attempts by the party leadership to impose the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo, as a sole candidate may go to deprive the constituency of the seat.
Members of the group displayed placards, some of which read, “Bottom Power go kill this party ooo,” “NPP national executive are valued at GH¢48,000 only,” “Gentle Jack, save our Party,” “Tema West is not for Jake and Naa Torshie, “NPP, We Are Not Learning;” “Nana Addo, Open Your Mouth And Say Something;” and “Nana, Your Effort To be President is under threat.”
Addressing a news conference dubbed: ‘The dark days are here,’ to register their displeasure with what they described as a grand ploy to disqualify other contenders, the spokesperson for the aggrieved polling station executives, Mr Ekow Sey, accused the national executive of colluding with the regional and constituency executives.
He indicated that the posture of all the executives gives credence to unsubstantiated allegations that huge sums of money exchanged hands after the vetting process.
He argued that a fairly contested primaries would be the only remedy towards addressing the numerous problems facing members and supporters resulting from fallouts from the last primaries between the former Majority Leader, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo and the current MP leading to the seeming divisions on the party’s front in the constituency.
Mr Sey also questioned the basis for which Dr Donkor was disqualified when executives recall that the two were cleared to go into the contest following successful vetting processes on March 27.
The also called on the constituency executive to desist from embarking on smear campaigns against contenders seeking to exercise their democratic rights.
A group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists in the Tema West Constituency has described the disqualification of Dr Elis Ebenezer Donkor, an aspirant, as unjustifiable, an action that could spell doom for the party in the constituency.
According to the group, the action also sought to undermine the tenets of democracy which the party believed in and practised.
They are therefore appealing to the national executive of the party to ensure a free and fair conduct of polls in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.
They indicated that attempts by the party leadership to impose the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Irene Naa Torshie Addo, as a sole candidate may go to deprive the constituency of the seat.
Members of the group displayed placards, some of which read, “Bottom Power go kill this party ooo,” “NPP national executive are valued at GH¢48,000 only,” “Gentle Jack, save our Party,” “Tema West is not for Jake and Naa Torshie, “NPP, We Are Not Learning;” “Nana Addo, Open Your Mouth And Say Something;” and “Nana, Your Effort To be President is under threat.”
Addressing a news conference dubbed: ‘The dark days are here,’ to register their displeasure with what they described as a grand ploy to disqualify other contenders, the spokesperson for the aggrieved polling station executives, Mr Ekow Sey, accused the national executive of colluding with the regional and constituency executives.
He indicated that the posture of all the executives gives credence to unsubstantiated allegations that huge sums of money exchanged hands after the vetting process.
He argued that a fairly contested primaries would be the only remedy towards addressing the numerous problems facing members and supporters resulting from fallouts from the last primaries between the former Majority Leader, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo and the current MP leading to the seeming divisions on the party’s front in the constituency.
Mr Sey also questioned the basis for which Dr Donkor was disqualified when executives recall that the two were cleared to go into the contest following successful vetting processes on March 27.
The also called on the constituency executive to desist from embarking on smear campaigns against contenders seeking to exercise their democratic rights.
Dr Akoto Osei Surprised About Payment Of TOR Debt, Thur April 7, 2011 (Daily Graphic, Political Page)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
A former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, says he is surprised that the government paid the final part of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) without the involvement of Parliament.
He said any such payment without parliamentary approval was unconstitutional and contravened the law.
“Under the Constitution, only Parliament can approve a loan of that nature, as such moneys can only be raised through the issuance of a bond which ought to be approved by Parliament,” he stated.
His comments come against the backdrop of an announcement by GCB’s Board Chairman, Mr Pryce Kojo Thompson, that the government had paid the remaining GH¢572 million owed by TOR to the bank, after an earlier partial payment of GH¢445 million in March 2010. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Osei said the absence of documentation on the transaction in the House was a clear violation of the Constitution.
He said Parliament would be compelled to call the Finance Minister to answer questions on how it contracted money for the repayment.
According to him, the right procedure ought to be followed, more so when the issue of the TOR debt would not necessarily end with its settlement.
Dr Akoto said the first time the issue of the GH¢445 million was made known, the public was made to understand that the government had taken a loan from the people.
Dr Osei also expressed concern about what he described as the unco-operative posture of the Finance Minister, who he alleged, had failed to appear before the House to answer questions on the transaction, saying, “The minister will be made to respond appropriately when the House resumes sitting in May.”
He repeated the Minority’s earlier call on the government to make public the TOR debt as of December 2010.
“We gave our information from what we knew till 2008 and we expect the government to tell the people of Ghana how much debt has been incurred in the last two years. That is a matter the people should know,” Dr Osei said.
A Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Tekper, told this reporter that officials could only comment on the matter after they had reviewed the statements made by the Minority Spokesperson.
A former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, says he is surprised that the government paid the final part of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) without the involvement of Parliament.
He said any such payment without parliamentary approval was unconstitutional and contravened the law.
“Under the Constitution, only Parliament can approve a loan of that nature, as such moneys can only be raised through the issuance of a bond which ought to be approved by Parliament,” he stated.
His comments come against the backdrop of an announcement by GCB’s Board Chairman, Mr Pryce Kojo Thompson, that the government had paid the remaining GH¢572 million owed by TOR to the bank, after an earlier partial payment of GH¢445 million in March 2010. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Osei said the absence of documentation on the transaction in the House was a clear violation of the Constitution.
He said Parliament would be compelled to call the Finance Minister to answer questions on how it contracted money for the repayment.
According to him, the right procedure ought to be followed, more so when the issue of the TOR debt would not necessarily end with its settlement.
Dr Akoto said the first time the issue of the GH¢445 million was made known, the public was made to understand that the government had taken a loan from the people.
Dr Osei also expressed concern about what he described as the unco-operative posture of the Finance Minister, who he alleged, had failed to appear before the House to answer questions on the transaction, saying, “The minister will be made to respond appropriately when the House resumes sitting in May.”
He repeated the Minority’s earlier call on the government to make public the TOR debt as of December 2010.
“We gave our information from what we knew till 2008 and we expect the government to tell the people of Ghana how much debt has been incurred in the last two years. That is a matter the people should know,” Dr Osei said.
A Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Tekper, told this reporter that officials could only comment on the matter after they had reviewed the statements made by the Minority Spokesperson.
NHIA To Come Out With Two-Tier Scheme, Daily Graphic, Tue March 22, 2011 Front B
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) intends to merge the annual health insurance payment policy with the one-time payment to make the scheme a two-tier one under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The implementation of the combined scheme will see the two systems operate alongside each other.
According to NHIA officials, that arrangement would offer subscribers the opportunity to select a service that would best meet their financial strengths.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the decision to adopt the two-tier policy was taken after widespread consultations with stakeholders.
He said the NHIA had taken cognisance of the concerns being raised on the one-time policy and had come to the conclusion that the two-tier system would afford subscribers better options in accessing affordable health care.
He, however, declined for now to indicate how soon the new policy would take off, as well as the amounts payable by subscribers under both systems.
Mr Mensah, however, debunked suggestions that the government adopted the new approach as a result of its failure to make the one-time payment feasible, saying, “The social democratic status of the government led to the decision to combine both schemes after taking into consideration the varied opinions and concerns of stakeholders and the general public who are the recipients of these services.”
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) intends to merge the annual health insurance payment policy with the one-time payment to make the scheme a two-tier one under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The implementation of the combined scheme will see the two systems operate alongside each other.
According to NHIA officials, that arrangement would offer subscribers the opportunity to select a service that would best meet their financial strengths.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the decision to adopt the two-tier policy was taken after widespread consultations with stakeholders.
He said the NHIA had taken cognisance of the concerns being raised on the one-time policy and had come to the conclusion that the two-tier system would afford subscribers better options in accessing affordable health care.
He, however, declined for now to indicate how soon the new policy would take off, as well as the amounts payable by subscribers under both systems.
Mr Mensah, however, debunked suggestions that the government adopted the new approach as a result of its failure to make the one-time payment feasible, saying, “The social democratic status of the government led to the decision to combine both schemes after taking into consideration the varied opinions and concerns of stakeholders and the general public who are the recipients of these services.”
CJ Warns Public Against Fraudulent Characters ( DAILY GRAPHIC , Wed March 30th 2011) CENTER SPREAD
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
The Chief Justice (CJ), Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, has cautioned the public to be wary of fraudulent men and women who hang around court premises to prey on litigants.
She said the Judicial Service had put in place a well-functioning complaints unit to ward off illegitimate demands by people in justice administration, such as the demand for inducement fees which, apart from compromising the integrity of the service, also goes to defraud unsuspecting litigants of justice.
“Feel free to use this channel so your legitimate and evidence-based complaints can be addressed satisfactorily,” she advised litigants.
She also called for the enforcement of regulations on the wearing of identification tags and prescribed uniforms supplied at the cost of the service towards warding off all forms of indiscipline that had plagued the service.
Justice Wood sounded the caution at the inauguration of the Ethics and Integrity committees for the Judiciary and the Judicial Service.
The two committees, which have been set up as peer review and self-policing ones, are part of new measures intended to safeguard integrity to conform with new codes of conduct for the Judiciary and the Judicial Service.
The Ethics Committee’s work, which encompasses advocacy for strengthening judicial integrity and enforcing the code of conduct for judges to make them more accountable, is chaired by the CJ herself, with Justice Julius Baah, a representative of the Supreme Court, as its Executive Secretary. Other members are Justice J.B. Akamba, Justice Mariam Owusu, Justice Olivia Obeng-Owusu, Justice Ali Baba Bature and Justice Gifty Dekyem.
The committee will also work to entrench the principles of integrity to safeguard the highest ethical and professional standards in the service.
The Integrity Committee, on the other hand, which will establish a link between acceptable judicial conduct and the punishment that will be meted out to those who flout national laws and codes of conduct, is chaired by the CJ’s nominee, Justice Professor S.K. Date-Baah, with Justice Abdulai Iddrisu, Mrs Dorothy Kingsley-Nyinah, Gloria Ocansey and John Bannerman as members. The Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Opoku Acheampong, is its Executive Secretary.
Justice Wood said corruption charges, although more of perception than reality, were still damaging to the public image of the service.
“It is in this light that we must bear responsibility in ensuring the reversal of the trend while working to secure trust and credibility among the justice seeking populace,” she stated.
A Supreme Court judge, Justice William Atuguba, who inaugurated the committees, urged the members to work assiduously, while maintaining their loyalty to God and the country, as its long-suffering people deserved a Judiciary that administered justice in a timely and efficient manner.
Earlier in his welcoming address, Justice Joseph Akamba, an Appeal Court judge, said a good Judiciary was one that the people could place their trust and confidence in.
He bemoaned a recent corruption/integrity survey by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that placed the Judicial Service second and called for strategies that would go to reduce that public perception.
The Chief Justice (CJ), Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, has cautioned the public to be wary of fraudulent men and women who hang around court premises to prey on litigants.
She said the Judicial Service had put in place a well-functioning complaints unit to ward off illegitimate demands by people in justice administration, such as the demand for inducement fees which, apart from compromising the integrity of the service, also goes to defraud unsuspecting litigants of justice.
“Feel free to use this channel so your legitimate and evidence-based complaints can be addressed satisfactorily,” she advised litigants.
She also called for the enforcement of regulations on the wearing of identification tags and prescribed uniforms supplied at the cost of the service towards warding off all forms of indiscipline that had plagued the service.
Justice Wood sounded the caution at the inauguration of the Ethics and Integrity committees for the Judiciary and the Judicial Service.
The two committees, which have been set up as peer review and self-policing ones, are part of new measures intended to safeguard integrity to conform with new codes of conduct for the Judiciary and the Judicial Service.
The Ethics Committee’s work, which encompasses advocacy for strengthening judicial integrity and enforcing the code of conduct for judges to make them more accountable, is chaired by the CJ herself, with Justice Julius Baah, a representative of the Supreme Court, as its Executive Secretary. Other members are Justice J.B. Akamba, Justice Mariam Owusu, Justice Olivia Obeng-Owusu, Justice Ali Baba Bature and Justice Gifty Dekyem.
The committee will also work to entrench the principles of integrity to safeguard the highest ethical and professional standards in the service.
The Integrity Committee, on the other hand, which will establish a link between acceptable judicial conduct and the punishment that will be meted out to those who flout national laws and codes of conduct, is chaired by the CJ’s nominee, Justice Professor S.K. Date-Baah, with Justice Abdulai Iddrisu, Mrs Dorothy Kingsley-Nyinah, Gloria Ocansey and John Bannerman as members. The Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Opoku Acheampong, is its Executive Secretary.
Justice Wood said corruption charges, although more of perception than reality, were still damaging to the public image of the service.
“It is in this light that we must bear responsibility in ensuring the reversal of the trend while working to secure trust and credibility among the justice seeking populace,” she stated.
A Supreme Court judge, Justice William Atuguba, who inaugurated the committees, urged the members to work assiduously, while maintaining their loyalty to God and the country, as its long-suffering people deserved a Judiciary that administered justice in a timely and efficient manner.
Earlier in his welcoming address, Justice Joseph Akamba, an Appeal Court judge, said a good Judiciary was one that the people could place their trust and confidence in.
He bemoaned a recent corruption/integrity survey by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that placed the Judicial Service second and called for strategies that would go to reduce that public perception.
Australia Institutes Food Aid Programme For Sub-Region, Daily Graphic Fri 25th March 2011, Center Spread
Story: Della Russel Ocloo
Australia has instituted a $12-million food aid programme for the West African sub-region as part of efforts to support food security.
Under the programme, Australia would work with governments within the sub-region to improve human resource capacity and research skills and increase agricultural productivity.
The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Billy Williams, announced this at a lecture on the topic: ‘Reflection on security series’, held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.
The lecture, on the theme “ Re-engagement of Africa, Options and Opportunities”, was attended by participants drawn from the security services and diplomatic missions.
Mr Williams said following current events in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya, his country, through the United Nation’s High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), had provided humanitarian support to the tune of two million Australian dollars for emergency medical assistance and shelter for displaced people.
That, Mr Williams said, had resulted in the adoption of codes and guidelines for the protection of civilians.
He stated that Australia was keen to increase African participation in defence and security, hence the provision of civil-military training courses for personnel to cover areas of non-combat subjects in peacekeeping and civil-military relations.
He expressed worry over the scourge of terrorism prevalent on the continent although various countries and organisations had made considerable input into a trust fund to deal with the situation.
He was, however, optimistic that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by his country and the African Union in September 2010 would serve and strengthen co-operation in areas of mutual interest.
He gave assurance of Australia’s long-term commitment to peace-building efforts through the UN, particularly to consolidate peace and security in Sierra Leone.
“It is in this light that we are also supporting the country’s national electoral committee and non-governmental coalitions to educate citizens on their civic and political right in the run-up to their critical elections in 2012,” Mr Williams explained.
Mr Williams said Australia intended to build the capacity of Southern Sudan as it prepared to become an independent country, including curbing poverty, which remained a major challenge to global peace and security.
The Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Brigadier General George Adjei, who chaired the programme, commended Australia for its decision to renew engagement with African countries, particularly the building of technical and leadership skills of African governments.
He was optimistic the support would go a long way to provide essential services, strengthen law and justice and improve transparency across Africa.
Australia has instituted a $12-million food aid programme for the West African sub-region as part of efforts to support food security.
Under the programme, Australia would work with governments within the sub-region to improve human resource capacity and research skills and increase agricultural productivity.
The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Billy Williams, announced this at a lecture on the topic: ‘Reflection on security series’, held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.
The lecture, on the theme “ Re-engagement of Africa, Options and Opportunities”, was attended by participants drawn from the security services and diplomatic missions.
Mr Williams said following current events in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya, his country, through the United Nation’s High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), had provided humanitarian support to the tune of two million Australian dollars for emergency medical assistance and shelter for displaced people.
That, Mr Williams said, had resulted in the adoption of codes and guidelines for the protection of civilians.
He stated that Australia was keen to increase African participation in defence and security, hence the provision of civil-military training courses for personnel to cover areas of non-combat subjects in peacekeeping and civil-military relations.
He expressed worry over the scourge of terrorism prevalent on the continent although various countries and organisations had made considerable input into a trust fund to deal with the situation.
He was, however, optimistic that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by his country and the African Union in September 2010 would serve and strengthen co-operation in areas of mutual interest.
He gave assurance of Australia’s long-term commitment to peace-building efforts through the UN, particularly to consolidate peace and security in Sierra Leone.
“It is in this light that we are also supporting the country’s national electoral committee and non-governmental coalitions to educate citizens on their civic and political right in the run-up to their critical elections in 2012,” Mr Williams explained.
Mr Williams said Australia intended to build the capacity of Southern Sudan as it prepared to become an independent country, including curbing poverty, which remained a major challenge to global peace and security.
The Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Brigadier General George Adjei, who chaired the programme, commended Australia for its decision to renew engagement with African countries, particularly the building of technical and leadership skills of African governments.
He was optimistic the support would go a long way to provide essential services, strengthen law and justice and improve transparency across Africa.
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