Ghana among "worst violators of forced evictions"

According to a research conducted by Amnesty International and the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) Ghana is one of the worst violators of forced evictions in Africa.

The new study revealed that, over 7,000 people in Ghana were made homeless when they were forcibly evicted by the Game and Wildlife Division from the Digya National Park in March and April 2006. The eviction was halted in April only after a boat carrying over 150 evictees capsized, causing the death of at least 10 people. Those remaining in the park still live under threat of forced eviction.

Some 800 people also had their homes destroyed in Legion Village, Accra in May 2006, while approximately 30,000 people in the Agbogbloshie community of Accra have been threatened with forcible eviction since 2002.

The research indicates that some two million people have been forcibly evicted from their homes and many thousands have been made homeless since 2000 in Nigeria, while more than 12,000 people were forcibly evicted from Dar Assalaam camp in Sudan in August 2006.

The government of Zimbabwe staggered the international community in 2005 when, in a military style operation, it forced an estimated 700,000 people from their homes, their businesses or both. Angola's capital, Luanda, has seen the eviction of at least 6,000 families and their homes were demolished since 2001.

In Kenya approximately 70,000 people have been forcibly evicted from their homes in forest areas since 2005, while at least 20,000 people have been forcibly evicted from neighborhoods in or around Nairobi since 2000.

And in Equatorial Guinea at least 300 families have been forcibly evicted from their homes since 2004, when the government embarked on a program of urban regeneration in Malabo and Bata.

The two organizations called on African governments to halt forced evictions and abide by their international human rights obligations.

Danish Research Vessel docks at Tema Port

A Danish Research Vessel, MV Vaedren has berthed at the Tema Port on a four-day research expedition into aquatic and marine life in the country. This forms part of its research expedition dubbed, Galathea 3, which, between August 2006 and April 2007, will circumnavigate the globe undertaking over 60 research projects initiated by Danish and international research environment.

The 99 crew members on board are made up of 33 scientists and journalist, among others. At its inaugural ceremony the Deputy Minister for Harbours and Railways, Mrs Sophia Horner-Sam commended the Research Team for this effort, which, she said, will be of significant benefit to the nation's educational institutions.

She expressed the hope that the research projects, which have been divided into Biology, Geology, Environment and Culture as well as history "will offer immense opportunity for us to learn and strive to meet the challenges of today."

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon (UGL) Prof. Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe, expressed his appreciation to the team's work and urged the team to liaise with the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of UGL as they move on with their work.

He commended DANIDA for also helping the UGL to establish an ecological laboratory to enhance the study of interaction between soil and plants. A Research Scientist, Jergen Bendtsen, disclosed that the expedition Ship during the period will cover all climatic regions of the world and this would provide the platform for natural science research.

He outlined the aims and objectives of Galathea 3 as not only to strengthen research activities but also to reinforce the idea of modern science as being of present day relevance, and especially for future generations.

GNA

President accepts Anane’s resignation

The president Mr J. A. Kufuor has accepted with regret, the resignation of Mr Richard Anane, Minister of Road Transport.

A statement signed by Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation said in submitting his letter of resignation, the Minister explained that he was resigning his position to enable him seek judicial review at the Fast Track High Court on the ruling made against him by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

In accepting his resignation, the President commended him for his commitment, loyalty and hard work during his tenure as Minister of State and wished him well.

Ban on drugs has brought fear, respect, for FDB

The outcome of the temporary ban placed on advertisements of drugs, herbal and other medicinal products a few weeks ago, has brought in its wake, fear and respect for the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). The ban has also made the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG), to realise that the Association has a regulatory body to check it.

Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, President of PMAG, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at his office at the KAMA Health Services Limited in Accra on Friday.

Since the ban was lifted, it had raised a lot of a public concern and misunderstanding between the PMAG and herbal practitioners. Dr Addo, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of KAMA Health Services Limited, said the situation had put the media on its toes and would have to be circumspect in its advertisements on drugs, especially those herbal products sold in buses without standardization.

He was emphatic that the PMAG was not in conflict with herbal practitioners and advised them to standardise their herbal products from appropriate scientific research institutions like the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine at Akwapim Mampong and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi.

"The Association is, however, unhappy that this has happened, but we note that this issue is one that has been discussed on several occasions with the media houses and other stakeholders," he said.

Dr Addo stated: "We are aware that the public is unduly attracted to these adverts and promotions, but we are also aware of the health hazards that are associated with abuse and misuse of medicines and herbal preparations, which these adverts seek to promote."

He further advised that now that the advertisements had been reintroduced, all drugs manufacturers should comply with directives of the FDB.

He urged the Board to take tough measures against any manufacturer who flouted the standing orders and noted that though drug manufacturers depended on advertisements and promotions to market their products, the Association believed that the public health and safety should be of paramount interest.

GNA