New form of child abuse surface in N/R

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Iddris, Northern Regional Minister has expressed concern about an emergence of a new form of child abuse and exploitation, which was more serious than the "kayayee" and the child labour.The practice known as "Taalar", is where under-aged children are engaged in petty trading and hawking from one community to another to sell even at night at the peril of their lives instead of being in school.Alhaji Iddris was speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC), an international NGO based in Tamale.The celebration was for the NGO to showcase its activities and successes chalked so far in the region during its 10 years of operation and also to learn public and community level support to sustain its programmes.The Minister said, parents must live up to their parental responsibility and ensure the proper upbringing of their children to protect them from all sorts of exploitation and expressed regret that some parents allow their children to suffer.He said the distances between communities in the region were very far apart and bushy, which was very dangerous for children to embark on such journeys under severe conditions to make a living instead of being in the classroom.Alhaji Iddris said it was significant for parents and opinion leaders to collaborate to prevent children from engaging in petty trading while the District and Metropolitan Assemblies could enact and enforce by-laws to prevent children from selling.Alhaji Iddris said the female children who are engaged in the "Taalar" practice were exposed to dangers such as rape, prostitution and molestation while the males had the tendency of indulging in alcoholism and drug abuse.He said children were the future leaders of the country and that their fundamental rights must therefore had to be respected and protected to adequately prepare them for future challenges. It is a common phenomenon in the Tamale Metropolis to also see male children who are supposed to be in school are seen going round with hoes on their shoulders at residential areas shouting "Paa o paa", for jobs to earn a living.Some residents some times take undue advantage of their plight and tab their labour and give them meager monies, some times left over food, a situation that needed to be checked and addressed. The Minister appealed to NGOs operating in the region to tackle children's issues seriously and should educate them to live discipline lives to be obedient and honest to their parents. Alhaji Iddris commended the CCFC for the tremendous assistance to communities and people in the region and urged them not to relent in efforts to reduce poverty. 24 Nov.06
Source:GNA

Kufuor's Responds to inside critics

Demands scrutiny of aspirants, ampoons ungrateful Kwabena Adjepong As Hawa Yakubu counsels Prez to stay neutralReports reaching the political desk of this paper indicate that President John Agyekum Kufuor, has taken a swipe at some of his cabinet Ministers who are overtly and covertly campaigning to succeed him by accusing him the (president) as being the bane of the party’s problem.Mr. Kufuor who also took serious reservations with one of the aspiring candidates dared the cabinet ministers to prove to the party member’s programmes and policies that they have proposed to revive the hopes and whip up enthusiasm of the party members of which he the president had rejected or opposed.He urged the party executives to challenge those aspirants are accusing him to tell them what they have done.“They are still cabinet ministers and we take decisions together. When they come to you, ask them about what they have done for the party. What programmes and policies that they have brought to me and I have refused,” he fumed.President Kufuor made this observation last Sunday at Maple Leaf Hotel at Achimota in Accra to round off a three-day strategic review workshop organized by the NPP.Not enthused by some actions of those canvassing to succeed him, he attacked one of the aspirants (obviously he was referring to Kwabena Agyapong, his former press secretary) for going to the Volta Region and telling the party delegates that he (Kwabena) has been advising the president but he refused to take itSpeaking in twi, to the party members, he said, “Saa akoa noa, o’nenam ewo Volta region eekeka see, we tumi fo saa mentie …saa akoa no mimpe se meka ne ho asem, efri sei maboa no paa, nti megyae nasem amano,” literally meaning “that person who is going round in the Volta region telling them that he advised me but I didn’t take it, I don’t want to say anything about him. This is because I have helped him very much hence I will leave him,” he said.He continued to admonish the party executives present at the workshop that, “it is now the time for you to ask them about how many times they came to me with a proposal and I declined,” and stressed further on the need for the delegates and the party gurus to subject the aspirants to a proper scrutiny about what they have done to the progress of the party since they became cabinet Ministers and are now wanting to lead the party.According President Kufuor, it was unfortunate that the aspirants are professing to be the apostles that have the party at heart rather than him. “Nobody in the party apart from Mr. C.T Dedem, a member of the council of elders of our great party and a few others, can claim they have the party’s interest than I do.”Contrary to the perceptions that Mr. Kwadwo Mpianim, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chief of Staff that he wields more power, Mr. Kufuor stated other wise. “He has no powers as others are saying.” The Minister corroborated this assertion when he led the discussion on government and party relations.President Kufuor cautioned the aspirants in the presence of Hon. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Water Resource, Works and Housing, an aspirant, Hon. Felix Kwasi Owusu-Adjepong, Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, an aspirants, Mr. Dan Kweku Botwe, former general secretary, also an aspirant and a host of others, our intelligence gathered.Mr. Mpianim, who most party faithful regard as the ‘most powerful’ person next to President deflated the reports and said, “I have no power,” and dismissed the assertions that he was the bane of the party.According to party insiders at the workshop, Mr. Mpianim recounted frustration of party members when they want to meet ministers and District Chief Executives.He cautioned the ministers and DCEs to make themselves available to the party members and not to provide a platform for them to continue to grumble, which he underscored, was not good for the fortunes of the party.His comment came when he was leading a discussion on party government relations, an open discussion to identify the problems and recommend workable solutions to the problems.The party’s Iron Lady, Mad. Hawa Ogede Yakubu, the first vice national chairperson of the party, advised the president to desist from meddling with the aspirations of aspirants and asked him to play a neutral role so that his exit from presidency would leave a better legacy in the party.Hackman one of the aspirants who is in the race and completed a tour of the western region was so wowed by the intervention of Hawa that he went and embraced her, even though she has previously shown discourtesy to Hawa in the past when he was foreign Minister.Our intelligence revealed that Mr. Dan Kweku Botwe, the chairman of research committee of the party spoke on winning strategies and drew thunderous applause with his skillful presentation, with a majority standing up to applaud him including even the party chairman, Mr. Peter Mac Manu.
Source:Chronicle

Ghananie.com

Ghananie.com

Parliament passes three Bills

Parliament on Thursday passed three bills, including the Credit Reporting Bill after taking them through the third reading. The National Lotto and Foreign Exchange Bills were the other Bills passed. The purpose of the Credit Reporting Bill is to provide a legal framework for the licensing, operation and supervision of credit bureaus in Ghana .It also seeks to establish the conditions for the formation, processing and storage and disclosure of credit information. The Finance Committee in its report on the Bill noted that Ghana currently did not have a comprehensive and reliable credit information system available to lenders, making them rely solely on borrowers for information. Due to this, financial institutions are unable to make informed and reliable decisions in relation to the allocation of credit. The lack of credit information system increases the risks of lending and causes financial institutions to provide less credit, thereby reducing the availability of credit for small and medium size businesses. The National Lotto Bill would revise the law regulating the operation of national lotto and to restructure the National Lotteries Department so as to generate more revenue for the state. The Department of National Lotteries was set up as a department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to conduct the national weekly lotto for and on behalf of government. Despite making substantial contributions to the Consolidated Fund, the promulgation PNDC Law 223 deregulated the lottery industry in Ghana and subjected the department to competition from private lottery operators. The Foreign Exchange Bill seeks to provide a new statutory framework for the management of the foreign exchange transactions regime in the country.GNA

Parliament nears passage of bill against "Domestic Violence"

The Domestic Violence Bill, which seeks to provide legal protection for marital spouses and children from violence and abuses, went through the second reading in Parliament on Thursday. The First Deputy Speaker Mr Freddie Blay, who sat in the chair, ruled that the motion was moved after much debate on whether it should be deferred for the next day since it was past 1300 hours and Parliament had to close by 1400 hours. Members were divided on the movement of the motion, arguing that due to the importance of the bill, ample time was needed to study the Report of the joint Committee on Gender and Children and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, on the Bill, distributed earlier in the day. The House was unanimous on its support for the bill after Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice had moved the motion, stating that domestic violence had become a social canker and the bill was to provide victims with a broader set of remedies. He observed that the bill never saw the light of the day in earlier attempts to make it materialize for frequent deferments against the rather increasing reports incest, rape and other forms of domestic abuses. Mr Osei-Prempeh said the bill considers both offenders and victims and provision was also made for settlement and further provide a check for the numerous attacks on women, children and the voiceless vulnerable bring perpetrators to book and victims back their dignity. Reading the Report of the Joint Committee, Mrs. Esther Obeng Dapaah, Chairperson of the Committee said violence within domestic settings was exemplified in the beating of spouses, sexual and other forms of house-helps and children, the aged, sick and physically challenged. "A recent national study on violence revealed that one in three women interviewed had been beaten, slapped or physically punished by a current or most recent partner. "There are also cases of sexual and other forms of harassment in the office settings. Domestic violence had in some instances resulted in the death of spouses and children," Mrs Obeng Dapaah said. She said, the introduction of the bill was informed by the need to provide victims of domestic violence with a broader set of remedies including, particularly protection orders, which will promote human dignity and ensure prompt, cost effective and less traumatic means of redress. Members of the House, particularly from the Minority side indicated the readiness for Members to pass the bill, saying it was unfortunate that the bill had been perceived as fronting for women against men. Mr Kojo Armah, CPP-Evalue Gwira said it is about inhuman treatment of one person against another, adding that both men and women can be victims of domestic violence. Alhaji Abubakar Sumanu, NDC-Tamale North said the bill would prove to the world that Ghana had come of age, while Mr Haruma Iddrisu, NDC-Tamale South commended Cabinet on the removal of the provision of marital rape from the bill, saying that; "You cannot restrict the enjoyment of conjugal rights. Mr Iddrisu commended the initiators of the bill and suggested that further attempts should be made to identify factors leading to domestic violence, adding that the passage of the bill would not be enough in checking abuse, if the judicial process is going to be slow. He said the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs should look for more funds under the proposed fund in the bill to educate and conscientize Ghanaians on the implementation of the bill. Mr Stephen Balado Manu, NPP-Ahafo Ano South criticised in harsh terms people who were wrongly claiming ownership of the bill, to the extent of forging signatures of faceless people in the constituencies urging Members of Parliament to hasten work on the bill. He said the bill belongs to Parliament and no impression should be created that Parliament was against the passage of the bill. Using the local Akan expressing, "Alomo Gyata" Mr Balado Manu said some women had become tigresses and lionesses, inflicting violence on men at home and urged them to see the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mr. Kwamina Bartels for a new orientation. Mr Balado Manu stated further that it was wrong for some people to wear red bands and parade the public gallery of Parliament on the day of the second reading of the bill to create the impression that Parliament was against the bill. Soon after this statement, which was supported by Mr. Lee Ocran, NDC-Jomoro some group of people mostly women, including Nana Oye Lithur, a human rights advocate seating in the gallery and wearing red bands and mourning cloths walked of the Chamber. Nana Lithur later told journalists that they walked to expressed their protest at the way some Members of Parliament were handling the debate.GNA

Payment of reparation attracts mixed reactions from beneficiaries

There have been mixed reactions to the quantum of reparations being paid to victims of human rights abuses as payments began in Ho on Thursday. A total of 375 people are expected to benefit from the reparations in the Volta region, an official told newsmen. Mr Donkor Ayifli, one of the victims rejected the two million cedis paid to him, describing the amount as "a mockery". He said his pain would rather deepen if he should accept the amount and that he would have been content with a "certificate". Mr Ayifli, a member of the Steering Committee of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), said he lost his tractor parts and a store and was in prison custody for a long time and hauled before the Public Tribunal 14 times. He alleged that recipients did not sign any receipts to acknowledge receipt of the amounts they were paid. Another recipient who would neither identify himself nor the amount of money he was paid, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he was disappointed at the amount because he lost two cars and building materials, with which he was about to put up a storey building. He did not return the money. One of officials involved in the payment and would not identify herself however advised that anybody who was dissatisfied with what he was being paid could still petition the relevant authorities. She explained that what was being paid was not compensation because the government could not pay such compensations. On the other hand, 85-year-old Raphael Larbi, who told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he was forced into self-exile in Togo from 1960 until 1966, said he was thankful to God for the amount paid to him especially for the step taken by government as a show of remorse on behalf of the State and wished the government well. Mr William Dusu, 51, who said he was beaten mercilessly by soldiers for daring to challenge them for selling his wife's kenkey unlawfully said "I was not expecting the amount I was paid" and that the important thing was not the quantum of money being paid out but the spirit behind it. Mr Ricky Atiana, 56, said the reparation was important because it showed the weakness of rights abuses against forgiveness, peace and reconciliation and that wrongs could never be hidden. Mr Gershon Kwaku Dompreh, formerly with the Ghana News Agency who was granted unconditional Presidential pardon after serving eight out of 20 years in prison “for conspiracy to do an act and doing an act detrimental to the sovereign people of Ghana”, could not be paid because his name was missing among those eligible. He was asked to petition. There were others whose names could similarly not be traced while others were asked to follow up to Accra. Meanwhile, those who would not be able to make it to Ho by Friday 24, November 2006 to collect their reparations could contact the Attorney-General's Department.GNA

Agreement signed to develop fish farming

The Ministry of Fisheries together with the state of Israel and the Freshwater Fishery Institute of Shandong, China, have signed a technical agreement to help develop aquaculture in the country with the aim of promoting fish farming. "The training programme, which has already started is designed to transfer aquaculture skills and technology to our farmers," Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, told parliament on Thursday. She was responding to a question from Mr Joe Gidisu, (NDC-Central Tongu) on what was being done to promote aquaculture in the Lower Volta Basin. The Minister said the Lower Volta basin had a high potential for aquaculture development and that the Ministry would help design and implement projects through the private sector. "The Lower Volta basin, which stretches from Akosombo dam to the estuary at Azizanya-Ada, has the potential for the development of pond and pen fish culture. In Battor and its outlying towns and villages the people are already practising penfish." She said the Ministry had carefully considered the practice and effecting some changes to make it more effective and efficient. Responding to another question, Mrs Asmah said the Ministry had set in motion the arrangements for the establishment and inauguration of the Fisheries Commission to assist in the regulation and management of the country's fisheries resources in compliance with article 269 of the constitution and the provisions of the Fisheries Act of 2002.GNA