Nigeria: Supreme Court Sacks Bayelsa, Adamawa, Sokoto, C/River, Kogi Govs

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Vanguard (Lagos)

Ikechukwu Nnochiri

27 January 2012

The Supreme Court has in a judgement delivered, Friday morning, sacked the five governors of Bayelsa, Adamawa, Sokoto, C/River, Kogi state from their respective office.

In a unanimous decision, a 7-man panel of justices of the apex court, maintained that the affected governors exceeded the 4-years tenure that was specifically stipulated in section 180(2) of the 1999 constitution.

Counsequently,it made an order setting aside the two lower courts judgments that ab-initio elongated the tenure of the governors till this year.

The affected governors areTimipre Sylva(Bayelsa) Magatakada Wamakko,(Sokoto) Liyel Imoke(C/River) Ibrahim Idris(Kogi) and Murtala Nyako( Adamawa)

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Ghana And Mali In First Ever Meeting At Africa Cup of Nations

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Ghana’s Black Stars and the Eagles of Mali will be meeting for the first time at the senior level at a major tournament when the two sides lock horns on Saturday in Franceville.

Despite several meetings at the junior level and friendlies, the Group D encounter will serve the maiden clash between the two teams at the senior level inclusive the Africa Cup of Nations.

Interestingly, both teams are making a combined appearance of 26 at the Africa Cup of Nations; seven for the Malians, but have never crossed paths in the 55-year history of the flagship African football tournament.

Their only meetings which relate to the competition have been in the qualifiers of 1976 and 2010.

In 1976, the Stars had the edge with 5-3 aggregate after winning 4-0 in Kumasi and losing 1-3 in Bamako in the return.

Two years ago, the Stars eclipsed the wings of the Eagles, then guided by Stephen Keshi with a 2-0 win in Bamako before managing a 2-2 draw in Kumasi in the joint World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

As far as friendly matches between the sides are concerned, the Stars have the edge as they are yet to suffer a loss in matches of that magnitude against the Eagles. Of the seven friendlies, Ghana has won four times with three ending in stalemates.

From a total of 11 matches between the two sides, inclusive qualifiers and friendlies; the Stars have emerged victors five times and lost once with the remainder ending in stalemates.

With this impressive statistics, football pundits told GNA Sports that the Stars are highly tipped to scale over their West African opponents, but they can only afford to underrate the Eagles at their own peril.

Victory for either side will see the team qualify for the knockout stage with a game to spare.

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Ethiopia: Blogger Risks Death Penalty

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Committee to Protect Journalists (New York)

25 January 2012

New York — Jailed Ethiopian dissident blogger Eskinder Nega will stand trial in March for all of the terrorism accusations initially advanced by prosecutors, a federal high court judge ruled yesterday, local sources said. If convicted on all charges, he could face the death penalty.

Judge Endeshaw Adane of the third criminal bench of the Lideta Federal High Court in the capital Addis Ababa reviewed evidence presented by government prosecutors yesterday and confirmed all six charges against Eskinder. His trial will begin March 5.

Five other journalists, all in exile and to be tried in absentia, initially faced the same terrorism charges. At yesterday’s hearing, the judge confirmed all six charges for two of those accused and dismissed all but one charge against three others.

“This ruling is an affront to justice and underscores that these are politicized charges used by the government to intimidate journalists and chill news-gathering activities,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “We call for all terrorism charges to be dropped as they are baseless, and for Eskinder to be released immediately”

The two journalists besides Eskinder who still face all six charges are exiled editors of opposition broadcasters: Abebe Belew of the U.S.-based Internet radio Addis Dimts and Fasil Yenealem of the Netherlands-based ESAT, according to CPJ sources and news reports.

Three other exiled editors – Abebe Gellawof the U.S.-based Addis Voice and Mesfin Negash and Abiye Teklemariam of U.S.-based Addis Neger Online – will be tried in absentia under a single terrorism charge each, according to local sources.

Ethiopia’s antiterrorism law criminalizes reporting or publication of information the government deems favorable to groups designated as terrorists, which include opposition movements such as Ginbot 7 and the separatists of the Ogaden National Liberation Front. The government’s application of the law against journalists and dissidents has been criticized by the United Nations and the U.S. State Department.

The charges against the journalists are based on accusations of “disseminating terrorist ideas” to Ethiopians, such as through ESAT TV, radio, Internet and Web chat forums such as Paltalk. The Addis Neger Online editors are accused of “lending professional support for terrorism,” by “allowing terrorist organizations such as Ginbot 7, Oromo Liberation Front, and Ogaden National Liberation Front to express their terrorist ideas and promote their agendas on their online publication,” according to a translation of the original charge sheet.

Other charges are based on accusations of recruiting young people to membership of the groups designated as terrorist, and on treason and spying for Ethiopia’s arch foe, Eritrea.

Earlier this month, three other local journalists were convicted of terrorism charges — one in absentia – and they could face the death penalty, news reports said. Their sentencing is expected tomorrow. In addition, two Swedish journalists were sentenced in late December to 11-year jail terms after being convicted of supporting terrorism and entering Ethiopia illegally.

In Africa, only Eritrea jails more journalists than Ethiopia, according to CPJ research.

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Surcharge officials whose negligence leads to judgement debts – Auditor-General

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The Auditor-General, Mr Richard Q. Quartey is recommending that public office holders whose negligence leads to the award of debilitating judgement debts against the state should be surcharged.

He said the payment of judgement debts, some of which he believes are totally avoidable, was a drain on the national coffers.

The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Assin North, Mr Kennedy Agyapong quoted Mr Quartey as making the recommendation in the 2011 Audit report.

The question of judgement debt has become a topical issue with the payment of GHS58 million as judgment debt to the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier, Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome bringing the matter into sharp focus.

The 2010 audit report says over GHS600 million was paid to individuals and organization as judgement debt with the 2011 report indicating another GHS200 million was paid in judgement debts.

The Auditor-General believes the criminal negligence of some individuals holding public office is costing the nation and they must be punished.

Mr Agyapong, who was speaking on Okay FM, gave a litany of instances he said demonstrated clearly that the Mills administration was awarding, through the courts, very questionable judgement debts to some individuals.

The people of Ghana, he emphasized, must hold Deputy Attorney-General Ebo Barton-Odro in particular and the NDC government in general, for the whooping sums being lost to the nation. He repeated calls for Mr Barton-Odro’s dismissal, claiming the Deputy AG had become a conduit for criminal acts against the state.

Mr Kennedy claimed there were, under president Mills, massive corrupt practices, well documented at state institutions such as the Tema Oil Refinery, the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport company, the National Youth Employment Programme amongst others.

The loud Assin North MP, credited with first putting the overly discussed Woyome scandal on the front burner, promised to break every sinew to ensure that every single pesewa doled out to NDC partisans under the guise of judgement debts is returned to the state.

A Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mr Kofi Adams, who joined the discussions, said the allegations being leveled by Mr Kennedy were very serious and needed urgent response from the institutions involved.

He said government must also get its act to together to look into the issues.

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Report: No government school in Old Fadama

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Every Ghanaian is entitled to good quality education. And at the basic level, it’s supposed to be free and compulsory.

But for residents of Old Fadama here in Accra, that right appears to be a luxury many of them cannot afford.

With no government school in the community, parents pay exorbitant fees to put their children in school.

Those who are unable to afford, leave their children to roam the streets.

Fiifi Koomson spent sometime in the community and did the attached report.

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Six Years For Stealing Two Mobile Phones

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A Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced Kwabena Mensah, a 20-year-old illegal gold digger, to six years imprisonment for stealing two mobile phones.

Mensah, an ex-convict, pleaded guilty. Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court that the complainants, Sulemana Bukari and Alex Donkor, are residents of “D” Compound in Prestea and the accused who was discharged from prison a month ago after serving a 6-month jail, is a resident at Akatewa in Prestea.

She said on January 21 the complainants were sleeping on their veranda with their two mobile phones each valued GH¢80 being charged in their room.

Mr Bukari heard his child crying in his room and when he went in he saw the accused holding the two mobile phones belonging to him and the second complainant.

Bukari raised alarm and with the assistance of other people the convict was arrested and handed over to the police.

The judge later told the GNA in an interview that though the items stolen were not expensive to merit such a harsh sentence, under the criminal code when a person, after serving a six-month jail sentence, commits another crime he is expected to be sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in hard labour after which the Police are to monitor the same person for 5 years to be of good behaviour.

He said judges sometimes found it difficult to apply the full rigours of the law adding that he was hopeful that with this minimum sentence, the convict would learn a meaningful trade in prison.

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South Sudan: Country Produces More Oil Than Revealed – Minister

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The Citizen (Juba)

Mary Ajith Goch

27 January 2012

Juba — Undisclosed oil wealth have been revealed during the shutting down of South Sudan oil production and closure of pipeline whose crude for export runs through the Sudan pipeline to the port terminals.

According to the Minister of Petroleum and Mining Stephen Dhieu Dau, more oil wealth was discovered in the two producing oil States of Unity and Upper Nile during the shutting down of oil production in the Country.

He said it was discovered that oil production in Unity State was 600 barrels and above per day but the oil which was calculated for South Sudan in a day was much less than that quantity without giving more details.

“Some wealth of South Sudan were not accounted for during oil production,” the Minister said.

He told the Parliament that South Sudan was producing a lot of oil but Sudan did not account for it as it was assumed that there was less production without calculation.

The Minister said the halting of oil production has become a “blessing” to South Sudan that it has more resources underground while an alternative pipeline which will not pass through Sudan is constructed.

He said the construction of our own oil pipeline for South Sudan has become a top national project in the Country and assured that the Ministry of Petroleum would put measures in place to protect citizens on environmental effects which might result from oil production.

On Tuesday the National Legislature directed the Government to look for alternative pipelines that would be cheaper, to pass through one country that does not have any relations with the Sudan.

The Legislators have further said that before production of oil is resumed survey must be done to clearly know how much oil is pumped out per day.

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We Won’t Vote In December If TDC Fails To Release Our Lands

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At a joint press conference by the Kpone Traditional Council (KTC) and the Kpone Coalition of Youth Groups at Kpone, the people warned TDC that they would not tolerate any development of the disputed Kpone lands.

Addressing the press conference on behalf of the two groups, Mr Josiah Nuertey, their spokesperson, said it was regrettable that although Mr E.T. Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, assured the people of Kpone that not until the impasse between the TDC and the KTC was amicably resolved, all activities on the disputed Kpone lands should cease, TDC was flouting the directive with impunity.

He alleged that TDC had hidden behind legislation to give out large portions of Kpone lands for the construction of warehouses.

He recalled that in 1974, 1998 and 2006, TDC released three tranches of land to the people of Kpone, adding that these releases totaled 729 acres or 1,724 plots, out of about 17,000 acres government acquired from the people.

Mr Nuertey said in spite of the many sacrifices by the people of Kpone by virtually donating their land towards the development of Tema, the town was the only one along the coast that had no Senior High School (SHS).

He said the parcel of land carved out of the meager stool land of Kpone, was woefully inadequate for the SHS project to take off and added that the people would need land to build infrastructure for the newly created Kpone-Katamanso District.

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We need to find a way past Malian defence – Appiah

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Tournament co-favourites Ghana have had a helping hand in keeping in mind the dangers of complacency and underrating opponents. This has come in the form of results going against Senegal another side expected to go far at the 28th edition of Africa Cup of Nations.

Ghana’s assistant coach James Kwasi Appiah told Cafonline.com ahead of their Saturday game against Mali in Group D in Franceville that they are not taking any chances against any team at all.

Cafonline.com What are you expecting from Mali come Saturday?

Appiah: Before the Botswana game we knew it was going to be tough going in Group D and coming with the tag of favourites the other teams would be keen to catch us cold and knock us out. Luckily we came through with 3 points from the Botswana but now against Mali we have another tough match ahead. We will try to break down their defence and try and get some goals. Mali is a good team. Our boys are motivated and the camp is buzzing with unity and the boys now what is at stake.

Cafonline.com: How much will the absence of your captain John Mensah be a factor?

Appiah: John is a great player for us and when he plays we feel defence is safe and we would have loved to have him and his defensive partner Vorsah playing but these two boys, John Boye and Jonathan Mensah will fill in for them. Mensah played well in the center back role in the last World Cup and John was the only new boy in first game against Botswana and he played well so we are confident they will do a good job on Saturday.

Cafonline.com: What is the reaction and impact to you and the team when you see a side like Senegal getting knocked out of the tournament?

Appiah: I was surprised with what happened to Senegal and l thought they would recover from the first loss but it wasn’t to be. I wondered why they seem to play relaxed and only started to play after they were down. I don’t know exactly what it was down to but it has made our team stay even more focused and we tell them football is developed on the African continent and all over so you cannot underrate anyone anymore. We have watched these games here with our players are aware there are no lesser teams, so Mali will be treated with utter most respect and we will seek to give a through performance against Mali.

Cafonline.com: You saw Mali beat Guinea how do you intend to tackle them

Appiah: The team tactics and approach for this game will be not be too different from the first game but we will change a few things accordingly. Mali put up a solid display and mounted an effective defence against Guinea so we have been working on getting goals and to do so we need to find ways to break them down.

Cafonline.com: And finally how would you describe the mood in the Ghana camp ahead of the Mali game?

Appiah: It is a happy camp and all is well. The team is motivated and we had a visit from the Vice President of Ghana which was great and the boys are in jovial but focused mood.

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Africa: Kikwete for More Investments in Africa

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Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Gabriel Nderumaki

27 January 2012

Davos — PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has made a case for massive investments in Africa, saying the continent has made big strides in different sectors.

He told a preparatory discussion panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF) here on Thursday that there was clear evidence Africa was growing at a notable pace.

“There is need for change of mindset on Africa as the continent has proved that there is every possibility for quick returns on investments”, he told the audience at the session chaired by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The panel also comprised Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, South African President Jacob Zuma and Guinean President Alpha Conde. President Kikwete cited the case of Tanzania which, he said, had three tarmac roads during independence in 1961 against the actual needs of over 85,000 kilometres of road.

“We have gone through tough times and managed to improve the infrastructure. We are confident that we have done a lot. What we need now is big investment to support these efforts”, he said. He said investments in energy, roads and telecommunications were key to take the economy to the next level.

“The opportunities are there. If you think you can invest in these key sectors and you are facing difficulties, come and see me”, he said. Asked by Mr Brown how Tanzania was working towards improving education through access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT), President Kikwete said a lot of work has been done but a lot more needs to be done.

“Before we address investing on ICT, we need to develop the road infrastructure so that people can move smoothly. This is the reason why I have always been saying that we need investments in road network”, President Kikwete explained. He added that the government needed to train more teachers and build more universities to cope with the high demand for new enrolments.

President Kikwete said the government was currently working on a project to link Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi with a railway system that would cost 4 billion US dollars (about 6.5trn/-). “For this to happen as planned, we need investors on this project that will also connect the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)”, he said.

Apart from the WEF session, President Kikwete held bilateral meetings with Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President of the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) Ms Sadako Ogata, among others. The five-day conference was opened on Wednesday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel who asked Europe to do more to fix their internal financial crises and avoid economic meltdowns.

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