ICC prosecutor hails ruling on Kenya as crucial step for country’s future

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The recent ruling by the International Criminal Court (ICC) requiring four prominent Kenyans to stand trial for crimes against humanity allegedly committed in late 2007 represents a significant step towards a peaceful future in the country, the Court?s prosecutor said today.

?Yesterday?s decision is establishing individual responsibility for the post-electoral violence but also for a peaceful Kenya,? stressed Luis Moreno-Ocampo, adding that the ruling also holds international significance as it reiterates that no country has sovereignty to attack civilians.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said the Court was appreciative of the fact that Kenyan judges explained the decision in a public session and that there have been no reports of violence since the result.

?We also appreciate the fact that the accused appeared voluntarily before the court. This goes to show Kenya is managing its transition to a less violent future. President Kibaki yesterday committed to solve the problems of victims of violence still displaced. Victims do not have to wait for a conviction before they receive any help. The Government of Kenya has a responsibility to help its citizens,? Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said.

The ICC confirmed charges against Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; William Samoei Ruto, former Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology; Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Head of the Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet; and Joshua arap Sang, Head of Operations for KASS FM radio station, who are accused of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo stressed the prosecution is already preparing for trial, but its start could be delayed if judges accept the appeal that has been put forward by some of the accused.

According to the ICC, more than 1,100 people were killed, 3,500 injured and up to 600,000 forcibly displaced in the violence that followed the December 2007 elections. There were also hundreds of rapes, possibly more, and at least 100,000 properties were destroyed.

By: UN

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C�te d’Ivoire: Security improving but root causes of unrest remain – UN envoy

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Special Representative Bert Koenders. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

The security situation in C?te d?Ivoire is stabilizing nine months after the end of the violence that shook the country following presidential elections in late 2010, but the underlying causes of instability and unrest have not been fully addressed, the United Nations top official in the West African country told the Security Council today.

?The security situation is stabilizing, those displaced have started to return, the economy is starting to show resilience and the legislative elections were held successfully,? Bert Koenders, the Secretary-General?s Special Representative and head of the UN Operation in C?te d?Ivoire (UNOCI), told the Council in a briefing.

The post-electoraImportant challenges and issues relating to security and national reconciliation should not be underestimated and require the political attention of the Council.l crisis erupted in C?te d?Ivoire when former president Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down after he lost a UN-certified election to Alassane Ouattara, who was eventually sworn in after Mr. Gbagbo surrendered in April last year.

?The root causes of instability and potential triggers of violence have remained,? said Mr. Koenders. ?Important challenges and issues relating to security and national reconciliation should not be underestimated and require the political attention of the Council,? he said.

Mr. Koenders underscored that the Ivorian Government still needed UNOCI?s support, to restore stability, through the reform of institutions, facilitating disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants, protection of civilians and aiding in the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Mr. Koenders told the Council that the holding of legislative elections last month in a relatively peaceful atmosphere was a significant achievement for C?te d?Ivoire, and marked a major step forward in the restoration of constitutional order and the introduction of more inclusive governance.

He is mandated by the Council to certify that all stages of the electoral process were held in accordance with international standards, and promised to do so after the national institutions have evaluated the process.

Overall, the security situation has remained relatively calm, but incidents of insecurity in the western areas of the country, including criminal activity and the threat of cross-border movement of armed groups has continued to pose a threat to C?te d?Ivoire?s stability, Mr. Koenders added.

By: UN

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C�te d’Ivoire: Relief support key to reconstruction and development – UN official

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Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

A senior United Nations relief official stressed today that assisting the people of C?te d?Ivoire in overcoming their current humanitarian difficulties will lay the foundation for the country?s transition to reconstruction and development after last year?s bloody post-election violence.

?This is a historic opportunity for C?te d?Ivoire, and it is one that we cannot afford to miss,? said Catherine Bragg, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affair, speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters following her three-day visit to the country last week.

UN agencies and their humanitarian partners are seeking $173 million this year to fund the country?s relief priorities.

Requirements include enabling voluntary and durable return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees to their villages; protecting civilians; rebuilding 17,000 homes and rehabilitating more than 170 schools, as well as more than 100 health centres; providing basic services to vulnerable populations; and restoring sources of livelihood.

?The progress that has been made in terms of returns of close to a half million IDPs and refugees, while laudable, is not enough,? said Ms. Bragg, who is also the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

?Now is not the time for the international community or the Government to turn their attention away from the needs of a still sizeable population, who individually ? each one of them ? has endured hardship and insecurity for too long,? she said.

?As a humanitarian community, if we continue to focus our efforts, work together more effectively, commit to more strategic priorities and receive the financial support we urgently need, we can address these challenges.

?We can support the most vulnerable across the country, including in Abidjan, and help them to reintegrate. We can help create the conditions for the 186,000 IDPs in C?te d?Ivoire, as well as the 161,000 Ivorian refugees in neighbouring countries, to return voluntarily and durably,? said Ms. Bragg. Cote

By: UN

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DR Congo: UN peacekeeping chief stresses need for stability and reconciliation

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Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herv? Ladsous. UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz

The United Nations peacekeeping chief stressed today the need for stability and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has experienced a tense political climate since its presidential elections in November.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herv? Ladsous, who is currently on an official visit to the DRC, reaffirmed the UN?s commitment to help the vast African nation through its mission (MONUSCO) to prevent conflict and ensure future elections occur under better conditions.

?There are indeed many lessons to be learned from the elections,? Mr. Ladsous said in an interview with MONUSCO?s radio station, Radio Okapi. ?The UN and MONUSCO There are certainly measures we can take to ensure that this essential process allows for national reconciliation under the best of conditions, respecting the rule of law, and with the objective of finding lasting solutions for the country.will work to ensure that this internal process that is determined by the people of Congo alone can occur under better circumstances each time?.

?There are certainly measures we can take to ensure that this essential process allows for national reconciliation under the best of conditions, respecting the rule of law, and with the objective of finding lasting solutions for the country.?

Mr. Ladsous said the main purpose of his visit, which began on Tuesday, is to experience firsthand the work of the mission as well as to assess what it can do to advance reconciliation. During his visit, the first to the DRC since his appointment in September, Mr. Ladsous will meet with several Government officials as well as politicians and UN representatives.

He will also travel to the eastern town of Goma ? a region where armed groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are constantly active ? to meet with provincial and local authorities.

Mr. Ladsous stressed that to end the activity of such groups, the Government must reaffirm its authority over its entire territory and that MONUSCO will be working with the Government to strengthen the country?s army as well as protect civilians.

?It?s necessary that we continue to make progress in our work with national authorities to find solutions to consolidate the State, the rule of law and facilitate national reconciliation, something everybody wants to succeed,? he said.

By: UN

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Libya facing challenging transition, but authorities striving to succeed – UN

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Special Representative Ian Martin. UN Photo/Ryan Brown

Libya is going through a difficult transition, having inherited weak state institutions and an absence of political parties, the top United Nations envoy in the country told the Security Council today, adding that the interim Government is committed to addressing the challenges.

?The former regime may have been toppled, but the harsh reality is that the Libyan people continue to have to live with its deep-rooted legacy; weak, at times absent, state institutions, coupled with the long absence of political parties and civil society organizations, which render the country?s transition more difficult,? said Ian Martin, the Secretary-General?s Special Representative and head of the UN SuppThe former regime may have been toppled, but the harsh reality is that the Libyan people continue to have to live with its deep-rooted legacyort Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

?This is further complicated by what was a systematic distortion of the country?s socio-political fabric,? he said.

He reiterated that security remains a major concern, noting that events over the past month highlight the risks associated with both the continued abundance of weapons on the streets, and the diverse armed ?brigades? in the country with unclear lines of command and control.

In the capital, Tripoli, clashes earlier this month between rival brigades from Misrata and Tripoli resulted in several fatalities and injuries, as well as confrontation between such groups in Gheryan and al-Asab?a, and fighting between the local population and the brigades in Bani Walid this week required high-level intervention to put an end to the violence.

?Although authorities have successfully contained these and other more minor incidents that continue to take place across the country on a regular basis, there is the ever-present possibility that similar outbreaks of violence could escalate and widen in scope,? Mr. Martin told the Council.

He said the National Transitional Council (NTC) is laying the foundation for the establishment of democratic governance, but a combination of a tight timeline, inexperience in drafting electoral legislation, shortcomings in communication and the lack of proper mechanisms for consultation have set limitations to the process of drafting the electoral law.

?The NTC and most stakeholders have remained determined that the commitment in the Constitutional Declaration to elect a National Congress by late June must be respected. This has left little time for consultations on the legislative framework, which must embody some difficult and inevitably controversial political choices,? said Mr. Martin.

The NTC?s Electoral Committee made efforts to engage the public and published the draft law, with the engagement of UNSMIL?s electoral team. ?As a result, we believe that both the main electoral law and the parallel electoral administration law, which establishes a 17-member High National Electoral Commission, gained in clarity and focus,? he added.

On human rights, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, informed the Council of her extreme concern over the conditions of detention and treatment of detainees held by the various revolutionary brigades, noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross had visited over 8,500 detainees in approximately 60 places between March and December last year.

The majority of the detainees are accused of being loyalists of the deposed leader, the late Muammar al-Qadhafi, and include a large number of citizens of sub-Saharan Africa.

?The lack of oversight by the central authorities creates an environment conducive to torture and ill-treatment,? said Ms. Pillay, adding that her staff had received alarming reports on what was happening in places of detention.

?It is therefore urgent that all detention centres are brought under the control of the Ministry of Justice and the General Prosecutor?s Office,? she said. ?Moreover, a structure and process for judicial screening of detainees should be in place immediately.?

Other areas of concern include conditions for people subjected to internal forced and involuntary displacement, the status of women and past abuses.

Ms. Pillay also highlighted the outstanding questions regarding possible civilian deaths resulting from NATO operations, and voiced hope that the ongoing probe by the organization?s commission of inquiry will shed light on the extent to which NATO forces took precautions to protect civilians.

By: UN

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NKRUMAIST UNITY IS A FIASCO – PART 1

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In a party like the Convention People’s Party, which is just emerging from its political stupor, there are many ills to right, many problems to solve. As a result, the party has become vulnerable and easy prey for immature and unscrupulous politicians.

It is a fact that the CPP has become very easy for the WEAK in these conditions to discover grounds of dissatisfaction in which to plant and water the seeds of resentment and grievances against the STRONG. Yes! Such is the person who explicitly calls herself the rightful landlord of the party, just by the sheer fact that she has been deceived to buy into the perception that the party belong to her family.

Meanwhile, some of the supposed landlords who may be deemed fit to occupy the inheritance of their father, do not see any value in that property, except for one ravenous individual who is not interested in anything, apart from clamoring for every nook and crimp with her legs and feet; that property is the CPP. As if she is doing that with good intent, she is just doing that to satisfy her whims and caprices.

I am going to meticulously talk about UNITY, because that is exactly what many of us in the CPP have been deceived to buy into.

The first time I met the Chairperson and Leader of our crippling CPP, I became so soothed by the soft and cool voice of this wonderful lady who had clearly accentuated her passion to see all Nkrumaist factions unite for one political goal; that’s what I believed in. I became so much pinched by her romantic voice and nearly became emotionally uncontrollable. I got myself extremely seduced by her gestures, to the extent that I would do anything to ensure the accomplishment of this noble adventure. That adventure is UNITY, unity of the CPP, PNC, GCPP and all the ‘Koo mi ni nees’.

As we speak, whether the UNITY is going to happen today, tomorrow, next month or next year, it is still uncertain. But one thing I can boldly say without crumbling words is that, the so-called unity pact to be built between all the Nkrumaist Parties in Ghana is a fiasco and unachievable in the near future, may be, in the next Golden Jubilee. One may be wondering why a committed member like myself would be talking this way.

However, the question I pose is, who and what is the UNIFIER? And it is between which entities? Is it between the PNC and CPP, which has virtually become an illegal entity with less number of executives to man the activities of the party? This is where the problem lies.

From where I sit, one individual that we can calculably rely on as the unifier at this crucial time is the Idolized woman in CPP, Hon. Samia Yaba Nkrumah, who inadvertently is the true daughter of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. For those who may not know Dr. Kwame Nkrumah very well, he is the first president of this country and root of all the supposed Nkrumaist parties. He has now become a public asset and a father for all.

Now, let’s go into the intricacies of the possibilities of the likely merger between the Nkrumaist factions and ultimately, African unity.

Hon. Samia Yaba Nkrumah is one credible individual who often openly professes UNITY. But to be frank with you, she barely possesses any attribute of a person who can bring about unity within her family, party, Nkrumaist factions and ultimately, the whole of Africa. She appears too distant from the generally accepted acumen of a UNIFIER.

Are you surprised? Do not be, because there is a conventional axiom of truth which crystallizes the point that footprints of hidden attitude can never be traced, so do not judge people by their looks but by the content of their character. The trivia expressions may not necessarily be the true reflection of her makeup. That is exactly what I am going to expose here.

Today, as you read this piece from me, Hon. Samia is at war with her own siblings, especially, General Dr. Sekou Nkrumah. One may wonder why blooded siblings would be at each other’s throat, at the time when they should be forging ahead.

It is simply because Dr. Sekou Nkrumah believes that his sister, Hon. Samia Nkrumah is an immature politician who should take her time to learn to be able to have a good grasp of the political trend of this country. He also thinks his sister is being used as a puppet by some hidden hands to push their agenda, to the detriment of her father’s legacy. Dr. Sekou also believes that Hon. Samia is ‘Rushing’ too much to catch the wind. He holds the view that Samia is taking undue advantage of her father’s name to do things that do not reflect the true principles their father stood for. He has even said that the CPP’s brouhaha is due to Samia’s narcissistic Presidential ambition for 2016. It is this and other blatant truth spewed out by Sekou, that is why Samia refuses to talk to him. She has used unraveling tactics to drive Dr. Sekou out of their family house. She even refuses to pick his phone calls.

Samia’s hatred for Sekou is all because of the fact that she believes Sekou’s genuine views would be detrimental to her political career, for which she must protect with her life, even if it will cause that of others.

Again, in our party -CPP, Samia refuses to see eye-to-eye with true comrades whom she thinks will not kowtow to her machinations of naivety. She expects everybody to be at her feet. She even rubbishes any aspect of the party’s Constitution which does not play according to her tune. A clear example is the recent interdiction of some party National and Regional officers. What was the cause or what was it for? It is because of the fact these interdicted executives do not share in her wild dreams. They also came out publicly to make known the fact that Samia is using authoritarian moves to subvert the constitution of the party, just to serve her insular interest. These and other matters they could not solve internally because she refuses to give listening ear to people who hold different views to issues in the party. Is Samia truly an Egyptian goddess that everybody must bow at her feet even at the mere mention of her name?

Just recently, she travelled to Italy to go and launch the Italian version of ‘The African Must Unite’ book, authored by her father, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Whether that move was done with good intent or dire intent, it is still unclear the objective of that adventure. The content of the book depicts the very essence of UNITY. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s main aim was to enlighten and promote cordiality, unity and peacefulness amongst Africans from Communal, National to Continental level. It was also meant to expose Africans to the causes of their predicaments and why they continue to remain in their inertia development as a result of their crass petty differences and disunity.

However, one would be forced to question whether Hon. Samia really has full grasp of the content of that book or really comprehends what her father sought to attain by that publication? I have my doubts. There are two things I have derived from my observation of the subject. It is either she does not UNDERSTAND the actual philosophies of her father OR that she does not BELIEVE in what her father stood for.

Since the day Hon. Samia Yaba Nkrumah, was elected into office as the Chairman and Leader of our party, all she has been able to do is to terrorize people out of the party with her tyro despotic tactics.? She has also shown that she is not interested in numbers but the very few who tickle and say nice things to make her happy, even if they are unrealistic or untrue.? I was expecting that if she really wanted unity in Africa, then she would have translated that book into African Languages and sold it in African countries, yet because she was doing that for her financial greediness, she decided to translate ‘Africa Must unite’ into Italian Language and to sell them to Italians in Europe. Is it about Unification of Africa or Unification of Italy? I guess it would have served her interest most if she rather wrote a new book and called it ‘Italy Must Unite’

So what happens to the unity between the CPP and the PNC? Is it achievable under the stewardship of the Samia led CPP? If Unity does not start from within, how does it come from without?? I will discuss that thoroughly in my next article.

Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta!
The author of this article is an aspiring Parliamentary Candidate -Cape Coast. He is a lecturer at University of Botswana. Email: [email protected]

By: Ghanaian Chronicle.

DON’T SAY I DID NOT TELL YOU – MEMO TO CPP

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MEMO

FROM  :           MURTALA MOHAMMED (NYO)

TO       :           HON. BAWUAH K (CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL OF ELDERS)

CC        :           COUNCIL OF ELDERS

DATE   :           17/11/2011

SUBJECT:         DON’T SAY I DID NOT TELL YOU

 

The recent happenings with regard the management of our party causes me to grief. I therefore took the pain to write to you this memo or report in accordance with article 67(i) so that when the eventual comeuppance occur you will not be taken by surprise. We (current leadership) were recently elected at the just ended congress with a new constitution accepted and promulgated. We swore an oath of office to defend and abide by the constitution of our party. However, three month after our elections, few of our executives have flouted every aspect of the constitution in the name grassroots organisation with impunity. This phenomenon if not check will halt the wheels of party and never a step move. The following are some of the unfortunate but deliberate avoidable gaffes that were committed by these executives.

 

Mr. Chairman, the chairman and leader, Hon. Samia has vowed not to use the constitution of the party because according to her it was the same constitution that got us 1% in the 2008 elections. This assertion is not hearsay as she told me this at a leadership meeting. My worry is that, as the National Youth Organiser of the party, can I also do things outside the constitution? I don’t think so. The constitution of our party is supposed to guide the conduct of all members of the party and National executives inclusive. Indiscipline in the past has been the bane of CPP but to rear its ugly head at the top hierarchy of the party, is highly unacceptable. We cannot allow indiscipline that we have fought over the years to engulf our party in the name of grassroots mobilization at this particular point in time. If National executives are acting incongruous with the constitution of the party, how can we discipline ordinary members if they go contrary to our constitution?

 

Mr. Chairman, after our first Central Committee meeting on 28 of September, 2011, the leadership were mandated to come out with timelines for both Presidential and Parliamentary elections as we have lagged behind vis-à-vis 2012 elections. To my amazement, no meeting was called in those two weeks albeit some executives did frantic efforts to get the general secretary and the Chairman and leader to call for that meeting. The meeting was however, convened and leadership decided on November 30th to open nominations for parliamentary. We disagreed vehemently on Presidential as majority of the leadership taught; we open the presidential nominations as soon as possible. The Chairman and Leader and the General Secretary insisted we open nominations of the Presidential in March next year, a position contrary to the constitution of the party. The meeting came to an abrupt end as we couldn’t decide. We arranged to meet on Tuesday to finalise the time lines but all to no avail. The Chairman and the General Secretary have refused to call for a leadership meeting or Central Committee meeting to decide the way forward for the party with regard 2012 till date.

 

Mr. Chairman, the attitude of these two executives of this party has rendered our party supporters disillusioned and disenchanted. I receive not less 15 calls a day from our party supporters and well-wishers asking me about when we are going to open nominations for Presidential. My answer has always been that the party has not yet decided on the date yet. Instead of maintaining the parties’ position, Hon. Samia and Greenstreet have constantly told the media that, the elections of our flag-bearer will come off next year; knowing very well that, it is against the constitution of the party to have our elections next year. This behaviour has necessitated the rank and file of our party to resort to press conferences, Press releases and grassroots agitations to press home their demands. Today our party is drifting apart because of the parochial interest of these two executives. The allegation that is being peddled round about these two executives; has having taken monies from the ruling National Democratic Congress not to field a Presidential candidates cannot be over ruled, given their behaviour. We need to investigate this issue thoroughly in order to save the party from further embarrassment.

 

Mr. Chairman, again the Chairman and leader has put together “UNITS” made up of a group of people unknown to the party (CC and leadership), who periodically churn out information in the name of the party without recourse to Central Committee and leadership. These “UNITS” according to the Chairman, will have the oversight responsibilities on the mandated committees of Central committee. This is tantamount to sheer disregard to the parties constitution and as elders of the party, I suggest we quickly do something about these things to avoid further bridge of the constitution.

 

Mr. Chairman, article 72(a) states clearly that “The Central Committee shall meet at least once every month at the party Headquarters. When necessary, it shall meet elsewhere”. At this crisis moment, there is no sign of an impending Central Committee meeting to decide the way forward. If we do not have a central committee meeting in November, it means we are flouting the constitution again. This attitude is not befitting of the two most powerful executives in our party. Another intriguing thing is that, during our last Central Committee meeting, the Chairman and Leader allowed persons who are not members of central committee to sit and contribute in CC deliberations; But for the Spirit of Comradeship and camaraderie that some of us displayed, the last Central Committee meeting wouldn’t have come on. This behaviour must not be allowed to continue as it is inconsistent with the party’s constitution. Again it can set a precedence of welcoming non CC members at CC meetings.

 

Mr. Chairman, issues of transparency is very important and cannot be overemphasized. Since we took over the administration of this party, the Treasurer has not received or made any payment on behalf of the party at stated in Article 97(iii) of the constitution. Meanwhile the party is receiving and making payments on behalf of the party without the consent of the Treasurer. Again, the party has not yet changed the signatures of the Old Executives from our Bankers to enable the Treasurer to manage the finances of the party. Find attached a memo by the Treasurer himself.

 

Mr. Chairman, my concerns are bourn out of love for our dear party. As a youth, I have a long way to go in the party. I cannot sit and watch Senior Comrades deliberately mismanage the affairs of the party to the detriment of the future leaders of our party. Again as you can see for yourself, the outburst of the youth in the various regions leaves me with no option but to react. It is my fervent hope that the council of elders will address the problems immediately. I suggest that, Council of Elders should convene a meeting and iron out the issues with leadership and not only the Chairman and the General Secretary who are acting in concert and creating the impression as though all executives agree on their positions. I wish my report will be considered with all the urgency it deserves. I hope you will find a place in your heart to forgive me if I have offended or written something that is offensive to any member of party.

Thank you

Comradely yours,

MURTALA MOHAMMED

(NATIONAL YOUTH ORGANISER)

0243807244

Ablakwa Rips Into Ghana Integrity Initiative

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A Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has fired back at the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Vitus Azeem, describing a recent statement issued on the dismissal of former Attorney-General, Martin Amidu by the head of the GII as prejudicial, premature and most unfortunate.

The Executive Director of the GII, the local chapter of Transparency International, a non-partisan, non-profit civil empowerment organization focused on fighting corruption issued a statement on Wednesday demanding answers to six questions from President Mills.

In the said statement, the GII Executive Director posited that, “the President’s removal of the former Attorney-General, Mr. Martin Amidu, and the resignation of his predecessor, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, leaves a lot of nagging questions in the minds of Ghanaians.

“The President has a duty to come out with what he knows about these developments and the “Woyome” case that led to all these developments.”

1. Was Mr. Amidu’s misconduct his refusal to withdraw his allegations which he believes strongly in? OR

2. Was his misconduct his determination to pursue the “Woyome” case?

3. Was he removed in an attempt to kill the “Woyome” case?

4. Was Mrs. Iddrisu’s resignation ordered by the President?

5. Does this point to anything about her role in the “Woyome” case?

6. What is the truth surrounding the “Woyome” case? were the six questions posed by the GII.

Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Mr. Vitus Azeem said he would have preferred that the former A-G was not axed, but once he had been pushed out when the facts are still with him, he should be encouraged to provide whatever information he has to support his allegations, adding that this will help clear the minds of many Ghanaians who have been left in the dark.

But the Deputy Information Minister, in response to Mr Azeem’s six questions and remarks, shot back saying the GII is proceeding quite hastily and in a premature manner, since a report has not been presented (to the President) and one is not fully apprise of the full facts of the matter.

“…their (GII) statement is hasty and prejudicial because Mr. Martin Amidu made an allegation in his statement and he was given the opportunity to bring out the facts but he didn’t and instead created the impression (after his dismissal) that is the President who was not interested in the fight against corruption…,” he said.

According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, the GII and other like-minded individuals instead of this call, should have added their voice to that of President Mills’ demand for the former AG to substantiate the ‘gargantuan’ claims of corruption he made.

“I am sure we all want to be serious in this country…” he added.

Source: peacefmonline

PPP: Ghana’s economy faces collapse

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The Progressive People’s Party (PPP), a yet to be licensed political party, has reviewed the poor performance of the Ghana cedi against its foreign trading partners.

While the public and the media have been fixed on the Woyome whopping judgment debt and the Hon. Martin Amidu’s charge of corruption against NDC members, the economy has been experiencing significant threat, a statement from the Nduom-led party said.

From the last quarter of 2011 through to the opening weeks of 2012, the local currency, the Ghana cedi has experienced sharp depreciation to the US dollar, Pound and Euro affecting investor and business confidence in the country.

“Traders, corporate Ghana and Ghanaians are lamenting the effects of the depreciating cedi against other trading currencies as their purchasing power has been drastically reduced. Indeed, business people have lost money, big money,” the statement signed by Samuel Ampah said.

“The Bank of Ghana has recognised this threat to the economy and has pumped several millions of US dollars into the system. But, the Ghana cedi is still losing value. Indeed, we find it rather strange that our forex reserves during 2011 fell despite oil export revenue coming on stream, a record cocoa harvest and an all time high price for Gold, from 3. 8 months of import cover ($4. 77bn) in January to 3. 5 months ($4. 59bn) in August. ”

It added: “The Cedi’s performance during the 2011 financial year could be described as disappointing after the local currency failed to live up to its previous year’s 1. 69% appreciation. We had known all along that starving the nation of funds, hoarding dollars at the Central Bank and freezing public sector employment could not lead to long term gain. Furthermore, this clearly demonstrates the Mills-Mahama NDC Administration’s inability to balance monetary policy and fiscal discipline. It is also clear the NDC Administration’s failure to utilize efficiently loans and grants from foreign donors. ”

“The PPP wishes to sound a very loud alarm bell to all Ghanaians to be wide awake and pay attention to what is happening to the economy and not be taken in by all the noise on the political front,” it said. “We should remember that it is when President Mills was Chairman of the Economic Management team with his Vice President as a Member and Dr. Duffour as the Governor of the Central Bank that the Ghanaian economy suffered greatly and collapsed under the heavy weight of high inflation and a cedi that lost value by the minute. ”

“Consistent with the PPP’s good economic management principles, we will bring fiscal discipline into the system and at the same time support our indigenous businesses to ensure that we keep money in our own banking system to be used to support our private sector, when we get the mandate to govern the country in the 2012 elections.

“We will also bring the economy back home by using government’s purchasing power to ensure that our local contractors, consultants and industries gain a market at home, will reduce pressure on the Ghana cedi while creating jobs for our men and women. Clearly, Ghana needs the progressive, pragmatic approach of the PPP to keep the value of the cedi and restore human values. ”

Source: citifmonline

Ethiopia / Two journalists sentenced to 14 years on terrorism charges

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Ethiopia / Two journalists sentenced to 14 years on terrorism charges

PARIS, France, January 27, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A week after being found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization and preparing a terrorist attack, the Ethiopian journalists Reyot Alemu, columnist for the Amharic-language weekly Fitih, and Woubeshet Taye, deputy editor of Awramba Times – which has now closed own – were each sentenced yesterday to 14 years’ imprisonment.

“It is difficult to understand the Ethiopian justice system’s stubborn insistence on strictly applying an anti-terrorism law that has been accused of infringing on constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, and on convicting journalists who have not been proved to have done anything more than make contact with opposition figures,” Reporters Without Borders said.

The organisation believes proof beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the highest standard of evidence required to validate a criminal conviction in trials, was not met by the prosecution.

“These prison sentences are distressing and cause serious damage to Ethiopia’s image. We strongly hope that this case will be reviewed on appeal. Reyot Alemu and Woubeshet Taye are no criminals and must be released.”

Reporters Without Borders carried out a fact-finding mission in Ethiopia between 9 and 12 January.

More information about Alemu and Taye, as well as the state of press freedom in Ethiopia, can be found in the mission’s report entitled “Journalists are not terrorists”:

http://en.rsf.org/ethiopia-journalists-are-not-terrorists-24-01-2012,41764.html

SOURCE 

Reporters without Borders (RSF)

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