Money transfer agents now fronting for 419 fraudsters

The police are accusing some personnel of banks that are into money transfer transactions of assisting 419 tricksters to defraud Ghanaians and foreigners of huge sums of money through the Internet. Police say some staff of money transfer agencies are also deeply involved in the trade. A worried source at the Police Headquarters told Public Agenda that this development is gradually earning Ghana the unattractive title as a high Internet crime country. The source explained that these unscrupulous personnel connive with these “criminals” to defraud their victims, mainly foreign nationals of huge sums of money and in the end get their share. According to the police source, as many as 19 complaints of cases of Internet fraud are recorded weekly. These include romance fraud, which involves dating through the Internet, 419 frauds that normally involve treasures, gold fraud and money washing fraud which involves the use chemicals to wash coated money. Consequently, foreigners are gradually loosing interest in the security intelligence of the country. The source said whenever a complaint is made and a controlled delivery is put in place to hunt down such criminals, these unpatriotic personnel give the fraudsters hints and as a result they do not turn up to receive their ill-gotten money to enable the police arrest them. Sometimes the money transfer personnel withdraw the money on behalf of the fraudsters and hand it to them later. Foreign nationals, especially Nigerians dominate the Internet fraud, with the Ghanaian youth between the ages of 17 to 30 struggling to take over. These youth mainly residing in Nima, Mamobi and Mallam Atta suburbs in Accra log on to dating sites on the internet to create their on profiles with female names, while they attach photographs from websites of models to their supposed dates. Eventually, these fraudsters feign love and express interest to join their unsuspecting victims in their countries. The source said they begin to demand huge sums of money from their “lovers” to enable them process necessary documents to join them. These same fraudsters then pose as travel agents and send messages to the victims about the cost of travel arrangements. Afterwards, they ask for money to settle their families, either by buying or renting a property for them before they can leave to join their new found lovers. The fact is that after every payment, these fraudsters come out with another story.Finally, they call their victims on the supposed date of departure to inform them that they have been arrested by the security agencies at the airport for possessing gold. Therefore, the victims are required to send a huge amount of money before they could be released to board their flights. The police source said the victims upon suspicion at this stage contact the police who in turn put in place measures to hunt the fraudsters down, only for the bad nuts within the money transfer agencies to hint the fraudsters not to show up for such monies. The police are therefore calling on management of such banks and money transfer agencies to be on watch out for such personnel who are helping criminals to bring the name of the country into disrepute. The general public is being advised to be wary of such cheats in the society who have intensified their activities particularly in the heat of the Christmas festivities. The police have also cautioned operators of hotels to watch out for personnel in their facilities who are doubling as 419 agents and are helping fraudsters to defraud innocent foreigners

Street vendors smell rat on the planned allocation of stores

The Ghana Street Vendors Association, (GSVA) one of the recognized trader groups in the country has expressed fear that its members could be excluded in the allocation of stalls at the “Pedestrians Shopping Mall” being constructed by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, (AMA).Based on the fear, the traders are calling for a transparent allocation of stalls at the market. They argue that the announcement by the Accra Mayor, Mr. Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson that traders should individually go to the offices of the AMA to register for market stalls and identity cards is out of place and gives them cause for concern. “Why can’t the AMA do so through the executives of the various associations as it has been doing since the beginning of the construction of the market stalls? He ordered us to register our members and issue them ID cards and submit our forms to him, which we did.”Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, the Secretary of the GSVA, Mr. Tony Eshun alleged that the directive by the Mayor is an attempt to use foul means to allocate stalls to non-members of the three recognized trader groups. “We the traders are saying that the AMA and its boss have printed some of the trader’s registration forms and are using it to register people. We are therefore asking Mr. Adjiri Blankson to publish the list of forms from the three recognized groups in his possession, so we can be sure there are no intruders.” Asked whether they have made efforts to seek audience with the mayor to address their concerns Mr. Eshun claims previous attempts by the group to meet the chief executive proved futile. He attributed the attitude of the mayor to an incident that happened sometime last year at Cape Coast, during the People’s Assembly. He said the association sent a delegation to ask the president about the then proposed construction of a market for them. He claimed this did not go down well with the mayor whom the secretary alleged has shunned the GSVA in any undertaking concerning the market. About two weeks ago, Mr. Adjiri Blankson announced at a media briefing that beginning from the first week of November, the city centre will be decongested and, especially as Ghana is preparing to host thousands of tourists for the 50th Anniversary celebrations, CAN 2008 and the Joseph Project. The decision to decongest the city centre is expected to follow the completion of the Shoppers Mall at Kwame Nkrumah Circle by the end of the month for the use of the hawkers.The traders are expected to pay ¢2 million for the allocation of a stall and ¢200,000 as registration fee. They will then be expected to sign an undertaking to abide by the rules governing the use of the mall. At the same market one thousand more traders will be accommodated in an open area specially created within the mall. Such traders will be expected to pay ¢1 million each for allocation of a place and ¢100,000 as registration fee.

LAWA provides women with access to Constitution

Throughout the African continent women play vital roles in improving the lives of their families. But the story of majority of these women is often unpleasant as they lack access to their fundamental human rights.But these are often overlooked or not recognized at all by society.Though their rights to equality, property, protection and freedom of association among others are recognized by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, and other international or regional treaties, they do not experience the practical benefits of these rights due to lack of recognition and ignorance. There is a clear gap between the theory and practice of these rights. Cultural, social, economic and political realities co-exist with formal rights and obstruct women from benefiting from their rights. It is therefore necessary for women to know their rights, since the law supersedes customary provisions. Law and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Ghana Alumnae Incorporated, a non-governmental organisation comprising a group of women lawyers, continues to undertake certain legislative advocacy projects to promote human rights, particularly women’s economic and social rights in Ghana. The latest of such projects by LAWA-Ghana is ensuring that awareness on the Constitutional Rights of Ghanaian citizens, especially that of women and children is created. LAWA in collaboration with the Georgetown University Law Centre in the United States of America has published a constitutional booklet, dubbed, “Condensed Ghana Constitution” with a focus on the Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, with funding from the United States Information Service as part of its advocacy initiatives on human rights. The Chairperson of LAWA – Ghana, Sheila Menkah-Premo noted that majority of the citizenry are ignorant about their basic human rights. “Women particularly are affected by lack of access to their fundamental human rights and are subjected to certain customary practices which dehumanize them.” Awareness of fundamental human rights she explained is a first step to make people accountable for their actions and inactions. According to Mrs. Menkah-Premo LAWA would source additional funds to translate their work in five Ghanaian local languages. Included in the twenty-six chapters of the Condensed Ghana Constitution are the Laws of Ghana, Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms, Freedom and Independence of the Media and Decentralization and Local Government among others. The Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE) Mrs. Doris Acheampong noted that looking at Ghana’s checkered history; the constitution has become central so far as democracy is concerned. “Let me commend you for your collaborative initiative in complimenting the NCCE with the message of the constitution which is key to ensuring the participation of the citizenry in national governance.” Mrs. Bernice Sam, a member of LAWA – Ghana regretted that the citizenry of Ghana is familiar with several international conventions, but often times lost in terms of the content of the country’s constitution, which she said is not different from those conventions. She called on all well meaning Ghanaians, especially women to make the study of the constitution part of their daily lives to increase their participation in governance and influence people at the community, national and international levels.

Rice farmers decry lack of gov’t support

Rice farmers have called on government to make credit facilities available to them to boost their production capacity. The farmers say every well meaning Ghanaian should see reason to support farmers to enable them educate their children and seek health services among other necessities in life. “In spite of the fact that we do the hard work to feed the nation, we are unable to educate our children. This often results in teenage pregnancy and waywardness among our children with its attendant burden on us”, farmers complained. To safeguard their livelihoods the rice farmers are asking for safeguards such as high tariffs to be imposed on imported rice in order to leverage the rice market to make the local rice competitive and also enhance their livelihoods. These sentiments were made at a durbar to mark the first farmers’ week organized by the Ghana Trade and Livelihoods Coalition, (GTLC), which comprises over fifty non-governmental organisations, farmer groups and other civil society organisations nationwide. The maiden farmers’ week at Okyereko in the Central Region was on the theme, “Protective Policies, The Best Way to Award the Farmer.” The Chief of Okyereko, a rice producing area in the Central Region, Nana Ntsiful Ababio XI at a durbar appealed to government to help them get buyers for their produce to improve their lot. Currently, the Okyereko Farmers Cooperative, (OFC) has about thousand five hundred mini bags of locally produced rice and 750 maxi bags stacked at the town’s rehabilitated irrigation plant waiting for buyers. According to the Vice President of the OFC, Mr. Emmanuel Amoak the group hopes to install a mill by next month to enable it bag its produced rice. The farmers say their dream of engaging in vegetable farming were dashed when government failed to honour its 15% responsibility to develop the idle land in the area to cultivate vegetables, even though JICA was ready to support 85% of the project. The Director of Christian Aid, Mr. Daleep Mukarje described as unfair the worsening poverty situation in Ghana, where children are out of school, given the enormous resources the country has.He noted that debt cancellation and aid can never take people out of poverty but only make them dependent. “Countries must be allowed to do what is right to take them out of poverty. They must be given the right to make choices but not forced to implement policies imposed by Breton woods institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank.” Mr. Mukarje emphasized that Christian Aid’s campaign for Trade Justice is necessary to make the developed world aware of the need to develop sound trade policies to eradicate poverty in third world countries and not aid. “We are asking the European Union and the rich countries of North America and elsewhere to look at their policies that do not enhance the lives of people.” The Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition hopes to make the farmers week celebration an annual affair that would precede the National Farmers Day. The highlight of activities would be the farmers’ durbar, in addition to other activities such as a march and farmers’ forum. The Coordinator of the GTLC, Mr. Ibrahim Akalbila said the coalition is apprehensive about the present trend of reward of a few hardworking farmers on the farmers’ days where cutlasses, household electrical equipment, tractors and vehicles are presented. The coalition suggests the best way to reward farmers is for government to guarantee access to their national markets, to be given targeted investment, to ensure strict implementation of policies, have access to favourable credit facilities and supported to add value to their produce .Mr. Akalbila conceded that government cannot solely solve the numerous challenges faced by farmers. However, he stated the coalition is convinced that government has the singular role of ensuring that the environment is not detrimental to the development of the small farmer as an economic unit. He argued that with better economic circumstance the Ghanaian small scale farmer can contribute their quota not just to food security but also to the overall economic development. “The GTLC thinks that the present low level of production of small farmers, value addition and the declining livelihood situation of small farmers and producers, is an indictment on the quality of leadership by successive governments.” The Coordinator regretted that leaders and public officials have become guardians and defenders of the World Bank and IMF liberalization policies rather than being torch bearers of national development. He emphasized that civil society must directly and indirectly bear the consequences of the ineffective policy and influence the substance and implementation of the national agriculture and trade policies that affect our lives. There Minister for Food and Agriculture failed to honour the invitation as guest speaker for such a laudable programme. He also failed to send a representative.

NLC calls ACS to order

The management of Affiliated Computer Systems, (ACS-BPS (GH) Limited), a United States data processing company has been directed by the National Labor Commission, (NLC) to submit to its conditions of service, as well as any document relating to disciplinary procedures of the company. According to the commission, its request is based on the fact that it had received complaints from the union that since the unionization of the company, management has adopted various means to victimize the workers. This notwithstanding, the NLC has also received complaints from some of the workers about alleged acts of victimization, which call for investigation by the commission in accordance with the law. ACS workers’ fight for an association began some five years ago when the aggrieved workers raised the issue of forming a union. Immediately, the Ghanaian management of ACS threatened to fold up and relocate to another country. But when this reporter contacted the management of ACS, they denied the allegation. The Human Resource Director, Miss Vida Botwe said the company is not against unionization. “They have every right to form a union. We cannot prevent anybody from joining a union”, she stressed. Even though the Financial and Business Services Employees Union, (FBSEU), a union affiliated to Ghana Federation of Labour, (GFL) had in compliance with due process secured a Collective Bargaining Certificate, (CBC) for the unionized staff of ACS, the company’s (ACS) management has flatly refused to allow the union to meet with its members and criticized the process used by the FBSEU to obtain a CBC. The FBSEU has since re-applied to the National Labour Department for CBC. Consequently, FBSEU wrote to begin the entire process but ACS management never honoured any of the meetings that were scheduled. Meanwhile, the NLC has invited representatives of ACS and the Financial and Business Services Employees Union, (FBSEU) of the Ghana Federation of Labour, (GFL) to meet with the commission on Wednesday October 18, 2006 at 2.00 pm at the commission’s premises. A letter from the commission to the two parties state, “We refer to our meeting held with the parties at the commission on 13th September, 2006 at the end of which certain directives were issued for compliance by the two parties. It appears that the directives are not being carried through and this does not augur well for industrial peace and harmony.”

Gov’t now takes research and development serious

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu has said that government recognizes the need to link the country’s commercial and industrial sector to research, innovation and development, in order to achieve accelerated growth. He explained that the government seeks to achieve the set targets in the 2006 budget statement and economic policy, by ensuring that projects and programmes outlined in the budget are carried out to achieve lasting results.Mr. Baah Wiredu stated this when he received the report of the task force for effective utilization of research findings by industry. The 2005 budget statement and economic policy introduced a measure under policy initiatives to give special support to industries that will commercialize research findings. Government re-introduced the measure in the 2006 budget statement to ensure its implementation. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning together with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the National Council for Tertiary Education, (NCTE) have been taking the necessary steps to support research commercialization. The formation of task force comprising the Association of Ghana Industries, (AGI), NCTE, MoFEP and the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, (CSRI), is one of such steps. The AGI acted as the convener of the group which was tasked to review the proposal submitted by NCTE, dialogue with the various research institutions to determine ways to catalogue the findings and prepare a concrete action plan to commercialize pozzolana (a sandy volcanic ash of economic value), glucose syrup and activated carbon. The road map was to come with proposals that would detail the institutions to take up the production of the three products on commercial basis. Mr. Baah Wiredu observed that the current era of linking industry to research is a good sign of private partnership. “The results of activities of the private must be linked up to government initiatives such as the National Youth Employment Programme and micro financing scheme so that young people can get work to do.” He urged private sector groups to take personal interest to ensure that results are commercialized. According to the chairman of the eleven-member committee, Mr. Robert Nketia, the report is unique as it will be used efficiently to yield results. “The report is aligned with what the budget can afford and comes out with specific programmes and strategies to implement.” The committee recommends that by 2007, the Technology Transfer Centre should be established whilst the site for the Technology Incubator Park should be acquired and three other research findings including local production of glucose syrup should be commercialized. The report forecasts that the building of the incubator park by 2008 would concretize the agenda for continuous commercializing of research findings. It adds, “All research institutions- CSIR, universities and polytechnics should set up technology transfer desk that would catalogue and analyze research findings of their institutions, forward them to the centre and liaise with it on aspects of commercialization.” It concludes with a case study on two research findings of the Cocoa Research Institute to drive home how beneficial government’s financial support for the utilization of research findings is to the nation.

SSNIT unhappy with dishonest employers

The Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, (SSNIT) Mr. Kwasi Osei has warned that the trust will clamp down on those employers who under declare the salaries of their employees and pay very little SSNIT contributions. “Some of them record as low as ¢34,000 a month and expect their workers to earn huge pension after retirement”, he lamented at a second stakeholders forum on Wednesday. He emphasized that contribution should at least be based on the minimum wage and hoped some of the recommendations by the presidential commission on pension would go a long way to address such issues. He announced the Loan Trust established to replace the student loan scheme will take over the SSNIT Student Loan scheme when it becomes fully operational. However, he said SSNIT will be responsible for disbursing funds to continuing students and also recover money due from loan beneficiaries. In the financial year 2005, the trust is reported to have improved on its data collection and this enabled it to process over 84% benefit applications, thus improving the processing time for benefits to an average of 28 days. The Social Security Fund also continued its steady growth as it ended the financial year with a fund size of ¢9.29 trillion, representing almost 5.81% increase over the previous year’s fund value of ¢8.78 trillion. This growth was attributed to the combined effect of the increase in contributions collected and investment income. Contributions collected increased by 17.2% from ¢1.63 trillion to ¢1.91 trillion in the year under review. Total benefit payments to members increased from ¢447.35 billion to ¢630.24 billion, an increase by 40.9%. Mr. John Saka Addo, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said the biggest challenge for the trust now is the prompt crediting of pensioners’ accounts with their monthly benefit entitlements by the banks. “We wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the banks to be sensitive to the problems to the plight of the pensioners.”In June 2005, the trust commenced the piloting of a scheme that targeted the informal sector, which covered Accra Central, Koforidua, Takoradi and Kumasi. A distinct scheme made up of two accounts that is a withdrawal account and a retirement account was piloted at those centres. The scheme which is expected to be piloted over a two year period, and subsequently launched nationwide based on its performance, is said to have had encouraging results with a total of 6,577 members. The trust also has approximately 7,000 voluntary contributors. At the forum participants called on SSNIT to intensify its campaign on voluntary / informal contribution. They emphasized the need to tap from the sector which has a chunk of the working population in the country. According to the Vice Chairman of the Accra Central Shop Owners Association, Mr. John Owusu Duodu, members are making profit and could easily make huge contributions. “The informal sector holds the potential to increase contributions to the social security fund and so I am appealing to SNNIT to encourage traders to sign up with the scheme.”

Debt relief only makes us lazy and irresponsible -Economist

A renowned economist, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson says Ghana as a developing country can never beg her way out of poverty. Rather, he said what is needed is sound policies and effective mobilisation and utilization of resources. “Our local effort is the solution. Debt relief will only make us irresponsible and lazy. It will make us more dependent.” Dr. Thompson was presenting a paper entitled, “Seven years into Poverty Reduction Strategy Programmes, (PRSP) Impacts, lessons and Challenges from Ghana,” at a workshop in Accra organised by the African Secretariat of Alliance for Poverty Eradication, ALPE. He observed that poverty is not a new thing in international development and recounted several economic strategies adopted by institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, (IMF), World Bank, (WB), United Nations, (UN), International Labour Organisation, (ILO) among others, since 1950’s to develop underdeveloped areas in the world. This includes the Structural Adjustment Programme, (SAP). He explained that SAP dominated economic policies throughout the 1980’s but failed to deal with the debts of poor countries. Dr. Thompson stated that in 1996 the IMF and WB responded and classified thirty-four countries as Highly Indebted Poor, (HIPC). In June 2001 the new government of Ghana opted for HIPC, but the four joint assessments by the WB and IMF on the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy I, (GPRS I) and GPRS II, and three assessments by government of Ghana, all focused on inputs by the state and left out the productive and civil sector. “We need to factor in what civil society is doing. Hence value of inputs is understated.” He cited the lack of political commitment and resources for the National Development Planning Commission, (NDPC) as a bane to proper planning and implementation. “It is unfortunate that just as the NDPC is entering Phase II the budget has been cut.” Dr. Thompson said Ghana must pay attention to political and bureaucratic corruption. “Over the medium to long term only high and equitable economic growth rates can lead to sustainable reductions in material poverty.” In his view, a jobless growth will only lead to more poverty and greater inequality, adding that GPRS should not be a substitute for national development since it is only tiny aspect. The Alliance for Poverty Eradication, (ALPE) is a programme of Danish NGOs funded by DANIDA. It aims at connecting civil society organisations working with and for the poor with the aim of providing a voice for the voicelss. I has been working , around the formulation and implementation of the PRSP in four focus countries including Ghana, Nicaragua and Honduras. According to the Programme Coordinator, ALPE Africa, Rita Ambadire the programme began in Ghana in 2004 and has since focused on engaging CSOs in poverty eradication at community level with specific marginalized groups.The President of the Ghana Society for Persons with Disability, (GSPD), Mr. Charles Apiagyei presented a study on Persons with Disabilities, (PWD) begging in the cities of Ghana. It focused on the central district of Accra, (Osu Klotey and Adabraka areas) and Kumasi, (Adum and Asafomarket areas). According to Mr. Apiagyei poverty is a cause and consequence of disability due to the fact that there is no enabling environment to participate in economic activity. “Majority of these people on the streets have little or no education and no employable skills.” He revealed that the beggars recognize the fact that their activity is demeaning and that something needs to be done. “Most of them do not want to be on the streets. They wish to leave but are concerned about alternatives. If they should be engaged in employment most of them would not beg.” He bemoaned that the few who have acquired some vocational skills in tailoring and handicraft are unable to apply their skills due to lack of start up capital. He suggested that now that the Disability Law is in place, government must be proactive in implementing it since it borders on the rights of PWD. “The question of stigmatization and discrimination need to be addressed as well as barriers to services preventing them from being functional.” Mr. Apiagyei noted that the human face given to the act of begging is a contributory factor to the inability of the agencies to enforce the law on begging. “The law on begging can be enforced but must recognize the need to give them alternatives.”

Child labour in the informal sector remains a challenge

The Minister of Manpower Development and Youth Employment, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface has reiterated government’s support to facilitate economic activities in the informal sector.The minister pointed out that the informal sector constitutes 70% of economic activity in the country and engages majority of the population in areas such as agriculture, manufacturing and services among others, therefore, it must be given the attention to develop. The minister was sad that a large proportion of women and children who work in the sector do so under hazardous conditions, receive low income and are exploited. He emphasized that enforcement of laws to eliminate child labour in the informal economy remains a great challenge, a situation he blamed on the breakdown of family units. “Government will leave no stone unturned in giving the required support to the informal sector to ensure growth”, he promised. Alhaji Boniface was speaking at an International conference on organising workers in the informal economy in Accra. It aims at reviewing activities of the International Coordinating Committee, (ICC), which comprises the Ghana Trades Union Congress, (TUC), Self Employed Workers Association, (SEWA) of India, Street Net International and Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC). The rest are HomeNet South East Asia and CROX of Mexico. “Observance of labour laws depends on vigorous labour inspection. Government has noticed the lapses and is working to address them.” He commended the trade unionists for their collaboration, stressing that it is important to integrate in the current era of globalisation. The ICC in 2003 held its first international conference on organising workers in the informal economy in India. The said conference resolved to work with the ILO, Global Unions and national trade union centres to redress the neglect of workers in the informal economy. It is on record that the ICC has since its inception taken various initiatives in furtherance of the resolutions. Mr. Kwasi Adu Amankwah, Secretary General of TUC said as unionists they feel duty bound to organise workers in the informal economy to improve working conditions thereby strengthening trade union activities. He observed that the sector is characterized by the absence of social security and poor working conditions.“In our view, legislation and policies must conform to ILO conventions such as protection against forced labour, right to decent work and negotiation. These standards must shape the growth in the informal economy.” He observed that the private sector has not been able to absorb the graduate unemployed workers who are compelled to seek economic activity in the informal economy. “Looking at the size of the informal economy it is imperative for government to improve conditions for those working there. For us as trade unionists, the biggest challenge remains to organize workers in the informal economy with passion, commitment, innovation and creativity,” he added.

Livelihoods coalition calls for openness in EPA negotiations

A number of Free Trade Agreements, (FTAs) are currently being negotiated between the European Union, (EU) and several regional groupings including ECOWAS. These negotiations, among other things are aimed at establishing a Free Trade Zone, (FTZ) between EU and ECOWAS for a period of twelve years, beginning January 2008. But the EPAs have not gone down well with civil society organizations and some economic analysts. Prof. Cletus Dordunoo, an economist reckons that it has been difficult to estimate the costs and benefits of Economic Partnership Agreements, (EPAs) for developing countries.This, he explained, is due to the fact that developing economies are afraid of losing more than gaining since successful trade liberalization requires substantial adjustments to existing economic structures. Prof. Dordunoo was speaking at a public forum in Accra as part of activities to mark the EPA Week. It was organised by the Ghana Trade and Livelihoods Coalition, (GTLC), made up of over fifty non-governmental organisations, farmer groups and other civil society organisations. He spoke on the topic “Outlook of the Ghanaian Economy in Full EPA and its Impact on Agricultural Sector/livelihoods,” a study conducted by Claydord Consult, which he heads. He cited reciprocity and the move towards free trade, removal of markets segmentation, (promotion of regional integration) and trade related issues as among the five pillars of EPA being negotiated between Africa Caribbean, Pacific, (ACP) countries and the EU. The rest include free market services and development issues including policy dialogue and involvement of CSOs. He explained that ACP countries must be sure to understand the EPAs in order to be effective negotiators, adding that a well prepared negotiator is the one who has all the facts and information on hand during negotiation. “Now we have very little choice because ECOWAS is fronting the negotiations for us. But we should be able to make something good out of the seemingly bad situation.”It has often been argued that trade between ACP countries and EU under conventions such as the Lome Convention has been too limited, hence the need for a new approach. However, Prof. Dordunoo argues that among the critical issues to consider in the implementation of EPAs is whether the investment provisions of EPAs will adequately reflect the aspirations of the ACP countries involved. He said although EPA would reduce revenue of ACP countries drastically, it could be avoided with massive support from EU, stressing that there are some benefits to be derived from EPAs if they are done correctly. “Industries would become more competitive and there would be price stability in the declaration of prices due to lower import prices.” He added that investors would be wooed into Ghana if there is macroeconomic stability and good infrastructure. Prof. Dordunoo noted that although market access would not be a problem, there are sanitary and phytosanitary issues to consider. He noted that in order to expand our markets we need to keep up to the requirements of international standard boards, thus our standard board must be at peak. Empirical evidence on the outlook of Ghana’s imports under EPA are closely related to agriculture in the areas of value of imports, customs duty revenue and effects on welfare. Thus, if the EPAs are implemented in their current form, Ghana and many Ecowas countries would suffer. One study estimates that Ghana will lose customs duty revenue amounting to ¢152.58 billion under EPA. The fall in customs duty revenue opens a significant resource gap with serious implications for the country’s public expenditures. For the agricultural sector, an average net loss of ¢9.39 billion is estimated owing largely to welfare losses due to the displacement of efficiently produced imports of agriculture from the rest of the world. Speaking on the likely “Effects of EPA on (West Africa) Ghanaian Industries,” Mr. Lawrence Sae-Brawusi, of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and Presidents Special Initiative, stated that studies have shown that removal of tariffs on substantial amount of imports from the EU would lead to a decline in tariff receipts and substantial loss of government revenues for development, since governments depends more on customs duties as a source of revenue. He said the shortfall in revenue would however; depend on the kind of products and the percentage or the number of tariff lines excluded from the tariff elimination.Besides, cheap European goods could flood the local market given the penchant of the average Ghanaian for foreign goods. This will no doubt have adverse effects on the local industries, as is already happening.Mr. Sae-Brawusi however noted that effects of imported consumer goods for which there are no substitutes such as motor vehicles and electrical machinery cannot be discounted. Under the EPA, ACP countries are expected to bear heavy adjustment costs and will be asking the EU for additional resources to meet the anticipated adjustment costs. The Co-ordinator of the GTLC, Mr. Ibrahim Akalbila, emphasized that EPAs must be a partnership and not agreements. He said ACP countries must ensure that they are competitive enough to open up their economies for free trade. He regretted that after about thirty years its existence, Ecowas members are yet to implement the most basic principle of Free Movement of Goods and People, therefore making the cost of doing business high. “We must look out for barriers that hider effective trade liberalization before we move to access any different agreement such as the EPAs.”

The Church asked to respond effectively to sexual and gender based violence

“….After years of and battering every Friday evening, I used the last drop of my energy and went to my pastor. I felt I was becoming crazy. Fear and shame had killed my self-esteem. I was breathing but nothing else was left. The pastor welcomed me and gave me this advice: ‘Next Friday, think of Jesus who endured so much more anguish for your sake. If you tolerate your earthly burden of suffering and be sure not to break the marriage vows, you can look forward to joy in heaven.” This is what many of the victims, (women) of sexual and gender based violence who seek help from the church or religious organisations are often told. Their experiences have largely been negative as often times scripture is quoted to re-inforce the belief that the bible teaches that they should submit to abuse and remain in the situation. Churches have largely failed to recognise and respond to the reality of violence and sexual abuse against women in the domestic environment. The church is often unresponsive to the needs of people who go through such ordeals. The clergy or laity who attempt to resolve domestic sexual and gender-based violence mostly apply counseling methods that further victimize the woman. Violence that normally occurs between these groups of people is termed domestic violence. Domestic violence although a major human rights case in Ghana is on the rise in many homes.Available Statistics show that over 90% of the victims of domestic violence are women and children. Some religions, including some sects of Christianity appear to permit the right of punishment for wives.The contribution of the church towards ensuring the rights of people cannot not be overlooked, since it is the core of the family. It is in this light, that a seminar under the theme, “Understanding Sexual and Gender Based Violence, the Role of the Church” was held in Accra to create awareness of the issues. It was also to commit the church to respond effectively to such issues. The Ark Foundation, Ghana, a non-governmental organisation which focuses on women and children’s rights protection organised the seminar. It brought together church leaders and representatives, the media and interested individuals from charismatic, orthodox and Pentecostal churches among others.A Retired Commissioner of Police and a volunteer of the Ark Foundation, Ms Christie Jane Donkor explained that the objectives of the church outreach programme is to sensitize the church on the concept of abuse, how to deal with them and to encourage them to develop caring and action oriented response systems and services to survivors of abuse. She announced that a counseling training programme will be organised in November by the foundation for church leaders to become the first point of call on issues regarding sexual and gender based violence. “This is to ensure that victims/survivors will not be sent away after being prayed for.” The situation of sexual and gender based violence is regarded as detrimental to victims and society as a whole. Until recently, such violence was not given the needed attention although Ghana has signed, ratified and adopted several international conventions, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Violence Against Women and the one on the Rights of the Child. Over the past four years the issue of domestic violence has attracted all kinds of debates in Ghana. Campaigners are of the opinion that the law in Ghana is inadequate for dealing with domestic violent crimes, and are therefore calling for a legislative instrument to make the law meaningful. Ghana’s parliament was expected to pass the domestic violence bill to provide legal framework for dealing with domestic violence. The bill is purposely targeted at improving the situation of women and children who are frequent victims.The Programme Assistant of the Legal Centre/ Community Based Advocacy of the Ark Foundation, Ghana, Mr. Samuel Kyei Berko who made a presentation on the dynamics of sexual and gender based abuse stated that research has established that violence is a learned behaviour and that perpetrators choose to do so. He said women between the ages of ten to eighteen are at risk of being sexually abused. According to Mr. Berko the effects of such abuses are long lasting. “Victims develop depression, low self-esteem and anxiety. Children suffer from serious emotional and behaviourial changes.” Ironically, he said, women often stay in such abusive relationship to portray loyalty, identity and ensure their survival since most women feel they need a man to make their life complete.

Journalists are abusing their constitutional freedom

A Chief Editor at the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr. Boakye Dankwa Boadi has observed that Ghana’s constitution insulates the media so much so that some practitioners are abusing it. “Ethical infractions in Ghana are serious,” he said adding, “Some private media houses are doing us a great disservice by putting unskilled and unqualified people behind the microphone who sometimes disseminate poisonous information.” He was speaking at a two-day consultation meeting aimed at identifying priority issues and areas requiring support and initiatives to strengthen the media industry and its role in development in Africa at present. It was organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa, (MFWA), a regional non-profit organisation based in Ghana in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (UNECA). Media owners, practitioners, trainers and other stakeholders in the media industry from Anglophone West Africa attended the meeting in Accra to also discuss issues concerning the development of the industry and challenges facing it, so as to develop steps to improve it. Mr. Boakye Dankwa emphasized that the media has a responsibility to make the region a knowledgeable society. The consultation process was to collate views of sub-regional information communication, and media actors across to ensure that specific country, sub-regional and special interest perspectives are taken into account in drafting a strategic framework for strengthening media in Africa. The outcome of the meeting will be used to produce a case document which will provide the basis for a conference to discuss and propose ideas for financing the media in Africa.Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prof. Alex Quarmyne, Executive Director of the Ghana Community Radio Network, noted that West Africa has seen a myriad of programmes (short term and long term) aimed at developing the media which have yielded very little results.Prof. Quarmyne lauded the ongoing consultation process which recognizes the fact that the era demands the media in Africa to begin to make a difference. “Newspapers and radio stations are still being closed down here and there, but the undisputable fact is that in many African countries today the media are making substantial contributions towards the building of democracy and the development of good governance.” He called for rural access and participation in the media among the rural population, since they have the greatest need for information and communication for development.Making a statement on the challenges and opportunities of media practice, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Alhaji I.B. Kargbo regretted that governments in certain parts of the region are trying to regulate the media industry because practitioners are unable to do so themselves. He advised the media to take advantage of the current democratic change on the continent and improve the performance.

Journalists learn life-saving skills

It is generally believed that 80% of accident victims die before they get to the health facilities as a result of improper handling. Even in the homes lives are lost from minor accidents out of ignorance and lack of first aid skills on the part of the rescuers.As a step to train all sectors of the economy in basic first aid skills, the St. John Ambulance Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Journalist Association, (GJA) organised a week’s training programme for some selected journalist in Accra. The St. John Ambulance is part of international first aid training and services set up by the British Police in Ghana in 1937.According to the organizers, apart from the police, the media are often contacted when accidents occur; hence the need to educate them on basic skills in first aid to enable them to save lives. The Executive Secretary of St. John Ambulance Ghana, Mrs. Hilda Commey explained that the recent increase in accidents on our roads and its effects prompted the two bodies to organize the workshop. She said it is also part of St John’s programme dubbed, “First Aid on the Road – A Major Concern,” to increase national awareness for first aid knowledge and skills. “This training programme will equip the media in first aid techniques in general, since first aid administration is universal and must be a major concern for all.” She encouraged the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, (DVLA) to speed up the inclusion of compulsory first aid training for divers especially those in the commercial sector in its requirements. The media personnel were taken through ‘principles and practices of first aid’, ‘action in emergency’, ‘disorders of the respiratory system and injuries to bones, muscles and spiral organs.’ They engaged in demonstrations mainly in cardio pulmonary resuscitation, pulse checking, control of bleeding, mobilization of fractures and the various methods of lifting and moving victims according to the type of injury.The General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Mr. Bright Blewu expressed appreciation to St. John Ambulance for the programme. Mr. Blewu noted the training was very essential for the Journalists since Journalists are often the first people to arrive at accident scenes. He said the requisite skills they have acquired through the training would help them not only to get stories but also save lives as well.First aid boxes each worth an amount of ¢300 thousand were presented to participating media houses.

Akuaba Furniture sends workers packing

A number of former employees of Akuaba Limited, a Ghanaian manufacturer of furniture and wood products have petitioned the National Labour Commission, (NLC) over what they called an unfair termination of their appointments. The affected workers had served the company between five to twenty years. In the petition to NLC, the former workers argued that the Managing Director of Akuaba, Dr. Akua H.M Adusei Herbstein has decided not to honour any meeting between Akuaba, the Timber and Wood Workers Union, (TWWU) of the Ghana Trade Union Congress, (TUC) and representatives from the National Labour Department, (NLD) over the unfair termination. The NLC has thus written to the management of Akuaba Limited to request for the company’s comments and relevant document is within fourteen days. Section 63, paragraph 4 of the Labour Act 2003, (Act 651) states that a termination may be unfair if the employer fails to prove that: (a) the reason for the termination is fair or the termination was made in accordance with a fair procedure of the act. When such petitions are made to the NLC, it sends a letter to the employer to respond. The commission investigates the case and recommends the appropriate action. Remedies include re-employment, reinstatement or payment of compensation. Meanwhile, Public Agenda has gathered that the National Labour Department has also forwarded the case to the NLC after it was unable to facilitate an amicable settlement. A source at the department explained that it took such an action because of the entrenched position taken by Akuaba. The company is reported to have said that it is not comfortable with the ‘article’ that deals with redundancy and therefore would have nothing to do with it. When Public Agenda contacted the management of Akuaba Limited, Nana Afrakomah Appiah, a secretary to the company said the company had referred the matter to its solicitors and could not comment on it. She however, questioned why the media wanted to dabble in such an issue. The former employees further accused Akuaba Limited of arbitrarily dismissing its workers. According to them, the company on July 21st 2006 asked them to proceed on leave under the pretext that production capacity had dropped. Sadly, they were recalled by management on June 23rd 2006, and handed their dismissal letters. One of the dismissed workers who had served for twelve years was given a mere ¢1,892,341 as his benefits, according to his dismissal letter obtained by Public Agenda. The workers accused the management of trying to deprive them of their right to benefit from both the redundancy act and the terms stated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, (CBA) of the company. On redundancy, Section 65 of the Labour Act 651, paragraph one states that, “When an employer contemplates the introduction of major changes in production, programme, organisation, structure or technology of an undertaking that are likely to entail terminations of appointment of workers the employer shall, (a) provide in writing to the Chief Labour Officer and the trade union concerned, not later than three months before the contemplated changes, all relevant information including the reasons for any termination, the number and categories of workers likely to be affected and the period within which any termination is to be carried out; and (b) consult the trade union concerned on measures to be taken to avert or minimize the termination as well as measures to mitigate the adverse effects of any terminations on the workers.

Women push for their right to own property

Poverty and lack of education brought her to the city of Accra. Worse, her father forced her into marriage. But in the second year of marriage both her husband and father died, leaving her with a son to bring up alone. To add salt to injury, her in-laws threw her out of the house. She went back to her father’s house only for her brothers to ask her to go back to her husband’s house. With nowhere to go she returned to Accra to seek greener pastures. On arrival she did not have anywhere to go until she luckily met a tribeswoman and joined her at Agbogbloshie, a slum of Accra. “The situation here is so bad that during the rainy season we seldom sleep, we stand the whole night because the entire area gets flooded. As a result there are mosquitoes all over and both adults and children suffer from malaria,” Aisha, (not real name) narrated. This is the story of majority of African women. Even though their rights to land, housing and property are clearly recognized in international, regional and national conventions and constitutions, they are yet to experience the practical benefits of access, ownership and control of land and housing. In our part of the world, there is a clear gap between the theory and practice of these laws because cultural, social, economic hindrances deny women their rights to own landed property. Statistics show that one third of the world’s women are said to be homeless or live in inadequate housing units. While they perform two-thirds of the world’s total working hours, they own less than one percent of the world’s property. Women and children make up eighty percent of the world’s estimated fifty million refugees and internally displaced persons. It is against this background that Women’s Land Link Africa, (WLLA) under the Women Housing Rights Programme, (WHRP) of the Centre on Housing Rights and Eviction, (COHRE) held a workshop in Accra to discuss and recommend solutions to hindrances facing women. WLLA is an innovative project of COHRE, the Huairou Commission, FAO- Southern and Eastern Africa and UN HABITAT meant to support and strengthen women’s struggles for housing and land in Africa. The organizers explained that the theme for the workshop, “Women’s Rights to Land, Housing and Inheritance in Ghana: Theory and Practice,” stems from the fact that women in Ghana are denied their rights to land, housing and inheritance, which is vital to their well being. The two-day workshop was led by community women from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda who have been confronted with violations of these rights and as a result gave their practical experiences on the subject. In a presentation, the Coordinator for COHRE, WHRP and focal point for WLLA, Birte Scholz, explained that a human rights-based approach to housing envisions that everyone everywhere is entitled to adequate housing. She noted that women are endowed with certain rights and entitlements which go beyond mere charity. She quoted Article 25 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of him/herself and his/her family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care…” Ms Scholz stated, “Women’s equal rights to own, access and control land, housing and property, including inheritance are specified in international law: declarations, conventions, treaties, resolutions and plans of actions / agenda’s.” Therefore, she said forced evictions are always a violation of human rights. However, she cited customary laws and traditional practices, inheritance violations and corrupt governments as some of the obstacles preventing women from owning landed property. Ms Scholz called for the domestication of human rights instruments and reformation of constitutions, national laws, policies and regulations. Togbe Noagbesenu III, Paramount Chief of Abatey Traditional Area in the Volta Region regretted that some African women out of ignorance and naivety perceive themselves as properties of their male counterparts and emphasized that the rights of women must be brought into focus in every facet of society.

Still war of words over union rights at ACS

From all indications the management of Affiliated Computer Systems, (ACS-BPS (GH) Limited), a United States data processing company has vowed not to allow employees of the company to unionize to enable them negotiate for better conditions of service.Even though the Financial and Business Services Employees Union, (FBSEU), a national trade union affiliated to Ghana Federation of Labour, (GFL) has in compliance with due process secured a Collective Bargaining Certificate, (CBC) for the unionized staff of ACS, the company’s (ACS) management has flatly refused to allow the union to meet with its members. Consequently, the GFL has lodged a complaint with the National Labour Commission, (NLC) against ACS over what it described as unfair labour practice. The GFL complained that since June 16th 2006, when the National Labour Department, (NLD) issued a Collective Bargaining Certificate to its affiliate FBSEU, the ACS management has adopted certain tactics to frustrate their efforts at meeting with interested employees to elect substantive local union officers. When the FBSEU in the process of confirming the local representatives of the union wrote to ACS management, in conformity with section 129 of the Labour Act 651 to hold a meeting with the unionized employees on August 9th 2006 management refused. Sub-section one of section 129 of the Act states, “An employer shall subject to notice of not less than twenty-four hours, allow any officer of a trade union whose members include any of his or her workers, reasonable facilities and time to confer with the employer or workers on matters affecting the members of the trade union who are his or her workers and an employer who fails to give reasonable facilities and time is guilty of unfair labour practice.”It continues under subsection two that, “In this section ‘reasonable facilities’ means such facilities as the employer and his or her workers may agree are reasonably required for the purposes stated in subsection one.” The GFL says it considers the stance of ACS management unusual and blatantly contravenes the act that facilitated the establishment of the ACS Company and denies workers their rights in violation of national and universal agreements. Rather, the management of ACS pasted notices on its premises asking workers to take advantage of management’s offer of special packages to resign from the company latest by 29th July 2006 in contravention of Section 65 (redundancy) of the Labour Act. Subsection one of section 65 states, “When an employer contemplates the introduction of major changes in production, programme, organisation, structure or technology of an undertaking that are likely to entail terminations of employment of workers in the undertaking, the employee shall, (a) provide in writing to the Chief Labour Officer and the trade union concerned, not later that three months before the contemplated changes, all relevant information including the reasons for any termination, the number and categories of workers likely to be affected and the period within which any termination is to be carried out and (b) consult the trade union concerned on measures to be taken to avert or minimize the terminations as well as measures to mitigate the adverse effects of any terminations on the workers concerned such as finding alternative employment. Public Agenda was told that the Ghanaian management of the company has on several occasions been confronted by some labour activists over its violation of the labour act due to its entrenched management style. There have also been a series of meetings between ACS and GFL at the National Labour Department and the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment presided over by Deputy Minister Dr. Charles Brempong-Yeboah aimed at addressing the apprehension of the ACS management about the unionization of the employees. Investigations by Public Agenda have revealed that the entrenched position of the ACS management could be attributed to backing of the company from prominent people in government. ACS workers’ fight for an association began about five years ago. Immediately, the Ghanaian management of ACS threatened to fold up and relocate to another country. But when this reporter contacted the management of ACS, they denied the allegation. The Human Resource Director, Miss Vida Botwe said the company is not against unionization. “They have every right to form a union. We cannot prevent anybody from joining a union”, she stressed. Early this month ACS sponsored a half page advertisers announcement in the Daily Graphic of Tuesday August 1 in which it took a swipe at this newspaper for pursuing the workers’ right to join a union.

Efforts to promote traditional medicine intensify

Membership of the newly constituted Traditional Medicine Council are urging the government to throw its weight behind it in order to bring sanity into traditional medical practice.Currently, due to poor regulation, all kinds of traditional doctors mount public transport and advertise and sell traditional medicine, which they usually claim can cure as many as 10 diseases.Prof. Laud Okine, Director for Plant Medicine, Mampong, during a media briefing in Accra was of the view that the Food and Drugs Board should be adequately resourced to regulate traditional medicine as a first step towards bringing sanity into the industry. Prof Okine was the leader of a seven-member Ghanaian delegation which visited India from July 24th to 30th July 2006 to learn at first hand the success story of India as a leader in traditional and alternative medicine. He noted that India has recognized traditional health system that include Ayurvea, Yoga and Naturopathy, Usani Tibb, Siddha and Homoeopathy, (AYUSH). Prof Okine described the existing structure of India’s traditional health system as one with registered practitioners, established teaching and postgraduate institutions and national institutions for research. “In India the practitioners use traditional methods of extraction and processing. Packaging is excellent with product name, date of manufacturing and expiry visibly on the products.” Back home, it is a different story, where traditional medicine production and distribution lacks direction. Prof. Okine called for the intervention of the FDB. He added that the Indian government provides 2-4.5% of the health budget of traditional medicine which is being raised to 10%. Prof. Okine announced that the government of India has expressed hope to collaborate with the Ghana government to improve traditional health systems. The areas of cooperation will include research and development of scientific study, standardization and quality control and exchange of experts. India also hopes to adopt a common strategy in collaboration with Ghana to protect traditional medicine from misappropriation. The Minister for Health, Major Rtd Courage Quashigah assured the gathering that government is now taking traditional and alternative medicine seriously. In furtherance of this, he said ten practitioners who claim to have found a cure for HIV/AIDs have been identified and will be encouraged to share their ideas with other experts at Nougouchi Memorial Institute with an aim to utilizing them, if they are found to be efficacious. Major Rtd Quashigah regretted the social cost of treating diseases in Ghana and is calling for a return to a new health paradigm of preventive treatment. “Countries like China and India have gone far with traditional and alternative medicine practice. It is time for Ghana to get into the gear to generate and save money for development,” he concluded.