ALBINOS in the country have called on the security agencies to investigate alleged cases of live burial of their kind for political purposes during the 2008 general election.
They also urged the security agencies to invite the former Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, Sheikh Salawati Imam Rashid, who made the disclosure about “how some politicians in the country buried a number of albinos and children alive in their quest for political power”.
Mr Samuel Issaka, the spokesperson for the Society of Albinism in Ghana, and the Network of Journalists for the promotion of Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana stated this in Accra yesterday.
He was reacting to a story published by the Daily Guide newspaper in its May 20, 2009 edition, which said the former Ghana Armed Forces Imam alleged that some politicians in Ghana carried out such barbaric acts to win political power.
“According to the media report, the Imam stated openly that the spirits of those persons, who he said did not die naturally, will continue to haunt this country in the form of road accidents and other calamities unless a spiritual atonement is sought”, he said.
Mr Issaka said the organisation could not do anything apart from the call for investigations into the matter because it did not have any proof of the allegations by the Imam.
Mr Issaka said as mortals they could not doubt what the Imam, who is a man of God, had received as revelations, hence their call on the government, especially the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security and other security agencies to investigate and tell Ghanaians who “those wicked politicians and political parties are”.
He added that it would not be difficult to trace the Imam who made the revelation because he stated in the story that he was based in Tamale, and was said to have been the first trained and commissioned Imam in the Ghana Armed Forces who had retired as a captain a decade ago.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Probe alleged killings of albinos by politicians
ALBINOS in the country have called on the security agencies to investigate alleged cases of live burial of their kind for political purposes during the 2008 general election.
They also urged the security agencies to invite the former Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, Sheikh Salawati Imam Rashid, who made the disclosure about “how some politicians in the country buried a number of albinos and children alive in their quest for political power”.
Mr Samuel Issaka, the spokesperson for the Society of Albinism in Ghana, and the Network of Journalists for the promotion of Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana stated this in Accra yesterday.
He was reacting to a story published by the Daily Guide newspaper in its May 20, 2009 edition, which said the former Ghana Armed Forces Imam alleged that some politicians in Ghana carried out such barbaric acts to win political power.
“According to the media report, the Imam stated openly that the spirits of those persons, who he said did not die naturally, will continue to haunt this country in the form of road accidents and other calamities unless a spiritual atonement is sought”, he said.
Mr Issaka said the organisation could not do anything apart from the call for investigations into the matter because it did not have any proof of the allegations by the Imam.
Mr Issaka said as mortals they could not doubt what the Imam, who is a man of God, had received as revelations, hence their call on the government, especially the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security and other security agencies to investigate and tell Ghanaians who “those wicked politicians and political parties are”.
He added that it would not be difficult to trace the Imam who made the revelation because he stated in the story that he was based in Tamale, and was said to have been the first trained and commissioned Imam in the Ghana Armed Forces who had retired as a captain a decade ago.
They also urged the security agencies to invite the former Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, Sheikh Salawati Imam Rashid, who made the disclosure about “how some politicians in the country buried a number of albinos and children alive in their quest for political power”.
Mr Samuel Issaka, the spokesperson for the Society of Albinism in Ghana, and the Network of Journalists for the promotion of Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Ghana stated this in Accra yesterday.
He was reacting to a story published by the Daily Guide newspaper in its May 20, 2009 edition, which said the former Ghana Armed Forces Imam alleged that some politicians in Ghana carried out such barbaric acts to win political power.
“According to the media report, the Imam stated openly that the spirits of those persons, who he said did not die naturally, will continue to haunt this country in the form of road accidents and other calamities unless a spiritual atonement is sought”, he said.
Mr Issaka said the organisation could not do anything apart from the call for investigations into the matter because it did not have any proof of the allegations by the Imam.
Mr Issaka said as mortals they could not doubt what the Imam, who is a man of God, had received as revelations, hence their call on the government, especially the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security and other security agencies to investigate and tell Ghanaians who “those wicked politicians and political parties are”.
He added that it would not be difficult to trace the Imam who made the revelation because he stated in the story that he was based in Tamale, and was said to have been the first trained and commissioned Imam in the Ghana Armed Forces who had retired as a captain a decade ago.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Akufo-Addo lashes at Mills Administration
THE presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2008, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday broke his long period of silence and criticised the Mills administration for what he termed its “blame game” and “democratisation of violence”.
He also called on the government to find innovative ways to solve the problems facing the country, especially what he described as the deteriorating security situation in Dagbon and the rising cost of living.
“The NDC claims on a daily basis that this or that problem was left by the NPP administration. I say to President Mills today: If you say that the system is broke, fix it,” he noted.
Addressing hundreds of party faithful and some market women at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Hall at Osu in Accra, Nana Akufo-Addo pledged that if President Mills took concrete steps to fix the problems facing the people and refrained from divisive tendencies and harassment, “they can count on our principled support. Our party stands ready, as pledged in my January 3, 2008 statement, to work with the President to move the country forward”.
In the speech, dubbed: “Reviewing the current situation in Ghana“, the defeated presidential candidate said every government inherited assets and liabilities and noted that in 2001 the departing NDC left a few assets and many liabilities, including high inflation and interest rates, historic levels of debts and low external reserves, but instead of complaining, the Kufuor administration came out with bold decisions such as the HIPC initiative which brought many benefits to the nation.
Nana Akufo-Addo claimed that the NPP also left some unfinished businesses and many assets, including an increased GDP from $3.9 billion in 2001 to $17 billion in 2008, as well as posting a record GDP growth rate of 7.3 per cent last year, despite the world economic crunch.
In a mood reminiscent of the 2008 campaign, Nana Akufo-Addo, together with some party heavyweights, danced to NPP campaign tunes. Some of the leading members, former ministers of state, former and sitting MPs present were the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu; the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow; the National Organiser, Mr Lord Commey; the MP for Kwabenya, who is also the Second Deputy Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye, the MP for Suame and Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the former envoy to Serbia, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe.
After enumerating many of what he said were the achievements of the NPP administration, Nana Akufo-Addo said the real challenges facing the people of the country today were poverty, unemployment, crime, the burden of ignorance, squalor and diseases.
He expressed worry that instead of taking concrete steps to address the real problems, fulfil what it promised the people within its 100-days in office and foster peace and unity, the Mills government had rather “found time for mischief”.
He also mentioned some of the alleged attacks on NPP supporters in the country, especially what took place in Tamale after the announcement that his car had been seized by National Security operatives.
That, he alleged, resulted in the burning of 27 properties and the brutalisation of NPP supporters, including Madam Sadia Seidu, a nursing officer.
Describing the act as the “democratisation of violence” which was rearing its ugly head, he again expressed worry that no attempt had been made by the state to assist the 800 innocent victims whose homes and belongings were destroyed.
Flanked by his wife, Nana Akufo-Addo said the creeping threats to the Dagbon peace process, which appeared to be with the “active connivance of the state machinery”, especially the alleged assistance given by state security to the Andanis to enter the Gbewaa Palace to perform certain rituals, were worrying.
He, therefore, urged President Mills, as the father of the nation, to exhibit the same even-handedness in the enforcement of the road map that former President Kufuor exhibited, even at the risk of jeopardising his party’s traditional support base in Dagbon.
He cautioned that the leadership of the NPP had worked hard to restrain its supporters from reacting, adding, however, that there was the tendency that “militants on our side, convinced that the state cannot or will not protect them, may take measures to protect their interests, themselves and their loved ones”, a move which could drive the process towards a point of no return.
Describing himself as an ardent believer of accountability, the rule of law and the fact that a person was innocent unless proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction, he said the announcement by the National Security Adviser, Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah (retd), that former government officials would be sent to court was a “prosecutorial decision made by political operatives with an axe to grind or scores to settle”.
He said pronouncements by leading members of the government and the NDC were dangerous for democracy and urged President Mills to condemn them and work to expand the frontiers of freedom and respect for the rule of law.
Nana Akufo-Addo was, however, quick to commend the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, for repudiating the position of the National Security Adviser.
He cautioned that the ethnic passions that were deliberately heightened during the 2008 elections, coupled with the closeness of the election results and the serious challenges facing the country “demanded that we make extra efforts to promote the unity of our nation”.
He alleged that unfortunately, upon assumption of office, the NDC had chosen to emphasise what divided the people and said there had even been references to certain ethnic groups as if they were second-class citizens.
On the international front, he said Ghana could not isolate itself if it wanted to be a modern and prosperous nation. He noted also that with the departure of President Kufuor, ECOWAS and the African Union still yearned for Ghana’s leadership and so President Mills must provide such leadership.
Nana Akufo-Addo explained that the historic levels of growth in the economy and the international stature attained during the Kufuor era needed to be maintained by President Mills through travelling because “there are places where surrogates will not do”.
He also called on the government to find innovative ways to solve the problems facing the country, especially what he described as the deteriorating security situation in Dagbon and the rising cost of living.
“The NDC claims on a daily basis that this or that problem was left by the NPP administration. I say to President Mills today: If you say that the system is broke, fix it,” he noted.
Addressing hundreds of party faithful and some market women at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Hall at Osu in Accra, Nana Akufo-Addo pledged that if President Mills took concrete steps to fix the problems facing the people and refrained from divisive tendencies and harassment, “they can count on our principled support. Our party stands ready, as pledged in my January 3, 2008 statement, to work with the President to move the country forward”.
In the speech, dubbed: “Reviewing the current situation in Ghana“, the defeated presidential candidate said every government inherited assets and liabilities and noted that in 2001 the departing NDC left a few assets and many liabilities, including high inflation and interest rates, historic levels of debts and low external reserves, but instead of complaining, the Kufuor administration came out with bold decisions such as the HIPC initiative which brought many benefits to the nation.
Nana Akufo-Addo claimed that the NPP also left some unfinished businesses and many assets, including an increased GDP from $3.9 billion in 2001 to $17 billion in 2008, as well as posting a record GDP growth rate of 7.3 per cent last year, despite the world economic crunch.
In a mood reminiscent of the 2008 campaign, Nana Akufo-Addo, together with some party heavyweights, danced to NPP campaign tunes. Some of the leading members, former ministers of state, former and sitting MPs present were the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu; the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow; the National Organiser, Mr Lord Commey; the MP for Kwabenya, who is also the Second Deputy Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye, the MP for Suame and Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and the former envoy to Serbia, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe.
After enumerating many of what he said were the achievements of the NPP administration, Nana Akufo-Addo said the real challenges facing the people of the country today were poverty, unemployment, crime, the burden of ignorance, squalor and diseases.
He expressed worry that instead of taking concrete steps to address the real problems, fulfil what it promised the people within its 100-days in office and foster peace and unity, the Mills government had rather “found time for mischief”.
He also mentioned some of the alleged attacks on NPP supporters in the country, especially what took place in Tamale after the announcement that his car had been seized by National Security operatives.
That, he alleged, resulted in the burning of 27 properties and the brutalisation of NPP supporters, including Madam Sadia Seidu, a nursing officer.
Describing the act as the “democratisation of violence” which was rearing its ugly head, he again expressed worry that no attempt had been made by the state to assist the 800 innocent victims whose homes and belongings were destroyed.
Flanked by his wife, Nana Akufo-Addo said the creeping threats to the Dagbon peace process, which appeared to be with the “active connivance of the state machinery”, especially the alleged assistance given by state security to the Andanis to enter the Gbewaa Palace to perform certain rituals, were worrying.
He, therefore, urged President Mills, as the father of the nation, to exhibit the same even-handedness in the enforcement of the road map that former President Kufuor exhibited, even at the risk of jeopardising his party’s traditional support base in Dagbon.
He cautioned that the leadership of the NPP had worked hard to restrain its supporters from reacting, adding, however, that there was the tendency that “militants on our side, convinced that the state cannot or will not protect them, may take measures to protect their interests, themselves and their loved ones”, a move which could drive the process towards a point of no return.
Describing himself as an ardent believer of accountability, the rule of law and the fact that a person was innocent unless proven otherwise by a court of competent jurisdiction, he said the announcement by the National Security Adviser, Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah (retd), that former government officials would be sent to court was a “prosecutorial decision made by political operatives with an axe to grind or scores to settle”.
He said pronouncements by leading members of the government and the NDC were dangerous for democracy and urged President Mills to condemn them and work to expand the frontiers of freedom and respect for the rule of law.
Nana Akufo-Addo was, however, quick to commend the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, for repudiating the position of the National Security Adviser.
He cautioned that the ethnic passions that were deliberately heightened during the 2008 elections, coupled with the closeness of the election results and the serious challenges facing the country “demanded that we make extra efforts to promote the unity of our nation”.
He alleged that unfortunately, upon assumption of office, the NDC had chosen to emphasise what divided the people and said there had even been references to certain ethnic groups as if they were second-class citizens.
On the international front, he said Ghana could not isolate itself if it wanted to be a modern and prosperous nation. He noted also that with the departure of President Kufuor, ECOWAS and the African Union still yearned for Ghana’s leadership and so President Mills must provide such leadership.
Nana Akufo-Addo explained that the historic levels of growth in the economy and the international stature attained during the Kufuor era needed to be maintained by President Mills through travelling because “there are places where surrogates will not do”.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Work to defuse political polarisation —Nii Dowuona urges chiefs
THE Osu Mantse, Nii Okwei Dowuona VI, has called on chiefs to reposition themselves as fathers of all members of their communities irrespective of their political affiliation to reduce the increasing trend of political polarisation and its attendant devastation.
He said although multi-party democracy was good for the governance of the nation, the seriousness of the cracks it brought, especially during electioneering, demanded that chiefs should ensure that they were always ready to defuse tension.
He reminded members of their communities that although they belonged to different political parties, they were still one people.
Nii Dowuona, who was speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, said it was not for nothing that the 1992 Constitution barred chiefs from actively participating in politics, because the constitution envisaged that multi-party democracy had the propensity for polarisation.
“The chieftaincy institution is a unifier, unlike politics in Ghana which rather divides people. This is the reason why chiefs are to refrain from active political party activism and be at hand to unify the people,” he added.
The Osu Mantse said for chiefs to be able to play their traditional roles as fathers of the entire communities effectively, they must put their house in order, reposition themselves, as well as laying down their vision for the communities to develop trust in them.
He said while politicians had specified terms of office, four years in most cases, the chiefs had no specific term of office, and that placed them in very strategic positions to ensure that they ameliorated the ravaging rate of political polarisation.
“Chiefs should take the bull by the horns, get to the root causes of chieftaincy disputes, settle them and instal real chiefs, strengthen and revitalise traditional councils and make them proactive as well as playing their expected roles devoid of political coloration,” Nii Dowuona added.
He said the chiefs must also be supported to enhance the cultural, moral practices and behaviours of the people as a way of fighting moral decadence which was affecting the entire society.
Nii Dowuona said misbehaviour and the increasing rate of crime among the youth could partly be attributed to the low moral standards, because “it’s like we, as a country, have lost focus of our existence and rather concentrate on monetary gains; this has made people resort to all forms of evil things to be rich”.
He said chiefs must uphold cultural practices, because people were identified by their culture and language, without which they could lose their identity.
Nii Dowuona also appealed to the government to support chieftaincy institutions to enable them play their roles effectively, explaining that maintaining the institution was very expensive.
He suggested that the government could come up with Chiefs Development Fund, which would be used by the traditional leaders to complement the efforts of the government in developing their traditional areas, adding “we must be made to account for such amounts”.
He said although multi-party democracy was good for the governance of the nation, the seriousness of the cracks it brought, especially during electioneering, demanded that chiefs should ensure that they were always ready to defuse tension.
He reminded members of their communities that although they belonged to different political parties, they were still one people.
Nii Dowuona, who was speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, said it was not for nothing that the 1992 Constitution barred chiefs from actively participating in politics, because the constitution envisaged that multi-party democracy had the propensity for polarisation.
“The chieftaincy institution is a unifier, unlike politics in Ghana which rather divides people. This is the reason why chiefs are to refrain from active political party activism and be at hand to unify the people,” he added.
The Osu Mantse said for chiefs to be able to play their traditional roles as fathers of the entire communities effectively, they must put their house in order, reposition themselves, as well as laying down their vision for the communities to develop trust in them.
He said while politicians had specified terms of office, four years in most cases, the chiefs had no specific term of office, and that placed them in very strategic positions to ensure that they ameliorated the ravaging rate of political polarisation.
“Chiefs should take the bull by the horns, get to the root causes of chieftaincy disputes, settle them and instal real chiefs, strengthen and revitalise traditional councils and make them proactive as well as playing their expected roles devoid of political coloration,” Nii Dowuona added.
He said the chiefs must also be supported to enhance the cultural, moral practices and behaviours of the people as a way of fighting moral decadence which was affecting the entire society.
Nii Dowuona said misbehaviour and the increasing rate of crime among the youth could partly be attributed to the low moral standards, because “it’s like we, as a country, have lost focus of our existence and rather concentrate on monetary gains; this has made people resort to all forms of evil things to be rich”.
He said chiefs must uphold cultural practices, because people were identified by their culture and language, without which they could lose their identity.
Nii Dowuona also appealed to the government to support chieftaincy institutions to enable them play their roles effectively, explaining that maintaining the institution was very expensive.
He suggested that the government could come up with Chiefs Development Fund, which would be used by the traditional leaders to complement the efforts of the government in developing their traditional areas, adding “we must be made to account for such amounts”.
Scrap sale of state cars to public office holders ... Its useless, discriminatory and waste
A former Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Bede Ziedeng, has called for the scrapping of the policy where public office holders and senior public servants purchase their salon cars that are two years old when leaving office.
He said the policy was discriminatory, inequitable, a waste of national resources which had outlived its usefulness and purpose, and enabled the beneficiaries to dupe the state.
Mr Ziedeng, who is the General Secretary of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), was speaking to the Daily Graphic about the recent furore about the sale of salon cars to former ministers and other functionaries.
“It is wasteful to the state because government is forced to use scarce state resources to purchase new salon cars that are two years older anytime there was a change of government or a senior civil or public servant retires,” he said.
He explained that the policy was introduced from the 1980s into the 1990s, particularly during the transition from military rule to the Fourth Republic.
At its introduction, he said, salaries were generally low and very few public and civil servants could afford to purchase such means of transport.
Secondly, Mr Ziedeng noted that during those periods, there were few vehicle companies and garages selling expensive cars which were beyond the reach of the senior public and civil servants.
“With this it was understandable to make the offer to top public and civil servants, first as a compensation package for serving the nation with dedication and commitment and yet they could not come by any form of transportation when leaving office as result of low salaries. This was a golden handshake offer,” he said.
When asked why he described the policy as discriminatory and inequitable, Mr Ziedeng said it benefited only those who were using salon cars at the time of leaving office.
“Even among the political elite, district chief executives are left out by virtue of the fact that they do not use salon cars. Also public and civil servants who may be of the same grade but are using cross country vehicles will not benefit when leaving office,” Mr Ziedeng said.
He said because the cars were normally eligible for sale only after two years of use, those public office holders who took delivery of such salon cars parked and preserved them and hardly used them for official purposes.
He said those who used the salon cars also used state resources to refit such cars when they were about to leave office so that the cars would be in good shape when they would be buying them at ridiculously low prices.
Mr Ziedeng argued that unlike in the 1990s,the current economic situation was better, salaries of public office holders had appreciated and it was now easier for them to arrange to purchase their own salon vehicles whether in office or when they were out.
“Credit facilities are now uncountable from almost all the commercial banks and vehicle companies as well as garages, therefore the government should rather arrange for such functionaries and public and civil servants to purchase salon vehicles of their choice just as Members of Parliament (MPs) do,” he suggested.
He also said this would ensure that the cars purchased by the government for official purposes to be used properly for a longer period and when they become old, then the government could auction them to the highest bidder.
Mr Ziedeng added that the policy had the propensity of breeding acrimony and discontent among public office holders who used salon cars and those who used only cross country vehicles.
He said another acrimonious situation arose when there was a change of government, where former ministers would be chased by the new administration for taking cars away, which in the long run undermined the self esteem of politicians.
He said if the policy was maintained it would undermine the integrity of politicians and erode the confidence the electorate have in them.
“The net effect is the destruction of the reputation of the political elite who will be regarded as self-seekers who make no sacrifices at all but are interested in looting the state coffers,” he stressed.
He concluded that this was the best time to abolish the policy because after all the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had enjoyed it for eight years and so had the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the policy was discriminatory, inequitable, a waste of national resources which had outlived its usefulness and purpose, and enabled the beneficiaries to dupe the state.
Mr Ziedeng, who is the General Secretary of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), was speaking to the Daily Graphic about the recent furore about the sale of salon cars to former ministers and other functionaries.
“It is wasteful to the state because government is forced to use scarce state resources to purchase new salon cars that are two years older anytime there was a change of government or a senior civil or public servant retires,” he said.
He explained that the policy was introduced from the 1980s into the 1990s, particularly during the transition from military rule to the Fourth Republic.
At its introduction, he said, salaries were generally low and very few public and civil servants could afford to purchase such means of transport.
Secondly, Mr Ziedeng noted that during those periods, there were few vehicle companies and garages selling expensive cars which were beyond the reach of the senior public and civil servants.
“With this it was understandable to make the offer to top public and civil servants, first as a compensation package for serving the nation with dedication and commitment and yet they could not come by any form of transportation when leaving office as result of low salaries. This was a golden handshake offer,” he said.
When asked why he described the policy as discriminatory and inequitable, Mr Ziedeng said it benefited only those who were using salon cars at the time of leaving office.
“Even among the political elite, district chief executives are left out by virtue of the fact that they do not use salon cars. Also public and civil servants who may be of the same grade but are using cross country vehicles will not benefit when leaving office,” Mr Ziedeng said.
He said because the cars were normally eligible for sale only after two years of use, those public office holders who took delivery of such salon cars parked and preserved them and hardly used them for official purposes.
He said those who used the salon cars also used state resources to refit such cars when they were about to leave office so that the cars would be in good shape when they would be buying them at ridiculously low prices.
Mr Ziedeng argued that unlike in the 1990s,the current economic situation was better, salaries of public office holders had appreciated and it was now easier for them to arrange to purchase their own salon vehicles whether in office or when they were out.
“Credit facilities are now uncountable from almost all the commercial banks and vehicle companies as well as garages, therefore the government should rather arrange for such functionaries and public and civil servants to purchase salon vehicles of their choice just as Members of Parliament (MPs) do,” he suggested.
He also said this would ensure that the cars purchased by the government for official purposes to be used properly for a longer period and when they become old, then the government could auction them to the highest bidder.
Mr Ziedeng added that the policy had the propensity of breeding acrimony and discontent among public office holders who used salon cars and those who used only cross country vehicles.
He said another acrimonious situation arose when there was a change of government, where former ministers would be chased by the new administration for taking cars away, which in the long run undermined the self esteem of politicians.
He said if the policy was maintained it would undermine the integrity of politicians and erode the confidence the electorate have in them.
“The net effect is the destruction of the reputation of the political elite who will be regarded as self-seekers who make no sacrifices at all but are interested in looting the state coffers,” he stressed.
He concluded that this was the best time to abolish the policy because after all the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had enjoyed it for eight years and so had the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Scrap sale of state cars to public office holders ... Its useless, discriminatory and waste
A former Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Bede Ziedeng, has called for the scrapping of the policy where public office holders and senior public servants purchase their salon cars that are two years old when leaving office.
He said the policy was discriminatory, inequitable, a waste of national resources which had outlived its usefulness and purpose, and enabled the beneficiaries to dupe the state.
Mr Ziedeng, who is the General Secretary of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), was speaking to the Daily Graphic about the recent furore about the sale of salon cars to former ministers and other functionaries.
“It is wasteful to the state because government is forced to use scarce state resources to purchase new salon cars that are two years older anytime there was a change of government or a senior civil or public servant retires,” he said.
He explained that the policy was introduced from the 1980s into the 1990s, particularly during the transition from military rule to the Fourth Republic.
At its introduction, he said, salaries were generally low and very few public and civil servants could afford to purchase such means of transport.
Secondly, Mr Ziedeng noted that during those periods, there were few vehicle companies and garages selling expensive cars which were beyond the reach of the senior public and civil servants.
“With this it was understandable to make the offer to top public and civil servants, first as a compensation package for serving the nation with dedication and commitment and yet they could not come by any form of transportation when leaving office as result of low salaries. This was a golden handshake offer,” he said.
When asked why he described the policy as discriminatory and inequitable, Mr Ziedeng said it benefited only those who were using salon cars at the time of leaving office.
“Even among the political elite, district chief executives are left out by virtue of the fact that they do not use salon cars. Also public and civil servants who may be of the same grade but are using cross country vehicles will not benefit when leaving office,” Mr Ziedeng said.
He said because the cars were normally eligible for sale only after two years of use, those public office holders who took delivery of such salon cars parked and preserved them and hardly used them for official purposes.
He said those who used the salon cars also used state resources to refit such cars when they were about to leave office so that the cars would be in good shape when they would be buying them at ridiculously low prices.
Mr Ziedeng argued that unlike in the 1990s,the current economic situation was better, salaries of public office holders had appreciated and it was now easier for them to arrange to purchase their own salon vehicles whether in office or when they were out.
“Credit facilities are now uncountable from almost all the commercial banks and vehicle companies as well as garages, therefore the government should rather arrange for such functionaries and public and civil servants to purchase salon vehicles of their choice just as Members of Parliament (MPs) do,” he suggested.
He also said this would ensure that the cars purchased by the government for official purposes to be used properly for a longer period and when they become old, then the government could auction them to the highest bidder.
Mr Ziedeng added that the policy had the propensity of breeding acrimony and discontent among public office holders who used salon cars and those who used only cross country vehicles.
He said another acrimonious situation arose when there was a change of government, where former ministers would be chased by the new administration for taking cars away, which in the long run undermined the self esteem of politicians.
He said if the policy was maintained it would undermine the integrity of politicians and erode the confidence the electorate have in them.
“The net effect is the destruction of the reputation of the political elite who will be regarded as self-seekers who make no sacrifices at all but are interested in looting the state coffers,” he stressed.
He concluded that this was the best time to abolish the policy because after all the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had enjoyed it for eight years and so had the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the policy was discriminatory, inequitable, a waste of national resources which had outlived its usefulness and purpose, and enabled the beneficiaries to dupe the state.
Mr Ziedeng, who is the General Secretary of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), was speaking to the Daily Graphic about the recent furore about the sale of salon cars to former ministers and other functionaries.
“It is wasteful to the state because government is forced to use scarce state resources to purchase new salon cars that are two years older anytime there was a change of government or a senior civil or public servant retires,” he said.
He explained that the policy was introduced from the 1980s into the 1990s, particularly during the transition from military rule to the Fourth Republic.
At its introduction, he said, salaries were generally low and very few public and civil servants could afford to purchase such means of transport.
Secondly, Mr Ziedeng noted that during those periods, there were few vehicle companies and garages selling expensive cars which were beyond the reach of the senior public and civil servants.
“With this it was understandable to make the offer to top public and civil servants, first as a compensation package for serving the nation with dedication and commitment and yet they could not come by any form of transportation when leaving office as result of low salaries. This was a golden handshake offer,” he said.
When asked why he described the policy as discriminatory and inequitable, Mr Ziedeng said it benefited only those who were using salon cars at the time of leaving office.
“Even among the political elite, district chief executives are left out by virtue of the fact that they do not use salon cars. Also public and civil servants who may be of the same grade but are using cross country vehicles will not benefit when leaving office,” Mr Ziedeng said.
He said because the cars were normally eligible for sale only after two years of use, those public office holders who took delivery of such salon cars parked and preserved them and hardly used them for official purposes.
He said those who used the salon cars also used state resources to refit such cars when they were about to leave office so that the cars would be in good shape when they would be buying them at ridiculously low prices.
Mr Ziedeng argued that unlike in the 1990s,the current economic situation was better, salaries of public office holders had appreciated and it was now easier for them to arrange to purchase their own salon vehicles whether in office or when they were out.
“Credit facilities are now uncountable from almost all the commercial banks and vehicle companies as well as garages, therefore the government should rather arrange for such functionaries and public and civil servants to purchase salon vehicles of their choice just as Members of Parliament (MPs) do,” he suggested.
He also said this would ensure that the cars purchased by the government for official purposes to be used properly for a longer period and when they become old, then the government could auction them to the highest bidder.
Mr Ziedeng added that the policy had the propensity of breeding acrimony and discontent among public office holders who used salon cars and those who used only cross country vehicles.
He said another acrimonious situation arose when there was a change of government, where former ministers would be chased by the new administration for taking cars away, which in the long run undermined the self esteem of politicians.
He said if the policy was maintained it would undermine the integrity of politicians and erode the confidence the electorate have in them.
“The net effect is the destruction of the reputation of the political elite who will be regarded as self-seekers who make no sacrifices at all but are interested in looting the state coffers,” he stressed.
He concluded that this was the best time to abolish the policy because after all the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had enjoyed it for eight years and so had the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
NDC starts reorganisation in readiness for 2012
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has initiated moves to consolidate its gains in the 2008 elections in order to win the 2012 polls resoundingly.
Consequently, it has started reorganising its party structures, strengthening and expanding the party’s electoral college for the women and youth wings of the party.
Currently, the party’s national executive officers have travelled to all parts of the country to assess their performance in the 2008 elections, briefing party members about the government’s policies to explain the reasons behind all government appointments.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Mr Yaw Boatemg-Gyan, said the national executive would also explain the time table for the election of ward, electoral area, constituency and regional executives, which will culminate in the national congress to elect national executive members to run the affairs of the party for the next four years.
He said the national executive would deal with some misunderstandings that came up during the selection of district chief executives, calm nerves and unite the people as part of the re-organisation exercise.
On the expansion of the electoral college for both the women and youth wings of the party, he said the practice whereby only regional organisers and deputies of the two wings met at national congresses to elect their executives would be a thing of the past.
He said to give real meaning to the party’s core practice of internal democracy and participatory democracy, all wards would elect their women and youth organisers who would in turn elect their constituency organisers.
This, Mr Boateng-Gyan said, would be replicated at the regional and national levels.
Asked why the party was showing keen interest in the youth and women’s wings, he said the two branches formed the foundation of the party, and that everything must be done to strengthen them.
Consequently, it has started reorganising its party structures, strengthening and expanding the party’s electoral college for the women and youth wings of the party.
Currently, the party’s national executive officers have travelled to all parts of the country to assess their performance in the 2008 elections, briefing party members about the government’s policies to explain the reasons behind all government appointments.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Mr Yaw Boatemg-Gyan, said the national executive would also explain the time table for the election of ward, electoral area, constituency and regional executives, which will culminate in the national congress to elect national executive members to run the affairs of the party for the next four years.
He said the national executive would deal with some misunderstandings that came up during the selection of district chief executives, calm nerves and unite the people as part of the re-organisation exercise.
On the expansion of the electoral college for both the women and youth wings of the party, he said the practice whereby only regional organisers and deputies of the two wings met at national congresses to elect their executives would be a thing of the past.
He said to give real meaning to the party’s core practice of internal democracy and participatory democracy, all wards would elect their women and youth organisers who would in turn elect their constituency organisers.
This, Mr Boateng-Gyan said, would be replicated at the regional and national levels.
Asked why the party was showing keen interest in the youth and women’s wings, he said the two branches formed the foundation of the party, and that everything must be done to strengthen them.
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