NDC accuses Bamba

National Organiser of the NPP, Alhaji Moctar Bamba         The recent reports of defection by a group of National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters from the Tain Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region to the opposition, New Patriotic Party (NPP), has taken an interesting dimension, as the ruling party is accusing the National Organiser of the NPP, Alhaji Moctar Bamba, of orchestrating the story. The NDC says the, defection claim was the handiwork of Alhaji Bamba, who hails from Wenchi which is close to the Tain constituency, in order to boost the sinking popularity of the NPP in the Brong Ahafo Region. According to the NDC, it does not recognise the so-called leading figures of the press conference held last week, including Alidu Seidu, as members of the Boys For Action, Loyalty and Service (BUFALOS). The group further stated that it was not true that the NDC had failed to fulfill a campaign promise made to them, hence their decision to quit the party. Addressing the media in Kumasi last Sunday to refute the publication by The Chronicle, the spokesperson for the BUFALOS, Hamza Abdallah, said its members were completely intact, and that none of them had defected to the NPP. He stated that Alidu Seidu, who claimed that he was the financial secretary to the BUFALOS, was not a recognised member of the group, explaining that all the 27 executives were solidly behind the ruling party, and had no intentions of defecting to the NPP. "We, the 27 executives of BUFAALOS, want to set the records straight that there is no defection, and that never will there be a defection, and as such, we are strongly united and support the NDC; to our compatriots we say, stand firm, these are the dirty works of NPP, led by Moctar Bamba," they noted. The spokesperson of BUFAWS, said Alidu was rather a former financial secretary who deserted the group several years ago, after failing to properly account for some amounts of money left in his care. Hamza alleged that Alidu bad become a mole, and was being manipulated by the NPP National Organiser to score undue advantages, and deceive the public that the NDC was becoming unpopular. According to him, Alhaji Bamba, apparently wanting to justify the promise made during their congress, that he would mobilise the Zongo community for the NPP, had deliberately concocted the defection story. “Moctar Bamba promised during his campaign for the national organiser of the NPP that if he won the election, he would mobilise the Zongo community for the party, and this is what he is trying to do, but we want to tell him that he would fail.” Hamza emphasised. “We are therefore sounding a cautious statement to Bamba and his mischievous moves, that if he thinks he is going to use diabolical and deceptive strategies to win the Zongo community, then he is deceiving himself." it noted. The group therefore pledged its allegiance to the ruling party, stressing, "Tain will never go back to NPP; it is for the NDC, and will continue to be for NDC. We want to assure the supporters of NDC both home and abroad that the BUFALOS are still committed to its cause of action. That is UNITY." Meanwhile, the NPP National Organiser has rebuffed claims by the group that he was behind the reports of the mass defection. Speaking to the paper in a telephone interview, Alhaji Bamba said even though news of the defection was refreshing to the party, he was not behind the move, as was being alleged by the NDC. He indicated that he was not surprised at the decision by the NDC supporters to join the NPP, stressing, “The constituency has always been a stronghold of the NPP, and the people there are loyal to us." According to him, the group members were initially supporters of the NPP, but were deceived by the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, who promised them that they would be given auctioned cars and other incentives, if they helped the NDC win power. "These boys are our boys, they have returned to their roots, and I am going to meet with them over the weekend." he pledged. Source: The Chronicle

Deputy AG should be ashamed of himself - Judge

The sitting judge on the trial of the murder of overlord of Dagbon Ya-Na Yakubu Andani has recused himself from the case. This follows allegations of bias by the Deputy Attorney General, Mr. Ebo Barton Oduro. Mr. Oduro told news men he has evidence of a bias comment made by the judge, Anthony Oppong at a drinking bar and will make the evidence available at an appropriate time. He subsequently urged the Chief Justice to replace Justice Oppong because the prosecution could not be assured of fair trial. Mr. Oduro and the prosecution were expected to file a motion to state reasons why the Judge should not sit on the case. On Monday however, the sitting judge issued a statement announcing his decision to step aside. Joy FM's Cyrus De-Graft Johnson who was present at the court says the judge was unhappy with the pronouncements by the Deputy Attorney General. The judge asked the Chief Justice to transfer the case to another court. The judge among other things cited recent pronouncements by the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress Dr Kwabena Adjei on the Judiciary as well as those made by the Deputy Attorney General as reasons for his decision. He said he does not feel safe handling the case any more. He denied ever being at drinking bar and demanded an apology from the Deputy Attorney General. He said Mr. Ebo Barton Oduro must be ashamed of himself and asked him and the prosecution to be professionals and not act like stooges in a propaganda game. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Chief Justice Georgina Wood is politically tainted - NDC

Mrs Theodora Georgina Wood, the Chief Justice         The ruling National Democratic Congress has accused the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood of compromising her political neutrality. The party catalogued actions it claims the CJ has taken in the past that lend credence to the assertion. The NDC has therefore asked the government “to institute a public forum for people to present their accounts of the obvious administrative shortcomings, moral and pecuniary corruption in the justice system and act accordingly on the results of the forum, to give to ourselves and posterity a system of justice which keeps true to the constitutional requirements of the concept of justice originating and sustained by the people.” A statement signed by the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Ade Coker, on behalf of all regional chairmen of the party said such a forum will “be a logical sequel to previous reports on corruption and bias in the Judiciary.” Members of the ruling party have had serious problems with some members of the bench whom they accuse of delivering political judgements at the court and embarrassing the government in the process. Last week, the party’s Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei asked the CJ to clean the judiciary or the party will do that for her. The comments received flak from the public but the party stood by its chairman, insisting he did nothing wrong. On President John Atta Mills’ return Monday from the United States where he spent his leave, he assured he had no intention to purge the judiciary, reiterating the independence of that institution. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana Read the full statement of the NDC below. NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate release 24/08/2010 NDC REGIONAL CHAIRMEN REFLECT ON RECENT NATIONAL ISSUES Barely a week ago, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, the National Chairman of our great Party, the ruling National Democratic Congress addressed a news conference on matters pertaining to the administration of justice in the wake of a court ruling on the Ghana @50 Commission of Enquiry trial. Since the news conference, this country has witnessed an outpouring of reaction and comment from all sections of our society. Some so-called civil society organisations which have hitherto remained dormant and for all purposes, clinically dead have suddenly resurrected from their deep, self-induced slumber. Individuals who between 2001 and 2008 when Kufour was in power had nothing to say on the inadequacies in the administration of justice, the poor social services, drug trafficking and the incipient corruption and the NPP divide and rule politics, have discovered a new profession of advocacy. The reaction of the motley group of pro NPP civil society organisations and individuals has been dispersed and unfocused. They have sought to incite sections of the country against His Excellency President Mills and the NDC as a party. Our National Chairman has been maligned and accused of all sorts of infractions on the democratic, constitutional order even to the extent of some calling for his arrest and prosecution for high treason when even a layman knows that mere words cannot constitute the high crime of treason. That this curious and infantile call for Kwabena Adjei’s arrest was led by no less a person than Hon Joe Ghartey, immediate past Attorney General and Minister for Justice speaks volumes on why justice came to be so perverted under the Kuffour Administration. We the Regional Party Chairmen decided to issue this statement not only in solidarity with our National Chairman but are also compelled by the nature and variety of the commentary on the Party’s original statement, to come out again, and re-state our collective position in clear unambiguous terms. The 1992 constitution which is the basic law of this country, states at several places that all power, political, legislative and judicial and residual, emanates from the people, and should be deployed by elected and other public officials for the sole benefit of the grantors of that power, the people. Our national constitution did not create nor recognise nor clothe any institution of state or person, with the aura of a sacred cow, all institutions and persons holding public office must bow before the will of the people who gave themselves this Constitution. Even in our lay man mind, the literal meanings of article 1, clause 1 and article 125, clause 1 of the 1992 Constitution leave no reasonable person in any doubt that justice ultimately flows from the people. It is this general understanding and appreciation of the origins of power, political, legislative, or judicial, howbeit described, that underpinned and informed our Party statement a week ago. Let us now turn our attention to the exercise of judicial authority in our recent past which clearly supports calls for the exercise of popular oversight. It is a fact that since the assumption of office of the current Chief Justice, she has decided to personally perform a task which we believe was hitherto, the agreed preserve of the registrars of the various courts. Here, we refer to the very necessary but highly sensitive task of case assignment in our Courts. We happen to know that in several other jurisdictions they now use a blind lottery system to select which judge would preside over which case, to prevent the manipulation of the outcome of litigation. In Ghana, our Chief Justice we are told uses a special group perceived to be her favourites in the system to perform this sensitive task which can enable her to predict the outcome of cases in which she has an interest. We all remember the proceedings of the MV Benjamin cocaine loss probe over which Mrs Georgina Wood presided. She was appointed Chief Justice shortly after that inconclusive enquiry which eventually led to the acquittal of the principal suspects in the missing cocaine. Her role in the missing cocaine trial and subsequent appointment created a perception that it was her reward for doing a favourable job for President Kufour and the drug barons who exercised so much influence in the NPP administration. Unfortunate as this perception is her own actions have not helped matters, and we will explain. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, you will recall that in between the first and second round of voting in the 2008 presidential elections, the Chief Justice came out publicly, in a statement, to apologise to all taxi and trotro drivers who had suffered imprisonment as a result of the amendment of the road offences laws by the NPP government in 2007, and which was repealed in 2008, just before the elections. It is not the place of the Chief Justice, or for that matter, the judiciary, to apologise for the application and enforcement of misconceived laws. That responsibility lies squarely in the bosom of the executive. The obvious reason for this invasion of the party political space by the Chief Justice was to play a role in the faltering campaign of the then ruling NPP, which as you may recall, even included a former Minister of State, kneeling in the sands of Winneba to plead for the votes of fishermen and women in the wake of the pair trawling disaster of that late unlamented government. Again, our Chief Justice was at the centre of the court case mounted by the NPP in the dying days of the regime to prevent the Electoral Commissioner from declaring the outcome of the poll, and stopping the ultimate vote in the Tain Constituency. Our Chief Justice actually issued a warrant for the high court to sit on a public holiday, the intent being to prevent the will of the people, the very source of her office and authority, from being enforced in the 2008 elections. There was absolutely no compelling reason for this course of action by the NPP, but it was also absolutely inappropriate and inexcusable for the judicial authority of the land to be exercised in such a blatantly partisan manner with the active connivance and blessings of her high office. Indeed, the statements of Lawyer Atta Akyea, brother in law of the Chief Justice who was a central figure in this case which is captured on tape to the extent that she has not denied the claims by the latter, could be cited as proof of bias. We should not forget that a week earlier, the CJ had given the go-ahead for another case against an NDC parliamentary candidate to proceed on Christmas Day 2008. It is our submission that notwithstanding the amendments which enabled a speedy dispatch of election cases, she has no authority to permit a court to sit in violation of the Public Holiday Act, when it is clear that the latter and more powerful law can only be suspended by the President. The eminent jurist the late BJ Da Rocha himself an elder of the NPP made it clear at the time that the CJ has acted inappropriately. We are persuaded that all these acts perpetrated by our sitting head of our judiciary compromised her neutrality and as Ghanaians we have every right to remind her of her oath to administer justice fairly. As a party which emanated from the struggle and aspirations of ordinary people of Ghana, we calling on our government to institute a public forum for people to present their accounts of the obvious administrative shortcomings, moral and pecuniary corruption in the justice system and act accordingly on the results of the forum, to give to ourselves and posterity a system of justice which keeps true to the constitutional requirements of the concept of justice originating and sustained by the people. Our appeal for the government to institute public fora to hear at first hand, the views of ordinary Ghanaians on their experiences with the Judiciary would be a logical sequel to previous reports on corruption and bias in the Judiciary. Last year Her Lordship Georgina Woode launched one of such reports on Judicial Corruption Monitoring in Ghana by Integrity Initiative. Launching that report, on November 8, 2007 the CJ conceded that there is a considerable degree of corruption in the Judiciary and noted that the trend is no longer a matter of just perception. The CJ also commented, and I quote, “Corruption poses a huge threat to our legitimacy and limits rather severely our capacity to fulfil our constitutional mandate” {Daily Guide Nov 9 , 2007} so all that we are saying is not new to the judiciary. Indeed the press statement issued last Friday and signed by Justices Akamba and Elizabeth Ankumah on behalf of Magistrates and High Court Judges is proof that the Judiciary itself welcomes a full public discourse on the Judiciary in Ghana. Signed Ade Coker NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman and Spokesperson of Regional Chairmen of the National Democratic Congress

Ghana: 24th February--A Dark Day In Our National History

February is here hence it is not surprising that important news items of our historical past have started dominating the news items both at home and on the web. First this month is declared across the globe as African heritage month, it is the month in which a holiday in memory of Martin Luther king is observed, it is the month in which the death of J. B Danquah is commemorated but sad of all it is the month in which Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in the first coup d' tat in our country.

Since the Overthrow of Kwame, we have been treated with various theories to justify his removal from office; Kwame was accused of abusing human rights and undermining civil liberties of every Ghanaian. His economic and social policies were undoubtedly the best our country ever had yet every effort is made to discredit the man whose fame and popularity grows with every generation of Africans.

Ironically, the more Kwame opponents dead and alive try to discredit him, the more they endear him to young and growing Africans. For those of us who knew not this world at the times of Nkrumah but have come to admire him, it is because we have gone beyond the conspiracy theories in Ghana crafted purposely to undermine him in history, to search for alternative answers. Thankfully the real truth is now emerging. Gradually American declassification secret documents would lead to names being mentioned for our objective judgement.

Given that abuse of civil liberties is often cited as the main reason for the overthrow of Nkrumah as seen in among other documents, General Ankrah?s declassified letter to Lyndon Johnson, it is proper to ask, why is Kwame Nkrumah who began as a democrat took such draconic measures to silence opposition to his government? To begin, we must acknowledge that abuse of civil liberties in whatever form is wrong and condemnable, however, it is equally important to understand the events in Ghana at the time, against the background that several attempts were made at Kwame Nkrumah's life by some power hungry individuals who eventually became the beneficiaries of his downfall. It cannot be denied that bombs were thrown at Nkrumah on more than one occasion, and there were both covert and overt plans to undermine his regime and national stability by forces within aided by forces without from the very moment Richard Nixon asked the famous question 'will it work'. Those who cherish their civil liberties as granted by the state, must know that national leaders who protect ours, also deserve to have their rights and liberties, which when threatened, the response could be catastrophic; this fact is often forgotten when the story of Kwame is told.

One is yet to see any government who failed to responds in like manner or who acted differently, when threatened. In the world today, George Bush who prides himself as the leader of the free world is going down in history as the American President who presided over the worse human right and civil liberty abuses in the world. Thousands of human beings are being held in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guatanamo bay near Cuba and in fact in the US itself, without any lawful trial as a response to the threats posed by Osama Bin Ladin and his cohorts. The patriot Act passed in the US in response to 9/11 is more draconic and dangerous than Kwame Nkrumah?s Preventive Detention Act (PDA); both are simply unacceptable and inhuman.

The Americans who masterminded the overthrow of Nkrumah certainly had motives other that Nkrumah?s perceived or real dictatorship. Their motive was to destroy our young and industrialising nation, as well as demoralise the visions of all independent African states. This they succeeded in doing with the assistance of what Kwame himself called ?certain unpatriotic sons of Africa.? Reading the declassified letter General Ankrah wrote to Lyndon Johnson, one cannot help but bow his head in shame. In fact 24th February is our national day of shame. In the face of other declassified documents, it is apparent now that, that letter was written by CIA agent-- Howard Banes in Ghana for General Ankrah to sign in order to insulate America against future consequences of the coup.

In view of the publication of Ankrah?s letter; president John Kufour's second inaugural comments on Richard Nixon?s question to his British counterpart; continuing attempts to vilify Nkrumah by certain individuals and groups for political reasons; and calculated steps to project his opponents to near sainthood, it is proper that Ghanaians and Africans are told what other US declassified documents about the overthrow of Nkrumah contained. Much of this is published by the New African** which posited that ?Ghana's attempt to lift itself from agrarian poverty to a shinning example of African industrialisation was frustrated and finally killed off. Nkrumah inaugurated the Akosombo Dam on 26 January 1966. A month later 'on 24 February 1966' he was overthrown in a military coup masterminded by America in collaboration with Britain and France (according to former CIA officers who have written books about it, and recent declassified American government documents). The documents, declassified at the end of 1999 but recently made public, show that the American government started talking about Nkrumah's overthrow as far back as 6 February 1964 ' two full years before the actual event' when the then secretary of state Dean Rusk and the CIA Director John McCone met and picked the Ghanaian general, J.A. Ankrah, as the man to take over from Nkrumah.

From that meeting, the action snowballed into America recruiting Britain and France to help break the back of Ghana's economy by manipulating it from afar, in order to create disaffection among the Ghanaian people and hasten Nkrumah's downfall. The declassified American documents show that on 6 February 1964, William C. Trimble, the then director of the State Department's West African desk, wrote a memo entitled 'Proposed Action Programme for Ghana' to the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, G. Mennen Williams, saying: Although Nkrumah's leftward progress cannot be checked or reversed, it could be slowed down by a well conceived and executed action programme. Measures which we might take against Nkrumah would have to be carefully selected in order not to weaken pro-Western elements in Ghana or adversely affect our prestige and influence elsewhere on the continent.' Trimble continued: 'US pressure, if appropriately applied, could induce a chain reaction, eventually leading to Nkrumah's downfall. Chances of success would be greatly enhanced if the British could be induced to act in concert with us.

?Intensive efforts should be made through psychological warfare and other means to diminish support for Nkrumah within Ghana and nurture the conviction among the Ghanaian people that their country's welfare and independence necessitate his removal.' On 12 February 1964, a high-powered American-British meeting on Nkrumah was held at the White House, attended by (on the American side) President Lynden Johnson, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, Under-Secretary of State Harriman, and Special Assistant to the President on National Security Affairs, McGeorge Bundy. On the British side were Prime Minister Douglas-Home and Foreign Secretary Butler. 'One could not be sure how long Nkrumah would last,' Butler said at the meeting, according to the minutes recently released with the declassified American documents. On 26 February 1964, another meeting on Nkrumah was held at the White House. Present this time were the CIA director McCone, his close friend Edgar Kaiser (the same man working with Nkrumah on the Volta River Project), and William P. Mahoney, the US ambassador in Accra. The declassified documents record McCone as saying at the meeting: ?I asked Ambassador Mahoney if he felt that the CIA was operating independently of his office [in Accra]? Mahoney answered absolutely and positively no.'

Mahoney returned to Accra after the meeting and went to see Nkrumah on 2 March 1964. According to the declassified documents, he reported back to Washington, thus: 'I said [told Nkrumah] that I am in full control of all US government activities in Ghana. I could assure him without hesitation that during my incumbency absolutely nothing has been done by any US agency, which could be construed in any way as being directed against him or his government. Nkrumah replied with words to the effect: 'I will take your word for it' Mahoney continued: 'I repeated that there had been no conceivable activity on our part to subvert or overthrow him. I pointed out how inconsistent our entire aid effort, aimed at assisting and strengthening his government is, with wild accusations in [the] Ghanaian press that the US [is] acting against him. 'I added that, speaking frankly, our main intelligence effort is to keep an eye on his Soviet and Chinese friends, whose activities are really large scale? [Al beginning has been made in effort to dispel some of Nkrumah's misconstructions on [the] role of CIA, [but] pressure should be kept up.? On 23 March 1964, Mahoney again sent a telegram to Washington, saying: 'I believe someone has to keep hammering him [meaning Nkrumah].? On 9 April 1964, acting on Mahoney's advice, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, G. Mennem Williams, wrote an action memo to the under-secretary of state, Harriman, saying the US should ?keep continuing pressure on [Nkrumah] to maintain his relations with the US on a tolerable basis' We shall consult with the British in the next few days to discuss what contribution they may be able to make in this area.'

On 11 March 1965, the CIA director McCone and others, including Ambassador Mahoney met in McCone's office to take the 'Nkrumah project' a step further. According to the declassified documents, the topic was: ?Coup d'etat plot, Ghana?. The minutes of that meeting show Mahoney telling McCone that Western pressure was working against Nkrumah. 'Popular opinion was running strongly against Nkrumah,' Mahoney said, ?and the economy of the country was in a precarious state.' However, Mahoney was ?not convinced that the coup d'?tat now being planned by Acting Police Commissioner J.W.K. Harlley, and Generals Otu and Ankrah would necessarily take place?. Yet, he (Mahoney) was sure that 'one way or another, Nkrumah would be out within a year'. According to the minutes, McCone asked Mahoney: 'Who would most likely succeed Nkrumah in the event of a coup?? The answer: ?Ambassador Mahoney stated that initially, at least, a military junta would take over.'

Mahoney was supported by Robert W. Komer who had replaced McGeorge Bundy as President Johnson's assistant for national security affairs. An old CIA hand, Komer, according to the declassified documents, advised his bosses, thus: ?We may have a pro-Western coup in Ghana soon. Certain key military and police figures have been planning one for some time, and Ghana's deteriorating economic condition may provide the spark. ?The plotters are keeping us briefed, and State [Department] thinks we're more on the inside than the British. While we're not directly involved, (I'm told) we and other Western countries (including France) have been helping to set up the situation by ignoring Nkrumah's pleas for economic aid' All in all, looks good.' Soon after the New Year 1966, having finished his job of softening the ground, Ambassador William Mahoney was recalled home. In his place, Washington sent an African-American: Ambassador Franklin H. Williams, who was Nkrumah's mate at Lincoln University (the Class of 1941).

Williams was barely two months in Accra when the coup happened, on 24 February 1966 while Nkrumah was en route to Hanoi via Beijing on a peace mission (sanctioned by President Lynden Johnson himself) to stop the Vietnam War. Nkrumah never forgave Ambassador Williams ? his mate at university and a fellow black man. In his book, Dark Days In Ghana, Nkrumah said Ambassador Williams' ?treachery provides a sharp reminder of the insidious ways in which the enemies of Africa can operate. In the US, the ?Uncle Tom? figure is well known. We have mercifully seen less of him in Africa.' On 21 July 1969, Dr Marvin Wachmann who was about to leave as president of Lincoln University, wrote to Nkrumah then in exile in Guinea, saying: ?As I prepare to leave, I would like to write a word on behalf of Franklin H. Williams of the Class of 1941? Mr Williams is a very bouncy and vigorous individual, and I have never seen him so crushed as he has been, concerning your feelings that he was involved in some way in the episodes in Ghana. He has assured me, personally, that he had no knowledge of the coup.' Not very amused, Nkrumah told June Milne, his research assistant for 15 years and later publisher: 'It is extremely unlikely that Williams did not know what was going on in the embassy with CIA officers operating from there.'

Nkrumah's viewpoint was supported by the former Ivorian president, Felix Houphouet Boigny, in an interview with Paris-based magazine, Jeune Afrique, published on 4 February 1981. He told the magazine: ?Destablisation is not a new thing. Did you know why Idi Amin made his coup in 1972? It was not he who did it, but the British. He did not even know what he wanted himself. It was the same in Ghana when the military overthrew Nkrumah. They [the Ghanaian coupmakers] came to see me. I asked them why. They replied: ?All is not well any more.? Is that all? [I asked them]. I also asked them what they were going to do; they did not know. People outside knew it for them.? On 12 March 1966, less then three weeks after the Ghana coup, Robert W. Komer, the then special assistant to President Johnson on national security, wrote a congratulatory assessment to the president, saying: 'The coup in Ghana is another example of a fortuitous windfall. Nkrumah was doing more to undermine our interests than any other black African. In reaction to his strongly pro-Communist leanings, the new military regime [in Accra] is almost pathetically pro-Western.'

After the coup, Western journalists descended on Accra to mock Nkrumah. The BBC 'Black Power' documentary picks up the story from here? Howard Banes who was the CIA station chief in Accra engineered the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah. Now, obviously, you can look at it in different ways. A Ghanaian might say I thought we did it. Inside the CIA, though, it was quite clear. Howard Banes had a double promotion and an Intelligence Star for having overthrown Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana. The magic of it, what made it so exciting for the CIA, was that Howard Banes had had enough imagination and drive to run the operation without ever documenting what he was doing, and to sweep along his bosses in such a way, that they never knew what he was doing, tacitly they approved, but there wasn't one shred of paper that he generated that would nail the CIA hierarchy as being responsible. In the late 1960s, Western journalists travelled to Ghana to pick up the bones of Nkrumah's industrial experiment. Their contentious reports seemed to confirm to the West a new myth of Africa, a continent unable to handle the complex pressures of industrialisation. Immediately following the coup both western journalist and their local agents treated Ghanaians and the world to various theories explaining the Nkrumah?s overthrow. Ghanaians and the world was made to understand that the Kwame wasted our national resources and money on irrelevant national projects like the 12 miles Accra-Tema motorway, the Black Star Square, the Akosombo Dam and the State House among others. Unfortunately, many Ghanaians including our own president, J A. Kufour bought into this theory.

It is ironic and sad to see President Kufour stand on the grounds of the very Black Star Square considered as one of Nkrumah?s waste projects, and repeat his adherence to the Nkrumah-Waste Theory; when he claimed Ghana was rich at independence but all the money was wasted. Mr. President, I beg to defer, as New African** puts it, ?even the most strident opponent of Nkrumah agrees that the Tema Motorway, the State House (or Job 600), and the Black Star Square were no 'white elephants'. They were a necessary part of the national infrastructure that had to be built at one point or another. Today, all parades, big national events and presidential inaugurations, including those of Presidents Hilla Limann (1979), Jerry Rawlings (1992 & 1996), and John Kufuor (2001), are held at the Black Star Square. The Tema Motorway, serving the country's main in-bound port, is still the best piece of road in the country. Without it, the Tema port will be useless. Today, Kaiser's smelter at Tema still operates on cheap electricity from the Akosombo Dam. Almost all the 68 state-owned factories in existence at Nkrumah's overthrow have now been sold off to private operators, mostly Westerners and Asians from the Far-East, as part of the IMF/World Bank structural adjustment programme. And the country has been declared an HIPC ' Highly Indebted Poor Country' Perhaps Nkrumah would also divest these state-owned institutions to private hands under today's circumstances but certainly not to foreign hands. His believe in the Ghanaian and African people; would have given our privatization an indigenous outlook.

Ankrah sounded in his letter dated 24 March 1966, (exactly one month after the Kotoka Coup) to Lynden Johnson, as if Johnson knew nothing about Ghana?s coup. As you can deduce from this piece, Ankrah is not only a hypocrite here, but was also used to serve American interest. In any case why did Ankrah find it necessary to write and explain the circumstances to Johnson? Who do they think they were fooling? But Ankrah is only a small fish among bigger ones. With time, the names of those individuals who were on the CIA payroll to subvert our national pride, would all be made public, then we shall examine the sincerity of all those who claim to be acting on our behalf when they helped throw bombs at Kwame. It was naive for General Ankrah and his men to think that US was helping them fight a just cause when at the time the US itself was paying lip-services to the civil liberties and rights of African-Americans, segregating against blacks in public places. When shall we learn? When shall we allow the common good of all to supersede individual interest? Didn't the US assassinate or if you like stage a coup to topple John F. Kennedy (JFK) for his overt desire to grant civil liberties to African-Americans? It is not surprising that Lynden Johnson, who succeeded JFK, after the American coup, presided over the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah as can be deduced from Ankrah?s letter published earlier by Ghanaweb: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=74716

It is already established that nothing can erase the memory of Kwame Nkrumah from the annals of Ghana and Africa. At the close of last millennium, then almost 30 years after his death, he was voted the greatest African of the melinninum by a BBC survey and opinon poll. At the moment he is not surpassed as the most prolific writer and author of all African leaders past and present. In addition, no African leader has as yet matched the continuing research and publications devoted to studying the visions, ideas and philosophy of Nkrumah. There are thousands of websites devoted to studying and spreading the ideals of Nkrumah by scholars and students of various persuasions cross the globe. It is about time Ghanaians are treated with the truth about Nkrumah; for the more remnants of his detractors try to vilify him, the more he is deified by present generations of Africa. If Kwame Nkrumah continues to receive such great admiration and reverence from people of all walks of life against the background that when he was overthrown, his statues were demolished, his party was banned, and his books and other publications were removed from shelves in libraries and bookstores and destroyed, then, we must ask; what has endeared him to growing generations of Ghanaians like myself and other Africans? We must acknowledge Kwame as our hero, and the symbol of our national unity and nationhood. Many colleague African students I have met in North America have always wished that Kwame was of their nationality. Jama Mohamed Ghalib, a Kenyan commenting on Kwame Nkrumah as the greatest son of Africa in September 2004 No. 19 edition of the New African had this to say ?most Africans acknowledged Nkrumah as unequalled inspiring genius and political thinker. He deserves to be remembered as the true son of Africa?the only country where opinion may still be divided about him is Ghana itself.'*** Isn't it sad that others perceive us this way?

Certainly not every Ghanaian would have the opportunity to do as much as Nkrumah did for our part of the world. By the dictates of our democratic system, only few will chance upon that moment. Currently president Kufour has that opportunity to prove to all Ghanaians that given eight years, he can do more than Kwame did in nine years. Instead of spending your good time on casting insinuation at Nkrumah, Mr. President, focus on what is most important to the Ghanaian people and never forget that history will also judge you. If you have any concerns about Nkrumah, it must be how to surpass his great achievements and not casting slur on his personality and period. Irrespective of what you think of Kwame, you cannot change his place is history. And please be remaindered that those who live in glass houses must not through stones. If you are happy to be the Ghanaian president that will preside over the 50 years independence celebrations in Ghana, you must be thankful to Kwame. Mr. President, your comments in more recent times at certain public gatherings are unlike you. Power could sometimes make you forget your true self and the principles you aspire to in life. Just never lose your consciousness and sense of good judgment. In additional you must learn a few lessons from events of the 1966 coup and let your actions, and particularly your dealing with the Americans be guided by the interest of Ghanaians. America is capable of undermining your good intentions and influencing your government even against our national interest. Above all, know that thirty years from now, America will declassify all your communications and dealing with them, then we and our children and their children will pass a historical judgment of your government. You have a lot to learn from the on-going declassification of secret American documents on events relating to our country's past. Now that Eyadema is also dead, let us hope France will begin to declassify, then we shall put all the pieces together to form the whole. Ankrah?s hypocrisy, Kotoka?s naivety are stabs in our hearts; let us resolve never again to allow deceit, lies and self interest override our collective good.

** New African, Feb2002 Issue 404, p20, 6p, 5bw 
*** New African, September 2004 No. 19

Judges reply Kwabena Adjei; say his remarks are insensitive and unfortunate

The Association of Magistrates and Judges has described as unfortunate recent comments by the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Dr Kwabena Adjei, threatening to cleanse the Judiciary. A statement signed by Justice Joseph B. Akamba, President of the Association and the Secretary Elizabeth Ankumah stated “it is unfortunate for a perception of bias in any particular direction to be attributed to the Bench when there are several dimensions to the success of a case." Dr. Kwabena Adjei had at a press conference directed the Chief Justice Justice Georgina Wood to rid the Bench of corrupt judges or the NDC shall take steps to cleanse it for her. His statements came after several defeats suffered by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu over high profile cases brought against top political opponents accused of misappropriation of funds under the erstwhile Kufuor administration. The recent striking out and discharging of Kwodwo Mpiani, ex-Chief of Staff and Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana@50 Secretariat by High Court Judge, Justice Marful-Sau appeared to be the last straw that broke the camel's back. Even though Dr. Adjei has since clarified his remarks arguing they were misconstrued, criticisms of the comments have mounted with the opposition NPP calling for his arrest and prosecution. A strongly worded statement by the Association of Magistrates and Judges said the comments could usurp the powers and the independence of the Judiciary. “If history is a lesson to anybody, such utterances as ‘cleansing the Judiciary’ or ‘there are several ways to kill a cat’ should not come from the party that begot the Government of the day which aspires to make this nation a better Ghana. The remark about Christ’s inability to salvage the perceived bias by judges is rather insensitive and unfortunate and ought not to come from the Honourable Chairman,” the statement said. According to the judges, the Judiciary is itself undergoing reforms and advised well meaning Ghanaians to channel any concerns or suggestions to the client service of the Judicial service. The statement described as refreshing news by the Attorney General that she is going to appeal the decision of the High Court, a move the statement noted is in consonance with the spirit of the constitution. “We of the Association of Magistrates and Judges wish to affirm our undivided loyalty to our Judicial Oaths to dispense justice to all manner of persons without fear or favor, ill-will or affection, race, color or creed,” the statement added. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Mills backs NDC Chairman on judiciary cleansing comments

Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, aide to President Mills         A Special Aide to President J.E.A. Mills has said the President fully supports the NDC Chairman on his comments that the judiciary needs cleansing. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, responding to media queries as to what the president thinks about the brouhaha caused by Dr Kwabena Adjei's comments that the NDC will cleanse the judiciary if the Chief Justice fails to do so, said the president "supports his chiarman." Dr Kwabena Adjei’s comments attracted flak from Ghanaians and prompted the Association of Magistrates and Judges to uncharacteristically issue a statement on the matter. The opposition New Patriotic Party Thursday called on the police to arrest and prosecute the governing party's chairman for treason. A section of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Bar Association laid down their tools in protest against the comments. In the wake of the mounting condemnation, the NDC issued a statement backing its chairman but the condemnation poured in. The Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, Thursday counseled the party to distance itself from the comments which he described as a bit irresponsible and called on the President to speak and restore confidence in the justice system. Dr Akwetey stated that, “I think there is a fundamental discrepancy between what [the chairman] said and what president Mills as president of Ghana has consistently said and believed - 'Let's operate within the law,' and the [president] has said 'the law is slow, sometimes justice is slow but it ultimately catches up and the right thing is done' and those are the procedures.” But the president's aide is saying Dr Akwetey was wrong this time around and that President Mills fully backs the party chairman. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Full statement from Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE ASSOCIATION OF MAGISTRATES AND JUDGES OF GHANA ON RECENT ATTACKS ON THE BENCH The Association of Magistrates and Judges (AMJG) has noted with grave concern, the recent press statement of the ruling National Democratic Congress which was delivered by its National Chairman, Dr. Kwabena Adjei in response to a ruling of the High Court that discharged Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey and Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, the two accused persons in the Ghana @ 50 trial. It has become pertinent for us to explain how the Judiciary goes about its work in response to the very issues raised at the Press Conference organized by the NDC on 17th August, 2010. Prior to the 2008 Elections, election matters had delayed for almost four years, a typical example is the Isaac Amoo and Rebecca Adotey case which started in 1996 to 2000. The case was finally determined after the tenure of that Parliament had expired. In order not to repeat any such occurrence the Electoral Commission in conjunction with the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) organized workshops to update the knowledge of Judges on current Laws for the timely disposal of Election related disputes. The Judges were also introduced to the new law in CI 47 by which the Chief Justice could assign matters for quick disposal during public holidays and any other days previously described as ‘non-days’. By invoking those existing provisions, Her Ladyship the Chief Justice was invoking a constitutional instrument which was approved by Parliament. So she was not doing anything untoward, unconstitutional or improper. As regards the empanelling of the Supreme and Appeal Courts to hear cases that are brought before them, this is done by the Hon. Chief Justice. The High Courts are in divisions like the Fast Track Court and the Specialized Courts. The Specialized Courts are the Land, Labour, Industrial, Human Rights and Financial Courts. So a case is heard depending on where one files a suit. These are assigned by the Registrars and in the instance of the Commercial Courts and Specialized Courts, cases are assigned by the Administrator. Under the Constitutional dispensation, the Chief Justice is the first Judge of each court and therefore has overall responsibility for assigning or empanelling. It is not true that the empanelling of Judges is done to suit a particular person, group of people or political parties. Again, the Chief Justice has power to assign an Appeal Court Judge to act as an additional High Court Judge if the High Court Judges have too many cases on their hands and for any other good reasons. This is aimed at ensuring a speedy and expeditious disposal of cases. These powers are derived from statute and unless anybody can prove any impropriety, it lies within the powers of the Chief Justice to utilize this power. Justice is dispensed according to law and that is what the court does to the best of its ability and as prescribed by the various oaths. In the recent High Court Ruling in the case involving Wereko Brobbey and Kwadwo Mpaini, Justice Marful-Sau gave an interpretation from his understanding of the law and it is refreshing that the Attorney General’s Department has stated that it is preparing to challenge that interpretation. Such a step if embarked upon is in consonance with the spirit of the Constitution which provides for appeals. Certainly, there are principles guiding the application of the laws but the Judicial Oath is the underlining factor that guides the dispensation of Justice by all members of the Bench. There is also the Black Letter Law, precedence as well as any other relevant matters that also guide the determination of issues. It is worthy to note that the Judiciary does not initiate the trial of accused persons. It is the Attorney-General who does. A lawyer is just as good as his brief and if the brief is not good it shows in its outcome. However, a well prepared brief that is also well presented plus the proper deployment of quality witnesses would show that investigations had been properly conducted. It must be stated in the instant case, that the accused persons have only been discharged on procedural grounds and so the options are open. It is important to understand the basis within which the criminal justice system works in all Common Law Countries including Ghana which puts a much bigger burden on the State (with all its machinery behind it) than on an accused person. This is based on the principle that it is better for 99 criminals to go away scot free than for one innocent person to be wrongfully convicted. It must be emphasized that the courts do not see cases in party colours. For any criminal prosecution to succeed, the State must successfully discharge its burden of proof in order to secure a conviction. The Judiciary is undertaking quite a number of in-house reforms aimed at improving service delivery, building the capacity of various staff levels and also improving the infrastructure under which we perform. Codes of Conduct for the Bench and staff have just been adopted. The measures cut across, including number of Judgments being delivered timeously; staff training to improve upon judges’ understanding and appreciation of the law both old statutes or even new ones are being vigorously pursued. If anybody outside is proferring any mode of improving upon our service delivery, one could channel it through our Client Service Center or the Secretariat of the Chief Justice. It is unfortunate for a perception of bias in any particular direction to be attributed to the Bench when there are several dimensions to the success of a case. Judges by their oaths have a duty to uphold and sustain the democracy in our country more so when the stability and prosperity of our nation lies in the confidence the citizens, investors and all other stakeholders place in our justice system. Reform has been ongoing for improved content and delivery of service by both Judges and staff. The public, no doubt have a role to play by providing concrete information of any malfeasance but it must be stated in no uncertain terms that the utterance at the press conference that the NDC as a party would cleanse the Judiciary is most unfortunate in the light of all the strenuous efforts being put into this house cleaning effort championed by the Judicial Council, the Hon. Chief Justice and the various committees in place to ensure accountability at various levels. It is also unfortunate because it smacks of a stab at the independence of the Judiciary and its ability to work above itself to ensure the continued confidence of the Ghanaian people in their justice system-a system which is the hope for the future of our citizenry and democracy. We pray and hope that we would not have cause to revisit such sentiments again. We want to assure the nation that we do not have NDC, NPP, PNC, CPP, GCPP or any Political Parties on the Bench. What we have is a Ghanaian Bench whose unalloyed allegiance is to Mother Ghana no matter which party is the government of the day. In fact it is against the rules of ethics of the Judiciary for any member of the Bench or staff to be a member of any political party or supporter of an independent candidate. We of the Association of Magistrates and Judges wish to affirm our undivided loyalty to our Judicial Oaths to dispense justice to all manner of persons without fear or favor, ill-will or affection, race, color or creed. We refuse to be party to any attempt to divide our ranks in this noble institution that gives hope for our dear country. Politicians will come and go but this time tested institution will remain the bastion of hope for the future of our nation. If history is a lesson to anybody, such utterances as ‘cleansing the Judiciary’ or ‘there are several ways to kill a cat’ should not come from the party that begat the Government of the day which aspires to make this nation a better Ghana. The remark about Christ’s inability to salvage the perceived bias by Judges is rather insensitive and unfortunate and ought not to come from the Honourable Chairman. Judges are as much Ghanaians as anybody else; so if there are any problems regarding any member of the Bench or the Service these could be addressed through the appropriate channels and not to play to the gallery. Ghana has a lot to learn from neighbouring countries such as Cote d’voire, Liberia and Sierra Leone and even Rwanda. Thus there is the need for all to be circumspect and discreet in their public utterances. The Judiciary continues to look up to the good people of Ghana for the confidence reposed in us for which we vouch to do justice to every citizen without fear or favor and this is our assurance. We also pledge our unflinching support to the Hon. Chief Justice of Ghana and the Judicial Council in their effort to build a Judiciary of excellent repute. JUSTICE JOSEPH B. AKAMBA JUSTICE ELIZABETH ANKUMAH (PRESIDENT, AMJG) (SECRETARY, AMJG)

WAEC releases results of 2010 BECE

Source: GNA

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Accra, Aug. 2, GNA - The West African Examination Council (WAEC), on Monday said it had released provisional results of the April 2010 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, Principal Public Affairs Officer of WAEC, said that the results of various schools would be despatched through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education.

It said that candidates might access their results online from tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3.

The statement said 1,075 candidates had their subject results cancelled while 76 candidates had their entire result cancelled.

The affected candidates were involved in various examination irregularities.

These include bringing foreign materials into the examination hall, seeking/receiving help from non-candidates such as invigilators, supervisors and tearing parts of their question papers and answer booklets and collusion.

Shanghai World University rankings rattle European universities

• Published: 12/08/2010 at 02:55 PM
• Online news:

Research fraud and limited academic freedom make China an unlikely arbiter for international university excellence, but a Shanghai school's rankings are making Europe's education ministers sweat.

Students the library at Shanghai's Jiao Tong University. Since 2003 the educational facility has been publishing the Academic Ranking of World Universities, one of the two most prominent world university ratings systems.

France's higher education minister travelled to Jiaotong University's suburban campus last month to discuss the rankings, the Norwegian education minister came last year and the Danish minister is due to visit next month.

Dozens of university presidents have also made the trip.

"We believed the results would be of interest to university experts and scholars all around the world but we never imagined the rankings would be so influential," Ying Cheng, the executive director of Jiaotong's Centre for World-Class Universities, told AFP.

The centre has compiled its annual "Academic Ranking of World Universities" since 2003, listing what it sees as the 500 best schools in the world.

It uses criteria such as the number of Nobel prizes and Fields medals won by staff and alumni, the number of highly cited researchers on staff, and the number of articles by staff published in Nature and Science magazines.

The rankings are focused almost entirely on achievements in scientific research, and do not cover the humanities.

For seven years, Harvard University has topped the survey. Stanford University was runner-up last year and the University of California, Berkeley, was number three.

The only non-US schools in last year's top 10 were the University of Cambridge at number four and its rival Oxford at number 10.

The 2010 survey is due to be published by Sunday.

The idea for the rankings was born in 1998, when Beijing decreed China needed several world-leading universities. The rankings aimed to define what made a university world-class and see how Chinese schools stacked up globally.

It was the first of its kind, and Britain's Times Higher Education Supplement published its own world list a year later.

But the debates over the rankings mainly take place outside China.

"The Chinese universities are not ranked as well as some people expected, so they are not willing to talk about them," Ying said.

In France, the Jiaotong rankings spark a surge of articles decrying the poor performance of the country's universities.

In Rome, not having a university in the top 100 leads to soul searching, but Spain will celebrate a top 200 placement as a national success, said Michaela Saisana, who analysed the rankings' methodology for the European Commission.

"Germany, France, Italy and Spain are the countries that have been most shaken by this university ranking," Saisana said.

But she argues the Shanghai rankings should not be a universal benchmark because they fail to account for the specific strengths or missions of the world's top schools.

"They're fine for explaining how close the Chinese are to the rest, such as Europe or the US, but not for comparisons amongst universities," she said.

France -- keen to improve its results in Jiaotong's rankings, which favour larger universities -- is investing five billion euros (6.5 billion dollars) in "Operation Campus" to group universities into larger research centres.

Higher Education Minister Valerie Pecresse visited Jiaotong last month to promote the campus campaign and lobby for French universities, Ying said.

In 2009, Pierre and Marie Curie University was the highest French showing at number 40.

The criteria aim to shift the culture within universities, Ying said.

"Increasing publications is not very easy because you have to change the organisational culture," he said.

"My university is a very good example. At the beginning, professors were saying: 'It is impossible if you ask me to publish in international journals'."

In 1998, Jiaotong published 130 papers in journals per year; now, its faculty and researchers produce more than 3,000 a year, Ying said.

Other schools are also stepping up. Eight Chinese universities ranked in the top 500 in 2004 and last year that number rose to 22.

Ying acknowledges the research scandals -- Jiaotong suffered one four years ago when it dismissed the creator of China's first home-grown digital signal processor. The chip turned out to have been stolen from Motorola.

He also says that academic freedom should be expanded and Chinese universities will need more autonomy from the central government.

But by pushing researchers to compete in the wider academic world, China is fighting "bad traditions", Ying said.

About the author

Writer: AFP News agency

Position: Agence France-Presse