POLIO AND THE BIBLE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2000. 

Ghana is such a free country that some Ghanaians are misusing their freedom to trample upon the rights of Ghanaian children. And the Holy Bible is the weapon these selfish people are employing to kill the innocent children in the name of religion.

On Wednesday, January 26, 2000, the National Commission on Children (GNCC) launched this year's State of the World's Children Report at the Golden Tulip, here in Accra. The official launching of the Report, which is said to be published annually by the UNICEF to focus on efforts being made to address issues affecting the welfare of children and to monitor the progress being made to improve their lot throughout the world, was performed by the Hon. Minister of Communications, Mr. John Mahama (MP).

As expected, Mr. Mahama used the occasion to remind the august audience that apart from the usual six childhood killer diseases including Polio, Whooping-Cough, Measles, Tetanus, Yellow Fever and Tuberculosis is the latest and the most dreadful incurable destroyer is the stubborn HIV/AIDS which has no mercy for children at all. He drew people's attention to the fact that in his 2000 Sessional address, the President made a particular reference to the HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and gave a hint as to what government would do to tackle the epidemic in the course of the year.

In most cases it is the untoward behaviour of some adults who indulge in uncontrolled sexual intercourse here and there like pigs which give HIV/AIDS to the innocent children any way.

One inhuman treatment adults have been meting out to children, which Hon. Mahama lamented about was the cruel mobilisation and recruitment of children who are forced to engage in nonsensical ethnic wars and conflicts in some parts of the world. Most of these child soldiers do not even know why they are fighting in the bush.

And they get killed "by heart".  As a matter of fact, in some conflict zones in Africa such as Angola, Congo, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Rwanda, etc. displaced children and refugees are often seen with wooden beds, straw mattresses, urine pots and cooking utensils, on their heads roaming in the jungle day and night under scorching sun or torrential rains, heading to unknown destinations.

How pathetic? During the Sierra Leonean civil war, children were reported to have been forced by rebel soldiers to join their ranks to fight government forces.

Here, little boys were forced to snuff dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin and smoke wee or marijuana, upon which guns and other deadly weapons were thrashed into their tiny hands to shoot and kill human beings.

As for little baby girls who could not walk to the war front, their tender writs were chopped off like carrot and whatever happened to the pieces of their palms and fingers, only Jesus knows. What crime have such innocent children committed to be subjected to such cruel and barbaric treatments at the hands of adults in this world of peace and love?

In Ghana, although the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been ratified and the Children's Act (560) of 1998 has been promulgated whereby the nation is under obligation to protect and promote the rights of children in the country, some unscrupulous citizens take delight in causing unnecessary hardships and suffering to children leading to their untimely death.

One typical example is that in January this year when the Polio Immunisation Programme was launched, some so-called Christians who are more church-goers than anything in a certain village in the Ho District in the Volta Region took cover behind the Holy Bible to prevent their children from being immunised. It took the courage and determination of the Ho District Chief Executive, Capt. Nfodjoh to mobilise the police to force those Holy- ghost-possessed church members to let their children have drops of the polio vaccine into their mouths. Capt. Nfodjoh deserves commendation.                   

But I wonder if Jesus will open the Heaven gate to those self-proclaimed Christians. Is it not unfortunate that in the year 2000, which is supposed to be a magic year of health for all, some ignorant people are using the name of Jesus and the Christian Bible to commit crimes against the Ghanaian Child?

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2000. 

USE OF ICT IN GOVERNANCE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Daily Graphic, Monday, June 19, 2006

Always remember this African proverb: 'Death does not book an appointment.' Therefore, you must be ready to respond to its call, whenever and wherever, as you go about your daily activities.

Technologies upon technologies have come and gone in human history. The industrial revolution, for instance, just to mention one, came and passed without much effect on Africa in particular. 

But the Information and Communications Technology ICT) came and the very fibre of human existence from birth to death is being called to order.

This explains why mankind is now living in a world of e-this', 'e-that', 'e- here' and 'e-there'. In fact, as far back as in 1999, one South African Minister for Communications, calculated that the rate at which the lCT was riding the world, 'If you do not dot com, you will be dot dead'. Ghana can be said to be one of the countries in Africa that has seen the light as far as lCT and its upshots are concerned. Ghana has recognised the fact that to be able to compete on the global market, her agriculture dominated economy must be transformed into a service-sector economy driven by high value-added information and knowledge-based technology.

In other words, nations that are dominating the world economy today are not only depending on agriculture or natural mineral resources, but on information and communication technologies.

One concrete thing that Ghana did in that direction, which was commendable, was the formulation of what is known as Information and Communications Technology for Accelerated Development (lCT4AD). This policy document can be accessed on the Ghana Portal www.ghana.gov.gh.

The focus of this article is on Portals and their place in e-government strategies globally. But give me a moment and I shall be right back as electronic journalists will put it. In Ghana, the overall objective of the ICT4AD is 'to engineer an ICT-led socio-economic development process to transform Ghana into a middle income, information-rich, knowledge-based and technology-driven economy.' I am quoting from E-Ghana Project document prepared by Ghana's' Ministry of Communications.

That the priority focus areas of the ICT ICT4AD Policy has 14 pillars. These include Accelerated Human Resource Development; Government Administration and Service Delivery; E-Government; Private Sector Development; Export-oriented ICT Products and Services Industry; E-Agriculture; Globally Competitive Value-Added Services Sector Regional business service and ICT hub and Deploying ICTs in the Community.

The others are: E-Health - promoting National Health through ICT; Rapid ICT Infrastructure Development; Regional and District Scientific and Industrial Research capacity development; Legal, Regulatory, and Institutional Framework; Local and Foreign direct Investment Drive in ICTs and Facilitating National Security and Law and Order.

It is important to inform the people of Ghana and beyond that to ensure that this ICT4AD and the entire preceding components are implemented; the government has set up a body or agency within the Ministry of Communications to do the job. It is known as the Ghana Information and Communications

Technology Directorate (GICThD). This information was disclosed by Mr Kwadwo. Anyane-Yeboa who addressed participants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who benefited from a recent one day seminar on E- Governance at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in lCT, Accra.

That seminar which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Ministry of Communications and sponsored by the International Institute of Communication and Development (lICD), based in the Netherlands, was aimed among other things, to educate and create awareness among government workers to-understand basic e-governance concepts; to be familiar with the use of ICT in governance in general and above all, to examine examples of National Portals and electronic gateways and their roles in e-government strategy as against ordinary websites.

Two expatriate experts in Portal Development served as resource persons alongside their Ghanaian counterparts who took participants through the programme. It was there that the basic difference between portals and websites was explained to participants. Simply put, a web portal is a website that provides a starting point, a gateway, or portal, to other resources on the Internet or an intranet. Intranet portals are also known as "enterprise information portals. Thus, a portal is an aggregated and integrated website connected to other websites.

A portal which is a collection of websites is larger and bigger in terms of website. Let's say that individuals and organisations can have websites but nations or states can possess portals.

This is why the Government of Ghana Website is referred to as Ghana Portal. It is the mega-electronic- gateway to Ghana as far as the World Wide Web (www.com) is concerned.

Without exaggerating, one can affirm that Ghana is on course when it comes to the establishment of a National Portal. Even though the current National Portal is still in its basic stage in terms of scope and content, it has classified Ghana among the nations that possess National Portals.

This is crucial because until April 2003, when HE the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, formally launched the Ghana Portal, within the premises of the then Ministry of Information and Presidential Affairs, our beloved motherland did not have anything that could be referred to as an official website of the Republic of Ghana.

Fortunately, the government has put measures in place to upgrade technologically and enhance the content management of the current National Portal as part of a holistic E- Ghana Project. Prof. Jonas Amoapim, Director, GICThD, who presented a paper on E-Ghana Project at the seminar for MDAs, enlightened participants about the e-Government strategy for Ghana.

For example, he disclosed that Ghana will be connected to a national Fiber Optic Backbone leading to establishment of other backbone networks such as metro backbone network, rural network and national data centre and so on. With all this infrastructure in  place with the support of the World Bank, the National Portal would be enhanced whereby the Ministry of Information and National Orientation through its operational wing, the Information Services Department (ISD) will maintain and sustain its traditional responsibility for the general content management of the Portal of the Republic of Ghana.

Besides the provision of government information, the Portal would be positioned to deliver other vital public services online that will be provided by other agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, and the Land Title Registry and so on. Prof. Amoapim gave other economic gains Ghana stands to benefit from the E-Ghana Project in terms of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and local ICT business.

He explained that the service market worldwide is estimated to be $728bn by next year. In fact, according to him, by 2007, the global BPO market will be $173bn.

That capturing five per cent of BPO would yield Ghana $8.65m. This strategy will also transform Ghana into a prime-destination for BPO, which will encourage the development of ICT business in the country, he stressed. No country that is serious about embarking on knowledge-based economy will fail to place premium on its National Portal Canada, Singapore and the United States of America are leading on the world league table of National Portals.

What is worthy of note is the fact that they started their journey not today Singapore for instance, started its e-Government strategy over 25 years ago. The Singapore Government slogan is: "Any public service that can be provided electronically must be provided electronically."

Ghana must take its current National Portal seriously and make it the heartbeat of the E-Ghana Project and in less than 10 years or so, Ghana will boast of an enviable Portal in West Africa if not on the entire continent.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic. Monday, June 19, 2006

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF STOOLS

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 -WEDNESDAY, SEPT.8, 1991

Ghana is a small but culturally rich country of 18 million people on the West Coast of Africa bathed by the Atlantic Ocean. When the first Europeans set foot on the soil of this part of Africa they saw that gold was virtually like ordinary pebbles that could be collected on the river banks.

This explains why the place' was then baptised the Gold Coast. And when Ghana was Gold Coast, gold cost nothing. As a result some of the richest kings of the Gold Coast actually adorned themselves with inestimable values of gold ornaments, especially on festive occasions.

Ghana is endowed with magnificent traditional festivals such as "Aboakyer", "Homowo", "Hogbetsotso", "Kundum" etc. celebrated annually throughout the country.

These festivals actually depict the  depth of the cultural heritage of the people of Ghana which leave foreign visitors and tourists spellbound. But today, it must be admitted that gold is a scarce commodity and so expensive that some modern Ghanaian Kings or chiefs cannot even afford a small gold ring to decorate their little fingers.

The story is told of one of the richest ancient Kings, who lived by one of the largest rivers in the country. One day the' King had what could be termed a psychic experience during a brief meditation on the bank of the river. In that meditation there was an unmistakable revelation that the noble King was to embark on a journey of no return. He was also to visit the kingdom of the ghosts, where gold was not one of the  requirements to be a King.

When the "mystic" King awoke from his seemingly blue study, he quickly gathered together his three sons and said: "Beloved sons of my bosom, sooner or later I shall no more be with you; I shall have to embark on a journey of no return, but as to where precisely, I cannot tell. He went on, "while I am away, my kingdom ought to be governed all the same".

Then he brought out some royal regalia and told his three children: "Here are my headgear, made of gold, my sandals, made of gold and my stool,  made of wood. Take one each of your choices and rule when I am no more", he ordered. Without much ado, the eldest son picked up the golden headgear; the second rushed for the golden sandals, leaving the wooden stool for the last son, who like a beggar, had no choice. Seven days after the distribution of the royal paraphernalia to his sons, the King slept and never woke up again.

He had crossed the river into the Great Sea. Another seven days after the King's transition, another King had to be installed, according to customs. So the kingmakers summoned the three sons of the departed King and told them that according to customs and tradition he who has the stool is destined to be the next King and he shall be ens-tooled.

There again, the last son had no choice but to be ens-tooled as his father's successor. His eldest brother's headgear was collected for his head; the second son's sandals transferred to his feet and on his wooden stool he was authorised to sit and a new King he became.

Indeed, in Ghana, the stool constitutes the foundation of chieftaincy. In other words, without a stool no installation of a chief can take place in many parts of Ghana, especially the southern part of the country. In the North, the Skin plays the same important role in the elevation of chiefs. The stool in Ghana is equivalent to the throne in England. And it is the importance and value of stools and skins that give rise to the adoption of a stool or skin name by every newly installed chief or queen in Ghanaian society. 

          

It is worthy to know that besides its real meaning as a wooden seat, the actual significance of a "stool" is to denote the office of a King or Chief for  the Akans and he Ewes, as well as other ethnic groups in southern Ghana. For instance, the Ashantis, one of the major ethnic groups in Ghana, reputed for their rich traditional culture heritage, the Ashanti Stool is called  "Asante Akondwa". The Ewes call theirs " Fiazikpui".  This simply means the same as saying the "English throne".

Furthermore, in Ghana, we have terms such as 'Stool Land', 'Stool Money' or 'Stool Farm" meaning the land, money or farm attached to the chieftaincy or kingship of a particular kingdom or traditional area. This is a property for the current ruler as he has charge over it while in office. When the ruler passes away, the incident is referred to as, "the Stool has fallen".

It is relevant to explain that there are basically three kinds of stools in Ghana. They are the domestic, ceremonial and ritual stools. Unlike the ceremonial and ritual stools, ordinary stools are usually unadorned or decorated. Ghanaian ethnologists find it difficult or even impossible to establish a chronology for stools although it has been presumed that "they were probably invented to serve the needs of the increasingly complex society, which evolved in Ashanti and other ethnic groups in the nine-teenth century". (Ghana Museums).

Ritual Stools for many years, clans have had stools which were linked with personalities or even deities and spiritual status of their owners and were cleaned before any major ritual involving individual clans or households. Examples are what is known as the "Adae rituals" or soul cleaning ceremonies, referred to in the local dialect as "Kradware" which takes place among the Akans.

Again, shrines of gods were placed on stools in which the seat was supported on a carving for example, a "crocodile with a mud-fish in its mouth" depicting the amphibious nature of the deity in the world and yet out of it".

As a matter of fact a stool is thought to receive some spiritual element from its user, and the' Ashantis often explain their habit of tipping stools on their sides when not in use as a precaution against a stray bad spirit (sunsum bone), possibly from an executed person or an accident victim entering the stool.

Ceremonial Stools the Akan or Ewe chief in Ghana, the stool is the most important item of his regalia. The ceremonial stool is the focal point of the national culture.

In the Ashanti region of Ghana, for instance, the "Golden Stool" is more important than the Asante King himself as a person is. This was demonstrated in practical  terms when one of the Ashanti Kings known as King Prempeh was exiled by the British in 1891.

History has it that in 1891 there had not been any rebellion when the said Ashanti King was exiled to the Seychelles. But when the British Governor Sir Francis Hodgson ventured to sit on the "Golden Stool", the Asante uprising of 1900 occurred in reaction to what was seen to be an act of sacrilege.

In Ghana, as well as in other parts of Africa where chieftaincy exists, ceremonial stools are the prerogative of kings and other high ranking persons. Some are handed  down from one chief to the other, but at some places a new one is commissioned when a new king assumes office. When a major ancestral ceremonial stool is taken away in war by an enemy, it means the state has lost its independence. A chief is ens-tooled and destooled by the ceremonies around the Great Stool.

Furthermore, ceremonial stools like the linguist's staff of office, are used to communicate to a gathering. For example, when a chief sits on "Obi-te-obi-so" (someone-sits-on-the-other) stool, it signifies that that chief is superior to others at the gathering or meeting And when many ceremonial stools are assembled, the user of "Obi-te-Obi" Stool is the supreme ruler.

As a matter of fact, ceremonial stools are often adorned with 'gold or silver strips, bells, belts, beads, cowries, fetters and amulets. These beautiful art objects attached to them do not only add to their cultural .values but to the spiritual powers of the owners of the stools as well.

 In Ghana today any foreign dignitary or diplomat who visits the country or finishes serving his duty tour and pays a farewell courtesy call on the Head of State, that person is presented with a traditional stool as a symbol of reverence arid authority. The importance of stools in the traditional leadership therefore, cannot be taken for granted.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic in September. 1991

TELECOM SECTOR MAKES PROGRESS

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Saturday, June 10, 2000 No. 147931. Price   ¢800

IN the 20th Century, when: Ghana was Gold Coast, gold, cocoa and timber were regarded as the economic saviours of the country. But today, at the threshold of the 21st Century, one can brag without fear of exaggeration that the telecom industry of the nation is the rock upon which Ghana can build its economic development infrastructure.

In other words, for Ghana to progress and prosper economically in the new millennium, it must invest in knowledge and skill rather than gold and cocoa. This knowledge and skill is what is technically known as Information and Communications Technology.

If you tell your 15-year-old child that, just about five years ago, there was only one place in Accra, called the P & T External Section where any human being in Ghana who wanted to speak with someone abroad ought to go, the child will look at your face with open mouth. Even then, you would have had to book your call for at least three days or more in advance.

As for obtaining your own phone line in your private house, you would need to be on the waiting list for at least ten years. If you are fortunate, you would get your phone in 20 years’ time. If you are not lucky, you might cross the great sea into the other side of heaven before it would be your 'turn to be connected,

However, today, your five-year-old child, even in your absence, can pick up your phone, either fixed or mobile and call his classmate in Kasoa and tell him: "Hello, Kofi; Mum has bought Fanta, for me; will you drink some?" Today, you can receive a call in your bathroom from your cousin in Japan that he has remitted you something you must go and collect at the Ghana Commercial Bank.

Today, a student in Bolgatanga Secondary School can call his mother at the Keta Market that he needs some Keta Schoolboys and gari. 'Today, an, investor in Chicago in America can communicate directly with a Paramount Chief at Amedzope and inquire about tourism potential of the Amedzope mountains, etc. Even though we still have a long way to go as a nation, we should not take this progress in the country's telecom industry for granted.

Records show that Ghana's telecommunications sector restructuring programme started in February 1997, with a principal aim at increasing private sector participation in the establishment of modern communications infrastructure and the provision of a variety of services.

According to telecom experts, the strategy adopted by the government was the creation of two major nation, all operators, namely Ghana Telecom and the Western Telesystems Ghana 'Limited (WESTEL) following the sale of 3D per cent share of the then Post and Telecommunications Corporation (P&T).

Government still has 70 per cent shares for future use for the benefit of the nation. Statistics indicate that as at 1994, Ghana could boast of only 5,000 telephone lines. This means that after almost 40 years of independence since 1957, when the nation's population hit almost 18 million only less than 10 million people had access to telephone facility. Thus, with the privatization of the telecom sector, the two national operators were tasked to increase telephone lines from the 5,000 to 50.000 by the 'year 2000. Telecom experts term this as increasing telephone penetration from three to over 10 percent of the population.

It is reassuring to learn that, as at the time of writing this piece, Ghana Telecom and WESTEL have managed to increase tele-density to nearly one per hundred as compared with about four per 100.0. of the population in early 1997, according to the Telecom Adviser to the Minister of Communications. Ghana Telecom and WESTEL have also increased access to telephone service through the availability of thousands of paid-phones provided countrywide 'since 1997, and 1999 respectively. It must be explained that WESTEL actually started operation in 1999.

Another telecom company which has been .licensed by the National Communications Authority to operate as a national operator is Capital Telecom. What is unique about Capital Telecom is that it is mandated specifically to provide telecommunications services to the rural and underserved communities in the country. So far, its services delivered to the - southern sector of Ghana is covering five regions including Western, Central, Volta, Eastern, and Greater Accra.

Besides, the above-mentioned fixed telephone operators, there are three major - cellular mobile telephone operators who have contributed a great - deal to make Ghana's Telecom Sector-an enviable one. They include Millicom (Gh) Ltd., operators of Mobitel, Scancom Ltd. Spacefon, and Cell Tel Ltd. operators of Celtel phones.

On Wednesday, May 17, 2000, when the World Telecom Day was celebrated throughout the world, almost all of these telecom operators both fixed and mobile under the coordinator ship of the National Communications Authority mounted an exhibition within the premises of the Ministry of Communications as part of activities marking the Day.

It was amazing to know that apart from providing telephone services to the public, some of these telecom operators have been engaging in tremendous charitable development projects and goodwill services that deserve emulation. It is relevant to mention that Ghana Telecom and WESTEL are mandated to opera CSM Mobile Services and before long; Ghana Telecom will take off and rural Ghana will not be the same again. 

         

Even though the focus of this article is on the telecom industry, one cannot fail to mention in passing the wonderful work the private sector in the Information Technology IT in general is doing.

According to the Telecom Adviser to the Government, in spite of relatively limited access to computers, the Internet services providers in Ghana today are doing a wonderful job. Data telecom operators in the country cannot be ignored for their contributions towards the advancement of the telecom industry. And if one should attempt to broaden the communications sector in its entirety to rope in the print and electronic media, the story will be different.

The simple truth is that communications has influence on economic development, supports manufacturing and agriculture, helps to promote export, projects tourism, attracts investment and facilitate banking, health and education.

Having said this it must be pointed out that, for Ghana's telecom industry to do better than what pertains today, there will be a need for the regulatory aspect of the industry to be handled professionally to create an environment of peace, harmony and trust. But Ghana's telecom experts, technologists, scientists and engineers must also not be satisfied with mere importation of foreign communications equipment only.

They must be creative and endeavor to manufacture simple telecom gadgets at affordable prices for rural dwellers to improve upon their economic development.  In his World Telecom Day message to the world this year, the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan stated: "In the new millennium, let us make telecommunications the engine of development and integration that it can be. Only then can we capture the promises of globalisation while managing its adverse effects."

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic Saturday, June 10, 2000.

FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA IS FREEDOM OF THE PEOPLE

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

Do you know that Ghana is said to be the first commonwealth country in Africa to scrap the obnoxious Criminal Libel and Sedition Law - an act described by the National Media Commission (NMC) as "a triumph for freedom of expression"?

Even the United Kingdom (UK) where the seed of criminal libel germinated during the colonial era just to attempt to padlock the lips of African nationalists, who were using newspapers to spread their messages and agitation for independence, it is reported that this intimidating law is still breathing on the statute books despite the fact that it has not been applied for nearly 20 years or so.

Against this backdrop alone, some freedom lovers are of the opinion that when the time comes to recount the achievements of the NPP government during its first 12 months in power, the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law must be cited among the first, if not the very first:

Historical records of the media in America show that as far back as 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote.- "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers" or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter".

This is the premium the people of America place on the role of the media in nation building:

Is there any wonder that America is today the only super power of the world? America is not only the most liberal nation on earth, where almost every creature will love to live, but the most advanced politically, economically, democratically, scientifically, technologically, and what have you!

It goes without saying that when a nation allows its people to think freely, imagine freely, concentrate freely, visualise freely, meditate freely and express themselves freely, they tend to develop mentally, spiritually and psychically and eventually bring to the fore, their inner creative power to produce wealth for the prosperity of their society.

The freedom of the media is indispensable for the prosperity of a nation.

In 1993-96, when Ghana's Parliament did not have a credible opposition because the strongest opposition parties boycotted parliamentary elections due to some circumstances beyond their control, it was the Ghanaian media that took it upon themselves to play the role of the opposition outside Parliament.

That was why in those days, the term "rubber stamp" gained-currency and that august house of honourable men and women was commonly referred to as "rubber stamp Parliament". Today, nobody dares characterise Ghana's legislature as "rubber stamp" any longer. For the vibrant Minority are marching the power-packed Majority, word for word, logic for logic and debate for debate. It is fantastic!

If over 200 years ago, America recognised freedom of the press as a sine qua non for human advancement, socio-economic and political progress of that nation, then the sky should be the limit for Ghana so long as constitutional democracy will be protected, practised, maintained and sustained. With only eight months in power out of a four-year first term, it is too early to start singing Hosanna Alleluia in praise of the new government for its total commitment to freedom of the media. But, so far, the government has demonstrated beyond any shade of doubt that it is committed to constitutional governance, rule of law and respect for the freedom of the media.   

          

With the creation of a Ministry responsible for Media Relations, coupled with the repeal of the Criminal Libel and Sedition Law from the statute books, the government has put into practical application the provision of article 162 of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the freedom and independence of the media in Ghana. The media, generally represent the voice of the people who put the government in place in the first place.

This explains why this writer is of the considered view that the freedom of the media is the freedom of the people. In fact, the Criminal Libel Law was not meant for media practitioners alone. It was there to trap any citizen who might want to express their thoughts. 

   

It is now clear that the Media Relations Ministry has assumed the status and functions of the erstwhile Ministry of Information in a more democratic and pluralistic media environment.

One of its cardinal objectives is to directly link up the media with the presidency. In other words, the ministry is to make it easier for both the public and private media to have direct access to the Executive to enable them obtain first-hand information from the Office of the President in the discharge of their professional duties.

Put in another way, the ministry is to bridge any gap between the government and media personnel who are partners in national development. This was demonstrated when, in April this year, for the first time in the history of the media in Ghana/President J. A. Kufuor was brought face to face with many journalists, both local and foreign, to give account of his first 100 days in office. It was unprecedented in living memory in politics in Ghana.

Today journalists of both the state and the privately-owned media are accredited by the Media Relations Ministry and given equal opportunity not only to be stationed at the presidency to cover local events but to accompany the President on foreign trips to cover international assignments when the need arises.

Today, media men and women are daily briefed at the office of the President either by the Minister for Media Relations and Government Spokesperson, Miss Elizabeth Ohene, or by Mr Kwabena Agyapong, Deputy Government Spokesman, about issues of national interest.

Today, no fair-minded person can accuse the state media of being sycophantic or biased in favour of the lulling government. Journalists of the Daily Graphic, the Ghanaian Times, GBC and the GNA, are all professionals and are discharging their duties professionally, without fear or favour. 

   

This, is reflected in the quality of stories they are publishing or broadcasting, which cuts across the broad spectrum of national development issues such as education, health, agriculture, economy, art and culture, sports and, of course, politics.

So, too, the privately-owned media including the newspapers and the radio stations, cannot be accused of being against, or in favour of everything the government does. Programmes such as "The- Breakfast Show" on GTV, "Hot Issues" "on TV3, “Front Page" on Joy FM, "Agenda setting" on, Choice FM, just to mention a few, are first class manifestations of the advancement of the media industry in Ghana. But it must be admitted that sometimes, in their anxiety to discharge their duties, some media personnel tend to go to the extreme and cause excesses.

However, that is not the reason why journalists must be arrested and dumped in jail like common criminals. This is why the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law has placed the Ghana Government on top, of' all Commonwealth governments as far as freedom of the media and for that matter, freedom of expression and thoughts of the people of Ghana are concerned.

Now it's the responsibility of the media practitioners to reciprocate the goodwill of the government. This is a challenge to all journalists in Ghana. Those who do not know what to do should consult the Code of ethics of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA). But the days when Ghanaian journalists were characterised “docile" beings are over forever.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

NB: This article was first published by Daily Graphic Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

LESSONS FROM THE STADIUM DISASTER

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Thursday, November 15, 2001

PHILOSOPHICALLY, life itself is an eternal school of learning. And there are two principal ways of learning a lesson in life; either through experience or by the hard way.

So, too, it is common place that there are two kinds of disasters - natural disasters over which, man has no control and man-made disasters, which can be prevented or avoided by prudent living. 

      

Ghana is such a blessed land that hardly experiences some catastrophic natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricane Michelles and Mozambican-like- floods and so on. The nation must be grateful to the Creator for this blessing. But it seems Ghanaians have taken this kind of "cosmic benediction" for granted and have been living reckless lives leading to some of the man-made disasters that have been befalling the nation.

Records from the National Road Safety Commission show that last year (2000) alone, 14,650 motor accidents occurred in this country. Out of this 10,518 people injured and 1,159 souls perished just like that. Why? Simply because some of our people are either ignorant or have deliberately refused to learn from experience or to adhere to a simple instruction that, "If you drink don't drive and if you drive don't drink." Christmas is at the corner and the nation is watching motorists.

On Wednesday, May 9, 2001 in the afternoon, after a downpour in Accra, the two most glamorous teams of the land, Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, went to play a football match at the Accra Sports Stadium. That simple game of sports, which was supposed to be enjoyed by all and sundry, turned out to be the most disastrous tragedy in the football history of the nation claimed 126 lives within a twinkling of an eye. This was a man-made disaster that could have been avoided.

The government must be commended for the matured and wise manner in which the entire stadium disaster has been handled from the day it occurred to the day the Government White Paper was presented, precisely on Tuesday, November 6, 2001, by the Minister for Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, at the International Conference Centre  in Accra.

First of all, at the time the disaster occurred, the government had been in office for only five months, no previous experience crisis management of at tragedy of that magnitude whatsoever. Yet, the President of the Republic swiftly exercised his constitutional powers of article 287 (1) and appointed a commission to inquire into the disaster and make a report.

The seriousness with which the Okudzeto Commission went about its task was beyond compare. They must be decorated with national honours for a work well done. The truth is that no human being is perfect, so Ghanaians should not pretend to expect whatever the commission did or whatever recommendations the Government has adopted will be totally perfect.

What is important is for us as a nation to learn how to learn from our mistakes. The day the nation will attain perfection we shall all cease to be human beings. Let's accept the tragedy as a collective karma and deal with it as such.

Another group of people who deserve commendation for the way the stadium disaster was handled is the mass media, especially the FM stations with particular reference to Joy FM and Metro TV: It is recalled that that night it was Joy FM that was covering the event live and calling on people who have cars to move to the Korle-Bu Hospital to convey doctors, nurses and other paramedical volunteers who were ready to assist but were stranded.

When people do well, they must be recognised and appreciated. We should not only take delight in condemning people when they go wrong. Ordinary taxi drivers who helped to convey some of the victims to various hospitals that day must be commended for their spirit of fellow feeling. Above all the generosity demonstrated by individuals and organisations in response to Government's emergency relief fund in aid of the relatives of the victims of the disaster was highly commendable.

Ghanaians are sympathetic "creatures", you know!

The purpose of this piece is not to go over all the recommendations as stated in the government White Paper, which is already in the public domain. One of the recommendations made by the commission and accepted by the government, which this writer finds very insightful, soul stirring and imaginative, is a "fitting memorial to the victims to be erected at a prominent place in the stadium". If we are to learn a national lesson from this stadium disaster, the proposed memorial must serve as a visual monument to prick our conscience whenever we engage in sporting activity.

It is against the backdrop of the above proposal that I doff my hat to the commission for recommending that there should also be "a Living memorial of a stadium development benefit match that will promote good sportsmanship, to be played each year on the Sunday closest to May 9th between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko." This is a fantastic recommendation. Hearts and Kotoko must know that football game is not a war where the objective must be to draw the blood from your adversary's veins. They must educate their supporters, who are the troublemakers.

Some people have criticised the government White Paper for failing to punish hooligans who actually started the whole tragedy. But on page 37 of the Commission's interim report, under sub-heading Spectator Behaviour, it was stated that, ‘The evidence before the commission clearly shows that the general behaviour of the spectators in the North Stand throughout the match was commendable. There was the usual drumming and dancing and friendly banter between the supporters of the two teams.

It, however, stated that, “It is only a few minutes to the end of the match, that a section of the spectators at the extreme left side of the North Stand expressed their dissatisfaction and frustration, at what they perceived to be bad refereeing, by throwing missiles aimlessly into the area immediately in front of them.  These were not directed at anyone in particular and the evidence shows that they did not threaten anyone in the Stand or anywhere else in the arena," it concluded.

For all you know, some of the hooligans who could have been punished might have already met their untimely death among the victims. So, shall we give the hooligans the benefit of the doubt, but strongly warn those of them still alive to learn a lesson from this experience? This is just the view of this author and he is the master of his own opinion anyway. Let the nation take care of the living and move forward.

Furthermore, the White Paper made it clear that in order to carry out the Okudzeto Commission's proposals "effectively, expeditiously and comprehensively," the President has set up a Cabinet sub-committee to ensure their implementation.

The members of the sub-committee include the Hon. Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, the Hon. Attorney-General and Minster of Justice, the Hon Minister of Interior, the Hon Minister of Youth and Sports, and the Hon, Minister of Works and Housing.

The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) abissath@gmail.com

BN: This article was first published by the Daily Graphic Thursday, November 15, 2001.