10 Reasons why Tsatsu should be freed

1. The judgment of Mrs. Justice Henrietta Abban on 18th June 2008 when she had previously determined that she would await the decision of the Supreme Court on whether the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is immune from the jurisdiction of the Courts of Ghana was clearly premature with the Supreme Court judgment a week away.
2. GNPC investment in Westel has yielded over US$100 million; GNPC investment in Ecobank yielded over USS$11million;GNPC investment in Total yielded over US$6million; GNPC investment in Tano/Cape Three Points exploration is going to yield billions…
3. The prosecutions own major witness in the case, the American, Jim Wilson, testified that Valley Farms was doing well and the company was looking to make profit for shareholders.
4. Valley Farms has assets including large land tracts and nobody has said the value of these assets cannot repay GNPC
5. Nobody said that Tsatsu Tsikata instructed payment on the guarantee that was given to Caisse Francaise de Development Int. Justice Hnerietta Abban claimed that without citing any passage of evidence.
6. The Guarantee Agreement for which Tsatsu Tsikata is being condemned was signed by him in March 1991, long before the law on causing financial loss was passed in 1993. So Tsatsu is being punished by resort to criminal legislation retroactively which the Constitution forbids.
7. Mrs. Henrietta Abban exposed her political prejudice against Tsatsu Tsikata when talking of the law on causing financial loss having been passed by “the PNDC Government of which the accused was a member” when the law was actually passed by the NDC. Justice must be free of such political colour.
8. Mrs. Justice Henrietta Abban’s insistence on Tsatsu Tsikata carrying on in the absence of his counsel who had written to the court about his need to travel outside the country denied Tsatsu Tsikata his constitutional right to counsel of his own choice and, thus, denied him a right to a fair trial.
9. Tsatsu Tsikata has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt to have committed
any crime.
10. Tsatsu Tsikata has given selfless service to this country in many capacities, including as a law lecturer in The faculty of Ghana and as Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation. This is not the way to repay him.

Culled from: http://freetsatsu.com

How democracy destroys itself in Africa

While the rule of law is a major cornerstone of democratic governance, the misuse of the Judiciary by a ruling government tends to be its most potent bane. The propagation and spread of democratic governance in Africa is in many cases limited to deciding a winner at the tribal based to assure control of the legislature, distribution of ministerial and other appointments to party cronies and the award of contracts for individual and party benefit. Perceived political opponents tend to be muscled into silence using the judiciary. Once the decision to put away political opponents is made by the judiciary, it is considered to be democratic and the government is considered to be one that has due regard for the rule of law. This is the milieu of self destruction that Democracy finds itself in most of Africa. Followers of the Tsatsu Tsikata trial in Ghana cannot but be amazed at how this is very much the case in Ghana of all places.

The Tsatsu trial is simply amazing and tells a great deal about the crucial role of the justice delivery system in upholding the rule of law and democracy for that matter in Africa. Democratic governance needs to be sustained and the judiciary has but to play its role in honour not in vice.

http://freetsatsu.co...

Nana Konadu and Nana Akufo Addo

Controversy over a statement made by the former First Lady of Ghana as to the veracity of the qualification of Nana Akufo Addo as a lawyer is still ongoing and portends to shift national focus from more productive endeavour. That Nana Akufo Addo is on the roll of Lawyers in Ghana is in no doubt. How could the contrary have escaped all of us all these years? In any case this is very easy to check from the General Legal Council. Nana is supposed to have been called to the English Bar Inner Temple after undertaking the Bar Vocational Course and passing out in July 1971.

What others have to sought to ask in the midst of the controversy however derives from the pertinence of the premise the former First Lady created as to Nana Akufo-Addo's first degree and not how she subsequently developed her thought flow. She said Nana Akufo-Addo offered Economics for his first degree in the University of Ghana, Legon. This does not appear to be in controversy. She further stated that Nana Akufo-Addo had a 3rd Class in Economics for that first degree; that is also not in controversy. Now to the questions others are asking:

To the former First Lady: Do you know that you do not necessarily have to offer a fist degree in Law to qualify as a Lawyer?

To Nana Akufo Addo. How did get admitted to embark on the the Bar Vocational Course if you had a 3rd class in your first degree? Did you have some exemption?

These questions are asked in the context of the following 3-stage requirement for qualifying as a Lawyer in the UK.

Academic Stage
This consists of an undergraduate degree in law, or undergraduate degree in any other subject at the minimum of a 2ii (- 2ii,II(ii) or 2b is a Second Class lower Degree Koku's clarification) If you choose the route of an undergraduate degree in a subject other than Law you must complete a one year conversion course (CPE). The standard requirement for completion of the Academic Stage is a II(ii) UK Honours Degree or its equivalent; this applies to Law and Non-Law Degrees alike. Under the Consolidated Regulations of the Inns of Court and the General Council of the Bar, Professional Qualifications may not be accepted in lieu of this requirement.See the Academic Stage section on the BSB website for full information on the Academic Stage.

Vocational Stage
You must join one of the four Inns before you commence this stage of training. The Bar Vocational Course, one year full time or two years part time. Once you have successfully completed the BVC you will be Called to the Bar by your Inn. You will also have to undertake twelve qualifying sessions (previously known as "dining") before Call to the Bar. See the BVC section on the BSB website for full information on the Vocational Stage

Pupillage
Pupillage consists of one year spent in an authorised pupillage training organisation (either barristers' chambers or another approved legal environment). See the Pupillage section on the BSB website for further information.
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Source of Context: http://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/qualifyingforthebar/whatistheacademicstage/

Answering these questions should contribute to putting this controversy to rest. God Bless Ghana. Ghana deserves Truth,Justice and Peaceful Co-existence
Koku

Political Philosophies Explained

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else's cows. You have to take care of all of the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbours help you take care of them, and you all share the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

CAMBODIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. The government takes both of them and shoots you.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbours decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbours pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbours try to take the cows and kill you.

LIBERTARIAN/ANARCHO-CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons.

MUGABISM: You have two cows. You refuse to feed or take care of them and then you blame England.

(Original source unknown . . .

CV writing - Skills Action Verbs

Are you putting together a CV? This could be helpful.

Management skills
administered,analyzed,assigned,attained,chaired,contracted,
consolidated,coordinated,delegated,developed,directed,evaluated,
executed,improved,increased,organized,oversaw,planned,prioritized,
produced,recommended,reviewed,scheduled,strengthened,supervised

Communication skills
addressed,arbitrated,arranged,authored,corresponded,developed,
directed,drafted,edited,enlisted,formulated,influenced,interpreted,
lectured,mediated,moderated,motivated,negotiated,persuaded,promoted,
publicized,reconciled,recruited,spoke,translated,wrote

Clerical or detailed skills
approved,arranged,catalogued,classified,collected,compiled,dispatched,
executed,generated,implemented,inspected,monitored,operated,organized,
prepared,organized,prepared,processed,purchased,recorded,retrieved,
screened,specified,systematized,tabulated,validated,

Research skills
clarified,collected,critiqued,diagnosed,evaluated,examined,extracted,
identified,inspected,interpreted,interviewed,investigated,organized,
reviewed,summarized,surveyed,systematized

Technical skills
assembled,built,calculated,computed,designed,devised,engineered,
fabricated,maintained,operated,overhauled,programmed,remodelled,
repair,solved,trained,upgraded

Teaching skills
adapted,advised,clarified,coached,communicated,coordinated,developed,
enabled,encouraged,evaluated,explained,facilitated,guided,informed,
initiated,instructed,persuaded,set goals,stimulated

Financial skills
administered,allocated,analysed,appraised,audited,


Creative skills
acted,conceptualized,created,designed,developed,directed,
established,fashioned,founded,illustrated,instituted,integrated,
introduced,invented,originated,performed,planned,revitalized,
shaped,balanced,budgeted,calculated,computed,developed,forecast,
managed,marketed,planned,projected,researched

Helping skills
assessed,assisted,clarified,coached,counselled,demonstrated,
diagnosed,

Source: Boston College Action Verb List
educated,expedited,facilitated,familiarized,guided,referred,
rehabilitated
represented

Fifth Amendment

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Africa and Stolen Elections

"Elections are so important. They affect our very lives". Kwadwo Afari-Djan, Electoral Commissioner Ghana.

Indeed this should be a universal truth. The import of elections on whether one continues to live or die is becoming more and more an African characteristic for those who care to stand up for the truth. Nigeria, Kenya and then Zimbabwe - allegations of stolen elections and ramifications that undermine human security. I have heard some persons in Ghana say even the Presidential elections in the USA between George Bush and Al Gore were no different. They cite this to support a need to win by fair or foul means. They conveniently forget the prevalence of the rule of law over communal violence in these other societies.

The African situation makes one wonder how inspite of all the assistance that countries like Ghana continue to receive from their Western development partners to bring credility into the electioneering process, there is still a dark cloud of suspicion that the December 2008 elections in Ghana could be rigged by the ruling Government. Recently, on request, a printed copy of the Voters Register was given to the main opposition NDC by the Electoral Commission(EC). It was found to contain bloated figures of voters in Government strongholds and this created quite some uproar. Thank God the EC explained that the discrepancy on the printed register was an error which did not affect the main register. By their tolerant nature, Ghanaians accepted the explanation and the matter died there.

One however cannot but ask what it is that restrains the ECs of Africa from opening up to the population. It would appear that the ECs feel rather responsible to the political parties instead of the citizenry that they are constitutionally required to be responsible to. ECs in Africa tend to ignore the citizenry completely. Thank God people are so stressed or hungry they would not have the time to question until elections are nigh. In all the hope for a perceived just society and a better future, they are sometimes frustrated into violence or succumbed by it. While the citizenry often complain of a bloated register, the registration of minors to vote etc., the ECs appear to focus on educating the citizenry on how to avoid violence during elections.

One would ask however what a difference it would make if the ECs published the Electoral Register by polling station on their web site so that the every community could verify the authenticity of the register at the community or polling station level long before the elections? One wonders what all the money from Western donors is used for if most African ECs do not have web sites to start with. Are African ECs the problem in the whole affair of election fraud and violence in Africa?

Ghana politics

Press Statement from the National Democratic Party

PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS – ON THE DIVERSIONARY PROPAGANDA OF THE NPP.

The National Democratic Congress has noted the attempts of the Communications Director of the NPP’s Presidential Campaign, to divert public attention away from the problems and challenges confronting the majority of Ghanaians today.

The NPP is desperately trying to continue their propaganda efforts of characterising former President Rawlings as the sole expression of everything NDC. It is very troubling, that at a time when the average Ghanaian can barely make ends meet the NPP campaign committee can only focus on the past. It is regrettable that they only find it useful to spend their time and effort to vilify one man – President Rawlings - in an effort to avoid having to offer solutions to the problems that they have inflicted on the people of this country. This is NPP politics as usual, and we believe that the good people of Ghana will not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by these propaganda gimmicks and distractions. Having said that, it is time for our compatriots to tell our colleagues in the NPP that while spin and propaganda may make for good newspaper headlines it does not address the issues that most Ghanaians have to face on a daily basis.

A public sector worker today earning an average income of GHC 200.00 a month, according to the Ghana Living Standards Survey spends about 80% of his/her income on food and has 20% left to take care of other costs. Over the last two years fuel and transport costs have soared to crippling heights. There have also been astronomical increases in the cost of water and electricity, and when you add to that the spiralling cost of obtaining accommodation in our towns and cities then it is not surprising that the average Ghanaian public sector worker and most Ghanaian workers are constantly in debt. Indeed, it is a miracle and a demonstration of the resilience of the Ghanaian people that in spite of these challenges they are still hopeful and optimistic. Living standards for the most of us in this era of “property owning democracy” have not improved despite the much-touted “wonderful economic management” that we have had. Therefore, no wonder the NPP has to try to focus on the personality of President Rawlings to give their Presidential campaign the semblance of having some sort of traction. It is typical that a drowning man has no choice but to clutch at twigs and straws in order to survive.

It has also come to the notice of the NDC and a section of the electorate that the Presidential Candidate of the NPP has taken to making forced, empty, and meaningless gestures towards promoting his image as a man of the people. Lately it has been reported by the media that the Presidential Candidate (probably on one of the few occasions in his life) has taken to riding in tro-tros (never mind that his driver is waiting at the end of the ride to give him back the comfort of his four-wheel drive). Our opponents think that this will suddenly make him a “Man of the people”. These are farcical attempts to show solidarity with the majority of our people and should be seen for what they are – mere gimmicks to belatedly engage the public’s attention, and the cynical manipulations of a political group that has lost touch with the life most of our people live.

The Presidential Candidate of the NPP has spent the greater part of his adult and political life as a proud member of the elite, and the people around him and his political party believe that elitism should serve as a guiding principle of their approach to organizing politics and informing policy formulation. It is noteworthy that recently – Mr. Gaby Otchere Darko a relative of the NPP Presidential Candidate and a close adviser has apparently confirmed their elitist approach to governing; he is quoted to have declared on radio, “Democracy is not about empowering people, it is about strengthening institutions”. If that is their belief, then we of the NDC are convinced that they have got the whole concept wrong. Democracy in our view is about people who in the process of feeling empowered build institutions to create equality of opportunity for all irrespective of social, ethnic, and religious background. It is also about ensuring that the rule of law means equality before the law and the impartiality of the investigative and judicial process. The High Court’s treatment of Tsatsu Tsikata demonstrates the limitations of this “strengthening institutions without empowering people” formulation of democracy.

The National Democratic Congress wishes to assure Ghanaians that as the political party that successfully brought the country back to democratic rule, and presided over a government that allowed ordinary Ghanaians to confidently participate at all levels of society and governance, we will always act to empower people. In spite of the challenges, the NDC government faced in accessing financial resources electricity was extended to every District Capital in Ghana. The NDC also ensured that access to water, and healthcare facilities were increased and the cost of food, constructing of housing, and transport were not as prohibitive as they are today. We commit to governing this country bearing in mind that we “are always for people, always for development”.

The Leader and Presidential Candidate of the NDC – Professor John Evans Atta Mills, stated unequivocally at the launch of his Presidential campaign that a government under his leadership will have at the top of its agenda, “Investing in people, jobs and the economy” and overseeing a transparent and accountable government. The Leader of the NDC and our party once again reaffirmed our faith in the Ghanaian people, and our belief that together we can chart a course for, “A Better Ghana”. We already know that this nation “will move forward”. The much-vilified President Rawlings proclaimed that at a rally in 1992 before the Presidential and Parliamentary elections that took place then, and made that concept the focus of this first term of the NDC government. The fact that the NPP has had to resurrect this theme for their Presidential campaign shows just how much they have run out of ideas for taking this country forward. We as a party are focusing our Presidential campaign on bringing into being a government that will focus on, “Creating opportunities for all”, and make that goal the focus of its governance activities.

Since Professor Mills outlined the themes for this campaign in “Ghana’s Road to Prosperity”, the NPP’s Presidential Campaign Team have been using their best efforts to stifle any meaningful national debate on how we can ensure that the majority of our people can afford the basics such as having decent meals and clean water to drink every day. The NDC has sought, and will continue to focus on debating the critical issues and challenges affecting us as a nation. We aim by this process to forge a national consensus on the way forward in dealing the current issues that confront us. We are disappointed that our opponents in the NPP are using every opportunity to confuse and stifle the debate, and have till today not been able to answer the questions posed by the Leader of the NDC – Professor John Evans Atta Mills, at the launch of our National Campaign.

For the record, the questions they were asked are as follows and we hope they will take the time to respond to them in specific terms:-

What happened to the jobs promised to the youth?

What happened to the size of government, which they said was too big when the NDC was in power?

What happened to the cost of living, which they promised to reduce when voted into office?

What happened to the affordability theory in relation to the pricing of utilities, fuel, and services?

What happened to their zero tolerance for corruption?

We would also like to add another question, now that crude oil prices are rising globally and the government appears to have frozen any further fuel price increases, how exactly are we going to pay for this now?

The NDC is calling on Nana Akufo Addo the Presidential Candidate of the NPP to answer these questions. In claiming to be the champions of democratic governance and the rule of law, surely the Leader of the NPP is acquainted with the challenges the concept of collective responsibility imposes on government and its leadership.

We believe that as parties competing for the mandate to govern this country we owe it to our fellow compatriots to be able to explain our commitment or otherwise to our principles and rhetoric, in order to assure our people of the integrity and appropriateness of our leadership. We trust that the NPP will take time to answer these questions and help set our nation on the right path. After all, it is for this reason, that of all the leaders that are competing for the Presidency in a multi-party political system who are the “best” that their party’s have to offer, it is “The Better Man” from amongst them that the people will choose to lead them after free and fair elections have taken place.

When all is said and done, we live in the present not the past, we look forward to the future and using our abilities and resources to create a society that offers opportunities for all. In order to achieve that we need calm, sober, mature, humble and resilient leadership which will be provided by Professor Atta-Mills, and Hon. John Mahama.

The time for “The Better Man, for a Better Ghana”, has come. President Rawlings term of office has past. Professor Atta-Mills is the future.

Hanna Tetteh Director of Communications National Democratic Congress

Source: National Democratic Congress

Burkina Faso political review

Although freedom of the press has become a reality in Burkina Fasso, it has taken years of struggle. Now there is now a virtually satirical press. The 1998 murder of journalist Norbert Zongo, in which there were strong suspicions against the brother of President Blaise Compaoré, has however still not been resolved. Reporters Without Borders in a meeting with the magistrate in the case, Wenceslas Ilboudo, in September 2005 were informed that, despite his efforts, the key witnesses in the case were refusing to talk. One of the most important suspects, a former sergeant in the presidential guard, Marcel Kafando, although sick and sentenced for the murder which Norbert Zongo was investigating when he was killed, lives peacefully at his home in Ouagadougou.

This state of affairs did not however prevent President Blaise Compaoré from being comfortably re-elected in the last elections.

Culled form Reporters Without Borders.