ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AT KWAME NKRUMAH CIRCLE RAILLINE DEMOLISHED

Story: Zainabu Issah

MORE than 500 illegal structures along the Kwame Nkrumah Circle railway line were on Thursday demolished  following the three-day notice by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

The notice came after fire gutted the area on Sunday, January 5, 2012, destroying properties worth millions of cedis.

The demolition exercise which started at about 6:00 a.m. saw the destruction of wooden structures built by the inhabitants.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, a resident who has stayed in the area for almost to 20 years said the three-day notice by the AMA was not enough.

He added that most of the squatters  in the area were mostly the poor who could not afford decent housing.

“We cannot afford to pay huge rents and most of us here come from afar and this serves as a place of refuge for us,” he explained.

He, however, pleaded with the government to make immediate housing provisions for them as they had now been thrown out onto the streets.



The aftermath of the demolition exercise in circle.



“We have no where to go and are also currently homeless. We want the government to provide us with houses or we will sleep on the streets,” he stressed.

Residents have also threatened to burn any ballot box that would be brought to the area for voting during the December elections.

The Mayor of Accra, Mr Alfred Vandapuje, pledged to keep a close eye on the area to prevent future usage.

He said the decision to demolish the structures was of national interest and very necessary.

“We will monitor and make sure that no one will use the area as a place of refuge,” he added.

The Greater Accra Minister, Mr Nii Armah Ashiety, said he would collaborate with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to come to the aid of affected persons and alleviate their plight.

PUBLISHED IN DAILY GRAPHIC ON  SATURDAY JANUARY 21 2012

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT FELLOWSHIP INAUGRATED

Story: Sebastian Syme & Zainabu Issah
A WOMEN Empowerment Fellowship (WEF), an organisation of women engaged in philanthropic work with the mandate to support orphans and other underprivileged persons in society has been launched in Accra.
WEF is a service arm of the church which commenced two years ago has a membership of more than 40 women entrepreneurs, professional women who use their time, resources and effort  in fulfilment of God’s mission.
It has an 11-member executive with Mrs Sonia Antwi, a business woman as its founder.
The fellowship renders philanthropic services in three dimensions which are giving of  personal resources, giving of their time and commitment to the service of mankind and giving love to a wicked and perverse world in the time when love does not seem to exist among the people.
The General Overseer of the Fountain Gate Chapel, Reverend Eastwood Anaba, who held a brief sermon ahead of the inauguration, congratulated the women behind the formation of the WEF noting that it took a brave and courageous woman like Mrs  Antwi to form such a grouping.
He said just as Christ was able to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread so shall the activities of the WEF reach out to the thousands who were in need adding that there was no shortage of needs in the world except that very few people seemed to have excess goodies to the neglect of the poor and underprivileged.
Quoting one classic display of compassion in Matthew 14:13-20 Rev. Anaba said compassion was not a character or an attitude that was formally learnt and practiced but a spiritual grace which produced in the inner man as a result of our relationship with Christ.
“If you are moved with compassion you can never rest until the beneficiaries of grace are fully satisfied.”
Rev. Anaba asked for God’s blessings and favour upon the WEF leadership to weather the storm in the task ahead and urged husbands to support their wives in the women empowerment drive.
A former Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Gladys Asmah, pledged her support for the fellowship and lauded them for their courage as she called on them not to relent in their drive to support the less privileged.
The WEF among its initiatives include the adoption and refurbishment of the first floor of the Children’s Block of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the adoption and renovation of the Isolation Ward of the 37 Military Hospital and donations to orphanages.

SQUATTERS STOPPED FORM DEMOSTRATING

Story: Zainabu Issah

POLICE yesterday prevented squatters whose unauthorised structures were demolished because they were cited close to the railway lines at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra from embarking on street protest.
The demonstrators, who said they intended to use the protest to project their plight after their structures and properties were destroyed as part of the demolition exercise by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), held cutlasses and  placards.
Wearing red dresses and arm bands, they chanted war songs and shouted “No Vote, no vote, Vanderpuije must go.”  The persistent crowd which stretched from the circle to the railway line.
Explaining why the demonstrators were not allowed, the Head of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) of the Ghana Police Service, Mr Philip Lamptey, described the demonstration as illegal, hence their decision to prevent the demonstrators from taking to the street.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, a resident who gave his name as Osei Nsiah said he had been homeless and has been sleeping in the open for the past four days.
In his tattered clothes he explained that all his belongings were burnt to ashes after his structure had been demolished and was prevented from salvaging any of his belongings.
“I have toiled all my life and bought a lot of personal belongings ready to be sent to my family in my hometown but all were lost in the demolition. I am now homeless and what is left of me is what l am wearing,”
Mr Nsiah added that it was unfair on the part government of Ghana to provide housing for refugees from Liberia who have now taken over the country.
“Liberians now own parcels of lands in the country while Ghanaians are suffering because we do not have anywhere to turn to. Our own land has been given to Liberians and they are now enjoying the fruit of peace in this country while we, the citizens, are being thrown out of our homes,” he said.
Mr Osei explained further that the perception that residents at the railway line were criminals and hence needed to be ejected was not true.
He said they worked as any other Ghanaian in this country and also contributed their quota to national development.
“The AMA collects taxes from us when we sell our produce in the market and we also pay rent for staying here. Why then are we being treated as enemies in our own country when we all contribute equally to nation building?” he stressed.
Mr Nsiah, however, made it known that residents would not vote during the December elections and also threatened to smear blood should any political party approach them for support.
“ Since we have been treated as non citizens of this country we will equally exhibit our position during the upcoming elections,” he said.
Another female resident recalling the unfortunate incident in tears said all her belongs have been burnt.
She said, she sustained burns on some parts of her body when she tried to retrieve some of her valuable items during the demolition.
She however pleaded with the government to immediately offer them some support to alleviate their plight.
Resident also threatened to start stealing in the markets if they found it hard to support themselves.

PUBLISHED IN DAILY GRAPHIC  ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25TH 2012

AMA BOSS MUST RESIGN

Story: Zainabu Issah
THE National Coordinator of the Tertiary Education Students Chapter (TESCHART) of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) , Mr Fredrick Opoku, has asked the Mayor of Accra , Mr Alfred Vandapuji, to resign in the next seven days.
That, he said, followed the demolition of over 500 illegal structures along the railway line near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle last week.
“Mr Vandapuje has demonstrated his usual total contempt for the plight of the vulnerable in society, throwing thousands of women and children onto the streets and making them homeless, jobless and incapable of furthering their education  or providing for their need,” he said at a press conference in Accra.
He added that the forceful removal of people from their homes without proper planning like what had happened to the poor and voiceless at Odawna, was a clear human rights violation which sought to deny victims their rights to housing and security of tenure as demanded by the constitution of the country.
As stipulated in the international law on housing such as the Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) which the government was party to, he said, the country was obliged to respect and follow procedure before undertaking any eviction .
Mr Opoku said there was also the need to have alternative means of livelihood to be provided through compensation or relocation of the evictees.
He recalled that close to 950 children had prematurely ended their education because their parents had been deprived of their livelihoods.
“Over 1,650 women are today thrown out of their homes and now eager to enter any indecent trade to make a living.
“ This we highly believe, majority of these homeless women will be involved in selling their bodies to have three square meals a day,” he added.
Furthermore, he said, close to 400 men had been rendered homeless by the action and the possibility of involving themselves in indecent activities such as robbery and other unacceptable social vices.
Mr Opoku also stressed that the mayor had failed in the exercise of his duties and had consistently, after the demolition exercise, received verbal virtipulations from the public including some important public officials in the country.
He added that the CPP would not sit unconcerned to the massacre of the people in the country and was also unfortunate that public servants were happy to see the poor suffer.
PUBLISHED IN DAILY GRAPHIC ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25, 2012

PORTRAY ISLAM AS A RELIGION OF PEACE

Story: Zainabu Issah.

MUSLIMS have been advised to desist from actions that would brand the Islamic religion as a violent one.
They have  also been urged to practise the religion to the understanding of non-believers and preach the message of peace wherever they find themselves.
The leader of the Tinjanniya Council of Ghana, Sheikh Abdul Ahmed Faidi, made this known at the annual birthday celebration of the founder of the Tinjanniya Muslim Movement, Sheikh Ahmed Tinjanni, at Prang in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He said this in relation to the ongoing conflict between Muslims in the northern part of Nigeria and Christians which has now made Islam to be perceived as a violent religion.
“You need to understand and practise the religion as it should because Islam is about peace,” he said.
He also called on the government to put up structures and evolve policies that would create a platform for the youth to exhibit their potential and also serve the country.
The flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, assured Muslims of good governance and leadership when voted into power.
He also called for peace to prevail amongst Muslims and urged them to participate fully in the upcoming voters registration exercise in order to have the mandate to vote.
“I urge you all to participate in the upcoming voter registration exercise and vote for the NPP for a better future,” he said.
He also gave a pledge to help integrate Arabic education into secular education to broaden the minds of non-Muslims about the Islamic religion.
The Chief of Prang, Nana Kojo Nyarko, stressed the need for the government to help improve the lives of the people in the community.
He said the community lacked health facilities and water supply.
“We do not have a hospital in the community and the people rely on the Prang River as a source of drinking water,” he stressed.

He recollected an incident in which some residents drowned in the river in an attempt to fetch water and the difficulty residents faced in accessing quality health care as a result of lack of a medical facility.
Nana Nyarko pleaded with the government to make health care and potable water available to the people in the community.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Nyamekye Marfo, assured the people of the community of potable water supply and healthcare facility when the National Democratic Congress  (NDC) was voted into power again.
The annual Maulid celebrations offer Muslims an opportunity to interact with Islamic scholars and to also have a deeper understanding of the practices and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) and to promote unity and good interpretation of the Holy Quran.

BE FAIR TO FINATRADE

STORY: Zainabu Issah

FINATRADE Group Company Limited has called on the Food and Drugs Board (FDB)  to be fair to Sucatrade, a member of the group, in relation to the destruction of 1,000 chicken parts.
The call is in relation to a statement signed by the acting Deputy Chief Executive (Food) of the board, Mr John Odame-Darkwah, stating that through its routine monitoring activities, the FDB found that Sucatrade had unwholesome chicken parts stored in its bulk cold storage facility.
The group claimed that it was unfair to lump together the chicken parts and torn cartons in cake form which were found packed discretely on the bare floor and against the walls of the cold room in two large heaps.
The FDB claimed that the storage of the said chicken parts under those unhygienic conditions contravened Part 1 Section 7 of the FDB Law, which states, “Any person who sells, prepares, packages, conveys, stores or displays for sale any food under insanitary conditions commits an offence.”
It noted that results of laboratory analysis of the chicken parts indicated heavy contamination by some bacteria whose heavy presence rendered the chicken parts unwholesome for human consumption.
The lawyer for FINATRADE, Mr Robert  Nii Arday Clegg, who made the appeal for fairness, noted that in the last quarter of 2011, Sucatrade imported some chicken products into the country from Tyson Foods in the United States of America (USA), adding that some of the  products which had been packaged got damaged in the process of transporting them to the warehouse.
The damaged cartons were duly packed together at a very conspicuous part of the warehouse where anyone could notice them upon entry.
“This is not the attitude of a company that intends to hide damaged goods, as the FDB stated in its press release,” he said.
He added that the cold chain was not broken and the products in the damaged boxes were set aside in the open part at the customs bonded warehouse, where officials of the Customs Division had keys and control, and not a single carton had been sold or was intended to be sold to customers.
However, the FDB’s press release, which made reference to 1,000 cartons, representing 0.4 per cent of the imported chicken, said the 1,000 cartons were part of a consignment of 250,000 cartons from the same source, Tyson foods.
Also, the 1,000 cartons which had been set aside as described were packed away from the huge volumes that were in unbroken packaging and hence not a single piece of the chicken in the 1,000 cartons group had been sold to the general public.
Mr Clegg stated further that the FDB’s press release omitted that the officers who visited the said warehouse knew about the unbroken cartons which far exceeded the ones in damaged packaging.
Additionally, on December 13, 2011, Sucatrade wrote to the FDB requesting it to appprove and supervise the repackaging of the products with the damaged boxes, for which the FDB went back to the warehouse, took three single pieces of chicken parts out of the carton from the 1,000 group (a carton being 10kg containing about 17 to 20 pieces) and took a whole 10kg carton from the 249,000 group for laboratory tests.
On January 12, 2012, a group of persons claiming to be officials from the FDB visited the warehouse again, that time with the mission to destroy chicken products which they said were wholesome.
The officers threatened to forcibly enter the warehouse if they were denied access but the Sucatrade staff insisted on their rights and demanded that the proper documentation be produced.
Mr Clegg, therefore, urged the FDB to set the records straight and put out a new press release telling the story as it was to hopefully redeem the image of Sucatrade, which had been unfairly tarnished.
He also assured customers and consumers that Sucatrade would continue to put up for sale only top quality food products it had come to be identified with.

HYUNDAI DONATES TO SCHOOLS

Story and Picture : Zainabu Issah

HYUNDAI Auto Plaza Limited has distributed educational items and 150 Hyundai-branded balls to the students of the Flagstaff House School, the New Town Experimental Basic School and the La Bawaleshie Primary School in Accra.
The exercise formed part of the second phase of the anti-malaria campaign initiated last year by Hyundai to sensitise Ghanaians to the disease.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hyundai Auto Plaza, Mr Jihad Hijazi, said malaria, aside other non communicable diseases, malaria continued to be the number one killer disease in children.
“It is unfortunate that so many Ghanaian children still die from diseases that are easily preventable and treatable with minimum resource, “ he said.
He said it was time for Ghanaians to focus more on regenerative health and nutrition with particular emphasis on improving health and sanitation and adaptation of safe behaviours in malaria control programmes.
He added that children were the future leaders of the country and hence there was the need to regularly sensitise them to the need to cultivate the habit of having safe and clean environments.
“Children learn fast with practical examples in schools and they are also fast learners when they are thought well,” he explained.
Madam Vivian Addai, a nurse from the Ankam Medical Centre, also entreated the children to report cases of ill health to their parents in order that they could have immediate treatment.
The first phase of the anti malaria campaign started last year with a massive clean up exercise in the Chorkor, Teshie and Nima communities, sensitising them to the need to keep their environments clean.

Published in Daily Graphic on Tuesday  24th January 2012