NO ‘DUM SOR’

John Jinapor

Mr John Jinapor is emphatic that Ghana is not going through the phenomena of “dum sor” again.

According to him, current power outages are the direct result of maintenance work and not short falls in power generation.

A news report filed by Edurin Appiah has claimed that Mr. Jinapor has confessed that funds the needed funds to keep power supplies stable has remained a challenge for government.

"Let me be very frank, money has been one of the challenges," the deputy minister is quoted as saying on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Wednesday.

Quelling perceptions that there is a fuel problem, John Jinapor was emphatic that "we don't have a problem with crude purchase".

The Takoradi power enclave received 500,000 barrels of crude last week and another fuel vessel has berthed at Tema.

Ghana is importing some 600,000 barrels of crude oil a month at the cost of about $30million to fire thermal plants.

This fuel generates 300mw of power for 40 days as 15,000 barrels of Light Crude Oil (LCO) is required to operate 300mw plants a day.

Explaining why it is now a maintenance problem, John Jinapor said that sub-stations and transformers are experiencing an overload of power.

In recent past, the equipment did not have to supply power as regularly as it now does because there was a shortage of power to distribute.

If all of a sudden there is power available, it exposes certain weaknesses in the distribution chain hence the need for regular maintenance, he explained.

The power crisis had been lingering on because of a 550-megawatt deficit. But government has said that it has added 800 megawatts to the generation capacity of the power sector.

John Jinapor argued that an overload of power is stretching the capacity of the power distribution systems.

Politics and power do not mix- Jinapor Advising against over-politicising the power problems, the deputy minister said the crisis affected all Ghanaians irrespective of a person's political leanings.

The deputy minister explained that government has had to take hard, painful and unpopular decisions to address the power crisis because it was the right thing to do.

"We just have to be frank open and transparent with the people of Ghana and limit a bit of the politicking," he said.

Government announced consumers must be prepared to pay more for power which has gone up by by 182.75% since 2013.

"But for those difficult and tough decision we took, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today," he said.

He criticised the main opposition NPP which plans to remove the energy sector levy if it wins the 2016 general elections.

"If you take the levy off how then do you restructure the energy sector debts?

Government has said it is using the levies to pay off about GHC 4.4 billion in energy debts owed 12 banks. The debts are also crippling state-owned energy sector companies.

Government owes the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) close to US$500 million which constitutes between 60% to 70% of all ECG’s debts.

If government pays its debts because ECG will be able to pay off VRA and trigger a pay-off cycle among the power-related companies.

Editorial

DumSor

The assurance by Mr. John Jinapor, Deputy Minister of Power that the power outages being experienced in Ghana currently is not a return to the “dum sor” must be refreshing.

However, there are many problems in the power sector which need to be addressed.

As the Minister admitted, the Government has had difficulty in mobilizing funds to ensure that there is regular supply of fuel to the generating plants.

The shift from hydro generation to thermal generation has also significantly increased cost of electricity to the consumer.

It is important for Government and managers of the power sector to realize that the people insist on the availability of power at affordable rates.

This can only be achieved if Ghana diversifies its sources of energy and embraces cheap alternatives.

This is the challenge facing the Government of Ghana.

I WON'T PROMISE WHAT I CAN'T DELIVER– Nana Addo

Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo, NPP Presidential Candidate

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, has assured Ghanaians of a transparent and truthful government if elected he is President in the December elections.

Addressing residents of Dambai in the Volta Region, Nana Akufo-Addo said he would run a government that will be accountable to the people, not one fueled by propaganda as is being done by President John Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The NPP Flagbearer also asserted that he would not make promises to Ghanaians he could not keep.

“I will not stand before God and Ghanaians and say anything I cannot do. I can never do that. I know I can do all that I am promising you and say, should God permit me to be your President, I will accomplish all these promises diligently.”

“I am assuring you that all times, I will be truthful to you. At no time would I write in a certain Green Book that I have constructed a road when I have not,” Nana Akufo-Addo added.

Biakoye Chief predicts victory for Nana Addo

The Gyaasehene of Abotoase in the Biakoye Constituency in the Volta Region, Nana Ansah Asiedu, predicted a loss for President John Mahama ahead of the general elections during Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign tour of the region.

Speaking during a courtesy call by Nana Akufo-Addo at his palace in Abotoase, in the Biakoye constituency, Nana Asiedu said “President Mahama is already gone. He has lost the elections.”

He further appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to resume the payment of compensations due them as a result of the construction of the Volta Lake.

MAHAMA WON'T INCREASE TAXES IF RE-ELECTED - Omane Boamah

Dr. Omane Boamah

Communications minister Dr. Omane Boamah has reiterated government's promise not to increase taxes if re-elected.

Omane Boamah said instead of increasing taxes, government will seek new ways to widen the tax net to bring in new tax-payers.

"You realise that in this manifesto we haven't spoken of increasing any tax," he said on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Tuesday and stressed government has a realistic plan to keep this promise.

The government has been criticised by leaders of the opposition NPP, mainly former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who is NPP Vice-Presidential candidate. He criticised government after it announced in 2015 that it was introducing new taxes placed on condoms, cutlasses and savings.

Government after public outcry in 2016 had to backtrack on plans to introduce 1% withholding tax imposed on interest earned on individual investments.

But announcing a change of strategy, Dr. Omane Boamah laid down the plan not to raise taxes. He explained it will be based on job creation, electronic means of widening the tax net and keeping a net freeze on public sector employment.

Explaining the net freeze, he said government will only employ as replacement for a retiring and resigning staff in the public sector.

This will be strictly complied with in all public sector jobs except health and education where government expects to recruit new medical professionals and teachers, the minister said.

Omane Boamah explained that this means once the wage bill is controlled, it will not consume as much as 49.2% of the tax revenue it currently does. Even better, government plans to slash the wage bill to 35% of tax revenue so there is less pressure on public finances from payroll demands.

He also stressed, government is improving the efficiency in tax collection. "We have considerably automated systems [of the Ghana Revenue Authority]," he said.

He indicated that the Registrar-General's Department which registers businesses in Ghana is being linked to the Ghana Revenue Authority so it can identify new businesses to collect taxes.

"Just by these efficiencies alone....electronically you are reaching a wider scope," he assured.

A prominent feature in the plan to keep taxes is public and private sector job creation. He referred to the new University of Ghana hospital, the Greater Accra regional hospital and other hospitals in the Ashanti region will need new intake of medical professionals.

"If more hospitals are coming up it means there are opportunities for job creation," Omane Boamah said and more jobs means more taxes for government.

He said the private sector, for example, will be key to the development of an integrated aluminium industry which can generate several jobs.

The government's plan to maintain the current tax regime if elected is in contrast with the main opposition party's plan to aggresively cut or review at least 10 taxes.

The party has explained in its 2016 Manifesto that the deliberate plan to shift the focus of economic policy from taxation to production will lead to:

i.                    reducing the corporate tax rate from 25% to 20%;

ii.                 removing import duties on raw materials and machinery for production within the context of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) Protocol;

iii.               abolishing the Special Import Levy;

iv.                abolishing the 17.5% VAT on imported medicines not produced in the country

v.                  abolishing the 17.5% VAT on Financial Services;

vi.                abolishing the 5% VAT on Real Estate sales;

vii.             abolishing the 17.5% VAT on domestic airline tickets;

viii.           reducing VAT for micro and small enterprises from the current 17.5% to the 3% Flat Rate VAT introduced by the Kufuor-led NPP government;

ix.                introducing tax credits and other incentives for businesses that hire young graduates from tertiary institutions; and

x. reviewing withholding taxes imposed on various sectors (including the mining sector) that have constrained the liquidity of many businesses.  

MAKING IT SAFE FOR ALL- ENDING PROLIFERATION OF SMALL ARMS IN GHANA

By Dora Addy

‘Yes, people pull the trigger-but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror’- Eliot Spitzer, Former Governor of New York.

As part of activities to mark the UN International Day for the destruction of weapons in the capital, Accra, the National Commission on Small Arms Commission (NACSA), destroyed 1,300 illegal guns in the country.

The guns which were said to be marked and broken before being set ablaze, were made of single-and-double barrelled shotguns, locally made and imported pistols, pump action guns, and local mortars.

But the commission has warned that more than 1.1 million of such firearms and light weapons might be in wrong hands.

It’s true. Most Ghanaians are not just alarmed about the existence of these weapons rather the question has been how we have lived with these weapons hiding with certain members of the public, and even more, those dangerous weapons that have not been discovered! How did these individuals get hold of such artillery?

 Perhaps, we have taken our national security for granted. Maybe we have not considered enough the extent to which we must protect peace, or much still, secure ways of developing and sustaining a national consensus on armament.

But whatever be the case, there is the need to understand that the peace we enjoy should also be safe-guarded. This move is certainly not to cause panic among Ghanaians, rather we should also appreciate the efforts of Government to realign our country toward peaceful development.

The world over, arms laws exist to control the movement of arms into a country. In most African countries, civilians do have easy access to arms. But in most developed countries, states have made access to these weapons quite easy; the laws on light arms are not so stringent, so just about anyone who qualifies to have a gun can do so.

There are sales points for these weapons and people who wish to be in the retail business need to secure a license. Much freedom on arms purchasing in developed nations has not helped much. Making weapons easily and readily accessible to civilians has not helped the democracy of most developed nations.

 To what extent should a state allow arms to its fold? Who are the custodians of these weapons, and what measures are put in place to prevent these weapons from getting into wrong hands?

On the world scale, the UN Program of Action (PoA) on small arms and light weapons (SALW) envisages the convening of Biennal Meetings of states to consider the global implementation of the Program of Action.

John Kudalor, Inspector General of Police

GUNS? BUT FROM WHERE?

Now, most Ghanaians would have the question of the source of these weapons.     Most of the guns are said to have been seized in 2015 by the various security agencies within the country, from smugglers, and suspected armed robbers, and also during conflicts and raids on small arms.

Others get in illegally from other countries through shipment. While there are devious ways to hide some of these weapons, most of them have gone unnoticed at security check points at the ports and harbours.

While the number of small arms that come into the country growing at an alarming rate, there is also the fear that security personnel at the ports and harbours may be complicit, through bribery to get these weapons secured and shipped into the country.

SMALL ARMS PROLIFERATION IN GHANA

Ghana is constantly confronted with the issue of proliferation of Small and Light Weapons (SALW).  Civil unrest culminating from political violence, armed robberies, and chieftaincy disputes, and other threats to civil peace have all been fuelled by the proliferation of small arms.

It has been observed that small arms remain the primary weapon of intra-and inter-communal feuds, local wars, armed insurrections, armed rebel activities, election violence and terrorism all across the sub region.

Experts say the illicit trade in small  arms and light weapons has not only led to the proliferation of conflicts in most African countries, but also illicit transfer, storage, diversion and misuse  of small arms and their ammunition, largely contributes to pre –and-post election violence and civil wars.

A survey by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 2015 discovered that 2.3 million individuals nationwide owned small arms, of which 39% are from the Northern Region alone.  1.9% of the number are from the Ashanti Region, 1.7% are from Brong- Ahafo Region, 16% from the Greater Accra Region, 9% from Upper East, and Central Region, 8%.

ORIGINALLY MADE IN GHANA

History unravels the manufacture of gun making as an ancient art in Ghana, even before the arrival of the colonial masters. In Ghana, the making of guns dates back to several hundred years in pre-colonial history, when they were deployed in the slave trade, to fight colonialism.

Locally, raw materials are cheap, and retail prices are high, and so most people look to find themselves in the trade, and the most common locally manufactured weapons are shotguns, pistols and single-barrel guns.

Every region within the country has a gun manufacturing workshop, but Suame-Magazine area in Kumasi is a dominant zone for gun-manufacturing, and largely attributed to the presence of mechanical shops. In this area, there are a large number of craftsmen who produce many kinds of goods from scraps, local weapons being one of those manufactured products.

In the Central Region, Agona Asafo, a town considered one of the oldest in the Central Region, boasts of two workshops of between two or three gunsmiths and apprentices, whose clients have been the Asafo (warrior) companies who deploy weapons for musketry displays during festivals.

THE PUPPET MASTERS

It is largely found that some politicians are at the helm of violence during general polls exercises. Taking advantage of arms proliferation, some unscrupulous politicians do acquire weapons and employ the services of some youths to engage in violence.

These public officials who are involved have businesses with other people who make supplies to them when the need arises.

Truth is, some politicians have knowledge about the proliferation of arms in the country. But could that be the reason why enforcement against small arms has not been made strong?

THEY TOO ARE CULPRITS?

Have you ever wondered why security personnel have become culprits themselves in the arms race? These people are paid on tax payers’ money to secure the peace of the citizenry. Yet, many have been found vaunting for these weapons.

Some arrests made in the country have involved security personnel who have either been directly involved in robberies or supplied weapons to armed robbers.

Recently, two police men have been allegedly involved in an armed robbery case in Donkorkrom, Afram Plains, where they attacked a Ghana Commercial Bank bullion van and shot dead the driver. They escaped shortly after their arrest. They have been re-captured.

Last year, a soldier, Sargent Alhassan Hameed, was sentenced to 75 years in prison, after pleading guilty to charges of armed robbery, in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

An Assistant Immigrations Control Officer, Richard Atiso, was picked in 2015, for selling illegal arms to civilians. He was arrested in the course of negotiating to sell a gun to a supposed buyer.

Three soldiers, together with three civilians, were arrested in 2014, for robbing mining firms in the Ashanti Region. Lance Corporals Dacosta Aboagye, Yeboah Samuel, and Baffour Michael, with their accomplices went to the Prime Gem and demanded gold and money. They were arrested while escaping with their booty.

THE SMALL ARMS COMMISSION

The avoidance of good practices in arms acquisition enables a series of serious problems; the long-term effects can be catastrophic.

Government is still working hard to sustain peace through arresting individuals in possession of illegal arms while preventing new cases.

Through the National Commission on Small Arms (NACSA), government is tightening securities at national armouries, enhancing weapon marking and tracing, and also increasing intelligence gathering to enhance the work of security agencies.

The NACSA has also embarked on a number of interventions to prevent arms proliferation in Ghana, amongst which the current laws on arms and ammunition will be reviewed, to meet international best practice.

The National Commission on Small Arms (NACSA)established by an Act of Parliament in 2007, (Act 736), to deal with matter on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), and among other things provide sensitization to the public on the dangers of proliferation of small arms to our peace, security and development.

In 2014, the NACSA began a nationwide exercise to mark all weapons of the various agencies, including the military, the Police, Prisons, Immigration and Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS). This means, providing a database of all weapons in order to keep track of them. This forms part of measures to control illegal arms in the country.

NIPPING IT IN THE BUD THROUGH THE LAW

Although there are attempts to protect the national interest, it is also wise that some limitations are placed on the acquisition of weapons. The world over, states have been buffeted by the extinction and strong entrenchment of local laws to control and limit arms.

In African countries, this plays on the low level of democracy, where national leaders would pamper themselves with a huge stock of arms, to support the power subversion attempt or unconstitutional power retention efforts.

Ghana, a member state of ECOWAS, has ratified the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), which provides for a ban of arms transfer by member states with possibility of exemption for the legitimate defence and security needs, law enforcement and participation in peace support operations.

The Arms and Ammunition Act 1962 (Act 118) as amended by the Arms and Ammunition Amendment Decree 1972 (NRCD 9) and the Arms and Ammunition (Amendment Act 1996) prohibit both the manufacture and assembly of firearms. Conversely, these laws legalize the repair of guns after a license has been acquired.

GENERAL STATE SECURITY

Ghana, considering our state of security, has been dented much by political unrests, especially, in the beaming era of coup d’états in the 70s and 80s, and now civil wars in the North.

Through these events, there were severe losses of human lives and development retardation. Today, history has got our country in its books as one of those states that have resorted to arms use, resulting in detrimental human effects.

Our resort to violence as a means to peace or democracy could also mean that, it is possible that individuals can use violence again, to achieve their aims and purposes.

Guns come as a natural tool for battle; it kills faster and achieves its purpose within a short time, killing several without much human effort.

Hard effort must be put in to protect the peace we are enjoying today.

THE EVILS OF ARMS PROLIFERATION

It is a good thing that Government is finding means to protect its people from danger; whether from internal or external sources. Though some have argued that arms production can be good because it provides ready weapons at a cheap cost in the event of conflicts, the bad sides far outweigh the good sides.

Arms proliferation increases the risks of conflicts which also spur on a chain of more difficult human and economic situations.

The increase in arms will likely yield to violence through civil wars, armed robbery, political violence, activities of land litigation issues through land guards, etc., when not checked. Civilians are likely to resort to violent means to get what they want when access to some of these weapons become easy.

The abundance of illegal weapons will likely create an atmosphere of political instability. When not checked arms will get into the hands of those irate members of society who would always wish to have their way when policies are not going well for them. The subversion of most states erupts out of not having control measures to handle illegal weapons.

Civil violence will always attract a humanitarian situation. People lose their lives on a large scale. A UN report states that around 300,000 people lose their lives through gun battles, around the poor regions in Africa. In Ghana, the Bawku and Yendi cases in the North are examples.

Economically, foreign investment will be hampered, as conflicts drive investors away than keep them. Also, the loss of infrastructure could deeply wound our foreign investment goals and development.

There is also the fear that some of these weapons will get into wrong hands, while some wielders of these weapons may use it to terrorize civilians.

TOWARDS ELECTION 2016

The electoral process in Ghana has been generally peaceful in the last two decades; a proud achievement of national maturity and determined effort to advance towards development.

However, some arrests have been recorded, but national security has not been disturbed.

In 2007 for example, 21 boxes of ammunition cartridges were said to have been seized. These boxes were made up of 5,250 pieces being smuggled into the Bimbilla North District, in the Northern Region.

The NACSA is still working hard to prevent incidences of gun violence during this year’s general elections.

In January this year, the NACSA held a two-day workshop on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2013, and ratified by Parliament in July 2015 to regulate the trade of ammunitions. This is towards a peaceful 2016 elections.

In order to control arm possession by individuals as we veer towards the general elections, Government has declared a 32-day amnesty, from August 22-September 23, to help retrieve all unlicensed guns in the country. This would enable those in possession of unregistered weapons to either register them or turn them in to the police, and those who contravene this order after the set period will face the law. This measure, announced by the Ministry of Interior, is designed to conform to best practices globally so that proliferation of arms is duly controlled.

CALMING FEARS

We need to understand that this is one of the key processes to ensuring peace on the land. Though the arms delivery has awakened fears among Ghanaians, we need to also depend in the reliability of the military that would use it.

There could be human errors in this step, but the fundamental truth is that, our national security is being protected, and it is our hope that it will be achieved.

The current amnesty given to individuals in possession of guns is also one way to secure national peace during elections.

Strengthening existing laws on arms licensing and providing a strong database for all arms in the country, while continually updating those data can be helpful.

The confiscation and destruction of illegal weapons should be entrenched by the NACSA, perhaps on a monthly basis; arrests and prosecution should be meted out to those that refuse to comply.

Those local centres that manufacture weapons must have licenses, as well as some information about those that patronize their products.

Meanwhile, more education should be used to address the problem of proliferation and its dangers, on a regional basis.

BUGRI NAABU: He Refuses To Tone Down After Police Invitation

Mr. Daniel Bugri Naabu

By Eliasu Tanko

The New Patriotic Party Northern regional chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu says he will not stop urging the party supporters to vigorously protect ballot boxes on Election Day.

Mr. Naabu repeated the call hours after he honoured police invitation to assist investigations into similar comments he made at Savelugu.

He said the party will deploy at least 40 strongmen to every polling station to guard ballot boxes on Election Day.

His comments were roundly condemned by individuals and election monitoring organizations including WANEP.

The NDC party in the region also held a press conference and called for his arrest.
The police in the region was compelled to invite him following an instruction by the Inspector General of police (IGP) for a full scale investigation.

He turned up on Saturday, days after the invitation but was granted police enquiry bail.
However, the chairman immediately from the police station moved to a rally platform at Sagnarigu and unambiguously encouraged party supporters to “chase, push down, and collect" ballot boxes from thieves on election day.

"You are all police, because you have interest in there. Therefore you must make sure you protect it yourself. Therefore the Election Day, the ballot box, open your [eyes] and look at it well. Don’t allow anybody to change boxes; don't allow anybody to manipulate the elections. Please anybody who comes to steal the box chase him, push him down and take the box and hand him over to the police.

“I’m telling you we won't sit down for somebody to cheat us. We must be awake and see to it that we protect our interest,” Bugri told the chanting crowd.
When Starr News contacted Mr. Naabu over why he repeated the comments that nearly got him behind police bars, he said “I will keep on telling people to make vigilance to protect the ballot box. I will not stop it.

"…Because that ballot box NPP has vote in there. Do we allow those votes to be taken away, and Ghanaians to vote for us [and] allow NDC to take the votes, change it and declare the vote for themselves? Master it can never work."

He said the party cannot entirely trust the police after it failed to arrest gunmen who fired gunshots at the Electoral Commission’s office in Tamale during the just ended voters’ transfer exercise.

Editorial

A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT

Every citizen has the right to go to court to seek an interpretation of the law or its enforcement.

However, this right can be grossly abused and its enjoyment can also pose grave dangers to the society under some circumstances.

For example persons who feel wronged by the Electoral Commission (EC) have every right to go to court but when they exercise that right deliberately to frustrate the EC then there is a problem.

It is also important to state that the courts also have a duty to ensure that the exercise of the right of citizens does not create chaos and mayhem in society.

The Insight urges all parties to all electoral disputes to be guided by the broad national interest in the exercise of their rights.

Ayariga’s $6m Campaign Fund Claim "Slip Of Tongue" — APC

Hassan Ayariga, APC Presidential Candidate

The claim by the disqualified flagbearer of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga that he spent a whopping $6million on his campaign was a “slip of tongue,” the party has said.

“When Dr. Hassan Ayariga said the party had spent so much, the man wanted to say in cedi but just a slip of tongue. That’s what I know as a fact. I’m the General Secretary of the party and I will tell you the facts...,” Rasak Poku, the APC’s General Secretary said.

Ayariga speaking on Starr Chat recently in the aftermath of his disqualification from contesting the presidential race by the Electoral Commission due to anomalies with his nomination forms, said he was angered with his disqualification after spending $6million on campaign activities.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) upon hearing the claim wrote to him to demand his source of funding by close of day Wednesday October 26.
In his reaction to the EOCO invitation, Mr. Poku told Accra FM that Ayariga’s comment was nothing but a mistake.

“It’s a slip of tongue, nobody is perfect, no matter what; you can have a slip of tongue but when you have that slip of tongue, a sensible person will tell you that it was just an error, it was a mistake and this is what I intended to say and that is what I’m telling you that it wasn’t in dollars because in Ghana we don’t [spend] dollars, we [spend] cedis,” he said.

He continued that “So, Dr. Hassan Ayariga as serious as he is, there is no way he will quote a foreign currency knowing very well in Ghana we don’t [spend] foreign currency but in Ghana we [spend] Cedis, so everything he said was in Cedis but because he has lived outside for a very long time, sometimes he mistakenly quotes their currencies, and because he also has businesses outside Ghana, sometimes he might mistakenly quote some of their currencies but he wanted to say Cedis.”

GAMBIA WITHDRAWS FROM INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

Yahaya Jammeh, President of Gambia

Gambia has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the Hague-based tribunal of “persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”.

Tuesday’s announcement comes after similar decisions earlier this month by South Africa and Burundi to abandon the institution, set up to try the world’s worst crimes.

The ICC was set up in 2002 and is often accused of bias against Africa and has also struggled with a lack of cooperation, including from the US, which has signed the court’s treaty but never ratified it.

The court had been used “for the persecution of Africans and especially their leaders” while ignoring crimes committed by the West, Sheriff Bojang, Gambia’s information minister, said on state television.

He singled out the case of Tony Blair, former British prime minister, who the ICC decided not to indict over the Iraq war.

“There are many Western countries, at least 30, that have committed heinous war crimes against independent sovereign states and their citizens since the creation of the ICC and not a single Western war criminal has been indicted,” Bojang said.

The withdrawal, he said, “is warranted by the fact that the ICC, despite being called International Criminal Court, is in fact an International Caucasian Court for the persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”.

Gambia has been trying, without success, to use the ICC to punish the EU for the deaths of thousands of African refugees and migrants trying to reach its shores.

The decision will also come as a personal blow to the court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, a former Gambian justice minister.

Burundi had said earlier this month it would leave the court, while Namibia and Kenya have also raised the possibility.

Over the weekend, the ICC asked South Africa and Burundi to reconsider their decisions, which came as a major blow to the institution.

“I urge them to work together with other states in the fight against impunity, which often causes massive violations of human rights,” Sidiki Kaba, president of the assembly of state parties to the ICC founding treaty, said in a statement.

Alleged war crimes

South Africa’s decision followed a dispute last year when Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited the country despite being the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.

Kaba said he was concerned that South Africa and Burundi’s decisions would pave the way for other African states to leave the court.

The tribunal is entrusted with “prosecuting the most serious crimes that shock the conscience of humanity, namely genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression”.

Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former ICC chief prosecutor, criticised Burundi and South Africa, accusing them of giving leaders on the continent a free hand “to commit genocide”.

“Burundi is leaving the ICC to keep committing crimes against humanity and possible genocide in its territory. Burundi’s president wants free hands to attack civilians,” he said.

He said Nelson Mandela, the former South African president, had “promoted the establishment of the Court to avoid new massive crimes in Africa. Now under the [Jacob] Zuma leadership, South Africa decided to cover up the crimes and abandoned African victims. The world is going backward.

“The chaos is coming. Genocide in Burundi and a new African war are in motion.”

BOOSTING TRADE ADVANTAGES: SAVING ON IMPORTS

Ekwow Spio Garbrah, Ghana's Minister of Trade and Industry

By Dora Addy

‘There should be a policy to have a mechanism in place to decide when and how to import and export’- K.V. Thomas, Indian Politician

In operating on the business trade scene, much has been said about our import habits; not something to write home about. Presently, the country is exporting many commodities that have been deemed utterly needless, not just because we have the ability to produce such commodities for national consumption, but more, the sheer fact that many of these products were not needed at all; some even posing serious health risks.

The country has been identified with many others who would opt for meagre options in import goods. The continued practice has been questioned as to whether we are still not able to produce such goods. Although the campaign for the patronage of made-in-Ghana goods has been on-going for a very long time, the look- out for something ‘quality’ is a belief that is still much pursued by many.

Not overlooking the importance of how one must always go with quality, individuals must also consider the vastness of our resources, and the need to embrace what we can produce; instilling a strong ethic of national pride and preserving a culture of national self-belief that would lead to the future growth of the local manufacturing economy.

Examining closely how this has come to be, let us also consider how many countries have had to abandon the importation of goods deemed only harmful to their national economy.

We must learn from Nigeria, for example, has done away with the importation of rice, and now looks to its farmers to produce the staple. Let us consider how much they will save on imports, and the total good this would have on the agricultural sector.

While the wishful bidding of most individuals is fulfilled through unnecessary importation of some products, the country suffers much on such demands. The import of toothpick for example is a risible idea, and many other products follow the list.

These products are not only placing unwanted burden, individual lives are also affected and huge resources- both human and natural, remain untapped.

Currently, there are remains very huge stocks of available resources, which have not even been considered to serve the national good when wisely identified as useful to serve the needs of many.

Today, many nations have intelligently transitioned to developed economies owing to the ability to fall on their own resources while creating jobs for many through these ventures. From building simple electronic devices, right up to upscale finds, industrialized countries know of a secret and are practicing a much needed philosophy of independence.

It is observed that, the resort to one’s own resources for industry has been the blessing of many developed nations. The strong attachment and practice to the beliefs of producing locally, the adoption of such measures to support local industry, and the general belief of the manpower available through the locals are the very tenets that provide for the foundations of a thriving economy.

The usefulness of the adoption of such policies to support the local industry, does not in any way undermine the general outlook of the value placed on commodities; the country’s ability to determine that its people receive only quality goods and products.

Such unfounded belief can only center on a group on base reasoning culminating from the upsurge in global needs and demands.

GLOBALIZATION AND NEEDED INVESTMENTS

The extreme need to connect with the rest of the world on trade level cannot be ignored. Our trade partnerships with other developed countries have been forged on good grounds, but the quality and necessity of such good should be well examined.

 The need to catch up with the rest of the world produces a multi-ripple effect that lets on the need to fall on other goods and services which may not be necessarily useful.

Commonly in Ghana, the trade in certain used products on the markets has become very frightening. Inarguably, some of these needs have been created by our inability to produce them. The logistics to commence and keep industries running can be difficult, yet some effort can be made.

To stand tall on the local manufacturing industry, there is the need to seriously put some endeavors into our investments on production, and this to a large extent would require the development and training of human capacities to meet the expected standards both locally and globally.

Across all levels of human life, some investments must be made grow and support industries that will serve the needed trade purposes. Strong policies must be developed and followed-through to support good trade investments.

The forging of such partnerships for national development is one of the creative tools for government. Development is reached at its peak and usually at a faster level. Asking the question of whether there are any good benefits to reap from, the answer is yes.

But the need to also develop our value to invest into our own should be a continued effort. Considering that some of these investors already bring foreign personnel to handle some of these industries, the employment challenge still remains unresolved.

Not strengthening local investment capacities across all sectors has also brought in much unwanted challenges through government loans that have brought in much debt.

MAKING IT QUALITY

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), established in 1969, under Act 396, is the National Export Trade Support Institution of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), responsible for the facilitation, development and promotion of Ghanaians exports.

The GEPA is to ensure that Ghana’s export trade contributes to accelerated economic growth through strategic aggressive marketing of made-in-Ghana products in the competitive global economy.

The country deserves a good spot on the export scene in order to boost the advantages that lie within the export sector.

Considering this, it calls for the working of all parts to bring this to a realization; bringing much quality in what we do would attract major economic benefits through export.

In this case, there is the need to carefully put the quality tag all products; from edibles to non-edibles. A careful investment into all products from production to packaging is clearly needed to attain the accepted standards for overseas.

HEALTH HAZARDS

According to 2013 figures from the United Nations Comtrade Database, Ghana spent $65 million dollars on importing used clothing from the UK. Used clothing comes as one of the most sough-after merchandizes on the imports radar in the country. All year, goods from Europe, the United States, and other developed economies are imported into the country.

According to reports from Ghana Shippers Authority, the country imported 31,400 metric tonnes of used electrical products, representing a 74.6% increase, compared to the 2009 figure of 17,987 metric tonnes.

Certainly, there are huge risks involved in using second-hand clothing if they are not well cleaned before exported to Africa.

It is estimated that some 280,585 cars were imported into the country from 2003-2007. This brings the figure to 70,146 the number of cars imported annually from Europe, USA, and Asian countries. Consider also how developed countries have shipped cars into the country, which have necessarily not gone through, and passed the right safety tests.

While some food products have trended on the markets, it is also a question to ask about the health hazards of consuming such products. Turkey tails, entrails and unwholesome body parts of farm animals,

SAVING THE AGRICULTURAL REPUTATION

The backbone of this nation is agriculture, but this sector also suffers badly from the imports being made. While the primary concern is to preserve this sector that serves the incomes of many across the country, there is a growing concern over the imports of such agricultural products which are also produced here.

Creating a stunted progress for many in the agriculture sector, there are many farmers losing out in a very big way.

Many farmers these days are discouraged by low patronage of their products. Poultry farmers bellow wildly at the huge poultry imports being made onto the markets, as a whooping majority of Ghanaians have stood strong on the scales of the bad import trade practices.

Now, the outlook on some of these agricultural products from abroad tells a lot on the preparedness to move the country from its state of dependency. It is sad because although this sector supports the economy largely, it is still crippling under the pressures of low patronage from the locals.

To add to the burden, let us also consider how many of our local farmers have to endure hardships in the attempt to export products overseas. In an attempt to grow fiscal value, farmers who attempt to export their products have often been faced with stringent export standards, and so have given up all hope of ever trading in export.

Currently, the president, John Dramani Mahama, said at the United Nations, during his speech, as an account of Ghana’s democratic and economic strides to its peers, that, the country did not need sympathy, or Overseas Development Assistance, but rather, fairness in world trade.

It’s very true indeed. Farmers especially, need to be accorded fairness in export. Rejecting and placing strict yardsticks on our local agricultural produce is not only discouraging, but places unnecessary demands on other goods from overseas, that tell badly on our consumption practices while deflating any good reasoning that we are self-supportive.

JOB CREATION

While the economy is tapped to produce goods locally on a large scale, many of the employment gaps will be filled.

All over the business sectors in the country, there are still many opportunities to engage the locals in business.

Elsewhere in the world, the local industries are applauded for the high employment rates, accorded to locals. There is no better way to employ locals than to set the local wheels of industry running.

High importation trends can be worrying because the majority is in need of jobs.

Government must rather see how it can creatively put up industries to supply some of these products needed, while boosting already existing industries.

REDUCING COSTS

A lot of cost is saved when plans are made to grow the local manufacturing sector. While farmers are losing out big time, the local textile and clothing industry is bearing its own load.

Local producers must be strongly supported while receiving boost from government to thrive in business.

The demand on foreign products is a direct effect on the low patronage of local products here in Ghana. Although we cannot completely cancel some of the imported products, we should begin to appreciate what we have and also look to ways of starting production of what needed things that are not available.

LEGALITIES ON IMPORTATION

The Basel Convention, which came into force in 1992, bans the export of hazardous waste including e-waste from developed countries to developing countries for ‘final disposal, recovery or recycling’.

By law, cars that are older than ten years are said to be over-aged. Stolen vehicles are returned by the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) when foreign owners of such vehicles are ready to pay for shipment costs.

It is our decision what to import into our country. As many countries are looking to be dependent on themselves by creating a functioning local manufacturing sector that provides the much needed resources for its people, Ghana should also learn to do same.

Let’s also observe that as they slowly wean themselves of foreign dependency, their economies are affected positively.

Largely this country can produce much of what we import. We need channel a lot of investments towards the cause of setting up local manufacturing industries.

We will earn much-deserved respect. We can get there.