Story: Hannah Annor
Accra, Ghana-Nov 17- The Imprisoned Writer-2008 Anniversary was marked at the weekend in Accra, with a call on writers to use the pen as an instrument to promote peace during the upcoming Ghana's December, general election.
This year’s event marked the 24th Anniversary of the annual celebration to salute writers world-wide who have been attacked, imprisoned, harassed or lost their lives in the course of practising their profession.
By June this year, 40 writers and journalists world-wide had been killed, 189 disappeared, 65 attacked and 30 detained, whilst 150 others also faced death threats.
The Ghanaian Centre of International Pen (GCIP), comprising poets, editors and novelists dedicated the event to salute writers, including the Senegalese writer, Pierre Lambo Sandjo, said to have alleged that his country’ President was involved in money laundering.
Professor Kwame Karikari, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa indicated that the pen stood for the values of freedom of expression, which remained key to human rights and democracy.
He recalled historical experiences that hindered freedom of expression in the country and expressed worry that infringement on this right still pertained in other countries.
He therefore asked the younger generation to strive to preserve the enjoyment of the right of freedom of expression by guarding against any attempt to create barriers.
Prof. Karikari also reminded writers that responsibility should not be left out when enjoying freedom of expression, adding, freedom should go along with discipline, sensibility and feeling towards others.
Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Haruna-Attah, President for GCIP, said the Anniversary was worth celebrating in Ghana, especially with the clean record the country had maintained in recent years in ensuring that writers were not harassed for their works.
He however called on writers, especially the media to avoid using the pen
against national interest.
He reminded the public that violence did not originate from vacuum but was rather instigated, nurtured, directed by persons, hence the need for all to work at sustaining peace in the country.
Mr. Frank Mackay Anim-Appiah, Executive Director, GCIP also cautioned writers, saying, “we don’t want Ghanaian writers to have bad
name and record, that they were those who marred the edifice of Ghana’s peace.”
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
NGOs call for commitment in providing essential social services
STORY: Hannah Annor
Accra, Ghana-Nov. 11, 2008 - International finance institutions and current world rade systems are undermining citizen's access to essential social services, a coalition of non-governmental organisations said on Tuesday.
The coalition dubbed: "Essential Services Platform" said, if the trend should continue, many poor countries, especially in Africa risked missing the Millennium Development Goals on health, education, water and sanitation.
Mr Alhassan Adams, a member of the National Coalition Against Privatisation of Water and also member of the Platform said at the launch of the Platform in Accra.
The Platform comprises NGOs working on health, education, water and sanitation that have come together to advocate for a change in unbridled trade liberalisation regimes affecting citizens from enjoying their economic and social rights.
Mr Adams mentioned the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as some of the regimes adding to the woes of the poor in accessing services.
On health, Mr Adams said, despite improvement in government expenditure to the sector, access to quality health care continued to elude majority of Ghanaians, whilst life expectancy had also stagnated between 57, 42 years in 2000 to 56 years from 2005.
He indicated that infant mortality rates have also not seen any significant change in recent years.
Mr Adams further expressed disappointment on access to basic education despite government's interventions such as the School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant.
He therefore urged all Ghanaians and other civil society groups to join the Platform in order to hold policy makers accountable to respect the economic and social rights of all persons.
The Platform further pledged to periodically review its performance and remain focus in the advocacy campaign to effect the desired change.
STORY: Hannah Annor
Accra, Ghana-Nov. 11, 2008 - International finance institutions and current world rade systems are undermining citizen's access to essential social services, a coalition of non-governmental organisations said on Tuesday.
The coalition dubbed: "Essential Services Platform" said, if the trend should continue, many poor countries, especially in Africa risked missing the Millennium Development Goals on health, education, water and sanitation.
Mr Alhassan Adams, a member of the National Coalition Against Privatisation of Water and also member of the Platform said at the launch of the Platform in Accra.
The Platform comprises NGOs working on health, education, water and sanitation that have come together to advocate for a change in unbridled trade liberalisation regimes affecting citizens from enjoying their economic and social rights.
Mr Adams mentioned the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as some of the regimes adding to the woes of the poor in accessing services.
On health, Mr Adams said, despite improvement in government expenditure to the sector, access to quality health care continued to elude majority of Ghanaians, whilst life expectancy had also stagnated between 57, 42 years in 2000 to 56 years from 2005.
He indicated that infant mortality rates have also not seen any significant change in recent years.
Mr Adams further expressed disappointment on access to basic education despite government's interventions such as the School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant.
He therefore urged all Ghanaians and other civil society groups to join the Platform in order to hold policy makers accountable to respect the economic and social rights of all persons.
The Platform further pledged to periodically review its performance and remain focus in the advocacy campaign to effect the desired change.
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