Category: General

Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, the Local Government Minister, has inspected some ongoing developmental projects under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Project (GSCSP) in the Eastern Region. He visited Lower-Manya Krobo, New Juaben South and Abuakwa South out of the five municipalities in the region benefiting from the 245-million-dollar GSCSP across 35 municipalities in the country. The visit was to monitor the ongoing works as well as to interact with the traditional authorities in the respective areas. At Lower-Manya Krobo, he inspected a188 lockable market stalls, a completed business centre, the construction of culverts at Manaam on the Odumase-Kpong junction road, the construction of a 3.5 km road from the Manya Krobo rural Bank Junction to Kodjoman and the Atua Government Hospital Road through Mount Mary College of Education to Somanya. In New Juaben South, he inspected works on the redevelopment of the Koforidua Jackson Park, which consists of a construction of a public stand, ceremonial stand, a health po st, a gym and landscaping at the cenotaph among others. Other projects in the municipality under the GSCSP included paving of selected town roads and bitumen surfacing of the Koforidua Galloway-St Dominic Road among others. The projects inspected at Abuakwa South were construction of a mall consisting of a marker and a 44-room capacity hostel with a-300-seater auditorium and a restaurant. Mr Dan Botwe, who expressed satisfaction at the level of work and progression, appealed to all stakeholders including traditional authorities to own the project which was meant to improve the local economies of the respective municipalities. He reiterated that funds for the GSCSP were readily available, and the projects were carefully selected to improve the standards of living of the people and to improve security of the urban spaces of the beneficiary communities. Accompanied by Mr Seth Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister and other officials of the Ministry, Mr Botwe paid courtesy calls on Nene Sackite, Daasebre Kwa ku Boateng and Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, parade Chiefs of Manya Krobo, New Juaben and Akyem Abuakwa respectively. Source: Ghana News Agency

Oshikoto - The Namibian Police Force, in collaboration with the Men and Women Network against Crime, has launched a three-day operation in the Oshikoto Region to combat gender-based violence (GBV). The operation, announced in Omuthiya on Monday by Deputy Commissioner Wynand Neels, is part of the ongoing 16 days of activism against GBV campaign.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), Neels stated that the operation, running from 04 to 06 December 2023, targets suspects and individuals involved in GBV-related crimes, including elderly abuse. The focus is on a range of offences, including rape, murder, kidnapping, common assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, online child abuse and exploitation, trafficking in persons, and other related offences like domestic violence, child labour, and child neglect.

The deputy commissioner emphasized the goal of reducing GBV crimes in the region through enhanced police and stakeholder cooperation. This includes developing risk profiles for targeted crime types and suspects, as well as building operational capacity and morale among female officers.

The theme for this year's 16 days of activism against GBV is 'Unite, invest to prevent violence against women and girls.' Neels remarked that Namibia's annual participation in the campaign demonstrates its commitment to fighting gender-based violence. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign is a global initiative that starts on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concludes on 10 December, Human Rights Day.

The two candidates for the upcoming local elections in Sousse, in the electoral district of Oued Ali Belhani, Sana Ben Ameur Ben Youssef, and Om SaSd Ben Abdallah Ben Midassi, South Sidi El Heni district, are actively pursuing their electoral campaigns through direct engagement with voters. Candidate Sana Ben Ameur told TAP that her electoral programme focuses on finding solutions to facilitate the initiation of agricultural projects, promote public transportation, enhance the healthcare sector, and develop the infrastructure of educational institutions in the region. On her part, candidate Om SaSd Ben Abdallah Ben Midassi has based her electoral programme on strengthening participatory democracy, developing the healthcare sector by establishing an ER Department at the local hospital in the region, and recruiting specialised doctors. Candidate Ben Youssef is in competition with another candidate for a seat on the local council of Ouled Ali, while Ben Midassi is in the race with three other candidates to g ain access to the local council of South Sidi El Heni. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has expressed concern over the numerous Chieftaincy disputes cases registered at the Regional Coordinating Council. He said, ' I have some 160 Chieftaincy disputes cases on my desk now, and obviously, this will not inure to the development the Region seeks to have'. 'It is also ironic that, Traditional leaders seemed not to be able to handle family feud in a more peaceful way but rather resorting to the law court and other orthodox means than the age-old practices of settling disputes through mediation.' Mr. Okyere Darko-Mensah expressed the grave concerns during the enstoolment of a Queen Mother for Supomu-Dunkwa in the Shama District of the Western Region. The new Queen Mother, known in private life as Lawyer Lucie Blay, is an astute lawyer of many years standing and a sister to Freddie Blay, the former National Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party. The Western Regional Minister reiterated that Chiefs had a core mandate to spur development and therefore must work towards Community harmonization. Source: Ghana News Agency

Lawyers, especially the young ones, have been called upon not to only use their profession to help administer justice but contribute to building a society that respects values and rules.? Mr Thaddeus Sory, a Private Legal Practitioner, who made the call, said lawyers had a duty to lead society to understand that the Court uses evidence, rules and procedures to serve justice.? Mr Sory said this at the first edition of Fiona's Conversations, an educative law programme designed to create a path of learning and adherence to ethical standards in the legal?profession.? Mr Sory, a former Counsel for the Electoral Commission of Ghana, said society kept growing with the notion that lawyers were deceitful and liars, could manipulate and even circumvent the legal system and proceeding all because of what they had been telling their clients, media and in recent times social media.? 'Some lawyers think we need to impress our clients in this game. And so clients get the impression that there is no law and could do any thing at all to get a good result. Society is the utmost loser and we hear people saying that there is no justice,' he said.? He said such a mentality had emboldened some clients to say 'Do you know the judge? And I ask what my knowledge of the judge has got to do with this case, if knowledge of the judge is important then why are you here.'? Speaking on the topic 'The Need for Ethical Considerations in the legal vocation,' Mr Sory said it was also required that lawyers should be honest and candid in whatever they do as stipulated In rules 35, 63 and 83 LI 2423.' He said some clients could tell their lawyers to go for an adjournment or injunction without any grounded considerations. He urged that such an impression should not be given to people at any point in time that they could just go to court and get an injunction. Mr Sory said lawyers also had a responsibility to be courteous and diligent towards their clients by avoiding offensive language, and provocative language and ensuring that all corresponde nts with them were courteous.? 'As a lawyer, you are not allowed to record a conversation between you and the client or any other lawyer without the person's consent or approval of that client or the other lawyer. You also have to make sure that you appear in court,' he said.? He urged lawyers to maximise any opportunity to settle cases but in doing so one must disclose all of the facts and settlement proposal to their clients to take a decision no matter how small or unreasonable it would be.? Madam Fiona Asafu-Adjaye, Private Legal Practitioner and Convener of Fiona's Conversations, said, the programme was to bring legal practitioners together to share ideas and have conversations about how to get young practitioners to be very astute and enhance their professional abilities.? 'The first edition touches on ethics and it is just the beginning of a series of educational legal programmes in the coming years. We really want to understand more the need for ethical considerations as legal practitioners,' she said.? Source: Ghana News Agency