Ghana Prison Reforms
Agricultural work camps are to be established on a pilot scheme in Afram plains, for the resettlement of prisoners to make them more productive.The work camps would however, not serve as panel farms but would be designed to enhance the well being and re- formation of prisoners who would occupy them.
The PNDC Chairman Flt-Lt. Jerry John Rawlings is reported to have stated in a nation wide radio and TV broadcast that the PNDC had set up a new prisons Service Council to set in motion a process of prison reforms so as to transform the country's prisons whereby a sentence of imprisonment would cease to be a sentence of humiliation, misery and suffering and become a period of human and humane reconstruction for new life.
As a first step Flt-Lt. Rawlands, accompanied by the Secretary for the Interior Mr. Kofi Djin and other officials undertook a survey of the Afram Plains to map out the location for the work camps.
The team also re-explored the plains' potentials and relative ventures in which prisoners who are victims of the old socio-economic system would be meaningfully redeployed.
NIGERIA
ELECTIONS IN ONDO
Elections into the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the State House of Assembly are now to be held in Ondo State within the next week.The Chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission Fedeco, Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey stated this in a television interview in Lagos.
Crude oil production
Crude oil production in June was 45,800,000 barrels and the quantity of crude oil exported, 37,400,000 barrels. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) said the figures represented an average daily production of 1,526,000 barrels and an average export of 1,247,000.It said the month's performance showed a decrease in production of 6% and in export of 9% compared with May. The NNPC stated that over 5,000,000 barrels of crude oil had been supplied to the three local refineries for processing for the domestic market.
TANZANIA
NEC plan for economy
The National Executive Council (NEC) has ended its four-day session in Dodoma today after considering several issues of national importance.In an official statement issued by the Department of Publicity and mass mobilization, the NEC laid down directives on agriculture, the war on racketeers, a programme to revitalize the economy and the distribution of commodities.
On agriculture, the NEC directed the government to take comprehensive steps to deal with farmers problems such as agricultural implements and inputs during the next season.
In order to bring about a new and stronger push, and production in the villages, the NEC directed the govern- ment to set up village seeds production centres and to look for ways of supplying farmers with better seeds.
The NEC also reiterated that the implementation of the directive requiring all to work is the right method of bringing about self sufficiency in food and stepped up industrial and agricultural production.
In this respect the NEC directed that implementation of the directive requiring all to work should be given new impetus.
On the programme to revitalize the economy the NEC directed the government to prepare a comprehensive procedure to ensure tighter control of foreign exchange so as to help improve agriculture.
The NEC said that victory in the war on racketeers could be assured only through increased production and better services.
GHANA
ANXIETY OVER BORDER
Dr. Asamoah suggested setting up a separate sub-committee to handle the respective objectives. He called on the committee to submit as a matter of urgency a cost effective budget to be approved by the government to enable it to start its assignments without delay.He added that the overriding consideration of the commission's work is to seek to remove any irritants that arise from border incidents thus enhanc- ing cordial relations between Ghana and Togo.
The eight member committee is chaired by Me Kpeda Adjo, a legal practitioner from Togo. Ghana's Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr. Obed Asamoah has expressed the PNDC's anxiety over the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the Ghana-Togo border and also for the safety of residents there.
The concern, he said, stems from recent escalation of border incidents. Dr. Asamoah was inaugurating the reconstituted Ghana-Togo border joint demarcation Commission in Accra.
He regretted that while the Ghana team has been alive to its responsibilities the necessary cooperation from the Togo side has not been forthcoming.
The Secretary said Ghana seeks the friendship and cooperation of Togo The Ivory Coast and Upper Volta because they constitute the first line of Ghana's security and since the establishment of border commissions work on the Ghana- Upper Volta border is essentially completed while the Ghana-Ivory Coast border Commission has still a long way to complete its work.
Trip
A government delegation comprising Captain Kojo Tsikata, Special advisor to the PNDC and Mr. P.V. Obeng, PNDC coordinating Secretary has left Accra for Moscow for talks with the Soviet Government on bilateral economic cooperation.The delegation will also discuss the disbursement of a loan granted to Ghana by the Soviet Government.
They were seen off at the Kotoka International Airport by Fit-Lt. Rawlings.
SIERRA LEONE
DOE MEETS STEVENS
During an official visit to Sierra Leone, President Samuel Doe, described the occasion as an opportunity to harmonize "whatever differences might have existed between us and to devise means to avoid such situations in the future".President Doe maintained that there had not been any misunderstanding between himself and President Stevens, adding that any misunderstanding mentioned was between a newspaper and himself.
President Stevens was quoted as saying that the two countries should not let strong ties of friendship be adversely affected by "misunderstandings over a trivial issue". In a joint communique, the two leaders reaffirmed their abiding faith in the Mano Piver Union.
On Chad, they expressed concern over the escalation of the conflict and reiterated their belief that the people of Chad should be allowed to find a peaceful solution to preserve national unity.
UPPER VOLTA
A delegation of the Upper Volta National Council of the Revolution (CNR) has visited Togo and Ivory Coast. The mission which has since returned home was led by Lt Baye Yama and included information Minister Adama Toure.OIL PRODUCTION
The posted prices for Nigerian crudes were 23,90 Naira a barrel for the high quality grade and 21.43 Nairs for the medium grade.The National Secretary of the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), Dr Alex Form, has denied an allegation made by the National Secretary to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) Senator Ba Ahmed that the Ully Pa OPNI and the NP plan to discredit and subvert the cause of democracy in the country.
He told a news conference in Jos that Senator Ahmed was waging a war that never existed and raising unnecessary alarm.
Dr Fom said that although the NPP believes that any act against the peace and stabilty of the country should be condemned, politics should be practised with some decorum
He called on Senator Ahmed to produce documents to prove that the NPP in Plateau recruited men to engage in guerrilla warfare
Dr Fom said the NPP, along with other political parties will resist through constitutional means any attempt to make the country a one party state.
FAIR COVERAGE
The Kenya News Agency (KNA) and the voice of Kenya VOK will remain impartial in the coverage of the national election exercise.The permanent secretary for information and broadcasting, Mr Kiti, repeated this pledge when he addressed provincial information officers from all over the country in Nairobi
He promised that the election will be widely covered by the KNA and the VOK. He told the information officers that they will be expected to demonstrate in their coverage, a sense of fair play which President Daniel Arap Moir, the KNU party and the people of Kenya are committed to.
Mr Kiti said it will not be possible for us to sample some of the most important events and cover them.
“I would like us also to be able to make records available in future of what electoral speeches there are, some of which will be brilliant and actually most can be used in future to inspire future generations.
“So we should cover as fully as possible what is said. If possible we should record it as I said”
Attack condemned
Eight persons were burnt to death on Saturday September 3 and eight others were seriously injured when the vehicle on which they were travelling was set ablaze, the Niger Police Commissioner Alhaji R.A. Laleye has confirmedThe New Agency of Nigeria NAN however learned that some of the victims were Fedeco Federal Electoral Commission officials who were travelling from Juta to a Collating Centre in Gwasda at the close of the State Assembly election, when they were attacked by a group of people.
Alhaji Laleye condemned the actions of some politicians who he said took laws into their own hands by “administering jungle justice whenever aggrieved instead of seeking redress in courts”
When contacted the Fedeco Administrative secretary Alhaji Jiba Carba, confirmed that seven of the victims were officials of the commision.
Ten suspects had been arrested over the incident.
EVENTS...PEOPLE...PLACES...EVENTS... PEOPLE...PLACES…
UPPER VOLTA
SANKARA'S MESSAGE TO RAWLINGS
Flight Lt. Rawling has received a special message from the Upper Volta Head of State Captain Thomas Sankara.The message was delivered at the castle by an eight member Government delegation led by the Minister of Tourism, Lt. Meussa Diallo.
Speaking to newsmen later, Lt. Diallo said the message is a fraternal greeting wishing the PNDC all the best.
He said Upper Volta has many things to learn from Ghana.
He disclosed that the ousted Upper Voltan Head of State Maj. Jean Baptiste Ouedraogo is well and safe, adding that he is just under house arrest for his own safety. Other members of the delegation include a member of the National Council of the Revolution, Mr. Paul Abdou Kabore and five members of the Upper Voltan People's Defence Committee.
KENYA
ALL MUST VOTE
The Supervisor of elections, Mr. Nyarango, has reminded employers that any organisation that will refuse its employees permission to vote during the general elections will be committing an offence.He said that the law demands that everybody who has attained the voting age be allowed to cast his or her vote during the polling day.
Mr. Nyarango was addressing provincial information officers, who are meeting in Nairobi to plan a strategy of press coverage for parliamentary and civic elections later this month.
He promised that new ways in the organization of polling stations will be introduced. The new ways will be aimed at avoiding long queues, easing congestion and speeding up the voting exercise.
He added that the polling booths will be built with enough space to allow agents for the various candidates to witness the marking of ballot papers by illiterate voters. Mr. Nyarango said this is provided by the amended election act.
Lorries, he added, will be used to transport ballot boxes and according to the Amended Election Act, agents will accompany the ballot boxes from the polling stations to the hall where count- ing will take place. Following the meet- ing it was decided that Voice of Kenya will introduce a programme called Election Round-up for both radio and TV.
BENIN
JOINT EXPLOITATION
Benin and Ghana have agreed to jointly exploit their mineral resources. They have also agreed to co-operate in the supply of raw materials for use of their light industries.To this end experts from both countries will meet in Accra early next year. These agreements were contained in a communique issued at the end of the fifth Ministerial Session of the Ghana - Benin permanent joint Commission for cooperation in Accra.
In the area of fisheries, livestock and food crops, the two sides agreed to exchange experts. Benin said it was ready, depending on the availability, to resume the supply of maize, palm oil and palm seedling to Ghana.
Impediments to trade between the two countries were also identified and it was decided as a matter of urgency that experts from the two sides meet in Cotonou before the end of the year to find the best way to overcome them.
In the area of communication, Benin assured Ghana that it would take immediate steps to establish a direct telecommunication link between Accra and Cotonou to eliminate the handicap of indirect communication which hamper development of bilateral relations.
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