People, Places and Events
LIBERIA
Liberian lawyers offer to defend UPP
Many experienced lawyers have volunteered to defend the United Peoples Party (UPP) of Gabriel Baccus Matthews against an objection filed against its legal registration as a party.Two weeks ago several members of the National Democratic Party led by a member of the Interim Government, John Bartuah, filed an objection to the registration of UPP accusing it of being a "socialist-oriented group".
UPP counsellor Pearl Brown-Bull, a former member of Gen Doe's interim government, said names of other lawyers were withheld until the party received a notice of the objection from the court.
Call on ECOWAS for recovery programme
The Head of State Gen Samuel K. Doe has called on member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to jointly pursue a vigorous "recovery program" that would coordinate national activities in their respective economic sectors.Gen Doe said it was high time that ECOWAS member states committed themselves to pursuing together a common recovery program which seeks to coordinate national activities in "key sectors of our economies".
The Liberian Head of State made the statement in Lome when he addressed his colleagues at the eighth summit conference of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Gen Doe however pointed out that the success of such a program would greatly depend upon the implementation of decisions already taken by the community.
He also urged his colleagues to be vigilant and combat all forces that would attempt to divide or weaken and undermine their commitment to the cause of the community.
The Liberian Head of State also used the occasion to draw his colleagues' attention to some of the pertinent issues confronting the sub-region and Africa. He cited the decline in the continent's agricultural sector, persistent drought, food shortage, the unsuccessful attempt to liberalize trade among ECOWAS Member States and failure on the part of certain member countries to "ratify certain decisions and acts of the community", and hoped that as the community enters its second decade, "the administrative 'bottlenecks will be quickly addressed by all member states so as to ensure progress"
S. African raid condemned
The Chairman of the African Group at the United Nations, Liberia's Marcus M. Kofa has condemned South Africa's recent aggression against Angola.Mr Kofa, who is Charge d'Affairs of Liberia's Permanent Mission at the UN said the African Group viewed South Africa's action as a "gross violation" of territorial integrity of the Angolan people, and regretted the "intensification" of South Africa's Military presence in the region.
Gen Doe's view on socialism
Gen Samuel Doe has said he is "prepared to fight the introduction of any foreign ideology that would not serve the best interest of the Liberian nation and its people". The state news agency Lina reported that Gen Doe made a special reference to "socialism" saying that under no conditions would he permit it and describing such a system as "bad for our country".The Liberian leader was speaking about 100 miles inside rural Liberia during a nationwide tour of the country which is seen here as a campaign for the forthcoming elections designed to return the country to civilian rule. He also told rural citizens to beware of politicians who try to "indoctrinate" their children with foreign ideologies.
Six parties hold talks
Representatives of the six political parties in Liberia have met behind closed doors at the Headquarters of the Liberia Action Party in Monrovia to discuss issues relating to returning the country to civilian democratic rule in 1986.Political parties represented were the Liberia Action Party (LAP), the United People's Party (UPP), National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), Unity Party (UP), Liberia People's Party (LPP) and the Liberia Unification Party (LUP).
Speaking to newsmen at the end of the "First Session" of the meeting Mr G. Baccus Matthews, Chairman of the UPP who was named spokesman by the body, described the conference as having "a most successful beginning".
Mr Matthews told newsmen that representatives of the participating parties agreed to hold another "session" at the Headquarters of the NDPL. In a welcome address Counsellor Tuan Wreh of LAP said the gathering of the political parties should be seen as a "desire to foster common purpose, unity, understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence".
He said "these ingredients were necessary to ensure the success of the political process and thereby establish our political maturity as politicians and statesmen and women". Representatives of LPP were, Mr John Kanweah and Co-Chairman Dusty Wolokolie, while UP was represented by Dr S. Jabaru Carlin and the NDPL by Messrs. J. Biney Taylor, Bai Gbala, Oscar Quiah and Edward Slanger.
The LUP delegation was led by Mr. Edward Feiju who is Special Assistant to the Party's Leader, Mr William Gabriel Kpolleh.
TOGO
Buhari is ECOWAS chairman
The Nigerian leader Major-Gen Buhari has been elected as the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He takes over from Colonel Lansana Conte, the Guinean President who had been acting chairman for the past year.It is recalled that Gen Buhari declined the Chairmanship last year in order to concentrate on what he termed "pressing domestic issues".
At their just ended meeting in Lome Togo, leaders of the community decided among other things that ECOWAS should issue a new travel certificate to facilitate the movement of persons at border posts within the sub-region.
Discussion of other issues relating to the recent expulsion of foreign nationals from Nigeria was however held behind closed doors. But a clue to the tense atmosphere at the secret meeting was given by Capt Sankara of Burkina Faso who during a stopover in Ghana after the summit, earlier than scheduled, expressed regret that some important decisions could not be agreed on.
Three freed on Eyadema's mother's wish
Lome radio has reported that President Eyadema, founding Chairman of the Rally of the Togolese People has freed Kudjovi de Souza, Kwawo Sanvi, former Commander of the Togolese Armed Forces and Kouassi Lanyo Sanvi de Tove who were convicted security by in 1979 for threatening state their involvement with mercenaries.Kodjovi de Souza and Kwawo Sanvi who been granted presidential pardon and were instead serving life sentences were reportedly freed by President Eyedema as a sign of respect for the wish of his deceased mother, Mama Ndanida.
SENEGAL
Conference on democracy ends
The International Conference on Democracy in Africa has ended in Dakar. About 40 political parties from 26 African countries and other parts of the world participated in the meeting. During three days, the delegates who came from the USA and various African countries debated the meaning of democracy. After the debate, a Dakar declaration was read by Mamadou Faye, Permanent Secretary of the Senegalese Socialist Party. The declaration noted that The International Conference on Democracy in Africa had attained its historic objective.The representatives of the political parties who were present in Dakar agreed on the fundamental requirements upon which a democratic government is founded, that is the need for tolerance, protection of human rights, a system of responsibility of governments before the people. Also, the conference expressed support for the initiative taken by the American Democratic Party which helped to hold this conference in Dakar. The conference encourages the American Democratic Party to maintain and to strengthen such solidarity ties with Africa.
SIERRA LEONE
Communique on President Stevens' visit
Nigeria and Sierra Leone are to set up a Commission to scientific, technical and industrial operation. They have also resolved to promote economic, resume negotiations on fishing and cultural agreements as well as to review the existing CO- air services accord between the two Countries.In a communique issued at the end of an official visit to Nigeria by President Siaka Stevens of Sierra Leone, leaders of the two Countries reaffirmed their commitment to the attainment of the objectives of the Economic Community of West African States
They stressed the need for member states States, ECOWAS of the organisation to harmonise their Policies and socio-economic activities for the benefit of the people of the sub-region.
GUINEA
No trial for coup plotters
All those involved in the failed coup attempts against the Government will be executed without trial, Foreign Minister, Mr Facinet Troure has confirmed. He told reporters that some of the 30 arrested after last week's coup attempt also had been tried after an earlier attempt to seize power last January, when 41 people had been arrested.Arrest of coup plotters
The arrest of the leader of the attempted coup in Guinea, Colonel Diarra Traore, and of other ministers and officials of the Guinean Government has been reported on Radio Conakry. Apart from Colonel Traore, the Education Minister, the radio named those arrested as: Capt Mamadi Bayo, Minister of Youth and Sport; Majs Abraham Kabassan Keita and Sidi Mohamed Keita, Secretaries of State respectively for Agriculture and Livestock and for Higher Education; and Mohamed Lamine Sakho, a former Minister of Industry. 18 people, including civilians, had been killed and 229 wounded in the coup attempt.West German financial assistance
Capt Facine Toure, Minister of State in charge of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has met the FRG Economic Cooperation Minister in Bonn. Their talks mainly centred on future cooperation between Guinea and the Federal Republic of Germany concerning development.At the end of the talks, the FRG pledged to support the country in its economic recovery and structural adjustment programme. A total of 29m DM was granted to Guinea and another 2m DM is expected to be granted later. During this year, the Bonn Government will put 20m DM at the disposal of Guinea as grant including 8m DM in commodities for the implementation of the structural adjustment programme in close collaboration with the World Bank. Twelve million will go to the agricultural sector as a contribution to self-sufficiency in food to help boost agricultural production.
The money will also be used to help to modernise Conakry port in conjunction with the World Bank and the African Development Bank and to rehabilitate and operate the Guinean Radio and Television, RTG, as well as the Tombo power station.
Fish breeding was also discussed during the talks in Bonn. A total of 2m DM was put at the disposal of the Government for this purpose. In addition, a fund for feasibility studies and expertise was instituted and it was decided to send a mission to Guinea to survey the possibilities of exploiting renewable sources of Energy.
NIGERIA
Not yet time to relax
Major-General Buhari has stated that for the present the military would not return to barracks since it was "not yet time to relax". A report by the Pan African Agency said Buhari stressed that both soldiers and citizens had a lot of work ahead of them.Naira not devalued
Finance Minister Onaolapo Soleye has dismissed as speculation allegations that the naira has been devalued unofficially.He told 'The Guardian' in an interview that the naira had rather been sliding down in competition against the American dollar.
"The naira has not been devalued. The naira has been sliding down against the Dollar. That is all".
Medical students plead for sacked doctors
The federal Government has been urged to release all detained doctors and reinstate sacked ones who participated in the last doctors strike.Asking the government to take a cue from the Yakubu Gowon's regime declaration of "no victor no vanquished" stance after the civil war, the executive council of Nigeria Medical Students Association (NIMSA) said in a communique that:
Goverment should improve medical facilities in the teaching and specialist hospitals nationwide.
Make drugs available in the hospitals and
Provide medical equipment and textbooks for students to buy.
Out of bounds warning to students
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ado- Ekiti in Ondo State has been closed down temporarily following the students boycott of their second semester examination.The decision to close down the University was taken after an emergency meeting by the Senate of the institution.
According to a statement signed by the registrar, Mr J. G. O. Adegbete, the temporary campus at Ajitadidun, the Christ School premises and the mini- campus remain "out of bounds" to all students.
Meanwhile the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adeyemi Adelabu, has been asked by the students to use his fatherly position to make sure that the authorities rescind their earlier decision on the suspension of their leader, Mr Charles Oladele Awe.
They also implored the Ewi to make sure that no student is victimised and that the authorities should give the students a week's notice before they start their examinations.
The police are keeping vigil on the whole campus.
The students started the boycott in sympathy with their union's president Mr Awe, who is on a one-month suspension.
Let's go confederate
Retired Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle who led federal troops to keep Nigeria one during the Biafran war wants confederation in the country.He told National Concord' in an interview that confederation is the best system of government for Nigeria and that anything outside this is purposeless.
Brigadier Adekunle was breaking his silence since the exit of civilian rule in the country on December 31, 1983, during which he played a prominent role in the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
Asked to advance reasons for his proposed confederation for the country 48-year-old Brigadier Adekunle said: "I am only joining other eminent Nigerians who have advocated such a system". Then he added, "Unless we start operating such a agent. system of government, I will not speak or contribute to any issue concerning the country".
Interest in French military technology
Nigeria is interested in French military technology, especially in the AML French armoured cars, General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief of Staff of Nigeria's army, indicated in Paris where he was on visit. The Nigerian Chief of Staff, met French Defence Minister Charles Hernu, and led a 10-member delegation to inspect armoured cars in Satory and witnessed a demonstration of airborne units in Toulouse. "We are going to examine the outcome of this visit on my return to Lagos but we are not necessarily looking for arms," he told reporters.Panel declares UGO'S test tube baby claim a hoax
The panel, which probed claims by Enugu-based Dr Ernest Ugo of achieving Nigeria's first test-tube baby has said that the claim was a hoax.Besides, the five man panel which presented its report to Health Minister Emmannuel Nsan, said some workers of Ugo's Calvary Foundation Hospital, Enugu where the alleged test-tube baby feat was proclaimed last year, were in possession of false and forged credentials".
Professors T. A. Grillo, an anatomist and chairman of the panel which sat for four months said the panel found no worker of Enugu Calvary Foundation Hospital had been trained in any homoepathic medical school.
Grillo said during their investigations which took them to Greece, they found no school of homeopathy in Thessalonikki which any Nigerian could have attended.
He noted that the procedure of in-vitro fertilization includes certain surgical operations which could be dangerous if performed by untrained and unqualified persons.
Ugo, a homoepath and medical director of the Calvary Foundation Hospital had last year claimed to have successfully produced Nigeria's first test tube baby. His claim was, however, denounced by the banned Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Forgers of residence permits
A syndicate which specialises in the issuance of illegal residence permits and other immigration papers has been smashed by six Nigerian security agents. Fifteen members of the gang are under arrest and are being interrogated; 10 of them are immigration officers and one is a security officerDuring searching sessions at the hideouts of the racketeers at different centres in Lagos items recovered included 174 passports of Ghanaian, Nigerian, Indian and German origin. Investigations have so far revealed that in their mode of operations the racketeers usually collect various sums of money ranging between 150 naira and 400 naira from aliens to whom they issue fake residence permit. It has also been established that there are nationals of a particular West African country in the syndicate of forgers. Efforts are continuing to crack down on other members.
Idiagbon on anti-social elements
The Federal Military Government has expressed disappointment that illegal immigrants are still being harboured by Nigerians. The Government is also not happy with the movements of armed robbers, smugglers and currency traffickers. The Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Maj-Gen Tunde Idiagbon, emphasised that no economic saboteurs like smugglers and currency traffickers could survive without the connivance of other Nigerians.He was speaking in Lagos in the monthly Radio Nigeria programme, "Matters of the Moment". General Idiagbon called on all State last year. Nigerians to let the spirit of War Against Indiscipline (WAI) prevail for the eradication of all the ills of society so that the country might earn respectability abroad as well as orderliness, honesty and patriotism at home.
He announced that the whole socio-economic situation relating to the causes of armed robbery and other violent crimes was being looked into with the view to finding a lasting solution to them. In the meantime, he said, the Federal Government might make an extra budgetary grant to the police force to provide for some immediate needs to combat the current wave of armed robbery and other crimes.
Also to improve the operational efficiency of the rank and file of the police force, additional modern equipment and motor vehicles are being purchased for their use. General Idiagbon, who is also the chairman of the Police Service Commission, once again appealed for the cooperation of the general public with the police in the task to rid this nation of all anti-social elements.
Curtailment of Government advertising
Newspapers in the country have been told that the era of heavy dependence on the public sector for advertisement is over. This is because funds are no longer available to settle heavy bills on Government advertisements placed in the newspapers. The message was issued by General Idiagbon in his radio programme.He explained that the decision of the Federal Government limiting the placement of its advertisements to two national newspapers, the 'Daily Times" and the 'New Nigerian', was not intended as a punitive measure against any section of the press. The order, he said, is designed to give the Government a break in order to settle the huge debts accumulated from Government advertisements in the various national newspapers during the civilian rule from 1979 to 1983. General Idiagbon maintained that the present development was an opportunity for the dailies to intensify their efforts and de-emphasise Government patronage by selling their services to the large and small businesses abounding in the country.
Ex-lecturer happy with taxi driving
A former senior lecturer in an institution of higher learning in Ondo state has become a taxi driver.The ex-lecturer Mr Mobolaji Oshodi, a masters degree holder in education said that he was now making so much money from his new vocation that he was not anxious to go back to the classroom.
Mr Oshodi who plies his taxi cab along the streets of Akure was a victim of the mass retrenchment of workers in Ondo
He said: "I was trained in the United States of America to use my head, heart and hands, and I am happy now that events have given me the opportunity to utilise the training. Mr Oshodi was educated at the University of Arizona, USA, where he obtained his masters degree in Education. He joined the Ondo State College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti in 1978, where he received no queries until July 31 last year, when he got a letter terminating his appointment.
Pot-bellied officers warned
Officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are becoming pot-bellied have been told to watch their weight. The commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Brigadier Haladu, observed that the rate at which officers and soldiers were developing pot-bellies was alarming. Brigadier Haladu was presenting a paper titled: "The importance of fitness in our cultural roots" at the seminar organised to mark the 1985 Army Day celebrations. He said that there was urgent need to evolve standard weight limits in the Nigerian Army.Pot-bellied officers and men, he stated, could not be generally expected to stand the physical strains of prolonged training of combat encounters.
BURKINA FASO
New Social and Economic Council
Capt Thomas Sankara, Chairman of the National Council of the Revolution and President of Burkina Faso has officially established the Social and Economic Revolutionary Council (CRES). The ceremony took place at the conference hall of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Security in the presence of the national general secretary of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution, members of the revolutionary Government, ambassadors, representatives of inter African and international institutions and many guests.West German aid for dam
A draft financial agreement has been signed at the Ministry of Financial Resources between West Germany and Burkina Faso. This agreement, which concerns the financing of the Kompienga dam involves an amount of 43m DM or about 6.561bn CFA francsCAMEROON
Budget approved
Head of State, Paul Biya, has promulgated into law the 1985/86 finance bill adopted by parliament during the budgetary session. The finance bill covers a budget of 740bn CFA francs financed entirely from national resources. The current budget comprises two items, namely recurrent public budget on expenditure mounting to 430bn francs as against 400bn in 1984/85 and a public investment budget of 310bn francs as against 220bn in 1984/85. The financial bill went into force on 1st July.Ten die in helicopter crash
Ten people including seven journalists died in a helicopter crash in Southern Gabon last week. According to press reports, the bell helicopter was carrying newsmen covering a provincial tour by Gabonese President, Omar Bongo.No foreign journalists were involved. Five people survived the crash, the cause of which was not immediately known. President Bongo meanwhile has ordered official funerals for the victims.
GHANA
Takeover of public tribunals
The office of revenue commissioners investigations and tribunals has expressed concern over the recent closure and takeover of public tribunals by certain organs of the revolution. It said this is a serious development which, if not checked, will return Ghanaians to the anarchic days of the early part of the revolution.A statement signed by the coordinator, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, notes that within a period of one month, two regional public tribunals have been purportedly closed down in the Western region by the 4th June Movement and in the Volta region by the militia. While the statement admits that not everybody may feel satisfied with decisions of the tribunals, it says it is dangerous for any person or group of persons to take the law into their own hands and ridicule the new judicial structure. It is recalled that the institution of public tribunals encouraged cadres of the revolution to take over the traditional courts.
Foreign accounts allowed
The PNDC has decided to allow Ghanaians and non-resident Ghanaians to operate foreign accounts.According to the government decision announced by Mr Kwesi Akompon, executive director of the Bank of Ghana, one can operate a foreign account at six authorised banks Ghana Commercial Bank, Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited, Bank of Credit and Commerce (Ghana Limited National Investment Bank of Ghana Limited and the Merchant Bank (Ghana) Limited.
Rise in airport tax
Airport taxes paid by passengers have been increased. Passengers on international flights now have to pay 200 cedis instead of 20 cedis while those on internal flights have to pay 50 cedis instead of 10 cedis.Joint agricultural company with Libya
A member of the Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC, Alhaji Iddrisu Mahama, has said that the Government is determined to meet the basic needs of the people by ensuring that food, shelter, and clothing are made available at all times.The PNDC member was speaking at a ceremony during which he cut the sod for the start of the first phase of the Ghana and Libyan-Arab Agricultural Company project at Tokpoe, in the Tong district of the Volta region.
Libya continues to help
The Ghanaian Times has noted that despite enemy insults and lies, the Socialist People's Libyan Jamahiriya has continued to extend its hand of support to Ghana's revolutionary process and friendship to the people of Ghana. The Times cited a 31 million dollar large scale Ghana-Libyan farm project which is planned to cover 7,560 hectares out of which 3,730 hectares will be irrigated. Maize, groundnuts and other crops have already been planted on the first phase of the farm.20 cocoa men killed
Twenty-one members of Ghana's Cocoa Marketing Board were killed in a road accident in the Central Region last week. A report by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said that the bus in which they were returning from a cocoa workers meeting at Breman Asikuma was involved in a collision, 80 kilometres west of Accra.All the victims belonged to the produce buying division of the board.
Eleven died instantly and ten others shortly after they were taken to the Catholic Mission Hospital at Asikuma.