Day: July 28, 2023

Ghana’s Parliament has passed the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to proscribe witchcraft accusation.

The object of the Bill is to amend the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Acts 29) to prohibit the practice by any person as a witch doctor or a witch finder; to proscribe the declaration, accusation, naming or labelling of another person as a witch; and for related matters.

The Private Member’s Bill was sponsored by Mr Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina.

Other sponsors include: Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, NDC MP for Pusiga; Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, NDC MP for Wa East, Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, NDC MP for Krachi West and Madam Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah, NDC MP for Afram Plains North.

When Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin put the question to a voice vote after the third reading, the Motion was carried.

Mr Sosu in his contribution during the debate noted that the accusation of a person as witch sometimes could amount to a death sentence depending on the community in which the said accusation was made.

Mr Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said the Committee was of the view that there was the need to pass a law to deter accusations of witchcraft and its attendant human rights abuse, provide a legal framework to law enforcement agencies to prosecute offenders of Hunan rights out of witchcraft accusations and, gives confidence to victims currently residing in witch camps to reintegrate into their communities and unite with their families was long overdue.

‘Mr Speaker, I will have to thank the sponsors of this Bill, it is one of the inhuman treatments that we do as a country. And I am grateful that the Committee unanimously agreed on the report, and I am happy that the House has also unanimously agreed with us that witchcraft accusations and witch doctors and witch finders as we find in our Criminal Code must be done away with.’ Mr Anyimadu-Antwi said.

‘Let it not be told anywhere that we are passing laws to acknowledge witches or do away with witchcraft. We do not, and it has never been agreed or proved that the beliefs that we have as witchcraft are a reality. It is a superstition’.

Mr Anyimadu-Antwi noted that it was surprising that all over Africa, it was only on Ghana that they had witch Camps; stating that ‘this does not sit well with Ghana’s constitutional Provision that nobody must be subjected to inhuman treatments, or every individual is entitled to decent dignity’.

He reiterated it was one of things that was drawing Ghanaians down and that as far as the 17th and 16th centuries, the United Kingdom had made laws to abolish witch doctors and witchcraft.

He expressed concern over the post passage of the Bill and that they must together with the civil societies that assisted in coming out with the Bill, such as Action Aid, Sanneh Institute and Amnesty International, must assist Parliament to make sure that these illegal witch-camps were done away with.

Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, NDC MP for Wa East, one of the sponsors of the Bill, said the Bill sought to prohibit persons practising as witch doctors or witch finders.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghanaian Multiple Grammy nominated singer, Rocky Dawuni is set to perform at this year’s ‘festival Latainidades’ in Salvador, Bahia Brazil.

The is the second edition of the festival and would take place on Saturday, July 29, 2023.

The festival is aimed to shade the motive behind racism, using the power of music to shed light on issues of people of the African descent in the diaspora.

In an Instagram post by Dawuni read: ‘I will be live in a concert in Brazil this Saturday, July 29 at Festival Latinidades in Salvador, Bahia Brazil.

Dawuni thanked Epsy Campbell, Former Vice President of Costa Rica, for the collaborations of this event, and her dynamic leadership.

‘Big love to all the musicians from around the world who participated in this historic festival,’ the post read.

Lovers of Rocky Dawuni can get more information about the event at www.afrolatinas.com.br.

Dawuni performs his signature ‘Afro Roots’ sound which is a mixture of Reggae, Afrobeat, Highlife and Soul music, which generates passion and relatable dynamic reality of life.

Festival Latinidades is an annual event dedicated to Black culture, held in Brasília since 2008, it celebrates the International Day of Black Latin American and

Caribbean Women, also known as the International Afro-descendant Women’s Day) on July 25, since 1992

The festival brings together music, dance, theater, and literature performances, as well as debates on education, entrepreneurship, creative economy, and communication.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reiterated that Parliament has not legalised the use of Marijuana (wee) for creational purposes in the country.

He said what the House sought to do through the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was to amend the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) to empower the Minister of Interior to grant a license for the cultivation of cannabis which has not more than 0.3 per cent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content on a dry weight basis for industrial purposes for obtaining fibre or seed or medicinal purposes.

‘Passage of the Bill does not connote or legalise the recreational use or smoking of cannabis; therefore, the House remains steadfast in its commitment to enforcing the law against the unlawful use of cannabis,’ the Speaker made this known on Thursday, in a formal communication to the House.

The Amendment Bill has been necessitated due to the ruling of the Supreme Court in the case between Ezuame versus the Attorney-General and the Speaker of Parliament with Writ No. J1/1112021 dated 27th July 2022.

In the said ruling, the Apex Court declared section 43 of the Narcotics Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) as unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

Speaker Bagbin said there was inaccurate information in a section of the media with regards to the passage of the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

‘It is imperative to reiterate, particularly in the face of the inaccurate media representation, that the purpose of our legislative action has never been, and is not now, to promote or legalise the recreational use or smoking of cannabis.’ Speaker Bagbin stated.

He noted that the House remains steadfast in its commitment to enforcing the law against the unlawful use of cannabis.

He said Parliament would continue to act in a manner that upholds the Constitution, serves the public interest, and advances the nation’s development.

Speaker Bagbin reiterated that the cultivation, the manufacture, the processing, the production, the sale, the distribution or the use of narcotic plants, including wee, marijuana or synthetic or semi-synthetic drug without lawful authority remains an offense and was punishable by laws of Ghana.

He called on the law enforcement authorities to continue to investigate, to prosecute and to commit offenders to the sanctions of the law.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghanaian journalists have been advised not to be in a hurry to report or publish stories without subjecting such issues to intensive examination and fact-checking.

Mr Robert Ajene, the Chairman of the Upper East Regional National Media Commission Advisory Committee who gave the advice said journalists had the duty to uphold the peace and stability of the country with factual and balanced reportage.

‘When you are reporting on something that you have personal interest in, do not publish it because you are bound to support one side,’ Mr Ajene said, adding, ‘when you also want to make a reportage when you have not examined the materials to be good enough, do not put it in the news’.

Mr Ajene explained that information not examined was not worth sharing as it would not be relevant but had the potential to cause conflicts or reignite existing conflicts.

Mr Ajene who is also a Retired Educationist gave the admonition at Bolgatanga during the launch of the second edition of awards of the Upper East Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

The awards which would come off October 6, 2023, is on the theme, ‘Safeguarding the Peace and Security of The Upper East Region: The Role of The Media.’

He acknowledged the difficulty journalists faced in their line of duty in the country and encouraged them not to be influenced to shield facts but instead uphold professionalism that would inure to the development of the ordinary people.

‘You have taken by the bull by the horns, so speaking the truth, you will succeed in bringing out what people will embrace and praise, so stand firm and we the observers will clap hands for you,’ he added.

Mr William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, the Upper East Regional Chairman of the GJA noted that journalists had the potential of breeding conflicts when they publish information with verification and urged media practitioners in the region to be circumspect when on reporting on conflict related issues in the region.

‘If we must report on any conflict, let us cross check our information very well. If after crosschecking and we are still in doubt, leave out. It is better not to report on matters you are not sure about the accuracy of your information than to report and mislead the public because the consequences of such could be dire,’ he added.

On fighting violent extremism, Mr Jalulah urged the journalists to work with the security agencies to ensure reportage did not inform suspects to strategies and succeed in their attack but rather would help the security agencies to clamp down in such suspects.

The categories to be awarded include Journalist of the Year, Agriculture Reporting, Child Protection, Human Rights, Water and Sanitation, Conflict Reporting, Environment, Health, Gender, Disability, Sports, Best Radio Station, Tourism and Culture, Best Radio Programme and a number of honoury awards.

Entries have been opened from July 28, 2023 to August 29, 2023 at 1700 hours.

Professor David Millar, President of Millar Institute of Transdisciplinary and Development Studies, Mr Jaladeen Abdulai, Upper East Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and Mr Samuel Adadi Akapule, a Communication Lecturer at the Bolgatanga Technical University were inaugurated as the Awards Vetting Committee.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Angola-China Joint Bilateral Commission are meeting on August 10 in Luanda, to assess the current state of cooperation between the two countries and draw up new guidelines, Angola’s Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to China, João dos Santos Neto has said.

The Angolan diplomat added that there is the prospect for the signing of memoranda in the agriculture and fisheries field and a reciprocal investment protection agreement with the Chinese delegation.

In a cooperation centred on various sectors, with “excellent and historic” relations between the two countries, Angola intends to adjust the trade balance, diversifying exports to the Asian giant, in addition to “traditional” oil.

With China currently exporting manufactured goods to Angola, Ambassador João dos Santos Neto said he hopes that the next meeting of the committee increases cooperation areas to attract more Chinese businessmen to the country.

Huawei trains 2000 Angolans/year

The technology centre of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, a Chinese multinational network and telecommunications equipment company has trained 2,000 young Angolan staff annually.

According to the Angolan ambassador, these staff will be able to ensure the science and technology sector in the country, with emphasis on technological centres, such as the one under construction in central Huambo Province.

The Angolan embassy in China controls 300 scholarship holders receiving engineering training and other sectors.

The ambassador recalled that in 2018 the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, made available a three-year programme of 500 scholarships awards.

The programme, which reserves a quota for doctorate course professors of Angolan universities, slowed down with Covid-19, but has already resumed and is running

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)