NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NEED FOR INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE WARRING FACTIONS IN SOUTH SUDAN TO END THE CONFLICT THERE, BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST.

To described some of the stories that have emerged in the aftermath of military takeovers, ordinary change in regimes and even traditional rulers in most parts of  the developing world as blatantly hilarious, is to state the obvious. The legacy of trauma emanating from memories of torture and rape; the feeling of being dejected, rejected, disappointed, and the attendant health implications that wars have brought to humanity should not be taken lightly. The world has become a global village hence what happens in Syria, Angola, South Sudan, Israel, Palestine and the Central African Republic must be of concern to all. Particularly disturbing is the ongoing bloodshed in the World’s youngest country- South Sudan. Since fighting between government forces and rebels broke out in the South Sudan’s capital Juba on 15^th December 2013, about 413, thousand people have been displaced whilst 66,500 others have sought refuge at various UN compounds across the country. According to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, the death toll from the fighting is approaching 10,000. What makes these figures worrisome is the fact that the entire country’s population is estimated at five million. Disputes within South Sudan’s ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, SPLM, erupted in July 2013 when President Salva Kiir sacked his cabinet, including his vice Riek  Machar, who openly declared his intention to seek the party’s leadership. International observers did not see this as the beginning of bloody clashes in south Sudan considering the fact that the country gained independence from Sudan only in July 2011 taking with it three quarters of oil production. It therefore came as surprise when violence broke out on December 15 with gunshots at a meeting of the ruling party in the capital Juba. As should be expected President Salva Kiir accused his former vice Reik Machar who has the support of the rebels, of trying to stage a coup. Although Mr. Machar denied the charge 11 prominent politicians, including the former secretary-general of the ruling SPLM and former Cabinet Affairs Minister who were sacked along Reik Machar and are loyal to him were arrested and detained. The magnitude of the conflict is further compounded by the demand for the release of the political detainees on the part of the rebels as precondition for ceasefire and the unwillingness of the government to do. Equally worrying is the categorical stand taken by President Kiir that power sharing is not an option. War, our elders say is the sport of kings and is not done so long as the enemy lives. Unfortunately this is not the case in South Sudan. The continuous use of violent force against civilians, particularly women and children, disrespect on the part of South Sudanese security forces and other armed groups for human rights regardless of ethnic origin or political affiliation and worse of it all indiscriminate killings and targeted attacks on aid workers thus hampering delivery of aid, only affirms the assertion that when two elephants fight, the innocent grass suffers. It is pathetic that the warring factions have expressed concern about the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, yet are failing to yield to international pressure to sign a ceasefire deal to end the conflict. In a matter of about two months thousands of south Sudanese have been killed, tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes, and some are trapped in neighbouring Central African Republic where that interim government in Bangui is also facing security challenges. Mediators and the rest of the international community including the African Union, the United Nations, and the so called super powers of the world should consider activating force, as they did in Mali, Libya, Cote d’Ivoire and other places, since perseverance appears to be failing. The bottom line after all is that the people of Sudan are more important than the two leaders. South Sudan's political leaders must return to the spirit and promises of freedom, peace and prosperity that they promised the people less than three years ago when the new nation was born. Hope is not lost yet. What is needed is peace, reconciliation and assistance to the displaced families to return home and continue rebuilding their lives, and their country, once again. Already the conflict has led to damage of oil pumping facilities in South Sudan’s Unity State and this has caused a sharp drop in oil production from 245,000 barrels per day to only 200,000 barrels per day and still falling. This could have micro economic implications for Ghana hence we must be worry of development in South Sudan and other oil producing countries. The religious across the globe should also intensify their prayers to help end the escalating violence in South Sudan.

GBC/GIA.

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NEED TO ABOLISH WITCH CAMPS AS WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, A SEASON OF LOVE

The 7th Edition of the Oxford Advanced learners Dictionary-International students version-defines witchcraft as the use of magical powers especially evil ones.

The same dictionary defines a witch is a man or woman who claims to have magic powers and to be able to use them for good or bad purposes.

In fairy stories a witch is a woman usually an old woman who has evil magic powers.

Many Ghanaians regardless of their religious affiliation believe witchcraft is real and can be destructive.

This non-empirical and intuitive mentality with no justification in today’s scientific world is unfortunately the reason behind the inhumane treatment usually meted out to people perceived or believed to be witches.

It is annoying, that in the 21st century where the claim of civilisation is pegged at its peak, with Christian and Islamic teachings purported to be at their best, coupled with the claim that rule of law is supreme in Ghana, there are as many as over 966 women and six hundred and seven (607) children detained in three out of the six witch camps in the Northern Region.

These are Ngani witches camp in Yendi, the Kukuo witches camp at Bimbila and the famous Gambaga witches camp at Gambaga.

Sadly the Ghanaian media only highlights the plight of witches in the northern part of the country as if it was a deliberate attempt to paint a dark picture of virtually everything in the north. The story of the 72-year old woman, who was burnt in the industrial city of Tema, by five adults for allegedly being a witch, a few years ago is still fresh in our memory.

The police in Takoradi also made public, the story of a couple who kept their nine year old son indoors until his death on the orders of a spiritualist that the boy was possessed by witchcraft.

The list is endless with prayer camps seemingly playing a dominant role in the persecution of so called witches.
Without attempting to endorse the purported acts of witchcraft, it is only fair that in the absence of any authentic proofs all human beings are treated fairly.

In virtually all cases, alleged witches, apart from being beaten mercilessly, are forced to drink unhealthy herbal concoctions to prove their innocence most of which are injurious to their health.

There is scientific evidence that some people who profess to be speaking with the devil or hearing voices of others including voices of the dead are simply hallucinating.

Medical science has proven that there are many psychological disorders that manifest in people especially at the menopausal or old age that make sufferers to sometimes behave in ways that some people may attribute to witchcraft.

Yet there is no correlation between the two.

The question is for how long shall we continue to infringe on the fundamental human rights of these so called witches most of whom are either from very poor homes or are very old in the name of culture? The 1992 constitution makes it clear that no one is guilty unless otherwise proven by a court of competent jurisdiction.
It is therefore criminal for anyone to hide behind culture and religion to infringe on the rights of others under the pretext of witchcraft.

Certainly the rights of some people have been grossly abused, in the name of witchcraft, and the time to end it, is now. The Ministry of Gender and Social Protection, the Ministry for the Interior together with the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice must ensure the immediate closure of all witch camps in the country and perpetrators dealt with accordingly. In the most infantile state of the mind it may be true that many of the accused may have committed demonic acts with witchcraft. What is however factually true is that many have been falsely accused and are suffering for accusations they have no knowledge of.

What is good for the goose we are told is good for the gander.
Lets remember that as we celebrate Christmas that the son of man came to die for our sins and do unto other as we will wish it done unto us.
Before God there is no Jew nor Gentile neither should we also see others as witches and others not.

All human beings are humans beings created by the same God who shows no partialities.

Let’s treat all people equally just as our God treats us.

BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST   

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NEW YEAR SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON

If the assessment by the Jewish scholar- Yehezkel Dror- to the effect that a public policy is a very complex and dynamic process whose various components make different contributions to it, with the view of deciding major guidelines for actions directed at the future by governmental organizations, is anything to go by, then the Annual New Year School and Conference by the University of Ghana ought to be given the thumbs up.

The University of Ghana has over the years organized the New Year School with or without government support regardless of which government is in office. Instituted in 1948 as the Department for Extra Moral Studies, the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education of the University of Ghana has paid its dues through realistic contributions to the enrichment of Ghana’s economic, political, educational, social and cultural sectors.

The Annual New Year School has in the last 65 years selected themes based on non-partisan national socio-economic challenges facing the country; and participants have arguably handled discussions in the school in the most dispassionate manner.

The Institute has in the last five years deliberated on issues that were aimed to move Ghana to the next pedestal of progress with corresponding results. For instance the school last year discussed ways of improving upon issues on water, sanitation, and hygiene with the view to safeguarding the health of the people with the Executive Chairman of Zoomlion and Jaspong Group of Companies, Dr.Joseph Siaw Agyapong, as the main speaker.

The net effect according to the director of the institute, Prof. Yaw Oheneba-Sakyi, is the construction of landfills and other steps taken to address the health and sanitation needs of the country. Indeed, whatever is needed to move Ghana forward has been largely been discussed in the Annual New Year school.

At the 61st New Year School in 2010, the Chief Justice, Mrs. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood spoke extensive on corruption, bi-partisan long term national development, need to review the 1992 Constitution, transparent and credible power transfer, ethnic politics, proliferation of small arms and many critical issues.

As if she foresaw what was ahead in elections 2012, the Chief Justice, a democratic theorist, called for tolerance and reminded Ghanaians that elections alone does not constitute democracy and asked all to take a cue from post election disputes in countries like Kenya, Cote d’ Ivoire and Rwanda.

Thank God Ghana narrowly escaped in 2013 but that does not mean we will be lucky all the time. Admittedly consensus building among people of diverse backgrounds as well as the platform for dispassionate discussions of national issues devoid of partisan politics that the New Year School provides has contributed largely to the culture of tolerance and deepening of the so called Ghanaian hospitality at least outside NDC/NPP politics.

Equally remarkable is the decision by organisers of the New Year school to use one theme for the next five years. If the words of the man Joseph Gobbels, who is popularly referred to as the father of propaganda that ‘a stupendous lie repeated with zeal eventually gains credibility is true, then how much more will a rational truth repeated with zeal yield?

The Theme Information and Communication Technology-Driven Education for Sustainable Human Development: Challenges and Prospects, which is expected to run for the next five years must yield dividends for at least two reasons: First participants will be coming out with a communiqué annually on how ICT can improve productivity.

Secondly, the world has moved from the Stone Age through to the Industrial and now to the Digital Age for which Ghana cannot and must not be left out. Today, world class Universities in the UK, USA, India and many other countries are using ICT to provide quality education from first degree to PHD through e-learning and the open University system.

According to the former vice chancellor of the University College of Education, Prof. Josphus Anamoah-Mensah, Ghana needs additional 17 Universities with a capacity of 30 thousand students each by 2025 to absorb the teeming number of Senior High School leavers, which translate into building one new university every two months.

Certainly, the current educational system of instruction was built for a generation that is fast fading away and Ghana must adopt ICT to address the educational needs of its people. Available data at the national communication authority indicate that about 26 miilion mobile phones are in use in Ghana.

Surely, these can be used productively in addressing the needs of education. The University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, KNUST and the University of Education deserve commendations for the hard copy system of distance education.

The Universities offering distance education should therefore consider going digital to absorb more students and complete the task of offering quality and out of classroom direct or face to face system of education.

The Institute of Continuing and Distance Education of the premier University deserves commendation for sustaining the Annual New Year School. Authoritative actors in our body politic should endeavour to scrutinize the findings or communiqué that will be issued and take bold steps to ensure that our economy is ICT-driven for if the whole world is turning into a beast and we are left behind, we will simply be taken for meat.

BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST