According to the Bishops, government must change from just talk about ending vigilantism and take real action.

Since the NPP took office in January, over 20 acts of violence allegedly perpetrated by youth groups affiliated to the governing party have been recorded.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7EgpZSXasUOpBJhBUAhbRSVPqhFoPQkQ”]However, in most of the cases, there has not been real action that will deter others from engaging in such acts.

The Catholic Bishops Conference in a communiqué issued at the end of its annual plenary assembly, also charged the security agencies to intensify their efforts to end vigilantism.

A part of the communiqué from the just ended Catholic Bishops Conference said “We cannot ignore the fact that, land guards, political vigilante groups and nomadic herdsmen have unleashed violence on Ghanaians for a very longtime. These groups are employed by Ghanaians to protect their property, but often terrorize fellow Ghanaians who have variant interest in the same property. Vigilante groups are creation of some politicians who use them for their political gains. Whilst we commend government for calling on the security agencies to stop the violent activities of land guards, vigilante groups and nomadic herdsmen, we state that we need more action than words. Government must walk the talk. We demand that our security agencies shall disengage these group once and for all.”

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Disband vigilante groups once and for all – Catholic Bishops to gov’t appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Even though the Conference has declared its preparedness to take over the management of mission schools, it is insisting government should take up the responsibility of funding the schools’ activities.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tkaUOmm3ec2p2absI7ll67lTeU7ryIvC”]This position seems to be the point of disagreement between government and the Conference.

Speaking to Citi News, the President of the Conference, Archbishop Philip Naameh explained that the Conference’s call is borne out of a desire to address the deteriorating state of discipline and values in these schools, which they say is a cause for worry.

“The handing over is a question of effective management which is not the case as at now. The churches cannot discipline teachers who are in the school. Teachers can come early morning drunk. The churches do not have the power as at now, even though we are involved in education to sack those teachers.”

“This will not be the case when the handing over is done …churches don’t even have the right to come up with a syllabus which is not approved by the government so the education policy is still government but when it comes to the implementation, that is where the churches will be given a freerer hand but funding of education will still be the responsibility of government because they collect taxes. If government has a policy to make education more affordable to Ghanaian children why should those attending mission schools be exempted? We are only happy that at least the government is open to the idea but the announcement alone that they will hand over schools to the mission does not give any date.”

Government to hand over mission schools – Matthew Opoku Prempeh

The Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh had earlier indicated government’s preparedness to hand over mission schools to religious bodies.

He indicated that the return of the mission schools to its former owners is a pledge by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that should be fulfilled.

Various religious groups, including the Christian Council of Ghana have for sometime now been calling for the reversal of a 1984 take-over of their schools which was basically set up to provide Christian education.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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John Mahama has been heavily criticized by a section of the public over his recent appointments and approval of salary increments for some group of Ghanaian workers few weeks to leaving office.

But according to him, all the decision were made in the larger interest of the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”VZV7JL5JraC6saDkQqtTsXxQoG09Sny4″]Speaking to representatives of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference who called on him at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday, President Mahama insisted that, even though he had lost the recently held national elections to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, he remained the President and was responsible for steering the affairs of the country until he officially hands over power on January 7, 2017.

“We are looking forward to the inauguration. The transition has gone smoothly so far and we have engaged each in utmost good faith. Our democracy is evolving and so there are some constitutional issues that definitely has come up as to whether a President is still a president even after he has lost an election until the midnight of the inauguration. But I believe convention or legality might answer those questions.”

“So for whatever we agree to do, we set the pace for the future and so we’ll continue to work together for the greater interest of Ghana,” Mahama said.

President John Dramani Mahama has also given the assurance that he will hand over a peaceful and stable Ghana to his successor; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, come January 7, 2017.

“I inherited a peaceful and stable country from my predecessor, the late President John Evans Atta Mills and will also hand over a peaceful and stable government to my successor, the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.”

‘Mahama swears-in Commissioners for NCCE, CHRAJ’

Earlier this month, President Mahama swear into office Mr Joseph Whittal as the new Commissioner for the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

The Commission had been without a substantive Commission for almost a year, following the removal of the previous commissioner, Laurette Lamptey over allegations of corruption.

He also swore into office a new director for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).   The new director, Mrs. Josephine Nkrumah had been the deputy Commissioner at the NCCE for almost two years.

He also appointed a new Auditor General, and increased allowances for service personnel by sixty percent.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘Last-minute’ appointments in Ghana’s interest – Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They say the EC must be adequately resourced to ensure deliver on their mandate.

“We comment the Electoral Commission for all the measures it has put in place to ensure peaceful, free, faiur, transparent and credible elections. We strongly urge that the Commission should be provided with all the logistics necessary for the elections,” it said.

A communiqué issued by the Conference after its annual Plenary Assembly in Tamale in the Northern Region called on politicians to desist from the temptation of vote buying in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections which they said had the potential of jeopardizing the credibility of the elections.

It said, “such practice is an insult to the intelligence and dignity of the unsuspecting voters. We call for a stop to such acts of vote buying and also entreat the electorate to desist from yielding to such needless enticements.”

The Conference however warned the EC to avoid complacency since the success of the forthcoming elections, depended on it.

It noted that “the integrity and success of the, forthcoming elections depend primarily on the Electoral Commission. It is the institution constitutionally mandated, among other duties to compile the register of voters and revise it periodically to demarcate the electoral process and its purpose.”

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference one week Plenary Assembly was held under the theme: “Reconciliation with God, humanity and nature in the year of mercy.”

Most Reverend Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale was elected as the new President of the Conference at the Assembly.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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