Attorney General Explains Truth Commission

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that they have nothing to fear from the proposed national reconciliation commission.

Contributing to the debate on President John A. Kufuor's address to Parliament on February 15, 2001, he said many are afraid of the proposed reconciliation commission which the President promised in his address will be set up to investigate human rights abuses.

He explained that the commission's mandate would not include seeking vengeance for the wrongs of the past but rather reconcile Ghanaians. "We are not concerned with the abuses of the past because the abusers are already protected under the transitional provisions of the 1992 Constitution and therefore we will not waste time on that. "We are a new generation representing a new vision for Ghana", he added.

Commenting further, the Attorney-General who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Abuakwa said the problem with the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) members is that they are used to a certain kind of speech and are therefore finding it difficult to comprehend what President Kufuor said. "The speech is different from those of the past because it is in compelling language as it sought to define the goals of government, giving a vision of the society to be created". Continuing, the minister said the main purpose of the speech is to show the direction of government policies from now on.

These policies, he explained, sought to place the citizens at the centre point of government's activities thereby ensuring that the state enriches the life of the citizens. He also said that by resorting to market economics, the speech also seeks to release the creative energies of the people to ensure that through their ingenious ways the benefits of capitalism can reach the majority of the people.

"The speech spells out a noble vision for a free society and it outlined the method to reach that goal", he concluded. Earlier, Mr. J. H. Mensah, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, in a statement to the House, congratulated Ghanaians for the 44th Independence Anniversary on Tuesday and agreed that March 6 should be the single most important day on the nation's calendar as said by the President and commended the Ghana Armed Forces for their display on the parade ground.

He also paid tribute to late Victor Owusu, a former Attorney-General whose body was laid in state at the forecourt of the State House on Wednesday. The veteran politician described the late Owusu as a nationalist who can be ranked alongside late Dr. J. B. Danquah who gave the name 'Ghana' to this country and also chose 'March 6' as Independence Day.

Contributing, Mr. Kofi Attoh (NDC - Ho Central) expressed his happiness at the acceptance of March 6 as the most important day in Ghana's calendar by all including those who opposed the motion for independence by late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The opponents of independence, he pointed out, even staged a walk out of the House that day but the fact that the politicians of that tradition have accepted March 6 as an important day is an indication that Ghana's democracy is moving forward and the country will reach that point of convergence soon.

Nana Akufo-Addo stood up to contest this but Attoh explained that what he said is true and has also been historically documented for posterity. In the debate itself, Amos Buertey (NDC - Ada) said society needs reconciliation as individuals and whole social groups have been hurt and urged that if the national reconciliation commission is set up the grievances of these communities must also be looked into.

He cited the construction of the Akosombo Dam that left many of his constituents destitute. The dam, he explained, has changed the ecology of the constituency and deprived many of their source of livelihood. He also cited the operations of the Vacuum Salt Industry and the abuses that were visited by the managers on the residents in its area of operation. Samuel Johnfia (NPP - Ahanta West) said the high domestic debt profile is worrying because in 1999, the government paid ?1.3 trillion as interest on it and praised the NPP government's determination to lower it. Another MP, Kofi Opoku Edusei (NPP -Bekwai) described the President's speech as a masterpiece and also stressed that the issue of reconciling the society should not be trivialized as it is not meant as a witch- hunt.

Second Deputy Speaker, Ken Dzirasa (NDC - South Tongu) faulted the decision of the President to sell the executive jet and said the present arrangement where the President depends on the goodwill of other countries to make his travels is not the best.

Quoting articles 75.1 and 181.3 and 5, he said the decision to sell the jet is not for the President to decide but rather is the duty of Parliament to take that decision. Daniel Tekpertey (NDC - Yilo Krobo) who also spoke said a lot of harm has been done to many and therefore wanted to know which period in the country's history the commission will cover.