Summary Of Radio Call-Ins

CHOICE FM PHONE-INS

? The government should get its priorities right before talking about the funding of political parties. Are we to put aside the issues of health and education for the sake of political parties? Political parties should find other sources to fund themselves.

? Parliament should vote against funding of political parties in any debate. How were the parties formed? Any party that can’t fund itself should fold up. Government funds should not be used to fund parties.

? The NDC has incriminated itself by going to Nigeria and accusing the NPP government, of human rights abuses. Has Prof. Mills forgotten so soon about the murders and tortures in the PNDC/NDC regimes? There are no human rights abuses in Ghana now.

? Ghana has no money to fund parties while we live in a poor economy. Parties will use the funds to live luxuriously as some NGOs do. Instead of using funds for developmental projects, they use them for their own selfish ends.

? There are still human right violations going on in the country. The arrest of the former Auditor-General and Tsatsu Tsikata are some of the human right abuses the NPP government, is perpetrating against its opponents.

? We are living in difficult times so political parties should not cry for funding. Those funds should be used to promote good health care and education.

? Ghanaians should do the right thing so that they would not be invited by the police only for them to protest against human rights violations. We are now living in an atmosphere of peace so the NDC should not throw dust into our eyes.

? The NDC should learn to speak the truth and not accuse the NPP government unjustly. In their regime, torture, shaving of hair with broken bottles and detentions were the order of the day. Prof. Mills and his cronies should shut up.

PEACE FM PHONE-INS

? Funding of political parties will not do us any good so far as our economy is concerned. There is no accommodation in our universities so why don’t we put our priorities first? Any party that can’t fund itself should be put on divestiture.

? We will resist the alleged attempt by CEPS to carry out inspection of shops. They should rather check on their men at the borders and harbours who collect bribes from smugglers and travelers and allow them to go away with uncustomed goods.

? All officers of CEPS are corrupt, that is why the Commissioner and top officials cannot take action against their men when complaints are made against them. We have reported some officials at the Tema Harbour for corrupt practices, but these officers are still at post.

? Customs has no business going out to inspect goods on the market. The government should detail some security officers to travel from Aflao to Accra, to ascertain the truth about the corrupt practices involving CEPS officials.

? There have been complaints about CEPS officials at the Aflao border post, but no action has been taken against them. At Aflao, traders are made to pay a bribe of ?40,000 before documents are stamped. Every traveler on the route knows about it, and we can mention names.

? The government should take steps to recover all car loans that have been given to parliamentarians since 1992. If this is not done, we the ordinary people would advise ourselves. We won’t sit down unconcerned while parliamentarians take us for granted.

? Prof. Atta Mills, Dan Lartey and Dr. Edward Mahama are crying that Ghanaians are hungry, so the money for the intended funding of political parties should be given to these party leaders for the purpose of feeding the hungry.

ADOM FM PHONE-INS

? We must endeavour to tell the truth at all times. It is perfectly true that the NDC did not lay any sound economic foundation for the 20 years it held political power.

? Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) should rather see to do something about the numerous illegal connections in several homes and organizations than raise tariffs from time to time to meet its targets.

? Ghana Telecom should not only be interested in increasing tariffs but should equally do something about prompt service delivery and efficiency.

? Any political party that finds itself in power should endeavour to listen to views of the other side of the political divide. There is also the need for the party in power to team up with the opposition to move the nation forward.

? The development of a nation does not only rest on the party in power but also involves the opposition. The opposition is not an enemy.

? We must not blame the NPP for the current economic problems the nation is going through. The economic difficulties were inherited from the NDC. The economy was mismanaged by the NDC government during the years it was in power.

? Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious background, should team up and pray for peace during the 2004 elections. I know that nothing will happen, but the nation requires unceasing prayers to usher in the period peacefully.