Ministry against lynching of suspects - Okaija

Accra, July 21, GNA - Nii Okaija Adamafio, Minister of the Interior, said on Wednesday that the sector is taking the necessary action to discourage and stop the lynching of suspected criminals by mob action.

This, he said, involves prompt apprehension and prosecution of people caught indulging in the practice. Additionally, the Ministry educates members of the public belonging to neighbourhood watchdog committees not to lynch, or in any way, brutalise, persons they arrest.

Nii Okaija, who was answering questions during "Question Time' in Parliament, said however, that it is not the responsibility of the Ministry, and for that matter, the police, to educate the public on the provisions of the constitution relating to fundamental human rights and freedoms.

"Such education falls within the purview of the National Commission on Civic Education", he said. The Minister was responding to a question by Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah, NPP-Okaikoi North who wanted to know measures the Ministry is taking to stop the lynching of suspected criminals in blatant disregard and contravention of the fundamental human rights and freedoms of such criminals.

Mr Darko-Mensah also wanted to find out what steps the Ministry was taking to educate the public on provisions of the constitution on fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Asked whether the Ministry has any working relationship with the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Nii Okaija replied in the affirmative and explained that the Ministry provides adequate security to officials of the Commission whenever they undertake public educational campaigns.

"We do not, however, undertake joint programmes with the NCCE to educate the public on the constitution", he said In an answer to a question whether it is not necessary for the police to educate the public on their limit of action in helping the law enforcement agents to ensure effective policing, Nii Okaija said members of the public who want to offer such assistance must formally inform the police administration.

Asked if in view of the spate of lynching in the country, public education on the constitution, especially on fundamental human rights and freedoms, are adequate, he said "the Commission does not report to the Ministry for us to ascertain whether the education is adequate or otherwise".

On the provision of police stations for districts and towns, Nii Okaija said it is the responsibility of the government to provide such facilities, but inadequate budgetary allocations would not make this possible at one go.

However, communities ready to provide office and residential accommodation for the police are taken out of turn and provided with police stations. The Minister said in deciding which towns and districts should be provided with a police station, factors such as the population of area, level of crime, economic activities and social facilities are taken into consideration.

In an answer to a specific case in Sabronum in the Ahafo Ano South District, Nii Okaija told the questioner, Mr Stephen Kwaku Balado Manu, NPP-Ahafo Ano South, that there are no immediate plans to open a police station in the town.

He explained, however, that the Ministry has tasked the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander to assess conditions whether the area qualifies for such a facility, and submit a report to the Police Administration for the appropriate response.

"The assignment is not yet completed, and to that extent, we have no immediate plans to provide Sabronum with a police station," he said. Accra, July 21, GNA - Mohammed Hajazi, Managing Director of African Automobile Limited (AAL), on Wednesday appeared before a circuit tribunal in Accra, charged with threat of death.

He pleaded not guilty and was granted 10 million cedis bail with one surety to be justified. He will re-appear on August 13. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Sarpong told the tribunal that, on June two, this year, workers of the company embarked on a strike action to back their demand for better service conditions.

DSP Sarpong said on June 23, at about 10 a.m. when the workers were at the front of the company premises, the accused entered his office and brought out a shotgun and threatened to shoot the workers for assembling there.

For fear of their lives, they dispersed, but on July two, they reported again at the front of the factory, where they were served with dismissal letters and re-application forms, which they rejected.

Hajazi again pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot them, and the workers reported the matter to the Odorkor Police. The accused travelled outside the country on July 19 and was arrested on his return.

When he was searched, the Police retrieved two pistols, one with eight rounds of live ammunition. In another development, a high court in Accra has dismissed an application filed by the management of AAL for an order of interlocutory injunction against the Industrial and Commercial Union of the TUC for allegedly instigating workers to cause disturbances and labour unrest in the company.

AAL wanted the court to restrain ICU, which has written to the management to unionise the workers but the company was reluctant to do so.

Giving reasons for dismissing the application, the court, presided over by Mr Justice Richard K. Apaloo, said: "Our constitution makes it abundantly clear that there should be freedom of association and the courts have a duty to protect that freedom".

In the view of the court, the letters from ICU calling for unionisation of the workers were meant to "articulate the right of the workers freedom of association". " Those letters cannot be remotely interpreted to mean organising workers against AAL.

I am unable to rely on those letters to reach that conclusion" the judge declared. The court said the management of AAL failed to establish any link between the workers and ICU which led to the strike and dismissed the application.

It, however, ordered the striking workers not to "approach the premises of AAL within a distance of 200 yards until the final determination of the substantive case, or until the court revoked the order". The management of AAL filed a suit seeking an order to prevent the forced closure of the factory by the workers.