The ministry of Human Rights and Civil Liberties of Guinea has set up a peace volunteer group made up of 9,500 Guinean volunteers and people of good will living in the country in a move to “preserve peace and social tranquility,” official sources said.
The ministry has invited applications in order to recruit the 9,500 peace volunteers 2,500 of whom will be based in Conakry while the rest will be distributed in the municipalities.
The inland provinces including Septe Kindia, Boke, Mamou, Labe, Faranah, Kankan and Nzerekore will each receive 1,000 volunteers.
According to the ministry, the volunteers will be tasked to personally spread a message of peace in the neighborhoods, the administrations, the media, the cafes, the mosques and churches at all times and in all circumstances.
Guinea has often been rocked by pre and post-election violence especially 2010 which inspired the authorities to set up a peace building body ahead of the forthcoming polls.
Source: APA
Copyright : © APA
Monday, October 5, 2015
Guinea-Bissau: Tensions brew between president and new premier
(By Agencies, Citizen Digital) Guinea-Bissau’s president on Saturday accused the new prime minister of overstepping his constitutional bounds by claiming the right to name the cabinet, suggesting a months-old political crisis in the coup-prone West African state is not over.
President Jose Maria Vaz said in a statement it was the head of state’s prerogative to decide the structure of the cabinet and review the names proposed for ministerial appointments by his prime minister.
“The statement of the prime minister, Carlos Correia, concerning the submission of the list for a new cabinet is unconstitutional,” Vaz said, after Correia submitted a list.
The comments marked the first flaring of tensions between Vaz and veteran politician Correia, who was sworn into office in the former Portuguese colony on Sept. 17 in a bid to end a political standoff that had sown fears of Guinea-Bissau slipping back towards chaos after a 2012 coup.
The crisis erupted after Vaz, who won power in elections last year, dismissed Prime Minister Domingoes Simoes Pereira on Aug. 13 after long-running tensions over their respective powers.
The Supreme Court then ruled that Vaz’s unilateral appointment of Baciro Dja as prime minister, against the wishes of the ruling PAIGC party, was unconstitutional.
Over the last decade, the turmoil in Guinea Bissau has allowed drug traffickers to use the tiny, cashew-growing nation as a transit point for South American cocaine headed to Europe. Law enforcement officials have expressed concern that further chaos could allow traffickers to thrive once again.
In an effort to kick-start Guinea-Bissau’s economy, Vaz last week met Chinese investors who signed a memorandum of understanding for investments in agriculture, health and manufacturing.
Guinea-Bissau is notoriously unstable even by the standards of a region known for military takeovers and civil wars. No elected president has served a complete term since independence from Portugal in 1974, and there have been nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.
President Jose Maria Vaz said in a statement it was the head of state’s prerogative to decide the structure of the cabinet and review the names proposed for ministerial appointments by his prime minister.
“The statement of the prime minister, Carlos Correia, concerning the submission of the list for a new cabinet is unconstitutional,” Vaz said, after Correia submitted a list.
The comments marked the first flaring of tensions between Vaz and veteran politician Correia, who was sworn into office in the former Portuguese colony on Sept. 17 in a bid to end a political standoff that had sown fears of Guinea-Bissau slipping back towards chaos after a 2012 coup.
The crisis erupted after Vaz, who won power in elections last year, dismissed Prime Minister Domingoes Simoes Pereira on Aug. 13 after long-running tensions over their respective powers.
The Supreme Court then ruled that Vaz’s unilateral appointment of Baciro Dja as prime minister, against the wishes of the ruling PAIGC party, was unconstitutional.
Over the last decade, the turmoil in Guinea Bissau has allowed drug traffickers to use the tiny, cashew-growing nation as a transit point for South American cocaine headed to Europe. Law enforcement officials have expressed concern that further chaos could allow traffickers to thrive once again.
In an effort to kick-start Guinea-Bissau’s economy, Vaz last week met Chinese investors who signed a memorandum of understanding for investments in agriculture, health and manufacturing.
Guinea-Bissau is notoriously unstable even by the standards of a region known for military takeovers and civil wars. No elected president has served a complete term since independence from Portugal in 1974, and there have been nine coups or attempted coups since 1980.
Guinea: Clashes leave one dead ahead of presidential vote
(AFP) - Clashes between supporters of Guinea's ruling party and opposition activists left at least one dead and more than 80 wounded, a charity said, as tension mounts ahead of next week's presidential election.
Authorities declared a curfew across the southwestern city of N'Zerekore after fighting gripped the city late into Saturday night, the second major outbreak of violence in the run-up to the October 11 polls.
"Our teams, working with the Guinean Red Cross, helped the medical team at the regional hospital of N'Zerekore to care for around 80 people injured by gunshots or rocks," said Olivier van Eyll, the head of medical charity Alima's Guinea mission.
"Unfortunately there was a death among the wounded," he told AFP.
The higher toll comes after a hospital source earlier told AFP at least 16 people were admitted to hospital with bullet wounds following the unrest, while six others came in with injuries caused by sticks and stones.
A source in another hospital spoke of "around a dozen young people" injured.
The violence in Guinea's second-largest city comes after at least 17 people were wounded in clashes between rival factions in the northern town of Koundara in late September, according to witnesses and security sources.
The trouble began in N'Zerekore on Friday afternoon during a visit by President Alpha Conde, who is seeking re-election, and his supporters.
Local traders, many of whom belong to the Fulani ethnic group, traditionally loyal to opposition challenger Cellou Dalein Diallo, were angered when they were asked to close their shops for his arrival.
"That's what lit the fire," a local police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Local residents confirmed his version of events. "Stones were thrown and there are numerous injuries on both sides," one witness said.
Government officials and local authorities were not immediately available for comment.
Eight contenders -- including Conde and Diallo -- have been approved as candidates for the country's second democratic presidential election.
Guinea's opposition on Thursday called for the vote to be postponed until later in October to allow the electoral commission to correct "anomalies and irregularities in the electoral roll".
Authorities declared a curfew across the southwestern city of N'Zerekore after fighting gripped the city late into Saturday night, the second major outbreak of violence in the run-up to the October 11 polls.
"Our teams, working with the Guinean Red Cross, helped the medical team at the regional hospital of N'Zerekore to care for around 80 people injured by gunshots or rocks," said Olivier van Eyll, the head of medical charity Alima's Guinea mission.
"Unfortunately there was a death among the wounded," he told AFP.
The higher toll comes after a hospital source earlier told AFP at least 16 people were admitted to hospital with bullet wounds following the unrest, while six others came in with injuries caused by sticks and stones.
A source in another hospital spoke of "around a dozen young people" injured.
The violence in Guinea's second-largest city comes after at least 17 people were wounded in clashes between rival factions in the northern town of Koundara in late September, according to witnesses and security sources.
The trouble began in N'Zerekore on Friday afternoon during a visit by President Alpha Conde, who is seeking re-election, and his supporters.
Local traders, many of whom belong to the Fulani ethnic group, traditionally loyal to opposition challenger Cellou Dalein Diallo, were angered when they were asked to close their shops for his arrival.
"That's what lit the fire," a local police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Local residents confirmed his version of events. "Stones were thrown and there are numerous injuries on both sides," one witness said.
Government officials and local authorities were not immediately available for comment.
Eight contenders -- including Conde and Diallo -- have been approved as candidates for the country's second democratic presidential election.
Guinea's opposition on Thursday called for the vote to be postponed until later in October to allow the electoral commission to correct "anomalies and irregularities in the electoral roll".
Friday, October 2, 2015
Guinea: Opposition presidential candidates want election delay
(Reuters) - Challengers to President Alpha Conde in Guinea's presidential election want to postpone the Oct. 11 vote until later this month to address irregularities in the process, an opposition leader said on Friday.
Conde's election in 2010 ended two years of brutal military rule and he is favoured to win a second term despite the West African nation's prolonged battle with Ebola and a slump in metal prices.
Sidya Toure, the 2010 poll's third-place finisher and head of the opposition Union of Republican Forces party, said there had been problems with the distribution of voter cards and voters were unevenly distributed among polling stations.
There were also concerns that minors had been registered and added to the voter rolls, he said.
Toure, who said he was speaking on behalf of seven of the eight registered presidential candidates, said: "We need one or two weeks to reduce the risk of fraud."
The Guinean government made concessions to opposition parties in August in an attempt to ensure a peaceful vote and avoid the kind of violence that has plagued previous polls.
Anti-government demonstrations over the election process led to at least six deaths in April and May, according to Amnesty International.
Saramady Toure, a member of Conde's Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) party who helped negotiate the deal, said that the opposition's concerns had already been addressed in the agreement.
"The voter rolls have been carefully verified by the electoral committee, which consists of two opposition experts, two experts from the majority and two others from civil society," he said.
Political analyst and legal expert Mohamed Camara said Guinea's constitution requires the election to take place at least 60 days before the end of the president's term and a delay of 11 days was the maximum allowed.
"Going beyond that deadline could push the country into a situation of illegality with risks of turmoil," he said.
Guinea is Africa's largest producer of bauxite - the raw material for aluminium - and also has massive deposits of iron ore and other minerals.
(Reporting by Saliou Samb; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Joe Bavier and Louise Ireland)
Conde's election in 2010 ended two years of brutal military rule and he is favoured to win a second term despite the West African nation's prolonged battle with Ebola and a slump in metal prices.
Sidya Toure, the 2010 poll's third-place finisher and head of the opposition Union of Republican Forces party, said there had been problems with the distribution of voter cards and voters were unevenly distributed among polling stations.
There were also concerns that minors had been registered and added to the voter rolls, he said.
Toure, who said he was speaking on behalf of seven of the eight registered presidential candidates, said: "We need one or two weeks to reduce the risk of fraud."
The Guinean government made concessions to opposition parties in August in an attempt to ensure a peaceful vote and avoid the kind of violence that has plagued previous polls.
Anti-government demonstrations over the election process led to at least six deaths in April and May, according to Amnesty International.
Saramady Toure, a member of Conde's Rally of the Guinean People (RPG) party who helped negotiate the deal, said that the opposition's concerns had already been addressed in the agreement.
"The voter rolls have been carefully verified by the electoral committee, which consists of two opposition experts, two experts from the majority and two others from civil society," he said.
Political analyst and legal expert Mohamed Camara said Guinea's constitution requires the election to take place at least 60 days before the end of the president's term and a delay of 11 days was the maximum allowed.
"Going beyond that deadline could push the country into a situation of illegality with risks of turmoil," he said.
Guinea is Africa's largest producer of bauxite - the raw material for aluminium - and also has massive deposits of iron ore and other minerals.
(Reporting by Saliou Samb; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Joe Bavier and Louise Ireland)
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Ghana: CSOs identify key electoral issues for 2016 polls
The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) say they will promote reforms of executive power and the strengthening of public interest institutions as central issues in the 2016 general election.
They will, therefore, seek commitment to the multi-party governance reform (MPGR) initiative from candidates of political parties vying for public office.
The resolve to push for commitment to the reforms, IDEG/CFI say, has been engendered by the seeming apathy shown by Ghanaians in the September 1, 2015 district assembly elections, and the investigative work by investigative journalist and lawyer, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas, on corruption in the judiciary.
According to IDEG/CFI, multi-party governance reforms border on public policy, and as such, civil society groups such as theirs have a part to play in shaping policy and action.
Impetus
in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, said the apathy exhibited recently during the district assembly elections had proven right calls by the two bodies for democratic devolution at the district level.
Democratic devolution at the district assembly, which included the opening up of the processes of power at the local level to enable voting on partisan basis, held the key to fixing the development challenges of the country, he emphasised.
The Executive Director said the apathy exhibited had also provided the impetus for IDEG/CFI to campaign for the support of multiparty reforms to strengthen the country’s democracy, while providing the opportunity for politicians in the country to commit to reforms that would be beneficial to citizens.
Dr Akwetey further said the work of the investigative journalist on alleged corruption in the judiciary had proven right their calls for the strengthening of institutions, particularly public interest ones such as the Audit Service, the judiciary, as well as accountability and anti-corruption institutions.
MPGR
MPGR was initiated by the IDEG/CFI in the course of their advocacy on the adoption of good democratic actions by political actors in the country.
Before the 2012 general election, the two, with their partners, held the Kumasi High Level Meeting on November 27, 2012 to get presidential candidates in the election to commit to peaceful means or redressing any electoral grievance to ensure a stable country
Subsequently, a Peace Summit held in Accra on July 19, 2013, weeks before the judgement of the Supreme Court of Ghana on the Presidential Election Petition filed by the NPP presidential candidate, IDEG/CFI also got the commitment of the youth of the political parties and representatives of various segments of society to pledge peace regardless of the decision of the court.
At the Accra summit, proposals for the reform of multi-party governance in Ghana, in order to secure peace, stability, national cohesion and the democratic growth and economic prosperity that all Ghanaians aspire to attain was mooted and was secured on April 28, 2014 when the proposals were launched in Accra.
Proposals
Reforming executive governance, political party reforms, and election cycle/ administrative reforms are the key initiatives under the MPGR.
Under executive governance reforms, proposals include full or enhanced devolution of executive governance to ensure that MMDAs and their political leaders have a stronger decision making power, better access to resources and revenue mobilisation and govern inclusively through their institutions.
Source: graphic.com.gh
They will, therefore, seek commitment to the multi-party governance reform (MPGR) initiative from candidates of political parties vying for public office.
The resolve to push for commitment to the reforms, IDEG/CFI say, has been engendered by the seeming apathy shown by Ghanaians in the September 1, 2015 district assembly elections, and the investigative work by investigative journalist and lawyer, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas, on corruption in the judiciary.
According to IDEG/CFI, multi-party governance reforms border on public policy, and as such, civil society groups such as theirs have a part to play in shaping policy and action.
Impetus
in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, said the apathy exhibited recently during the district assembly elections had proven right calls by the two bodies for democratic devolution at the district level.
Democratic devolution at the district assembly, which included the opening up of the processes of power at the local level to enable voting on partisan basis, held the key to fixing the development challenges of the country, he emphasised.
The Executive Director said the apathy exhibited had also provided the impetus for IDEG/CFI to campaign for the support of multiparty reforms to strengthen the country’s democracy, while providing the opportunity for politicians in the country to commit to reforms that would be beneficial to citizens.
Dr Akwetey further said the work of the investigative journalist on alleged corruption in the judiciary had proven right their calls for the strengthening of institutions, particularly public interest ones such as the Audit Service, the judiciary, as well as accountability and anti-corruption institutions.
MPGR
MPGR was initiated by the IDEG/CFI in the course of their advocacy on the adoption of good democratic actions by political actors in the country.
Before the 2012 general election, the two, with their partners, held the Kumasi High Level Meeting on November 27, 2012 to get presidential candidates in the election to commit to peaceful means or redressing any electoral grievance to ensure a stable country
Subsequently, a Peace Summit held in Accra on July 19, 2013, weeks before the judgement of the Supreme Court of Ghana on the Presidential Election Petition filed by the NPP presidential candidate, IDEG/CFI also got the commitment of the youth of the political parties and representatives of various segments of society to pledge peace regardless of the decision of the court.
At the Accra summit, proposals for the reform of multi-party governance in Ghana, in order to secure peace, stability, national cohesion and the democratic growth and economic prosperity that all Ghanaians aspire to attain was mooted and was secured on April 28, 2014 when the proposals were launched in Accra.
Proposals
Reforming executive governance, political party reforms, and election cycle/ administrative reforms are the key initiatives under the MPGR.
Under executive governance reforms, proposals include full or enhanced devolution of executive governance to ensure that MMDAs and their political leaders have a stronger decision making power, better access to resources and revenue mobilisation and govern inclusively through their institutions.
Source: graphic.com.gh
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