TheLe@ Obse,."erNI%' Fortnightly Organ of the Legon Society on National AfiaiI:s Vol. n No.5 3 -16 March 1967 Price 15p or 12tnp - IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL EDITORIAL .............. . A Cbange in Name and Emphasis A CHANGE IN NAME AND EMPHASIS L.s.N.A.. COMMUNIC;l.T10N Fundamental Right (If) THE 0 RIG I N A L organization which founded and l1as Polilical Correspondent been publishing the Legoll Observer was called the "Legon Committee on National Reconstruction". A glance at our AFRICA .......... ... . . Sierra Leone: Explosions of a masthead today will tell the reader that this name-one Constitutional Crisis year BId on March Ist,..---is now changed to the "Legon So- K. A. B. J ones~Quartey ciety on National Affairs" ("LS.N.A."). THE ECONOMY . .. .. . . .. #' Problems in Import Licensing We hope those among our many readers wh0 have thought Kwaku Manu of the matter or, better still, have raised the question with OBSERVER NOTEBOOK ..... Interview with .Brigadier Ocran-A us in private conversation, will feel satisfied with the ,cbange. )Tb~oLib~~~ors The new name is designed to clarify the nature of our self-and the Revolution commitment, and simultaneously to broaden the base of JSanity at E.C.A. Session News from Foreign Paper.:> our organization and expand the scope of our thought as Order of Precedence ot of Priority? well as our activities. Both the terms aCornrnittee" and LETFERS .. . ... ... ... ... .. !O "Reconstruction" have outlived their. original I\urpose and British Justice and Kwesi Annab (2) B. Hughes and Salary Increase become unnecessarily restrictive. Indeed from the very The New Cedi beginning they were instrumental in suggesting to out- White Paper and Apa\oo Commission siders connections we neither had nor desired, and claims BOOK REVIEW . . . .. . .. . .. ... 11 to which we were never attached or even attracted. The Press in Africa (RosaJynde Ainslie) K. A. B. J ones-Quartey What Is On In Ghana The ex-Legon Committee, now the Legon Society, A. N. Hakam celebrates its first anniversary of existence this week. We COMMENTARY ... ... ... .. . . .. 14 \vere founded exactly five days after the Coup, on March ,.Tbc Trade Fair and Ghana's Prospects 1st, 1966. A little more than four months later, on July 8th, for Trade and Investments A. N. Hakam we launched our own mouthpiece, the Observer, whose _ The Choice of Freedom first anniversary we shall therefore be celebrating, in turn, John Kwadu four months hence. RELIGION . .. ... ... ... .. . ... 17 The Dilemma of Christia-n Missions in The main purpose and justification underlying our for- ..l r~~ Assimeng. ' mation twelve months ago still hold valid for us today, namely SPORT ... ... .. . . .. ... 19 the single-minded application of ourselves to the problems Corrtmonwealth Featherweight of our country. and the sharing of what constructive thoughts Title Fight- A correction we may form on these problems with the N.L.C. and all The Football Slump (l) Sports Correspondent its successor Governments, and our fellow-citizens. But at the POEM 21 time .of the· coup these problems could rightly be described The Spent Scare as problems strictly of reconstruction, having regard to the G. Adali-Mortty prodigious rebuilding job there was to be dODe on what NEWS SUMMARY 22 had been left to us by Nkrumah and his wrecking-crew. OBSERVER NOTICES 23 One cannot, however, pursue negative ideals indefinitely, so the then Committee decided to stop ourselves sounding as if we were going to continue for ever trying to repair THE change of name from tbe Legan Nkrumah! At the same time we thought of the term Committee 00 Nationnl Reconstruc-- don to the Legon Society on National "National Affairs" for that part of the new name, as being Affairs docs Dot in any way affect both more flexible and more comprehensive. any previous cootructual obligations cntered into by us. AU such legnl With the organization's anniversary and the change in cootr.lcts are still valid. . our name we have also made a perspective review of our functions, and have renewed our determination to offer 2 TIlE LEGO; J OBSERVER 3 March maximum service to the country in the areas of our interest or competence, and to the limit Education of our ability. In particular, we aim to examine more systematicaUy, and present our views upon, certain broad subjects such as education and a good agriculture, two areas in which administrative policy and practical schemes of operation don't investment always coalesce with bappy results. There are otber matters, such as economic -planning, fiscal policy, and social service, on which there can never be too much thinking or study on the part GHANA of aU concerned, whether they be government, academic, professional, or private persons. From time to time therefore we expect to be able to COMMERCIAL present not only our views on these problems but also some systematic formulations which may, we should humbly hope, contribute to their solution. BANK, We have invited participatioll in all these endeavours from members of the wider public outside our own circ1es, outside the Universities of Ghana, aDd even outside the country itself. We hereby renew the invitation and will repeat it from time to time in these columns. We admit being immensely cheered by the many expressions of appreciation of our efforts which reach us throught various channels, but should feel even happier if we received more contributions to our ' columns, in the form of art icles and letters on topical matters. The only kind of journalistic vitalism gua- ranteeing the survival of the Fourth Estate itself is that in which there is a ceaseless dialogue between those who write and those who read. And the readers-is jt really necessary to add? - contribute most to the survival of a journal like this one when every now and then they exchange roles and become the writers. Editors and journalists would be the first to admit that the real writers, of appeal and sophistication, exist in their numbers quite outside the circles of editors and journalists so described-whether professionai.or, like us, amateur. We invite our readers again to come fo rward and be our writers as well. We also ask that they communicate with us, in any case, on all other matters of importance to our survival and con- Ghana Commercial Bank Branches throughout tinued service: whether it be to quarrel with HEAD OFFICE, P.O. BOX 2971, ACCRA. our editorial views or to complain about the non-arrival of their subscription copies of the CABLES COMMERBANK TEL. ACCRA 64914 Observer. Meanwhile, we wish them all our own special " Happy New Year"-with us! 3 March 1967 TIffi LEGON OBSERVER L.S.N.A. Communication should be appointed by a Judicial Service Com- mission, which should be free from interference FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT~ (II) by either the executive or the legislature. It is By here proposed that the Commission should comprise the Cbief Justice, the Senior Judge of tbe Su- Our Political Correspondent preme Court, the Senior Judge of the Higb Court, r 0 R :r H E_ purpose of maintaining our freedom the Attorney-Geoeral, the President of the Bar it is not sufficient only tbat fundamental rights Association, the Chairman of the Public Service should be written into the Constitution. Fun- Commission, and one prominent citizen not a damental rights need to be grotected, to be girded lawyer. Needless to say, tbe Judicial Service with cast-iron defences. Commission should be entrenched in the Consti- It is necessary to stress at the beginning that tution. u1timately it is for the citizens, led by that aGtive - Removal of a J udge- minority of politically conscious and public- spirited people on whose leadership all political In addition to the -power of appointment, the fights are firmly based, to fight for their rights and Commission .sbould be responsible for the pro- cballenge every bit of encroachment tbat would motioo and discipline of members of tbe Judi- violate those rigbts. This, however, properly ciary. The salaries of judges sbould be charged viewed. does not devalue constitutional devices on the Consolidated Fund, so that the executive that safeguard these rights, for constitutional is deprived of the opportunity of using its power devices, in 'Dormal peaceful times, are perhaps over the purse to influence the conduct of judges . the most important weapons for defending the Sbould it become regrettably necessary for Par- rights of the citizen. Two of these devices are liament to remove a judge, tills should be done absolutely essential. only on specific grounds of misconduct, incom- Constitutional Devices petence, or infirmity of body or mind. And that should be done only after the Judicial Service First, fundamental rights should be entrenched. Commission bas reported in favour of removal. In the second communication on "Political It is also necessary tbat tbe judge should be given Parties and the Electoral System" (Legon Observer, an opportun.ity to answer charges preferred against Vol. II , No.3) the concept of entrenchment was him before the Judicial Service Commission explained. The explanation may be repeated here acting as a judicial body. because of its importance. The provision gover- ning fundamental rights should not be capable It has been suggested that tp.e Judiciary should of easy change either by the Government or by be independent not only of the executive and the Parliament. There should be a special and di- legislature but also of groups and over-powerful fficult method of changing these provisions, and and corrupt individuals. This is why it is essential this method should itself be wri tten into the Cons- that judges should be adequately paid. Tbe idea titution and entrenched. Also, the provi sions that is abroad in the Ghana Civil Service that no must be capable of enforcement by the courts Ghanaian in the public service should be paid of law set up under the Constitution, and the a salary higher than that of a Principal Secret-ary position of these courts should of course be or the Head of the Civil Service should be killed; specially protected. it is held only in the interest of a bandful of high The second constitutional device flows out of Civil Servants, and is flatly incompatible with the first: the position of tbe Courts sbould be the national interest. specially safeguarded, with the aim of making A Judge of tbe Supreme Court should be paid them as independent as possible not only of the considerably higher than a Principal Secretary, ! executive and the legislature but also of groups and the salary of the Chief Justice should be and over-powerful and corrupt individuals. To much higher than that of the Head of tbe Civil achieve this the usual methods are still at hand. Service. Without this it is difficult to attract Judges should hold their posts until retiring age lawyers of the right calibre to the bench. Once a or during good behaviour. fairly good salary has been granted to the judges True, judges are also human beings and are, it is to be hoped that the Judicial Service Commi- consequently, not entirely free from all human ssion, with its -august membership, would be failings. Everything should be done to reduce able to attract the right type of lawyer to the these failings in judges to a minimum. An important bench. It is also to be hoped that with such a good element in the method of doing this is for the judges salary and such security judges would not fall not to be appointed by the executive or even by the victim to temptations placed in their way by executive and the legislature acting together. They groups and over-powerful individuals. THE LEGaN OBSERVER 3 March 1967 Af,.;ca West Africa has since commented that a coup in Sierra Leone bad in fact be~n speculated uPQn SIERRA LEONE: EXPLOSIONS OF A for so long in the country that the announcement CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS of an aborted one took the citizens by surprise! And, almost expectedly, some of Sir Albert's By established foes promptly dismissed the news K. A. B. fones-Quartey as a calcnlated hoax designed to justify inevi- TH E EXPLOS IVE potential of the political atmos- table repressive measures. But the actual arrest phere in Freetown has been de-fused for the time and detention, pending trial, of eight army men- being, at least, and the energy in the charge diffused including tbe second highest officer, Colonel over the whole countl,"Y in the form of Uelection Bangura-gave an air of autbent icity to the fever". For Sierra Leone goes to the polls to incident and pause to the scepticism of Sir Albert's elect 66 "ordinary" members to a new legislature opponents. on March 17 ; and four days later tbis principal How far this headlong progress of tensions poll is to be followed by a smaller-scale per- into explosions would have led the factions in formance in wbich the Paramount Chiefs will January-February it is perhaps profitless to elect J 2 of tbeir own number to represent as speculate. For the time being a halt has been many districts. The die will bave been cast, by called: first by tbe arrest of tbe alleged army March 21st at the latest. plotters, secondly by the cballenge which a test Tbe importance to Sierra Leone of tbis election of strength at an election offers to all parties. is perhaps matched only by the potential violence Certain additional factors also render the oppor- of the explosions it has probably warded off. tunity of a democratic settlement even more For tbis is tbe election which will convert the prospective. Tbese include the Prime Minister's country into a republic-or else set back Sir announcement of his final abandonment of the Albert Margai and his Sierra Leone People's one-party idea-tbough by then this had become Party and throw the question of the country's largely irrelevant as an issue and was merely constitutional status back into the political ring. a political tactic; and the rejection of violence Against Sir Albert and his majority party are by the Leader of the Opposition (on the Prime ranged Mr. Siaka Stevens and his smaller but Minister's invitation), for himself and his party. ' growiog A.P.C. (All Peoples Congress). The The March 17-21 elections will not be just odds are against a· political upset which would the normal polling for a new House, as has been see Albert Margai -aod tbe S.L.P.P. ousted, but remarked earlier. They are, first of all, to be on the other hand they would seem to favour fought on the issue of a major constitutional also a return of the Opposition into the House change : in status, sovereignty, and type of state. of Representatives with a much bigger repre- Secondly, the new House to be constituted by sentation of Sir Albert's enemies. the decision of the polls will be the arbiter-by The Prime Minister's political enemies have a second, two-thirds majority vote on the new been multiplying in number, without a doubt, Constitution, whether Sierra Leone is to become and most of them blame theu· rising hostility a republic immediately or to postpone the act on Sir Albert himself. His now abandoned attempt to a later day. This is why the approaching general to establish a one-party state mndelled nn Kwame election is an historic exercise, whose outcome Nkrumah's Ghana both alarmed and infuriated will be awaited with the greatest interest by many, them. Widespread evidence of official corrup- both in and out of Sierra Leone. Meanwhile, tion did not sweeten their temper. The P.M .'s there are a few observations to be made on other handling of key appointments, as well as the important (eatures of the scene there. One of distribution of political largesse Tn general, offen- these is the problem of trained manpower for ded their conception of justice and of rights. the field of economic development. By the time Sir Albert was ready to introduce In its current form, that fashionable modern his Republican Constitution, in December 1966, phenomenoD, the "brain drain", has hit Sierra the tensions between him and the non-S.L.P.P. Leone too, and hard. But as a matter of fact the elements had reached explosion point; the ex- phenomenon is far from being new to this parti- plosion actually came soon after the Constitu- cular country. During much of the 19th century tion was rushed through its three readings and aod the first third of the 20th, it was Sierra Leooe passed into law at one sitting, on Wednesday, 25 that supplied the rest of English-speaking West January, 1967. It came in the form of an alleged Africa with most of the latter's educated and attempted military coup, announced officially on trained manpower. The supply ranged from the national radio by the Prime Minister himself. medical doctors, religious leaders, and judicial , 3 March 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER DOlmft just SAVE money ... mate it W ((O)]R lK fOlr YOlu 4t% INTEREST Olll YOUR SAVINGS I '""""" 5% ON YO~ """"' ONLY THE FIRST GHANA BUILDING SOCIETY offers you such attractive tenns-Io fact, the FGBS combines maximum Security with highest returns. Open a Savings Account now and ask for the RED PASSBOOK. FIR.ST GHANA • BUILDING SOCIETY Assets exceed 3 million Cedis BEAD OFF1C~ BRAN~: BOUNDARY R OAD, KUMASI. TAKORADI. TEMA •... P. O. BOX 29j8, ACCRA. HOHOE. SUNYA..'ll. SOMANYA . TEL: 62329, 65813. J THE LEGON OBSERVER 3 March 1967 personnel, through schoolmasters to printers. now with the few men still on the spot, on the Sierra Leone could afford it then. Her public many economic problems of their nat iveland. and private services were small , her precedental As for ~he self-splitting poli tical leadership educational system was generous in the pro- vision of such manpower for home as well as of Sierra Leone, we can only hope tbat its one for foreign needs. But, later, the economic ad- redeeming feature: the non-tribal nature of its vantages of Ghana .and Nigeria enabled these composition at the apices, will not prove in due countries to produce their own educated intel- course to have been mere marriages of conve- ligentsia and to close the educational gap between nience, dissolvable with malice and violence them and their formerly privileged sister-in- once tbe convenience has been achieved. The development. Eventually these economic factors started to push Sierra Leone backward and to strength of tbese alliances at the top will be make her progressively unable to cope with the seriously tested in tbe next few weeks botb challenges of modernization, especially between at the polls and afterwards. And many students the '30s and the '50s. However, she kept on pro- of the sociology of Sierra Leonean politics will ducing her quota of brilliant men and women. watch with keen analytical interest the perfor- Only, the place came progressively to hold little mance and behaviour of the various ethnic ele- attraction for some of these, and, like their counterparts from Ghana and Nigeria, they started ments, during the coming period of crucial events. to seek and to find unoccupied places on the world's There are at least two schools of thought employment stage. There, with equally able on this question of ethnic interests and factors fellow-African contemporaries, they have been in Sierra Leone. One holds that in spite of their displaying their talents to thei r own advantage, whines and complaints the Krios of Freetown primarily, but secondarily to the enhanced re- putation of their African horne countries . are actually ruling the country again: witness Unfortunately for Sierra Leone, the loss to Gershon Collier, Berthan Macauley, the Nelson- its brains pool involves above all the one ~rea Williamses, Sir Samuel Bankole Jones (President of national life where she can least afford sucb of the Court of Appeal), most of the top civil losses today, namely tbe economy. Trained and servants, and many otbers. The second school highly qualified native economists are chtainly agrees with this catalogue of political power, but not roaming the streets of West Africa today in search of work, and in Sierra Leone they are insists that most of the Krio politicians coopera- fewer still per 500,000 bead of population. Yet ting with Sir Albert Margai are in the game for what three at least of her best and most experienced tbey can get-what they are actually getting-out economists are out of the country and cau be of it by way of power and perquisites. presumed to be lost to her strategy of economic This school of tbought further holds that the planning. First there is Professor Noah Cox-George) majority of the older generations of Krios are ex-Fourah Bay College, ex-Nsukka, then ex- both disaffected witb and frustrated at the current Fourah Bay again, and now wi tb E.CA. at trends, believing themselves better qualified to Addis Ababa. Next there is Godfrey Lardner, serve the country as well as unjustly treated in perhaps not wholly Sierra Leonean by origin the distribution of political and social advantages. and attachment but surely available to tbat - Yet that these classes, augmented by many younger country. He is ex-Nigerian Civil ServIce, is now on secondment (or release) to Addis Ababa people, would consider it uDFealistic to expect also, and is almost painfully brilliant. Thirdly a restoration to them of poJitical and social we have Dr. David Carney, a former Economic dominance; would therefore not want to cut off Adviser to the Government of Sierra Leone, their collective nose to spite their face, 'merely on who now teaches economics in America, mostly, account of their eclipse; and would ask for no more and writes poetry in between. At a time when than justice for themselves and their posterity. the Sierra Leone economy, in its agricultural, (Concluded) commercial, and manpower sectors particularly, needs most in planning and re-planning, these This article had gone to the press well before the three men-and perhaps one or two otbers I news of the disturbances in the Kono district of don't know about-ought to be in Freetown Sierra Leone, and the declaration of a state ofemer- and not in Addis Ababa or anywbere else. At least gency by the Prime Minister on 2nd March, 1967. Cox-George aQd David Carney should be working -Ed. 3 March 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER The Economy Another example is a quotation of $128.00 for 100 lbs. of tobacco given by the same expa- triate company, as compared to a quotation of PROBLEMS IN IMPORT LICENSING $100.00 by tbe Gbanaian Agent. Out of tbe total By allocation \C2,756,643 for tbat type of tobacco, Kwaku Manu in 1965) it is fair to assume that the expatriate THE FIRST quarter Import Licences for Agricul- company bandIed about \C1,500,000, judging tural Commodities have been issued as published from the number of importers who are known in tbe Commercial and Industrial Bulletin No.60 to have used this company's services, The total allocation for rice is \CI,849,000 for At this rate tbere was a net loss of at least which the largest share of \C800,000 went to the $300,000 in foreign exchange to Ghana. This Ghana National Trading Corporation. The re- represents over 25 % of the total value of licences maining \CI,049,000 was distributed among 115 bandIed by tbat particular expatriate company. otber importers; individual licences ranging from Consumer Prices \C60,000 for big companies like V .A.C. to \CI,OOO What this means is that our foreign exchange to such names as Daoawi & Sons and Essando allocation is buying less for the Ghanaian con- Brothers & Sons in Kumasi. sumer. This is reflected in the uDit cost of tbese These licences mea n, in effect, that the licencees commodities to the consumer. From the figures are authorised to arrange for the importation given above, it is clear that the cost of tobacco of rice and that the Government of Ghana, 1!brough alone can be cut by ~ and the saving pa.ssed on its Central Bank will make Foreign Exchange available to cover the cost and freigbt of the to the consumer. This practice has affected almost particular commodity specified. all the licences issued in the country aod. we There are several aspects to the way the allo- may sfang to pay an excess of \C25,000,000 in cation has been split up. This article is not going 1967 out of tbe almo~t \C250,OOO,000 allocated into the reasons why, but will attempt · to show for imports. how such a system is costing the country as much The P ,L. 480 Programme as 15 % to 20 % of the lLcence allocation in foreign Nor js this the only problem in the trade business. exchange, being differences paid expatriate There have been dissatisfaction and complaint agencies in the form of commissions and service of one sort or another in the way the 1ast P,L. charges to our importers. This is due to tbe fact 480 programme was handled. It is a fact that that most of them do not have the suppliers a job which could have been well handled by It credit necessary to procure the goods. They Ghanaian company was signed over to an Ameri- invariably have to turn to expatriate fi rms, which can company which \vas "Qot known in the commo- resort to various financial manipulations to in- dity market. There has been a cloud as to how flate the home delivered price of the products that compaoy came to be selected in the first imported. place, and the way in wbich tenders were sent out Only a few Export Companies of good re- is open to suspicion. There were some tenders putaton and means abroad will handle any order which were sent out and were expected to be for say rice to a value as small as, ~40,000 . Their closed within 48 hours. The reason given was margins of profit on these commodities are, in tbat tbe items specified in the bid were badly most cases, so small that it will actually result needed in Ghana. in a loss to handle such an order. One particular tender was dated June 17th Instead, other middlemen come into play. and closed on June 24th, while it takes about They buy the commodities and try to take ad- three days for the tender to go through the mail vantage of our present financial position to -make to interested parties. There was the probability huge profits for themselves. tbat the tender notices might 110t have been A case in point is a Ghanaian importer who mailed on the 17th of June. It is also reasonable went to an Expatriate Company with contracts to expect that it might take yet some few days abroad, to arrange for a purchase of SZ5,OOQ of to shop around for a good price in a highly com- rice. The estimated C. & F. value given to the plex market. In the light of events , it is reasonable Ghanaian importer should have resulted in 670 to conc1ude that a decision had been reached bags of rice, each weighi ng 100 lbs. Another as to who should \"in the bid and that the announ- quotation given by a native Ghanaian Agent cement was only to put on record that tender resulted in 695 bags of the same quality of rice. notices had been sent out. This shows a net loss of 25 bags, or the cost of We also hear of a case in which the Ghana it in foreign exchange, consumer received the wrong type of soya bean THE LEGON OBSERVER 3 March 1967 oil, simply because the agent we paid to do the promised on the interviews should take the form job, did not know much about the differences of a critique on the interviews. That would be in soya bean oils. There was yet another case a rather limited objective, and, in any case, the where tbe wrong kind of rice was sh ipped to Ghana. interviews speak for themselves. Rather, we Solution would suggest that the best approach wonld be The Ghana importer's primary interest should to regard the inter"iiews as a basis for discussion; be tbe availability of the right commodities at as an opportunity to examine and clarify OUf competitive' prices here jn the co untry. To some thoughts about what has been popularly called it is a headache to have to go around to find our "glorious revolution"; as an opportunity where to buy the commodity and tbat done for a genuine and critical effort to discover the to find the company wbich will gra~t a lSO-da; essence of tile revolution and define the tasks supplier's credit to enable bim bring in the goods. aod challenges of this critical period. For, as What we sho uld do is to set up a national we pause to take stock of the past year and con- Agency with the means to buy the goods in large gratulate ourselves, unless we also map out enough volumes, so as to circumvent middlemen. clearly our course into the future, we shall have Tbe best price for agricultural commodities lost a golden chance to consoljdate our liberation. can be obtained from exporters, who wi ll not Let us ask a few questions in order to in,dicate handle small quantit ies, say less than 500 tons of what is meant here. What we are now doing is rice on an order. The distribution co uld take place to attempt to " clear the mess" and lay a solid at the port of entry where importers should be found ation for good, honest govern ment, which allocated their sbare. Such an Agency should alone will give this nation and its citizens the be a Ghanaian National Agency with the expert maximum scope for progress. This is the task knowledge of the import trade and tbe necessary that faces th is country in this interim period. financing to handle such a project. How should we regulate the pace of this revolu- Two problems are resolved at once. By conso- tion? What are tbe problems in tbe way of this lidation, we take advantage of volume buying, task? How do we mould ourselves and our atti- and save on shipment. tudes in order to do this? Are our institutions Secondly, we solve the problem of hoarding especially the pnbUc institutions on which th: by regulating shipments to be followed by efficient government depends, adequate to their tasks? local distribution of the imported commodities. What reorganization do they need in order to function properly and efficiently? (J b s e rver Not e boo k How are we going to educate our people poli-tically in order to ensure good government and Interview with Brigadier Ocran-A Correction enlightened participation in public affairs in the future? What is the role of the press and other THE Q aod A from the bottom of page Y"ii to the top of page (Vol. n, No.4) should read as follows:- communication media in this exercise, and how "iii Q : Do you think the Armed Forces sbould be given best can they fulfil this role? How are we going a special position in the Constitution? to transform and modernize our economy in A: I bclie\'e a soldier should be a soldier, and the such a way as to ensure, at a reasonable cost Army should be purely military, aDd Dot partly and sacrifice, a decent and rising standard of political ... living? What should be our educational policy? The Liberators and the Revolution. We cannot exhaust the issues here and now. WET R U S T that our readers have found the But we hope that every citizen will address him- time to reflect on the content of the interviews self to these problems; for the success of the with some of the members of the NLC wbich revolution does not depend on the N.L.C. alone: we published in a special supplement in our last it depends critically on the maximum effort of issue. We trust, further, that the discussions that each and everyone of us, especially the educated have undoubtedly begun on the basis of the views ones. If we fail to do our duty by our country of our leaders on certain issues of the revolution now, we shall need many liberations in future. will not be short-lived. More importantly, we hope that the exchange of views and ideas will Sanity at ECA session not be limited to literate friends; we urge the THE EIGHTH session of the Economic Commis- reading public to use the press to share their sion [or Africa which lasted for two weeks in views and debate their ideas. For we hold that February, 1967 in Lagos could be regarded as a such an exercise is indispensable to the success turning point in the planning of economic deve- of the revolution. lopment in Africa. In spite of the large number We do not intend that the comment that we of delegates (estimated at 600) and the usual 3 March 1967 TIIE LEGON OBSERVER . insinuations from tbe Frencb-speaking Africans to their listeners and viewers. This practice shows tbat too many of tbe posts at the ECA are still an irritating inferiority complex in our news filled by English-speaking Africans, the Lagos collectors and agents. It shows a desire for re- talks were ·cbaracterised by objective and sound cognition and praise tbat cannot be commended. approaches to the economic problems of Africa. If tbis is what our monitoring facilities are being Strong emphasis was put on economic deve- used for, then the tax-payer is being changed lopment 0n a regional basis-a very welcome short Why can't we learn from other people? approach which is miles away from Nkrumab's How many times have we heard the B.B.C or ill-conceived and suicidal attempts to solve every V.O.A. quote a Ghanaian paper for any favourable African problem on a continental basis. comment on Britain or America? Fancy being fed To be sure the ECA Secretariat has hitherto on comments from a British paper like The People! encouraged the formation of regional institutions to deal with trade, transportation, energy, mone~ Order of Precedence or of Priority? tary union etc. in North, East, Central and West THE R E C E N T publication of the so-called Africa. Even thougb only a modest achievement "Order of Precedence" shows how utterly im- has so far been made in getting most of tbe possible it is for protocol officers to have a organizations off ground, it is remarkable tbat clear sense of proportion, or a true appreciation no delegate opposed tbe concept of regional eco- of what is important and what is not. It shows nomic planning. As a mater of fact many dele- also how pathetically innocent they are of the gations such as Nigeria's led by Mr. A A Ayida unimportance of their dinner jackets. At a time (the current Chairman) and Ghana's led by ML like tbis, when we ougbt to be constantly and E. M. Debrah, our Ambassador to Ethiopia, actively engaged in seeking solutions to our real were convinced that regional co~operation should and gigantic problems ; when farmers, fishermen be pursued roore vigorously than ever. Mr. and other workers are breaking their backs toiling Debrah .w ent as far as to suggest ~ sort of for the nation, how can an educated man find the Marshall Aid Plan for regional co-operation, time to draw up an order of precedence to cere- particularly West Africa's. to become meaningful monies and social functions, and feel no shame -and this suggestion in a way indicates the in getting it published? How can educated men urgency with which some African countries view rate ceremonies so high at this time? O.K.; we admit that even in revolutionary the whole question of planning on a regional times such as this, social functions and ceremonies basis. What is more important here is sanity cannot be abolished. But should we be so con- even in the show of such enthusiasm. cerned about privilege and status that we use up With regard to West Africa the various coun~ valuable space in the Gazette and otper places tries are likely to derive important economic and to "educate" everybody on this? social benefits from regional co-operation. The The order of merit too is as ridiculous as market would be tremendously expanded for our the idea itself. and is not worth examining at aU, products (both agricultural and manufactured) not least of all because most of us will never merit and services~ the competition among the business an invitation into this rare group of privileged firms would be such as to favour the West Afri- elites. can consumer e.g. electridty from Ghana's Ako- The detail, we repeat, is not worth looking at. sombo dam is likely to cost less for Togolese and except that one cannot help chuckling at the Dahomean households; our limited human and desire of the pompous, socially ambitious protocol natural resources would also be more efficiently officer to dispense precious handshakes and bea- utilized; the frequent social intercourse would tific smiles to self-conscious V.T.Ps, under the lead to better understanding among the peoples glare of TV cameras! One also cannot help being of West Africa. The ECA has given and is giving amused at the clear impression that emerges that the leadership in regional economic development. the persoo(s) who drew this list knew more about Let us hope that the various West African the personalities than their posts. (And what governments will henceforth throw their full genius thought about all those retired people?) weight behind the achievement of such a sound What is happening to our spirit of revolution? obj~tive. Are cocktails so important ? Where are they in our order of priorities? Or is this our own "cultural" News From Foreign Papers revolution? What is happening to Ghanaians? RADIO GHANA and TV are getting into the Let the unclassified rest contented that tbey are habit of reading (favourable) comments in foreign left alone to work properly for Ghana, unspoiled papers in Ghana as serious news worth bringing by social snobbishness. 10 TIm LEGaN OBSERVER 3 March 1967 Letters selves in Ghana. Post-coup Ghana is not to see the Hodgkins, the Pat Sloans, the Bings and the Marsh- ments replaced with the Hugheses. Modesty, honesty British Justice and Kwesi Armah and integri ty a re at least expected in expatriates who SIR-I have read with interest the letter by P. W. C. believe they understand the problems of Ghana better Maxwell which appeared in Vol. II, No. 3 of the than Ghanaians. Observer. Logon. P. T. Yindu. As an expatri ate I have no right. neither is it my desire, to meddle in the affai rs of my host country. However, since this particu lar letter toucbes upon my The New Cedi own country, it is legitimate for me to make a comment. SIR-ln spite of a ll that the authorities of the Bank of Your writer, as an Englishman, ougbt to know that Ghana 'have said in defence of the New Cedi, I still British Jaw and justice is, fortunately, not dictated by do not see tbe need for the change, For one thing, I transitory personalities, however exalted, nOf impas- cannot see the advantage a 10/- Cedi has over an 8/4 sioned by revo lution. Cedi. Now that the hue and cry has abated, British law I should bave thought that the removal of Nkrumah's ha$ caught up with Kwesi Armah.-which any sane effigy from the coins and notes and the change of design person knew it eventually would. He will be tried on the notes should have been enough to remind us that without influence or pressures from any source, pro- Nkrumah is no more. But no, the 8/4 Cedi still has, bably go to prison, and eventually be deported. as it were, some "Nkrumah" in it, so it must be Meantime I advoc';te that your writer forget his changed, Hence, the 10/- Cedi-but, why not a £1 Cedi? petition and be consoled rather by what I have said Perhaps, this is the Bank 's contribut ion to the national and what he must knO\v to be true. As some philoso- crusade to ob literate the image of the ousted President phical mammy truck ~ owner .might very soon colourfu l- from the Ghanaian scene. If so, then I say it is un- Iy paint on hjs truck-!'Ah ...K wesi Annah!?" ' fortunately incffective for, to' name only one example, Mandple's Orgunization, "Job 600" (even if we deprecate its effect on our econo-- Legan. Peter: C. G. Bernie, my) still stands as a gigantic monument to his memory. One effect of the change which r fear the authorities SIR-I was amused to read tile letter of Mr, p , W, C. did not take seriously is the adjustnymts we must needs Maxwell over the Kwesi Armah affai r in your Vol. )1, make to our figures in the accounting books. The ques- No, 3 issue. Even if his action in protesting to the Bri- (ion of re-educating Ghanaians especiaUy the village tish Home Secretary and the British H igh Commissioner folk on the new currency is too obvious to nced repeti- in Ghana is bold and courageous, need it have been tion, The half pesewa wh ich follows from the introduc- made known? tion of the New Cedi is a most inconvenient and (deci- Looked at dispassionately, Mr. Roy Jenkins' decision dedly) a most undesirable addition to our co inage. All can claim some justification. It may even have been this exercise takes its due toll on our already depleted influenced by certa in events in Ghana. Tn any case the exchequer. speed with which the British Government has instituted I would like to ask; by what criterion was it decided criminal proceedings against Annah shows the bona that Ghanaians preferred a JO/- Cedi to an 8/4 one? (ides of that Government. Was it by the newspaper opinions and arti cles, or by I hope 'it is not Mr. Maxwell's desire to get free the symposium that was held on tbe Subject, or was publicity unnecessa rily? it by the majori ty vote of the Board of Directors of the History Dept., Legan C. N . Wadia Ban k of Ghana? The forego ing looks like crying over spilt milk which is, in fact, what it is. But , 1 must confess, I find it hard n. Hughes and Salary Increase to laugh or rejoice when my milk is sp illed, especially SIR- In a letter to the Observer (Vol. II, No.1), one when somebody else has done the spilling. Therefore Mr. B. Hughes, in a spirit of moral ind ignation, com- this letter, while not hoping to achieve a reversal of plained that ".,. the Senio r Staff of the Uni"9'ersity the decision to change the value of the Cedi, is in- of Ghana, those one would expect to be most cons- tended to place on record another Ghanaian's dis- picuous in their example, are among the first workers appointment over the New Cedi. in Ghana to be awa rded a pay rise". I gather that in Takoradi. Emma. K. Sarpey. awarding the pay rise the University of Ghana made it quite clear that if any senior member chose not to accept the salary increase-presumably because accept- While Paper and ApaJoo Commission ing it would be morally indefensible-he cou ld remain SIR-Mr. Kwame Apeagyei in his letter on the Govern- on the old scale, ment's White Paper on the report of the Apaloo €om- On the logic of his arguments one would have mission (Lc,::on Obsen>cr February 3, 1967) stated that expected M r. Hughes-a lecturer in Zoology- to either the White Pape r "whitewashed Gbedemah, Botsio and choo!>c to remain on thc old scale or if he chose to Krobo Edusei over the Parkinson Howard Group accept the new sca le to give the difference to the Na- affair." tional Trust Fund. To my utter surprise, Mr. Hughes The statement in tbe fourth paragraph of that letter has wholeheartedly accepted the ne\(r salary scale with explains the fcars of the writer as exp ressed by tbe the same enthusiasm as those who were less hypocritica l rhetorical question in paragraph three, But my answer about the salary increase. Mora l indignation on the is a big NO to tbat question. Mr. Justice Apaloo part of Mr. Hughes indeed! knows "what is legally admissible evidence." But as I believe it is about time some British expatriates human beings the three Commissioners a re fallible. stopped making pol.itical and moral clowns of ~hem- No intelligent layman reading that part of the report 3 March 1967 '.fHE LEGON OBSERVER 11 relati ng to this affair can be i.mpressed',by the unjust the atrocities of the black Congolese rebels against conclusion arri ved at. white missionaries and others, a t the same time The Commissioners oUght to have argued the way scrupulously suppressing all news of white at ro- the Government White Paper did in the interest of cities and " the more grotesque aspects" of the justice and fairness, since the ev idcnc:: was obscure. When asked Mr. Granvi lle could not mention the per- "rescue" mission of the South African mercenaries. sons or parties who allegedly repre~eotcd the company Naturally, such heresy-such tra itor-stuff----:- in paying the money. He coul~ not state how much from a white author can be tolerated only by was paid to each of the men. He did not witness the publishers like Gollancz (whose founder-owner, paying ceremony; nor could b ~ produce any document the controversialist Sir Victor, died only a few to prove the allegation againf( the men. The whole idea of manirs being "donated" to the weeks ago). Miss Ainslie, author of The Press c.P.P. by contractors wheth~r voluntarily or on extor- in Africa, in fact disqualified herself out of most tion was unpleasant. This un?leasantness must naturally Western publishing houses in e'Q'ery possible make anybody, including those against whom the allega- way even before writing this book: was born to tion was made, "uncomfortable." In order to avoid wh ite South African parents in Cape Town, but conclusions the Commission sh-luld at least have acted upon Mr. Krobo Edusei's reql est for "Parkinson Ho- worked for rebel Ronald Seagal's Africa South at ward himself o r Sir John Howard to come and say one time; worked on an AlgeFian weekly, Revolu- that he gave me money". Bu\ the Commission did /ution A/ricaine, at another; is married to a Cey- nothing about this c~allenge. lonese architect ; now lives in London as a volun- House No. F.631/2~ A,ccra. , . Kojo Loggo ta ry exile from Apartheid; and, fi nally, espouses African causes. Book Review Miss Ainslie sets out to survey the entire con- tinent of Africa, historicaUy and con~empora­ neously, in its establishment and use of the mass THE ERES~ IN AFRICA media. This is of course an over-ambitious task COMMUNICATIO PAST AND PRESENT which, if it ever comes to be done properly, will By R~alynde Ainslie require many volumes. Fortunately, Miss Ainslie (Published by/ictor Gollancz Ltd., 1966) had no intentions of fool ing herself or anyone Review by else with her title or its scope. The book is not K. A. B. lones-Quartey a " thorough survey of its subject", she says, TH E "INTRorUCTION" to this book teUsus and adds that she is not even an "expert" on both on whose side the author operates and why the subject of the African Press. Well, all this Victor Gollancz J.re the publishers: doesn't matter anyway, for, transcen,deot_ __: ' _~L~ . .. The general poverty of media and author's mind and intention was tt> consequ.!nt dependence on foreign sources urgency of showing that in this of news and feature material ... raise area, too, Africa 's fate was in the h problemS not simply of the quantity of gners, not in her own. The analog' informAtion available to the people of needless to say-compares with Afrir" : but of its quality. If a task of mass economic situation, in which the meria is to help create a new national heights" are occupied by all bu prde and sense of continental identity, the grip is getting tighter eVf i~thc blatantly white-racialist French car- This is the real message of 1 t(on Tintin correct television fare for a ll the history, all the fac A:rican children? If a task is to ed ucate only go to prove or at Ie. the people in the policies of their own The message is that the I govlnments, to teach them to see the newspapers in African Afr world~ant.-hemselves from an Af.rican Rhodesia, and possibly th ... standpoint, ~n African newspapers afford from London, Paris, JohaL to continue 0 depend 00 foreign sources TV programmes "must be bou' for practica1Y all their international (in- London, New York ; that in f[ cluding inte-A frican) news? signals go out from non-Afri, A little later on t1e author tells how "the Stan- all these mass media rely, in leyville landings :Congo-Leo, Nov. 1964J and or other, on the services of the horrors that aQ:ompaoied them had provoked foreign ownership, for the in the Western Pr;'ss a wave of what can only news and the build-up of Ib be described in slme cases at least. as racial feature programmes. Moreovel hysteria." Miss APsUe then goes on to show about four particular counh . how the Western PnSS inBated into huge balloons world news coverage in most o. 12 TIIE LEGON OBSERVER 3 March 1967 four are of course the United States, Britain, one generati9h, but on a primitive scale, started France, and Russia, with America alone claiming his paper, lhe Accra Herald, in 1857, not '58. from 26 to 49 per cent of the news coverage Thus the H6rald preceded Abeokuta's Iwe Irolzin in 39 capital-city newspapers surveyed on the (this word, iLcidentally, is spelt "Ilzorin" where- continent in 1961. ever it appears in this book) not by one but by That is the message. The figures-those far two years. Also, it;, misleading to say that Azikiwe more important than the ones above-are given tried out his ideas '0 his new African Morning in units of service (radio and TV sets, newspapers) Post "in coIlaboratiO!, with LT.A: Wallace per 100 of population (Unesco report for 1962);- Johnson ... "These two men were comple- Africa Europe mentary contemporarie~ ad hoc, if you like, in Newspapers; 1.2 per 100 23 the Ihen Gold Coast, f,ot collaborators in Miss Radio sets ; 2.3" 20.6 A inslie's sense. TV sets; .07 " 7.4 Experts on otber se<;tions of the African Press Against these heartbreaking figures Unesco, M iss may also discover a few mistakes of tills nature Ainslie reminds us, has suggested immediate in the book. Neither lhey nor I can do anything, target aims of 10 newspapers, five radio receivers, however, to diminist1 the value of this most and two television sets per 100 of population helpful work, so pen,trating, expert-in spite of for the continent, on the average-a modest Miss Ainslie's m()dest disclaimer-and sym- ambition nevertheless tortured by hopelessness. pathetic. This is all by way of introducing a problem -1~ ___ of really cruel dimensions. The story itself of the WHAT IS ON IN GHANA development of mass media services in Africa (Published by Reindorr Public Relations Services) and their present condition, is told in the rest R6.view - (oJ . "I of Miss Ainslie's 250 pages. B} Because of the paucity of existing information A. N. Hakqm on this vast subject, the author understandably ONE 0 F the bright recent P'-iodical publications felt inspired-she must have done-to do ,the to appear in Accra's newsstc..uds is the timely whole damn thing, or bust! Well, within the "What is on in Ghana"-a monthly, published qualifications observed by herself she makes by the Reindorf Public Relatl 'ns Services and a very good job of it. Above all she succeedS edited by the versatile Betty Bossman. Indeed in analysing the basic problems and difficulties this is a badly needed innovation and could fPecU-~lthn~.' the Africa,n own~rs a~d manipu- prove very va luable to the tourist, 'he businessman criminal proc( mass media, treatmg WJth bumour and the man of leisure for it ileludes, among fides or that G~ the internal weaknesses she sees other things, basic information OD l-avel, shopping, I hope it is heseestablishments. The weaknesses: entertainment, hotels, dining anq other social publicity unnecc' l in the African sector of median and cultural notes and events fOl each month. History Dept, L proprietorship, lack of education The magazine bas an attractive presentation :rudeness of approach, absence and format, but unfortunately . presen\s a mixture B. HUb,ce of discontinuity-these are of information that lacks categori~ion, com- ~R-;ln; I~tt e r . to )gh phenomena. What is crip- pleteness and criticism. Pl:ined ~:tle~,'. .l :\hJdvantages which show u,p in For one thing the stranger to the Gha:,." scene of Ghana, those one wcs:a-vis its foreign coun- may find the places very difficult to follow. Modest picuous in their examp\' finance, technology, and outline maps of the city and the cOUItry that in Ghana to be awardcl,.c to rcma n on '. f pubs, and night clubs accordiJ g to price range, i accept the new sca le rpretlve) weakness or two ~ quality or class of clientele. lor instance under lion:!l Trust Fund. T.:.lnce, J. H. Brew started hiS "restaurants", there is a widf variance between has wholeheartedly acce>e Coast not in 1880 but in the "Spread Eagle" restaurant 'hd the "Maharaja", the same enthusiasm aSeal!S of his Gold Coast Times and under "hotels", between the "Star" and the about the sa lary incfuUy printc-d, African _ owned "Sea View", but the guides fail to indicate to pa{t b~~ie~r . ill-li~g:~ ). Again, Charles Bannerman, the reader as to approxima.ely what to expect stopped making r ...:ceded those of Brew by almost from each place. Tills type of magazine would • 3 March 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 13 THE GREAT AIRLINE OF AFRICA 6~ HOURS DIRECT VC 10 SUPERB ffi©©wffi JET SERVICE TO [L@ ~ lID @[K ] Ghana Airways Corporation, Every week a Ghana Airways flies6 *d irect to London in just 6* V C.10 Ghana House, hours .. P.O. Box 1636, Ac",a . hours of supreme comfort on the worlc(s most advanced jetliner. . Telephone: 64851 (10 lines) Tbe Ghana Airways VC.10 route plan provides weekly direct flights elso to Rome and to Zurich; both these flights continue on to London. giving a choice of three weekly flights to the United Kingdom. ahana+~irway5 14 1HE LEGON OBSERVER 3 March 1967. soon have to make a choice between pleasing more "revolutionary countries" represented, more the consumers or the advertisers. A bit of cri- political speeches, more fanfare and exhibitionism ticism as to such items as quality of food and such as was shown at the Accra OAU Summit service would indeed serve to bring up badly Conference of 1965, but the effect on trade and needed tourist industry standards in the country, investments would likely have been negligible. but criticism in this magazine is nearly all lacking. Does the picture change now? Certainly the Basic information is also incomplete. For instance, atmosphere has changed. Ideologies aside, the one would expect the "Chevalier" and the fact that Ghana had taken essential steps to U Mandarin", two new high class restaurants in remedy her economy by curbing spending, for the city to be listed, but they are not. Similarly, example, has done a great deal to restore con- under flight information one is surprised to see fidence in the economic realism of the country Ghana and Nigeria Airways' flights shedule in the eyes of her principal trading and invest- not listed among the schedules of the other inter- ment partners-both from the West and the East national airlines. Also there is no mention of (and to say that Eastern Block countries interests places of interest such as zoos, botanical ga rdens in Ghana are any less business-minded than and no mention of cinemas. Western countries is not supported by the evi- Of special merit is ~he feature " Traditional dence of their multiplicity of fine articles exhi- Aspects" which is indeed highly informative bited at the Trade Fair). to the newcomer and the tourist for such events Does all this mean that there would be more as traditional festivals, but again one would favourable trade and payments to Ghana? Not like to know- where these places are and how to necessarily, especialJy with regard to increased get there. trade. For one thing the Trade Fair is not likely The most serious defect of the magazine seems to increase · Ghana's. exports by any significant to be the lateness. The magazine has been irregular amount. The exports of primary commodities and exceedingly late (as long as one month) in which at present constitute more than 90 per cent .appearing and unfortunately only in very rew newsstands. of Ghana's exports (i.e. cocoa, timber, diamonds. One can hope that all the above defects are bauxite and manganese) are largely determined growing pains and that the magazine will mature by the quantities of these goods that Ghana can into an extremely useful guide for social, cultural produce in a given yea r and the prevailing 'world and touristic events and places for the country. prices. The Trade Fair is not likely to affect It is indeed commendable that it has been started significantly the total world demand for these in the first place. commodities, and thus, their world prices. On the other hand the export of Ghana's manu- Commentary factured products has only dim prospects · ·a: present. Although the variety of the products that a re produced in Ghana and often their quality is THE TRADE FAIR AND GHANA'S quite impressive. tbe prices seem to be quite PROSPECfS FOR TRADE & INVESTMENTS higb for most items and thus would not enable By these products to be competitive in the world A. N. Hakam market. MUCH HAS already been said about the contri- From a brief survey conducted by this author bution of the 1967 Trade Fair to Ghana's econo- at the Trade Fair, it was found for instance tbat: my. The net gain in foreign exchange has been (a) They are mostly small scale, tht1s sel- estimated at £2.5 million. There has been an in- dom en joy economies of large scale crease in short term employment; there is a gain production; in prestige for the country. But. most ~mportant (b) their cost of production is generally of all , the Fair was expected to make substantial high, since, in most cases, a considerable new trade and investments in the country. portion of their raw materials and other It is precisely the last aspect, trade and invest- components have to be imported; ment, that we proceed to examine here and which (c) availability of the raw materials and certainly must have been the primary reason ot·her components is uncertain, since why this new government decided to go ahead . the imported portion depends on the with the Fair in the first place. availability of foreign exchange alloca- Certainly, had there not been a change in go- tion (and many firms have suggested vernment the tone of the Fair would have been that their inability to expand was caused considerably different. There would have been directly by their inability in the past to • 3 March 1967 TIlE LEGON OBSERVER 15 oblain the desired import licences). ing signs of optimism by announcing here and Moreover. the domestic portion of the there various plans for expansion of industry in material and component is also uneven- this country. Therefore. the Fair may likely give ly supplied . which is largely attributable a bright and favourable image of a country to the misdirected agricultural and mi- attempting to correct previous unsound economic neral policies of the past; pol icies and thus lead to changes which would (d) The same common phenomena that make the country favourable and hospitable to characterize young industries in other foreign investors. developing countries also prevail here; Finally. the enthusiasm generated by speeches. namely. shortage of capital, low pro- seminars and government assurances must how- ductivity of labour due to insufficient ever. be followed up by continued concrete re- availabi lity of skilled' and managerial medial steps and an active investment promotion manpower and lack of experience and programme. know-how in marketing products for exports. THE CHOICE OF FREEDOM Perhaps a far better benefit would · result from By the import side where Ghanaians could be ap- John Kwadu pointed agents for a far wider range of products IF EVER you were faced with a choice between and where likely that Ghanaian consumers could living in oppression but onJy given the option to benefit from reduced and more competitive prices partake of the oppressor's assumed bounty. and than those offered by the major trading houses in freedom from oppression, what would be your Ghana. The difficulty on the import side is again decision ? Or if you were asked to choose between foreign exchange which practically limits imports these two alternatives: to be a slave and depend to producers' goods and some very basic essential upon the benevolence of your master, and to be consumer products. a free man, what wou1d be your answer? What about foreign investments? These a re I would choose to be a free man. I think your directly related to Ghana's balance of trade choice would be the same. wouldn 't it? picture and Ghana's present indebtedness. For. When [ look back on 24 February. 1966 and foreigners would view their ability to freely con- reftect. I see this that by the actioo and gallantry vert and move their capital dividends profits to o( ber sons in the Forces. Ghana n'1ade a similar wherever they wish as a most essential condition choice that day. She chose to be free. She chose for their ventures and the present Ghanaian ba- freedom in order that she could open a new chap- lance of payments picture does not allow that. ter in the hisory of her life. For instance. the rate of profit on investments is How far that choice has affected me personally reported to be far higher in Ghana than in is my main consideration here. Nigeria. but inability to repat riate profits is a II is my admission that I am enjoying Ghana's tremendous deterrent to new ventures as welJ as chosen freedom. I am free to th ink independently. to previous investors who would be reluctant {Q I am free to express my thoughts and views reinvest. Furthermore. foreign investors would orally and in print without fea r or favour. (What like to assume that once production starts I am doing now is an expression of that freedom) . they would be able to import freely the raw My opin ion about something may be contrary material and other components that are necessary to your own. But what matters is that I am in their production process which so far has free to hold an opinion and I am equally free been difficult. to express it in good faith. You too are free to However. in spite of these obstacles. the pros- hold, speak or write yours. pective picture for investments is not so black Besides being free to .... I am also free from. as it , would appear. Ghana has a growing good I am thinking of freedom from want in parti- infrast ructure. an urban market with relatively cular. 1 am not implying that I have everything high per capita income compared to other Afri- I want or need. since to be in that position will can countries (three times that of Nigeria). Be- depend upon my ability and means to acquire sides. large international corporations. fortun ately. those wants. I am thinking in terms of whether take a long term view of the prospects of their or not those things I want are avaiJable if I investments and may conclude that Ghana can have the means to buy them. overcome her present difficulties. ]f. for example. I need milk and sugar and fv[oreover. some small investors. notably resi- have the money to buy them. I expect that in dent establishments in Ghana, are already show- terms of my consideration of freedom from want 16 TIlE LEGON OBSERvER 3 March 1967 SANTEX· PAPER PRODUCTS Modern scientific invention in the art of paper conversion formulated out of experience, high quality ingredients and materials have brought about the super quality "SANTEX PAPER PRODUCTS". Santex Paper Products are now the CHOICE of every modern home because: * THEY CONTAIN THE BEST ANTISEPTICS * THEY SERVE LONGER * THEY ARE SOFT AND COMFORTABLE. TO USE * THE PRICE IS FAR BELOW THE QUALITY. Buy Santex Paper Products today and save money while you enjoy their LUXURIOUS QUALITY SANITARY PAPER PRODUCTS LIMITED P. O. Box 1957 Accra. Telephone 75458 Nsawam Road HAVE YOU GOT THE POINT Looking for a nice quiet spot to sit THE LATEST ISSUE and relax? Then come to TIlE POINT OF THE Want a nice juicy hot Barbecue with a cool drink? I TRANSITION? O.K., Come to THE POINT Where also you get In this issue an interview with Ice-cream and Cakes for the kids Dr. K. A. Busia Fresh eggs to take home, and the Chairman of the other items in our special shop. Political Conunittee of the N.L.C. Come to etc. THE POINT (at the junction of the old Accra-Tema Road and the Accra-Ada Road). Get your copy now. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday Tel: 81-2851 3 March 1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER 17 the state will make these consumer products avai~ Religion lable 00 the market. Add to it tl]at I expect also to have the freedom to choose between· evaporated THE DILEMMA OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS IN and condeosed milk. Aod my chosen brand of AFRICA milk will no doubt refresh me better. By It is equally refreshing to be given the free- J. M. Assimeng HISTORY, many authorities would now admit. seems dom not to hero-worsh ip, if I don 't see the to be divided into various pbases, thougb wbether the need to. As far as I am conGerned. He who development of social institutions follows the life must be worsllipped and praised always (for cycle of "gestation, growth, and decay", will presuma- He is blameless) is God. Yet if you don 't be- bly depend on one's view of the forces whicb hold tbe lieve in God you are not bound to wors!J.ip and world togethetiti-The school of thought whicb sees man as baving falleirf·rom.g"'race, is as potent and appea ling praise Him. as the side which holds.to tbe Idea of Progress. I am a human being. Consequently. I am fal · This article is Dot ab~t the broad issue of history lible. I am therefore subject to criticism. In as such. Wbat it sets out -to explore a re the sociological Ihascs of ,the various changes which a particula r aspect other words, I expect my actions to be approved of historical process has undergone. This process is or disapproved of. To be spared tbe tedium of "Christian Evangelization," and the platform on whicb worshipping my fellow human· being therefore its drama has been played is the missionary territory is a great relief and an addition to the stature of Africa. of my person.1 freedom. Religious Imperialism? But independence of worship or speech is The 3ssertion that Christian missionaries came to dependent upon the absence of fear. I am spe- Africa principally as the spiritual cover for imperialist and capitalist expansion on the continent is obviously cifically referring to freedom from fear. Imagine an exaggeration. tbough as an ideology it bad its own living in fear of something or somebody. As long explanatory function; an assertion of this natu re fai ls as that fear exists you cease to be yourself. In to take into account the multifarious differences of the other words, you are denied independence and denominations, the differential in their evange lical self respect. Your attitudes and actions are moti vation , or lhe vari ability in the character of tbeir COD- personnel. That some missionaries were known to have ditioned by the fear of that person or thing. Iac tively paved the way for the signing of va ri ous Contrast this dreadful mental or moral envi~ " treaties" \yhich led to colonization in some coun tri es. rODment with a condition in which you are free is granted. But there is the fact, also, that, in many cases, these treaty-signing pioneer missionaries may from fear. There is an atmosphere for self con - have thought of coloniza tion as merely a means of viction. There is also an atmosphere for self obtaining the cu ltural opportunity for spreading the confidence and self determination. You act with- gospel. Ideas. of course, usually have their roots in his· out fear. In short, you are able to behave like torieal circumstances: it is no wonder, then that the an independent human being. struggle against foreign domination saw European mis- sionary endeavours as dubiously moti vated. In the East. These considerations have centred on the im- Central. and South Africa where missionary-convert portance of one fundamental thing-freedom. relationships fell short of the Africans' expecJ.ation. this Freedom to speak and speak ·out too; freedom strugg le fOT independence has usually adopted religious to criticize; freedom from worshipping a human undertones. Apart from a few areas on the continent Africa is now virtually politically independent. Yet the being; freedom from fear .. Christian missionaries' are still here, and apparently I wish we would always choose freedom! much morc welcomed now. Why? It seems to me that this is an indication that Chris- tian missions had a mueh more enduring, if a very initially uncertain. duty to perform. Earlier Catholic missiology began with the belief that Jesus's command for world-wide conversion was being carried out. By IT PAYS the fifteenth century, a shift in position becomes dis· cernib le. and one sees the Catholic aim principally as an attempt to combat "Protestant heresy," especially tbe TO ADVERTISE forestalling of this "heresy" in "heathen" areas. How far the Catholic Curia consciously desired to recoup its loses by breaking new grounds in untouched ter- ritories is open to question, though the almost·military IN THE seriousness with which the Society of Jesus tackled its job shows how urgent missionary work had become as a strategy of world spiritual domination by the LEGON OBSERVER Vatican. This inunediate post-Reformat jon period of missionary work has very little interest to students of social change in Africa, if for the fact that the impact 18 THE LEG ON OBSERVER 3 March 1967 of Christianity on Africans during that period was very Clash of Ideas insignificant. The original belief of Christian missionaries was Evangelical Awakening that if the "heathen" hea rd of the soul-saving message, The student of rnissiology and its relationship with and the blessings which the Kingdom of God would African social change will do well to begin with the offer, there would be no difficulty in his repenting from history of the Evangelical Awakening in Britain and his sins and accepting Christ as his Saviour. Anthropo- other parts of Europe. John Wesley's reviva l, in parti- logical researches had then not sufficiently established cular, had shown the popular opposition against rigid that the Af.rican had a religion of his own; a religion} sacerdotalism and what amounted to a monopoly over which though without theology or written dogmas, tbe right: to declare the gospel. The Arminian position, was a major detenninant of various areas of his social too, had paved the way for the belief that grace was orkanization. When this knowledge was made known,' possible, not through the institutional church, but Christian missionaries, then too serious with matters of through man's own personal and free relationship with the'Spirit, were very slow;o recognize and accept. (As his Creator. If man bad a right to experience the recently as 1955, Prof. K. A. Busia, a Ghanaian socio- UHimate without the intervention of institutional trap- logist, and himself a Cilfistian leader, had to remi.nd l pings-an issue over which many tortures had taken his country's Christian Council to "come to gnps place in medieval church history-then the obvious with traditional beliefs and practices, and with the sequel was that each individual bad a right and an world view that these beliefs and practices imply.'') obligation to openly propagate unto others ~is ex- In m),"'opiniol1, it is too much to have expected the perience of this Essence. earlier missionaries to be sociologists as welL In this The obsessive return to the Holy Writ, and especially regard, it must be recalled that the Jesuits, whose to the Book of Daniel, raised up once again, the ques- moral pbilosopby of cultural relativity enabled them tion of the relationship between biblical chronology to be somewhat accommodat ing, were accused by the and human salvation. Were the scientific, technological, conservative Orders of the Catholic Church of compro- industrial and cultural achievements of the eighteenth mising the purity of the Christian gospel. One will, and Dineteeth centuries to be taken as indices of tbe then, have to understand the predicament of the ea rlier kind of golden age the Scriptures had spoken of? Christian missionary, who was obviously imbued with Augustinian expositions bad set a seal to the position evangelical zeal to save souls for his Master, but who that, with the emergence of the Church from a position was unaware of the practical contingencies involved of a minority, persecuted body to that of a major re- in the achievement of success in such a venture. ligious force, the Kingdom of God had a lready been Problems of language and communication; opposition realized. By the nineteenth century, the freedom to see of traditional leaders to the evangelization of their the golden age in defIerent terms had been guaranteed. subjects; the persistence of cultural activit ies such as What happened? What really happened was the emer- drumming and dancing which meant that the Christian gence of the belief that Christ was coming back-the convert hzd to be kept in an isolated commun ity; Second Advent-and tbat before His arrival, tbe gospel hostility of witch doctors and fetish priests whose had to be preached throughout all the comers of the I grip on their people had been endangered-it is no earth. Biblical arithmetic had been taken much more use enumerating these and the many other difficulties seriously, and the various "dispensations" and "dragons" which the missionaries had to endure. One thing ~as, acquired new and serious meaning and significance. !however, clear: making a "frontal" attack on Afncan Some of the "searching Bible students" were so bold customs and traditions did not prove as easy as it had as to provide specific dates on which the Lord was beeen expected. When this lack of success was realized, supposed to be coming. the missionaries, as Nigeria's Achebe admirably des- The Acts of the Apostles tell us something of the cribes in his novel Things Fall Apart, turned to in- va rious processes of reactions to unfulfilled prophecies: direct approaches. This is what gave rise to the esta- that is, the attempt of the earlier church leaders to get blishment of schools. With these scbools went hospitals as many people as possible to "believe" in the nearness which, no doubt, were meant to show the superiority of the Kingdom of God. A few of the followers of of European civilization and the Word of God over Christ may have quit the group as they waited in vain African magic and traditional healing formulae. for what was thought to be imminent. What is certain, The initial expectation was that pupils who entered j though, is the missiological twist which was invented missionary schools would, on graduation, help to spread to explain why the Kingdom had not come. While the gospel they bad themselves imbibed. Apart from Bible scholars still debate the authorship of many of very few instances, this was not the case in practice. the Epistles, the sociologist discovers at least one im- But unfortunately for the missionaries the knowledge portant fact: that, whoever wrote the Epistles was not gained, albeit from spiritual institutions, was imme- deVOid of the knowledge of how to obtain order and diately utilized for secular purposes. In West Africa, ~discipline, and yet continue to maintain popular en- the mosquito problem dictated that the church leader-thusiasm, in a collective movement animated by values ship be indigenized very quickly as soon as capable of a precarious kind. In the nineteenth century, too, men became ava ilable. The situation in, say, the settler missionary labou r was given a scriptural authorization. Rhodesias, was entirely the opposite. Thus, while Ni- In particular, Pentecostalists and other movements saw geria's Samuel A. Crowther became Bishop of the Niger a divine commission that the gospel should be presented Delta by 1864, in the Rbodesias African ChIistians were. to the Africans "in their own languages." All these until recently, given sacraments in separate churches led to one theme: the realization that the Lord would from tbose of Europeans! not come unless the crucial gospel message had reached all mankind. And so the haste, denominational com- Period of Conservatiou petition, and in many cases the sacrifice of comfort and Ii the above phase of evangelization can be regarded life, to evangelize Africa! as the first period of gospel sowing, the second phase ::I March .1967 THE LEGON OBSERVER may be termed the period of conservation. The struggle of sport in Ghana-Mr. Obene-Djan. The trutb_ -in this phase has been one of the churches trying to however, is that the signs of decline, like those maintain therr hold on the followers they have obtained, of the cba0s in our economy, were evident 100g and to deepen the level of their converts' spirituality. Factors in tms phase have been much more involved. before the coup; and tbe present crisis would On the one hand, there has been an increase in the I have come whether there had been a coup or not, number of denominations in which new religious mo- whether Mr. Ohene-Djan had been sacked or vements, indigenous and foreign, have challenged the not. What we must do now is to isolate tbe fun- established churches for adherents. Operating within damental causes of the stagnation and seek so· the context and spirit of nationalism, Africans have wondered why a new orientation to their culture, of lutions to them. which religion is a crucial component, should not "'be It will be convenient first to examine the made. Tbe independent African . churches have ques- problems facing football at tbe du b level, and tioned the anthropological arid theological meaning of then consider what problems are faced at the the church: is polygamy bad from the point of view national level. Three major problems face foot- of mid--nineteentb century Victorian morality, or sinful on theological grounds? Are tongue-speaking and spiri- ball clubs in the country today: Cal lack of tual healing abhorrent to liberal, formalized and res- coaching, training and management facilities; (b) pectable Christiani ty, or are they no longer needed finance: and (c) econoJ1.tic insecurity facing indi- for genuine I?iblical reasons? Is witcDcraft mere primi- vidual players. At the national level, the major llve illusion, or is it an issue the Church of Christ problems are: organization, administration and, should, and is expected to, grapple with? And so the arguments go on, as indigenous movements such as again finance. the Church of the Lord (Aladura), in West Africa, and Alice Lenshina's Lumpa sect in Central Africa succeed Problems Facing Footbal Clubs -Coaching in challenging the established churches for followers, One of the greatest problems facing clubs is while defying orthodox 1ecbniques of conversion. c Lands). the e.O.S. and the Clubs Associations. services of that small number of Ghanaian foot- Football clubs in this country also lack able baIlers who were sent overseas for courses in club and team managers and executives capable coaching in 1958/60, and who returned to be of running tbe clubs efficiently. or of using the attached to whole Regions as coaches. These clubs' funds wisely. or of actively seeking the "coaches" are too few. knew little more than interests of players. The constant quarrels be- the club players themselves, and have failed to tween players and club executives is a result of be effective. Only Ben Kwofie, who among the a lack of mutual confidence. This is an internal group, is the only coach to have returned over- matter for clubs themselves. It ·is enough here seas since 1961 for a short refresher course. can to point out to tbe clubs that discipline among be said to be a serious coach in rhe country now. players aDd executives is essential for the strength It is strongly suggested that the problem of of their clllbs. full-time professional coaches for football clubs be tackled NOW as a matter of urgency. The Government must take inunediate steps to arrange Whatever you want out of life a scheme of "technical a~sistance" with t\le better footballing nations, like Brazil or any of the STATE INSURANCE friendly European nations, whereby profes~ional will help you get it! coaches would be sent to Ghana to be attached to at least the better clubs here for periods of 2 Worthwhile careers for your children? The foundation of your years at a time. In the meantime, a number of ca- child's career will be bis educ2tion. With a State Insurance policy you can guarantee that education-to a highly advanced level pable Ghanaians, carefully selected. should be sent If necessary. to these countries to undertake complete profes- A better life Jor yourseli? Invest in a State Insurance endowment. sio~a l courses in coacbing. After about 8 years, It will yield a substantial lump sum or a regular income either on • we should have enough of o,!r own coacbes. The your retirement or at some earlier date if you pre fer. returns will be worth the investment if the pro- Protection for yourself and yOlir family? There are State policies not only against the event of your death (em obvious gramme is properly planned and controlled. essentral no matter what your present age) but also against loss of earnings: accident, fire and theft. With a little planning you CM tek9 Training and Management Facilities proper care of your family and live a more positive, pro~ gresslve life yourself. Talk to State Insurance about it. Facilities for training are woefu lly lacking throughout the country. Unti l its dissolution. tbe STATE INSURANCE CORPORATION Head O{f1ce: P.O. Box 2363. Telephone: 6209 Accra. favoured Republikans Club was tbe only club Reg/onal Branches: Sekondl-Takoradl- Swedru- Akim wbich enjoyed the proper facilities needed fo r Oda- Kumasi - Ho- Hohoe -Tamale-T ema - Cape Coast training a club at the Accra Stadium. All otber Koforidua- Sunyanl. .0 "'.'''' clubs bad to use very poor fields for practice and training. Most clubs use school parks as their training ground. or clear their own grounds for the purpose. Invariably tbese fields are not pro- perly surfaced or maintained and they never have any bealth facilities attached. aftel' youI' wife What we need are stadia in the major centres and child If with training grounds, running tracks, gymnasia, you died and health facilities. Ideally, clubs should build tomol'l'owP tbeir own facilities. But apart from Kotoko. no club is likely to be able to raise enough funds on its own to do this. Thus, the Government, with a vested interest in the sporting status of the nation, sbould actively seek a solut ion to this problem. It could build these stadia and hand them over to a 3 March 1967 TIIE LEGON OBSERVER t1 Finance immediately. For example. the clubs and their Money is a perennial source of worry to most Association(s) could work out a scheme of un- clubs. The most important source of revenue is employment ben.efits for players. They could also the share of the gate. Under the old Administra- take out insurance policies for them, in order to tion. gro;" gate collection used to be distributed ensure against the kind of mishap that bas be- as follows: 25 per cent went to the Government fa llen the immortal Baba Yara. In order to do all as entertainment tax; after the e.O.$. had de- tbis the Football Clubs sbould have more money. ducted its expenses of the match. it then took 45 For a start. therofore. their share of the gate per cent of the net. and gave the rest. i.e. 55 sbould be raised . This is possible if the Govern- per cent of the net, to the two competing clubs! ment reduces the entertainment tax for sports, The position has improved fo r the clubs only and the e.O.S. reduces further its share of tbe slightly now: the e.O.S. has reduced its share net gate receipts. to 30 per cent of tbe net (i .e. less its expenses) These. then. are some of tbe fundamental and raised the share of ·the two participating problems that our clubs face fl1 football. In order clubs to 70 per cent. The actual amount going to revive the league and tbe game generally. we to the clubs is really not enougb to pay for tbeir must also examine the problems facing the game running expenses and pennit expansion and at the national level. This we shall do in our se- growtb. Clearly. both tbe e.O.$. 'and the Govern- cond and fina l instalment. ment will have to reduce their share of the pro- ceeds in order to put more money into the hands Poem of tbe clubs. There is yet another way in which tbe Govern- TIlE SPENT SCARE ment can help clubs tremendously: it sbould It was like days in years past consider lowering. or even abolishing. tbe taxes witb years piled high at the fore when ribald cheer on sports equipment~they are too expensive would jeer now. at the tender years I left behind Economic Problems of Players the accounts of which were closed One of the major disruptions of tbis year1s And the odour of youth was stropg in the nose league is tbe unemployment problem. Many like the wet fishy smell of the waves going and coming through crab-clustered crags players were working for organizations that were And strolling compelled, by the necessities of the economic lolling reconstruction progranune. to layoff many wor- sprawling limbs kers. As they left their home towns in search of of the lion-chested on the sands jobs elsewhere. it was natural that the sporting at the shore activities of tbeir clubs should be affected. were sure that laughter This problem of providing economic security sky's blue for the players takes us to the fundamental issue rustling palms of amateurism versus professionalism. which was and all were theirs for the asking raised in an article by Mr. McClelland (L.O. I . And when supple limbs of counterparts 12; 9/12166). Professional footba llers earn their in wood-festooned lands living by the sport. and therefore devote all their up country time to it. (Tills is why they are able to attain with effrontery would canter up and limber down the mountain slope" such great proficiency). Economic insecurity is without so much as a gasp at tbe winds they drew no more of a problem here than in other jobs, and and without a flutter of doubt in the future on the whole is much less. as the players are able When wood-song of chirps and coos and flutes to earn a great deal of money in a short time. was song indeed This can assure their future, or at least they can And gliding fins take out insurance policies against fata l injuries upbraiding etc. Ghana should begin to think of professional- swam up-stream against the current ism in foo tball. over rocks and stones that littered the stream's bed We cannot. of course. wait until professional Rock-and-sand-and-pebblcd floor football is established in Ghana before we pro- below the running transparency renecting flowing landscapes vide some economic assurance and security to burning like mirnge our league footballers; and. in any case, there will That's when the noon-sun always be amateur footballers and sportsmen in descending Ghana. Therefore something ought to be done guided youthful steps towards home 22 THE LEGON OBSERVER 3 March 1967 through fields of grass sion of sentence. and over rivulets (f) fifty persons were to be released from protective But soon custody. the sound of clattering hoofs The New Cedi as of an almighty boar A NEW currency based on one cedi equivalent to 10/- approached was introduced on 23 February 1967. The origina l pur- and most every one pose of introducing the new currency was to remove with pan ic Nkrumah's effigy; but, in addition, the value was knuckled under changed in order, according to Bank of Ghana authori- grovelling lies, to facilitate trade and accounting. The old cedis Then and pesewas are to be withdrawn over three months, when all was sa id and done but the C50 and ClOD notes are convertible to the new and said and done was rather soon currency only at th_e_ b_a_n_k_'. ___ dusting elbows knees and hair Nkru mah's Subversive Activities the youth found out MR. HARLLEY, N.L.C. Min ister of Informa tion, read that after all an extended statement on Nk ru mah}s subversive acti v i ~ the scare must soon be spent lies in Ghana at a press conference on 23 February as spent it was 1967. The "socialist" countries were accused of helping him to try to return to Ghana. In part icular Russia Post Coup - 1966 Gconnbccyi Adali-Mortty and China were alleged to have belped Nkrumah with substantial cash advances, and Cuba was alleged to be News Summary helping with training subversive agents. Pictures of a foreign trawler (intercepted by the Navy and Air Force) 26/2/67 carrying a rms were shown; and samples at explos ives First Annivc.-sary of the Coup seized on agents were exh ibited. THE biggest event of the past week was the celebration of the first anniversary of the coup. The celebration Ghana-Bulgaria Trade Agreement covered four days, starling on Thursday, 23 February THE Governments of Ghana and Bulgaria have signed with torch li ght processions, bonfires, traditional drum- a protoco l agreement on the exchange of goods for this ming and dan~ing. year. Under the agreement., Ghana will import from On Friday, the Liberation Day. the army officers Bulgaria tomato puree and other canned fru its, vege- who led the revolu tion, made radio broadcasts to the t..:'\bles, texti les, pharmaceuticals and machinery. Bulgaria nation in the order in wh ich they did their broadcaSls will also import from Ghana cocoa beans and cocoa on the day of the coup-fi rst Colonel (then Major) butler, timber and raw coffee. Afrifa, followed by Major-General (then Colonel) Koto- Legal Profession (Amendment) Decrcc 1967 ka. Later in tbe morning there was a parade of the AN N.L.C. decree which amends the Legal Profession Armed Forces and the Po lice at the Black Star Square. Act of 1960 bas been published. A Ghanaian citizen who Then Lt.-General Ankrah read a speech to the public, qua lifi es outside Ghana- in the U.K. or any other in which he announced the promotion by the N.L.C. country whose law is based on tbe same principles of Major-General Kotoka to the rank of Lieutenant- (Roman Law)-can now be enrolled as a practicing law- General and Brigadier A. K. Ocran to Major-General. yer in Ghana without having to undergo any further In the evening Lt.-General Ankrah made a radiol courses or sit (or any further examinations in Ghana. T.V. broadcast to the nation in which he announced provided only that he salifies the General Legal Council an increase of 51- to a bag of cocoa (to £2/101-). The that he is of good character, and pays an enro lment (ollowing were among the other major points of bis fee of NC50. speech. (a) the first batch of slate corporations would soon be Pay Increase sold to the private sector ; DAILY-RATED and salaried employees of the private- (b) orderly progress towards democratic civilian rule owned Mctal Mines in Ghana arc to get a pay increase was proceeding apace; of 1/- a day. According to a joint statement of the (c) the Lega l Committee was revising the Statute Book management and the Workers' Union, this is to meet in o rder to remove from it all Jaws found to be the increased cost of living. The workers in return against the interest of the nation; promised to raise efficiency and productivity and reduce (d) the establishment of the military tribunal was not absenteeism. meant to interfere with the (unct ions or jurisd ict ion Use of Trode Fair Site of the judiciary; it was to ensure the conditions in GHANA1AN traders and commercial houses are being which the rule of law could operate; consulted on the idea of converting the fair site into (e) th e N.L.C. was granting an amnesty to convicted a super-market. prisoners as follows: (i) the sentences of prisoners convicted of murder, S. Atu-Mensah Sentenced whose appeals had failed, were to be commuted to S. ATU-MENSAH, a former D istrict O rganiser of the life imprisonment; disbanded Ghana Young Pioneer Moveruent has been (ii) life sentences were to be commuted to ten years sentenced to three years' imprisonment with hard labour with efIcct f,rom the date of conviction; at the Cape Coast Circuit Court for publ ishing defa- (iii) persons sentenced before 24 February 1966 to matory documents against the N.L.C. Atu-Mensab three yea rs or more were to be granted a year's remis- pleaded not gu ilty. 3 March 1967 THE LEGON OllSERVER 23 Observer Notices THE "LEGON OBSERVER" PUBLICATIONS IN THE LEGON OBSERVER Organ of the Legan Society on National Affairs THE Legan Observer is a forum for public discussion of views on issues of national importance. All inte- Published Fortnightly resting and ~timulating contributions arc welcome; but intending contributors should observe the fcHawing Editorial Committee rules: (a)A11 correspondence must be supplied with the Chairman: K. A. B. Jones-Quartey real name and (ull address of the writer, even if Vice-Chairman: A .S. Y. Andoh these arc not meant for publication. Addresses with only the post office box number, or only the zone of Members: K. B. Dickson the city. are incomplete (e.g. P. O. Box 41, Accra; Of J. A. Dadson Adabraka, Accra). House number Of street name, B.D.G. Folson or business office. should be added wherever possi- ble, in order if necessary, to enable us to contact O. Y. Asamoall the contributor in person. Letters with incomplete E. Yaw Twumasi addresses shall not be published. A. Adu-Boahen (b) Contributions intended for publication must S. O. Gyandob, Jm. as far as possible be type-written, double-spaced, and J. A. Peasab submitted in duplicate, including the original. It is our policy not to publish an article or letter already K. Agama published elsewhere, unless we have special reasons E. A. K wapong: Treasurer for doing so. Contributions must therefore be Editor: E. 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