Ghana Minister applauds AI for alerting gov’t on human rights issues
Mr Henry Ford Kamel, the Volta Regional Minister, on Thursday applauded Amnesty International (AI-Ghana) for consistently prompting governments on human rights issues.
He demanded, however, that the same vim should extend to fighting for the rights of ordinary persons, many of who continually come under barrages of abuses.
Mr Kamel who was addressing the 2012 Annual General Meeting of AI-Ghana in Ho said, there were many cases of little girls being defiled and the offenders going free, because chiefs as demigods, have arranged reparations, to the detriment of the physical and psychological health of the victims.
“I believe you focus too much on government activity so let us feel your interest right at our doorsteps otherwise you remain too abstract,” the Minister stated.
He said there were several abusive practices in the cultural set up, such as those that prevent women from owning land and widows being traded to males in the families of late husbands, which must be tackled.
Mr Kamel conceded that the activities of human right groups had kept governments on their toes, and gave society some stability otherwise the scenario could have been that of the survival of the fittest.
Mr Vincent Adzablie-Mensah, Chairman of AI-Ghana Board, said the group had indeed been engaging small communities on human rights issues to give it (AI-Ghana), some local relevance.
The three-day meeting is on the theme “Amnesty International Ghana: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.
Mr Lawrence Amesu, Director of AI-Ghana said besides evaluating operations of the group in the past and present and setting goals for the future, the meeting would put in focus, the treatment of people living in slums in Ghana and across the world.
He said in the view of the Association, forced evictions were against international principles.
Mr Amesu said development of slums were a reflection of the economic health of a country and exposed the flaws in development planning.
He said people who live in slums, without access to good schools for their children; water and other necessities of life did not go there on their own but pushed by poverty.
“We are suggesting that evictions can’t happen in order to allow for development or upgrading works, but safeguards-such as genuine consultation with affected communities and ensuring that people are not left homeless-must be adhered to.
“To ensure that people aren’t left vulnerable to human rights violations,” a press release by AI-Ghana stated.
Delegates at the meeting include Mr Pietro Antonilio, Chairman, International Executive Committee of Amnesty International, Global.
Source: GNA