POLITICAL-ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS IN GHANA:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 002087

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

TREASURY FOR LUKAS KOHLER
COMMERCE FOR MARIA RIVERO
USTR FOR LAURI-ANN AGAMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EPET GH PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: POLITICAL-ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS IN GHANA:
JULY-AUGUST, 2006

REF: ACCRA 1072


1. This cable covers noteworthy political and economic
highlights in July-August, 2006. Topics covered in this
cable are:

- West African Political Parties Meet
- Whistleblower Bill Passed
- Renewed Violence in Yendi
- Human Rights Roundtable
- DHRF Signing Ceremony
- Self Help Signing Ceremony
- Government Decreases Price of Petroleum

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WEST AFRICAN POLITICAL PARTIES MEET
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2. On July 28, the Institute for Economic Affairs, a Ghanaian
think tank, convened government and opposition political
party representatives from eight West African countries )
reportedly the first-ever such meeting. The goal of the
gathering was to promote democratic dalogue, especially in
neighboring Cote d,Ivoire nd Togo. Before leaving Accra,
the delegation isued a communique in which the various
representaives pledged to work together for democracy. The
President of Togo,s Chief of Staff was notable for his
active participation in the session. The group, after
conferring with their respective party headquarters, will
meet again to select a steering committee, which will assume
leadership for the so-called West African Regional Political
Parties Platform.

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WHISTLEBLOWER BILL PASSED
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3. Parliament on July 27, 2006 passed a Whistleblower
Bill, which establishes a procedure for individuals to
disclose information that relates to illegal conduct or
practice. It provides protection against victimization of
persons who make these disclosures and it creates a fund to
compensate individuals making the disclosures. Passage of
the bill is an important step in strengthening GOG
anti-corruption efforts, although implementation will be key.


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RENEWED VIOLENCE IN YENDI
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4. On August 25, security personnel in Yendi, Northern
Region, shot at a group of Abudu youths attempting to
forcibly occupy the Andani Ya Na,s Palace. According to
media reports, the violence resulted in three civilian deaths
and an unknown number of injuries. (Note: the Abudus and
Andanis are competing &gates8, or lines of succession,
within the Dagbon ethnic group in northern Ghana. End Note.)
The palace has not been occupied since March 2002 following
the murder of the Andani Ya Na chief and forty others. The
long-delayed burial of the Andani Ya Na in April raised hopes
that the region would return to peace (reftel). Abudus
attribute this recent confrontation to the undue delay in
performing the final funeral rites of Muhammadu Abdulai, the
Abudu Ya Na chief who died and was buried in the late 1980s.
Unlike in previous years, security personnel and government
representatives in the region appear determined to deal
firmly with any act which might spark renewed violence
between the Andanis and Abudus. The Asantehene (Ashanti
King) has also quickly stepped in to reduce tensions.

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HUMAN RIGHTS ROUNDTABLE
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5. Post hosted its second annual Human Rights Roundtable on
August 3, 2006. Guests included representatives from NGOs,
civil society and government. Discussion was focused on the
2006 Trafficking in Persons Report, 2005 Human Rights Report
and 2005 International Religious Freedom Report. Post
received insight and feedback on the reports that included
new information on issues like prison conditions, trafficking

ACCRA 00002087 002.2 OF 002


in persons and religious freedom in schools.

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DHRF SIGNING CEREMONY
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6. Ambassador hosted a Democracy and Human Rights Fund
signing ceremony on August 16. Ambassador's remarks about the
achievements and continuing challenges of human rights in
Ghana were widely covered by the media. She praised passage
this year of the Disabilities Act and progress in resolving
the chieftaincy dispute in Dagbon, Northern Region. There
were eight grants awarded this year, totaling $80,000.
Ambassador also signed an Economic Support Fund (ESF) grant
given for a trafficking awareness campaign for fishing
villages in the Kpandu District, Volta Region.

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SELF HELP SIGNING CEREMONY
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7. The Ambassador participated in a ceremony on August 28,
attended by press, in which she distributed the first tranche
of Special Self Help checks for each of the 11 projects being
supported in Ghana this year, totaling $70,000. The projects
are geographically distributed throughout the country and
support a broad range of projects, including a women's
livestock group, a vocational training center, and a school
water project.

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GOVERNMENT DECREASES PETROLEUM PRICES
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8. On August 2, the GOG reduced the prices of several
petroleum products by eliminating one of eight taxes. Due to
this decrease, gasoline now sells at 8,970 cedis per liter
instead of 9,369 cedis per liter. The decision to eliminate
the tax was largely a political response to heavy criticism,
some coming from within the governing party, of the July 20
decision to increase prices. However, the benefits of the
lower prices will be limited mainly to those who own private
vehicles. The cost of public transport, upon which the
majority of the population depends, was raised between five
and ten percent in the wake of the July 20 price increases
and is not being reduced.

BRIDGEWATER