Atoessel

2010-04-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Is The Discussion About Race and Intelligence Worthwhile?

Submission by Ato Essel.

In our contemporary world which is typified with increasing individuals, groups, national, and international competitions in almost every sphere of live, it is prudent, appropriate, and worthwhile to encourage discussions about race and intelligence objectively and dispassionately without drawing hasty conclusions and generalizations.
The subject of race and intelligence is a highly controversial one that has the potential of creating serious wedges with disastrous consequences if it is not approached with an open mind and the desire to investigate, identify and tell the truth and nothing but the truth without any shred of bias, prejudices, stereotypes and ethnocentrism. Up until this date, all known attempts by way of categorization of racial and ethnic groupings as a standard measure of intelligence dominated by a unitary general cognitive ability have usually been found to be flawed and biased. People therefore ought to be treated as individuals and not as members of categorized groups. More importantly, it is a generally accepted fact that an individual's niche in society is not wholly dependent on his or her genetic hereditary (debating points; race and ethnic relations pages 33 & 38).
Any attempt therefore by any one-sided self constituted bodies to authenticate any so- called findings as a basis for awarding “intelligence points” to groups of people without honest and fair analysis of all mitigating factors that affect the development and or underdevelopment of individuals and groups will at best do more harm than good and rob society of its fair share of truthfulness. Such attempts are more likely than not to create false impressions and inculcate empty confidence mentality to certain groups who are “made” to feel superior by virtue of the color of their skins and their places of birth while at the same time consciously and clandestinely marginalizing and perpetually alienating other groups on the basis of ill-motivated presumptions. One of the obvious questions that come to mind is that, if individuals are inherently and genetically intelligent at birth, why are such same individuals made to compete in schools, colleges and other areas of life with their “unintelligent counterparts” and be graded with the same standard measure for achievements.
Also, why are there so many variations among the so called “intelligent” individuals and groups? Are they not all supposed to be intelligent and smart people?
In the recent past, there have been attempts to examine the nature, origins and practical consequences of racial and ethnic group differences in relation to intelligence. One of such was the publication by Jensen with the title “How Much Can We Boost IQ and School Achievement”. One other publication on the subject of race and intelligence which has been widely debated and criticized is the “Bell Curve” which was published in 1994 by Charles Murray. The most recent work on the subject of race and intelligence is the “G” factor by Jensen which was published in 1998. In spite of the above attempts and several others there is yet to be any scientifically proven evidence that wholly links genetic inheritance to intelligence.

Most areas of discourse and controversy is the knowledge that most if not all of the so-called findings have been influenced in one way or the other by scientific racism where self acclaimed researchers have been found to exaggerate and manipulate figures or marginalize facts to satisfy their hidden agenda to promote one group of individuals at the expense of others. Another area of controversy is the notion that racial categorization is an attempt to divide humans into “breeding populations” and that differentiating species into biologically defined races is meaningless and unscientific. In this regard, researchers have been vehemently criticized for making “mistaken claims of racially determined intelligence” (American Anthropological Association). These and other countless sources of contentions reinforce the need for the discussion and investigation on race and intelligence to be vigorously and objectively pursued.
There are others who also propose that scientifically, races do not exist in the first place; because all humans trace their original roots to one and the same ancestor and that the claim that there is correlation between different races and intelligence is a “dangerous myth”. They further infer that categorization of certain racial groups as superior to others by reason of genetically inherent intelligence is a social construction of a politically and economically dominant groups to maintain their own status and power in society (the g factor by Jensen).
Asian students, and more specifically Japanese and Chinese have been found to be high achievers not because they are genetically intelligent than others. Apparently, their significant achievement is mainly due to their cultural orientations and the fact that they work hard, more focused, and devote much more time and efforts to their chosen field of study than other students who have been made to believe that they are already intelligent (the learning gap 1992). Conversely, there may be people who are more likely to perform poorly not because they are genetically stupid or inferior but because they have been over the years, deprived and alienated from available resources and facilities which have been made more accessible and readily available to others.
The debate about race and intelligence is worthwhile and need to be pursued to its logical and scientific conclusion, because unresolved debates about such sensitive issues create uncertainties and tensions among racial groupings. On one hand, it creates empty confidence and complacency which inhibits real sense of self actualization and the pursuit of excellence. On the other hand, it serves as a barrier and a breeding ground for prejudices, stereotypes, discrimination, animosity, hatred and vain suspicion.
True and accurate findings about race and intelligence will eliminate unnecessary rivalries and forestall dignity and respect for all. Those who are truly found to be intelligent either genetically or otherwise will have to be deservingly rewarded and acknowledged as such by society. In the long run, it will help minimize if not eradicate ideological racism which is more pervasive in the so-called civilized world, particularly, in the United States. While the discussion continues let us be guided by one of the popular and arguably, the most widely accepted quote by the late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. that “people ought to be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin”.

2010-04-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

SUGGESTIONS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT JOHN EVANS ATTA MILLS DURING HIS MAIDEN VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, 2009.

BY: ATO ESSEL, SECRETARY, NDC – MASSACHUSETTS, USA.

Your Excellency, Honorable Ministers of State, Distinguished guests, fellow Akatamansonians. I thank you so very much for given me the honor and the privilege to meet with you. I also thank you for given me the opportunity to contribute to the discussion for a better Ghana. I hereby make the following submissions for your kind consideration and necessary action.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, PRESS SECRETARY, AND SPOKESPERSON:
In most western democracies, especially in the United States, Presidential Spokespersons usually double as Press Secretaries, or name them Communication Directors. For the purposes of consistency and avoidance of contradictions on issues bordering on presidential pronouncements, I humbly wish to suggest that you realign the communication directorate, and the strategic communications at the castle to operate directly under the supervision of the Presidential Spokesperson or the Press Secretary. Under the current arrangement, there is the high tendency for one group to assume that the other is acting on an issue, when in fact nobody is actually acting. There have been instances of contradictions and inconsistencies among these groups. Incorporating them into one body will increase efficiency and enhance rapid response to issues of national importance, thereby minimizing the probability for the public to speculate about executive initiatives and activities.
GRASSROOTS PARTICIPATION OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC INTERACTIONS:
It is said that, in the absence of timely factual and truthful presentations, attempts are made by others with hidden agenda to fill the void with sugar-coated falsehood. And over time, credence is given to such falsehoods. The good thing however, is that truth shall always prevail over falsehood no matter how long it takes, but often times, delayed truth does not come out without a price.
I therefore wish to humbly suggest to your Excellency to consider the urgent need to reinvigorate the Communications and Public Relations Departments of our party, (the NDC) right from the national headquarters in Accra to the constituency levels as well as all the overseas branches so as to enable them (the leaders) to aggressively compliment the efforts of government with its information dissemination and public engagements. In short, I wish to suggest that our party leadership at the national, regional and constituency levels should be sufficiently resourced and oriented about government policies and projects to enable them effectively engage the masses and explain government initiatives. At the same time, they will be in a better shape to receive and collate feed backs from the grassroots for the information of government. This will go a long way to minimize if not eliminate entirely the incidence of misinformation and fabrications by our political opponents.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO AWARENESS CREATION:
There is the urgent need for all NDC party functionaries to be incorporated in government information dissemination and awareness creation. The late Abraham Maslow, a distinguished American Psychologist once stated that, “if your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail”. In the highly competitive political environment in which we operate as a government and mindful of the fact that we shall go back to the polls in less than four years to renew our political mandate , we need to employ every available tool at our disposal to meet the expectations, and the aspirations of the electorate. In retrospect, I think that we (the NDC) could have done a lot better in terms of information dissemination, awareness creation and public sensitization prior to the petroleum price increases early this year. I also think that the public need to be made sufficiently aware and clear about the state of the economy as we inherited in January. Especially, details of the financial waste and malfeasance that characterized the previous administration’s stewardship (over costing of contracts and other public procurements).
DE-MYSTIFYING THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS (BNI):
I also wish to humbly suggest that a lot more public awareness need to be created about the indispensable role of the BNI in our quest for a transparent, accountable, and responsible public service in Ghana. Again, the constitutional mandates of the BNI as a state investigative body, which is authorized to investigate and prosecute public officials who are found culpable of criminal offences need to be made abundantly clear to the general public. This will also help to reduce several incidences of arrogance, legal restraints, and defiance against the BNI of late.
INFROMATION SHARING AND THE SNOWBALL EFFECTS:
So far, the Minister of Information and her Deputies are doing well. However, their efforts need to be complimented by other members of the executive branch. For instance, whenever they have information for public consumption, be it press statement or a rejoinder, they can circulate the same message to all sector Ministers, Regional Ministers, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives, all NDC regional and constituency executives, as well as NDC Members of Parliament. This will help eliminate inconsistencies in our information dissemination and also help give clear and concise messages at all times.
FROM SODOM AND GOMORRAH TO “I CARE FOR YOU” HOUSING PROJECT:
Sodom and Gomorrah present a unique opportunity for the NDC government to leave a lasting legacy for the Ghanaian working masses in contrast with the so-called presidential palace that was built by the previous administration. It is regrettable to note that the name Sodom and Gomorrah invokes unpleasant biblical truth which incurred the displeasure of the almighty God. And no peace-loving and progressive nation would want to reenact or revisit the atrocities, and the consequences which are synonymous with the name. Ghana deserves better than Sodom and Gomorrah. This is our time to change this unfortunate phenomenon for a better Ghana.
In this respect, I suggest that government should utilize the land as a matter of priority for the construction of multiple stories, low-cost gated community houses, and rent them out to Ghanaian working class citizens. The government shall then show case it as a model of a peaceful, lovely, and law abiding community and not Sodom and Gomorrah. Politically, we can even name the place “I Care for You Housing Project” or “Ghanamanmba Asomdwoefo Fie”. THE ECONOMY AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY:
Your Excellency, it is said that politics and economics are powerful social forces, intertwined like the strands of a DNA double helix. Economic conditions are the best single predictor of voters’ evaluation of how a President is doing his or her job. There is therefore no doubt that economic conditions profoundly affect voters’ electoral decisions, and that the connection between economic conditions and voting is real. Therefore, I humbly wish to suggest that among all other competing demands, kindly make the Ghanaian economy one of your very top priorities.
ALL HANDS ON DECK:
Your Excellency, I humbly wish to make a passionate appeal to you to appoint more loyal and qualified NDC party members, especially those of us in the Diaspora to serve in your government because there is a lot we can offer our party and mother Ghana. Also, that is another sure and direct way of transferring some, if not all, of the good ideas, the expertise and the innovations we have acquired here back home to help build a better Ghana for all. Your Excellency, once again, I thank you for the opportunity given me. You are warmly welcome, to the United States of America.

PROPHETIC PREDICTION HAS BEEN VALIDATED

2009-09-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

'NPP's end is near', Prof Mills predicts
21/08/2007

John Evans Atta-Mills, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress has told Ghanaians in the Diaspora that "the clock is ticking” for the ruling New Patriotic Party and its followers “and they know it.”

The third-time NDC flagbearer stated, “The statistics may show that GDP might be expanding, but the truth is that its fruits are not spread across more people.”

Projecting himself as the man of choice in the December 2008 presidential election, the opposition leader said, “I know I will make the difference.”

According to Prof Mills, what Ghanaians needed was a “serious person with serious answers; with proven qualities; someone who understands the new challenges in detail and has the ability, competence and experience, and above all humility to deal with them.”

Those qualities, he said, were what continued to inspire his bid for the presidency.

Accusing the NPP of losing the plot, Prof Mills stated that the four-year political mandate of a government was too short a period to go chasing perceived enemies at the expense of focusing on development programmes.

He added, “After all, all well-meaning Ghanaians agree that it's time to break the cycle of fault-finding and finger pointing.

Ghanaians are tired of the constant bickering. People are tired of waking up in the morning to the insults and same old bickering. It is time to move on."

Accusing the New Patriotic Party of incompetence, Prof Mills charged, "The country needs a government that is competent and confident and is therefore able to enter into dialogue with all shades of political opinion. A competent and confident government is also one that is humble, considerate, and fair to all.

"We need a government of this type to inspire hope in Ghanaians."

The former Vice President under President Jerry John Rawlings is so sure of winning that he believes the only opportunity left for the incumbent is electoral fraud.

Speaking about the NPP, Prof Mills said, "Their only recourse would be to manipulate the outcome of the December 2008 elections as they did in 2004. At that time, I took a strategic decision to concede defeat in the interest of political stability even as we contested the blatant electoral injustices in the courts.

"Almost three years down the line we are still waiting on the judiciary to give us the justice we deserve. But strange things are happening in the case."

The NDC leader was speaking to members and sympathisers of the NDC at a rally in Boston, USA.

He further accused the NPP of being elitist and looking after the interest of a privileged few who were allegedly using their political connections to get rich by the day.

The NDC presidential candidate could not resist a word on the seeming disillusionment afflicting the rank and file of the NPP: "Meanwhile, even the vanguard of their own party, the foot soldiers, is asking them about the electoral promises they made to reduce cost of living, provide jobs and reduce cost of education."

According to reports posted by Prof Mills' campaign office, the former Vice President told the Ghanaian community in the US that the Kufuor government was only interested in prosecuting a partisan agenda, instead of nurturing divergent expression and keeping the entire nation focused on common goals.

"Here in America, there are competing political ideologies but it cannot be lost on us how certain American interests remain constant irrespective of whether it is the Democrats or the Republicans that get the mandate of the majority of the people to govern.

"And that is where we need to get to as Ghanaians; that we can, and indeed must differ in political line of thought, but at all times, focus on things that matter."

The NDC leader continued, "The country needs a government that is competent and confident and is therefore able to enter into dialogue with all shades of political opinion. A competent and confident government is also one that is humble, considerate, and fair to all. We need a government of this type to inspire hope in Ghanaians."

Saturday, Prof Mills and Huudu Yahaya, an NDC Vice-Chairman, inaugurated the Massachusetts Chapter of the NDC, admonishing the members to keep their faith in the party alive.

On behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of the Massachusetts NDC Chapter, Twumasi Appiah Ankrah, thanked Prof Mills, the Vice-Chairman, and other NDC high-ups who were present for the inauguration.

"We are very grateful for what has happened here today and we know that we must justify our being in the NDC with hard work because it is not too many Chapters in North America that have been privileged to have the Leader of the party being present at their inauguration" Mr Twumasi Appiah Ankrah said.

Other members of the executives of the Massachusetts Chapter of the NDC include Nii Ashiboi Armah, Vice Chairman; Ato Essel, General Secretary; Peter Nana Asiedu, Deputy General Secretary; Kojo Aggor, Organising Secretary and Simon Ocloo, Asst Secretary.

Others are Mrs Azumah, Women’s Organiser; Jennifer Nanfuri, Deputy Women’s Organiser; Reagan Quartey, Public Relations Officer; Mrs Stella Aggor, Treasurer; Richmond Nettey, Youth Organiser and Maxwell Danso Abraim, Deputy Youth Organiser.

MINISTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO SENATOR KENNEDY

2009-09-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

General News of Monday, 31 August 2009

Minister Pays Tribute To Senator Ted Kennedy
NEW. Watch live television from Ghana plus the latest Ghanaian movies plus OBE TV.

The Eastern Regional Minister of the Republic of Ghana, Honorable Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has paid a glowing tribute to the late Senior Senator of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the United States Senate, Sir Edward (Ted) Moore Kennedy, who was popularly referred to as the “lion of the Senate”. The Minister whose private visit to the United States of America coincided with the burial and funeral celebrations of the Senator, used the occasion to extend the deepest condolences of the President of Ghana, His Excellency Professor John Evans Atta Mills, on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, to the family of the Senator, the government and people of Massachusetts in particular, and Americans in general.

During an extemporaneous speech at the Massachusetts State House, Honorable Ofosu Ampofo stated that the democratic values and principles which were so passionately espoused by Senator Ted Kennedy throughout his adult life are very much akin to the social democratic values and principles of the National Democratic Congress. The Honorable Minister mentioned that both the Democratic Party led by President Barrack Obama and the NDC led by President Atta Mills have several similarities in terms of philosophy, policy, and delivery. Referring to the NDC of Ghana, and the DNC of the United States, the Minister stated that “the core of our human centered policies are to better the lives of our people by first changing the status quo of political elitism and replacing it with the process which ensures that the ordinary people are not just giving the opportunity to be part of decision making process, but more importantly, they become equal beneficiaries of transparent, productive, and accountable governance”.

The Honorable Minister who paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Office of the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the Beacon Hill, in Boston on Friday August 28, 2009 also had fruitful interactions with senior executive members of staff for Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray during which issues of mutual benefits for the people of Ghana and that of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts were discussed.

Ms Robyn Kennedy, a Deputy Chief of Staff of the Patrick Administration, who was the spokesperson during the meeting, also expressed appreciations and thanks to the government, and people of Ghana for showing care and affection towards the family of Senator Ted Kennedy and the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as the whole United States morn the passing of one of her illustrious sons. She also expressed the hope that the Minister’s visit will facilitate future mutual interactions between the Minister and the Governor and their respective administrations for the benefits of Ghana and the Commonwealth. After the meeting, the Lt. Governor and the Minister exchanged souvenirs.

In related developments, Honorable Ofosu Ampofo interacted with the Ghanaian communities in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts. He also met with members of NDC in Massachusetts and had a close door discussions with them. The Minister attended a church service at Church of Pentecost in Brighton, Massachusetts. He also attended a social function organized by the Ghanaian community in Providence, Rhode Island and shared some socio-economic and developmental thoughts with them. According to a source close to the Minister, Honorable Ofosu Ampofo will proceed to Canada and attend to some pressing issues before he gets back home to Ghana.

Source:
Ato Essel, Massachusetts, USA.

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2009-06-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

Ghana Weather, Weather Forecast in Ghana

2009-06-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

NACC – NDC CONGRESS WASHINGTON, DC. JUNE 20, 2009.
SPEECH BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ELECTORAL COMMITTEE
(MR. ATO ESSEL).

Thank you Mr. Chairman, I fully observe and acknowledge all protocol.
I am highly privileged and humbled for the opportunity to serve as the Chairman of the North American Coordinating Council (NAAC) interim electoral committee, as we work together to elect our officers who will have the executive mandate and support of the leadership of our great party – the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) and for that matter the current government of the Republic of Ghana.
I also wish to extend my highest regards and appreciation to Mr. Simon Adzraku, my able Vice – Chairman for his support and contribution which helped made our work pleasurable and not burdensome.
By virtue of the authority conferred on me in my capacity as the chairman of the electoral committee, I hereby refer to clause 3 of the reorganizational policy guidelines for external branches of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and officially declare the current executive body of the North American Coordinating Council (NACC) dissolved.
With the same measure of understanding, and adherence to clause 4 of the reorganizational policy guidelines for external branches of the great AKATAMANSO family, I humbly wish to proceed with the election of executive officers to steer the affairs of the NDC Chapter in the United States of America for a period of two consecutive years, effective today.
In this regard, I wish to once again, welcome all of you here, especially those vying for various positions. I also wish to reassure you all that the electoral committee of which I am the chairman is genuinely independent, objective, and transparent. And that we are determine to ensure that the elections will have the same measure of objectivity, fairness, and transparency devoid of irregularities that will in any form or shape affect the credibility of the results.
We also wish to remind contestants and their supporters that this election is a purely internal affair. At the end of the day, it is NDC – North America and the entire AKATAMANSO family that wins.
Those of us who get elected as a result of today’s election do not have to under-estimate and disregard the capabilities and potentials of those who did not obtain the mandate of voters. The success or failure of NAAC – NDC depends on all of us. As social democrats, we should always make room for consensus building without sacrificing our core human centered values and principles.
No matter what the outcome of the elections, let us continue to work together, regardless of our inherent human differences, as we pursue the noble agenda for a better Ghana because, in unity lies strength.
The procedure for the election is very simple;
1. For each of the positions that will be contested, each eligible branch is entitled to three (3) votes which can be apportioned to different candidates on absolute number terms (1, 2, and 3). This means that, fractional votes are not allowed.
2. A candidate who obtains majority of votes cast for a particular position becomes the elected candidate for such position.
3. whenever there is a tie between two or more candidates, there will be a second round of voting, and the process will continue until a winner is elected.
4. A candidate who fails to win a substantive position may contest for the immediate subordinate position. However, such a candidate will be eligible (and may be declared the winner of the subordinate position) if and only if there are no contestants for such immediate subordinate position.
5. Voting for all contesting positions shall be dully completed before counting and tabulation of the results and eventual declaration of all elected officials.
6. All grievances relating to the election and evidence of irregularities (if any), may be reported verbally to the electoral committee, immediately after the voting process is completed. In addition, all such complaints should be documented in writing and submitted to the chairman of the electoral committee within 7 days after the official declaration of results.
7. Base on available data at our disposal, we expect a total of thirty-nine (39) votes collectively, from thirteen (13) NACC-NDC branches that are expected to vote at this congress, for each of the twelve positions being contested for.
On that note, I wish all the candidates the very best of luck.
Mr. Chairman, invited guest, and fellow ATAMANSONIANS, I now wish to hand over to my colleague who will take turns with me to continue with the next item on the agenda. Thank you so very much for your attention. And may God guide us in our deliberations.

2009-06-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

2009-05-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

GHANA’S WAR ON NARCOTIC DRUGS, WHAT PRESIDENT MILLS AND HIS GOVERNMENT MUST DO.

My main goal for this presentation is to contribute to the search for the best solution to an imminent cancerous and contagious catastrophe (narcotic drugs) which has the potential of eroding the very moral and social fiber of our generation and those yet to come. I am neither in any mood to play the blame game, nor do I expect to earn any academic credit and reward as a consequence for this submission. My intention is also not to lecture readers, but rather to complement what has already been done and continue to be done in our effort to confront and defeat a common public enemy which is personified by the unassailable pervasiveness of narcotic drug addicts in our beautiful Ghana.
I believe that this piece will go a long way to help policy decision makers who have been given the responsibility to transform Ghana’s Narcotic Control Board to make it more viable and operational in our quest to fight and defeat a common enemy. I know that day and night, there are dedicated and honest intelligence operatives who choose not to sleep so as to ensure that the greater majority of our people go about their businesses in a more peaceful, safe and secure environment. I am therefore confident that Ghana under the leadership of President John Evan Atta Mills will win back its international reputation and prestige. The President’s appointment of the likes of Col (rtd) Larry Gbevlo Lartey, Mr. Yaw Donkor, ACP Robert Ayalingo, and the recall of John Ndego and other Intelligence and Security officers who were prematurely retired, or forced to retire during the previous NPP Administration is a positive step in the right direction towards the fight against drugs. And I am even more confident that as one nation, and one people with a common destiny, Ghanaians generally have the will and the capacity to wage a relentless and ruthless war against the few public enemies for the greater good to prevail, and eventually restore our self esteem and dignity as a peace loving country.
The Manifesto for a better Ghana: By virtue of their electoral successes in the last general election the NDC government has the mandate to govern and lead our country for her development in all spheres of life. In other words, the Atta Mills presidency has the capacity to execute its party’s manifesto for the socio-economic development of Ghana. In this regard, I would like to reproduce portion of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2008 Manifesto for a better Ghana which forms the basis of my presentation. “Ghana’s notoriety as a political and economic leader has slipped – now it is famous for drug selling and drug use. Along the way, Ghanaians have become victims to the violent crimes drug bring. Combating this dirty and deadly business requires the full force of the law and powers of the state. The NDC will:
· Reverse Ghana’s image as an easy target for money laundering and drug transport point.
· Seize and forfeit assets of drug traffickers to meet national and international obligations.
· Ensure fair and equitable justice – not just for drivers and petty dealers but for barons and cartels and their powerful allies.
· Sentences will match the seriousness of the crime.
· Equip the security services and anti-drug agencies to confront sophisticated criminals”.
In deed, in the recent past, and specifically during the eight year rule of the NPP government, Ghana’s international reputation and pride was tainted by the increasing spate of narcotic drug activities apparently by certain self seeking Ghanaians (including high level government officials) and their foreign collaborators who solidified their criminal networks both in Ghana and abroad to the detriment of our country and people. As was once said by the former United Nations Secretary General, Javier Perez de Cuellar ‘the menace of narcotic drugs trafficking and its usage is like a ticking time bomb which is about to explode with disastrous consequences’. It is therefore incumbent upon all peace loving, and human centered individuals especially Ghanaians, and cooperate bodies to join the fight against narcotic drugs trafficking.
Overview of Narcotic Drugs Problem in Ghana and beyond: The menace of narcotic drugs in Ghana dates back to the pre-colonial era when marijuana was the main psychotropic substance that was known as the most commonly abused plant herb by some who use it as a form of depressant and or stimulant due to its chemical properties. With the advent of colonial rule, Indian hemp (as is popularly called) was classified as a prohibited commodity whose cultivation, possession, and use were punishable by law. However, as a result of local and global increasing availability, consumption, and abuse of other forms of controlled substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, hashish, and a host of related harmful substances, which were hitherto unknown in Ghana and most parts of the world, it became extremely necessary for the international community under the umbrella of the United Nations to mobilize resources to forge a united front in the fight against an imminent global threat. In that regard, key international bodies were instituted under the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances to complement the activities of other related institutional structures which predates the era of the League of Nations. Among these bodies were the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), and the United Nations Drug Control Program. The above list is not limited to other international and national establishment aimed at combating illicit drug trafficking and its related crimes. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs is the independent and quasi-judicial control organ for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions. It plays an important role in monitoring enforcement of restrictions on narcotics and psychotropic and in deciding which precursors should be regulated. The United Nations Drug Control Program was constituted to oversee the activities of all organs that were created to implement the articles of the UN convention which requires (INCB) to report annually to the Commission on the implementation of the Convention's restrictions.
At the national level, the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) was created by the government of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) under PNDC Law 236 of 1990 under the able leadership of former President Jerry John Rawlings. The primary function of the board is to serve as the most powerful national agency to ensure strict enforcement of Ghana’s drug laws as well as consolidate, and coordinate the government's drug war activities. By law, the board is to be headed by an executive secretary who shall report directly to the President through the Minister of the Interior. Over the years the board has been at the fore front of the war against drugs nationally and internationally. Especially, under the former Commissioner of Police/CID and Director of BNI who also doubled as the Coordinator of National Security during the PNDC/NDC era, Mr. Kofi Bentum Quantson, Ghana became the beacon of hope for the success of the fight against drugs not only in Africa but the world at large. However, with the level of sophistication of narcotics criminals and the increasing pace at which the narcotics drugs industry is growing, both by size and influence, it has become necessary for NACOB to be restructured and resourced for it to be able to confront new threats and challenges pose by drug lords and their syndicated collaborators.

A Restructured NACOB – Policy Considerations: As a matter of policy the following proposals are hereby outlined for consideration of government: President John Evans Atta Mills and the NDC government should without further delay initiate a legislative process to amend PNDC Law 236 to accommodate and reflect the following realities of the 21st century. The main policy change is to create a Narcotic Control Commission (National Commission on Anti-Narcotics) to replace NACOB. There shall be an eight member National Commission on Anti-Narcotics to be chaired by the Vice President. The rest of the members shall be:
· The presiding Judge of the National Narcotics Appeals Court (to be established)
· The National Security Coordinator
· The Minister for Defense
· The Minister of the Interior
· Minister of Foreign Affairs
· Minister of Justice and Attorney General
· Commissioner of the National Commission for Anti-Narcotics
· The Secretary to the cabinet.
NACOB COMMISSIONERS: There shall be one Commissioner and three Deputy Commissioners for administration, Intelligence Research, and Operations respectively, of the National Commission for Anti-Narcotics to be appointed by the President. These individuals shall be responsible for the day to day administration and functioning of the commission both nationally and internationally. They shall have under them such qualified officers and personnel as they may require for a measurable, observable, cost effective, and timely achievement of the commission’s corporate objectives. Resources shall be provided from the consolidated fund for the efficient and productive running of the commission and its affiliate agencies both home and abroad. Regional Narcotics Control Agencies shall be established in all the regions of Ghana to be run and operated directly by the National Commission on Anti-Narcotics. The commissioner shall appoint Regional Directors who shall be responsible for the day to day running and operations of their respective regions, and shall report directly to the commissioner.
The (3) three prong approach: Ghana as a country has come a long way. Therefore, the era when a handful police personnel (some of them may be drug dealers in disguise) and NACOB officials run through lorry parks, uncompleted structures, and public places of convenience to arrest and detain homeless, exploited and vulnerable, drug addicts while drug barons and cartels under camouflaged high profile public images live in their “castles and palaces” together with their collaborators and enjoy their ill-gotten wealth must be a thing of the past. For this to materialize there is the urgent need for the government, and for that matter, NACOB to establish a well resourced, clandestine counter-intelligence unit which shall dedicate its operations solely to high profile narcotics drug related counter- intelligence gathering, analysis, evaluation, and execution with speed without fear or favor. To ensure effective and efficient operation of the commission, there shall be three distinctive divisions to be created within its structure.
1. The Administration Division. 2. The Intelligence Research and Evaluation Division. 3. The operations and support services Division. The administration division shall be responsible for; Human Resources, (Recruitment, orientation, and Training), Capacity building and sustenance, Budget and finance (salaries, incentives and pensions), Equipments and logistics, Public education (demand reduction and abstinence), Drug addiction Research and Rehabilitation facilities. The Intelligence Research and Evaluation division shall be responsible for; Professional training and re-orientation, Intelligence gathering, Analysis and evaluation, Counter-surveillance, Vetting, interrogations and investigations, Prosecutions. The operations Division shall be responsible for robust nationwide; Combat operations, Verdict enforcement operations, Patrols - land, sea, and air, Apprehension, and detention, (snuffer dogs), Assets confiscations.
Professionalism and occupational expertise shall be of highest priority when staffing the commission. In this regard, staff shall be drawn from the best of the BNI, CID, The Military Intelligence and Police, Selected well-trained and resourced personnel shall be a key to success (Army, Navy, Air force, and Police). Government must also commit adequate resources for the provision of state of the art equipments such as digital surveillance cameras, electronic eavesdropping tools and gadgets, as well as post modern scientific and technological methods such as forensic fingerprint, DNA Analysis and imaging, digital scanners ,and assess control facilities that will help create and sustain a more sophisticated but highly confidential anti drug state apparatus that will meet the challenges of the 21 century and beyond.
Legal and Constitutional Framework: By legislative procedure and due process of law and established rules and regulations, government shall: create a National Narcotics Court of Appeal with concurrent powers parallel to the Court of Appeals, create Regional Narcotics Tribunals with the powers of a high court, institute the death penalty and life sentences for narcotic drug traffickers (barons and cartels). Death penalty for importation, exportation, and distribution of quantity of 20 grams or more. Life sentence for attempted importation, exportation or distribution. In all cases there shall be total confiscation of identified property (ies) of convicted drug dealers without negotiation. Also, government should institute stringent Assets confiscation laws to deprive drug lords and their cohorts of their ill- gotten wealth both landed and otherwise, grant the narcotics control commission the powers of arrest, detention, interrogation, investigation, and prosecution of drug offenders, and confiscation of drug wealth to the state. The President in consultation with the Judicial Council shall appoint a Judge of the Appeals Court of Ghana who shall be the supervising Justice for the National Narcotics Court of Appeals and all the Regional Narcotic Tribunals. Judges shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Judicial Council to administer justice at the Regional Narcotics Courts. All Regional Justices of the Narcotics Courts shall draw their salary and benefits from the mainstream state consolidated fund as stipulated by law.
Global Cooperation and Initiatives by the International Community: The NDC government under President Atta Mills should as a matter of urgency incorporate the sovereign desire and willingness of the government to fight and win the drug war in Ghana’s foreign policy. Government should strengthen its collaborative and partnership ties with countries that have proven over the years that they can be trusted and relied on in the fight against drugs. On the other hand, government should state clearly its contempt for countries and leaders who harbor drug lords and their cohorts through overt and covert manipulation of political power.
The Door-to-Door Crusade from the top-down: It is said that integrity is being consistent with what is morally and ethically right. Personalizing integrity is giving the best of one’s self for the sake of the common good. To demonstrate this virtue within the context of the war on drugs, President John Evans Atta Mills and his Vice John Dramani Mahama (the two Johns) must constantly be seen and heard by the public to be waging the war themselves by their words and deeds. They should not spare the rod when any member of their government is found guilty through the due process of law of narcotic drug activities. All government functionaries must actively engage themselves in the war against drugs at the least opportunity. There shall be a well-crafted, concise, and appealing catch words and phrases that will constantly run through all public speeches, conversations, and engagements by government functionaries. In this regard, government should partner with genuinely likeminded and credible corporate bodies and individuals such as the clergy, Imams, traditional leaders, technocrats, opinion leaders, celebrities (sports personnel, musicians) health experts and professionals, as well as civil society. In a large measure, government functionaries must consistently saturate the media wavelength and lead the crusade by their pronouncements and actions, especially during their interactions with the larger society. This must be seen and heard repeatedly, and ought to be measurable and evaluated over a period of time through the mass media, public interactions, and feed back. Together let us declare that narcotic drugs activities with all its ramifications are crimes against humanity and therefore need to be condemned without negotiations.
The path of change for a better Ghana: It is my prayer and hope that as we embark on the path of change for a better Ghana, we will not only embrace the principles of participatory openness which encourages people to speak out against unjust practices and lack of public accountability, but more importantly, we also, as individual citizens and government functionaries in various capacities, shall inculcate in ourselves, among other things, reflective openness which will enable us to challenge our own thinking, to recognize that any certainty we have is at best a hypothesis about the real world, and any solution we may have is at best, an approximation which is always subject to improvement as we seek solutions for a better Ghana.
The assumption that government functionaries always know what is best is a false assumption which is fraught with problems, and inexplicable civil disobedience and disillusionment. Under democratic dispensation when political power and authority emanate from the will of the people, the stakes are very high due to individual competitiveness and frequent elections of public office holders. As a party in government, and in power, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) shall be judged by Ghanaians for doing what we should not do, and not doing what we should do. We must therefore be swift to listen, slow to speak, and whenever possible we must reserve our comments. We must also be open to consensus building through negotiations without sacrificing our core values and principles as social democrats. The goal is not to win the argument but to find the best sets of solutions. This is because there is no single solution to any given problem. That is why we need to embrace and develop a muti-disciplinary mindset in strategy and execution of the various battles we fight in this war of survival. There is no time to spare because the stakes are very high and the consequences for our inaction are more dreadful than we can ever imagine.
That notwithstanding, I am confident, that Ghana’s war against narcotic drugs is winnable, and must be won not by living in our past glories, or shifting responsibilities to future generations. This is our time and moment and we need to act and act swiftly, it is now or never. With a sense of urgency let us join the fight in our own small ways in whatever shape or form because together we can make a big difference for a better Ghana. God bless you, and may God continue to bless our homeland Ghana. Adieu !!

By Ato Essel (Massachusetts, USA).
http://atoessel-1.blogspot.com
atok108@yahoo.com

2009-05-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

Social and Political Power
Social Power may be described as the value of the collective networks of peers, kinsfolk, and acquaintances which create a sense of oneness and collective social responsibilities for the common good. Social Power is one of the important constituent elements of any democratic dispensation and a source of identity for individuals or groups within a defined geographical location. In an environment where social power is cultivated and exercised, the individual members feel valued, appreciated, and respected by the larger society. They also have a sense of belonging and connectedness which energizes them to contribute in diverse ways towards the mutual good of the larger community. This enables individuals to create a healthy balance between themselves, their families, their jobs, and the larger community (Paula Rayman, Beyond the Bottom Line).
Notwithstanding the array of seemingly beneficial consequences of social power, there are those who hold contrary notions. For Instance, proponents of the theory of competitive individualism argue that social power and its application is counter productive in a capitalistic society like the United States. They argue that collective responsibility takes away the individual’s quest for self actualization, and accomplishment. And that in a capitalistic free market economy like the US, individualism and competitiveness at all levels are inherent in the social fiber for the common good. In spite of this and other contrary perceptions about social power, experience has shown that communities thrive when its citizens pool their collective recourses together for their mutual benefits.
In order for society to benefit from the array of positive consequences of social power and its application, there is the need for a total paradigm shift. A shift that will for example, make men and women equal partners and beneficiaries of all socio-political and economic responsibilities. A shift that will place family and the community at the center of all human activities and a shift that will make individuals appreciate the fact that their survival is intricately connected to their environment and community (Cooney Nicholawski, The Power of People).
What then is Political Power: How does one participate in Politics?
Political participation is a process of decision making. Primarily, political participation starts at the individual level and transcends to the highest and more complicated global level. This process is inherent in almost every human endeavor including the family setting, religious and social institutions, and corporate organizations as well as national and international interactions and governance. Political power requires legitimacy, acceptance and cooperation from the people on whose behalf it is exercised. This is often achieved through delegated authority and in some cases, de facto recognition.
Even though many scholars have written extensively on the subject of political power and its source, the one whose work is generally referred to is Max Weber. He attributed the source of political power to institutionalized bureaucratic procedures and principles which has become common to contemporary social organizations. According to Weber, these bureaucratic institutions and procedures tend to create specialization which leads to efficiency and profit maximization for the benefit of the few elite ruling class who poses and control the means of production.

2009-05-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Feature Article of Monday, 19 November 2007

NPP "Presidential Comedians" ......And The Mockery They Make.
In the contemporary global socio-political and economic order, with its attendant dominant capitalistic and neo capitalistic democratic systems, national and intra-national challenges have become sophisticated and highly interwoven. Moreover, with the advent of globalization, various national and regional systems have become highly competitive. These phenomena call for national leaders who have demonstrated the capacity to actively engage their counterparts at the global political arena with measurable pragmatic achievements.
Ghana as a model of democracy in sub-Sahara Africa needs people who have exhibited time-tested leadership qualities that are essential for efficiency and excellence to be presidents and not just passive participants of international conferences and ceremonies whose only stock in trade is constant globe-trotting. Ghana will be the loser if her citizens sacrifice excellent, state of the art, political and human capitals for mediocrity and cronyism in their choice for presidents. Ghana deserves all round presidents who possess intellectual, executive and political capital with the capacity to lead leaders and achieve results not just non performing “yes sir” types who warm seats during international competitive engagements.
In most democratic societies, where the presidential system of government is practiced, the office of the president signifies the highest executive office of the land, and therefore is well revered and held in high esteem. In fact, the presidency typifies the apex of all political, executive and administrative positions both at the private and the public sectors. In principles and by constitutional demands, presidents are the heads of all public higher academic institutions (chancellors). Above all, presidents are the only Commanders in-Chief of their respective Military, Police and all National Intelligence and Security Agencies. One may also add that symbolically, presidents are fathers (or mothers in the case of women presidents) of all the citizens in their countries. Matured, peace-loving, and socially connected presidents, whose vision cuts across tribal and ethnic boundaries are therefore assets to their countries.
In the United States and other western countries, it is a common knowledge that presidential materials are “identified and groomed” in most cases, by their guardians, peers and corporate political interest groups and organizations for several years before they lay claim to the presidency. As a rule, the identified presidential materials go through years of active on-the- job apprenticeship at the grassroots levels and in both public and private services and when they proof equal to their tasks, they become too conspicuous to be ignored by their political parties and fellow countrymen.
For instance, the US, President George W. Bush (served as Air force Pilot, Energy Businessman, Sport Administrator, Political Strategist, and Governor before his controversial win of the Presidency in 2000). His father, G.H.W. Bush (served as a US Army Pilot, Congressman, Chairman of Republican National Committee, Ambassador, CIA Director, Vice President and President). Bill Clinton (served as a state Attorney, Governor, and President).
The late Ronald Reagan (served as a Social Activist, Actor, Governor and President). J.F. Kennedy (served as a Naval Officer, Congressman, Senator and President). Jimmy Carter (served as a Naval Officer, Governor, and President). Gerald Ford (served as a Naval Officer, a Lawyer, Congressman for 25 years, Vice President and later appointed President to replace the then embattled President Richard Nixon after the infamous Watergate scandal). Last but not the least example is the good old Abraham Lincoln who served as Army Captain, Lawyer, Congressman, and President. It is obvious that before they contest the presidency, they first obtain considerable amount of personal accomplishments in both private and public sectors, especially military services before they finally get the nod to contest the high office of president.
The same is true of places like France and South Africa in recent times. Again, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany where the Prime Ministerial and the Chancellorship systems are employed, the same principles and conventions have been followed up to date (the bottom-up approach). In all the above instances, prior on-the-job experiences serve as road maps for the respective leaders, and a standard measure for their electorates to compare various candidates and their presidential capabilities based on their accomplishment at the local and states levels and the values they share.
Regrettably, the same cannot be said in Ghana, the black but shinning star of Africa and specifically, about the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential candidature. And so we have a situation where individuals are taunted as presidential materials just because they have served in government as Deputy Ministers and Ministers of sector ministries for a year or two without any previous measurable professional and political achievements even at the ward levels.
Yet still there are those who want to be president because they have been “successful” spokesmen and T.V. commentators. There are those who have also ascribed collective national achievements such as soccer world cup appearance to themselves as their singular efforts. That is somewhat ridiculous. Others also claim, they deserve the presidency because they have successfully managed health posts and automatic teller machines (ATM) beyond the shores of Africa. What a mockery! What prevent these later day saints from starting their political careers first at the District Assembly levels, and then to the constituency/parliamentary levels. Some cannot even fathom that running for the presidency of Ghana is different from running to become students’ representative council (SRC) president.
The irony is that in a real world situation, on the Ghanaian political battlefield where all electoral laws and regulations are fairly applied, most if not all, of these people will have a hard time winning their respective constituencies, and yet they are obsessed with delusion and selfish unachievable ambitions. This might as well be an indication that the standard of the Ghanaian presidency has been taken to its lowest ebb by President Kuffuor’s NPP government. To the extent that others are clamoring to ascend to the presidency as a matter of birth right. What a fallacy! God save our motherland.
The NPP would have done a great deal of service to their followers if they had put in place preliminary internal voting mechanisms to sieve their presidential aspirants to four or five people before their national delegate congress. Arguably, a selection made up of Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Nana Akufo Addo, Alan Kyeremanteng, Jake Obestebi Lamptey, and Captain Nkrabea Effa Dartey would have been more appealing to the NPP delegates and Ghanaians in general because these altogether, portray a national balance of some sort. The rest of them (the fifteen or so) can best be ministers of various sectors in case NDC refuse to win again (NDC actually won the 2004 presidential election).
In short, the socio-political dynamics of the 21st century require a country like Ghana, which serves as a democratic role model for third world economies, to elect what I call “state of the art presidents” who will set their priorities right and go beyond political rhetoric and propaganda slogans. Presidents who shall truthfully and honestly promise only what they can do and actually do more than what they promise to do without overstating achievements and understating failures.
Under the prevailing circumstances surrounding the NPP presidential race, which has so far been characterized with accusations and counter accusations of fraud, cheating, favoritism, vote buying, and exploitation of potential delegates, not to mention pervasive corruption, narcotic drug trafficking and political malfeasance (sweet, sugar-mouth Kwamena Bartels and the Anlo fiasco), I emphatically state without apologies that the NPP’s so-called positive change has been a disaster at best.
President Kuffuor’s zero tolerance for corruption has become known as an empty political slogan. In stead, his alleged Castle kickbacks and the Hotel Kuffuor scandals have become breeding grounds for golden age of corruption for some of his NPP folks. I solemnly urge him to try for God sake, to sustain the political stability that we have enjoyed since 1981. Even then, the truth still remains that Ghana deserves better than what NPP is offering her. God bless our homeland Ghana. “And give us our best, not our worst President and MPs, come December 2008 and beyond”. INSHA ALAAHU.
Ato Essel. Massachusetts, USA. Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.
Source:Essel, Ato

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2009-04-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

BLACKGOLD IN GHANA, LET US PONDER, WHILE WE CELEBRATE.
It is heartwarming to hear about the almost household news that Ghana, in collaboration with other international development partners are all set to engage in off shore crude oil exploration and production in commercial quantities by the year 2010. As Ghanaians the mere fact that our country and her development partners will have the capacity to produce crude oil in commercial quantities brings us high sense of expectation and accomplishment. However, I wish to caution that in our haste to celebrate the good fortunes that come with oil exploration and production, we should not in any way attempt to exaggerate the benefits of crude oil production, at the expense of the cumulative cost and adverse effects that it will bring to the environment, and eventually to our people now, and in the future. That is the more reason why there is the need for objective, in-depth, and nonpartisan cost-benefits analyses of the whole exercise by our governments, public and private stakeholders, and the entire civil society. To read more about the overview of drilling, transportation, storage accidents, and environmental impact of offshore crude oil exploration, click http://atoessel-1blogspot.com/
Oil and gas accidents:
Accidents inevitably accompany offshore development. They are the sources of environmental pollution at all stages of oil and gas production. The causes, scale, and severity of the accidents' consequences are extremely variable. They depend on a concrete combination of many natural, technical, and technological factors. To a certain extent, each accidental situation develops in accordance with its unique scenario. The most typical causes of accidents include equipment failure, personnel mistakes, and extreme natural impacts (seismic activity, ice fields, hurricanes, and so on). Their main hazard is connected with the spills and blowouts of oil, gas, and numerous other chemical substances and compounds. The environmental consequences of accidental episodes are especially severe, sometimes dramatic, when they happen near the shore, in shallow waters, or in areas with slow water circulation.
Drilling Accidents: Drilling accidents are usually associated with unexpected blowouts of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons from the well as a result of encountering zones with abnormally high pressure. No other situations but tanker oil spills can compete with drilling accidents in frequency and severity. Broadly speaking, two major categories of drilling accidents should be distinguished. One of them covers catastrophic situations involving intense and prolonged hydrocarbon gushing. These occur when the pressure in the drilling zone is so high that usual technological methods of well muffling do not help. Lean holes have to be drilled to stop the blowout. The abnormally high pressure is most often encountered during exploratory drilling in new fields. The probability of such extreme situations is relatively low. Some oil experts estimate it at 1 incident for 10,000 wells [Sakhalin-1, 1994]. The need to drill lean holes emerges, on average, in 3% of accidental episodes.
The other group of accidental situations includes regular, routine episodes of hydrocarbon spills and blowouts during drilling operations. These accidents can be controlled rather effectively (in several hours or days) by shutting in the well with the help of the blowout preventers and by changing the density of the drilling fluid. Accidents of this kind are not so impressive as rare catastrophic blowouts. Usually, they do not attract any special attention. At the same time, their ecological hazard and associated environmental risk can be rather considerable, primarily due to their regularity leading, ultimately, to chronic impacts on the marine environment.
Transportation and storage accidents (Tanker Transportation): Oil extracted on the continental shelf accounts for a considerable part (probably at least 50%) of annual volumes of oil transported by tankers (the latter constitute over 1 billion tons). On some fields, the shuttle tankers are the main way of delivering hydrocarbons to the onshore terminals. The main causes of tanker accidents that lead to large oil spills include running aground and into shore reefs, collisions with other vessels, and fires and explosions of the cargo. According to official data [IMO, 1990], the amount of oil spilled during tanker accidents in 1989 and in 1990 were 114,000 and 45,000 tons, respectively. At the same time, the total volume of oil pollution caused by marine oil transportation was 500,000 tons a year.
Significantly, both large drilling accidents and large tanker catastrophes occur relatively rarely. The frequencies of such incidents as well as the oil volumes released in large spills differ from year to year. The history of tanker accidents has been thoroughly described by both the scientific literature and the media. Analyzing the statistics and circumstances of such events indicates that they can hardly be avoided. Although the rate of tanker accidents has been declining over the past two decades, we should be prepared to deal with them in the future. While speaking about the history of tanker transportation, we want to mention a sequence of large supertanker accidents starting with the catastrophic grounding of the tanker Torrey Canyon in the English Channel in 1967. The spill of 95,000 tons of oil caused heavy pollution of the French and British shores with serious ecological and fisheries consequences. This accident was followed by a number of other tanker accidents, including Amoco Cadiz (1978, 220,000 tons of oil spilled), Exxon Valdez (1989, 40,000 tons of oil spilled), and Braer (1993, 85,000 tons of oil spilled). Each of these episodes developed in accordance with its unique scenario. In all the situations, though, the levels of oil pollution reached lethal limits for marine fauna, mainly for birds and mammals. The consequences included much more damage than just ecological disturbances in the sea and on the shore. Chapter 7 will discuss this in more details.
In some cases, the tanker accidents occurred right in the zone of the oil field development. One of them happened in 1978 in the Shetland basin. The tanker Esso Bernica was holed during the mooring, and 1,100 tons of heavy oil fuel spilled into the coastal zone causing serious damage to nature and the local population. One of the most dramatic situations developed in 1989 in the shallow waters of Prince William Sound near the Alaskan southern shore. The oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground and spilled over 40,000 tons of crude oil. As the oil spread along the coastline, it covered sea animals, birds, and plants. It turned hundreds of miles of this area (unique for its cleanness and biological resources) into an area of ecological disaster.
This relatively recent episode in the history of the offshore oil and gas industry causes an alarming association in the mind of a Russian reader. The Exxon Valdez catastrophe happened approximately at the same latitudes where the grand projects of the oil and gas developments on the Russian Arctic shelf have already been started (the shelves of the Barents and Kara Seas in vicinity of the White Sea). The association gets even stronger if we take into account that considerable amounts of hydrocarbons extracted here are going to be transported by the tanker fleet. This will include tanker shuttles (including the ice types), large tankers with dead weight up to 120,000 tons, and supertankers. Each of these vessels is going to make hundreds of trips a year. This regular transportation activity is going to take place with the rest of the traffic in the area of the oil field developments and in addition to the general intense shipping and fishing in this Arctic basin. All of these factors considerably increase the probability of accidental situations occurring in the region. We must remember the high productivity and high vulnerability of the Arctic marine ecosystems. This region contains unique natural resources that are comparable to the rich resources of the Alaskan shelf. This primary background information and general statistics about large tanker accidents (about 2% a year) allow us to conclude, without any calculations and modeling that the risk of transportation accidents occurring on the Arctic shelves is going to be high. The consequences of these accidents can be catastrophic. Moreover, the environmental damage of possible accidents can exceed everything that has happened before in such cases, including the accidents on the Alaskan shelf.
Very dangerous situations can emerge in case of a gas tanker accident. Gas carriers are going to be used together with oil tankers in the Barents Sea as well as on the eastern shelf of Sakhalin to transport liquefied natural gas. Gas tanker accidents, although less probable than the accidents with oil tankers, can cause so-called flameless explosions. It happens due to the rapid evaporation of the liquefied gas on the sea surface and formation of pieces of ice and gas clouds followed by combustion and explosions. Such explosions can destroy everything alive in areas of up to 400 km2. At last, the tragic apotheosis of possible outcomes is an accident involving a tanker that is transporting methanol - a rather toxic substance that is completely soluble in water. In case of an accident of such a vessel with a freight-carrying capacity of 35,000 tons, for example in the coastal zone of the Western Murman, the area of lethal impact to marine organisms will be from dozens and hundreds to thousands of square kilometers. In fact, it could cover the whole fisheries regions [Borisov et al., 1994].
Storage: Underwater reservoirs for storing liquid hydrocarbons (oil, oil-water mixtures, and gas condensate) are a necessary element of many oil and gas developments. They are often used when tankers instead of pipelines are the main means of hydrocarbon transportation. Underwater storage tanks with capacities of up to 50,000 m3 either are built near the platform foundations or are anchored in the semi submerged position in the area of developments and near the onshore terminals. Sometimes, the anchored tankers are used for this purpose as well. Of course, a risk exists of damaging the underwater storage tanks and releasing their content, especially during tanker loading operations and under severe weather conditions. However, no summarizing quantitative assessments and statistics of such events are available. After the spill of 1,200 tons of crude oil in 1988 from an underwater storage tank during a storm in the North Sea, some countries introduced restrictions on installing such structures near the shore [Cairns, 1992]. The most dangerous are the accidents involving underwater storage tanks that contain toxic agents, for example methanol. Such accidents are possible in the area of Shtokmanovskoe field developments in the Barents Sea where over 3,000 tons of methanol products are planned to be stored underwater.
Pipelines: Complex and extensive systems of underwater pipelines have a total length of thousands of kilometers. They carry oil, gas, condensate, and their mixtures. These pipelines are among the main factors of environmental risk during offshore oil developments, along with tanker transportation and drilling operations. The causes of pipeline damage can differ greatly. They range from material defects and pipe corrosion to ground erosion, tectonic movements on the bottom, and encountering ship anchors and bottom trawls. Statistical data show that the average probability of accidents occurring on the underwater main pipelines of North America and Western Europe are, respectively, 9.3x10-4 and 6.4x10-4. The main causes of these accidents are material and welding defects [Sakhalin-1, 1994].
Depending on the cause and nature of the damage (cracks, ruptures, and others), a pipeline can become either a source of small and long-term leakage or an abrupt (even explosive) blowout of hydrocarbons near the bottom. The dissolution, dilution, and transferring of the liquid and gaseous products in the marine environment can be accompanied in some cases by ice and gas hydrates formation. The intensity and scale of toxic impacts on the marine biota in the accident zone can be, of course, very different, depending on a combination of many factors. Modern technology of pipeline construction and exploitation under different natural conditions, including the extreme ones, achieved indisputable successes. However, pipeline oil and gas transportation does not eliminate the possibility of serious accidents and consequences.
It is important to take into consideration that in a number of cases, the accidental oil and gas spills and blowouts on the on land main pipelines can pose danger to the coastal marine ecosystems. This can happen when on land pipeline accidents take place near big rivers or in locations of their crossing. Any pollution of river waters eventually affects the sea zone near the river mouth. Such a situation happened at the end of 1994 in the Usinsk area, Russia. An on land pipeline rupture led to the spill of more than 100,000 tons of oil with the danger of heavy pollution of the Basin of Pechora River. The potential hazard of such situations can be even higher during oil and gas development on Sakhalin. The main pipelines are supposed to be laid along the entire eastern coast of the island, right across the main spawning rivers where reproduction of the unique populations of Sakhalin salmon takes place. To find more information on Environmental Impact of the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry go to www.offshore-environment.com/synopsis.html. Credit to (Stanislav Patin, translation by Elena Cascio) based on "Environmental Impact of the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry".
By Ato Essel.

Balancing Law enforcement and Individual liberties

2009-04-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Balancing Law Enforcement and Individual Liberties; the
Case of the exclusionary rule.

The forth amendment to the United States Constitution states that “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized”. The exclusionary rule is meant to enforce the above constitutional protection.
The above constitutional provision outlines certain fundamental rights and liberties which are inherent to all citizens regardless of their individual orientations and peculiarities. In view of this, there can be no conclusive discussion on the exclusionary rule without making reference to the tenets of the forth amendment which constitute the pivot around which the exclusionary rule rotates. While the larger society is kept in check by the police and other law enforcement agencies, the exclusionary rule can be said to provide the mechanism with which to police the police. This is because human as they are, police officers and for that matter, all law enforcement officers are bound to commit blunders which need to be remedied.
The exclusionary rule is a legal framework which is intended to serve as checks and balances against police officers who illegally gather evidence in violation of the Forth Amendment to the American constitution.
According to Judge Calabresi, the exclusionary rule, among other things serves as an indicator with which an individual can identify various persuasions of American politicians. To him, Liberals view the exclusionary rule as the backbone for the protection of civil rights and liberties as enshrined in the Forth Amendment. On the other hand, Conservatives regard the exclusionary rule as a major stumbling block to the fight against crime and argue that it serves as an escape route for criminals to avoid punishment (Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy Vol. 26 page 112).
Notwithstanding the above generalizations, the exclusionary rule is in fact, a constitutional framework which seeks to provide the necessary protection and remedies to individuals who fall victims to police misconduct and violations during the evidence gathering processes of criminal investigations. It is a rule of exclusion which forbids law enforcement professionals from presenting evidence obtained in violation of the constitution during criminal trials (Worrall 2004, page 54).
In his analysis, Judge Calabresi points out that in spite of the good intentions of the framers of the exclusionary rule, it has not live up to its expectations because it does not provide any direct punishment to offending police officers, neither does it give adequate incentive for people to report police misconduct. This according to the Judge is mainly due to Judges over reliance on precedents, the rapid expansion of the reasonable search doctrine, and the tendency for Juries to identify with the police during Tort suits, and not the criminal whose rights have been violated by the police (Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy Vol. 26 pages 112 -114). He therefore proposes other alternatives to the exclusionary rule.
One of the prominent alternatives proposed by Judge Calabresi is the “after trial hearing” session to determine whether the evidence used by police during the original trial was obtained legally or not. So that if it is found that the evidence was illegally obtained, then the sentence will be proportionately reduced to reflect the degree of violation by the police. Furthermore, he proposes direct punitive measures such as civil law suits, criminal prosecution, civil and internal reviews against police officers who are found to be liable for misconduct or violated the Forth Amendment rights of convicted persons during their investigations.
Contrary to Judge Calabresi’s propositions, Professor Kamisar argues that, in spite of the seemingly ineffectiveness of the exclusionary rule, it has stood the test of time because there have been several attempts to replace it and yet none of such attempts has succeeded. According to him, the absence of the exclusionary rule will open the floodlights for police officers to violate the forth amendment rights of accused persons with impunity. He also refuted the suggestion for the after trial hearing which is intended to establish violation of a convicted person’s rights in order to determine the length of sentence to be imposed. He pointed out that conviction of a person is one thing, and length of the sentence is a different thing altogether. Therefore, once an individual is convicted of a crime, the sentence becomes secondary and so a reduction of a sentence as a result of police misconduct does not necessary serve as an incentive to the convict. He also asserted that there is, and there can be no direct punishment of the individual police officer after the convict has been thrown into jail as a result of a police officer’s illegal acts (Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy vol. 26 pages 135 – 137).
Despite his sharp criticisms, Professor Kamisar however agrees with Judge Calabresi that the basic principles of the exclusionary rule is to serve as checks and balances against police violation of the forth amendment and also to provide necessary remedies to those whose rights are violated. They also agree that by the very nature of their work, Judges and for that matter, Juries are somewhat restrained from enforcing the exclusionary rule to the latter against police officers who are deemed as “friends of the courts” by virtue of their complimentary role to the judicial system. In my view, the point of contention is the process of implementation of the exclusionary rule. While Judge Calabresi proposes an “after trial hearing” and direct punishment approach, Professor Kamisar suggests sticking to the exclusionary rule and simultaneously experimenting with other alternatives carefully and slowly for a period of time in order to enable policy makers have ample time before a firm decision is taken to replace the exclusionary rule. Considering the two opinions, there is therefore the need to secure a workable compromise for the common good.
Individuals’ security, liberties, freedom from unlawful interferences, privacy, and protection against official excesses are all wrap up in the forth amendment to the constitution. However, in an ever growing sophisticated society like the United States of America, there is also the need for law enforcement professionals and their affiliated agencies to protect and defend the lives and liberties of all citizens against criminals. At the same time, they have to maintain a balance between law, order, individual liberties, and generally peaceful coexistence at all times. For the police to achieve all these there is bound to be a collision between law enforcement and citizens’ rights and liberties and so the exclusionary rule, while it may not be perfect, is a necessary tool to address any excesses to ensure a workable balance between liberty, law, and order.

2009-04-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Reflections on the cost-benefits analyses of the off shore crude oil drilling in the West African sub region. What do the experts say? Lets have a conversation about the environmental cummulative effects because I very much care.

2009-04-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

Environmental issues and concerns deserve adequate attention and pragmatic solutions from the federal, states, and local stakeholders, and the time to act is now. The consequencies for inaction and finger pointing are disastrous and posterity will not forgive our generation if we fail to act and act swiftly. Time is running out, and procastination is not an option. The time to act is now. Go green, go natural, for the sake of all.