Posts

Showing posts from January, 2014

The Spate Of Demolition Exercises In Accra

The demolition of about 150 houses at Adjei Kojo by the Tema Development Corporation, TDC, has generated much controversy. Initial assessment by NADMO indicates that more than 800 people mostly women, children and the aged have been displaced after a team of military and police personnel had demolished houses on lands in the Sraha and King Solomon suburbs. These lands were acquired by the TDC for the expansion of Tema. The Tema co-ordinating Council of the ruling NDC has subsequently called for the dismissal of the Managing Director of the TDC for supervising the demolition of the houses, thereby causing pain and devastation to the residents. The NDC wonders why the TDC allowed the residents to completely put up their buildings before the demolition. Speaking at the presentation of relief items to victims of the exercise, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Kofi Portuphy bemoaned the manner in which the exerci

GM crops and the need to conduct debate on evidence

COMMENTARY ON GM CROPS AND THE NEED TO CONDUCT DEBATE ON EVIDENCE Ghana is at the cross roads, debating the introduction of genetically modified crops (commonly referred to as GM crops) into the country. Public debates are generally good if conducted in an atmosphere of civility and with the intention of arriving at evidence-based decisions. The ongoing debate on genetically modified crops is not unusual and the literature on the diffusion of innovations is replete with examples of individuals, groups and organizations rising up against the introduction of new ideas or technologies. Historical antecedents to debates on new ideas dates back to ancient times and they were all resolved by evidence-based science. Ghanaians should therefore conduct the current debate not on emotions or ideological inclinations but with available empirical and science-based-evidence. From what is going in the media, it appears that