Editorials

The Daily Graphic is inspired by the enormity of goodwill for Ghana's First President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah towards the celebration of his centenary birthday and dedicates this edition of the paper to his memory. It says, with the declaration of September 21, his birthday, as a statutory public holiday, majority of Ghanaians from all walks of life and political persuasion have exhibited so much solidarity to Dr. Nkrumah. According to the paper, Dr. Nkrumah dedicated himself not only to achieving independence for Ghana, but took up the task of liberating the entire blackrace from the bondage of colonialism. To the Daily Graphic even though it is a known fact that local saboteurs and their external collaborators ensured that Nkrumah did not succeed, it does not want to disturb praise of for him by opening that chapter. It hopes that the present euphoria will inspire the current and future generatory to complete Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's unfinished business of total liberation, economically and politically, of the entire black race and beyond.

    
The Ghanaian Times is attracted to deliberations by a local government expert, Kwamena Ahwoi at the first-ever Town hall meeting in Tamale. Mr. Ahwoi explained that deductions made by the central government from the District assemblies common fund are so many that, not much is left for effective development by the assemblies. The Times agrees with this view, since the assemblies, which are already overburdened with problems of lack of good roads, schools, water and hospitals are left with little after the deduction. It is the opinion of the Paper that it is only when the government takes the people's concerns seriously and respond that the concept of power to the people will get its true meaning. The Ghana Times commends the Town Hall meeting but caution quickly that it must be devoid of all partisanship.

The Public Agenda looks at the relation between HIV and AIDS infection and marriage. It comments on a study commissioned by the gender studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre which revealed that marriage is a high transmission area for HIV with more women at risk. Some socio-cultural factors which put married women at risk according to the study include widow inheritance, lack of sexual knowledge and acceptance of polygamy. In the view of the paper these revelations call for a concerted effort from all stakeholders to intensify national efforts in dealing with stigmatization as well as puting the research findings in the country's strategic policy for addressing the disease. The Public Agenda concurs with the researchers on the need to take another look at the abstinence, be faithful and condom use approach to campaign against the disease. It points out that the duty bearers especially the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs should maximize efforts at reforming some of our cultures which hold down women exposing them to HIV and AIDS.