Amnesty International demands reports on human rights from govt

Amnesty International Ghana is appealing to the government to provide reports on human rights since it ratified the African Charter for Human and People’s Rights (African Charter).

According to Mr Robert Akoto Amoafo, Country Director for Amnesty International Ghana, Ghana was yet to deliver reports on the progress and challenges it had faced in uplifting human rights in the country.

 He said Ghana sent its last report on May 7, 2001, and had nine more reports to send, adding that “Ghana’s inability to provide these reports is a leading factor to the slow development of human rights in the country.”

Mr Amoafo, speaking with the Ghanaian Times in Accra last Friday said, “as per Article 62 of the African Charter, member states of the African Union, who ratify the African Charter, are to submit reports every two years on the legislative or other measures taken, with a view to giving effect to the rights and freedoms recognised and guaranteed by the Charter”.

The Country Director was baffled at the number of reports Ghana was withholding as these reports were needed to make recommendations to be adopted to aid in upholding human rights in the country and on the continent.

“The commission charged with evaluating these reports would review the report with representatives from respective member states and make recommendations on how improvements can be made,” he added.

He acknowledged that the African Charter had no legal backing to force member countries to submit their reports, but pleaded with the government of Ghana to not forsake their responsibility in protecting human rights.

Mr Amoafo acknowledged that the government was working in many ways to focus on issues to push human rights, yet officials at the ministries were not putting in efforts to make the systems work.

He advised government, and especially the Ministry of Justice and Attorney Generals Department as well as other various ministries and institutions mandated to further the cause of human rights, to work harder to ensure that the systems in place to care and protect human rights were working efficiently.

The African Charter for Human and People’s Rights is an international human rights instrument that is intended to promote and protect human rights and basic freedoms in the African continent and was established on October 21, 1986.

BY FREDERICK GADESE-MENSAH