General News of Tuesday, 3 February 2004

Source: --

Anipa Quits NRC; Returns To CEPS

Ms. Annie Anipa, Director of Public Affairs of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), has since January 31, 2004, returned to the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), from where she was seconded to the Commission.

Dr. Ken Agyemang Attafuah, Executive Secretary of the NRC, who confirmed Ms Anipa's return, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that Mr Mohammed Affum, Public Relations Officer of the Commission was now in-charge of the Public Affairs Directorate.

Dr Attafuah said upon a request from the Commission, the CEPS agreed to extend Ms Anipa's secondment, which initially was from September 2002 to October 2003, to the end of January 31, 2004 when the Commission was originally supposed to have finished its proceedings.

The NRC was establish by an Act of Parliament, Act 611, to seek and promote national reconciliation among the people by recommending appropriate redress for persons, who have suffered any injury, hurt, damage, grievance or have in any other manner been adversely affected by violations and abuses of their human rights arising from activities or in-activities of public institutions and persons holding public office during periods of unconstitutional government and to provide for related matters.

It's period of focus was from February, 24 1966 to 21 August 21 1969, January 13, 1972 to September, 23 1979, and December 31, 1981 to January 6, 1993.

The Commission began its work with the filing of statements on Tuesday, September 3, 2002 and began public hearing on Tuesday January 14, 2003.

The mandate of the Commission elapsed in January 2004, but it had been extended by six months on application according to the Act establishing it, to enable it to deal with a backlog of cases before it.