A/HRC/8/52
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672. India congratulated Ghana on its open and frank interaction during the universal periodic
review. India noted that Ghana had accepted the majority of the recommendations made and
commended Ghana on its constructive approach. India expressed the hope that the
recommendations would be implemented for a brighter future in Ghana.
3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders
673. Amnesty International welcomed recommendations made on the use of the death penalty,
including the establishment of a moratorium on executions and the removal of the death penalty
from domestic law. It however regretted that, Ghana was not able to support the recommendation
on this issue. Amnesty International welcomed that no executions had been carried out for the
past 15 years, but remained concerned that death sentences continued to be handed down, Ghana
was encouraged to complete the reform of the judicial system and to urgently address the issue
of prison conditions, including the problem of acute overcrowding. Further, Amnesty
International was concerned at reports suggesting that the police fail to bring suspects before a
judge within 48 hours of arrest, as guaranteed in Ghana’s Constitution. Amnesty International
encouraged the Government to ensure that anyone held was charged with a recognizable criminal
offence or released; and that the cases of those awaiting trial were regularly reviewed to ensure
their right to a fair trial.
674. The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions welcomed Ghana’s support of
recommendation 23 in the report of the Working Group to include a gender perspective and a
rights-based approach into issues related to the right to adequate housing. It noted that Ghana’s
poor struggled with issues of sanitation, infrastructure, natural disasters and floods. It was also
concerned about the current rent act. It commended Ghana’s Ministry of Water Resources,
Works and Housing on having initiated a consultative process to enable stakeholder inputs into a
national shelter policy. It also congratulated several Governments for commenting on the rights
of women in Ghana. It was concerned that outside the area of inheritance few questions were
raised about women’s housing, land and property rights. Although Ghana had ratified a number
of international treaties, it noted that Ghana had yet to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter
on Human and Peoples’ Rights related to women rights in Africa.
675. The Food First Information and Action Network thanked the delegation of Ghana for its
openness during the universal periodic review process, but noted that a statement made by the
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General had not been truly reflected in the report. According to
it, the Minister had said that it was true that at a certain point, joint military and police teams had
been protecting mining companies driving away illegal miners, but that it had been a short-term
measure. This had been the first time that the Government had announced the discontinuation of
military support for mining companies. This announcement had demonstrated that the review
process could be a valuable instrument. The announcements made by Ghana were laudable, but
only if they are implemented and it was convinced that the Council could play a role in this
regard.
4.
Views expressed by the State under review on the
outcome and concluding remarks
676. In his closing remarks, the Permanent Representative stated that Ghana was thankful to all
Member States and the stakeholders who had participated in the review exercise for their very
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