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Greater Collaboration Necessary In Fight Against Use Of Improvised Anti-Personnel Mines – VP Bawumia
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has opened the Regional Conference on Addressing the Humanitarian Impact of Improvised Anti-Personnel Mines with a call for urgent action to prevent the thousands of needless deaths and injuries arising from the proliferation of landmines or Explosive Remnants of War (ERWs).
Speaking on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at the Conference, attended by representatives from all 15 ECOWAS countries, 8 from the Sahel region, UN agencies and organisations, and humanitarian agencies, Vice President Bawumia deplored the debilitating effects of anti-personnel mines on innocent persons, and called for greater cooperation between countries and adherence to the Mine Ban Treaty.
“The use of improvised anti-personnel mines poses a grave threat to civilians, particularly in conflict-affected regions. These insidious weapons indiscriminately maim and kill innocent men, women, and children, inflicting lasting physical and psychological harm. They disrupt livelihoods, impede socio-economic development, and hinder efforts to achieve sustainable peace and security.
“As we gather here today, representing various nations, organizations, and stakeholders, we unite under a common goal: to confront and mitigate the devastating humanitarian consequences caused by improvised anti-personnel mines.”
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction also known as the Mine Ban Treaty seeks an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines through the pursuit of four core aims: Ensuring universal adherence, clearing mined areas, destroying stockpiled mines, and assisting the victims. The currently convention has 164 State Parties including Ghana.
The Landmine Monitor reported that in 2022, at least 4,710 individuals were killed or injured by landmines or Explosive Remnants of War (ERWs) in 49 states. Among them, 1,661 lost their lives, 3,015 sustained injuries, while the status of 34 remains unknown. Civilian casualties constituted 85% of the total, with nearly half of the civilian victims being children (49%), amounting to a total of 1,071.
As of October 2023, it was also reported by the Landmine Monitor that approximately 60 countries and other areas worldwide were grappling with the detrimental presence of anti-personnel landmines contaminating their territories.
Among these, at least 24 States Parties are either believed or confirmed to be afflicted with improvised mine contamination. These states include some African states such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Nigeria, and Togo. The presence of improvised mines exacerbates the already grave humanitarian and security challenges faced by these nations, necessitating urgent and concerted efforts towards effective mine clearance and risk mitigation strategies.
Cost
According to Minesweepers, it is currently estimated that there are about 110 million landmines scattered across the globe. While the individual cost of mines ranges from $3 to $30, the expense of their removal varies significantly, ranging from $300 to $1000 per mine.
Considering these figures, the total expenditure for clearing all existing mines is projected to range from a substantial $50 billion to $100 billion. However, the Landmine Monitor (2022) report indicates that States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty have destroyed more than 55 million stockpiled antipersonnel mines. This underscores the significant financial commitment made by both States and international organizations worldwide towards the effective implementation of the Convention.
Ghana recognizes the urgent need for concerted action to address the humanitarian impact of improvised anti-personnel mines. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting a world free from the scourge of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
Vice President Bawumia advocated greater compliance with the laws governing war and the proper production, storage and use of weapons of war, noting that such adherence would go a long way to save lives.
“Compliance with the legal instruments (governing the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines) is essential to preventing further human suffering and fostering a safer, more secure world for all. I therefore urge all States that are not Parties to the Convention to strive towards the ratification of the Convention.
“This conference should serve as a vital platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action. We come together with a shared commitment to safeguarding human lives, protecting communities, and advancing peace and stability in our regions. It is imperative that we confront the menace of improvised anti-personnel mines with unwavering determination and collective effort.
“May our deliberations be fruitful, our actions impactful, and our resolve unwavering as we work together to address the humanitarian impact of improvised anti-personnel mines in order to build a future of peace, prosperity and dignity for all.”
The Conference is being attended by a number of high profile personalities including H.E. Dr Ly Thuch, Senior Minister of Cambodia, Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, and current President of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention; Margaret Arach Orech, Founder and Director Uganda Landmine Survivor Association and Ambassador for the International Campaign to Ban Lindmines; and H.E Irchad Razaaly, Ambassador of the European Union of Ghana.
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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