This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 002587 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON GH KISL KPAO PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: THE AMBASSADOR RAISES MISSION PROFILE IN TAMALE 
AND KUMASI 
 
REF: ACCRA 2480 
 
 ¶1.  Summary:  During an intensive four-day trip to the 
Northern Region (November 29-December 2), historically 
plagued by ethnic conflict, but currently poor but peaceful, 
Ambassador and Mission team engaged in many successful 
programs that showcased transformational diplomacy at its 
best.  The highlights of the Kumasi trip were two Muslim 
outreach events -- the commissioning of an Office of Defense 
Cooperation health clinic and the Ambassador's forum with key 
Muslim leaders.  Many Muslim leaders praised the United 
States and Mission outreach efforts, and at least two key 
hardliners reportedly shifted to more positive views of the 
U.S. The Ambassador received an enthusiastic welcome and 
extensive media coverage (see septel) - some still running in 
local papers - and raised the positive profile of the Mission 
at events in Tamale (Northern Region), Kumasi (Ashanti 
Region) and Techiman (Brong Ahafo Region, where she swore in 
49 new Peace Corps volunteers). 
 
¶2. Interlocutors warmly welcomed the entourage, identified 
need for technical training and ethical standards for radio 
talk shows, assistance with information technology (Northern 
Regional Minister) and skills training for unemployed and 
disaffected youth. We witnessed a USG-funded conflict 
resolution conference underway in Tamale, and the Ambassador 
extended the U.S.-Ghana Resource Center MOU in Tamale, 
presented Special Self-Help (SSH) and Democracy and Human 
Rights Fund (DHRF) grants totaling $64,000 and visited self 
help projects and a successful USAID-funded agricultural 
program. A typical scene was the singing and dancing women in 
Gurugu who welcomed the Ambassador to their village where 
they produce shea butter with the help of an SSH-funded 
grinding mill. End summary. 
 
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Northern Region 
--------------- 
 
¶3.  In Tamale, the Ambassador and her Embassy team met with 
Northern Regional Minister Boniface Abubakar Sadiq, renewed a 
Memorandum of Understanding with our Ghana-U.S. Resource 
Center (American Corner), held her first press 
conference/luncheon for press and NGOs, and launched four 
DHRF grants totaling $35,000 and 10 SSH grants totaling 
$29,000 for groups in northern Ghana.  She also met with 
about 10 Amcits in the region, and she visited SSH and USAID 
projects around Tamale as well as a school for the deaf, 
where a Peace Corps Volunteer was making significant 
breakthroughs with visual arts training.  Between signing the 
MOU for the American Corner and awarding the SSH grants, the 
Ambassador made a special appearance at a PAS-sponsored 
"Conflict Management, Peer Mediation and Peace Building" 
workshop for secondary school teachers.  The seminar was 
taught by 2002 IV Georgette Francois, using skills she 
learned as part of a nine-member Ghanaian team of judges and 
lawyers who received eight weeks of training in alternative 
dispute resolution techniques at the Center for African Peace 
and Conflict Resolution, California State University. 
 
Ethnic Conflict:  Regional Minister Saddiq, an ethnic Gonja, 
told the Ambassador he was genuinely committed to helping 
reduce ethnic conflict, which is integrally tied to land 
disputes.  (Note: The Northern Region has a history of ethnic 
conflict.  The Ya Na (Dagomba chief), murdered and 
dismembered in 2002 along with 40 others, has still not been 
buried because of a succession dispute between the Abudu and 
Andani "gates" to which there is no end in sight.  End note.) 
 Saddiq requested USG support for a conference focused on 
conflict resolution.  A group of NGOs told the Ambassador 
they supported the idea of such a conference, citing poor 
communication between policymakers and those at the grass 
roots as a major obstacle to peace building. (Note: At the 
New Patriotic Party convention on December 17, the Regional 
Minister told PolChief that President Kufuor supported having 
the conference. Saddiq is eager to move ahead with it. End 
note.) 
 
Economy:  Minister Saddiq hoped for USG assistance in 
improving the region's access to Information Technology, 
which he said is "seriously deficient." There is little 
industry in the poor Northern Region, in part because of 
water shortages and bad transportation infrastructure. 
Contacts agreed that improving the economy was key to 
reducing conflict in the region, but noted that unresolved 
and ongoing problems make it difficult to attract investors. 
Almost everyone raised the issue of high unemployment among 
youth and a lack of vocational training opportunities as 
factors fueling tensions in the region. 
 
Rule of Law:  In response to Ambassador's queries about an 
attack in Tamale on the Presiding Member of the District 
Assembly and other Assembly members because they voted 
against the president's nominee for the post of Metropolitan 
Chief Executive, Saddiq attributed the violence to ignorance 
about procedures.  His personal intervention, however, 
ensured that the perpetrators were arrested and will likely 
be prosecuted.  The Minister and others identified as a high 
priority, the need to train local police in human rights and 
community policing.  (Note: Ambassador will seek to include 
northern law enforcement personnel during upcoming ICITAP 
training in February.) 
 
The Media:  The Ambassador held her first press conference 
and the PAO hosted a media roundtable for the Ambassador, 
where she highlighted U.S. engagement and assistance in Ghana 
and challenged journalists to report responsibly and behave 
ethically.  Journalists noted that conflict in the region is 
at times exacerbated by irresponsible radio talk shows.  They 
cited the lack of training for talk show hosts and the 
tendency of media owners to cut corners in favor of 
increasing profits. This has led to a plethora of call-in 
radio shows where callers, secure in their anonymity, make 
outrageous and unsubstantiated claims that often go 
unchallenged by the program host. Some suggested that 
additional training and access to delay technology (currently 
absent in Ghana) would enable radio stations to screen 
inflammatory or irresponsible commentary, thus reducing the 
potential for conflict.  They also advocated the 
establishment of an effective oversight board to help 
maintain broadcasting quality and integrity. 
 
-------------- 
Ashanti Region 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  The Ambassador met with Ashanti Regional Minister S.K. 
Boafo and the Asantahene (the traditional leader of the 
Ashantis) and gave remarks at a packed FCS workshop of top 
Ghanaian firms aimed at promoting U.S. business 
opportunities.  She commissioned a clinic in a predominantly 
Muslim area outside of Kumasi built with Office of Defense 
Cooperation (ODC) Humanitarian Assistance Funds, underscoring 
that it was also World AIDS Day.  The Clinic dedication drew 
nearly 300 persons, elders and top Imams of the area.  While 
some traditional Muslim men did not shake her hand during 
introductions at the dedication ceremony, they all jockeyed 
and jostled for a photo op with her during the ensuing ribbon 
cutting and tour of the beautiful facility. Later, the 
Ambassador fielded questions during a wide-ranging issue 
forum she hosted with 50 Muslim leaders from across the North 
at a local hotel.  Noting the absence of women among the 
group, the Ambassador told them she was sure that the next 
time such an event was arranged, there would be women among 
them.  Everyone agreed that this would be the case next time. 
 
 
Politics:  This is the NPP's heartland and the home turf of 
President Kufuor.  The military has helped the police to 
reduce a rash of armed robberies, the Regional Minister told 
the Ambassador.  The Asantehene detailed his work in 
education, guinea worm eradication, HIV/AIDS and alternative 
dispute resolution.  The Ambassador praised his role in 
informally mediating the Dagbon crisis in the Northern 
Region.  The Asantehene thanked the Ambassador for her 
efforts to support education and asked for assistance in 
building a small library with information for HIV/AIDS 
orphans. 
 
Muslim Outreach:  Muslim leaders told the Ambassador that the 
perception of America has changed because of our outreach 
efforts over the past few years.  Multiple Muslim speakers 
condemned terrorism and praised the U.S. (although Kumasi has 
a radical Muslim element.)  Our Muslim roundtable 
interlocutors appealed for help with skills training and 
education.  A Muslim Member of Parliament highlighted the 
need to combat youth unemployment and noted some 
discrimination against Muslims in Ghana's public institutions 
(an issue discussed in post's International Religious Freedom 
Report.) 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  As reported in reftel, the Ambassador's trip received 
extensive and positive coverage from print, Internet and 
broadcast media outlets, focused on the most tangible 
outcomes of the trip:  a new MOU with our American Corner in 
Tamale, new SSH and DHRF grants, and the commissioning of the 
clinic and Self Help projects.  Contacts appreciated the fact 
that this was the Ambassador first substantial trip outside 
of Accra as Ambassador.  The Muslim outreach and business 
activities were particularly successful.  We saw a great deal 
of good will for America in Ghana, which is greatly boosted 
by our assistance programs, even the low budget ones like 
Self Help and DHRF, and by our hard-working Peace Corps 
Volunteers living in the regions.  We will explore 
possibilities for supporting a conference in Tamale focused 
on conflict resolution as well as ways to meet the strong 
demand for skills training. End comment. 
 
BRIDGEWATER