Posts from the ‘Social Justice’ Category

The detestable solution: Prison reform in Ghana

This story first appeared in Briarpatch Magazine on May 1, 2009:

Under colonial rule, Ghana’s multiple traditional systems of justice were replaced by a single, expensive, incarceration-based penal system. Now, 52 years independent and among the poorest 15 per cent of nations, Ghana is at the mercy of foreign countries for financial support in maintaining its overcrowded prisons, retraining prison staff and educating prisoners in an effort to upgrade a system of punishment that is falling into disfavour in the wealthier nations from which it originates. Read more

Lincolnville dumped on again

This story first appeared in The Coast on Aug 7, 2008:

As residents next to provincial dump can’t seem to air concerns to any level of government, the stink of environmental racism grows stronger. Read more

Economic Emancipation: Ghana, Africa, the World

This story first appeared in Z Magazine in Jan 2008:

Debt “forgiveness” and the financial assault on Third World countries

January 2008 By Chris Benjamin

In April of this year many Western news junkies were shocked to learn that the southern African nation of Zambia had been ordered by a British High Court judge to pay between $10 and $20 million to a “vulture fund,” a company that gets fat off the corpses of Third World debt. In this case, Zambia had been in the final stages of buying out a 28-year-old, $42 million debt to Romania for $3 million. British Virgin Islands-based Donegal International (partly owned by U.S.-based Debt Advisory International) swooped in at just the right moment when the process was stalled, bought up the debt for less than $4 million, sued Zambia for the full value of the debt, and made a fortune at the expense of Zambian nurses, teachers, and medicine for more than 100,000 people. Read more

The relocation and reinvention of Old Fadama

This story first appeared in The Statesman on Jan 15, 2007:

Chris Benjamin, 15/01/2007

Imagine a world where, from the slums and shanties of a developing nation, where despots have ruled more than elected representatives, arose a new kind of community led by hawkers and hairdressers.

That is exactly what is happening in Old Fadama, the slum of 34,000 more commonly referred to as “Sodom and Gomorrah,” Read more

The Development of Akim Ayirebi

This story first appeared in The Statesman on December 14, 2006:

Chris Benjamin, 14/12/2006

“We are fortunate to have so many distinguished alumni from Ayirebi,” said David Firang, himself a product of this small village outside of Akim Oda in Eastern Region. Read more

Asetena Pa: Positive Living in Dangerous Times

This article first appeared in The Statesman on February 1, 2007:

Chris Benjamin, 01/02/2007

“I’m positive, my wife’s positive, and we have a baby!” exclaimed Clement Azigwe, Chairman of the Northern Regional Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, also dubbed among its membership as the Association of Brotherhood and Sisterhood. Read more

Who Are the Real Crazies Here

This story was originally published in Now Magazine on April 14, 2005:

Who are the real crazies here?
ADDITION TO HOME FOR PSYCHIATRIC SURVIVORS TURNS MY UPPITY NEIGHBOURS INTO YAHOOS Read more