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We have read the letter written by Mr Richard Akakpo of Tema with the headline; �Give us our cloth� in the Daily Graphic of Friday, December 18, 2009 and wish to react. It was not the intention of the school authorities to bill students without supplying them with the 60th anniversary cloth. The shortfall came about because of the high demand from old students and the number of SHS students which was more than expected. It has never been the practice of school authorities to bill students with items and not supply them. We wish to apologise to Richard Akakpo and other students who did not receive their cloth and are assuring them that they will be supplied with the cloth, which will be used for subsequent school programmes and functions. The headmistress informed all students during her end-of-term address that all students would be supplied with the anniversary cloth. The Chairman 60th Anniversary Planning Committee Labone Senior High School Bloody Funeral at Sefwi Wiawso We wish to react to certain portions of the story published in the Monday, December 14, 2009 issue of the Daily Graphic on the above subject, the incident which led to the shooting and death of Kofi Nkrumah, a native of Sefwi Wiawso. Following the publication, our checks have revealed that there was no struggle whatsoever between the youth and the police. The police were inside the main palace while the youth, who were unarmed, were in the courtyard of the queen�s residence, which is an extension of the palace. It is our belief that the police, on hearing the intensity of war songs by the youth in memory of the departed Abontendomhene, panicked, resulting in the firing which killed Kofi Nkrumah instantly. We, therefore with to make a strong appeal to the Western Regional Minister and the Minister of the Interior to institute an independent enquiry into the killing to establish the truth. We also take the opportunity to appeal to the President to use his good offices to assist the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to find a lasting solution to the Sefwi Wiawso chieftaincy dispute. Oheneba Kwasi Bumankama, P O Box 42 Sefwi Wiawso Vice-President Did Well I wish to commend the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, for bringing to his dais, the Member of Parliament for the Okere Constitutuency, Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe. It pleased my heart to see the two with other members of the Vice President�s entourage on the same dais during the recent celebration of the Odwira Festival at Adukrom in the Eastern Region. I saw them when I watched GTV news. I hope this would be emulated by our other statesmen so that we build a better Ghana. Boakye Michael [email protected] Stop Using Minors As Begging Aids Begging on the streets of Accra has become the order of the day, and most people don�t see anything wrong with it. The relatives of some minors use them as begging aids because they are physically challenged or visually impaired. Why don�t they take advantage of the free basic education to give their children the basic foundation of education. I would like to call upon the Minister of women and Children�s Affairs and the Department of Social Welfare to go to their aid. Their future is at stake. Hilda Demanya Joyce University College Accra. Improving Conditions in Prisons It is said to see how crowded our prisons are. They look more of a slave camp. The inmates lie very close to each other, using virtually every space in the cells. There are bound to be problems with ventilation in these prisons. Nsawam prisons in the Eastern Region was originally built to house 717 inmates. Currently, its population has risen to about 31,000. Ankaful prisons in the Central Region originally was to house 300 inmates, but this number has also risen to about 800. I think these people are not being treated fairly. Whiles others sleep, some stand and others sit. Some even go to the extent of sleeping on water closets, since they cannot cheat nature. This treatment is all in the name of punishment. They are supposed to be there for reformation and not to be molested. The said situation is that, some inmates are on remand, but they are treated as criminals. I think new structures should be erected of existing ones should be expanded to improve upon conditions in the prisons. Akposoe Ivan Ghana Institute of Journalism [email protected]