Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The Credit Union of the Ghana Water Company in Ho has presented a quantity of food items and soap to inmates of the leprosarium at the Ho Polyclinic.
These include four bags of rice, two bags of gari, one bag of beans, one bag of sugar and three cartons of key soap.
The chairman of the union, Mr John Mensah, said the donation was part of their social responsibility to the disabled in society.
The medical superintendent, Madam Grace Atiemo, commended the donors for their gesture and promised to distribute them to the target group.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Volta Regional House of Chiefs in a fix.... page 21
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The operation of the legal counsel for the Volta Region house of chiefs is faced with technical hitches and cannot make the office function properly until the resolution of emerging conflicts in the chieftaincy institution of the country.
One problem was that the term of office of the current president had expired and without a substantive president and judicial committee there cannot be any intervention to settle the scores of chieftaincy disputes that had bedeviled the region.
The newly appointed legal counsel, Mr Dzanku Kwadzo-Kuma who disclosed this to the “Daily Graphic” in an interview also said the stumbling block on the work of the house of chiefs is an alleged writ filed by one Tetteh from Tema challenging some sections of the chieftaincy act which according to the plaintiff does not conform to the 1992 constitution.
Lawyer Dzanku said not until the case was determined there can be no fresh elections at the house of chiefs all over the country adding that it is incumbent on the Attorney-General to go to the Supreme Court to dismiss the writ.
According to him, the section quoted in the writ by the applicant does not exist in the chieftaincy act.
He indicated that not until the chieftaincy act is amended by parliament any attempt to overturn its provisions would be illegal.
There are about 30 chieftaincy cases comprising, substantive, motions and appeals that had been filed for judicial hearing at the house of chiefs but without a judicial committee those cases cannot be tackled.
The operation of the legal counsel for the Volta Region house of chiefs is faced with technical hitches and cannot make the office function properly until the resolution of emerging conflicts in the chieftaincy institution of the country.
One problem was that the term of office of the current president had expired and without a substantive president and judicial committee there cannot be any intervention to settle the scores of chieftaincy disputes that had bedeviled the region.
The newly appointed legal counsel, Mr Dzanku Kwadzo-Kuma who disclosed this to the “Daily Graphic” in an interview also said the stumbling block on the work of the house of chiefs is an alleged writ filed by one Tetteh from Tema challenging some sections of the chieftaincy act which according to the plaintiff does not conform to the 1992 constitution.
Lawyer Dzanku said not until the case was determined there can be no fresh elections at the house of chiefs all over the country adding that it is incumbent on the Attorney-General to go to the Supreme Court to dismiss the writ.
According to him, the section quoted in the writ by the applicant does not exist in the chieftaincy act.
He indicated that not until the chieftaincy act is amended by parliament any attempt to overturn its provisions would be illegal.
There are about 30 chieftaincy cases comprising, substantive, motions and appeals that had been filed for judicial hearing at the house of chiefs but without a judicial committee those cases cannot be tackled.
Maegaret Marquart Hospital honours past workers, page 21
Story: Tim Dzamboe,Kpando
The staff and management of the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando have honoured 23 past workers who had gone on retirement after working for an average of 35 years.
The were honoured at the maiden Pensioners Appreciation Day(PAD) instituted by the hospital under the theme, “They shall not grow old, we that are left grow old, age shall weary them nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them”.
They were presented with parcels and some plastic chairs and special envelopes including a golden handshake.
Various speakers at the function commended the hospital authorities for instituting the day because it was the first of its kind in the Ho diocese and the region as a whole.
In an address, the district director of medical services, Dr Winfred Ofosu said the occasion had shown that it is worth dying for the hospital and that it would serve as a motivation for the current staff to rededicate their sense to duty.
He thanked the pensioners for their invaluable service to the nation and asked them to adopt pragmatic approach to the management of life in retirement especially when they will lose compatriots at workplace and loneliness at home.
Dr Ofosu advised pensioners to eat rich and nourishable foods, fruits and vegetables as well as to involve themselves in social and community activities,
He called on workers to fight for better salaries in order to influence the higher payment of pensioner’s allowances when they go on retirement.
He frowned on unsatisfactory attitude of health workers against clients adding that it had affected the image of all hospitals in the country and called on management to maintain high standards at the hospital.
The Superior General of the sisters of the Mary Mother of the church, Reverend Sister Cecilia Kudexa said the sisters were ready to associate with a noble endeavour and will be ready to work among people who were dedicated to their work.
A past Diocesan health administrator, Reverend Father Cletus Frank Egbi said those who have sacrificed their lives should not forget those who are presently working adding that the present workforce should uphold the call to duty.
In an address, the medical officer in-charge, Dr Kuklui Gavua said the staff had served as a source of hope for many patients who had sought spiritual and medical healing at the hospital.
He disclosed that an average of 180 patients seek treatment in the hospital daily saying that the hospital had served as a mini-teaching and referral hospital in the Volta Region next to the Volta Regional hospital.
In a welcoming address, the chaplain of the hospital, Rev. Dr. Apollinaris Anyomi said pension was a good way of learning to recollect past memories for nurturing and admonishing younger generations to enable them to refuse, reject and to be disallowed to be frustrated by anything.
The staff and management of the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando have honoured 23 past workers who had gone on retirement after working for an average of 35 years.
The were honoured at the maiden Pensioners Appreciation Day(PAD) instituted by the hospital under the theme, “They shall not grow old, we that are left grow old, age shall weary them nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember them”.
They were presented with parcels and some plastic chairs and special envelopes including a golden handshake.
Various speakers at the function commended the hospital authorities for instituting the day because it was the first of its kind in the Ho diocese and the region as a whole.
In an address, the district director of medical services, Dr Winfred Ofosu said the occasion had shown that it is worth dying for the hospital and that it would serve as a motivation for the current staff to rededicate their sense to duty.
He thanked the pensioners for their invaluable service to the nation and asked them to adopt pragmatic approach to the management of life in retirement especially when they will lose compatriots at workplace and loneliness at home.
Dr Ofosu advised pensioners to eat rich and nourishable foods, fruits and vegetables as well as to involve themselves in social and community activities,
He called on workers to fight for better salaries in order to influence the higher payment of pensioner’s allowances when they go on retirement.
He frowned on unsatisfactory attitude of health workers against clients adding that it had affected the image of all hospitals in the country and called on management to maintain high standards at the hospital.
The Superior General of the sisters of the Mary Mother of the church, Reverend Sister Cecilia Kudexa said the sisters were ready to associate with a noble endeavour and will be ready to work among people who were dedicated to their work.
A past Diocesan health administrator, Reverend Father Cletus Frank Egbi said those who have sacrificed their lives should not forget those who are presently working adding that the present workforce should uphold the call to duty.
In an address, the medical officer in-charge, Dr Kuklui Gavua said the staff had served as a source of hope for many patients who had sought spiritual and medical healing at the hospital.
He disclosed that an average of 180 patients seek treatment in the hospital daily saying that the hospital had served as a mini-teaching and referral hospital in the Volta Region next to the Volta Regional hospital.
In a welcoming address, the chaplain of the hospital, Rev. Dr. Apollinaris Anyomi said pension was a good way of learning to recollect past memories for nurturing and admonishing younger generations to enable them to refuse, reject and to be disallowed to be frustrated by anything.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
NGO to fight malaria.. page 36
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A non-governmental organization, the Strong Tower Foundation has evolved a strategy on community involvement to fight the menace of mosquito and malaria in 10 communities in the Ho Municipality.
This is aimed at imbibing a sense of self ownership in members of the communities with the view to making them take sole responsibility of their surroundings and to ensure an excellent sanitation practices to avoid the breeding of mosquitoes, the agents of the malaria disease.
The communities are Bakpe, Bame, Kpale-Xorse, Etordome, Hlefi, Anfoeta-Gbogame, Anfoeta-Tsebi, Nkwanta, Avenui and Avenui Camp.
Addressing an advocacy workshop at Ho, the executive director of Strong Tower, Evangelist Ellen Sebuava said malaria was an enormous global health problem especially in children and pregnant women in the country.
She said between 1995 to the present, malaria had consistently represented almost 40 per cent of reported cases annually and that it had been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
She said the situation in the Ho Municipality was very alarming because 42, 993 cases of malaria were reported and amounted to 59.7 per cent of all cases.
Evangelist Sebuava attributed the high incidence of malaria cases to the weak behavior of the people in seeking their health, the lack of adequate knowledge on behaviours and factors that promoted the incidence of malaria.
She added that others were the unavailability of and the lack of information on materials and equipment that served as efficacious measures against contracting malaria, and the erroneous belief that malaria treatment was very expensive.
Madam Sebuava said if these problems were not effectively solved the municipality would be at risk of losing rapidly its human and financial resources adding that the only antidote is to come together to drive the disease away.
She said that was the essence of the capacity building project dubbed, “Roll Back Malaria Community Project” on the theme, “ Let’s come together to drive malaria away”.
A non-governmental organization, the Strong Tower Foundation has evolved a strategy on community involvement to fight the menace of mosquito and malaria in 10 communities in the Ho Municipality.
This is aimed at imbibing a sense of self ownership in members of the communities with the view to making them take sole responsibility of their surroundings and to ensure an excellent sanitation practices to avoid the breeding of mosquitoes, the agents of the malaria disease.
The communities are Bakpe, Bame, Kpale-Xorse, Etordome, Hlefi, Anfoeta-Gbogame, Anfoeta-Tsebi, Nkwanta, Avenui and Avenui Camp.
Addressing an advocacy workshop at Ho, the executive director of Strong Tower, Evangelist Ellen Sebuava said malaria was an enormous global health problem especially in children and pregnant women in the country.
She said between 1995 to the present, malaria had consistently represented almost 40 per cent of reported cases annually and that it had been the leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
She said the situation in the Ho Municipality was very alarming because 42, 993 cases of malaria were reported and amounted to 59.7 per cent of all cases.
Evangelist Sebuava attributed the high incidence of malaria cases to the weak behavior of the people in seeking their health, the lack of adequate knowledge on behaviours and factors that promoted the incidence of malaria.
She added that others were the unavailability of and the lack of information on materials and equipment that served as efficacious measures against contracting malaria, and the erroneous belief that malaria treatment was very expensive.
Madam Sebuava said if these problems were not effectively solved the municipality would be at risk of losing rapidly its human and financial resources adding that the only antidote is to come together to drive the disease away.
She said that was the essence of the capacity building project dubbed, “Roll Back Malaria Community Project” on the theme, “ Let’s come together to drive malaria away”.
Fodome, Abutia people celebrate ' Yorveawoza' festival, page 36
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Fodome-Helu
In the spirit of integration under the ethos of globalization, the people of Fodome traditional area in the Hohoe district and Abutia traditional area in the Ho Municipality have celebrated their second “Yorveawoza” at Fodome-Helu in the Hohoe district.
The festival which was first celebrated in Abutia demonstrated the zeal of the people of re-uniting and to re-establish a permanent occasion for reinforcing unity, peace, cooperation, collective development and progress.
It was also aimed at giving credence to attributes which gave the ancestors long life at Glime in medieval Notsie and were referred to as “Yorveawo” which literally meant, “the people who dislike going to grave”.
Addressing a durbar to climax the occasion, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nayan urged all traditional areas to rid themselves of conflicts and bring their people closer together to be able to access available opportunities for steady development.
He therefore said the transformation of the festival beyond cultural boundaries to a socio-economic development realm is commendable stressing that brotherliness, peace and tranquility were fundamental to every development process in life.
Mr Nayan said the government is desirous to promoting better living standards in all spheres of life adding that it will not discriminate in the extension of development to any part of the country.
He urged them to embrace government programmes on the National Health Insurance Scheme, Millennium Challenge Account and education in order to make life better living.
In an address, the Fiaga of Fodome traditional area, Togbega Gbedegbleme Honu III said the institutionalization of the festival would serve as a mobilizing forum for the human and material resources for development.
He said education was considered as a cornerstone for the development of the area and therefore the need for the government to upgrade the Community Senior High School to a government assisted one.
Togbega Gbedegbleme appealed to the government to expedite action to post police personnel to the Fodome police station that had been rehabilitated six years ago but without a police man to serve there.
He appealed to the government to tar the Hohoe-Fodome-Gbledi and the Ve-Golokwati to Wli roads to make the area accessible to the large number of tourists that visited the area daily.
In a message, the Fiaga of Abutia, Togbega Gidi V re-emphasized the need for the people to maintain the tempo of cordiality among the people in order to forge ahead in steady development.
In the spirit of integration under the ethos of globalization, the people of Fodome traditional area in the Hohoe district and Abutia traditional area in the Ho Municipality have celebrated their second “Yorveawoza” at Fodome-Helu in the Hohoe district.
The festival which was first celebrated in Abutia demonstrated the zeal of the people of re-uniting and to re-establish a permanent occasion for reinforcing unity, peace, cooperation, collective development and progress.
It was also aimed at giving credence to attributes which gave the ancestors long life at Glime in medieval Notsie and were referred to as “Yorveawo” which literally meant, “the people who dislike going to grave”.
Addressing a durbar to climax the occasion, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nayan urged all traditional areas to rid themselves of conflicts and bring their people closer together to be able to access available opportunities for steady development.
He therefore said the transformation of the festival beyond cultural boundaries to a socio-economic development realm is commendable stressing that brotherliness, peace and tranquility were fundamental to every development process in life.
Mr Nayan said the government is desirous to promoting better living standards in all spheres of life adding that it will not discriminate in the extension of development to any part of the country.
He urged them to embrace government programmes on the National Health Insurance Scheme, Millennium Challenge Account and education in order to make life better living.
In an address, the Fiaga of Fodome traditional area, Togbega Gbedegbleme Honu III said the institutionalization of the festival would serve as a mobilizing forum for the human and material resources for development.
He said education was considered as a cornerstone for the development of the area and therefore the need for the government to upgrade the Community Senior High School to a government assisted one.
Togbega Gbedegbleme appealed to the government to expedite action to post police personnel to the Fodome police station that had been rehabilitated six years ago but without a police man to serve there.
He appealed to the government to tar the Hohoe-Fodome-Gbledi and the Ve-Golokwati to Wli roads to make the area accessible to the large number of tourists that visited the area daily.
In a message, the Fiaga of Abutia, Togbega Gidi V re-emphasized the need for the people to maintain the tempo of cordiality among the people in order to forge ahead in steady development.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
December 19, Give CPP a Chance-Asare, page 15
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Peki-Wudome
A ranking member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP),Mr Celemence Asare, a.ka Kofi Sabon has said the party is highly viable at the moment of its history because it had paraded very credible presidential candidates at its last congress in Kumasi.
He said the presidential candidates were people with rich experience in governance and knew the length and breadth of the country and others with lot of international experience.
Mr Asare who was speaking to the “Daily Graphic” therefore said what is more important for the nation is for the citizens to choose the CPP as the next government in order to safeguard the peace prevailing in the nation.
According to him the New Patriotic Party(NPP) and the National Democratic Congress(NDC) were two parties bound not to bring peace to the nation because of “the way they reacted to each other, the way they looked at each other and the way they assessed each other is all antagonism”
“Antagonism cannot build this country, it is only peace and understanding that can build this country” he said, adding “if we are not careful and vote for NPP or NDC we are only setting the stage for a fight”.
Mr Asare said there could be a fight because NPP will never accept a defeat in case NDC won the elections and likewise the NDC will not accept defeat if the NPP retained power.
He said the solution is a neutral party declaring that, “that is the CPP, so all peace loving citizens of this country should ignore NPP and NDC so far as the 2008 elections were concerned”.
He said he is aspiring to contest the South Dayi constituency seat on the CPP ticket and called on the people to give CPP, a peace loving party, the chance.
A ranking member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP),Mr Celemence Asare, a.ka Kofi Sabon has said the party is highly viable at the moment of its history because it had paraded very credible presidential candidates at its last congress in Kumasi.
He said the presidential candidates were people with rich experience in governance and knew the length and breadth of the country and others with lot of international experience.
Mr Asare who was speaking to the “Daily Graphic” therefore said what is more important for the nation is for the citizens to choose the CPP as the next government in order to safeguard the peace prevailing in the nation.
According to him the New Patriotic Party(NPP) and the National Democratic Congress(NDC) were two parties bound not to bring peace to the nation because of “the way they reacted to each other, the way they looked at each other and the way they assessed each other is all antagonism”
“Antagonism cannot build this country, it is only peace and understanding that can build this country” he said, adding “if we are not careful and vote for NPP or NDC we are only setting the stage for a fight”.
Mr Asare said there could be a fight because NPP will never accept a defeat in case NDC won the elections and likewise the NDC will not accept defeat if the NPP retained power.
He said the solution is a neutral party declaring that, “that is the CPP, so all peace loving citizens of this country should ignore NPP and NDC so far as the 2008 elections were concerned”.
He said he is aspiring to contest the South Dayi constituency seat on the CPP ticket and called on the people to give CPP, a peace loving party, the chance.
Friday, December 14, 2007
CREATION OF BIAKOYE DISTRICT GENERATES AGITATION... Page 20
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
THE creation of the Biakoye District from the Jasikan District under a new legislative instrument has generated agitations over the siting of the district capital at Nkonya.
Although the people of Nkonya, Tapa, Bowiri, Worawora and Apesokubi traditional areas had all welcomed the creation of the new district, the people of Bowiri, Worawora, Tapa and Apesokubi were against the siting of the capital at Nkonya with varied reasons.
Last Monday, a letter addressed to the regional editor of the Graphic Communications Group in Ho indicated a petition by the Bowiri-Kwamekrom Concerned Citizens’ Association to the effect that they were against the capital being sited at Nkonya.
The petition which was jointly signed by Mr Solomon Yao Danquah, chairman, Mr Edwin Asamoah, secretary and Mr Bright Yao Mensah, organising secretary, of the association, said it congratulated the government for creating the new district because it demonstrated the government’s commitment to the development of the constituency.
The petition, however, stated that it was against the siting of the capital because Nkonya was a conflict zone and could not guarantee a congenial atmosphere in which workers of the new district assembly could dwell and work without fear of terror.
It said the geographical position of Nkonya, so far as the head office of the new assembly within the Biakoye Constituency was remote and therefore, could not promote any convenient administrative justice.
It further stated that there was no marketplace in Nkonya for the generation of revenue as compared to Kwamekrom or Tapa-Abotoase which had large markets for that purpose.
According to the petition, Bowiri-Kwamekrom is geographically centrally situated, with a large market, adding that it had a town council and was the most populated town in the whole constituency.
The petition appealed to the government, as a matter of urgency, to dispatch without delay a fact finding team to the constituency to recommend a suitable headquarters for the Biakoye District Assembly, which could be either at Tapa-Abotoase or Bowiri Kwamekrom.
The petition was addressed to President Mr John Kufuor, and copied to the Minister of Local Government, the Volta Regional Minister, the Jasikan District Chief Executive, Chiefs of the Biakoye Constituency and the media. Another petition from the people of Worawora had vehemently protested against the siting of the capital at Nkonya.
In a petition against the creation of the Biakoye District, jointly signed by the chiefs, it stated that all the chiefs had agreed that the capital of the district should be sited at Worawora because of the availability of infrastructural facilities ranging from a hospital, police station, rural bank, senior high school, Ghana Water Company sub-station, Ghana National Fire Service, a rest house, among others.
Signatories to the petition in 2000 were the late Tapamanhene, Nana Ogrowhe Anyenam Kwaku Boateng II; Omanhene of Nkonya, Nana Okoto Kofi III; Omanhene of Bowiri, Nana Kwaku Salo II; Omanhene of Worawora, Daasebre Asare Baa III; and Omanhene of Apesokubi, Nana Kwasi Dente Kataboa II.
The petition also drew the attention of the government to the fact that there had been a protracted dispute between the Nkonyas and Alavanyos, over land issues spanning some 80 years.
.
THE creation of the Biakoye District from the Jasikan District under a new legislative instrument has generated agitations over the siting of the district capital at Nkonya.
Although the people of Nkonya, Tapa, Bowiri, Worawora and Apesokubi traditional areas had all welcomed the creation of the new district, the people of Bowiri, Worawora, Tapa and Apesokubi were against the siting of the capital at Nkonya with varied reasons.
Last Monday, a letter addressed to the regional editor of the Graphic Communications Group in Ho indicated a petition by the Bowiri-Kwamekrom Concerned Citizens’ Association to the effect that they were against the capital being sited at Nkonya.
The petition which was jointly signed by Mr Solomon Yao Danquah, chairman, Mr Edwin Asamoah, secretary and Mr Bright Yao Mensah, organising secretary, of the association, said it congratulated the government for creating the new district because it demonstrated the government’s commitment to the development of the constituency.
The petition, however, stated that it was against the siting of the capital because Nkonya was a conflict zone and could not guarantee a congenial atmosphere in which workers of the new district assembly could dwell and work without fear of terror.
It said the geographical position of Nkonya, so far as the head office of the new assembly within the Biakoye Constituency was remote and therefore, could not promote any convenient administrative justice.
It further stated that there was no marketplace in Nkonya for the generation of revenue as compared to Kwamekrom or Tapa-Abotoase which had large markets for that purpose.
According to the petition, Bowiri-Kwamekrom is geographically centrally situated, with a large market, adding that it had a town council and was the most populated town in the whole constituency.
The petition appealed to the government, as a matter of urgency, to dispatch without delay a fact finding team to the constituency to recommend a suitable headquarters for the Biakoye District Assembly, which could be either at Tapa-Abotoase or Bowiri Kwamekrom.
The petition was addressed to President Mr John Kufuor, and copied to the Minister of Local Government, the Volta Regional Minister, the Jasikan District Chief Executive, Chiefs of the Biakoye Constituency and the media. Another petition from the people of Worawora had vehemently protested against the siting of the capital at Nkonya.
In a petition against the creation of the Biakoye District, jointly signed by the chiefs, it stated that all the chiefs had agreed that the capital of the district should be sited at Worawora because of the availability of infrastructural facilities ranging from a hospital, police station, rural bank, senior high school, Ghana Water Company sub-station, Ghana National Fire Service, a rest house, among others.
Signatories to the petition in 2000 were the late Tapamanhene, Nana Ogrowhe Anyenam Kwaku Boateng II; Omanhene of Nkonya, Nana Okoto Kofi III; Omanhene of Bowiri, Nana Kwaku Salo II; Omanhene of Worawora, Daasebre Asare Baa III; and Omanhene of Apesokubi, Nana Kwasi Dente Kataboa II.
The petition also drew the attention of the government to the fact that there had been a protracted dispute between the Nkonyas and Alavanyos, over land issues spanning some 80 years.
.
HO TESCON COMMENDS GOVT ...Page 17
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
THE Ho Polytechnic chapter of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has commended the government for the initiative to bridge the development gap between the three northern regions and the southern part of the country.
“This is an indication that the government is truly committed to making Ghana a better place for all of us,” the chapter said.
This was contained in a press statement jointly signed by the President, Mr Jones Jid Pekyi, and the Secretary, Mr Moses Aglina and issued in Ho last Wednesday.
The statement said as the 2008 budget had been approved, the Ho Poly chapter wished to congratulate the government on the pragmatic measures taken towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“With this budget, we are now convinced that, indeed, the future is bright. We believe that the government will continue to develop the human resource base, the economy and social amenities in the country,” the statement said.
It stated that Ghanaians had seen great development under the leadership of President Kufuor and the NPP, adding that retaining the party in power in the 2008 elections was, therefore, a forgone conclusion.
It congratulated the party’s presidential aspirants on the excellent campaign which they had mounted, as they had exhibited decorum by telling Ghanaians that they were believers in democracy, adding that it emphatically signified that the NPP had gone far and beyond the era of declarations.
The statement challenged the aspirants to remain united during and after the congress and rally behind the winner for victory in 2008.
“They should live beyond reproach and put the nation and the party above their individual aspirations to continue the excellent and heroic performance of President Kufuor,” it said.
“We are working hard to dilute the support base of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region and increase the parliamentary seats in the region,” it stated.
THE Ho Polytechnic chapter of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has commended the government for the initiative to bridge the development gap between the three northern regions and the southern part of the country.
“This is an indication that the government is truly committed to making Ghana a better place for all of us,” the chapter said.
This was contained in a press statement jointly signed by the President, Mr Jones Jid Pekyi, and the Secretary, Mr Moses Aglina and issued in Ho last Wednesday.
The statement said as the 2008 budget had been approved, the Ho Poly chapter wished to congratulate the government on the pragmatic measures taken towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“With this budget, we are now convinced that, indeed, the future is bright. We believe that the government will continue to develop the human resource base, the economy and social amenities in the country,” the statement said.
It stated that Ghanaians had seen great development under the leadership of President Kufuor and the NPP, adding that retaining the party in power in the 2008 elections was, therefore, a forgone conclusion.
It congratulated the party’s presidential aspirants on the excellent campaign which they had mounted, as they had exhibited decorum by telling Ghanaians that they were believers in democracy, adding that it emphatically signified that the NPP had gone far and beyond the era of declarations.
The statement challenged the aspirants to remain united during and after the congress and rally behind the winner for victory in 2008.
“They should live beyond reproach and put the nation and the party above their individual aspirations to continue the excellent and heroic performance of President Kufuor,” it said.
“We are working hard to dilute the support base of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region and increase the parliamentary seats in the region,” it stated.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Baby abandoned in bush....Mirror Dec.6, 2007, page 31
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A 23 -year old mother of three children, Xornam Atitsogbui has been arrested by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) for abandoning her one week old baby girl in a bush at Mawuli Estate in Ho.
Police investigations revealed that on November 24, the suspect gave birth to a baby girl at the Ho Municipal hospital and was discharged the same day.
On November 30 she was found in the house by her brother crying without the baby and when questioned by the brother, the suspect told him that the baby had felt sick on the night of the previous day and that when she sent her to the regional hospital for treatment the child was pronounced dead on arrival by a nurse.
She claimed that the nurse took the alleged dead baby from her with the promised to bury her and she obliged to the offer.
The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in charge of the regional directorate of DOVVSU, Madam Rita Narh disclosed that the brother was not convinced and decided to ascertain the facts in a follow-up to the hospital.
She said the alleged dead baby was found abandoned in front of the Suncity Video Library in Ho half naked with the umbilical cord partially healed.
Madam Narh said the child was brought to the DOVSSU headquarters and after investigations suspect was arrested.
In a statement to the police, the suspect said she could not cater for an extra mouth as she already had two children adding that the man who impregnated her had denied responsibility and fled to Nigeria.
The suspect claimed that the parents of the alleged man have also not been helpful and so she decided to abandon the child.
The DOVVSU has charged the suspect with offence of child abandonment contrary to section 96 Act 29 of the criminal code of 1960.
A 23 -year old mother of three children, Xornam Atitsogbui has been arrested by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) for abandoning her one week old baby girl in a bush at Mawuli Estate in Ho.
Police investigations revealed that on November 24, the suspect gave birth to a baby girl at the Ho Municipal hospital and was discharged the same day.
On November 30 she was found in the house by her brother crying without the baby and when questioned by the brother, the suspect told him that the baby had felt sick on the night of the previous day and that when she sent her to the regional hospital for treatment the child was pronounced dead on arrival by a nurse.
She claimed that the nurse took the alleged dead baby from her with the promised to bury her and she obliged to the offer.
The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in charge of the regional directorate of DOVVSU, Madam Rita Narh disclosed that the brother was not convinced and decided to ascertain the facts in a follow-up to the hospital.
She said the alleged dead baby was found abandoned in front of the Suncity Video Library in Ho half naked with the umbilical cord partially healed.
Madam Narh said the child was brought to the DOVSSU headquarters and after investigations suspect was arrested.
In a statement to the police, the suspect said she could not cater for an extra mouth as she already had two children adding that the man who impregnated her had denied responsibility and fled to Nigeria.
The suspect claimed that the parents of the alleged man have also not been helpful and so she decided to abandon the child.
The DOVVSU has charged the suspect with offence of child abandonment contrary to section 96 Act 29 of the criminal code of 1960.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
ANYAKO EP CHURCH CELEBRATES 150TH ANNIVERSARY (Page 36)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Anyako
THE Anyako Evangelical Presbyterian Church has celebrated its 150th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and fundraising at which GH¢14,200(¢142million) was realised last Sunday.
The fund will be used to refurbish a modern library for schools and for the construction of a residential accommodation for the parish.
Preaching the sermon, the Moderator of the church, Right Reverend Dr Livingstone Buama, said the anniversary should sanctify and glorify the name of God and that the expectation of the people should be fulfilling a new hope.
He said the anniversary should reflect an element of recollection, an element of participation and an element of anticipation imbued with the perspectives of retrospection, stocktaking and soul searching.
Rt Rev Buama said although things may look hard and life-threatening, salvation would eventually come on condition that recipients of salvation were steadfast, circumspect of their behaviour and wore the garment of holiness and righteousness.
He urged Christians to exhibit the virtues of love, which were the hallmark of Christianity, adding that a positive regard for the other person was a good sign of love.
The President of the Trinity Theological Seminary at Legon, Rev Dr Cyril Fayose, paid tribute to the early missionaries and asked the people to draw useful lessons from the 150 years of existence of the EP Church in Anyako.
According to him, it was time for Africans to champion Christianity and do it by example by worshipping the Almighty God with greater scientific outlook, reduced superstition and fostered values which promoted peace and progress in the society.
The Dufia of Anyako, Togbi Gligue Tenge Dzokoto VI, said the journey of the church to 150 years today was not easy but with the help of the chiefs, all obstacles were cleared for the missionaries to settle to establish the church and educational facilities.
He said although it had witnessed breakaways and splits, the church was still growing but said the lack of job opportunities in the area compelled the youth to migrate to urban centres and that affected the size of the congregation.
In a welcoming address, the Southern Presbytery chairman, Rev. E.O. Tibu, said the celebration was unique because it would generate a new spirit among the people to continue to work to save souls for the kingdom of God.
The Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Herbert Oppong, presented GH¢100 to the church as part of the goodwill message of the sister church.
The occasion was used to highlight the establishment of the E.P University after having been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
The function was chaired by a business executive, Mr Raymond Okudzeto, whilst the synod clerk, Rev. Frank Anku, conducted the order of s
Other activities for the week-long celebration were lectures, cultural music and dancing, quiz competition, choral night and candlelight procession.
THE Anyako Evangelical Presbyterian Church has celebrated its 150th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and fundraising at which GH¢14,200(¢142million) was realised last Sunday.
The fund will be used to refurbish a modern library for schools and for the construction of a residential accommodation for the parish.
Preaching the sermon, the Moderator of the church, Right Reverend Dr Livingstone Buama, said the anniversary should sanctify and glorify the name of God and that the expectation of the people should be fulfilling a new hope.
He said the anniversary should reflect an element of recollection, an element of participation and an element of anticipation imbued with the perspectives of retrospection, stocktaking and soul searching.
Rt Rev Buama said although things may look hard and life-threatening, salvation would eventually come on condition that recipients of salvation were steadfast, circumspect of their behaviour and wore the garment of holiness and righteousness.
He urged Christians to exhibit the virtues of love, which were the hallmark of Christianity, adding that a positive regard for the other person was a good sign of love.
The President of the Trinity Theological Seminary at Legon, Rev Dr Cyril Fayose, paid tribute to the early missionaries and asked the people to draw useful lessons from the 150 years of existence of the EP Church in Anyako.
According to him, it was time for Africans to champion Christianity and do it by example by worshipping the Almighty God with greater scientific outlook, reduced superstition and fostered values which promoted peace and progress in the society.
The Dufia of Anyako, Togbi Gligue Tenge Dzokoto VI, said the journey of the church to 150 years today was not easy but with the help of the chiefs, all obstacles were cleared for the missionaries to settle to establish the church and educational facilities.
He said although it had witnessed breakaways and splits, the church was still growing but said the lack of job opportunities in the area compelled the youth to migrate to urban centres and that affected the size of the congregation.
In a welcoming address, the Southern Presbytery chairman, Rev. E.O. Tibu, said the celebration was unique because it would generate a new spirit among the people to continue to work to save souls for the kingdom of God.
The Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Herbert Oppong, presented GH¢100 to the church as part of the goodwill message of the sister church.
The occasion was used to highlight the establishment of the E.P University after having been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board (NAB).
The function was chaired by a business executive, Mr Raymond Okudzeto, whilst the synod clerk, Rev. Frank Anku, conducted the order of s
Other activities for the week-long celebration were lectures, cultural music and dancing, quiz competition, choral night and candlelight procession.
Anyako EP Chruch celebrates150th anniversary....December 6 , 2007, page 36
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Anyako
The Anyako Evangelical Presbyterian Church has celebrated a weeklong 150th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and fundraising at which GHC 14,200(C142million) was realized last Sunday.
The funds will be used to refurbish a modern library for schools and the construction of a residential accommodation for the parish.
Preaching the sermon, the moderator of the church, Right Reverend Dr. Livingstone Buama said the anniversary should sanctify and glorify the name of God and that the expectation of the people should be fulfilling a new hope.
He said the anniversary should reflect “an element of recollection, an element of participation and an element of anticipation” imbued with the perspectives of retrospection, stocktaking and soul searching.
Rt. Rev.Buama said although things may look hard and life threatening, salvation will eventually come on condition that recipients of salvation were steadfast, circumspect of their behaviour and wore the garment of holiness and righteousness.
He urged Christians to exhibit the virtues of love which were the hallmark of Christianity adding that a positive regard for the other person was a good sign of love.
In an address, the president of the of the Trinity Theological Seminary at Legon Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose paid tribute to the early missionaries and that the people should draw useful lessons from the 150 years of existence of the EP Church in Anyako.
According to him, it was time for Africans to champion Christianity and do it exemplarily by worshipping the almighty God with greater scientific outlook, reduced superstition and fostered values which promotes peace and progress in the society.
He said like all knowledge, knowledge of the almighty God was bound to start somewhere with some people before spreading adding that like the discoveries of science , mathematics and computers, the knowledge of Almighty God started with Abraham and started spreading from Israel to Europe from where it came to Africa.
In an address, the Dufia of Anyako, Togbi Gligue Tenge Dzokoto VI said the journey of the church to150 years today was not easy but with the help of the chiefs all obstacles were cleared for the missionaries to settle to establish church and educational facilities.
He said although it had witnessed breakaways and splits the church was still growing but said the lack of job opportunities in the area compelled the youth to migrate to urban centres and that affected the size of the congregation.
In a welcoming address, the southern presbytery chairman, Rev. E.O. Tibu said the celebration was unique because it will generate a new spirit among the people the people to continue to work to save souls for the kingdom of God.
The synod clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Hebert Oppong presented GHC100 to the church as part of the goodwill message of the sister church.
The occasion was used to highlight the establishment of the E.P University after having been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board(NAB).
The function was chaired by a business executive, Mr. Raymond Okudzeto whilst the synod clerk Rev. Frank Anku conducted the order of service.
Other activities for the celebration were lectures, cultural music and dancing, quiz competition, choral night, candle light procession and a welcome church service.
The Anyako Evangelical Presbyterian Church has celebrated a weeklong 150th anniversary with a thanksgiving service and fundraising at which GHC 14,200(C142million) was realized last Sunday.
The funds will be used to refurbish a modern library for schools and the construction of a residential accommodation for the parish.
Preaching the sermon, the moderator of the church, Right Reverend Dr. Livingstone Buama said the anniversary should sanctify and glorify the name of God and that the expectation of the people should be fulfilling a new hope.
He said the anniversary should reflect “an element of recollection, an element of participation and an element of anticipation” imbued with the perspectives of retrospection, stocktaking and soul searching.
Rt. Rev.Buama said although things may look hard and life threatening, salvation will eventually come on condition that recipients of salvation were steadfast, circumspect of their behaviour and wore the garment of holiness and righteousness.
He urged Christians to exhibit the virtues of love which were the hallmark of Christianity adding that a positive regard for the other person was a good sign of love.
In an address, the president of the of the Trinity Theological Seminary at Legon Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose paid tribute to the early missionaries and that the people should draw useful lessons from the 150 years of existence of the EP Church in Anyako.
According to him, it was time for Africans to champion Christianity and do it exemplarily by worshipping the almighty God with greater scientific outlook, reduced superstition and fostered values which promotes peace and progress in the society.
He said like all knowledge, knowledge of the almighty God was bound to start somewhere with some people before spreading adding that like the discoveries of science , mathematics and computers, the knowledge of Almighty God started with Abraham and started spreading from Israel to Europe from where it came to Africa.
In an address, the Dufia of Anyako, Togbi Gligue Tenge Dzokoto VI said the journey of the church to150 years today was not easy but with the help of the chiefs all obstacles were cleared for the missionaries to settle to establish church and educational facilities.
He said although it had witnessed breakaways and splits the church was still growing but said the lack of job opportunities in the area compelled the youth to migrate to urban centres and that affected the size of the congregation.
In a welcoming address, the southern presbytery chairman, Rev. E.O. Tibu said the celebration was unique because it will generate a new spirit among the people the people to continue to work to save souls for the kingdom of God.
The synod clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Hebert Oppong presented GHC100 to the church as part of the goodwill message of the sister church.
The occasion was used to highlight the establishment of the E.P University after having been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board(NAB).
The function was chaired by a business executive, Mr. Raymond Okudzeto whilst the synod clerk Rev. Frank Anku conducted the order of service.
Other activities for the celebration were lectures, cultural music and dancing, quiz competition, choral night, candle light procession and a welcome church service.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
HO COURT GRANTS BAIL TO SEVEN (Page 34)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
THE Ho High Court has granted bail to seven persons arrested by the police in connection with the Anlo chieftaincy conflict in which four persons died during a clash on November 1, this year.
The seven, accused of “murder” and “riot with weapon”, were bailed at GH¢15,000 each with one surety. They are to report themselves to the Keta District Police once every two weeks.
The accused persons are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom Kpodo and Atsu Afedo. They are being represented by Mr Ernest Gaewu.
The seven have been in prison custody since November 2 when the police arrested 75 people, out of which 67 were granted police enquiry bail, while eight of them were remanded in police custody in Ho.
One of the suspects, Israel Kwabla Amenume, died while still in custody, leaving the seven who were eventually granted bail yesterday.
They first appeared before the Ho District Magistrate Court on November 5 and again on November 22, but the court, presided over by Mr P.W. Amedior, declined them bail and advised their counsel to apply to the High Court for bail.
The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah, said the case was silent on who actually murdered the constable, adding that if all the accused persons kidnapped and murdered the constable, then they would have acted in concert.
He said, however, that a charge of conspiracy was not preferred against the accused persons and that the facts were not supportive of the case.
The judge said the facts of the case were replete with doubts and that, in the circumstance, the charge of murder preferred against them was not well laid.
According to him, the offence of murder, with which the accused had been charged, was for the sake of convenience only to allow the police ample time to conduct investigations into the whole affair.
Mr Essel-Mensah said the irony in the bail application was that as the prosecution was seeking to do justice by bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book, grave injustice of unfathomable proportions was being done to the applicants.
The Chief State Attorney for the Volta Region, Mrs Felicia Okyere-Darko, who prosecuted, said the state was opposed to the application for bail and had filed an affidavit in opposition.
THE Ho High Court has granted bail to seven persons arrested by the police in connection with the Anlo chieftaincy conflict in which four persons died during a clash on November 1, this year.
The seven, accused of “murder” and “riot with weapon”, were bailed at GH¢15,000 each with one surety. They are to report themselves to the Keta District Police once every two weeks.
The accused persons are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom Kpodo and Atsu Afedo. They are being represented by Mr Ernest Gaewu.
The seven have been in prison custody since November 2 when the police arrested 75 people, out of which 67 were granted police enquiry bail, while eight of them were remanded in police custody in Ho.
One of the suspects, Israel Kwabla Amenume, died while still in custody, leaving the seven who were eventually granted bail yesterday.
They first appeared before the Ho District Magistrate Court on November 5 and again on November 22, but the court, presided over by Mr P.W. Amedior, declined them bail and advised their counsel to apply to the High Court for bail.
The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah, said the case was silent on who actually murdered the constable, adding that if all the accused persons kidnapped and murdered the constable, then they would have acted in concert.
He said, however, that a charge of conspiracy was not preferred against the accused persons and that the facts were not supportive of the case.
The judge said the facts of the case were replete with doubts and that, in the circumstance, the charge of murder preferred against them was not well laid.
According to him, the offence of murder, with which the accused had been charged, was for the sake of convenience only to allow the police ample time to conduct investigations into the whole affair.
Mr Essel-Mensah said the irony in the bail application was that as the prosecution was seeking to do justice by bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book, grave injustice of unfathomable proportions was being done to the applicants.
The Chief State Attorney for the Volta Region, Mrs Felicia Okyere-Darko, who prosecuted, said the state was opposed to the application for bail and had filed an affidavit in opposition.
ONLY NPP CAN SUSTAIN MACROECONOMIC STABILITY (Page 15)
STORY: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A PRESIDENTIAL aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Alan Kyeremateng, has said that apart from the NPP any other government that assumed the reins of power will only dismantle the achievements made in ensuring macro economic stability, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and other reforms and initiatives on health education, and others.
He said what the NPP needed to do was to build a solid foundation which would help accelerate the growth of the economy within a period of 10 and 12 years.
According to him, no country in the world had achieved any superlative performance in growth without a sustained period of stabilisation , and that the performance of the NPP government in seven years was enough evidence for it to be retained in power for more years to complete and sustain the period of stabilisation and growth of the economy.
Mr Kyeremateng was addressing media practitioners in Ho after a tour of 15 constituencies in the Volta Region in the campaign to win the flagbearership of the party in the delegates conference slated for December 22 this year.
He said from his own assessment, by the end of the second round campaign tour of the Volta Region, he was more convinced that if the region alone was going to vote he would be declared the flag bearer.
He said the challenge for the leadership was not for contestants alone but the entire party membership and that as a strategist in the present government he would shift emphasis on to the productive sectors of the economy when elected as the flag bearer and eventually become the head of state.
Mr Kyeremanten promised to build a strong grassroots network for the party and would ensure that no gap existed between the top and bottom in governance.
On campaign funding, he said it was a critical issue in the body politic internationally and that everybody had his own way of mobilising funds to finance his campaign and the ability to mobilise funds was crucial to a successful campaign.
"If you want to be successful you must be able to fund a campaign. I don't see that as splashing of money", he said.
Mr Kyeremateng said the negative propaganda in politics made people spend money based on their own beliefs and strategies and that he spent money effectively on campaigns in order not to waste resources.
He said all the delegates had made up their minds on their choice of candidate and money would have little influence on their choice.
Mr Kyeremateng stressed that he was a frontrunner in the race and intended working towards winning in the first round of the ballot but said in politics anything could happen and, therefore, there was the possibility to make room for an alliance with others to win if there should be any second balloting.
He said strategically, he was one step ahead in the campaign, and that he was preparing for the delegates conference, as well as the national elections, adding that with the present focus he would win the flagbearership contest.
A PRESIDENTIAL aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Alan Kyeremateng, has said that apart from the NPP any other government that assumed the reins of power will only dismantle the achievements made in ensuring macro economic stability, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and other reforms and initiatives on health education, and others.
He said what the NPP needed to do was to build a solid foundation which would help accelerate the growth of the economy within a period of 10 and 12 years.
According to him, no country in the world had achieved any superlative performance in growth without a sustained period of stabilisation , and that the performance of the NPP government in seven years was enough evidence for it to be retained in power for more years to complete and sustain the period of stabilisation and growth of the economy.
Mr Kyeremateng was addressing media practitioners in Ho after a tour of 15 constituencies in the Volta Region in the campaign to win the flagbearership of the party in the delegates conference slated for December 22 this year.
He said from his own assessment, by the end of the second round campaign tour of the Volta Region, he was more convinced that if the region alone was going to vote he would be declared the flag bearer.
He said the challenge for the leadership was not for contestants alone but the entire party membership and that as a strategist in the present government he would shift emphasis on to the productive sectors of the economy when elected as the flag bearer and eventually become the head of state.
Mr Kyeremanten promised to build a strong grassroots network for the party and would ensure that no gap existed between the top and bottom in governance.
On campaign funding, he said it was a critical issue in the body politic internationally and that everybody had his own way of mobilising funds to finance his campaign and the ability to mobilise funds was crucial to a successful campaign.
"If you want to be successful you must be able to fund a campaign. I don't see that as splashing of money", he said.
Mr Kyeremateng said the negative propaganda in politics made people spend money based on their own beliefs and strategies and that he spent money effectively on campaigns in order not to waste resources.
He said all the delegates had made up their minds on their choice of candidate and money would have little influence on their choice.
Mr Kyeremateng stressed that he was a frontrunner in the race and intended working towards winning in the first round of the ballot but said in politics anything could happen and, therefore, there was the possibility to make room for an alliance with others to win if there should be any second balloting.
He said strategically, he was one step ahead in the campaign, and that he was preparing for the delegates conference, as well as the national elections, adding that with the present focus he would win the flagbearership contest.
CRISIS LOOMS ...In vehicular traffic (Lead Story)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A TRANSPORTATION crisis beyond Lagos and Beijing proportions has been predicted in Ghana if the prevailing ratio of vehicles to motorable roads should continue into 2015.
A study conducted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) predicted total saturation and unbearable pollution at peak time when all vehicles would come to a standstill as a result of the disproportionate growth of vehicular fleet to roads.
The statistics showed that vehicular fleet increased from 382,261 to 624,783 from 2000 to 2005, representing an average growth of 6.9 per cent, a growth rate that is likely to lead to saturation, considering the slower rate of provision of roads.
The data were presented in a summary for policy makers on Ghana Vehicular Emission Inventory prepared by the Climate Change Unit of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and released last September.
Relating vehicular emissions to vehicular growth, the report said emissions from motor vehicles were in two categories — exhaust or tailpipe emissions and evaporate emissions.
It noted that exhaust emissions were one of the major forms of emissions from on-road vehicle operations, while evaporative emissions consisted entirely of other forms.
It further stated that a national fleet data, national statistics on fuel consumption, data on weather conditions and data on driving patterns were requirements for the determination of emission estimation in the country.
The report gathered that a total of 1,569,603.7 metric tonnes of diesel, gasoline and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were consumed in 2005, against 1,316,532.6 metric tonnes in 2000.
That amounted to total emission levels from 32,222.78 tonnes in 2000 to 52,666.17 tonnes in 2005 at the rate of 16.67 per cent per annum. The rate of increase depended on a corresponding increase in fleet numbers and fuel consumption.
It recommended that relevant institutions like the Tema Oil Refinery, the DVLA, and the oil manufacturing companies should make conscious efforts to capture data that would help to improve the certainty of future emission inventory.
It also noted that the state of vehicle population data at the DVLA required immediate attention, especially speeding up the digitisation process of analogue data.
The report recommended that there must be continuous improvement in quality of fuel devoid of dilution and adulteration and the institution of regular mobile engine inspection and maintenance schedules.
The report suggested alternative sustainable transport options and alternative fuel use, as well as regulatory measures and enforcement, to prevent higher emissions and their attendant pollution and negative effects on human health and the environment.
Meanwhile, the EPA has held a dissemination workshop on a study conducted in Kumasi and Accra with the view to sensitising relevant stakeholders to the challenges ahead in connection with emissions in the country.
A TRANSPORTATION crisis beyond Lagos and Beijing proportions has been predicted in Ghana if the prevailing ratio of vehicles to motorable roads should continue into 2015.
A study conducted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) predicted total saturation and unbearable pollution at peak time when all vehicles would come to a standstill as a result of the disproportionate growth of vehicular fleet to roads.
The statistics showed that vehicular fleet increased from 382,261 to 624,783 from 2000 to 2005, representing an average growth of 6.9 per cent, a growth rate that is likely to lead to saturation, considering the slower rate of provision of roads.
The data were presented in a summary for policy makers on Ghana Vehicular Emission Inventory prepared by the Climate Change Unit of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and released last September.
Relating vehicular emissions to vehicular growth, the report said emissions from motor vehicles were in two categories — exhaust or tailpipe emissions and evaporate emissions.
It noted that exhaust emissions were one of the major forms of emissions from on-road vehicle operations, while evaporative emissions consisted entirely of other forms.
It further stated that a national fleet data, national statistics on fuel consumption, data on weather conditions and data on driving patterns were requirements for the determination of emission estimation in the country.
The report gathered that a total of 1,569,603.7 metric tonnes of diesel, gasoline and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were consumed in 2005, against 1,316,532.6 metric tonnes in 2000.
That amounted to total emission levels from 32,222.78 tonnes in 2000 to 52,666.17 tonnes in 2005 at the rate of 16.67 per cent per annum. The rate of increase depended on a corresponding increase in fleet numbers and fuel consumption.
It recommended that relevant institutions like the Tema Oil Refinery, the DVLA, and the oil manufacturing companies should make conscious efforts to capture data that would help to improve the certainty of future emission inventory.
It also noted that the state of vehicle population data at the DVLA required immediate attention, especially speeding up the digitisation process of analogue data.
The report recommended that there must be continuous improvement in quality of fuel devoid of dilution and adulteration and the institution of regular mobile engine inspection and maintenance schedules.
The report suggested alternative sustainable transport options and alternative fuel use, as well as regulatory measures and enforcement, to prevent higher emissions and their attendant pollution and negative effects on human health and the environment.
Meanwhile, the EPA has held a dissemination workshop on a study conducted in Kumasi and Accra with the view to sensitising relevant stakeholders to the challenges ahead in connection with emissions in the country.
Only NPP can sustain macroeconomic stability, Dec.5 ,2007, page 15
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Alan Kyeremanteng has said no serious government after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led one will assume office to dismantle achievements in the macro economic stability, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and other vital state reforms on health and education, among others.
What is left to be done, he said, is to construct a consistent framework for the stabilisation for the growth of the economy within a period of 10 and 12 years.
According to him no country in the world had achieved any superlative performance in growth without a sustained period of stabilization effort adding that the record track performance of the NPP government in seven years was enough evidence to for it to be voted back into power to go through additional years to complete a sustained period of stabilization and growth of the economy.
Mr Kyeremanteng was addressing media practitioners in Ho after a tour of 15 constituencies in the Volta Region in the campaign to win the flagbearer position of the party in the delegates conference slated for December 22 this year.
He said from his own assessment, by the end of the second round campaign tour of the Volta Region, he was more convinced that if the region alone was going to vote he would be declared the flag bearer.
He said the challenge for leadership was not for contestants alone but the entire party adding that as a strategist in the present government he will shift emphasis on the productive sectors of the economy when elected as the flagbearer and eventually the head of state.
Mr Kyeremanteng promised to build a strong grassroots network for the party and will ensure that no gap existed between the top and bottom in governance.
On campaign funding he said it was a critical issue in the body politic of the international scene saying that everybody had his own way of mobilizing funds for campaigning and the ability to mobilize funds was crucial to a successful campaign.
“If you want to be successful you must be able to fund a campaign, I don’t see that as splashing of money”, he said.
Mr Kyeremanteng said there was negative propaganda in politics making people to spend money based on their own beliefs and strategies adding that he spent money effectively on campaigns in order not to waste resources.
He said all delegates had made up their minds on the choice of candidate and money will play a little influence on their choice.
Mr Kyeremanteng affirmed that he was a forerunner in the race and intends working towards winning the first round of ballot but said in politics anything could happen and therefore the possibility to create an environment to forge an alliance to win if there should be any second balloting.
He said strategically, he went one step ahead in the campaign, that is preparing for the delegates conference, as well as the national elections adding that with the present focus he will win the flagbearership contest.
A presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Alan Kyeremanteng has said no serious government after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led one will assume office to dismantle achievements in the macro economic stability, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and other vital state reforms on health and education, among others.
What is left to be done, he said, is to construct a consistent framework for the stabilisation for the growth of the economy within a period of 10 and 12 years.
According to him no country in the world had achieved any superlative performance in growth without a sustained period of stabilization effort adding that the record track performance of the NPP government in seven years was enough evidence to for it to be voted back into power to go through additional years to complete a sustained period of stabilization and growth of the economy.
Mr Kyeremanteng was addressing media practitioners in Ho after a tour of 15 constituencies in the Volta Region in the campaign to win the flagbearer position of the party in the delegates conference slated for December 22 this year.
He said from his own assessment, by the end of the second round campaign tour of the Volta Region, he was more convinced that if the region alone was going to vote he would be declared the flag bearer.
He said the challenge for leadership was not for contestants alone but the entire party adding that as a strategist in the present government he will shift emphasis on the productive sectors of the economy when elected as the flagbearer and eventually the head of state.
Mr Kyeremanteng promised to build a strong grassroots network for the party and will ensure that no gap existed between the top and bottom in governance.
On campaign funding he said it was a critical issue in the body politic of the international scene saying that everybody had his own way of mobilizing funds for campaigning and the ability to mobilize funds was crucial to a successful campaign.
“If you want to be successful you must be able to fund a campaign, I don’t see that as splashing of money”, he said.
Mr Kyeremanteng said there was negative propaganda in politics making people to spend money based on their own beliefs and strategies adding that he spent money effectively on campaigns in order not to waste resources.
He said all delegates had made up their minds on the choice of candidate and money will play a little influence on their choice.
Mr Kyeremanteng affirmed that he was a forerunner in the race and intends working towards winning the first round of ballot but said in politics anything could happen and therefore the possibility to create an environment to forge an alliance to win if there should be any second balloting.
He said strategically, he went one step ahead in the campaign, that is preparing for the delegates conference, as well as the national elections adding that with the present focus he will win the flagbearership contest.
Ho Court grants bail to seven, Dec 5, 2007, page34
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
A Ho High court has granted bail to seven persons arrested by the police in connection with the Anlo chieftaincy conflict in which four persons died during a clash on November 1 this year.
The seven, accused of “murder” and “riot with weapon” were bailed at a sum of GHC15,000 each with one surety to appear to the Keta District police once in every two weeks.
The accused persons are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom Kpodo and Atsu Afedo with counsel as Mr Ernest Gaewu.
They had been in prison custody since November 2 when they police arrested 75 persons out of which 67 of them were granted a police enquiry bail whist eight of them were remanded in police custody in Ho.
One of the suspects, Israel Kwabla Amenume died in police cells, leaving the seven who were eventually granted bail today.
They first appeared before a Ho District Magistrate court on November 5 and secondly on November 22 but the court presided over by His Lordship. Mr. P.W Amedior declined them bail and advised counsel to apply to the High court for bail.
The high court, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah said the case was silent on who actually murdered the constable adding that if all the accused persons kidnapped and murdered the constable then they would have acted in concert.
He said however that a charge of conspiracy was not preferred against the accused persons and that the facts were not supportive of the case.
The judge said the facts of the case were replete with doubts and that in the circumstance of it the charge of murders preferred against the accused was not well laid.
According to him the offence of murder with which the accused were charged was for the sake of convenience only, so as to allow the police ample time to conduct investigations into the whole affair.
Mr Essel-Mensah said the irony in this application was that as the prosecution was seeking to do justice to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book, grave injustice of unfathomable proportions was being done to the applicants.
The chief state attorney for the Volta Region, Mrs Felicia Okyere-Darko who prosecuted said the state was opposed to the application for bail and had filed an affidavit in opposition.
A Ho High court has granted bail to seven persons arrested by the police in connection with the Anlo chieftaincy conflict in which four persons died during a clash on November 1 this year.
The seven, accused of “murder” and “riot with weapon” were bailed at a sum of GHC15,000 each with one surety to appear to the Keta District police once in every two weeks.
The accused persons are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom Kpodo and Atsu Afedo with counsel as Mr Ernest Gaewu.
They had been in prison custody since November 2 when they police arrested 75 persons out of which 67 of them were granted a police enquiry bail whist eight of them were remanded in police custody in Ho.
One of the suspects, Israel Kwabla Amenume died in police cells, leaving the seven who were eventually granted bail today.
They first appeared before a Ho District Magistrate court on November 5 and secondly on November 22 but the court presided over by His Lordship. Mr. P.W Amedior declined them bail and advised counsel to apply to the High court for bail.
The high court, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Essel-Mensah said the case was silent on who actually murdered the constable adding that if all the accused persons kidnapped and murdered the constable then they would have acted in concert.
He said however that a charge of conspiracy was not preferred against the accused persons and that the facts were not supportive of the case.
The judge said the facts of the case were replete with doubts and that in the circumstance of it the charge of murders preferred against the accused was not well laid.
According to him the offence of murder with which the accused were charged was for the sake of convenience only, so as to allow the police ample time to conduct investigations into the whole affair.
Mr Essel-Mensah said the irony in this application was that as the prosecution was seeking to do justice to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book, grave injustice of unfathomable proportions was being done to the applicants.
The chief state attorney for the Volta Region, Mrs Felicia Okyere-Darko who prosecuted said the state was opposed to the application for bail and had filed an affidavit in opposition.
CRISIS LOOMS.In vehicuar traffic...Dec.5, 2007(Front Page)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has launched a report on vehicular emissions after a study of the effects of pollution from road transport in major urban centres in the country.
The report comprised a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of transport policy, Ghana Vehicle Emission Inventory and the Road and Air Traffic Noise Monitoring conducted under the sub-component of the Danish International Development Agency(DANIDA) Transport Sector Programme Support(TSPS) , Phase II.
It was launched at a two-day national stakeholder dissemination workshop on vehicular emissions at Ho today.
Launching the report on the behalf of the minister of local government, rural development and environment, the deputy minister, Alhaji Ahmed A. Yirimea said urban air pollution from road transport was a growing concern since it affected air quality for quality public health, .
He said the SEA recommended that environmental issues were institutionalised and managed in an integrated and sustainable manner adding that alternative roads designs must consider the provision of noise barriers as a means of attenuating the noise levels.
He also said there was the need to strengthen linkages between transport sector and other sectors such as energy, health, tourism, among others and to ensure that such cross-sectoral overlaps were properly addressed.
Alhaji Yirimea noted that for the nation to deal air pollution it is imperative to evolve a transport planning systems that covered Traffic Demand Management, Traffic Management Systems as necessary and fundamental components.
He therefore said an integrated approach combining land use and transport planning, traffic demand management and management systems and regulation needs to be promoted.
He said all the elements should be supported by appropriate policies and actions on resource mobilization, taxation, pricing, institutional and legal aspects with the relevant promotion and awareness creation programmes.
“ It is important to develop vehicular emission standards which must be enforced together with existing traffic laws and regulations to achieve significant improvements in traffic flow and air quality”, he stated.
Alhaji Yirimea explained that proper enforcement is best implemented when the traffic code is clear and traffic management measures support desirable driving behaviour.
In an address read on his behalf, the deputy Volta Regional minister, Mr Joseph Nayan said apart from environmental pollution, vehicle pollution was detrimental to health and caused irritation in respiratory system, coughing, choking, reduced lung capacity, pneumonia influenza and asthma.
He said the emission of carbon monoxide can block the transport of oxygen to the brain, heart and other vital organs in the human body that could cause birth defects, cancer and other serious illnesses.
A programme officer of DANIDA, Mr Mawuena Hayibor said the Danish government considered climate change critical in its policies with developing countries.
He therefore announced that in line with its commitment to ensuring sustainable development in the development countries, the Danish government will be addressing climate change, energy and environment as one of its priorities under its development assistance for the next five years.
A director of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr Godwin Brocke said vehicle emission inventory will have significant implications for the planning of road transport infrastructure and the delivery of all modes of transport and health in the country.
In welcoming address, the executive director of EPA, Mr Jonathan Allotey said the agency was instrumental in the phasing out of leaded fuel in 2004 adding that it was commited to championing the complete elimination of the use of metallic additives and also reduce the level of sulphur in fuels.
He said the agency will continue to raise awareness among stakeholders about best practices that were likely to bring about environmental benefits to the society adding “ we will continue to work with, and not against, the economic incentives of various transport actors”.
The Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) has launched a report on vehicular emissions after a study of the effects of pollution from road transport in major urban centres in the country.
The report comprised a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of transport policy, Ghana Vehicle Emission Inventory and the Road and Air Traffic Noise Monitoring conducted under the sub-component of the Danish International Development Agency(DANIDA) Transport Sector Programme Support(TSPS) , Phase II.
It was launched at a two-day national stakeholder dissemination workshop on vehicular emissions at Ho today.
Launching the report on the behalf of the minister of local government, rural development and environment, the deputy minister, Alhaji Ahmed A. Yirimea said urban air pollution from road transport was a growing concern since it affected air quality for quality public health, .
He said the SEA recommended that environmental issues were institutionalised and managed in an integrated and sustainable manner adding that alternative roads designs must consider the provision of noise barriers as a means of attenuating the noise levels.
He also said there was the need to strengthen linkages between transport sector and other sectors such as energy, health, tourism, among others and to ensure that such cross-sectoral overlaps were properly addressed.
Alhaji Yirimea noted that for the nation to deal air pollution it is imperative to evolve a transport planning systems that covered Traffic Demand Management, Traffic Management Systems as necessary and fundamental components.
He therefore said an integrated approach combining land use and transport planning, traffic demand management and management systems and regulation needs to be promoted.
He said all the elements should be supported by appropriate policies and actions on resource mobilization, taxation, pricing, institutional and legal aspects with the relevant promotion and awareness creation programmes.
“ It is important to develop vehicular emission standards which must be enforced together with existing traffic laws and regulations to achieve significant improvements in traffic flow and air quality”, he stated.
Alhaji Yirimea explained that proper enforcement is best implemented when the traffic code is clear and traffic management measures support desirable driving behaviour.
In an address read on his behalf, the deputy Volta Regional minister, Mr Joseph Nayan said apart from environmental pollution, vehicle pollution was detrimental to health and caused irritation in respiratory system, coughing, choking, reduced lung capacity, pneumonia influenza and asthma.
He said the emission of carbon monoxide can block the transport of oxygen to the brain, heart and other vital organs in the human body that could cause birth defects, cancer and other serious illnesses.
A programme officer of DANIDA, Mr Mawuena Hayibor said the Danish government considered climate change critical in its policies with developing countries.
He therefore announced that in line with its commitment to ensuring sustainable development in the development countries, the Danish government will be addressing climate change, energy and environment as one of its priorities under its development assistance for the next five years.
A director of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr Godwin Brocke said vehicle emission inventory will have significant implications for the planning of road transport infrastructure and the delivery of all modes of transport and health in the country.
In welcoming address, the executive director of EPA, Mr Jonathan Allotey said the agency was instrumental in the phasing out of leaded fuel in 2004 adding that it was commited to championing the complete elimination of the use of metallic additives and also reduce the level of sulphur in fuels.
He said the agency will continue to raise awareness among stakeholders about best practices that were likely to bring about environmental benefits to the society adding “ we will continue to work with, and not against, the economic incentives of various transport actors”.
Monday, December 3, 2007
TAPA ABOTOASE INSTALS NEW CHIEF(mirror)-Dec. 1, 2007
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Tapa-Abotoase
In the midst of pockets of chieftaincy conflicts in certain parts of the country which had attracted large numbers of security personnel to provide security for life and property in recent times, the people of Tapa traditional area, an Akan tribe in the Jasikan district of the Volta Region had successfully sailed through this threat by installing a new paramount chief.
He is Okofrobour Baffour Kwame Asante II who succeeded Ogrohwe Anyenam Kwaku Boateng II who reigned from 1994 to 2006 and passed away last year.
The new Omanahene is known in private life as Lieutenant Commander Isaac Lawrence Anti Ampeh, a retired naval officer of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is 67 years old, married with four children and the 14th occupant to the stool of the Anyeman stool of Tapaman.
The minister of Chieftaincy affairs, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo did not minced words by congratulating the new Omanhene for being the unanimous choice of the royal kingmakers and further thanked the kingmakers for making a wise choice and selecting the most suitable candidate in the traditional area.
He likened the out-dooring of the new chief as a journey of a thousand miles that had started with a step adding that the new paramount chief had embarked on a journey of local development that could be accomplished with the active support and cooperation from his subjects.
He appealed to kingmakers to compile the procedures for enstooling chiefs in the traditional area stressing that when customary practices were well documented, outsiders would not attempt to usurp the stool in contravention to the rules.
He expressed the hope that the absence of conflict during his nomination and selection and the spontaneous approval by the kingmakers were enough assurances that there is much hope for the steady development of the Tapa area and that would prevent unnecessary litigation regarding chieftaincy and land matters.
Mr Boafo urged all the kingmakers and other opinion leaders in the area to cooperate with the new chief to draw up a development plan for the district.
He appealed that land should be made available at no cost to the new Biakoye district assembly for development projects adding that other parcels of land should be set aside as land banks for allocation to investors.
The minister said that although the coronation was incident-free and peaceful it was pertinent for the new chief to take early steps for the resolution of land related conflicts in order to make the area attractive to big time business executives.
Addressing the function, the Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi announced that a landing site has been earmarked for Tapa Abotoase lakeside market.
He urged the new chief to rally his subjects and consider the construction of a palace to the kingdom.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi who is an honourable Nkosuohene of the area pledged support for the area and urged chiefs not to litigate over the capital chosen for the new Biakoye district and should accept it as chosen by the government.
In an address, Okofrobour Asante said although such installations sparked conflicts in some parts of the country he was proud and happy to say that there was no record of such conflicts in the history of Tapaman.
He urged the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture to enforce the provisions of chieftaincy act particularly section 48 which stated, thus, “A person from the right family and lineage who is nominated, elected, installed as a chief with all the requisite customary laws performed on him with his name in the national register is the only person who can style himself as a chief”.
He expressed the hope that if this provision was strictly followed, the nation will have one of the best chieftaincy institutions in the world, devoid of conflicts and acrimony.
Okrofrobuor Asante pledged to abide by customary practices in the area to sustain the peace throughout his reign.
He appealed to the government to supply the area with pipe borne water as a matter of urgency and that his subjects should take the education of their children, health, sanitation and environment issues very seriously.
In an address, the Krontihene of Tapa, Nana Kwadzo Obrim II, said the peaceful outdooring ceremony testified to the peaceful environment in the area and pledged the support of all chiefs to the new paramount chief to facilitate the steady development of the area, the district, region and the nation as whole.
Present at the function were chiefs and elders from Buem, Nkonya, Worawora, Krachi, Bowiri and Apesokubi traditional areas.
In the midst of pockets of chieftaincy conflicts in certain parts of the country which had attracted large numbers of security personnel to provide security for life and property in recent times, the people of Tapa traditional area, an Akan tribe in the Jasikan district of the Volta Region had successfully sailed through this threat by installing a new paramount chief.
He is Okofrobour Baffour Kwame Asante II who succeeded Ogrohwe Anyenam Kwaku Boateng II who reigned from 1994 to 2006 and passed away last year.
The new Omanahene is known in private life as Lieutenant Commander Isaac Lawrence Anti Ampeh, a retired naval officer of the Ghana Armed Forces. He is 67 years old, married with four children and the 14th occupant to the stool of the Anyeman stool of Tapaman.
The minister of Chieftaincy affairs, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo did not minced words by congratulating the new Omanhene for being the unanimous choice of the royal kingmakers and further thanked the kingmakers for making a wise choice and selecting the most suitable candidate in the traditional area.
He likened the out-dooring of the new chief as a journey of a thousand miles that had started with a step adding that the new paramount chief had embarked on a journey of local development that could be accomplished with the active support and cooperation from his subjects.
He appealed to kingmakers to compile the procedures for enstooling chiefs in the traditional area stressing that when customary practices were well documented, outsiders would not attempt to usurp the stool in contravention to the rules.
He expressed the hope that the absence of conflict during his nomination and selection and the spontaneous approval by the kingmakers were enough assurances that there is much hope for the steady development of the Tapa area and that would prevent unnecessary litigation regarding chieftaincy and land matters.
Mr Boafo urged all the kingmakers and other opinion leaders in the area to cooperate with the new chief to draw up a development plan for the district.
He appealed that land should be made available at no cost to the new Biakoye district assembly for development projects adding that other parcels of land should be set aside as land banks for allocation to investors.
The minister said that although the coronation was incident-free and peaceful it was pertinent for the new chief to take early steps for the resolution of land related conflicts in order to make the area attractive to big time business executives.
Addressing the function, the Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi announced that a landing site has been earmarked for Tapa Abotoase lakeside market.
He urged the new chief to rally his subjects and consider the construction of a palace to the kingdom.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi who is an honourable Nkosuohene of the area pledged support for the area and urged chiefs not to litigate over the capital chosen for the new Biakoye district and should accept it as chosen by the government.
In an address, Okofrobour Asante said although such installations sparked conflicts in some parts of the country he was proud and happy to say that there was no record of such conflicts in the history of Tapaman.
He urged the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture to enforce the provisions of chieftaincy act particularly section 48 which stated, thus, “A person from the right family and lineage who is nominated, elected, installed as a chief with all the requisite customary laws performed on him with his name in the national register is the only person who can style himself as a chief”.
He expressed the hope that if this provision was strictly followed, the nation will have one of the best chieftaincy institutions in the world, devoid of conflicts and acrimony.
Okrofrobuor Asante pledged to abide by customary practices in the area to sustain the peace throughout his reign.
He appealed to the government to supply the area with pipe borne water as a matter of urgency and that his subjects should take the education of their children, health, sanitation and environment issues very seriously.
In an address, the Krontihene of Tapa, Nana Kwadzo Obrim II, said the peaceful outdooring ceremony testified to the peaceful environment in the area and pledged the support of all chiefs to the new paramount chief to facilitate the steady development of the area, the district, region and the nation as whole.
Present at the function were chiefs and elders from Buem, Nkonya, Worawora, Krachi, Bowiri and Apesokubi traditional areas.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
EPA LAUNCHES VEHICULAR EMISSION STUDY REPORT
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a report on vehicular emissions after a study of the effects of pollution from road transport in major urban centres in the country.
The report comprised a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of transport policy, Ghana Vehicle Emission Inventory and the Road and Air Traffic Noise Monitoring conducted under the sub-component of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) Transport Sector Programme Support (TSPS), Phase II.
It was launched at a two-day national stakeholder dissemination workshop on vehicular emissions at Ho at the weekend.
Launching the report on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Ahmed A. Yirimea said urban air pollution from road transport was a growing concern, since it affected air quality for quality public health.
He said the SEA recommended that environmental issues should be institutionalised and managed in an integrated and sustainable manner, adding that alternative road designs must consider the provision of noise barriers as a means of attenuating the noise levels.
He also said there was the need to strengthen linkages between the transport and other sectors such as energy, health and tourism, to ensure that such cross-sectoral overlaps were properly addressed.
Alhaji Yirimea noted that for the nation to deal with air pollution it was imperative to evolve a transport planning system that covered Traffic Demand Management and Traffic Management Systems as necessary and fundamental components.
He, therefore, said an integrated approach combining land use and transport planning, traffic demand management and management systems and regulation needs to be promoted.
He said all the elements should be supported by appropriate policies and actions on resource mobilisation, taxation, pricing, institutional and legal aspects with the relevant promotion and awareness creation programmes.
“It is important to develop vehicular emission standards which must be enforced together with existing traffic laws and regulations to achieve significant improvements in traffic flow and air quality”, he stated.
Alhaji Yirimea explained that proper enforcement is best implemented when the traffic code was clear and traffic management measures supported desirable driving behaviour.
A programme officer of DANIDA, Mr Mawuena Hayibor, said the Danish government considered climate change critical in its policies on developing countries.
He, therefore, announced that in line with its commitment to ensuring sustainable development in the developing countries, the Danish government would be addressing climate change, energy and environment as one of its priorities under its development assistance for the next five years.
A director of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr Godwin Brocke, said vehicle emission invaentory would have significant implications for the planning of road transport infrastructure and the delivery of all modes of transport and health in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Executive Director of EPA, Mr Jonathan Allotey, said the agency was instrumental in the phasing out of leaded fuel in 2004, adding that it was committed to championing the complete elimination of the use of metallic additives and also reduce the level of sulphur in fuels.
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a report on vehicular emissions after a study of the effects of pollution from road transport in major urban centres in the country.
The report comprised a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of transport policy, Ghana Vehicle Emission Inventory and the Road and Air Traffic Noise Monitoring conducted under the sub-component of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) Transport Sector Programme Support (TSPS), Phase II.
It was launched at a two-day national stakeholder dissemination workshop on vehicular emissions at Ho at the weekend.
Launching the report on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Ahmed A. Yirimea said urban air pollution from road transport was a growing concern, since it affected air quality for quality public health.
He said the SEA recommended that environmental issues should be institutionalised and managed in an integrated and sustainable manner, adding that alternative road designs must consider the provision of noise barriers as a means of attenuating the noise levels.
He also said there was the need to strengthen linkages between the transport and other sectors such as energy, health and tourism, to ensure that such cross-sectoral overlaps were properly addressed.
Alhaji Yirimea noted that for the nation to deal with air pollution it was imperative to evolve a transport planning system that covered Traffic Demand Management and Traffic Management Systems as necessary and fundamental components.
He, therefore, said an integrated approach combining land use and transport planning, traffic demand management and management systems and regulation needs to be promoted.
He said all the elements should be supported by appropriate policies and actions on resource mobilisation, taxation, pricing, institutional and legal aspects with the relevant promotion and awareness creation programmes.
“It is important to develop vehicular emission standards which must be enforced together with existing traffic laws and regulations to achieve significant improvements in traffic flow and air quality”, he stated.
Alhaji Yirimea explained that proper enforcement is best implemented when the traffic code was clear and traffic management measures supported desirable driving behaviour.
A programme officer of DANIDA, Mr Mawuena Hayibor, said the Danish government considered climate change critical in its policies on developing countries.
He, therefore, announced that in line with its commitment to ensuring sustainable development in the developing countries, the Danish government would be addressing climate change, energy and environment as one of its priorities under its development assistance for the next five years.
A director of the Ministry of Transportation, Mr Godwin Brocke, said vehicle emission invaentory would have significant implications for the planning of road transport infrastructure and the delivery of all modes of transport and health in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Executive Director of EPA, Mr Jonathan Allotey, said the agency was instrumental in the phasing out of leaded fuel in 2004, adding that it was committed to championing the complete elimination of the use of metallic additives and also reduce the level of sulphur in fuels.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
SNAKES INVADE TAPA-ABOTOASE (Back Page)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Tapa-Abotoase
A LARGE number of snakes and scorpions have been flushed out of their natural habitats by flood water, causing a massive invasion in the farming and fishing communities of Tapa-Alavanyo and Tapa-Abotase on the banks of the Volta Lake.
Community leaders said the invading snakes and scorpions have caused injuries to 110 residents and appealed for help to deal with the situation which they attributed to the aftermath of last September’s destructive floods.
Making their plea through the Daily Graphic, the residents said they had been subjected to rampant snake bites and scorpion stings since flood waters, which destroyed most of their properties, subsided last month.
A spokesman for the communities, Mr Amos Boku, who is also a former Assembly member for Tapa Alavanyo, said over the weekend, 10 residents suffered snake bites. He said the condition of one of the victims was so critical that he could not be treated at the Worawora and Hohoe Government hospitals and had to be referred to the Volta Regional Hospital at Ho.
He said in all, there had been 110 reported cases of snake bites and scorpion stings, adding that the District Health Service in the area had described the situation as critical.
Mr Boku said the invasion of scorpions and snakes had affected almost every home in the communities and attributed the situation to the destruction of the homes of the residents by the floods, which has compelled them to do with temporary structures.
He disclosed that 30 houses had collapsed and their inhabitants were putting up with relatives, adding that part of the Akpavikpo School building, as well as the teachers’ quarters, also collapsed, forcing pupils to attend classes under trees.
The ex-Assembly member called for an emergency food assistance and medical care to restore hope and security to the deteriorating health situation in the area.
He mentioned other affected areas as Alavanyo, Akpavikope, Mawuekpor, Madagascar, Galikpo, Baninikope, Kpevukope, Mangotikope and Gbemumu.
When contacted, the Disaster and Operations officer of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the Jasikan District, Ms Mercy Mensah, corroborated the story about the plight of the communities.
She said the floods were caused by three days of continuous torrential rainfall that caused a breakdown in the physical and social order of the settlements.
She added her voice to the appeal for help to solve the immediate problems of the affected areas.
A LARGE number of snakes and scorpions have been flushed out of their natural habitats by flood water, causing a massive invasion in the farming and fishing communities of Tapa-Alavanyo and Tapa-Abotase on the banks of the Volta Lake.
Community leaders said the invading snakes and scorpions have caused injuries to 110 residents and appealed for help to deal with the situation which they attributed to the aftermath of last September’s destructive floods.
Making their plea through the Daily Graphic, the residents said they had been subjected to rampant snake bites and scorpion stings since flood waters, which destroyed most of their properties, subsided last month.
A spokesman for the communities, Mr Amos Boku, who is also a former Assembly member for Tapa Alavanyo, said over the weekend, 10 residents suffered snake bites. He said the condition of one of the victims was so critical that he could not be treated at the Worawora and Hohoe Government hospitals and had to be referred to the Volta Regional Hospital at Ho.
He said in all, there had been 110 reported cases of snake bites and scorpion stings, adding that the District Health Service in the area had described the situation as critical.
Mr Boku said the invasion of scorpions and snakes had affected almost every home in the communities and attributed the situation to the destruction of the homes of the residents by the floods, which has compelled them to do with temporary structures.
He disclosed that 30 houses had collapsed and their inhabitants were putting up with relatives, adding that part of the Akpavikpo School building, as well as the teachers’ quarters, also collapsed, forcing pupils to attend classes under trees.
The ex-Assembly member called for an emergency food assistance and medical care to restore hope and security to the deteriorating health situation in the area.
He mentioned other affected areas as Alavanyo, Akpavikope, Mawuekpor, Madagascar, Galikpo, Baninikope, Kpevukope, Mangotikope and Gbemumu.
When contacted, the Disaster and Operations officer of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the Jasikan District, Ms Mercy Mensah, corroborated the story about the plight of the communities.
She said the floods were caused by three days of continuous torrential rainfall that caused a breakdown in the physical and social order of the settlements.
She added her voice to the appeal for help to solve the immediate problems of the affected areas.
Monday, November 26, 2007
7 REMANDED AGAIN.In Anloga chieftaincy case
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
Seven persons have been remanded into prison custody by a Ho Magistrate court in connection with their alleged involvement in the bloody clash that occurred in Anloga last Thursday when Regent Togbui Sri III was to be installed as the new Awoamefia.
They are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom, and Atsu Afedo. They eighth accused person, Israel Kwabla Amenume died in cells and his body deposited at the Volta Regional Hospital mortuary.
They were charged with “riot with weapon” in accordance with section 199 Act29/60 and murder of section 46 of Act 29/60 without their pleas taken.
The seven accused persons were charged after the police had granted 67 persons an enquiry bail when they arrested them in a swoop at Anloga last Thursday.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr.Peter Glabu said the accused persons with others at large at Anloga took part in a riot armed with offensive instruments such as cutlasses stones and guns and murdered General Constable Moses Deba.
He therefore requested the court presided over by His Lordship P.W Amedior to remand the accused persons to the enable the police to undertake in depth investigations for more arrests to be made in the case.
According to him it was a cultural festival to be celebrated by the Anlo people adding that a group of policemen were detailed to maintain law and order in the area.
ASP Glabu said at a shrine where some rituals were to be performed at about 8 a.m a group of people including the accused persons calling themselves “ Anlo Youth” and clad in red bands gathered at the forecourt of the shrine amidst drumming and singing of war songs.
He told the court that at appoint in time, the elders of Regent Togbui Sri were about to enter the shrine to perform rituals but the accused persons and others refused them entry thus resulting into a clash.
He said the police intervened and in the process one police officer was shot by the accused persons saying that the accused and others chased the police with stones and seriously injured five others.
ASP Glabu said they also kidnapped and murdered General Constable Deba and took away his uniform and an AK 47 rifle and said two men and a woman also died on the spot during the clash.
Counsel for the accused, Mr Ernest Gaewu, Ho-based lawyer and Alfred Agbesi an Accra based lawyer had earlier argued for a bail for the accused persons.
Mr Gaewu claimed that the police seriously exaggerated the facts on the case adding that there was no evidence connecting them to kidnapping and murdering of the police man and that when and how the three others died was not stated.
He said the first suspect in the case Agbemakpor had a bullet embedded in his left arm and needed prompt medical attention.
On his part Mr Agbesi said the presence of the police at Anloga on November 1 at the alleged cultural festival did not warrant guns with live bullets to be targeted at human beings and that they should have rather gone there with rubber bullets.
He prayed the court to refuse application for remand and grant the accused bail because three more people died at the spot and there was no charge against those who killed them.
Mr Agbesi argued that the mode of arrest was appalling adding that the more time the accused persons were held in custody the more tension would be generated in the Anloga area and that granting them bail will reduce tension.
He also pleaded that they accused should be transferred to a court in the Anlo jurisdiction to enable their relatives visit them frequently.
Mr Amedior, the presiding magistrate however declined the application for bail on the grounds that the case involved murder where the law was explicit on how to deal with such cases.
He said his hands were therefore tight and remanded the accused persons into prison custody to reappear before it on November 22.
Mr Amedior ordered that the accused who had a pellet in his body should be referred to the hospital for medical investigations.
Seven persons have been remanded into prison custody by a Ho Magistrate court in connection with their alleged involvement in the bloody clash that occurred in Anloga last Thursday when Regent Togbui Sri III was to be installed as the new Awoamefia.
They are Yao Agbemakpor, John Kwawu Sefogah, Aaron Agbota, Kwawu Galley, Francis Adzrah, Prince Wisdom, and Atsu Afedo. They eighth accused person, Israel Kwabla Amenume died in cells and his body deposited at the Volta Regional Hospital mortuary.
They were charged with “riot with weapon” in accordance with section 199 Act29/60 and murder of section 46 of Act 29/60 without their pleas taken.
The seven accused persons were charged after the police had granted 67 persons an enquiry bail when they arrested them in a swoop at Anloga last Thursday.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr.Peter Glabu said the accused persons with others at large at Anloga took part in a riot armed with offensive instruments such as cutlasses stones and guns and murdered General Constable Moses Deba.
He therefore requested the court presided over by His Lordship P.W Amedior to remand the accused persons to the enable the police to undertake in depth investigations for more arrests to be made in the case.
According to him it was a cultural festival to be celebrated by the Anlo people adding that a group of policemen were detailed to maintain law and order in the area.
ASP Glabu said at a shrine where some rituals were to be performed at about 8 a.m a group of people including the accused persons calling themselves “ Anlo Youth” and clad in red bands gathered at the forecourt of the shrine amidst drumming and singing of war songs.
He told the court that at appoint in time, the elders of Regent Togbui Sri were about to enter the shrine to perform rituals but the accused persons and others refused them entry thus resulting into a clash.
He said the police intervened and in the process one police officer was shot by the accused persons saying that the accused and others chased the police with stones and seriously injured five others.
ASP Glabu said they also kidnapped and murdered General Constable Deba and took away his uniform and an AK 47 rifle and said two men and a woman also died on the spot during the clash.
Counsel for the accused, Mr Ernest Gaewu, Ho-based lawyer and Alfred Agbesi an Accra based lawyer had earlier argued for a bail for the accused persons.
Mr Gaewu claimed that the police seriously exaggerated the facts on the case adding that there was no evidence connecting them to kidnapping and murdering of the police man and that when and how the three others died was not stated.
He said the first suspect in the case Agbemakpor had a bullet embedded in his left arm and needed prompt medical attention.
On his part Mr Agbesi said the presence of the police at Anloga on November 1 at the alleged cultural festival did not warrant guns with live bullets to be targeted at human beings and that they should have rather gone there with rubber bullets.
He prayed the court to refuse application for remand and grant the accused bail because three more people died at the spot and there was no charge against those who killed them.
Mr Agbesi argued that the mode of arrest was appalling adding that the more time the accused persons were held in custody the more tension would be generated in the Anloga area and that granting them bail will reduce tension.
He also pleaded that they accused should be transferred to a court in the Anlo jurisdiction to enable their relatives visit them frequently.
Mr Amedior, the presiding magistrate however declined the application for bail on the grounds that the case involved murder where the law was explicit on how to deal with such cases.
He said his hands were therefore tight and remanded the accused persons into prison custody to reappear before it on November 22.
Mr Amedior ordered that the accused who had a pellet in his body should be referred to the hospital for medical investigations.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
DON'T IMPOSE LIMITATIOMS ON ASPIRATIONS..(mirror)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Likpe-Bala
A retired educationist, Mr. I.W.K Dorleku has urged
the youth not to impose artificial limitations on
aspirations to achieve high academic laurels that will
entrench them into the sphere for leadership positions
and decision making processes in the country.
“ You need not to have limitations to discourage you
to achieve laurels in your pursuit to academic laurels
but strive to excel in any endeavour you set for
yourselves to propel you to take the mantle of
leadership of our dear country” he said.
Mr Dorleku gave the advice when he addressed a youth
rally of the Saint Joseph parish of the Catholic
Church in the Likpe traditional area at Likpe –Bala in
the Hohoe district last weekend.
It was on the theme, “Youth as potential leaders of
tomorrow-our roles and limitations”.
Mr Dorleku stressed the need for the youth to
discover and rediscover their potentials to enable
them to respond positively to societal needs which
could lead to the transformation of problems.
He expressed misgivings about the lackaidaisical
attitude of the youth that had impacted negatively on
the society and advised those miscreants to take
another look at their nefarious activities.
He advised them to avail themselves to all
opportunities and challenges towards a successful
lifestyle and resist all attempts by peer pressure to
divert their attention as potential future leaders on
the nation.
In an address, the life patron of the Democratic
Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Obed Asamoah cautioned the
youth to be wary of policies, programmes and
interventions of successive governments which were not
in their interest and advised them to be circumspect
in their voting pattern in the 2008 general elections.
“ You must learn to appreciate policies, programmes
and interventions of government that will improve
living standards, create jobs and wealth and not those
that are cosmetic and does not secure your future as
leaders of the nation” he said.
Dr Asamoah who was the guest speaker advised the
youth to take interest in the political direction of
the nation so as to contribute meaningfully towards
democratic governance.
The chairman of the parish youth council of the
church, Mr Boniface Tettey assured the leadership of
the church of readiness of the youth to play
meaningful roles to transform the traditional area.
The chief of Likpe Bala, who chaired the function,
Nana Bulley Osai VII advised the youth not to bow to
peer pressure and engage in nefarious activities that
would divert their attention and jeopardize their
future but direct their energies towards productive
ventures to uplift status of the communities in the
area.
“The youth have crucial roles to play in the
transformation of the traditional area and you must
not relent in that effort and remain focused so that
you can direct your youthful exuberance into
productive ventures”, he stressed.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you
with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.
A retired educationist, Mr. I.W.K Dorleku has urged
the youth not to impose artificial limitations on
aspirations to achieve high academic laurels that will
entrench them into the sphere for leadership positions
and decision making processes in the country.
“ You need not to have limitations to discourage you
to achieve laurels in your pursuit to academic laurels
but strive to excel in any endeavour you set for
yourselves to propel you to take the mantle of
leadership of our dear country” he said.
Mr Dorleku gave the advice when he addressed a youth
rally of the Saint Joseph parish of the Catholic
Church in the Likpe traditional area at Likpe –Bala in
the Hohoe district last weekend.
It was on the theme, “Youth as potential leaders of
tomorrow-our roles and limitations”.
Mr Dorleku stressed the need for the youth to
discover and rediscover their potentials to enable
them to respond positively to societal needs which
could lead to the transformation of problems.
He expressed misgivings about the lackaidaisical
attitude of the youth that had impacted negatively on
the society and advised those miscreants to take
another look at their nefarious activities.
He advised them to avail themselves to all
opportunities and challenges towards a successful
lifestyle and resist all attempts by peer pressure to
divert their attention as potential future leaders on
the nation.
In an address, the life patron of the Democratic
Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Obed Asamoah cautioned the
youth to be wary of policies, programmes and
interventions of successive governments which were not
in their interest and advised them to be circumspect
in their voting pattern in the 2008 general elections.
“ You must learn to appreciate policies, programmes
and interventions of government that will improve
living standards, create jobs and wealth and not those
that are cosmetic and does not secure your future as
leaders of the nation” he said.
Dr Asamoah who was the guest speaker advised the
youth to take interest in the political direction of
the nation so as to contribute meaningfully towards
democratic governance.
The chairman of the parish youth council of the
church, Mr Boniface Tettey assured the leadership of
the church of readiness of the youth to play
meaningful roles to transform the traditional area.
The chief of Likpe Bala, who chaired the function,
Nana Bulley Osai VII advised the youth not to bow to
peer pressure and engage in nefarious activities that
would divert their attention and jeopardize their
future but direct their energies towards productive
ventures to uplift status of the communities in the
area.
“The youth have crucial roles to play in the
transformation of the traditional area and you must
not relent in that effort and remain focused so that
you can direct your youthful exuberance into
productive ventures”, he stressed.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you
with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.
AID TO ENSURE POVERTY REDUCTION...(mirror)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The executive director of a national nongovernmental
organization(NGO), Development Institute, Mr Ken
Kinney has said the objective of Civil Society
Organisations(CSOs) on aid effectiveness to developing
countries is to ensure the sustained reduction of
poverty and inequality and its support of human
rights, democracy, environmental sustainability and
gender equality.
He said CSOs were promoting a deepening of the aid
effectiveness agenda so that it could address not just
the concerns of the donors and partner governments but
all stakeholders in the development process.
“CSOs are particularly concerned about the interest
and representation of groups which are often excluded
or marginalized, including women and women’s
movement”, he said.
Mr Kinney said this when he addressed a workshop for
representatives of CSOs , NGOs and District Assemblies
in the Ho Municipal, Kadjebi and Hohoe district
assemblies at Ho last weekend.
The workshop which was sponsored by ActionAid with the
collaboration of Ghana Aid Effectiveness Forum and
hosted by SEND Foundation was aimed at offering the
participants as recipients of aid to tell their
experiences to help in the preparation of a regional
report card for an international conference to be held
in Accra in September next year.
Mr Kinney argued that the five indicators on
ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing of
results and mutual accountability framed by donors
were considered narrow in favour of aid agencies in
view of the enormous power of aid in creating power
relationships between donors, governments and
citizens.
He said although donors continued to exert significant
power over aid recipients and imposed their priorities
and concerns there was no radical change to empower
recipients to make aid accountable to poor and
vulnerable people and effective at meeting their
needs.
He added that the Accra High Level Forum to be held
next year required recognition by all stakeholders
that the modalities and partnerships of aid must be
explicitly coherent with and accountable to United
Nations goals to achieve progress in poverty
reduction, equality and human rights.
On ownership, he said it is essential but must be
democratic adding that unless countries are able to
decide and direct their own development paths,
development will fail to be inclusive, sustainable or
effective.
“Democratic ownership of development means involving
citizens, including women’s organizations, in the
formulation and delivery of policy and programmes. It
also means establishing legitimate governance
mechanisms for decision making and accountability,
including parliaments and elected representatives”, he
said.
Mr Kinney said conditionality undermined democratic
ownership adding that the use of aid as a tool to
impose policy conditions had no place in an aid
paradigm rooted in a commitment to ownership.
____________________________________________________________________________________
The executive director of a national nongovernmental
organization(NGO), Development Institute, Mr Ken
Kinney has said the objective of Civil Society
Organisations(CSOs) on aid effectiveness to developing
countries is to ensure the sustained reduction of
poverty and inequality and its support of human
rights, democracy, environmental sustainability and
gender equality.
He said CSOs were promoting a deepening of the aid
effectiveness agenda so that it could address not just
the concerns of the donors and partner governments but
all stakeholders in the development process.
“CSOs are particularly concerned about the interest
and representation of groups which are often excluded
or marginalized, including women and women’s
movement”, he said.
Mr Kinney said this when he addressed a workshop for
representatives of CSOs , NGOs and District Assemblies
in the Ho Municipal, Kadjebi and Hohoe district
assemblies at Ho last weekend.
The workshop which was sponsored by ActionAid with the
collaboration of Ghana Aid Effectiveness Forum and
hosted by SEND Foundation was aimed at offering the
participants as recipients of aid to tell their
experiences to help in the preparation of a regional
report card for an international conference to be held
in Accra in September next year.
Mr Kinney argued that the five indicators on
ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing of
results and mutual accountability framed by donors
were considered narrow in favour of aid agencies in
view of the enormous power of aid in creating power
relationships between donors, governments and
citizens.
He said although donors continued to exert significant
power over aid recipients and imposed their priorities
and concerns there was no radical change to empower
recipients to make aid accountable to poor and
vulnerable people and effective at meeting their
needs.
He added that the Accra High Level Forum to be held
next year required recognition by all stakeholders
that the modalities and partnerships of aid must be
explicitly coherent with and accountable to United
Nations goals to achieve progress in poverty
reduction, equality and human rights.
On ownership, he said it is essential but must be
democratic adding that unless countries are able to
decide and direct their own development paths,
development will fail to be inclusive, sustainable or
effective.
“Democratic ownership of development means involving
citizens, including women’s organizations, in the
formulation and delivery of policy and programmes. It
also means establishing legitimate governance
mechanisms for decision making and accountability,
including parliaments and elected representatives”, he
said.
Mr Kinney said conditionality undermined democratic
ownership adding that the use of aid as a tool to
impose policy conditions had no place in an aid
paradigm rooted in a commitment to ownership.
____________________________________________________________________________________
STUDY NEW LABOUR LAWS-NLC...(mirror)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The Deputy Chairperson of the National Labour
Commission (NLC), Mr. Kwasi Danso-Acheampong has urged
managements, workers and unions to seek their
legitimate rights within the framework of the new
labour law in order to promote industrial harmony in
the country at all times.
“This new era of labour-management relations, offers
opportunities and challenges, and as a result of this,
management and workers would have to work together as
a team with a common goal in order to survive in the
global economy”, he stressed
Mr Danso-Acheampong was addressing the opening
ceremony of a two-day workshop on unionization, the
dispute settlement procedures and the legislative
instruments under the Labour Act, 2003, Act 651 at Ho
today.
He said for the sake of economic and development and
the survival of enterprises, it is important for
managements and workers to explore productive and
practical ways for the settlement of industrial
disputes.
“We live in a human society and as such agitations
are unavoidable, but then, where they occur as much as
practicable , we should devise solutions to them, so
that they do not result into expensive disputes”, he
stated.
Mr Danso-Acheampong therefore asked participants to
agree as partners in the relationship on the best ways
to address the little agitations that normally occur
at the enterprise level in order to avoid them
resulting into disputes that would create big economic
problems for their establishments.
He said as social partners it was imperative for them
to continually explore the use of dialogue at the
enterprise level in the resolution of agitations
adding that the answers to unresolved agitations that
could lead to disputes can be found under the Dispute
Settlement Procedures of the Act and that they should
acquaint themselves to it and not to resort to
industrial actions, “ because frequent industrial
actions disrupt and retard development”.
The deputy chairperson said labour-management
cooperation was making great strides in improving the
workplace in advanced industrial economies and
expressed the hope that participants will strive to
emulate the good principles in order to compete and
survive in the increasingly difficult and
ever-changing global market.
The underlying principle, he said lied in the mission
statement of the NLC which stated , thus, “ To develop
and sustain a peaceful and harmonious industrial
relations environment through the use of effective
dispute resolution practices, promotion of cooperation
among the labour market players and mutual respect for
their rights and responsibilities”.
A lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Kofi
Baku who gave an overview of the Labour Act said the
significance of the new labour law was to serve as an
important piece of social legislation pertaining to
work that touched on the social fabric of humanity.
He said the law was passed after a thorough
consultation among the government, organized labour
and employers as the three social partners adding that
there was therefore the need for all partners to work
hand -in- hand at all times without breaching the
trust anticipated for industrial harmony.
According to him, the industrial relations that
existed in the country prior to the passing of the law
was acrimonious that did not promote productivity,
profitability and enhanced job creation of enterprises
and that it led to unresolved disputes with attendant
negative results.
Dr Baku said the new law was also relevant with the
view to bringing all legislations in consonance with
the 1992 constitution.
He advocated the need for gender balance to be
injected into management organizations of the labour
union.
He also noted the heavy presence of delegates of the
Bank of Ghana at the workshop and said it was
commendable for other banks to emulate the worthy
example.
Other presentations delivered at the workshop were, “
The International Labour Organisations and
International Labour Standards”, “ Unionization and
Certification”, “ The Laws of Ghana and Essential
Service Classification”, “ Termination and Incidental
Issues”, “ Workmen’s Compensation Law 1987,PNDCL 187
and Related Issues”, “ “ The NLC’s Regulations and the
Dispute Settlement Procedures-L.I 1822” and “ The
Minister of Labour Regulations-L.I 1833”
The Deputy Chairperson of the National Labour
Commission (NLC), Mr. Kwasi Danso-Acheampong has urged
managements, workers and unions to seek their
legitimate rights within the framework of the new
labour law in order to promote industrial harmony in
the country at all times.
“This new era of labour-management relations, offers
opportunities and challenges, and as a result of this,
management and workers would have to work together as
a team with a common goal in order to survive in the
global economy”, he stressed
Mr Danso-Acheampong was addressing the opening
ceremony of a two-day workshop on unionization, the
dispute settlement procedures and the legislative
instruments under the Labour Act, 2003, Act 651 at Ho
today.
He said for the sake of economic and development and
the survival of enterprises, it is important for
managements and workers to explore productive and
practical ways for the settlement of industrial
disputes.
“We live in a human society and as such agitations
are unavoidable, but then, where they occur as much as
practicable , we should devise solutions to them, so
that they do not result into expensive disputes”, he
stated.
Mr Danso-Acheampong therefore asked participants to
agree as partners in the relationship on the best ways
to address the little agitations that normally occur
at the enterprise level in order to avoid them
resulting into disputes that would create big economic
problems for their establishments.
He said as social partners it was imperative for them
to continually explore the use of dialogue at the
enterprise level in the resolution of agitations
adding that the answers to unresolved agitations that
could lead to disputes can be found under the Dispute
Settlement Procedures of the Act and that they should
acquaint themselves to it and not to resort to
industrial actions, “ because frequent industrial
actions disrupt and retard development”.
The deputy chairperson said labour-management
cooperation was making great strides in improving the
workplace in advanced industrial economies and
expressed the hope that participants will strive to
emulate the good principles in order to compete and
survive in the increasingly difficult and
ever-changing global market.
The underlying principle, he said lied in the mission
statement of the NLC which stated , thus, “ To develop
and sustain a peaceful and harmonious industrial
relations environment through the use of effective
dispute resolution practices, promotion of cooperation
among the labour market players and mutual respect for
their rights and responsibilities”.
A lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Kofi
Baku who gave an overview of the Labour Act said the
significance of the new labour law was to serve as an
important piece of social legislation pertaining to
work that touched on the social fabric of humanity.
He said the law was passed after a thorough
consultation among the government, organized labour
and employers as the three social partners adding that
there was therefore the need for all partners to work
hand -in- hand at all times without breaching the
trust anticipated for industrial harmony.
According to him, the industrial relations that
existed in the country prior to the passing of the law
was acrimonious that did not promote productivity,
profitability and enhanced job creation of enterprises
and that it led to unresolved disputes with attendant
negative results.
Dr Baku said the new law was also relevant with the
view to bringing all legislations in consonance with
the 1992 constitution.
He advocated the need for gender balance to be
injected into management organizations of the labour
union.
He also noted the heavy presence of delegates of the
Bank of Ghana at the workshop and said it was
commendable for other banks to emulate the worthy
example.
Other presentations delivered at the workshop were, “
The International Labour Organisations and
International Labour Standards”, “ Unionization and
Certification”, “ The Laws of Ghana and Essential
Service Classification”, “ Termination and Incidental
Issues”, “ Workmen’s Compensation Law 1987,PNDCL 187
and Related Issues”, “ “ The NLC’s Regulations and the
Dispute Settlement Procedures-L.I 1822” and “ The
Minister of Labour Regulations-L.I 1833”
Friday, November 23, 2007
MP CALLS FOR CREDIBLE DATABASE-ON GHANA'S HEALTH STATUS
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Agotime-Kpetoe
The Member of Parliament for Ho-East, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah has called for a credible data base and knowledge of the health status of the nation in order to monitor the health of the citizenry for effective human resource development.
She expressed worry about the lack of data and knowledge on HIV and AIDS status in the country and said the present national prevalence rate of 2.2 per cent and 3.25 per cent among pregnant women were being disputed due to the lack of proper data and knowledge status.
Mrs Azuamah-Mensah who is a professional midwife said this when she addressed a workshop on care and support of HIV and AIDS persons for health workers at Agotime-Kpetoe in the Adaklu-Anyigbe district.
The workshop, themed “ HIV and AIDS is no respecter of persons; so let us care and support PLWAs”, was organized by the Community Initiative for Women Development(CIWOD), a non-governmental organization focused on women empowerment with the collaboration of the Ghana Aids Commission and the Adaklu- Anyigbe district assembly.
THE MP urged the government to come out with a credible data base and knowledge status to remove doubts in the minds of the citizenry challenging the present data.
She entreated health workers to refrain from being judgemental, pointing accusing fingers and cruel to those who may be unfortunate to find themselves as victims of the disease.
“ HIV and AIDS is no respecter of persons so let us care and support people living with HIV and AIDS since we are all at risk and can become victims of the disease”, she said.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah advised workers to adhere strictly to their code of ethics in terms of confidentiality and in support of people with the disease so that they did not undergo pain and mistrust for fear of stigmatization, discrimination, rejection and the loss of their jobs.
“We must be the advocates for free VCT, anti retro viral drugs and other treatments whilst at the national level, a clear policy guideline on HIV and AIDS must be taken as priority” she stressed.
The acting Adaklu-Anyigbe district director of health services, Dr John Eleeza said it was easy to transmit the disease through non-adherence to blood screening and universal precautions and called on health workers to lay their emphasis on how the disease could not be contacted.
He urged counselors of the disease to be mindful of the fact that one couple could be positive and the other negative, resulting in sero-discordance which was normal so as not to ruin marriages.
“Two people can be married, have sex and live together but one of them can be positive HIV and AIDS and that various studies from Sub-Saharan Africa has shown that about 16 percent to 20 per cent of couples that are counseled and tested are discordant”, he stated.
The district focal person on HIV/AIDS, Mr Eric Agbo expressed misgivings on the lack of VCT centres in most districts which he said had compounded statistical problems on the disease, especially districts along the borders and called for the use of positive approaches to combat the menace.
‘As health workers, and as those who are supposed to know better and be educators and agents of change of our people, we should be circumspect in our encounter with PLWAs”, he cautioned.
A director of CIWOD, Mr Kwasi Asare stressed the need for committed, dedicated and determined leadership in the country to reduce the prevalent rate of the disease.
The Member of Parliament for Ho-East, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah has called for a credible data base and knowledge of the health status of the nation in order to monitor the health of the citizenry for effective human resource development.
She expressed worry about the lack of data and knowledge on HIV and AIDS status in the country and said the present national prevalence rate of 2.2 per cent and 3.25 per cent among pregnant women were being disputed due to the lack of proper data and knowledge status.
Mrs Azuamah-Mensah who is a professional midwife said this when she addressed a workshop on care and support of HIV and AIDS persons for health workers at Agotime-Kpetoe in the Adaklu-Anyigbe district.
The workshop, themed “ HIV and AIDS is no respecter of persons; so let us care and support PLWAs”, was organized by the Community Initiative for Women Development(CIWOD), a non-governmental organization focused on women empowerment with the collaboration of the Ghana Aids Commission and the Adaklu- Anyigbe district assembly.
THE MP urged the government to come out with a credible data base and knowledge status to remove doubts in the minds of the citizenry challenging the present data.
She entreated health workers to refrain from being judgemental, pointing accusing fingers and cruel to those who may be unfortunate to find themselves as victims of the disease.
“ HIV and AIDS is no respecter of persons so let us care and support people living with HIV and AIDS since we are all at risk and can become victims of the disease”, she said.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah advised workers to adhere strictly to their code of ethics in terms of confidentiality and in support of people with the disease so that they did not undergo pain and mistrust for fear of stigmatization, discrimination, rejection and the loss of their jobs.
“We must be the advocates for free VCT, anti retro viral drugs and other treatments whilst at the national level, a clear policy guideline on HIV and AIDS must be taken as priority” she stressed.
The acting Adaklu-Anyigbe district director of health services, Dr John Eleeza said it was easy to transmit the disease through non-adherence to blood screening and universal precautions and called on health workers to lay their emphasis on how the disease could not be contacted.
He urged counselors of the disease to be mindful of the fact that one couple could be positive and the other negative, resulting in sero-discordance which was normal so as not to ruin marriages.
“Two people can be married, have sex and live together but one of them can be positive HIV and AIDS and that various studies from Sub-Saharan Africa has shown that about 16 percent to 20 per cent of couples that are counseled and tested are discordant”, he stated.
The district focal person on HIV/AIDS, Mr Eric Agbo expressed misgivings on the lack of VCT centres in most districts which he said had compounded statistical problems on the disease, especially districts along the borders and called for the use of positive approaches to combat the menace.
‘As health workers, and as those who are supposed to know better and be educators and agents of change of our people, we should be circumspect in our encounter with PLWAs”, he cautioned.
A director of CIWOD, Mr Kwasi Asare stressed the need for committed, dedicated and determined leadership in the country to reduce the prevalent rate of the disease.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
QIC TO SET UP LIFE COMPANY
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
Quality Insurance Company (QIC) is to establish a
subsidiary company to be known as Quality Life
Insurance to handle a main portfolio on life insurance
coverage by March next year.
The move is in line with the objective to expand its
customer base and also increase its innovative
products to make it compete favourably in the growing
insurance industry in the country.
The chief executive of the company, Dr Frank Odoom
announced this at the closing ceremony of a week long
training programme for newly recruited sales
executives for the company in the Volta Region at Ho
last weekend.
He said the company was poised through its innovative
products to become one of the leading insurance
companies in the country and advised the sale
executives to remain focused, dedicated and committed
to the policies of the company.
He cautioned them against embellishing products of
the company which could be a disadvantage and an
embarrassment if found not to be true and that
rudiments of the insurance industry is dynamic and
must sell the policies strictly to the programme.
Dr Odoom hinted that plans were underway to devise a
new scheme of service when the life company becomes
operational, adding that it is geared towards the
growth, development and sustenance of the company.
He also expressed the hope that the company would be
able to achieve its five per cent target by March next
year.
In an address, the senior marketing and underwriting
manager of the company, Mr. Edward Amu urged the sales
executives to show some aggression and dynamism when
approached by potential customers so that they would
be able to lure them to purchase the company’s
products as compared to other insurance products.
He noted that the death and physically challenged
premiums of the company were unique since they kept on
appreciating yearly as compared to other products.
The chief finance officer, Mr Ralph Agbeko called on
the agents to form a network to make them abreast with
the new insurance policy prevailing in the country
adding that “ insurance is not bought but sold so you
need to reach out to the larger community within your
catchment area and beyond to increase your commission
and ensure job security”.
A sales executive, Mr Mantey Olympio, appealed to the
management of the company to increase logistics for
the agencies to enable them to assist management to
achieve its target since the lack of motivation and
renumeration could affect the expansion programme.
_
Quality Insurance Company (QIC) is to establish a
subsidiary company to be known as Quality Life
Insurance to handle a main portfolio on life insurance
coverage by March next year.
The move is in line with the objective to expand its
customer base and also increase its innovative
products to make it compete favourably in the growing
insurance industry in the country.
The chief executive of the company, Dr Frank Odoom
announced this at the closing ceremony of a week long
training programme for newly recruited sales
executives for the company in the Volta Region at Ho
last weekend.
He said the company was poised through its innovative
products to become one of the leading insurance
companies in the country and advised the sale
executives to remain focused, dedicated and committed
to the policies of the company.
He cautioned them against embellishing products of
the company which could be a disadvantage and an
embarrassment if found not to be true and that
rudiments of the insurance industry is dynamic and
must sell the policies strictly to the programme.
Dr Odoom hinted that plans were underway to devise a
new scheme of service when the life company becomes
operational, adding that it is geared towards the
growth, development and sustenance of the company.
He also expressed the hope that the company would be
able to achieve its five per cent target by March next
year.
In an address, the senior marketing and underwriting
manager of the company, Mr. Edward Amu urged the sales
executives to show some aggression and dynamism when
approached by potential customers so that they would
be able to lure them to purchase the company’s
products as compared to other insurance products.
He noted that the death and physically challenged
premiums of the company were unique since they kept on
appreciating yearly as compared to other products.
The chief finance officer, Mr Ralph Agbeko called on
the agents to form a network to make them abreast with
the new insurance policy prevailing in the country
adding that “ insurance is not bought but sold so you
need to reach out to the larger community within your
catchment area and beyond to increase your commission
and ensure job security”.
A sales executive, Mr Mantey Olympio, appealed to the
management of the company to increase logistics for
the agencies to enable them to assist management to
achieve its target since the lack of motivation and
renumeration could affect the expansion programme.
_
STEP UP TEACHING OF SCIENCE IN SCHOOLS
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The president of the Ghana Association of Science
Teachers (GAST), Mr. H.K.K Graham has deplored the
downward trend and breakdown in the desired output in
science teaching and learning in schools.
He said there was the need for various measures to
put the science teacher as well as science teaching
back on track in the nation if science and technology
was considered as a fulcrum for a holistic national
development.
Mr Graham said this when he addressed the opening
ceremony of the 50th national science week at Ho last
weekend.
It was under the theme, “The New Educational Reform;
Empowering the Science and Technology Teachers for
National Development”.
Mr Graham said the new educational reform had
re-emphasised the importance of science and technology
hence the compulsory introduction of Information and
Communication Technology at the pre-tertiary level.
He however said the Ghana Education Service(GES) and
the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports had not
put any practical measures in place to re-awaken the
dormant but enthusiastic and sacrificial spirit in the
teaching of science.
He therefore called for the restoration of risk
allowance to science teachers since their work exposed
them to a lot of dangers adding that each science
teacher deserved a laptop to facilitate his job in
addition to an insurance coverage.
Mr Graham disclosed that studies had revealed that
the number of students that pursued science programmes
declined to three per cent as they climbed the
academic ladder.
He therefore suggested that science students should
be granted automatic residential accommodation at the
secondary and tertiary institutions to enable them
stay focused and give off their best adding that
scholarship packages should be instituted for
brilliant but needy students who desired to pursue
science courses to higher heights.
Making a presentation of the theme, the Volta
regional science coordinator, Mrs Sylvia Emma Draphor
said the adoption of science and technology as the
basis of achieving sustainable development must be
accorded paramount importance.
She therefore advocated for more inputs in the
training of teachers and the provision of adequate
teaching equipment on ICT to address the challenges of
lack of trained teachers and to provide access to
worldwide information resources.
In address read on her behalf, the Volta regional
director of GES, Mrs Olivia Sosu called for a review
in the science and technology curriculum with the view
to evolving new approaches on a science culture.
‘A science culture, I believe should begin with
science education right from the kindergarten level
through to the University”, she stated.
She said the review should include science and
health; science and infrastructure, industry and
industrialization; science and food sufficiency,
science and self employment and local technology and
science and democracy and development.
Mrs Sosu stressed that innovation or creativity must
be nurtured in science education and students and
teachers who exhibit exemplary talents must be
identified and given all the support that would make
them inventors, innovators and possibly the Nobel
Prize winners.
The president of the Ghana Association of Science
Teachers (GAST), Mr. H.K.K Graham has deplored the
downward trend and breakdown in the desired output in
science teaching and learning in schools.
He said there was the need for various measures to
put the science teacher as well as science teaching
back on track in the nation if science and technology
was considered as a fulcrum for a holistic national
development.
Mr Graham said this when he addressed the opening
ceremony of the 50th national science week at Ho last
weekend.
It was under the theme, “The New Educational Reform;
Empowering the Science and Technology Teachers for
National Development”.
Mr Graham said the new educational reform had
re-emphasised the importance of science and technology
hence the compulsory introduction of Information and
Communication Technology at the pre-tertiary level.
He however said the Ghana Education Service(GES) and
the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports had not
put any practical measures in place to re-awaken the
dormant but enthusiastic and sacrificial spirit in the
teaching of science.
He therefore called for the restoration of risk
allowance to science teachers since their work exposed
them to a lot of dangers adding that each science
teacher deserved a laptop to facilitate his job in
addition to an insurance coverage.
Mr Graham disclosed that studies had revealed that
the number of students that pursued science programmes
declined to three per cent as they climbed the
academic ladder.
He therefore suggested that science students should
be granted automatic residential accommodation at the
secondary and tertiary institutions to enable them
stay focused and give off their best adding that
scholarship packages should be instituted for
brilliant but needy students who desired to pursue
science courses to higher heights.
Making a presentation of the theme, the Volta
regional science coordinator, Mrs Sylvia Emma Draphor
said the adoption of science and technology as the
basis of achieving sustainable development must be
accorded paramount importance.
She therefore advocated for more inputs in the
training of teachers and the provision of adequate
teaching equipment on ICT to address the challenges of
lack of trained teachers and to provide access to
worldwide information resources.
In address read on her behalf, the Volta regional
director of GES, Mrs Olivia Sosu called for a review
in the science and technology curriculum with the view
to evolving new approaches on a science culture.
‘A science culture, I believe should begin with
science education right from the kindergarten level
through to the University”, she stated.
She said the review should include science and
health; science and infrastructure, industry and
industrialization; science and food sufficiency,
science and self employment and local technology and
science and democracy and development.
Mrs Sosu stressed that innovation or creativity must
be nurtured in science education and students and
teachers who exhibit exemplary talents must be
identified and given all the support that would make
them inventors, innovators and possibly the Nobel
Prize winners.
GHANAIANS URGED TO HELP THEIR NEIGHBOURS
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Likpe-Kukurantumi
A newly ordained reverend minister of the Global
Evangelical Church, Reverend Paul Yayra Aniewu has
urged citizens and humanity in general to do more to
their neighbours irrespective of their origin in order
to foster a united society in the world.
He said there should be no form of discrimination
against neighbours for whatsoever because that could
be the source of animosity and rebellion in many
societies of today.
Rev. Aniewu said this when he delivered the sermon to
climax a thanksgiving service to the glory of God in
honour of his ordination into the Christian ministry
at Likpe –Kukurantumi.
Preaching the sermon on the theme, “Arise and Shine”
culled from Isaiah 60: 1 of the Holy Bible, Rev.
Aniewu stressed the need for every human being to
reflect into his own of life and to rededicate one
self to goodwill to mankind.
He thanked his teachers, mother, brothers and the
family members for jointly doing their best in
building him up to the present level.
An overwhelming attendance was registered at the
church service which was attended by church choirs
from the Global Church from New Ayoma and New Baika,
the youth band and choir from the local E.P Church and
Catholic Church.
Well wishers presented gifts to him at the function.
Picture shows, Rev. Aniewu(inset) and the background
congregation.
A newly ordained reverend minister of the Global
Evangelical Church, Reverend Paul Yayra Aniewu has
urged citizens and humanity in general to do more to
their neighbours irrespective of their origin in order
to foster a united society in the world.
He said there should be no form of discrimination
against neighbours for whatsoever because that could
be the source of animosity and rebellion in many
societies of today.
Rev. Aniewu said this when he delivered the sermon to
climax a thanksgiving service to the glory of God in
honour of his ordination into the Christian ministry
at Likpe –Kukurantumi.
Preaching the sermon on the theme, “Arise and Shine”
culled from Isaiah 60: 1 of the Holy Bible, Rev.
Aniewu stressed the need for every human being to
reflect into his own of life and to rededicate one
self to goodwill to mankind.
He thanked his teachers, mother, brothers and the
family members for jointly doing their best in
building him up to the present level.
An overwhelming attendance was registered at the
church service which was attended by church choirs
from the Global Church from New Ayoma and New Baika,
the youth band and choir from the local E.P Church and
Catholic Church.
Well wishers presented gifts to him at the function.
Picture shows, Rev. Aniewu(inset) and the background
congregation.
CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST HOLDS SILVER JUBILEE
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The Celestial Church of Christ has celebrated its silver jubilee of establishment in Ho with a thanksgiving service at the St Peter’s Parish last weekend.
A weeklong activities including a health talk, gospel music show and an evangelistic crusade were held to commemorate the occasion.
Preaching the sermon at the thanksgiving service, the Superior Evangelist David Kanyi stressed the need for humanity to hold to the principles of peace, forgiveness and togetherness in order to move steadily to the throne of progress as a church and nation.
He called on all religious leaders to see to it that division, greed and other vices that caused division in the church, communities and nations were avoided.
Sup. Evangelist Kanyi admonished Christians to eschew hatred and enmity and should rededicate themselves as peacemakers as demanded by the teachings of the Holy Bible.
In a brief history of the church in Ho, the Most Senior Evangelist, Godwin Abisawu said the first missionaries suffered a set back when they were driven out from their first residence for no apparent reason.
He further said they faced two other ejections until they were able to stabilize at the present site through the miracle of God.
He said they encountered many challenges including sleeping without food in times of the austerity which hit the nation in 1983 adding that the church however started flourishing when new members were received by the sacrament of baptism.
Mr Abisawu said that despite the slow pace of development brought about by the troubles the Lord blessed the church on the new land and were able to acquire a set of band instruments.
The silver jubilee was dedicated to a fund raising for the construction of a nursery for orphans and other vulnerable children in the community. It yielded C12 million.
The Celestial Church of Christ has celebrated its silver jubilee of establishment in Ho with a thanksgiving service at the St Peter’s Parish last weekend.
A weeklong activities including a health talk, gospel music show and an evangelistic crusade were held to commemorate the occasion.
Preaching the sermon at the thanksgiving service, the Superior Evangelist David Kanyi stressed the need for humanity to hold to the principles of peace, forgiveness and togetherness in order to move steadily to the throne of progress as a church and nation.
He called on all religious leaders to see to it that division, greed and other vices that caused division in the church, communities and nations were avoided.
Sup. Evangelist Kanyi admonished Christians to eschew hatred and enmity and should rededicate themselves as peacemakers as demanded by the teachings of the Holy Bible.
In a brief history of the church in Ho, the Most Senior Evangelist, Godwin Abisawu said the first missionaries suffered a set back when they were driven out from their first residence for no apparent reason.
He further said they faced two other ejections until they were able to stabilize at the present site through the miracle of God.
He said they encountered many challenges including sleeping without food in times of the austerity which hit the nation in 1983 adding that the church however started flourishing when new members were received by the sacrament of baptism.
Mr Abisawu said that despite the slow pace of development brought about by the troubles the Lord blessed the church on the new land and were able to acquire a set of band instruments.
The silver jubilee was dedicated to a fund raising for the construction of a nursery for orphans and other vulnerable children in the community. It yielded C12 million.
GRAPHIC IS POISED TO PURSUE MODERN BUSINESS PRACTICES.Asiunura assures vendors
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The accounts officer of the Graphic Communications
Group Limited, Mr Alexis Asiunura has said the company
is poised to pursuing modern business practices and
called for fair partnership with its agents and
vendors to attain a higher pedestal for mutual
advantage.
He therefore said it is pertinent for the company to
foster interactive sessions with its publics in order
to share and review ideas and tap new and emergent
ones for the growth of the company.
Mr Asiunura said this when he addressed a
get-together for vendors and agents drawn from the
Volta region under the Volta/ Eastern zone of the
company in Ho last weekend.
He said the get together clearly underscored the
objectives adding, thus, “you are partners and we
don’t take you for granted”.
He urged them to acknowledge the recognition for them
and behave as good partners saying that a proposal had
been made to management for the institution of awards
to vendors and agents on several levels.
He said the same standard will not be set for all but
to be classified on small scale level on regional and
zonal levels.
Replying to their grievances on lateness and
shortages of newspapers, Mr Asiunura said the serious
problem on shortages had been taken note of and
assured them that the problem is expected to be
resolved when a new modern machine is procured next
year.
He further said the new machine will print faster to
avoid late delivery and poor packaging which had led
to shortages.
He however advised them to avoid the late payment for
sales to the company declining that a suggestion for
monthly payment was not feasible.
In an address, the zonal manager, Mrs Catethrine
Ablorh said the work of the vendors was highly
appreciated and urged them to improve on it.
She deplored the allegation that some of them
connived with drivers and bought newspapers from them
and in turn declared them as unsold copies to the
company adding that such negative practices may lead
to the collapse of an enterprise which may eventually
keep them out of business.
Mrs Ablorh implored them to rather explore for
avenues for business growth and that they should make
themselves available on days stipulated for collection
to avoid waste and accumulation of debts.
In a welcoming address, the regional editor and the
acting regional officer, Mr Tim Dzamboe advised them
to strategise by earmarking eventful days to increase
marketing of more newspapers.
Speaking on behalf of the vendors, the Kpedze agent,
Mr Joe Senyo Gbena thanked the company for the honour
done them and that they were recognized as part of the
success story of the company was heartwarming and
pledged faithfulness and loyalty to the company.
The chairman of the function, Mr Ernest Asante who is
the regional manager of the New Times Corporation said
vendors and agents were cherished and indispensable to
newspaper business but that should not make them
swollen headed.
Caption: Picture shows a grou
The accounts officer of the Graphic Communications
Group Limited, Mr Alexis Asiunura has said the company
is poised to pursuing modern business practices and
called for fair partnership with its agents and
vendors to attain a higher pedestal for mutual
advantage.
He therefore said it is pertinent for the company to
foster interactive sessions with its publics in order
to share and review ideas and tap new and emergent
ones for the growth of the company.
Mr Asiunura said this when he addressed a
get-together for vendors and agents drawn from the
Volta region under the Volta/ Eastern zone of the
company in Ho last weekend.
He said the get together clearly underscored the
objectives adding, thus, “you are partners and we
don’t take you for granted”.
He urged them to acknowledge the recognition for them
and behave as good partners saying that a proposal had
been made to management for the institution of awards
to vendors and agents on several levels.
He said the same standard will not be set for all but
to be classified on small scale level on regional and
zonal levels.
Replying to their grievances on lateness and
shortages of newspapers, Mr Asiunura said the serious
problem on shortages had been taken note of and
assured them that the problem is expected to be
resolved when a new modern machine is procured next
year.
He further said the new machine will print faster to
avoid late delivery and poor packaging which had led
to shortages.
He however advised them to avoid the late payment for
sales to the company declining that a suggestion for
monthly payment was not feasible.
In an address, the zonal manager, Mrs Catethrine
Ablorh said the work of the vendors was highly
appreciated and urged them to improve on it.
She deplored the allegation that some of them
connived with drivers and bought newspapers from them
and in turn declared them as unsold copies to the
company adding that such negative practices may lead
to the collapse of an enterprise which may eventually
keep them out of business.
Mrs Ablorh implored them to rather explore for
avenues for business growth and that they should make
themselves available on days stipulated for collection
to avoid waste and accumulation of debts.
In a welcoming address, the regional editor and the
acting regional officer, Mr Tim Dzamboe advised them
to strategise by earmarking eventful days to increase
marketing of more newspapers.
Speaking on behalf of the vendors, the Kpedze agent,
Mr Joe Senyo Gbena thanked the company for the honour
done them and that they were recognized as part of the
success story of the company was heartwarming and
pledged faithfulness and loyalty to the company.
The chairman of the function, Mr Ernest Asante who is
the regional manager of the New Times Corporation said
vendors and agents were cherished and indispensable to
newspaper business but that should not make them
swollen headed.
Caption: Picture shows a grou
Monday, November 19, 2007
OBED CAUTIONS AGAINST USE OF INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Likpe-Bala
The life patron of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Obed Yao Asamoah has urged the youth of leading political parties to be wary of the unguarded utterances of politicians which may tend to spark off violence during and after the 2008 general elections.
He said it was unfortunate for politicians to continue making derogatory remarks against each other of the political divide adding that it was an indication that violence could erupt from such inflammatory languages.
Dr Asamoah said this when he addressed a youth rally at Likpe Bala in the Hohoe-North constituency during which ward and regional executives of the party were introduced and to initiate a campaign for the 2008 elections.
According to him, “the New Patriotic Party(NPP) are saying that they have been in the political wilderness for 30 years so they must win the elections at all cost and rule for 30 years and the National Democratic Congress(NDC) are saying that it was time for the NPP government to park off and that they will not accept the results of the election in 2008 because it will be rigged”.
He questioned whether such utterances did not amount to looming violence which would set the clock of progress backwards.
Dr Asamoah said politicians had failed to marry politics with traditions, customs and values and charged the youth to join the DFP which is determined to marry religion with politics to move the nation forward.
He urged the youth to marry the religious values with the political dispensation prevailing in the country to prepare them adequately to take the mantle of leadership effectively.
He wondered why just because of politics some members of families insulted each other, do not talk to each other, injured each other and even killed each other and assured the youth of DFP’s primary objective of paradigm shift in politics in Ghana.
A large crowd thronged the town to give a rousing welcome to him and his entourage against speculations that he had been rejected by the people and during his address he was interrupted intermittently to applaud his message.
Dr Asamoah said bad politics had brought about bad policies of past and present governments and that there is the need to rally behind the DFP which comprised all shades of the political divide.
On the economy, he indicated that the government of the DFP would re-introduce subsidy to farmers to enable them to reduce poverty in the country since reduction of poverty could not be fought using Poverty Alleviation Funds, National Employment Programme and other interventions.
“ We cannot fight poverty without the re-introduction of subsidies to our farmers that is the reason why our produce are expensive than that of the imported ones and that cocoa succeeded due to the subsidy to farmers by the erstwhile Convention People’s Party(CPP) government.
The life patron of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Obed Yao Asamoah has urged the youth of leading political parties to be wary of the unguarded utterances of politicians which may tend to spark off violence during and after the 2008 general elections.
He said it was unfortunate for politicians to continue making derogatory remarks against each other of the political divide adding that it was an indication that violence could erupt from such inflammatory languages.
Dr Asamoah said this when he addressed a youth rally at Likpe Bala in the Hohoe-North constituency during which ward and regional executives of the party were introduced and to initiate a campaign for the 2008 elections.
According to him, “the New Patriotic Party(NPP) are saying that they have been in the political wilderness for 30 years so they must win the elections at all cost and rule for 30 years and the National Democratic Congress(NDC) are saying that it was time for the NPP government to park off and that they will not accept the results of the election in 2008 because it will be rigged”.
He questioned whether such utterances did not amount to looming violence which would set the clock of progress backwards.
Dr Asamoah said politicians had failed to marry politics with traditions, customs and values and charged the youth to join the DFP which is determined to marry religion with politics to move the nation forward.
He urged the youth to marry the religious values with the political dispensation prevailing in the country to prepare them adequately to take the mantle of leadership effectively.
He wondered why just because of politics some members of families insulted each other, do not talk to each other, injured each other and even killed each other and assured the youth of DFP’s primary objective of paradigm shift in politics in Ghana.
A large crowd thronged the town to give a rousing welcome to him and his entourage against speculations that he had been rejected by the people and during his address he was interrupted intermittently to applaud his message.
Dr Asamoah said bad politics had brought about bad policies of past and present governments and that there is the need to rally behind the DFP which comprised all shades of the political divide.
On the economy, he indicated that the government of the DFP would re-introduce subsidy to farmers to enable them to reduce poverty in the country since reduction of poverty could not be fought using Poverty Alleviation Funds, National Employment Programme and other interventions.
“ We cannot fight poverty without the re-introduction of subsidies to our farmers that is the reason why our produce are expensive than that of the imported ones and that cocoa succeeded due to the subsidy to farmers by the erstwhile Convention People’s Party(CPP) government.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Musical Jamboree to rock Accra after draw
local- musical jamboree
Mr Danny Jordaan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup LOC will be the special guest of honour at an inter-participating nations jamboree being organised by the Local Organising Committee ((LOC) of the Ghana CAN 2008 to celebrate the qualification of the 15 countries that will join Ghana from January 20 to February 10, 2008.
The five-hour long musical explosion and cultural exposition will be held at the Forecourt of the State House, Accra on the evening of the official draw of the CAN tournament on Friday, October 19, and will feature Ivorian music star Freddie Meiway and Ghanaian music sensations that include Samini, Wutah, Mzbel, King Ayisoba, Amakye Dede, the highlife King, and many others.
Important guests at the jamboree, which will be open to all members of the public, include officials of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and representatives of the 16 national football federations and Associations, with each association being represented by the President and the General Secretary.
It will also be attended by the Chairman of the LOC Board, Dr. Kofi Amoah, and members of the LOC board as hosts of the evening’s event.
Priority of seating will be given to government officials, members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic Corps, stakeholders in the tournament, traditional authorities made up of chiefs and elders, for all to come together to celebrate a night of culture, musical entertainment and fashion shows.
In order not to lose out of the economic opportunities the event will generate , the four venue cities’ district and municipal assemblies are being given the opportunity to use the jamboree to market their economic tourism prospects to roll out hospitality packages for the respective countries they will be hosting.
Kumasi will be represented by Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. Hon. Philip Nkrumah will do the presentation on behalf of the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly.
According to the Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, Mr Magnus Rex Danquah, the considerable progress that has been attained in the provision of facilities in the venue cities, and the enthusiasm that has been displayed with the qualification of each of the participating nations, the Ghana CAN 2008 LOC deems it appropriate to organise the get-together to set the pace for the camaraderie much required for the tournament.
Mr Danny Jordaan, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup LOC will be the special guest of honour at an inter-participating nations jamboree being organised by the Local Organising Committee ((LOC) of the Ghana CAN 2008 to celebrate the qualification of the 15 countries that will join Ghana from January 20 to February 10, 2008.
The five-hour long musical explosion and cultural exposition will be held at the Forecourt of the State House, Accra on the evening of the official draw of the CAN tournament on Friday, October 19, and will feature Ivorian music star Freddie Meiway and Ghanaian music sensations that include Samini, Wutah, Mzbel, King Ayisoba, Amakye Dede, the highlife King, and many others.
Important guests at the jamboree, which will be open to all members of the public, include officials of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and representatives of the 16 national football federations and Associations, with each association being represented by the President and the General Secretary.
It will also be attended by the Chairman of the LOC Board, Dr. Kofi Amoah, and members of the LOC board as hosts of the evening’s event.
Priority of seating will be given to government officials, members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic Corps, stakeholders in the tournament, traditional authorities made up of chiefs and elders, for all to come together to celebrate a night of culture, musical entertainment and fashion shows.
In order not to lose out of the economic opportunities the event will generate , the four venue cities’ district and municipal assemblies are being given the opportunity to use the jamboree to market their economic tourism prospects to roll out hospitality packages for the respective countries they will be hosting.
Kumasi will be represented by Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. Hon. Philip Nkrumah will do the presentation on behalf of the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly.
According to the Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, Mr Magnus Rex Danquah, the considerable progress that has been attained in the provision of facilities in the venue cities, and the enthusiasm that has been displayed with the qualification of each of the participating nations, the Ghana CAN 2008 LOC deems it appropriate to organise the get-together to set the pace for the camaraderie much required for the tournament.
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