A diversity of culture, tribe and friendliness last Saturday characterised the grand durbar of chiefs and people of the Asogli State as they climaxed this year’s celebration of the Yam Festival.
The presence of the Mamponghene, who represented the Asantehene as well as a delegation from the Ga State in addition to envoys from Togo, China and Zimbabwe gave a brilliant atmosphere of unity in diversity as they all joined in celebrating the theme of the festival: “Development, a Shared Responsibility”.
The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, in his address, lauded the display of unity and described it as a showpiece for all to emulate in the quest to build a prosperous nation on the foundation of oneness, mutual respect and tolerance for each other.
Commenting on the display of solidarity, unity and friendliness that was exhibited at the durbar, the Vice President said that was why Ghana was such an oasis of peace in a turbulent sub-region, adding that, “it is because we are united in diversity; despite our differences, we are guided by the culture of mutual respect, trust and tolerance”.
He commended the Asante Kingdom and the Ga State for their show of solidarity which, according to him, sets the tone for national unity based on mutual trust and inter-tribal tolerance within a democratic environment.
Mr Mahama also lauded Togbe Afede XIV for his instrumentality in the setting up of the Sunon-Asogli Power Plant at Kpone which has added 300 megawatts of power to the nation’s power grid.
The Vice President also commented on the selflessness of the Agbogbomefia in bringing the Gold Coast Project to Accra in conjunction with the Ga State and expressed satisfaction that the project had received the fullest support of all concerned in the area.
He said that government would continue with policies to spur on the development of the country in order to achieve the Better Ghana Agenda and urged investors to take advantage of the friendly environment to invest in Ghana.
In his address, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, said that in order for the country to attain its development targets, it was imperative to remember that development was a shared responsibility and not only a preserved duty of politicians.
He commended government for the multi-billion dollar development package that had just been negotiated with the Chinese to tackle the country’s infrastructural needs, but added that it made sense to leverage the country’s natural resource endowments to provide the funds for infrastructural development now rather than from piecemeal budgetary allocations.
The acting Volta Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said that the Asogli State had an advantage in their leader, the Agbogbomefia, who is a well known and development-oriented personality.
“The sons and daughters of Asogli must all, therefore, rally around him and use his personality and connections to bring development to the Asogli State”, he advised.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
FACES OF FEMALE ASPIRANTS ...In assembly elections (PAGE 11, SEPT 23, 2010)
MS Millicent Margaret Kwablah (alias Quist) has expressed her desire to contest the Ashaiman Night Market Electoral Area seat in the upcoming district assembly elections. A Caterer by profession, Ms Kwablah’s electoral area comprises Zongo Laka, Night Market and New Quarters, all in the Ashaiman metropolis.
According to her, the entire municipality which has 11 electoral areas with a total voter population of 50,000, has only two women among the 11 assembly representative. That she said was a stimulus for her to seek election as a first timer to the assembly.
Outlining her visions in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Ms Kwablah said there was the need to improve communication between the electorate and the assembly, as a step to enhance development within the community, stressing that poor sanitary conditions, high illiteracy rates, inadequate security, poor drainage system and non availability of proper places of convenience, were some of the issues that required immediate attention.
She stated that the yearly flooding of some areas in the municipality could be avoided with the adoption of proactive measures.
She said she was initiating moves for the reconstruction of drains along the main Night Market stretch, down to the New Quarters, to reduce the perennial flooding in the area.
She lamented the low number of female representation at the assembly and said if elected, she intended to seek support in the area of micro finance to aid women engage in small and medium scale enterprises as poverty reduction measures and offer skill training for the illiterate youth in the electoral area to provide them with employable skills.
She is also seeking support for the provision of 100 streetlights to improve security situation at the Night Market and its environs where crime rates were said to be high. Ms Kwablah has therefore called on the electorate to vote for her and elect her as their representative in the assembly, to enable her serve their interest and contribute to the development of the electoral area.
Ms Helen Baka, who intends to contest in the forthcoming district assembly elections in the Awate-Agame Electoral Area in the Kpando District of the Volta Region, has appealed to the electorate to vote for her, to enable her work hand-in-hand with them to develop the community.
She said through her initiative, the people had formed the ‘Milenorvisi’ (come together) Group, which has opened an account with the Agricultural Development Bank and rural banks in the community to make it possible for the group to access loans from the bank.
She said if given the nod, she would assist the group to access loans to invest in agriculture, which is the mainstay of the people, as well as other income-generating ventures to improve their living conditions.
She said she would also encourage the youth to be involved in the Youth in Agriculture Programme to engage them in viable economic ventures and keep them away from anti-social vices.
Ms Baka said she also intended to collaborate with telecommunication companies to improve the communication network in the area.
She indicated that the community lacked a clinic and streetlights, while schools in the area had to be rehabilitated and indicated her commitment to work in collaboration with relevant agencies to address these problems, if she is elected as an assemblywoman.
Ms Baka is also committed to improving sanitation in the community through the provision of public places of convenience and refuse containers, and indicated that she intended to organise regular clean-up exercises to keep the community clean.
She advised women to come together and take advantage of the various opportunities available to them to enhance their economic and political empowerment and get more women to take part in the decision-making process.
She advised parents and guardians to live up to their responsibilities and commit themselves to the proper upbringing of their children to enable them live productive and responsible adult lives.
THE matron of the Zion College of West Africa at Anloga , Miss Mabel Asamany has expressed her intention to contest the district assembly elections in the Kpando-Fesi electoral area in the Kpando District of the Volta Region.
According to the 44-year-old woman, her intention to contest the elections is in line with her determination to champion the interest of women and help them articulate problems confronting them.
She said she would liaise with non-governmental organisations to help people in her community access loans for small-scale projects and income generating projects.
Miss Asamany also said she would promote girl-child education and encourage women to pursue education to the highest level possible.
She said if given the nod, she would step up public education programmes to increase awareness among women to explore opportunities and avenues in the local government sector for their self advancement.
Ms Comfort Goni, a 44-year-old self employed and the incumbent assemblywoman for the Kpevi-Gonikope Electoral Area in the Akatsi District, has expressed her desire to contest the seat for a second term.
She said she had initiated a number of projects and was also in the process of initiating other projects to enhance development in the area, adding that, she needed continuity to enable her accomplish the on-going projects.
She mentioned a dam at Klokpe-Kporwuvi which had collapsed although it had been the main source of irrigation for all -year farming in the community over the years. She said she had lobbied the Akatsi District Assembly to rehabilitate the dam in order to boost farming activities in the area which was the mainstay of the people.
Ms Goni said she would also lobby for improvement in education, extension of electricity and the construction of a school block for Dzave in the electoral area. She said she would also help to revive unit committees to consolidate the decentralisation process.
According to her, the entire municipality which has 11 electoral areas with a total voter population of 50,000, has only two women among the 11 assembly representative. That she said was a stimulus for her to seek election as a first timer to the assembly.
Outlining her visions in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Ms Kwablah said there was the need to improve communication between the electorate and the assembly, as a step to enhance development within the community, stressing that poor sanitary conditions, high illiteracy rates, inadequate security, poor drainage system and non availability of proper places of convenience, were some of the issues that required immediate attention.
She stated that the yearly flooding of some areas in the municipality could be avoided with the adoption of proactive measures.
She said she was initiating moves for the reconstruction of drains along the main Night Market stretch, down to the New Quarters, to reduce the perennial flooding in the area.
She lamented the low number of female representation at the assembly and said if elected, she intended to seek support in the area of micro finance to aid women engage in small and medium scale enterprises as poverty reduction measures and offer skill training for the illiterate youth in the electoral area to provide them with employable skills.
She is also seeking support for the provision of 100 streetlights to improve security situation at the Night Market and its environs where crime rates were said to be high. Ms Kwablah has therefore called on the electorate to vote for her and elect her as their representative in the assembly, to enable her serve their interest and contribute to the development of the electoral area.
Ms Helen Baka, who intends to contest in the forthcoming district assembly elections in the Awate-Agame Electoral Area in the Kpando District of the Volta Region, has appealed to the electorate to vote for her, to enable her work hand-in-hand with them to develop the community.
She said through her initiative, the people had formed the ‘Milenorvisi’ (come together) Group, which has opened an account with the Agricultural Development Bank and rural banks in the community to make it possible for the group to access loans from the bank.
She said if given the nod, she would assist the group to access loans to invest in agriculture, which is the mainstay of the people, as well as other income-generating ventures to improve their living conditions.
She said she would also encourage the youth to be involved in the Youth in Agriculture Programme to engage them in viable economic ventures and keep them away from anti-social vices.
Ms Baka said she also intended to collaborate with telecommunication companies to improve the communication network in the area.
She indicated that the community lacked a clinic and streetlights, while schools in the area had to be rehabilitated and indicated her commitment to work in collaboration with relevant agencies to address these problems, if she is elected as an assemblywoman.
Ms Baka is also committed to improving sanitation in the community through the provision of public places of convenience and refuse containers, and indicated that she intended to organise regular clean-up exercises to keep the community clean.
She advised women to come together and take advantage of the various opportunities available to them to enhance their economic and political empowerment and get more women to take part in the decision-making process.
She advised parents and guardians to live up to their responsibilities and commit themselves to the proper upbringing of their children to enable them live productive and responsible adult lives.
THE matron of the Zion College of West Africa at Anloga , Miss Mabel Asamany has expressed her intention to contest the district assembly elections in the Kpando-Fesi electoral area in the Kpando District of the Volta Region.
According to the 44-year-old woman, her intention to contest the elections is in line with her determination to champion the interest of women and help them articulate problems confronting them.
She said she would liaise with non-governmental organisations to help people in her community access loans for small-scale projects and income generating projects.
Miss Asamany also said she would promote girl-child education and encourage women to pursue education to the highest level possible.
She said if given the nod, she would step up public education programmes to increase awareness among women to explore opportunities and avenues in the local government sector for their self advancement.
Ms Comfort Goni, a 44-year-old self employed and the incumbent assemblywoman for the Kpevi-Gonikope Electoral Area in the Akatsi District, has expressed her desire to contest the seat for a second term.
She said she had initiated a number of projects and was also in the process of initiating other projects to enhance development in the area, adding that, she needed continuity to enable her accomplish the on-going projects.
She mentioned a dam at Klokpe-Kporwuvi which had collapsed although it had been the main source of irrigation for all -year farming in the community over the years. She said she had lobbied the Akatsi District Assembly to rehabilitate the dam in order to boost farming activities in the area which was the mainstay of the people.
Ms Goni said she would also lobby for improvement in education, extension of electricity and the construction of a school block for Dzave in the electoral area. She said she would also help to revive unit committees to consolidate the decentralisation process.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
ASOGLI EDUCATION FUND SPONSORS 57 STUDENTS (PAGE 42, SEPT 22, 2010)
FIFTY-SEVEN beneficiaries of the Asogli Education Fund established by the Agbogbomefia, Togbe Afede XIV, have successfully completed their courses with good results.
Two of the successful students have won Chinese government scholarships and are already pursuing various degree programmes in China.
This was contained in a press release signed by the secretary to the Asogli State Council, Mr John Kukah, and issued at Ho ahead of the celebration of the Yam festival of the Asogli state on Saturday, September 25.
According to the release, the latest beneficiary of the Chinese government scholarship award was the winner of the 2008 Tourism and Beauty Pageant, Miss Sefakor Agidi, who was partially sponsored by the Asogli Education Fund during her studies at the Ho Polytechnic.
The release stated that Miss Agidi will leave for China this month to do a one-year Chinese language study at the Beijing Language and Culture University before embarking on her main undergraduate programme in Tourism Management at the Beijing International Students University for four years.
It said all fees, including tuition, boarding, medical care, learning materials and living allowances for the five years study in China were covered by full scholarship.
The release expressed the gratitude of the Asogli State Council to the Chinese government for its wonderful support to educational endeavours, adding that, they were equally grateful to benefactors whose continued donation into the Asogli Education Fund were making those things happen.
“We continue to receive more applications from deserving students for financial support to further their education. We are unable to honour most of the requests because of our limited resources. We are, therefore, appealing to all individuals, corporate bodies, organisations and churches to donate generously to the fund during this year’s yam festival celebration and beyond to enable us to satisfy the educational ambitions of our hardworking youth,” the release stated.
Two of the successful students have won Chinese government scholarships and are already pursuing various degree programmes in China.
This was contained in a press release signed by the secretary to the Asogli State Council, Mr John Kukah, and issued at Ho ahead of the celebration of the Yam festival of the Asogli state on Saturday, September 25.
According to the release, the latest beneficiary of the Chinese government scholarship award was the winner of the 2008 Tourism and Beauty Pageant, Miss Sefakor Agidi, who was partially sponsored by the Asogli Education Fund during her studies at the Ho Polytechnic.
The release stated that Miss Agidi will leave for China this month to do a one-year Chinese language study at the Beijing Language and Culture University before embarking on her main undergraduate programme in Tourism Management at the Beijing International Students University for four years.
It said all fees, including tuition, boarding, medical care, learning materials and living allowances for the five years study in China were covered by full scholarship.
The release expressed the gratitude of the Asogli State Council to the Chinese government for its wonderful support to educational endeavours, adding that, they were equally grateful to benefactors whose continued donation into the Asogli Education Fund were making those things happen.
“We continue to receive more applications from deserving students for financial support to further their education. We are unable to honour most of the requests because of our limited resources. We are, therefore, appealing to all individuals, corporate bodies, organisations and churches to donate generously to the fund during this year’s yam festival celebration and beyond to enable us to satisfy the educational ambitions of our hardworking youth,” the release stated.
AKOEFE-TOKOR RAISES FUNDS...For youth skills development centre (PAGE 42,, SEPT 22, 2010)
IT IS an undeniable fact that the growth of a community or nation depends largely on the infusion of exuberant energies of the youth as vital input for development.
This philosophy has been carried out under various regimes, be it military or democratic, in semantic forms, but the ultimate objective is to ensure that the youthful energies of the nation are exploited for nation building.
Today, the youth of Akoefe-Tokor in the Ho Municipality have demonstrated the zeal to foster the virtues of self-help in the community by organising a fund-raising rally in commemoration of the fifth anniversary ceremony of the association and the cutting of sod for the construction of a youth skills development centre.
Under the auspices of the Akoefe-Tokor Citizens’ Association in Accra and Tema, the people have expressed the desire to give back to their community or their roots from which they have been nurtured from birth to the level at which individuals find themselves in various spheres of life today.
According to the vice-chairman of the association, Mr Michael Titriku, some concerned citizens sought the consensus of the people in connection with the needs of the people pertaining to the development of the community.
The community embraced the challenges and pledged to take up the task five years ago and have already undertaken some projects.
They include the provision of furniture for the local Junior High School, the procurement of public address system to replace gong-gong beating in the town, the supply of computers to the local JHS, the construction of the skills development training centre as the latest.
These achievements were made under the slogan “five years of co-ordinated local community development” buttressed under this year’s theme : “Local community development; the responsibility of all.”
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho-West, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, reiterated that the growth of every community depended on the active support of the youth.
He underscored that education was crucial to the achievement of every society, stressing that parents and all stakeholders should not ignore the education of their children otherwise it could set the tone for waywardness.
Mr Bedzrah said it was time for politicians to fulfil all promises made to the electorate at the various constituencies and the nation as a whole.
He advised the people to be disciplined because it was the watchword for progress in life, adding that every citizen should behave orderly and abide by the laws of the land.
The MP commended them for their commitment to the development of the community and donated GH¢2,000 and £100 towards the development of the community.
A prominent citizen of the Ho-Central constituency, Mr Ben Kpodo, also pledged 50 bags of cement to be delivered in three instalments of 20, 15, 15 in support of the project.
The Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Madam Jessie Ekumebu, said the programme was not a source of permanent employment but an avenue to prepare beneficiaries for the future by building relevant experience for the job market.
She also said they could acquire skills for self-employment, stressing that the youth take their posting seriously in order to derive maximum gains in the programme.
The assembly member for the town, Mr Mawuko Tsigbe, urged the youth to exploit the gains in the national youth policy in order to make them more productive.
He said they should take advantage of various subsidies inherent in several government interventions to spearhead the development of the town.
Mr Tsigbe promised that he would lend support to the youth to help accelerate the development of the community.
The regent of the town, Togbe Amoah, commended the youth for devoting the day for positive action towards development.
He stated that their gesture would contribute immensely to the development of the community.
Togbe Amoah commended the various churches in the town for the active participation in the development of the town with a common sense of purpose and understanding.
He appealed to those sitting on the fence to rescind their decision and reform to join “the movement for development.”
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council, Alhaji Nabila, presented some copies of the national youth policy to the people at the function.
This philosophy has been carried out under various regimes, be it military or democratic, in semantic forms, but the ultimate objective is to ensure that the youthful energies of the nation are exploited for nation building.
Today, the youth of Akoefe-Tokor in the Ho Municipality have demonstrated the zeal to foster the virtues of self-help in the community by organising a fund-raising rally in commemoration of the fifth anniversary ceremony of the association and the cutting of sod for the construction of a youth skills development centre.
Under the auspices of the Akoefe-Tokor Citizens’ Association in Accra and Tema, the people have expressed the desire to give back to their community or their roots from which they have been nurtured from birth to the level at which individuals find themselves in various spheres of life today.
According to the vice-chairman of the association, Mr Michael Titriku, some concerned citizens sought the consensus of the people in connection with the needs of the people pertaining to the development of the community.
The community embraced the challenges and pledged to take up the task five years ago and have already undertaken some projects.
They include the provision of furniture for the local Junior High School, the procurement of public address system to replace gong-gong beating in the town, the supply of computers to the local JHS, the construction of the skills development training centre as the latest.
These achievements were made under the slogan “five years of co-ordinated local community development” buttressed under this year’s theme : “Local community development; the responsibility of all.”
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho-West, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, reiterated that the growth of every community depended on the active support of the youth.
He underscored that education was crucial to the achievement of every society, stressing that parents and all stakeholders should not ignore the education of their children otherwise it could set the tone for waywardness.
Mr Bedzrah said it was time for politicians to fulfil all promises made to the electorate at the various constituencies and the nation as a whole.
He advised the people to be disciplined because it was the watchword for progress in life, adding that every citizen should behave orderly and abide by the laws of the land.
The MP commended them for their commitment to the development of the community and donated GH¢2,000 and £100 towards the development of the community.
A prominent citizen of the Ho-Central constituency, Mr Ben Kpodo, also pledged 50 bags of cement to be delivered in three instalments of 20, 15, 15 in support of the project.
The Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), Madam Jessie Ekumebu, said the programme was not a source of permanent employment but an avenue to prepare beneficiaries for the future by building relevant experience for the job market.
She also said they could acquire skills for self-employment, stressing that the youth take their posting seriously in order to derive maximum gains in the programme.
The assembly member for the town, Mr Mawuko Tsigbe, urged the youth to exploit the gains in the national youth policy in order to make them more productive.
He said they should take advantage of various subsidies inherent in several government interventions to spearhead the development of the town.
Mr Tsigbe promised that he would lend support to the youth to help accelerate the development of the community.
The regent of the town, Togbe Amoah, commended the youth for devoting the day for positive action towards development.
He stated that their gesture would contribute immensely to the development of the community.
Togbe Amoah commended the various churches in the town for the active participation in the development of the town with a common sense of purpose and understanding.
He appealed to those sitting on the fence to rescind their decision and reform to join “the movement for development.”
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council, Alhaji Nabila, presented some copies of the national youth policy to the people at the function.
SPEED UP INAUGURATION OF BIAKOYE DISTRICT (PAGE 12, SEPT 21, 2010)
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Bowiri-Kwamikrom
THE people of Bowiri traditional area have fervently appealed to government to speed up the inauguration of the newly created Biakoye district in order for the people to have their fair share of development.
“We in this district have co-existed peacefully for long, hence the name Biakoye, so we appeal to government to take a prompt action to site the capital where it will benefit all,” they stated.
It will be recalled that the creation of the Biakoye district, carved from the Jasikan district, had come to a stalemate due to the rejection of a section of the people on the siting of the district capital at Nkonya-Ahenkro.
There had been a court action by a section of the people aimed at siting the capital at Worawora while the people of Bowiri traditional area were also agitating for the capital to be sited at Kwamikrom on the basis that it was centrally located.
The appeal was made by a sub-chief of Bowiri- Amanfrom, Nana Okugyeoman Simpripi, at a fund-raising rally in aid of the establishment of the Bowiri Senior High School at Bowiri- Kwamikrom.
He lamented on the poor road network linking Kwamikrom and Jasikan and said it was in such a deplorable state and drivers had abandoned it although it was the shortest route to Jasikan.
He said the people of Takrabe had to detour to Kwamikrom and go through Tapa Aboatoase before getting to Jasikan although it was a direct journey of six kilometres to Jasikan.
Nana Simpripi said the people of Aboabo, Abohire, Kubease and Abetinase, along the route, faced similar frustrations and expressed the fear that lives could be lost in cases of health emergencies, hence the urgent call to give bitumen surface to the link between the Biakoye and Jasikan districts.
In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, said the event was laudable because it demonstrated the high sense of community self help spirit in the traditional area and also the importance attached to education by the people.
He underscored that the communities had an important role to play as stakeholders in the education of their children.
Mr Tettey-Enyo expressed regret that some parents had pushed their children into child labour, and given them away in marriage at tender ages when they should be in school; cautioning that “ if any parent here is guilty of these acts, they should make sure the child is returned to school.”
An amount of GH¢6,000 was realised at the fund-raising rally.
THE people of Bowiri traditional area have fervently appealed to government to speed up the inauguration of the newly created Biakoye district in order for the people to have their fair share of development.
“We in this district have co-existed peacefully for long, hence the name Biakoye, so we appeal to government to take a prompt action to site the capital where it will benefit all,” they stated.
It will be recalled that the creation of the Biakoye district, carved from the Jasikan district, had come to a stalemate due to the rejection of a section of the people on the siting of the district capital at Nkonya-Ahenkro.
There had been a court action by a section of the people aimed at siting the capital at Worawora while the people of Bowiri traditional area were also agitating for the capital to be sited at Kwamikrom on the basis that it was centrally located.
The appeal was made by a sub-chief of Bowiri- Amanfrom, Nana Okugyeoman Simpripi, at a fund-raising rally in aid of the establishment of the Bowiri Senior High School at Bowiri- Kwamikrom.
He lamented on the poor road network linking Kwamikrom and Jasikan and said it was in such a deplorable state and drivers had abandoned it although it was the shortest route to Jasikan.
He said the people of Takrabe had to detour to Kwamikrom and go through Tapa Aboatoase before getting to Jasikan although it was a direct journey of six kilometres to Jasikan.
Nana Simpripi said the people of Aboabo, Abohire, Kubease and Abetinase, along the route, faced similar frustrations and expressed the fear that lives could be lost in cases of health emergencies, hence the urgent call to give bitumen surface to the link between the Biakoye and Jasikan districts.
In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, said the event was laudable because it demonstrated the high sense of community self help spirit in the traditional area and also the importance attached to education by the people.
He underscored that the communities had an important role to play as stakeholders in the education of their children.
Mr Tettey-Enyo expressed regret that some parents had pushed their children into child labour, and given them away in marriage at tender ages when they should be in school; cautioning that “ if any parent here is guilty of these acts, they should make sure the child is returned to school.”
An amount of GH¢6,000 was realised at the fund-raising rally.
Monday, September 20, 2010
AVERT SHORTAGE OF LIQUIFIED GAS (PAGE 51, SEPT 20, 2010)
Regional ministers from the 10 regions of the country, at their conference in Ho, have called on the Ministry of Energy to take urgent steps to avert the current shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the country.
The call is in support of the emerging competition between domestic and commercial users in the consumption of the fuel, which is reducing the use of charcoal in some homes and its environmental impact.
This was contained in a seven-point communiqué issued at the end of the week-long third Regional Ministers Conference held on the theme: “The Better Ghana Agenda: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward.”
The conference took note of the indiscriminate painting of houses in communities and along ceremonial streets as modes of advertisements and called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to regulate the trend and bring sanity into the system.
The communiqué called for the involvement of regional ministers in the process of land acquisition to facilitate the construction of the STX housing project.
It also called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to expand road tolls to cover all major roads in the country.
It stated that the mobile maintenance unit of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) should be further decentralised to make its services more effective, especially in the three northern regions of Ghana.
It further said information on payments to contractors on road projects in the regions should be communicated to the regional co-ordinating councils to enable them to effectively monitor road projects and that payments for small cost projects in the regions should be made at the regional level.
The communiqué further asked for appropriate measures to ensure that the proposed Constituency Fund for Members of Parliament (MPs) was judiciously used for the benefit of the people in the constituencies.
It proposed the speeding up of the implementation of the fiscal decentralisation process by the government and asked for the urban transport system to be implemented before the year 2012.
It urged the central government to place priority on the provision of a seed fund for newly created districts to cater for their essential infrastructure and logistical needs.
The ministers asked for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to expedite action on the implementation of composite budgeting processes.
The conference also wanted the agricultural sector to be enhanced through the provision of more milling machines to facilitate the milling of paddy rice in the country and that new dams needed to be constructed in the three northern regions and existing ones rehabilitated to stop the exodus of the youth to the south for non-existent jobs.
The communiqué said the conference was satisfied with efforts by the government to stabilise the economy and that the government had made Ghana self-sufficient in its energy needs.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who takes over from the Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, as chairman of conference, announced that the next venue for their meeting would be the Upper East Region in March next year but with a review meeting fixed for Kumasi in January.
The call is in support of the emerging competition between domestic and commercial users in the consumption of the fuel, which is reducing the use of charcoal in some homes and its environmental impact.
This was contained in a seven-point communiqué issued at the end of the week-long third Regional Ministers Conference held on the theme: “The Better Ghana Agenda: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward.”
The conference took note of the indiscriminate painting of houses in communities and along ceremonial streets as modes of advertisements and called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to regulate the trend and bring sanity into the system.
The communiqué called for the involvement of regional ministers in the process of land acquisition to facilitate the construction of the STX housing project.
It also called on the Ministry of Roads and Highways to expand road tolls to cover all major roads in the country.
It stated that the mobile maintenance unit of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) should be further decentralised to make its services more effective, especially in the three northern regions of Ghana.
It further said information on payments to contractors on road projects in the regions should be communicated to the regional co-ordinating councils to enable them to effectively monitor road projects and that payments for small cost projects in the regions should be made at the regional level.
The communiqué further asked for appropriate measures to ensure that the proposed Constituency Fund for Members of Parliament (MPs) was judiciously used for the benefit of the people in the constituencies.
It proposed the speeding up of the implementation of the fiscal decentralisation process by the government and asked for the urban transport system to be implemented before the year 2012.
It urged the central government to place priority on the provision of a seed fund for newly created districts to cater for their essential infrastructure and logistical needs.
The ministers asked for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to expedite action on the implementation of composite budgeting processes.
The conference also wanted the agricultural sector to be enhanced through the provision of more milling machines to facilitate the milling of paddy rice in the country and that new dams needed to be constructed in the three northern regions and existing ones rehabilitated to stop the exodus of the youth to the south for non-existent jobs.
The communiqué said the conference was satisfied with efforts by the government to stabilise the economy and that the government had made Ghana self-sufficient in its energy needs.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who takes over from the Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, as chairman of conference, announced that the next venue for their meeting would be the Upper East Region in March next year but with a review meeting fixed for Kumasi in January.
GOVT STREAMLINES FINANCIAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (PAGE 20, SEPT 18, 2010)
THE government is streamlining its financial and information management systems to enhance better co-ordination and sound economic management.
The exercise, which is in line with international best practice, would strengthen efforts at performance management, capacity building, investment and development management, co-ordination, as well as harmonising donor and government flows to local government.
President John Evans Atta Mills announced this in a speech read on his behalf at the third regional minister’s conference, which opened in Ho yesterday on the theme, “The Better Ghana Agenda: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward”.
He commended the regional ministers for the in interest shown in the evolution of the District Development Facility for financing development in their respective regions.
Prof. Mills said often energy and resources had been invested in reforming some social initiatives such as the National Youth Employment Programme, School Feeding Programme, Medium and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) facility and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
He urged them to reflect on the agenda set by the municipal and district chief executives at a similar conference and support the assemblies to set up creative programmes to educate the people on waste management, sanitation and climate change.
President Mills urged the regional ministers to adopt innovative ways of employment creation and improving the quality of education delivery including eradicating the shift system, increasing local development financing through improved locally generated revenues and funds leveraged through public-private partnerships.
He tasked the regional ministers to foster a team approach to political administration and governance in their regions, prioritise performance management and strengthen monitoring, co-ordination and evaluation efforts to be on top of issues in their regions.
“This is no time to be complacent because the challenges to our authority are from within as well as outside the party family,” he stressed.
He charged them to apply a higher sense of urgency towards duty and to offer firm but sensitive and responsive leadership.
The outgoing chairman of conference of regional ministers, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, said there had been significant improvement in the socio-economic well-being of the people arising out of the implementation of the recommendations of previous conferences.
According to him, the construction of classroom blocks, dormitories, science laboratories and ICT, improvement in agriculture, and youth employment were some of the achievements.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who is the incoming chairman, said the conference would identify challenges so far and strategise for the way forward towards a second term of office.
The Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the ministers to lay emphasis on equitable development because it was important and essential for promoting peace and unity.
He said self-congratulatory slogans would not form the basis for evaluating their performance but the fulfilment of pledges they made to the very discerning majority of the people after success at elections and the assumption of political power.
The exercise, which is in line with international best practice, would strengthen efforts at performance management, capacity building, investment and development management, co-ordination, as well as harmonising donor and government flows to local government.
President John Evans Atta Mills announced this in a speech read on his behalf at the third regional minister’s conference, which opened in Ho yesterday on the theme, “The Better Ghana Agenda: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward”.
He commended the regional ministers for the in interest shown in the evolution of the District Development Facility for financing development in their respective regions.
Prof. Mills said often energy and resources had been invested in reforming some social initiatives such as the National Youth Employment Programme, School Feeding Programme, Medium and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) facility and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
He urged them to reflect on the agenda set by the municipal and district chief executives at a similar conference and support the assemblies to set up creative programmes to educate the people on waste management, sanitation and climate change.
President Mills urged the regional ministers to adopt innovative ways of employment creation and improving the quality of education delivery including eradicating the shift system, increasing local development financing through improved locally generated revenues and funds leveraged through public-private partnerships.
He tasked the regional ministers to foster a team approach to political administration and governance in their regions, prioritise performance management and strengthen monitoring, co-ordination and evaluation efforts to be on top of issues in their regions.
“This is no time to be complacent because the challenges to our authority are from within as well as outside the party family,” he stressed.
He charged them to apply a higher sense of urgency towards duty and to offer firm but sensitive and responsive leadership.
The outgoing chairman of conference of regional ministers, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, said there had been significant improvement in the socio-economic well-being of the people arising out of the implementation of the recommendations of previous conferences.
According to him, the construction of classroom blocks, dormitories, science laboratories and ICT, improvement in agriculture, and youth employment were some of the achievements.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who is the incoming chairman, said the conference would identify challenges so far and strategise for the way forward towards a second term of office.
The Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the ministers to lay emphasis on equitable development because it was important and essential for promoting peace and unity.
He said self-congratulatory slogans would not form the basis for evaluating their performance but the fulfilment of pledges they made to the very discerning majority of the people after success at elections and the assumption of political power.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
HEALTH DIRECTOR ADVICES PHARMACY COUNCIL (PAGE 35, SEPT 15, 2010)
THE Deputy Volta Regional Director of Pharmaceutical Services Department of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr Divine Azameti, has called on the Pharmacy Council to take appropriate measures to fill the gap in the delivery of efficient pharmaceutical services in rural areas.
He noted that nursing service delivery was improving in rural areas with the introduction of health aid assistants after the phasing out of the enrolled nurses. He, therefore, suggested that the gesture must be equally replicated in the pharmaceutical sector with Medicine Counter Assistants (MCAs) to replace dispensing assistants, whose system has been phased out.
Mr Azameti, who is the Director of the Volta Health Consult for the Training of MCAs, made the call at the second graduation ceremony of two batches of 210 MCAs at Ho.
He said pharmaceutical service delivery in the Volta Region was in public health facilities rather than in community pharmacies. Mr Azameti added that with the retirement of the last batch of dispensing assistants from the GHS, coupled with the delay in employing pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, pharmaceutical service delivery in health centres was left in the hands of nurses who are already overburdened.
He said most of the hospitals in the region had one pharmacist and a technician most of whom would retire by the end of next year.
Mr Azameti, therefore, stressed the need for more hands to undertake duties like cleaning, pre-packing and recording.
“All the hospitals need the services of the MCAs as an employable member of the pharmaceutical health team,” he emphasised.
In an address read on his behalf, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Joseph Nyoagbe, said the role of the MCAs was critical to access to pharmaceutical care with a view to reducing mortality rate in the society.
He disclosed that 16 MCA training institutions had been accredited in the country and that a total of 2,322 MCAs had been trained nationwide.
Mr Nyoagbe advised the MCAs to operate with absolute virtues in order to justify their inclusion in the pharmaceutical team.
The Volta Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Christian Quao, said the pharmaceutical care team could not be guaranteed good service delivery without the role of MCAs, stressing that they were as important as any other member of the team.
The chairman for the occasion, Mr Frederick Asare, said professions groomed practitioners to the taste of their trade.
He expressed the hope that the graduates would deliver to pass the test of time as they entered the pharmaceutical field, which is considered as a noble profession.
He noted that nursing service delivery was improving in rural areas with the introduction of health aid assistants after the phasing out of the enrolled nurses. He, therefore, suggested that the gesture must be equally replicated in the pharmaceutical sector with Medicine Counter Assistants (MCAs) to replace dispensing assistants, whose system has been phased out.
Mr Azameti, who is the Director of the Volta Health Consult for the Training of MCAs, made the call at the second graduation ceremony of two batches of 210 MCAs at Ho.
He said pharmaceutical service delivery in the Volta Region was in public health facilities rather than in community pharmacies. Mr Azameti added that with the retirement of the last batch of dispensing assistants from the GHS, coupled with the delay in employing pharmacy technicians and pharmacists, pharmaceutical service delivery in health centres was left in the hands of nurses who are already overburdened.
He said most of the hospitals in the region had one pharmacist and a technician most of whom would retire by the end of next year.
Mr Azameti, therefore, stressed the need for more hands to undertake duties like cleaning, pre-packing and recording.
“All the hospitals need the services of the MCAs as an employable member of the pharmaceutical health team,” he emphasised.
In an address read on his behalf, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Joseph Nyoagbe, said the role of the MCAs was critical to access to pharmaceutical care with a view to reducing mortality rate in the society.
He disclosed that 16 MCA training institutions had been accredited in the country and that a total of 2,322 MCAs had been trained nationwide.
Mr Nyoagbe advised the MCAs to operate with absolute virtues in order to justify their inclusion in the pharmaceutical team.
The Volta Regional Manager of the Pharmacy Council, Mr Christian Quao, said the pharmaceutical care team could not be guaranteed good service delivery without the role of MCAs, stressing that they were as important as any other member of the team.
The chairman for the occasion, Mr Frederick Asare, said professions groomed practitioners to the taste of their trade.
He expressed the hope that the graduates would deliver to pass the test of time as they entered the pharmaceutical field, which is considered as a noble profession.
COURT RESTRAINS RAYMOND OKUDZETO, OTHERS (PAGE 12, SEPT 14, 2010)
A HO High court presided over by Mr Justice K. Essel-Mensah has granted an application for interim injunction to restrain Mr Raymond Okudzeto and others for using the estate of their late father Ben Agbakpe Okudzeto to their personal benefit.
Furthermore, Raymond Okudzeto and C.P.K. Okudzeto have been restrained from dwelling in, residing or possessing the property in contradiction to the will of their father.
The application which was filed by a surviving spouse as plaintiff, Madam Charity Okudzeto and eight surviving children was granted for 10 days to restrain the defendants from converting any of the buildings or houses to a hotel or guest house or any form of lodging place or restaurant.
The defendants in the case are Mr Obed Okudzeto, Mr Sam Okudzeto, Mr Stephen Dayite Okudzeto, Mr Raymond Okudzeto and Mr C.P.K. Okudzeto.
According to counsel for plaintiff, Mr Ernest Gaewu, the estate of the late Ben Agbakpe Okudzeto include a building at Atorkor now being used by Raymond Okudzeto, one storey building at Adidome and two storey buildings at Hohoe which were entered in the names of the plaintiffs for which plaintiffs have obtained probate of the will but the first, second and third defendants have refused to vest those properties in the plaintiffs.
He said they, rather contrary to the terms of the will allowed Raymond Okudzeto to take up possession of those properties for his personal benefit.
A legal tussle is expected in the case after the interim injunction of which a Sogakope- based legal practitioner, Mr M.Z. Glover, is the counsel for the defendants.
Furthermore, Raymond Okudzeto and C.P.K. Okudzeto have been restrained from dwelling in, residing or possessing the property in contradiction to the will of their father.
The application which was filed by a surviving spouse as plaintiff, Madam Charity Okudzeto and eight surviving children was granted for 10 days to restrain the defendants from converting any of the buildings or houses to a hotel or guest house or any form of lodging place or restaurant.
The defendants in the case are Mr Obed Okudzeto, Mr Sam Okudzeto, Mr Stephen Dayite Okudzeto, Mr Raymond Okudzeto and Mr C.P.K. Okudzeto.
According to counsel for plaintiff, Mr Ernest Gaewu, the estate of the late Ben Agbakpe Okudzeto include a building at Atorkor now being used by Raymond Okudzeto, one storey building at Adidome and two storey buildings at Hohoe which were entered in the names of the plaintiffs for which plaintiffs have obtained probate of the will but the first, second and third defendants have refused to vest those properties in the plaintiffs.
He said they, rather contrary to the terms of the will allowed Raymond Okudzeto to take up possession of those properties for his personal benefit.
A legal tussle is expected in the case after the interim injunction of which a Sogakope- based legal practitioner, Mr M.Z. Glover, is the counsel for the defendants.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
TOMATO GLUT IN SOUTHERN VOLTA (BACK PAGE SEPT 7, 2010)
Tomato production and supply have exceeded demand in this year’s farming season in the southern part of Volta Region, leading to glut on the market.
Buyers from Kumasi and other parts of the country who the farmers anticipated to travel to the region to buy the produce have failed to turn up because production and harvest occurred earlier this year than expected.
The usual harvest period is late September to early October, but this year, the product in the region was ready for harvest by late August.
The situation has made it difficult for the farmers to sell the produce at reasonable prices.
According to the Regional Chief Farmer, Mr Seth Jumpa, a crate of tomatoes which the farmers had sold for GH¢15 in the previous season has reduced drastically to GH¢8, leading to heavy losses on their investment.
In spite of that buyers are still difficult to find.
For his part, a consultant Dumega Fred Gobah-Tengey said the situation was serious and claimed that some of the farmers were getting frustrated due to the lack of market for tomatoes.
Buyers from Kumasi and other parts of the country who the farmers anticipated to travel to the region to buy the produce have failed to turn up because production and harvest occurred earlier this year than expected.
The usual harvest period is late September to early October, but this year, the product in the region was ready for harvest by late August.
The situation has made it difficult for the farmers to sell the produce at reasonable prices.
According to the Regional Chief Farmer, Mr Seth Jumpa, a crate of tomatoes which the farmers had sold for GH¢15 in the previous season has reduced drastically to GH¢8, leading to heavy losses on their investment.
In spite of that buyers are still difficult to find.
For his part, a consultant Dumega Fred Gobah-Tengey said the situation was serious and claimed that some of the farmers were getting frustrated due to the lack of market for tomatoes.
Monday, September 6, 2010
GH¢30,000 EC0-TOURISM CENTRE FOR AGOTIME-KPETOE (PAGE 22, SEPT 4, 2010)
An eco-tourism centre estimated at GH¢30,000 has been inaugurated at the home of Kente, Agotime-Kpetoe in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District in the Volta Region to herald the celebration of the Kente festival or “Agbamevorza” scheduled for today.
The facility, which was provided by a non-governmental organisation, Nature Conservation and Research Centre (NCRC) with funding from the European Union, was one of the four facilities in the country under the Ghana Traditional Textiles Project.
In an inaugural address, the Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Michael Kobla Adzaho, underscored the essence of the project.
He stated that it would expose the ingenuity of craftsmen and women in the traditional area and create an opportunity for making the craft and provide the forum for players in the industry to take a decision on the craft.
Mr Adzaho said the facility would also offer the opportunity to unearth new talents and skills of individuals towards national development and for the people to appreciate their own efforts towards development. It would also to energise efforts towards the exploitation of the full potential of every member of the community.
“The Kente has a unique ability to evoke powerful emotions and symbolise some of the most fundamental human ideas ever imagined in Africa. Within Ghana, the cloth has the capacity to cut across ethnic divisions and installs a sense of national pride,” Mr Adzaho stated.
He said the traditional Kente textile had gained kingly recognition, especially when weavers had developed motifs in the form of braids as representing honour, bravery and power to express authority.
In an address read on his behalf, the President of NCRC, Mr John Mason, said Ghanaian textiles continued to inspire profound reverence in citizens, Africans and people of African descent in the diaspora and even to people who had no ethnic ties to them.
Mr Mason, however, expressed concern about the threat facing traditional textiles, which included the rapid loss of antique cloths being removed from Ghana without restraint, the loss of indigenous design and memory through lack of written records and decreasing quality and sustainable incomes for weavers with the assurance that the eco-tourism centre was an initiative to reverse those negative trends.
In a welcoming address, the Konor of Agotime, Nene Nuer Keteku III, said the centre was an encouragement of making the Kente heritage project a reality, adding that the best Kente in Ghana came from Kpetoe in the Volta Region.
He said over 500 samples of antique Ewe Kente would be preserved at the centre for posterity.
Nene Keteku said the Kpetoe Heritage Centre would soon present proposals to UNESCO, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and other stakeholders for funding a project to sensitise Kente weaving communities and the collection of antique cloth and documentation of aesthetic Kente materials.
The special guest for the festival today would be the First Lady, Mrs Enerstina Naadu Mills.
According to the festival planning committee, this year’s festival will unveil new products and launch the Kente industry into a higher pedestal for tourism and commercial values.
The facility, which was provided by a non-governmental organisation, Nature Conservation and Research Centre (NCRC) with funding from the European Union, was one of the four facilities in the country under the Ghana Traditional Textiles Project.
In an inaugural address, the Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Michael Kobla Adzaho, underscored the essence of the project.
He stated that it would expose the ingenuity of craftsmen and women in the traditional area and create an opportunity for making the craft and provide the forum for players in the industry to take a decision on the craft.
Mr Adzaho said the facility would also offer the opportunity to unearth new talents and skills of individuals towards national development and for the people to appreciate their own efforts towards development. It would also to energise efforts towards the exploitation of the full potential of every member of the community.
“The Kente has a unique ability to evoke powerful emotions and symbolise some of the most fundamental human ideas ever imagined in Africa. Within Ghana, the cloth has the capacity to cut across ethnic divisions and installs a sense of national pride,” Mr Adzaho stated.
He said the traditional Kente textile had gained kingly recognition, especially when weavers had developed motifs in the form of braids as representing honour, bravery and power to express authority.
In an address read on his behalf, the President of NCRC, Mr John Mason, said Ghanaian textiles continued to inspire profound reverence in citizens, Africans and people of African descent in the diaspora and even to people who had no ethnic ties to them.
Mr Mason, however, expressed concern about the threat facing traditional textiles, which included the rapid loss of antique cloths being removed from Ghana without restraint, the loss of indigenous design and memory through lack of written records and decreasing quality and sustainable incomes for weavers with the assurance that the eco-tourism centre was an initiative to reverse those negative trends.
In a welcoming address, the Konor of Agotime, Nene Nuer Keteku III, said the centre was an encouragement of making the Kente heritage project a reality, adding that the best Kente in Ghana came from Kpetoe in the Volta Region.
He said over 500 samples of antique Ewe Kente would be preserved at the centre for posterity.
Nene Keteku said the Kpetoe Heritage Centre would soon present proposals to UNESCO, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and other stakeholders for funding a project to sensitise Kente weaving communities and the collection of antique cloth and documentation of aesthetic Kente materials.
The special guest for the festival today would be the First Lady, Mrs Enerstina Naadu Mills.
According to the festival planning committee, this year’s festival will unveil new products and launch the Kente industry into a higher pedestal for tourism and commercial values.
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