MAN FACES CHARGE OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (MIRROR, PAGE 23)

From Tim Dzamboe, Akatsi

A district magistrate’s court at Akatsi, presided over by Mr Daniel Dorkpor, has remanded Jomo Dogbey Dzakpata, a farmer of Wodome-Alavanyo, in prison custody on the charge of cruelty to animals.
Dzakpata pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea but the sentence was deferred to March 3.
He intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of a cow valued at GH¢500 by using a sharp object to cut its throat.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector E.Y. Ashiagbui said the convict lived in a cluster of villages with Kwadzo Kpegba who owns cattle being taken care of by a Fulani man known as Belko Faatey.
He said on January 5, 2009 when the Fulani herdsman returned from the bush he realised that one of the cows was missing and immediately reported to his master, who later contacted the accused person but he denied knowledge about the missing cow.
The prosecutor said rather the accused directed the owner of the cows and the herdsman to a different source, adding, however, that a few days later the herdsman found the missing cow killed and covered with grass in the bush about 60 metres away from the home of the convict.
He said the herdsman informed the owner, who later informed the chief of the area, Torgbui Tsitsinamu 1V, and the assembly member, Mr Philip Kale Kotoka.
The convict and other members living in the cluster were summoned by the chief but the accused and others still denied knowledge about the death of the cow and so the chief decided to call in the police to arrest the residents.
Chief Inspector Ashiagbui said sensing danger the accused confessed having committed the offence and a report was made to the police for his arrest.
He said when the police visited the scene they found a decomposed cow covered with grass.

IMBIBE NATIONALISM VIRTUES IN SCHOOL CHILDREN — NCCE (PAGE 16)

The Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Fidelis S.K. Attoh, has said it is pertinent to encourage schoolchildren to imbibe the virtues of nationalism, patriotism and responsible behaviour as the cornerstone for good governance and good citizenship.
He said these were the cardinal virtues and values cherished by a people of a nation and which would serve as an intellectual property in their lives.
Mr Attoh said this when he addressed the opening ceremony of the regional showcase of “The Project Citizen Ghana” for 13 senior and junior high schools drawn from the Ho municipality in Ho on Tuesday.
The four–day programme was on the theme, “ Consolidating Democracy through Youth Participation” and sponsored by the Hanns Seidel Stiftung Foundation.
The project citizen is a rejuvenated civic education programme that seeks to make the youth conscious of the political climate and what pertains in their communities.
The concept intends to assist students to express their opinions on issues, identify the agencies responsible for various problems, how to influence policy decisions at various levels and how to develop action plans towards the resolution of identified problems.
The showcase is an assessment of the students’ ability to present a portfolio on the importance of problems identified, their alternative policies, chosen policies and to demonstrate the part they will play in support of their chosen policies.
According to Mr Attoh, the showcase is a portfolio-based approach, a strategy of collective and shared responsibility, a division of labour concept that involves all in decision-making and implementation processes to move society forward.
In an address, the Deputy Director of the Ho Municipal Education Directorate, Mr E.K.G. Agyieman, said democracy had assumed a new dimension, adding that without the youth, it could not function effectively.
He, therefore, advised them as students to check their lifestyle because posterity would judge them one day when they were ripe to take the mantle of leadership, adding that they should ensure that they always did the right thing.
For her part, a Co-director of project citizen, Mrs Fanny Kumah, said there was the need for the youth to acquire knowledge of the country, the constitution, the government and civic skills to be able to become effective citizens.
Mrs Kumah also said they should develop critical thinking and analytical minds to be able to discern vile propaganda messages of political campaigns, and that they should cultivate the spirit of patriotism, truthfulness, honesty, self-discipline and respect for others.
“When we talk of qualitative citizenship, we should be able to monitor and influence public opinion,” she said.
The function was chaired by the Assistant Headmaster of Mawuli Senior High School, Mr Alfred Noble Atteh.

FOUR REMANDED OVER DEATH OF WOMAN (PAGE 21)

THE DISTRICT magistrate’s court at Akatsi, presided over by Mr Daniel Dorkpoh, has remanded four persons in prison custody in connection with the death of a woman, Abla Afornorpe, aged 50, at Dzodze Fiagbedu in the Ketu South District.
The suspects are Michael Adorvlo, a teacher; Moses Atitso Adorvlo, a farmer; Ali Kwasi Ahiablame, a farmer and Korshiwor Ahamah, also a farmer.
They were charged on two counts of conspiracy to commit crime, contrary to Section 23(1) of Act 29/60 and Section 46 of Act 29/60. Their pleas were not taken.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector of Police, Mr A.K. Avorgbedor of the Dzodze Police Station said at about 5.10 a.m on February 5, 2009, the deceased reported an assault case against the four persons that they had beaten her severely for allegedly stealing a fowl.
He said although the deceased denied the accusation, the suspects were not convinced and became more infuriated and subjected her to more brutal assaults.
Chief Inspector Avorgbedor said the accused persons alleged that they saw the fowl hidden on the body of the deceased which necessitated more assaults on her.
He said at the time of the incident, the husband of the deceased was not at home, so she called him on a cell phone to inform him about the ordeal she had gone through, and pleaded with him to come and convey her to the hospital.
The prosecutor said on arrival, the deceased’s husband rushed her to the police station with a swollen neck and face, lodged a complaint and was issued with a police medical form, and thereafter sent to the St. Anthony’s Hospital at Dzodze for treatment.
Mr Avorgbedor said the deceased was referred to the Volta Regional Hospital in Ho, as her condition got critical and died at midnight on February 7, 2009.
Subsequently, the four suspects were arrested and after preliminary investigations, they were charged with the offences and arraigned.
The court ordered the police to expedite action on the case and reappear with the suspects on March 11, 2009.

SUSPECTED FAKE DOCTOR REMANDED IN CUSTODY (PAGE 3)

A MAGISTRATE court at Akatsi has remanded Michael Acheampong, 28, in police custody for false assumption of professional title as medical officer and illegal practice of medicine.
His plea was not taken by the court, presided over by Mr Daniel Dorkpor, and he was remanded, pending investigations into allegations that the accused practised in some private clinics.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector E.Y. Ashigbe of the Akatsi Police said last year the accused falsely introduced himself to the medical directors of the Comboni Hospital at Sogakope that he was a medical practitioner and was allowed to practise for four months at a great risk to patients.
He said the accused left the hospital when the management became suspicious of his output but he continued with the illegal practice at various hospitals in the area.
The prosecutor said the Medical and Dental Council had information about the illegal and dangerous activities of the accused and started keeping surveillance on him.
He told the court that on February 5, a principal investigator of the council, Superintendent Ben Ameleke (retd), armed with information that the accused was at the Hoggar clinic, a private Clinic at Akatsi, tracked him down with the help of the police while he was carrying out a surgical operation on a hernia patient.
Chief Inspector Ashigbe said the police arrested him and during interrogation he admitted that he had no medical training or certificate and was not also registered with the Medical and Dental Council.

RESIDENTS DIG TRENCHES ON HIGHWAY (PAGE 30)

RESIDENTS who live along the Ho-Atimpoku and Ho-Hohoe highways have dug trenches on the road in their attempt to reduce the rate of motor accidents on the road.
As a result, they have destroyed bitumen-coated surfaces, compelling vehicles to drive at the bottom gear to avoid the knocking down of pedestrians.
On the Atimpoku road, bitumen surfaces have been truncated at Asikuma, Frankadua, Aboasa and Juapong to serve as speed ramps, while the people of Woadze on the Hohoe route have also truncated the road at several places to obstruct vehicular movement.
The people of Woadze took the action after a taxi ran into four pedestrians, killing them instantly.
On Wednesday, a Toyota Hiace bus veered off the road at Aboasa in the Eastern Region after running through one of the trenches in the town.
At the time the Daily Graphic got to the spot, victims had been conveyed to hospital, while the registration number plate of the accident vehicle had been removed.
There is, however, a huge public outcry against the action of the people in view of the obstacles it poses to vehicles and the cost to the nation in terms of road maintenance.

EPUC TO BOOST AGRIBUSINESS FOR JOB CREATION (PAGE 26)

THE President of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC) at Ho, Mr Walter Komla Blege, has said the university was a community-based one committed to research and community development.
In line with this, he said the university was already conducting a consultancy research project aimed at providing baseline data on the bee-keeping industry in the Volta and Eastern regions with the view to boosting agribusiness for job creation and poverty alleviation.
Mr Blege said this when he addressed the second matriculation ceremony of 130 students who are offering Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration, Agribusiness, Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry and Church Management at Ho.
He disclosed that there had been a rapid surge in the admission of students from 54 last year, to 130 this year and that it was a testimony that the EPUC had come to serve the people who would have been denied university education because of constraints of work, time and location.
The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Haruna Yakubu, in an address read on his behalf, said university education should result in enlightened behaviour and help students develop their morale and responsible to themselves and society.
He therefore urged the EPUC to set the pace in producing graduates who reflect a good mix of academic excellence and strong moral values. “Persons churned out of our universities should not only be found worthy in learning but they should also have sound character,” he added.
Prof. Yakubu urged church leaders to bring their influence to bear in ensuring that a good balance was struck between academic pursuit and moral education.
In an address, a former Moderator of the E.P. Church, the Very Reverend Japhet Ledo said the idea of establishing a university in the Volta Region had been realised through the efforts of the church.
He said the church was the first among equals in the establishment of educational institutions in the region and had brought university education to the doorstep of those who needed it.
The Very Rev. Ledo said the establishment of the university was in response to the challenge thrown to the private sector and churches to assist in bringing quality education to school leavers. He therefore appealed to the government to consider entering into partnership with the church to develop the university to the benefit of Ghanaians, adding that a substantial pie of the GETFund should be allocated to it to facilitate the construction of permanent structures and campuses in Hohoe, Buem and Nkwanta.
He disclosed that already 100 acres of land had been acquired at Adaklu–Gbeleve for the construction of a permanent campus for the university and thus called on well-meaning citizens, religious, political or tribal affiliation notwithstanding, to assist in developing the university.

ST ANTHONY'S HOSPITAL ATTRACTS MORE CLIENTS (PAGE 26)

ON a visit to the St Anthony’s Catholic Hospital at Dzodze in the Ketu-South District of the Volta Region, one would meet a large crowd waiting expectantly for medical care.
This new development has been attributed to the high patronage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the Ketu area.
According to the Hospital Administrator, Mr Christian Akoto-Brown, 92 per cent of the hospital’s clients are covered by the NHIS and that 88 per cent of the internally generated funds were derived from the NHIS with 12 per cent from non insured patients.
He said the NHIS had increased access to healthcare for clients and attendance to the Out Patients Department (OPD), soared from 39,000 in 2007 to 61,125 in 2008, out of which 56,610 were insured and 4,515 non insured.
He said the increased attendance had generated pressure on staff, accommodation and equipment.
Nevertheless, the hospital has maintained a high degree of autonomy in rendering services under the auspices of the Keta-Akatsi Catholic Church Diocesan Health Administration.
Mr Akoto-Brown, however, said the emerging difficulty pertained to the re-imbursement of patients’ claims since they were not paid back on time as well as the non-payment of so called “rejected bills”.
He disclosed that as much as GH¢54,002.03 was rejected by the Ketu District Health Insurance Scheme without any consultation with the hospital authorities while a whooping sum of GH¢73,175.53 was outstanding debt owed the hospital.
This and the late payment of funds locked out money for the purchase of drugs and effective delivery of services.
The hospital administrator said, although the hospital was an orthopaedic one, it lacked a comprehensive X-ray machine.
He said the hospital also rendered services in urology, obstetrics and gynaecology, the latter sponsored by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
Under the UNFPA programme, the hospital has provided better care for pregnant women with maternal mortality decreasing by 50 per cent while still births and the rate of caesarian operations have reduced.
Mr Akoto-Brown said doctors and midwives had become more conscious and alert with the increased contact created under the UNFPA programme.
He said the hospital had become a teaching hospital for medical students from the Cambridge University, Austria and Germany.
He said locally, the Ho Nursing Training College, Keta Health Aid Assistant Training School, University of Cape Coast, Hohoe Midwifery Training School as well as polytechnics at Ho, Koforidua, Cape Coast and Tamale had posted students to enrich themselves with various aspects of clinical knowledge.
In serving as a teaching hospital, the St Anthony Hospital has served as a focal point for visiting urologists from Germany and for the second time a team arrived on February 1, this year to treat patients for two weeks.
According to him, the Ghana Medical Association and sister associations of foreign countries must be able to enter a bargain to lessen the obstacles usually faced by the foreign volunteers in rendering services to the poor.