THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho-West, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has announced a package on infrastructure development for the Awudome Senior High School (AWUSCO) at Tsito in the Volta Region.
These include an administration block expected to start by the end of December, a girl’s dormitory block, a science block, two teachers bungalows, a computer laboratory and the procurement of furniture.
Mr Bedzrah ,who announced this at the Honours Day celebration of the school last weekend, said 20 students were also benefiting from an MP scholarship fund he has set up with the MP’s Common fund.
He assured the students that the government would meet all challenges associated with the provision of adequate infrastructure for all SHS in the country and hope that would inspire them to take their studies seriously.
In an address, the Regional Director of Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Gabriel Kploanyi, advised students to eschew all negative practices that may retard their academic development and stressed “your friend must be the book”.
He asked students to refrain from mixing “ shittor” with illicit drugs since it could be a source of danger to innocent ones who might share the food with them.
Mr Kploanyi asked head’s of schools to exhibit good management practices and share experiences with each other to improve on the administration of schools.
He said teachers, as stakeholders, should be refined and not commercialise their services or engage in illicit relationships with students.
He commended the parent teacher association (PTA) for the great interest they had shown in the school.
He said there was the need to foster greater collaboration in order to improve service delivery in schools.
The Chairman of Board of Governors, Mr W.N Addae, underscored the essence of discipline since it served as the bedrock for good results.
He lamented the deplorable state of the science block and lack of access roads on the compound and called for state intervention to address the problems.
In his report, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Cyprian Kwasivi Otti, said the school is “a school of preferred choice” and called on all stakeholders to pool resources to uplift it to the desired level.
He called for a new multi-purpose assembly hall to forestall inconveniences faced by students during mealtimes since “students now run shifts for their meals”.
According to him, the present assembly hall was designed to accommodate 700 against the present 1,800 students enrolled.
The theme for the celebration was, “ Education-The Source for Accelerated Development in Ghana-A challenge to all stakeholders”.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
GNFS TO ASSESS SAFETY AT MARKETS (PAGE 46, DEC 13, 2010)
THE Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is to embark on safety review procedures on markets nation-wide to assess their safety with regard to fires and other disasters.
The exercise, which will be in conjunction with district assemblies, will aim at preventing fire disasters that have plagued major markets in the country in recent times.
The acting Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, Mr Albert Gaisie, announced this when he addressed the firemen and women in the Volta Region at Ho during his maiden visit to the region last Wednesday.
He said a consortium of engineers, architects, surveyors and other technical people would be formed to help in educating the people on issues of fire prevention and fire fighting, adding that fire fighting was becoming complex.
Mr Gaisie said a fire safety awareness creation campaign on “fire prevention, fire precaution, and fire protection,” had begun and that he would lead a campaign in the Greater Accra Region next week to sensitise the public to the loss of investments through fire outbreaks.
He stressed the need to intensify education so that all citizens would be made “true fire preventive personnel.”
He asked the fire service personnel to extend their campaigns to institutions mandated to comply with the regulations of the GNFS.
On capacity building, the acting Chief Fire Officer said the service would pursue a liberal policy to enable the fire service personnel to develop themselves through courses that would equip them with knowledge to determine contingency planning and to identify potential hazards.
He said the service would ensure that fire-fighting clothing was supplied at least three times in a year.
Mr Gaisie expressed concern over the poor state of logistics in the region and ordered that request be made to the headquarters for the rehabilitation of broken-down fire engines and vehicles in the region.
In a welcoming address, the Regional Commander of the GNFS, Mr Alex Martels Hughes, said the GNFS would enhance its corporate image by demonstrating the relevance of their presence in the region, adding that there was an ongoing campaign in churches, mosques and markets.
He disclosed that there were 15 fire stations, two fire posts and a total of 282 personnel in the region.
The exercise, which will be in conjunction with district assemblies, will aim at preventing fire disasters that have plagued major markets in the country in recent times.
The acting Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, Mr Albert Gaisie, announced this when he addressed the firemen and women in the Volta Region at Ho during his maiden visit to the region last Wednesday.
He said a consortium of engineers, architects, surveyors and other technical people would be formed to help in educating the people on issues of fire prevention and fire fighting, adding that fire fighting was becoming complex.
Mr Gaisie said a fire safety awareness creation campaign on “fire prevention, fire precaution, and fire protection,” had begun and that he would lead a campaign in the Greater Accra Region next week to sensitise the public to the loss of investments through fire outbreaks.
He stressed the need to intensify education so that all citizens would be made “true fire preventive personnel.”
He asked the fire service personnel to extend their campaigns to institutions mandated to comply with the regulations of the GNFS.
On capacity building, the acting Chief Fire Officer said the service would pursue a liberal policy to enable the fire service personnel to develop themselves through courses that would equip them with knowledge to determine contingency planning and to identify potential hazards.
He said the service would ensure that fire-fighting clothing was supplied at least three times in a year.
Mr Gaisie expressed concern over the poor state of logistics in the region and ordered that request be made to the headquarters for the rehabilitation of broken-down fire engines and vehicles in the region.
In a welcoming address, the Regional Commander of the GNFS, Mr Alex Martels Hughes, said the GNFS would enhance its corporate image by demonstrating the relevance of their presence in the region, adding that there was an ongoing campaign in churches, mosques and markets.
He disclosed that there were 15 fire stations, two fire posts and a total of 282 personnel in the region.
Friday, December 10, 2010
2ND VOLTA FAIR ENDS (PAGE 46, DEC 8, 2010)
The second Volta Trade, Investment and Cultural Fair 2010 has ended in Ho with a call for stronger partnership among business and trade entities to facilitate wider exposure of the potentials in the region to the outside world.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who addressed the closing ceremony at the Jubilee Park last Sunday said although the fair was successful in terms of bagarning and selling, partnerships and exchange of ideas even made it achieve its objective.
“ Judging from the success of this fair this year, it could now be called, ‘The Volta International Trade Fair’ next year and will explore the interanational markets”, he declared.
Mr Amenowode announced that an aggressive plan on infrastructure development would unfold next year in the Volta Region saying that all roads in Ho Municipality will be tarred and as he put it, “all roads in Ho will be given Yomo”.
He said work on all major roads would also begin early next year and that the Volta Textile Factory at Juapong would resume operations and that a fertiliser manufacturing plant was expected to take off next year.
In an address, the founder of Volta Foundation, Dumega Raymond Okudzeto lauded the second initiative to give exposure to investors .
He said the region and the foundation would attract the best development partners into the region and the nation adding that it was pertinent to pool resources to strengthen the determination to take the lead.
The Keta Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Sylvester Tornyeavah declared that the region had finally taken off.
In the chairman’s remarks, the chief of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpui III thanked the organisers for the successful organisation to showcase the potentials of the region in tourism and business.
Exhibitors for the two week fair held on the theme” Volta Region: Investors’ Destination” came from Iran, Benin, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, who addressed the closing ceremony at the Jubilee Park last Sunday said although the fair was successful in terms of bagarning and selling, partnerships and exchange of ideas even made it achieve its objective.
“ Judging from the success of this fair this year, it could now be called, ‘The Volta International Trade Fair’ next year and will explore the interanational markets”, he declared.
Mr Amenowode announced that an aggressive plan on infrastructure development would unfold next year in the Volta Region saying that all roads in Ho Municipality will be tarred and as he put it, “all roads in Ho will be given Yomo”.
He said work on all major roads would also begin early next year and that the Volta Textile Factory at Juapong would resume operations and that a fertiliser manufacturing plant was expected to take off next year.
In an address, the founder of Volta Foundation, Dumega Raymond Okudzeto lauded the second initiative to give exposure to investors .
He said the region and the foundation would attract the best development partners into the region and the nation adding that it was pertinent to pool resources to strengthen the determination to take the lead.
The Keta Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Sylvester Tornyeavah declared that the region had finally taken off.
In the chairman’s remarks, the chief of Ho-Heve, Togbe Anikpui III thanked the organisers for the successful organisation to showcase the potentials of the region in tourism and business.
Exhibitors for the two week fair held on the theme” Volta Region: Investors’ Destination” came from Iran, Benin, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
PURSUE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS — PROF AHETO (PAGE 46, DEC 8, 2010)
The Dean of Students at the Central University, Professor John B. K. Aheto has underscored the need for organisations to pursue sustainable business models and development practices that will require radical changes in the way they do business.
He said achieving a sustainable future was only possible if organisations recognised the role that they can and need to play in the business world.
Professor Aheto was addressing the inauguration of the Ho District Institute (HODIS) of the Chartered Institute of Accountants (Ghana) at the Ho Polytechnic at the weekend.
He said effective action by the accountancy profession and professional accountants to better integrate and account for sustainability was an essential part of the response needed to achieve corporate values on they way organisations thought about products, technologies, processes and business models.
“Governing bodies and business leaders should be focused on the long-term sustainability of their organisations and they should be confident that their business models will deliver this,” he stressed.
He said professional accountants in all types of organisations had significant role in framing business models, challenging conventional assumptions of doing business and redefining success.
Professor Aheto said ability of professional accountants in business to help drive sustainable value creation would depend on gaining a range of professional skills, a particular mindset and attitude as well as undertaking sustainable activities.
In a welcoming address, the chairman of HODIS, Mr Richard K. Kuagbenu envisaged that immediate communities and the nation as a whole would benefit from the stewardship of members because outreach programmes would be organised to promote social interaction amongst members of the institute.
He said achieving a sustainable future was only possible if organisations recognised the role that they can and need to play in the business world.
Professor Aheto was addressing the inauguration of the Ho District Institute (HODIS) of the Chartered Institute of Accountants (Ghana) at the Ho Polytechnic at the weekend.
He said effective action by the accountancy profession and professional accountants to better integrate and account for sustainability was an essential part of the response needed to achieve corporate values on they way organisations thought about products, technologies, processes and business models.
“Governing bodies and business leaders should be focused on the long-term sustainability of their organisations and they should be confident that their business models will deliver this,” he stressed.
He said professional accountants in all types of organisations had significant role in framing business models, challenging conventional assumptions of doing business and redefining success.
Professor Aheto said ability of professional accountants in business to help drive sustainable value creation would depend on gaining a range of professional skills, a particular mindset and attitude as well as undertaking sustainable activities.
In a welcoming address, the chairman of HODIS, Mr Richard K. Kuagbenu envisaged that immediate communities and the nation as a whole would benefit from the stewardship of members because outreach programmes would be organised to promote social interaction amongst members of the institute.
Monday, December 6, 2010
HO POLY ADMITS 1,901 STUDENTS (PAGE 38, DEC 6, 2010)
THE Ho Polytechnic has offerred admission to 1,901 new students out of a total of 3,966 who applied for consideration for admission in the current academic year.
Out of the 3,966 applications, 3,125 were given admission letters but only 1901 reported for matriculation.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr J.V.K Afun disclosed this at the 18th matriculation ceremony held at the polytechnic last Thursday.
He said female enrolment was still low and noted that the trend of low female entry appeared to be due to the phobia of ladies for technical subjects stating that there were no females in B-Tech, HND Agriculture Engineering, B-Tech Auto Engineerig and HND Statistics.
He furthermore said that there was no female enrolment in Production Engineering, electrical Engineering and Electronic Technician, and construction technician courses , and that with this trend the polytechnic had not reached the target of at least 40 per cent for female admissions.
Dr Afun told the new students that a new specialised computer laboratory had been set up at the Department of Statistics and a second laboratory at the Department of Accountancy with funds from the Teaching And Learning Innovation Fund(TALIF) fund of the World Bank.
He urged the students to make maximum use of the facility in order to fit into the new world which is functional on a good knowledge of Information and Communication Technology(ICT).
He advised them to manage their time properly to achieve their goals, adding that they should avail themselves to a regimen of discipline that translates into excellent classroom and laboratory work, hands-on skills and field work under the supervision of their lecturers.
The acting registrar of the polytechnic, Mr . S. Afenyo Dehlor administered the matriculation oath and declaration of obedience to the new students.
Out of the 3,966 applications, 3,125 were given admission letters but only 1901 reported for matriculation.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr J.V.K Afun disclosed this at the 18th matriculation ceremony held at the polytechnic last Thursday.
He said female enrolment was still low and noted that the trend of low female entry appeared to be due to the phobia of ladies for technical subjects stating that there were no females in B-Tech, HND Agriculture Engineering, B-Tech Auto Engineerig and HND Statistics.
He furthermore said that there was no female enrolment in Production Engineering, electrical Engineering and Electronic Technician, and construction technician courses , and that with this trend the polytechnic had not reached the target of at least 40 per cent for female admissions.
Dr Afun told the new students that a new specialised computer laboratory had been set up at the Department of Statistics and a second laboratory at the Department of Accountancy with funds from the Teaching And Learning Innovation Fund(TALIF) fund of the World Bank.
He urged the students to make maximum use of the facility in order to fit into the new world which is functional on a good knowledge of Information and Communication Technology(ICT).
He advised them to manage their time properly to achieve their goals, adding that they should avail themselves to a regimen of discipline that translates into excellent classroom and laboratory work, hands-on skills and field work under the supervision of their lecturers.
The acting registrar of the polytechnic, Mr . S. Afenyo Dehlor administered the matriculation oath and declaration of obedience to the new students.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
MACCOLIN'S PREPARATORY TURNS FIVE (JUNIOR GRAPHIC, DEC 1, 2010, PAGE 6)
McColin’s Preparatory Centre at Hofedo Number Two in Ho has celebrated its fifth anniversary colourfully.
According to the Proprietress, Ms Susan Aniewu, the centre started with only seven pupils in 2005 but now has 256 pupils, comprising 108 boys and 148 girls.
She said the school had done everything possible to fill the gap that exists between the urban and rural settings and brought education closer to the people living at the outskirts of the town.
Ms Aniewu expressed the hope that enrolment would triple by next year, by which time a junior high school would be established at the centre.
She urged parents to provide the essential needs of their children because it was disheartening to see pupils go to school on empty stomachs, without school uniforms, exercise books and other vital requirements.
In an address read on his behalf, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Kodobisah, commended the management of the school for its impressive development.
He noted that pupils of the school had good prospects and urged the management to continue to nurture the pupils to become productive in future.
The Chairman of the school’s parent-teacher association (PTA), Mr Fancis Kponvi, acknowledged the efforts of parents and encouraged them to nurture the children more to make them useful to themselves and the country.
According to the Proprietress, Ms Susan Aniewu, the centre started with only seven pupils in 2005 but now has 256 pupils, comprising 108 boys and 148 girls.
She said the school had done everything possible to fill the gap that exists between the urban and rural settings and brought education closer to the people living at the outskirts of the town.
Ms Aniewu expressed the hope that enrolment would triple by next year, by which time a junior high school would be established at the centre.
She urged parents to provide the essential needs of their children because it was disheartening to see pupils go to school on empty stomachs, without school uniforms, exercise books and other vital requirements.
In an address read on his behalf, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Kodobisah, commended the management of the school for its impressive development.
He noted that pupils of the school had good prospects and urged the management to continue to nurture the pupils to become productive in future.
The Chairman of the school’s parent-teacher association (PTA), Mr Fancis Kponvi, acknowledged the efforts of parents and encouraged them to nurture the children more to make them useful to themselves and the country.
WOMEN TO SERVE AS BRIDGES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION (MIRROR, NOV 27, 2010, PAGE 10)
From Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The General Secretary of the African Women in Education Network (AWEN), Madam Helena Awurusa, has asked female teachers to serve as a bridge during conflict situations.
She said conflicts between trade unions could be an obstacle to a united front.
Madam Awurusa said the need for trade unions to unite could not be overemphasised because it was supreme to resolving crises, adding that although pluralism was a healthy tool which encourages participation, it was not in the best interest of the people because it undermines the concept of numbers that was needed to win a battle.
She said this when she addressed the closing ceremony of a capacity-building workshop for 28 participants drawn from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) at Ho last weekend.
She said the workshop was part of the journey to include men and women in the decision-making process and explained that brotherly and sisterly love buttressed with the application of knowledge acquired would solve all problems.
The course prefect, Miss Helena Naa Dei Okai, suggested that women should be encouraged to take positions at all levels in the job market.
Participants were taken through advocacy and lobbying skills, gender communication skills, HIV/AIDS and practical gender needs and sustaining the West African Women in Education Network (WAWEN).
The workshop was jointly organised by AWEN AND WAWEN and sponsored by the Canadian Teachers Federation.
The General Secretary of the African Women in Education Network (AWEN), Madam Helena Awurusa, has asked female teachers to serve as a bridge during conflict situations.
She said conflicts between trade unions could be an obstacle to a united front.
Madam Awurusa said the need for trade unions to unite could not be overemphasised because it was supreme to resolving crises, adding that although pluralism was a healthy tool which encourages participation, it was not in the best interest of the people because it undermines the concept of numbers that was needed to win a battle.
She said this when she addressed the closing ceremony of a capacity-building workshop for 28 participants drawn from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) at Ho last weekend.
She said the workshop was part of the journey to include men and women in the decision-making process and explained that brotherly and sisterly love buttressed with the application of knowledge acquired would solve all problems.
The course prefect, Miss Helena Naa Dei Okai, suggested that women should be encouraged to take positions at all levels in the job market.
Participants were taken through advocacy and lobbying skills, gender communication skills, HIV/AIDS and practical gender needs and sustaining the West African Women in Education Network (WAWEN).
The workshop was jointly organised by AWEN AND WAWEN and sponsored by the Canadian Teachers Federation.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
39 TRAFFICKED TEENAGE GIRLS INTERCEPTED (MIRROR, PAGE 39, NOV 20, 2010)
From Tim Dzamboe, Dzodze
The anti-human trafficking desk of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Aflao has intercepted 39 teenage girls being trafficked within the West African sub-region with one from Chinese origin.
The victims were from Togo, Nigeria and Ghana, while six suspected Chinese traffickers and a Ghanaian were being held.
The Aflao Sector Commander of the GIS, Mr Thomas Antong, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of a two-day human trafficking sensitisation workshop organised by the GIS Migration Management Bureau for immigration officers, police, Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) at the White Dove Hotel in Dzodze last weekend.
It was organised by the Migration Management Bureau (MMB) of the GIS with funding from the United Nation Children’s and Education Fund (UNICEF).
He said Ghana was rated under the three categories of origin, transit and destination of human trafficking and that the country was among 161 affected globally with 127 identified as countries of origin, 98 as transit and 137 as destination points.
According to him, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that 2.4 million people were victims of trafficking from 1995 to 2005 and that the United States Department of State had stated that one million children were exploited by global commercial sex trade every year.
Mr Antong, therefore, said the GIS at Aflao was bent on enhancing the skills of officers in anti-human trafficking and fostering collaboration with other stakeholders in order to get tough with traffickers, and added that victims were assured of professional care and referral.
“ The public is being informed that the recruiter, transporter as well as users are liable under the Human Trafficking Act”, he stressed.
He said trafficking required the participation, cooperation and support of the public in order to curb it and called on the Department of Social Welfare, non-governmental organisations, traditional authorities, religious organisations, transporters, market women and schools to get on board in order to protect people.
Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, the Assistant Director of the MMB of GIS at Aflao, Miss Judith Dzokoto, said human trafficking had become a menace that denied many people their basic rights.
She said the GIS occupied a key position in the trade, especially with respect to their duties at the entry and exit points of the country, and called for the cooperation of every citzen in the anti-trafficking chain in order to manage the anti-human trafficking desk very well.
The anti-human trafficking desk of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Aflao has intercepted 39 teenage girls being trafficked within the West African sub-region with one from Chinese origin.
The victims were from Togo, Nigeria and Ghana, while six suspected Chinese traffickers and a Ghanaian were being held.
The Aflao Sector Commander of the GIS, Mr Thomas Antong, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of a two-day human trafficking sensitisation workshop organised by the GIS Migration Management Bureau for immigration officers, police, Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) at the White Dove Hotel in Dzodze last weekend.
It was organised by the Migration Management Bureau (MMB) of the GIS with funding from the United Nation Children’s and Education Fund (UNICEF).
He said Ghana was rated under the three categories of origin, transit and destination of human trafficking and that the country was among 161 affected globally with 127 identified as countries of origin, 98 as transit and 137 as destination points.
According to him, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that 2.4 million people were victims of trafficking from 1995 to 2005 and that the United States Department of State had stated that one million children were exploited by global commercial sex trade every year.
Mr Antong, therefore, said the GIS at Aflao was bent on enhancing the skills of officers in anti-human trafficking and fostering collaboration with other stakeholders in order to get tough with traffickers, and added that victims were assured of professional care and referral.
“ The public is being informed that the recruiter, transporter as well as users are liable under the Human Trafficking Act”, he stressed.
He said trafficking required the participation, cooperation and support of the public in order to curb it and called on the Department of Social Welfare, non-governmental organisations, traditional authorities, religious organisations, transporters, market women and schools to get on board in order to protect people.
Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, the Assistant Director of the MMB of GIS at Aflao, Miss Judith Dzokoto, said human trafficking had become a menace that denied many people their basic rights.
She said the GIS occupied a key position in the trade, especially with respect to their duties at the entry and exit points of the country, and called for the cooperation of every citzen in the anti-trafficking chain in order to manage the anti-human trafficking desk very well.
MP SUPPORTS VOLTA REGIONAL GJA (PAGE 13, NOV 25, 2010)
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ho West Constituency, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has donated a set of computer, uninterrupted power system (UPS) and a printer to the secretariat of the Volta Regional branch of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) to enhance its work.
The items, valued at GH¢2,000, was in fulfilment of a promise made by the MP some few months ago when he met media practitioners from the region at a soiree he organised to fraternise with them.
According to Mr Bedzrah, he recognised the immense contribution of the media to the development of the region and, therefore, wish to use the donation as his means of encouraging them to do more.
He said in the current era where information technology controlled most things, the media needed such equipment to facilitate its smooth operations and appealed to the regional executive members of the GJA to put the facilities to good use for the benefit of all members in the region.
He reiterated his promise of supporting any journalist from the region who would win a national GJA award with an amount of GH¢1,000 and challenged the various media men and women to be the first to receive his token by winning a national award next year.
Receiving the package, the Regional Secretary of GJA, Mr Anthony Kafui Kanyi, expressed the gratitude of members to the MP for his gesture and promised to ensure that the facility is put to good use for the benefit and development of members in the region.
According to him, although the MP is in his first term in Parliament, his contribution to media development in the region has helped many.
He urged him to continue to be the pacesetter in all aspects of his work as a parliamentarian.
Mr Kanyi expressed regret that most often politicians only lambasted the media when they went wrong and ignored them when they did what was expected of them.
“Those who even appreciate us only do it by lip service,” he added and therefore commended the MP for fulfilling his promise to the organisation.
He said other politicians only “use and dump the media like their girlfriends” and appealed to other MPs and politicians in general to support the development of the media by their actions but not by paying only lip service.
He said so far, the MP had shown by his actions that he had the development of the media at heart, assuring him that the media would also co-operate with him in his development agenda.
He also assured the MP that the media would do its best to win a national award next year to add to what some practitioners from the region had won in previous years.
Mr Kanyi appealed to other individuals and organisations to assist them to furnish the regional GJA secretariat with other items to enable it operate in its newly acquired office effectively.
In a related development, Mr Bedzrah donated 5,000 exercise books valued at GH¢4,600 to the Ho Municipal Education Office for onward distribution to schools within the municipality, especially the Ho West Constituency.
Mr Bedzrah said the donation was part of measures he had put in place to support education in the area and appealed to the municipal director of education to ensure that the books got to pupils who needed them.
He said in consultation with chiefs and people of the constituency, his outfit had established the Ho West Education Foundation to provide scholarships for needy, brilliant children in the area.
Receiving the books, the Ho Municipal Director of Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Emmanuel Keteku, commended the MP for the gesture and assured him that the books would get to those who needed them.
The items, valued at GH¢2,000, was in fulfilment of a promise made by the MP some few months ago when he met media practitioners from the region at a soiree he organised to fraternise with them.
According to Mr Bedzrah, he recognised the immense contribution of the media to the development of the region and, therefore, wish to use the donation as his means of encouraging them to do more.
He said in the current era where information technology controlled most things, the media needed such equipment to facilitate its smooth operations and appealed to the regional executive members of the GJA to put the facilities to good use for the benefit of all members in the region.
He reiterated his promise of supporting any journalist from the region who would win a national GJA award with an amount of GH¢1,000 and challenged the various media men and women to be the first to receive his token by winning a national award next year.
Receiving the package, the Regional Secretary of GJA, Mr Anthony Kafui Kanyi, expressed the gratitude of members to the MP for his gesture and promised to ensure that the facility is put to good use for the benefit and development of members in the region.
According to him, although the MP is in his first term in Parliament, his contribution to media development in the region has helped many.
He urged him to continue to be the pacesetter in all aspects of his work as a parliamentarian.
Mr Kanyi expressed regret that most often politicians only lambasted the media when they went wrong and ignored them when they did what was expected of them.
“Those who even appreciate us only do it by lip service,” he added and therefore commended the MP for fulfilling his promise to the organisation.
He said other politicians only “use and dump the media like their girlfriends” and appealed to other MPs and politicians in general to support the development of the media by their actions but not by paying only lip service.
He said so far, the MP had shown by his actions that he had the development of the media at heart, assuring him that the media would also co-operate with him in his development agenda.
He also assured the MP that the media would do its best to win a national award next year to add to what some practitioners from the region had won in previous years.
Mr Kanyi appealed to other individuals and organisations to assist them to furnish the regional GJA secretariat with other items to enable it operate in its newly acquired office effectively.
In a related development, Mr Bedzrah donated 5,000 exercise books valued at GH¢4,600 to the Ho Municipal Education Office for onward distribution to schools within the municipality, especially the Ho West Constituency.
Mr Bedzrah said the donation was part of measures he had put in place to support education in the area and appealed to the municipal director of education to ensure that the books got to pupils who needed them.
He said in consultation with chiefs and people of the constituency, his outfit had established the Ho West Education Foundation to provide scholarships for needy, brilliant children in the area.
Receiving the books, the Ho Municipal Director of Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Emmanuel Keteku, commended the MP for the gesture and assured him that the books would get to those who needed them.
3 PETITION MLGRD OVER RE-DEMARCATION (PAGE 13, NOV 25. 2010)
Three traditional areas, out of the four in the Ketu- North District of the Volta Region, have petitioned the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development(MLGRD) to re-examine the mode of redemarcating new electoral areas in order not to endanger the prevailing peace in the district.
The three, Dzodze, Afife and Penyi traditional councils questioned the procedure used for the allocation of 10 electoral areas out of the 13 created in the district to Wheta Area Council alone, with two to Dzodze Urban Council, one to Afife Area Council, but none to the Penyi Area Council.
In a petition jointly signed by the Fiaga of the Afife Traditional Area, Torgbuiga Adrakpanya V, Torgbui Dadzii IV of Penyi and Torgbui Bese III of Dzodze, the chiefs appealed to the minister, as a matter of urgency, to withdraw the bill on these new demarcations from Parliament.
The petition also appealed to Parliament, as a matter of necessity to intervene and put on hold any discussion relating to the issues on the floor of the House until justice had been done.
“ Based on the above reasons, we appeal that the new allocations be terminated until the right procedure is followed. For peace and tranquility to prevail, we propose that the allocations take the following form: Dzodze Urban Council -5; Afife Area Council — 3, Penyi Area Council — 3 , Wheta Area Council — 2”, the petition stated.
The petition threatened that the people might not take part in the forthcoming district assembly and subsequent elections if the issue was not resolved.
The issue could generate misunderstanding or chaos among the four traditional areas as far as the demarcation process was concerned, the petition stated.
“Let us not undermine the local government system that we have embraced for all this while. Let it not appear as if there are some groups of people who want to subvert the will of the people of Ketu North as a district,” it further stated.
The petition challenged the criteria used for allocating electoral areas to various traditional areas and quoted the 2008 projections on population of the townships as Dzodze-22,038; Wheta Afife-4,427; and Penyi-6,281.
It questioned whether there was the need for a forensic expert to tell that an urban council deserved more electoral areas than an area council in times of new demarcations and questioned whether the current birth rate of Wheta was higher than the rest of the three area and urban councils over the years.
The petitioned also questioned whether there had been no population growth at Penyi over the years.
In a similar vein, another petition to the MLGRD, jointly signed by Messrs Cletus Awuvey, Peter Gavor and Justine Tegbega in the same district, condemned the egocentric behaviour of some politicians and warned that the peace that had prevailed in the Ketu North District would be violated if few individuals used state apparatus to bully the majority.
“ It is becoming increasingly clear that the NDC has continuously taken things in the Volta Region for granted”, the statement said, adding “ clearly some of the politicians in the region are biting the finger that feeds them”.
The three, Dzodze, Afife and Penyi traditional councils questioned the procedure used for the allocation of 10 electoral areas out of the 13 created in the district to Wheta Area Council alone, with two to Dzodze Urban Council, one to Afife Area Council, but none to the Penyi Area Council.
In a petition jointly signed by the Fiaga of the Afife Traditional Area, Torgbuiga Adrakpanya V, Torgbui Dadzii IV of Penyi and Torgbui Bese III of Dzodze, the chiefs appealed to the minister, as a matter of urgency, to withdraw the bill on these new demarcations from Parliament.
The petition also appealed to Parliament, as a matter of necessity to intervene and put on hold any discussion relating to the issues on the floor of the House until justice had been done.
“ Based on the above reasons, we appeal that the new allocations be terminated until the right procedure is followed. For peace and tranquility to prevail, we propose that the allocations take the following form: Dzodze Urban Council -5; Afife Area Council — 3, Penyi Area Council — 3 , Wheta Area Council — 2”, the petition stated.
The petition threatened that the people might not take part in the forthcoming district assembly and subsequent elections if the issue was not resolved.
The issue could generate misunderstanding or chaos among the four traditional areas as far as the demarcation process was concerned, the petition stated.
“Let us not undermine the local government system that we have embraced for all this while. Let it not appear as if there are some groups of people who want to subvert the will of the people of Ketu North as a district,” it further stated.
The petition challenged the criteria used for allocating electoral areas to various traditional areas and quoted the 2008 projections on population of the townships as Dzodze-22,038; Wheta Afife-4,427; and Penyi-6,281.
It questioned whether there was the need for a forensic expert to tell that an urban council deserved more electoral areas than an area council in times of new demarcations and questioned whether the current birth rate of Wheta was higher than the rest of the three area and urban councils over the years.
The petitioned also questioned whether there had been no population growth at Penyi over the years.
In a similar vein, another petition to the MLGRD, jointly signed by Messrs Cletus Awuvey, Peter Gavor and Justine Tegbega in the same district, condemned the egocentric behaviour of some politicians and warned that the peace that had prevailed in the Ketu North District would be violated if few individuals used state apparatus to bully the majority.
“ It is becoming increasingly clear that the NDC has continuously taken things in the Volta Region for granted”, the statement said, adding “ clearly some of the politicians in the region are biting the finger that feeds them”.
ENTREPRENEURS ADVISED TO ADD VALUE TO PRODUCTS (PAGE 51, NOV 24, 2010)
THE Volta Region Trade, Investment and Cultural Fair opened in Ho on Monday with a call on entrepreneurs to add value to their products in order to attract new customers.
Dr Bernard Glover, a Member of Council of State, who made the call, said computerised value-added products were the emerging trends in world business and tourism landscape and the nation should not wait for multi-national companies to dictate development trends.
The theme of the fair is: ‘Volta Region: Investors’ Destination”.
Dr Glover said many Ghanaians abroad were looking for opportunities to channel their expertise and capital into investment, adding that investors and their partners only showed interest where their capital could be invested and harvested safely.
In a keynote address, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Zita Okaikoi, promised that the ministry would champion the packaging of the tourism potential in the Volta Region.
She expressed the hope that the fair would help mobilise the potentials for stimulating growth, job and wealth-generation in the region, adding that the fair must be able to stimulate growth at all levels of society and be capable of redistributing income among low and high income earners, as well as between rural and urban population.
The minister said with the desired push and the needed political support, the Volta Region would become the tourism hub of the country, stating that the potential that existed in the region was so high and varied that the ministry could not ignore investment in certain areas.
“The presence of waterfalls, caves, mountains, lakes, lagoons, rivulets, and the sea, as well as the forests and savannah grasslands in the region, makes it a unique and diverse tourism destination,” she said.
Mrs Okaikoi asked chiefs not to underrate the importance of domestic tourism because it was a platform for the redistribution of income from urban to the rural areas, adding that the tourism sector had mapped out the West Africa sub-region as a domestic market and, therefore, determined to lead in the crusade to make Ghana a preferred tourism destination in West Africa.
She appealed to financial institutions to open joints at tourism sites to enable foreign visitors to access at least ATM facilities there.
The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Mr Ibrahim Adam, said the bank had opened five new branches in the Volta Region and said that was in recognition of the enormous agriculture and tourism potential the region was endowed with.
He added that the opening of the branches was a testimony that the bank was ready to be ahead of time on agricultural development in the Volta Region and promised that the ADB would not divorce itself from the region in view of the initiative by the people to take their destiny in their own hands.
Mr Adams announced that the ADB would establish 75 branches throughout the country by the middle of next year and called on chiefs to identify aspects of culture that would be marketable to the outside world for the bank to consider a partnership in investing in those cultural aspects.
He presented a dummy cheque for GH¢10,000 to the Volta Region Co-ordinating Council in support of the Volta Fair.
In a welcoming address, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, said the Volta Region, and Ghana as a whole, could not improve upon its economic fortunes if the people did not rise up to the challenge of marshalling all resources for their development.
“ How can God bless our homeland and make us great and strong if we ourselves do not lend our total commitment to the development agenda of our region?” he questioned.
Solidarity messages came from representatives of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Volta Foundation, National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Dr Bernard Glover, a Member of Council of State, who made the call, said computerised value-added products were the emerging trends in world business and tourism landscape and the nation should not wait for multi-national companies to dictate development trends.
The theme of the fair is: ‘Volta Region: Investors’ Destination”.
Dr Glover said many Ghanaians abroad were looking for opportunities to channel their expertise and capital into investment, adding that investors and their partners only showed interest where their capital could be invested and harvested safely.
In a keynote address, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Zita Okaikoi, promised that the ministry would champion the packaging of the tourism potential in the Volta Region.
She expressed the hope that the fair would help mobilise the potentials for stimulating growth, job and wealth-generation in the region, adding that the fair must be able to stimulate growth at all levels of society and be capable of redistributing income among low and high income earners, as well as between rural and urban population.
The minister said with the desired push and the needed political support, the Volta Region would become the tourism hub of the country, stating that the potential that existed in the region was so high and varied that the ministry could not ignore investment in certain areas.
“The presence of waterfalls, caves, mountains, lakes, lagoons, rivulets, and the sea, as well as the forests and savannah grasslands in the region, makes it a unique and diverse tourism destination,” she said.
Mrs Okaikoi asked chiefs not to underrate the importance of domestic tourism because it was a platform for the redistribution of income from urban to the rural areas, adding that the tourism sector had mapped out the West Africa sub-region as a domestic market and, therefore, determined to lead in the crusade to make Ghana a preferred tourism destination in West Africa.
She appealed to financial institutions to open joints at tourism sites to enable foreign visitors to access at least ATM facilities there.
The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Mr Ibrahim Adam, said the bank had opened five new branches in the Volta Region and said that was in recognition of the enormous agriculture and tourism potential the region was endowed with.
He added that the opening of the branches was a testimony that the bank was ready to be ahead of time on agricultural development in the Volta Region and promised that the ADB would not divorce itself from the region in view of the initiative by the people to take their destiny in their own hands.
Mr Adams announced that the ADB would establish 75 branches throughout the country by the middle of next year and called on chiefs to identify aspects of culture that would be marketable to the outside world for the bank to consider a partnership in investing in those cultural aspects.
He presented a dummy cheque for GH¢10,000 to the Volta Region Co-ordinating Council in support of the Volta Fair.
In a welcoming address, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, said the Volta Region, and Ghana as a whole, could not improve upon its economic fortunes if the people did not rise up to the challenge of marshalling all resources for their development.
“ How can God bless our homeland and make us great and strong if we ourselves do not lend our total commitment to the development agenda of our region?” he questioned.
Solidarity messages came from representatives of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Volta Foundation, National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and the Office of the Chief of Staff.
AGBEDRAFOR GETS NEW CHIEF (PAGE 54, NOV 20, 2010)
A SIXTY-ONE-YEAR old former staff of Akosombo Textiles Limited (ATL), Mr Moses Denyo has been installed the chief (Dufia) of Agbedrafor in the Avenor Traditional Area in the Akatsi District in the Volta Region under the stool name Torgbui Dadugblor Dzaklo IV.
He swore the oath of allegiance to the wing chiefs of the Avenor Traditional Area during which he pledged to respond to their calls under any circumstances.
Torgbui Dzaklo pleaded with the chiefs to reciprocate the gesture.
Torgbui Dzaklo also promised to promote the cause of education, health and sanitation and ensure that estate developers procure proper layout for the construction of houses in the town in particular and the traditional area in general.
He swore the oath of allegiance to the wing chiefs of the Avenor Traditional Area during which he pledged to respond to their calls under any circumstances.
Torgbui Dzaklo pleaded with the chiefs to reciprocate the gesture.
Torgbui Dzaklo also promised to promote the cause of education, health and sanitation and ensure that estate developers procure proper layout for the construction of houses in the town in particular and the traditional area in general.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
3 ARMED ROBBERS JAILED 180 YEARS (1C, NOV 13, 2010)
THREE armed robbers have been sentenced to a total of 180 years by the Aflao Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Justice Francis Obiri.
They were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy and 60 years each for robbery, both sentences to run concurrently.
The convicts — Kingsley John Okeke, alias Ken, a Nigerian; Harrison Komla Efiatukpey, alias Opana, and Prosper Azaglo, alias Papa — pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
A fourth person, Victor Setorwufia, an auto technician at Denu, was acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.
The facts of the case were that Okeke, a trader, lived with Efiatukpey at Katanga, a suburb of Lome in Togo, while Azaglo lived at Low Cost in Aflao.
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Aflao
The group hatched and executed a plot to rob a transport owner of GH¢9,800 and CFA4 million on January 14, 2010.
About 1 a.m. on that fateful day, the robbers hired a KIA bus to convey them and five others, now at large, from a designated point to the residence of the transport owner.
Masked and armed with an AK47 rifle, knives and machetes, the robbers scaled the fence wall and held the transport owner hostage, while another group forced the door open with an iron bar to rob the victim of his money.
After the robbery, the robbers beat their victim, inflicted knife injuries on him, tied his hands and fled.
Investigations led to the arrest of Okeke and Efiatukpey in Togo and a cell phone identified by the victim as his was found on Efiatukpey. Further investigation led to the arrest of Azaglo.
In Azaglo’s house, a blood-stained machete, an iron cutter, a pair of hand gloves, a face mask, a vehicle number plate (GR 6435 Y) and a pair of military knickers were found in his room.
An examination of their cell phones revealed that they knew one another and had actually communicated in connection with the crime.
They were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy and 60 years each for robbery, both sentences to run concurrently.
The convicts — Kingsley John Okeke, alias Ken, a Nigerian; Harrison Komla Efiatukpey, alias Opana, and Prosper Azaglo, alias Papa — pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
A fourth person, Victor Setorwufia, an auto technician at Denu, was acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.
The facts of the case were that Okeke, a trader, lived with Efiatukpey at Katanga, a suburb of Lome in Togo, while Azaglo lived at Low Cost in Aflao.
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Aflao
The group hatched and executed a plot to rob a transport owner of GH¢9,800 and CFA4 million on January 14, 2010.
About 1 a.m. on that fateful day, the robbers hired a KIA bus to convey them and five others, now at large, from a designated point to the residence of the transport owner.
Masked and armed with an AK47 rifle, knives and machetes, the robbers scaled the fence wall and held the transport owner hostage, while another group forced the door open with an iron bar to rob the victim of his money.
After the robbery, the robbers beat their victim, inflicted knife injuries on him, tied his hands and fled.
Investigations led to the arrest of Okeke and Efiatukpey in Togo and a cell phone identified by the victim as his was found on Efiatukpey. Further investigation led to the arrest of Azaglo.
In Azaglo’s house, a blood-stained machete, an iron cutter, a pair of hand gloves, a face mask, a vehicle number plate (GR 6435 Y) and a pair of military knickers were found in his room.
An examination of their cell phones revealed that they knew one another and had actually communicated in connection with the crime.
3 ARMED ROBBERS JAILED 180 YEARS (1C, NOV 13, 2010)
THREE armed robbers have been sentenced to a total of 180 years by the Aflao Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Justice Francis Obiri.
They were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy and 60 years each for robbery, both sentences to run concurrently.
The convicts — Kingsley John Okeke, alias Ken, a Nigerian; Harrison Komla Efiatukpey, alias Opana, and Prosper Azaglo, alias Papa — pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
A fourth person, Victor Setorwufia, an auto technician at Denu, was acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.
The facts of the case were that Okeke, a trader, lived with Efiatukpey at Katanga, a suburb of Lome in Togo, while Azaglo lived at Low Cost in Aflao.
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Aflao
The group hatched and executed a plot to rob a transport owner of GH¢9,800 and CFA4 million on January 14, 2010.
About 1 a.m. on that fateful day, the robbers hired a KIA bus to convey them and five others, now at large, from a designated point to the residence of the transport owner.
Masked and armed with an AK47 rifle, knives and machetes, the robbers scaled the fence wall and held the transport owner hostage, while another group forced the door open with an iron bar to rob the victim of his money.
After the robbery, the robbers beat their victim, inflicted knife injuries on him, tied his hands and fled.
Investigations led to the arrest of Okeke and Efiatukpey in Togo and a cell phone identified by the victim as his was found on Efiatukpey. Further investigation led to the arrest of Azaglo.
In Azaglo’s house, a blood-stained machete, an iron cutter, a pair of hand gloves, a face mask, a vehicle number plate (GR 6435 Y) and a pair of military knickers were found in his room.
An examination of their cell phones revealed that they knew one another and had actually communicated in connection with the crime.
They were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for conspiracy and 60 years each for robbery, both sentences to run concurrently.
The convicts — Kingsley John Okeke, alias Ken, a Nigerian; Harrison Komla Efiatukpey, alias Opana, and Prosper Azaglo, alias Papa — pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
A fourth person, Victor Setorwufia, an auto technician at Denu, was acquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.
The facts of the case were that Okeke, a trader, lived with Efiatukpey at Katanga, a suburb of Lome in Togo, while Azaglo lived at Low Cost in Aflao.
Story: Tim Dzamboe, Aflao
The group hatched and executed a plot to rob a transport owner of GH¢9,800 and CFA4 million on January 14, 2010.
About 1 a.m. on that fateful day, the robbers hired a KIA bus to convey them and five others, now at large, from a designated point to the residence of the transport owner.
Masked and armed with an AK47 rifle, knives and machetes, the robbers scaled the fence wall and held the transport owner hostage, while another group forced the door open with an iron bar to rob the victim of his money.
After the robbery, the robbers beat their victim, inflicted knife injuries on him, tied his hands and fled.
Investigations led to the arrest of Okeke and Efiatukpey in Togo and a cell phone identified by the victim as his was found on Efiatukpey. Further investigation led to the arrest of Azaglo.
In Azaglo’s house, a blood-stained machete, an iron cutter, a pair of hand gloves, a face mask, a vehicle number plate (GR 6435 Y) and a pair of military knickers were found in his room.
An examination of their cell phones revealed that they knew one another and had actually communicated in connection with the crime.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
EDUCATION MUST LIBERATE THE MIND — AGBOGBOMEFIA (SPREAD, NO 15, 2010)
The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, has stated that a good educational system must liberate the minds of future leaders and equip them with creative and innovative skills, lest they become smart conformists and custodians of the status quo, instead of agents of change that the country needs.
In an address at a durbar to climax the 60th anniversary of Mawuli School in Ho, Togbe Afede said, “It is not about the length of pre-university education; neither is it a question of how it is labelled. So the starting point is an appreciation of the true purpose of education.”
He said the school system must begin to inculcate discipline and honesty, self-confidence, a sense of independence, hard work, absolute commitment to the chosen careers, altruism, tolerance and the ability to think positively and persevere in future leaders.
In an address read on his behalf, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, noted that Mawuli School had produced very important personalities who found themselves in all spheres of national life and were serving in various responsible positions in the country and elsewhere.
He, therefore, urged the current school board, the management, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and all stakeholders not to be complacent with achievements but continuously strive for the attainment of the best for the school.
Mr Mahama said human capital formation and development was central to the government’s efforts at building a better Ghana and that the educational system was being accordingly engineered and retooled to meet national hopes and aspirations.
The Vice President advised students to eschew negative practices such as laziness, dishonesty, the use of hard drugs and cyber fraud and rather adopt the virtues of hard work, discipline and honesty in order to propel the development of the nation faster and in the right direction.
The headmaster of the school, Mr J.M.K. Osei-Nyansa, said the school had produced about 15,000 students, who are contributing to the socio-economic development of Ghana and the world.
He said the current student population was 1,351, comprising 491 girls and 860 boys, with a staff strength of 69 teachers and 74 non-teaching staff.
In a solidarity message, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Right Reverend Francis Amenu, said it was imperative to invest in Mawuli School and the EP Church in order for them to cope with the dynamics of the technological era.
“The time for positive action to rebuild the school is, indeed, now to adequately meet and live fruitfully the dream and vision of the founding fathers in terms of human capital development,” he said.
In a welcoming address, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the school, Reverend Frank Anku, charged all past students and other stakeholders to be genuinely committed to the cause of the school.
The Chairman of the Council of State, Professor Kofi Awoonor, later inaugurated a new administration block for the school to commemorate its 60th anniversary.
The edifice, which is valued at GH¢30 million, was funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
In an address at a durbar to climax the 60th anniversary of Mawuli School in Ho, Togbe Afede said, “It is not about the length of pre-university education; neither is it a question of how it is labelled. So the starting point is an appreciation of the true purpose of education.”
He said the school system must begin to inculcate discipline and honesty, self-confidence, a sense of independence, hard work, absolute commitment to the chosen careers, altruism, tolerance and the ability to think positively and persevere in future leaders.
In an address read on his behalf, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, noted that Mawuli School had produced very important personalities who found themselves in all spheres of national life and were serving in various responsible positions in the country and elsewhere.
He, therefore, urged the current school board, the management, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and all stakeholders not to be complacent with achievements but continuously strive for the attainment of the best for the school.
Mr Mahama said human capital formation and development was central to the government’s efforts at building a better Ghana and that the educational system was being accordingly engineered and retooled to meet national hopes and aspirations.
The Vice President advised students to eschew negative practices such as laziness, dishonesty, the use of hard drugs and cyber fraud and rather adopt the virtues of hard work, discipline and honesty in order to propel the development of the nation faster and in the right direction.
The headmaster of the school, Mr J.M.K. Osei-Nyansa, said the school had produced about 15,000 students, who are contributing to the socio-economic development of Ghana and the world.
He said the current student population was 1,351, comprising 491 girls and 860 boys, with a staff strength of 69 teachers and 74 non-teaching staff.
In a solidarity message, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Right Reverend Francis Amenu, said it was imperative to invest in Mawuli School and the EP Church in order for them to cope with the dynamics of the technological era.
“The time for positive action to rebuild the school is, indeed, now to adequately meet and live fruitfully the dream and vision of the founding fathers in terms of human capital development,” he said.
In a welcoming address, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the school, Reverend Frank Anku, charged all past students and other stakeholders to be genuinely committed to the cause of the school.
The Chairman of the Council of State, Professor Kofi Awoonor, later inaugurated a new administration block for the school to commemorate its 60th anniversary.
The edifice, which is valued at GH¢30 million, was funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).
Saturday, November 13, 2010
CHIEF COMMENDS SUBJECTS (PAGE 21, MIRROR, NOV 13, 2010)
From Tim Dzamboe, Sokode-Bagble
THE Chief of Sokode-Bagble in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region, Togbe Amedziklu II, has lauded his subjects for developing a deep interest in the development of the town.
“There has been a significant improvement in individuals’ recognition and consciousness towards the need for community development,” he stated.
Togbe Amekudzi said this in an address at the “Midezor za” or Progress festival of the people on the theme: “School Resourcing, an important ingredient to Educational Development” at Sokode Bagble last weekend.
He said two years ago, the people met to initiate action on the development of the town and added “I am pleased to report that the targets set for the previous celebrations had been achieved.”
He said past festivals also marked the re-union of citizens and concerned friends to development issues and commended them for that.
During the first festival, the community established an Information Communication and Technology(ICT) centre for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Primary School and has planned to provide furniture for schools in the town from the proceedings of this year’s festival.
Togbe Amedziklu, however, said the inadequate supply of electricity to the town was limiting the full utilisation of ICT facilities and appealed to government to help solve the problem.
He also expressed regret that there were no distribution lines to connect main pipelines of a water project in the town, adding that the situation had made it impossible for the extension of potable water to various homes.
He further appealed for the supply of roofing sheets to replace very old roofs of the junior secondary school because the current structure may not stand the test of time during any incident of high storms.
Togbe Amedziklu noted that some citizens had been knocked down by speeding vehicles that ply the major highway that passed through the town and called for the construction of speed humps to ward off future accidents.
He also appealed for the enlistment of the local primary school for the school feeding programme, adding that those who have the capacity should help in the stocking of libraries of both primary and junior high schools.
In her remarks, the Chairman for the function, Mrs Esinu Darkey-Mensah, commended the people for demonstrating resoluteness to the development of the town and that their positive responses will create a better future for their children.
More than GH¢23,000 was realised during an appeal for funds at the function for the procurement of furniture for schools.
THE Chief of Sokode-Bagble in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region, Togbe Amedziklu II, has lauded his subjects for developing a deep interest in the development of the town.
“There has been a significant improvement in individuals’ recognition and consciousness towards the need for community development,” he stated.
Togbe Amekudzi said this in an address at the “Midezor za” or Progress festival of the people on the theme: “School Resourcing, an important ingredient to Educational Development” at Sokode Bagble last weekend.
He said two years ago, the people met to initiate action on the development of the town and added “I am pleased to report that the targets set for the previous celebrations had been achieved.”
He said past festivals also marked the re-union of citizens and concerned friends to development issues and commended them for that.
During the first festival, the community established an Information Communication and Technology(ICT) centre for the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Primary School and has planned to provide furniture for schools in the town from the proceedings of this year’s festival.
Togbe Amedziklu, however, said the inadequate supply of electricity to the town was limiting the full utilisation of ICT facilities and appealed to government to help solve the problem.
He also expressed regret that there were no distribution lines to connect main pipelines of a water project in the town, adding that the situation had made it impossible for the extension of potable water to various homes.
He further appealed for the supply of roofing sheets to replace very old roofs of the junior secondary school because the current structure may not stand the test of time during any incident of high storms.
Togbe Amedziklu noted that some citizens had been knocked down by speeding vehicles that ply the major highway that passed through the town and called for the construction of speed humps to ward off future accidents.
He also appealed for the enlistment of the local primary school for the school feeding programme, adding that those who have the capacity should help in the stocking of libraries of both primary and junior high schools.
In her remarks, the Chairman for the function, Mrs Esinu Darkey-Mensah, commended the people for demonstrating resoluteness to the development of the town and that their positive responses will create a better future for their children.
More than GH¢23,000 was realised during an appeal for funds at the function for the procurement of furniture for schools.
WAGE RUTHLESS WAR AGAINST CHILD TRAFFICKING — PROSPER AGBLOR (PAGE 21, MIRROR, NOV 13, 2010)
From Tim Dzamboe, Ho
The Acting Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Prosper Agblor, has called for a holistic fight against human trafficking in order to bring perpetrators to book.
He said human trafficking was becoming a highly lucrative and exploitative business and that although the police had arrested and prosecuted offenders, there existed a large pool of potential victims rendered vulnerable by extreme poverty and ignorance.
DCOP Agblor said this at the inauguration of an office for a human trafficking unit at the regional police headquarters at Ho.
He said human trafficking was robbing the nation of its human resources which were very crucial for the development of the nation, adding that “the future of our young ones is being destroyed through this selfish, self centred, obnoxious trade which can best be described as modern day slavery.”
According to him, Ghana had become a major source - transit and destination point - for human trafficking and that children and women had become victims of trafficking and had been trafficked both internally and externally to be engaged in sexual exploitation and forced labour, among others.
DCOP Agblor extended gratitude to UNICEF for the support in establishing three more units in the Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Upper West regions with the pledge that the police as an institution will not relent in bringing this inhumane trade to a complete halt.
In a welcoming address read on his behalf, the Volta Regional Police Commander, Reverend/ DCOP David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, said the inequalities and inequities created by globalisation had led to the migration of the poor to the rich regions.
That, he said, had led to the commercialisation of humanity, which is likened to modern day slavery, through which human beings were prized as commodities and exchanged for money like any other article on the market.
DCOP Ampah-Bennin, therefore, said it was time the law enforcement agencies took the bull by the horn and asked the police to be up and doing and enforce the law without sparing the rod.
The Acting Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Prosper Agblor, has called for a holistic fight against human trafficking in order to bring perpetrators to book.
He said human trafficking was becoming a highly lucrative and exploitative business and that although the police had arrested and prosecuted offenders, there existed a large pool of potential victims rendered vulnerable by extreme poverty and ignorance.
DCOP Agblor said this at the inauguration of an office for a human trafficking unit at the regional police headquarters at Ho.
He said human trafficking was robbing the nation of its human resources which were very crucial for the development of the nation, adding that “the future of our young ones is being destroyed through this selfish, self centred, obnoxious trade which can best be described as modern day slavery.”
According to him, Ghana had become a major source - transit and destination point - for human trafficking and that children and women had become victims of trafficking and had been trafficked both internally and externally to be engaged in sexual exploitation and forced labour, among others.
DCOP Agblor extended gratitude to UNICEF for the support in establishing three more units in the Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Upper West regions with the pledge that the police as an institution will not relent in bringing this inhumane trade to a complete halt.
In a welcoming address read on his behalf, the Volta Regional Police Commander, Reverend/ DCOP David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, said the inequalities and inequities created by globalisation had led to the migration of the poor to the rich regions.
That, he said, had led to the commercialisation of humanity, which is likened to modern day slavery, through which human beings were prized as commodities and exchanged for money like any other article on the market.
DCOP Ampah-Bennin, therefore, said it was time the law enforcement agencies took the bull by the horn and asked the police to be up and doing and enforce the law without sparing the rod.
CWSA STAFF IN VR ATTEND TRAINING COURSE (PAGE 22, NOV 12, 2010)
THE President of the College of Project Professionals, Dr Richard Amposah, has described project management as the application of knowledge through skills, tools and techniques to meet project requirements.
He, therefore, stressed the need for staff of project oriented organisations to be constantly updated with tools and techniques in order to manage their projects well.
Dr Amposah said this at the end of a five-day Microsoft Project training programme for senior staff of the Volta Region Community Water and Sanitation Agency (VRCWSA) at Ho.
The purpose of the training was to develop relevant competencies of the participants to successfully create and manage projects using Microsoft software.
He stressed that since CWSA was a project oriented organisation, it was incumbent on the staff to be constantly updated with tools and techniques of Microsoft products.
That, he said, would enable them to manage their projects well and get use to the software.
The Information Technology (IT) specialist and head of Management Information System (MIS) Unit of VRCWSA, Mr Dodji Atiogbe, commended the participants for their commitment and contribution throughout the training and said the relevance depended on the ability to apply the skills acquired.
He also thanked experts from the College of Project Professionals for the efficient and effective manner in which they delivered the training programme.
He, therefore, stressed the need for staff of project oriented organisations to be constantly updated with tools and techniques in order to manage their projects well.
Dr Amposah said this at the end of a five-day Microsoft Project training programme for senior staff of the Volta Region Community Water and Sanitation Agency (VRCWSA) at Ho.
The purpose of the training was to develop relevant competencies of the participants to successfully create and manage projects using Microsoft software.
He stressed that since CWSA was a project oriented organisation, it was incumbent on the staff to be constantly updated with tools and techniques of Microsoft products.
That, he said, would enable them to manage their projects well and get use to the software.
The Information Technology (IT) specialist and head of Management Information System (MIS) Unit of VRCWSA, Mr Dodji Atiogbe, commended the participants for their commitment and contribution throughout the training and said the relevance depended on the ability to apply the skills acquired.
He also thanked experts from the College of Project Professionals for the efficient and effective manner in which they delivered the training programme.
TAPA GETS NEW ADONTENHENE (PAGE 36, NOV 10, 2010)
A 50-YEAR-OLD self-employed man, Mr Kwame Ahenkan, has been installed Adontenhene of the Tapa Traditional Area in the Biakoye District in the Volta Region under the stool name Nana Baffour Kwame Oduro II.
He swore the oath of allegiance to the Paramount Chief of the Tapa Traditional Area, Okoforobuor Baffour Kwame Asante II.
Two other chiefs, Nana Osei Aseidu II, known in private life as Mr Ebenezer Osei, and the Krontiheneba of Tapa, Nana Obirim Apreku I, known in private life as Mrs Martha Osei-Bonsu, a member of staff of the New Times Corporation, were also introduced at the durbar.
Speaking at the function, Nana Oduro pledged to offer exemplary leadership which would lead to the redemption of the people from factors that militated against education, agriculture, good health and transportation.
He promised to obey the rules and commands of the paramountcy.
Okoforobuor Asante acknowledged the promise and said it was in line with building a formidable kingdom for future generations.
He swore the oath of allegiance to the Paramount Chief of the Tapa Traditional Area, Okoforobuor Baffour Kwame Asante II.
Two other chiefs, Nana Osei Aseidu II, known in private life as Mr Ebenezer Osei, and the Krontiheneba of Tapa, Nana Obirim Apreku I, known in private life as Mrs Martha Osei-Bonsu, a member of staff of the New Times Corporation, were also introduced at the durbar.
Speaking at the function, Nana Oduro pledged to offer exemplary leadership which would lead to the redemption of the people from factors that militated against education, agriculture, good health and transportation.
He promised to obey the rules and commands of the paramountcy.
Okoforobuor Asante acknowledged the promise and said it was in line with building a formidable kingdom for future generations.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
END OF GOAT EATER (1B, NOV 4, 2010)
A 12-foot python which had been preying on domestic animals and birds at Sokode-Gbogame near Ho in the Volta Region has been killed by the youth in the community.
According to the leader of the vigilante youth, Mr Manfred Kwame Golo, the disappearance of fowls and goats had become rampant in the village, as a result of which the youth mounted a surveillance to track down the perpetrators only to find the huge python as the culprit.
At the time the python was caught, it had swallowed a goat which was used by the youth as a bait.
A lot of people thronged the scene to catch a glimpse of the long snake whose stomach was protruding with the remains of the goat.
• A member of the vigilante youth who killed the snake displaying it with the protruding stomach.
According to the leader of the vigilante youth, Mr Manfred Kwame Golo, the disappearance of fowls and goats had become rampant in the village, as a result of which the youth mounted a surveillance to track down the perpetrators only to find the huge python as the culprit.
At the time the python was caught, it had swallowed a goat which was used by the youth as a bait.
A lot of people thronged the scene to catch a glimpse of the long snake whose stomach was protruding with the remains of the goat.
• A member of the vigilante youth who killed the snake displaying it with the protruding stomach.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
ARMED ROBBERS ATTACK GRAPHIC VAN (BACK PAGE, OCT 26, 2010)
A Circulation van of the Graphic Communications Group Limited on itinerary to deliver newspapers in the Volta Region and parts of the Eastern Region was attacked by armed robbers at about 2:30 a.m. yesterday.
The dark blue vehicle was part of more than 10 vehicles intercepted between Ayikuma and Agomeda in the Eastern Region by the armed robbers numbering about 15.
According to the driver of the circulation van, Mr Eric Misiamenu, the robbers took away his GH¢120 and vandalised parcels of newspapers in the vehicle, which they had apparently mistaken for a bullion van loaded with cash.
He said the road clerk with whom he was travelling was beaten while a mobile phone and a bag were taken away from him.
Mr Misiamenu said he rushed Mr Arhin to the Dodowa Hospital for treatment and also reported the incident at the Dodowa Police Station.
The incident led to the late arrival of Daily Graphic in Ho and subsequently a delay in the distribution of the newspaper in the northern part of the Volta Region.
When the circulation vehicle finally arrived in Ho at about 9:30 a.m. instead of the anticipated time of 4 a.m, parcels of five agents were missing while parcels of two vendors and two agents had been tampered with.
The dark blue vehicle was part of more than 10 vehicles intercepted between Ayikuma and Agomeda in the Eastern Region by the armed robbers numbering about 15.
According to the driver of the circulation van, Mr Eric Misiamenu, the robbers took away his GH¢120 and vandalised parcels of newspapers in the vehicle, which they had apparently mistaken for a bullion van loaded with cash.
He said the road clerk with whom he was travelling was beaten while a mobile phone and a bag were taken away from him.
Mr Misiamenu said he rushed Mr Arhin to the Dodowa Hospital for treatment and also reported the incident at the Dodowa Police Station.
The incident led to the late arrival of Daily Graphic in Ho and subsequently a delay in the distribution of the newspaper in the northern part of the Volta Region.
When the circulation vehicle finally arrived in Ho at about 9:30 a.m. instead of the anticipated time of 4 a.m, parcels of five agents were missing while parcels of two vendors and two agents had been tampered with.
Monday, October 25, 2010
REGISTRATION OF SIM CARDS NOT FETISH — Essamuah (PAGE 23, OCT 23, 2010)
THE Deputy Manager of Consumer and Corporate Affairs of the National Communication Authority (NCA), Mr John Benyarku Essamuah, has said the registration of SIM cards is not fetish but is in line with emerging trend of biometric values in the society.
He said registration indices could match with those of a passport, driving licenses, national identity for health insurance, voters’ identity card, among others, which had become relevant in the current regime of biometrism in the country, as well as safeguarding the security of users.
Mr Essamuah said this at a sensitisation workshop for district information officers and allied staff of the Ministry of Information in Ho in the Volta Region last Thursday.
It came to light at the forum that some agents of telecommunication companies were charging fees from mobile phone owners whereas it was against the directives of the NCA because the NCA and operators had borne some cost to make the registration exercise free.
Mr Essamuah warned against fake registration on behalf of others, adding that agents of operators should ensure that they dealt with only genuine identity cards.
He said the registration offered safety of choice against hackers but without registration, it could not be possible.
Mr Essamuah stated that all new SIM cards registered before July 1, this year, had been blocked and hinted that handsets would be registered next year.
The deputy manager said revenue leakage had been blocked with the introduction of the registration exercise and asked information officers to sensitise the public on the challenges of the project.
The Regional Director of the Information Services Department (ISD), Mr Bennet Dzogbelu, tasked information officers to deliver accurate messages to the people.
He said registration indices could match with those of a passport, driving licenses, national identity for health insurance, voters’ identity card, among others, which had become relevant in the current regime of biometrism in the country, as well as safeguarding the security of users.
Mr Essamuah said this at a sensitisation workshop for district information officers and allied staff of the Ministry of Information in Ho in the Volta Region last Thursday.
It came to light at the forum that some agents of telecommunication companies were charging fees from mobile phone owners whereas it was against the directives of the NCA because the NCA and operators had borne some cost to make the registration exercise free.
Mr Essamuah warned against fake registration on behalf of others, adding that agents of operators should ensure that they dealt with only genuine identity cards.
He said the registration offered safety of choice against hackers but without registration, it could not be possible.
Mr Essamuah stated that all new SIM cards registered before July 1, this year, had been blocked and hinted that handsets would be registered next year.
The deputy manager said revenue leakage had been blocked with the introduction of the registration exercise and asked information officers to sensitise the public on the challenges of the project.
The Regional Director of the Information Services Department (ISD), Mr Bennet Dzogbelu, tasked information officers to deliver accurate messages to the people.
MOB ON RAMPAGE AT AFLAO BORDER (1B, OCT 23, 2010)
AN irate mob at Aflao went on rampage yesterday and caused extensive damage to the offices of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at the border post.
The slide windows there were vandalised by stones from the mob.
Consequently, the border was temporarily closed, causing frustration to the travelling public.
But as of the time the Daily Graphic got to the scene, things had returned to normalcy.
A combined security team, led by the Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Reverend David Ampah-Benin, had already positioned themselves to bring sanity to the border for the free movement of people and goods.
According to information gathered by the Daily Graphic, a clash had ensued between some immigration officials and a taxi driver at a border point known as “Beat Nine”.
The source said when an immigration official signalled the driver, who was entering from the Republic of Togo, to stop, he refused.
It said the officer, with one other security official in plain clothes, chased the car on a motorbike, which later bumped into the taxi and in the ensuing melee a gun went off, injuring one of the passengers on board the taxi.
The source of the gunshot could not be identified because, according to sources, the officers on the motorbike were both armed.
The victim was rushed to the Ketu District Hospital at Aflao.
During the rampage, lorry tyres were set ablaze at 10 spots, starting from the Ketu District Hospital Junction, while stones were used to block the gateway to Togo.
As of the time of going to press, the military had arrived to help policemen bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the two security men have been placed in police custody pending further investigations.
The slide windows there were vandalised by stones from the mob.
Consequently, the border was temporarily closed, causing frustration to the travelling public.
But as of the time the Daily Graphic got to the scene, things had returned to normalcy.
A combined security team, led by the Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Reverend David Ampah-Benin, had already positioned themselves to bring sanity to the border for the free movement of people and goods.
According to information gathered by the Daily Graphic, a clash had ensued between some immigration officials and a taxi driver at a border point known as “Beat Nine”.
The source said when an immigration official signalled the driver, who was entering from the Republic of Togo, to stop, he refused.
It said the officer, with one other security official in plain clothes, chased the car on a motorbike, which later bumped into the taxi and in the ensuing melee a gun went off, injuring one of the passengers on board the taxi.
The source of the gunshot could not be identified because, according to sources, the officers on the motorbike were both armed.
The victim was rushed to the Ketu District Hospital at Aflao.
During the rampage, lorry tyres were set ablaze at 10 spots, starting from the Ketu District Hospital Junction, while stones were used to block the gateway to Togo.
As of the time of going to press, the military had arrived to help policemen bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the two security men have been placed in police custody pending further investigations.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
UNITY RURAL BANK DECLARES GHC167,992 PROFIT (PAGE 35, OCT 20, 2010)
THE Unity Rural Bank at Ziope, the sole banking institution in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District in the Volta Region, declared profit after tax of GH¢167,992 last year as against GH¢99,614 it made in 2008.
The asset base of the bank also grew from GH¢2,954,583 in 2008 to GH¢4,266,689 in 2009.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI announced this at the 15th annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of the bank at Ziope last weekend.
He disclosed that the directors had proposed a dividend of GH¢0.016 per share totalling GH61,191 to be paid to shareholders, rated as a yield per share of 32 per cent, which is far in excess of the interest on treasury bills of the Government of Ghana.
Togbe Lawluvi said the growing profit and interest margins of the bank should encourage more investments in the bank.
He, however, stated that the achievements were against new challenges in the banking sector where the influx of banks and other financial institutions had created more floating customers with no loyalty into the system.
Togbe Lawluvi said the deposits of floating customers were highly unstable and that credit extended to them became extremely difficult to recover.
The board chairman underscored the need for capitalisation to enable the bank to absorb more risks and underwrite more businesses, adding that as an emerging oil economy, business opportunities were likely to increase and it would take higher capital levels to do such businesses.
He also said if the bank was able to increase stated capital to GH¢1,000,000 by the close of 2011, it might be spared regulatory sanctions and the necessity to merge with or to be acquired by any rural or community bank.
The manager in charge of risk and business development of the ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Newton S. Mati, said notwithstanding the achievements, rural banks still had a lot more to do in respect of organisational and operational restructuring, especially in the area of migration from manual operations to embracing Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He said effective deposit mobilisation and credit administration, cost control and reduction were salient to meet the challenges of the changing competitive and turbulent business environment.
Mr Mati advised rural and community banks to consider setting up desks on ICT, share registry management, accounts and transactions reconciliation, internal audit, research and marketing as well as administration.
He stated that those units would further strengthen the rural banking system and enhance public confidence in their operations.
Mr Mati disclosed that the ARB Apex Bank would soon handle an insurance business for the rural banks.
On the proposed merger of rural banks, he said two applications had been received from the Western and Central Regions, explaining that the merger concept was aimed at fighting the competition and improving on service delivery in view of capital constraints in the financial market. The Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kobla Adjaho commended the bank for playing a utility role in the provision of banking services to a typical rural setting.
He urged all beneficiaries of the bank to endeavour to be faithful by paying back their loans to enable it to expand its services.
The asset base of the bank also grew from GH¢2,954,583 in 2008 to GH¢4,266,689 in 2009.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI announced this at the 15th annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of the bank at Ziope last weekend.
He disclosed that the directors had proposed a dividend of GH¢0.016 per share totalling GH61,191 to be paid to shareholders, rated as a yield per share of 32 per cent, which is far in excess of the interest on treasury bills of the Government of Ghana.
Togbe Lawluvi said the growing profit and interest margins of the bank should encourage more investments in the bank.
He, however, stated that the achievements were against new challenges in the banking sector where the influx of banks and other financial institutions had created more floating customers with no loyalty into the system.
Togbe Lawluvi said the deposits of floating customers were highly unstable and that credit extended to them became extremely difficult to recover.
The board chairman underscored the need for capitalisation to enable the bank to absorb more risks and underwrite more businesses, adding that as an emerging oil economy, business opportunities were likely to increase and it would take higher capital levels to do such businesses.
He also said if the bank was able to increase stated capital to GH¢1,000,000 by the close of 2011, it might be spared regulatory sanctions and the necessity to merge with or to be acquired by any rural or community bank.
The manager in charge of risk and business development of the ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Newton S. Mati, said notwithstanding the achievements, rural banks still had a lot more to do in respect of organisational and operational restructuring, especially in the area of migration from manual operations to embracing Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He said effective deposit mobilisation and credit administration, cost control and reduction were salient to meet the challenges of the changing competitive and turbulent business environment.
Mr Mati advised rural and community banks to consider setting up desks on ICT, share registry management, accounts and transactions reconciliation, internal audit, research and marketing as well as administration.
He stated that those units would further strengthen the rural banking system and enhance public confidence in their operations.
Mr Mati disclosed that the ARB Apex Bank would soon handle an insurance business for the rural banks.
On the proposed merger of rural banks, he said two applications had been received from the Western and Central Regions, explaining that the merger concept was aimed at fighting the competition and improving on service delivery in view of capital constraints in the financial market. The Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kobla Adjaho commended the bank for playing a utility role in the provision of banking services to a typical rural setting.
He urged all beneficiaries of the bank to endeavour to be faithful by paying back their loans to enable it to expand its services.
UNITY RURAL BANK DECLARES GHC167,992 PROFIT (PAGE 35, OCT 20, 2010)
THE Unity Rural Bank at Ziope, the sole banking institution in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District in the Volta Region, declared profit after tax of GH¢167,992 last year as against GH¢99,614 it made in 2008.
The asset base of the bank also grew from GH¢2,954,583 in 2008 to GH¢4,266,689 in 2009.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI announced this at the 15th annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of the bank at Ziope last weekend.
He disclosed that the directors had proposed a dividend of GH¢0.016 per share totalling GH61,191 to be paid to shareholders, rated as a yield per share of 32 per cent, which is far in excess of the interest on treasury bills of the Government of Ghana.
Togbe Lawluvi said the growing profit and interest margins of the bank should encourage more investments in the bank.
He, however, stated that the achievements were against new challenges in the banking sector where the influx of banks and other financial institutions had created more floating customers with no loyalty into the system.
Togbe Lawluvi said the deposits of floating customers were highly unstable and that credit extended to them became extremely difficult to recover.
The board chairman underscored the need for capitalisation to enable the bank to absorb more risks and underwrite more businesses, adding that as an emerging oil economy, business opportunities were likely to increase and it would take higher capital levels to do such businesses.
He also said if the bank was able to increase stated capital to GH¢1,000,000 by the close of 2011, it might be spared regulatory sanctions and the necessity to merge with or to be acquired by any rural or community bank.
The manager in charge of risk and business development of the ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Newton S. Mati, said notwithstanding the achievements, rural banks still had a lot more to do in respect of organisational and operational restructuring, especially in the area of migration from manual operations to embracing Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He said effective deposit mobilisation and credit administration, cost control and reduction were salient to meet the challenges of the changing competitive and turbulent business environment.
Mr Mati advised rural and community banks to consider setting up desks on ICT, share registry management, accounts and transactions reconciliation, internal audit, research and marketing as well as administration.
He stated that those units would further strengthen the rural banking system and enhance public confidence in their operations.
Mr Mati disclosed that the ARB Apex Bank would soon handle an insurance business for the rural banks.
On the proposed merger of rural banks, he said two applications had been received from the Western and Central Regions, explaining that the merger concept was aimed at fighting the competition and improving on service delivery in view of capital constraints in the financial market. The Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kobla Adjaho commended the bank for playing a utility role in the provision of banking services to a typical rural setting.
He urged all beneficiaries of the bank to endeavour to be faithful by paying back their loans to enable it to expand its services.
The asset base of the bank also grew from GH¢2,954,583 in 2008 to GH¢4,266,689 in 2009.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI announced this at the 15th annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders of the bank at Ziope last weekend.
He disclosed that the directors had proposed a dividend of GH¢0.016 per share totalling GH61,191 to be paid to shareholders, rated as a yield per share of 32 per cent, which is far in excess of the interest on treasury bills of the Government of Ghana.
Togbe Lawluvi said the growing profit and interest margins of the bank should encourage more investments in the bank.
He, however, stated that the achievements were against new challenges in the banking sector where the influx of banks and other financial institutions had created more floating customers with no loyalty into the system.
Togbe Lawluvi said the deposits of floating customers were highly unstable and that credit extended to them became extremely difficult to recover.
The board chairman underscored the need for capitalisation to enable the bank to absorb more risks and underwrite more businesses, adding that as an emerging oil economy, business opportunities were likely to increase and it would take higher capital levels to do such businesses.
He also said if the bank was able to increase stated capital to GH¢1,000,000 by the close of 2011, it might be spared regulatory sanctions and the necessity to merge with or to be acquired by any rural or community bank.
The manager in charge of risk and business development of the ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Newton S. Mati, said notwithstanding the achievements, rural banks still had a lot more to do in respect of organisational and operational restructuring, especially in the area of migration from manual operations to embracing Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
He said effective deposit mobilisation and credit administration, cost control and reduction were salient to meet the challenges of the changing competitive and turbulent business environment.
Mr Mati advised rural and community banks to consider setting up desks on ICT, share registry management, accounts and transactions reconciliation, internal audit, research and marketing as well as administration.
He stated that those units would further strengthen the rural banking system and enhance public confidence in their operations.
Mr Mati disclosed that the ARB Apex Bank would soon handle an insurance business for the rural banks.
On the proposed merger of rural banks, he said two applications had been received from the Western and Central Regions, explaining that the merger concept was aimed at fighting the competition and improving on service delivery in view of capital constraints in the financial market. The Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kobla Adjaho commended the bank for playing a utility role in the provision of banking services to a typical rural setting.
He urged all beneficiaries of the bank to endeavour to be faithful by paying back their loans to enable it to expand its services.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
NGO ASSITS HOHOE CHILDREN TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS (PAGE 42, OCT 18, 2010)
A PROJECT aimed at empowering children to know their rights and report abuses to the appropriate quarters has started in 10 communities in the Hohoe Municipality in the Volta Region.
The project is being implemented by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), CareNET (Ghana), with funding from Plan Ghana.
The beneficiary communities are Likpe-Abrani, Likpe-Mate, Santrokofi- Bume, Fodome-Amle, Fodome-Kodzeto, Alavanyo-Abehenase, Ve-Wudome, Liati-Wote, Nyagbo-Odumase and Kpeve-Tornu.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at Ho, the Country Director of CareNet (Ghana), Mr Patrick Ahumah, said Rights of the Child (ROC) clubs had been formed in the communities.
He stated that a special logo had been designed for posting at vantage points in the communities to direct children to where they could report their stories of abuses.
Mr Ahumah said trained counsellors were at the vantage points to receive complaints from abused children and help them to make their grievances known to the police and other law enforcement agencies such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU).
Mr Ahumah said it was expected that in the long term, the counsellors would be able to track down cases of abuse to make cases more authentic and documented to inform stakeholders on action and necessary deterrents.
The project is being implemented by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), CareNET (Ghana), with funding from Plan Ghana.
The beneficiary communities are Likpe-Abrani, Likpe-Mate, Santrokofi- Bume, Fodome-Amle, Fodome-Kodzeto, Alavanyo-Abehenase, Ve-Wudome, Liati-Wote, Nyagbo-Odumase and Kpeve-Tornu.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at Ho, the Country Director of CareNet (Ghana), Mr Patrick Ahumah, said Rights of the Child (ROC) clubs had been formed in the communities.
He stated that a special logo had been designed for posting at vantage points in the communities to direct children to where they could report their stories of abuses.
Mr Ahumah said trained counsellors were at the vantage points to receive complaints from abused children and help them to make their grievances known to the police and other law enforcement agencies such as the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU).
Mr Ahumah said it was expected that in the long term, the counsellors would be able to track down cases of abuse to make cases more authentic and documented to inform stakeholders on action and necessary deterrents.
NGO TO THE RESCUE OF TRAFFICKED CHILDREN (PAGE 42, OCT 18, 2010)
A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation (NGO), Community Development Concern (CDC), in partnership with Madamfo Ghana Foundation, has embarked on a programme to rescue trafficked children in Awate-Tornu and Wusuta-Kpebe in the Kpando District of the Volta Region.
The Executive Director of CDC, Mrs Joycelyn Akorfa Dotse-Ochlich, lamented that those children were asked by fishermen to dive to disentangle fishing nets that got stuck onto tree stumps in the Volta Lake, noting that sometimes some of the children got drowned.
According to her, because most of the children did not attend school, they were maltreated by their slave masters, adding that some of them were even used in fish processing and smoking.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich said the rescued children had been placed in temporary homes while investigations were being carried out to trace their real parents.
She said the identified parents would be counselled, supported with basic economic empowerment and encouraged to take their children home.
She stated that the children had been enrolled in schools and that their school fees and needs were being paid for by Madamfo Ghana Foundation.
She said apart from the rescue activities, some fishermen had been trained by the Ministry of Fisheries in Ho to undertake controlled fish farming in the lake as an alternative source of livelihood.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich added that 21 fish cages, each containing 5,000 fingerlings, were to be supplied to the fishermen in groups.
Three boreholes had also been constructed for the two communities.
The Executive Director of CDC, Mrs Joycelyn Akorfa Dotse-Ochlich, lamented that those children were asked by fishermen to dive to disentangle fishing nets that got stuck onto tree stumps in the Volta Lake, noting that sometimes some of the children got drowned.
According to her, because most of the children did not attend school, they were maltreated by their slave masters, adding that some of them were even used in fish processing and smoking.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich said the rescued children had been placed in temporary homes while investigations were being carried out to trace their real parents.
She said the identified parents would be counselled, supported with basic economic empowerment and encouraged to take their children home.
She stated that the children had been enrolled in schools and that their school fees and needs were being paid for by Madamfo Ghana Foundation.
She said apart from the rescue activities, some fishermen had been trained by the Ministry of Fisheries in Ho to undertake controlled fish farming in the lake as an alternative source of livelihood.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich added that 21 fish cages, each containing 5,000 fingerlings, were to be supplied to the fishermen in groups.
Three boreholes had also been constructed for the two communities.
NEW HOPE FOR EASTER CORRIDOR ROAD (PAGE 42, OCT 18, 2010)
ACCORDING to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) classification of roads in the country, the eastern corridor road stretches from the Tema Roundabout through Kpong, Atimpoku, Asikuma Junction, Peki, Kpeve, Have, Hohoe, Jasikan, Kadjebi, Nkwanta, Damanko to Yendi and beyond in the Northern Region.
A survey conducted by the GHA has revealed that the route from Tamale through Yendi, Nkwanta, Kadjebi, Jasikan and Hohoe to Accra is shorter by 70 kilometres than using the route that passes through Kumasi to Accra.
In fact, it is a major road network which is closer to the eastern border of the country and has overwhelming influence on the political and socio-economic lives regarding the movement of people in Ghana, Togo, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Over the years, the construction of this important road has been used as a propaganda tool to win votes by political parties but nothing fruitful has come out of it.
Ad hoc measures have been applied on road rehabilitation and construction, with the excuse that there is no money.
The road from Kpeve through Hohoe to Kadjebi is almost impassable because of big potholes that have developed on it.
From Kadjebi up north is a nightmare because majority of vehicles travelling on the route get stuck in the mud of the untarred road during the rainy season. It is still happening today because nothing has changed. If anything at all, the old pains still persist.
Landlocked countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso desire to convey their domestic and industrial cargo through this route but that cannot be.
Some years ago, the government mounted a big signpost at the junction opposite the residence of the Nkwanta District Chief Executive that the road had been awarded to a foreign contractor for development, but after the end of that regime and subsequent ones, nothing has happened and the people have been left to continue wallowing in poverty and political deceit.
In fact, the condition of life in the northern sector of the Volta Region, which is the major gateway to northern Ghana and the food basket of the nation, cannot be taken for granted because the suffering there is real.
The area is the forest zone of the Volta Region which produces cocoa, timber and other valued forest products, but it is a pity that the people have been neglected, despite their immense contribution to the national economy over the years.
The recent visit by President John Atta Mills to strike the deal on road construction from “Hohoe to Kunlungugu” made a good reading when it was published in the Daily Graphic of September 30, this year.
The story stated that the project would be executed under a Japanese grant and not a loan. According to the basics of political economy, a grant is not a loan which the beneficiary is expected to pay back with interest over some years. It is believed to be “free money” sourced from international magnanimity.
The question, then, is, “When is the grant going to take effect because the people along the eastern corridor are facing the worst form of poverty following the collapse of the cocoa industry?”
They have not been able to diversify the rural economy, a situation that has led to the migration of settler farmers, with its attendant capital flight, leaving a lot of communities to decay.
A survey conducted by the GHA has revealed that the route from Tamale through Yendi, Nkwanta, Kadjebi, Jasikan and Hohoe to Accra is shorter by 70 kilometres than using the route that passes through Kumasi to Accra.
In fact, it is a major road network which is closer to the eastern border of the country and has overwhelming influence on the political and socio-economic lives regarding the movement of people in Ghana, Togo, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Over the years, the construction of this important road has been used as a propaganda tool to win votes by political parties but nothing fruitful has come out of it.
Ad hoc measures have been applied on road rehabilitation and construction, with the excuse that there is no money.
The road from Kpeve through Hohoe to Kadjebi is almost impassable because of big potholes that have developed on it.
From Kadjebi up north is a nightmare because majority of vehicles travelling on the route get stuck in the mud of the untarred road during the rainy season. It is still happening today because nothing has changed. If anything at all, the old pains still persist.
Landlocked countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso desire to convey their domestic and industrial cargo through this route but that cannot be.
Some years ago, the government mounted a big signpost at the junction opposite the residence of the Nkwanta District Chief Executive that the road had been awarded to a foreign contractor for development, but after the end of that regime and subsequent ones, nothing has happened and the people have been left to continue wallowing in poverty and political deceit.
In fact, the condition of life in the northern sector of the Volta Region, which is the major gateway to northern Ghana and the food basket of the nation, cannot be taken for granted because the suffering there is real.
The area is the forest zone of the Volta Region which produces cocoa, timber and other valued forest products, but it is a pity that the people have been neglected, despite their immense contribution to the national economy over the years.
The recent visit by President John Atta Mills to strike the deal on road construction from “Hohoe to Kunlungugu” made a good reading when it was published in the Daily Graphic of September 30, this year.
The story stated that the project would be executed under a Japanese grant and not a loan. According to the basics of political economy, a grant is not a loan which the beneficiary is expected to pay back with interest over some years. It is believed to be “free money” sourced from international magnanimity.
The question, then, is, “When is the grant going to take effect because the people along the eastern corridor are facing the worst form of poverty following the collapse of the cocoa industry?”
They have not been able to diversify the rural economy, a situation that has led to the migration of settler farmers, with its attendant capital flight, leaving a lot of communities to decay.
GONIKOPE ELECTORAL AREA LAUDS MP (PAGE 13, OCT 16, 20100
THE Chiefs and people, Assemblymembers and Stakeholders of the Gonikope electoral area in the Akatsi district have expressed their appreciation to their Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Doe Adjaho, on efforts to provide them with a new dam.
The new dam, according to the incumbent Assembly Woman, Ms Comfort Goni, will facilitate the cultivation of okra, garden eggs and other vegetables all year round.
Ms Goni who was speaking to the Daily Graphic said the people lauded the MP who is also the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, adding that her re-election to the District Assembly will add more vigour to the efforts of the MP to make the construction of the new dam a big success.
The Assemblywoman, who is a businesswoman and a past student of Keta Senior High School, reaffirmed her commitment to the development of the electoral area and called on the electorate to renew her mandate to enable her fulfil their aspirations on development.
The new dam, according to the incumbent Assembly Woman, Ms Comfort Goni, will facilitate the cultivation of okra, garden eggs and other vegetables all year round.
Ms Goni who was speaking to the Daily Graphic said the people lauded the MP who is also the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, adding that her re-election to the District Assembly will add more vigour to the efforts of the MP to make the construction of the new dam a big success.
The Assemblywoman, who is a businesswoman and a past student of Keta Senior High School, reaffirmed her commitment to the development of the electoral area and called on the electorate to renew her mandate to enable her fulfil their aspirations on development.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
MEET FEMALE ASPIRANTS FROM VOLTA REGION (PAGE 11, OCT 14, 2010)
Ms Dorcas Felicia Ackuaku who is a 54-year old teacher and co-ordinator for higher education in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Volta Region intends to contest the assembly elections in the Loboli electoral area, which covers the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) flats area in Ho.
She said her aim was to help motivate the youth by engaging them in clean-up exercises to keep the area clean. She said gutters were often choked and environmental conditions deplorable.
She said if given the nod, she would institute a special levy to promote cleanliness and mobilised the youth to clean streets, gutters and bushy surroundings and be paid from the special levy.
Ms Ackuaku stated that although the residents lived in the community as brothers and sisters with a common destiny, they did not communicate very well among themselves, which was not the best. She said she would work to promote harmony, friendliness through the organisation of social gatherings among the people.
She said she would provide functional leadership skills to fill the communication gap by improving on channels of communication among the people at various levels. “We don’t have a chief so my leadership skills will fill the gap” she said.
Ms Ackuaku appealed to the people to vote for her to enable her to make significant contributions to the assembly’s deliberations and work in partnership with other organisations to protect the rights of all citizens.
Madam Josephine Asigbetse, a 52-year-old day care centre attendant at Alavanyo-Kpeme who is contesting the assembly’s elections in the Alavanyo-Kpeme Electoral Area in the Hohoe District has promised to attend to problems confronting the community, especially school children, youth, elders and women.
She said with support from family members, philanthropists and other organisations, she intends to provide a water closet system for the area adding that she would lobby for the extension of potable water to the secondary and technical schools, especially the Evangelical Presbyterian Technical Training Centre in the area.
If given the nod, she would also solicit the support of the district assembly and non-governmental organisations to create more job opportunities for the unemployed youth in the electoral area.
According to the aspirant, she has helped in the construction of a market for the community and had served on the Alavanyo/ Nkonya peace building committee, stressing that her election to the assembly will re-inforce the bid to campaign for peace on a sustainable basis.
Madam Asigbetse promises to fulfil these promises with the unflinching support of community and opinion leaders, related organisations and individuals, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and the all members of the electoral area.
Madam Rose Kwao is a 54- year old businesswoman aspiring to contest the assembly’s elections in the Kpassa Electoral Area in the Nkwanta- North District of the Volta Region. She is an incumbent assemblywoman serving as a government appointee and she intends to contest the district assembly elections to retain her membership in the assembly.
She said her major concern was to provide support for victims of teenage pregnancy and young girls who are pushed into early marriages stressing that, if given the nod, she would launch a vigorous campaign against early marriages and encourage the youth to take their education seriously and stay away from pre-marital sex to curb the incidence of teenage pregnancy.
She said she would also lobby the appropriate agencies and institutions to extend telecommunication facilities to the area adding that she would work in collaboration with the assembly and lobby the local authority for the provision of public places of convenience in the area to address the poor sanitation condition of the electoral area.
Madam Kwao appealed to the electorate and all Ghanaians to vote for other female contestants in the upcoming assembly elections to improve on the low representation of women in the district assemblies .
Ms Isabella Akpeta, the Aspirant for the Tapa-Alavanyo Supawkese Electoral Area in the Biakoye District, is a 50 -year old teacher, who intends to contest in the district assembly elections. She said if given the nod she would lobby the assembly to extend potable water to various communities in the electoral area in support of the fight against the spread of water-borne diseases.
She said she would help improve on transportation in the area to enhance the haulage of foodstuffs from the rural communities to marketing centres. She would also provide farmers with a sustainable market for their farm produce.
According to her she had organised various campaigns against child trafficking and child labour with the support of non-governmental organisations. She stressed that since women constituted more than half of the country’s population, it was important to involve more women in decision-making to ensure balanced development.
She said there was the need to elect very active members to serve in the newly created Biakoye District to ensure the development of the area and appealed to the electorate to vote for her to serve their needs.
She said her aim was to help motivate the youth by engaging them in clean-up exercises to keep the area clean. She said gutters were often choked and environmental conditions deplorable.
She said if given the nod, she would institute a special levy to promote cleanliness and mobilised the youth to clean streets, gutters and bushy surroundings and be paid from the special levy.
Ms Ackuaku stated that although the residents lived in the community as brothers and sisters with a common destiny, they did not communicate very well among themselves, which was not the best. She said she would work to promote harmony, friendliness through the organisation of social gatherings among the people.
She said she would provide functional leadership skills to fill the communication gap by improving on channels of communication among the people at various levels. “We don’t have a chief so my leadership skills will fill the gap” she said.
Ms Ackuaku appealed to the people to vote for her to enable her to make significant contributions to the assembly’s deliberations and work in partnership with other organisations to protect the rights of all citizens.
Madam Josephine Asigbetse, a 52-year-old day care centre attendant at Alavanyo-Kpeme who is contesting the assembly’s elections in the Alavanyo-Kpeme Electoral Area in the Hohoe District has promised to attend to problems confronting the community, especially school children, youth, elders and women.
She said with support from family members, philanthropists and other organisations, she intends to provide a water closet system for the area adding that she would lobby for the extension of potable water to the secondary and technical schools, especially the Evangelical Presbyterian Technical Training Centre in the area.
If given the nod, she would also solicit the support of the district assembly and non-governmental organisations to create more job opportunities for the unemployed youth in the electoral area.
According to the aspirant, she has helped in the construction of a market for the community and had served on the Alavanyo/ Nkonya peace building committee, stressing that her election to the assembly will re-inforce the bid to campaign for peace on a sustainable basis.
Madam Asigbetse promises to fulfil these promises with the unflinching support of community and opinion leaders, related organisations and individuals, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, and the all members of the electoral area.
Madam Rose Kwao is a 54- year old businesswoman aspiring to contest the assembly’s elections in the Kpassa Electoral Area in the Nkwanta- North District of the Volta Region. She is an incumbent assemblywoman serving as a government appointee and she intends to contest the district assembly elections to retain her membership in the assembly.
She said her major concern was to provide support for victims of teenage pregnancy and young girls who are pushed into early marriages stressing that, if given the nod, she would launch a vigorous campaign against early marriages and encourage the youth to take their education seriously and stay away from pre-marital sex to curb the incidence of teenage pregnancy.
She said she would also lobby the appropriate agencies and institutions to extend telecommunication facilities to the area adding that she would work in collaboration with the assembly and lobby the local authority for the provision of public places of convenience in the area to address the poor sanitation condition of the electoral area.
Madam Kwao appealed to the electorate and all Ghanaians to vote for other female contestants in the upcoming assembly elections to improve on the low representation of women in the district assemblies .
Ms Isabella Akpeta, the Aspirant for the Tapa-Alavanyo Supawkese Electoral Area in the Biakoye District, is a 50 -year old teacher, who intends to contest in the district assembly elections. She said if given the nod she would lobby the assembly to extend potable water to various communities in the electoral area in support of the fight against the spread of water-borne diseases.
She said she would help improve on transportation in the area to enhance the haulage of foodstuffs from the rural communities to marketing centres. She would also provide farmers with a sustainable market for their farm produce.
According to her she had organised various campaigns against child trafficking and child labour with the support of non-governmental organisations. She stressed that since women constituted more than half of the country’s population, it was important to involve more women in decision-making to ensure balanced development.
She said there was the need to elect very active members to serve in the newly created Biakoye District to ensure the development of the area and appealed to the electorate to vote for her to serve their needs.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
60,000 FARMERS GET TRAINING IN AGRIC PRODUCTION (BACK PAGE, OCT 9, 2010)
SIXTY thousand farmers in the country have benefited from various training programmes initiated by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) for increased agricultural production.
Additionally, each of the farmers received a starter package of $230 for the cultivation of an acre of farmland.
According to an official of the MiDA, Nana Owusu Ofori, the package also included free clearance of land that had led to increased productivity by more than 50 per cent.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a regional workshop for stakeholders from seven participating districts in the MiDA project in Ho last Thursday, Nana Ofori, who works at the community and public outreach department of MiDA, said the mindset of farmers had changed from subsistence to commercial and business farming methods.
He said farmers had found real value in the linkages existing between agricultural credit, cultivation, transportation and rural development with the application of irrigation, information and communication technology (ICT), first-class roads modern infrastructure, among others.
Nana Ofori mentioned a floating dock at Akosombo and two new ferries at Ekye Amanfrom and Adeiso and the uprooting of tree stumps from the Volta Lake to expand the water way for navigation and the construction of a-75 km first-class road from Donkorkrom to Asante-Akyem as some of the achievements under the transportation component of the project .
“The interventions were all aimed at opening up the area for trade”, he emphasised, adding that the authority will work with established institutions at the district and institutional levels to perform their mandate.
Opening the workshop, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLRD), Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, said the project was crucial to achieving the aims of the decentralisation programme.
In an address, the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr Vincent Adzato-Ntem, said the workshop was an opportunity for participants to make the MiDA interventions impact positively on their lives.
He asked them to reposition themselves to ensure that the objectives were achieved and sustained after the project, adding that what was essential was that the beneficiaries must be able to embrace and own the projects.
Additionally, each of the farmers received a starter package of $230 for the cultivation of an acre of farmland.
According to an official of the MiDA, Nana Owusu Ofori, the package also included free clearance of land that had led to increased productivity by more than 50 per cent.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a regional workshop for stakeholders from seven participating districts in the MiDA project in Ho last Thursday, Nana Ofori, who works at the community and public outreach department of MiDA, said the mindset of farmers had changed from subsistence to commercial and business farming methods.
He said farmers had found real value in the linkages existing between agricultural credit, cultivation, transportation and rural development with the application of irrigation, information and communication technology (ICT), first-class roads modern infrastructure, among others.
Nana Ofori mentioned a floating dock at Akosombo and two new ferries at Ekye Amanfrom and Adeiso and the uprooting of tree stumps from the Volta Lake to expand the water way for navigation and the construction of a-75 km first-class road from Donkorkrom to Asante-Akyem as some of the achievements under the transportation component of the project .
“The interventions were all aimed at opening up the area for trade”, he emphasised, adding that the authority will work with established institutions at the district and institutional levels to perform their mandate.
Opening the workshop, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLRD), Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, said the project was crucial to achieving the aims of the decentralisation programme.
In an address, the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr Vincent Adzato-Ntem, said the workshop was an opportunity for participants to make the MiDA interventions impact positively on their lives.
He asked them to reposition themselves to ensure that the objectives were achieved and sustained after the project, adding that what was essential was that the beneficiaries must be able to embrace and own the projects.
Friday, October 8, 2010
SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR PUPILS IN SOUTH DAYI (MIRROR, PAGE 31, OCT 9, 2010)
From Tim Dzamboe, Peki-Agbateh
THE promise to provide free school uniforms to pupils of basic education schools was fulfilled in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region when more than 200 pupils in three deprived schools were given their share last Wednesday.
The schools were the Peki –Agbateh Local Authority (LA) primary school, Sanga primary school and the Kpeyibome Primary School.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Cyril Necku (rtd), led a team from the South-Dayi District Assembly and the district office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to distribute the uniforms at the various schools.
Addressing the pupils, Col. Necku said they should be grateful to the President for keeping faith with the people adding that it was the turn of the pupils to utilise the gesture to enable them get to the highest level of the educational ladder.
The South- Dayi District Chief Executive, Mr Kafui Bekui said the supply of school uniforms was in line with the tenets of investing in people through relevant support to increase the human resource capacity for development.
He, therefore, advised the pupils to adopt good morals to be part of their schooling career and that parents should not renege on their responsibilities towards child care because of government interventions.
The District Director of GES, Mrs Veronica Adzato-Ntem, said pupils with regular attendance to school were likely to enjoy the facility.
She appealed to the district assembly to help to renovate the school which was constructed in 1973 and had not seen any renovation since then.
For his part the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Kanyi, urged the pupils to be motivated with the supply of the uniforms to study hard and that they should not misuse them.
THE promise to provide free school uniforms to pupils of basic education schools was fulfilled in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region when more than 200 pupils in three deprived schools were given their share last Wednesday.
The schools were the Peki –Agbateh Local Authority (LA) primary school, Sanga primary school and the Kpeyibome Primary School.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Cyril Necku (rtd), led a team from the South-Dayi District Assembly and the district office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to distribute the uniforms at the various schools.
Addressing the pupils, Col. Necku said they should be grateful to the President for keeping faith with the people adding that it was the turn of the pupils to utilise the gesture to enable them get to the highest level of the educational ladder.
The South- Dayi District Chief Executive, Mr Kafui Bekui said the supply of school uniforms was in line with the tenets of investing in people through relevant support to increase the human resource capacity for development.
He, therefore, advised the pupils to adopt good morals to be part of their schooling career and that parents should not renege on their responsibilities towards child care because of government interventions.
The District Director of GES, Mrs Veronica Adzato-Ntem, said pupils with regular attendance to school were likely to enjoy the facility.
She appealed to the district assembly to help to renovate the school which was constructed in 1973 and had not seen any renovation since then.
For his part the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Kanyi, urged the pupils to be motivated with the supply of the uniforms to study hard and that they should not misuse them.
REFRAIN FROM CHIEFTAINCY, LAND DISPUTES — NEECKU (PAGE 13, OCT 7, 2010)
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Cyril Necku (retd), has asked traditional authorities to refrain from chieftaincy and land disputes because they impede national development.
He urged them to rather adopt virtues that would engender the harmonious relationship needed for development.
He also asked them to continue giving prime consideration to their festivals in order to protect rich cultural values associated with these festivals.
He said festivals would enhance the tourism potential of their areas and enable them to depart from mere flamboyant celebrations.
Col. Necku said this when he addressed a rally of the chiefs and people of Dzodze to commemorate the ninth edition of the “Deza” or Oil Palm Festival at Dzodze last weekend.
It was held on the theme, “ Urban Council Status, Benefits to the Community?”
He advised the chiefs to use each festive occasion to reflect on themes set for the previous festival in order to chart a consistent path in building a good heritage for the youth.
In an address, the Ketu-North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kofi Lawson, underscored the relevance of a strong urban council. He said the council played a pivotal role in decentralisation and the overall development of the district assembly concept. He indicated that the sub–district structures were inundated with operational problems that needed bold measures in their solution.
Mr Lawson asked chiefs and assembly members to bury their differences to enable them to nominate representatives to the Water and Sanitation Board since their people did not have adequate water facilities.
The DCE for Ketu-South, Mr Frank Bernard Amable, disclosed that five districts in the Southern Volta were brainstorming on how to extend pipe-borne water from the Sogakope headworks to communities in Ketu-North, Ketu-South, Akatsi, Keta and Sogakope districts.
He asked them to revive the communal spirit using the platforms of religious bodies and added that chiefs should spearhead development in their communities.
In a welcoming address, the vice-chairman of the festival planning committee, Mr Moses Azaglo, said the festival had revived enthusiasm and reawakened their zeal to cultivate oil palm as their source of livelihood.
He appealed for more oil palm seedlings to meet the high interest in oil palm cultivation.
He urged them to rather adopt virtues that would engender the harmonious relationship needed for development.
He also asked them to continue giving prime consideration to their festivals in order to protect rich cultural values associated with these festivals.
He said festivals would enhance the tourism potential of their areas and enable them to depart from mere flamboyant celebrations.
Col. Necku said this when he addressed a rally of the chiefs and people of Dzodze to commemorate the ninth edition of the “Deza” or Oil Palm Festival at Dzodze last weekend.
It was held on the theme, “ Urban Council Status, Benefits to the Community?”
He advised the chiefs to use each festive occasion to reflect on themes set for the previous festival in order to chart a consistent path in building a good heritage for the youth.
In an address, the Ketu-North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kofi Lawson, underscored the relevance of a strong urban council. He said the council played a pivotal role in decentralisation and the overall development of the district assembly concept. He indicated that the sub–district structures were inundated with operational problems that needed bold measures in their solution.
Mr Lawson asked chiefs and assembly members to bury their differences to enable them to nominate representatives to the Water and Sanitation Board since their people did not have adequate water facilities.
The DCE for Ketu-South, Mr Frank Bernard Amable, disclosed that five districts in the Southern Volta were brainstorming on how to extend pipe-borne water from the Sogakope headworks to communities in Ketu-North, Ketu-South, Akatsi, Keta and Sogakope districts.
He asked them to revive the communal spirit using the platforms of religious bodies and added that chiefs should spearhead development in their communities.
In a welcoming address, the vice-chairman of the festival planning committee, Mr Moses Azaglo, said the festival had revived enthusiasm and reawakened their zeal to cultivate oil palm as their source of livelihood.
He appealed for more oil palm seedlings to meet the high interest in oil palm cultivation.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
PARENTS, CHILDREN MUST HAVE MUTUAL RELATIONS (PAGE 35, OCT 7, 2010)
THE South Dayi District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kafui Bekui, has advocated sound and mutual relationships between aged parents and their children in order to ward off the imaginary attitude of irresponsibility towards aged parents in the communities.
He said some aged parents ridiculed and cursed their children for non-remittances because the children were regarded as the parents’ front-line caretakers who had failed, adding that, that situation led to the collapse of the extended family system.
Mr Bekui said the youth should rather be motivated to make them less suspicious of the aged and be made more responsible.
The DCE was addressing a rally of the aged drawn from six communities in the South Dayi and Hohoe districts in the Volta Region in connection with the celebration of the United Nations Day of older persons.
The event was under the auspices of HelpAge Ghana.
Mr Bekui pledged the support of the district assembly in considering the grievances of the aged to enhance their living standards.
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, Ms Emelia Menorkpor, said the programme was being implemented in the Ho and Keta municipalities, the Jasikan, Krachi East, Ketu South, Nkwanta North, Nkwanta South, North Tongu and South Tongu districts.
She said it would be expanded to cover communities in the South Dayi District and urged the aged not to despair but encourage the younger ones to prepare for their old age, which was inevitable unless one died before then.
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the Older Citizens Project Management Committee, Madam Agnes Broni, said HelpAge Ghana had helped in training 24 paralegals to deal with legal issues in the communities.
She also said 180 older people had been trained to monitor the health and pension issues of their fellow older people in six communities under a campaign code-named “Action demands action” which operated across many different countries.
Madam Broni said the campaign had the vision of bringing older people together to decide on issues that were most pressing to them as a group.
A representative of the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Cosmos Yeboah, said old people were misconstrued as being witches and wizards, stressing that the youth who labelled the aged as such could equally be labelled as descendants of those witches and wizards.
He said some aged parents ridiculed and cursed their children for non-remittances because the children were regarded as the parents’ front-line caretakers who had failed, adding that, that situation led to the collapse of the extended family system.
Mr Bekui said the youth should rather be motivated to make them less suspicious of the aged and be made more responsible.
The DCE was addressing a rally of the aged drawn from six communities in the South Dayi and Hohoe districts in the Volta Region in connection with the celebration of the United Nations Day of older persons.
The event was under the auspices of HelpAge Ghana.
Mr Bekui pledged the support of the district assembly in considering the grievances of the aged to enhance their living standards.
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, Ms Emelia Menorkpor, said the programme was being implemented in the Ho and Keta municipalities, the Jasikan, Krachi East, Ketu South, Nkwanta North, Nkwanta South, North Tongu and South Tongu districts.
She said it would be expanded to cover communities in the South Dayi District and urged the aged not to despair but encourage the younger ones to prepare for their old age, which was inevitable unless one died before then.
The Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the Older Citizens Project Management Committee, Madam Agnes Broni, said HelpAge Ghana had helped in training 24 paralegals to deal with legal issues in the communities.
She also said 180 older people had been trained to monitor the health and pension issues of their fellow older people in six communities under a campaign code-named “Action demands action” which operated across many different countries.
Madam Broni said the campaign had the vision of bringing older people together to decide on issues that were most pressing to them as a group.
A representative of the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Cosmos Yeboah, said old people were misconstrued as being witches and wizards, stressing that the youth who labelled the aged as such could equally be labelled as descendants of those witches and wizards.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
CURED LEPERS AT HO GET CLINIC (PAGE 35, OCT 5, 2010)
A CLINIC to cater for the health needs of cured lepers discharged from the Ho Leprosarium has been inaugurated at Ho.
The facility, constructed at the cost of GH¢65,000 and christened the Bonita Cured Lepers Clinic, was provided under the auspices of a non-governmental organisation, Cured Lepers Foundation, with joint sponsorship from the Bonita Foundation and Madamfo Ghana Foundations of Germany.
In an inaugural address, a director of the Cured Lepers Foundation, Mrs Joycelyn Akorfa Dotse-Ochlich, expressed gratitude to the sponsors for coming to the aid of the extremely deprived in the society.
She said there was the need to construct a skill training centre for economic empowerment of cured lepers and their children so that they could afford to feed and support themselves and stop relying on social donations for survival.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich also appealed for the installation of solar panels at their settlement since they could not afford the payment of electricity bills.
She advocated support to ensure that the children of cured lepers accessed quality education or went into apprenticeship.
The president of Madamfo Ghana Foundation, Ms Bettina Landgrafe, said she was happy to support the lepers and promised to build eight more unit houses for the homeless lepers.
A director of Cured Lepers Foundation from Holland, Mr Jan Meerkerk, presented a motorbike to the caretaker at the Cured Lepers village.
The facility, constructed at the cost of GH¢65,000 and christened the Bonita Cured Lepers Clinic, was provided under the auspices of a non-governmental organisation, Cured Lepers Foundation, with joint sponsorship from the Bonita Foundation and Madamfo Ghana Foundations of Germany.
In an inaugural address, a director of the Cured Lepers Foundation, Mrs Joycelyn Akorfa Dotse-Ochlich, expressed gratitude to the sponsors for coming to the aid of the extremely deprived in the society.
She said there was the need to construct a skill training centre for economic empowerment of cured lepers and their children so that they could afford to feed and support themselves and stop relying on social donations for survival.
Mrs Dotse-Ochlich also appealed for the installation of solar panels at their settlement since they could not afford the payment of electricity bills.
She advocated support to ensure that the children of cured lepers accessed quality education or went into apprenticeship.
The president of Madamfo Ghana Foundation, Ms Bettina Landgrafe, said she was happy to support the lepers and promised to build eight more unit houses for the homeless lepers.
A director of Cured Lepers Foundation from Holland, Mr Jan Meerkerk, presented a motorbike to the caretaker at the Cured Lepers village.
TANYIGBE-ANYIGBE GETS YOUTH CHIEF (PAGE 43, OCT 5, 2010)
THE people of Tanyigbe-Anyigbe in the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region have installed a youth chief, “Sorhefiaga” to be responsible for the mobilisation of the youth to spearhead the development of the four communities in the traditional area.
The chief is Mr Frank Oliver Komla Kpodo, 35, of the purchasing and supply unit of the Ministry of Health in Accra.
In a maiden speech delivered at the introduction ceremony at the court of the Paramount Chief of Tanyigbe Traditional Area, Togbe Kwasi Adiko V, Sorhefiaga Kpodo pledged to unite the people for them to work hard towards the accelerated development of the area.
He called on the youth to reciprocate his pledge by rallying behind him to help develop the area.
The Paramount Chief, Togbe Adiko, advised the new chief to respond promptly to calls and wished him God’s blessings in his leadership adventure.
The chief of Tanyigbe –Etoe, Togbe Komla Danku said the installation of the new chief was a great leap in the governance of the traditional area.
He prayed that his role would be functional to bring the development of the area to a higher pedestal.
The chief is Mr Frank Oliver Komla Kpodo, 35, of the purchasing and supply unit of the Ministry of Health in Accra.
In a maiden speech delivered at the introduction ceremony at the court of the Paramount Chief of Tanyigbe Traditional Area, Togbe Kwasi Adiko V, Sorhefiaga Kpodo pledged to unite the people for them to work hard towards the accelerated development of the area.
He called on the youth to reciprocate his pledge by rallying behind him to help develop the area.
The Paramount Chief, Togbe Adiko, advised the new chief to respond promptly to calls and wished him God’s blessings in his leadership adventure.
The chief of Tanyigbe –Etoe, Togbe Komla Danku said the installation of the new chief was a great leap in the governance of the traditional area.
He prayed that his role would be functional to bring the development of the area to a higher pedestal.
Monday, September 27, 2010
ASOGLI SHOWCASES UNITY AT DURBAR (SPREAD, SEPT 27, 2010)
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)