Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman
THE annual national delegates’ conference of the Women’s Movement of the Apostolic Church of Ghana has ended at Bunso with a call on its members to educate their communities on the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
At the ceremony, the National Secretary of the movement, Deaconess Mary Tagoe, said “it is our responsibility as mothers to help educate members of our communities on the immense benefits of the NHIS to enable the people enjoy affordable and quality health care.
She also asked the women to assist their husbands in all aspects of their work and also be of good conduct in order to draw more people to the church.
The President of the church, Apostle John Annan Adotey, urged politicians to avoid negative and inflammatory pronouncements and tolerate one another’s view as they campaigned in this year’s general elections to sustain the prevailing peace in the country.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
OKYENHENE CALLS FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN ICT (SPREAD)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
THE Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has stressed the need for greater investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at all levels of the country's educational system to enable students and pupils to be abreast of technological advancement.
That, according to him, would enhance the country's human resource base for accelerated development to keep pace with global trends.
The Okyenhene, who made the call at the Eastern Regional Heads of Schools Summit in Koforidua last Saturday, stated that "as a nation aspiring to become competitive in the global village, we cannot neglect the use of ICT at all levels of our educational system to raise the human resource base".
"As corporate owners of this land and its resources, including its human capital development, our ultimate desire should be a heavy investment in ICT in our educational institutions, from the basic to the tertiary levels, to enable our future leaders to become competitive in the global world," Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated.
The summit, which was on the theme, "Transforming schools through e-learning", brought together about 120 participants, including officials of the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, heads of schools and their staff, as well as prospective school owners.
It was organised by e-toys and more, dealers in children’s computers and accessories and other learning products.
According to the Okyenhene, when Ghana gained independence 50 years ago, its development was at par with developed countries such as Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore, which, he said, had relied on technology to achieve their enviable present socio-economic development.
He said while such countries were earnestly using technology to develop their human resource base and infrastructure, Ghana was plagued by frequent changes in government through military take-overs, a situation which, he said, led to the destruction and depreciation of its infrastructure and undermined its human resource development.
According to him, besides such an unfortunate situation, the country's leadership had persistently failed over the years to apply technology to lift the nation from the status of raw production of commodities to that of processing to improve the quality of the products on the export market.
The Okyenhene stated that inadequate use of ICT in our educational system over the years had contributed to the poor delivery of teaching and learning and that such a situation had also affected administrative management, transparency, research work and the delivery of effective and efficient services.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin, therefore, stressed the need for a conscious effort to invest in ICT at all levels of the country's educational system, since ICT had become an indispensable tool for quality teaching and learning, as well as administrative management and research work.
He was of the view that the use of ICT in education, apart from reducing corruption and ensuring transparency, could also enable all Ghanaian children to access quality and affordable education, irrespective of the socio-economic status and geographical location of one's parents.
He commended e-toys and more and its partners for their commitment to making available various ICT tools to schools in the country over the years.
The Eastern Regional Chief Inspector of Schools, Mr Kwasi Omane Yamoah, said since basic education now lasted 11 years and ICT had become a compulsory subject, school proprietors, managers and educational consultants should seriously think of ways of improving teaching and learning in their institutions.
That, he said, could only be achieved by applying ICT to teaching and learning to raise the standard of education in the country.
In her welcoming address, the Executive Vice-President of e-toys and more, Mrs Theresa Sackey, said the summit was organised to provide a platform for stakeholders to gain access to important ICT tools which could be applied to enhance teaching and learning in their institutions, as well as leasing as a financing option for school projects.
THE Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, has stressed the need for greater investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at all levels of the country's educational system to enable students and pupils to be abreast of technological advancement.
That, according to him, would enhance the country's human resource base for accelerated development to keep pace with global trends.
The Okyenhene, who made the call at the Eastern Regional Heads of Schools Summit in Koforidua last Saturday, stated that "as a nation aspiring to become competitive in the global village, we cannot neglect the use of ICT at all levels of our educational system to raise the human resource base".
"As corporate owners of this land and its resources, including its human capital development, our ultimate desire should be a heavy investment in ICT in our educational institutions, from the basic to the tertiary levels, to enable our future leaders to become competitive in the global world," Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated.
The summit, which was on the theme, "Transforming schools through e-learning", brought together about 120 participants, including officials of the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, heads of schools and their staff, as well as prospective school owners.
It was organised by e-toys and more, dealers in children’s computers and accessories and other learning products.
According to the Okyenhene, when Ghana gained independence 50 years ago, its development was at par with developed countries such as Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore, which, he said, had relied on technology to achieve their enviable present socio-economic development.
He said while such countries were earnestly using technology to develop their human resource base and infrastructure, Ghana was plagued by frequent changes in government through military take-overs, a situation which, he said, led to the destruction and depreciation of its infrastructure and undermined its human resource development.
According to him, besides such an unfortunate situation, the country's leadership had persistently failed over the years to apply technology to lift the nation from the status of raw production of commodities to that of processing to improve the quality of the products on the export market.
The Okyenhene stated that inadequate use of ICT in our educational system over the years had contributed to the poor delivery of teaching and learning and that such a situation had also affected administrative management, transparency, research work and the delivery of effective and efficient services.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin, therefore, stressed the need for a conscious effort to invest in ICT at all levels of the country's educational system, since ICT had become an indispensable tool for quality teaching and learning, as well as administrative management and research work.
He was of the view that the use of ICT in education, apart from reducing corruption and ensuring transparency, could also enable all Ghanaian children to access quality and affordable education, irrespective of the socio-economic status and geographical location of one's parents.
He commended e-toys and more and its partners for their commitment to making available various ICT tools to schools in the country over the years.
The Eastern Regional Chief Inspector of Schools, Mr Kwasi Omane Yamoah, said since basic education now lasted 11 years and ICT had become a compulsory subject, school proprietors, managers and educational consultants should seriously think of ways of improving teaching and learning in their institutions.
That, he said, could only be achieved by applying ICT to teaching and learning to raise the standard of education in the country.
In her welcoming address, the Executive Vice-President of e-toys and more, Mrs Theresa Sackey, said the summit was organised to provide a platform for stakeholders to gain access to important ICT tools which could be applied to enhance teaching and learning in their institutions, as well as leasing as a financing option for school projects.
EXPEDITE ACTION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF SALARY STRUCTURE (PAGE 54)
STORY: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
THE Eastern Regional branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the government to expedite action on the implementation of the fair wages and salary structure for teachers and other workers to enable them to improve their living standards.
The association also urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to immediately institute measures to correct salary distortions among some teachers who had not been put on the correct grade or salary scale.
At a press conference in Koforidua at the weekend, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Frank Oppong, said "It is now clear that the promise of the government to implement the fair wages and salaries is becoming a mirage and a mere lip-service."
”The government's failure to implement this fair wages and salary structure is posing a growing threat to industrial harmony since it is a recipe for labour agitation," he stated.
The chairman of the association said the government, in its attempt to find a pragmatic and lasting solution to NAGRAT's strike action in 2006, established a fair wages and salary commission to work towards the speedy implementation of a pay reform and come up with a comprehensive wages and salary structures for all workers.
He said in spite of the assurance by the government that negotiations of the salaries would be factored into the 2007 budget, this was not done and "the government came out again with the promise to factor the new pay policies into the 2008 budget, which was brought before Parliament by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
"We are heading towards the end of the first quarter of 2008 and yet there is no light at the end of the tunnel," the chairman pointed out.
According to him, in spite of the high cost of living due to astronomical increase in fuel prices, electricity bills and other utility bills, there had not been any corresponding increase in salaries and wages of teachers and workers, a condition which, he said, had created severe financial and economic hardships for them.
He, therefore, urged the government to make "the happiness and well-being of workers its priority".
He further expressed the association's disappointment at the low level of responsibility allowances that were being paid to teachers for the past 10 years.
"Heads of institutions are being given GH¢3.00, heads of department, senior housemasters and housemistresses GH¢1.50 and form masters, form mistresses, housemasters and housemistresses paid GH¢1.00. The sad aspect of these responsibility allowances is that apart from being static for the past decade, they are not paid regularly either," he added.
He also expressed the displeasure of the association about the sudden halt in the payment of annual increment for workers without any justifiable reasons, something which hitherto took effect from September 1, every year.
He, therefore, urged the government to be more sensitive and responsive to the concerns of the members of the association, adding, "teachers can no longer wallow in the quagmire of poverty and over-exploitation".
"We have sacrificed our comfort, dignity, energy and time for the general well-being of our students and the advancement of the country for far too long. This is the right time to demand our fair share of the national cake," he said.
Mr Oppong indicated that if concerns of the members of the associations were not addressed within the shortest possible time, "we NAGRAT members in the Eastern Region will hold both the NAGRAT national officers and the government accountable".
THE Eastern Regional branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the government to expedite action on the implementation of the fair wages and salary structure for teachers and other workers to enable them to improve their living standards.
The association also urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to immediately institute measures to correct salary distortions among some teachers who had not been put on the correct grade or salary scale.
At a press conference in Koforidua at the weekend, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Frank Oppong, said "It is now clear that the promise of the government to implement the fair wages and salaries is becoming a mirage and a mere lip-service."
”The government's failure to implement this fair wages and salary structure is posing a growing threat to industrial harmony since it is a recipe for labour agitation," he stated.
The chairman of the association said the government, in its attempt to find a pragmatic and lasting solution to NAGRAT's strike action in 2006, established a fair wages and salary commission to work towards the speedy implementation of a pay reform and come up with a comprehensive wages and salary structures for all workers.
He said in spite of the assurance by the government that negotiations of the salaries would be factored into the 2007 budget, this was not done and "the government came out again with the promise to factor the new pay policies into the 2008 budget, which was brought before Parliament by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
"We are heading towards the end of the first quarter of 2008 and yet there is no light at the end of the tunnel," the chairman pointed out.
According to him, in spite of the high cost of living due to astronomical increase in fuel prices, electricity bills and other utility bills, there had not been any corresponding increase in salaries and wages of teachers and workers, a condition which, he said, had created severe financial and economic hardships for them.
He, therefore, urged the government to make "the happiness and well-being of workers its priority".
He further expressed the association's disappointment at the low level of responsibility allowances that were being paid to teachers for the past 10 years.
"Heads of institutions are being given GH¢3.00, heads of department, senior housemasters and housemistresses GH¢1.50 and form masters, form mistresses, housemasters and housemistresses paid GH¢1.00. The sad aspect of these responsibility allowances is that apart from being static for the past decade, they are not paid regularly either," he added.
He also expressed the displeasure of the association about the sudden halt in the payment of annual increment for workers without any justifiable reasons, something which hitherto took effect from September 1, every year.
He, therefore, urged the government to be more sensitive and responsive to the concerns of the members of the association, adding, "teachers can no longer wallow in the quagmire of poverty and over-exploitation".
"We have sacrificed our comfort, dignity, energy and time for the general well-being of our students and the advancement of the country for far too long. This is the right time to demand our fair share of the national cake," he said.
Mr Oppong indicated that if concerns of the members of the associations were not addressed within the shortest possible time, "we NAGRAT members in the Eastern Region will hold both the NAGRAT national officers and the government accountable".
AVOID NEGATIVE, INFLAMMAORY COMMENTS DURING CAMPAIGNS
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Bunso
THE PRESIDENT of the Apostolic Church of Ghana, Apostle John Annan Adotey, has appealed to Ghanaians, particularly politicians, to avoid negative and inflammatory statements during their campaign for this year's elections.
Rev. Adotey said that politicians must respect each other’s views since it was the only way to ensure peaceful elections.
Preaching a sermon to climax a four-day national delegates' conference of the Women's Movement of the Church at Bunso, Apostle Adotey said "we, as a people with a common destiny, must make every conscious effort to show mutual tolerance and respect for each other's opinion for our common good".
The conference, on the theme "Witnessing under the power of the Holy Spirit", brought together about 400 leaders of the various areas of the church across the country to take stock of the achievements and failures of the movement, as well as strategise on the way forward.
According to the President of the church, although the country had remained an oasis of peace among nations in the sub-region over the years, Ghanaians must make every conscious effort to avoid inflammatory languages when expressing their political views.
This, he noted, could be achieved when "we strive to become each other's keeper and show much tolerance and respect towards one another irrespective of our political affiliations".
To this end, Apostle Adotey also reminded the media of the roles they could play in the sustenance of the peace the country was already enjoying and therefore urged them to remain neutral before, during and after the general elections .
Apostle Adotey also expressed his worry about the manner in which the country's image had recently been dented on the international scene as a result of it being used as a transit point for narcotic drugs.
Such a negative image associated with the country, he said, had significantly contributed to the difficulties Ghanaians went through when acquiring visas to travel outside the country.
He therefore called on the people to help reverse such trend, saying "since righteousness exhorts a nation, we should embark on a godly revolution so as to fight the drug menace to reverse the negativity associated with the country in recent times".
Apostle Adotey also urged Christians to be guided by the Holy Spirit to live worthy lifestyles to enable them to win more souls for Christ, adding ,"without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot achieve such purpose by ourselves".
For her part, the National Secretary of the movement, Deaconess Mary Tagoe, asked the congregation to, as part of their social responsibilities, help educate members of their various communities on the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to also enjoy quality and affordable health care service.
THE PRESIDENT of the Apostolic Church of Ghana, Apostle John Annan Adotey, has appealed to Ghanaians, particularly politicians, to avoid negative and inflammatory statements during their campaign for this year's elections.
Rev. Adotey said that politicians must respect each other’s views since it was the only way to ensure peaceful elections.
Preaching a sermon to climax a four-day national delegates' conference of the Women's Movement of the Church at Bunso, Apostle Adotey said "we, as a people with a common destiny, must make every conscious effort to show mutual tolerance and respect for each other's opinion for our common good".
The conference, on the theme "Witnessing under the power of the Holy Spirit", brought together about 400 leaders of the various areas of the church across the country to take stock of the achievements and failures of the movement, as well as strategise on the way forward.
According to the President of the church, although the country had remained an oasis of peace among nations in the sub-region over the years, Ghanaians must make every conscious effort to avoid inflammatory languages when expressing their political views.
This, he noted, could be achieved when "we strive to become each other's keeper and show much tolerance and respect towards one another irrespective of our political affiliations".
To this end, Apostle Adotey also reminded the media of the roles they could play in the sustenance of the peace the country was already enjoying and therefore urged them to remain neutral before, during and after the general elections .
Apostle Adotey also expressed his worry about the manner in which the country's image had recently been dented on the international scene as a result of it being used as a transit point for narcotic drugs.
Such a negative image associated with the country, he said, had significantly contributed to the difficulties Ghanaians went through when acquiring visas to travel outside the country.
He therefore called on the people to help reverse such trend, saying "since righteousness exhorts a nation, we should embark on a godly revolution so as to fight the drug menace to reverse the negativity associated with the country in recent times".
Apostle Adotey also urged Christians to be guided by the Holy Spirit to live worthy lifestyles to enable them to win more souls for Christ, adding ,"without the power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot achieve such purpose by ourselves".
For her part, the National Secretary of the movement, Deaconess Mary Tagoe, asked the congregation to, as part of their social responsibilities, help educate members of their various communities on the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable them to also enjoy quality and affordable health care service.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
SUSPECTED THIEF LYNCHED AT KOFORIDUA (BACK PAGE)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
A 32-year-old man has been found dead tied to an iron telephone pole in the Adweso Low Cost area in Koforidua.
The deceased, Kwabena Yeboah, also known as Aya, was said to have been lynched about 200 metres away from the scene where he was tied by both legs and arms to the pole.
Aya, who is said to have gained notoriety for petty thievery in the area over the years, was allegedly said to have gone to steal a fowl from one of the houses in the area at about 2.30 a.m. yesterday.
The deceased, who took to his heels after an alarm had been raised by a member of the household, was said to have been prevented from fleeing by Emmanuel Adjiriku Akomatey, a resident of the area, on whom the deceased inflicted knife wounds.
While Akomatey is currently on admission at the Koforidua Regional Hospital, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital in Accra pending autopsy.
A number of the residents who witnessed the horrific scene expressed their displeasure at the cruelty meted out to the deceased, who they allegedly described "as notorious petty thief".
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident, the New Juaben Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent John A. Naami, expressed worry about the manner the angry mob meted out instant justice to the alleged thief, saying that such acts could undermine the ability of the police to carry out any successful investigations into the matter.
The Municipal Police Commander, therefore, urged people to desist from lynching suspects, some of whom, he said, could be innocent, adding that "we should rather report such incidents to the police for the law to take its course.
A 32-year-old man has been found dead tied to an iron telephone pole in the Adweso Low Cost area in Koforidua.
The deceased, Kwabena Yeboah, also known as Aya, was said to have been lynched about 200 metres away from the scene where he was tied by both legs and arms to the pole.
Aya, who is said to have gained notoriety for petty thievery in the area over the years, was allegedly said to have gone to steal a fowl from one of the houses in the area at about 2.30 a.m. yesterday.
The deceased, who took to his heels after an alarm had been raised by a member of the household, was said to have been prevented from fleeing by Emmanuel Adjiriku Akomatey, a resident of the area, on whom the deceased inflicted knife wounds.
While Akomatey is currently on admission at the Koforidua Regional Hospital, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital in Accra pending autopsy.
A number of the residents who witnessed the horrific scene expressed their displeasure at the cruelty meted out to the deceased, who they allegedly described "as notorious petty thief".
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident, the New Juaben Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent John A. Naami, expressed worry about the manner the angry mob meted out instant justice to the alleged thief, saying that such acts could undermine the ability of the police to carry out any successful investigations into the matter.
The Municipal Police Commander, therefore, urged people to desist from lynching suspects, some of whom, he said, could be innocent, adding that "we should rather report such incidents to the police for the law to take its course.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
ER MINISTER COMMENDS CEPS (Page 20)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has commended personnel of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) for their efforts in curbing smuggling and other illegal activities at checkpoints in the region.
He said the action would go a long way to raise the necessary revenue to support the government to meet its budgetary targets for the year.
Mr Asiedu made the commendation at an end-of-year get-together for the service at Koforidua.
He, however, stated that "since we are the hen that lays the golden egg, we should sustain efforts at policing the checkpoints to discourage smuggling and other illegal activities in the area".
The event was used to reward hard-working officers of the service, with an Assistant Collector, Mr Emmanuel Adam, emerging as the overall best senior officer.
The regional minister stated that since smugglers and other people engaged in illegal activities would always devise strategies to outwit personnel of CEPS in order to carry out their illegal activities, any lapse on their part could punch holes at the checkpoints to facilitate the illegal activities of smugglers.
“Smuggling does not only undermine the country's efforts at raising sufficient revenue for its development agenda, but also encourages illegal movement of people to and from the country, thus encouraging social vices such as armed robbery, human trafficking and trading in narcotic drugs," he stressed.
Mr Asiedu expressed the preparedness of the Regional Co-ordinating Council to support CEPS in fighting smuggling in the region.
The Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in charge of Koforidua Collection, Mr James Teibu, said his outfit was able to collect a total revenue of GH¢8,337,206 out of the GH¢10,291,000 targeted for 2007
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has commended personnel of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) for their efforts in curbing smuggling and other illegal activities at checkpoints in the region.
He said the action would go a long way to raise the necessary revenue to support the government to meet its budgetary targets for the year.
Mr Asiedu made the commendation at an end-of-year get-together for the service at Koforidua.
He, however, stated that "since we are the hen that lays the golden egg, we should sustain efforts at policing the checkpoints to discourage smuggling and other illegal activities in the area".
The event was used to reward hard-working officers of the service, with an Assistant Collector, Mr Emmanuel Adam, emerging as the overall best senior officer.
The regional minister stated that since smugglers and other people engaged in illegal activities would always devise strategies to outwit personnel of CEPS in order to carry out their illegal activities, any lapse on their part could punch holes at the checkpoints to facilitate the illegal activities of smugglers.
“Smuggling does not only undermine the country's efforts at raising sufficient revenue for its development agenda, but also encourages illegal movement of people to and from the country, thus encouraging social vices such as armed robbery, human trafficking and trading in narcotic drugs," he stressed.
Mr Asiedu expressed the preparedness of the Regional Co-ordinating Council to support CEPS in fighting smuggling in the region.
The Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in charge of Koforidua Collection, Mr James Teibu, said his outfit was able to collect a total revenue of GH¢8,337,206 out of the GH¢10,291,000 targeted for 2007
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
REGIONAL MINISTE DONATES CEMENT TO UNIVERSTIY
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Obo
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has donated 100 bags of cement towards the construction of an Engineering and Community Science Department of the Presbyterian University at Obo in the Kwahu South District.
The donation of the cement, worth GH¢900, was in fulfilment of a promise the minister made to the chiefs and people of Obo at a fund-raising ceremony organised by citizens of the area in Accra, last year.
The product would be used to construct a GH¢500,000 12-unit classroom block with two offices and two stores, to accommodate pupils of the Presbyterian ‘A’ and ‘B’ Primary School at Obo.
The project would facilitate the relocation of the pupils from their present classrooms, which are close to one of the main campuses of the university at Obo, where two faculties of the university will be constructed.
Presenting the items, Mr Asiedu said since education was important to the development of a community, he as a citizen, decided to contribute his quota towards educational uplift in the area.
He promised to donate more items in the future.
The Obohene, Nana Yeboah Afari Boadjan, who received the items, thanked the regional minister for honouring his promise, and implored other well-to-do individuals and organisations, especially the various political parties, to assist in the construction of facilities for the university.
He said that would enable people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political affiliations, to have access to university education in the area.
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has donated 100 bags of cement towards the construction of an Engineering and Community Science Department of the Presbyterian University at Obo in the Kwahu South District.
The donation of the cement, worth GH¢900, was in fulfilment of a promise the minister made to the chiefs and people of Obo at a fund-raising ceremony organised by citizens of the area in Accra, last year.
The product would be used to construct a GH¢500,000 12-unit classroom block with two offices and two stores, to accommodate pupils of the Presbyterian ‘A’ and ‘B’ Primary School at Obo.
The project would facilitate the relocation of the pupils from their present classrooms, which are close to one of the main campuses of the university at Obo, where two faculties of the university will be constructed.
Presenting the items, Mr Asiedu said since education was important to the development of a community, he as a citizen, decided to contribute his quota towards educational uplift in the area.
He promised to donate more items in the future.
The Obohene, Nana Yeboah Afari Boadjan, who received the items, thanked the regional minister for honouring his promise, and implored other well-to-do individuals and organisations, especially the various political parties, to assist in the construction of facilities for the university.
He said that would enable people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political affiliations, to have access to university education in the area.
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