THE Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifa Agyekum, has appealed to the government and the Ghana Education Service (GES) not to recruit teachers for national exercises that conflict with the academic calendar of educational institutions.
He said the practice of using basic and second cycle school teachers for the census and the national and district elections took the teachers away from the classrooms, a situation that adversely affected the standard of education in most public schools.
He said if such teachers should be engaged for the national exercises, it should be done during holidays to “save our pupils and students from suffering unnecessary academic drawbacks”.
He, therefore, suggested the recruitment and training of unemployed graduates from tertiary and second cycle institutions for such national exercises.
Speaking at a teachers’ durbar at Asamankese, Bishop Agyekum said “once our schools open for academic work to begin, teachers must be allowed to stay in the classroom to spend quality hours with their pupils and students without any interruption”.
The meeting was to afford the Catholic Bishop of Koforidua and other stakeholders the opportunity to meet and interact with the teachers who came from the various Catholic schools at Suhum, Asamankese, Kade, Adoagyire, Nsawam and Akwatia.
The bishop’s appeal followed earlier reports at the function by the West Akyem Municipal Director of Education, Mr Kofi Nti, that most of the basic school teachers who were recruited for the national census, after the exercise, went back to their schools only to write letters requesting for a two-week casual leave to enable them to undertake their engagement and wedding activities.
He had earlier partly blamed the non-commitment of most of the teachers to their profession for the poor standard of education in the municipality, citing lateness and absenteeism as some of the major factors contributing to the problem.
The acting Eastern Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, Mr Clemence Y. Baba, said lack of discipline among some of the teachers and lack of effective supervision by some of the headteachers of schools had contributed to poor academic performance by pupils and students.
“Efforts are now being made to assess the record of teachers before they are appointed as head of our schools,” he told the teachers as a warning to show commitment to the profession to pave way for any future promotions.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
SEVERANCE AWARD FOR EX-GCD WORKERS (1B, DEC 23, 2010)
ECOBANK has begun the payment of 50 per cent severance award to workers of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) who were laid off after the collapse of the company.
The payments followed the release of GH¢3 million by the government to the bank for disbursement to the workers.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, told the Daily Graphic in Koforidua yesterday that the government had to intervene to save the workers from further hardships.
“The release of the money is also in fulfilment of a promise the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, made to the workers of GCD in his 2008 presidential campaign to pay their severance packages if voted into power,” Mr Jamal stated.
“When GCD is successfully divested, the remaining 50 per cent of the workers’ severance award will be paid by March, 2011,” he added.
GCD collapsed in 2006 and the 780 workers of the company were laid off.
The deputy minister said the closure of the company had affected the survival of the workers and their families over the years, adding that “41 of the workers have so far passed away due to economic hardship they faced”.
To facilitate the payment process and other documentation, Mr Jamal said all the workers were allowed to take photographs free of charge.
“It is a great relief for workers of GCD who have endured economic hardship for a long time to receive 50 per cent of their severance packages prior to the celebration of the Christmas,” the deputy minister stated.
The payments followed the release of GH¢3 million by the government to the bank for disbursement to the workers.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, told the Daily Graphic in Koforidua yesterday that the government had to intervene to save the workers from further hardships.
“The release of the money is also in fulfilment of a promise the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, made to the workers of GCD in his 2008 presidential campaign to pay their severance packages if voted into power,” Mr Jamal stated.
“When GCD is successfully divested, the remaining 50 per cent of the workers’ severance award will be paid by March, 2011,” he added.
GCD collapsed in 2006 and the 780 workers of the company were laid off.
The deputy minister said the closure of the company had affected the survival of the workers and their families over the years, adding that “41 of the workers have so far passed away due to economic hardship they faced”.
To facilitate the payment process and other documentation, Mr Jamal said all the workers were allowed to take photographs free of charge.
“It is a great relief for workers of GCD who have endured economic hardship for a long time to receive 50 per cent of their severance packages prior to the celebration of the Christmas,” the deputy minister stated.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
ENHANCE DECENTRALISATION PROCESS — OKYENHENE (SPREAD, DEC 22, 2010)
THE Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin, has called on the government to enhance the decentralisation process to ensure the effective implementation, evaluation and monitoring of various development projects across the country.
He said decentralisation in the area of education, for example, would instil a sense of communal ownership, accountability and transparency at all levels of society.
“Unfortunately, our current centralised system makes it difficult for educational authorities to evaluate and monitor effectively the performance of teachers, a situation that can be solved if those to supervise the teachers are close to them in the communities,” the Okyenhene stated.
Speaking at the end-of-year State Council meeting of the chiefs of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in Kyebi last Friday, Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that “today’s centrality of governance is outdated and has outlived its relevance and usefulness for our development aspirations”.
The meeting was used to discuss several pertinent development issues, such as illegal mining, poor educational standards, security and other issues confronting the socio-economic development of Akyem Abuakwa.
“All over the world, governance systems which are small and scattered are relatively immune to failure, as the local authorities and the communities feel a sense of ownership in the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of community projects,” he stated.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that the implementation of centralised governance at a time when the country’s population stood at five million was “useful to the nation’s development drive, but with the current population of close to 25 million, a centralised system of governance is completely outdated, as it has outlived its relevance and usefulness to our country’s development drive”.
Buttressing his point, he said when, recently, he went round to inspect the conditions of some of the basic public schools in the area as part of activities marking his 10th anniversary on the stool, “I was faced with the reality that undermines quality teaching and learning.”
“The conditions of those schools and the children were very depressing, as they lacked proper classroom blocks, places of convenience, chairs and tables, electricity and good source of drinking water,” he stated.
“If the educational sector is decentralised, the communities could mobilise resources to complement the government’s efforts at improving basic infrastructure and provide the needed facilities, as well as set up boards to evaluate and monitor the performance of teachers to enhance teaching and learning,” the Okyenhene added.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin charged chiefs in the traditional area to mobilise prominent citizens in their respective areas to help mobilise resources to address the basic challenges facing some of the basic schools in the area.
He said decentralisation in the area of education, for example, would instil a sense of communal ownership, accountability and transparency at all levels of society.
“Unfortunately, our current centralised system makes it difficult for educational authorities to evaluate and monitor effectively the performance of teachers, a situation that can be solved if those to supervise the teachers are close to them in the communities,” the Okyenhene stated.
Speaking at the end-of-year State Council meeting of the chiefs of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in Kyebi last Friday, Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that “today’s centrality of governance is outdated and has outlived its relevance and usefulness for our development aspirations”.
The meeting was used to discuss several pertinent development issues, such as illegal mining, poor educational standards, security and other issues confronting the socio-economic development of Akyem Abuakwa.
“All over the world, governance systems which are small and scattered are relatively immune to failure, as the local authorities and the communities feel a sense of ownership in the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of community projects,” he stated.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that the implementation of centralised governance at a time when the country’s population stood at five million was “useful to the nation’s development drive, but with the current population of close to 25 million, a centralised system of governance is completely outdated, as it has outlived its relevance and usefulness to our country’s development drive”.
Buttressing his point, he said when, recently, he went round to inspect the conditions of some of the basic public schools in the area as part of activities marking his 10th anniversary on the stool, “I was faced with the reality that undermines quality teaching and learning.”
“The conditions of those schools and the children were very depressing, as they lacked proper classroom blocks, places of convenience, chairs and tables, electricity and good source of drinking water,” he stated.
“If the educational sector is decentralised, the communities could mobilise resources to complement the government’s efforts at improving basic infrastructure and provide the needed facilities, as well as set up boards to evaluate and monitor the performance of teachers to enhance teaching and learning,” the Okyenhene added.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin charged chiefs in the traditional area to mobilise prominent citizens in their respective areas to help mobilise resources to address the basic challenges facing some of the basic schools in the area.
Monday, December 20, 2010
MAN, 38, TO DIE...For beating 80-year-old man to death (LEAD STORY, DEC 18, 2010)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
FOR beating an 80-year-old woman mercilessly to death at Akyem-Sekyere in the Eastern Region, a 38-year-old taxi driver is to pay with his life by hanging.
Although the convict, Edward Boateng, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, the Koforidua High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, pronounced him guilty after eight years of trial by a seven-member jury.
He was said to have gone to the family house of the deceased, Ama Kuman, at Akyem-Sekyere about 11.30 p.m. on January 1, 2002 to look for his sister but ended up subjecting the deceased to severe beatings before biting her right ear.
The deceased, who was rescued by her children, was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw unconscious, where he died the following day.
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Mr Fred Tetteh, told the court that on January 1, 2002, the convict had gone to Akyem-Sekyere to look for his sister, Gladys Yaa Dansoah, who was the deceased’s son’s wife.
The prosecutor said when Boateng got to the house where his sister lived, he knocked hard on the door several times, calling her to come out, but there was no response.
The deceased, who was sleeping in her room, came out and told the convict that his sister did not come to the house to sleep but the convict became infuriated and pounced on her, beating her mercilessly until she became unconscious.
“Boateng even went to the extent of biting the right hear of the deceased but her daughter and Boateng’s sister who were sleeping in their separate rooms came out to rescue the old woman, who had become unconscious,” Mr Tetteh stated.
The deceased was then rushed to the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital and admitted but she died the following morning.
Her family reported the incident to the police, who caused the arrest of the convict on January 2, 2002.
FOR beating an 80-year-old woman mercilessly to death at Akyem-Sekyere in the Eastern Region, a 38-year-old taxi driver is to pay with his life by hanging.
Although the convict, Edward Boateng, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, the Koforidua High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, pronounced him guilty after eight years of trial by a seven-member jury.
He was said to have gone to the family house of the deceased, Ama Kuman, at Akyem-Sekyere about 11.30 p.m. on January 1, 2002 to look for his sister but ended up subjecting the deceased to severe beatings before biting her right ear.
The deceased, who was rescued by her children, was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw unconscious, where he died the following day.
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Mr Fred Tetteh, told the court that on January 1, 2002, the convict had gone to Akyem-Sekyere to look for his sister, Gladys Yaa Dansoah, who was the deceased’s son’s wife.
The prosecutor said when Boateng got to the house where his sister lived, he knocked hard on the door several times, calling her to come out, but there was no response.
The deceased, who was sleeping in her room, came out and told the convict that his sister did not come to the house to sleep but the convict became infuriated and pounced on her, beating her mercilessly until she became unconscious.
“Boateng even went to the extent of biting the right hear of the deceased but her daughter and Boateng’s sister who were sleeping in their separate rooms came out to rescue the old woman, who had become unconscious,” Mr Tetteh stated.
The deceased was then rushed to the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital and admitted but she died the following morning.
Her family reported the incident to the police, who caused the arrest of the convict on January 2, 2002.
Monday, December 6, 2010
INSECTICIDE MOSQUITO NETS FOR 10 COMMUNITIES (MIRROR, DEC 4, 2010, PAGE 34)
From Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
RESIDENTS of 10 out of the 21 municipalities and districts in the Eastern Region are to benefit from 830,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The project, to be implemented on a pilot basis, will be extended to the remaining 11 districts based on the successful implementation of the project in the beneficiary areas.
The initiative, targeted at pregnant women and children under five, as well as other persons registered under the programme, forms part of the launch of the long-lasting insecticide nets hang-up campaign being implemented by the National Malaria Control Programme and financed by the USAID.
As part of measures to ensure the success of the programme, a task force and personnel of the Ghana Health Service would be moving from house to house to hang the nets in the homes of the beneficiaries and also conduct regular visits to ensure their effective use by the beneficiaries.
This became known during the launching of the universal access to Long-Lasting Hang-up campaign at Kwamang in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region.
Launching the project, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said available statistics showed that in 2008, 746,444 cases of malaria were recorded in the region but this increased to 925,266 in 2009.
According to him, hospital admissions which were the result of malaria increased from 39,596 in 2008 to 43,762 in 2009, while total deaths due to the disease decreased slightly from 279 in 2008 to 273 in 2009.
“It is regrettable that these deaths could have been prevented by sleeping under a treated mosquito net, but since this precaution was not adhered to, many people had to write their premature obituaries”, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He attributed the increase in malaria cases to filthy environments in towns and communities in the region, and added “it is, therefore, not surprising that the substantial increase in the death rate in Ghana could be traced to the deterioration and degeneration in our environment”.
He, therefore, appealed to the beneficiaries to sleep under the treated mosquito nets to reduce malaria cases and maternal and infant mortality in the region.
RESIDENTS of 10 out of the 21 municipalities and districts in the Eastern Region are to benefit from 830,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The project, to be implemented on a pilot basis, will be extended to the remaining 11 districts based on the successful implementation of the project in the beneficiary areas.
The initiative, targeted at pregnant women and children under five, as well as other persons registered under the programme, forms part of the launch of the long-lasting insecticide nets hang-up campaign being implemented by the National Malaria Control Programme and financed by the USAID.
As part of measures to ensure the success of the programme, a task force and personnel of the Ghana Health Service would be moving from house to house to hang the nets in the homes of the beneficiaries and also conduct regular visits to ensure their effective use by the beneficiaries.
This became known during the launching of the universal access to Long-Lasting Hang-up campaign at Kwamang in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region.
Launching the project, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said available statistics showed that in 2008, 746,444 cases of malaria were recorded in the region but this increased to 925,266 in 2009.
According to him, hospital admissions which were the result of malaria increased from 39,596 in 2008 to 43,762 in 2009, while total deaths due to the disease decreased slightly from 279 in 2008 to 273 in 2009.
“It is regrettable that these deaths could have been prevented by sleeping under a treated mosquito net, but since this precaution was not adhered to, many people had to write their premature obituaries”, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He attributed the increase in malaria cases to filthy environments in towns and communities in the region, and added “it is, therefore, not surprising that the substantial increase in the death rate in Ghana could be traced to the deterioration and degeneration in our environment”.
He, therefore, appealed to the beneficiaries to sleep under the treated mosquito nets to reduce malaria cases and maternal and infant mortality in the region.
ADJETEY TOPS ALL (PAGE 3, DEC 4, 2010)
A 60-year-old farmer, Mr Benjamin Adjei Adjetey, from Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, was yesterday adjudged the national Best Farmer for 2010.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
ADJETEY TOPS ALL (PAGE 3, DEC 4, 2010)
A 60-year-old farmer, Mr Benjamin Adjei Adjetey, from Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, was yesterday adjudged the national Best Farmer for 2010.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
Oil or no oil...FOOD IS NO. 1 (LEAD STORY, DEC 4, 2010)
PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has assured Ghanaians that despite the oil find, his administration will continue to give all the necessary support to boost agricultural production in the country.
That, according to the President, was because the agricultural sector was a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.
Addressing the 26th National Farmers’ Day celebration at Somanya yesterday, President Atta Mills said agriculture was still the mainstay of the economy, so despite the oil find, his administration would continue to support agriculture for it to help accelerate economic growth and alleviate poverty to ensure decent living for all Ghanaians.
“I am reiterating the point I continue to make that in spite of our oil find, the Atta Mills Government will continue to support the agriculture sector as a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction,” the President stated.
In all 70 farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders and agricultural extension officers who distinguished themselves in various areas of agricultural production were honoured.
President Mills said because of the government’s commitment to the agriculture sector and the efforts of the indefatigable farmers in the country who stepped up food production, the global food and economic crisis which resulted in poverty and hunger around the world last year did not become that severe in Ghana.
For instance, he said, the farmers in 2009 produced 23.1 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and 2.6 million metric tons of cereals as against 21.3 million and 2.2 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and cereals respectively in 2008.
On cocoa production, President Mills said it provided a foreign exchange cover of about $1.86 billion from export in 2009, while livestock farmers and fisherfolk did not only provide the nation with its important protein requirements but also generated $48.12 million in foreign exchange from fish and other seafood exports.
President Mills, however, stated that despite such gains, Ghana still spent more than $1 billion annually on the importation of food that could be produced in the country with rice alone wiping out $500 million of Ghana’s hard-earned foreign exchange.
He expressed the hope that duties imposed on selected food items in the 2011 budget would address the gross imbalance and mentioned subsidy on fertiliser, expanding irrigation to end rain-fed agriculture, intensified dissemination of agricultural technologies and education, the Youth in Agriculture Programme and the creation of a national food buffer stock company to store food as some of the government’s interventions.
President Mills said the buffer stock company had started yielding good results because it had purchased and stored 10,000 metric tons of paddy rice and about 32,000 metric tons of maize, some of which had been bought by the World Food Programme and sent to Niger.
He thanked the farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders who were honoured and the entire farming community for their efforts at keeping the economy going.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, told the gathering about numerous initiatives that the ministry had implemented in the agricultural sector.
These included 63 per cent increase in the allocation of tractors and implements, provision of combine harvesters to farmers, warehousing, support for farmer organisations, which, he indicated, had led to increased production of food crops, livestock and fish catch, especially in the Afram Plains.
Mr Ahwoi, who also dwelt on various aspects of agriculture, stated that the ministry would not relent in its efforts at assisting all those engaged in agriculture to boost production.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said a number of interventions had been made to boost agriculture in the region.
These, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated, included the rehabilitation of about 1,126.28 km. of feeder roads at the cost of GH¢2.2 million and the construction of a number of bridges.
He also stated that a road was being constructed from Mame Krobo in Kwahu North (Afram Plains) to link the Ashanti Region at Agogo, explaining that such a road network would make the Afram Plains, which could only be reached by crossing the Afram River by pontoon, accessible by vehicles from the Ashanti Region.
That, according to the President, was because the agricultural sector was a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.
Addressing the 26th National Farmers’ Day celebration at Somanya yesterday, President Atta Mills said agriculture was still the mainstay of the economy, so despite the oil find, his administration would continue to support agriculture for it to help accelerate economic growth and alleviate poverty to ensure decent living for all Ghanaians.
“I am reiterating the point I continue to make that in spite of our oil find, the Atta Mills Government will continue to support the agriculture sector as a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction,” the President stated.
In all 70 farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders and agricultural extension officers who distinguished themselves in various areas of agricultural production were honoured.
President Mills said because of the government’s commitment to the agriculture sector and the efforts of the indefatigable farmers in the country who stepped up food production, the global food and economic crisis which resulted in poverty and hunger around the world last year did not become that severe in Ghana.
For instance, he said, the farmers in 2009 produced 23.1 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and 2.6 million metric tons of cereals as against 21.3 million and 2.2 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and cereals respectively in 2008.
On cocoa production, President Mills said it provided a foreign exchange cover of about $1.86 billion from export in 2009, while livestock farmers and fisherfolk did not only provide the nation with its important protein requirements but also generated $48.12 million in foreign exchange from fish and other seafood exports.
President Mills, however, stated that despite such gains, Ghana still spent more than $1 billion annually on the importation of food that could be produced in the country with rice alone wiping out $500 million of Ghana’s hard-earned foreign exchange.
He expressed the hope that duties imposed on selected food items in the 2011 budget would address the gross imbalance and mentioned subsidy on fertiliser, expanding irrigation to end rain-fed agriculture, intensified dissemination of agricultural technologies and education, the Youth in Agriculture Programme and the creation of a national food buffer stock company to store food as some of the government’s interventions.
President Mills said the buffer stock company had started yielding good results because it had purchased and stored 10,000 metric tons of paddy rice and about 32,000 metric tons of maize, some of which had been bought by the World Food Programme and sent to Niger.
He thanked the farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders who were honoured and the entire farming community for their efforts at keeping the economy going.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, told the gathering about numerous initiatives that the ministry had implemented in the agricultural sector.
These included 63 per cent increase in the allocation of tractors and implements, provision of combine harvesters to farmers, warehousing, support for farmer organisations, which, he indicated, had led to increased production of food crops, livestock and fish catch, especially in the Afram Plains.
Mr Ahwoi, who also dwelt on various aspects of agriculture, stated that the ministry would not relent in its efforts at assisting all those engaged in agriculture to boost production.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said a number of interventions had been made to boost agriculture in the region.
These, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated, included the rehabilitation of about 1,126.28 km. of feeder roads at the cost of GH¢2.2 million and the construction of a number of bridges.
He also stated that a road was being constructed from Mame Krobo in Kwahu North (Afram Plains) to link the Ashanti Region at Agogo, explaining that such a road network would make the Afram Plains, which could only be reached by crossing the Afram River by pontoon, accessible by vehicles from the Ashanti Region.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
SEVENTY UP FOR FARMERS' CROWN (1C, DEC 3, 2010)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Somanya
SEVENTY farmers and extension officers who have distinguished themselves in the agriculture sector will be honoured today at the 26th edition of the annual National Farmers Day celebration.
The event is being held at the Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya in the Eastern Region with President J.E.A. Mills in attendance to honour farmers, fishermen and agricultural extension officers in various award categories such as crops, fisheries and livestock.
Provisional data at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that up to September, this year, the sector grew by 4.8 per cent with real hope that the end-of-year actual target of 6.0 per cent is achievable, to make 2010 one of the most productive years for Ghanaian farmers.
Indeed all sub-sectors in the agriculture sector, according to the national budget, achieved their targets except the crops and livestock sub-sector, which posted a growth rate of 5.0 per cent against a target of 7.0 per cent.
To celebrate the the cream of the nation’s men and women who helped achieve that target, President Mills will join more than 5,000 visitors, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, ministers of state, parliamentarians, directors of agriculture, award winners and farmers at Somanya.
The celebration is being held on the theme “Grow More Foods” and to herald it, hundreds of visitors turned up yesterday to participate in an exhibition of assorted farm products, agro-chemicals, machinery and other agricultural inputs.
Officials of the MoFA and members of the Eastern Regional Planning Committee of the National Farmers Day also were at the exhibition but were tight-lipped as to who would emerge as the winner of the ultimate prize.
During a visit to Somanya yesterday, members of the planning committee, made up of representatives of the Ghana Health Service, MoFA, the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Ghana Tourist Board among others were working around the clock to put finishing touches to preparations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Director of Fisheries of MoFA, Mr Lionel Awity, said “As I talk to you, even the farmer to be adjudged the Best National Farmer does not know it until all awardee farmers have been called for their awards tomorrow.”
He said it would take many by surprise.
In an address at the exhibition, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said even though the country was blessed with commercial quantities of oil, the government was determined not to relegate agriculture to the background.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take advantage of the various government initiatives in the agriculture sector to create employment opportunities for themselves and enhance their living standard.
SEVENTY farmers and extension officers who have distinguished themselves in the agriculture sector will be honoured today at the 26th edition of the annual National Farmers Day celebration.
The event is being held at the Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya in the Eastern Region with President J.E.A. Mills in attendance to honour farmers, fishermen and agricultural extension officers in various award categories such as crops, fisheries and livestock.
Provisional data at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that up to September, this year, the sector grew by 4.8 per cent with real hope that the end-of-year actual target of 6.0 per cent is achievable, to make 2010 one of the most productive years for Ghanaian farmers.
Indeed all sub-sectors in the agriculture sector, according to the national budget, achieved their targets except the crops and livestock sub-sector, which posted a growth rate of 5.0 per cent against a target of 7.0 per cent.
To celebrate the the cream of the nation’s men and women who helped achieve that target, President Mills will join more than 5,000 visitors, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, ministers of state, parliamentarians, directors of agriculture, award winners and farmers at Somanya.
The celebration is being held on the theme “Grow More Foods” and to herald it, hundreds of visitors turned up yesterday to participate in an exhibition of assorted farm products, agro-chemicals, machinery and other agricultural inputs.
Officials of the MoFA and members of the Eastern Regional Planning Committee of the National Farmers Day also were at the exhibition but were tight-lipped as to who would emerge as the winner of the ultimate prize.
During a visit to Somanya yesterday, members of the planning committee, made up of representatives of the Ghana Health Service, MoFA, the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Ghana Tourist Board among others were working around the clock to put finishing touches to preparations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Director of Fisheries of MoFA, Mr Lionel Awity, said “As I talk to you, even the farmer to be adjudged the Best National Farmer does not know it until all awardee farmers have been called for their awards tomorrow.”
He said it would take many by surprise.
In an address at the exhibition, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said even though the country was blessed with commercial quantities of oil, the government was determined not to relegate agriculture to the background.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take advantage of the various government initiatives in the agriculture sector to create employment opportunities for themselves and enhance their living standard.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
ENCOURAGE GHANAIANS TO OWN MINES (PAGE 13, DEC 2, 2010)
THE immediate past President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has urged the government to initiate policies that would encourage Ghanaians with experience in the mining industry to form consortiums to own mines in the country.
Such a move, he said, would help to keep some of the profits made by the mining companies within the local economy and create more jobs for the people.
“For instance, Ghanaians who were involved in the floatation of the then Ashanti Gold Field gained experience in raising international capital for mining purposes and if such Ghanaians were identified and given mining leases, they could raise international capital to operate first class mines in Ghana”, Mr Oteng-Gyasi stated.
Speaking at a budget review workshop for parliamentarians at Koforidua last Saturday, Mr Oteng Gyasi said: “Its time we supported our local investors to also own some of the mineral-rich sites across the country as part of efforts to curb the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country”.
The workshop, meant to educate the MPs on the 2011 Budget and their role in its accountable and transparent implementation, was organised by the Parliamentary Centre under the auspices of the Africa Parliamentary Strengthening Programme (APSP) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The former AGI President said over the years the mining and the quarrying industry, most of which were foreign-owned, had seen a significant growth in GDP from 6.87 in 2007 to a provisional 11.2 per cent in 2010 and was projected to increase to 11.5 per cent in 2011.
This growth, he said, had been induced by the increasing global market prices of the minerals such as gold on the global market, making the mining sector one of the best growing industries in the country.
He however expressed worry over how most of the profits made by the mining companies were repatriated outside the country at the expense of the economy.
He was of the view that the commitment of the government to look for local investors interested in the mining industry and help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills could help reverse the trend to the benefit of the economy.
Besides, the readiness of the government to support the local investors could also help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills in the mining industry, a move that in the long run could curtail the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country.
“We have over the years seen an increase in galamsey operations by illegal miners, who on a daily basis are becoming angrier for a simple reason that most of the mineral-rich lands are being owned by foreigners”, he said and added that “just as these mineral-rich lands are given out to foreigners, who go to the stock exchange to raise capital to mine, our local investors could also do the same when given a lease to operate”
On mining royalties, Mr Oteng-Gyasi said that with the record high prices that were currently being enjoyed by the mining companies, the payment of monthly royalties, instead of quarterly, would help the government to improve cash flow.
For his part, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, said the economy had shown strong resilience and stability with the overall budget deficit on cash basis had reduced from 14.5 per cent in GDP in 2008 to 9.6 per cent of GDP in 2009 as well as around 11 of GDP on commitment basis and on course to around 8 per cent of GDP in 2010.
He indicated that the current account deficit narrowed to about five per cent of GDP in 2009, but was expected to increase to 12.1 per cent of GDP in 2010 as a result of the importation of inputs for the oil exploration and development.
The Finance and Economic Planning Minister added that inflation had declined for 16 consecutive months to 9.38 per cent, the lowest over the past two decades, while the cedi had stabilised over the past 14 months against all the three major currencies.
“Having experienced stability for the past 18 months, the country needs to accelerate economic growth to generate jobs and reposition itself as a middle income country”, Dr Duffuor stated.
According to him, the 2011 budget sought to put the country on the right path to achieve accelerated economic growth and prosperity in an environment of stability and said that in the medium term, investment decisions of the government would focus on accelerating agriculture modernisation, developing the oil and gas industry, critical infrastructure, sustaining natural resource management and environment as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and human resource development.
“It is our expectation that the investments in these areas will increase economic activity, facilitate private sector competiveness and therefore result in increased job creation”, Dr Duffuor stated.
In his view, 2011 marked the beginning of the country’s oil production in commercial quantities, of which major challenges would be how the oil revenues would be used to transform the economy and accelerate growth without sacrificing macroeconomic stability and accentuating income inequalities.
For their part, Messrs Cletus Avoka and Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the respective Majority and Minority Leaders said since the financial destiny of the country was in the hand of legislators, MPs should undertake non-partisan analysis, debate and discussion of the 2011 Budget to ensure its accountable, transparent and effective implementation that would serve the interest of all sectors of the economy.
The Director of the Africa Programmes of the Parliamentary Centre, Dr Rasheed Draman, said since no country had ever developed without a properly and efficiently implemented budget, parliamentarians should ensure that the national budget and all the processes surrounding it did not remain mere political events.
“Please, you must keep a watchful eye on those charged with the responsibility of implementing the budget and scrutinize every line to ensure that each allocation is justified and has a role in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable in our society”, he said.
Such a move, he said, would help to keep some of the profits made by the mining companies within the local economy and create more jobs for the people.
“For instance, Ghanaians who were involved in the floatation of the then Ashanti Gold Field gained experience in raising international capital for mining purposes and if such Ghanaians were identified and given mining leases, they could raise international capital to operate first class mines in Ghana”, Mr Oteng-Gyasi stated.
Speaking at a budget review workshop for parliamentarians at Koforidua last Saturday, Mr Oteng Gyasi said: “Its time we supported our local investors to also own some of the mineral-rich sites across the country as part of efforts to curb the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country”.
The workshop, meant to educate the MPs on the 2011 Budget and their role in its accountable and transparent implementation, was organised by the Parliamentary Centre under the auspices of the Africa Parliamentary Strengthening Programme (APSP) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The former AGI President said over the years the mining and the quarrying industry, most of which were foreign-owned, had seen a significant growth in GDP from 6.87 in 2007 to a provisional 11.2 per cent in 2010 and was projected to increase to 11.5 per cent in 2011.
This growth, he said, had been induced by the increasing global market prices of the minerals such as gold on the global market, making the mining sector one of the best growing industries in the country.
He however expressed worry over how most of the profits made by the mining companies were repatriated outside the country at the expense of the economy.
He was of the view that the commitment of the government to look for local investors interested in the mining industry and help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills could help reverse the trend to the benefit of the economy.
Besides, the readiness of the government to support the local investors could also help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills in the mining industry, a move that in the long run could curtail the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country.
“We have over the years seen an increase in galamsey operations by illegal miners, who on a daily basis are becoming angrier for a simple reason that most of the mineral-rich lands are being owned by foreigners”, he said and added that “just as these mineral-rich lands are given out to foreigners, who go to the stock exchange to raise capital to mine, our local investors could also do the same when given a lease to operate”
On mining royalties, Mr Oteng-Gyasi said that with the record high prices that were currently being enjoyed by the mining companies, the payment of monthly royalties, instead of quarterly, would help the government to improve cash flow.
For his part, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, said the economy had shown strong resilience and stability with the overall budget deficit on cash basis had reduced from 14.5 per cent in GDP in 2008 to 9.6 per cent of GDP in 2009 as well as around 11 of GDP on commitment basis and on course to around 8 per cent of GDP in 2010.
He indicated that the current account deficit narrowed to about five per cent of GDP in 2009, but was expected to increase to 12.1 per cent of GDP in 2010 as a result of the importation of inputs for the oil exploration and development.
The Finance and Economic Planning Minister added that inflation had declined for 16 consecutive months to 9.38 per cent, the lowest over the past two decades, while the cedi had stabilised over the past 14 months against all the three major currencies.
“Having experienced stability for the past 18 months, the country needs to accelerate economic growth to generate jobs and reposition itself as a middle income country”, Dr Duffuor stated.
According to him, the 2011 budget sought to put the country on the right path to achieve accelerated economic growth and prosperity in an environment of stability and said that in the medium term, investment decisions of the government would focus on accelerating agriculture modernisation, developing the oil and gas industry, critical infrastructure, sustaining natural resource management and environment as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and human resource development.
“It is our expectation that the investments in these areas will increase economic activity, facilitate private sector competiveness and therefore result in increased job creation”, Dr Duffuor stated.
In his view, 2011 marked the beginning of the country’s oil production in commercial quantities, of which major challenges would be how the oil revenues would be used to transform the economy and accelerate growth without sacrificing macroeconomic stability and accentuating income inequalities.
For their part, Messrs Cletus Avoka and Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the respective Majority and Minority Leaders said since the financial destiny of the country was in the hand of legislators, MPs should undertake non-partisan analysis, debate and discussion of the 2011 Budget to ensure its accountable, transparent and effective implementation that would serve the interest of all sectors of the economy.
The Director of the Africa Programmes of the Parliamentary Centre, Dr Rasheed Draman, said since no country had ever developed without a properly and efficiently implemented budget, parliamentarians should ensure that the national budget and all the processes surrounding it did not remain mere political events.
“Please, you must keep a watchful eye on those charged with the responsibility of implementing the budget and scrutinize every line to ensure that each allocation is justified and has a role in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable in our society”, he said.
3 SCHOOL PROJECTS INAUGURATED AT NKANKAMA (PAGE 35, DEC 1, 2010)
A THREE-UNIT classroom block and two residential apartments for the Nkankama District Assembly Junior High School in the Fanteakwa District in the Eastern Region have been inaugurated and handed over to the community.
The classroom block comprises offices, a well-stocked library and computer laboratory attached while the residential bungalow will accommodate six teachers of the school.
The projects estimated to cost US$1,764,643 form part of 22 similar projects being implemented in the Fanteakwa and the Kwahu North (Afram Plains) Districts, aimed at enhancing teaching and learning in the beneficiary rural communities.
The Korean government financed the projects through the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) under its Integrated Quality Education Project while its execution was undertaken by the World Vision International.
The South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hak Sang Lee, performed the inaugural ceremony at Nkankama.
He said since the development of the human capital of every nation was critical to its socio-economic progress, the Korean government was committed to support Ghana to harness its human and natural resources.
“Since education is the key to improve the human capital of Ghana, the Korean government is determined to extend support to Ghana to enable it to achieve the universal primary education by 2015”, Mr Lee stated.
He noted that the Republic of Korea had the same GDP as Ghana in the 1960s, but today his country was far ahead in its development strive due to “a well educated human resource who have and are contributing meaningfully to its development.”
“Ghana could also achieve the same high GDP through hard work and commitment to provide accessible quality education to the people,” Mr Lee stated.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said since education helped to prepare the minds of the people to facilitate social integration and economic development, the government would continue to commit resources to make education more accessible.
He commended the Korean government for its commitment to support various educational projects in rural communities, which would help raise the standard of education in the beneficiary communities.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the beneficiary communities to own the projects and preserve them so that they would serve the purpose for which they were constructed.
The Chief of Begoro, Daasebre Awuah Kotoko, expressed the gratitude to the people, the Korean government and the World Vision International for their support towards the uplift the standard of education in the area.
The classroom block comprises offices, a well-stocked library and computer laboratory attached while the residential bungalow will accommodate six teachers of the school.
The projects estimated to cost US$1,764,643 form part of 22 similar projects being implemented in the Fanteakwa and the Kwahu North (Afram Plains) Districts, aimed at enhancing teaching and learning in the beneficiary rural communities.
The Korean government financed the projects through the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) under its Integrated Quality Education Project while its execution was undertaken by the World Vision International.
The South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hak Sang Lee, performed the inaugural ceremony at Nkankama.
He said since the development of the human capital of every nation was critical to its socio-economic progress, the Korean government was committed to support Ghana to harness its human and natural resources.
“Since education is the key to improve the human capital of Ghana, the Korean government is determined to extend support to Ghana to enable it to achieve the universal primary education by 2015”, Mr Lee stated.
He noted that the Republic of Korea had the same GDP as Ghana in the 1960s, but today his country was far ahead in its development strive due to “a well educated human resource who have and are contributing meaningfully to its development.”
“Ghana could also achieve the same high GDP through hard work and commitment to provide accessible quality education to the people,” Mr Lee stated.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said since education helped to prepare the minds of the people to facilitate social integration and economic development, the government would continue to commit resources to make education more accessible.
He commended the Korean government for its commitment to support various educational projects in rural communities, which would help raise the standard of education in the beneficiary communities.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the beneficiary communities to own the projects and preserve them so that they would serve the purpose for which they were constructed.
The Chief of Begoro, Daasebre Awuah Kotoko, expressed the gratitude to the people, the Korean government and the World Vision International for their support towards the uplift the standard of education in the area.
ECG TO IMPROVE POWER SUPPLY IN NEW JUABEN (SPREAD, NOV 30, 2010)
WORK on the construction of a 33kv primary station to improve electricity supply in the New Juaben Municipality and its environs is progressing steadily.
The 2.3-million-euro project forms part of efforts by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to also enhance the stability of electricity supply to Koforidua, Jumapo, Oyoko, Akwadum, Okorase, Suhyen and Mangoase.
The project, which is 85 per cent complete, will complement the only 20mva capacity primary station at Old Estate, a suburb of Koforidua.
The project, which started in September, 2009, and is expected to be completed in November, 2010, is being funded by the Norwegian government and executed by the Jacobsen Electro of Norway.
The Eastern Regional Director of the ECG, Mr Kobina Arthur Forson, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua.
He said the project would enhance the capacity of his outfit to effectively cater for the increasing energy demand by the New Juaben Municipality and the surrounding communities.
Mr Forson made the disclosure when the Business Operational Performance monitoring team, which comprises of officials from the ECG and the State Enterprise Commission, paid familiarisation tours to some of the facilities of the ECG in Koforidua and Old Tafo in the East Akyem Municipality.
The two-day tour, which afforded the officials first-hand insight into the challenges facing the ECG and its personnel, took the team to the Bulk Supply Plant at Old Tafo and the Mile 50 primary station in Koforidua.
The team also inspected the upgrading of the 11kv lines to 33kv from Old Tafo to Suhum and from Old Tafo to Anyinam, Begoro and Kwabeng; a project which is expected to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce losses to the ECG, upon completion.
The regional director said the only primary station at Old Estate, which is being fed by the rural lines, served the New Juaben Municipality and its environs, a situation that often led to occasional power outages whenever there was a technical fault.
He said to avoid such a problem, the ECG was building new lines from the Old Tafo Bulk Supply Plant (BSP) to the existing primary station at Old Estate and the new primary station at Mile 50 to avoid further disruption of power supply to the people.
“As the New Juaben Municipality expands, we need to build our capacity to enable us to cater effectively for the growing energy demands of the municipality and its surrounding areas,” Mr Forson stated.
For his part, the Executive Director of the STE, Mr David Djanie, expressed satisfaction at the efforts being made by the ECG to meet the increasing energy demands of residents in the New Juaben Municipality and the nearby communities.
The 2.3-million-euro project forms part of efforts by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to also enhance the stability of electricity supply to Koforidua, Jumapo, Oyoko, Akwadum, Okorase, Suhyen and Mangoase.
The project, which is 85 per cent complete, will complement the only 20mva capacity primary station at Old Estate, a suburb of Koforidua.
The project, which started in September, 2009, and is expected to be completed in November, 2010, is being funded by the Norwegian government and executed by the Jacobsen Electro of Norway.
The Eastern Regional Director of the ECG, Mr Kobina Arthur Forson, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua.
He said the project would enhance the capacity of his outfit to effectively cater for the increasing energy demand by the New Juaben Municipality and the surrounding communities.
Mr Forson made the disclosure when the Business Operational Performance monitoring team, which comprises of officials from the ECG and the State Enterprise Commission, paid familiarisation tours to some of the facilities of the ECG in Koforidua and Old Tafo in the East Akyem Municipality.
The two-day tour, which afforded the officials first-hand insight into the challenges facing the ECG and its personnel, took the team to the Bulk Supply Plant at Old Tafo and the Mile 50 primary station in Koforidua.
The team also inspected the upgrading of the 11kv lines to 33kv from Old Tafo to Suhum and from Old Tafo to Anyinam, Begoro and Kwabeng; a project which is expected to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce losses to the ECG, upon completion.
The regional director said the only primary station at Old Estate, which is being fed by the rural lines, served the New Juaben Municipality and its environs, a situation that often led to occasional power outages whenever there was a technical fault.
He said to avoid such a problem, the ECG was building new lines from the Old Tafo Bulk Supply Plant (BSP) to the existing primary station at Old Estate and the new primary station at Mile 50 to avoid further disruption of power supply to the people.
“As the New Juaben Municipality expands, we need to build our capacity to enable us to cater effectively for the growing energy demands of the municipality and its surrounding areas,” Mr Forson stated.
For his part, the Executive Director of the STE, Mr David Djanie, expressed satisfaction at the efforts being made by the ECG to meet the increasing energy demands of residents in the New Juaben Municipality and the nearby communities.
COLLABORATE WITH GOVT TO EMPOWER WOMEN — AZUMAH-MENSAH (PAGE 11, NOV 27, 2010)
THE Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has urged organisations and institutions concerned with gender equality,to continue to collaborate with the government to initiate more measures that would empower women socially, economically and politically in society.
The Minister said the challenges to the development of women in the country was embodied in social, cultural, economic and political discrimination coupled with violation of their rights, intimidation and violence.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah made the call at the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Suhum last Thursday.
The event was on the theme “Women Speak, End Gender-Based Violence Now!”, formed part of international campaign set aside to highlight the various human right abuses perpetrated against women globally. It was also to pay respect to human rights defenders as well as raise awareness about the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
In her view, women also lacked the capacity to engage in viable economic activities to generate enough money for themselves, a situation that had made them to remain in the vicious poverty cycle, preventing them from having access to proper healthcare, education, shelter and food, among others.
The minister said there was the need to encourage women to control their lives and effectively contribute to national development, as well as gain freedom from all forms of socio-cultural, economic and political discriminations.
“Until we sustain our commitment to empower women, forces that militate against the development of women in general will be so overwhelming that it will be difficult to reap the fruits of our efforts, thus making the future of women in Ghana bleak”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
“Many women are unable to afford even the cost of transportation to reach health facilities, while others face barriers because they are illiterate and unable to express themselves in English, considered as the official language”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
The minister also lamented the denial of women to own property such as land, cash crops among many ethnic groups, while others remained subjected to traditional male dominance that denied them statutory entitlements to inheritance and property owning, legally registered marriage and the maintenance and custody of their children.
“Even today, many widows are thrown out of their late husband’s houses by relatives who consider it a taboo for women to own houses, a situation that has made single women poor and unable to properly ensure their children’s well-being and development”, the minister stressed.
On employment, she said discrimination at the workplace had become common causing some women to engage in menial jobs like head potters and house helps, exposing them to social, commercial and sexual exploitation.
With regard to education, she said though education was a right in itself and a pathway to the enjoyment of other rights, the lack of education for women had a lifetime cost such as the opportunities for financial independence and increasing the likelihood of early marriage with its high incidence of emotional and physical ill-health.
“In spite of the fact that Ghana has passed laws that prohibits early marriage, many girls are married off without their consent due to poverty. This denies them access to education, which in the long run significantly increases their risks of contracting HIV and AIDS and increase maternal mortality”, she added.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, also reiterated the call on stakeholders to put in more efforts at ending violence against women and ensuring their involvement in conflict resolution and peace building processes.
The National Co-ordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elizabeth Dassah, said despite various interventions by her outfit and other stakeholders, domestic violence was still rife in the country.
“Over the past 12 years of its establishment, DOVVSU has recorded about 120,000 cases of violence, with spousal violence accounting for over 26,000, defilement 9,417, rape 2,458, with more than 50,000 presenting cases of non-maintenance”, she said.
ACP Dassah added that some of the gender-based crimes which were often not reported included forced marriage, abduction, trafficking in women and children into portage, domestic servitude and prostitution, children in worst forms of labour, sexual harassment in the workplace and violence against the girl child in school, stressing that these cases were also on the increase.
For his part, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, called on both men and women, especially married couples, to show mutual respect to one another to curb the increasing rate of violence committed against one another.
The Minister said the challenges to the development of women in the country was embodied in social, cultural, economic and political discrimination coupled with violation of their rights, intimidation and violence.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah made the call at the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Suhum last Thursday.
The event was on the theme “Women Speak, End Gender-Based Violence Now!”, formed part of international campaign set aside to highlight the various human right abuses perpetrated against women globally. It was also to pay respect to human rights defenders as well as raise awareness about the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
In her view, women also lacked the capacity to engage in viable economic activities to generate enough money for themselves, a situation that had made them to remain in the vicious poverty cycle, preventing them from having access to proper healthcare, education, shelter and food, among others.
The minister said there was the need to encourage women to control their lives and effectively contribute to national development, as well as gain freedom from all forms of socio-cultural, economic and political discriminations.
“Until we sustain our commitment to empower women, forces that militate against the development of women in general will be so overwhelming that it will be difficult to reap the fruits of our efforts, thus making the future of women in Ghana bleak”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
“Many women are unable to afford even the cost of transportation to reach health facilities, while others face barriers because they are illiterate and unable to express themselves in English, considered as the official language”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
The minister also lamented the denial of women to own property such as land, cash crops among many ethnic groups, while others remained subjected to traditional male dominance that denied them statutory entitlements to inheritance and property owning, legally registered marriage and the maintenance and custody of their children.
“Even today, many widows are thrown out of their late husband’s houses by relatives who consider it a taboo for women to own houses, a situation that has made single women poor and unable to properly ensure their children’s well-being and development”, the minister stressed.
On employment, she said discrimination at the workplace had become common causing some women to engage in menial jobs like head potters and house helps, exposing them to social, commercial and sexual exploitation.
With regard to education, she said though education was a right in itself and a pathway to the enjoyment of other rights, the lack of education for women had a lifetime cost such as the opportunities for financial independence and increasing the likelihood of early marriage with its high incidence of emotional and physical ill-health.
“In spite of the fact that Ghana has passed laws that prohibits early marriage, many girls are married off without their consent due to poverty. This denies them access to education, which in the long run significantly increases their risks of contracting HIV and AIDS and increase maternal mortality”, she added.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, also reiterated the call on stakeholders to put in more efforts at ending violence against women and ensuring their involvement in conflict resolution and peace building processes.
The National Co-ordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elizabeth Dassah, said despite various interventions by her outfit and other stakeholders, domestic violence was still rife in the country.
“Over the past 12 years of its establishment, DOVVSU has recorded about 120,000 cases of violence, with spousal violence accounting for over 26,000, defilement 9,417, rape 2,458, with more than 50,000 presenting cases of non-maintenance”, she said.
ACP Dassah added that some of the gender-based crimes which were often not reported included forced marriage, abduction, trafficking in women and children into portage, domestic servitude and prostitution, children in worst forms of labour, sexual harassment in the workplace and violence against the girl child in school, stressing that these cases were also on the increase.
For his part, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, called on both men and women, especially married couples, to show mutual respect to one another to curb the increasing rate of violence committed against one another.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
MAN SHOT DEAD BY FARMER (BACK PAGE, NOV 25, 2010)
A 34-year-old farmer is in the custody of the Eastern Regional Police Command for allegedly killing a young man he suspected of sexually harassing his (farmer’s) niece.
The incident occurred when the farmer, Samuel Obeng Ofori, on his way to his farm in the morning, saw three brothers allegedly making frantic attempts to rape his niece.
Enraged by what she considered an attempted rape of the girl, who was on her way to school at the time, Ofori was said to have fired at the three, killing Frank Fordji Ajololo, one of the three men, on the spot.
The other two brothers were said to have taken to their heels.
According to the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, in the early morning of Tuesday, November 23, 2010, the relatives of Oforiwaa gave a crate of minerals to her to send to somebody in her school.
On her way to the school, the three brothers approached her and seized the crate of minerals after which they attempted to rape her.
In a bid to free herself from the grips of her captors, the girl screamed, which attracted some of the residents of the area to her rescue.
Incidentally, her uncle, Ofori, who was also on his way to his farm, arrived at the scene and saw the ensuing struggle between her niece and the three young men. He allegedly fired at them, killing Frank Ajololo in the process.
He was said to have later gone to the police station to report himself and is currently in police custody assisting in investigation.
The body of the deceased, Frank Ajololo, has been deposited at the morgue of the Suhum Government Hospital for autopsy.
The incident occurred when the farmer, Samuel Obeng Ofori, on his way to his farm in the morning, saw three brothers allegedly making frantic attempts to rape his niece.
Enraged by what she considered an attempted rape of the girl, who was on her way to school at the time, Ofori was said to have fired at the three, killing Frank Fordji Ajololo, one of the three men, on the spot.
The other two brothers were said to have taken to their heels.
According to the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, in the early morning of Tuesday, November 23, 2010, the relatives of Oforiwaa gave a crate of minerals to her to send to somebody in her school.
On her way to the school, the three brothers approached her and seized the crate of minerals after which they attempted to rape her.
In a bid to free herself from the grips of her captors, the girl screamed, which attracted some of the residents of the area to her rescue.
Incidentally, her uncle, Ofori, who was also on his way to his farm, arrived at the scene and saw the ensuing struggle between her niece and the three young men. He allegedly fired at them, killing Frank Ajololo in the process.
He was said to have later gone to the police station to report himself and is currently in police custody assisting in investigation.
The body of the deceased, Frank Ajololo, has been deposited at the morgue of the Suhum Government Hospital for autopsy.
GUARD AGAINST SHODDY WORK (BACK PAGE, NOV 24, 2010)
YOUTH recruited under the Youth in Road Maintenance (YiRM) module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) have been advised not to allow themselves to be influenced by unscrupulous contractors to execute projects in shoddy ways.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, who made the call, stated that if they connived with unscrupulous contractors to do shoddy work, they would fail to justify the purpose for which they were employed under the scheme.
He was speaking at the end of a weekend training programme for 10 regional supervisors for the YiRM module of the NYEP at Koforidua.
The participants had undergone an intensive training in road maintenance at the Ghana Highway Authority Training Centre in Koforidua and were to supervise the youth engaged under the module to keep the roads across the country in good condition.
The deputy regional minister said the introduction of the YiRM module of the NYEP was aimed at not only creating employment for the youth but also to enable them to check poor execution of road construction projects by contractors across the country.
He indicated that the survival of every government depended on the success of youth employment programmes such as the NYEP.
He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries of the various modules to appreciate their recruitment into responsible positions to ensure the success of the programme.
Mr Jamal reminded the beneficiaries to guard against any other conduct that could cast a slur on the government, saying that “your failure to live up to expectation will give credence to the notion that you were appointed not on merit but on political lines”.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, Alhaji Tapsoba Alhassan, said the recruitment of the youth under the module was not based on their political affiliation but on their merit and competence.
He appealed to the media to refrain from carrying out negative and unsubstantiated publications about the NYEP and the personnel working for the programme, saying that, “you should ensure fair reportage by cross-checking and obtaining authentic information before making them public”.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, who made the call, stated that if they connived with unscrupulous contractors to do shoddy work, they would fail to justify the purpose for which they were employed under the scheme.
He was speaking at the end of a weekend training programme for 10 regional supervisors for the YiRM module of the NYEP at Koforidua.
The participants had undergone an intensive training in road maintenance at the Ghana Highway Authority Training Centre in Koforidua and were to supervise the youth engaged under the module to keep the roads across the country in good condition.
The deputy regional minister said the introduction of the YiRM module of the NYEP was aimed at not only creating employment for the youth but also to enable them to check poor execution of road construction projects by contractors across the country.
He indicated that the survival of every government depended on the success of youth employment programmes such as the NYEP.
He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries of the various modules to appreciate their recruitment into responsible positions to ensure the success of the programme.
Mr Jamal reminded the beneficiaries to guard against any other conduct that could cast a slur on the government, saying that “your failure to live up to expectation will give credence to the notion that you were appointed not on merit but on political lines”.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, Alhaji Tapsoba Alhassan, said the recruitment of the youth under the module was not based on their political affiliation but on their merit and competence.
He appealed to the media to refrain from carrying out negative and unsubstantiated publications about the NYEP and the personnel working for the programme, saying that, “you should ensure fair reportage by cross-checking and obtaining authentic information before making them public”.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OIL AND GAS — CJ urges students (PAGE 3, NOV 22, 2010)
THE Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina T. Wood, has called on universities and other tertiary institutions to design courses that will equip students with knowledge and employable skills in the oil and gas industry.
That, she said, would enable Ghanaian students to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities offered by the exploitation of oil and gas in the country.
“It is time tertiary education considered positioning itself to take opportunities that are uncovered on a daily basis so that Ghanaians can take their destiny into their own hands, especially in the field of oil,” she stated.
The Chief Justice made the call in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, a Justice of the Supreme Court, at the sixth convocation of the All Nations University College (ANUC) in Koforidua on Saturday.
The event, at which 281 students who pursued various programmes at the university graduated, coincided with the matriculation of 850 students into the institution.
“History shows that countries can only thrive better when they invest in their people and infrastructure, when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs,” Mrs Wood said.
The Chief Justice said the country was currently battling with challenges of development, in spite of the fact that various governments and organisations had, over the years, put in place different policies and projects to improve the quality of education, reduce poverty and speed up the rate of development.
“However, despite these wonderful policies and projects, the country is only creeping out of high rate of unemployment, high rate of school drop-outs, increasing population, high rural-urban drift, among other numerous socio-economic challenges,” Mrs Wood stated.
She expressed delight that in spite of those challenges, the country had, over the years, witnessed an increase in the number of private universities which supported the few overcrowded and overstretched public universities in the country.
“It is invigorating that the religious bodies that pioneered education in Ghana have vigorously joined that crusade of university education and equally taken the challenge to assist the educational sector in bringing up graduates who are instilled with decent moral behaviour.
“The expectations are that these fresh graduates will come up with fresh and innovative ideas to strengthen the inefficient, ill-equipped, grossly underpaid, demoralised, unmotivated and unresponsive civil and public service that has bedevilled all African countries, including Ghana,” the Chief Justice stated.
In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, commended the role being played by private universities to develop tertiary education in the country.
“While the government welcomes private participation in tertiary education as a solution to improving access, if we are to derive benefits from education, we must ensure that curriculum is relevant and quality is high,” he said.
He commended private institutions providing tertiary education but cautioned that “we must be able to increase access without overcrowding classrooms and improve quality with better learning resources without making education unaffordable”.
The Provost of the College of Science of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor R. K. Nkum, advised the graduates to be prepared to learn from the experiences of others they would meet on the job market to enable them to excel in their chosen careers.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the President of the ANUC, Dr Samuel H. Donkor, had said the university would partner major research institutions and universities, both local and international, for research collaboration to make the ANUC a centre of excellence in research and innovation.
That, she said, would enable Ghanaian students to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities offered by the exploitation of oil and gas in the country.
“It is time tertiary education considered positioning itself to take opportunities that are uncovered on a daily basis so that Ghanaians can take their destiny into their own hands, especially in the field of oil,” she stated.
The Chief Justice made the call in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, a Justice of the Supreme Court, at the sixth convocation of the All Nations University College (ANUC) in Koforidua on Saturday.
The event, at which 281 students who pursued various programmes at the university graduated, coincided with the matriculation of 850 students into the institution.
“History shows that countries can only thrive better when they invest in their people and infrastructure, when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled workforce and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs,” Mrs Wood said.
The Chief Justice said the country was currently battling with challenges of development, in spite of the fact that various governments and organisations had, over the years, put in place different policies and projects to improve the quality of education, reduce poverty and speed up the rate of development.
“However, despite these wonderful policies and projects, the country is only creeping out of high rate of unemployment, high rate of school drop-outs, increasing population, high rural-urban drift, among other numerous socio-economic challenges,” Mrs Wood stated.
She expressed delight that in spite of those challenges, the country had, over the years, witnessed an increase in the number of private universities which supported the few overcrowded and overstretched public universities in the country.
“It is invigorating that the religious bodies that pioneered education in Ghana have vigorously joined that crusade of university education and equally taken the challenge to assist the educational sector in bringing up graduates who are instilled with decent moral behaviour.
“The expectations are that these fresh graduates will come up with fresh and innovative ideas to strengthen the inefficient, ill-equipped, grossly underpaid, demoralised, unmotivated and unresponsive civil and public service that has bedevilled all African countries, including Ghana,” the Chief Justice stated.
In an address read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, commended the role being played by private universities to develop tertiary education in the country.
“While the government welcomes private participation in tertiary education as a solution to improving access, if we are to derive benefits from education, we must ensure that curriculum is relevant and quality is high,” he said.
He commended private institutions providing tertiary education but cautioned that “we must be able to increase access without overcrowding classrooms and improve quality with better learning resources without making education unaffordable”.
The Provost of the College of Science of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor R. K. Nkum, advised the graduates to be prepared to learn from the experiences of others they would meet on the job market to enable them to excel in their chosen careers.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the President of the ANUC, Dr Samuel H. Donkor, had said the university would partner major research institutions and universities, both local and international, for research collaboration to make the ANUC a centre of excellence in research and innovation.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
PRESBY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ADMITS 500 (BACK PAGE, NOV 17, 2010)
THE Presbyterian University College (PUC) last Saturday admitted 500 students at its eighth matriculation at Abetifi in the Eastern Region to pursue various programmes at the institution’s four campuses.
The students will be pursuing their studies at the Okwahu (Abetifi), Asante-Akyem (Agogo), Akropong-Akuapem and Tema campuses of the university.
Addressing the ceremony, the Principal of the institution, Professor K. Sraku-Lartey, said as part of measures to ensure quality academic programmes that would produce the best students, PUC had revised its strategic plan to reposition the institution.
“We are now striving to obtain a charter in five years’ time and make PUC self-sustaining financially within 10 years, as well as realign existing programmes and introduce new demand-driven ones whose outputs will meet local and international requirements,” he stated.
Professor Sraku-Lartey also indicated that the university intended to increase its student population to at least 3,000 in five years and establish a School of Agriculture, which will be backed by viable commercial agriculture.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt Rev Yaw Frimpong-Manso, called on the government to support the infrastructural development of the university to enhance teaching and learning.
The students will be pursuing their studies at the Okwahu (Abetifi), Asante-Akyem (Agogo), Akropong-Akuapem and Tema campuses of the university.
Addressing the ceremony, the Principal of the institution, Professor K. Sraku-Lartey, said as part of measures to ensure quality academic programmes that would produce the best students, PUC had revised its strategic plan to reposition the institution.
“We are now striving to obtain a charter in five years’ time and make PUC self-sustaining financially within 10 years, as well as realign existing programmes and introduce new demand-driven ones whose outputs will meet local and international requirements,” he stated.
Professor Sraku-Lartey also indicated that the university intended to increase its student population to at least 3,000 in five years and establish a School of Agriculture, which will be backed by viable commercial agriculture.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt Rev Yaw Frimpong-Manso, called on the government to support the infrastructural development of the university to enhance teaching and learning.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
RIOTS AT KYEBI...As galamsey youth battle police, soldiers (LEAD STORY, NOV 10, 2010)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Kyebi
STONE-THROWING illegal miners on Monday engaged armed policemen and soldiers in a confrontation at Kyebi after the security men had seized equipment belonging to the galamsey operators, including excavators and pumping machines.
Numbering about 200, the youth hurled stones and sticks at the six security men after blocking some of the roads in the town.
The military and police personnel responded with warning shots to disperse the mob and managed to exit through an alternate route to the Kyebi Police Station to request for reinforcement.
In the absence of the security men, the rioters were reported to have taken their mining equipment to the forecourt of the Okyenhene’s palace, poured petrol on it and were in the process of setting them ablaze when the military/police reinforcement arrived amidst the firing of warning shots to finally disperse the mob. No arrest was made.
The personalities who came the scene included the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Infantry, Lt Col Barimah Owusu, and some members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC).
They held a meeting with some of the chiefs at the Okyenhene’s palace at Kyebi, including the Okyenhemaa, Nana Twumawaa Dokua, during which the regional minister urged the traditional leaders in the Akyem Abuakwa area to cause the arrest of any person who undertook mining in the area and called on the security agencies to go all out in dealing with illegal miners at Kyebi and its environs.
He condemned the violent behaviour exhibited by the galamsey operators towards the security personnel who were discharging their legitimate duty.
“If the law is not allowed to prevail, we all stand a big risk of being the subject of frequent violent attacks by the illegal miners, who now possess sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their illegal activities,” Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He called on small scale miners to respect the laws of the land, which require them to register with the Minerals Commission, adhere to proper mining regulations and pay taxes to the Commission.
He said small scale mining had triggered the violation of minerals and environmental laws in the country, a situation which, he said, had emboldened the galamsey operators to frequently mine with poisonous chemicals and divert water bodies without any regard to the health implications their actions posed to the public.
“Today, River Birim is at the brink of extinction simply because the mining laws are not being adhered to by these galamsey operators,” he said, pledging that this would not happen under his watch as a regional minister.
He further expressed dismay at the growing acquisition of sophisticated weapons by the galamsey operators to defend their businesses and themselves, citing a case in which angry, armed galamsey operators demonstrated and marched to the palace of the paramount chief of Akyem Bosome, Okotwereaso Oware Agyekum, who is also the vice president of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, and made attempts to remove his sandals of authority and slaughter a sheep to signify his destoolment.
He said the chief, who sustained injury at the hands of the mob, was, however, rescued by the timely intervention of the security forces.
Nana Dokua, who represented the Okyenhene, pledged the support of the traditional leaders to the security forces in their effort to get rid of galamsey operations in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
STONE-THROWING illegal miners on Monday engaged armed policemen and soldiers in a confrontation at Kyebi after the security men had seized equipment belonging to the galamsey operators, including excavators and pumping machines.
Numbering about 200, the youth hurled stones and sticks at the six security men after blocking some of the roads in the town.
The military and police personnel responded with warning shots to disperse the mob and managed to exit through an alternate route to the Kyebi Police Station to request for reinforcement.
In the absence of the security men, the rioters were reported to have taken their mining equipment to the forecourt of the Okyenhene’s palace, poured petrol on it and were in the process of setting them ablaze when the military/police reinforcement arrived amidst the firing of warning shots to finally disperse the mob. No arrest was made.
The personalities who came the scene included the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Infantry, Lt Col Barimah Owusu, and some members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC).
They held a meeting with some of the chiefs at the Okyenhene’s palace at Kyebi, including the Okyenhemaa, Nana Twumawaa Dokua, during which the regional minister urged the traditional leaders in the Akyem Abuakwa area to cause the arrest of any person who undertook mining in the area and called on the security agencies to go all out in dealing with illegal miners at Kyebi and its environs.
He condemned the violent behaviour exhibited by the galamsey operators towards the security personnel who were discharging their legitimate duty.
“If the law is not allowed to prevail, we all stand a big risk of being the subject of frequent violent attacks by the illegal miners, who now possess sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their illegal activities,” Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He called on small scale miners to respect the laws of the land, which require them to register with the Minerals Commission, adhere to proper mining regulations and pay taxes to the Commission.
He said small scale mining had triggered the violation of minerals and environmental laws in the country, a situation which, he said, had emboldened the galamsey operators to frequently mine with poisonous chemicals and divert water bodies without any regard to the health implications their actions posed to the public.
“Today, River Birim is at the brink of extinction simply because the mining laws are not being adhered to by these galamsey operators,” he said, pledging that this would not happen under his watch as a regional minister.
He further expressed dismay at the growing acquisition of sophisticated weapons by the galamsey operators to defend their businesses and themselves, citing a case in which angry, armed galamsey operators demonstrated and marched to the palace of the paramount chief of Akyem Bosome, Okotwereaso Oware Agyekum, who is also the vice president of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, and made attempts to remove his sandals of authority and slaughter a sheep to signify his destoolment.
He said the chief, who sustained injury at the hands of the mob, was, however, rescued by the timely intervention of the security forces.
Nana Dokua, who represented the Okyenhene, pledged the support of the traditional leaders to the security forces in their effort to get rid of galamsey operations in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
FLOODS CAUSE HAVOC IN AFRAM PLAINS (BACK PAGE, NOV 2, 2010)
TWO thousand and eight hundred persons in 120 villages and towns along the Volta Lake in the Kwahu East, Kwahu South and Kwahu North districts in the Eastern Region have been rendered homeless by floods.
Besides, the floods have also destroyed 850 buildings and more than 1,800 farms, markets and roads are submerged.
This was confirmed when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, accompanied by the respective District Chief Executives for the Kwahu South, Kwahu East and Kwahu North districts, Mr Joseph O. Sasu, Mr Samuel Asamoah and Mr Charles Evans Apraku, as well as officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), led by its Eastern Regional Co-ordinator, Mr Ranford Boakye, visited some of the affected communities in the three districts last Friday.
The visit was used to sensitise the affected persons, most of whom were reluctant to relocate to high grounds to avoid the damaging effects of the floods.
In the Kwahu South District, 490 persons have been displaced and 322 houses destroyed in 22 communities, while 1,202 persons had been affected in 74 communities in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains).
In the Kwahu East District, a transformer belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) that supplies power to the Kotosu Water Treatment Plant had submerged, threatening the supply of water to health and educational institutions as well as various households in the area.
One thousand and two persons in 74 communities have been affected in the Kwahu North, where a number of markets and roads, have been flooded making them unmotorable.
At Ekye Amanfrom and Agordeke in the Kwahu North, the floodwaters have inundated the passenger terminals at the two harbours, making it difficult for the pontoons and canoes to berth for passengers.
During the tour, the delegation presented a number of relief items worth GH¢8,800 to the affected persons. The items comprised 800 bags of rice, 40 cartons of soaps, 100 pieces each of bowls and buckets, 20 bales of used clothes, 500 pieces each of plates and cups and 22 bales of poly-mats.
The beneficiary communities included Kotosu and Asempanye in the Kwahu South District, Adawso and Asubone Odumase in the Kwahu South District.
The rest were Ekye Amanfrom, Gadokope, Dororotopong-Kodome, Bridgeano, Teacher Kope and Agordeke in the Kwahu North District.
During the tour, Mr Ofosu Ampofo and his entourage came face-to-face with the threatening nature of the increasing volume of the floodwater, which had caused extensive damage to buildings and personal belongings of the affected persons.
Amazed at the increasing volume of the flood, which, at the time of the visit, could take less than five minutes to make some of the houses in the Kwahu South and Kwahu North Districts to submerge, Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the international community and the country’s development partners to come to the aid of the government to provide the people with their basic needs such as blankets, used clothes and mattresses.
He also called on the three district assemblies to immediately go to the aid of the affected persons by providing them with their basic needs and water tanks at vantage points to serve drinking water to the affected communities to curb the spread of any water-borne diseases.
Besides, the floods have also destroyed 850 buildings and more than 1,800 farms, markets and roads are submerged.
This was confirmed when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, accompanied by the respective District Chief Executives for the Kwahu South, Kwahu East and Kwahu North districts, Mr Joseph O. Sasu, Mr Samuel Asamoah and Mr Charles Evans Apraku, as well as officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), led by its Eastern Regional Co-ordinator, Mr Ranford Boakye, visited some of the affected communities in the three districts last Friday.
The visit was used to sensitise the affected persons, most of whom were reluctant to relocate to high grounds to avoid the damaging effects of the floods.
In the Kwahu South District, 490 persons have been displaced and 322 houses destroyed in 22 communities, while 1,202 persons had been affected in 74 communities in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains).
In the Kwahu East District, a transformer belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) that supplies power to the Kotosu Water Treatment Plant had submerged, threatening the supply of water to health and educational institutions as well as various households in the area.
One thousand and two persons in 74 communities have been affected in the Kwahu North, where a number of markets and roads, have been flooded making them unmotorable.
At Ekye Amanfrom and Agordeke in the Kwahu North, the floodwaters have inundated the passenger terminals at the two harbours, making it difficult for the pontoons and canoes to berth for passengers.
During the tour, the delegation presented a number of relief items worth GH¢8,800 to the affected persons. The items comprised 800 bags of rice, 40 cartons of soaps, 100 pieces each of bowls and buckets, 20 bales of used clothes, 500 pieces each of plates and cups and 22 bales of poly-mats.
The beneficiary communities included Kotosu and Asempanye in the Kwahu South District, Adawso and Asubone Odumase in the Kwahu South District.
The rest were Ekye Amanfrom, Gadokope, Dororotopong-Kodome, Bridgeano, Teacher Kope and Agordeke in the Kwahu North District.
During the tour, Mr Ofosu Ampofo and his entourage came face-to-face with the threatening nature of the increasing volume of the floodwater, which had caused extensive damage to buildings and personal belongings of the affected persons.
Amazed at the increasing volume of the flood, which, at the time of the visit, could take less than five minutes to make some of the houses in the Kwahu South and Kwahu North Districts to submerge, Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the international community and the country’s development partners to come to the aid of the government to provide the people with their basic needs such as blankets, used clothes and mattresses.
He also called on the three district assemblies to immediately go to the aid of the affected persons by providing them with their basic needs and water tanks at vantage points to serve drinking water to the affected communities to curb the spread of any water-borne diseases.
THREE BANK WORKERS JAILED FOR FRAUD (BACK PAGE, OCT 30, 2010)
THREE employees of the Suhum branch of the Mumuadu Rural Bank who stole a total of GH¢148,422 belonging to the bank have been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment each with hard labour by the Koforidua High Court.
The convicts, Michael Nti Gyakari, Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwa, were all cashiers at the bank where they embezzled GH¢46,170, GH¢39,334 and GH¢62,918 respectively.
As their modus operandi, they collected the passbooks of customers who went to the bank to deposit their money and wrote the deposited amounts in the passbooks but failed to enter them in the bank’s books and destroyed the deposit forms to avoid detection before pocketing the money.
The three, who are currently students at the University of Cape Coast, were charged with stealing but pleaded not guilty to the 254 counts.
According to the facts of the case as presented by a State Attorney, Mr Frederick Tetteh, on May 14, 2009, after close of work, while the Suhum branch manager of the Mumuadu Rural Bank, Mr James Osafo, was checking the transactions for the day, he detected from Paul Mensah’s cashiers book that there were transactions which were not supported by the vouchers and which indicated stealing.
Consequently, he said, the internal auditor at the bank’s head office at Osino was invited to assist with investigations.
Mr Tetteh said it came to light that within a period of one year, while the three persons were on duty at the bank, they received various sums of money from customers and entered such money in the respective bank passbooks of the customers.
However, the convicts failed to enter the same amount in the ledger books and also failed to feed the computer with the transactions and pocketed the deposited amounts.
The case was then reported to the police and after investigations, it emerged that Nti Gyakari stole GH¢46,170 while Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwah stole GH¢62,918 and GH¢39,334 respectively.
According to the State Attorney, in the course of investigations Nti Gyakari paid GH¢5,000 while GH¢1,900 and GH¢2,000 were paid to the bank by Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwah respectively before being arraigned.
Passing sentence, the court, presided over by Mr Justice G. S. Suurbaareh, said the incarceration of the three should serve as deterrent to other personnel working in the banking industry.
The convicts, Michael Nti Gyakari, Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwa, were all cashiers at the bank where they embezzled GH¢46,170, GH¢39,334 and GH¢62,918 respectively.
As their modus operandi, they collected the passbooks of customers who went to the bank to deposit their money and wrote the deposited amounts in the passbooks but failed to enter them in the bank’s books and destroyed the deposit forms to avoid detection before pocketing the money.
The three, who are currently students at the University of Cape Coast, were charged with stealing but pleaded not guilty to the 254 counts.
According to the facts of the case as presented by a State Attorney, Mr Frederick Tetteh, on May 14, 2009, after close of work, while the Suhum branch manager of the Mumuadu Rural Bank, Mr James Osafo, was checking the transactions for the day, he detected from Paul Mensah’s cashiers book that there were transactions which were not supported by the vouchers and which indicated stealing.
Consequently, he said, the internal auditor at the bank’s head office at Osino was invited to assist with investigations.
Mr Tetteh said it came to light that within a period of one year, while the three persons were on duty at the bank, they received various sums of money from customers and entered such money in the respective bank passbooks of the customers.
However, the convicts failed to enter the same amount in the ledger books and also failed to feed the computer with the transactions and pocketed the deposited amounts.
The case was then reported to the police and after investigations, it emerged that Nti Gyakari stole GH¢46,170 while Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwah stole GH¢62,918 and GH¢39,334 respectively.
According to the State Attorney, in the course of investigations Nti Gyakari paid GH¢5,000 while GH¢1,900 and GH¢2,000 were paid to the bank by Paul Mensah and Frank Dankwah respectively before being arraigned.
Passing sentence, the court, presided over by Mr Justice G. S. Suurbaareh, said the incarceration of the three should serve as deterrent to other personnel working in the banking industry.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
AKUAPEM RIDGE TOWNS BENEFIT FROM WATER PROJECT (SPREAD, OCT 26, 2010)
TOWNS and communities located on the Akuapem Ridge in the Eastern Region are to benefit from a water supply project designed to solve the perennial water problem in the area.
When completed in 2012, the rural water project, which is a component of the Kpong Old Water Works, will benefit communities such as Akorley, Abonse, Aperede, Adukrom, Awukugua, Dawu, Akropong, Mamfe, Amanokrom, Tutu, Obosomase, Ahwerase, Aburi, Gyankama, Peduase, Kitase and Berekuso.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban Bagbin, who disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf at the Odwira festival of the chiefs and people of Aburi on Saturday, said access to improved water supply would enhance economic activities in the beneficiary communities.
The event, which was used to raise funds in aid of the Aburi Educational Fund and development projects in the area, drew a large gathering of people, including the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu; the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal; the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem South, Dr Godfried O.B. Twum, and the Member of Parliament for Aburi/Nsawam, Mr O. B. Amoah.
Mr Bagbin said though the government inherited difficulties in practically every sector of the economy on assumption of office, it was making every effort to resuscitate the economy, as well as restore various social services to the people.
Highlighting some of the developments on the Akuapem Ridge, he said the refurbishment of the Presidential Lodge at Peduase had finally been completed.
He also announced that the Peduase village facelift and infrastructural upgrading, which were major additional works to the Peduase Lodge Project, had also been completed.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the construction of the Pantang-Mamfe road, initiated by the NDC government and implemented by the NPP government, had enhanced the movement of the people and goods.
He, however, said the Aburi-Nsawam road project, which was awarded some years ago, had come to a standstill due to inefficiency on the part of the contractor and indicated that the contract would soon be re-awarded to “a credible and competent contractor”.
He hinted that a number of selected roads in the Aburi township would soon be rehabilitated, while the Ghana Highway Authority, in collaboration with the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI), was undertaking studies on the landslide on the hills at Ayi Mensah to curb any future landslide in the area.
Mr Jamal advised the youth to prepare themselves adequately by taking their education seriously to enable them to face the future with confidence.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Aburihene, Nana Otubuor Kwasi Gyan, expressed appreciation to the government for the construction of the Aburi Craft Village, which, he said, would create jobs for the youth in the area.
He expressed concern at the poor state of the Aburi Botanical Gardens, which he attributed to lack of maintenance and, therefore, called for a public-private partnership to assist in the refurbishment of the gardens.
When completed in 2012, the rural water project, which is a component of the Kpong Old Water Works, will benefit communities such as Akorley, Abonse, Aperede, Adukrom, Awukugua, Dawu, Akropong, Mamfe, Amanokrom, Tutu, Obosomase, Ahwerase, Aburi, Gyankama, Peduase, Kitase and Berekuso.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban Bagbin, who disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf at the Odwira festival of the chiefs and people of Aburi on Saturday, said access to improved water supply would enhance economic activities in the beneficiary communities.
The event, which was used to raise funds in aid of the Aburi Educational Fund and development projects in the area, drew a large gathering of people, including the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu; the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal; the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem South, Dr Godfried O.B. Twum, and the Member of Parliament for Aburi/Nsawam, Mr O. B. Amoah.
Mr Bagbin said though the government inherited difficulties in practically every sector of the economy on assumption of office, it was making every effort to resuscitate the economy, as well as restore various social services to the people.
Highlighting some of the developments on the Akuapem Ridge, he said the refurbishment of the Presidential Lodge at Peduase had finally been completed.
He also announced that the Peduase village facelift and infrastructural upgrading, which were major additional works to the Peduase Lodge Project, had also been completed.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the construction of the Pantang-Mamfe road, initiated by the NDC government and implemented by the NPP government, had enhanced the movement of the people and goods.
He, however, said the Aburi-Nsawam road project, which was awarded some years ago, had come to a standstill due to inefficiency on the part of the contractor and indicated that the contract would soon be re-awarded to “a credible and competent contractor”.
He hinted that a number of selected roads in the Aburi township would soon be rehabilitated, while the Ghana Highway Authority, in collaboration with the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI), was undertaking studies on the landslide on the hills at Ayi Mensah to curb any future landslide in the area.
Mr Jamal advised the youth to prepare themselves adequately by taking their education seriously to enable them to face the future with confidence.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Aburihene, Nana Otubuor Kwasi Gyan, expressed appreciation to the government for the construction of the Aburi Craft Village, which, he said, would create jobs for the youth in the area.
He expressed concern at the poor state of the Aburi Botanical Gardens, which he attributed to lack of maintenance and, therefore, called for a public-private partnership to assist in the refurbishment of the gardens.
Friday, October 22, 2010
GES INTERNAL AUDITORS APPEAL FOR LOGISTICS (PAGE 61, OCT 25, 2010)
Internal auditors of the Ghana Education Service (GES) have called on the government and the GES to provide official vehicles and logistics to all the regional offices of the unit to enable personnel to discharge their duties more diligently.
That, they said, would empower the auditors to frequently monitor educational institutions to ensure judicious utilisation of funds provided by the government to promote quality education.
“If an auditor depends on the client’s means of transport for easy movement and materials to work with, he could inevitably be influenced in his reportage, ” they stated.
The acting Eastern Regional Auditor of the GES, Mr Joseph A. Allotey, who made the call, said “with the lack of transportation in all the regional units, the only option left for the GES internal auditors to monitor educational institutions is to use public transport as their daily mode of transportation”.
“Independence, one of the ethical and professional standards for auditors to perform their duties diligently, cannot be achieved when we lack some of the basic logistics and facilities,” Mr Allotey stated.
He was speaking at the 7th annual Eastern Regional conference of the Association of GES internal auditors at Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region.
The event themed: “The Internal Auditor: An agent for safeguarding assets for a better Ghana”, brought together internal auditors of the GES and regional and district directors of education in the Eastern Region to take stock of the achievements, challenges and plan towards the future progress of the units.
The acting regional auditor said the work of the GES internal auditors entailed frequent monitoring of several educational institutions across the country.
However, he said, no region could boast duty post vehicles to facilitate the movement of the auditors, a situation that often compelled the personnel to resort to the use of public transport in the discharge of their duties.
In his view, the GES received a chunk of the national budget to promote better education delivery in the country.
This and other development resources were provided by the government to pursue programmes such as the provision of basic classroom blocks for children attending classes under trees, the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding programme, the Free School Uniforms and the supply of free exercise books.
He said it was the responsibility of the internal auditors of the GES to ensure that funds provided for such programmes were utilised for the intended purposes.
“By so doing, the internal auditor ensures that contracts are appropriately, effectively and efficiently awarded and executed and reviews auditable areas such as contract selection, purchasing, receipt of goods and services, checking and approving of payment vouchers, ” Mr Allotey stated.
He, therefore, appealed to the management of the GES to support and co-operate with the internal auditors to discharge their professional duties more diligently.
He also appealed to the management of the GES to refrain from perceiving internal auditors as “witch hunters since our task is to act as watch-dogs for the government just as external auditors act on behalf of shareholders and creditors of a company”.
“The success or failure of the internal audit unit in the GES as an agent for safeguarding assets for a better Ghana will depend on the support of the top GES management, independence of the internal auditor and strong ethical culture within the GES, ” Mr Allotey added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Adolph Attah-Gatorwu, advised the GES internal auditors to live above reproach to enable them to earn the confidence and respect “that the management of GES desires”.
He said when the unit was restructured into zonal systems, the regional and the zonal heads of the unit were promised means of transport but the promise had “become a dream of the past”.
“We can easily count how many of our members have offices of their own at their stations while some have to share furniture with other staff members, a situation that makes keeping our documents safe and out of reach of third parties difficult, ” Mr Attah-Gatorwu said.
He, therefore, appealed to the GES to help address such problems confronting the internal auditors to enhance their role as agents for “safeguarding assets”.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Mr Johnson O. Ehiakper, appealed to the GES to empower internal auditors in the area of logistics to enhance their output.
“Internal auditors need to be empowered to produce reports on time for a proper evaluation of controls put in place by the management to expose weaknesses that can lead to assets and other financial losses that had the tendency to derail quality education delivery, ” he stated.
That, they said, would empower the auditors to frequently monitor educational institutions to ensure judicious utilisation of funds provided by the government to promote quality education.
“If an auditor depends on the client’s means of transport for easy movement and materials to work with, he could inevitably be influenced in his reportage, ” they stated.
The acting Eastern Regional Auditor of the GES, Mr Joseph A. Allotey, who made the call, said “with the lack of transportation in all the regional units, the only option left for the GES internal auditors to monitor educational institutions is to use public transport as their daily mode of transportation”.
“Independence, one of the ethical and professional standards for auditors to perform their duties diligently, cannot be achieved when we lack some of the basic logistics and facilities,” Mr Allotey stated.
He was speaking at the 7th annual Eastern Regional conference of the Association of GES internal auditors at Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region.
The event themed: “The Internal Auditor: An agent for safeguarding assets for a better Ghana”, brought together internal auditors of the GES and regional and district directors of education in the Eastern Region to take stock of the achievements, challenges and plan towards the future progress of the units.
The acting regional auditor said the work of the GES internal auditors entailed frequent monitoring of several educational institutions across the country.
However, he said, no region could boast duty post vehicles to facilitate the movement of the auditors, a situation that often compelled the personnel to resort to the use of public transport in the discharge of their duties.
In his view, the GES received a chunk of the national budget to promote better education delivery in the country.
This and other development resources were provided by the government to pursue programmes such as the provision of basic classroom blocks for children attending classes under trees, the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding programme, the Free School Uniforms and the supply of free exercise books.
He said it was the responsibility of the internal auditors of the GES to ensure that funds provided for such programmes were utilised for the intended purposes.
“By so doing, the internal auditor ensures that contracts are appropriately, effectively and efficiently awarded and executed and reviews auditable areas such as contract selection, purchasing, receipt of goods and services, checking and approving of payment vouchers, ” Mr Allotey stated.
He, therefore, appealed to the management of the GES to support and co-operate with the internal auditors to discharge their professional duties more diligently.
He also appealed to the management of the GES to refrain from perceiving internal auditors as “witch hunters since our task is to act as watch-dogs for the government just as external auditors act on behalf of shareholders and creditors of a company”.
“The success or failure of the internal audit unit in the GES as an agent for safeguarding assets for a better Ghana will depend on the support of the top GES management, independence of the internal auditor and strong ethical culture within the GES, ” Mr Allotey added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Adolph Attah-Gatorwu, advised the GES internal auditors to live above reproach to enable them to earn the confidence and respect “that the management of GES desires”.
He said when the unit was restructured into zonal systems, the regional and the zonal heads of the unit were promised means of transport but the promise had “become a dream of the past”.
“We can easily count how many of our members have offices of their own at their stations while some have to share furniture with other staff members, a situation that makes keeping our documents safe and out of reach of third parties difficult, ” Mr Attah-Gatorwu said.
He, therefore, appealed to the GES to help address such problems confronting the internal auditors to enhance their role as agents for “safeguarding assets”.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Mr Johnson O. Ehiakper, appealed to the GES to empower internal auditors in the area of logistics to enhance their output.
“Internal auditors need to be empowered to produce reports on time for a proper evaluation of controls put in place by the management to expose weaknesses that can lead to assets and other financial losses that had the tendency to derail quality education delivery, ” he stated.
CATHOLIC BISHOP OF KOFORIDUA SUPPORTS SCHOOL PROJECTS (PAGE 63, OCT 25, 2010)
THE Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifa Agyekum, has donated 200 bags of cement to the St Mary Vocational Training Institute and the St Thomas Senior High Technical School at Asamankese in the Eastern Region.
He also provided the two beneficiary schools with two Samsung air conditioners meant for the offices of the headmasters of the schools.
The items were meant to assist management of the two schools to construct more structures to enable them to accommodate the new first year students they were to admit.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Koforidua Catholic Bishop, the Financial Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Koforidua, Very Rev. Fr Justin Mensah, said the materials reflected the commitment of Most Rev Agyekum to support the schools to address their infrastructure problems and also to enhance teaching and learning .
He assured management of the beneficiary schools that the Catholic Church was collaborating with other agencies, both local and international, to help put up modern classroom blocks for the two schools and appealed to the headmasters to use the materials for the intended purpose.
Receiving the materials on behalf of the two schools, the Headmaster of the St Thomas Senior High Technical School, Mr Stephen Ahenkrah-Owusu, thanked Most Rev Agyekum for his commitment to the progress of the schools.
“You have come to our aid at a time we are in desperate need for help to tackle our infrastructure challenges.
We are faced with infrastructure problems, which we can only solve with the support of the government and well-meaning individuals in society as well as our past students”, Mr Ahenkrah-Owusu stated.
Pix: Very Rev. Fr Mensah (third left) handing over the items to Mr Ahenkrah-Owusu, Headmaster of the St Thomas Senior High Technical School.
He also provided the two beneficiary schools with two Samsung air conditioners meant for the offices of the headmasters of the schools.
The items were meant to assist management of the two schools to construct more structures to enable them to accommodate the new first year students they were to admit.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Koforidua Catholic Bishop, the Financial Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Koforidua, Very Rev. Fr Justin Mensah, said the materials reflected the commitment of Most Rev Agyekum to support the schools to address their infrastructure problems and also to enhance teaching and learning .
He assured management of the beneficiary schools that the Catholic Church was collaborating with other agencies, both local and international, to help put up modern classroom blocks for the two schools and appealed to the headmasters to use the materials for the intended purpose.
Receiving the materials on behalf of the two schools, the Headmaster of the St Thomas Senior High Technical School, Mr Stephen Ahenkrah-Owusu, thanked Most Rev Agyekum for his commitment to the progress of the schools.
“You have come to our aid at a time we are in desperate need for help to tackle our infrastructure challenges.
We are faced with infrastructure problems, which we can only solve with the support of the government and well-meaning individuals in society as well as our past students”, Mr Ahenkrah-Owusu stated.
Pix: Very Rev. Fr Mensah (third left) handing over the items to Mr Ahenkrah-Owusu, Headmaster of the St Thomas Senior High Technical School.
Monday, October 18, 2010
ROTARY CLUB DONATES TO ADUKROM PRESBY JHS (PAGE 11, OCT 18, 2010)
THE Rotary Club of Accra Airpot has presented 200 Science and Mathematics books and other learning kits to the Adukrom Presbyterian Junior High School.
The materials formed part of the club’s commitment to support less-endwed schools to improve on teaching and learning.
Presenting the items, the President of the club, Mr Caodoc Mills Lamptey, said the members of the club decided to support the school to enable the students to read wide and prepare adequately for the Basic Education Certificate Examination.
He advised the students to make use of the books and materials so as to improve upon their knowledge.
He charged the management of the school to take good care of the books to ensure that they served the purpose for which they were donated.
Receiving the items, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Edmund Amoah, thanked the members of the Rotary Club of the Accra Airport for their support to the school which he described as timely to motivate the students to read and prepare well for the BECE.
The materials formed part of the club’s commitment to support less-endwed schools to improve on teaching and learning.
Presenting the items, the President of the club, Mr Caodoc Mills Lamptey, said the members of the club decided to support the school to enable the students to read wide and prepare adequately for the Basic Education Certificate Examination.
He advised the students to make use of the books and materials so as to improve upon their knowledge.
He charged the management of the school to take good care of the books to ensure that they served the purpose for which they were donated.
Receiving the items, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Edmund Amoah, thanked the members of the Rotary Club of the Accra Airport for their support to the school which he described as timely to motivate the students to read and prepare well for the BECE.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
HEALTH TRAINING INSTITUTIONS ASK FOR MORE RESOURCES (PAGE 51, OCT 13, 2010)
THE Conference of Heads of Training Institutions (COHHETI) has urged the Ministry of Health (MoH) to adequately resource and support health training institutions.
This is to enable them to meet accreditation requirements and consolidate their tertiary status.
It said the provision of well-equipped and stocked libraries, computers, textbooks and health-related journals, current editions of teaching and learning materials, buses for educational tours and vehicles for administrative duties and supervision of students in the clinical areas would enable them ensure quality training of health professionals.
Speaking at the opening of the 2010 annual general meeting and scientific session of the association in Koforidua, the Chairman of COHHETI, Mr James Yambor, said the lack of financial support and other logistics “is adversely affecting the tertiary status of health training institutions”.
The meeting, on the theme: “Consolidating the tertiary status of health training institutions: Challenges and prospects”, brought together heads and acting heads of the various health training institutions in the country.
Making reference to the government’s White Paper on reforms in the tertiary educational system in the country, Mr Yambor said teacher training colleges, agricultural training colleges, nursing and midwifery training colleges were all classified as tertiary institutions and placed under the Regional Colleges of Applied Arts, Science and Technology (RECAAST) to ensure cost-effectiveness by sharing teaching facilities, infrastructure and equipment.
However, he said, resource constraints facing the Ministry of Education (MoE) did not allow for the full implementation of the RECAAST system, in spite of the fact that the MoE had recommended that all RECAAST institutions be affiliated to the universities and steps be taken to upgrade the resources of the potential institutions to those of diploma-awarding institutions.
He, therefore, called on the MoH to help address those challenges to enable health training institutions to measure up to their tertiary status and deliver quality training to students.
For his part, Mr Richard K. Adjei of the NAB advised lecturers in the health training institutions to engage in research activities in relevant areas to enable them to acquire more knowledge and build their professional capability.
This is to enable them to meet accreditation requirements and consolidate their tertiary status.
It said the provision of well-equipped and stocked libraries, computers, textbooks and health-related journals, current editions of teaching and learning materials, buses for educational tours and vehicles for administrative duties and supervision of students in the clinical areas would enable them ensure quality training of health professionals.
Speaking at the opening of the 2010 annual general meeting and scientific session of the association in Koforidua, the Chairman of COHHETI, Mr James Yambor, said the lack of financial support and other logistics “is adversely affecting the tertiary status of health training institutions”.
The meeting, on the theme: “Consolidating the tertiary status of health training institutions: Challenges and prospects”, brought together heads and acting heads of the various health training institutions in the country.
Making reference to the government’s White Paper on reforms in the tertiary educational system in the country, Mr Yambor said teacher training colleges, agricultural training colleges, nursing and midwifery training colleges were all classified as tertiary institutions and placed under the Regional Colleges of Applied Arts, Science and Technology (RECAAST) to ensure cost-effectiveness by sharing teaching facilities, infrastructure and equipment.
However, he said, resource constraints facing the Ministry of Education (MoE) did not allow for the full implementation of the RECAAST system, in spite of the fact that the MoE had recommended that all RECAAST institutions be affiliated to the universities and steps be taken to upgrade the resources of the potential institutions to those of diploma-awarding institutions.
He, therefore, called on the MoH to help address those challenges to enable health training institutions to measure up to their tertiary status and deliver quality training to students.
For his part, Mr Richard K. Adjei of the NAB advised lecturers in the health training institutions to engage in research activities in relevant areas to enable them to acquire more knowledge and build their professional capability.
AMOAKO-ATTA SUPPORTS ATIWA VICTIMS (PAGE 13, OCT 13, 2010)
THE Member of Parliament-elect for the Atiwa Constituency, Mr Kwesi Amoako-Attah, has presented assorted items worth GH¢2,000 and an undisclosed sum of money to the 17 persons who sustained various injuries during the Atiwa by-elections.
The items, comprising cartons of tins of Milo, milk and toiletries as well as bags of rice and sugar, were given out to the people who got injured when the four-wheel drive of the National Women’s Organiser, Ms Anita Desoso, allegedly ran into them.
They included Isaac Duah Agyeman, 18, Seth Ampofo, 20, Ruben Addo, 22, Richard Obuoba, 20, Ernest Amoako, 26, Grace Ofosuwaa, 36, Ama Kyerewaa, 30, Ebenezer Adomako, 40, George Abu, 38, Bright Agyapong, 28, Kofi Bremang, 37, Yaw Asiedu, 35, Asomaning Danpreh, 76, Eric Osei, 49, Sameul Owusu Kwesi, 28.
The MP-elect made the presentation to the 17 persons at Abomosu in the Atiwa Constituency last Friday and was accompanied by the Eastern Regional Second Vice-Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Omar Bodinga, and his Assistant Secretary, Mr Antwi Bosiako, as well as some of the Atiwa Constituency executive members of the party.
Presenting the items, Mr Amoako-Attah said the items were meant to show the commitment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the welfare and recuperation of the 17 persons.
Mr Amoako-Attah, who said the party had already settled over GH¢7, 500 medical bills incurred in the treatment of the 17 persons, assured them of his personal and that of the party’s support to foot any future expenses.
He, therefore, urged the people to continue to seek further medical treatment at the hospitals to enable them to recuperate fully.
He said since the pains they suffered were meant for a good cause to protect any electoral malpractice by “outsiders”, he and the party would not let “your brave acts and pains go in vain”.
The MP-elect called on the police to expedite action on inverstigation into the incident to ensure justice for the 17 persons. Mr Amoako-Attah pledged to commit himself to the rapid socio-economic progress of the Atiwa District in order to raise the standard of living of the people.
Receiving the items on behalf of the others Isaac Duah thanked the MP-elect, the flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo Addo Addo Dankwa, for showing support and footing their medical expenses in the Koforidua and Enyiresi Government Hospitals, as well as the St. Joseph Hospital in Koforidua.
The items, comprising cartons of tins of Milo, milk and toiletries as well as bags of rice and sugar, were given out to the people who got injured when the four-wheel drive of the National Women’s Organiser, Ms Anita Desoso, allegedly ran into them.
They included Isaac Duah Agyeman, 18, Seth Ampofo, 20, Ruben Addo, 22, Richard Obuoba, 20, Ernest Amoako, 26, Grace Ofosuwaa, 36, Ama Kyerewaa, 30, Ebenezer Adomako, 40, George Abu, 38, Bright Agyapong, 28, Kofi Bremang, 37, Yaw Asiedu, 35, Asomaning Danpreh, 76, Eric Osei, 49, Sameul Owusu Kwesi, 28.
The MP-elect made the presentation to the 17 persons at Abomosu in the Atiwa Constituency last Friday and was accompanied by the Eastern Regional Second Vice-Chairman of the NPP, Alhaji Omar Bodinga, and his Assistant Secretary, Mr Antwi Bosiako, as well as some of the Atiwa Constituency executive members of the party.
Presenting the items, Mr Amoako-Attah said the items were meant to show the commitment of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the welfare and recuperation of the 17 persons.
Mr Amoako-Attah, who said the party had already settled over GH¢7, 500 medical bills incurred in the treatment of the 17 persons, assured them of his personal and that of the party’s support to foot any future expenses.
He, therefore, urged the people to continue to seek further medical treatment at the hospitals to enable them to recuperate fully.
He said since the pains they suffered were meant for a good cause to protect any electoral malpractice by “outsiders”, he and the party would not let “your brave acts and pains go in vain”.
The MP-elect called on the police to expedite action on inverstigation into the incident to ensure justice for the 17 persons. Mr Amoako-Attah pledged to commit himself to the rapid socio-economic progress of the Atiwa District in order to raise the standard of living of the people.
Receiving the items on behalf of the others Isaac Duah thanked the MP-elect, the flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo Addo Addo Dankwa, for showing support and footing their medical expenses in the Koforidua and Enyiresi Government Hospitals, as well as the St. Joseph Hospital in Koforidua.
Monday, October 4, 2010
CHIEFTAINCY TEARING NATION APART (SPREAD, OCT 4, 2010)
THE President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has observed that chieftaincy disputes are tearing the country apart and appealed to traditional leaders in the country to work towards a better image for the institution.
President Mills said efforts at improving the quality of life of the people and making the country a better place to live in were being undermined by the numerous disputes, “often with disastrous consequences”.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, at a durbar of chiefs and people of Akuapem, on the occasion of Odwira, the President said, “unless chiefs resolve to take concrete measures to stem this trend of affairs, it will be very difficult for us to achieve our development targets”.
The colourful event, which was marked on the theme; “The maintenance of peace and unity within the chieftaincy institution for economic, social and moral development”, drew a large gathering of people from all walks of life.
They included the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, and the Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Anthony Gyampo.
The festivity coincided with the 36th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III.
“I am convinced that efforts at accelerating our development will be given a bigger boost if our traditional leaders will play their strategic roles as leaders in the development of our communities,” Prof. Mills stated.
The President said as the oldest governance institution in the country, chieftaincy must necessarily regain its rightful and enviable position in society.
That, he said, would only be possible if chiefs cultivated the will power to discard individual or personal interests and placed the interest of their communities and the nation over and above everything else, adding that, “it is my prayer that the various houses of chiefs will take up this challenge.
“For example, as custodians of culture and tradition, chiefs could exploit the values and traditions that we cherish to protect our environment against degradation and ensure sound environmental practices,” he said.
Prof. Mills added that cultural tourism was an emerging area of the tourism sector, which was very promising in the country and, therefore, urged chiefs to be at the forefront in promoting the sector.
He also urged traditional leaders to exercise the influence they wielded and lead in the crusade against the current moral decadence and instil discipline and sound moral values, particularly in the youth, as well as the promotion of education and the training of the youth.
In his welcoming address read on his behalf, Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa called for government support for the chieftaincy institution to enable chiefs and other traditional leaders to play the leadership role expected of them by society.
According to him, the protracted chieftaincy disputes arising out of postponement of judicial committee sittings were due to the absence of legal counsel who were intended to help the judicial committees in their deliberations.
He was of the opinion that to save the chieftaincy institution, its economic and political base should be strengthened, adding that, “some of the former sources of genuine income should be restored to the chiefs”.
President Mills said efforts at improving the quality of life of the people and making the country a better place to live in were being undermined by the numerous disputes, “often with disastrous consequences”.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, at a durbar of chiefs and people of Akuapem, on the occasion of Odwira, the President said, “unless chiefs resolve to take concrete measures to stem this trend of affairs, it will be very difficult for us to achieve our development targets”.
The colourful event, which was marked on the theme; “The maintenance of peace and unity within the chieftaincy institution for economic, social and moral development”, drew a large gathering of people from all walks of life.
They included the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Member of Parliament for Akropong, Mr William Ofori Boafo, and the Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Anthony Gyampo.
The festivity coincided with the 36th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Okuapehene, Oseadeeyo Nana Addo Dankwa III.
“I am convinced that efforts at accelerating our development will be given a bigger boost if our traditional leaders will play their strategic roles as leaders in the development of our communities,” Prof. Mills stated.
The President said as the oldest governance institution in the country, chieftaincy must necessarily regain its rightful and enviable position in society.
That, he said, would only be possible if chiefs cultivated the will power to discard individual or personal interests and placed the interest of their communities and the nation over and above everything else, adding that, “it is my prayer that the various houses of chiefs will take up this challenge.
“For example, as custodians of culture and tradition, chiefs could exploit the values and traditions that we cherish to protect our environment against degradation and ensure sound environmental practices,” he said.
Prof. Mills added that cultural tourism was an emerging area of the tourism sector, which was very promising in the country and, therefore, urged chiefs to be at the forefront in promoting the sector.
He also urged traditional leaders to exercise the influence they wielded and lead in the crusade against the current moral decadence and instil discipline and sound moral values, particularly in the youth, as well as the promotion of education and the training of the youth.
In his welcoming address read on his behalf, Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa called for government support for the chieftaincy institution to enable chiefs and other traditional leaders to play the leadership role expected of them by society.
According to him, the protracted chieftaincy disputes arising out of postponement of judicial committee sittings were due to the absence of legal counsel who were intended to help the judicial committees in their deliberations.
He was of the opinion that to save the chieftaincy institution, its economic and political base should be strengthened, adding that, “some of the former sources of genuine income should be restored to the chiefs”.
AMPOFO SHOWS MATURITY ...At Odwira Festival (PAGE 13, OCT 4, 2010)
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, last Friday displayed political maturity and humility when he walked up to, and shook hands with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, at the Odwira Festival durbar at Akropong-Akuapem.
The gesture put to silence the growing agitation and murmuring among some of the large gathering of people from all walks of life at the event.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo, who was representing the President as the special guest at the function, announced his preparedness to walk about 70 metres to where Nana Akufo-Addo was seated at the right side of the Akuapemhene, Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, to welcome him to the festival.
The decision of the President’s representative followed the refusal of the security personnel detailed at the festival to allow the NPP flag bearer to greet Mr Ofosu Ampofo and other government dignitaries at the high table.
That was because Nana Akufo-Addo attempt to extend greetings to the government dignitaries was a breach to the event protocol, which required that all invited guests to the function be seated before the arrival of the President or his representative.
Nana Akufo-Addo, in the company of other top members of the NPP, arrived late at the function at about 3.40 p.m. when Mr Ofosu Ampofo and the government delegation were in the process of paying courtesy call on the chiefs and people.
The NPP presidential candidate’s arrival triggered some shouting and clapping from a section of the gathering and just after Mr Ofosu Ampofo and his entourage had finished paying courtesy calls on the chiefs and people and had taken their seats, Nana Akufo-Addo also took turn to extend greetings to the chiefs and people.
Immediately after paying homage to the chiefs and people, he decided to walk up to the high table to greet Mr Ofosu Ampofo and other government dignitaries but just a few metres to the destination, the security personnel prevented him and his entourage from doing so.
That attracted some booing and agitation from a section of the gathering who appeared very dismayed at the scene that was created following the security agencies’ action.
Prior to delivering the President’s address, Mr Ofosu Ampofo expressed worry over the scene that was created when the NPP presidential candidate was disallowed from greeting him and other dignitaries and, therefore, announced his readiness to walk up to Nana Akufo-Addo to return his “disallowed greeting” and formally welcome him to the festival.
To the surprise of the chiefs and the people, just after reading the President’s speech, Mr Ofosu Ampofo, accompanied by the District Chief Executive for the Akuapem North, walked up to Nana Addo-Dankwa and welcomed him to the function, a scene that attracted massive applause from the chiefs and the people.
The gesture immediately brought to an end the agitation and murmuring from the gathering, some of whom were already engaged in trading of words on whether what happened was appropriate or not.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo had earlier told the gathering that since the theme of the occasion sought to foster unity and peace, they must not allow what took placed to trigger any rift among them.
He also told the chiefs and people that he was a brother to Nana Akufo-Addo, since the two of them were Akyems, saying “we are all one people and, therefore, must never let what happened divide us”.
Meanwhile, Mr Ofosu Ampofo has said that he did not instruct police personnel to prevent Nana Akufo-Addo from greeting him at Friday’s Odwira durbar at Akwapim in the Eastern Region.
According to him, he was not initially aware of the presence of the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the durbar grounds, since all dignitaries were seated before his arrival.
Throwing more light on the issue, Divisional Police Commander of the Akwapem South District, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu explained that the programme was originally billed to start at 1:30pm but as at 3:30pm when it started, Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage had not arrived.
It was therefore agreed that the Regional Minister, stepping in for the president should proceed to greet the chiefs. It was also agreed that Nana Akufo-Addo would not be allowed to go round to greet the chiefs and the decision was communicated to him through the traditional secretary one Bekoe, the police commander said.
However, he stated, when Nana Akufo Addo arrived, he decided to greet the chiefs including the regional minister, but observing protocol, the police prevailed on him to abandon the greetings and take his seat.
Press Aide of the NPP flag-bearer, Herbert Krapa confirmed the incident.
This is the second time that the NPP’s flag bearer had been prevented from greeting dignitaries at a function as a result of protocol breach.
In the first week of September he was prevented from greeting President Atta Mills during the Fetu Afahye festival of the chiefs and people of Cape Coast in the Central Region under similar circumstances.
The gesture put to silence the growing agitation and murmuring among some of the large gathering of people from all walks of life at the event.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo, who was representing the President as the special guest at the function, announced his preparedness to walk about 70 metres to where Nana Akufo-Addo was seated at the right side of the Akuapemhene, Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa III, to welcome him to the festival.
The decision of the President’s representative followed the refusal of the security personnel detailed at the festival to allow the NPP flag bearer to greet Mr Ofosu Ampofo and other government dignitaries at the high table.
That was because Nana Akufo-Addo attempt to extend greetings to the government dignitaries was a breach to the event protocol, which required that all invited guests to the function be seated before the arrival of the President or his representative.
Nana Akufo-Addo, in the company of other top members of the NPP, arrived late at the function at about 3.40 p.m. when Mr Ofosu Ampofo and the government delegation were in the process of paying courtesy call on the chiefs and people.
The NPP presidential candidate’s arrival triggered some shouting and clapping from a section of the gathering and just after Mr Ofosu Ampofo and his entourage had finished paying courtesy calls on the chiefs and people and had taken their seats, Nana Akufo-Addo also took turn to extend greetings to the chiefs and people.
Immediately after paying homage to the chiefs and people, he decided to walk up to the high table to greet Mr Ofosu Ampofo and other government dignitaries but just a few metres to the destination, the security personnel prevented him and his entourage from doing so.
That attracted some booing and agitation from a section of the gathering who appeared very dismayed at the scene that was created following the security agencies’ action.
Prior to delivering the President’s address, Mr Ofosu Ampofo expressed worry over the scene that was created when the NPP presidential candidate was disallowed from greeting him and other dignitaries and, therefore, announced his readiness to walk up to Nana Akufo-Addo to return his “disallowed greeting” and formally welcome him to the festival.
To the surprise of the chiefs and the people, just after reading the President’s speech, Mr Ofosu Ampofo, accompanied by the District Chief Executive for the Akuapem North, walked up to Nana Addo-Dankwa and welcomed him to the function, a scene that attracted massive applause from the chiefs and the people.
The gesture immediately brought to an end the agitation and murmuring from the gathering, some of whom were already engaged in trading of words on whether what happened was appropriate or not.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo had earlier told the gathering that since the theme of the occasion sought to foster unity and peace, they must not allow what took placed to trigger any rift among them.
He also told the chiefs and people that he was a brother to Nana Akufo-Addo, since the two of them were Akyems, saying “we are all one people and, therefore, must never let what happened divide us”.
Meanwhile, Mr Ofosu Ampofo has said that he did not instruct police personnel to prevent Nana Akufo-Addo from greeting him at Friday’s Odwira durbar at Akwapim in the Eastern Region.
According to him, he was not initially aware of the presence of the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the durbar grounds, since all dignitaries were seated before his arrival.
Throwing more light on the issue, Divisional Police Commander of the Akwapem South District, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu explained that the programme was originally billed to start at 1:30pm but as at 3:30pm when it started, Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage had not arrived.
It was therefore agreed that the Regional Minister, stepping in for the president should proceed to greet the chiefs. It was also agreed that Nana Akufo-Addo would not be allowed to go round to greet the chiefs and the decision was communicated to him through the traditional secretary one Bekoe, the police commander said.
However, he stated, when Nana Akufo Addo arrived, he decided to greet the chiefs including the regional minister, but observing protocol, the police prevailed on him to abandon the greetings and take his seat.
Press Aide of the NPP flag-bearer, Herbert Krapa confirmed the incident.
This is the second time that the NPP’s flag bearer had been prevented from greeting dignitaries at a function as a result of protocol breach.
In the first week of September he was prevented from greeting President Atta Mills during the Fetu Afahye festival of the chiefs and people of Cape Coast in the Central Region under similar circumstances.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
FEES NOT MEANT TO DENY STUDENTS ACCESS (PAGE 11, SEPT 29, 2010)
THE Board of Governors of the All Nations University College (ANUC) at Koforidua, has explained that the recent adjustment in fees was not meant to deny its students access to higher education.
It said the upward adjustment in the tuition fees was to enable the institution to provide quality higher education to the students.
The 9.09 per cent tuition fee increase, the Board of Governors stated, was the first in three years but it still made the university fees the lowest on the market.
A press release signed by the President of ANUC, Dr Samuel Donkor, said the increment had “become necessary due to the current economic realities and the high cost associated with the delivery of quality higher education”.
It pointed out that the ANUC would continue to provide affordable quality higher education to give access to the average Ghanaian and other foreign nationals.
“Anyone who wishes can survey the market for the cost of higher education in these times”, the statement added.
Giving details of the increment in tuition fees scheduled for the current semester for the various programmes offered by the university, the statement indicated that while under the Business Administration, Ghanaian students would now pay GH¢600, international students would pay US$1,100, while the weekend students would pay GH¢400 per trimester.
With regards to Computer Science, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢600; international students US$1,100 and weekend students GH¢400 per trimester, while under Biomedical Engineering, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢690, international students US$1,300 and GH¢460 for weekend students per trimester.
The statement added that Ghanaian students pursuing Computer Engineering were to pay GH¢690, their international counterparts, US$1,300 while the weekend students were to GH¢460 per trimester.
Under Electronics and Communication Engineering, it said Ghanaian students were being charged GH¢690, international students US$1,300 and weekend students GH¢460 per trimester.
For the Oil and Gas Engineering, Ghanaian students would have to pay GH¢1, 300, international students US$1,800 and GH¢797 per trimester for weekend students.
With regard to Biblical Studies with a minor in business, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢450, international students US$600 and GH¢234 for weekend students per trimester, while under the diploma in Biblical Studies, Ghanaian students were to pay GH¢350, international students US$500 and weekend students GH¢234 for trimester.
“For the Foundations programme, Ghanaian students would have to pay GH¢200 and international students US$200, while the Ghanaians and the international students were to pay GH¢450 and US$450 respectively for the pre-university programmes”, the statement added.
It would be recalled that students of the university last week protested against the upward adjustment in fees, saying that, they were not consulted and given prior notice to prepare for the adjustment.
They contended that the move was likely to deny some of them university education if the authorities failed to heed to their demand for a review.
However, the university authorities and the students leadership have begun talks to find an amicable solution to the disagreement over the fees adjustment.
It said the upward adjustment in the tuition fees was to enable the institution to provide quality higher education to the students.
The 9.09 per cent tuition fee increase, the Board of Governors stated, was the first in three years but it still made the university fees the lowest on the market.
A press release signed by the President of ANUC, Dr Samuel Donkor, said the increment had “become necessary due to the current economic realities and the high cost associated with the delivery of quality higher education”.
It pointed out that the ANUC would continue to provide affordable quality higher education to give access to the average Ghanaian and other foreign nationals.
“Anyone who wishes can survey the market for the cost of higher education in these times”, the statement added.
Giving details of the increment in tuition fees scheduled for the current semester for the various programmes offered by the university, the statement indicated that while under the Business Administration, Ghanaian students would now pay GH¢600, international students would pay US$1,100, while the weekend students would pay GH¢400 per trimester.
With regards to Computer Science, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢600; international students US$1,100 and weekend students GH¢400 per trimester, while under Biomedical Engineering, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢690, international students US$1,300 and GH¢460 for weekend students per trimester.
The statement added that Ghanaian students pursuing Computer Engineering were to pay GH¢690, their international counterparts, US$1,300 while the weekend students were to GH¢460 per trimester.
Under Electronics and Communication Engineering, it said Ghanaian students were being charged GH¢690, international students US$1,300 and weekend students GH¢460 per trimester.
For the Oil and Gas Engineering, Ghanaian students would have to pay GH¢1, 300, international students US$1,800 and GH¢797 per trimester for weekend students.
With regard to Biblical Studies with a minor in business, Ghanaian students would pay GH¢450, international students US$600 and GH¢234 for weekend students per trimester, while under the diploma in Biblical Studies, Ghanaian students were to pay GH¢350, international students US$500 and weekend students GH¢234 for trimester.
“For the Foundations programme, Ghanaian students would have to pay GH¢200 and international students US$200, while the Ghanaians and the international students were to pay GH¢450 and US$450 respectively for the pre-university programmes”, the statement added.
It would be recalled that students of the university last week protested against the upward adjustment in fees, saying that, they were not consulted and given prior notice to prepare for the adjustment.
They contended that the move was likely to deny some of them university education if the authorities failed to heed to their demand for a review.
However, the university authorities and the students leadership have begun talks to find an amicable solution to the disagreement over the fees adjustment.
Monday, September 27, 2010
ACCOMMODATING FIRST YEAR SHS STUDENTS (PAGE 11, SEPT 27, 2010)
PARENTS of students who have gained admission to the Aburi Girls Senior High School have pledged to support the school to tackle the problem of infrastructure facing the school.
The move will see the prospective parents supporting the school with various building materials to renovate and convert a disused chapel building into a dormitory to accommodate 200 fresh students.
Besides, the parents also expressed their readiness to assist with the renovation and furnishing of other structures to enhance the capacity of the school to admit more fresh students.
The pledge followed a meeting between the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and about 250 prospective parents whose children have gained admission to the school.
The meeting saw the executives of the PTA of the school brainstorming with the parents to see how best to find a solution to the accommodation problem facing the school.
The parents’ pledge formed part of their contribution to complementing the government’s efforts at providing infrastructure at the school to enhance teaching and learning.
The meeting, chaired by the PTA chairman of the school, Professor Enu Kwesi, saw the parents touring the site of the disused chapel, where they saw a few trips of sand, stones, blocks and buckets of paints already dumped there towards the renovation of the building.
The Aburi Girls SHS, one of the sought-after girls’ boarding schools in the country, has been allocated a six-unit classroom block but currently the school does not have adequate dormitories and classrooms to accommodate the 432 students placed in the school by the Ghana Education Service (GES).
At the meeting, some of the prospective parents noted that the issue of lack of infrastructure to cater for the admission of fresh students must be seen as “a problem which must be given urgent attention not only by the government but also by all concerned parents".
Some of the parents, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, said the pledge to support the school with the various building materials formed part of “our widow’s mite to support the government in providing infrastructure for the school”.
“Since it is also the responsibility of parents to ensure that our children benefit from quality education in a serene environment, parents could complement the efforts of the government at providing the required infrastructure to the various Senior High Schools in the country,” they stated.
The parents commended the PTA executives and management of the school for their hard work, which, they said, had contributed significantly to making Aburi Girls SHS one of the Best Senior High School in the country.
The move will see the prospective parents supporting the school with various building materials to renovate and convert a disused chapel building into a dormitory to accommodate 200 fresh students.
Besides, the parents also expressed their readiness to assist with the renovation and furnishing of other structures to enhance the capacity of the school to admit more fresh students.
The pledge followed a meeting between the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and about 250 prospective parents whose children have gained admission to the school.
The meeting saw the executives of the PTA of the school brainstorming with the parents to see how best to find a solution to the accommodation problem facing the school.
The parents’ pledge formed part of their contribution to complementing the government’s efforts at providing infrastructure at the school to enhance teaching and learning.
The meeting, chaired by the PTA chairman of the school, Professor Enu Kwesi, saw the parents touring the site of the disused chapel, where they saw a few trips of sand, stones, blocks and buckets of paints already dumped there towards the renovation of the building.
The Aburi Girls SHS, one of the sought-after girls’ boarding schools in the country, has been allocated a six-unit classroom block but currently the school does not have adequate dormitories and classrooms to accommodate the 432 students placed in the school by the Ghana Education Service (GES).
At the meeting, some of the prospective parents noted that the issue of lack of infrastructure to cater for the admission of fresh students must be seen as “a problem which must be given urgent attention not only by the government but also by all concerned parents".
Some of the parents, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, said the pledge to support the school with the various building materials formed part of “our widow’s mite to support the government in providing infrastructure for the school”.
“Since it is also the responsibility of parents to ensure that our children benefit from quality education in a serene environment, parents could complement the efforts of the government at providing the required infrastructure to the various Senior High Schools in the country,” they stated.
The parents commended the PTA executives and management of the school for their hard work, which, they said, had contributed significantly to making Aburi Girls SHS one of the Best Senior High School in the country.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
JUBILANT NPP SUPPORTERS CELEBRATE ATIWA VICTORY (PAGE 12, SEPT 2, 2010)
THOUSANDS of jubilant supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) poured onto the streets of Kwabeng, headquarters of the Atiwa Constituency,on Tuesday, to celebrate the election of Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta as the new Member of Parliament for the area in a by-election.
The by-election was to find a replacement for the late Kwasi Annor Ankama, also of the NPP, who passed away in the middle of the year.
Mr Amoako Atta, a lawyer, secured 20,282 votes (75 per cent) to beat three other contestants; Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who had 6,190 votes (22.89 per cent), Mr George Padmore Apreku of the New Vision Party (NVP) who polled 477 votes (1.76 per cent) and Kasum Abdul Karim of the People’s National Party (PNC) who had 94 representing 0.35 per cent of the total vote cast of 27,540.
As soon as the Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Paul Boateng, announced the results and raised the hands of Mr Amoako Atta as the new MP-elect, thousands of the NPP members and supporters from all parts of the constituency poured onto the streets of Kwabeng singing party songs and dancing.
The jubilant crowd, including old women and children, went through the main street and other arterial roads in Kwabeng while some praised the NPP executives for doing a good job which ensured an overwhelming victory. Others mobbed Mr Amoako Atta for doing his best to win the seat which had been held for years by the NPP.
Earlier the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, who led a number of the party’s gurus to monitor the election, told the jubilant crowd that by retaining the seat, the NPP had exhibited a clear signal that it would definitely win the 2012 elections to unseat the NDC.
However, the First Vice-Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, who commended the police for their excellent performance at the poll, indicated that the NDC would gear up to retain power in 2012.
He also called for investigations to find the culprits who, he alleged, assaulted some NDC officials.
Meanwhile, all the 1,200 policemen and a handful of soldiers deployed for the election have been withdrawn.
According to the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, the policemen who managed to prevent chaotic situations at flash points such as Abomosu where six persons were knocked down by a vehicle during disturbances as well as other few places had to be withdrawn immediately the results were announced and calm restored.
The Anyinam District Police Commander, DSP (Rev) John Opoku, who gave out the names of the victims as Isaac Dua, 18, Seth Ampofo, 20, George Abu, 30, Kwabena Agyepong, 25, Kojo Barima, 30 and Osei Kwabena, 48, said they were among a group of young men armed with sticks and other offensive weapons who blocked the road at Abomosu to prevent the NDC National Women Organiser, Madam Anita De Soso, from passing through.
The driver of Madam De Sooso’s vehicle, DSP Opoku stated, panicked and drove through, injuring them in the process.
All the six victims, he stated, were sent to the Government Hospital at Engiresi where three were treated and discharged.
The by-election was to find a replacement for the late Kwasi Annor Ankama, also of the NPP, who passed away in the middle of the year.
Mr Amoako Atta, a lawyer, secured 20,282 votes (75 per cent) to beat three other contestants; Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who had 6,190 votes (22.89 per cent), Mr George Padmore Apreku of the New Vision Party (NVP) who polled 477 votes (1.76 per cent) and Kasum Abdul Karim of the People’s National Party (PNC) who had 94 representing 0.35 per cent of the total vote cast of 27,540.
As soon as the Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Paul Boateng, announced the results and raised the hands of Mr Amoako Atta as the new MP-elect, thousands of the NPP members and supporters from all parts of the constituency poured onto the streets of Kwabeng singing party songs and dancing.
The jubilant crowd, including old women and children, went through the main street and other arterial roads in Kwabeng while some praised the NPP executives for doing a good job which ensured an overwhelming victory. Others mobbed Mr Amoako Atta for doing his best to win the seat which had been held for years by the NPP.
Earlier the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, who led a number of the party’s gurus to monitor the election, told the jubilant crowd that by retaining the seat, the NPP had exhibited a clear signal that it would definitely win the 2012 elections to unseat the NDC.
However, the First Vice-Chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, who commended the police for their excellent performance at the poll, indicated that the NDC would gear up to retain power in 2012.
He also called for investigations to find the culprits who, he alleged, assaulted some NDC officials.
Meanwhile, all the 1,200 policemen and a handful of soldiers deployed for the election have been withdrawn.
According to the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninson, the policemen who managed to prevent chaotic situations at flash points such as Abomosu where six persons were knocked down by a vehicle during disturbances as well as other few places had to be withdrawn immediately the results were announced and calm restored.
The Anyinam District Police Commander, DSP (Rev) John Opoku, who gave out the names of the victims as Isaac Dua, 18, Seth Ampofo, 20, George Abu, 30, Kwabena Agyepong, 25, Kojo Barima, 30 and Osei Kwabena, 48, said they were among a group of young men armed with sticks and other offensive weapons who blocked the road at Abomosu to prevent the NDC National Women Organiser, Madam Anita De Soso, from passing through.
The driver of Madam De Sooso’s vehicle, DSP Opoku stated, panicked and drove through, injuring them in the process.
All the six victims, he stated, were sent to the Government Hospital at Engiresi where three were treated and discharged.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
NPP RETAINS ATIWA SEAT (1C, SEPT 1, 2010)
GHANA is said to be losing an estimated $40 million annually as a result of rice smuggled into the country.
Estimates compiled by the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, for presentation to the Ministry of Trade, indicate that 100,000 metric tonnes out of the 350,000 metric tonnes of rice imported into the country are smuggled in, causing the country the millions of dollars in tax revenue.
The resort to the smuggling of rice is attributed to the high duty and other tariffs being implemented at Ghana’s ports as against the country’s West African neighbours.
In that smuggling adventure, Elubo, Debiso, Nkrankwanta, Dadieso and Enchi border areas are the most frequently used to bring in the 100,000 metric tonnes; 75,000 metric tonnes of which are described as high value perfumed rice.
The finding of the association, made up of about 20 local entrepreneurs, also revealed that rice sales for 2010 dropped by 25 per cent.
It also noted that duty on imported rice in Cote d’Ivoire was 12.5 per cent with no Valued Added Tax (VAT), while “on the contrary, importers in Ghana have to pay 20 per cent customs duty in addition to 12.5 per cent VAT and 2.5 per cent National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) in addition to other levies, all totalling 40 per cent.
“So the inherent difference of 22.5 per cent in the landing cost of imported rice in the respective countries works to the advantage of the traders involved in the smuggling,” they added.
They explained that there was a difference to the tune of GH¢7 between a 25kg bag of smuggled perfumed rice and the legally imported one.
According to them, the traders involved in the trade were able to manage the direct cost by manipulating the duty at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border, hence the difference of GH¢7 per bag.
The players said there was also an under-declaration of customs duty to the tune of 50 per cent.
Citing high value perfumed rice as an example, they noted that the CIF price of Thai perfumed rice was $950 per metric tonne and customs duty of 20 per cent amounting to $190 per metric tonne, whereas duty paid at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border was $95 per metric tonne.
They explained that the loss of revenue to the Ghana government on account of VAT on 75,000 metric tonnes was $6,412,500 annually while customs duty on the same quantum of imports was $7,125,000 annually, bringing the total loss of revenue on perfumed rice alone to $13.5 million.
They said the fear was that international prices of rice had started rising in the last four weeks, which was likely to promote more smuggling into the country, stressing that “rice prices have increased from an average of about $800 to $900 in the last four weeks”.
Estimates compiled by the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, for presentation to the Ministry of Trade, indicate that 100,000 metric tonnes out of the 350,000 metric tonnes of rice imported into the country are smuggled in, causing the country the millions of dollars in tax revenue.
The resort to the smuggling of rice is attributed to the high duty and other tariffs being implemented at Ghana’s ports as against the country’s West African neighbours.
In that smuggling adventure, Elubo, Debiso, Nkrankwanta, Dadieso and Enchi border areas are the most frequently used to bring in the 100,000 metric tonnes; 75,000 metric tonnes of which are described as high value perfumed rice.
The finding of the association, made up of about 20 local entrepreneurs, also revealed that rice sales for 2010 dropped by 25 per cent.
It also noted that duty on imported rice in Cote d’Ivoire was 12.5 per cent with no Valued Added Tax (VAT), while “on the contrary, importers in Ghana have to pay 20 per cent customs duty in addition to 12.5 per cent VAT and 2.5 per cent National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) in addition to other levies, all totalling 40 per cent.
“So the inherent difference of 22.5 per cent in the landing cost of imported rice in the respective countries works to the advantage of the traders involved in the smuggling,” they added.
They explained that there was a difference to the tune of GH¢7 between a 25kg bag of smuggled perfumed rice and the legally imported one.
According to them, the traders involved in the trade were able to manage the direct cost by manipulating the duty at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border, hence the difference of GH¢7 per bag.
The players said there was also an under-declaration of customs duty to the tune of 50 per cent.
Citing high value perfumed rice as an example, they noted that the CIF price of Thai perfumed rice was $950 per metric tonne and customs duty of 20 per cent amounting to $190 per metric tonne, whereas duty paid at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border was $95 per metric tonne.
They explained that the loss of revenue to the Ghana government on account of VAT on 75,000 metric tonnes was $6,412,500 annually while customs duty on the same quantum of imports was $7,125,000 annually, bringing the total loss of revenue on perfumed rice alone to $13.5 million.
They said the fear was that international prices of rice had started rising in the last four weeks, which was likely to promote more smuggling into the country, stressing that “rice prices have increased from an average of about $800 to $900 in the last four weeks”.
Monday, August 30, 2010
ATIWA — NPP, NDC HOLD FINAL RALLIES (PAGE 3, AUGUST 30, 2010)
HEAVYWEIGHTS of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have descended on the Atiwa Constituency to unleash their final shots ahead of tomorrow’s by-election.
With simultaneous rallies that brought the constituency alive yesterday, the NDC pulled a large crowd at Anyinam, while the NPP also did same at Kwabeng, in numbers that made it difficult to predict the outcome of tomorrow’s exercise.
At Anyinam, the NDC lined up speakers including the party’s National Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei; the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia; the National Organiser, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan; and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, while on the NPP list were the party’s leader and flag bearer for the 2012 presidential polls, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; the National Chairman, Mr Jake Obetseby-Lamptey, and the General Secretary, Mr Owusu Afriyie, among others.
The speakers at the two separate events urged the electorate to vote for their respective candidates.
The Atiwa seat was declared vacant following the death of Kwasi Annoh Ankama, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.
The candidates contending the seat are Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a human resource person who also is the current District Chief Executive for the Atiwa District, and Mr Kwasi Amoako Attah, a legal practitioner who is also the current Presiding Member of the Atiwa District Assembly.
Others are Mr Kasum Abdul Karim, a farmer, for the PNC and Mr George Apraku Padmore, a journalist, standing on the ticket of the New Vision Party.
Prior to the rallies, the two main contending parties had resorted to intense house-to-house and mini campaigns at various communities and towns in the Atiwa Constituency to canvass for votes for their respective parliamentary candidates.
They had also aggressively engaged in accusations and counter-accusations of each other’s attempt to buy votes and rig the election.
The campaign tour undertaken by the NDC involved Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, who also took the opportunity to explain to the electorate the impact of government policy on the socio-economic development of the country and, particularly, the Atiwa District.
The NPP’s campaign tour, led by its flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the National Organiser of the party, Alhaji Muctar Bamba, was used to introduce the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, to the electorate and canvass for votes for him.
On security measures being adopted to ensure the safety of the electorate, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninsin, said 1,200 police personnel, comprising 735 policemen from the Eastern Region and 465 policemen from the Greater Accra, Western, Central and the Volta regions, would be deployed at all the 113 polling stations in the Atiwa Constituency.
He explained that to ensure maximum safety of the electorate, 10 police personnel would be stationed at each polling station at five strategic areas at Nkuaben, Osino, Anyinam, New Jejeti and Akyem Akropong to respond to emergency situations.
With simultaneous rallies that brought the constituency alive yesterday, the NDC pulled a large crowd at Anyinam, while the NPP also did same at Kwabeng, in numbers that made it difficult to predict the outcome of tomorrow’s exercise.
At Anyinam, the NDC lined up speakers including the party’s National Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei; the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia; the National Organiser, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan; and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, while on the NPP list were the party’s leader and flag bearer for the 2012 presidential polls, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; the National Chairman, Mr Jake Obetseby-Lamptey, and the General Secretary, Mr Owusu Afriyie, among others.
The speakers at the two separate events urged the electorate to vote for their respective candidates.
The Atiwa seat was declared vacant following the death of Kwasi Annoh Ankama, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.
The candidates contending the seat are Mr Emmanuel Atta Twum of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a human resource person who also is the current District Chief Executive for the Atiwa District, and Mr Kwasi Amoako Attah, a legal practitioner who is also the current Presiding Member of the Atiwa District Assembly.
Others are Mr Kasum Abdul Karim, a farmer, for the PNC and Mr George Apraku Padmore, a journalist, standing on the ticket of the New Vision Party.
Prior to the rallies, the two main contending parties had resorted to intense house-to-house and mini campaigns at various communities and towns in the Atiwa Constituency to canvass for votes for their respective parliamentary candidates.
They had also aggressively engaged in accusations and counter-accusations of each other’s attempt to buy votes and rig the election.
The campaign tour undertaken by the NDC involved Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, who also took the opportunity to explain to the electorate the impact of government policy on the socio-economic development of the country and, particularly, the Atiwa District.
The NPP’s campaign tour, led by its flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the National Organiser of the party, Alhaji Muctar Bamba, was used to introduce the NPP’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Kwasi Amoako Atta, to the electorate and canvass for votes for him.
On security measures being adopted to ensure the safety of the electorate, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ransford Ninsin, said 1,200 police personnel, comprising 735 policemen from the Eastern Region and 465 policemen from the Greater Accra, Western, Central and the Volta regions, would be deployed at all the 113 polling stations in the Atiwa Constituency.
He explained that to ensure maximum safety of the electorate, 10 police personnel would be stationed at each polling station at five strategic areas at Nkuaben, Osino, Anyinam, New Jejeti and Akyem Akropong to respond to emergency situations.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
ENFORCE LAWS TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES (PAGE 22, JULY 24, 2010)
MEMBERS of the Eastern Regional Lands Commission have called on the government to ensure the strict enforcement of environmental laws and regulations to preserve and protect the country’s natural resources from depletion.
They also urged the government to adequately resource all the environmental enforcement agencies to empower them to effectively monitor the activities of small-scale miners across the country.
“The low priority given to the enforcement of environmental laws and the inability of environmental agencies to effectively monitor the activities of licensed small-scale miners could partly have contributed to the widespread pollution of water bodies, depletion of forest and the degradation of farmlands, as well as the environment over the years,” they stated.
They made the call after a day’s tour of the various mining sites at Akwatia.
During the tour, the members came face-to-face with the extent of depletion of forest covers and the pollution of the Birim River as a result of the activities of both licensed small-scale mining companies and illegal miners at Akwatia and its environs.
The tour took the members of the commission to the abandoned consignment of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) where both licensed and illegal miners had diverted the course of the Birim River and were found mining at the base of the river.
Besides, the visit also enabled the members to interact with officials of the Kwaebibirem District Assembly.
The members were informed that almost on a daily basis, galamsey operators die in pits and the assembly provides assistance in retrieving the bodies for burial.
The Land Commission members, who were joined by officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), observed at first hand how licensed miners use big excavators to degrade the base of the Birim River, forests and farmlands in the Akwatia area.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Board Chairman of the commission, Nana Kodua Kesse, said the objective of the commission was to promote the judicious use of lands by society and ensure that land use was in accordance with sustainable principles and the maintenance of a sound eco-system.
He said in line with such in objective, members of the commission decided to tour some of the mining sites at Akwatia to enable them to know and understand the impact of the activities on the environment in the area.
In the view of Nana Kodua Kese, the uncontrolled activities of both licensed and illegal miners, as well as illegal chainsaw operations over the years had led to the incessant flouting of environmental laws and regulations.
He said that had led to the rapid depletion of forests, heavy pollution of water bodies and the degradation of farmlands and the environment in general, leading to countless un-reclaimed mining sites in the region.
“Until our environmental laws and regulations are respected promoted, greedy individuals, including chainsaw and galamsey operators, will continue to exploit our resources and pollute our bodies at the expense of the masses today and posterity,” Nana Kodua Kesse stated.
He added, “we can only ensure adherence of environmental laws only when the government and environmental enforcement agencies pay a high priority to negative environmental concerns as pertaining to the negative operations of galamsey miners and lawless licensed miners”.
At the Kwaebibirem District Assembly where members of the commission held a meeting with the staff, Messrs Delali Nyablodzo and Samuel Ayim Antwi, the District Co-ordinating Director and the Finance Officer of the assembly.
They also urged the government to adequately resource all the environmental enforcement agencies to empower them to effectively monitor the activities of small-scale miners across the country.
“The low priority given to the enforcement of environmental laws and the inability of environmental agencies to effectively monitor the activities of licensed small-scale miners could partly have contributed to the widespread pollution of water bodies, depletion of forest and the degradation of farmlands, as well as the environment over the years,” they stated.
They made the call after a day’s tour of the various mining sites at Akwatia.
During the tour, the members came face-to-face with the extent of depletion of forest covers and the pollution of the Birim River as a result of the activities of both licensed small-scale mining companies and illegal miners at Akwatia and its environs.
The tour took the members of the commission to the abandoned consignment of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) where both licensed and illegal miners had diverted the course of the Birim River and were found mining at the base of the river.
Besides, the visit also enabled the members to interact with officials of the Kwaebibirem District Assembly.
The members were informed that almost on a daily basis, galamsey operators die in pits and the assembly provides assistance in retrieving the bodies for burial.
The Land Commission members, who were joined by officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), observed at first hand how licensed miners use big excavators to degrade the base of the Birim River, forests and farmlands in the Akwatia area.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Board Chairman of the commission, Nana Kodua Kesse, said the objective of the commission was to promote the judicious use of lands by society and ensure that land use was in accordance with sustainable principles and the maintenance of a sound eco-system.
He said in line with such in objective, members of the commission decided to tour some of the mining sites at Akwatia to enable them to know and understand the impact of the activities on the environment in the area.
In the view of Nana Kodua Kese, the uncontrolled activities of both licensed and illegal miners, as well as illegal chainsaw operations over the years had led to the incessant flouting of environmental laws and regulations.
He said that had led to the rapid depletion of forests, heavy pollution of water bodies and the degradation of farmlands and the environment in general, leading to countless un-reclaimed mining sites in the region.
“Until our environmental laws and regulations are respected promoted, greedy individuals, including chainsaw and galamsey operators, will continue to exploit our resources and pollute our bodies at the expense of the masses today and posterity,” Nana Kodua Kesse stated.
He added, “we can only ensure adherence of environmental laws only when the government and environmental enforcement agencies pay a high priority to negative environmental concerns as pertaining to the negative operations of galamsey miners and lawless licensed miners”.
At the Kwaebibirem District Assembly where members of the commission held a meeting with the staff, Messrs Delali Nyablodzo and Samuel Ayim Antwi, the District Co-ordinating Director and the Finance Officer of the assembly.
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