Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Mpraeso
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram-Asiedu, has stated that although the Constitution does not allow traditional rulers to be involved in active politics, they can advise government officials, especially district chief executives, on how best to develop their areas.
He has, therefore, urged chiefs to always ensure that infrastructural amenities that are provided in their areas will be beneficial to the people.
Mr Afram-Asiedu made the remark when he addressed the Kwahu Traditional Council at Mpraeso at the weekend.
He said the government had recognised the role being played by traditional rulers in the development of their areas and that was why it had created a separate ministry to give the necessary support to chiefs so that they could partner the government to accelerate the country’s development.
“Although you are not supposed to be in active politics, you have the responsibility to advise or lead your people in activities that will enable the government to continue with such initiatives which, he said, had brought a lot of relief to the ordinary man.
The Minister of Communications, Dr Aggrey Ntim, who also addressed the chiefs, said efforts were being made to improve telecommunication in the area.
The Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng, for his part, expressed the appreciation of the traditional council to the government for providing a number of social amenities in the area and said the creation of three more districts, namely, Kwahu West, Kwahu North and Kwahu East, in the area within a period of seven years would further enhance the development of the area.
The Omanhene, however, called for the rehabilitation of the Nkawkaw-Atibie Road which he said was fast deteriorating and appealed to the government to compensate all those whose lands submerged as a result of the creation of the Volta Lake.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
KASSADJAN BRIDGE PROJECT PROGRESSES (Page 28)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
CONSTRUCTION work on the GH¢380,000 (¢3.8 billion) bridge over the rail line on the Kassadjan Dual Carriageway at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, is progressing steadily.
The government’s biggest single project under the New Juaben Roads Rehabilitation Programme is being executed by A. Naggesten Limited, a local civil engineering firm, with Deoke Consult as the consultant engineers.
Currently, the project is 40 per cent complete, and would be ready for use in February, 2008.
According to the New Juaben Municipal Chief Engineer, Mr Abass Awolu, the bridge when completed would ease transportation on the road, which would also be completed in August, next year.
He said although the bridge was scheduled to be completed in December, this year, torrential rains did not make that possible. Mr Awolu praised the construction firm for the quality work done so far, and expressed the hope that considering the rate of work, the bridge would be ready for use next February.
Mr Awolu, who visited the site to acquaint himself with the progress of the project, stated that provision had also been made under the bridge for the construction of an additional rail line in future.
The Project Engineer of A. Naggesten, Mr Gideon Appiah Amankwa, gave the assurance that with the rains virtually over, the company would do its best to complete the project by February, next year.
CONSTRUCTION work on the GH¢380,000 (¢3.8 billion) bridge over the rail line on the Kassadjan Dual Carriageway at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, is progressing steadily.
The government’s biggest single project under the New Juaben Roads Rehabilitation Programme is being executed by A. Naggesten Limited, a local civil engineering firm, with Deoke Consult as the consultant engineers.
Currently, the project is 40 per cent complete, and would be ready for use in February, 2008.
According to the New Juaben Municipal Chief Engineer, Mr Abass Awolu, the bridge when completed would ease transportation on the road, which would also be completed in August, next year.
He said although the bridge was scheduled to be completed in December, this year, torrential rains did not make that possible. Mr Awolu praised the construction firm for the quality work done so far, and expressed the hope that considering the rate of work, the bridge would be ready for use next February.
Mr Awolu, who visited the site to acquaint himself with the progress of the project, stated that provision had also been made under the bridge for the construction of an additional rail line in future.
The Project Engineer of A. Naggesten, Mr Gideon Appiah Amankwa, gave the assurance that with the rains virtually over, the company would do its best to complete the project by February, next year.
HELP IMPROVE EDUCATION IN BIRIM NORTH (Page 28)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North in the Eastern Region, Nana Acquah Frempong, has asked basic school teachers in the district to help improve the educational standard in the area.
According to him, that could be accomplished if the teachers imparted the required knowledge to their pupils to enable them to climb the academic ladder in order to become useful citizens in future.
Nana Acquah Frempong made the call when he addressed a two-day seminar for teachers at New Abirem.
The seminar, which was jointly organised by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Birim North District Assembly, was to educate the teachers on the new educational reforms syllabi to enable them to perform creditably.
The DCE said the future of pupils depended on how best teachers would perform, adding that it was their responsibility to assist pupils to acquire the relevant knowledge to assist them move forward academically.
“Let us remember how our teachers handled us to make us what we are today so that we also do likewise for the pupils,” Nana Acquah Frempong, who was once a classroom teacher, told the gathering.
The DCE expressed the hope that the seminar would equip the participants with the necessary skills in their chosen field, giving the assurance that the assembly would do its best to improve teaching and learning in schools in the area.
He also asked parents to take advantage of the government’s numerous educational initiatives such as the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme, and enrol their children in school.
The acting Birim North District Director of Education, Mr Jonathan Akakpo, urged the teachers to consider the assistance offered them by their former teachers in their school days and reciprocate such ventures, stressing, “That is the only way through which society would progress.”
A resource person from the Curriculum Research and Development Division of the GES, Alhaji Seidu Mahamma, gave an overview of the syllabi and suggested the inclusion of Religious and Moral Education in the curriculum.
He also asked teachers to be disciplined and dress properly to serve as an example for the pupils.
THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North in the Eastern Region, Nana Acquah Frempong, has asked basic school teachers in the district to help improve the educational standard in the area.
According to him, that could be accomplished if the teachers imparted the required knowledge to their pupils to enable them to climb the academic ladder in order to become useful citizens in future.
Nana Acquah Frempong made the call when he addressed a two-day seminar for teachers at New Abirem.
The seminar, which was jointly organised by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Birim North District Assembly, was to educate the teachers on the new educational reforms syllabi to enable them to perform creditably.
The DCE said the future of pupils depended on how best teachers would perform, adding that it was their responsibility to assist pupils to acquire the relevant knowledge to assist them move forward academically.
“Let us remember how our teachers handled us to make us what we are today so that we also do likewise for the pupils,” Nana Acquah Frempong, who was once a classroom teacher, told the gathering.
The DCE expressed the hope that the seminar would equip the participants with the necessary skills in their chosen field, giving the assurance that the assembly would do its best to improve teaching and learning in schools in the area.
He also asked parents to take advantage of the government’s numerous educational initiatives such as the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme, and enrol their children in school.
The acting Birim North District Director of Education, Mr Jonathan Akakpo, urged the teachers to consider the assistance offered them by their former teachers in their school days and reciprocate such ventures, stressing, “That is the only way through which society would progress.”
A resource person from the Curriculum Research and Development Division of the GES, Alhaji Seidu Mahamma, gave an overview of the syllabi and suggested the inclusion of Religious and Moral Education in the curriculum.
He also asked teachers to be disciplined and dress properly to serve as an example for the pupils.
YILO NFED REWARDS FACILITATORS (Page 28)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
NINETY-FIVE facilitators of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) who voluntarily assisted 2,673 adult illiterates to read and write the Krobo and English languages in the Yilo Krobo District in the Eastern Region have been rewarded.
The group, made up of 77 males and 18 females who were drawn from the various communities in the district and spent 21 months on the job, were each given a sewing machine or ghetto blaster depending on their choices.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Joseph Adu Tawiah, made the presentation at a ceremony at Somanya, the district capital, at the weekend.
He said the government was determined to eradicate poverty and ignorance from the communities, especially the rural areas, by teaching illiterate adults who could not benefit from formal education due to a number of reasons, to read and write.
He said that would empower them to know more about the various government poverty alleviation initiatives such as the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to ensure that they enrolled their children in school and also embrace the NHIS, for affordable and quality healthcare delivery.
“The district has a number of people who through no fault of theirs could not go to school to read and write so the government has to take up that responsibility to school them so that they can at least read about government policies and any other initiatives, to improve their lot”.
The DCE personally supervised some of the literacy classes in the remote areas and commended the NFED, the facilitators and the learners.
He gave the assurance that the assembly would continue to support the adult literacy programme in the area to ensure that most of the illiterate adults would be able to read and write.
The Yilo Krobo District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Nicholas K. Addai, said the learners in addition to being able to read and write the local and English languages, had also been trained in income-generating ventures to make a decent living.
He expressed his gratitude to Mr Samuel Antwi-Berko, the Regional Director of the NFED, and Mr Adu Tawiah for their support towards the success of the programme.
Mr Antwi-Berko, for his part, said since illiteracy made people ignorant on all issues, his outfit would go all out to reduce illiteracy in the region.
He was grateful to the facilitators for their commitment to duty.
Mr Antwi-Berko appealed to religious and traditional leaders to take interest in the programme and supervise adult literacy classes in their areas.
The Chief of Plao, a suburb of Somanya, Nene Tetteh Agblesee, who chaired the function, thanked the government for helping adult illiterates to read and write.
He gave the assurance that chiefs in the area would support the government in that respect.
NINETY-FIVE facilitators of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) who voluntarily assisted 2,673 adult illiterates to read and write the Krobo and English languages in the Yilo Krobo District in the Eastern Region have been rewarded.
The group, made up of 77 males and 18 females who were drawn from the various communities in the district and spent 21 months on the job, were each given a sewing machine or ghetto blaster depending on their choices.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Joseph Adu Tawiah, made the presentation at a ceremony at Somanya, the district capital, at the weekend.
He said the government was determined to eradicate poverty and ignorance from the communities, especially the rural areas, by teaching illiterate adults who could not benefit from formal education due to a number of reasons, to read and write.
He said that would empower them to know more about the various government poverty alleviation initiatives such as the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to ensure that they enrolled their children in school and also embrace the NHIS, for affordable and quality healthcare delivery.
“The district has a number of people who through no fault of theirs could not go to school to read and write so the government has to take up that responsibility to school them so that they can at least read about government policies and any other initiatives, to improve their lot”.
The DCE personally supervised some of the literacy classes in the remote areas and commended the NFED, the facilitators and the learners.
He gave the assurance that the assembly would continue to support the adult literacy programme in the area to ensure that most of the illiterate adults would be able to read and write.
The Yilo Krobo District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Nicholas K. Addai, said the learners in addition to being able to read and write the local and English languages, had also been trained in income-generating ventures to make a decent living.
He expressed his gratitude to Mr Samuel Antwi-Berko, the Regional Director of the NFED, and Mr Adu Tawiah for their support towards the success of the programme.
Mr Antwi-Berko, for his part, said since illiteracy made people ignorant on all issues, his outfit would go all out to reduce illiteracy in the region.
He was grateful to the facilitators for their commitment to duty.
Mr Antwi-Berko appealed to religious and traditional leaders to take interest in the programme and supervise adult literacy classes in their areas.
The Chief of Plao, a suburb of Somanya, Nene Tetteh Agblesee, who chaired the function, thanked the government for helping adult illiterates to read and write.
He gave the assurance that chiefs in the area would support the government in that respect.
BRING BACK PROTOCOL ALLOCATION IN SHS ADMISSION (Page 28)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
TWO personalities, a traditional ruler and a former minister of state, have made a passionate appeal to the government to reintroduce protocol allocation for the admission of students to senior high schools (SHS) to chiefs and communities, which was stopped when the computerised system of admission kicked off two years ago.
The Chief of Kukurantumi, Osabarima Kena Ampaw, who is also the Adontenhene of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, and Mr E. Appiah-Korang, a former Minister of Fuel and Power in the previous government, made the appeal at the speech and prize-giving day of the Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS), which also coincided with the school’s 46th anniversary at Kukurantumi at the weekend.
They said the abolition of the protocol allocation was not only a disincentive to chiefs who gave out land for the construction of the schools, but had also made it impossible for the poor in society to enrol their children in schools within their communities.
The event, which was on the theme: “46 Years of Quality Education and Discipline: The Role of Stakeholders in the New Educational Reform” was attended by a number of dignitaries.
They included Osabarima Edusei Peasah, Chief of Akyem Tafo, Messrs Emmanuel Victor Asihene and Kwasi Osei Agyepong, both past students of the school who are currently District Chief Executives for East Akyem and Atiwa respectively, and Ms Benedicta Naana Biney, the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
Osabarima Kena Ampaw, who set the ball rolling, said chiefs in the country had made a lot of sacrifices by giving out land and other logistics for the establishment of SHSs in their traditional areas to ensure that people, especially the poor within the area, would be able to send their children to such schools.
He said it was in that respect that provision was made for them in the admission of students to such schools, which, according to him, made it possible for chiefs to identify and assist brilliant students of poor parents to be enrolled in such schools.
Osabarima Kena Ampaw added that with the present computerised system, poor parents could not send their children to such schools because the computers sent the wards far away from home.
Mr Appiah-Korang, who was the guest of honour, for his part, said currently students in the catchment areas of SHSs could not attend such schools and that had defeated the purpose for which they were established.
He also appealed to parents to see to the educational needs of their children instead of spending lavishly on funerals.
The former minister further asked the government to ensure that poor students were enrolled in schools within their communities.
Miss Biney, for her part, dwelt extensively on the new educational reforms and said since Information Communication Technology (ICT) had become a core subject, her outfit would be upgrading computer laboratories in schools to be manned by computer experts to guide the students.
The Deputy Director-General praised OPASS for its excellent academic achievements over the years.
She, however, cautioned both students and staff against immorality, adding that anyone found wanting would be severely dealt with in accordance with Ghana Education Service (GES) regulations.
The Student Prefect, Master David Iddrisu, called on the authorities of the school to fully equip the science laboratory, and also urged the students to study hard to achieve their ambitions.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Kwaku Kyei-Brobbey, said the school, which was founded 46 years ago with 14 students and four tutors, now had a student population of 1,650 comprising 1,040 girls and 610 boys.
He said the academic record of the school over the years had been excellent, adding that it scored 73 per cent pass at the final examinations in 2004, 77.3 per cent in 2005, 85.79 per cent in 2006 and 98.15 per cent in 2007.
Mr Kyei-Brobbey attributed the successes to discipline among students and staff.
He said the school was facing a lot of challenges such as inadequate staff accommodation, an assembly hall and school bus, and appealed to the government and other stakeholders for assistance.
Mr Kyei-Brobbey expressed his appreciation to the immediate past headmaster of the school, Mr Amo-Dako, and all those whose efforts had brought the school to its present status.
TWO personalities, a traditional ruler and a former minister of state, have made a passionate appeal to the government to reintroduce protocol allocation for the admission of students to senior high schools (SHS) to chiefs and communities, which was stopped when the computerised system of admission kicked off two years ago.
The Chief of Kukurantumi, Osabarima Kena Ampaw, who is also the Adontenhene of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, and Mr E. Appiah-Korang, a former Minister of Fuel and Power in the previous government, made the appeal at the speech and prize-giving day of the Ofori Panin Senior High School (OPASS), which also coincided with the school’s 46th anniversary at Kukurantumi at the weekend.
They said the abolition of the protocol allocation was not only a disincentive to chiefs who gave out land for the construction of the schools, but had also made it impossible for the poor in society to enrol their children in schools within their communities.
The event, which was on the theme: “46 Years of Quality Education and Discipline: The Role of Stakeholders in the New Educational Reform” was attended by a number of dignitaries.
They included Osabarima Edusei Peasah, Chief of Akyem Tafo, Messrs Emmanuel Victor Asihene and Kwasi Osei Agyepong, both past students of the school who are currently District Chief Executives for East Akyem and Atiwa respectively, and Ms Benedicta Naana Biney, the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
Osabarima Kena Ampaw, who set the ball rolling, said chiefs in the country had made a lot of sacrifices by giving out land and other logistics for the establishment of SHSs in their traditional areas to ensure that people, especially the poor within the area, would be able to send their children to such schools.
He said it was in that respect that provision was made for them in the admission of students to such schools, which, according to him, made it possible for chiefs to identify and assist brilliant students of poor parents to be enrolled in such schools.
Osabarima Kena Ampaw added that with the present computerised system, poor parents could not send their children to such schools because the computers sent the wards far away from home.
Mr Appiah-Korang, who was the guest of honour, for his part, said currently students in the catchment areas of SHSs could not attend such schools and that had defeated the purpose for which they were established.
He also appealed to parents to see to the educational needs of their children instead of spending lavishly on funerals.
The former minister further asked the government to ensure that poor students were enrolled in schools within their communities.
Miss Biney, for her part, dwelt extensively on the new educational reforms and said since Information Communication Technology (ICT) had become a core subject, her outfit would be upgrading computer laboratories in schools to be manned by computer experts to guide the students.
The Deputy Director-General praised OPASS for its excellent academic achievements over the years.
She, however, cautioned both students and staff against immorality, adding that anyone found wanting would be severely dealt with in accordance with Ghana Education Service (GES) regulations.
The Student Prefect, Master David Iddrisu, called on the authorities of the school to fully equip the science laboratory, and also urged the students to study hard to achieve their ambitions.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Kwaku Kyei-Brobbey, said the school, which was founded 46 years ago with 14 students and four tutors, now had a student population of 1,650 comprising 1,040 girls and 610 boys.
He said the academic record of the school over the years had been excellent, adding that it scored 73 per cent pass at the final examinations in 2004, 77.3 per cent in 2005, 85.79 per cent in 2006 and 98.15 per cent in 2007.
Mr Kyei-Brobbey attributed the successes to discipline among students and staff.
He said the school was facing a lot of challenges such as inadequate staff accommodation, an assembly hall and school bus, and appealed to the government and other stakeholders for assistance.
Mr Kyei-Brobbey expressed his appreciation to the immediate past headmaster of the school, Mr Amo-Dako, and all those whose efforts had brought the school to its present status.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
AUDIT SERVICE CANNOT UNDERTAKE PROJECTS
Story: Kofoya Tetteh, Koforidua
LACK of technical expertise has made it impossible for the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) to undertake performance audit into physical infrastructural projects such as roads, buildings and bridges.
Other initiatives, such as the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) have all not benefited from performance audit.
These are some of the major challenges facing the service, Mr Edward Dua Agyeman, the Auditor-General, has stated.
He made the statement in a paper presented at a meeting of Supreme Audit Institutions in Washington, DC, USA, last Thursday.
It was on the theme, “Transformation for the 21st Century: Maximising the impact of Supreme Audit Institutions”.
Mr Agyeman said staffing and logistical constraints had not permitted the GAS to carry out timely financial audits of all entities as mandated in the Constitution, the Audit Service Act and other laws of the country, thus causing a backlog of reports to Parliament.
“We have recruited architects and civil engineers but we need more and the funding to secure these services if we are to move forward,” he indicated.
Mr Agyeman said procurement audit required under the Public Procurement Act, Act 2003, was yet to be mainstreamed into the financial audit of the service.
“Environmental and forensic audits, as well as special review of beneficiaries of financial aid required under the Audit Service Act, have not yet been introduced,” he noted.
Mr Agyeman said in spite of the challenges, the GAS had undergone a major transformation that had enhanced its operations.
He said a partnership between the GAS and the National Audit Office (NAO) of the United Kingdom had yielded good dividends as a result of which the service, for instance, had now become self-accounting.
The Auditor General said in 2002/2003, the service conducted nation-wide payroll audit which revealed some serious weaknesses in the government payroll, such as incorrect personal data.
He said a payroll unit was subsequently established in 2003 to analyse the cost and strengths of the central government payroll and that had helped save the nation more than $500 million in payroll fraud over a period of three years.
Mr Agyeman said the GAS, in conjunction with NAO (UK), intended to carry out extensive education of partners whose interests were affected by the work of the Audit Service, including the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
“The objective will be to demonstrate that the service is independent of all, not part of the internal control systems and anti-corruption initiatives of the Executive,” he said.
Mr Agyeman said the growing interest of the public in the work of the Auditor-General had demonstrated the important contribution that the service made in helping the nation to spend wisely.
LACK of technical expertise has made it impossible for the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) to undertake performance audit into physical infrastructural projects such as roads, buildings and bridges.
Other initiatives, such as the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) have all not benefited from performance audit.
These are some of the major challenges facing the service, Mr Edward Dua Agyeman, the Auditor-General, has stated.
He made the statement in a paper presented at a meeting of Supreme Audit Institutions in Washington, DC, USA, last Thursday.
It was on the theme, “Transformation for the 21st Century: Maximising the impact of Supreme Audit Institutions”.
Mr Agyeman said staffing and logistical constraints had not permitted the GAS to carry out timely financial audits of all entities as mandated in the Constitution, the Audit Service Act and other laws of the country, thus causing a backlog of reports to Parliament.
“We have recruited architects and civil engineers but we need more and the funding to secure these services if we are to move forward,” he indicated.
Mr Agyeman said procurement audit required under the Public Procurement Act, Act 2003, was yet to be mainstreamed into the financial audit of the service.
“Environmental and forensic audits, as well as special review of beneficiaries of financial aid required under the Audit Service Act, have not yet been introduced,” he noted.
Mr Agyeman said in spite of the challenges, the GAS had undergone a major transformation that had enhanced its operations.
He said a partnership between the GAS and the National Audit Office (NAO) of the United Kingdom had yielded good dividends as a result of which the service, for instance, had now become self-accounting.
The Auditor General said in 2002/2003, the service conducted nation-wide payroll audit which revealed some serious weaknesses in the government payroll, such as incorrect personal data.
He said a payroll unit was subsequently established in 2003 to analyse the cost and strengths of the central government payroll and that had helped save the nation more than $500 million in payroll fraud over a period of three years.
Mr Agyeman said the GAS, in conjunction with NAO (UK), intended to carry out extensive education of partners whose interests were affected by the work of the Audit Service, including the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
“The objective will be to demonstrate that the service is independent of all, not part of the internal control systems and anti-corruption initiatives of the Executive,” he said.
Mr Agyeman said the growing interest of the public in the work of the Auditor-General had demonstrated the important contribution that the service made in helping the nation to spend wisely.
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