THE Ghana Armed Forces intends to deploy its personnel to support the police and other security officers detailed for the general election on Sunday.
This, according to the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General J.B. Danquah, would provide security and an enabling environment for all to exercise their franchise without fear.
He explained that the deployment of the military was in consultation with the Electoral Commission (EC), taking into consideration the gloomy insecurity painted during the last voters’ registration exercise.
Lt General J.B. Danquah, an old student of the Pope John Senior High School, Koforidua, was speaking at the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the school and its junior seminary in Koforidua on Saturday.
The gathering brought together a number of old students such as the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop for Accra, Most Rev Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Asiedu Afram, who read the message on behalf of President Kufuor.
The event also coincided with the inauguration of teachers’ flats built with the GETfund.
According to Lt. General J.B. Danquah, the country’s political atmosphere had been charged, and that the deployment of the military would prevent chaos, senseless killings or carnage with its attendant state of hopelessness as experienced by other countries.
“In 1990, I was in Liberia as the Commanding Officer of GHANBATT 2 at the onset of the carnage in that country, and in 1995 and 1997, I was in Rwanda and Sierra Leone respectively, and I saw in real terms the extent to which man’s insensitivity to his neighbour could drive a nation, including its people especially women, children and its resources to a state of hopelessness and we have to avoid such a situation,” the Chief of Defence Staff stated.
Lt General J.B. Danquah said it was therefore the wish of the entire Armed Forces, other security services and all Ghanaians to do what was right between now, the day of the elections or after in a peaceful manner to enable Ghana to continue to be the shining example in Africa.
Lt General J.B. Danquah, who also dwelt extensively on education, advised parents to properly cater for the educational needs of their children and wards, who he said, must not be involved in negative tendencies such as pornography, in order to be able to climb the academic ladder.
The Armed Forces Chief, who also appealed to the tutors of the school to continue with their dedicated services to the school and students, praised the Catholic Church for its contribution to education and national development.
In a speech read on his behalf by Mr Asiedu Afram, President Kufuor said his term of office deepened democracy and as an ardent believer of democracy, he had no desire of entrenching himself in power and would graciously hand over to whoever would be elected by the people.
He, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to exercise maximum restraint before, during and after the elections, adding that the government would not interfere with the work of the EC.
“While exercising our franchise, let us exult in victory with moderation and accept defeat with equanimity” President Kufuor stated.
In his report, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Isaac Larweh, said the school, which started with a few students 50 years ago, now had a student population of 1,530.
He said its academic record had been excellent over the years, and that it had 99.8 per cent success at the 2008 WASSCE.
The school, which Mr Larweh stated had also excelled in extra curricula activities had a number of challenges. These include perennial shortage of water, poor drainage system and inappropriate library and called on the authorities for assistance.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
ROUSING WELCOME FOR MILLS (SPREAD)
Thousands of enthusiastic supporters have welcomed the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, to the Eastern Region as he begins a five-day campaign tour of one of the strongholds of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Eastern Region has been one of the most difficult regions for the NDC in recent elections, and Prof. Mills expects to use the final phase of the electioneering to explain his programmes and vision to the people and the need for them to give him their mandate this time.
In the 2004 presidential election, Prof. Mills obtained 38.3 per cent of the 920,672 votes cast in the Eastern Region, as against President Kufuor’s 60.2 per cent
The party also won only six out of the 28 parliamentary seats in the region.
It is, therefore, the expectation of the party that the region will this time fall to the NDC’s message of change for “a better man for a better Ghana” to ensure its eventual success at the upcoming polls.
At Nsawam, the supporters met Prof Mills amid singing, drumming and winding of their hands and fingers to symbolise the party’s message of change.
Addressing the ecstatic crowd which had converged on the Nsawam Lorry Park, Prof. Mills stated that Ghanaians were now yearning for a change and that the people in the Eastern Region could not be left out in what he termed “the blowing wind of change”.
He assured Ghanaians that he would be a president not only for NDC but also for all Ghanaians.
He took the opportunity to introduce the party’s parliamentary candidate for Aburi-Nsawam , Madam Aku Ankrah, to the people and urged them to vote for her.
“If NPP supporters are here, let me assure them that it is because of them that I am here. I will not discriminate when I am given the nod to lead the country. I will also be their president,” he said.
At Adeiso and Nyanoa in the Upper West Akim Constituency where mini rallies were held, people lined up the streets to catch a glimpse of Prof Mills and his entourage. He also introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Joseph Amankwanor, to the people.
At Asamankese in the Lower West Akim Constituency, commercial activities virtually came to a halt as traders, drivers and a cross-section of the people abandoned their activities to converge on a park to listen to the message of the NDC presidential candidate.
Not satisfied with the 20 minutes spent at the rally, the supporters ran after Prof Mills’s convoy well beyond the outskirts of the town to listen to the flag bearer at other rallies.
Prof. Mills also addressed a mammoth rally at Boadua in the Akwatia Constituency where he introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Baba Jamal, to the people and urged them to vote for him as well.
He assured the youth that the galamsey business would be streamlined if the NDC won the upcoming elections.
At Kade, thousands of supporters defied a heavy downpour and insisted that Prof. Mills address them in the rain.
The Eastern Region has been one of the most difficult regions for the NDC in recent elections, and Prof. Mills expects to use the final phase of the electioneering to explain his programmes and vision to the people and the need for them to give him their mandate this time.
In the 2004 presidential election, Prof. Mills obtained 38.3 per cent of the 920,672 votes cast in the Eastern Region, as against President Kufuor’s 60.2 per cent
The party also won only six out of the 28 parliamentary seats in the region.
It is, therefore, the expectation of the party that the region will this time fall to the NDC’s message of change for “a better man for a better Ghana” to ensure its eventual success at the upcoming polls.
At Nsawam, the supporters met Prof Mills amid singing, drumming and winding of their hands and fingers to symbolise the party’s message of change.
Addressing the ecstatic crowd which had converged on the Nsawam Lorry Park, Prof. Mills stated that Ghanaians were now yearning for a change and that the people in the Eastern Region could not be left out in what he termed “the blowing wind of change”.
He assured Ghanaians that he would be a president not only for NDC but also for all Ghanaians.
He took the opportunity to introduce the party’s parliamentary candidate for Aburi-Nsawam , Madam Aku Ankrah, to the people and urged them to vote for her.
“If NPP supporters are here, let me assure them that it is because of them that I am here. I will not discriminate when I am given the nod to lead the country. I will also be their president,” he said.
At Adeiso and Nyanoa in the Upper West Akim Constituency where mini rallies were held, people lined up the streets to catch a glimpse of Prof Mills and his entourage. He also introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Joseph Amankwanor, to the people.
At Asamankese in the Lower West Akim Constituency, commercial activities virtually came to a halt as traders, drivers and a cross-section of the people abandoned their activities to converge on a park to listen to the message of the NDC presidential candidate.
Not satisfied with the 20 minutes spent at the rally, the supporters ran after Prof Mills’s convoy well beyond the outskirts of the town to listen to the flag bearer at other rallies.
Prof. Mills also addressed a mammoth rally at Boadua in the Akwatia Constituency where he introduced the party’s parliamentary candidate, Mr Baba Jamal, to the people and urged them to vote for him as well.
He assured the youth that the galamsey business would be streamlined if the NDC won the upcoming elections.
At Kade, thousands of supporters defied a heavy downpour and insisted that Prof. Mills address them in the rain.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
VOTE FOR DFP IS BEST LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS (SPREAD)
THE flag bearer of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, has said the best legacy Ghanaians could bequeath to future generations is to vote for the DFP to come to power.
That, he said, had become necessary, since both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which had administered the country two terms each had failed to improve the lot of the people.
He said the unfortunate situation was that both the NDC and the NPP had openly declared their intentions to take punitive measures against the other should either of them win the December 7 elections, a development which he said would be suicidal to the country.
The DFP flag bearer said this when he addressed members and supporters of the party at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region last Tuesday, during which he introduced Mr Abraham Teye Larkotey as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Lower Manya Krobo.
Mr Ansah-Antwi, who was on the first leg of a tour of the Eastern Region to introduce himself to the executives and members of the party and to thank them for electing him to lead the party to the polls, also called on the traditional authorities at the palace.
He was accompanied by his running mate, Mrs Patience Ameku; the Patron of the party, Dr Obed Yao Asamoah; the National Women Organiser, Hajia Hawau; the National Organiser, Mr Piesie Antoh; the National Education Officer, Alhaji Ismail Bawa, and the Eastern Regional Chairman, Mr Sarfo Kantanka.
Mr Ansah-Antwi asked the electorate to rally behind the DFP to enable it to implement human-centred policies such as subsidy on agricultural inputs, the establishment of agro-processing factories to add value to raw materials and a ready market for both raw materials and locally manufactured goods.
These policies, he said, would create jobs for the people to earn appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
He said although the DFP entered the political arena very late, it had made in-roads throughout the country and gave the assurance that traditional rulers would be roped into its administration, since they were the custodians of the land and knew what projects would be beneficial to the people.
For his part, Dr Asamoah said the DFP was against corruption, insulting political opponents, violence and intimidation and that the party would, within the few days left for the elections, continue with issue-based campaign to drum home its good intentions.
He said the party, which would create a conducive atmosphere for the youth, had also decided to encourage women to take an part in active politics to improve their lot.
Dr Asamoah, who condemned politicians who influenced voters with money or material things, asked Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be influenced by such gestures but to vote for the DFP, which he said was capable of providing the solutions for economic recovery that would enable the people to live decently.
Mr Piesie Antoh said the DFP would spring a surprise and called for peaceful elections, while Alhaji Bawa called on all members and supporters of the party to exercise restraint if provoked on the day of the elections.
Mrs Ameku and Hajia Hawau also addressed the gathering and canvassed for votes for the party.
That, he said, had become necessary, since both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which had administered the country two terms each had failed to improve the lot of the people.
He said the unfortunate situation was that both the NDC and the NPP had openly declared their intentions to take punitive measures against the other should either of them win the December 7 elections, a development which he said would be suicidal to the country.
The DFP flag bearer said this when he addressed members and supporters of the party at Odumase Krobo in the Eastern Region last Tuesday, during which he introduced Mr Abraham Teye Larkotey as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Lower Manya Krobo.
Mr Ansah-Antwi, who was on the first leg of a tour of the Eastern Region to introduce himself to the executives and members of the party and to thank them for electing him to lead the party to the polls, also called on the traditional authorities at the palace.
He was accompanied by his running mate, Mrs Patience Ameku; the Patron of the party, Dr Obed Yao Asamoah; the National Women Organiser, Hajia Hawau; the National Organiser, Mr Piesie Antoh; the National Education Officer, Alhaji Ismail Bawa, and the Eastern Regional Chairman, Mr Sarfo Kantanka.
Mr Ansah-Antwi asked the electorate to rally behind the DFP to enable it to implement human-centred policies such as subsidy on agricultural inputs, the establishment of agro-processing factories to add value to raw materials and a ready market for both raw materials and locally manufactured goods.
These policies, he said, would create jobs for the people to earn appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
He said although the DFP entered the political arena very late, it had made in-roads throughout the country and gave the assurance that traditional rulers would be roped into its administration, since they were the custodians of the land and knew what projects would be beneficial to the people.
For his part, Dr Asamoah said the DFP was against corruption, insulting political opponents, violence and intimidation and that the party would, within the few days left for the elections, continue with issue-based campaign to drum home its good intentions.
He said the party, which would create a conducive atmosphere for the youth, had also decided to encourage women to take an part in active politics to improve their lot.
Dr Asamoah, who condemned politicians who influenced voters with money or material things, asked Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be influenced by such gestures but to vote for the DFP, which he said was capable of providing the solutions for economic recovery that would enable the people to live decently.
Mr Piesie Antoh said the DFP would spring a surprise and called for peaceful elections, while Alhaji Bawa called on all members and supporters of the party to exercise restraint if provoked on the day of the elections.
Mrs Ameku and Hajia Hawau also addressed the gathering and canvassed for votes for the party.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
GH¢894,000 PROJECTS FOR 2 MANYA KROBO DISTRICTS (PAGE 25)
CONSTRUCTION work on five social amenities, made up of two modern lorry parks and three kindergarten (KG) school blocks, in the Lower and Upper Manya Krobo districts has begun.
The projects comprise the rehabilitation of the Asesewa lorry park in Upper Manya Krobo, the construction of a new lorry park at Kpong as well as three KG school buildings for the Akuse Roman Catholic, Nuaso Presbyterian and Manya Kpongunor Presbyterian primary schools.
KfW of Germany is providing 90 per cent of the GH¢894,000 being the cost of the projects while the two district assemblies are taking up the remaining 10 per cent of the counterpart funding.
The projects are expected to be completed within nine months.
Briefing journalists before the sod-cutting ceremony at Kpong on Wednesday, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr David Sackitey Asare, said the lorry parks would be provided with all the necessary modern amenities such as transit sheds and loading pads.
He added that each of the KGs would have a three-unit classroom block, a store, six-seat KVIP public toilets and a urinal.
Mr Asare stated that the project, which formed part of the Town Five initiative for some selected districts, would go a long way to uplift the image of the two districts and also improve the life of the people.
The DCE expressed appreciation to KfW of Germany and the government for supporting the projects.
He expressed the hope that both consultants, Urban Development Consortium and the contracting firm, Koforidua-based Ghana Concrete Engineering Works Limited, would live up to expectation by completing the work on schedule.
The Technical Director of Ghana Concrete Engineering Works, Mr Kwabena Asante, gave the assurance that the company would do its best to complete the project within the stipulated period.
The projects comprise the rehabilitation of the Asesewa lorry park in Upper Manya Krobo, the construction of a new lorry park at Kpong as well as three KG school buildings for the Akuse Roman Catholic, Nuaso Presbyterian and Manya Kpongunor Presbyterian primary schools.
KfW of Germany is providing 90 per cent of the GH¢894,000 being the cost of the projects while the two district assemblies are taking up the remaining 10 per cent of the counterpart funding.
The projects are expected to be completed within nine months.
Briefing journalists before the sod-cutting ceremony at Kpong on Wednesday, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr David Sackitey Asare, said the lorry parks would be provided with all the necessary modern amenities such as transit sheds and loading pads.
He added that each of the KGs would have a three-unit classroom block, a store, six-seat KVIP public toilets and a urinal.
Mr Asare stated that the project, which formed part of the Town Five initiative for some selected districts, would go a long way to uplift the image of the two districts and also improve the life of the people.
The DCE expressed appreciation to KfW of Germany and the government for supporting the projects.
He expressed the hope that both consultants, Urban Development Consortium and the contracting firm, Koforidua-based Ghana Concrete Engineering Works Limited, would live up to expectation by completing the work on schedule.
The Technical Director of Ghana Concrete Engineering Works, Mr Kwabena Asante, gave the assurance that the company would do its best to complete the project within the stipulated period.
Friday, November 21, 2008
EC LAUDS POLITICIANS IN EASTERN REGION (PAGE 16)
THE DEPUTY Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr David Kanga, has praised politicians in the Eastern Region, especially parliamentary candidates, for the able manner they conducted themselves in the previous general elections.
He said the co-operation and friendly relations among the parliamentary candidates from the 1996 elections had made such events incident-free in the region.
Mr Kanga gave the commendation during an interaction with parliamentary aspirants for the December 7 election in the Eastern Region in Koforidua on Tuesday.
The one-day event during which a mock voting exercise was conducted, brought together prospective MPs such as Samuel Ofosu Ampofo (NDC, Fanteakwa); Emmanuel Agyarko (NPP, Lower Manya Krobo); Bernice Beatrice Boateng (NPP, New Juaben South); Emmanuel Adu Boateng (New Juaben North); Hackman Owusu Agyeman (NPP, New Juaben North); Nana Obuade Boateng (PNC, New Juaben South) as well as many others from the contesting political parties all of whom expressed their sentiments on how to make the elections free and fair.
Mr Kanga stated that if all politicians, especially parliamentary candidates, would conduct themselves like those in the Eastern Region, this year’s elections would be peaceful.
He, therefore, appealed to all politicians to do their best to ensure peaceful elections on December 7.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Paul Boateng, said it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders such as politicians, security personnel and the media to make the elections peaceful.
All the participants affirmed that they would do their best to make the elections peaceful and appealed to the EC and other stakeholders such as the security personnel and the media to be circumspect in their operations in that respect.
He said the co-operation and friendly relations among the parliamentary candidates from the 1996 elections had made such events incident-free in the region.
Mr Kanga gave the commendation during an interaction with parliamentary aspirants for the December 7 election in the Eastern Region in Koforidua on Tuesday.
The one-day event during which a mock voting exercise was conducted, brought together prospective MPs such as Samuel Ofosu Ampofo (NDC, Fanteakwa); Emmanuel Agyarko (NPP, Lower Manya Krobo); Bernice Beatrice Boateng (NPP, New Juaben South); Emmanuel Adu Boateng (New Juaben North); Hackman Owusu Agyeman (NPP, New Juaben North); Nana Obuade Boateng (PNC, New Juaben South) as well as many others from the contesting political parties all of whom expressed their sentiments on how to make the elections free and fair.
Mr Kanga stated that if all politicians, especially parliamentary candidates, would conduct themselves like those in the Eastern Region, this year’s elections would be peaceful.
He, therefore, appealed to all politicians to do their best to ensure peaceful elections on December 7.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Director of the EC, Mr Paul Boateng, said it was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders such as politicians, security personnel and the media to make the elections peaceful.
All the participants affirmed that they would do their best to make the elections peaceful and appealed to the EC and other stakeholders such as the security personnel and the media to be circumspect in their operations in that respect.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
KWAHU PRASO RURAL BANK GIVES OUT MORE LOANS (PAGE 20)
THE Kwahu Praso Rural Bank in the Eastern Region gave out GH¢204,822 as loans and advances to its customers last year as against GH¢162,200 in 2006, showing an increase of GH¢32,922.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Mr Eric Kwakye, made this known at the 13th annual general meeting of the bank at Kwahu Praso at the weekend.
Mr Kwakye stated that the bank had to increase its loan portfolio to boost the businesses of its customers as a measure of reducing poverty in its catchment areas.
He gave the breakdown of the credit facilities as agriculture: GH¢15,550, food marketing: GH¢25,430, general trading: GH¢52,082, transport: GH¢28,800, education: GH¢53,660 and others GH¢28,822.
To make it possible for the bank to grant more loans, Mr Kwakye appealed to all beneficiaries, especially defaulters, to repay their loans on time.
According to Mr Kwakye, the bank was able to give out more loans due to its credible performance in its overall operations.
He cited for instance that, last year the bank recorded pre-tax profit of GH¢35,237 as against GH¢12,556 in 2006, an increase of 180 per cent while its total deposits also rose from GH¢556,775 to GH¢714,490 within the same period.
The bank’s assets, Mr Kwakye stated, had for the past three years been recording growth, adding that in 2005, it recorded GH¢465,790 which increased to GH¢556,755 in 2006 and GH¢714,490 in 2007.
Mr Kwakye said the bank’s paid-up capital stood at GH¢12,092, which he stated was not encouraging.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to buy more shares to boost its capital.
Both Mr Twumasi Ankrah, the Head of Efficiency and Monitoring Unit of the ARB Apex Bank, who represented the Managing Director of the bank, and Mr Kwabena Acheampong, a representative of the Association of Rural Banks, commended the board, management and staff of the bank for their impressive performance.
They, however, urged the board to strengthen the bank’s internal control mechanisms to consolidate its gains.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Mr Eric Kwakye, made this known at the 13th annual general meeting of the bank at Kwahu Praso at the weekend.
Mr Kwakye stated that the bank had to increase its loan portfolio to boost the businesses of its customers as a measure of reducing poverty in its catchment areas.
He gave the breakdown of the credit facilities as agriculture: GH¢15,550, food marketing: GH¢25,430, general trading: GH¢52,082, transport: GH¢28,800, education: GH¢53,660 and others GH¢28,822.
To make it possible for the bank to grant more loans, Mr Kwakye appealed to all beneficiaries, especially defaulters, to repay their loans on time.
According to Mr Kwakye, the bank was able to give out more loans due to its credible performance in its overall operations.
He cited for instance that, last year the bank recorded pre-tax profit of GH¢35,237 as against GH¢12,556 in 2006, an increase of 180 per cent while its total deposits also rose from GH¢556,775 to GH¢714,490 within the same period.
The bank’s assets, Mr Kwakye stated, had for the past three years been recording growth, adding that in 2005, it recorded GH¢465,790 which increased to GH¢556,755 in 2006 and GH¢714,490 in 2007.
Mr Kwakye said the bank’s paid-up capital stood at GH¢12,092, which he stated was not encouraging.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to buy more shares to boost its capital.
Both Mr Twumasi Ankrah, the Head of Efficiency and Monitoring Unit of the ARB Apex Bank, who represented the Managing Director of the bank, and Mr Kwabena Acheampong, a representative of the Association of Rural Banks, commended the board, management and staff of the bank for their impressive performance.
They, however, urged the board to strengthen the bank’s internal control mechanisms to consolidate its gains.
ASSOCIATION ASSISTS RURAL PEOPLE (PAGE 20)
THE Krobo-Danish Association (KROBODAN) at the weekend launched a number of initiatives to improve the lot of people in the rural communities of Yilo Krobo, Upper Manya Krobo and Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region.
The initiatives are a savings and credit scheme for farmers in Yilo Krobo who have no land of their own, training of single mothers in bead-making and free eye screening.
Under the savings and credit scheme, the beneficiaries would be provided with funds to go into poultry keeping, animal husbandry, snail and grass-cutter rearing and piggery.
The facility which would be made available for 300 rural dwellers, would cover the period from 2008 to 2011.
With regard to the training of single mothers for bead-making, the association in collaboration with Bulow Glass, a glass-blowing company in Denmark, would train 60 beneficiaries after which they would be assisted to produce quality beads for the Scandinavian market.
Under the free eye-screening exercise, KROBODAN with support from Synoptik of Denmark, the Koforidua Regional Hospital and the education directorates in the three Krobo districts, namely Yilo, Upper Manya and Lower Manya, conducted an exercise for the general public at Nkurakan, a foodstuff marketing centre in the area.
During the exercise, hundreds of people had their eyes examined and those with defects were given spectacles free of charge.
According to an executive member of the association, Mr N. Joshua Nartey, his outfit which was committed to the improvement of life in rural communities, would continue with such initiatives to enable rural dwellers to lead decent lives.
The initiatives are a savings and credit scheme for farmers in Yilo Krobo who have no land of their own, training of single mothers in bead-making and free eye screening.
Under the savings and credit scheme, the beneficiaries would be provided with funds to go into poultry keeping, animal husbandry, snail and grass-cutter rearing and piggery.
The facility which would be made available for 300 rural dwellers, would cover the period from 2008 to 2011.
With regard to the training of single mothers for bead-making, the association in collaboration with Bulow Glass, a glass-blowing company in Denmark, would train 60 beneficiaries after which they would be assisted to produce quality beads for the Scandinavian market.
Under the free eye-screening exercise, KROBODAN with support from Synoptik of Denmark, the Koforidua Regional Hospital and the education directorates in the three Krobo districts, namely Yilo, Upper Manya and Lower Manya, conducted an exercise for the general public at Nkurakan, a foodstuff marketing centre in the area.
During the exercise, hundreds of people had their eyes examined and those with defects were given spectacles free of charge.
According to an executive member of the association, Mr N. Joshua Nartey, his outfit which was committed to the improvement of life in rural communities, would continue with such initiatives to enable rural dwellers to lead decent lives.
BORMASE WHENYA, THE FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY IN UPPER MANYA (PAGE 20)
LYING on the Akatawia-Sekesua road about 40 kilometres from Asesewa is Bormase Whenya, a scattered community.
The community, together with other adjoining settlements such as Korlewa, Bukunya, Bormase Tenya and Buku Yiti, constitutes one of the populous settlements in the Upper Manya Krobo District with a total population of approximately 3,000.
The people, most of whom have their houses situated on their farmlands, cultivate foodstuffs such as maize, plantain, cocoyam, cassava and almost all the varieties of yam.
They also rear animals such as goats, sheep and fowls primarily for their own consumption and for the market.
The hard-working farmers, who under normal circumstances, should have been able to cultivate such crops on a large scale or keep flocks of such animals, produce very little with very low earnings that can hardly cater for their upkeep due to lack of capital for expansion of such ventures.
Worst of all, the community lacks almost all the basic necessities of life such as good drinking water, clinic or electricity although the power transmission lines pass through the community while the only access road that links it with other parts of the district, the Sekesua-Akatawia road, is full of potholes, making it a death trap.
The only social amenity in the community, the District Assembly (D/A) Primary School which was constructed about half a century ago, is itself a dilapidated structure with some of the walls built with mud, periodically falling off, especially during the rainy season, making it impossible for classes to be conducted during the wet season because the classrooms get flooded.
The most pathetic situation is that the building that used to house the kindergarten, recently collapsed. As a result, the infants study under canopies made with palm leaves.
To compound the situation, the entire infant/pupil population of the school of 140 in seven classrooms depends on only 20 dual desks for classes so the pupils use the desks in turns.
Despite such a horrible spectacle, the pupils have over the years, performed well academically and most of them normally get admission to junior high schools at nearby Sekesua, Asesewa or Odumase Krobo.
In view of the pupils’ outstanding performance, the school won the admiration of both the Manya District Directorate of Education and the district assembly, and was therefore selected to be transformed into a model school (Jubilee School) in 2007 with the provision of modern classrooms, teachers’ bungalows and other amenities.
As expected, the motivation brought relief to the community whose inhabitants readily made available a prepared plot of land for construction to begin on the project.
However, after nearly eight months when nothing had started, some of the inhabitants claimed that a radio station had announced that the project had commenced in earnest so they believed the project had been shifted elsewhere.
“The plan for the project was shown to us on February 2, 2007 by Messrs David Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam, the District Chief Executives for Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo, respectively and the Deputy District Director of Education, Mr D.O. Tetteh, after which we heard from one of the radio stations that constructional work had started which is not true,” the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman, Mr I.T. Quarshie stated.
The school’s Management Committee Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Osom Djeagbo, corroborated Mr Quarshie’s story and said he together with the community’s headman (Dadematse), Mr David Akwetey and the queen, Manye Mamle, followed up to the assembly on many occasions without any positive result, and wondered whether the project would be executed at all.
Both Messrs Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam admitted that the school had been selected to be transformed into a model school in the district, stressing that the project would under no circumstances be diverted to another community.
According to Mr Asare, since the project would involve a lot of money, it would take a little more time to begin, adding that all things being equal, the project would start in March, next year.
Mr Joe Sam, however, indicated that in the interim, a structure would be provided for the kindergarten class within the next two weeks to enable the kids to attend normal classes.
“We are concerned about the plight of the kids and pupils so the assembly will do its best to transform the school to a model one with furniture and all the required facilities that go with it,” Mr Sam stated.
Although the two district assemblies are taking steps to transform the school, it will not be out of place if non-governmental organisations such as Plan Ghana, which had already provided many school buildings in the area go to the rescue on time.
This is necessary because the longer the delay, the more the pupils and kids suffer.
Should that happen, it would have negative impacts on the development of the community whose inhabitants also need micro finance to boost their farming ventures so as to lead decent lives.
The community, together with other adjoining settlements such as Korlewa, Bukunya, Bormase Tenya and Buku Yiti, constitutes one of the populous settlements in the Upper Manya Krobo District with a total population of approximately 3,000.
The people, most of whom have their houses situated on their farmlands, cultivate foodstuffs such as maize, plantain, cocoyam, cassava and almost all the varieties of yam.
They also rear animals such as goats, sheep and fowls primarily for their own consumption and for the market.
The hard-working farmers, who under normal circumstances, should have been able to cultivate such crops on a large scale or keep flocks of such animals, produce very little with very low earnings that can hardly cater for their upkeep due to lack of capital for expansion of such ventures.
Worst of all, the community lacks almost all the basic necessities of life such as good drinking water, clinic or electricity although the power transmission lines pass through the community while the only access road that links it with other parts of the district, the Sekesua-Akatawia road, is full of potholes, making it a death trap.
The only social amenity in the community, the District Assembly (D/A) Primary School which was constructed about half a century ago, is itself a dilapidated structure with some of the walls built with mud, periodically falling off, especially during the rainy season, making it impossible for classes to be conducted during the wet season because the classrooms get flooded.
The most pathetic situation is that the building that used to house the kindergarten, recently collapsed. As a result, the infants study under canopies made with palm leaves.
To compound the situation, the entire infant/pupil population of the school of 140 in seven classrooms depends on only 20 dual desks for classes so the pupils use the desks in turns.
Despite such a horrible spectacle, the pupils have over the years, performed well academically and most of them normally get admission to junior high schools at nearby Sekesua, Asesewa or Odumase Krobo.
In view of the pupils’ outstanding performance, the school won the admiration of both the Manya District Directorate of Education and the district assembly, and was therefore selected to be transformed into a model school (Jubilee School) in 2007 with the provision of modern classrooms, teachers’ bungalows and other amenities.
As expected, the motivation brought relief to the community whose inhabitants readily made available a prepared plot of land for construction to begin on the project.
However, after nearly eight months when nothing had started, some of the inhabitants claimed that a radio station had announced that the project had commenced in earnest so they believed the project had been shifted elsewhere.
“The plan for the project was shown to us on February 2, 2007 by Messrs David Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam, the District Chief Executives for Lower Manya Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo, respectively and the Deputy District Director of Education, Mr D.O. Tetteh, after which we heard from one of the radio stations that constructional work had started which is not true,” the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman, Mr I.T. Quarshie stated.
The school’s Management Committee Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Osom Djeagbo, corroborated Mr Quarshie’s story and said he together with the community’s headman (Dadematse), Mr David Akwetey and the queen, Manye Mamle, followed up to the assembly on many occasions without any positive result, and wondered whether the project would be executed at all.
Both Messrs Sackitey Asare and Joe Sam admitted that the school had been selected to be transformed into a model school in the district, stressing that the project would under no circumstances be diverted to another community.
According to Mr Asare, since the project would involve a lot of money, it would take a little more time to begin, adding that all things being equal, the project would start in March, next year.
Mr Joe Sam, however, indicated that in the interim, a structure would be provided for the kindergarten class within the next two weeks to enable the kids to attend normal classes.
“We are concerned about the plight of the kids and pupils so the assembly will do its best to transform the school to a model one with furniture and all the required facilities that go with it,” Mr Sam stated.
Although the two district assemblies are taking steps to transform the school, it will not be out of place if non-governmental organisations such as Plan Ghana, which had already provided many school buildings in the area go to the rescue on time.
This is necessary because the longer the delay, the more the pupils and kids suffer.
Should that happen, it would have negative impacts on the development of the community whose inhabitants also need micro finance to boost their farming ventures so as to lead decent lives.
MOUNT MARY COLLEGE ADMITS FRESH STUDENTS (PAGE 20)
MOUNT Mary College of Education at Somanya, the first teacher training college with specialisation in the French language to be set up in the country, has held its matriculation for the 2008/09 academic year.
Addressing the impressive ceremony attended by a number of dignitaries and parents, the principal of the college, Mr J.A.M. Kor, said out of the 700 qualified applicants, 300, made up of 166 men and 134 women, were admitted.
He stated that 126 of the new entrants would offer French while the remaining 166 would study the general programme.
Mr Kor said the college had over the years chalked up many successes, adding that at the last professional board meeting held at the University of Cape Coast, the college was singled out as having excelled in the recent semester examinations.
According to him, the college also came first at the recent Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Fun Quiz competition held for Colleges of Education in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions.
He expressed optimism that the college, which was preparing for the national quiz competition scheduled for November 16, this year, would collect the ultimate prize.
Mr Kor attributed the college’s successes to a high standard of discipline and commitment on the part of both students and tutors.
He appealed to parents to offer the necessary financial support to the students to encourage them to study hard.
The principal said the college, now a tertiary institution, was facing many challenges.
Mr Kor mentioned some of them as unsuitable dormitories for both men and women, lack of an assembly hall and lack of administration block.
He expressed the hope that such challenges would be overcome in the near future to enable the college to further improve on its academic achievements.
Addressing the impressive ceremony attended by a number of dignitaries and parents, the principal of the college, Mr J.A.M. Kor, said out of the 700 qualified applicants, 300, made up of 166 men and 134 women, were admitted.
He stated that 126 of the new entrants would offer French while the remaining 166 would study the general programme.
Mr Kor said the college had over the years chalked up many successes, adding that at the last professional board meeting held at the University of Cape Coast, the college was singled out as having excelled in the recent semester examinations.
According to him, the college also came first at the recent Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Fun Quiz competition held for Colleges of Education in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions.
He expressed optimism that the college, which was preparing for the national quiz competition scheduled for November 16, this year, would collect the ultimate prize.
Mr Kor attributed the college’s successes to a high standard of discipline and commitment on the part of both students and tutors.
He appealed to parents to offer the necessary financial support to the students to encourage them to study hard.
The principal said the college, now a tertiary institution, was facing many challenges.
Mr Kor mentioned some of them as unsuitable dormitories for both men and women, lack of an assembly hall and lack of administration block.
He expressed the hope that such challenges would be overcome in the near future to enable the college to further improve on its academic achievements.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
KROBOS MARK KLOYOSIKLEM FESTIVAL (PAGE 31)
A GRAND durbar of chiefs and people of Yilo Krobo to mark their annual Kloyosikplem Festival was held at a place near Somanya at the weekend.
The festival, which was in remembrance of the forceful eviction of the Krobos from the Krobo Mountain by the then British colonialists in 1892 and normally held at Somanya, the traditional capital, was this year organised beneath the mountains, about eight kilometres away from Somanya.
It was attended by a number of dignitaries such as Nene Sasraku, a divisional chief of Manya Krobo, the District Chief Executive for Yilo Krobo, Mr Joseph Adu Tawiah, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu and the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, who represented the President, Mr J.A. Kufuor.
In his message, which was delivered by Mr Boafo, President Kufuor said the government had, for the past eight years, provided a number of social amenities such as good roads, schools and poverty alleviation initiatives like the Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme, the Health Insurance Scheme and microfinance credit facilities of which the people in the Yilo Krobo area had also benefited.
To further improve the lot of the people, President Kufuor said GH¢500,000 from the Millennium Challenge Authority Fund had been made available for a number of mango growers in the area, as well as another GH¢70,000 from the same fund to pepper cultivators, to boost production of the two crops.
This, the President said, would make it possible for the farmers to generate more income to improve their lives.
The President further said the government was looking for the possibility of returning the lands in and around the Krobo Mountain, which were taken over by the colonial administration, to the traditional authorities.
The President expressed his appreciation to the people of Yilo Krobo for preserving their culture and indicated that the government was also committed to helping communities preserve their cultures.
He thanked the people for their continued support to the government and called on them to turn out in their numbers to exercise their franchise on December 7.
The Konor of Yilo Krobo, Kpetekple Narh Dawutey Ologo VI, thanked the government for providing a number of social amenities and poverty alleviation initiatives in the area.
The Konor appealed to the government to expedite action on returning the lands in and around the Krobo Mountains to the traditional authority to be developed into a first class tourist facility.
Kpetekple Ologo also asked the government to help address other challenges in the area, which include the rehabilitation of the Somanya-Kpong road, upgrading of the town’s polytechnic to the status of a district hospital, improvement of the infrastructure of the Yilo Krobo Senior High School, as well as enhancing telecommunication facilities in the area.
The festival, which was in remembrance of the forceful eviction of the Krobos from the Krobo Mountain by the then British colonialists in 1892 and normally held at Somanya, the traditional capital, was this year organised beneath the mountains, about eight kilometres away from Somanya.
It was attended by a number of dignitaries such as Nene Sasraku, a divisional chief of Manya Krobo, the District Chief Executive for Yilo Krobo, Mr Joseph Adu Tawiah, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu and the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, who represented the President, Mr J.A. Kufuor.
In his message, which was delivered by Mr Boafo, President Kufuor said the government had, for the past eight years, provided a number of social amenities such as good roads, schools and poverty alleviation initiatives like the Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme, the Health Insurance Scheme and microfinance credit facilities of which the people in the Yilo Krobo area had also benefited.
To further improve the lot of the people, President Kufuor said GH¢500,000 from the Millennium Challenge Authority Fund had been made available for a number of mango growers in the area, as well as another GH¢70,000 from the same fund to pepper cultivators, to boost production of the two crops.
This, the President said, would make it possible for the farmers to generate more income to improve their lives.
The President further said the government was looking for the possibility of returning the lands in and around the Krobo Mountain, which were taken over by the colonial administration, to the traditional authorities.
The President expressed his appreciation to the people of Yilo Krobo for preserving their culture and indicated that the government was also committed to helping communities preserve their cultures.
He thanked the people for their continued support to the government and called on them to turn out in their numbers to exercise their franchise on December 7.
The Konor of Yilo Krobo, Kpetekple Narh Dawutey Ologo VI, thanked the government for providing a number of social amenities and poverty alleviation initiatives in the area.
The Konor appealed to the government to expedite action on returning the lands in and around the Krobo Mountains to the traditional authority to be developed into a first class tourist facility.
Kpetekple Ologo also asked the government to help address other challenges in the area, which include the rehabilitation of the Somanya-Kpong road, upgrading of the town’s polytechnic to the status of a district hospital, improvement of the infrastructure of the Yilo Krobo Senior High School, as well as enhancing telecommunication facilities in the area.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
ROAD SAFETY COMMISSION INTENSIFIES CAMPAIGN (PAGE 21)
THE Eastern Regional branch of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has intensified its educational campaigns with durbars to make roads in the region safe during the elections as well as during the Yuletide.
One of the events which took place at Anyinam last weekend under the joint sponsorship of the NRSC and the assembly, brought together a large number of drivers and pedestrians who were schooled on road safety by resource persons drawn from the Atiwa District Assembly, the police and the NRSC.
Addressing the participants, the Eastern Regional Manager of the NRSC, Mr Stephen Anokye, said the region ranked second in the whole country as a result of the high rate of motor accidents.
According to him, the situation had compelled the NRSC to intensify its educational campaigns which started some months ago, to properly educate road users, especially motorists, on the prevention of accidents, since 90 per cent of deaths result from human error.
As regards those who qualify to be at the steering wheel, Mr Anokye stated that although anybody above the age of 18 was qualified to drive, only people above 25 years of age could drive commercial vehicles.
He stated that his outfit would collaborate with all the 21 municipal and district assemblies in the region on the issue.
Mr Anokye, however, appealed to drivers to obey traffic regulations, especially at this time when the country would be going to the polls and celebrating the Yuletide, in order to reduce motor accidents to the barest minimum.
The Atiwa District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Eric Hini, who also addressed the participants, said a task force had been formed to ensure sustainability of road safety in the district and appealed to road users, especially drivers, for co-operation.
The Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, took the participants through the rudiments of road safety.
He advised drivers to regularly maintain their vehicles, avoid drinking while driving, speeding and overloading, adding that they should under no circumstances allow children and pregnant women to sit in the front seats of their vehicles.
Other speakers at the ceremony were the assembly member for Anyinam, Mr John Amponsah Kyei, and Nana Agyeman Sakyi, the Ankobeahene of Anyinam, who chaired the function.
One of the events which took place at Anyinam last weekend under the joint sponsorship of the NRSC and the assembly, brought together a large number of drivers and pedestrians who were schooled on road safety by resource persons drawn from the Atiwa District Assembly, the police and the NRSC.
Addressing the participants, the Eastern Regional Manager of the NRSC, Mr Stephen Anokye, said the region ranked second in the whole country as a result of the high rate of motor accidents.
According to him, the situation had compelled the NRSC to intensify its educational campaigns which started some months ago, to properly educate road users, especially motorists, on the prevention of accidents, since 90 per cent of deaths result from human error.
As regards those who qualify to be at the steering wheel, Mr Anokye stated that although anybody above the age of 18 was qualified to drive, only people above 25 years of age could drive commercial vehicles.
He stated that his outfit would collaborate with all the 21 municipal and district assemblies in the region on the issue.
Mr Anokye, however, appealed to drivers to obey traffic regulations, especially at this time when the country would be going to the polls and celebrating the Yuletide, in order to reduce motor accidents to the barest minimum.
The Atiwa District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Eric Hini, who also addressed the participants, said a task force had been formed to ensure sustainability of road safety in the district and appealed to road users, especially drivers, for co-operation.
The Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, took the participants through the rudiments of road safety.
He advised drivers to regularly maintain their vehicles, avoid drinking while driving, speeding and overloading, adding that they should under no circumstances allow children and pregnant women to sit in the front seats of their vehicles.
Other speakers at the ceremony were the assembly member for Anyinam, Mr John Amponsah Kyei, and Nana Agyeman Sakyi, the Ankobeahene of Anyinam, who chaired the function.
Monday, November 10, 2008
AKUFO-ADDO GRATEFUL TO PEOPLE OF AKUAPEM (PAGE 16)
THE flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has expressed his appreciation to the people of East Akyem, the Akuapem North and South districts for their continued support for the party over the years.
He said such support from the three districts which made it possible for the party to win the 2000 and 2004 elections to provide social amenities and other poverty alleviation programmes for the people should again be accorded the NPP to win the December 7 elections to enable it to complete its development agenda.
Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his appreciation at two mammoth rallies in Akropong, hometown of his father, and Kyebi, his maternal home.
Nana Akufo-Addo who also visited several towns and villages in the three districts introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates, Messrs Dan Botwe, Okere, William Boafo, Akropong, O. B. Amoah, Aburi-Nsawam and Atta Akyia, Abuakwa South, to the people.
He also paid courtesy calls on the Okuapehene, Oseadeoyo Addo-Dankwa III, Aburihene Otobuor Gyan Kwasi and the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and other traditional leaders.
The NPP flag bearer who was on the last leg of a campaign tour of the Eastern Region was accompanied by Messrs Boakye Agyarko, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu and other executive members of the party.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the tremendous support by the people in the three districts had enabled the Kufuor Administration to resuscitate the economy which was almost shattered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration, and that such support should again be accorded the NPP to win the elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo stated that it would be suicidal for the NDC to come back to power since they could not do anything beneficial for Ghana. He added that it was only the NPP which was capable of improving the lot of the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that a lot had been achieved in the past eight years and that the oil find would accelerate the economy, added that everything had been done to exploit the bauxite deposits in the Abuakwa area to provide jobs for the youth and also transform Kyebi, the capital of East Akyem.
“You have over the years supported us to win the previous two elections and we are appealing to you again to support us to win this year’s elections so that I take over from President Kufuor to continue with his good works” Nana Akufo-Addo said.
At Kyebi, Nana Akufo-Addo paid tribute to the founding fathers of the Danquah-Busia tradition, most of who had been laid to rest in the town, and said he decided to be in politics to play his part in fulfilling the dreams of the tradition.
Messrs Osafo-Maafo, Boakye Agyarko and Hackman Owusu Agyeman took turns to canvass for votes for the NPP with Osafo-Maafo giving a vivid explanation of the economy, which according to him had improved tremendously under the NPP.
He said such support from the three districts which made it possible for the party to win the 2000 and 2004 elections to provide social amenities and other poverty alleviation programmes for the people should again be accorded the NPP to win the December 7 elections to enable it to complete its development agenda.
Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his appreciation at two mammoth rallies in Akropong, hometown of his father, and Kyebi, his maternal home.
Nana Akufo-Addo who also visited several towns and villages in the three districts introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates, Messrs Dan Botwe, Okere, William Boafo, Akropong, O. B. Amoah, Aburi-Nsawam and Atta Akyia, Abuakwa South, to the people.
He also paid courtesy calls on the Okuapehene, Oseadeoyo Addo-Dankwa III, Aburihene Otobuor Gyan Kwasi and the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, and other traditional leaders.
The NPP flag bearer who was on the last leg of a campaign tour of the Eastern Region was accompanied by Messrs Boakye Agyarko, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu and other executive members of the party.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the tremendous support by the people in the three districts had enabled the Kufuor Administration to resuscitate the economy which was almost shattered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration, and that such support should again be accorded the NPP to win the elections.
Nana Akufo-Addo stated that it would be suicidal for the NDC to come back to power since they could not do anything beneficial for Ghana. He added that it was only the NPP which was capable of improving the lot of the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that a lot had been achieved in the past eight years and that the oil find would accelerate the economy, added that everything had been done to exploit the bauxite deposits in the Abuakwa area to provide jobs for the youth and also transform Kyebi, the capital of East Akyem.
“You have over the years supported us to win the previous two elections and we are appealing to you again to support us to win this year’s elections so that I take over from President Kufuor to continue with his good works” Nana Akufo-Addo said.
At Kyebi, Nana Akufo-Addo paid tribute to the founding fathers of the Danquah-Busia tradition, most of who had been laid to rest in the town, and said he decided to be in politics to play his part in fulfilling the dreams of the tradition.
Messrs Osafo-Maafo, Boakye Agyarko and Hackman Owusu Agyeman took turns to canvass for votes for the NPP with Osafo-Maafo giving a vivid explanation of the economy, which according to him had improved tremendously under the NPP.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
OWRAKU AMOFA JOINS NPP (PAGE 17)
A FORMER Deputy Minister of Tourism in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration, Mr Owraku Amofa, has joined the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Owraku Amofa, a former executive of the EGLE Party, until the year 2000 when he left the party, who was clad in NPP colours, announced his decision at a mammoth rally to welcome the presidential candidate of the NPP at Kyebi on Wednesday.
Mr Amofa, who, until recently was domiciled in the United States of America, said he decided to join hands with the NPP because they had performed creditably in their almost eight-year administration of the country.
He said while in the United States, he had been following with keen interest and admiration the development projects and other poverty alleviation initiatives in the country, which, according to him, was improving the lot of Ghanaians, adding that “the NPP should be supported to win the December elections to continue with its good works”.
“Although I am not in Ghana, I have been following with keen interest the numerous social amenities such as roads, health and educational facilities, as well as poverty alleviation programmes such as the Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme and micro-finance schemes that had been made available by the government to the people and I have therefore decided to come back home to support the NPP to win the elections to continue with such initiatives,” Mr Owuraku Amofa said to thunderous applause.
Nana Akufo-Addo, who described Mr Owraku Amofa as a direct relative, said the NPP believed in numbers and indicated that the party would work with him to secure victory at the December polls.
He appealed to members of the NPP to continue to drum home the government’s achievements to convince more people to vote to secure a resounding victory at the polls.
Mr Owraku Amofa, a former executive of the EGLE Party, until the year 2000 when he left the party, who was clad in NPP colours, announced his decision at a mammoth rally to welcome the presidential candidate of the NPP at Kyebi on Wednesday.
Mr Amofa, who, until recently was domiciled in the United States of America, said he decided to join hands with the NPP because they had performed creditably in their almost eight-year administration of the country.
He said while in the United States, he had been following with keen interest and admiration the development projects and other poverty alleviation initiatives in the country, which, according to him, was improving the lot of Ghanaians, adding that “the NPP should be supported to win the December elections to continue with its good works”.
“Although I am not in Ghana, I have been following with keen interest the numerous social amenities such as roads, health and educational facilities, as well as poverty alleviation programmes such as the Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme and micro-finance schemes that had been made available by the government to the people and I have therefore decided to come back home to support the NPP to win the elections to continue with such initiatives,” Mr Owuraku Amofa said to thunderous applause.
Nana Akufo-Addo, who described Mr Owraku Amofa as a direct relative, said the NPP believed in numbers and indicated that the party would work with him to secure victory at the December polls.
He appealed to members of the NPP to continue to drum home the government’s achievements to convince more people to vote to secure a resounding victory at the polls.
Friday, November 7, 2008
SLAM SCHOOLS FARMERS ON LAND USE (PAGE 39)
SUSTAINABLE Land Administrative Management (SLAM), a body consisting of scientists who have specialised on land management dedicated to the preservation of the ecology, at the weekend, organised a seminar at Koforidua to educate farmers on how best to maintain the ecology of the Eastern Region.
The exercise which forms part of SLAMS’ four-year programme to preserve the ecology, brought together 40 farmers drawn from four districts in the region, namely Atiwa, Upper Manya Krobo, Fanteakwa and Akuapem South.
It was funded jointly by the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Addressing the participants, the Co-ordinator of SLAM, Professor Edwin A. Gyasi, said since the ecology was being destroyed at an alarming rate, it had become necessary to educate land users, especially farmers, on modern farming practices for the sustenance of the ecology.
Professor Gyasi who took the participants through the various rudiments of environmental preservation, named several factors such as poverty, lack of land policy, weak institutional capacity and inflexible traditional land tenure system as the factors which destroyed the ecology.
He advised the participants to adhere to good farming practices.
Prof Gyasi stated that although Ghana had not been seriously affected by the global warming that was melting the iceberg in the polar region, most of the vegetation cover in the country as well as water bodies were being destroyed.
He stressed that unless land users, especially farmers adhered to good farming practices, the environment would be destroyed in such a way that it would be difficult for future generations to live.
Professor Gyasi, therefore, urged the participants not only to put to practice what they had learnt at the seminar, but must also teach their colleagues in the various communities the best farming practices.
In her welcome address, the acting Southern Sector Co-ordinator of SLAM, Miss Dina Afua Kobe Appiah stated that studies had shown that 70 per cent of the land in Ghana had been subjected to severe erosion.
She said that had been the leading factor undermining productivity in agriculture, loss of biodiversity through deforestation and land degradation, amounting to four per cent of the GDP.
According to her, that could be mainly attributed to tremendous pressure from human population which had been on the rise yearly.
SLAM, she said, had therefore strived, among others, to heal the degraded lands and improve agricultural production to enhance food security.
The exercise which forms part of SLAMS’ four-year programme to preserve the ecology, brought together 40 farmers drawn from four districts in the region, namely Atiwa, Upper Manya Krobo, Fanteakwa and Akuapem South.
It was funded jointly by the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Addressing the participants, the Co-ordinator of SLAM, Professor Edwin A. Gyasi, said since the ecology was being destroyed at an alarming rate, it had become necessary to educate land users, especially farmers, on modern farming practices for the sustenance of the ecology.
Professor Gyasi who took the participants through the various rudiments of environmental preservation, named several factors such as poverty, lack of land policy, weak institutional capacity and inflexible traditional land tenure system as the factors which destroyed the ecology.
He advised the participants to adhere to good farming practices.
Prof Gyasi stated that although Ghana had not been seriously affected by the global warming that was melting the iceberg in the polar region, most of the vegetation cover in the country as well as water bodies were being destroyed.
He stressed that unless land users, especially farmers adhered to good farming practices, the environment would be destroyed in such a way that it would be difficult for future generations to live.
Professor Gyasi, therefore, urged the participants not only to put to practice what they had learnt at the seminar, but must also teach their colleagues in the various communities the best farming practices.
In her welcome address, the acting Southern Sector Co-ordinator of SLAM, Miss Dina Afua Kobe Appiah stated that studies had shown that 70 per cent of the land in Ghana had been subjected to severe erosion.
She said that had been the leading factor undermining productivity in agriculture, loss of biodiversity through deforestation and land degradation, amounting to four per cent of the GDP.
According to her, that could be mainly attributed to tremendous pressure from human population which had been on the rise yearly.
SLAM, she said, had therefore strived, among others, to heal the degraded lands and improve agricultural production to enhance food security.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD SCHOOL CHALKS UP 20 (PAGE 39)
THE Assemblies of God schools complex comprising a crèche, nursery, kindergarten, primary and junior high schools at Koforidua has celebrated its 20th anniversary.
The school complex was established in 1988 through the efforts of the late Reverend Jonathan Sarpong Donkor, the then Head Pastor of the Koforidua Central branch of the church who was also the Eastern Regional Superintendent of the church.
Its initial enrolment of 30 at the crèche and nursery levels increased over the years during which the kindergarten, primary and junior high schools were added.
The school complex which currently has a population of more than 400, is now one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality, producing quality students for the best senior high schools (SHS) not only in the municipality, but also in other parts of the country.
Addressing a grand durbar to mark the event on the theme: “Quality Education for Children, the Best Security for Parents,” the Regional Superintendent of the church, the Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwaa, said the church established the school in support of the government’s policy to make education available to every child.
He said initially the school operated on charity, offering full scholarships to about half of the students and pupils relying on the church’s local coffers.
According to Rev Amankwaa, currently, the school charged low fees below what was recommended by the Ghana Education Service to ensure that children of poor parentage could go to school.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Christiana Agbetie said due to the disciplinary measures adopted by the school, it had become one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality.
She said the school had produced a number of professionals such as engineers, lawyers, academicians, journalists and businessmen.
The school complex was established in 1988 through the efforts of the late Reverend Jonathan Sarpong Donkor, the then Head Pastor of the Koforidua Central branch of the church who was also the Eastern Regional Superintendent of the church.
Its initial enrolment of 30 at the crèche and nursery levels increased over the years during which the kindergarten, primary and junior high schools were added.
The school complex which currently has a population of more than 400, is now one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality, producing quality students for the best senior high schools (SHS) not only in the municipality, but also in other parts of the country.
Addressing a grand durbar to mark the event on the theme: “Quality Education for Children, the Best Security for Parents,” the Regional Superintendent of the church, the Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwaa, said the church established the school in support of the government’s policy to make education available to every child.
He said initially the school operated on charity, offering full scholarships to about half of the students and pupils relying on the church’s local coffers.
According to Rev Amankwaa, currently, the school charged low fees below what was recommended by the Ghana Education Service to ensure that children of poor parentage could go to school.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Christiana Agbetie said due to the disciplinary measures adopted by the school, it had become one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality.
She said the school had produced a number of professionals such as engineers, lawyers, academicians, journalists and businessmen.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
ARMED ROBBERS ATTACK DOCTOR, WOUND WATCHMAN (PAGE 20)
SIX suspected armed robbers in the early hours of last Sunday broke into the official residence of Dr Kafui Setsoafia, the Medical Superintendent of the Atua Government Hospital at Odumase-Krobo, and took away a number of personal belongings and GH¢350.
Dr Setsoafia sustained injuries in one eye while his watchman, Abel Kwao, was also injured on different parts of the body and bled profusely from the nostrils as a result of the severe beatings by the robbers.
They were both treated and discharged at the same hospital.
So far nobody has been arrested in connection with the robbery.
A distraught Dr Setsoafia told the Daily Graphic at his residence shortly after the incident that the robbers, who were armed with guns and machetes, surrounded his premises at exactly 12.50 a.m.
He said he heard Mr Kwao shouting to alert him of the presence of the robbers so he looked through one of the windows where he saw the robbers molesting the watchman.
Dr Setsoafia stated that the robbers after subduing the watchman who was hit on his head with an iron rod and was bleeding profusely from the nostrils, positioned two members of the gang behind the house while the remaining four entered one of the rooms after they had used a cement block to break the main door.
According to the medical doctor, the robbers ordered him to bring out a box in his room which they believed contained dollars and jewels as well as a laptop.
He stated that when he brought out the box but could not immediately find its key, the robbers used the flat side of a machete to hit him on the back after which they punched him in the left eye.
Dr Setsoafia said the robbers stopped molesting him after he had given them the key and that in all, they took away three mobile phones, two wrist watches, a wedding ring and GH¢350 belonging to him and his wife, Theodora, who was hiding in one of the rooms.
He said Theodora was spared the ordeal because he told the robbers that she was not around.
When contacted on the issue, the officer in charge of the Odumase-Krobo Police Station, Chief Inspector Douglas Badjie, confirmed the robbery.
He stated that although he led policemen to the scene immediately he had a phone call, the robbers went away before they arrived there.
He said investigations were ongoing to apprehend the robbers.
Dr Setsoafia sustained injuries in one eye while his watchman, Abel Kwao, was also injured on different parts of the body and bled profusely from the nostrils as a result of the severe beatings by the robbers.
They were both treated and discharged at the same hospital.
So far nobody has been arrested in connection with the robbery.
A distraught Dr Setsoafia told the Daily Graphic at his residence shortly after the incident that the robbers, who were armed with guns and machetes, surrounded his premises at exactly 12.50 a.m.
He said he heard Mr Kwao shouting to alert him of the presence of the robbers so he looked through one of the windows where he saw the robbers molesting the watchman.
Dr Setsoafia stated that the robbers after subduing the watchman who was hit on his head with an iron rod and was bleeding profusely from the nostrils, positioned two members of the gang behind the house while the remaining four entered one of the rooms after they had used a cement block to break the main door.
According to the medical doctor, the robbers ordered him to bring out a box in his room which they believed contained dollars and jewels as well as a laptop.
He stated that when he brought out the box but could not immediately find its key, the robbers used the flat side of a machete to hit him on the back after which they punched him in the left eye.
Dr Setsoafia said the robbers stopped molesting him after he had given them the key and that in all, they took away three mobile phones, two wrist watches, a wedding ring and GH¢350 belonging to him and his wife, Theodora, who was hiding in one of the rooms.
He said Theodora was spared the ordeal because he told the robbers that she was not around.
When contacted on the issue, the officer in charge of the Odumase-Krobo Police Station, Chief Inspector Douglas Badjie, confirmed the robbery.
He stated that although he led policemen to the scene immediately he had a phone call, the robbers went away before they arrived there.
He said investigations were ongoing to apprehend the robbers.
REPAIR OF EASTERN REGION ROADS IN PROGRESS (PAGE 20)
GOOD road network plays a vital role in the development of any area in the country, especially in the hinterland where foodstuffs have to be conveyed from the farm gate to markets in the urban centres.
It also facilitates the movement of people of all walks of life within the areas concerned as well as linking the districts, regions, the country and the neighbouring countries together.
The Eastern Region is the third most populous region in the country and for that matter should have good road network to facilitate its economic activities.
Eight years ago, only 39 per cent of its trunk roads was in good shape, 39 per cent was fair and 22 per cent was poor although previous governments did the best to improve the trunk roads.
The deplorable road network has not only brought untold hardships to the people and traders who found it extremely difficult to cart their wares from one end to the other, but has also negatively affected the economy of the region.
To avert such a deplorable situation, the government upon assumption of power in 2001, initiated a comprehensive road rehabilitation programme nationwide as a result of which large stretches of trunk roads in the region had been reconditioned.
Some of the rehabilitated trunk roads which were carried out under the supervision of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), included the 16-kilometre Kwabeng-Akyem Akropong road, the Kwahu Tafo-Adawso road, a 20-kilometre stretch linking the Kwahu East District with Kwahu North, the 30-kilometre Aburi-Mamfe road said to be one of the best in West Africa, the 30- kilometre Anyinam-Nkawkaw road and the five-kilometre Medie-Kwafokrom road.
Others are the 14-kilometre Achiase-Akenkansu road and the road linking Ekye Amanfrom with Forifori, one of the main arteries in the newly-created Kwahu North District.
By the end of last year, 40 per cent of the trunk roads constituting 778 kilometres out of the region’s total length of 1,400 was in very good condition, thus bringing a lot of relief to the travelling public.
According to the Regional Director of the GHA, Mr Joseph Kwadwo Agyepong, his outfit was doing its best to rehabilitate the trunk roads.
He said with the support from stakeholders, especially the government, 70 per cent of trunk roads in the region would be in very good condition within the next few years.
Mr Agyepong stated that on the whole, the contracting firms undertaking the various projects, especially AYA Construction, a Koforidua-based construction firm which is reconstructing the Koforidua-Bunso road, the main artery linking the regional capital with the main Accra-Kumasi Highway, had lived up to expectation.
The project which has a contract period of two years, when completed, would totally transform the pot-hole-undulating road that had become a death trap to be one of the best in the region.
Mr Agyepong, who together with Mr Paul Duah, the Regional GHA Maintenance Manager, was on the normal routine visit to the site, commended AYA for the good work done.
The company’s managing director, Mr John Afful, Jnr gave the assurance that the project would be completed on schedule despite the intermittent heavy downpours that had continued to slow down construction works.
One significant aspect of road construction and rehabilitation in the region is that, any stakeholder who does not honour the contractual obligation, is sanctioned..
While contractors who perform poorly are sanctioned, the government which ensures that certificates for work done are honoured within the stipulated time, is also compelled to compensate the contractors for the delay and that had made both parties to be on course at all times, although there used to be some hitches.
Another point worth noting is that, although the rehabilitated trunk roads had the necessary markings and signs which under the normal circumstances should be devoid of vehicular accidents, such accidents do occur, some fatal with loss in life and destruction of property worth thousands of Ghana cedis, especially on the Mamfe-Koforidua road.
The motor accidents, which have been a worry to many people, have been attributed to various reasons. They include the human factor (drunkenness and speeding) and faulty vehicles some of which could be described as death traps.
“Although all the trunk roads are within the required specification of 7.3 metres in width with proper markings and signs to warn users of danger which under normal circumstance can prevent accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians, there have been a lot of motor accidents,” Mr Agyepong stated.
He said some of the accidents are fatal on such roads primarily due to speeding by motorists “so we have been compelled to construct ramps to ensure that drivers go by the speed limit,” he added.
Mr Agyepong also stressed the need for a comprehensive educational programme for all road users, especially drivers.
On the whole, the trunk road rehabilitation programme which according to Mr Agyepong had been successful, is beset with challenges.
They include delay in the payment to contracting firms for work done, periodic shortage of construction materials such as chippings, low contractor capacity and inadequate number of technical staff.
For instance, currently only one surveyor is responsible for the entire road network in the region. There is the need for additional surveyors and more technical staff to be on the job otherwise the rehabilitation of the trunk roads would not progress as expected.
It also facilitates the movement of people of all walks of life within the areas concerned as well as linking the districts, regions, the country and the neighbouring countries together.
The Eastern Region is the third most populous region in the country and for that matter should have good road network to facilitate its economic activities.
Eight years ago, only 39 per cent of its trunk roads was in good shape, 39 per cent was fair and 22 per cent was poor although previous governments did the best to improve the trunk roads.
The deplorable road network has not only brought untold hardships to the people and traders who found it extremely difficult to cart their wares from one end to the other, but has also negatively affected the economy of the region.
To avert such a deplorable situation, the government upon assumption of power in 2001, initiated a comprehensive road rehabilitation programme nationwide as a result of which large stretches of trunk roads in the region had been reconditioned.
Some of the rehabilitated trunk roads which were carried out under the supervision of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), included the 16-kilometre Kwabeng-Akyem Akropong road, the Kwahu Tafo-Adawso road, a 20-kilometre stretch linking the Kwahu East District with Kwahu North, the 30-kilometre Aburi-Mamfe road said to be one of the best in West Africa, the 30- kilometre Anyinam-Nkawkaw road and the five-kilometre Medie-Kwafokrom road.
Others are the 14-kilometre Achiase-Akenkansu road and the road linking Ekye Amanfrom with Forifori, one of the main arteries in the newly-created Kwahu North District.
By the end of last year, 40 per cent of the trunk roads constituting 778 kilometres out of the region’s total length of 1,400 was in very good condition, thus bringing a lot of relief to the travelling public.
According to the Regional Director of the GHA, Mr Joseph Kwadwo Agyepong, his outfit was doing its best to rehabilitate the trunk roads.
He said with the support from stakeholders, especially the government, 70 per cent of trunk roads in the region would be in very good condition within the next few years.
Mr Agyepong stated that on the whole, the contracting firms undertaking the various projects, especially AYA Construction, a Koforidua-based construction firm which is reconstructing the Koforidua-Bunso road, the main artery linking the regional capital with the main Accra-Kumasi Highway, had lived up to expectation.
The project which has a contract period of two years, when completed, would totally transform the pot-hole-undulating road that had become a death trap to be one of the best in the region.
Mr Agyepong, who together with Mr Paul Duah, the Regional GHA Maintenance Manager, was on the normal routine visit to the site, commended AYA for the good work done.
The company’s managing director, Mr John Afful, Jnr gave the assurance that the project would be completed on schedule despite the intermittent heavy downpours that had continued to slow down construction works.
One significant aspect of road construction and rehabilitation in the region is that, any stakeholder who does not honour the contractual obligation, is sanctioned..
While contractors who perform poorly are sanctioned, the government which ensures that certificates for work done are honoured within the stipulated time, is also compelled to compensate the contractors for the delay and that had made both parties to be on course at all times, although there used to be some hitches.
Another point worth noting is that, although the rehabilitated trunk roads had the necessary markings and signs which under the normal circumstances should be devoid of vehicular accidents, such accidents do occur, some fatal with loss in life and destruction of property worth thousands of Ghana cedis, especially on the Mamfe-Koforidua road.
The motor accidents, which have been a worry to many people, have been attributed to various reasons. They include the human factor (drunkenness and speeding) and faulty vehicles some of which could be described as death traps.
“Although all the trunk roads are within the required specification of 7.3 metres in width with proper markings and signs to warn users of danger which under normal circumstance can prevent accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians, there have been a lot of motor accidents,” Mr Agyepong stated.
He said some of the accidents are fatal on such roads primarily due to speeding by motorists “so we have been compelled to construct ramps to ensure that drivers go by the speed limit,” he added.
Mr Agyepong also stressed the need for a comprehensive educational programme for all road users, especially drivers.
On the whole, the trunk road rehabilitation programme which according to Mr Agyepong had been successful, is beset with challenges.
They include delay in the payment to contracting firms for work done, periodic shortage of construction materials such as chippings, low contractor capacity and inadequate number of technical staff.
For instance, currently only one surveyor is responsible for the entire road network in the region. There is the need for additional surveyors and more technical staff to be on the job otherwise the rehabilitation of the trunk roads would not progress as expected.
Monday, November 3, 2008
TASK FORCE TO ESTABLISH OPERATION CENTRES ON POLLING DAY — ANKO-BIL (PAGE 17)
THE Eastern Regional Police Commander, ACP George Anko-Bil, has said the Regional Elections Task Force will establish operational centres throughout the region to expeditiously deal with any problem that will mar the smooth conduct of the general election, especially on election day, December 7.
The task force, he said, would collaborate with the Ghana Navy in its activities during the elections on islands on the Afram, Volta and Obosum rivers, all in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) which can only be reached by canoe or boat.
This, he said, would ensure a smooth and peaceful election and also make it possible for those on the islands and other outlandish places to exercise their franchise.
ACP Anko-Bil, who is also the Chairman of the task force, gave these hints when he briefed members of the Task Force which is represented by the security organisations and the political parties contesting in the elections in Koforidua at the weekend.
Although all the political parties had representation on the task force, only those representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the People’s National Convention were present. Also, present were representatives of the print media in the region.
He said it had been the desire of the task force to ensure a violence-free election in the region and that all efforts were being made to that effect.
“We have now identified 240 flashpoints in the region which are likely to generate problems, so security personnel from the rapid deployment force stationed in such operational centres would be hurriedly sent to such flashpoint in case of any eventuality to deal with the problem,” he stated.
According to ACP Anko-Bil, the task force would also be having regular meetings with all stakeholders of the election, especially parliamentary candidates and others such as the media to educate them on how best to go by their activities during the election in such a way as to make the event peaceful.
He said the task force had instituted such measures because the election had become crucial, especially for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), both of which had won twice and were therefore hoping to win for the third time.
ACP Anko-Bil therefore appealed to the leaders of all the contesting political parties to properly educate their supporters not to do anything that would bring confusion and chaos.
Mr Alecs Agobo, the NPP representative, gave the assurance that the party was committed to peaceful elections in the region.
He also said a visit organised by the Electoral Commission (EC) for representatives of political parties to its operational headquarters to acquaint themselves with the election processes, where they were conducted round by the Chairman of the commission, Dr Afari Djan, had made them to understand that the EC could not in any way alter the voters’ register or manipulate the results of the elections.
The PNC representative, Mr Godwin Tay, called on those who would mount political platforms to desist from casting insinuations against opponents since such practices generated tension and chaos.
In his contribution, Mr James Taibu, who represented the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) ,advised the media to be circumspect in their reportage.
The task force, he said, would collaborate with the Ghana Navy in its activities during the elections on islands on the Afram, Volta and Obosum rivers, all in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) which can only be reached by canoe or boat.
This, he said, would ensure a smooth and peaceful election and also make it possible for those on the islands and other outlandish places to exercise their franchise.
ACP Anko-Bil, who is also the Chairman of the task force, gave these hints when he briefed members of the Task Force which is represented by the security organisations and the political parties contesting in the elections in Koforidua at the weekend.
Although all the political parties had representation on the task force, only those representing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the People’s National Convention were present. Also, present were representatives of the print media in the region.
He said it had been the desire of the task force to ensure a violence-free election in the region and that all efforts were being made to that effect.
“We have now identified 240 flashpoints in the region which are likely to generate problems, so security personnel from the rapid deployment force stationed in such operational centres would be hurriedly sent to such flashpoint in case of any eventuality to deal with the problem,” he stated.
According to ACP Anko-Bil, the task force would also be having regular meetings with all stakeholders of the election, especially parliamentary candidates and others such as the media to educate them on how best to go by their activities during the election in such a way as to make the event peaceful.
He said the task force had instituted such measures because the election had become crucial, especially for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), both of which had won twice and were therefore hoping to win for the third time.
ACP Anko-Bil therefore appealed to the leaders of all the contesting political parties to properly educate their supporters not to do anything that would bring confusion and chaos.
Mr Alecs Agobo, the NPP representative, gave the assurance that the party was committed to peaceful elections in the region.
He also said a visit organised by the Electoral Commission (EC) for representatives of political parties to its operational headquarters to acquaint themselves with the election processes, where they were conducted round by the Chairman of the commission, Dr Afari Djan, had made them to understand that the EC could not in any way alter the voters’ register or manipulate the results of the elections.
The PNC representative, Mr Godwin Tay, called on those who would mount political platforms to desist from casting insinuations against opponents since such practices generated tension and chaos.
In his contribution, Mr James Taibu, who represented the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) ,advised the media to be circumspect in their reportage.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
NPP WILL NOT SACK SETTLER FARMERS — AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 16)
THE flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that the party has no intention of driving away Krobo settler farmers in Akyem Abuakwa or any of the Akan-speaking areas.
He has, therefore, appealed to Krobos to throw their weight behind the NPP to enable it win the December polls and continue with its development programme, particularly in the Krobo areas.
Nana Akufo-Addo gave the assurance when he addressed a large gathering of NPP supporters at Somanya and Asesewa, capitals of the Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo districts respectively, as well as Nkurakan and Oterkporlu, all in the Eastern Region on October 25.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the second day of a campaign tour of the region, was accompanied by Messrs Kwabena Agyepong, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Boakye Agyarko, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Professor Mike Oquaye who competed with him for the party’s presidential slot; the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, as well as other senior party executives.
He also used the occasion to introduce Sub Lt. Christian Kofi Tettey (retd) and Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, the party’s parliamentary candidates for Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya constituencies respectively and appealed to the electorate to support them to win the constituency seats, which had never been occupied by the NPP.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had for some time been peddling the lies that the NPP would drive away Krobo settler farmers on Akyem Abuakwa lands or in any Akan-speaking areas and as a result, the Krobos had always supported the NDC.
Nana Akufo-Addo who said the NPP was not tribalistic and that Ghanaians were one people with a common destiny, explained that the party had never on any occasion planned to drive away Krobos and, therefore, appealed to them as well other Dangbe-speaking people to throw in their weight behind the NPP to enable it continue with its development programme, particularly in their areas.
“I am an Akyem from Kyebi and Akyems have for generations been living with Krobos who had not been driven out or had their farms taken away from them, so do not let the NDC deceive you”, Nana Akufo-Addo told the gatherings, to a thunderous applause.
He said although Krobos had supported the NDC over the years, that party had not been able to cater for their infrastructural and other needs and that it was rather the NPP that had provided a number of social amenities in their areas. He also said more of such facilities such as roads, school buildings and electricity would be provided if the NPP retained power.
The NPP flag bearer also told the people that education at the senior high school level would be free if the NPP was retained.
Nana Akufo-Addo again gave the assurance that the NPP would look for investors to establish a processing plant for mangoes as well as provide silos for the storage of perishable food crops in the area.
For his part, Mr Osafo-Maafo said NDC’s mal-administration nearly collapsed the economy which was revived by the NPP and that it would be suicidal for Ghanaians to vote the NDC back into office.
“You just compare the NDC’s 19 years rule when it could not do anything for the people and the NPP’s eight years where a lot of social amenities and poverty alleviation packages have been instituted and decide which party deserves to rule the country,” Mr Osafo-Maafo stated.
He has, therefore, appealed to Krobos to throw their weight behind the NPP to enable it win the December polls and continue with its development programme, particularly in the Krobo areas.
Nana Akufo-Addo gave the assurance when he addressed a large gathering of NPP supporters at Somanya and Asesewa, capitals of the Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo districts respectively, as well as Nkurakan and Oterkporlu, all in the Eastern Region on October 25.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the second day of a campaign tour of the region, was accompanied by Messrs Kwabena Agyepong, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Boakye Agyarko, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Professor Mike Oquaye who competed with him for the party’s presidential slot; the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, as well as other senior party executives.
He also used the occasion to introduce Sub Lt. Christian Kofi Tettey (retd) and Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, the party’s parliamentary candidates for Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya constituencies respectively and appealed to the electorate to support them to win the constituency seats, which had never been occupied by the NPP.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had for some time been peddling the lies that the NPP would drive away Krobo settler farmers on Akyem Abuakwa lands or in any Akan-speaking areas and as a result, the Krobos had always supported the NDC.
Nana Akufo-Addo who said the NPP was not tribalistic and that Ghanaians were one people with a common destiny, explained that the party had never on any occasion planned to drive away Krobos and, therefore, appealed to them as well other Dangbe-speaking people to throw in their weight behind the NPP to enable it continue with its development programme, particularly in their areas.
“I am an Akyem from Kyebi and Akyems have for generations been living with Krobos who had not been driven out or had their farms taken away from them, so do not let the NDC deceive you”, Nana Akufo-Addo told the gatherings, to a thunderous applause.
He said although Krobos had supported the NDC over the years, that party had not been able to cater for their infrastructural and other needs and that it was rather the NPP that had provided a number of social amenities in their areas. He also said more of such facilities such as roads, school buildings and electricity would be provided if the NPP retained power.
The NPP flag bearer also told the people that education at the senior high school level would be free if the NPP was retained.
Nana Akufo-Addo again gave the assurance that the NPP would look for investors to establish a processing plant for mangoes as well as provide silos for the storage of perishable food crops in the area.
For his part, Mr Osafo-Maafo said NDC’s mal-administration nearly collapsed the economy which was revived by the NPP and that it would be suicidal for Ghanaians to vote the NDC back into office.
“You just compare the NDC’s 19 years rule when it could not do anything for the people and the NPP’s eight years where a lot of social amenities and poverty alleviation packages have been instituted and decide which party deserves to rule the country,” Mr Osafo-Maafo stated.
NPP COMMITTED TO BUILDING HEALTHIER NATION — AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 16)
THE presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has said the party’s commitment to build a healthier nation where everybody would have access to quality health care was on course.
To achieve that objective, he said, a number of projects and programmes had been instituted in addition to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which he said had made a positive impact on the people, especially the poor.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the statement when he addressed the staff of the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Monday.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the last leg of a four-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, was accompanied by Mr Alan Kyeremanten, , the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, and other executive of the party.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the party was of the view that every Ghanaian, no matter his or her financial position, should be able to access quality health care.
He said the programmes or projects which had already started in different parts of the country included the Begoro Hospital, a medical school at Cape Coast, a polyclinic at Koforidua, state-of-the- art hospital at Gushiegu, an accident centre which would be the largest in the West African sub-region at the Komfo Anokye Hospital as well as accident centres on the highways, especially in the Winneba area.
Nana Akufo-Addo further stated that a number of health facilities would be built at places such as Salaga, Tepa and Konongo-Odumase, adding that private universities would be encouraged to establish medical schools while medical professionals and other health workers would be better paid and housed.
A national ambulance service, he said, would soon be launched while steps were being taken to improve the sanitation sector.
Nana Akufo-Addo who dwelt extensively on the NHIS which he said had been embraced by over 11 million Ghanaians, said despite its successes, it was encountering challenges such as delay in the processing of applications and payment to health providers,and stated that steps were being taken to address them.
He condemned a proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make the health insurance scheme a one-time premium which he said would endanger it, adding that the cost of such a system would be too high for the people and that would be a reversal to the cash-and-carry system.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that the good policies of the NPP had made it possible for more medical professionals to stay at post in Ghana, said on the whole the NPP performed better than the NDC in the health sector.
With regard to the December elections, he called on all Ghanaians to make it peaceful.
Earlier, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Obeng Apori, took Nana Akufo-Addo round some of the wards and the Out-Patients Department where he urged the patients to embrace the health insurance scheme.
Dr Apori said that most of the patients had insured with the health insurance scheme.
To achieve that objective, he said, a number of projects and programmes had been instituted in addition to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which he said had made a positive impact on the people, especially the poor.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the statement when he addressed the staff of the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Monday.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the last leg of a four-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, was accompanied by Mr Alan Kyeremanten, , the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, and other executive of the party.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the party was of the view that every Ghanaian, no matter his or her financial position, should be able to access quality health care.
He said the programmes or projects which had already started in different parts of the country included the Begoro Hospital, a medical school at Cape Coast, a polyclinic at Koforidua, state-of-the- art hospital at Gushiegu, an accident centre which would be the largest in the West African sub-region at the Komfo Anokye Hospital as well as accident centres on the highways, especially in the Winneba area.
Nana Akufo-Addo further stated that a number of health facilities would be built at places such as Salaga, Tepa and Konongo-Odumase, adding that private universities would be encouraged to establish medical schools while medical professionals and other health workers would be better paid and housed.
A national ambulance service, he said, would soon be launched while steps were being taken to improve the sanitation sector.
Nana Akufo-Addo who dwelt extensively on the NHIS which he said had been embraced by over 11 million Ghanaians, said despite its successes, it was encountering challenges such as delay in the processing of applications and payment to health providers,and stated that steps were being taken to address them.
He condemned a proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make the health insurance scheme a one-time premium which he said would endanger it, adding that the cost of such a system would be too high for the people and that would be a reversal to the cash-and-carry system.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that the good policies of the NPP had made it possible for more medical professionals to stay at post in Ghana, said on the whole the NPP performed better than the NDC in the health sector.
With regard to the December elections, he called on all Ghanaians to make it peaceful.
Earlier, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Obeng Apori, took Nana Akufo-Addo round some of the wards and the Out-Patients Department where he urged the patients to embrace the health insurance scheme.
Dr Apori said that most of the patients had insured with the health insurance scheme.
Monday, October 27, 2008
ROUSING WELCOME FOR NANA AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 16)
THOUSANDS of people, mostly members and supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Friday converged in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, to welcome Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s flag bearer, who was on a campaign tour of the region.
The big crowd jammed the main Koforidua street with people trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo who rode in an open top Landcruiser to acknowledge cheers from them.
Vehicular traffic on the main passageway of the Nana Asafo Adjei Street, where Nana Akufo-Addo’s convoy passed, virtually came to a standstill, and it took the NPP flag bearer nearly one and half hours to cover the one kilometer stretch to the Jackson Park to address the crowd.
Nana Akufo-Addo who was accompanied by Messrs Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, all of who competed for the party’s flagbearership with him, Madam Grace Omaboe, a radio and television talk show presenter, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Gyekye Amoabeng, and other party officials, said he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.
He said he was not surprised about the huge turn out because of the good works of the NPP Government headed by President Kufour, which according to him had won the confidence of the people and had therefore decided to rally behind the party to win the December elections.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, 19 years of bad administration of the National Democratic Congress nearly collapsed Ghana’s economy which had now been revived by the NPP within a short period of seven years.
He stated that it would therefore be in the interest of the people to vote for the retention of the NPP to enable the party to complete its development agenda.
“At the time we took over in January 2001, the country’s foreign exchange reserve was only $235 million and the economy was on the verge of collapse but we have managed within a seven-year period to increase the figure to $2.6 billion”, he stated to a thunderous applause from the gathering.
On education, he debunked a statement by officials of the NDC that his administration would not be able to make it free at the senior high school level, and explained that since the Kufour Administration had been able to make it free at both the primary and junior high school level, he would also be able to do that at the senior high level.
“Never again will children of poor parentage be deprived of education, and our policies will make it possible for such children to climb the academic ladder to develop their full talents to move society forward”, he stated.
Earlier, Nana Akufo Addo addressed similar gatherings at Nsawam and Suhum, where he said his administration would continue to give the necessary assistance to cocoa farmers to increase production which currently stood at about 700,000 tons to one million tons within a short period.
Nana Akufo-Addo who introduced all the party’s parliamentary candidates in the areas he visited called on the people to vote for them to win their seats.
He also promised to institute a pension scheme for cocoa farmers.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Kwabena Agyepong as well as Madam Grace Omaboe took turns to canvass votes for the party.
The big crowd jammed the main Koforidua street with people trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo who rode in an open top Landcruiser to acknowledge cheers from them.
Vehicular traffic on the main passageway of the Nana Asafo Adjei Street, where Nana Akufo-Addo’s convoy passed, virtually came to a standstill, and it took the NPP flag bearer nearly one and half hours to cover the one kilometer stretch to the Jackson Park to address the crowd.
Nana Akufo-Addo who was accompanied by Messrs Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, all of who competed for the party’s flagbearership with him, Madam Grace Omaboe, a radio and television talk show presenter, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Gyekye Amoabeng, and other party officials, said he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.
He said he was not surprised about the huge turn out because of the good works of the NPP Government headed by President Kufour, which according to him had won the confidence of the people and had therefore decided to rally behind the party to win the December elections.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, 19 years of bad administration of the National Democratic Congress nearly collapsed Ghana’s economy which had now been revived by the NPP within a short period of seven years.
He stated that it would therefore be in the interest of the people to vote for the retention of the NPP to enable the party to complete its development agenda.
“At the time we took over in January 2001, the country’s foreign exchange reserve was only $235 million and the economy was on the verge of collapse but we have managed within a seven-year period to increase the figure to $2.6 billion”, he stated to a thunderous applause from the gathering.
On education, he debunked a statement by officials of the NDC that his administration would not be able to make it free at the senior high school level, and explained that since the Kufour Administration had been able to make it free at both the primary and junior high school level, he would also be able to do that at the senior high level.
“Never again will children of poor parentage be deprived of education, and our policies will make it possible for such children to climb the academic ladder to develop their full talents to move society forward”, he stated.
Earlier, Nana Akufo Addo addressed similar gatherings at Nsawam and Suhum, where he said his administration would continue to give the necessary assistance to cocoa farmers to increase production which currently stood at about 700,000 tons to one million tons within a short period.
Nana Akufo-Addo who introduced all the party’s parliamentary candidates in the areas he visited called on the people to vote for them to win their seats.
He also promised to institute a pension scheme for cocoa farmers.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Kwabena Agyepong as well as Madam Grace Omaboe took turns to canvass votes for the party.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
ASSETS, DEPOSITS OF ADONTEN BANK RISE (PAGE 20)
THE Adonten Community Bank in the East Akyem District of the Eastern Region last year witnessed a significant growth in assets and deposits.
While total assets rose from GH¢1,660,931 in 2006 to GH¢2,075.930 in 2007, showing an increase of 30 per cent, deposits also went up from GH¢1,250,140 to GH¢1,595,244 within the same period.
During the same period, the bank granted loans and overdrafts amounting to GH¢894.505, compared to the GH¢751,651 given out in 2006.
The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Dr Edward Owusu-Manu, made this known at the annual general meeting of the bank at Tafo.
According to Dr Owusu-Manu, the share capital of the bank, which stood at GH¢56,500 in 2006, shot up to GH¢65,885 in 2007 but was far below the Bank of Ghana’s statutory requirement of GH¢150,000.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to increase their share capital.
The bank’s profit, he said, dropped considerably from GH¢52,265 in 2006 to GH¢20,685 in 2007 and attributed the situation to the non-payment of bad and doubtful loans and overdrafts, as well as the redenomination exercise, during which a number of items were purchased.
Dr Owusu-Manu appealed to loan defaulters to pay up to avoid legal action being taken against them to retrieve the loans.
To broaden its operations, he said the bank would soon open agencies at Abomosu and Ehiamankyene, while plans were underway to computerise the Tafo headquarters of the bank with its branches at Kukurantumi, Anyinam and Koforidua.
The Head of the Inspection and Audit Department of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Hyginus S. Zon, who read the speech of the Managing Director, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, expressed dissatisfaction at the fall in the bank’s profit and implored the board, management and staff of the bank to work assiduously to reverse the trend in order to maximise shareholder value.
Mr Zon also urged the board to strengthen the internal control system of the bank to prevent fraud that might lead to its liquidation.
While total assets rose from GH¢1,660,931 in 2006 to GH¢2,075.930 in 2007, showing an increase of 30 per cent, deposits also went up from GH¢1,250,140 to GH¢1,595,244 within the same period.
During the same period, the bank granted loans and overdrafts amounting to GH¢894.505, compared to the GH¢751,651 given out in 2006.
The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Dr Edward Owusu-Manu, made this known at the annual general meeting of the bank at Tafo.
According to Dr Owusu-Manu, the share capital of the bank, which stood at GH¢56,500 in 2006, shot up to GH¢65,885 in 2007 but was far below the Bank of Ghana’s statutory requirement of GH¢150,000.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to increase their share capital.
The bank’s profit, he said, dropped considerably from GH¢52,265 in 2006 to GH¢20,685 in 2007 and attributed the situation to the non-payment of bad and doubtful loans and overdrafts, as well as the redenomination exercise, during which a number of items were purchased.
Dr Owusu-Manu appealed to loan defaulters to pay up to avoid legal action being taken against them to retrieve the loans.
To broaden its operations, he said the bank would soon open agencies at Abomosu and Ehiamankyene, while plans were underway to computerise the Tafo headquarters of the bank with its branches at Kukurantumi, Anyinam and Koforidua.
The Head of the Inspection and Audit Department of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Hyginus S. Zon, who read the speech of the Managing Director, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, expressed dissatisfaction at the fall in the bank’s profit and implored the board, management and staff of the bank to work assiduously to reverse the trend in order to maximise shareholder value.
Mr Zon also urged the board to strengthen the internal control system of the bank to prevent fraud that might lead to its liquidation.
APOSTOLIC WOMEN'S CONVENTION ENDS (PAGE 20)
THE annual women’s convention of the Koforidua Area of the Apostolic Church of Ghana has ended at Jumapo.
The five-day convention, on the theme, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”, was also attended by men from the 13 districts constituting the Koforidua Area.
Addressing the congregation, the National President of the church, Apostle John Adotey, called on Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to withstand challenges in life, draw more souls to Christ and assist in the development of society.
Basing his sermon on Ephesians 5:5-18, he said it was time for Pentecostals to be filled with the Holly Spirit for guidance to be able to withstand societal challenges, instead of only speaking in tongues.
Apostle Adotey said the modern world had brought in its wake negative traits which could easily mislead Christians, saying unless they were filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no way they could withstand such temptations.
He, therefore, urged Christians not to speak only in tongues but also be filled with the Holy Spirit for protection and guidance.
Apostle Adotey also implored the women to be supportive of their husbands to be able to nurture their children on Christian principles and also properly cater for their material needs.
In his sermon, the Koforidua Area Head of the church, Apostle J.K. Addey, said as true believers, members of the congregation should study the Word of God in order to claim the power of the Holy Spirit which was their birthright.
Concentrating his sermon on I Corinthians 3:2 and Psalm 62:11, Apostle Addey highlighted the various ways in which the Holy Spirit influenced man, including enabling them to live a renewed life, guidance, differentiating right from wrong and guiding Christians on whatever they did.
Other speakers at the function included Pastor E.A. Ampah and Deaconess (Mrs) Janet Obeng, Pastor and Women’s Leader, respectively, at Jumapo.
Prior to the convention, Elder Jacob Okoh Okantey of the Koforidua Central Assembly had been inducted into the pastoral service.
The five-day convention, on the theme, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”, was also attended by men from the 13 districts constituting the Koforidua Area.
Addressing the congregation, the National President of the church, Apostle John Adotey, called on Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to withstand challenges in life, draw more souls to Christ and assist in the development of society.
Basing his sermon on Ephesians 5:5-18, he said it was time for Pentecostals to be filled with the Holly Spirit for guidance to be able to withstand societal challenges, instead of only speaking in tongues.
Apostle Adotey said the modern world had brought in its wake negative traits which could easily mislead Christians, saying unless they were filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no way they could withstand such temptations.
He, therefore, urged Christians not to speak only in tongues but also be filled with the Holy Spirit for protection and guidance.
Apostle Adotey also implored the women to be supportive of their husbands to be able to nurture their children on Christian principles and also properly cater for their material needs.
In his sermon, the Koforidua Area Head of the church, Apostle J.K. Addey, said as true believers, members of the congregation should study the Word of God in order to claim the power of the Holy Spirit which was their birthright.
Concentrating his sermon on I Corinthians 3:2 and Psalm 62:11, Apostle Addey highlighted the various ways in which the Holy Spirit influenced man, including enabling them to live a renewed life, guidance, differentiating right from wrong and guiding Christians on whatever they did.
Other speakers at the function included Pastor E.A. Ampah and Deaconess (Mrs) Janet Obeng, Pastor and Women’s Leader, respectively, at Jumapo.
Prior to the convention, Elder Jacob Okoh Okantey of the Koforidua Central Assembly had been inducted into the pastoral service.
YENSI LANDSLIDE VICTIMS CALL FOR HELP (PAGE 20)
ADUKROM-YENSI is a small village which lies below the lofty Akuapem Ridge, about two kilometres off the main Adukrom-Koforidua highway.
The tiny village, comprising about 10 houses with a population of about 100 people is approximately six kilometres away from Adukrom, the traditional capital of the Okere people who constitute nearly 90 per cent of the population.
As a typical rural community, the people as expected, are farmers on small holdings, cultivating food crops with cassava as the main crop. The other food crops are maize, plantain, cocoyam and yam.
While the cassava is processed into cassava dough and sent to the marketing centres at Koforidua and Accra, the remaining foodstuffs are consumed locally and as a result the farmers generate very little income; too meagre for their livelihood.
To make matters worse, the entire area which some years ago was a thick forest, has been reduced to bushes with virtually no trees due to the improper farming practices and activities of illegal chainsaw operators, especially on the mountains.
The indiscriminate destruction of the vegetation, particularly on the mountains, has exposed the rocks to the vagaries of the weather and some of rocks roll down onto the settlements underneath during a heavy downpour.
Such a situation resulted in landslides at Yensi in 1942 and 1987 but with no loss of human life, although some of the farms and property were destroyed.
The severest of the landslides, however, occurred in the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7, this year which claimed the lives of three persons.
The deceased, Doris Asantewa, 55, Yaa Oforiwaa, 72, and an infant, Kwasi Mantey, were buried alive and their bodies were retrieved by a combined task force comprising personnel of the Ghana Police and Fire Services with support from the people after nearly 48 hours of operation.
The tragedy threw the entire community into a state of mourning and also turned the village into a tourist attraction.
Many commuters along the Adukrom-Koforidua highway who had not seen a landslide of such magnitude before, rushed to the village for first hand information.
Shortly after the tragedy, a number of dignitaries and government officials also rushed to the scene to see how best to bring relief to the people.
The top officials included Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akuapem North and Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, a former Minister of State and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Okere.
The Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who was on an official visit to the Kwahu area on the day of the tragedy, had to cut short the visit and return to the scene to offer the necessary assistance.
While Mr Adu Aboagye personally supervised the removal of the bodies, Mr Dan Botwe who had just returned to the country after a foreign tour, followed up the next day together with Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a representative of the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Botwe initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family and also offered to single-handedly provide coffins for the burial of the victims as well as cater for other funeral expenses.
That aside, the prospective Okere MP further indicated his willingness to offer the necessary assistance that would help alleviate the suffering of the community.
That included the relocation of the village, which according to officials of the Geological Survey Department, is prone to landslide.
“It is unfortunate that some people have died from such a natural disaster and I will do my best to alleviate the situation in the short term as well as take steps to relocate you from the area if you so wish,” Mr Botwe stated.
Mr Botwe’s relief package followed a request by Mr Daniel Henaku, a relative of the victims and spokesman for the community who asked for support and relocation of the village.
For his part, Mr Afram Asiedu presented various relief items to the people and gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council would follow up with concrete measures that would permanently alleviate their plight.
To put meaning to the promises, the almost impassable two-kilometre road linking Adukrom-Yensi to the main Koforidua-Adukrom road which had not been rehabilitated for years, has in the interim been reconditioned. It has also been planned to rehabilitate it periodically to make it motorable at all times.
The assistance and assurances as expected, have brought partial relief to the people with the hope that soon all that they were promised would be delivered at least before the onset of the next rainy season.
This would not only enable such unfortunate inhabitants to enjoy at least some of the basic necessities of life, but also make it possible for them to be permanently settled at safer locations in the area so that they would continue with food crops cultivation that have been the only economic venture in the area.
The tiny village, comprising about 10 houses with a population of about 100 people is approximately six kilometres away from Adukrom, the traditional capital of the Okere people who constitute nearly 90 per cent of the population.
As a typical rural community, the people as expected, are farmers on small holdings, cultivating food crops with cassava as the main crop. The other food crops are maize, plantain, cocoyam and yam.
While the cassava is processed into cassava dough and sent to the marketing centres at Koforidua and Accra, the remaining foodstuffs are consumed locally and as a result the farmers generate very little income; too meagre for their livelihood.
To make matters worse, the entire area which some years ago was a thick forest, has been reduced to bushes with virtually no trees due to the improper farming practices and activities of illegal chainsaw operators, especially on the mountains.
The indiscriminate destruction of the vegetation, particularly on the mountains, has exposed the rocks to the vagaries of the weather and some of rocks roll down onto the settlements underneath during a heavy downpour.
Such a situation resulted in landslides at Yensi in 1942 and 1987 but with no loss of human life, although some of the farms and property were destroyed.
The severest of the landslides, however, occurred in the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7, this year which claimed the lives of three persons.
The deceased, Doris Asantewa, 55, Yaa Oforiwaa, 72, and an infant, Kwasi Mantey, were buried alive and their bodies were retrieved by a combined task force comprising personnel of the Ghana Police and Fire Services with support from the people after nearly 48 hours of operation.
The tragedy threw the entire community into a state of mourning and also turned the village into a tourist attraction.
Many commuters along the Adukrom-Koforidua highway who had not seen a landslide of such magnitude before, rushed to the village for first hand information.
Shortly after the tragedy, a number of dignitaries and government officials also rushed to the scene to see how best to bring relief to the people.
The top officials included Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akuapem North and Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, a former Minister of State and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Okere.
The Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who was on an official visit to the Kwahu area on the day of the tragedy, had to cut short the visit and return to the scene to offer the necessary assistance.
While Mr Adu Aboagye personally supervised the removal of the bodies, Mr Dan Botwe who had just returned to the country after a foreign tour, followed up the next day together with Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a representative of the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Botwe initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family and also offered to single-handedly provide coffins for the burial of the victims as well as cater for other funeral expenses.
That aside, the prospective Okere MP further indicated his willingness to offer the necessary assistance that would help alleviate the suffering of the community.
That included the relocation of the village, which according to officials of the Geological Survey Department, is prone to landslide.
“It is unfortunate that some people have died from such a natural disaster and I will do my best to alleviate the situation in the short term as well as take steps to relocate you from the area if you so wish,” Mr Botwe stated.
Mr Botwe’s relief package followed a request by Mr Daniel Henaku, a relative of the victims and spokesman for the community who asked for support and relocation of the village.
For his part, Mr Afram Asiedu presented various relief items to the people and gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council would follow up with concrete measures that would permanently alleviate their plight.
To put meaning to the promises, the almost impassable two-kilometre road linking Adukrom-Yensi to the main Koforidua-Adukrom road which had not been rehabilitated for years, has in the interim been reconditioned. It has also been planned to rehabilitate it periodically to make it motorable at all times.
The assistance and assurances as expected, have brought partial relief to the people with the hope that soon all that they were promised would be delivered at least before the onset of the next rainy season.
This would not only enable such unfortunate inhabitants to enjoy at least some of the basic necessities of life, but also make it possible for them to be permanently settled at safer locations in the area so that they would continue with food crops cultivation that have been the only economic venture in the area.
MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE POTABLE WATER — Says Minister (BACK PAGE)
MORE than half of rural communities in the country at the end of last year had access to potable water, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has announced.
Madam Dapaah said the 54.86 per cent of rural communities which now enjoyed potable water exceeded the government’s target of 54.73 per cent.
She said at the current rate, the country was on course to achieve the 75 per cent target set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) water supply target for the year 2015.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah was speaking at the 11th Government of Ghana/development partners annual review conference on the water and sanitation sector at Akosombo.
The three-day conference, with the theme: “Taking Ownership: A critical step for sustainable water resources management and water and sanitation service delivery”, was organised by the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with the support of the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA).
The conference, which was being attended by representatives of stakeholders in the water sector, was among others, to take stock of the past year’s and current status of the water and sanitation sector, as well as to take a decision on how Ghana can take ownership of the water sector.
According to the minister, there had also been improvement in the provision of potable water for urban centres, which currently stood at 60 per cent.
She added that with the completion of water supply systems in urban areas such as the Accra East-West Inter-connection, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Tamale, 65 per cent of the urban population would be covered by the end of next year.
The minister further mentioned Ghana’s collaboration with its development partners in the water sector in three districts, namely, Dangbe West and Dangbe East in Greater Accra as well as North Tongu in the Volta Region,and that the implementation would help in the design and management of future rural projects of such magnitude for the benefit of the communities.
She also stated that bye laws to govern the management of water systems at the community and small towns level had been approved and adopted by the district and municipal assemblies where such facilities existed for the assemblies to monitor their operations, which she said would strengthen their ownership.
To protect water bodies, she stated that a Buffer Zone Policy was being prepared by the Water Resources Commission to regulate activities near water bodies, and that basin boards established to manage river basins were already functioning.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Yeremia Awudu, asked landlords to provide places of convenience in their homes.
He also stated that the ministry would institute an award scheme on sanitation for practising journalists next year.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Danish Embassy in Ghana, Mr Stig Barlyng, gave the assurance that development partners, especially Denmark, would continue to assist to improve the water and sanitation sector in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, said the region had benefited immensely from various water and sanitation programmes under the New Patriotic Party Administration, and expressed the government’s appreciation to development partners who supported the expansion work on the Koforidua Municipality Water System which is underway.
Madam Dapaah said the 54.86 per cent of rural communities which now enjoyed potable water exceeded the government’s target of 54.73 per cent.
She said at the current rate, the country was on course to achieve the 75 per cent target set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) water supply target for the year 2015.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah was speaking at the 11th Government of Ghana/development partners annual review conference on the water and sanitation sector at Akosombo.
The three-day conference, with the theme: “Taking Ownership: A critical step for sustainable water resources management and water and sanitation service delivery”, was organised by the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with the support of the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA).
The conference, which was being attended by representatives of stakeholders in the water sector, was among others, to take stock of the past year’s and current status of the water and sanitation sector, as well as to take a decision on how Ghana can take ownership of the water sector.
According to the minister, there had also been improvement in the provision of potable water for urban centres, which currently stood at 60 per cent.
She added that with the completion of water supply systems in urban areas such as the Accra East-West Inter-connection, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Tamale, 65 per cent of the urban population would be covered by the end of next year.
The minister further mentioned Ghana’s collaboration with its development partners in the water sector in three districts, namely, Dangbe West and Dangbe East in Greater Accra as well as North Tongu in the Volta Region,and that the implementation would help in the design and management of future rural projects of such magnitude for the benefit of the communities.
She also stated that bye laws to govern the management of water systems at the community and small towns level had been approved and adopted by the district and municipal assemblies where such facilities existed for the assemblies to monitor their operations, which she said would strengthen their ownership.
To protect water bodies, she stated that a Buffer Zone Policy was being prepared by the Water Resources Commission to regulate activities near water bodies, and that basin boards established to manage river basins were already functioning.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Yeremia Awudu, asked landlords to provide places of convenience in their homes.
He also stated that the ministry would institute an award scheme on sanitation for practising journalists next year.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Danish Embassy in Ghana, Mr Stig Barlyng, gave the assurance that development partners, especially Denmark, would continue to assist to improve the water and sanitation sector in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, said the region had benefited immensely from various water and sanitation programmes under the New Patriotic Party Administration, and expressed the government’s appreciation to development partners who supported the expansion work on the Koforidua Municipality Water System which is underway.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
GHANA NEEDS MORE POWER (SPREAD)
GHANA needs an additional supply of 4,000 megawatts of energy within the next four years if the country is to meet its middle-income target by 2015.
In addition, electricity tariffs within the same period must be accessible and affordable throughout the country for both domestic and industrial use.
The Minister of Energy, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, made this known when he addressed the sixth annual conference of the Society of Volta River Authority Engineers at the Kpong Hydro-electric Dam site at Akuse at the weekend.
The conference, on the theme, “Power supply security for the West African sub-region in the face of dwindling energy sources”, was to identify the challenges in energy production to ensure uninterrupted power supply, not only in Ghana but also the entire West African sub-region, with the view to moving countries in the region into a middle-income status by the 2015 target.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong said although the country had managed to come out of the difficulties of inadequate power supply it faced last year due to natural causes, many communities still could not be connected to the national grid because of a number of reasons.
He, therefore, stressed the need for the country’s power generating plants to produce, within the next four years, more electricity, at least 4,000 megawatts, for the communities and also for industrial use.
That, he stated, would make it possible for Ghana to move into a middle-income status.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong also called for the enhancement of technology for energy production to ensure its security in the country.
Regarding regional integration, he said over the past decade energy offered the best mechanism in that respect and that the West African Gas Pipeline and the West African Power Pool Project would together contribute to the development of the economies of the countries concerned.
He, however, stressed the need for the sub-region to be guided by the failure of the CIMAO Project which was undertaken jointly by some countries in the sub-region.
In his welcoming address, the Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, Owura K. Sarfo, said more than 75 per cent of electricity demand was not met in the West African sub-region, although it had extremely low penetration rate.
According to Owura Sarfo, the VRA had taken steps to transform itself into an excellent energy utility provider to meet both domestic requirements and at the same time export to Togo, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso and other countries in the sub-region.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, Mr Kirk Koffi, chaired the function.
In addition, electricity tariffs within the same period must be accessible and affordable throughout the country for both domestic and industrial use.
The Minister of Energy, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, made this known when he addressed the sixth annual conference of the Society of Volta River Authority Engineers at the Kpong Hydro-electric Dam site at Akuse at the weekend.
The conference, on the theme, “Power supply security for the West African sub-region in the face of dwindling energy sources”, was to identify the challenges in energy production to ensure uninterrupted power supply, not only in Ghana but also the entire West African sub-region, with the view to moving countries in the region into a middle-income status by the 2015 target.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong said although the country had managed to come out of the difficulties of inadequate power supply it faced last year due to natural causes, many communities still could not be connected to the national grid because of a number of reasons.
He, therefore, stressed the need for the country’s power generating plants to produce, within the next four years, more electricity, at least 4,000 megawatts, for the communities and also for industrial use.
That, he stated, would make it possible for Ghana to move into a middle-income status.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong also called for the enhancement of technology for energy production to ensure its security in the country.
Regarding regional integration, he said over the past decade energy offered the best mechanism in that respect and that the West African Gas Pipeline and the West African Power Pool Project would together contribute to the development of the economies of the countries concerned.
He, however, stressed the need for the sub-region to be guided by the failure of the CIMAO Project which was undertaken jointly by some countries in the sub-region.
In his welcoming address, the Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, Owura K. Sarfo, said more than 75 per cent of electricity demand was not met in the West African sub-region, although it had extremely low penetration rate.
According to Owura Sarfo, the VRA had taken steps to transform itself into an excellent energy utility provider to meet both domestic requirements and at the same time export to Togo, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso and other countries in the sub-region.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the VRA, Mr Kirk Koffi, chaired the function.
Monday, October 20, 2008
AKROPONG MARKS ODWIRA FESTIVAL (SPREAD)
A GRAND durbar to mark this year’s Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Akuapem has been held at Mpaniase, the forecourt of the Akropong palace of the Okuapehene, Oseadeoyo Addo Dankwa III.
The event, which had the theme “A Peaceful Environment is a Fulcrum for Growth and Development”, was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life, including chiefs and dignitaries such as the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Others were the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu; some ministers of state and the District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye.
Addressing the gathering, the guest speaker, Mr Asiedu, reiterated the call on the people of Akuapem to resolve their chieftaincy problems as well as ethnic rivalry and ethnocentrism which had continued to create serious misunderstanding among the people in the area.
He said the situation where security personnel had to be deployed from other places to maintain peace at an annual celebration with resources that could have otherwise gone into development projects, did not give the people in the area good image. He therefore asked them to bury their differences and smoke the peace pipe.
With regard to the achievements of the NPP Government since it assumed power in 2001, he stated that it had endeavoured to create the necessary enabling environment for human resource development, private sector competitiveness and civil responsibility, which, according to him, had been the pillars of its development agenda.
He said such good governance had made it possible to provide classroom blocks and health facilities as well as other poverty alleviation packages such as the Micro and Small Loans Scheme that had improved the lot of the people in all parts of the country. He cited the Akuapem North District as one of the districts that had benefited tremendously in that respect.
The National Youth Employment Programme, he also stated, had provided jobs for 451 people in the Akuapem area and added that these initiatives had gone a long way to improve the living standards of the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo, for his part, said despite belonging to different tribes, Ghanaians were one people and, therefore, should not consider the forthcoming general elections as a fight but rather as an event to select leaders capable of administering the country.
He, therefore, called for peaceful elections to prove to the outside world that Ghanaians were capable of electing their leaders peacefully through the ballot box.
The NPP flag bearer pledged to continue with the good work of President Kufuor and called on the people to support the party to retain power.
He also asked Akuapems to unite.
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa whose speech was read on his behalf, acknowledged with satisfaction the relative peace the country was enjoying under the NPP Administration, which he said had facilitated the provision of many development projects in all parts of the country.
He further stated that since Akuapems were peaceful people they would adhere to that principle to resolve their internal chieftaincy disputes to help bring development to the area.
“We in this traditional area are noted for our proverbial peaceful attributes and we endeavour to maintain the respect accorded us by all and sundry while trying to resolve our internal chieftaincy disputes.
On education, the Okuapehene said the Akuapem Community Foundation initiated by Nana Oye Mansa Yeboaa, Dompimhene of the area, was addressing some of the challenges at the basic level.
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa stated that two tertiary educational institutions, the Akrofi-Christaller Memorial Institute of Theology, Missions and Culture, and the Presbyterian University College were currently operating in the area and the North-eastern University would start enrolling students in August 2009. He also indicated that the traditional council would embrace any programme that would further enhance education in the area.
He expressed his gratitude to President Kufuor and the government for the numerous development projects executed in the area, especially the Adenta-Mamfe Road, which according to him had become one of the best highways in West Africa.
He also thanked the President for honouring some citizens of Akuapem for their invaluable contribution to the development of the country.
Those honoured included Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr Dan Botwe, one-time General Secretary of the NPP, who also was the Minister of Information; Mr Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, a journalist; Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa and Mrs Mercy Bampoe Addo, a Minister of State.
The event, which had the theme “A Peaceful Environment is a Fulcrum for Growth and Development”, was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life, including chiefs and dignitaries such as the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Others were the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu; some ministers of state and the District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye.
Addressing the gathering, the guest speaker, Mr Asiedu, reiterated the call on the people of Akuapem to resolve their chieftaincy problems as well as ethnic rivalry and ethnocentrism which had continued to create serious misunderstanding among the people in the area.
He said the situation where security personnel had to be deployed from other places to maintain peace at an annual celebration with resources that could have otherwise gone into development projects, did not give the people in the area good image. He therefore asked them to bury their differences and smoke the peace pipe.
With regard to the achievements of the NPP Government since it assumed power in 2001, he stated that it had endeavoured to create the necessary enabling environment for human resource development, private sector competitiveness and civil responsibility, which, according to him, had been the pillars of its development agenda.
He said such good governance had made it possible to provide classroom blocks and health facilities as well as other poverty alleviation packages such as the Micro and Small Loans Scheme that had improved the lot of the people in all parts of the country. He cited the Akuapem North District as one of the districts that had benefited tremendously in that respect.
The National Youth Employment Programme, he also stated, had provided jobs for 451 people in the Akuapem area and added that these initiatives had gone a long way to improve the living standards of the people.
Nana Akufo-Addo, for his part, said despite belonging to different tribes, Ghanaians were one people and, therefore, should not consider the forthcoming general elections as a fight but rather as an event to select leaders capable of administering the country.
He, therefore, called for peaceful elections to prove to the outside world that Ghanaians were capable of electing their leaders peacefully through the ballot box.
The NPP flag bearer pledged to continue with the good work of President Kufuor and called on the people to support the party to retain power.
He also asked Akuapems to unite.
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa whose speech was read on his behalf, acknowledged with satisfaction the relative peace the country was enjoying under the NPP Administration, which he said had facilitated the provision of many development projects in all parts of the country.
He further stated that since Akuapems were peaceful people they would adhere to that principle to resolve their internal chieftaincy disputes to help bring development to the area.
“We in this traditional area are noted for our proverbial peaceful attributes and we endeavour to maintain the respect accorded us by all and sundry while trying to resolve our internal chieftaincy disputes.
On education, the Okuapehene said the Akuapem Community Foundation initiated by Nana Oye Mansa Yeboaa, Dompimhene of the area, was addressing some of the challenges at the basic level.
Oseadeeyo Addo Dankwa stated that two tertiary educational institutions, the Akrofi-Christaller Memorial Institute of Theology, Missions and Culture, and the Presbyterian University College were currently operating in the area and the North-eastern University would start enrolling students in August 2009. He also indicated that the traditional council would embrace any programme that would further enhance education in the area.
He expressed his gratitude to President Kufuor and the government for the numerous development projects executed in the area, especially the Adenta-Mamfe Road, which according to him had become one of the best highways in West Africa.
He also thanked the President for honouring some citizens of Akuapem for their invaluable contribution to the development of the country.
Those honoured included Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr Dan Botwe, one-time General Secretary of the NPP, who also was the Minister of Information; Mr Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, a journalist; Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa and Mrs Mercy Bampoe Addo, a Minister of State.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
AFFRAM ASIEDU PRESENTS KITS TO NEEDY PUPIL (PAGE 22)
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has presented school items worth GH¢200 to Master Emmanuel Djoka, a Class One pupil of the Anoff Primary School in the Akuapem North District.
The items included two sets of uniforms, a pair of sandals, a school bag and stationery.
The regional minister came in contact with the boy who was not properly dressed when he visited schools during the first day of the basic schools academic year, popularly known as “My First Day in School”.
Mr Affram Asiedu, who said he was touched by the plight of the pupil, decided to assist him, since he had the potential for climbing the academic ladder.
Messrs Daniel Owiafe, the Headmaster of the school, and Manu Baffour, a member of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), expressed their appreciation to the regional minister for the gesture, and appealed for logistical support for the school to enhance teaching and learning.
In another development, Mr Affram Asiedu with the support of the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, has donated cash of GH¢750 and stationery to 15 brilliant financially constrained students in two schools in the Kwahu South District.
Each of the students from the Kwahu Ridge and Mpraeso Senior High schools received GH¢50, a school uniform, a pair of sandals, a school bag and other stationery items.
Early on, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ghana had through the World Health Organisation presented similar items to 300 needy students and pupils in the region.
The items included two sets of uniforms, a pair of sandals, a school bag and stationery.
The regional minister came in contact with the boy who was not properly dressed when he visited schools during the first day of the basic schools academic year, popularly known as “My First Day in School”.
Mr Affram Asiedu, who said he was touched by the plight of the pupil, decided to assist him, since he had the potential for climbing the academic ladder.
Messrs Daniel Owiafe, the Headmaster of the school, and Manu Baffour, a member of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), expressed their appreciation to the regional minister for the gesture, and appealed for logistical support for the school to enhance teaching and learning.
In another development, Mr Affram Asiedu with the support of the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, has donated cash of GH¢750 and stationery to 15 brilliant financially constrained students in two schools in the Kwahu South District.
Each of the students from the Kwahu Ridge and Mpraeso Senior High schools received GH¢50, a school uniform, a pair of sandals, a school bag and other stationery items.
Early on, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ghana had through the World Health Organisation presented similar items to 300 needy students and pupils in the region.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
KOFORIDUA WATER PROJECT TO BE READY NEXT FEBRUARY (PAGE 21)
THE Koforidua Water Project, with its treatment plant currently under construction at Bukonor, would start pumping treated water to the Koforidua Municipality in February, next year.
The facility would bring to an end the problem of perennial water shortage associated with the municipality.
Construction work on the project, which was started in August, last year by, a Belgian firm, Denys Construction, would draw raw water from the Volta Lake to the treatment plant to make available about four million gallons of water a day to supplement the 1.2 million gallons per day currently being provided by the Densu and Okomen rivers.
The municipality’s daily requirement of water is about four million gallons a day.
The Project Manager, Mr Okomen Mensah, made this known when the Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Professor Frempong Boateng, and his team visited the site .
The PURC team was in Koforidua for first-hand information on the project as well as find out problems facing Acqua Vittens Rand (Ghana Water Company) and the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Eastern Region.
Mr Okomen Mensah said 70 per cent of construction had been completed, adding that with the current rate of work, the project would be completed within the scheduled three-year period.
He said when the project was completed, water would be supplied to New Juaben and some parts of the East Akyem Municipality such as New Tafo and Osiem as well as other communities along the pipeline.
“By the end of December, this year, phase one of the project involving the construction of the treatment plant would have been completed after which the pipelines currently being laid, would also be in the finishing stages for water to flow to Koforidua,” Mr Okomen Mensah stated.
Professor Frimpong Boateng, who was impressed about the work being done by Denys Construction, with the support of Acqua Vittens Rand (Ghana Water Company), praised the two bodies for their collaboration that had hastened the work.
Prof Frimpong Boateng called on Acqua Vittens Rand to continue to offer good services to the people, and also advised consumers to promptly pay their bills.
Early on, the PURC team visited the regional offices of Acqua Vittens Rand and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) where their respective regional directors, Messrs H.D.K. Bansah and R. Arthur-Forson, briefed the members on the activities and challenges facing the two companies in the region.
Mr Arthur-Forson stated that pilfering of the company’s cables and the difficulties in collecting bills from consumers in rural communities were some of the problems facing his outfit.
He also said customers at Akyem Oda would soon be supplied with pre-paid meters.
For his part, Mr Bansah told the team that old pipelines which often burst made it impossible for some communities to enjoy regular water supply.
He, however, stated that his outfit was doing its best to make water available for the people.
The facility would bring to an end the problem of perennial water shortage associated with the municipality.
Construction work on the project, which was started in August, last year by, a Belgian firm, Denys Construction, would draw raw water from the Volta Lake to the treatment plant to make available about four million gallons of water a day to supplement the 1.2 million gallons per day currently being provided by the Densu and Okomen rivers.
The municipality’s daily requirement of water is about four million gallons a day.
The Project Manager, Mr Okomen Mensah, made this known when the Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Professor Frempong Boateng, and his team visited the site .
The PURC team was in Koforidua for first-hand information on the project as well as find out problems facing Acqua Vittens Rand (Ghana Water Company) and the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Eastern Region.
Mr Okomen Mensah said 70 per cent of construction had been completed, adding that with the current rate of work, the project would be completed within the scheduled three-year period.
He said when the project was completed, water would be supplied to New Juaben and some parts of the East Akyem Municipality such as New Tafo and Osiem as well as other communities along the pipeline.
“By the end of December, this year, phase one of the project involving the construction of the treatment plant would have been completed after which the pipelines currently being laid, would also be in the finishing stages for water to flow to Koforidua,” Mr Okomen Mensah stated.
Professor Frimpong Boateng, who was impressed about the work being done by Denys Construction, with the support of Acqua Vittens Rand (Ghana Water Company), praised the two bodies for their collaboration that had hastened the work.
Prof Frimpong Boateng called on Acqua Vittens Rand to continue to offer good services to the people, and also advised consumers to promptly pay their bills.
Early on, the PURC team visited the regional offices of Acqua Vittens Rand and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) where their respective regional directors, Messrs H.D.K. Bansah and R. Arthur-Forson, briefed the members on the activities and challenges facing the two companies in the region.
Mr Arthur-Forson stated that pilfering of the company’s cables and the difficulties in collecting bills from consumers in rural communities were some of the problems facing his outfit.
He also said customers at Akyem Oda would soon be supplied with pre-paid meters.
For his part, Mr Bansah told the team that old pipelines which often burst made it impossible for some communities to enjoy regular water supply.
He, however, stated that his outfit was doing its best to make water available for the people.
DAN BOTWE ASSISTS BEREAVED FAMILY (PAGE 17)
THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for the Okere Constituency in the Eastern Region, Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, has decided to personally provide coffins for the three persons, Doris Asantewa, 55, Yaa Oforiwa, 72, and Kwasi Mantey, a three-year-old boy who lost their lives through landslide at Adukrom-Yensi, a farming village in the constituency, last Monday.
Mr Botwe, who initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family, also indicated that he would in addition cater for other funeral expenses.
He gave the assurance when he visited the bereaved family at Adukrom-Yensi recently.
He was accompanied by Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a member of the campaign team of the flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, who represented the flag bearer.
Mr Dan Botwe, who was outside the country when the incident occurred, said he would in addition assist the community in diverse ways to make life worth living for the people.
He expressed his condolence to the bereaved family.
Mr Kwabena Agyepong, for his part, expressed Nana Akufo-Addo’s condolence to the bereaved family.
The District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, who was also present, stated that construction work on the trunk-road linking Adukrom-Yensi with the main Adukrom-Koforidua highway would start by the weekend to facilitate the movement of the people.
Earlier, a relative of the victims, Mr Daniel Henaku, briefed Mr Botwe and his team about the incident and thanked the DCE and all those who promptly came to their aid to retrieve the bodies of the victims.
Mr Henaku who also spoke on behalf of the community appealed to Mr Botwe to assist relocate them since their present abode had been declared to be not too safe by officials of the Geological Service.
Mr Botwe, who initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family, also indicated that he would in addition cater for other funeral expenses.
He gave the assurance when he visited the bereaved family at Adukrom-Yensi recently.
He was accompanied by Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a member of the campaign team of the flag bearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, who represented the flag bearer.
Mr Dan Botwe, who was outside the country when the incident occurred, said he would in addition assist the community in diverse ways to make life worth living for the people.
He expressed his condolence to the bereaved family.
Mr Kwabena Agyepong, for his part, expressed Nana Akufo-Addo’s condolence to the bereaved family.
The District Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, who was also present, stated that construction work on the trunk-road linking Adukrom-Yensi with the main Adukrom-Koforidua highway would start by the weekend to facilitate the movement of the people.
Earlier, a relative of the victims, Mr Daniel Henaku, briefed Mr Botwe and his team about the incident and thanked the DCE and all those who promptly came to their aid to retrieve the bodies of the victims.
Mr Henaku who also spoke on behalf of the community appealed to Mr Botwe to assist relocate them since their present abode had been declared to be not too safe by officials of the Geological Service.
EDUCATION REFORM DEMAND HIGHLY TRAINED TEACHERS — REV AFO BLAY (PAGE 14(
A FORMER Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Very Reverend Ama Afo Blay, has suggested that all the teacher training colleges which were upgraded recently to the tertiary status of colleges of education, should rather be made university colleges.
This, she said, would make it possible for such university colleges to turn out the required first degree holders to staff educational institutions at the primary, junior and senior high schools.
The Very Rev Afo Blay made the suggestion when she addressed the 34th annual conference of Managers of Educational Units (COMEU) at Koforidua at the weekend.
The three-day meeting under the theme, “Religious Bodies in Education, Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward,” was to take stock of COMEU’s activities for the year and see how to address problems associated with educational institutions under its umbrella.
According to the Very Rev Afo Blay, the current educational reform programme calls for highly trained teachers who should be degree holders at the primary, junior high and senior high schools and that those holding diplomas, awarded by the colleges of education, lack certain qualities for the job.
The situation demanded that degree holders teach in all educational institutions, she noted, and therefore urged teachers to upgrade themselves to better take care of pupils and students who should be well trained to meet the challenges of the country.
The Very Rev Afo Blay dwelt extensively on various aspects of education and called on the authorities to appoint qualified and competent heads for schools run by religious bodies but not unqualified and incompetent ones who belonged to such religions.
Technical educational institutions, she stated, must also be equipped to produce personnel needed in industry, especially those to take care of the oil industry, otherwise foreigners would have to be recruited at the expense of Ghanaians.
She also stressed the need for managers and directors to co-operate, instead of seeing one another as enemies for the educational reforms to be successful.
The National President of COMEU, Rev S.K. Mensah said, over the years, his outfit had been discussing key issues on education and that it had promoted discipline and academics in school run by religious organisations, as a result of which the schools had become the preferred choices for parents and guardians seeking admission for their children or wards.
COMEU, he further said, had strengthened partnership between the government and the religious bodies for the effective running of the schools.
The acting Co-ordinator, Education Unit Management of the GES, Mrs Comfort Arthur, who represented the Director-General, called on school managers to collaborate with parents to curb occultism and other vices in schools and colleges.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, who also represented the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, appealed to the managers to collaborate with the government on educational matters, especially issues affecting teachers, to help avert strikes by the teachers, since such preventable strikes had had negative impacts on the academic performance of pupils and students.
He also called on the managers to help make this year’s elections violent-free.
Mrs Rene O. Boakye Boateng, Eastern Regional Director of Education, who chaired the function, expressed the hope that COMEU would continue to live up to expectation by improving the standard of education.
This, she said, would make it possible for such university colleges to turn out the required first degree holders to staff educational institutions at the primary, junior and senior high schools.
The Very Rev Afo Blay made the suggestion when she addressed the 34th annual conference of Managers of Educational Units (COMEU) at Koforidua at the weekend.
The three-day meeting under the theme, “Religious Bodies in Education, Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward,” was to take stock of COMEU’s activities for the year and see how to address problems associated with educational institutions under its umbrella.
According to the Very Rev Afo Blay, the current educational reform programme calls for highly trained teachers who should be degree holders at the primary, junior high and senior high schools and that those holding diplomas, awarded by the colleges of education, lack certain qualities for the job.
The situation demanded that degree holders teach in all educational institutions, she noted, and therefore urged teachers to upgrade themselves to better take care of pupils and students who should be well trained to meet the challenges of the country.
The Very Rev Afo Blay dwelt extensively on various aspects of education and called on the authorities to appoint qualified and competent heads for schools run by religious bodies but not unqualified and incompetent ones who belonged to such religions.
Technical educational institutions, she stated, must also be equipped to produce personnel needed in industry, especially those to take care of the oil industry, otherwise foreigners would have to be recruited at the expense of Ghanaians.
She also stressed the need for managers and directors to co-operate, instead of seeing one another as enemies for the educational reforms to be successful.
The National President of COMEU, Rev S.K. Mensah said, over the years, his outfit had been discussing key issues on education and that it had promoted discipline and academics in school run by religious organisations, as a result of which the schools had become the preferred choices for parents and guardians seeking admission for their children or wards.
COMEU, he further said, had strengthened partnership between the government and the religious bodies for the effective running of the schools.
The acting Co-ordinator, Education Unit Management of the GES, Mrs Comfort Arthur, who represented the Director-General, called on school managers to collaborate with parents to curb occultism and other vices in schools and colleges.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, who also represented the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, appealed to the managers to collaborate with the government on educational matters, especially issues affecting teachers, to help avert strikes by the teachers, since such preventable strikes had had negative impacts on the academic performance of pupils and students.
He also called on the managers to help make this year’s elections violent-free.
Mrs Rene O. Boakye Boateng, Eastern Regional Director of Education, who chaired the function, expressed the hope that COMEU would continue to live up to expectation by improving the standard of education.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
CRIG MAKES POSITIVE STRIDES ...As it marks 70th anniversary (PAGE 23)
IN June, 1938, the British Colonial Administration established a research institute, the Tafo Central Cocoa Research Station, in the then Eastern Province (Eastern Region) to research primarily into cocoa production.
The station, which was placed within the then Gold Coast Department of Agriculture, was given the responsibility to investigate pest and disease control of cocoa, primarily in the Eastern Province.
In 1944 when the colonial administration realised the huge income cocoa was generating into the national economy, it upgraded the station and renamed it West Africa Cocoa Research Institute (WACRI) with additional responsibility to research into soil fertility and agricultural practices with the view to increasing cocoa yield.
Its activities at the same period were also widened to research into other crops such as coffee, kola, shea-nut and cashew, as well as the processing of cocoa and the mandated crops and also to provide information and advice on all matters relating to the production and processing of by-products of the crops.
Currently, CRIG’s seven research divisions comprising of Agronomy/Soil Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Physiology/Biochemistry, Social Science and Statistics and New Products Development altogether have a labour force of about 1,200.
They include scientists and other category of workers, majority of them unskilled, helping in research work and also assisting farmers, especially those cultivating cocoa, with modern farming practices.
Some of the workers, especially the extension officers, could be found in most of the cocoa-growing areas such as Eastern, Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and the Western regions where virgin forests are being cleared for new farms, guiding the farmers on modern agronomical practices.
The institute has also developed seedlings of the new high-yielding hybrid cocoa that start bearing pods after two-and-a-half years of planting, to replace the Amelonado and Amezonia types. They have been made available to the farmers for planting.
Such initiatives as expected led to a rise in cocoa production, which increased from 300,000 metric tonnes in 2002 to more than 700,000 tonnes in 2004.
With the spraying of cocoa farms free of charge by the government, production of the crop has been projected to hit over a million tonnes at the end of the 2008/2009 cocoa season.
It is further anticipated that a financial package offered by the government to cocoa farmers to rehabilitate old farms with the high-yielding hybrid cocoa would in the next three years double production that would make the country to possibly regain its premier position in the production of cocoa in the world.
Apart from producing the raw cocoa, researchers at CRIG have been able to use cocoa husks, juice and the bad beans that under normal circumstances would have gone waste, to produce finished goods such as cocoa butter, soap (alata samina), liquid soap, pomade and alcoholic beverages, such as gin, brandy and wine.
Other products that have been extracted from cocoa waste are animal feed and potash fertiliser.
However, the inability to secure local and foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the mass production of the finished products for both home consumption and export, is one of the biggest challenges of CRIG.
Despite its numerous activities and significant contribution, especially to the production and processing of cocoa, a large segment of the population seems to be unaware of such activities. In order to create awareness of such activities, CRIG, as part of its 70th anniversary, carried out an exhibition on its premises at New Tafo last week.
The activities, which started from the nursing, planting, harvesting and drying of the cocoa beans, also highlighted the processes by which finished goods such as cocoa butter and alcoholic beverages are extracted from the raw cocoa beans.
It brought together pupils and students of first and second-cycle educational institutions and the universities to have first-hand information on the various aspects of cocoa production and processing.
One significant aspect of the celebration was a quiz competition for 12 junior high schools (JHS) in the New Tafo area, namely CRIG JHS, Presbyterian JHS, Gifpraise JHS, Feeden JHS, Catholic JHS, Methodist JHS, all at Tafo, and Amponfi JHS at Osiem, OPASS JHS and Methodist JHS, both at Kukurantumi and the SOS JHS at Asiakwa.
Questions for the keenly competed competition which was won by OPASS JHS with CRIG JHS and Feeden JHS respectively taking the second and third positions were based on all aspects of cocoa production.
According to the Executive Director of CRIG, Dr Adu Ampomah, the competition was to enable the students to know more about cocoa and to generate interest in its cultivation.
At the open day to commemorate the 70th anniversary celebration of the institute on its New Tafo premises, Dr Adu Ampomah stated that it had been the aim of the institute to open its doors to enable people to know of its various activities that had gone a long way to boost cocoa production, as well as the processing of its by-products into consumables.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that the open day would provide a unique opportunity for all stakeholders comprising farmers, processors, agro chemical dealers, cocoa licensed buying companies, students, extension officers and the academia both from near and afar, to share ideas on the cocoa industry.
The achievements of CRIG have indeed won the admiration of many people including investors, the academia and officials of the Cocoa Producers Alliance, especially its Secretary General, Mr Sona Ebai, who was in the country for the 70th anniversary celebration.
Mr Sona Ebai simply remarked that CRIG had really contributed to cocoa production in Ghana and must therefore be given the necessary assistance to continue with its research works.
With the successes so far chalked up within its 70 years of existence, coupled with the increase foreign and local investment in the processing of cocoa beans in the country for the manufacture of various consumer goods, it is anticipated that CRIG would continue to live up to expectation to help increase production of the crop to meet the ever increasing demand for the produce both at home and abroad.
The station, which was placed within the then Gold Coast Department of Agriculture, was given the responsibility to investigate pest and disease control of cocoa, primarily in the Eastern Province.
In 1944 when the colonial administration realised the huge income cocoa was generating into the national economy, it upgraded the station and renamed it West Africa Cocoa Research Institute (WACRI) with additional responsibility to research into soil fertility and agricultural practices with the view to increasing cocoa yield.
Its activities at the same period were also widened to research into other crops such as coffee, kola, shea-nut and cashew, as well as the processing of cocoa and the mandated crops and also to provide information and advice on all matters relating to the production and processing of by-products of the crops.
Currently, CRIG’s seven research divisions comprising of Agronomy/Soil Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Physiology/Biochemistry, Social Science and Statistics and New Products Development altogether have a labour force of about 1,200.
They include scientists and other category of workers, majority of them unskilled, helping in research work and also assisting farmers, especially those cultivating cocoa, with modern farming practices.
Some of the workers, especially the extension officers, could be found in most of the cocoa-growing areas such as Eastern, Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and the Western regions where virgin forests are being cleared for new farms, guiding the farmers on modern agronomical practices.
The institute has also developed seedlings of the new high-yielding hybrid cocoa that start bearing pods after two-and-a-half years of planting, to replace the Amelonado and Amezonia types. They have been made available to the farmers for planting.
Such initiatives as expected led to a rise in cocoa production, which increased from 300,000 metric tonnes in 2002 to more than 700,000 tonnes in 2004.
With the spraying of cocoa farms free of charge by the government, production of the crop has been projected to hit over a million tonnes at the end of the 2008/2009 cocoa season.
It is further anticipated that a financial package offered by the government to cocoa farmers to rehabilitate old farms with the high-yielding hybrid cocoa would in the next three years double production that would make the country to possibly regain its premier position in the production of cocoa in the world.
Apart from producing the raw cocoa, researchers at CRIG have been able to use cocoa husks, juice and the bad beans that under normal circumstances would have gone waste, to produce finished goods such as cocoa butter, soap (alata samina), liquid soap, pomade and alcoholic beverages, such as gin, brandy and wine.
Other products that have been extracted from cocoa waste are animal feed and potash fertiliser.
However, the inability to secure local and foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the mass production of the finished products for both home consumption and export, is one of the biggest challenges of CRIG.
Despite its numerous activities and significant contribution, especially to the production and processing of cocoa, a large segment of the population seems to be unaware of such activities. In order to create awareness of such activities, CRIG, as part of its 70th anniversary, carried out an exhibition on its premises at New Tafo last week.
The activities, which started from the nursing, planting, harvesting and drying of the cocoa beans, also highlighted the processes by which finished goods such as cocoa butter and alcoholic beverages are extracted from the raw cocoa beans.
It brought together pupils and students of first and second-cycle educational institutions and the universities to have first-hand information on the various aspects of cocoa production and processing.
One significant aspect of the celebration was a quiz competition for 12 junior high schools (JHS) in the New Tafo area, namely CRIG JHS, Presbyterian JHS, Gifpraise JHS, Feeden JHS, Catholic JHS, Methodist JHS, all at Tafo, and Amponfi JHS at Osiem, OPASS JHS and Methodist JHS, both at Kukurantumi and the SOS JHS at Asiakwa.
Questions for the keenly competed competition which was won by OPASS JHS with CRIG JHS and Feeden JHS respectively taking the second and third positions were based on all aspects of cocoa production.
According to the Executive Director of CRIG, Dr Adu Ampomah, the competition was to enable the students to know more about cocoa and to generate interest in its cultivation.
At the open day to commemorate the 70th anniversary celebration of the institute on its New Tafo premises, Dr Adu Ampomah stated that it had been the aim of the institute to open its doors to enable people to know of its various activities that had gone a long way to boost cocoa production, as well as the processing of its by-products into consumables.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that the open day would provide a unique opportunity for all stakeholders comprising farmers, processors, agro chemical dealers, cocoa licensed buying companies, students, extension officers and the academia both from near and afar, to share ideas on the cocoa industry.
The achievements of CRIG have indeed won the admiration of many people including investors, the academia and officials of the Cocoa Producers Alliance, especially its Secretary General, Mr Sona Ebai, who was in the country for the 70th anniversary celebration.
Mr Sona Ebai simply remarked that CRIG had really contributed to cocoa production in Ghana and must therefore be given the necessary assistance to continue with its research works.
With the successes so far chalked up within its 70 years of existence, coupled with the increase foreign and local investment in the processing of cocoa beans in the country for the manufacture of various consumer goods, it is anticipated that CRIG would continue to live up to expectation to help increase production of the crop to meet the ever increasing demand for the produce both at home and abroad.
CIBA EXECUTIVES TO GO SCHOOL (PAGE 23)
FORTY executive members of the Council of Indigenous Business Association (CIBA), a body of operators of small-scale businesses such as bakeries, “chop” and drinking bars, as well as traders of various merchandise, have attended a two-day seminar at Koforidua.
The seminar, which was organised by the Employers Association with sponsorship from the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA), was aimed at equipping the participants with the rudiments of business management for the sustenance of such businesses.
In an address, the Executive Secretary of CIBA, Mr Ralph Ameyaw, said it had become necessary for owners or operators of small-scale businesses to keep abreast of the rudiments in business management to enable them to properly manage such concerns.
According to him, most of CIBA’s members did not have the required skills to properly manage their businesses and therefore the businesses could not survive after limited periods of operation.
“We have to properly school owners of these businesses on business management and how to source for funds from the financial institutions because they constitute the biggest segment of the private sector,” Mr Ameyaw stated.
He said the initiative, which would in the long term alleviate poverty in the region, was in line with Ghana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, which highlights capacity building for job creation.
According to Mr Ameyaw, the participants would also be educated on pension schemes, adding that the overall programme would be beneficial to the country, since a large segment of the population would not only be able to either manage their businesses, but would also have pension to rely on at old age.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Chairman of CIBA, Mr Stephen Kwabla, stressed the need for the participants to add value to their services.
That, he said, would enable them to better serve their customers to generate more income for their sustenance.
The seminar, which was organised by the Employers Association with sponsorship from the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA), was aimed at equipping the participants with the rudiments of business management for the sustenance of such businesses.
In an address, the Executive Secretary of CIBA, Mr Ralph Ameyaw, said it had become necessary for owners or operators of small-scale businesses to keep abreast of the rudiments in business management to enable them to properly manage such concerns.
According to him, most of CIBA’s members did not have the required skills to properly manage their businesses and therefore the businesses could not survive after limited periods of operation.
“We have to properly school owners of these businesses on business management and how to source for funds from the financial institutions because they constitute the biggest segment of the private sector,” Mr Ameyaw stated.
He said the initiative, which would in the long term alleviate poverty in the region, was in line with Ghana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, which highlights capacity building for job creation.
According to Mr Ameyaw, the participants would also be educated on pension schemes, adding that the overall programme would be beneficial to the country, since a large segment of the population would not only be able to either manage their businesses, but would also have pension to rely on at old age.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Chairman of CIBA, Mr Stephen Kwabla, stressed the need for the participants to add value to their services.
That, he said, would enable them to better serve their customers to generate more income for their sustenance.
WEST AKYEM CARPENTERS APPEAL FOR CONTRACTS (PAGE 23)
MEMBERS of the New Generation Carpenters Association (NEGCA) in the West Akyem District have appealed to the West Akyem Municipal Assembly and other government agencies to award the contracts to the association.
The association, which also urged the assembly to employ its members, stated that such a gesture would enable the association and its members to generate income for their livelihood.
Messrs Daniel Okoh and Emmanuel Marfo, the Chairman and Secretary respectively of NEGCA, made the appeal when the association recently met officials of the Municipal Assembly at Asamankese, the municipal capital.
The event, which was organised by the Business Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC), was to drum home the challenges of the carpenters and to see how best to assist the carpenters in their vocation.
According to Messrs Okoh and Marfo, although the association’s members were capable of producing any type of furniture, the production of desks for schools in the municipality were often made by carpenters outside the area.
They noted with concern that such a practice had virtually rendered them redundant, making it almost impossible for them to honour their tax obligations.
They, therefore, appealed to the assembly and other government agencies to award them contracts for the production of school furniture for schools in the municipality.
“We want the municipal assembly to see us as partners in development and award us contracts for the production of furniture to enable us to generate income, pay taxes and cater for ourselves and families,” they stressed.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kwabena Sintim Aboagye, who was present at the meeting, gave the assurance that the assembly would see how best to address the problem facing the carpenters.
The association, which also urged the assembly to employ its members, stated that such a gesture would enable the association and its members to generate income for their livelihood.
Messrs Daniel Okoh and Emmanuel Marfo, the Chairman and Secretary respectively of NEGCA, made the appeal when the association recently met officials of the Municipal Assembly at Asamankese, the municipal capital.
The event, which was organised by the Business Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC), was to drum home the challenges of the carpenters and to see how best to assist the carpenters in their vocation.
According to Messrs Okoh and Marfo, although the association’s members were capable of producing any type of furniture, the production of desks for schools in the municipality were often made by carpenters outside the area.
They noted with concern that such a practice had virtually rendered them redundant, making it almost impossible for them to honour their tax obligations.
They, therefore, appealed to the assembly and other government agencies to award them contracts for the production of school furniture for schools in the municipality.
“We want the municipal assembly to see us as partners in development and award us contracts for the production of furniture to enable us to generate income, pay taxes and cater for ourselves and families,” they stressed.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kwabena Sintim Aboagye, who was present at the meeting, gave the assurance that the assembly would see how best to address the problem facing the carpenters.
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