THE Eastern Regional Police Commander, ACP George Amusah Anko-Bil, has assured leaders of the various political parties in the region that his outfit has properly schooled its men to ensure violence-free elections in the region in December.
He, however, asked the parties to report any misconduct on the part of any policeman, particularly those assigned to polling stations, to his outfit for immediate action to be taken to prevent any confusion or chaos at the polls.
ACP Anko-Bil gave the assurance in Koforidua on Tuesday at the inauguration of a task force that would be solely responsible for the December elections in the region.
The 12-member task force, which has ACP Anko-Bil as chairman, is drawn from the security services and the Information Services Department (ISD).
Present at the function were the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP D.N. Ampah Bennin; some senior police officers, officials of the National Commission for Civil Education (NCCE) and the Electoral Commission, as well as representatives of the various political parties in the region, which will also be involved in the process.
According to ACP Anko-Anoil, since it was not possible to deploy policemen to all polling stations, they would only be deployed at ‘flash points’ to pre-empt any confusion to avert violence.
He said this year’s elections had been dubbed the ‘final of finals’ because since the Fourth Republic, the two major parties had had the opportunity to finish two terms each and, therefore, a win for either of them this time would be crucial, hence the need to calm down passion in these “do-or-die” elections.
ACP Anko-Bil stated that the task force and the police in general were committed to ensuring peaceful elections and they would, therefore, learn from past elections and the peculiar encounters within the region, with the view to ameliorating their occurrence.
In answer to a question from Mr Julius Debrah, the Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as to whether personnel from the Community Police would also be deployed to the polling stations, ACP Anko-Bil replied in the negative and explained that they actually did not form part of the security forces but only assisted the police in the communities.
ACP Anko-Bil expressed the hope that the municipal and district assemblies would help in diverse ways to make the elections a success in the region.
Mr Emmanuel Quaye Sowah, the Regional Director of the NCCE, gave the assurance that his outfit would continue to educate the public on the elections and called for co-operation from stakeholders.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
FORMER MINISTER COMMENDS ROAD ENGINEER (PAGE 20)
THE immediate past Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah, has praised the out-going New Juaben Municipal Roads Engineer, Mr Abass Awolu, for the able manner in which he handled the construction and rehabilitation of roads in the area.
He said Mr Awolu’s performance had put most of the roads in Koforidua and its adjoining suburbs in good shape to befit the city’s status as the capital and business hub of the region.
Mr Barimah made the commendation at a party organised by road contractors in the area in honour of Mr Abass and Mr Kobina Emim, the Municipal Roads Maintenance Engineer, who have been transferred to the Accra metropolis and the Obuasi municipality respectively.
The former regional minister stated that the ongoing Kassadjan road, with an overpass, which is being transformed from a single lane to a dual carriage way and supervised by Mr Awolu, when completed would further improve transportation in the municipality.
He expressed the hope that his successor would continue with his good works.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, and the Adahene of Koforidua, Odeefo Buadi Asiedu, praised Mr Awolu for his capability in contributing to the improvement of the road network in the municipality.
The Adahene described Mr Awolu as a genius in his profession.
Mr Awolu thanked the road contractors for their co-operation, and expressed the hope that they would extend it to whoever took over from him.
He said Mr Awolu’s performance had put most of the roads in Koforidua and its adjoining suburbs in good shape to befit the city’s status as the capital and business hub of the region.
Mr Barimah made the commendation at a party organised by road contractors in the area in honour of Mr Abass and Mr Kobina Emim, the Municipal Roads Maintenance Engineer, who have been transferred to the Accra metropolis and the Obuasi municipality respectively.
The former regional minister stated that the ongoing Kassadjan road, with an overpass, which is being transformed from a single lane to a dual carriage way and supervised by Mr Awolu, when completed would further improve transportation in the municipality.
He expressed the hope that his successor would continue with his good works.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, and the Adahene of Koforidua, Odeefo Buadi Asiedu, praised Mr Awolu for his capability in contributing to the improvement of the road network in the municipality.
The Adahene described Mr Awolu as a genius in his profession.
Mr Awolu thanked the road contractors for their co-operation, and expressed the hope that they would extend it to whoever took over from him.
WORK ON K'DUA WATER PROJECT PROGRESSES (PAGE 20)
ABOUT eight years ago Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, was a thriving commercial centre which was the envy of many people, especially workers posted there from other parts of the country.
That was because the town, together with its suburbs of Asokore, Effiduasi, Oyoko, Suhyen and Jumapo and other smaller communities which formed the fast growing municipalit boasted of good social amenities such as schools, hospitals and markets. However, of late the area had been experiencing perennial shortage of a vital social amenity—water.
The municipality, with an estimated population of 200,000 relied on water supply from the Densu River and two springs, the Okomi and Suhyen. The water was inadequate for the big population.
What worsened the situation was that the water pipes laid in the area over the years could not properly ensure free-flow of water for all the communities at the same time.
While some taps in some communities would be running, others would be dried up, compelling the people in such places to trek to the few “oasis” .
The sad aspect of the issue was that all the taps normally stopped flowing during the dry season (December-February), compelling educational institutions to close down to prevent the students from contracting water-borne diseases.
To remedy the situation, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), now managed by Aqua Vittens Rand Limited (AVRL), tried to replace some of the old pipes and also constructed a number of boreholes in areas such as Adweso as a measure to improve water supply.
The rehabilitation of some of the pipes, together with the treatment plants at Suhyen, Densuagya as well as another one near the Obuotabri Mountains together provided 1.2 million gallons of water a day for the municipality.
The water was still inadequate for the people in the municipality, which is fast growing to the status of a metropolis.
Realising the difficulties the people would face in the near future in the wake of increase in population in the area in contrast with the limited supply of water, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government on assumption of power contracted a 33 million euro loan from Belgium for the provision of a water supply system that would bring to an end the perennial water problem facing the municipality.
The project entails drawing water from the Volta Lake at Kpornyakope to a modern treatment plant at Bukonor in the Yilo Krobo District to be pumped to the New Juaben Municipality.
The project, jointly funded by the Belgian government and the KBC Bank in Belgium, is being executed by Denys Engineering, also a Belgian firm.
Fifty-seven per cent of the project that is being executed in phases has been completed to pump 3.5 million gallons of water under the first phase to the municipality.
When the entire project is completed, places such as Tafo and Osiem, all in the East Akyem Municipality would be covered.
Speaking to the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Works and Housing during a fact finding tour of the area last week, Mr Okomen Mensah, the Manager of Ekobuil Royal Consult, the consulting firm for the project, said at the current rate of construction, Koforidua and its environs would start enjoying uninterrupted supply of water from the Volta Lake early next year.
“The pipelines are being laid. On the whole, Denys is working ahead of schedule and considering the current rate of construction, water from the Volta Dam would flow to New Juaben early next year,” Mr Mensah said.
He further stated that provision had been made for all the villages and hamlets along the pipeline to benefit from the project.
According to him, in all, 403 standpipes would be provided for people who could not afford water meters for the whole area.
Mr Mensah said the Koforidua township would have the lion’s share of 219 standpipes, with Old Tafo, Osiem and Suhyen getting 154 while the remaining 30 would cater for villages and hamlets along the pipeline.
The Regional Engineer of GWCL/AVRL, Mr J.R. Fofie, who was also present at the Bukonor Plant when the legislators visited the place, said his outfit had been doing its best to ensure that the project was completed on time.
While work on the project progresses each passing day for the people to have good drinking water on time, those living along the pipeline, especially at Bukonor, where a large stretch of farm land had been used, had not yet been compensated for, depriving them of the use of their land.
They had only been compensated for the crops which were destroyed and the monies paid as expected cannot be utilised for any meaningful investment for a secured future.
The reason is that the money, which had already been made available by the GWCL/AVRL to compensate the landowners, had been lodged with the Lands Commission.
According to Mr Mensah, the commission would have to determine the true owners of the land before effecting payment.
The delay in the payment of compensation for the land did not go well with the members of the Parliamentary Select Committee, as they called on the Lands Commission to expedite work on the payment.
“The landowners, who had been deprived of their livelihood must be paid on time to enable them to cater for their immediate needs and also invest for the future,” said Mr Samuel Jonfia, the Chairman of the committee and MP for Ahanta West.
On the whole, the committee commended Denys Engineering for working ahead of schedule. It also praised the GWCL/A VRL as well as Ekobuild Royal Consult for the able manner they had supervised the construction work.
They expressed the hope that the people in the New Juaben Municipality as well as those of Tafo in East Akyem and Osiem in the Fanteakwa District would in the near future enjoy regular supply of good drinking water which had eluded them for sometime now.
That was because the town, together with its suburbs of Asokore, Effiduasi, Oyoko, Suhyen and Jumapo and other smaller communities which formed the fast growing municipalit boasted of good social amenities such as schools, hospitals and markets. However, of late the area had been experiencing perennial shortage of a vital social amenity—water.
The municipality, with an estimated population of 200,000 relied on water supply from the Densu River and two springs, the Okomi and Suhyen. The water was inadequate for the big population.
What worsened the situation was that the water pipes laid in the area over the years could not properly ensure free-flow of water for all the communities at the same time.
While some taps in some communities would be running, others would be dried up, compelling the people in such places to trek to the few “oasis” .
The sad aspect of the issue was that all the taps normally stopped flowing during the dry season (December-February), compelling educational institutions to close down to prevent the students from contracting water-borne diseases.
To remedy the situation, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), now managed by Aqua Vittens Rand Limited (AVRL), tried to replace some of the old pipes and also constructed a number of boreholes in areas such as Adweso as a measure to improve water supply.
The rehabilitation of some of the pipes, together with the treatment plants at Suhyen, Densuagya as well as another one near the Obuotabri Mountains together provided 1.2 million gallons of water a day for the municipality.
The water was still inadequate for the people in the municipality, which is fast growing to the status of a metropolis.
Realising the difficulties the people would face in the near future in the wake of increase in population in the area in contrast with the limited supply of water, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government on assumption of power contracted a 33 million euro loan from Belgium for the provision of a water supply system that would bring to an end the perennial water problem facing the municipality.
The project entails drawing water from the Volta Lake at Kpornyakope to a modern treatment plant at Bukonor in the Yilo Krobo District to be pumped to the New Juaben Municipality.
The project, jointly funded by the Belgian government and the KBC Bank in Belgium, is being executed by Denys Engineering, also a Belgian firm.
Fifty-seven per cent of the project that is being executed in phases has been completed to pump 3.5 million gallons of water under the first phase to the municipality.
When the entire project is completed, places such as Tafo and Osiem, all in the East Akyem Municipality would be covered.
Speaking to the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Works and Housing during a fact finding tour of the area last week, Mr Okomen Mensah, the Manager of Ekobuil Royal Consult, the consulting firm for the project, said at the current rate of construction, Koforidua and its environs would start enjoying uninterrupted supply of water from the Volta Lake early next year.
“The pipelines are being laid. On the whole, Denys is working ahead of schedule and considering the current rate of construction, water from the Volta Dam would flow to New Juaben early next year,” Mr Mensah said.
He further stated that provision had been made for all the villages and hamlets along the pipeline to benefit from the project.
According to him, in all, 403 standpipes would be provided for people who could not afford water meters for the whole area.
Mr Mensah said the Koforidua township would have the lion’s share of 219 standpipes, with Old Tafo, Osiem and Suhyen getting 154 while the remaining 30 would cater for villages and hamlets along the pipeline.
The Regional Engineer of GWCL/AVRL, Mr J.R. Fofie, who was also present at the Bukonor Plant when the legislators visited the place, said his outfit had been doing its best to ensure that the project was completed on time.
While work on the project progresses each passing day for the people to have good drinking water on time, those living along the pipeline, especially at Bukonor, where a large stretch of farm land had been used, had not yet been compensated for, depriving them of the use of their land.
They had only been compensated for the crops which were destroyed and the monies paid as expected cannot be utilised for any meaningful investment for a secured future.
The reason is that the money, which had already been made available by the GWCL/AVRL to compensate the landowners, had been lodged with the Lands Commission.
According to Mr Mensah, the commission would have to determine the true owners of the land before effecting payment.
The delay in the payment of compensation for the land did not go well with the members of the Parliamentary Select Committee, as they called on the Lands Commission to expedite work on the payment.
“The landowners, who had been deprived of their livelihood must be paid on time to enable them to cater for their immediate needs and also invest for the future,” said Mr Samuel Jonfia, the Chairman of the committee and MP for Ahanta West.
On the whole, the committee commended Denys Engineering for working ahead of schedule. It also praised the GWCL/A VRL as well as Ekobuild Royal Consult for the able manner they had supervised the construction work.
They expressed the hope that the people in the New Juaben Municipality as well as those of Tafo in East Akyem and Osiem in the Fanteakwa District would in the near future enjoy regular supply of good drinking water which had eluded them for sometime now.
VRA TO STILL RUN AKOSOMBO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (PAGE 20)
THE Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Owura Kwaku Sarfo, has given the assurance that although his outfit had been asked to concentrate on its core business, the provision of energy, it would still maintain Akosombo International School, which is being run by the authority.
He said that had become necessary due to the excellent academic performance of its students. He said the restructuring exercise would therefore not affect the school.
The school complex made up of junior high and senior high streams with a magnificent infrastructure, is academically one of the best performing schools in the country, with almost all its final-year students entering tertiary educational institutions each year.
Owura Sarfo gave the assurance at the 36th speech and prize-giving day of the school at Akosombo at the weekend.
The well-attended event brought together old students, parents and dignitaries such as Mr Appiah Menka, a business tycoon, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman, Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw.
A number of students who distinguished themselves in both academic and non-academic areas were honoured. Also honoured were some tutors who had been teaching in the school for periods ranging from 10 to 25 years as well as others who played significant roles in the academic achievements of the students in the WASSCE.
Owura Sarfo said VRA by mandate was to provide energy for the country and had therefore been asked to pay particular attention to that aspect of operations.
“Of late, there have been a lot of discussions, especially among the VRA staff on the role the VRA schools would play as VRA moves on; but let me state categorically that notwithstanding whatever restructuring VRA goes through, we would ensure the survival and quality of service of the school in whatever form it takes, something we will not compromise on”, he stated.
He stressed that the VRA as the sole owner and shareholder in the school, was wholly committed to the success of the institution.
“As the chief executive, I promise that my team would do everything possible to support the school to turn out young adults who are focused, academically brilliant and socially responsible to take up their appropriate places in society”, Owura Sarfo assured.
He therefore advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them and work hard to achieve their ambitions.
In his report, the Headmaster of the senior high school (SHS), Mr John K. Tawiah, said the total enrolment of the school stood at 798 as of April, this year, 286 of which were in junior high school (JHS) and 512 in SHS.
He added that the school’s academic record had been very good over the years, adding that out of the 89 pupils presented for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2007, 31 obtained aggregate 6; 10 had aggregate seven; seven of them aggregate eight, 11 scored aggregate nine, while the rest were spread up to aggregate 18.
He said 67 per cent of the candidates obtained distinction. With regard to the WASSCE, Mr Tawiah said last year, the school presented 156 candidates who scored 99.4 per cent passes as against 100 per cent in 2006, adding that the best candidate had A in seven subjects and one B2 as against 5As and 3Bs the previous year.
He stated further that the school recorded one of its finest examination results in the 2007 University of Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level examination with 91.7 per cent passes as against 78.4 per cent in 2006.
Mr Tawiah added that out of the 24 candidates presented for the examination, 22 of them passed in all the subjects.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Madam Benedicta Naana Biney, stated that school had the responsibility to ensure both academic and character development of students to address anti-social vices such as corruption, dishonesty aggressiveness, drug abuse, gangsterism and armed robbery.
Madam Naana Biney who praised the VRA for its support to the school, advised the students to study hard to achieve their goals.
For his part, Mr Appiah Menkah said since technology was advancing very fast, it was necessary for the people to adapt accordingly.
He said that had become necessary due to the excellent academic performance of its students. He said the restructuring exercise would therefore not affect the school.
The school complex made up of junior high and senior high streams with a magnificent infrastructure, is academically one of the best performing schools in the country, with almost all its final-year students entering tertiary educational institutions each year.
Owura Sarfo gave the assurance at the 36th speech and prize-giving day of the school at Akosombo at the weekend.
The well-attended event brought together old students, parents and dignitaries such as Mr Appiah Menka, a business tycoon, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman, Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw.
A number of students who distinguished themselves in both academic and non-academic areas were honoured. Also honoured were some tutors who had been teaching in the school for periods ranging from 10 to 25 years as well as others who played significant roles in the academic achievements of the students in the WASSCE.
Owura Sarfo said VRA by mandate was to provide energy for the country and had therefore been asked to pay particular attention to that aspect of operations.
“Of late, there have been a lot of discussions, especially among the VRA staff on the role the VRA schools would play as VRA moves on; but let me state categorically that notwithstanding whatever restructuring VRA goes through, we would ensure the survival and quality of service of the school in whatever form it takes, something we will not compromise on”, he stated.
He stressed that the VRA as the sole owner and shareholder in the school, was wholly committed to the success of the institution.
“As the chief executive, I promise that my team would do everything possible to support the school to turn out young adults who are focused, academically brilliant and socially responsible to take up their appropriate places in society”, Owura Sarfo assured.
He therefore advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them and work hard to achieve their ambitions.
In his report, the Headmaster of the senior high school (SHS), Mr John K. Tawiah, said the total enrolment of the school stood at 798 as of April, this year, 286 of which were in junior high school (JHS) and 512 in SHS.
He added that the school’s academic record had been very good over the years, adding that out of the 89 pupils presented for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2007, 31 obtained aggregate 6; 10 had aggregate seven; seven of them aggregate eight, 11 scored aggregate nine, while the rest were spread up to aggregate 18.
He said 67 per cent of the candidates obtained distinction. With regard to the WASSCE, Mr Tawiah said last year, the school presented 156 candidates who scored 99.4 per cent passes as against 100 per cent in 2006, adding that the best candidate had A in seven subjects and one B2 as against 5As and 3Bs the previous year.
He stated further that the school recorded one of its finest examination results in the 2007 University of Cambridge GCE ‘O’ Level examination with 91.7 per cent passes as against 78.4 per cent in 2006.
Mr Tawiah added that out of the 24 candidates presented for the examination, 22 of them passed in all the subjects.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Madam Benedicta Naana Biney, stated that school had the responsibility to ensure both academic and character development of students to address anti-social vices such as corruption, dishonesty aggressiveness, drug abuse, gangsterism and armed robbery.
Madam Naana Biney who praised the VRA for its support to the school, advised the students to study hard to achieve their goals.
For his part, Mr Appiah Menkah said since technology was advancing very fast, it was necessary for the people to adapt accordingly.
Friday, July 18, 2008
KROBO CHIEFS PARTNER ASSEMBLY IN DEV (PAGE 20)
THE Manya Krobo Traditional Council and the Lower Manya Krobo District Assembly have decided to jointly pool human and material resources for the development of the district.
In that direction, the two bodies have started organising annual mini conferences involving the chiefs and the technocrats in the assembly, as well as the heads of departments in the district, to brainstorm on issues that will improve the living standard of the people.
The maiden conference, which took place at Odumase Krobo at the weekend, was attended by a number of chiefs, such as Nene Sasraku IV, the acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council; Nene Dome Siako of the Suisi Division; Nene Agbau Narh of the Djebiam Division; Manye Natekie, the Assistant Queen of the Manya Krobo State; Asafoatse Aseda Ahor, the Chief of Akuse, and Asafoatse Tettey Eti of Akwenor Mampong.
Also present were the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr David Sackitey Asare, and representatives of the various departments, who answered questions from the chiefs and offered suggestions for the solution to the problems facing the people in the district.
In his welcome address, Nene Sasraku expressed regret at certain developments in the area, such as the limited number of students being offered scholarships by the Assembly, the irregular supply of water, poor sanitation and revenue mobilisation, and called on the Assembly to do its best to address them.
The traditional council, he said, was prepared to support the Assembly in diverse ways to solve the problems and urged the heads of departments to also support the initiative.
Some of the heads of departments who took turns to highlight their difficulties mentioned lack of office and residential accommodation as the main problems facing them and called for speedy action to enable them to offer their best in developing the district.
Earlier the DCE had briefed the gathering on a number of social amenities, such as school buildings, roads and other projects, that had been provided by the Assembly since he assumed office.
He stated that new projects like the rehabilitation of the Asite-Nuaso and Atua-Mt Mary roads and the extension of electricity to a number of communities would soon start.
Mr Asare further stated that KfW of Germany would support the Assembly to construct a new lorry park at Kpong to replace the old one, which, he said, would be converted to a modern transit point.
The Assembly, the DCE stated, had also offered scholarships to over 100 young men and women to study in youth training institutes in some parts of the region.
According to him, the Assembly was doing its best to address the problems facing the area but a number of factors, notably poor revenue mobilisation resulting from the unwillingness of the people, especially artisans, to pay taxes, were making it difficult to achieve its goals.
Mr Asare said the Assembly would continue to support the traditional council, especially in celebrating the annual Ngmayem Festival.
He called for closer collaboration between the two bodies for the development of the area.
In that direction, the two bodies have started organising annual mini conferences involving the chiefs and the technocrats in the assembly, as well as the heads of departments in the district, to brainstorm on issues that will improve the living standard of the people.
The maiden conference, which took place at Odumase Krobo at the weekend, was attended by a number of chiefs, such as Nene Sasraku IV, the acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council; Nene Dome Siako of the Suisi Division; Nene Agbau Narh of the Djebiam Division; Manye Natekie, the Assistant Queen of the Manya Krobo State; Asafoatse Aseda Ahor, the Chief of Akuse, and Asafoatse Tettey Eti of Akwenor Mampong.
Also present were the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr David Sackitey Asare, and representatives of the various departments, who answered questions from the chiefs and offered suggestions for the solution to the problems facing the people in the district.
In his welcome address, Nene Sasraku expressed regret at certain developments in the area, such as the limited number of students being offered scholarships by the Assembly, the irregular supply of water, poor sanitation and revenue mobilisation, and called on the Assembly to do its best to address them.
The traditional council, he said, was prepared to support the Assembly in diverse ways to solve the problems and urged the heads of departments to also support the initiative.
Some of the heads of departments who took turns to highlight their difficulties mentioned lack of office and residential accommodation as the main problems facing them and called for speedy action to enable them to offer their best in developing the district.
Earlier the DCE had briefed the gathering on a number of social amenities, such as school buildings, roads and other projects, that had been provided by the Assembly since he assumed office.
He stated that new projects like the rehabilitation of the Asite-Nuaso and Atua-Mt Mary roads and the extension of electricity to a number of communities would soon start.
Mr Asare further stated that KfW of Germany would support the Assembly to construct a new lorry park at Kpong to replace the old one, which, he said, would be converted to a modern transit point.
The Assembly, the DCE stated, had also offered scholarships to over 100 young men and women to study in youth training institutes in some parts of the region.
According to him, the Assembly was doing its best to address the problems facing the area but a number of factors, notably poor revenue mobilisation resulting from the unwillingness of the people, especially artisans, to pay taxes, were making it difficult to achieve its goals.
Mr Asare said the Assembly would continue to support the traditional council, especially in celebrating the annual Ngmayem Festival.
He called for closer collaboration between the two bodies for the development of the area.
WHITE PAPER RELEASED ON ODUGBLASE LAND (PAGE 20)
THE Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council has released the White Paper on the rival claims to the limestone-rich Odugblase land by both the Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo Traditional Areas.
The White Paper, which did not determine the actual owner of the land, stated that both sides had a share in the limestone deposits and must therefore enjoy from its benefits.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, made this known when he read the contents of the report to the representatives of the two traditional councils and individual landowners (farmers) in the disputed area in Koforidua.
Also present at the meeting were representatives of the district assemblies of Lower Manya, Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo.
According to the report, authority over the Odugblase land should be apportioned between the two traditional areas, since the area is inhabited by citizens from both tribes.
It stated that since there were 33 Manya Krobo and 15 Yilo Krobo landowners in the area, royalties accruing from the limestone concession should be shared in the proportion of 68.75 per cent for the Manya Krobo landowners and 31.25 per cent for the Yilos.
The report further recommended that a joint account currently held at the Ghana Commercial Bank, Koforidua, in respect of payments on the limestone mining on the disputed lands must be accessed and shared equally between the two traditional authorities, since they jointly and equally contributed to the account.
The regional minister expressed the hope that the recommendations of the White Paper would put to rest the differences between the two traditional areas.
The Konor of Yilo Krobo, Nene Dawutey Ologo V1, was, however, not happy with the recommendations of the report, which, he said, could not determine the ownership of the disputed land and that the Yilo Krobo Traditional Council would seek legal advice for the next line of action.
Nene Ologo stated that since Yilo Krobos and Manya Krobos were brothers and there had not been any confrontation between them, the committee’s recommendation would not heighten tension in the area.
He thanked the Regional Minister for his efforts in addressing the issue.
For his part, Nene Okpatakpla Sasraku IV, the acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, said his side would also study the recommendations of the report to determine what to do.
Earlier the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr S.B. Bawa, said as the Krobo area had immense deposits of limestone, Ghacem, a major cement-producing firm, had come to do business in the area.
He said for some time now, there had been some slight disagreements between the two traditional authorities over the ownership of the disputed area and that led to the setting up of a five-member committee to deal with the problem, the findings of which had come out.
The White Paper, which did not determine the actual owner of the land, stated that both sides had a share in the limestone deposits and must therefore enjoy from its benefits.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, made this known when he read the contents of the report to the representatives of the two traditional councils and individual landowners (farmers) in the disputed area in Koforidua.
Also present at the meeting were representatives of the district assemblies of Lower Manya, Manya Krobo and Yilo Krobo.
According to the report, authority over the Odugblase land should be apportioned between the two traditional areas, since the area is inhabited by citizens from both tribes.
It stated that since there were 33 Manya Krobo and 15 Yilo Krobo landowners in the area, royalties accruing from the limestone concession should be shared in the proportion of 68.75 per cent for the Manya Krobo landowners and 31.25 per cent for the Yilos.
The report further recommended that a joint account currently held at the Ghana Commercial Bank, Koforidua, in respect of payments on the limestone mining on the disputed lands must be accessed and shared equally between the two traditional authorities, since they jointly and equally contributed to the account.
The regional minister expressed the hope that the recommendations of the White Paper would put to rest the differences between the two traditional areas.
The Konor of Yilo Krobo, Nene Dawutey Ologo V1, was, however, not happy with the recommendations of the report, which, he said, could not determine the ownership of the disputed land and that the Yilo Krobo Traditional Council would seek legal advice for the next line of action.
Nene Ologo stated that since Yilo Krobos and Manya Krobos were brothers and there had not been any confrontation between them, the committee’s recommendation would not heighten tension in the area.
He thanked the Regional Minister for his efforts in addressing the issue.
For his part, Nene Okpatakpla Sasraku IV, the acting President of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, said his side would also study the recommendations of the report to determine what to do.
Earlier the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr S.B. Bawa, said as the Krobo area had immense deposits of limestone, Ghacem, a major cement-producing firm, had come to do business in the area.
He said for some time now, there had been some slight disagreements between the two traditional authorities over the ownership of the disputed area and that led to the setting up of a five-member committee to deal with the problem, the findings of which had come out.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
BAN PLASTIC BAGS ... Coalition (PAGE 33)
THE Ghana National Coalition of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS) has called on the government to ban the use of plastic bags.
This, it said, was because of the irreparable damage plastic bags caused to the environment.
This was contained in a 12-point communiqué issued at the end of a four-day seminar on water and sanitation in Koforidua.
The event, which was organised by CONIWAS, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the European Union, the World Bank and the Royal Netherlands Embassy, and attended by 104 representatives of NGOs in the water and sanitation sector, was to brainstorm on issues affecting the sector and how best to address them.
According to the communiqué, the use of plastic bags posed a menace to the society because of the irreparable damage they caused to the environment and that the best thing to do was to ban them from the system.
The government, the communiqué stated, should rather encourage the use of paper bags, baskets and other alternatives to replace plastic bags which it said could only dissolve in the soil after about 100 years.
According to the communiqué, the government should declare sanitation a national emergency and come up with an action plan with adequate funding, adding that the sector ministry should also set up a task force to thoroughly discuss the issue to help reduce disparities in data and clarify the actual millennium development targets on sanitation.
It also asked CONIWAS to, as a matter of urgency, organise sanitation forums for presidential aspirants to form part of activities of the International Year of Sanitation and called on all stakeholders to support the School Health Environmental Programme, as well as interventions for out-of-schoolchildren to enhance sanitation awareness among young people.
The communiqué further stated that since about 80 per cent of all cases in the outpatients departments in hospitals were noted to be sanitation-related, mutual health insurance schemes should be encouraged to liaise with district environmental health officers to incorporate sanitation awareness in their educational programmes.
On the provision of places of convenience, it called on the government, development partners and other key players in the sanitation sector to facilitate and provide concessionary loans and micro-credit schemes, in addition to subsidies, to enable more households to own toilets.
The communiqué further called for increased efforts at mainstreaming equity, inclusion and gender issues in sanitation delivery at all levels and at all times, as well as the involvement of traditional authorities and religious leaders.
Bye-laws and regulations on sanitation, the communiqué said, must be enforced.
This, it said, was because of the irreparable damage plastic bags caused to the environment.
This was contained in a 12-point communiqué issued at the end of a four-day seminar on water and sanitation in Koforidua.
The event, which was organised by CONIWAS, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the European Union, the World Bank and the Royal Netherlands Embassy, and attended by 104 representatives of NGOs in the water and sanitation sector, was to brainstorm on issues affecting the sector and how best to address them.
According to the communiqué, the use of plastic bags posed a menace to the society because of the irreparable damage they caused to the environment and that the best thing to do was to ban them from the system.
The government, the communiqué stated, should rather encourage the use of paper bags, baskets and other alternatives to replace plastic bags which it said could only dissolve in the soil after about 100 years.
According to the communiqué, the government should declare sanitation a national emergency and come up with an action plan with adequate funding, adding that the sector ministry should also set up a task force to thoroughly discuss the issue to help reduce disparities in data and clarify the actual millennium development targets on sanitation.
It also asked CONIWAS to, as a matter of urgency, organise sanitation forums for presidential aspirants to form part of activities of the International Year of Sanitation and called on all stakeholders to support the School Health Environmental Programme, as well as interventions for out-of-schoolchildren to enhance sanitation awareness among young people.
The communiqué further stated that since about 80 per cent of all cases in the outpatients departments in hospitals were noted to be sanitation-related, mutual health insurance schemes should be encouraged to liaise with district environmental health officers to incorporate sanitation awareness in their educational programmes.
On the provision of places of convenience, it called on the government, development partners and other key players in the sanitation sector to facilitate and provide concessionary loans and micro-credit schemes, in addition to subsidies, to enable more households to own toilets.
The communiqué further called for increased efforts at mainstreaming equity, inclusion and gender issues in sanitation delivery at all levels and at all times, as well as the involvement of traditional authorities and religious leaders.
Bye-laws and regulations on sanitation, the communiqué said, must be enforced.
MINIMISING MOTOR ACCIDENTS IN ER...Road Safety Commission, VELD, MTTU show the way (PAGE 20)
EASTERN Region, the third most populous political entity after the Ashanti and Greater Accra regions, boasts of some of the finest roads in the country.
As expected, the region also has a large fleet of vehicles plying the 1,453 kilometres of trunk and 3,150 kilometres of feeder roads, some of which could not be said to be among the best.
Some of the roads which have been rehabilitated to meet the required standard, include the Ayi Mensa-Mamfe stretch of the Adenta-Mamfe road and the portion of the Accra-Kumasi highway that passes through the region.
The periodic reconditioning of most of the feeder roads in the region has also put them in good shape and enhanced transportation and made travelling safe and comfortable.
However, there are some portions of the roads with dangerous curves, especially places such as Nyamebekyere and Amamprobi underneath the Akuapem Scarp on the Adawso-Koforidua road, the Suhum Roundabout and almost the whole stretch of the Suhum-Asamankese road, which have not been rehabilitated for sometime now. Those portions are dangerous for vehicular traffic.
Apart from the dangerous nature of such curves and roads, which had led to a number of motor accidents, other factors such as human error, mechanical faults, drunkenness and fatigue on the part of drivers, as well as overloading of vehicles with some passengers even sitting on top of the vehicles, have compounded the situation.
Those problems make the accident rate in the region one of the highest in the country.
For instance, between January and June 2007, the region recorded 596 motor accidents involving 764 vehicles, which claimed the lives of 125 people.
Between January and June, this year, 685 motor accidents involving 783 vehicles of which 137 people perished were recorded in the region.
A large number of passengers, operators of the vehicles, as well as pedestrians, also sustained various degrees of injury, with some of them maimed for life while property worth thousands of Ghana cedis were also destroyed.
Such a startling revelation has compelled the regional branches of the National Road Safety Commission, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Regional Co-ordinating Council to work in concert to reverse the trend.
For instance, regional branch of the Road Safety Commission under the supervision of Mr Stephen Anokye, has put in place measures to minimise the high rate of the motor accidents.
Some of the measures include an outreach programme whereby periodic durbars are held at lorry parks. So far the main towns such as Koforidua, Asesewa, Oda, Begoro, Asamankese, Kade and Anyinam have been covered.
Apart from that, the commission has been periodically organising radio programmes on the issue on the local FM radio stations in the region, as well as involving traditional rulers such as the Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre Oti Boateng, all of which are contributing significantly to make our roads accident-free.
Mr Anokye said, “We are going all out to make travelling on our roads safe in the region and our methods have won the confidence and support of the Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who even created a platform for us at the recently organised People’s Assemblies to educate the public on road safety.”
“The personal commitment of the regional minister to ensure road safety has helped a lot and judging by the way the educational programme is going, an awareness on road safety is being created,” Mr Anokye stressed.
The MTTU and the DVLA, the two other important stakeholders as expected, are also playing their required roles with vigorous checks on both drivers and the vehicles to ensure that the proper thing is done.
The MTTU under its acting Regional Commander, Assistant Superintendent A. Bansah, has put his men on the road both day and night as directed by the Police Headquarters, to impound faulty vehicles and arrest drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol, for prosecution at the law courts.
“My outfit is going all out and the officers are always on the ground with equipment, such as alcohol censors to check drunk drivers, as well as a traffic safety radar, to track down vehicles which speed, so that they conform to the approved speed limits of between 50 and 70 kilometres per hour for big trucks and 50-80 for saloon cars on the highways while those plying within the towns and municipalities should not go beyond 30 kilometres,” ASP Bansah stated.
“The officers also ensure that the lighting system of vehicles conforms to road safety regulations and a typical example is those with defective head lights, which are instantly impounded until the proper thing is done.
“Documents of drivers and vehicles are also thoroughly examined to apprehend car thieves or ensure that the drivers have the permission from the owners of the vehicles to drive such vehicles,” ASP Bansah stated.
Although ASP Bansah’s men are making inroads in addressing the issue, they are, however, confronted with problems, notably the inability of some drivers to give out their licences for inspection with the explanation that their car owners or employers have taken custody of the licences.
The situation makes it possible for drivers to operate with the wrong licences while others, who are not licensed to drive, manage to be at the steering wheel at the peril of passengers and other road users.
To solve such a problem, ASP Bansah suggested that under no circumstance should employers, especially public organisations, take custody of their drivers’ licences, since the law required drivers to keep their licences with them while they are behind the steering wheel.
In complementing the efforts of the MTTU and the Road Safety Commission to make travelling on the roads safe, the regional office of the DVLA has been thoroughly scrutinising driving licence applicants through theoretical and practical examinations.
Before the examinations are conducted, prospective applicants after submitting their applications, are provided with textbooks some of which are “Save Driving”, “Drivers’ Companion”, Pass Your Driving Theory” as well as the “Highway Code”, for study for at least three months.
According to the Regional Officer of VELD, Mr Vincent Fiati, those who come out with flying colours then undergo eye tests before those with good eyesight are taken to the roads for practical examinations.
Mr Fiati said apart from examining the applicants, his outfit also conducted unexpected checks on the roads to prohibit faulty vehicles from operating.
Qualified drivers, he further stated, were also taken through outreach programmes on road safety.
“Most of the time, I personally take charge of the examinations to ensure that the right people are given driving licences to take passengers safely to their homes or workplaces but not to unqualified ones who will send commuters to their graves,” Mr Fiati stated.
It is hoped all the efforts being put in by the three major players on road safety coupled with the fast rate at which the highways and feeder roads are being rehabilitated for easy driving, would reduce accidents to the barest minimum in the region in the near future.
This would not only make travelling comfortable for commuters, but also accelerate the development of the region.
As expected, the region also has a large fleet of vehicles plying the 1,453 kilometres of trunk and 3,150 kilometres of feeder roads, some of which could not be said to be among the best.
Some of the roads which have been rehabilitated to meet the required standard, include the Ayi Mensa-Mamfe stretch of the Adenta-Mamfe road and the portion of the Accra-Kumasi highway that passes through the region.
The periodic reconditioning of most of the feeder roads in the region has also put them in good shape and enhanced transportation and made travelling safe and comfortable.
However, there are some portions of the roads with dangerous curves, especially places such as Nyamebekyere and Amamprobi underneath the Akuapem Scarp on the Adawso-Koforidua road, the Suhum Roundabout and almost the whole stretch of the Suhum-Asamankese road, which have not been rehabilitated for sometime now. Those portions are dangerous for vehicular traffic.
Apart from the dangerous nature of such curves and roads, which had led to a number of motor accidents, other factors such as human error, mechanical faults, drunkenness and fatigue on the part of drivers, as well as overloading of vehicles with some passengers even sitting on top of the vehicles, have compounded the situation.
Those problems make the accident rate in the region one of the highest in the country.
For instance, between January and June 2007, the region recorded 596 motor accidents involving 764 vehicles, which claimed the lives of 125 people.
Between January and June, this year, 685 motor accidents involving 783 vehicles of which 137 people perished were recorded in the region.
A large number of passengers, operators of the vehicles, as well as pedestrians, also sustained various degrees of injury, with some of them maimed for life while property worth thousands of Ghana cedis were also destroyed.
Such a startling revelation has compelled the regional branches of the National Road Safety Commission, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Regional Co-ordinating Council to work in concert to reverse the trend.
For instance, regional branch of the Road Safety Commission under the supervision of Mr Stephen Anokye, has put in place measures to minimise the high rate of the motor accidents.
Some of the measures include an outreach programme whereby periodic durbars are held at lorry parks. So far the main towns such as Koforidua, Asesewa, Oda, Begoro, Asamankese, Kade and Anyinam have been covered.
Apart from that, the commission has been periodically organising radio programmes on the issue on the local FM radio stations in the region, as well as involving traditional rulers such as the Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre Oti Boateng, all of which are contributing significantly to make our roads accident-free.
Mr Anokye said, “We are going all out to make travelling on our roads safe in the region and our methods have won the confidence and support of the Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who even created a platform for us at the recently organised People’s Assemblies to educate the public on road safety.”
“The personal commitment of the regional minister to ensure road safety has helped a lot and judging by the way the educational programme is going, an awareness on road safety is being created,” Mr Anokye stressed.
The MTTU and the DVLA, the two other important stakeholders as expected, are also playing their required roles with vigorous checks on both drivers and the vehicles to ensure that the proper thing is done.
The MTTU under its acting Regional Commander, Assistant Superintendent A. Bansah, has put his men on the road both day and night as directed by the Police Headquarters, to impound faulty vehicles and arrest drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol, for prosecution at the law courts.
“My outfit is going all out and the officers are always on the ground with equipment, such as alcohol censors to check drunk drivers, as well as a traffic safety radar, to track down vehicles which speed, so that they conform to the approved speed limits of between 50 and 70 kilometres per hour for big trucks and 50-80 for saloon cars on the highways while those plying within the towns and municipalities should not go beyond 30 kilometres,” ASP Bansah stated.
“The officers also ensure that the lighting system of vehicles conforms to road safety regulations and a typical example is those with defective head lights, which are instantly impounded until the proper thing is done.
“Documents of drivers and vehicles are also thoroughly examined to apprehend car thieves or ensure that the drivers have the permission from the owners of the vehicles to drive such vehicles,” ASP Bansah stated.
Although ASP Bansah’s men are making inroads in addressing the issue, they are, however, confronted with problems, notably the inability of some drivers to give out their licences for inspection with the explanation that their car owners or employers have taken custody of the licences.
The situation makes it possible for drivers to operate with the wrong licences while others, who are not licensed to drive, manage to be at the steering wheel at the peril of passengers and other road users.
To solve such a problem, ASP Bansah suggested that under no circumstance should employers, especially public organisations, take custody of their drivers’ licences, since the law required drivers to keep their licences with them while they are behind the steering wheel.
In complementing the efforts of the MTTU and the Road Safety Commission to make travelling on the roads safe, the regional office of the DVLA has been thoroughly scrutinising driving licence applicants through theoretical and practical examinations.
Before the examinations are conducted, prospective applicants after submitting their applications, are provided with textbooks some of which are “Save Driving”, “Drivers’ Companion”, Pass Your Driving Theory” as well as the “Highway Code”, for study for at least three months.
According to the Regional Officer of VELD, Mr Vincent Fiati, those who come out with flying colours then undergo eye tests before those with good eyesight are taken to the roads for practical examinations.
Mr Fiati said apart from examining the applicants, his outfit also conducted unexpected checks on the roads to prohibit faulty vehicles from operating.
Qualified drivers, he further stated, were also taken through outreach programmes on road safety.
“Most of the time, I personally take charge of the examinations to ensure that the right people are given driving licences to take passengers safely to their homes or workplaces but not to unqualified ones who will send commuters to their graves,” Mr Fiati stated.
It is hoped all the efforts being put in by the three major players on road safety coupled with the fast rate at which the highways and feeder roads are being rehabilitated for easy driving, would reduce accidents to the barest minimum in the region in the near future.
This would not only make travelling comfortable for commuters, but also accelerate the development of the region.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
DAN URGES SUPPORTERS TO WORK HARD (PAGE 17)
THE immediate past General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, has called on polling station chairmen to work hard for a resounding victory at the December polls.
Speaking after he was elected unopposed to contest the Okere Constituency seat in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region, he appealed to the rank and file of the party in all constituencies to put aside their differences and unite to win both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Earlier, Mr Botwe, who is also a former Minister of Information in the Kufuor Administration, did not show interest in contesting the parliamentary seat, and so he did not file his nomination papers for the slot; but he later rescinded his decision after almost all the 96 polling station chairmen, constituting the Electoral College, had persistently appealed to him to do so.
That was after three persons, Messrs Paul Larbi, Clement Ofori and Charles Okraku Budu, a polling station chairman, who filed to contest the elections were disqualified for going contrary to the NPP Constitution.
At the primary at Adukrom on Tuesday, the Akuapem North District Electoral Officer, Mr Addo Boateng, declared Mr Botwe duly elected, after which the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Sub Lt. Christian Kofi Tettey, (retd) introduced him to the gathering to a thunderous applause.
Mr Botwe traced the history of the party, pointing out the difficulties it went through before coming to power.
“The NPP has come out with initiatives such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the numerous poverty alleviation initiatives which are going a long way to alleviate the economic difficulties of the people,” Mr Botwe stated.
The outgoing MP for the area, Mr B.D.K. Adu, the District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, as well as Sub Lt (retd) Tettey, have called on all to support Mr Botwe to win the seat since he had the potential of once more becoming a Cabinet Minister.
Speaking after he was elected unopposed to contest the Okere Constituency seat in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region, he appealed to the rank and file of the party in all constituencies to put aside their differences and unite to win both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Earlier, Mr Botwe, who is also a former Minister of Information in the Kufuor Administration, did not show interest in contesting the parliamentary seat, and so he did not file his nomination papers for the slot; but he later rescinded his decision after almost all the 96 polling station chairmen, constituting the Electoral College, had persistently appealed to him to do so.
That was after three persons, Messrs Paul Larbi, Clement Ofori and Charles Okraku Budu, a polling station chairman, who filed to contest the elections were disqualified for going contrary to the NPP Constitution.
At the primary at Adukrom on Tuesday, the Akuapem North District Electoral Officer, Mr Addo Boateng, declared Mr Botwe duly elected, after which the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Sub Lt. Christian Kofi Tettey, (retd) introduced him to the gathering to a thunderous applause.
Mr Botwe traced the history of the party, pointing out the difficulties it went through before coming to power.
“The NPP has come out with initiatives such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the numerous poverty alleviation initiatives which are going a long way to alleviate the economic difficulties of the people,” Mr Botwe stated.
The outgoing MP for the area, Mr B.D.K. Adu, the District Chief Executive, Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, as well as Sub Lt (retd) Tettey, have called on all to support Mr Botwe to win the seat since he had the potential of once more becoming a Cabinet Minister.
Monday, July 7, 2008
GRANT NEWMONT OPERATIONAL LICENCE (PAGE 20)
THE chiefs and people in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region where Newmont Ghana, a gold mining company, is currently prospecting for the mineral, last Friday asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to grant the company operational license to enable it to start full operation.
This, they said, had become necessary, since Newmont had satisfied all the requirements to begin work, which, according to them, would be beneficial to the affected communities.
Some of the chiefs and opinion leaders who made the call were Osabarima Owusu Gyamedu III a representative of the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku, the traditional overlord; Nana Kwame Fosu who represented the Afosuhene, Opanin Kwadwo Kyei, from Agyenoa, Mr Joseph Tetteh, a spokesman for all the hamlets surrounding Adausena, and Mr Appiah Darkwa from Yaw Tannor.
Two persons, Mr Kwabena Frimpong from Yayaaso and Madam Ama Dapaah, a 70-year-old cocoa farmer from Hweakwae, who claimed Newmont had not yet compensated her for her cocoa farm which it destroyed, however, dissented.
They made the call at a public hearing on the activities of the company at Yaayaaso, one of the main communities in the company’s operational areas.
The public hearing, the third in a series, brought together chiefs, opinion leaders and people from about 13 communities within the company’s operational areas, some of which are Ntronang, Akyenoa, Afosu, New Abirem, Old Abirem, Adausena, Yaw Tanor and Hweakwae.
Also present were representatives from the EPA, Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, coalition of non-governmental organisations on mining, as well as the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Madam Esther Obeng Dapaah.
Making the call on behalf of the people, Osabarima Gyamedu III, said since Newmont had satisfied laid-down conditions and its activities would be beneficial to the people, it should be given licence to go into full operation.
He, however, called on the sub-chiefs in the area to unite to enable the people, as well as themselves, to get the full benefits such as royalties otherwise Newmont would take advantage of any disagreement among them to withhold financial packages that would be due them.
Osabarima Gyamedu, who appealed to the people to co-operate with Newmont to enable the company to assist the communities to improve the living condition of the people, was of the view that Newmont would live up to expectation.
Addressing the gathering, Madam Esther Dapaah asked Newmont to honour all its environmental and other related obligations under the legal framework to ensure that the affected communities and the nation did not become worse off after the company had completed its operations.
She also asked the regulatory agencies such as the Minerals Commission, the EPA, the district assembly and chiefs in the area to ensure that Newmont followed the right procedures in its operations.
The minister, who expressed the hope that Newmont would put sustainable corporate social responsibility projects in place to tackle any misgivings of the people in the area, was of the view that when the processes permitting mine development were completed and all issues addressed, it would ensure “a win-win situation for all stakeholders”.
The Regional Vice-President of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited in charge of Environment and Social Responsibility, Mr Nick Cotts, said the company had designed its project in the area taking into consideration, technical, environmental and social aspects, as well as engineered solutions and developed plans that would maximise the benefits and mitigate the negative impacts in accordance with Ghanaian laws and internationally accepted standards.
Mr Appiah Kusi Abodum, the Environmental and Social Responsibility Co-ordinator of the Akyem Project, took the gathering through the operational activities of the company, as well as a number of social amenities provided for the people in the area, who he said would be assisted in diverse ways to make a living.
This, they said, had become necessary, since Newmont had satisfied all the requirements to begin work, which, according to them, would be beneficial to the affected communities.
Some of the chiefs and opinion leaders who made the call were Osabarima Owusu Gyamedu III a representative of the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku, the traditional overlord; Nana Kwame Fosu who represented the Afosuhene, Opanin Kwadwo Kyei, from Agyenoa, Mr Joseph Tetteh, a spokesman for all the hamlets surrounding Adausena, and Mr Appiah Darkwa from Yaw Tannor.
Two persons, Mr Kwabena Frimpong from Yayaaso and Madam Ama Dapaah, a 70-year-old cocoa farmer from Hweakwae, who claimed Newmont had not yet compensated her for her cocoa farm which it destroyed, however, dissented.
They made the call at a public hearing on the activities of the company at Yaayaaso, one of the main communities in the company’s operational areas.
The public hearing, the third in a series, brought together chiefs, opinion leaders and people from about 13 communities within the company’s operational areas, some of which are Ntronang, Akyenoa, Afosu, New Abirem, Old Abirem, Adausena, Yaw Tanor and Hweakwae.
Also present were representatives from the EPA, Forestry Commission, Minerals Commission, coalition of non-governmental organisations on mining, as well as the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Madam Esther Obeng Dapaah.
Making the call on behalf of the people, Osabarima Gyamedu III, said since Newmont had satisfied laid-down conditions and its activities would be beneficial to the people, it should be given licence to go into full operation.
He, however, called on the sub-chiefs in the area to unite to enable the people, as well as themselves, to get the full benefits such as royalties otherwise Newmont would take advantage of any disagreement among them to withhold financial packages that would be due them.
Osabarima Gyamedu, who appealed to the people to co-operate with Newmont to enable the company to assist the communities to improve the living condition of the people, was of the view that Newmont would live up to expectation.
Addressing the gathering, Madam Esther Dapaah asked Newmont to honour all its environmental and other related obligations under the legal framework to ensure that the affected communities and the nation did not become worse off after the company had completed its operations.
She also asked the regulatory agencies such as the Minerals Commission, the EPA, the district assembly and chiefs in the area to ensure that Newmont followed the right procedures in its operations.
The minister, who expressed the hope that Newmont would put sustainable corporate social responsibility projects in place to tackle any misgivings of the people in the area, was of the view that when the processes permitting mine development were completed and all issues addressed, it would ensure “a win-win situation for all stakeholders”.
The Regional Vice-President of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited in charge of Environment and Social Responsibility, Mr Nick Cotts, said the company had designed its project in the area taking into consideration, technical, environmental and social aspects, as well as engineered solutions and developed plans that would maximise the benefits and mitigate the negative impacts in accordance with Ghanaian laws and internationally accepted standards.
Mr Appiah Kusi Abodum, the Environmental and Social Responsibility Co-ordinator of the Akyem Project, took the gathering through the operational activities of the company, as well as a number of social amenities provided for the people in the area, who he said would be assisted in diverse ways to make a living.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
SUPPORT WOMEN TO TAKE UP LEADERSHIP POSITIONS (PAGE 11)
PANELLISTS at a public forum on women advocacy have called for moral, material and financial support for women to take up responsible positions to enable them to take part in decisions that would advance their welfare.
This, according to the panellists, has become necessary due to the limited number of women in responsible positions, particularly in politics although they formed the majority of the country’s population.
The forum, which was organised at Koforidua by Abantu, a gender advocacy organisation, and attended by a cross-section of society, brought together resource persons namely Mrs Hamida Harrison, a lecturer of the University of Ghana, Legon; Mrs Roseline Obeng Ofori, a gender consultant; and Mr Emmanuel Quaye-Sowah, the Eastern Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, who took turns to call for support for women to take up top positions in society, especially politics.
That, according to the panellists, would enable them to take part in decisions that would advance their development. Mrs Harrison, who set the ball rolling, expressed regrets that although Ghanaian women constituted 51 per cent of the country’s population only a few of them were in decision-making positions and attributed such an unfortunate situation to a number of factors that should be addressed.
The factors, according to her, were low rate of illiteracy, poverty, discrimination, socio-cultural subordination that had deprived them from owning property such as land, and heavy domestic duty such as child-bearing and care which normally take most of their time to the advantage of men.
She said these problems, which had confronted women for ages, had, however, been brought to the fore through the initiative of the United Nations (UN), which organised a number of international meetings such as the 1980 Copenhagen and the 1985 Beijing conferences to advance the cause of women.
Mrs Harrison — who indicated that the governments of various countries, especially Ghana had, in accordance to the dictates of the UN, taken steps to address the factors militating against women and had appointed some women to top positions — expressed the hope that more of such appointments would be forthcoming to enable women to take part in the decision-making process in all the socio-economic as well as political sectors.
Mrs Rosaline Obeng Ofori for her part said since Ghanaian women were considered as the pillar of the family, the nucleus of society, it would be absurd to relegate them to the background in decision-making.
She said although women and men had the same capabilities, most often women with good characters could not get to top positions, particularly in politics due to poverty as a result of which rich men with dubious characters managed to use their wealth to ascend to such high positions only to mess up in the process.
Mrs Obeng Ofori therefore called on the people to throw their lot behind women so that they would be able to improve their lot and society in general.
When it came to his turn, Mr Quaye-Sowah, who spoke mainly on how to make the December elections violence-free, called on journalists, security personnel and politicians to be circumspect in their activities to make the event a peaceful one.
That, he said, would preserve the country’s’ democracy for succeeding generations.
Earlier in her welcoming address, the Programme Officer of Abantu, Ms Matilda Odei, had said her outfit would continue to agitate for the improvement of the lot of Ghanaian women to enable them to take part in decisions that affect them.
A member of the Steering Committee on the Women Manifesto Coalition, Miss Adwoa Sakyi, who chaired the function, commended Ghanaian women who in spite of a lot of difficulties were able to occupy top positions in society.
This, according to the panellists, has become necessary due to the limited number of women in responsible positions, particularly in politics although they formed the majority of the country’s population.
The forum, which was organised at Koforidua by Abantu, a gender advocacy organisation, and attended by a cross-section of society, brought together resource persons namely Mrs Hamida Harrison, a lecturer of the University of Ghana, Legon; Mrs Roseline Obeng Ofori, a gender consultant; and Mr Emmanuel Quaye-Sowah, the Eastern Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, who took turns to call for support for women to take up top positions in society, especially politics.
That, according to the panellists, would enable them to take part in decisions that would advance their development. Mrs Harrison, who set the ball rolling, expressed regrets that although Ghanaian women constituted 51 per cent of the country’s population only a few of them were in decision-making positions and attributed such an unfortunate situation to a number of factors that should be addressed.
The factors, according to her, were low rate of illiteracy, poverty, discrimination, socio-cultural subordination that had deprived them from owning property such as land, and heavy domestic duty such as child-bearing and care which normally take most of their time to the advantage of men.
She said these problems, which had confronted women for ages, had, however, been brought to the fore through the initiative of the United Nations (UN), which organised a number of international meetings such as the 1980 Copenhagen and the 1985 Beijing conferences to advance the cause of women.
Mrs Harrison — who indicated that the governments of various countries, especially Ghana had, in accordance to the dictates of the UN, taken steps to address the factors militating against women and had appointed some women to top positions — expressed the hope that more of such appointments would be forthcoming to enable women to take part in the decision-making process in all the socio-economic as well as political sectors.
Mrs Rosaline Obeng Ofori for her part said since Ghanaian women were considered as the pillar of the family, the nucleus of society, it would be absurd to relegate them to the background in decision-making.
She said although women and men had the same capabilities, most often women with good characters could not get to top positions, particularly in politics due to poverty as a result of which rich men with dubious characters managed to use their wealth to ascend to such high positions only to mess up in the process.
Mrs Obeng Ofori therefore called on the people to throw their lot behind women so that they would be able to improve their lot and society in general.
When it came to his turn, Mr Quaye-Sowah, who spoke mainly on how to make the December elections violence-free, called on journalists, security personnel and politicians to be circumspect in their activities to make the event a peaceful one.
That, he said, would preserve the country’s’ democracy for succeeding generations.
Earlier in her welcoming address, the Programme Officer of Abantu, Ms Matilda Odei, had said her outfit would continue to agitate for the improvement of the lot of Ghanaian women to enable them to take part in decisions that affect them.
A member of the Steering Committee on the Women Manifesto Coalition, Miss Adwoa Sakyi, who chaired the function, commended Ghanaian women who in spite of a lot of difficulties were able to occupy top positions in society.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
GT BROADBAND FOR NSAWAM (PAGE 20)
THE Nsawam Municipality, one of the densely populated areas in the Eastern Region, has now been covered with the Ghana Telecom (GT) Broadband 4U, an internet facility.
The facility which was inaugurated at Nsawam last Thursday would enable users, either for domestic or commercial purpose, to access uninterrupted information on the Internet on a 24-hour basis.
Under the initiative, a mechanism had been put in place for educational institutions that would acquire the facility to access only materials that would be beneficial to pupils and students.
Inaugurating the facility, the Eastern Regional Manager of GT, Nii Amaa Fleisher-Brock, said under a programme, the facility would be extended to all parts of the region and such towns as Abetifi, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso, Akim Oda and the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) as some of the areas that would soon be covered.
He appealed to the public to help arrest all those who had been stealing the company’s cables to enable it render good services to the public.
GT, he said, had made available between GH¢500 and GH¢1000 to reward any person who would offer information that would lead to the apprehension of the cable thieves.
GT’s Broadband Manager, Mr Kingsley Seme, explained the technicalities of the facility could be used by people with or without fixed telephone lines.
To ensure that both the poor and the rich would have access to the facility, he said GT had come out with a modality under which one could access the facility from the lowest sum of GH¢40 or more per month, depending on one’s financial standing.
The facility which was inaugurated at Nsawam last Thursday would enable users, either for domestic or commercial purpose, to access uninterrupted information on the Internet on a 24-hour basis.
Under the initiative, a mechanism had been put in place for educational institutions that would acquire the facility to access only materials that would be beneficial to pupils and students.
Inaugurating the facility, the Eastern Regional Manager of GT, Nii Amaa Fleisher-Brock, said under a programme, the facility would be extended to all parts of the region and such towns as Abetifi, Nkawkaw, Mpraeso, Akim Oda and the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) as some of the areas that would soon be covered.
He appealed to the public to help arrest all those who had been stealing the company’s cables to enable it render good services to the public.
GT, he said, had made available between GH¢500 and GH¢1000 to reward any person who would offer information that would lead to the apprehension of the cable thieves.
GT’s Broadband Manager, Mr Kingsley Seme, explained the technicalities of the facility could be used by people with or without fixed telephone lines.
To ensure that both the poor and the rich would have access to the facility, he said GT had come out with a modality under which one could access the facility from the lowest sum of GH¢40 or more per month, depending on one’s financial standing.
K'DUA ASSEMBLIES OF GOD SCHOOL MAKES PROGESS (PAGE 20)
IN 1946, the Assemblies of God Church, one of the oldest Pentecostal churches in the country set foot in the Eastern Region and established its first church at Mpraeso on the Kwahu Scarps.
About 33 years later in 1979, the church’s activities were extended to the New Juaben Municipality, where a church was built in Koforidua, its capital, which also doubles as the regional capital.
In line with its tenets, the early reverend ministers initially shepherded the new converts through the teachings of the gospel with the ultimate goal of achieving happiness and salvation.
However, with time, when education became the bedrock of scientific and technological advancement, the Assemblies of God Church, like many of the Christian religious organisations, decided to invest in education by establishing schools for not only its members, but also the communities in which it operated.
Such initiative, which was to broaden the horizon of the people to better serve God and humanity, took off in the region late in September 1989 with the establishment of a kindergarten with 25 kids placed in the care of four teachers.
The school, which is located within the premises of the regional church building in the centre of the Koforidua and started with a very few children, was turned into a modern school complex made up of a crèche, kindergarten, primary and junior high school (JHS), all with a total pupil population of 400.
The school, Assemblies of God School Complex, due to its adherence to Christian principles and discipline, has become one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality by both academic and moral standards.
For instance, the JHS section currently ranks among the best 10 in the municipality.
In view of that, most of the products of the JHS normally enter the best senior high schools (SHS) in the municipality, notably Pope John Senior High School and the Ghana Secondary Senior High School.
Such products finally enter tertiary institutions, as a result of which many have now become professionals such as medical doctors, teachers, engineers and lawyers.
The school complex, which is closely associated with the church and managed in line with Christian principles, is under the proprietorship of Mrs Joyce Donkor, a renowned educationist, with the assistance of Mrs Christiana Agbetie, also an educationist, well versed in basic education as the headmistress.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the school should achieve such a remarkable feat in terms of academic performance within the New Juaben Municipality.
According to Mrs Agbetie, the strict disciplinary measures instituted in the school, coupled with dedication on the part of the teachers, propelled the school to such an enviable status.
“Although we are not among the old JHSs in the municipality, we have made a mark, because many of our products who enter the best SHSs in the area or other parts of the country come out successfully as professionals in the various disciplines such as medicine, law, engineering and education,” Mrs Agbetie said.
Other significant aspects of the school are its computer laboratory, provision of a balanced diet for the pupils at a reasonable cost and fees that are affordable by all parents.
In the words of the Regional Superintendent of the church, Rev. Alex Ofori Amankwa, “the church and the school’s Board of Governors have taken these initiatives to ensure that no child, irrespective of the financial status of parents, would be deprived of quality education”.
“It is the responsibility of the church and the Board of Governors to make education accessible to all children who are the gifts of God to be nurtured and properly schooled to become useful citizens to take over from us in the near future,” Rev. Ofori Amankwa stated.
It has also been programmed to hook the school on to the Internet in August, this year, thus breaking new grounds as the first basic educational institution in the New Juaben Municipality to be on the Internet.
To enable the junior high section of the school to admit more pupils, a four-acre land had been acquired on the outskirts of the town to construct more classrooms and offices to house it next year, the full cost of which would be taken care of by the church and the school.
About 33 years later in 1979, the church’s activities were extended to the New Juaben Municipality, where a church was built in Koforidua, its capital, which also doubles as the regional capital.
In line with its tenets, the early reverend ministers initially shepherded the new converts through the teachings of the gospel with the ultimate goal of achieving happiness and salvation.
However, with time, when education became the bedrock of scientific and technological advancement, the Assemblies of God Church, like many of the Christian religious organisations, decided to invest in education by establishing schools for not only its members, but also the communities in which it operated.
Such initiative, which was to broaden the horizon of the people to better serve God and humanity, took off in the region late in September 1989 with the establishment of a kindergarten with 25 kids placed in the care of four teachers.
The school, which is located within the premises of the regional church building in the centre of the Koforidua and started with a very few children, was turned into a modern school complex made up of a crèche, kindergarten, primary and junior high school (JHS), all with a total pupil population of 400.
The school, Assemblies of God School Complex, due to its adherence to Christian principles and discipline, has become one of the best in the New Juaben Municipality by both academic and moral standards.
For instance, the JHS section currently ranks among the best 10 in the municipality.
In view of that, most of the products of the JHS normally enter the best senior high schools (SHS) in the municipality, notably Pope John Senior High School and the Ghana Secondary Senior High School.
Such products finally enter tertiary institutions, as a result of which many have now become professionals such as medical doctors, teachers, engineers and lawyers.
The school complex, which is closely associated with the church and managed in line with Christian principles, is under the proprietorship of Mrs Joyce Donkor, a renowned educationist, with the assistance of Mrs Christiana Agbetie, also an educationist, well versed in basic education as the headmistress.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the school should achieve such a remarkable feat in terms of academic performance within the New Juaben Municipality.
According to Mrs Agbetie, the strict disciplinary measures instituted in the school, coupled with dedication on the part of the teachers, propelled the school to such an enviable status.
“Although we are not among the old JHSs in the municipality, we have made a mark, because many of our products who enter the best SHSs in the area or other parts of the country come out successfully as professionals in the various disciplines such as medicine, law, engineering and education,” Mrs Agbetie said.
Other significant aspects of the school are its computer laboratory, provision of a balanced diet for the pupils at a reasonable cost and fees that are affordable by all parents.
In the words of the Regional Superintendent of the church, Rev. Alex Ofori Amankwa, “the church and the school’s Board of Governors have taken these initiatives to ensure that no child, irrespective of the financial status of parents, would be deprived of quality education”.
“It is the responsibility of the church and the Board of Governors to make education accessible to all children who are the gifts of God to be nurtured and properly schooled to become useful citizens to take over from us in the near future,” Rev. Ofori Amankwa stated.
It has also been programmed to hook the school on to the Internet in August, this year, thus breaking new grounds as the first basic educational institution in the New Juaben Municipality to be on the Internet.
To enable the junior high section of the school to admit more pupils, a four-acre land had been acquired on the outskirts of the town to construct more classrooms and offices to house it next year, the full cost of which would be taken care of by the church and the school.
MAKE VOTERS REGISTER AVAILABLE — NDC (PAGE 17)
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) has asked the Electoral Commission to make available the final electoral register that would be used for the December elections to all the contesting political parties, especially those currently in opposition, at least two months to the elections.
This, according to the NDC, would make it possible for the parties to detect anomalies in the register for the corrections to be made to ensure a credible elections.
The NDC made the request at a press conference in Koforidua on Sunday.
That was after a three-day meeting of five regional chairmen of the party, namely Dr John Abu, Western, Messrs Julius Debrah, Eastern, Modestu Ahiable, Volta, John Owusu Agyeman, Brong Ahafo, Daniel Agyekum, Ashanti and Danny A. Anang, Greater Accra, to examine the circumstances that led to the bloating of the voters’ register, particularly in the Ashanti Region, with the view of ensuring a clean voters’ register in the forthcoming elections.
Mr Debrah, the main spokesman of the chairmen, said the NDC lost the 2004 elections because the voters’ register used for that election which was full of anomalies were not presented to political parties on time to enable them to correct the anomalies.
“We were given the 2004 electoral register less than two weeks to the elections so we could not detect the flaws but this time we will not sit by for the same problem to arise, as such the EC must make available the 2008 electoral register for examination and correction to make it possible for a credible election which result swill be acceptable by all,” Mr Debrah stated.
Asked about what the NDC would do if the final 2008 voters register was not released to the political parties within the stipulated period as being demanded since the EC had made it clear it was facing some financial difficulties, Mr Debrah said the government could call for financial assistance from development partners, adding, that that would go a long way to deepen the country’s democracy.
Failure to do that, he said, would compel the NDC to continue to pressurise the government, adding that the party was not beating war drums but rather taking steps to strengthen democracy for succeeding generations.
Mr Debrah who produced a copy of the 2004 voters’ register in some constituencies in the Western Region containing double registrations involving many voters, said the EC must quickly live up to its responsibility to ensure fairness in the 2008 elections by making available the voters register on time for scrutiny.
For his part, Mr Ohene Agyekum said since the EC had admitted that the present voters’ register for 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region was bloated, and assigned the reasons to an inadequate computer system and human error, it had become clear that some officials at the EC had been manipulating the system in favour of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He, therefore, called for a centralised computer system at the headquarters of the EC to link those in the regions instead of the regions operating in isolation in order to easily detect discrepancies in the voters register.
“So many things went wrong at the 2004 elections which impacted negatively on the NDC and we even doubt the legitimacy of President Kufour’s presidency so we are keeping an eagle eye on the December elections for the country to have credible elections”, he stated.
When it came to his turn, Mr Ahiable said the EC’s explanation that the errors detected in the current electoral register was due to human error was something which should not be accepted because the NDC believed that it was deliberately done to make it impossible for the NDC to win the elections, and called on the EC to take prudent measures to identify its officials who caused the problem to be sanctioned.
‘We are not considering the EC as a corrupt organisation but all that we are saying is that there are some corrupt elements within the EC working for the interest of the NPP and must be dealt with”, Mr Ahiable stated.
This, according to the NDC, would make it possible for the parties to detect anomalies in the register for the corrections to be made to ensure a credible elections.
The NDC made the request at a press conference in Koforidua on Sunday.
That was after a three-day meeting of five regional chairmen of the party, namely Dr John Abu, Western, Messrs Julius Debrah, Eastern, Modestu Ahiable, Volta, John Owusu Agyeman, Brong Ahafo, Daniel Agyekum, Ashanti and Danny A. Anang, Greater Accra, to examine the circumstances that led to the bloating of the voters’ register, particularly in the Ashanti Region, with the view of ensuring a clean voters’ register in the forthcoming elections.
Mr Debrah, the main spokesman of the chairmen, said the NDC lost the 2004 elections because the voters’ register used for that election which was full of anomalies were not presented to political parties on time to enable them to correct the anomalies.
“We were given the 2004 electoral register less than two weeks to the elections so we could not detect the flaws but this time we will not sit by for the same problem to arise, as such the EC must make available the 2008 electoral register for examination and correction to make it possible for a credible election which result swill be acceptable by all,” Mr Debrah stated.
Asked about what the NDC would do if the final 2008 voters register was not released to the political parties within the stipulated period as being demanded since the EC had made it clear it was facing some financial difficulties, Mr Debrah said the government could call for financial assistance from development partners, adding, that that would go a long way to deepen the country’s democracy.
Failure to do that, he said, would compel the NDC to continue to pressurise the government, adding that the party was not beating war drums but rather taking steps to strengthen democracy for succeeding generations.
Mr Debrah who produced a copy of the 2004 voters’ register in some constituencies in the Western Region containing double registrations involving many voters, said the EC must quickly live up to its responsibility to ensure fairness in the 2008 elections by making available the voters register on time for scrutiny.
For his part, Mr Ohene Agyekum said since the EC had admitted that the present voters’ register for 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region was bloated, and assigned the reasons to an inadequate computer system and human error, it had become clear that some officials at the EC had been manipulating the system in favour of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He, therefore, called for a centralised computer system at the headquarters of the EC to link those in the regions instead of the regions operating in isolation in order to easily detect discrepancies in the voters register.
“So many things went wrong at the 2004 elections which impacted negatively on the NDC and we even doubt the legitimacy of President Kufour’s presidency so we are keeping an eagle eye on the December elections for the country to have credible elections”, he stated.
When it came to his turn, Mr Ahiable said the EC’s explanation that the errors detected in the current electoral register was due to human error was something which should not be accepted because the NDC believed that it was deliberately done to make it impossible for the NDC to win the elections, and called on the EC to take prudent measures to identify its officials who caused the problem to be sanctioned.
‘We are not considering the EC as a corrupt organisation but all that we are saying is that there are some corrupt elements within the EC working for the interest of the NPP and must be dealt with”, Mr Ahiable stated.
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