THE Eastern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Julius Debrah, retained his position when he overwhelmingly disposed of his only challenger, Mr Anane Boateng, at the regional congress.
In what seemed to be block voting, Mr Debrah who first assumed the position in 2005, secured 198 votes against 23 obtained by Mr Boateng at the well-attended congress at Somanya.
The peaceful elections which were conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) was witnessed by Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the NDC, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary, and other top officials of the NDC.
For the position of vice chairman, Mr Samuel Kwaku Agyei beat four contestants to secure it while Messrs Anthony Gyampo, Bismark Tawiah Boateng, Yaw Adu Gyamfi and M.M. Doh, who before the elections held the respective positions of secretary, organiser, propaganda secretary and deputy regional secretary beat other contestants to retain their positions.
The positions of treasurer, deputy organiser and deputy treasurer went to Faustina Koranteng Addo, Kodwo Adotey and Abdul Aziz Mohamed respectively.
With regard to the post of youth organiser and women organiser, Mr Kwaku Boateng and Madam Evelyn Korang who contested for the respective positions achieved their objective when the ballots were cast in the Afram Plains District some days ago.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Debrah pledged to lead the new executive to win more people to the party’s fold to win additional parliamentary seats and increase the presidential votes in the region at the 2012 polls.
Both Dr Kwabena Adjei who swore the new executive into office and Osabarima Owusu Gyamadu, a member of the Council of State who was present at the gathering, expressed their satisfaction that the event came off peacefully.
Earlier, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, highlighted the achievements of the NDC in the region for the year, and said a lot of infrastructural amenities, especially roads, had either been constructed or rehabilitated.
Mr Ampofo who indicated that more good things were yet to come, said judged by such credible performance, Ghanaians would definitely vote for the retention of the NDC in 2012.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
UPPER MANYA DISTRICT PROJECTS ON COURSE (PAGE 14, DEC 28)
A NUMBER of development projects that would transform the Upper Manya District unto one of the best in the Eastern Region in terms of social amenities have been completed with others being at the last stages of completion.
The projects, estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of cedis, and being funded by the assembly, the government and donor agencies, include school buildings, roads, clinics, residential accommodation for staff of the assembly.
The district, carved out of the Manya Krobo District less than two years ago, lacked a number of social amenities, especially at Asesewa, the district capital.
In view of that, the district assembly, under the direction of Mr Joseph Tetteh Angmor, the District Chief Executive (DCE), initiated a programme to complete all viable ongoing projects and start new ones in almost all the communities.
Addressing the assembly meeting at Asesewa recently, Mr Angmor told the gathering that many of the projects had already been completed, while many more would be completed and handed over to the beneficiary communities as soon as possible.
He named those completed as streetlights, a clinic and a six-unit classroom block at Apimso, Samlesi and Prekumase respectively. He also mentioned conversion of a palm oil factory into offices at Asesewa and an epicentre at Osonson as well as the Asesewa town roads.
Projects he said were near completion were the conversion of a four-unit classroom block into offices to be used by the assembly at Asesewa, a 16-seater KVIP at Sekesua, a revenue office at Otrokpe, and bungalows for the staff of the assembly at Anyaboni.
In addition, he said, a number of social amenities such as classroom blocks, boreholes and feeder roads had been given out on contract in different parts of the districts, and mentioned the 23.5 kilometre Asesewa-Akrusu, the 26.3 kilometre Sekesua-Adwenso and the 20.2 kilometre Prekumase-Abuatsam roads as some of the projects.
Mr Angmor said the assembly had to hasten the work on the projects to improve the living conditions of the people in the area, one of the most deprived in the region.
With regard to the assembly’s finances, he said it had received a total of GH¢1,363,946.00 as its share of the Common Fund for 2009, while GH¢19,098.00 had been mobilised as an internally generated revenue, which was targeted at GH¢205,200, representing 9.3 per cent of the budgeted figure and was hopeful that more would be added to it by the close of the year.
On the National Youth Employment Programme, the DCE said currently, 234 persons had been engaged in teaching, sanitation and waste management as well as in health modules.
The DCE, who dwelt on other areas, such as afforestation, the National Service Scheme and teenage pregnancy, called on the assembly members, traditional authorities and opinion leaders to support the assembly to carry out its development programme to improve the lot of the people.
The projects, estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of cedis, and being funded by the assembly, the government and donor agencies, include school buildings, roads, clinics, residential accommodation for staff of the assembly.
The district, carved out of the Manya Krobo District less than two years ago, lacked a number of social amenities, especially at Asesewa, the district capital.
In view of that, the district assembly, under the direction of Mr Joseph Tetteh Angmor, the District Chief Executive (DCE), initiated a programme to complete all viable ongoing projects and start new ones in almost all the communities.
Addressing the assembly meeting at Asesewa recently, Mr Angmor told the gathering that many of the projects had already been completed, while many more would be completed and handed over to the beneficiary communities as soon as possible.
He named those completed as streetlights, a clinic and a six-unit classroom block at Apimso, Samlesi and Prekumase respectively. He also mentioned conversion of a palm oil factory into offices at Asesewa and an epicentre at Osonson as well as the Asesewa town roads.
Projects he said were near completion were the conversion of a four-unit classroom block into offices to be used by the assembly at Asesewa, a 16-seater KVIP at Sekesua, a revenue office at Otrokpe, and bungalows for the staff of the assembly at Anyaboni.
In addition, he said, a number of social amenities such as classroom blocks, boreholes and feeder roads had been given out on contract in different parts of the districts, and mentioned the 23.5 kilometre Asesewa-Akrusu, the 26.3 kilometre Sekesua-Adwenso and the 20.2 kilometre Prekumase-Abuatsam roads as some of the projects.
Mr Angmor said the assembly had to hasten the work on the projects to improve the living conditions of the people in the area, one of the most deprived in the region.
With regard to the assembly’s finances, he said it had received a total of GH¢1,363,946.00 as its share of the Common Fund for 2009, while GH¢19,098.00 had been mobilised as an internally generated revenue, which was targeted at GH¢205,200, representing 9.3 per cent of the budgeted figure and was hopeful that more would be added to it by the close of the year.
On the National Youth Employment Programme, the DCE said currently, 234 persons had been engaged in teaching, sanitation and waste management as well as in health modules.
The DCE, who dwelt on other areas, such as afforestation, the National Service Scheme and teenage pregnancy, called on the assembly members, traditional authorities and opinion leaders to support the assembly to carry out its development programme to improve the lot of the people.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
YOUTH ADVISED TO TAKE INSPIRATION IN FARMING (BACK PAGE, DEC 22)
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has advised the youth to take inspiration from the achievements of this year’s national best farmer and go into farming.
He gave the advice when Mr Davies Nene Korboe, the 36-year-old Somanya-based National Best Farmer, called on him at his office in Koforidua at the weekend.
Nene Korboe was accompanied by Messrs Abraham Edusei and Richmond Amponsah, the Eastern Regional Best and Second Best farmers, respectively, for this year and Mr Stephen Agyeman, the region’s best farmer for 2007.
Also present were the Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr K. Ocloo, and other officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, the region had large tracts of arable land and the youth could take inspiration from the achievement of Nene Korboe and go into farming.
That, he said, would not only reduce unemployment among the youth but also enable them to generate appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
“There is dignity in farming and you should take advantage of the large stretch of arable land and go into agriculture to earn a living,” he stated.
The regional minister stated that his administration was prepared to give the necessary incentives to help boost agriculture in the region.
He announced that a group of investors from Italy would soon be in the region to process fruits for export.
For his part, Nene Korboe expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring him, adding that it would not motivate only him but also the youth, particularly those in the Somanya area, to go into farming.
He called on the government to extend facilities offered to cocoa farmers to those cultivating other crops, as well as others in aquaculture and livestock.
Earlier, Mr Ocloo had briefed the regional minister on steps being taken by his outfit to improve crop yield in the districts.
He gave the advice when Mr Davies Nene Korboe, the 36-year-old Somanya-based National Best Farmer, called on him at his office in Koforidua at the weekend.
Nene Korboe was accompanied by Messrs Abraham Edusei and Richmond Amponsah, the Eastern Regional Best and Second Best farmers, respectively, for this year and Mr Stephen Agyeman, the region’s best farmer for 2007.
Also present were the Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr K. Ocloo, and other officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
According to Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, the region had large tracts of arable land and the youth could take inspiration from the achievement of Nene Korboe and go into farming.
That, he said, would not only reduce unemployment among the youth but also enable them to generate appreciable incomes for their livelihood.
“There is dignity in farming and you should take advantage of the large stretch of arable land and go into agriculture to earn a living,” he stated.
The regional minister stated that his administration was prepared to give the necessary incentives to help boost agriculture in the region.
He announced that a group of investors from Italy would soon be in the region to process fruits for export.
For his part, Nene Korboe expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring him, adding that it would not motivate only him but also the youth, particularly those in the Somanya area, to go into farming.
He called on the government to extend facilities offered to cocoa farmers to those cultivating other crops, as well as others in aquaculture and livestock.
Earlier, Mr Ocloo had briefed the regional minister on steps being taken by his outfit to improve crop yield in the districts.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
840 BICYCLES FOR SAAMAN SCHOOLCHILDREN (JUNIOR GRAPHIC, DEC 16, PAGE 3)
Schoolchildren in and around Saaman, a cocoa-growing community, who walk long distances to school will no longer do so.
This is because Cadbury, a cocoa-processing firm, has donated 840 bicycles worth GH¢87,000 to be distributed to schoolchildren in the area.
The children at Saaman and nearby towns and villages usually become very tired on reaching their schools and, therefore, are not able to study.
This situation has adversely affected their studies as most of them perform poorly in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Realising the difficulties the children have been going through, Cadbury decided to come to their rescue with the package dubbed “Cadbury Cocoa Partnership”, the company’s initiative to assist people in cocoa-growing areas, especially schoolchildren, to overcome their difficulties.
The presentation of the bicycles at Saaman turned the small community with about 200 households into jubilation as parents followed their children to receive the bicycles.
The Chief of the town, Barima Okuampa Agyeman, who accompanied the Nkosuohene of Fanteakwa, Nana Antwi Boasiako I, to witness the distribution, described the package as the best to the children since most parents could not afford to pay for the cost of transporting their children to school.
Presenting the bicycles to the children, the General Manager of Cadbury Canada, Mr Gary Scullion, said in all, 5,300 bicycles would be made available to Ghanaian schoolchildren under the initiative to relieve them of their suffering so that they would be able to concentrate on their studies.
The Managing Director of Cadbury Ghana, Mr James Amoateng, said the package, which would cover children of 700,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, would lessen the burden of the farmers and boost their morale to produce more cocoa.
He appealed to the parents and guardians of the schoolchildren to ensure that the bicycles were used for the intended purpose.
Mr Basilio Okello, National Director of World Vision through whom the bicycles were channelled for distribution to the children, said pupils who cover at least a kilometre or more would benefit from the package.
The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership package has won the admiration of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Fanteakwa, Mr Abass Fuseini Sbaabe, who described the initiative as one of the best to improve the standard of education in the district.
The DCE who stated that the government was also doing its best to improve education, appealed to development partners to help in the crusade against HIV/AIDS in the
district.
This is because Cadbury, a cocoa-processing firm, has donated 840 bicycles worth GH¢87,000 to be distributed to schoolchildren in the area.
The children at Saaman and nearby towns and villages usually become very tired on reaching their schools and, therefore, are not able to study.
This situation has adversely affected their studies as most of them perform poorly in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Realising the difficulties the children have been going through, Cadbury decided to come to their rescue with the package dubbed “Cadbury Cocoa Partnership”, the company’s initiative to assist people in cocoa-growing areas, especially schoolchildren, to overcome their difficulties.
The presentation of the bicycles at Saaman turned the small community with about 200 households into jubilation as parents followed their children to receive the bicycles.
The Chief of the town, Barima Okuampa Agyeman, who accompanied the Nkosuohene of Fanteakwa, Nana Antwi Boasiako I, to witness the distribution, described the package as the best to the children since most parents could not afford to pay for the cost of transporting their children to school.
Presenting the bicycles to the children, the General Manager of Cadbury Canada, Mr Gary Scullion, said in all, 5,300 bicycles would be made available to Ghanaian schoolchildren under the initiative to relieve them of their suffering so that they would be able to concentrate on their studies.
The Managing Director of Cadbury Ghana, Mr James Amoateng, said the package, which would cover children of 700,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, would lessen the burden of the farmers and boost their morale to produce more cocoa.
He appealed to the parents and guardians of the schoolchildren to ensure that the bicycles were used for the intended purpose.
Mr Basilio Okello, National Director of World Vision through whom the bicycles were channelled for distribution to the children, said pupils who cover at least a kilometre or more would benefit from the package.
The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership package has won the admiration of the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Fanteakwa, Mr Abass Fuseini Sbaabe, who described the initiative as one of the best to improve the standard of education in the district.
The DCE who stated that the government was also doing its best to improve education, appealed to development partners to help in the crusade against HIV/AIDS in the
district.
KOFORIDUA APOSTOLICS LAUNCH 75TH ANNIVERSARY (PAGE 20 DEC 16)
The Koforidua area of the Apostolic Church of Ghana last Sunday launched the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the church in Ghana.
The first church was planted at Asamankese in 1935.
Representatives from all branches in the area, led by their pastors and elders, attended the function, which took place at the regional chapel.
Briefing the congregation on the establishment of the church in the area, Elder J.K. Obeng of the Central Assembly, said although missionaries from Bradford in the United Kingdom arrived in the country in 1935 and settled at Asamankese the same year, it was in 1939 that they went to Abisim, a small village near Koforidua, which could only be reached by a foot path.
According to him, with the help of the first local converts, the early British missionaries managed to spread the gospel to Suhum in 1942, and Jumapo near Koforidua in 1947, where churches were planted and a lot of people admitted into the Apostolic fold.
He said the church, which started with a handful of converts, now had a membership running into thousands, with many branches in many towns and communities in the region.
One of the surviving pioneers of the church, Pastor D.T. Tenobi, recounted the difficulties the early missionaries and the local church leaders went through, some at the peril of their lives, and said in all cases, they were successful.
The Head of the Koforidua Area, Apostle J.K. Addey, who launched the anniversary, led the gathering to observe a minute’s silence in memory of all the departed men and women, whose efforts made it possible for the church to be firmly rooted in the area.
In a sermon based on Psalm 78: 38 and Deuteronomy Chapter 33, Apostle Addey entreated the congregation to build upon the gains made by the early missionaries and converts by drawing more people into its fold.
Apostle Addey, who indicated that the church would now concentrate more on voluntary work to improve upon living conditions in communities in the Koforidua area, said the spiritual needs of its members would also be taken care of at all times.
The first church was planted at Asamankese in 1935.
Representatives from all branches in the area, led by their pastors and elders, attended the function, which took place at the regional chapel.
Briefing the congregation on the establishment of the church in the area, Elder J.K. Obeng of the Central Assembly, said although missionaries from Bradford in the United Kingdom arrived in the country in 1935 and settled at Asamankese the same year, it was in 1939 that they went to Abisim, a small village near Koforidua, which could only be reached by a foot path.
According to him, with the help of the first local converts, the early British missionaries managed to spread the gospel to Suhum in 1942, and Jumapo near Koforidua in 1947, where churches were planted and a lot of people admitted into the Apostolic fold.
He said the church, which started with a handful of converts, now had a membership running into thousands, with many branches in many towns and communities in the region.
One of the surviving pioneers of the church, Pastor D.T. Tenobi, recounted the difficulties the early missionaries and the local church leaders went through, some at the peril of their lives, and said in all cases, they were successful.
The Head of the Koforidua Area, Apostle J.K. Addey, who launched the anniversary, led the gathering to observe a minute’s silence in memory of all the departed men and women, whose efforts made it possible for the church to be firmly rooted in the area.
In a sermon based on Psalm 78: 38 and Deuteronomy Chapter 33, Apostle Addey entreated the congregation to build upon the gains made by the early missionaries and converts by drawing more people into its fold.
Apostle Addey, who indicated that the church would now concentrate more on voluntary work to improve upon living conditions in communities in the Koforidua area, said the spiritual needs of its members would also be taken care of at all times.
OKYEAME AKUFFO BOUNCES BACK (PAGE 20, DEC 16)
After sojourning in the United States for over 16 years, Okyeame Kwasi Akuffo, a former State Linguist, is now back home.
Okyeame Akuffo, noted for customary recitals and appellations at state functions, funerals, engagements and other social gatherings, said he had decided to come home to help promote the country’s traditions.
The middle-aged traditionalist who was once a research assistant at the Centre for National Culture, Accra, and guest lecturer at the Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon, had in the 1980s and 1990s held audiences spell-bound with his appellations and tributes in Twi and other languages, highlighting traditional practices in almost all the ethnic groups in the country.
Explaining why he decided to come back home after a long sojourn in the United States, Okyeame Akuffo, who is currently based at Tutu on the Akuapem Scarp, said “the rich clauses and phrases in Twi and other Ghanaian languages are being replaced by English, and we should not let the science of our languages be destroyed by the language of those who colonised us”.
“Now, hardly will Ghanaians speak the local languages without lacing the speeches with such English words as hospital, post office, car, bus and milk, but we have words for such items in the local languages, which I am here to promote,” Okyeame Akuffo stated.
Okyeame Akuffo, who while in the US, lectured on Ghanaian culture during the Black History months of February and performed at various functions, including visits of former President Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman, said he had managed to portray to the outside world that Ghana had a rich culture to sustain.
He called on Ghanaians, especially the youth, to go by the Ghanaian culture in whatever they did, particularly the way of dressing and to avoid using English words when speaking the vernacular.
Okyeame Akuffo, noted for customary recitals and appellations at state functions, funerals, engagements and other social gatherings, said he had decided to come home to help promote the country’s traditions.
The middle-aged traditionalist who was once a research assistant at the Centre for National Culture, Accra, and guest lecturer at the Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon, had in the 1980s and 1990s held audiences spell-bound with his appellations and tributes in Twi and other languages, highlighting traditional practices in almost all the ethnic groups in the country.
Explaining why he decided to come back home after a long sojourn in the United States, Okyeame Akuffo, who is currently based at Tutu on the Akuapem Scarp, said “the rich clauses and phrases in Twi and other Ghanaian languages are being replaced by English, and we should not let the science of our languages be destroyed by the language of those who colonised us”.
“Now, hardly will Ghanaians speak the local languages without lacing the speeches with such English words as hospital, post office, car, bus and milk, but we have words for such items in the local languages, which I am here to promote,” Okyeame Akuffo stated.
Okyeame Akuffo, who while in the US, lectured on Ghanaian culture during the Black History months of February and performed at various functions, including visits of former President Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman, said he had managed to portray to the outside world that Ghana had a rich culture to sustain.
He called on Ghanaians, especially the youth, to go by the Ghanaian culture in whatever they did, particularly the way of dressing and to avoid using English words when speaking the vernacular.
KWAHU PRASO RURAL BANK IMPROVES COMMUNITIES (PAGE 20, DEC 16)
The Kwahu Traditional Area, especially the Kwahu South District, which until three years ago included Nkawkaw, a fast-growing municipality, is full of traders who deal in various merchandise.
The activities of these traders, whose shops were in Nkawkaw, Mpraeso and such big towns as Nkwatia, Obomeng, Obo and Kwahu Tafo have turned such towns into commercial centres, attracting all sorts of people.
The area is also endowed with arable land suitable for the cultivation of various crops such as tiger nuts, plantain, cereals, yam, cocoyam and cassava, so a lot of the inhabitants have gone into farming for livelihood.
A few others have also gone into transport business, operating all types of vehicles which convey passengers and cart goods all over the country.
However, despite the resourcefulness of the traders, transporters and farmers, not many have been able to expand their enterprises over the years.
That is because there was no financial institution that offered micro-credit facilities to support such small and medium-scale businesses.
While some of the shops remain virtually empty at certain periods of the year, farming activities do not progress and are at the subsistence level or small holdings to feed the families of the farmers, leaving very little for the market.
Those in the transport business cannot purchase new vehicles and have to make do with rickety vehicles, which most often, break down.
As a result, most of the enterprises cannot raise the required revenue to adequately meet the needs of their owners and dependants, so poverty is the order of the day, especially in the rural communities which rely solely on farming.
To reverse the situation in the area, especially in Kwahu Praso and its surrounding communities, which are noted for their food cultivation, a group of retired civil servants - Oppong Kissi, D. K. Dobreh and Yaw Kissi, all residents of Obo and of blessed memory and a prominent farmer, Mr E. A. Mensah, came out with the idea of establishing a rural bank to boost economic activities in the area.
The bank was also to cater for the domestic needs of the people as well as support the education of children or wards of customers and workers.
The bank, which was established in 1982 at Kwahu Praso, was named after the town, Kwahu Praso Rural Bank.
Credit facilities
To fulfil its objectives, the bank, which started its operations on a modest note, has grown over the years and started offering credit facilities to the people.
The beneficiaries include farmers, traders and operators of transport services and other categories of customers such as workers, who benefit from all sorts of facilities, ranging from salary advances and loans to support their education.
Parents, especially those in subsistence farming, who under normal circumstance cannot afford to pay for the education of their children or wards, have also, over the years, been granted loans to meet such needs.
The most significant aspect of the bank’s loan portfolio is that it keeps increasing each passing year.
For instance, in 2007, the bank gave out GH¢204,822.00 as loans and advances to its customers. That increased to GH¢363,780 the following year.
Out of the amount given out in 2008, GH¢45,030 went into agriculture (food crop production and maintenance of cocoa farms,) GH¢50,300 to transport services; GH¢5,200.00 into cottage industries; GH¢62,700.00 went into education, while GH¢79,440.00 was made available for other customers to take care of their various needs.
Catchment area
According to the Supervising Manager, Mr Kwame Owusu Ansah, the bank had this year given out macrofinancing packages totally GH¢70,902 to small-scale groups with membership of about 25. In all, 202 people from the bank’s catchment area have benefited from that facility.
“We have also assisted the Kwahu Praso, Nkawkaw-Koforidua, Nkawkaw-Accra Station B branches of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to own new vehicles for commercial purposes, while many people have also been supported to expand their businesses, farms and other micro or medium-sized enterprises.
“In addition to that, an amount of GH¢62,700 has been given out as salary advances and personal loans, which has made it possible for the beneficiaries to improve on their lot, particularly in education,” Mr Owusu Ansah stated.
Three women at Nnadieso, Madam Yaa Aboagyewaa, Dora Fremah and Helen Akyaa, who had between GH¢800 and GH¢1,000 as loans to support their businesses, were full of praise for the bank, but wished the amount should be increased.
The Chairman of the Nkawkaw-Koforidua branch of the GPRTU, Mr Ernest Ansong, whose outfit also took some of the loans, said the union would go in for more of such facilities.
With regard to its social responsibility, the Kwahu Praso Rural Bank has also done a lot with a yearly support, either in cash or in kind to the communities.
For example, this year, the bank donated constructional materials for the rehabilitation of a kindergarten at Kwahu Praso, supplied electric bulbs for street lights at Muramura, a farming community near Kwahu Praso, and also donated crocodile machetes to the Kwahu South and Kwahu East districts to be given out as prizes at the recently organised Farmers Day in the two districts.
The bank is also currently supporting the Kwahu South District Assembly to construct a lorry park and durbar ground for Kwahu Praso.
To improve its services, the bank, which has two mobilisation centres at Prah River and Suminakese, will be rehabilitating its agencies at Obo, Nkawkaw, Nkwatia and complete its computerisation programme to link the agencies with its headquarters. It will also continue with the periodical training of the staff.
The bank has been able to offer credit facilities and honoured its social responsibility due to the significant contributions of the board members, namely Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Chairman; Madam Grace Boateng, Vice Chairperson; Messrs Fred Adu Dwumor, Samuel Darfour, J.K. Boakye, Board Secretary, Chairman of Finance Committee and Chairman of the Human Resource Committee respectively.
The prudent measures outlined in the boardroom, which were vigorously implemented, have increased the fortunes of the bank tremendously.
For instance, its deposits grew from GH¢465,790 in 2005 to GH¢556,775.00 in 2006 and GH¢714,490.00 in 2007, and then to GH¢919,231.00 in 2008.
Its pre-tax profit also rose from GH¢12,556.00 in 2006 to GH¢35,237.00 in 2007 and GH¢29,302.00 in 2008.
The activities of these traders, whose shops were in Nkawkaw, Mpraeso and such big towns as Nkwatia, Obomeng, Obo and Kwahu Tafo have turned such towns into commercial centres, attracting all sorts of people.
The area is also endowed with arable land suitable for the cultivation of various crops such as tiger nuts, plantain, cereals, yam, cocoyam and cassava, so a lot of the inhabitants have gone into farming for livelihood.
A few others have also gone into transport business, operating all types of vehicles which convey passengers and cart goods all over the country.
However, despite the resourcefulness of the traders, transporters and farmers, not many have been able to expand their enterprises over the years.
That is because there was no financial institution that offered micro-credit facilities to support such small and medium-scale businesses.
While some of the shops remain virtually empty at certain periods of the year, farming activities do not progress and are at the subsistence level or small holdings to feed the families of the farmers, leaving very little for the market.
Those in the transport business cannot purchase new vehicles and have to make do with rickety vehicles, which most often, break down.
As a result, most of the enterprises cannot raise the required revenue to adequately meet the needs of their owners and dependants, so poverty is the order of the day, especially in the rural communities which rely solely on farming.
To reverse the situation in the area, especially in Kwahu Praso and its surrounding communities, which are noted for their food cultivation, a group of retired civil servants - Oppong Kissi, D. K. Dobreh and Yaw Kissi, all residents of Obo and of blessed memory and a prominent farmer, Mr E. A. Mensah, came out with the idea of establishing a rural bank to boost economic activities in the area.
The bank was also to cater for the domestic needs of the people as well as support the education of children or wards of customers and workers.
The bank, which was established in 1982 at Kwahu Praso, was named after the town, Kwahu Praso Rural Bank.
Credit facilities
To fulfil its objectives, the bank, which started its operations on a modest note, has grown over the years and started offering credit facilities to the people.
The beneficiaries include farmers, traders and operators of transport services and other categories of customers such as workers, who benefit from all sorts of facilities, ranging from salary advances and loans to support their education.
Parents, especially those in subsistence farming, who under normal circumstance cannot afford to pay for the education of their children or wards, have also, over the years, been granted loans to meet such needs.
The most significant aspect of the bank’s loan portfolio is that it keeps increasing each passing year.
For instance, in 2007, the bank gave out GH¢204,822.00 as loans and advances to its customers. That increased to GH¢363,780 the following year.
Out of the amount given out in 2008, GH¢45,030 went into agriculture (food crop production and maintenance of cocoa farms,) GH¢50,300 to transport services; GH¢5,200.00 into cottage industries; GH¢62,700.00 went into education, while GH¢79,440.00 was made available for other customers to take care of their various needs.
Catchment area
According to the Supervising Manager, Mr Kwame Owusu Ansah, the bank had this year given out macrofinancing packages totally GH¢70,902 to small-scale groups with membership of about 25. In all, 202 people from the bank’s catchment area have benefited from that facility.
“We have also assisted the Kwahu Praso, Nkawkaw-Koforidua, Nkawkaw-Accra Station B branches of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to own new vehicles for commercial purposes, while many people have also been supported to expand their businesses, farms and other micro or medium-sized enterprises.
“In addition to that, an amount of GH¢62,700 has been given out as salary advances and personal loans, which has made it possible for the beneficiaries to improve on their lot, particularly in education,” Mr Owusu Ansah stated.
Three women at Nnadieso, Madam Yaa Aboagyewaa, Dora Fremah and Helen Akyaa, who had between GH¢800 and GH¢1,000 as loans to support their businesses, were full of praise for the bank, but wished the amount should be increased.
The Chairman of the Nkawkaw-Koforidua branch of the GPRTU, Mr Ernest Ansong, whose outfit also took some of the loans, said the union would go in for more of such facilities.
With regard to its social responsibility, the Kwahu Praso Rural Bank has also done a lot with a yearly support, either in cash or in kind to the communities.
For example, this year, the bank donated constructional materials for the rehabilitation of a kindergarten at Kwahu Praso, supplied electric bulbs for street lights at Muramura, a farming community near Kwahu Praso, and also donated crocodile machetes to the Kwahu South and Kwahu East districts to be given out as prizes at the recently organised Farmers Day in the two districts.
The bank is also currently supporting the Kwahu South District Assembly to construct a lorry park and durbar ground for Kwahu Praso.
To improve its services, the bank, which has two mobilisation centres at Prah River and Suminakese, will be rehabilitating its agencies at Obo, Nkawkaw, Nkwatia and complete its computerisation programme to link the agencies with its headquarters. It will also continue with the periodical training of the staff.
The bank has been able to offer credit facilities and honoured its social responsibility due to the significant contributions of the board members, namely Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Chairman; Madam Grace Boateng, Vice Chairperson; Messrs Fred Adu Dwumor, Samuel Darfour, J.K. Boakye, Board Secretary, Chairman of Finance Committee and Chairman of the Human Resource Committee respectively.
The prudent measures outlined in the boardroom, which were vigorously implemented, have increased the fortunes of the bank tremendously.
For instance, its deposits grew from GH¢465,790 in 2005 to GH¢556,775.00 in 2006 and GH¢714,490.00 in 2007, and then to GH¢919,231.00 in 2008.
Its pre-tax profit also rose from GH¢12,556.00 in 2006 to GH¢35,237.00 in 2007 and GH¢29,302.00 in 2008.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
INTENSIFY EDUCATION TO CURB SPREAD OF HIV (PAGE 11, DEC 15)
THE DEPUTY Eastern Regional Minister, Muhammed Ahmed Baba Jamal, has called on the media and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to intensify educational campaigns on negative cultural practices that contribute to the spread of HIV AIDS.
He said research had shown that by their biological nature, women were more prone to HIV infection than men when they engaged in unprotected sex, and that situation had been compounded due to a number of cultural practices and factors which militate against women’s rights.
Baba Jamal made the call when he addressed a public forum on HIV AIDS and violence against women in Koforidua. The event was organised by Ark Foundation, an NGO dedicated to the welfare of women and children.
He made reference to the widowhood rites that compelled widows to marry a relative of their deceased husband, the social norm that makes women submissive to men, as well as women’s inability to negotiate for safe sex, as some of the risk factors that exposed women to the virus.
He said such a culture had allowed men to take undue advantage of women in matters relating to sex and that had accounted for the spread of HIV, particularly among women.
The deputy regional minister expressed his appreciation about the role being played by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service other law enforcing agencies, civil society groups, especially the Ark Foundation to address the issues.
The Eastern Regional Director of DOVVSU, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Eunice Annor and Madam Hillary Gbedemah, a legal practitioner, took the gathering through the various aspects of domestic violence and how it related the spread of HIV.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Madam Angela Dwamena Aboagye said her outfit would continue to organise advocacy programmes on the issues and also ensure the implementation of policies that would help address the problems.
This, she indicated had become necessary because a lot of women and children needed to be protected from domestic violence, as a positive step towards the HIV response programme.
He said research had shown that by their biological nature, women were more prone to HIV infection than men when they engaged in unprotected sex, and that situation had been compounded due to a number of cultural practices and factors which militate against women’s rights.
Baba Jamal made the call when he addressed a public forum on HIV AIDS and violence against women in Koforidua. The event was organised by Ark Foundation, an NGO dedicated to the welfare of women and children.
He made reference to the widowhood rites that compelled widows to marry a relative of their deceased husband, the social norm that makes women submissive to men, as well as women’s inability to negotiate for safe sex, as some of the risk factors that exposed women to the virus.
He said such a culture had allowed men to take undue advantage of women in matters relating to sex and that had accounted for the spread of HIV, particularly among women.
The deputy regional minister expressed his appreciation about the role being played by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service other law enforcing agencies, civil society groups, especially the Ark Foundation to address the issues.
The Eastern Regional Director of DOVVSU, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Eunice Annor and Madam Hillary Gbedemah, a legal practitioner, took the gathering through the various aspects of domestic violence and how it related the spread of HIV.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Madam Angela Dwamena Aboagye said her outfit would continue to organise advocacy programmes on the issues and also ensure the implementation of policies that would help address the problems.
This, she indicated had become necessary because a lot of women and children needed to be protected from domestic violence, as a positive step towards the HIV response programme.
Monday, December 14, 2009
POLYTECHNICS MUST CONCENTRATE ON RESEARCH...Urges President Mills (PAGE 11, DEC 14)
PRESIDENT JOHN Evans Atta Mills has charged polytechnics in the country to concentrate on research, as well as the training of career-oriented human capital required for accelerated development.
He said that was critical because practical orientation of polytechnic training made it the primary avenue for the development of skills for business and industry.
The President also stressed the need for polytechnic education to be developed as a credible alternative to other forms of tertiary education focusing on the practical aspects of training of students.
The President made the remarks in an address read on his behalf by the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, at the 7th congregation of the Koforidua Polytechnic at the weekend.
In all, 915 students, out of which 15 had first class honours graduated in various programmes at the Higher National Diploma (HND) level and were presented with certificates. The ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
He emphasised that the Competency-Based Training (CBT) method being introduced into the polytechnics, including the Koforidua Polytechnic, would equip their products with entrepreneurial capacity to enable them to set up their own businesses to be employers rather than employees.
President Mills said it was in that respect that the government was fully resourcing the polytechnics, including the Koforidua Polytechnic which he said had been recently allocated GH¢1.4 million by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the construction of infrastructural amenities and development of the capacity of staff.
The President congratulated the graduates for their successes and advised them to look into the future with determination, and advised them to use the knowledge acquired to serve the nation and humanity in general.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr George Afrane, said the polytechnic, which was established in 1997 with a handful of students who studied Marketing, Purchasing and Supply now had a student population of 4,174 pursuing various programmes at various levels.
In addition, he said the polytechnic was running distance learning centres at Oda and Nkawkaw, and that it had planned to extend such centres to other towns in the region.
A long vacation programme, he said, was also being organised for workers within the New Juaben Municipality.
Dr Afrane who expressed satisfaction with the performance of the academic staff and the students, said such an achievement was due to the disciplinary measures instituted, and gave an assurance that the required security measures were being taken to ensure that its certificates which were being awarded internally would continue to be recognised as those of any other government tertiary educational institution in the country.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the polytechnic, Nana Nkwantabisa lll said with the passage of the New Polytechnic Law 2007 (Act 745), the focus and the expected output from the polytechnics had received a new focus which demanded that drastic and concerted efforts on the part of all stakeholders should be made towards achieving the noble goal of providing the requisite enabling environment for teaching, learning and research.
He stated that the academic autonomy enjoyed by polytechnics under the law equally necessitated a shift towards providing the condition of service package that would retain staff and attract top-class students, and that the initiative had turned Koforidua Polytechnic into a centre of excellence.
He said that was critical because practical orientation of polytechnic training made it the primary avenue for the development of skills for business and industry.
The President also stressed the need for polytechnic education to be developed as a credible alternative to other forms of tertiary education focusing on the practical aspects of training of students.
The President made the remarks in an address read on his behalf by the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, at the 7th congregation of the Koforidua Polytechnic at the weekend.
In all, 915 students, out of which 15 had first class honours graduated in various programmes at the Higher National Diploma (HND) level and were presented with certificates. The ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
He emphasised that the Competency-Based Training (CBT) method being introduced into the polytechnics, including the Koforidua Polytechnic, would equip their products with entrepreneurial capacity to enable them to set up their own businesses to be employers rather than employees.
President Mills said it was in that respect that the government was fully resourcing the polytechnics, including the Koforidua Polytechnic which he said had been recently allocated GH¢1.4 million by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the construction of infrastructural amenities and development of the capacity of staff.
The President congratulated the graduates for their successes and advised them to look into the future with determination, and advised them to use the knowledge acquired to serve the nation and humanity in general.
The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr George Afrane, said the polytechnic, which was established in 1997 with a handful of students who studied Marketing, Purchasing and Supply now had a student population of 4,174 pursuing various programmes at various levels.
In addition, he said the polytechnic was running distance learning centres at Oda and Nkawkaw, and that it had planned to extend such centres to other towns in the region.
A long vacation programme, he said, was also being organised for workers within the New Juaben Municipality.
Dr Afrane who expressed satisfaction with the performance of the academic staff and the students, said such an achievement was due to the disciplinary measures instituted, and gave an assurance that the required security measures were being taken to ensure that its certificates which were being awarded internally would continue to be recognised as those of any other government tertiary educational institution in the country.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the polytechnic, Nana Nkwantabisa lll said with the passage of the New Polytechnic Law 2007 (Act 745), the focus and the expected output from the polytechnics had received a new focus which demanded that drastic and concerted efforts on the part of all stakeholders should be made towards achieving the noble goal of providing the requisite enabling environment for teaching, learning and research.
He stated that the academic autonomy enjoyed by polytechnics under the law equally necessitated a shift towards providing the condition of service package that would retain staff and attract top-class students, and that the initiative had turned Koforidua Polytechnic into a centre of excellence.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
HELP CHECK FALLING STANDARD OF EDUCATION (PAGE 14, DEC 12)
THE VICE President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has asked the people of Okere and the entire Akuapem area of the Eastern Region to identify the main factors that have in recent times contributed to the falling standard of education in the area.
That, according to him would make it possible to reverse the trend, which he said had dented the image of Akuapem as the cradle of education in the country.
The Akuapem area in recent times has witnessed an abysmal performance of pupils in the BECE , some of the junior high schools scoring zero per cent.
Mr Mahama made the remark when he addressed the annual Odwira Festival of the people of Okere at Adukrom, the traditional headquarters, recently.
According to the Vice President every child had the capacity to develop academically but that could not be possible due to a number of factors such as inability of teachers to properly guide them, inadequate educational materials or infrastructure and failure of parents to ensure that their children or wards would be regular at school.
Mr Mahama who cited a school which scored zero per cent at the BECE in the Central Region but scored 100 per cent the following year after the factors militating against the performance of the pupils were identified and rectified.
He also announced various initiatives such as the construction of police stations, one at Adukrom, and the putting up of a girls’ dormitory for the Nifa Senior High School to replace the current structure being used by the girls, which is close to that of the boys.
Mr Mahama also commended the chief of Okere, Osuodumgya Otutu Kono III, for leading his people to undertake a number of projects in the area to improve the lot of the people.
Osuodumgya Otutu Kono who had set up a foundation to assist needy pupils and students in the area deplored the low performance of pupils at the BECE and asked parents and teachers as well as the government to see how best to address the issue.
He also called on the government to expedite work on the construction of the girls’ dormitory at the Nifa SHS, a police station at Adukrom as well as other social amenities that would improve the lot of the people.
He further solicited for government assistance to resolve the protracted chieftancy dispute in the Akuapem area which according to him if not resolved on time had the tendency of disturbing the peace of the area.
That, according to him would make it possible to reverse the trend, which he said had dented the image of Akuapem as the cradle of education in the country.
The Akuapem area in recent times has witnessed an abysmal performance of pupils in the BECE , some of the junior high schools scoring zero per cent.
Mr Mahama made the remark when he addressed the annual Odwira Festival of the people of Okere at Adukrom, the traditional headquarters, recently.
According to the Vice President every child had the capacity to develop academically but that could not be possible due to a number of factors such as inability of teachers to properly guide them, inadequate educational materials or infrastructure and failure of parents to ensure that their children or wards would be regular at school.
Mr Mahama who cited a school which scored zero per cent at the BECE in the Central Region but scored 100 per cent the following year after the factors militating against the performance of the pupils were identified and rectified.
He also announced various initiatives such as the construction of police stations, one at Adukrom, and the putting up of a girls’ dormitory for the Nifa Senior High School to replace the current structure being used by the girls, which is close to that of the boys.
Mr Mahama also commended the chief of Okere, Osuodumgya Otutu Kono III, for leading his people to undertake a number of projects in the area to improve the lot of the people.
Osuodumgya Otutu Kono who had set up a foundation to assist needy pupils and students in the area deplored the low performance of pupils at the BECE and asked parents and teachers as well as the government to see how best to address the issue.
He also called on the government to expedite work on the construction of the girls’ dormitory at the Nifa SHS, a police station at Adukrom as well as other social amenities that would improve the lot of the people.
He further solicited for government assistance to resolve the protracted chieftancy dispute in the Akuapem area which according to him if not resolved on time had the tendency of disturbing the peace of the area.
APPAW-GYASI TO CONTEST NPP NEW JUABEN SOUTH (PAGE 13, DEC 12)
A 42-year-old Koforidua businessman, Mr Ike Appaw-Gyasi, has declared his intention to contest the chairmanship of the New Juaben South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Appaw-Gyasi, who is currently the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NPP and was in the campaign teams of both former President J.A. Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s flag bearer for the 2008 elections, made his intention known at a press conference in Koforidua.
He said he had decided to take up the mantle to resolve the differences in the party in the constituency and unite the rank and file not only to retain the seat but also ensure that the party overwhelmingly won the presidential votes in the area in the 2012 general election.
To achieve that purpose, Mr Appaw-Gyasi, who stated that he did not belong to any perceived faction within the party in the constituency, said if elected chairman, he would immediately call for a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve internal differences.
He further stated that the party’s polling station executives and foot soldiers, who would benefit from training programmes to sharpen their skills for the 2010 polls, would also be taken good care of in all aspects, adding that the “winner-takes-all” syndrome would be a thing of the past under his chairmanship.
He said nobody within the NPP should be left out in carrying out the party’s good agenda for the 2010 elections and that he had positioned himself to lead the party to accomplish its agenda at the constituency level.
He, therefore, called for support from the rank and file of the party to enable him to execute his initiatives to improve the fortunes of the party for a resounding victory in 2012.
Mr Appaw-Gyasi, who is currently the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NPP and was in the campaign teams of both former President J.A. Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s flag bearer for the 2008 elections, made his intention known at a press conference in Koforidua.
He said he had decided to take up the mantle to resolve the differences in the party in the constituency and unite the rank and file not only to retain the seat but also ensure that the party overwhelmingly won the presidential votes in the area in the 2012 general election.
To achieve that purpose, Mr Appaw-Gyasi, who stated that he did not belong to any perceived faction within the party in the constituency, said if elected chairman, he would immediately call for a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve internal differences.
He further stated that the party’s polling station executives and foot soldiers, who would benefit from training programmes to sharpen their skills for the 2010 polls, would also be taken good care of in all aspects, adding that the “winner-takes-all” syndrome would be a thing of the past under his chairmanship.
He said nobody within the NPP should be left out in carrying out the party’s good agenda for the 2010 elections and that he had positioned himself to lead the party to accomplish its agenda at the constituency level.
He, therefore, called for support from the rank and file of the party to enable him to execute his initiatives to improve the fortunes of the party for a resounding victory in 2012.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
CADBURY GIVES BIKES TO SAAMAN PUPILS (PAGE 22, DEC 5)
SCHOOLCHILDREN in and around Saaman, a cocoa-growing community, who normally walk long distances to school, would no longer do so.
This is because Cadbury, a cocoa procession firm, has donated 840 bicycles worth GH¢87,000 to be given out free to schoolchildren in the area.
Saaman, which is situated in the cocoa belt in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region, has a junior high school and a number of primary schools.
Other towns and villages within the vicinity also have such schools and because most of the children come from villages and hamlets kilometres away, they have to cover the long distances by foot to and from school each day.
The children normally become too tired on reaching school so they are not able to pay attention properly during classes while at home after classes they cannot also go through their study notes due to tiredness.
Such a situation has adversely affected their studies as most of them perform poorly in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).
Realising the difficulties the children have been going through, Cadbury decided to come to their rescue with the package dubbed: “Cadbury Cocoa Partnership”. This is the company’s initiative to assist people in cocoa-growing areas, especially schoolchildren, to overcome their difficulties.
The presentation of the bicycles at Saaman turned the small community with about 200 households into jubilation as parents followed their schoolchildren to the spot where the bicycles were distributed.
The chief of the town, Barima Okuampa Agyeman, who accompanied the Nkosuohene of Fanteakwa, Nana Antwi Boasiako I, to witness the distribution of the bicycles, described the package as the best for the children, since most parents living along the road could not afford to pay for the transport cost of their children to go to school.
Parents whose children use footpaths were also appreciative because the bicycles can go through the meandering paths with ease to enable the children to attend classes on time.
Presenting the bicycles to the children, the General Manager of Cadbury Canada, (the mother company), Mr Gary Scullion, said in all 5,300 bicycles would be made available to Ghanaian schoolchildren under the initiative to alleviate their suffering so that they would be able to concentrate on their studies.
The Managing Director of Cadbury Ghana, Mr James Amoateng, said the package, which would cover children of 700,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, would lessen the burden of the farmers and boost their morale to produce more cocoa.
He appealed to the parents and guardians of the schoolchildren to ensure that the bicycles were used for the intended purpose.
Mr Basilio Okello, the National Director of World Vision, through which the bicycles were channelled, said pupils who covered at least a kilometre or more would benefit from the package.
The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership package has won the admiration of the Fanteakwa District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Abass Fuseini Shaabe, who described the initiative as one of the best to improve the standard of education in communities in the district which produce mainly cocoa.
He said the gesture from Cadbury was borne out of the company’s love for children and the district. Cadbury is also sinking 10 wells to provide the people with potable water.
The DCE, who stated that the government was also doing the best to improve education in the area, appealed to the country’s development partners to help wage a crusade against HIV/AIDS in the district.
He expressed his appreciation to Cadbury International, World Vision, VSO, Care International, as well as individuals who had helped to improve the lot of the people in the area.
This is because Cadbury, a cocoa procession firm, has donated 840 bicycles worth GH¢87,000 to be given out free to schoolchildren in the area.
Saaman, which is situated in the cocoa belt in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region, has a junior high school and a number of primary schools.
Other towns and villages within the vicinity also have such schools and because most of the children come from villages and hamlets kilometres away, they have to cover the long distances by foot to and from school each day.
The children normally become too tired on reaching school so they are not able to pay attention properly during classes while at home after classes they cannot also go through their study notes due to tiredness.
Such a situation has adversely affected their studies as most of them perform poorly in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).
Realising the difficulties the children have been going through, Cadbury decided to come to their rescue with the package dubbed: “Cadbury Cocoa Partnership”. This is the company’s initiative to assist people in cocoa-growing areas, especially schoolchildren, to overcome their difficulties.
The presentation of the bicycles at Saaman turned the small community with about 200 households into jubilation as parents followed their schoolchildren to the spot where the bicycles were distributed.
The chief of the town, Barima Okuampa Agyeman, who accompanied the Nkosuohene of Fanteakwa, Nana Antwi Boasiako I, to witness the distribution of the bicycles, described the package as the best for the children, since most parents living along the road could not afford to pay for the transport cost of their children to go to school.
Parents whose children use footpaths were also appreciative because the bicycles can go through the meandering paths with ease to enable the children to attend classes on time.
Presenting the bicycles to the children, the General Manager of Cadbury Canada, (the mother company), Mr Gary Scullion, said in all 5,300 bicycles would be made available to Ghanaian schoolchildren under the initiative to alleviate their suffering so that they would be able to concentrate on their studies.
The Managing Director of Cadbury Ghana, Mr James Amoateng, said the package, which would cover children of 700,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana, would lessen the burden of the farmers and boost their morale to produce more cocoa.
He appealed to the parents and guardians of the schoolchildren to ensure that the bicycles were used for the intended purpose.
Mr Basilio Okello, the National Director of World Vision, through which the bicycles were channelled, said pupils who covered at least a kilometre or more would benefit from the package.
The Cadbury Cocoa Partnership package has won the admiration of the Fanteakwa District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Abass Fuseini Shaabe, who described the initiative as one of the best to improve the standard of education in communities in the district which produce mainly cocoa.
He said the gesture from Cadbury was borne out of the company’s love for children and the district. Cadbury is also sinking 10 wells to provide the people with potable water.
The DCE, who stated that the government was also doing the best to improve education in the area, appealed to the country’s development partners to help wage a crusade against HIV/AIDS in the district.
He expressed his appreciation to Cadbury International, World Vision, VSO, Care International, as well as individuals who had helped to improve the lot of the people in the area.
BIRIM NORTH DEVELOPMENT ON COURSE...But bad roads hinder progress (PAGE 22, DEC 5)
BEFORE 1988, the Birim North District was part of the then Birim District. The Bririm District was a large area composed mainly of forests containing various tree species of economic value such as Odum, Sapele, Mahogany and Wawa.
The vast area is also an arable land suitable for the cultivation of various crops such as oil palm, citrus and cocoa, as well as cereals and tubers such as cocoyam, cassava and yam.
The district also had big and densely populated towns including Akyem Oda, Akyem Swedru and New Abirem, Afosu and numerous towns and villages.
The large land area with its corresponding large population made its development in terms of the provision of social amenities such as roads, schools, hospitals and potable water difficult although the district assembly with its headquarters at Akyem Oda did its best in this respect.
It was, therefore, decided to create the Birim North District from the mother district, the Birim District, in 1988 to facilitate the development of its communities.
The Akyemmansa District was further carved out of the Birim North making the Birim North smaller, to accelerate its development.
The new district Bririm North with its capital at New Abirem is surrounded by five districts, namely the Kwahu West, Kwaebibirem, Asante-Akyem, Akyemmansa and Atiwa.
It has an estimated population of 80,000 spread out in big towns such as New Abirem, the district capital, Ntronang, Akoasi, Pankese and Nkwateng and smaller towns and villages such as Asuobena, Kyenkyenko, Gambia and Kuntenase.
The creation of the new political entity, as expected, led to the acceleration of its development with the rehabilitation and construction of schools, roads, markets, clinics and the provision of potable water for many towns and villages.
However, since many communities could not benefit from such needed social amenities in the past eight years, the assembly, under the direction of Mr Napoleon Amoako Asiamah, the District Chief Executive (DCE), has, since his assumption of office this year, initiated an elaborate development programme to ensure that every community would have its fair share of the national cake with at least one of such amenities.
Under the programme with education as the priority, all the communities without basic schools are being provided with such facilities while old ones such as the D/A Model schools at Akwadum and Adadekrom are being renovated.
The two second cycle educational institutions in the area, the Afosu/Abirem SHS situated between the borders of Afosu and New Abirem and the St Michael’s SHS at Akoasi, have also been provided with the necessary facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
A scholarship scheme has been instituted for qualified and needy junior high school leavers in the various communities to continue their education at the senior high schools, while those with the WASSCE results are also being sponsored to pursue courses in teaching and nursing.
These students, together with others who are also being supported by the assembly at the polytechnics and the universities, are expected to come back to assist in their chosen fields to advance the development of the area.
To ensure that the area catches up with the technological world of ICT, the assembly is planning to set up an Internet facility to hook the second cycle educational institutions and also serve the public.
With regard to water and sanitation, small water systems have been provided for the people in some of the big towns like New Abirem, Ntronang, Pankese and Amuana Praso, while almost all the small towns and villages such as Yaw Tano, Wiowso, Tweapease, Larbikrom and Praso Kuma have benefited from boreholes.
The assembly’s sanitation drive is also making a good impact on the communities because it has teamed up with Zoomlion to regularly rid the communities of filth.
In anticipation of the influx of people to the area due to the operations of Newmont, a gold mining company, the assembly has acquired a large tract of land for the disposal of liquid and solid waste, particularly at New Abirem.
On health, the health centre at New Abirem has just been elevated to a full hospital status with a resident medical doctor to assist the medical assistant, all of whom have been provided with residential facilities by the assembly.
Persons living with HIV/AIDS and the physically challenged are also being supported with funds to make a living.
To boost trading, farming and micro businesses, the assembly is constructing a GH¢300,000 market complex at New Abirem together with other markets at Amuana Praso, Ntronang, Akoasi and Nkwateng.
It is also assisting some farmers to secure funds or oil palm and cocoa hybrid seedlings to expand their farms and one of the beneficiaries, Mr Kwaku Nti, from Hweakwae, who has gone into poultry farming, is grateful to the assembly for the initiative.
Tourism is also being boosted and an historic village, Praso Kuma, where the great Asante King, Osei Tutu I, was said to have died in war with the Akyems about four hundred years ago, is to be provided with the necessary facilities to cater for Ghanaian and foreign tourists.
Other facilities to be developed in the tourism sector include the township of Akrofonso, which lies on the confluence of the rivers Pra and the Nwin, with the waters of the two rivers forcing to flow to the other, making it a beautiful work of nature.
Although the district has made a headway in its development drive, the bad nature of the main roads that link the area with the rest of the country have negatively affected its development.
These roads, the New Abirem-Nkwantanan road and the New Abirem-Ayirebi road, are almost impassable during the rainy season, and so dusty during the harmattan period that those who ply them, apart from having difficulty in breathing are also covered with dust, thus preventing prospective investors from doing business in the area.
The assembly, which has acquired a grader and a tipper truck purposely to recondition the feeder roads and has done a lot in that respect has been compelled to start rehabilitating such major roads.
However, not much is being done because the workload is heavy and requires a huge financial outlay, which is beyond the reach of the assembly. The assembly has therefore called for government intervention, particularly during the harmattan before the rains set in next year.
If this is not done, there is no way the Birim North District could accomplish its development agenda and attain a municipal status as expected within the next few years due to the activities of Newmont, which has also been providing some of the social amenities for communities in its operational areas.
“We are doing our best and some of the roads, the Akoasi-Tenkyemso-Abotsikrom road and the Afoso-Tweapease Akoasi road are being rehabilitated while most communities now have the basic necessities of life such as water, schools and clinics.
“But the bad nature of the main road linking the capital with the rest of the country, which is almost impassable during the rainy season, is cutting the area from the rest of the country and we wish this problems is tackled now before the rains set in,” the DCE, Mr Amoako Asiamah, stated.
Considering the rate at which the assembly with the support of its development partners, as well as Newmont, is providing the necessary social amenities and the influx of people from the rest of the country to be engaged in the mine fields, the rehabilitation of the main road in the area would hasten the district’s development to the status of municipality in the near future.
The vast area is also an arable land suitable for the cultivation of various crops such as oil palm, citrus and cocoa, as well as cereals and tubers such as cocoyam, cassava and yam.
The district also had big and densely populated towns including Akyem Oda, Akyem Swedru and New Abirem, Afosu and numerous towns and villages.
The large land area with its corresponding large population made its development in terms of the provision of social amenities such as roads, schools, hospitals and potable water difficult although the district assembly with its headquarters at Akyem Oda did its best in this respect.
It was, therefore, decided to create the Birim North District from the mother district, the Birim District, in 1988 to facilitate the development of its communities.
The Akyemmansa District was further carved out of the Birim North making the Birim North smaller, to accelerate its development.
The new district Bririm North with its capital at New Abirem is surrounded by five districts, namely the Kwahu West, Kwaebibirem, Asante-Akyem, Akyemmansa and Atiwa.
It has an estimated population of 80,000 spread out in big towns such as New Abirem, the district capital, Ntronang, Akoasi, Pankese and Nkwateng and smaller towns and villages such as Asuobena, Kyenkyenko, Gambia and Kuntenase.
The creation of the new political entity, as expected, led to the acceleration of its development with the rehabilitation and construction of schools, roads, markets, clinics and the provision of potable water for many towns and villages.
However, since many communities could not benefit from such needed social amenities in the past eight years, the assembly, under the direction of Mr Napoleon Amoako Asiamah, the District Chief Executive (DCE), has, since his assumption of office this year, initiated an elaborate development programme to ensure that every community would have its fair share of the national cake with at least one of such amenities.
Under the programme with education as the priority, all the communities without basic schools are being provided with such facilities while old ones such as the D/A Model schools at Akwadum and Adadekrom are being renovated.
The two second cycle educational institutions in the area, the Afosu/Abirem SHS situated between the borders of Afosu and New Abirem and the St Michael’s SHS at Akoasi, have also been provided with the necessary facilities to enhance teaching and learning.
A scholarship scheme has been instituted for qualified and needy junior high school leavers in the various communities to continue their education at the senior high schools, while those with the WASSCE results are also being sponsored to pursue courses in teaching and nursing.
These students, together with others who are also being supported by the assembly at the polytechnics and the universities, are expected to come back to assist in their chosen fields to advance the development of the area.
To ensure that the area catches up with the technological world of ICT, the assembly is planning to set up an Internet facility to hook the second cycle educational institutions and also serve the public.
With regard to water and sanitation, small water systems have been provided for the people in some of the big towns like New Abirem, Ntronang, Pankese and Amuana Praso, while almost all the small towns and villages such as Yaw Tano, Wiowso, Tweapease, Larbikrom and Praso Kuma have benefited from boreholes.
The assembly’s sanitation drive is also making a good impact on the communities because it has teamed up with Zoomlion to regularly rid the communities of filth.
In anticipation of the influx of people to the area due to the operations of Newmont, a gold mining company, the assembly has acquired a large tract of land for the disposal of liquid and solid waste, particularly at New Abirem.
On health, the health centre at New Abirem has just been elevated to a full hospital status with a resident medical doctor to assist the medical assistant, all of whom have been provided with residential facilities by the assembly.
Persons living with HIV/AIDS and the physically challenged are also being supported with funds to make a living.
To boost trading, farming and micro businesses, the assembly is constructing a GH¢300,000 market complex at New Abirem together with other markets at Amuana Praso, Ntronang, Akoasi and Nkwateng.
It is also assisting some farmers to secure funds or oil palm and cocoa hybrid seedlings to expand their farms and one of the beneficiaries, Mr Kwaku Nti, from Hweakwae, who has gone into poultry farming, is grateful to the assembly for the initiative.
Tourism is also being boosted and an historic village, Praso Kuma, where the great Asante King, Osei Tutu I, was said to have died in war with the Akyems about four hundred years ago, is to be provided with the necessary facilities to cater for Ghanaian and foreign tourists.
Other facilities to be developed in the tourism sector include the township of Akrofonso, which lies on the confluence of the rivers Pra and the Nwin, with the waters of the two rivers forcing to flow to the other, making it a beautiful work of nature.
Although the district has made a headway in its development drive, the bad nature of the main roads that link the area with the rest of the country have negatively affected its development.
These roads, the New Abirem-Nkwantanan road and the New Abirem-Ayirebi road, are almost impassable during the rainy season, and so dusty during the harmattan period that those who ply them, apart from having difficulty in breathing are also covered with dust, thus preventing prospective investors from doing business in the area.
The assembly, which has acquired a grader and a tipper truck purposely to recondition the feeder roads and has done a lot in that respect has been compelled to start rehabilitating such major roads.
However, not much is being done because the workload is heavy and requires a huge financial outlay, which is beyond the reach of the assembly. The assembly has therefore called for government intervention, particularly during the harmattan before the rains set in next year.
If this is not done, there is no way the Birim North District could accomplish its development agenda and attain a municipal status as expected within the next few years due to the activities of Newmont, which has also been providing some of the social amenities for communities in its operational areas.
“We are doing our best and some of the roads, the Akoasi-Tenkyemso-Abotsikrom road and the Afoso-Tweapease Akoasi road are being rehabilitated while most communities now have the basic necessities of life such as water, schools and clinics.
“But the bad nature of the main road linking the capital with the rest of the country, which is almost impassable during the rainy season, is cutting the area from the rest of the country and we wish this problems is tackled now before the rains set in,” the DCE, Mr Amoako Asiamah, stated.
Considering the rate at which the assembly with the support of its development partners, as well as Newmont, is providing the necessary social amenities and the influx of people from the rest of the country to be engaged in the mine fields, the rehabilitation of the main road in the area would hasten the district’s development to the status of municipality in the near future.
POLICE IMPOUND WHITE NUMBER-PLATE BUSES (PAGE 23, DEC 5)
THE Eastern Regional Police Command on December 1, 2009 started impounding air-conditioned buses with white number plates being operated commercially.
According to the police, the white-plated registered vehicles were for either hiring or domestic use and owners of those vehicles had to register them commercially with the yellow number plate.
The air-conditioned buses, which cost between GH¢33,000 and GH¢36,000 each, were purchased by some financial institutions for some individuals and transport unions on a hire-purchase basis to be paid for within four years but because insuring them for commercial use costs higher than insuring them for private use, most of the owners have decided to register them as private vehicles, although they use them to carry passengers.
The Eastern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Stephen Andoh-Kwofie, who notified the various transport unions in Koforidua about the exercise during a meeting a month ago, said it was wrong for any vehicle using the white number plate to carry passengers, explaining that in the event of an accident, it would be difficult for the occupants to claim insurance.
To buttress his case, DCOP Andoh-Kwofie said four passengers, who died when one of those air-conditioned buses, a Nissan Urvan was involved in an accident at Akyem Swedru about a month ago, could not be paid any insurance claims because the vehicle had not been registered to carry passengers.
“We will not allow such a thing to continue so we will impound all such vehicles found carrying passengers in any part of the region,” he stated.
DCOP Andoh-Kwofie, who said operators of those vehicles would be prosecuted, asked their owners to register them appropriately to avoid being punished.
At the various loading pads in Koforidua where some of the white number-plated buses load, the executives of the transport unions said it was wrong for the police to impound the vehicles because most of them had been registered to carry passengers.
The Chairman of the Koforidua-Swedru branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the TUC, Mr Muniru Alhassan, produced documents from the State Insurance Company and the Ghana Tourist Board in respect of one of those vehicles and said all passengers on board would be covered by insurance in the event of an accident.
He, however, asked the police to deal with owners of vehicles which did not have the relevant documents.
When contacted on the issue, some officials of insurance companies in Koforidua pleaded anonymity but said their outfits were obliged to cater for all those on board those vehicles so far as the vehicles had insurance cover. According to them, the colour of the number plate did not matter.
According to the police, the white-plated registered vehicles were for either hiring or domestic use and owners of those vehicles had to register them commercially with the yellow number plate.
The air-conditioned buses, which cost between GH¢33,000 and GH¢36,000 each, were purchased by some financial institutions for some individuals and transport unions on a hire-purchase basis to be paid for within four years but because insuring them for commercial use costs higher than insuring them for private use, most of the owners have decided to register them as private vehicles, although they use them to carry passengers.
The Eastern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Stephen Andoh-Kwofie, who notified the various transport unions in Koforidua about the exercise during a meeting a month ago, said it was wrong for any vehicle using the white number plate to carry passengers, explaining that in the event of an accident, it would be difficult for the occupants to claim insurance.
To buttress his case, DCOP Andoh-Kwofie said four passengers, who died when one of those air-conditioned buses, a Nissan Urvan was involved in an accident at Akyem Swedru about a month ago, could not be paid any insurance claims because the vehicle had not been registered to carry passengers.
“We will not allow such a thing to continue so we will impound all such vehicles found carrying passengers in any part of the region,” he stated.
DCOP Andoh-Kwofie, who said operators of those vehicles would be prosecuted, asked their owners to register them appropriately to avoid being punished.
At the various loading pads in Koforidua where some of the white number-plated buses load, the executives of the transport unions said it was wrong for the police to impound the vehicles because most of them had been registered to carry passengers.
The Chairman of the Koforidua-Swedru branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the TUC, Mr Muniru Alhassan, produced documents from the State Insurance Company and the Ghana Tourist Board in respect of one of those vehicles and said all passengers on board would be covered by insurance in the event of an accident.
He, however, asked the police to deal with owners of vehicles which did not have the relevant documents.
When contacted on the issue, some officials of insurance companies in Koforidua pleaded anonymity but said their outfits were obliged to cater for all those on board those vehicles so far as the vehicles had insurance cover. According to them, the colour of the number plate did not matter.
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