THE UPPER Manya Krobo District Assembly in the Eastern Region has started drafting bye-laws to punish parents who refuse to send their children to school.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Joseph Tetteh Angmor, made this known when he addressed the Apimso congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to mark its centenary celebrations.
The main occupation of the people of the Apimso area, who are mostly Presbyterians, is farming.
According to Mr Tetteh Angmor, true Christians should be concerned about the future well-being of their children.
He said if parents in the area would not live up to their responsibility of taking care of their children’s education, then the assembly would come up with punitive measures.
He therefore, advised parents, especially Christians to take keen interest in the education of their children so that they would grow to become responsible adults.
“The Assembly is in the process of drafting bye-laws which will apportion appropriate punishment for parents who will refuse to send their children to school but rather engage them on the farm and other menial jobs and I want all of you to see to the educational needs of your parents to avoid being punished,” he stated.
He said the government was concerned about the education of children, necessitating the introduction of initiatives such as the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme to ensure that all parents, who could also access health care through the national health insurance scheme would be able to send their children to school.
The assembly, he also stated, had taken the initiative to sponsor students in the area in teacher and nursing training colleges. It has also undertaken other projects such as clinics at Samlesi and Ternguanya.
On sanitation, the DCE appealed to the people to regularly undertake clean-up exercises to rid the communities of filth.
Mr Angmor praised the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for its assistance to the poor, moulding the character of the people in the proverbial Presbyterian discipline and immense contribution to the improvement of education.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
DO AWAY WITH NEGATIVE TENDENCIES (SPREAD, NOV 27)
THE FIRST Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, has called on Ghanaians to do away with all negative tendencies that account for the high mortality in the country.
Those tendencies, she said, included certain cultural practices such as the desire of couples to have children of a particular sex, which compelled them to have more children, at the risk of the women, and myths associated with family planning by a section of society, as a result of which many couples shied away from it.
The First Lady made the call at the national launch in Koforidua on Wednesday of a campaign for the acceleration of reduction in maternal and new-born deaths.
The gathering, which formed part of an African Union celebration of the event on the theme, “Ghana Cares: No woman should die while giving life”, was attended by the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor; the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; his deputy, Baba Jamal; the Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias Sory; the Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Erasmus Agongo; a representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Daniel Ketez, as well as a representative of the AU, Madam Biance Gawanas.
Also present were traditional rulers from almost all the five traditional areas in the region, including the Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boateng, who chaired the function.
According to Mrs Mills, although there had been educational campaigns to reduce maternal and new-born deaths in the country over the past 31 years, the death rate was still high.
The First Lady called for an intensive educational campaign on family planning, as well as negative cultural practices that led to maternal mortality.
She also called on the Ministry of Health to ensure that pregnant women in rural areas regularly had access to professional care, adding that the district assemblies must also collaborate with the GHS to operate the community-based health planning and services (CHIPS) in the rural areas for the benefit of expectant women.
Dr Kunbuor said globally, maternal deaths stood at 600,000 annually, while that of new-born babies was 3,000,000.
He said Ghana was taking steps in line with initiatives of the AU to reduce maternal and new-born deaths by creating public awareness of the issue, as well as providing the necessary support.
He called on medical doctors and midwives to do their best, in the face of workload challenges, to be as caring as the tenets of their profession demanded.
Dr Ketez said women should adopt family planning, while the expectant ones should be provided with emergency services to be helped to deliver by only qualified midwives and traditional birth attendants.
Those tendencies, she said, included certain cultural practices such as the desire of couples to have children of a particular sex, which compelled them to have more children, at the risk of the women, and myths associated with family planning by a section of society, as a result of which many couples shied away from it.
The First Lady made the call at the national launch in Koforidua on Wednesday of a campaign for the acceleration of reduction in maternal and new-born deaths.
The gathering, which formed part of an African Union celebration of the event on the theme, “Ghana Cares: No woman should die while giving life”, was attended by the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor; the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; his deputy, Baba Jamal; the Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Elias Sory; the Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Erasmus Agongo; a representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Daniel Ketez, as well as a representative of the AU, Madam Biance Gawanas.
Also present were traditional rulers from almost all the five traditional areas in the region, including the Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boateng, who chaired the function.
According to Mrs Mills, although there had been educational campaigns to reduce maternal and new-born deaths in the country over the past 31 years, the death rate was still high.
The First Lady called for an intensive educational campaign on family planning, as well as negative cultural practices that led to maternal mortality.
She also called on the Ministry of Health to ensure that pregnant women in rural areas regularly had access to professional care, adding that the district assemblies must also collaborate with the GHS to operate the community-based health planning and services (CHIPS) in the rural areas for the benefit of expectant women.
Dr Kunbuor said globally, maternal deaths stood at 600,000 annually, while that of new-born babies was 3,000,000.
He said Ghana was taking steps in line with initiatives of the AU to reduce maternal and new-born deaths by creating public awareness of the issue, as well as providing the necessary support.
He called on medical doctors and midwives to do their best, in the face of workload challenges, to be as caring as the tenets of their profession demanded.
Dr Ketez said women should adopt family planning, while the expectant ones should be provided with emergency services to be helped to deliver by only qualified midwives and traditional birth attendants.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
AMPOFO COMMENDS SDA (NOV 25, PAGE 17)
THE EASTERN Regional Minister Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has commended the East Ghana Conference of the Seventh Adventist (SDA) Church for its immense contribution to the socio economic development of the region.
He said the church, apart from establishing schools from the basic level to a diploma awarding college of education to give quality education to the people in the region, had also set up a hospital to cater for their health needs.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo said these initiatives in addition to an elaborate programme on HIV/AIDS as well as an agricultural venture (large scale cultivation of citrus and mangoes) in some parts of the region had gone a long way to reducing poverty and improving the living condition of the people.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo made the commendation at a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of an office complex for the East Ghana Conference at Koforidua at the weekend.
He said by these contributions, the East Ghana Conference had become a dependable development partner to the government and expressed the hope that it would continue to provide more of such initiatives for the total development of the region.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo who was happy about the construction of offices for its administration advised the leadership of the church to use the facility to train and teach the youth on morale discipline, education and patriotism.
That, he said would go a long way to directing the youth, most of whom had resorted to video games and pornographic materials.
In a sermon, the General Secretary of the S.D.A. Church in Washington, USA, Pastor (Dr) M.A. Bediako called on Ghanaians, especially Christians to support any government elected to administer the country.
Pastor Bediako who advised Christians not to allow bad experiences to influence their future said they must also live decently to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS.
Earlier, the president of the East Ghana Conference, Pastor A. Twumasi-Ankra traced the history of the church from its inception in the region at Osiem in 1931 and said with a humble beginning, it now has a membership of 31,150.
He said apart from catering for the spiritual needs of the members, it had also established schools from the kindergarten to the tertiary level, the S.D.A. College of Education at Asokore, a hospital at Koforidua as well as an agricultural venture in some parts of the region.
The Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boaten who presided over the function dwelt extensively on HIV/AIDS contraction, prevention and stigmatization and called on the people in the area to live decently.
He said the church, apart from establishing schools from the basic level to a diploma awarding college of education to give quality education to the people in the region, had also set up a hospital to cater for their health needs.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo said these initiatives in addition to an elaborate programme on HIV/AIDS as well as an agricultural venture (large scale cultivation of citrus and mangoes) in some parts of the region had gone a long way to reducing poverty and improving the living condition of the people.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo made the commendation at a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of an office complex for the East Ghana Conference at Koforidua at the weekend.
He said by these contributions, the East Ghana Conference had become a dependable development partner to the government and expressed the hope that it would continue to provide more of such initiatives for the total development of the region.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo who was happy about the construction of offices for its administration advised the leadership of the church to use the facility to train and teach the youth on morale discipline, education and patriotism.
That, he said would go a long way to directing the youth, most of whom had resorted to video games and pornographic materials.
In a sermon, the General Secretary of the S.D.A. Church in Washington, USA, Pastor (Dr) M.A. Bediako called on Ghanaians, especially Christians to support any government elected to administer the country.
Pastor Bediako who advised Christians not to allow bad experiences to influence their future said they must also live decently to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS.
Earlier, the president of the East Ghana Conference, Pastor A. Twumasi-Ankra traced the history of the church from its inception in the region at Osiem in 1931 and said with a humble beginning, it now has a membership of 31,150.
He said apart from catering for the spiritual needs of the members, it had also established schools from the kindergarten to the tertiary level, the S.D.A. College of Education at Asokore, a hospital at Koforidua as well as an agricultural venture in some parts of the region.
The Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boaten who presided over the function dwelt extensively on HIV/AIDS contraction, prevention and stigmatization and called on the people in the area to live decently.
NAGRAT AT IT AGAIN...Calls for nationwide strike from Monday (LEAD STORY, NOV 25)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
GRADUATE teachers in the country, under the umbrella of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), are up in arms again, ready to lay down their tools from Monday, November 30 as a result of what they claim is a lowering of their conditions of service.
The decision to embark on the industrial action was taken at a meeting of the association in Sunyani at the weekend, following which the National Council directed its members to lay down their tools with effect from Monday. They have also been directed not to participate in any official duties from the date of the strike.
The teachers’ action comes one week ahead of the first-term examinations of most senior high schools in the country.
The President of NAGRAT, Mr Kwami Alorvi, told the Daily Graphic that the association had given notice of its intended strike to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) after several unsuccessful efforts to get issues related to teachers’ conditions of service resolved.
At the core of their grievances is a reduction in their responsibility and car maintenance allowances from GH¢1 and GH¢40, respectively, to 30Gp and GH¢7, respectively.
A statement signed by the Eastern Regional Vice-Chairman of NAGRAT, Mr Kwaku Djan-Asante, and circulated to members in the region, said the government, instead of adjusting upward the responsibility and car maintenance allowances, had rather reduced them.
It said apart from that, NAGRAT members who were due for interview for promotion had not been called, despite assurances by the Minister of Education to that effect.
According to the statement, the Director-General of the GES had also not directed headmasters to make invigilation at the WASSCE optional, thereby paving the way for headmasters to coerce teachers to invigilate, with its attendant risks and meagre allowances.
It recalled that in 2006 NAGRAT members embarked on an industrial action over WASSCE invigilation and allowances but the then government could not address the problem.
The national consensus was arrived at after a tour of the regions, during which NAGRAT executives held meetings with members to thoroughly discuss their conditions of service.
An ultimatum given by NAGRAT to the government for discussions on its conditions of service expired on October 30, 2009 but there was no response.
Mr Kwami Alorvi, who led the discussions, said the tour was to enable the NAGRAT leadership to interact with members of the association for their views on those issues.
Graduate teachers have, for the past three years, been in negotiations with the Ministry of Education over emoluments and other packages.
Discussions were expected to have been concluded last month but the critical issues, including emoluments, delays in the payment of allowances of members and cuts in allowances, remain unresolved.
Earlier, Mr Alorvi had told the Daily Graphic that a house master, for instance, was formerly paid a monthly allowance of GH¢1; senior house master, GH¢1.50, and headmaster between GH¢3 and GH¢5, but the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning had recently reduced that to 30Gp, 70Gp and GH¢1, respectively.
The promotion of members of NAGRAT had also stalled for some years now, he noted, noting that teachers were being denied their rights to their salary entitlements and benefits, as promotions were tied to them.
He said the excuse given by the authorities was that there were no funds to conduct the interviews for the promotions.
He said interactions were currently ongoing with the rank and file of the association, adding that NAGRAT would come up with its next line of action regarding those issues.
GRADUATE teachers in the country, under the umbrella of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), are up in arms again, ready to lay down their tools from Monday, November 30 as a result of what they claim is a lowering of their conditions of service.
The decision to embark on the industrial action was taken at a meeting of the association in Sunyani at the weekend, following which the National Council directed its members to lay down their tools with effect from Monday. They have also been directed not to participate in any official duties from the date of the strike.
The teachers’ action comes one week ahead of the first-term examinations of most senior high schools in the country.
The President of NAGRAT, Mr Kwami Alorvi, told the Daily Graphic that the association had given notice of its intended strike to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) after several unsuccessful efforts to get issues related to teachers’ conditions of service resolved.
At the core of their grievances is a reduction in their responsibility and car maintenance allowances from GH¢1 and GH¢40, respectively, to 30Gp and GH¢7, respectively.
A statement signed by the Eastern Regional Vice-Chairman of NAGRAT, Mr Kwaku Djan-Asante, and circulated to members in the region, said the government, instead of adjusting upward the responsibility and car maintenance allowances, had rather reduced them.
It said apart from that, NAGRAT members who were due for interview for promotion had not been called, despite assurances by the Minister of Education to that effect.
According to the statement, the Director-General of the GES had also not directed headmasters to make invigilation at the WASSCE optional, thereby paving the way for headmasters to coerce teachers to invigilate, with its attendant risks and meagre allowances.
It recalled that in 2006 NAGRAT members embarked on an industrial action over WASSCE invigilation and allowances but the then government could not address the problem.
The national consensus was arrived at after a tour of the regions, during which NAGRAT executives held meetings with members to thoroughly discuss their conditions of service.
An ultimatum given by NAGRAT to the government for discussions on its conditions of service expired on October 30, 2009 but there was no response.
Mr Kwami Alorvi, who led the discussions, said the tour was to enable the NAGRAT leadership to interact with members of the association for their views on those issues.
Graduate teachers have, for the past three years, been in negotiations with the Ministry of Education over emoluments and other packages.
Discussions were expected to have been concluded last month but the critical issues, including emoluments, delays in the payment of allowances of members and cuts in allowances, remain unresolved.
Earlier, Mr Alorvi had told the Daily Graphic that a house master, for instance, was formerly paid a monthly allowance of GH¢1; senior house master, GH¢1.50, and headmaster between GH¢3 and GH¢5, but the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning had recently reduced that to 30Gp, 70Gp and GH¢1, respectively.
The promotion of members of NAGRAT had also stalled for some years now, he noted, noting that teachers were being denied their rights to their salary entitlements and benefits, as promotions were tied to them.
He said the excuse given by the authorities was that there were no funds to conduct the interviews for the promotions.
He said interactions were currently ongoing with the rank and file of the association, adding that NAGRAT would come up with its next line of action regarding those issues.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS SHOULD BE PAID WELL — PARTICIPANTS (PAGE 17, NOV 24)
PARTICIPANTS at a consultative forum on local governance have advocated a drastic reduction in the number of assembly members, who they said should be well paid.
Currently, there are 5,000 assembly members representing communities in the 170 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the country who are only given between GH¢150 and GH¢500 based, on the financial strength of the assemblies, at the end of a four-year term.
The payment, which according to most of the participants, should be on a monthly basis, would serve as a morale booster for the assembly members to serve the communities well.
The forum, which was organised at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Capital by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development with financial support from GTZ of Germany, brought together traditional rulers, opinion leaders, as well as former and present district chief executives in the region.
According to the participants, the large number of the assembly members, makes it impossible for them to be adequately resourced financially.
They argued that since assembly members were needed to assist in the development of the communities, the best thing to do was to merge some of the electoral areas and reduce the number of the assembly members so that one well-resourced assembly member would take care of a large area which is currently under three or more assembly members.
They also suggested a review of the unit committee concept which, according to them, was not functioning.
Setting the ball rolling, the immediate past Eastern Regional Representative on the Council of State, Mr Fred Asante, said the electoral areas should be merged and the number of assembly members reduced so that it would be possible to give them monthly salaries and end-of-service benefits.
Mr Asante, who is also an assembly member in Atiwa, supported his argument with the explanation that assembly members spent so much time at the expense of their businesses and that if they were adequately resourced, they would offer their best to help develop the communities.
His argument was supported by most of the participants.
With regard to the position of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), all the speakers except one were of the view that the present process whereby the President appointed them should be continued.
They explained that there was the possibility of elected MMDCEs who belonged to different political parties other than that of the ruling one sabotaging government programmes.
A former Presiding Member of the East Akyem District Assembly and a strong advocate for the appointment of MMDCEs, Mr Kofi Ampofo, called for a simple majority of the number of votes to be secured by a person nominated by the President when assembly members cast the ballot on him.
He argued that the present system in which a prospective MMDCE should obtain two-thirds of the votes was not ideal since in certain instances, voting had to be conducted two or more times lasting several weeks during which affected political entities could not steer the affairs of such areas.
On the involvement of chiefs in local government, the participants were of the view that the chiefs should take active part in it and that any project or programme to be undertaken in their areas must be known to them and they must give their approval before the execution so that what the people actually needed would be provided.
According to them, in the past many projects such as markets were sited at wrong places and people did not patronise them just because traditional rulers were not consulted to make inputs.
Earlier, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, expressed his displeasure about the creation of new districts by the previous government without the necessary facilities being provided and mentioned the Upper Manya Krobo and Atiwa districts as examples.
He said the creation of new districts was a good thing but the necessary facilities and seed money must be made available before their creation.
Mr Ampofo also called for a well-resourced Regional Coordinating Council to enable it to properly supervise the metropolises, municipalities and districts.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, briefed the gathering on the local government concept since its inception 20 years ago and said it had become necessary to review and improve it.
He said the stakeholder meeting was also to tackle grey areas of the concept which could not be implemented due to constitutional problems and gave the assurance that the input made at the meeting would be presented to experts to see how best they could be handled.
Currently, there are 5,000 assembly members representing communities in the 170 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the country who are only given between GH¢150 and GH¢500 based, on the financial strength of the assemblies, at the end of a four-year term.
The payment, which according to most of the participants, should be on a monthly basis, would serve as a morale booster for the assembly members to serve the communities well.
The forum, which was organised at Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Capital by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development with financial support from GTZ of Germany, brought together traditional rulers, opinion leaders, as well as former and present district chief executives in the region.
According to the participants, the large number of the assembly members, makes it impossible for them to be adequately resourced financially.
They argued that since assembly members were needed to assist in the development of the communities, the best thing to do was to merge some of the electoral areas and reduce the number of the assembly members so that one well-resourced assembly member would take care of a large area which is currently under three or more assembly members.
They also suggested a review of the unit committee concept which, according to them, was not functioning.
Setting the ball rolling, the immediate past Eastern Regional Representative on the Council of State, Mr Fred Asante, said the electoral areas should be merged and the number of assembly members reduced so that it would be possible to give them monthly salaries and end-of-service benefits.
Mr Asante, who is also an assembly member in Atiwa, supported his argument with the explanation that assembly members spent so much time at the expense of their businesses and that if they were adequately resourced, they would offer their best to help develop the communities.
His argument was supported by most of the participants.
With regard to the position of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs), all the speakers except one were of the view that the present process whereby the President appointed them should be continued.
They explained that there was the possibility of elected MMDCEs who belonged to different political parties other than that of the ruling one sabotaging government programmes.
A former Presiding Member of the East Akyem District Assembly and a strong advocate for the appointment of MMDCEs, Mr Kofi Ampofo, called for a simple majority of the number of votes to be secured by a person nominated by the President when assembly members cast the ballot on him.
He argued that the present system in which a prospective MMDCE should obtain two-thirds of the votes was not ideal since in certain instances, voting had to be conducted two or more times lasting several weeks during which affected political entities could not steer the affairs of such areas.
On the involvement of chiefs in local government, the participants were of the view that the chiefs should take active part in it and that any project or programme to be undertaken in their areas must be known to them and they must give their approval before the execution so that what the people actually needed would be provided.
According to them, in the past many projects such as markets were sited at wrong places and people did not patronise them just because traditional rulers were not consulted to make inputs.
Earlier, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, expressed his displeasure about the creation of new districts by the previous government without the necessary facilities being provided and mentioned the Upper Manya Krobo and Atiwa districts as examples.
He said the creation of new districts was a good thing but the necessary facilities and seed money must be made available before their creation.
Mr Ampofo also called for a well-resourced Regional Coordinating Council to enable it to properly supervise the metropolises, municipalities and districts.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, briefed the gathering on the local government concept since its inception 20 years ago and said it had become necessary to review and improve it.
He said the stakeholder meeting was also to tackle grey areas of the concept which could not be implemented due to constitutional problems and gave the assurance that the input made at the meeting would be presented to experts to see how best they could be handled.
Monday, November 23, 2009
NEW JUABEN SOUTH NDC ELECTS OFFICERS
THE New Juaben South Constituency of the National Democratic Congress has elected its executive.
In the race for the chairmanship, Mr Andrew Asabere Awuku secured 129 votes to beat the only challenger, Mr Peter Kwadwo Frempong, who had 82 votes while Mr Salifu Iddrisu was elected the Vice-Chairman with 131 votes to beat Mr Baba Tanko who had 63 votes.
For the position of Secretary, Mr E. Forster-Tetteh had 122 votes to beat his sole challenger, Mr Isaac Adongo, who secured 87 votes.
The other elected executives were Messrs Benjamin Azamatey, Deputy Organiser; Victor Stanley Bakah, Treasurer; Baafour K. Asianoa, Deputy Treasurer; Sahadatu Ibrahim, Propaganda Secretary; Gabriel Ahadzi Dela, Deputy Propaganda Secretary; Mr Michael Osei, women organizer, Madam Janet Tagoe, Deputy Women Organiser; Madam Jefferies Amma Rejoice, Youth Organizer; Mr Gbomittan Y. Dodzie and deputy youth organiser Prince Mohammed Adams.
The rest who took executive positions were Messrs Kennedy Joseph Wolanyo, Ofori Ntikora, John Kodowo Aflatornu, Simon Resey Axolu, Elorm D. Kportufe, Edward K. Frempong, Madam Veronica S. Yakubu and Mrs Elizabeth Dwomoh.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, who swore them into office after Miss Lydia Agyiri, the New Juaben Municipal Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission had declared the results, called for support for the new executive to enable them do what was expected to win the seat in the 2012 elections.
In the race for the chairmanship, Mr Andrew Asabere Awuku secured 129 votes to beat the only challenger, Mr Peter Kwadwo Frempong, who had 82 votes while Mr Salifu Iddrisu was elected the Vice-Chairman with 131 votes to beat Mr Baba Tanko who had 63 votes.
For the position of Secretary, Mr E. Forster-Tetteh had 122 votes to beat his sole challenger, Mr Isaac Adongo, who secured 87 votes.
The other elected executives were Messrs Benjamin Azamatey, Deputy Organiser; Victor Stanley Bakah, Treasurer; Baafour K. Asianoa, Deputy Treasurer; Sahadatu Ibrahim, Propaganda Secretary; Gabriel Ahadzi Dela, Deputy Propaganda Secretary; Mr Michael Osei, women organizer, Madam Janet Tagoe, Deputy Women Organiser; Madam Jefferies Amma Rejoice, Youth Organizer; Mr Gbomittan Y. Dodzie and deputy youth organiser Prince Mohammed Adams.
The rest who took executive positions were Messrs Kennedy Joseph Wolanyo, Ofori Ntikora, John Kodowo Aflatornu, Simon Resey Axolu, Elorm D. Kportufe, Edward K. Frempong, Madam Veronica S. Yakubu and Mrs Elizabeth Dwomoh.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, who swore them into office after Miss Lydia Agyiri, the New Juaben Municipal Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission had declared the results, called for support for the new executive to enable them do what was expected to win the seat in the 2012 elections.
GOVT WILL FLUSH OUT GALAMSEY OPERATORS (1B, NOV 23)
STORY: A Kofoya-Tetteh, Kyebi
PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has declared the government’s determination to flush out illegal gold miners (galamsey operators) from mining communities in the country.
He said the activities of the galamsey operators, who used dangerous chemicals such as cyanide, had, for some time now, polluted sources of drinking water, especially the Birim River in the Akyem Abuakwa area, and caused incalculable damage to the environment.
The President gave the assurance when he addressed a colourful durbar of the chiefs and people of Akyem Abuakwa to mark the 10th anniversary of the installation of the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, at Kyebi last Saturday.
The event was also graced by dignitaries such as the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2000 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; some ministers of state, Members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic community, district chief executives, the Wurunaba, Naa Prof John S. Nabila, who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs, and other traditional rulers from different parts of the country.
According to President Mills, he had heard a lot about steps being taken by the Okyenhene to safeguard the environment, especially flushing out illegal miners whose activities had polluted sources of drinking water in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, adding that his administration would go all out to support the Okyenhene to flush out the illegal miners.
That, according to the President, would make it possible for the people in the area to have good drinking water.
He, therefore, called on the “galamsey” operators to move out or regularise their activities so that they could go about their duties in such a way that would not pollute sources of drinking water in the area.
“I am aware that the Okyenhene and the Eastern Regional Minister had already taken steps to stop the illegal miners from polluting the water bodies and I am giving my full support because the illegal miners are poisoning the water and also destroying the environment,” President Mills stated.
He praised the Okyenhene for his numerous initiatives that would not benefit only Okyeman but the country as a whole.
The Okyenhene enumerated a number of projects and programmes that he had undertaken or were being executed to alleviate poverty and improve the lot of not only Akyems but all Ghanaians.
These included the establishment of a university at Bunso, the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies, that would start admitting students next January; the setting up of a foundation to check environmental degradation; a crusade against HIV/AIDS, as well as making parents to live up to their responsibility of educating their children.
“My utmost concern is about the environment and the need for parents to live up to their responsibility in educating their children because I do not understand why parents refuse to cater for the educational needs of their children, although they have the means,” Osagyefuo Ofori Panin said.
The Okyenhene, who called on the government to continue to provide good schools in the rural areas and improve the conditions of service of teachers so that they would put up their best in the classrooms, called for punitive measures to be instituted against parents who neglected their children’s education.
With regard to disputes associated with chieftaincy, family and land in the area, he said measures were being put in place to resolve them and expressed the hope that those disputes would be reduced to the barest minimum in the next decade.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin expressed his appreciation to his wife and all the divisional and sub-chiefs of Akyem Abuakwa for supporting him over the past 10 years and called on the chiefs to unite to advance the cause of Okyeman and Ghana in general.
PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has declared the government’s determination to flush out illegal gold miners (galamsey operators) from mining communities in the country.
He said the activities of the galamsey operators, who used dangerous chemicals such as cyanide, had, for some time now, polluted sources of drinking water, especially the Birim River in the Akyem Abuakwa area, and caused incalculable damage to the environment.
The President gave the assurance when he addressed a colourful durbar of the chiefs and people of Akyem Abuakwa to mark the 10th anniversary of the installation of the Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, at Kyebi last Saturday.
The event was also graced by dignitaries such as the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo; the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2000 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; some ministers of state, Members of Parliament, members of the Diplomatic community, district chief executives, the Wurunaba, Naa Prof John S. Nabila, who is also the President of the National House of Chiefs, and other traditional rulers from different parts of the country.
According to President Mills, he had heard a lot about steps being taken by the Okyenhene to safeguard the environment, especially flushing out illegal miners whose activities had polluted sources of drinking water in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, adding that his administration would go all out to support the Okyenhene to flush out the illegal miners.
That, according to the President, would make it possible for the people in the area to have good drinking water.
He, therefore, called on the “galamsey” operators to move out or regularise their activities so that they could go about their duties in such a way that would not pollute sources of drinking water in the area.
“I am aware that the Okyenhene and the Eastern Regional Minister had already taken steps to stop the illegal miners from polluting the water bodies and I am giving my full support because the illegal miners are poisoning the water and also destroying the environment,” President Mills stated.
He praised the Okyenhene for his numerous initiatives that would not benefit only Okyeman but the country as a whole.
The Okyenhene enumerated a number of projects and programmes that he had undertaken or were being executed to alleviate poverty and improve the lot of not only Akyems but all Ghanaians.
These included the establishment of a university at Bunso, the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies, that would start admitting students next January; the setting up of a foundation to check environmental degradation; a crusade against HIV/AIDS, as well as making parents to live up to their responsibility of educating their children.
“My utmost concern is about the environment and the need for parents to live up to their responsibility in educating their children because I do not understand why parents refuse to cater for the educational needs of their children, although they have the means,” Osagyefuo Ofori Panin said.
The Okyenhene, who called on the government to continue to provide good schools in the rural areas and improve the conditions of service of teachers so that they would put up their best in the classrooms, called for punitive measures to be instituted against parents who neglected their children’s education.
With regard to disputes associated with chieftaincy, family and land in the area, he said measures were being put in place to resolve them and expressed the hope that those disputes would be reduced to the barest minimum in the next decade.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin expressed his appreciation to his wife and all the divisional and sub-chiefs of Akyem Abuakwa for supporting him over the past 10 years and called on the chiefs to unite to advance the cause of Okyeman and Ghana in general.
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