THE flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that the party has no intention of driving away Krobo settler farmers in Akyem Abuakwa or any of the Akan-speaking areas.
He has, therefore, appealed to Krobos to throw their weight behind the NPP to enable it win the December polls and continue with its development programme, particularly in the Krobo areas.
Nana Akufo-Addo gave the assurance when he addressed a large gathering of NPP supporters at Somanya and Asesewa, capitals of the Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya Krobo districts respectively, as well as Nkurakan and Oterkporlu, all in the Eastern Region on October 25.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the second day of a campaign tour of the region, was accompanied by Messrs Kwabena Agyepong, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Boakye Agyarko, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and Professor Mike Oquaye who competed with him for the party’s presidential slot; the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, as well as other senior party executives.
He also used the occasion to introduce Sub Lt. Christian Kofi Tettey (retd) and Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, the party’s parliamentary candidates for Yilo Krobo and Upper Manya constituencies respectively and appealed to the electorate to support them to win the constituency seats, which had never been occupied by the NPP.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had for some time been peddling the lies that the NPP would drive away Krobo settler farmers on Akyem Abuakwa lands or in any Akan-speaking areas and as a result, the Krobos had always supported the NDC.
Nana Akufo-Addo who said the NPP was not tribalistic and that Ghanaians were one people with a common destiny, explained that the party had never on any occasion planned to drive away Krobos and, therefore, appealed to them as well other Dangbe-speaking people to throw in their weight behind the NPP to enable it continue with its development programme, particularly in their areas.
“I am an Akyem from Kyebi and Akyems have for generations been living with Krobos who had not been driven out or had their farms taken away from them, so do not let the NDC deceive you”, Nana Akufo-Addo told the gatherings, to a thunderous applause.
He said although Krobos had supported the NDC over the years, that party had not been able to cater for their infrastructural and other needs and that it was rather the NPP that had provided a number of social amenities in their areas. He also said more of such facilities such as roads, school buildings and electricity would be provided if the NPP retained power.
The NPP flag bearer also told the people that education at the senior high school level would be free if the NPP was retained.
Nana Akufo-Addo again gave the assurance that the NPP would look for investors to establish a processing plant for mangoes as well as provide silos for the storage of perishable food crops in the area.
For his part, Mr Osafo-Maafo said NDC’s mal-administration nearly collapsed the economy which was revived by the NPP and that it would be suicidal for Ghanaians to vote the NDC back into office.
“You just compare the NDC’s 19 years rule when it could not do anything for the people and the NPP’s eight years where a lot of social amenities and poverty alleviation packages have been instituted and decide which party deserves to rule the country,” Mr Osafo-Maafo stated.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
NPP COMMITTED TO BUILDING HEALTHIER NATION — AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 16)
THE presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has said the party’s commitment to build a healthier nation where everybody would have access to quality health care was on course.
To achieve that objective, he said, a number of projects and programmes had been instituted in addition to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which he said had made a positive impact on the people, especially the poor.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the statement when he addressed the staff of the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Monday.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the last leg of a four-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, was accompanied by Mr Alan Kyeremanten, , the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, and other executive of the party.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the party was of the view that every Ghanaian, no matter his or her financial position, should be able to access quality health care.
He said the programmes or projects which had already started in different parts of the country included the Begoro Hospital, a medical school at Cape Coast, a polyclinic at Koforidua, state-of-the- art hospital at Gushiegu, an accident centre which would be the largest in the West African sub-region at the Komfo Anokye Hospital as well as accident centres on the highways, especially in the Winneba area.
Nana Akufo-Addo further stated that a number of health facilities would be built at places such as Salaga, Tepa and Konongo-Odumase, adding that private universities would be encouraged to establish medical schools while medical professionals and other health workers would be better paid and housed.
A national ambulance service, he said, would soon be launched while steps were being taken to improve the sanitation sector.
Nana Akufo-Addo who dwelt extensively on the NHIS which he said had been embraced by over 11 million Ghanaians, said despite its successes, it was encountering challenges such as delay in the processing of applications and payment to health providers,and stated that steps were being taken to address them.
He condemned a proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make the health insurance scheme a one-time premium which he said would endanger it, adding that the cost of such a system would be too high for the people and that would be a reversal to the cash-and-carry system.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that the good policies of the NPP had made it possible for more medical professionals to stay at post in Ghana, said on the whole the NPP performed better than the NDC in the health sector.
With regard to the December elections, he called on all Ghanaians to make it peaceful.
Earlier, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Obeng Apori, took Nana Akufo-Addo round some of the wards and the Out-Patients Department where he urged the patients to embrace the health insurance scheme.
Dr Apori said that most of the patients had insured with the health insurance scheme.
To achieve that objective, he said, a number of projects and programmes had been instituted in addition to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which he said had made a positive impact on the people, especially the poor.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the statement when he addressed the staff of the Koforidua Regional Hospital on Monday.
The NPP presidential candidate, who was on the last leg of a four-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, was accompanied by Mr Alan Kyeremanten, , the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, and other executive of the party.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the party was of the view that every Ghanaian, no matter his or her financial position, should be able to access quality health care.
He said the programmes or projects which had already started in different parts of the country included the Begoro Hospital, a medical school at Cape Coast, a polyclinic at Koforidua, state-of-the- art hospital at Gushiegu, an accident centre which would be the largest in the West African sub-region at the Komfo Anokye Hospital as well as accident centres on the highways, especially in the Winneba area.
Nana Akufo-Addo further stated that a number of health facilities would be built at places such as Salaga, Tepa and Konongo-Odumase, adding that private universities would be encouraged to establish medical schools while medical professionals and other health workers would be better paid and housed.
A national ambulance service, he said, would soon be launched while steps were being taken to improve the sanitation sector.
Nana Akufo-Addo who dwelt extensively on the NHIS which he said had been embraced by over 11 million Ghanaians, said despite its successes, it was encountering challenges such as delay in the processing of applications and payment to health providers,and stated that steps were being taken to address them.
He condemned a proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to make the health insurance scheme a one-time premium which he said would endanger it, adding that the cost of such a system would be too high for the people and that would be a reversal to the cash-and-carry system.
Nana Akufo-Addo who stated that the good policies of the NPP had made it possible for more medical professionals to stay at post in Ghana, said on the whole the NPP performed better than the NDC in the health sector.
With regard to the December elections, he called on all Ghanaians to make it peaceful.
Earlier, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Obeng Apori, took Nana Akufo-Addo round some of the wards and the Out-Patients Department where he urged the patients to embrace the health insurance scheme.
Dr Apori said that most of the patients had insured with the health insurance scheme.
Monday, October 27, 2008
ROUSING WELCOME FOR NANA AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 16)
THOUSANDS of people, mostly members and supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Friday converged in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, to welcome Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s flag bearer, who was on a campaign tour of the region.
The big crowd jammed the main Koforidua street with people trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo who rode in an open top Landcruiser to acknowledge cheers from them.
Vehicular traffic on the main passageway of the Nana Asafo Adjei Street, where Nana Akufo-Addo’s convoy passed, virtually came to a standstill, and it took the NPP flag bearer nearly one and half hours to cover the one kilometer stretch to the Jackson Park to address the crowd.
Nana Akufo-Addo who was accompanied by Messrs Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, all of who competed for the party’s flagbearership with him, Madam Grace Omaboe, a radio and television talk show presenter, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Gyekye Amoabeng, and other party officials, said he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.
He said he was not surprised about the huge turn out because of the good works of the NPP Government headed by President Kufour, which according to him had won the confidence of the people and had therefore decided to rally behind the party to win the December elections.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, 19 years of bad administration of the National Democratic Congress nearly collapsed Ghana’s economy which had now been revived by the NPP within a short period of seven years.
He stated that it would therefore be in the interest of the people to vote for the retention of the NPP to enable the party to complete its development agenda.
“At the time we took over in January 2001, the country’s foreign exchange reserve was only $235 million and the economy was on the verge of collapse but we have managed within a seven-year period to increase the figure to $2.6 billion”, he stated to a thunderous applause from the gathering.
On education, he debunked a statement by officials of the NDC that his administration would not be able to make it free at the senior high school level, and explained that since the Kufour Administration had been able to make it free at both the primary and junior high school level, he would also be able to do that at the senior high level.
“Never again will children of poor parentage be deprived of education, and our policies will make it possible for such children to climb the academic ladder to develop their full talents to move society forward”, he stated.
Earlier, Nana Akufo Addo addressed similar gatherings at Nsawam and Suhum, where he said his administration would continue to give the necessary assistance to cocoa farmers to increase production which currently stood at about 700,000 tons to one million tons within a short period.
Nana Akufo-Addo who introduced all the party’s parliamentary candidates in the areas he visited called on the people to vote for them to win their seats.
He also promised to institute a pension scheme for cocoa farmers.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Kwabena Agyepong as well as Madam Grace Omaboe took turns to canvass votes for the party.
The big crowd jammed the main Koforidua street with people trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo who rode in an open top Landcruiser to acknowledge cheers from them.
Vehicular traffic on the main passageway of the Nana Asafo Adjei Street, where Nana Akufo-Addo’s convoy passed, virtually came to a standstill, and it took the NPP flag bearer nearly one and half hours to cover the one kilometer stretch to the Jackson Park to address the crowd.
Nana Akufo-Addo who was accompanied by Messrs Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Hackman Owusu Agyeman, all of who competed for the party’s flagbearership with him, Madam Grace Omaboe, a radio and television talk show presenter, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Gyekye Amoabeng, and other party officials, said he was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd.
He said he was not surprised about the huge turn out because of the good works of the NPP Government headed by President Kufour, which according to him had won the confidence of the people and had therefore decided to rally behind the party to win the December elections.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, 19 years of bad administration of the National Democratic Congress nearly collapsed Ghana’s economy which had now been revived by the NPP within a short period of seven years.
He stated that it would therefore be in the interest of the people to vote for the retention of the NPP to enable the party to complete its development agenda.
“At the time we took over in January 2001, the country’s foreign exchange reserve was only $235 million and the economy was on the verge of collapse but we have managed within a seven-year period to increase the figure to $2.6 billion”, he stated to a thunderous applause from the gathering.
On education, he debunked a statement by officials of the NDC that his administration would not be able to make it free at the senior high school level, and explained that since the Kufour Administration had been able to make it free at both the primary and junior high school level, he would also be able to do that at the senior high level.
“Never again will children of poor parentage be deprived of education, and our policies will make it possible for such children to climb the academic ladder to develop their full talents to move society forward”, he stated.
Earlier, Nana Akufo Addo addressed similar gatherings at Nsawam and Suhum, where he said his administration would continue to give the necessary assistance to cocoa farmers to increase production which currently stood at about 700,000 tons to one million tons within a short period.
Nana Akufo-Addo who introduced all the party’s parliamentary candidates in the areas he visited called on the people to vote for them to win their seats.
He also promised to institute a pension scheme for cocoa farmers.
Messrs Yaw Osafo Maafo, Felix Owusu Agyepong, Kwabena Agyepong as well as Madam Grace Omaboe took turns to canvass votes for the party.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
ASSETS, DEPOSITS OF ADONTEN BANK RISE (PAGE 20)
THE Adonten Community Bank in the East Akyem District of the Eastern Region last year witnessed a significant growth in assets and deposits.
While total assets rose from GH¢1,660,931 in 2006 to GH¢2,075.930 in 2007, showing an increase of 30 per cent, deposits also went up from GH¢1,250,140 to GH¢1,595,244 within the same period.
During the same period, the bank granted loans and overdrafts amounting to GH¢894.505, compared to the GH¢751,651 given out in 2006.
The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Dr Edward Owusu-Manu, made this known at the annual general meeting of the bank at Tafo.
According to Dr Owusu-Manu, the share capital of the bank, which stood at GH¢56,500 in 2006, shot up to GH¢65,885 in 2007 but was far below the Bank of Ghana’s statutory requirement of GH¢150,000.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to increase their share capital.
The bank’s profit, he said, dropped considerably from GH¢52,265 in 2006 to GH¢20,685 in 2007 and attributed the situation to the non-payment of bad and doubtful loans and overdrafts, as well as the redenomination exercise, during which a number of items were purchased.
Dr Owusu-Manu appealed to loan defaulters to pay up to avoid legal action being taken against them to retrieve the loans.
To broaden its operations, he said the bank would soon open agencies at Abomosu and Ehiamankyene, while plans were underway to computerise the Tafo headquarters of the bank with its branches at Kukurantumi, Anyinam and Koforidua.
The Head of the Inspection and Audit Department of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Hyginus S. Zon, who read the speech of the Managing Director, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, expressed dissatisfaction at the fall in the bank’s profit and implored the board, management and staff of the bank to work assiduously to reverse the trend in order to maximise shareholder value.
Mr Zon also urged the board to strengthen the internal control system of the bank to prevent fraud that might lead to its liquidation.
While total assets rose from GH¢1,660,931 in 2006 to GH¢2,075.930 in 2007, showing an increase of 30 per cent, deposits also went up from GH¢1,250,140 to GH¢1,595,244 within the same period.
During the same period, the bank granted loans and overdrafts amounting to GH¢894.505, compared to the GH¢751,651 given out in 2006.
The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Dr Edward Owusu-Manu, made this known at the annual general meeting of the bank at Tafo.
According to Dr Owusu-Manu, the share capital of the bank, which stood at GH¢56,500 in 2006, shot up to GH¢65,885 in 2007 but was far below the Bank of Ghana’s statutory requirement of GH¢150,000.
He, therefore, appealed to shareholders to increase their share capital.
The bank’s profit, he said, dropped considerably from GH¢52,265 in 2006 to GH¢20,685 in 2007 and attributed the situation to the non-payment of bad and doubtful loans and overdrafts, as well as the redenomination exercise, during which a number of items were purchased.
Dr Owusu-Manu appealed to loan defaulters to pay up to avoid legal action being taken against them to retrieve the loans.
To broaden its operations, he said the bank would soon open agencies at Abomosu and Ehiamankyene, while plans were underway to computerise the Tafo headquarters of the bank with its branches at Kukurantumi, Anyinam and Koforidua.
The Head of the Inspection and Audit Department of the ARB Apex Bank, Mr Hyginus S. Zon, who read the speech of the Managing Director, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, expressed dissatisfaction at the fall in the bank’s profit and implored the board, management and staff of the bank to work assiduously to reverse the trend in order to maximise shareholder value.
Mr Zon also urged the board to strengthen the internal control system of the bank to prevent fraud that might lead to its liquidation.
APOSTOLIC WOMEN'S CONVENTION ENDS (PAGE 20)
THE annual women’s convention of the Koforidua Area of the Apostolic Church of Ghana has ended at Jumapo.
The five-day convention, on the theme, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”, was also attended by men from the 13 districts constituting the Koforidua Area.
Addressing the congregation, the National President of the church, Apostle John Adotey, called on Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to withstand challenges in life, draw more souls to Christ and assist in the development of society.
Basing his sermon on Ephesians 5:5-18, he said it was time for Pentecostals to be filled with the Holly Spirit for guidance to be able to withstand societal challenges, instead of only speaking in tongues.
Apostle Adotey said the modern world had brought in its wake negative traits which could easily mislead Christians, saying unless they were filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no way they could withstand such temptations.
He, therefore, urged Christians not to speak only in tongues but also be filled with the Holy Spirit for protection and guidance.
Apostle Adotey also implored the women to be supportive of their husbands to be able to nurture their children on Christian principles and also properly cater for their material needs.
In his sermon, the Koforidua Area Head of the church, Apostle J.K. Addey, said as true believers, members of the congregation should study the Word of God in order to claim the power of the Holy Spirit which was their birthright.
Concentrating his sermon on I Corinthians 3:2 and Psalm 62:11, Apostle Addey highlighted the various ways in which the Holy Spirit influenced man, including enabling them to live a renewed life, guidance, differentiating right from wrong and guiding Christians on whatever they did.
Other speakers at the function included Pastor E.A. Ampah and Deaconess (Mrs) Janet Obeng, Pastor and Women’s Leader, respectively, at Jumapo.
Prior to the convention, Elder Jacob Okoh Okantey of the Koforidua Central Assembly had been inducted into the pastoral service.
The five-day convention, on the theme, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit”, was also attended by men from the 13 districts constituting the Koforidua Area.
Addressing the congregation, the National President of the church, Apostle John Adotey, called on Christians to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to withstand challenges in life, draw more souls to Christ and assist in the development of society.
Basing his sermon on Ephesians 5:5-18, he said it was time for Pentecostals to be filled with the Holly Spirit for guidance to be able to withstand societal challenges, instead of only speaking in tongues.
Apostle Adotey said the modern world had brought in its wake negative traits which could easily mislead Christians, saying unless they were filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no way they could withstand such temptations.
He, therefore, urged Christians not to speak only in tongues but also be filled with the Holy Spirit for protection and guidance.
Apostle Adotey also implored the women to be supportive of their husbands to be able to nurture their children on Christian principles and also properly cater for their material needs.
In his sermon, the Koforidua Area Head of the church, Apostle J.K. Addey, said as true believers, members of the congregation should study the Word of God in order to claim the power of the Holy Spirit which was their birthright.
Concentrating his sermon on I Corinthians 3:2 and Psalm 62:11, Apostle Addey highlighted the various ways in which the Holy Spirit influenced man, including enabling them to live a renewed life, guidance, differentiating right from wrong and guiding Christians on whatever they did.
Other speakers at the function included Pastor E.A. Ampah and Deaconess (Mrs) Janet Obeng, Pastor and Women’s Leader, respectively, at Jumapo.
Prior to the convention, Elder Jacob Okoh Okantey of the Koforidua Central Assembly had been inducted into the pastoral service.
YENSI LANDSLIDE VICTIMS CALL FOR HELP (PAGE 20)
ADUKROM-YENSI is a small village which lies below the lofty Akuapem Ridge, about two kilometres off the main Adukrom-Koforidua highway.
The tiny village, comprising about 10 houses with a population of about 100 people is approximately six kilometres away from Adukrom, the traditional capital of the Okere people who constitute nearly 90 per cent of the population.
As a typical rural community, the people as expected, are farmers on small holdings, cultivating food crops with cassava as the main crop. The other food crops are maize, plantain, cocoyam and yam.
While the cassava is processed into cassava dough and sent to the marketing centres at Koforidua and Accra, the remaining foodstuffs are consumed locally and as a result the farmers generate very little income; too meagre for their livelihood.
To make matters worse, the entire area which some years ago was a thick forest, has been reduced to bushes with virtually no trees due to the improper farming practices and activities of illegal chainsaw operators, especially on the mountains.
The indiscriminate destruction of the vegetation, particularly on the mountains, has exposed the rocks to the vagaries of the weather and some of rocks roll down onto the settlements underneath during a heavy downpour.
Such a situation resulted in landslides at Yensi in 1942 and 1987 but with no loss of human life, although some of the farms and property were destroyed.
The severest of the landslides, however, occurred in the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7, this year which claimed the lives of three persons.
The deceased, Doris Asantewa, 55, Yaa Oforiwaa, 72, and an infant, Kwasi Mantey, were buried alive and their bodies were retrieved by a combined task force comprising personnel of the Ghana Police and Fire Services with support from the people after nearly 48 hours of operation.
The tragedy threw the entire community into a state of mourning and also turned the village into a tourist attraction.
Many commuters along the Adukrom-Koforidua highway who had not seen a landslide of such magnitude before, rushed to the village for first hand information.
Shortly after the tragedy, a number of dignitaries and government officials also rushed to the scene to see how best to bring relief to the people.
The top officials included Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akuapem North and Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, a former Minister of State and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Okere.
The Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who was on an official visit to the Kwahu area on the day of the tragedy, had to cut short the visit and return to the scene to offer the necessary assistance.
While Mr Adu Aboagye personally supervised the removal of the bodies, Mr Dan Botwe who had just returned to the country after a foreign tour, followed up the next day together with Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a representative of the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Botwe initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family and also offered to single-handedly provide coffins for the burial of the victims as well as cater for other funeral expenses.
That aside, the prospective Okere MP further indicated his willingness to offer the necessary assistance that would help alleviate the suffering of the community.
That included the relocation of the village, which according to officials of the Geological Survey Department, is prone to landslide.
“It is unfortunate that some people have died from such a natural disaster and I will do my best to alleviate the situation in the short term as well as take steps to relocate you from the area if you so wish,” Mr Botwe stated.
Mr Botwe’s relief package followed a request by Mr Daniel Henaku, a relative of the victims and spokesman for the community who asked for support and relocation of the village.
For his part, Mr Afram Asiedu presented various relief items to the people and gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council would follow up with concrete measures that would permanently alleviate their plight.
To put meaning to the promises, the almost impassable two-kilometre road linking Adukrom-Yensi to the main Koforidua-Adukrom road which had not been rehabilitated for years, has in the interim been reconditioned. It has also been planned to rehabilitate it periodically to make it motorable at all times.
The assistance and assurances as expected, have brought partial relief to the people with the hope that soon all that they were promised would be delivered at least before the onset of the next rainy season.
This would not only enable such unfortunate inhabitants to enjoy at least some of the basic necessities of life, but also make it possible for them to be permanently settled at safer locations in the area so that they would continue with food crops cultivation that have been the only economic venture in the area.
The tiny village, comprising about 10 houses with a population of about 100 people is approximately six kilometres away from Adukrom, the traditional capital of the Okere people who constitute nearly 90 per cent of the population.
As a typical rural community, the people as expected, are farmers on small holdings, cultivating food crops with cassava as the main crop. The other food crops are maize, plantain, cocoyam and yam.
While the cassava is processed into cassava dough and sent to the marketing centres at Koforidua and Accra, the remaining foodstuffs are consumed locally and as a result the farmers generate very little income; too meagre for their livelihood.
To make matters worse, the entire area which some years ago was a thick forest, has been reduced to bushes with virtually no trees due to the improper farming practices and activities of illegal chainsaw operators, especially on the mountains.
The indiscriminate destruction of the vegetation, particularly on the mountains, has exposed the rocks to the vagaries of the weather and some of rocks roll down onto the settlements underneath during a heavy downpour.
Such a situation resulted in landslides at Yensi in 1942 and 1987 but with no loss of human life, although some of the farms and property were destroyed.
The severest of the landslides, however, occurred in the afternoon of Tuesday, October 7, this year which claimed the lives of three persons.
The deceased, Doris Asantewa, 55, Yaa Oforiwaa, 72, and an infant, Kwasi Mantey, were buried alive and their bodies were retrieved by a combined task force comprising personnel of the Ghana Police and Fire Services with support from the people after nearly 48 hours of operation.
The tragedy threw the entire community into a state of mourning and also turned the village into a tourist attraction.
Many commuters along the Adukrom-Koforidua highway who had not seen a landslide of such magnitude before, rushed to the village for first hand information.
Shortly after the tragedy, a number of dignitaries and government officials also rushed to the scene to see how best to bring relief to the people.
The top officials included Mr Edward Adu Aboagye, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Akuapem North and Mr Dan Kwaku Botwe, a former Minister of State and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for Okere.
The Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, who was on an official visit to the Kwahu area on the day of the tragedy, had to cut short the visit and return to the scene to offer the necessary assistance.
While Mr Adu Aboagye personally supervised the removal of the bodies, Mr Dan Botwe who had just returned to the country after a foreign tour, followed up the next day together with Mr Kwabena Agyepong, a representative of the NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Mr Botwe initially presented GH¢200 to the bereaved family and also offered to single-handedly provide coffins for the burial of the victims as well as cater for other funeral expenses.
That aside, the prospective Okere MP further indicated his willingness to offer the necessary assistance that would help alleviate the suffering of the community.
That included the relocation of the village, which according to officials of the Geological Survey Department, is prone to landslide.
“It is unfortunate that some people have died from such a natural disaster and I will do my best to alleviate the situation in the short term as well as take steps to relocate you from the area if you so wish,” Mr Botwe stated.
Mr Botwe’s relief package followed a request by Mr Daniel Henaku, a relative of the victims and spokesman for the community who asked for support and relocation of the village.
For his part, Mr Afram Asiedu presented various relief items to the people and gave the assurance that the Regional Co-ordinating Council would follow up with concrete measures that would permanently alleviate their plight.
To put meaning to the promises, the almost impassable two-kilometre road linking Adukrom-Yensi to the main Koforidua-Adukrom road which had not been rehabilitated for years, has in the interim been reconditioned. It has also been planned to rehabilitate it periodically to make it motorable at all times.
The assistance and assurances as expected, have brought partial relief to the people with the hope that soon all that they were promised would be delivered at least before the onset of the next rainy season.
This would not only enable such unfortunate inhabitants to enjoy at least some of the basic necessities of life, but also make it possible for them to be permanently settled at safer locations in the area so that they would continue with food crops cultivation that have been the only economic venture in the area.
MORE RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE POTABLE WATER — Says Minister (BACK PAGE)
MORE than half of rural communities in the country at the end of last year had access to potable water, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has announced.
Madam Dapaah said the 54.86 per cent of rural communities which now enjoyed potable water exceeded the government’s target of 54.73 per cent.
She said at the current rate, the country was on course to achieve the 75 per cent target set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) water supply target for the year 2015.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah was speaking at the 11th Government of Ghana/development partners annual review conference on the water and sanitation sector at Akosombo.
The three-day conference, with the theme: “Taking Ownership: A critical step for sustainable water resources management and water and sanitation service delivery”, was organised by the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with the support of the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA).
The conference, which was being attended by representatives of stakeholders in the water sector, was among others, to take stock of the past year’s and current status of the water and sanitation sector, as well as to take a decision on how Ghana can take ownership of the water sector.
According to the minister, there had also been improvement in the provision of potable water for urban centres, which currently stood at 60 per cent.
She added that with the completion of water supply systems in urban areas such as the Accra East-West Inter-connection, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Tamale, 65 per cent of the urban population would be covered by the end of next year.
The minister further mentioned Ghana’s collaboration with its development partners in the water sector in three districts, namely, Dangbe West and Dangbe East in Greater Accra as well as North Tongu in the Volta Region,and that the implementation would help in the design and management of future rural projects of such magnitude for the benefit of the communities.
She also stated that bye laws to govern the management of water systems at the community and small towns level had been approved and adopted by the district and municipal assemblies where such facilities existed for the assemblies to monitor their operations, which she said would strengthen their ownership.
To protect water bodies, she stated that a Buffer Zone Policy was being prepared by the Water Resources Commission to regulate activities near water bodies, and that basin boards established to manage river basins were already functioning.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Yeremia Awudu, asked landlords to provide places of convenience in their homes.
He also stated that the ministry would institute an award scheme on sanitation for practising journalists next year.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Danish Embassy in Ghana, Mr Stig Barlyng, gave the assurance that development partners, especially Denmark, would continue to assist to improve the water and sanitation sector in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, said the region had benefited immensely from various water and sanitation programmes under the New Patriotic Party Administration, and expressed the government’s appreciation to development partners who supported the expansion work on the Koforidua Municipality Water System which is underway.
Madam Dapaah said the 54.86 per cent of rural communities which now enjoyed potable water exceeded the government’s target of 54.73 per cent.
She said at the current rate, the country was on course to achieve the 75 per cent target set in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) water supply target for the year 2015.
Madam Cecilia Dapaah was speaking at the 11th Government of Ghana/development partners annual review conference on the water and sanitation sector at Akosombo.
The three-day conference, with the theme: “Taking Ownership: A critical step for sustainable water resources management and water and sanitation service delivery”, was organised by the Water Directorate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, with the support of the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA).
The conference, which was being attended by representatives of stakeholders in the water sector, was among others, to take stock of the past year’s and current status of the water and sanitation sector, as well as to take a decision on how Ghana can take ownership of the water sector.
According to the minister, there had also been improvement in the provision of potable water for urban centres, which currently stood at 60 per cent.
She added that with the completion of water supply systems in urban areas such as the Accra East-West Inter-connection, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Tamale, 65 per cent of the urban population would be covered by the end of next year.
The minister further mentioned Ghana’s collaboration with its development partners in the water sector in three districts, namely, Dangbe West and Dangbe East in Greater Accra as well as North Tongu in the Volta Region,and that the implementation would help in the design and management of future rural projects of such magnitude for the benefit of the communities.
She also stated that bye laws to govern the management of water systems at the community and small towns level had been approved and adopted by the district and municipal assemblies where such facilities existed for the assemblies to monitor their operations, which she said would strengthen their ownership.
To protect water bodies, she stated that a Buffer Zone Policy was being prepared by the Water Resources Commission to regulate activities near water bodies, and that basin boards established to manage river basins were already functioning.
The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Yeremia Awudu, asked landlords to provide places of convenience in their homes.
He also stated that the ministry would institute an award scheme on sanitation for practising journalists next year.
For his part, the Ambassador of the Danish Embassy in Ghana, Mr Stig Barlyng, gave the assurance that development partners, especially Denmark, would continue to assist to improve the water and sanitation sector in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, said the region had benefited immensely from various water and sanitation programmes under the New Patriotic Party Administration, and expressed the government’s appreciation to development partners who supported the expansion work on the Koforidua Municipality Water System which is underway.
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