THIS year, projected as a year of action by President John Evans Atta Mills, is to see the implementation of projects and programmes set up in the Better Ghana Agenda.
In the year, all the promises made by the party during its electioneering are to be tackled and fulfilled.
Mr Henry Ford Kamel, the Member of Parliament for Buem, reiterated this when he addressed the party hierarchy at an end of year get-together at the Bueman Secondary School in Jasikan.
Mr Kamel gave the assurance that funds for all the projects set down were available and work would start in full swing, creating jobs for as many people as possible.
He said the Volta Region would see the start of the Eastern Corridor Project from Tema through Asikuma to the North, and the Volta Regional University which would have campuses at Ho and Hohoe.
By September this year, he said, the first intake to the university would be matriculated.
“The year of Action is not for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party alone but for the rapid transformation of the country as promised by the party,” he said.
In the Buem Constituency, Mr Kamel said such amenities as electricity, teachers and nurses quarters, school buildings, lorry parks and rehabilitation of roads and bridges would be tackled with all urgency.
The Member Parliament told the party members not to go to sleep because they were in power, pointing out that winning the 2012 elections was not automatic.
“It will require hard work from all of you. Two years in opposition by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is hell for them so they are planning hard to come back so if you relax you will be overtaken by events, ” Mr Kamel cautioned.
He promised to give the executive 10 motorbikes to facilitate their work.
He announced that three pick-ups and bicycles had also been procured for the constituency.
In order to get the youth to obtain gainful employment and to revamp the cocoa industry in the area, he said he was ready to give out 100,000 cocoa seedlings free of charge with a promise to double it depending on the progress made.
“I want to teach you how to fish but not to give you fish to eat when you are hungry,” he said.
The Jasikan District Chief Executive, Nana Barima Bonsy II, said development projects were being undertaken.
The DCE said the Baglo Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) were being provided with infrastructure at the cost of GH¢600,000 under the GETfund and District Assemblies Common Fund.
He said there were plans also to provide streetlights from the Jasikan township to the Bueman Senior High School (BUSEC), rehabilitate the Kute and Jasikan markets and lorry park.
He said the rehabilitation of the Baika-Bodada and Likpe Bakwa-Dzolu-Kute-Bodada roads had all been awarded on contract.
On agriculture, Nana Bonsy II said efforts were being made to attract a team of experts from Italy to assist in the development of large scale rice cultivation in the district and commended landowners for releasing land for an afforestation project in the district.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
KADJEBI WOMEN DEMONSTRATE AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (BACK PAGE, JAN 26, 2011)
WOMEN in the Kadjebi District of the Volta Region have staged a peaceful demonstration to draw attention to acts of domestic violence in the district.
The demonstrators, who came from Kadjebi, Papase, Dodo Amanfrom, Asato and Poase Cement, carried placards, some of which read, “Do not beat your wife”, “Domestic violence can lead to HIV/AIDS”, “Husbands, your wives are not your enemies”, etc.
The event formed part of a sensitisation programme on how to eliminate domestic violence organised by PROLINK, a non-governmental organisation
The Kadjebi District Co-ordinator of PROLINK, Mr Mawusi Tsaku, who opened the workshop, said development would not be complete, if any gender group was left behind in decision-making and called on men in particular to see women as their partners and support them in their endeavours.
He said women faced a lot of challenges in their lives and mentioned some of them as difficulty in resource mobilisation and socio-cultural and religious beliefs that were sometimes used negatively by their male counterparts against them and called on men to reverse the trend.
Mr Tsaku, on behalf of the women, later presented a petition to the Kadjebi District Chief Executive, Mr Seth Alifui.
The five-point petition called for broad-based community participation on gender-based issues and the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action at the district level.
It also appealed to the assembly to register all people living with HIV/AIDS and orphans under the National Health Insurance Scheme and also assist people living with HIV/AIDS to access their drugs.
Receiving the petition, Mr Alifui lamented that most women were maltreated by their husbands and men due to the men’s desire to wield power.
He was sure that men would shy away from manhandling women who were assertive or able to stand on their own feet, without looking up to the men to cater for them.
He informed the women that very soon the MASLOC credit scheme would be available and asked them to form proper groups to access it.
The demonstrators, who came from Kadjebi, Papase, Dodo Amanfrom, Asato and Poase Cement, carried placards, some of which read, “Do not beat your wife”, “Domestic violence can lead to HIV/AIDS”, “Husbands, your wives are not your enemies”, etc.
The event formed part of a sensitisation programme on how to eliminate domestic violence organised by PROLINK, a non-governmental organisation
The Kadjebi District Co-ordinator of PROLINK, Mr Mawusi Tsaku, who opened the workshop, said development would not be complete, if any gender group was left behind in decision-making and called on men in particular to see women as their partners and support them in their endeavours.
He said women faced a lot of challenges in their lives and mentioned some of them as difficulty in resource mobilisation and socio-cultural and religious beliefs that were sometimes used negatively by their male counterparts against them and called on men to reverse the trend.
Mr Tsaku, on behalf of the women, later presented a petition to the Kadjebi District Chief Executive, Mr Seth Alifui.
The five-point petition called for broad-based community participation on gender-based issues and the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action at the district level.
It also appealed to the assembly to register all people living with HIV/AIDS and orphans under the National Health Insurance Scheme and also assist people living with HIV/AIDS to access their drugs.
Receiving the petition, Mr Alifui lamented that most women were maltreated by their husbands and men due to the men’s desire to wield power.
He was sure that men would shy away from manhandling women who were assertive or able to stand on their own feet, without looking up to the men to cater for them.
He informed the women that very soon the MASLOC credit scheme would be available and asked them to form proper groups to access it.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
FROM MALLAM TO FIFA ASSISTANT REFEREE...That's the story of Referee Malik (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 11, JAN 25, 2011)
The childhood dream of Salifu Malik Alidu of Tamale in the Northern Region was to be a mallam of the Muslim faith, but today he is an Assistant FIFA Referee.
Malik, as he is affectionately called by his colleagues, attained the FIFA badge in 2006 at the age of 32 years.
He is a graduate tutor at the Tamale Senior High School, having obtained a degree in Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Hons in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 2005. Not only that, he is also the Deputy House father in one of the houses in the school.
Malik decided to become a mallam when, due to the poverty of his parents, he had to abandon education at class two at the Lamashegu Primary L/A School in Tamale in 1984 where he started his education.
But in his zest to go to school by all means, Malik enrolled again at the Khairiya Arabic-English School in 1984/85 academic year.
Here, the Headmaster of the school, one Mr Fuseni Baba, saw that “I was a brilliant pupil, so after six years, decided I should enter the formal stream of education”.
“ So straight I went to Zogbali Junior Secondary School form one where I completed in 1993 with aggregate six, scoring seven Ones out of 10 subjects”, he recounted with nostalgia.
“I then proceeded to the Tamale Senior Secondary School where I completed in 1995/96 with aggregate 13 with financial support from some good Samaritans in the neighbourhood”, he said.
Malik could not enter the University then due to the same financial problem so the same Mr Baba who had by then become his mentor came to his rescue again and advised him to enter the teacher training college.
He then enrolled at the Tumu Teacher Training College from 1996 to 1999 where I passed and was posted to the Savelugu JSS from 1999-2001”. By dint of hard work dedication and discipline, Malik proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon, where he majored in Political Science.
In the meantime, he enrolled to become a member of the Referees Association of Ghana ( RAG) in 1993 when in Tamale Senior Secondary School at the age of 18 years. When he was preparing for the SSS exams in 1995-96, he was also preparing for the referees promotional exams to Class two.
He achieved the penultimate to become a Class One football referee in 1995 and got promoted that same year to join the National Premier Football League division.
In 2001, Malik was invited to the High Level Refreshers Course among 20 other referees at Winneba in the Central Region under the directorship of Mr Linus Mba, CAF/FIFA Instructor.
In 2003, he was invited to the FIFA fitness test but it was not until 2006 that he had the ultimate FIFA badge which “I cherish so much”.
He also participated in the Young Talents Course in South Africa in 2007/08 after which he was awarded a Diploma in Refereeing by CAF.
Post held in the Northern Regional branch of the RAG are Porter from 1994-95, Deputy Instructor from 1995-96, Deputy Regional Secretary from 2000-02 and Regional Secretary from 2004 up till date.
Malik remembers his best match as one of the friendly matches arranged between Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the national team of Norway in a friendly match leading to the World Cup tournament last year. His worst match is the one between Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone in 2007.
He is married to Ayisha with a two-year-old son, Fadel.
Malik, as he is affectionately called by his colleagues, attained the FIFA badge in 2006 at the age of 32 years.
He is a graduate tutor at the Tamale Senior High School, having obtained a degree in Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Hons in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon, in 2005. Not only that, he is also the Deputy House father in one of the houses in the school.
Malik decided to become a mallam when, due to the poverty of his parents, he had to abandon education at class two at the Lamashegu Primary L/A School in Tamale in 1984 where he started his education.
But in his zest to go to school by all means, Malik enrolled again at the Khairiya Arabic-English School in 1984/85 academic year.
Here, the Headmaster of the school, one Mr Fuseni Baba, saw that “I was a brilliant pupil, so after six years, decided I should enter the formal stream of education”.
“ So straight I went to Zogbali Junior Secondary School form one where I completed in 1993 with aggregate six, scoring seven Ones out of 10 subjects”, he recounted with nostalgia.
“I then proceeded to the Tamale Senior Secondary School where I completed in 1995/96 with aggregate 13 with financial support from some good Samaritans in the neighbourhood”, he said.
Malik could not enter the University then due to the same financial problem so the same Mr Baba who had by then become his mentor came to his rescue again and advised him to enter the teacher training college.
He then enrolled at the Tumu Teacher Training College from 1996 to 1999 where I passed and was posted to the Savelugu JSS from 1999-2001”. By dint of hard work dedication and discipline, Malik proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon, where he majored in Political Science.
In the meantime, he enrolled to become a member of the Referees Association of Ghana ( RAG) in 1993 when in Tamale Senior Secondary School at the age of 18 years. When he was preparing for the SSS exams in 1995-96, he was also preparing for the referees promotional exams to Class two.
He achieved the penultimate to become a Class One football referee in 1995 and got promoted that same year to join the National Premier Football League division.
In 2001, Malik was invited to the High Level Refreshers Course among 20 other referees at Winneba in the Central Region under the directorship of Mr Linus Mba, CAF/FIFA Instructor.
In 2003, he was invited to the FIFA fitness test but it was not until 2006 that he had the ultimate FIFA badge which “I cherish so much”.
He also participated in the Young Talents Course in South Africa in 2007/08 after which he was awarded a Diploma in Refereeing by CAF.
Post held in the Northern Regional branch of the RAG are Porter from 1994-95, Deputy Instructor from 1995-96, Deputy Regional Secretary from 2000-02 and Regional Secretary from 2004 up till date.
Malik remembers his best match as one of the friendly matches arranged between Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the national team of Norway in a friendly match leading to the World Cup tournament last year. His worst match is the one between Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone in 2007.
He is married to Ayisha with a two-year-old son, Fadel.
Monday, January 24, 2011
APOSTOLIC REVELATIONS SOCIETY TO MARK 50TH ANNIVERSARY (PAGE 42, JAN 24, 2011)
THE people of Dededo, near Tsito Awudome in the Ho Municipality, mainly members of the Apostolic Revelations Society (ARS), will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church in October this year.
The town, which comprises Alorbe, Tiam, Bame, Ando Nkwanta and Bombi communities, was established in 1961 by the late Mawufe Ame C.K.N. Wovenu, the founder and leader of the ARS.
The communities were unified and made a town where Christianity and the Bible were the order of the day. The town, which is gradually becoming a commercial centre was under the direct rule of the founder until 1998 when he became too old and Mr Isaac Azadagli was elected the chief and spiritual leader under the name Togbe Azadagli Dededo I.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Togbe Dededo said the anniversary would be launched in March this year on the theme: “Freedom from spiritual bondage.”
Giving a brief history of Dededo, Togbe Dededo said before coming together, all the communities were under their various leaders.
“When Mawufe Ame brought the Christian religion to the people, they all accepted it and came together as one people united by the religion,” Togbe Dededo said.
Togbe Dededo said he did not know that he had been destined to lead the people until 1998 when Mawufe Ame, who was advanced in age, entrusted the leadership of the communities to his care.
As part of activities preceding the golden anniversary, the people have undergone seven days of fasting and prayer retreat to prepare the way for the celebration.
An Associate Pastor of the Adenta branch of Action Chapel, Pastor Daq Roberts, delivered the sermon at the church service to climax the retreat.
Pastor Roberts asked the congregation to put their trust and hope in the Lord at all times since through Him, all their needs would be met.
He said Dededo had forsaken the ways of the Lord and some of the people had reverted to idol worship, which was contrary to the norms and values of the founder.
Pastor Roberts said the programme was to cleanse them and prepare them for their anniversary which must be celebrated with a re-awakening to follow Christ as was the aim of the founding fathers of Dededo.
Togbe Azadagli Dededo bemoaned the people’s turn-around from the ways of the Bible, adding that currently, immoral activities such as polygamy, unwanted pregnancies and children born out of wedlock were rife amongst the youth.
He said as a result, children could not be properly looked after resulting in high dropout rates in schools and lack of parental care for those in school.
Togbe Azadagli Dededo called on them to return to the Christian religion brought to them by their forefathers, otherwise they would bring a curse on the town.
“You should remember that as a Christian community, you should lead lives worthy of emulation and be role models to others,” he stressed.
The town, which comprises Alorbe, Tiam, Bame, Ando Nkwanta and Bombi communities, was established in 1961 by the late Mawufe Ame C.K.N. Wovenu, the founder and leader of the ARS.
The communities were unified and made a town where Christianity and the Bible were the order of the day. The town, which is gradually becoming a commercial centre was under the direct rule of the founder until 1998 when he became too old and Mr Isaac Azadagli was elected the chief and spiritual leader under the name Togbe Azadagli Dededo I.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Togbe Dededo said the anniversary would be launched in March this year on the theme: “Freedom from spiritual bondage.”
Giving a brief history of Dededo, Togbe Dededo said before coming together, all the communities were under their various leaders.
“When Mawufe Ame brought the Christian religion to the people, they all accepted it and came together as one people united by the religion,” Togbe Dededo said.
Togbe Dededo said he did not know that he had been destined to lead the people until 1998 when Mawufe Ame, who was advanced in age, entrusted the leadership of the communities to his care.
As part of activities preceding the golden anniversary, the people have undergone seven days of fasting and prayer retreat to prepare the way for the celebration.
An Associate Pastor of the Adenta branch of Action Chapel, Pastor Daq Roberts, delivered the sermon at the church service to climax the retreat.
Pastor Roberts asked the congregation to put their trust and hope in the Lord at all times since through Him, all their needs would be met.
He said Dededo had forsaken the ways of the Lord and some of the people had reverted to idol worship, which was contrary to the norms and values of the founder.
Pastor Roberts said the programme was to cleanse them and prepare them for their anniversary which must be celebrated with a re-awakening to follow Christ as was the aim of the founding fathers of Dededo.
Togbe Azadagli Dededo bemoaned the people’s turn-around from the ways of the Bible, adding that currently, immoral activities such as polygamy, unwanted pregnancies and children born out of wedlock were rife amongst the youth.
He said as a result, children could not be properly looked after resulting in high dropout rates in schools and lack of parental care for those in school.
Togbe Azadagli Dededo called on them to return to the Christian religion brought to them by their forefathers, otherwise they would bring a curse on the town.
“You should remember that as a Christian community, you should lead lives worthy of emulation and be role models to others,” he stressed.
ZOIL SERVICES LIMITED EDUCATES BOAT OWNERS (PAGE 42, JAN 24, 2011)
ZOIL Services Limited, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a waste management company, has embarked on an outreach programme to educate boat owners on the necessity to take safety measures seriously on the Volta Lake.
Dubbed: “The Volta Lake enhancement project”, a total of 2000 life jackets have been distributed to boat owners at Tapa Abotoase, Kpando Tokor, Wusuta, Sogakope and Keta.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Ho, Mr Francis Tawiah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Zoomlion, said the project was to inculcate in the people the need to wear life jackets whenever they travelled by boat.
He was optimistic that the items would encourage boat owners and operators to be disciplined in the discharge of their duties as a number of people depended on the lake for their livelihood.
Mr Tawiah said the project was in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and would be intensified during the rainy season when the lake would be full.
The PRO also urged the boat owners and operators to desist from overloading their boats, adding that they had trained some personnel who they had deployed to such sites to save lives should there be accidents on the lake.
Mr Tawiah said he would regularly inspect the area to ensure that the equipment was used for the intended purpose.
Receiving the items, Mr Emmanuel Alimo, a representative of the boat owners association, thanked Zoomlion for the support.
He pledged to ensure that the equipment would be utilised to ensure safety on the lake.
Mr Alimo said due to the co-operation between the naval personnel and boat owners, accidents on the lake had been brought to the barest minimum in spite of the illegal loading of passengers by small canoes.
Dubbed: “The Volta Lake enhancement project”, a total of 2000 life jackets have been distributed to boat owners at Tapa Abotoase, Kpando Tokor, Wusuta, Sogakope and Keta.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Ho, Mr Francis Tawiah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Zoomlion, said the project was to inculcate in the people the need to wear life jackets whenever they travelled by boat.
He was optimistic that the items would encourage boat owners and operators to be disciplined in the discharge of their duties as a number of people depended on the lake for their livelihood.
Mr Tawiah said the project was in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and would be intensified during the rainy season when the lake would be full.
The PRO also urged the boat owners and operators to desist from overloading their boats, adding that they had trained some personnel who they had deployed to such sites to save lives should there be accidents on the lake.
Mr Tawiah said he would regularly inspect the area to ensure that the equipment was used for the intended purpose.
Receiving the items, Mr Emmanuel Alimo, a representative of the boat owners association, thanked Zoomlion for the support.
He pledged to ensure that the equipment would be utilised to ensure safety on the lake.
Mr Alimo said due to the co-operation between the naval personnel and boat owners, accidents on the lake had been brought to the barest minimum in spite of the illegal loading of passengers by small canoes.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
QUEENS TRAINED TO SUPPORT IMMUNISATION (PAGE 11, JAN 20, 2011)
A ONE-DAY training workshop to equip queens and their elders with skills and knowledge to serve as advocates of the expanded programme on immunisation services in their communities, has ended at Ho in the Volta Region.
The workshop, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO), was organised by the Ho Municipal Directorate of Health. It attracted 45 participants selected from the Ho Municipality, who were equipped with the needed skills to encourage nursing mothers and care takers to send their children for regular immunisation.
In his welcome address, Dr Winfred Ofosu, Deputy Director in charge of Public Health, described the country’s immunisation programme as, “a powerful tool, very beneficial and critical to child survival” and pointed out that deaths resulting from childhood diseases have reduced considerably, due to immunisation.
He said the orientation was to get the views of participants on how best to improve on immunisation services in their communities and pointed out that “with your support, we will ensure that children live”.
He said because some child-care givers were not sending their children for immunisation, some children started but did not complete the immunisation schedule in the districts, and for that matter the region was not meeting respective targets.
He said queens being influential people in the communities could influence people, especially mothers, to have their children immunised.
He announced that for the past eight years, there had been no reported death from measles and poliomyelitis is on the verge of being eradicated whilst under age five mortality rate had reduced significantly from 111/1000 live births in 2003 to 80 in 2008.
Mr Godwin Afegbe, the Volta Regional Disease Control Officer said without immunisation, there was the threat of children dying from childhood diseases such as measles, whooping cough and tetanus.
Mr Afegbe noted that after a 10-year campaign by the WHO, small pox had been eradicated since 1997.
He, therefore, called on the participants to ensure that children were not denied the benefits of immunisation since it was a positive step to keep them healthy.
The workshop, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation (WHO), was organised by the Ho Municipal Directorate of Health. It attracted 45 participants selected from the Ho Municipality, who were equipped with the needed skills to encourage nursing mothers and care takers to send their children for regular immunisation.
In his welcome address, Dr Winfred Ofosu, Deputy Director in charge of Public Health, described the country’s immunisation programme as, “a powerful tool, very beneficial and critical to child survival” and pointed out that deaths resulting from childhood diseases have reduced considerably, due to immunisation.
He said the orientation was to get the views of participants on how best to improve on immunisation services in their communities and pointed out that “with your support, we will ensure that children live”.
He said because some child-care givers were not sending their children for immunisation, some children started but did not complete the immunisation schedule in the districts, and for that matter the region was not meeting respective targets.
He said queens being influential people in the communities could influence people, especially mothers, to have their children immunised.
He announced that for the past eight years, there had been no reported death from measles and poliomyelitis is on the verge of being eradicated whilst under age five mortality rate had reduced significantly from 111/1000 live births in 2003 to 80 in 2008.
Mr Godwin Afegbe, the Volta Regional Disease Control Officer said without immunisation, there was the threat of children dying from childhood diseases such as measles, whooping cough and tetanus.
Mr Afegbe noted that after a 10-year campaign by the WHO, small pox had been eradicated since 1997.
He, therefore, called on the participants to ensure that children were not denied the benefits of immunisation since it was a positive step to keep them healthy.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
FORMER MPS SENSITISE STUDENTS AT HOHOE (PAGE 12, JAN 19, 2011)
THE Forum for Former Members of Parliament has held an awareness programme to sensitise students to the role of Parliamentarians at St. Theresa College of Education, Hohoe in the Volta Region.
The programme which attracted other participants from St Francis, Amedzofe, Peki and Dambai Colleges of Education, under the theme “The Role of Parliament in the Development and Sustenance of Democracy and Good Governance in Ghana”, was sponsored by the Parliament of Ghana.
The President of the Forum and a former Member of Parliament for Hohoe South Constituency, Mr Kosi Kedem, said the forum was formed two years ago and had a membership of 100 former MPs.
He said their objective was to explain the role of Parliament to especially students in tertiary institutions to demystify the establishment to them.
He said the forum had so far taken the message to Kumasi, Koforidua and Accra Polytechnics to explain what democracy meant, adding that democracy practised in Ghana, as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution was based on multi-party system.
Mr Kedem said Ghana’s democratic process had gone on uninterrupted since 1993 amid the numerous criticisms and challenges it had faced.
He was of the view that Parliament alone could not bring about democracy but it needed the assistance of the people in concert with the Executive and Judiciary with the support of the media and civil society.
A member of the forum, Ms Monica Attenka, urged women to work hard to win the votes of the people to enter parliament.
She disagreed with the idea that women should be given concessionary seats in parliament.
“They should fight hard to win the votes of the people to be able to enter parliament,” Ms Attenka said.
She told the students that they had the whole world at their disposal to be able to use their education as a spring board to go places.
The programme which attracted other participants from St Francis, Amedzofe, Peki and Dambai Colleges of Education, under the theme “The Role of Parliament in the Development and Sustenance of Democracy and Good Governance in Ghana”, was sponsored by the Parliament of Ghana.
The President of the Forum and a former Member of Parliament for Hohoe South Constituency, Mr Kosi Kedem, said the forum was formed two years ago and had a membership of 100 former MPs.
He said their objective was to explain the role of Parliament to especially students in tertiary institutions to demystify the establishment to them.
He said the forum had so far taken the message to Kumasi, Koforidua and Accra Polytechnics to explain what democracy meant, adding that democracy practised in Ghana, as prescribed by the 1992 Constitution was based on multi-party system.
Mr Kedem said Ghana’s democratic process had gone on uninterrupted since 1993 amid the numerous criticisms and challenges it had faced.
He was of the view that Parliament alone could not bring about democracy but it needed the assistance of the people in concert with the Executive and Judiciary with the support of the media and civil society.
A member of the forum, Ms Monica Attenka, urged women to work hard to win the votes of the people to enter parliament.
She disagreed with the idea that women should be given concessionary seats in parliament.
“They should fight hard to win the votes of the people to be able to enter parliament,” Ms Attenka said.
She told the students that they had the whole world at their disposal to be able to use their education as a spring board to go places.
ADAKLU-ANYIGBE PWDS GET EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (PAGE 19, JAN 19, 2011)
Persons with disabilities (PWD) in the Adaklu Anyigbe District of the Volta Region have set up a nine-member executive committee to steer their affairs.
Chaired by Mr Daniel Kpene, the committee has been inaugurated and sworn into office at Agotime Kpetoe.
The Adaklu Anyigbe association is the ninth in the region and the executive committee hopes to work and bring their members together to ensure that they are given the needed recognition in every field of endeavour.
In his inaugural speech, the Adaklu Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kombla Adzaho, expressed his satisfaction that persons with disabilities had decided to come together to make their voices heard.
Mr Adzaho said the formation of the association was in the right direction since members should always aspire to achieve the best.
“You should not lose hope in life but aim for the best in life,” he urged them.
He assured them of the district assembly’s support anytime they called for it.
The Ho Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Mr Atsu Havor, commended non-governmental organisations for providing amenities and facilities, which had assisted in transforming the lives of people across the country.
Mr Havor expressed regret at the tendency of some operatives of non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) to manipulate their organisations to make money for themselves.
He called on the association to register with the DSW to ensure that they complied with the guidelines of their existence.
The Executive Director of Future Hope International, an NGO, Mr Vincent Sabblah Incoom, said the issue of the marginalisation of persons with disabilities had assumed great dimensions.
Mr Incoom noted that though a number of NGOs , societies and associations existed with the expressed aim of improving the lot of persons with disabilities, their contributions had been minimal.
“For, apart from the few officials that may be actively engaged in providing services, the bulk of the population generally ignore the needs of the disables,” he said.
As such, Mr Incoom said those in the rural areas which constituted 90 percent of about the two million people with disabilities in the city were neglected.
He called on all to join hands to draw the government’s attention to the problems of persons with disabilities to provide them protection against all acts that made their lives more difficult.
Chaired by Mr Daniel Kpene, the committee has been inaugurated and sworn into office at Agotime Kpetoe.
The Adaklu Anyigbe association is the ninth in the region and the executive committee hopes to work and bring their members together to ensure that they are given the needed recognition in every field of endeavour.
In his inaugural speech, the Adaklu Anyigbe District Chief Executive, Mr Michael Kombla Adzaho, expressed his satisfaction that persons with disabilities had decided to come together to make their voices heard.
Mr Adzaho said the formation of the association was in the right direction since members should always aspire to achieve the best.
“You should not lose hope in life but aim for the best in life,” he urged them.
He assured them of the district assembly’s support anytime they called for it.
The Ho Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Mr Atsu Havor, commended non-governmental organisations for providing amenities and facilities, which had assisted in transforming the lives of people across the country.
Mr Havor expressed regret at the tendency of some operatives of non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) to manipulate their organisations to make money for themselves.
He called on the association to register with the DSW to ensure that they complied with the guidelines of their existence.
The Executive Director of Future Hope International, an NGO, Mr Vincent Sabblah Incoom, said the issue of the marginalisation of persons with disabilities had assumed great dimensions.
Mr Incoom noted that though a number of NGOs , societies and associations existed with the expressed aim of improving the lot of persons with disabilities, their contributions had been minimal.
“For, apart from the few officials that may be actively engaged in providing services, the bulk of the population generally ignore the needs of the disables,” he said.
As such, Mr Incoom said those in the rural areas which constituted 90 percent of about the two million people with disabilities in the city were neglected.
He called on all to join hands to draw the government’s attention to the problems of persons with disabilities to provide them protection against all acts that made their lives more difficult.
WATCHMAN JAILED 15 YRS FOR DEFILING GIRL, 15 (PAGE 3, JAN 19, 2011)
THE Hohoe Circuit Court has sentenced a 50-year–old night watchman to 15 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 15-year-old girl.
The convict, Kwabena Mensah, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement but the court, presided over by Mr Samuel Kofi Solomon, found him guilty.
The girl is now four months’ pregnant.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr Benjamin Yaw Dadzie, the victim, who is a Class Six pupil, and Mensah stayed in the same house at Gbohome, a suburb of Hohoe.
He said the victim was staying with her elder sister (both names withheld).
In October last year when her sister was absent from the house, Mensah invited the victim, on the pretext of sending her. But on entering the room, the convict closed the door and forcibly had sex with her. He had sex with her on two other occasions, after which he gave her GH¢5 and GH¢10 on either occasion.
Mr Dadzie said the victim’s elder sister observed, after some time, that the victim had not been having her menstrual cycles and, after questioning her, the victim mentioned the convict as being responsible for the pregnancy.
The convict, Kwabena Mensah, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement but the court, presided over by Mr Samuel Kofi Solomon, found him guilty.
The girl is now four months’ pregnant.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr Benjamin Yaw Dadzie, the victim, who is a Class Six pupil, and Mensah stayed in the same house at Gbohome, a suburb of Hohoe.
He said the victim was staying with her elder sister (both names withheld).
In October last year when her sister was absent from the house, Mensah invited the victim, on the pretext of sending her. But on entering the room, the convict closed the door and forcibly had sex with her. He had sex with her on two other occasions, after which he gave her GH¢5 and GH¢10 on either occasion.
Mr Dadzie said the victim’s elder sister observed, after some time, that the victim had not been having her menstrual cycles and, after questioning her, the victim mentioned the convict as being responsible for the pregnancy.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
RURAL BANK ASSISTS THREE POLICE STATIONS (PAGE 22, JAN 18, 2011)
THE Worawora Asubonten Rural Bank in the Biakoye District of the Volta Region has presented three signboards to the Hohoe Divisional Police Headquarters, and the Borae and Chinderi District Police stations in the Volta Region
Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Hohoe, the Supervising Manager of the bank, Mr Joshua Odoom, said the three signboards, worth GH¢600, were donated to the police as part of the bank’s social responsibility.
He said he was moved by the poor, old wooden signboard of the Hohoe Divisional Police Command which had been destroyed by the weather.
“As for Borae and Chinderi, they did not have any signboards at all,” he said,
Receiving the signboards on behalf of the Police Service, the Hohoe Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Appiah, commended the bank for the gesture.
He expressed the hope that the donation would be the beginning of mutual co-operation between the two institutions.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony in Hohoe, the Supervising Manager of the bank, Mr Joshua Odoom, said the three signboards, worth GH¢600, were donated to the police as part of the bank’s social responsibility.
He said he was moved by the poor, old wooden signboard of the Hohoe Divisional Police Command which had been destroyed by the weather.
“As for Borae and Chinderi, they did not have any signboards at all,” he said,
Receiving the signboards on behalf of the Police Service, the Hohoe Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Appiah, commended the bank for the gesture.
He expressed the hope that the donation would be the beginning of mutual co-operation between the two institutions.
Friday, January 7, 2011
MAWULI SCHOOL, OLD STUDENTS SIGN MOU (PAGE 11, JAN 7, 2011)
THE new Headmaster of Mawuli Senior High School, Mr J. M. K. Osei-Nyansa, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the President of the North American branch of the Old Mawuli Students Union (OMSU), Professor Evans Afenya, to raise the sinking image of the school.
The ceremony took place at Virginia in the United States of America where Mr Osei-Nyansa spent two weeks at the invitation of the branch.
Speaking on his vision for the school to the Daily Graphic in Ho, the headmaster said the MOU had compelled him to put his vision into action to revamp the school.
He said the MOU was at the instance of the North American branch of the OMSU, who expressed regret at the sinking image of the school. According to the branch, the school had been noted for producing medical doctors and pharmacists but of late, the trend had ceased.
They therefore promised to place all their resources at his disposal to assist him to turn the tide round.
Mr Osei-Nyansa said his vision was to try to bring together all the stakeholders to assist in motivating the teachers to put in their best to raise the standards of the students. Though not an OMSU, the headmaster has decided to leave his name in “the sand of time”.
As a first step, he promised to put the school back into the Science and Math Quiz competition which they fell out in 2004.
He said after eight months of his stay in the school, through the co-operation of the teachers and other staff, he had been able to organise the 60th anniversary which started in a grand style.
He was grateful for the support of the local branches of OMSU which had brought a positive change and catalogued some of these as the who purchase of 300 mono-desks by the 1990 group and the acquisition of three computers and the painting of the Biology laboratory by the 1991 group. Others were the procurement of 80 chairs by the 1997 year group and the renovation of a bungalow and donation of six dustbins by the 1975 year group.
Speaking about challenges which he felt when removed would put the school on track to attain his vision, he mentioned accommodation for staff and the size of the dinning hall. He said with the school population now standing at 1,980, only 25 tutors were resident on the campus and that was inadequate for proper supervision.
On the dinning hall, he said students now had to eat in three shifts since they out- number the size of the hall. He prayed that the vast land of the school should be developed to provide more accommodation for the staff.
The ceremony took place at Virginia in the United States of America where Mr Osei-Nyansa spent two weeks at the invitation of the branch.
Speaking on his vision for the school to the Daily Graphic in Ho, the headmaster said the MOU had compelled him to put his vision into action to revamp the school.
He said the MOU was at the instance of the North American branch of the OMSU, who expressed regret at the sinking image of the school. According to the branch, the school had been noted for producing medical doctors and pharmacists but of late, the trend had ceased.
They therefore promised to place all their resources at his disposal to assist him to turn the tide round.
Mr Osei-Nyansa said his vision was to try to bring together all the stakeholders to assist in motivating the teachers to put in their best to raise the standards of the students. Though not an OMSU, the headmaster has decided to leave his name in “the sand of time”.
As a first step, he promised to put the school back into the Science and Math Quiz competition which they fell out in 2004.
He said after eight months of his stay in the school, through the co-operation of the teachers and other staff, he had been able to organise the 60th anniversary which started in a grand style.
He was grateful for the support of the local branches of OMSU which had brought a positive change and catalogued some of these as the who purchase of 300 mono-desks by the 1990 group and the acquisition of three computers and the painting of the Biology laboratory by the 1991 group. Others were the procurement of 80 chairs by the 1997 year group and the renovation of a bungalow and donation of six dustbins by the 1975 year group.
Speaking about challenges which he felt when removed would put the school on track to attain his vision, he mentioned accommodation for staff and the size of the dinning hall. He said with the school population now standing at 1,980, only 25 tutors were resident on the campus and that was inadequate for proper supervision.
On the dinning hall, he said students now had to eat in three shifts since they out- number the size of the hall. He prayed that the vast land of the school should be developed to provide more accommodation for the staff.
AKPAFU HIGH SCHOOL HOLDS FIRST SPEECH DAY (PAGE 11, JAN 7, 2011)
THE Akpafu Senior High Technical School in the Hohoe Municipality has held its first speech and prize-giving day after nearly 20 years of existence.
In all, 14 students, including four females, and 10 staff took home various awards for their academic and job excellence. It was on the theme: “Meaningful Senior High School Education in Deprived Senior High Schools - A Big Challenge.”
In a speech read on his behalf, the former Education Minister, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, commended the school authorities for braving through their deprived situation to take the first step.
Mr Tettey-Enyo said: “All the great and renowned schools you see around started with little or no amenities but today they have become the envy of all.”
The minister assured them that with determination, they would also achieve their dreams of transforming their seemingly hopeless situation into an admirable one.
He said the government was determined to give technical and vocational institutions the necessary push to prepare the students adequately for the future.
In a speech read for him by the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Hermann Victor Condobrey, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, also said they had received their list of infrastructure facilities needed on the campus to enhance effective teaching and learning.
Mr Amenowode assured the school authorities that everything would be done to ensure that their requests were met.
In his report, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Theophilus Asravor, expressed satisfaction that since his assumption of office last year, enrolment had risen from 150 to 410 students.
Mr Asravor lamented that although the school had a promising catchment area, they continued to have a low intake due to lack of facilities, adding that academic achievements had been on the increase, with the school scoring 90 per cent last academic year.
He named some of the immediate needs of the school as classrooms, furniture, science laboratory, boys dormitory, an administrative block, a library and a school vehicle.
In all, 14 students, including four females, and 10 staff took home various awards for their academic and job excellence. It was on the theme: “Meaningful Senior High School Education in Deprived Senior High Schools - A Big Challenge.”
In a speech read on his behalf, the former Education Minister, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, commended the school authorities for braving through their deprived situation to take the first step.
Mr Tettey-Enyo said: “All the great and renowned schools you see around started with little or no amenities but today they have become the envy of all.”
The minister assured them that with determination, they would also achieve their dreams of transforming their seemingly hopeless situation into an admirable one.
He said the government was determined to give technical and vocational institutions the necessary push to prepare the students adequately for the future.
In a speech read for him by the Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Hermann Victor Condobrey, the Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, also said they had received their list of infrastructure facilities needed on the campus to enhance effective teaching and learning.
Mr Amenowode assured the school authorities that everything would be done to ensure that their requests were met.
In his report, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Theophilus Asravor, expressed satisfaction that since his assumption of office last year, enrolment had risen from 150 to 410 students.
Mr Asravor lamented that although the school had a promising catchment area, they continued to have a low intake due to lack of facilities, adding that academic achievements had been on the increase, with the school scoring 90 per cent last academic year.
He named some of the immediate needs of the school as classrooms, furniture, science laboratory, boys dormitory, an administrative block, a library and a school vehicle.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
MP HONOURED FOR COMMITMENT TO FARMING (PAGE 22, JAN 6, 2011)
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Buem, Mr Ford Henry Kamel, who is also the Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry, was adjudged the best Jasikan District Farmer at the latest Farmers Day celebration held at Atonkor last month.
For his prize, Mr Kamel took home a motorbike, a knapsack spraying machine, machetes, agro-chemicals, a pair of wellington boots and a certificate.
He offered the items to Mrs Mary Addo, a native of Atonkor, for her dedication to farming.
The MP, who has employed 40 people on his farms, cultivates 73 acres of cowpea, maize, yams, cocoyam, citrus and also rears sheep, goats and cattle.
In a brief speech, Mr Kamel said he came from a farming community and had worked as a farmer for some time now.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Jasikan District Director of Agriculture commended Mr Kamel for being the best commercial farmer in the district and urged others who had the means to invest in agriculture to boost food production in the country.
The Chief of Atonkor, Nana Barimah Kumssey II, observed that one big challenge to sustainable food production was bush fires.
He, therefore, appealed to chiefs to take realistic measures to reduce the menace.
For his prize, Mr Kamel took home a motorbike, a knapsack spraying machine, machetes, agro-chemicals, a pair of wellington boots and a certificate.
He offered the items to Mrs Mary Addo, a native of Atonkor, for her dedication to farming.
The MP, who has employed 40 people on his farms, cultivates 73 acres of cowpea, maize, yams, cocoyam, citrus and also rears sheep, goats and cattle.
In a brief speech, Mr Kamel said he came from a farming community and had worked as a farmer for some time now.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Jasikan District Director of Agriculture commended Mr Kamel for being the best commercial farmer in the district and urged others who had the means to invest in agriculture to boost food production in the country.
The Chief of Atonkor, Nana Barimah Kumssey II, observed that one big challenge to sustainable food production was bush fires.
He, therefore, appealed to chiefs to take realistic measures to reduce the menace.
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