PEOPLE do not leave animals to stray at Dededo, a farming community near Tsito Awudome in the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region.
This is among the strict rules in the community encouraged by the late Mawufeame C.K. Wovenu, the founder and leader of the Apostolic Revelation Church.
Anyone who rears animals, especially sheep and goats, must confine them so that they do not litter the area.
A leading member of the church, Mr Nathaniel Fiador, told the Daily Graphic during a visit to the community over the weekend at the end of a three-day special fasting and prayer retreat programme by the church.
He said because animals were not allowed to stray, the community was very neat.
Mr Fiador stated that conflicts in the town were resolved by their pastors so they did not end up at the police station.
An opinion leader in the town, Togbe Isaac Azadagli, urged the youth to be law-abiding and stick to their books for a bright future.
“You should desist from drug abuse, premarital sex and other forms of social vices which will destroy your future,” he said.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
COURT ORDERS INVESTIGATIONS INTO ANAL AND GENITAL INFECTIONS OF PRISONERS (PAGE 23 SEPT 13, 2010)
A Ho Circuit Court has directed the Volta Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Volta Regional Commander of Prisons Service to investigate how prisoners at the Ho Prisons contracted anal and genital infections.
It also directed that the result of the investigations should reach the court within two weeks.
Mr Justice Ernest Yao Obimpe, who was sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge, gave the order when four suspects appeared before the court.
“In consideration of my observation of this health problem, I am directing the Volta Regional Director of the MOH and the Commander of Prisons Service, Ho, to team up and investigate the cause of the sores and rashes around the anal and genital parts of suspects and find possible solution to it”, he said.
Justice Obimpe said he had observed that most of the remand prisoners brought before him from the Ho Central Prisons complained of rashes and sores in and around their anus and on the penises.
“I have had the chance of personally inspecting the backside of one remand prisoner, and what I saw was troubling, ” he lamented.
When contacted, Mrs Emma Sawyerr-Laryea, the Commander of the Prisons Service, Ho attributed the cause of the problem to the congestion in the prison.
She said instead of the 150 inmates the prisons had the capacity to accommodate, it now had more than 400 including 111 suspects on remand.
Mrs Sawyerr-Laryea also said the nutritional values of the food the prisoners were supplied with was low because they were given a budget of 60 Ghana Pesewas for three meals daily.
She appealed to the courts to assist in decongesting the prisons by not sending suspects on remand at the slightest chance. She suggested the Alternative Dispute Resolution method in finding solutions to some of the cases instead of sending them to court.
It also directed that the result of the investigations should reach the court within two weeks.
Mr Justice Ernest Yao Obimpe, who was sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge, gave the order when four suspects appeared before the court.
“In consideration of my observation of this health problem, I am directing the Volta Regional Director of the MOH and the Commander of Prisons Service, Ho, to team up and investigate the cause of the sores and rashes around the anal and genital parts of suspects and find possible solution to it”, he said.
Justice Obimpe said he had observed that most of the remand prisoners brought before him from the Ho Central Prisons complained of rashes and sores in and around their anus and on the penises.
“I have had the chance of personally inspecting the backside of one remand prisoner, and what I saw was troubling, ” he lamented.
When contacted, Mrs Emma Sawyerr-Laryea, the Commander of the Prisons Service, Ho attributed the cause of the problem to the congestion in the prison.
She said instead of the 150 inmates the prisons had the capacity to accommodate, it now had more than 400 including 111 suspects on remand.
Mrs Sawyerr-Laryea also said the nutritional values of the food the prisoners were supplied with was low because they were given a budget of 60 Ghana Pesewas for three meals daily.
She appealed to the courts to assist in decongesting the prisons by not sending suspects on remand at the slightest chance. She suggested the Alternative Dispute Resolution method in finding solutions to some of the cases instead of sending them to court.
REGISTER DESIGNS AGAINST PIRACY (PAGE 23, SEPT 11, 2010)
The Chiefs and people of the Agotime Traditional Area have climaxed their week-long 12th Kente festival “Agbamevor za” with a grand durbar at Kpetoe in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District of the Volta Region.
The First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, who was the guest of honour, advised players in the industry to register their designs to prevent them from being pirated.
She said this had become necessary because modern technology was capable of being used to pirate and exploit the designs to their disadvantage.
The festival was marked on the theme: “Kente, our Heritage for Wealth Creation”.
“The world is rapidly changing and the advancement of technology calls for innovation and creativity in order to sustain the Kente industry.
Technological advancement is both a threat and an opportunity; it can be used to improve the quality of designs and packaging of your products and at the same time, used to pirate designs at the expense of local artisans, ” she said.
Mrs Mills noted that as part of this year’s festival, an Eco-Tourism Centre known as the Nature Conservation Research Centre, had been inaugurated at Kpetoe to document, protect and preserve the Kente heritage for the benefit of future generations, and praised the organisers for it.
The First Lady also announced that a tomato processing factory would soon be established at Agotime to process the large quantities of tomatoes produced in the area and eliminate the perennial post-harvest losses due to the unavailability of market for the crop.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, expressed happiness that the two projects which had been sited in the area to enhance the lives of the people.
The projects are the Eco-Tourism Visitors Centre funded by the European Union and the Agotime Afegame Women’s Bakery Project funded by the Australian High Commission.
Mr Amenowode said the vision of the bakery project was to expand into a vocational training centre to equip the youth with functional skills to enable them to contribute their quota to the development of their communities.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Adaklu-Ayigbe, Mr Michael Adjaho, expressed his gratitude to the chiefs and people for the prevailing peace which was promoting a lot of development in the area.
Mr Adjaho said within the 20 months that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had been in power, as many as 17 projects had been undertaken in the district.
These included the construction of five school blocks, extension of electricity to the Agotime Traditional Area, installation of street lights at Kpetoe and the reshaping of feeder roads from Akwetey to Mafi Kumasi and from Beh through Agbesia to Adokpakorfe.
The others are the construction of their district assembly office complex, reshaping and gravelling of the Kpetoe market road and culverts with the assistance of the Member of Parliament for the Ho East Constituency and Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, who hails from the area.
Mr Adjaho commended Mrs Azumah Mensah who was present at the function, for using her share of the MP’s Common Fund in assisting to solve the educational problems in the district.
The First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, who was the guest of honour, advised players in the industry to register their designs to prevent them from being pirated.
She said this had become necessary because modern technology was capable of being used to pirate and exploit the designs to their disadvantage.
The festival was marked on the theme: “Kente, our Heritage for Wealth Creation”.
“The world is rapidly changing and the advancement of technology calls for innovation and creativity in order to sustain the Kente industry.
Technological advancement is both a threat and an opportunity; it can be used to improve the quality of designs and packaging of your products and at the same time, used to pirate designs at the expense of local artisans, ” she said.
Mrs Mills noted that as part of this year’s festival, an Eco-Tourism Centre known as the Nature Conservation Research Centre, had been inaugurated at Kpetoe to document, protect and preserve the Kente heritage for the benefit of future generations, and praised the organisers for it.
The First Lady also announced that a tomato processing factory would soon be established at Agotime to process the large quantities of tomatoes produced in the area and eliminate the perennial post-harvest losses due to the unavailability of market for the crop.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, expressed happiness that the two projects which had been sited in the area to enhance the lives of the people.
The projects are the Eco-Tourism Visitors Centre funded by the European Union and the Agotime Afegame Women’s Bakery Project funded by the Australian High Commission.
Mr Amenowode said the vision of the bakery project was to expand into a vocational training centre to equip the youth with functional skills to enable them to contribute their quota to the development of their communities.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Adaklu-Ayigbe, Mr Michael Adjaho, expressed his gratitude to the chiefs and people for the prevailing peace which was promoting a lot of development in the area.
Mr Adjaho said within the 20 months that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had been in power, as many as 17 projects had been undertaken in the district.
These included the construction of five school blocks, extension of electricity to the Agotime Traditional Area, installation of street lights at Kpetoe and the reshaping of feeder roads from Akwetey to Mafi Kumasi and from Beh through Agbesia to Adokpakorfe.
The others are the construction of their district assembly office complex, reshaping and gravelling of the Kpetoe market road and culverts with the assistance of the Member of Parliament for the Ho East Constituency and Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, who hails from the area.
Mr Adjaho commended Mrs Azumah Mensah who was present at the function, for using her share of the MP’s Common Fund in assisting to solve the educational problems in the district.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
USAID, FINATRADE SUPPORT RICE FARMERS (SPREAD, SEPT 9, 2010)
Eight hundred and four rice farmers in the Hohoe municipality have benefited from farming equipment worth $40,000 provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The gesture was facilitated by Finatrade to boost rice production in the area.
The equipment comprised a combined rice harvester for cutting, threshing and bagging of rice and an automatic rice seeder.
Presenting the items, the Group Chairman of Finatrade, Mr Nabil E. Moukarzel, said the presentation formed part of the company’s continued support for rice farmers in the country.
Rice cultivation is a dominant agricultural activity in the municipality, with the 438 acres currently under cultivation.
Mr Moukerzel said Finatrade was also providing a guaranteed market for all rice farmers in the country provided that their produce met the requirements of the Ghanaian consumer.
He said as a private company, Finatrade was fully committed to the long-term success of local rice production in the country.
He said the company had also negotiated with some of the banks to assist farmers access loans to expand their farms.
In September 2009, Finatrade donated GH¢30,000 to the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), to provide post-harvest structures to improve the quality and standardisation of locally produced rice in deprived communities in the country.
A representative from USAID, Ms Pearl Achah, pledged her organisation’s support to help boost agricultural production in the country.
She urged the farmers to endeavour to produce quality rice, especially when they have been supported with equipment.
The Volta Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr John Tsrakasu, stressed the need for the harmonisation of rice projects, as well as other agricultural productions for sustainable development.
A rice nucleus farmer, Mr Mensah Adams, on behalf of the rice farmers, thanked USAID and Finatrade for the support and appealed to the institutions to help them with equipment that could easily remove tree stumps and plough the valleys in which they cultivated their rice farms.
The gesture was facilitated by Finatrade to boost rice production in the area.
The equipment comprised a combined rice harvester for cutting, threshing and bagging of rice and an automatic rice seeder.
Presenting the items, the Group Chairman of Finatrade, Mr Nabil E. Moukarzel, said the presentation formed part of the company’s continued support for rice farmers in the country.
Rice cultivation is a dominant agricultural activity in the municipality, with the 438 acres currently under cultivation.
Mr Moukerzel said Finatrade was also providing a guaranteed market for all rice farmers in the country provided that their produce met the requirements of the Ghanaian consumer.
He said as a private company, Finatrade was fully committed to the long-term success of local rice production in the country.
He said the company had also negotiated with some of the banks to assist farmers access loans to expand their farms.
In September 2009, Finatrade donated GH¢30,000 to the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), to provide post-harvest structures to improve the quality and standardisation of locally produced rice in deprived communities in the country.
A representative from USAID, Ms Pearl Achah, pledged her organisation’s support to help boost agricultural production in the country.
She urged the farmers to endeavour to produce quality rice, especially when they have been supported with equipment.
The Volta Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr John Tsrakasu, stressed the need for the harmonisation of rice projects, as well as other agricultural productions for sustainable development.
A rice nucleus farmer, Mr Mensah Adams, on behalf of the rice farmers, thanked USAID and Finatrade for the support and appealed to the institutions to help them with equipment that could easily remove tree stumps and plough the valleys in which they cultivated their rice farms.
Monday, September 6, 2010
SUPPORT VULNERABLE IN CHURCH FINANCIALLY (PAGE 23, SEPT 4, 2010)
THE Volta Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Amenowode, has urged churches to financially support needy members of their congregations to enable them to engage in income-generating activities and lead dignified lives to contribute their quota to the development of the church.
Mr Amenowode suggested that they could start by operating savings and loans schemes to support the needy members.
The volta regional minister was addressing the congregation during the opening session of the second General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, at Peki in the South Dayi District last Thursday. It was on the theme: “Enhancing Human Dignity”.
This, he said, was necessary because the bible enjoined humanity to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living.
“ Any work, that is not exploitative of another, but enables one to take care of oneself and his or her dependants and saves one from always looking up to others to clothe and feed him or her is dignifying and honourable, ” he said.
Mr Amenowode added that, one did not necessarily need to be wealthy to command respect but must earn respect by being disciplined, honest, principled, faithful and exhibiting descent lifestyle.
He commended the church for initiating vocational and other trades training programmes.
“ We as a government would continue to initiate appropriate policies and provide the framework to facilitate private sector participation in the nation’s efforts at human resource development, ” the minister said.
Mr Amenowode exhorted the church to study the government’s national youth policy very well to identify whatever role they could play to ensure its successful implementation.
In his welcoming address, the Rt Rev. Francis Amenu, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the E.P. Church, lashed at the plethora of injustices being meted out by man against his fellow man in the society.
Rt Rev. Amenu condemned, in no uncertain terms, the upsurge of child trafficking incidents in the country.
He appealed to parents, guardians, transport operators, fishing boat operators and other ‘gold-miners’ involved in such nefarious acts to consider, as a priority, the welfare, education and career development of the innocent and ignorant children.
The moderator commended the collaborative efforts of the security personnel and some concerned members of the public in helping to bring the situation under control.
He noted with concern that “ the ethnic minority, people of other faith persuasion, the physically challenged, illiterates and other vulnerable in the society, were often treated as outcasts while female genital mutilation, widowhood rites, running of witches colonies, trial by ordeal and trokosi practices are thriving in our communities”.
Apart from that, Rt Rev. Amenu expressed regret that the peddling of falsehood, callously tarnishing the image and hard-won reputation of others, character assassination, sacrifices and other de-humanising acts were also on the increase.
He said the current spate of unrest in most of the churches which made aggrieved members to take the law into their own hands by using very unorthodox means to seek redress to administrative disputes was worrying and brought the church into disrepute.
All these injustices, he said, worked against the dignity of the individual, who was created in the image of God and was to lead life devoid of any violation.
The moderator commended the media for serving as watchdogs in exposing lapses in the country.
He reminded social commentators and callers to phone-in programmes to note that there was a limit to freedom of expression and they must, therefore, exercise a high sense of decorum and decency in their comments and expression.
Mr Amenowode suggested that they could start by operating savings and loans schemes to support the needy members.
The volta regional minister was addressing the congregation during the opening session of the second General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, at Peki in the South Dayi District last Thursday. It was on the theme: “Enhancing Human Dignity”.
This, he said, was necessary because the bible enjoined humanity to lead orderly lives and work to earn their own living.
“ Any work, that is not exploitative of another, but enables one to take care of oneself and his or her dependants and saves one from always looking up to others to clothe and feed him or her is dignifying and honourable, ” he said.
Mr Amenowode added that, one did not necessarily need to be wealthy to command respect but must earn respect by being disciplined, honest, principled, faithful and exhibiting descent lifestyle.
He commended the church for initiating vocational and other trades training programmes.
“ We as a government would continue to initiate appropriate policies and provide the framework to facilitate private sector participation in the nation’s efforts at human resource development, ” the minister said.
Mr Amenowode exhorted the church to study the government’s national youth policy very well to identify whatever role they could play to ensure its successful implementation.
In his welcoming address, the Rt Rev. Francis Amenu, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the E.P. Church, lashed at the plethora of injustices being meted out by man against his fellow man in the society.
Rt Rev. Amenu condemned, in no uncertain terms, the upsurge of child trafficking incidents in the country.
He appealed to parents, guardians, transport operators, fishing boat operators and other ‘gold-miners’ involved in such nefarious acts to consider, as a priority, the welfare, education and career development of the innocent and ignorant children.
The moderator commended the collaborative efforts of the security personnel and some concerned members of the public in helping to bring the situation under control.
He noted with concern that “ the ethnic minority, people of other faith persuasion, the physically challenged, illiterates and other vulnerable in the society, were often treated as outcasts while female genital mutilation, widowhood rites, running of witches colonies, trial by ordeal and trokosi practices are thriving in our communities”.
Apart from that, Rt Rev. Amenu expressed regret that the peddling of falsehood, callously tarnishing the image and hard-won reputation of others, character assassination, sacrifices and other de-humanising acts were also on the increase.
He said the current spate of unrest in most of the churches which made aggrieved members to take the law into their own hands by using very unorthodox means to seek redress to administrative disputes was worrying and brought the church into disrepute.
All these injustices, he said, worked against the dignity of the individual, who was created in the image of God and was to lead life devoid of any violation.
The moderator commended the media for serving as watchdogs in exposing lapses in the country.
He reminded social commentators and callers to phone-in programmes to note that there was a limit to freedom of expression and they must, therefore, exercise a high sense of decorum and decency in their comments and expression.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
HERBALIST, 4 OTHERS REMANDED OVER MURDER (PAGE 20, AUGUST 30, 2010)
THE Hohoe Circuit Court has remanded a renowned herbalist at Gbi-Atabu and four others, including a woman, in prison custody for allegedly killing Herbert Kwame Akubia, a 55-year-old farmer, on his farm at Akpatakuta, near Hohoe, in the Volta Region.
The five, who have been charged with conspiring to commit murder, are Edward Worwonyo, 55, the herbalist, and his son Augustus Senyo Worwornyo, 24, Daniel Akubia, 24, Felix Sepenu Akubia, 23, and Senyonam Akubia, nephew and niece respectively of the deceased.
Their pleas were not taken and are to re-appear on September 17, 2010 before the court presided over by Mr Edward Kwame Bosompim-Apenkwa.
According to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Dadzie of the Hohoe Police, the five accused persons and the deceased person were related and lived in the same community and had been engaged in a protracted family land dispute for some time now.
According to ASP Dadzie, following the litigation, Hebert Akubia initiated a legal suit at the Hohoe High Court, which worsened his relationship with the accused, leading to frequent quarrels.
On August 7, this year, he said, Herbert went to his farm in the company of his 11-year-old step son, Sebi Asiwome, and after working for some time, they decided to prepare some meal.
While preparing the meal, Herbert heard some unusual sound in his teak plantation so he decided to find out who was there.
According to ASP Dadzie, after waiting for hours without his step-father’s return, Asiwome went home to report of his disappearance to his mother.
A search party was organised and it found the body with a nylon rope tied round the neck to a tree and the legs lying on the ground.
He also had a fresh wound at the back of his head with blood stains all over his body.
According to the prosecutor, the police suspected foul play, and investigations led to the arrest of the five accused persons.
The five, who have been charged with conspiring to commit murder, are Edward Worwonyo, 55, the herbalist, and his son Augustus Senyo Worwornyo, 24, Daniel Akubia, 24, Felix Sepenu Akubia, 23, and Senyonam Akubia, nephew and niece respectively of the deceased.
Their pleas were not taken and are to re-appear on September 17, 2010 before the court presided over by Mr Edward Kwame Bosompim-Apenkwa.
According to the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Dadzie of the Hohoe Police, the five accused persons and the deceased person were related and lived in the same community and had been engaged in a protracted family land dispute for some time now.
According to ASP Dadzie, following the litigation, Hebert Akubia initiated a legal suit at the Hohoe High Court, which worsened his relationship with the accused, leading to frequent quarrels.
On August 7, this year, he said, Herbert went to his farm in the company of his 11-year-old step son, Sebi Asiwome, and after working for some time, they decided to prepare some meal.
While preparing the meal, Herbert heard some unusual sound in his teak plantation so he decided to find out who was there.
According to ASP Dadzie, after waiting for hours without his step-father’s return, Asiwome went home to report of his disappearance to his mother.
A search party was organised and it found the body with a nylon rope tied round the neck to a tree and the legs lying on the ground.
He also had a fresh wound at the back of his head with blood stains all over his body.
According to the prosecutor, the police suspected foul play, and investigations led to the arrest of the five accused persons.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
GBI INSTALLS FIVE DEVELOPMENT CHIEFS (PAGE 46, AUGUST 19, 2010)
THE Gbi Traditional Council in the Volta Region has installed five development chiefs for three communities in Hohoe.
The communities are Kitikpa, Akpatanu and Segbedeme.
Kitikpa has three development chiefs. They are Mr Stephen Joseph Carrico and his wife Mrs Collen Claire Carrico from the USA who were installed under the stool names of Togbe Dunyo and Mama Dezor and Mrs Indy Adam, an Australian businesswoman as Mama Asiwome.
Segbedeme has Mrs Ellen Carly Martin, an American teacher as Mama Awoenam, whilst Akpatanu has Mrs Jennifer Millet Barret, a Social worker from USA as Mama Dziwornu.
The honour was bestowed on them for various contributions made to the three communities.
They are also the patrons of the local non-governmental organisation (NGO), Christian Orphanage and they contributed a lot towards the upkeep of the children and also registered about 200 children under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
They have also donated sports kits to the Kitikpa community football team.
In an address read on behalf of Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, he said the traditional council bestowed the honour on the five for their contributions to the development of the three communities.
He said the honour would motivate them to do more for their adopted homes.
Togbega Gabusu, commended them and asked them to go a step further in their efforts to promote education in the area.
Mr Nicholas Victus Kwaku Abibu, Founder and Director of the Christian Orphanage, said the orphanage had come to stay due to the breakdown of the extended family system in the society.
He urged the people to see the orphanage as their own and contribute to its success.
The communities are Kitikpa, Akpatanu and Segbedeme.
Kitikpa has three development chiefs. They are Mr Stephen Joseph Carrico and his wife Mrs Collen Claire Carrico from the USA who were installed under the stool names of Togbe Dunyo and Mama Dezor and Mrs Indy Adam, an Australian businesswoman as Mama Asiwome.
Segbedeme has Mrs Ellen Carly Martin, an American teacher as Mama Awoenam, whilst Akpatanu has Mrs Jennifer Millet Barret, a Social worker from USA as Mama Dziwornu.
The honour was bestowed on them for various contributions made to the three communities.
They are also the patrons of the local non-governmental organisation (NGO), Christian Orphanage and they contributed a lot towards the upkeep of the children and also registered about 200 children under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
They have also donated sports kits to the Kitikpa community football team.
In an address read on behalf of Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, he said the traditional council bestowed the honour on the five for their contributions to the development of the three communities.
He said the honour would motivate them to do more for their adopted homes.
Togbega Gabusu, commended them and asked them to go a step further in their efforts to promote education in the area.
Mr Nicholas Victus Kwaku Abibu, Founder and Director of the Christian Orphanage, said the orphanage had come to stay due to the breakdown of the extended family system in the society.
He urged the people to see the orphanage as their own and contribute to its success.
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