Betrothal and elopement of girls in Bawku
Zebilla (UER), April 06, GNA - Early betrothal and elopement with girls is still being practiced in Bawku West District due to high poverty rate in the area and the desire of parents to collect high priced dowry from prospective in-laws.
This was contained in a research conducted by the Management of World Vision Ghana and released at a two-day workshop to sensitise stakeholders in community development about the NGO and its operations. The workshop was attended by chiefs, stakeholders in the communities, heads of departments and opinion leaders.
It formed part of the NGO's 15-year Child Educational sponsorship and other development programmes which begins this year. Mr Joseph Ayembilla of World Vision Ghana said women in the area had limited access to micro-credit due to the politicisation of the micro credit scheme "because some of the women in the area said they were denied the credit because they did not belong to a particular political party".
He said during the research it was realised that there was high intake of the local gin, 'akpeteshi' and a high rate of migration of the youth to the southern sector of the country. The area was also found to have high illiteracy rate, poor sanitation, inadequate potable water and desertification as some of the developmental challenges.
Mr Desmond Bugbila, Bawku West District Chief Executive, said the assembly was ready to partner the NGO for accelerated development. He said the assembly had spent 10,000 Ghana cedis to provide office accommodation for the NGO and appealed to other NGOs to partner the assembly for development.
Mr David Salifu, Northern Sector Director of World Vision Ghana explained that it extended its programmes to the area to assist development.
He said Korean Government would sponsor the child educational programme that would cater for 3,000 school children.
Source:
GNA
Lack of committed teachers affecting education
Elmina, April 6, GNA- Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), on Saturday observed that the country's education had suffered setbacks because of the lack of enough committed teachers.
He advised teachers not give the excuse of poor salaries for their failure to give of their best and said it was incumbent upon them to deliver quality services while government provided incentives to motivate them.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah was speaking at the 30th Speech and Prize Giving Day of Edinaman Senior High School at Elmina on the theme: "quality education delivery the role of stakeholders." He said the New Education Reform was to the accelerated development of the country explaining why it emphasised on access to education at all levels and 'nobody should be denied education simply because of poverty."
Mr Bannerman-Mensah also said the Reform would provide equal opportunity for all students offering different courses at the Senior High School and vocational institutions when in respect with university admissions.
He said technical and Information Technology education would also be given priority to help produce more experts in those fields. Mr Bannerman-Mensah urged students to study hard and be disciplined to enable them acquire relevant skills and knowledge for development. Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister, said the Reform had come to stay and all stakeholders should work hard to contribute to its success.
He asked students to strive to attain academic and moral excellence since they were important for development.
Nana Arthur promised to contact the contractor working on the school's road network to speed up work for its early completion. He presented GH¢500.00 and a set of jerseys to the school. Mr Francis Amanfu, head master of the school, paid tribute to the founders of the educational institution, government and other stakeholders for their contributions to the development of the school
Source:
GNA
US Court Grilling Ghanaian Minister
A U.S Circuit Court in Florida, is grilling President John Kufuor’s come-back kid, Dr. Richard Winfred Anane over his assets and finances in its attempt to establish an amount befitting for child support.
The embattled Transportation Minister is said to have caused a stir in the Court after he filed his financial affidavit dated January 7, 2008 as required by the Florida law.
Already, Alexandra Anane and her lawyer are said to be fuming with rage over Dr. Anane’s asset and financial declaration, as he only declared his monthly salary as a Member of Parliament (MP) and left out all assets, possible incomes such as revenue from his private clinic in Kumasi.
His affidavit suggests that after deductions he is almost left with no money at the end of the month.
Court sources have told The Enquirer that Dr. Anane’s declaration “does not comply with the demands of the court. Dr. Anane did not include any assets such as real estate, vehicle, bank account, valuables, pensions etc”
The source continued that “His accounting details do not even make common financial sense. Dr. Anane’s financial form is a joke and a mockery attempt at our legal system if he thinks this sort of contempt towards our court would be acceptable”
When Dr. Anane’s lawyer was confronted with what has become the ‘phony asset declaration’ she presented on behalf of her client, Sharon Feliciano said she did not know what happened and told the court that she explained everything to her client prior to his filing the financial affidavit.
Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure (Rule 12.285(h), requires that ‘each party must file a Family Law financial Affidavit (form 12.902(b) or (c) with the Clerk of Court, ten (10) days prior to the first hearing where Financial relief is sought by either party, or ten (10) days prior to a Case Management Conference, whichever is first.’
The law continues that ‘Neither party may sell, transfer, encumber, conceal, assign, remove, or in any way dispose of any property, individually or jointly held by the parties, without the written consent of the other party, or without an order of the Court, except in the usual course of business, or for customary and usual household expenses, or for reasonable attorney’s fees in connection with the action.’
The Standing Family Law Court Order continues further that ‘However, accounts managed by an independent third party may continue to operate as usual, unless problems concerning their operation arise while the action is pending, in which case a party may petition the Court for expedited relief.’
In his Financial Affidavit, which was submitted to the Florida court on February 6th, 2008, through his lawyer, Sharon Feliciano of Palatka, Florida, Dr. Anane stated his occupation to be only that of an MP, with a total gross monthly income of GH¢2,300, with a dollar equivalent stated as $2,421.05 (i.e. GH¢ 0.95 = $1.00).
The Affidavit, which Dr. Anane attested to in Accra on 25th January this year, did not mention any additional income except what he receives as an MP.
Under ‘bonuses, commissions, allowances, overtime, tips and similar payments,’ for example, Dr. Anane, MP for Nhyiaeso submitted ‘$N/A’ or ‘Not Applicable’, which means he did not earn any income in such manner.
Again, ‘Business income from sources such as self-employment partnership, close corporations, and/or independent contracts - gross receipts minus ordinary and necessary expenses required to produce income’, elicited a ‘$N/A’ response.
In the same manner, a request to ‘Itemize any other income of a recurring nature’, encountered a similar response.
Curiously missing from Dr. Anane’s earnings is any income from his clinic as well as ‘gifts from friends’.
The various payments that Dr. Anane stated he makes from his income are: income tax, GH¢329.00 or $346.32; Mandatory union dues, GH¢50.00 or $52.63; Mandatory retirement, GH¢23.00 or $24.21 and Car Advance – Bank, GH¢456.30 or $480.00. He does not pay an individual health insurance premium.
The Transportation Minister, indicates his average monthly ‘Household’ expenses to be GH¢260.00 or $272.95, plus an additional annual amount of GH¢1,000 ($1,052) on repairs and maintenance.
On his vehicle, Dr. Anane spends GH¢200.00 ($210.52) on petrol and oil and GH¢20.00 ($20.51) on repairs. He spends also, GH¢50.00 and GH¢3,000.00 per annum on auto tags/license and insurance respectively.
School tuition, stated under Children’s expenses, amounted to GH¢4,200.00 or $4,421.05 per annum, whilst he spends GH¢220.00 ($231.58) on lunch.
The bald-headed MP spends GH¢10.00 or $10.53 a month on barbering, and the same amount on cosmetics and toiletries.
Subsequent to making that deposition, Dr. Anane had regained his position as Transportation Minister, from which he resigned after the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) indicted him of various improprieties.
During the CHRAJ hearings, Dr. Anane had mentioned some of his sources of his earnings as ‘gifts from friends.’
Source:
Enquirer
83-year-old man graduates from university
A Ghanaian octogenarian has set an unusual standard for adult education by graduating from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) at the age of 83.
John Harry Johnson, whose 84th birthday falls today, April 5, 2008, has completed a three-year diploma programme in Basic Education.
The father of six, with 13 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, Mr Johnson studied Mathematics, Guidance and Counselling, Basic Philosophy and Science, specialising in Mathematics.
Before enrolling at the UCC in the 2004/05 academic year, Mr Johnson had pursued programmes in Mathematics at the University of Bucharest in Romania, the Reading University in London and the University of Cambridge.
A product of St Augustine's College in Cape Coast in the Central Region, Mr Johnson, who is teaching at the Jubilee School in Cape Coast, told the Daily Graphic in Accra that there was the need to tell his success story to prove a point that old age did not mean inability.
For him, there was the need to give credence to the fact that there was no end or age limit to studying, saying that it all depended on the individual's ability to continue studying.
Nobody, he said, had followed up on his studies at the university since it was first reported that he had enrolled there to pursue a programme, hence the need for him to tell his story after completing the course.
According to him, sitting in class with people who could be his grandchildren had not meant much to him.
"I was determined to do the course," he said, and advised the youth to take their studies seriously.
Given his passion for teaching, Mr Johnson said he decided to pursue the course at the UCC to enable him to understand current syllabus being used at the basic educational level.
"I now have a full spectrum of the system, from kindergarten to pre-university," he noted.
He stressed the need for the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to come out with a policy on the re-engagement of retired teachers to fill the vacancies that existed in basic and second-cycle schools, since there were educationists who were physically fit to continue to impart knowledge to the young ones.
"As long as you are physically fit, you should be allowed to work. Age has nothing to do with the ability to teach. You need not be given a fat salary; only allowances that will make you viable," he emphasised.
Mr Johnson said when recruiting retired persons to teach, age should not be looked at, only the expertise and intelligent quotient (IQ) of the person being recruited.
Speaking with passion, he said, "I enjoy teaching, since it's a joy to teach," and indicated that he taught children in his area for free.
He taught for 16 years at St Augustine's College and 10 years at Mfantsipim School. He said he had taught a number of prominent Ghanaians, including a former Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, and the current Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Samuel Bannerman Mensah.
He expressed his displeasure at the way he was retired at 55 in 1979 when the retirement age was increased to 60 in the same year, adding that the educational authorities failed to re-engage him.
Mr Johnson said he had to go to Nigeria to teach for some years, after which he returned to Ghana to be re-engaged. When he returned, he went to teach at St Augustine's College from 1988-1990; the School for the Deaf, 1991-1993, and the Montessori Junior High School, 1994-1995.
He was the Headmaster of the Albert Sam Junior High School in 1996 and taught at the Hanover Park Primary School, the Tuwofu International School and the Golden Treasure Primary School.
Born on April 5, 1924 to Madam Ekua Akowa and Mr William Johnson, Mr Johnson is married to Mrs Charlotte Johnson.
He attended the Government Boys' School in Cape Coast, St Augustine's College, the Winneba Specialist Training College, among other institutions.
Source:
Daily Graphic
> BACK TO TOP <
Easter School at Bolgatanga
Find feasible solutions to the education lapse in Bawku - Ms Ohene
Bolgatanga, April 4, GNA - Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State, in charge of Education, Science and Sports on Thursday called on participants of the Easter School to help find solutions to problems of education in the north, especially that of the Bawku area. She said due to the conflict, some schools in the Bawku Municipality had to close down while others had irregular classes with most of the teachers vacating their post.
Ms Ohene said this when she opened the five-day Northern Easter School in Bolgatanga on the theme, "Setting a New Development Agenda for Northern Ghana". Participants were drawn from the three northern regions.
She said: "The Education problem in Bawku is a difficult one and I believe that you people would be in the best position to find a good solution to it, so I entreat you to deliberate on it and come out with feasible and interesting suggestions, for desperate situations need desperate remedies", she said.
Ms Ohene said the most challenging aspect of the problem was that the students in Bawku would be writing the same exams as their colleagues who have had the full benefit of good and regular tuition in other schools.
She said there could not be any meaningful development in the north without education and asked the participants to deliberate on the issue of girl-child education.
"The next generation of literate mothers would ensure that their children go to school, so let us start now and come out with challenging recommendations for policy makers", she said.
Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, in his welcome address said the seed money of 25 Million Ghana Cedis to be used to establish the Northern Development Fund was a demonstration of the commitment by government to the Northern Development Agenda. He said this should be a big motivation for the people of the region and their development partners, to contribute to the Fund. Mr Samari said government had acknowledged that the north needed special intervention outside normal public investment programme to catch up with the rest of the country, and that was a good start for the region.
"The Northern Development Fund is to transform the economy and society of northern Ghana through a medium and long-term development strategy, to eventually narrow the development gap between the north and south", he said.
Mr. Samari said if the perennial communal conflicts continued, the donor community was not likely to invest in the north and the seed money might not grow.
He noted that the leadership of the north had a greater responsibility in setting and propelling a new development agenda for the region, in-spite of government budgetary allocations.
Mr. Samari urged all northerners to embrace the new development agenda with the passion that it deserved, devoid of partisan politics and selfishness.
"We cannot set a new development agenda for northern Ghana without sacrifice and selfless commitment to the plight of the many who are deprived", he added.
Topics to be discussed include; "Setting a new development Agenda for Northern Ghana", "The current Education reform, its implications for Northern Ghana", "Harnessing available resources for development in Northern Ghana", "Deepening participation for effective local governance in Northern Ghana" and "Northern Ghana Development Fund- issues of concern".
Source:
GNA
KMA's waste-to-energy project to commence
Kumasi, April 5, GNA - The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly will commence work on a Waste-to-Energy project in the middle of this year, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, has said. Under the project to be executed by Cinergex, a Canadian company in collaboration with the assembly, large quantities of solid waste generated in the metropolis will be used to produce electricity which will feed into the national grid.
Mad Appiahgyei said this in a speech read for her at the launch of a "Waste Separation Project", a programme being executed under the auspices of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
The project which is currently being implemented on pilot basis in the Asokwa sub-metro area, seeks to examine the potential for the implementation of an integrated waste management system in the districts and municipalities.
It aims at sorting waste into plastics, food and organic waste with the view to enhancing their re-use, recycling, treatment and final disposal of various components.
Madam Appiagyei said KMA was committed to ensuring an effective management of waste in an efficient manner to allow for a clean and safe environment for an accelerated socio-economic development. She was not happy that inadequate financial resources to support effective management of solid waste in the metropolis often resulted in poor service delivery and a huge debt accumulation to private waste collectors.
She charged research institutions and non-governmental organizations to commit resources to partner the KMA to address this challenge for the benefit of the metropolis.
Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of the KNUST, expressed the hope that the waste separation project would be replicated in all districts and municipalities to ensure a drastic reduction in diseases associated with the improper disposal of waste.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Agricultural scientists call for support for farmers in northern Ghana
Bolgatanga, April 4, GNA - Agricultural scientists and farmers in the Upper East Region on Friday appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to support farmers financially to go into dry season gardening.
They said farmers would need money to buy lift pumps to pump water from the rivers and dug-outs, while those who would find it more suitable to go into drip irrigation, that uses less water, would need money to buy the necessary equipment.
This was their outcome of a two-day workshop on "Irrigation Options in the Changing Environment of the White Volta Basin" during which they deliberated on 20 research findings on soil and water use and conservation in the region.
In their recommendation, the participants reiterated their call on MOFA to make small-scale irrigation a priority in the north as rainfall in the face of erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern.
They held that current irrigation practices in the region were mostly from shallow wells that sometimes dried up at periods that the water is still needed most.
The participants called on the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and the Departments of Highways and Feeder Roads to collaborate to raise roads across lowlands and also raise culverts and bridges to impound erosion water for small-scale irrigation. In a presentation, Mr Roy Ayariga, Upper East Regional Director, MOFA, noted that crop failure and associated food shortages that result from drought and floods, both of which could occur in a single rainy season had further demonstrated the importance of irrigation. "It is also known that families with access to an irrigated plot are better-off in the rural areas," he said.
Mr Ayariga stated that it was the production of irrigated crops like tomatoes, onion, pepper and watermelon that cushioned the region from the effects of last year's drought and floods.Source:
GNA
Bolgatanga, April 4, GNA - Agricultural scientists and farmers in the Upper East Region on Friday appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to support farmers financially to go into dry season gardening.
They said farmers would need money to buy lift pumps to pump water from the rivers and dug-outs, while those who would find it more suitable to go into drip irrigation, that uses less water, would need money to buy the necessary equipment.
This was their outcome of a two-day workshop on "Irrigation Options in the Changing Environment of the White Volta Basin" during which they deliberated on 20 research findings on soil and water use and conservation in the region.
In their recommendation, the participants reiterated their call on MOFA to make small-scale irrigation a priority in the north as rainfall in the face of erratic and unreliable rainfall pattern.
They held that current irrigation practices in the region were mostly from shallow wells that sometimes dried up at periods that the water is still needed most.
The participants called on the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and the Departments of Highways and Feeder Roads to collaborate to raise roads across lowlands and also raise culverts and bridges to impound erosion water for small-scale irrigation. In a presentation, Mr Roy Ayariga, Upper East Regional Director, MOFA, noted that crop failure and associated food shortages that result from drought and floods, both of which could occur in a single rainy season had further demonstrated the importance of irrigation. "It is also known that families with access to an irrigated plot are better-off in the rural areas," he said.
Mr Ayariga stated that it was the production of irrigated crops like tomatoes, onion, pepper and watermelon that cushioned the region from the effects of last year's drought and floods.
Source:
GNA
Afram Plains Sold to Foreign Investor
Hunger and severe poverty could hit some parts of the Afram Plains area of the Eastern Region owing to a decision by Kwahu traditional authorities to sell large tracts of farmland stretching several miles to a foreign investor.
The sale of the land to the investor, who is popularly known among inhabitants of the area as 'obroni', has halted the cultivation of lands for the planting of yam - the main crop - as well as, cassava, groundnuts, agushi, pepper, maize, and rice. Some of the farmers affected reside in communities such as Kwasikune, Nsogya Anaafoo, Burai Kofi, Kwadwo Amoah, etc.
Public Agenda was informed that the foreign investor will venture into animal husbandry and an undisclosed industrial activity with a promise to employ the youth and establish educational institutions for the communities.
Even though the farmers welcomed the setting up of schools, the creation of jobs for the youth, and the opening up of the area through road constructions, they expressed disgust that they have to discontinue farming due to the loss of the most fertile lands to this investor.
Already, many of the farmers, especially Krachis, Dagaatis and Sissalas have started migrating since their farmlands were declared "wanted" by this 'obroni'(whiteman). Others have begun investing their monies in trading through the construction of kiosks for their wives and children to sell in areas like Akwasi Fante, Maame Krobo and Ekye Amanfrom.
These are peasant farmers who pay yearly land lease fees to the traditional authorities to cultivate on average four acres of yam every season, while the females cultivate on average two acres of groundnut, pepper or agushi. They usually have two or three of their children helping them with their farming activities while the rest, if any at all, are sent to relatives back home to be educated.
One thing they are all certain about is that in only a couple of years, none of them would be living in that area because the 'obroni' does not plan to invest in cultivation of yam and other crops which have been their backbone through the years.
Their fear now is that even if they were given other lands to cultivate, they will lose their children to the 'obroni' who has reportedly recruited some of the young people already to put up his base and fell trees. So this year, most of the farmers have abandoned farm work because of uncertainty.
They are, therefore, going to rely on the last season's production for feeding. What would happen to them after that is anybody's guess.
Yam is an extremely important crop for at least 60 million people, comprising rural poor producers, processors and consumers in West Africa. It provides multiple opportunities for poverty reduction and nourishment that gives 30 billion calories of energy in the continent.
The Afram Plains is a major yam producing area for the country, coming after northern Ghana. Though specific statistics are lacking on the quantum of yam produced in the area, some of the farmers claimed they sell about 1,000 tubers of yam from a two-acre farm in a good season.
According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) statistics, 48.7 million tonnes of yams were produced worldwide in 2005, and 97% of this was in sub-Saharan Africa. West and Central Africa accounted for about 94% of world production. Nigeria led production with 34 million tonnes followed by Côte d'Ivoire (5 million tonnes), Ghana (3.9 million), and Bénin (2.1 million tonnes), etc.
Ghana exports the largest quantity of yams (about 12,000 tonnes) annually. Average yam consumption per capita per day is highest in Bénin (364 kcal) followed by Côte d'Ivoire (342 kcal), Ghana (296 kcal), and Nigeria (258 kcal).
In 2004, experts attending a two-day workshop in Ibadan, Nigeria on yam research development in West and Central Africa called on regional leaders to invest more in yam production for local consumption and export purposes.
Teferi-Bel Amakeletetch, representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said the West and Central African countries which provide the highest yam production in the world needed to use their comparative advantage to reduce poverty, achieve food security and earn foreign exchange.
Source:
Public Agenda
200 street children to be reconciled to their parents
Tema, April 4, GNA - The Tema Metropolitan Social Welfare Department would by the end of this year reconcile 200 street children in the metropolis to their parents.
The 200 children were identified last year by a joint team of social welfare officials and members of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) Women and Children Sub Committee. Mr George De Graft Assan, Tema Metropolitan Social Welfare Officer who disclosed this to Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday said the children were identified from Tema Manhean and the fishing harbour. Mr Assan stated that the programme would start with the fishing areas and later expanded to cover other areas of the metropolis such as Communities One and Two. He added that the project which was supposed to take off last year was shifted to this year due to late budgeting. The Social Welfare Officer however stated that preparations were underway by his outfit to submit the budget to the TMA for approval for the take off.
Touching on the activities of the 200 children, he said some of them serve as porters while others join the canoe fishermen to fish for a fee at the expense of their education. Mr Assan noted that such children told the team that they were either for the morning or afternoon shift when asked why they were not in school. He further said the team gathered that the parents and caretakers of the children were either dead or unemployed adding that counselling and vocational training would be given to the jobless parents.
Source:
GNA
Asantehene re-launches appeal for foreign investors
Kumasi, April 4, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Friday repeated his appeal to foreign investors to do business in Ghana and open employment opportunities for the youth. He said investing in Ghana would not only offer opportunities for the youth to raise their living standards but would also contribute to the development of the country. Otumfuo Osei Tutu said this when Mr. Nicolas Lang, the Swiss
Ambassador in Ghana, paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Friday.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed his gratitude to the Swiss government for the support given to Ghanaians from its good governance programmes. "We are also learning from the democratic path that Ghanaians have taken from the Swiss people and we are happy with the good relations between the two of us."
Ghanaians are more determined to go through this year's general election democratically", he said.
Mr Lang said the government of Switzerland was committed to the development of African countries, especially Ghana. He said his government's four-year programme to Ghana under which Switzerland would give Ghana 15 million dollars annually beginning this year, would support the development of the country.
Source:
GNA
Boampong loses Chief Executive post
Accra, April, 3, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday relieved Mr. Joseph K. Boampong of his position as Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive with immediate effect.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
The statement said the President has directed that, Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, Deputy Regional Minister, Ashanti Region, should act as the Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive pending appointment the appointment of another Chief Executive.
Source:
GNA
NDC will utilize nation's resources to benefit all - Mills
Tema Manhean, April 4, GNA -- A National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government would ensure equity in the nation's resources and utilize them judiciously to the benefit of all Ghanaians to avoid mistrust. Professor John Evans Atta Mills, NDC flag bearer for Election 2008 gave the assurance when addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Tema Manhean as part of his campaign tour.
He noted that the nation abounds in rich natural resources but alleged that were being mismanaged by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government to the benefit of few people.
Accompanied by national executives of the Party, Prof. Mills said contrary to campaign promise by NPP that its government would ensure socio-economic relief to Ghanaians there were untold hardships in the society.
He said the ruling government's insensitivity to the plight of Ghanaians coupled with its failure for the truth to prevail had led to the polarization of the society, corruption and poverty. Prof. Mills stressed the need for a change in governance and urged Party activists and sympathizers to vote the NDC into power for socio-economic relief.
He pledged that when voted into power, the Party would transform the fishing industry to ensure fishermen improve their living standards.
Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Member of Parliament for Ningo/Prampram said an NDC government would reduce taxes on goods and services that had created burden on the people.
He gave the assurance that fishermen would get premix fuel regularly at affordable prices. Mr Mensah introduced Mr Kempes Ofosu-Ware, an accounts officer of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as Parliamentary candidate for Tema East Constituency.
Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Mantse advised politicians to conduct clean campaigns devoid of insults and inflammatory pronouncements that could create conflicts in the society. He asked them to base their campaigns on issues and convince the electorate to vote for the Party to win the election.
Source:
GNA
President Kufuor leaves for India
Accra, April 4, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra on Thursday night for London en route to New Delhi, India to attend the first Africa-India Summit scheduled for April 4-9.
He is part of a 14-member delegation of Heads of State and Government selected by African Union to represent the Continent. President Kufuor who is expected back on Saturday, April 12 was seen off by Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, Major General Samuel Odotei, Army Commander and Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, Inspector General of Police.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Railway workers ready to resume work
Takoradi, April 3,-GNA-Striking workers of the Ghana Railway Company Limited on Thursday assembled in Takoradi to celebrate the of their six-week long strike.
The workers, all clad in white attires and waving white handkerchiefs, white scarf, sprinkled powder on one another and danced to brass band music at the company's headquarters in Takoradi. The workers, who had a marathon meeting at the Ketan Bottom Tree, resolved to resume work on Friday April 4, and walked through some principal streets from Ketan but on reaching the New Takoradi round about, they were directed by the Police to use the rail instead of the road.
Mr. Joseph K. T. Dadzie, Interim Management Committee (IMC) Chairman poured the libation in the precincts of the company and revoked all earlier curses, invocations and called for unity and oneness among all.
He thanked the workers for their solidarity and consistency during the entire duration of the strike.
He directed that all doors which had earlier on been blocked should be re-opened to enable workers to resume work but stressed that the door to the Managing Director's office should still be under lock. At exactly 1558 hours, the workers armed with harmers, pinch bars started removing all wooden boards used to seal off the office whilst the workers clapped and cheered. Earlier, when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the office the entire place was dusty, dirty and still had red flags flying at several vantage points.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Govt owes road contractors GH85,000,000
Koforidua, April 3, GNA - Mr Richard W. Anane, Minister of Transportation, on Wednesday said the failure of road agencies to prioritize road projects and keep to the approved budgets had resulted in the Government currently owing contractors GH85, 000,000.00 for work executed in 2007.
He therefore directed heads of road agencies not to award any contract, which is not within the approved budget for the year without approval from the Ministry.
Mr Anane said this in a speech read for him at an annual management seminar of the Department of Feeder Roads in Koforidua. The two-day seminar is under the theme: "Rationalized Programmes Lead to Efficient Road Management".
He said the Roads Prioritization Methodology (RPM) being implemented by the Department was therefore very appropriate and a laudable initiative that served as a tool for prioritizing roads to be developed.
"I would therefore like to encourage and urge that you implement to the full the RPM in the selection, planning and the award of contracts within the prescribed budget/tender ceilings".
Mr Anane said the feeder road network had witnessed a consistent and an appreciable increase in length from 32,600 kilometer (km) in 2001 to 41,000km in 2007 adding that the phenomenal growth was indicative of government's commitment to provide basic access to the productive areas of the economy.
Mr Elvis Asafo-Adjei, Director of the Department of Feeder Roads said the Department plays an important role in achieving the vision of the Government, which is attaining a middle income status by 2015. He said the thrust of the seminar was to fashion out strategies to reduce the current over-commitment of funds under the Road Fund and adopt measures to ensure that future programmes were implemented within budget.
Mr Asafo -Adjei advised regional managers of the department to take keen interest and ensure that environmental issues were assessed during project planning stages and the mitigation measures implemented during the construction period.
Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, who chaired the function, stressed the importance of good road network to help transport foodstuffs from farms to marketing centres.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
China to build clinic in Accra
Accra, April 3, GNA - Mr Yu Wenzhe, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China, on Thursday said the Chinese Government would build a number of hospitals in the country to deepen the socio-economic ties between Ghana and China.
He said since independence there had been close cooperation in all spheres - political, social and economic - and called for the strengthening of the union to their mutual benefit. Mr Yu said this when he visited the Ghana News Agency to familiarize himself with its activities and to renew the friendship with the Agency. He said the GNA like its counterpart Xinhua in China had a vital role to play in the gathering and dissemination of relevant information that would enhance the image of the country.
"The responsibility of the media is very important," he said, and added that technology had made the world a global village, which therefore made it imperative for news agencies to be current in order to become the preferred medium of information dissemination. Mr Yu lauded the GNA for its leadership role in newsgathering and dissemination, which to some extent had influenced government decisions.
He said the Chinese government together with the government of Ghana had undertaken numerous development projects including the National Theatre and the ongoing Bui Dam.
To further strengthen the cooperation between the GNA and Chinese Embassy, the Ambassador donated three sets of computers and accessories to the Agency and promised further support.
Mr Boakye-Dankwa Boadi, Supervising Chief Editor of GNA, said the Agency was in strategic partnership with Xinhua under which they exchanged news items on batter terms, with GNA covering Ghana and Xinhua covering the rest of the world.
He said the Agency propagated the foreign policy of the Government, which incidentally was very favourable towards China. Mr Boadi, who is also the Acting Managing Director of the Agency, expressed gratitude to the Embassy and said the Agency would continue to work to solidify the relationship that had been established. Mr Raymond W. Ankomah, Director, Business Development Department of Mr Si Wei, Press Attach=E9 at the Chinese Embassy, accompanied Ambassador Yu. 3 April 08
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Maternal mortality drops in Brong Ahafo
Sunyani, April 2, GNA- Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Regional Minister, said cases of maternal mortality in the Brong-Ahafo Region, have dropped from 113 per every 1,000 persons in the year 2006 to 88 per every 1,000 persons last year.
He, however, commended midwives for working hard to giving practical meaning to government's objective of creating wealth through good health and attaining the regional goal of zero tolerance for maternal mortality by the year 2015.
Mr. Baffour-Awuah said these in a speech read on his behalf at the national launch of this year's International Day of the Midwife at Techiman, under the theme, "A healthy family: a key to the future." He said the good performance of health care providers, especially midwives could lead to a reduction of maternal mortality rate in the region and called on all to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Mr Baffour-Awuah urged the public to take their health seriously and gave the assurance that steps would be initiated to hasten the payment of claims for health care providers under the Health Insurance Scheme. Mrs Ernestina Djokotoe, president of Ghana Registered Midwives Association, observed that midwifery care was unique as it influenced the health of future generations.
"Midwifery care for women and babies is an investment in the family and community and promotes the healthy growth and wellbeing of present and future generations", she said.
Mrs Djokotoe urged her colleagues to introduce integrated maternal health by screening pregnant women for HIV/AIDS to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
Mrs Christiana Annor-Appiah, regional chairperson of the association, appealed to the Ministry of Heath and Ghana Health Services to include private midwives in the vehicle purchasing scheme for health workers to facilitate their operations. "Such assistance will go a long way to reduce the undesirable high incidence of maternal mortality in the country", she noted.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
02.04.2008
NPP to win presidential election by 60% - Bamba
Wa, April 2, GNA - Alhaji Muntari Bamba, National Organiser of the "Nasara" Club of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday said, the party would win the 2008 presidential election by 60 per cent to silence the National Democratic Congress (NDC)'s agitation that the Kenyan situation could happened in Ghana.
He said: "No Kenyan experience will happen in Ghana. Rather Ghanaians are going to Canaan and not Kenya," and added that the behaviour of the NDC was a clear manifestation that they had already conceded defeat.
Alhaji Bamba who was addressing executive members of the rejuvenated "Nasara" Club in the Wa Municipality with a desire to capture the Zongo and Muslim communities for the NPP in the 2008 polls as part of a tour to the Upper West Region.
Alhaji Bamba alleged that, the NDC wanted to foment trouble in the country and therefore called on religious leaders and all those who care for the welfare of Ghanaians to start praying for God's intervention to ensure unity and harmony during and after the December 2008 elections. He said NPP was determined to capture all the Zongo and Muslims communities as well as the three Northern Regions that had been perceived to be the stronghold of the NDC.
Alhaji Sayibo Sherrif, Deputy National Chairman of the "Nasara" Club said the NPP would win the elections and handover power to an NPP government to continue with the good policies and programmes of President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Mr Sulemana Abubakar, National Youth Organiser of the NPP, urged party supporters to go from house to house to encourage the youth who were 18 years to register when the votes register was opened. Mr Clement Eledi, Parliamentary Candidate for the NPP in the Wa Central Constituency called the elections in the region as "operation restore heritage".
He urged people in the region to be shareholders of the NPP this time round and not to rely on the goodwill and generosity of the government to appoint somebody from the area as a cabinet minister. "We must work to return the region to its rightful place in Ghanaian political history by voting massively for the NPP in the elections," Mr Eledi who is a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture said.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Police raids a brothel at Ho
Ho, April 2, GNA - The Ho Municipal Police on Wednesday raided a popular drinking bar called "The eye of the youth" at Adablakordzi at Ho-Bankoe and arrested two women suspected of engaging in commercial sex.
Also arrested was the owner of the spot whose names were being withheld. The three have been remanded in police custody awaiting prosecution.
A police source at the Municipal Police Station told the GNA that police raided the spot after several months of surveillance on activities of women and girls there.
The source said majority of the suspects escaped.
The two women arrested had bruises and swollen faces. Local media attention had focused on the goings-on at the drinking spot for some time now especially in relation to commercial sex.
A woman who lives across the street from the bar told the GNA when it visited a few days after the police swoop that quite a number of women lurked inside and around the bar as prostitutes. She said there were five women whom she could identify as the nucleus of the cycle.
The woman pointed to a two-room apartment with the inscription " Tourists club - Psalm 96 verse 3" adjacent to her house where the alleged prostitutes entertain their clients besides other rooms attached to the bar.
Mr Israel Pentem, a radio presenter who attends a church close by the spot, appealed to the police to close down the spot because the owner had been arrested several times but business went on even in his absence.
He said because of the operation, criminals were always around the area, which put the lives of people in the community at risk.
"We are not safe at all, different kinds of people come around there and even those of us who attend church do so at a big risk and we want the Police to close down the place because the practice is illegal", Mr Pentem said.
Mr Barnabas Addin, Volta Regional Director of Social Welfare, said there had been some influx of girls from outlying villages into the Ho Municipality lately, many of them seeking pleasure and others for survival.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
01.04.2008
Carter welcomes reduction in Guinea worm cases in Ghana
Accra, April 01, GNA - United States former President, Jimmy Carter on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with Ghana's impressive achievement within a year in combating guinea worm infection.
He said; "With continued diligence, dedication and political will, Ghana could be finally within reach of its long sought goal of recording zero cases of guinea worm disease".
President Carter expressed the sentiments when he visited Ghana to follow up the country's guinea worm control programme, which the Carter Centre was supporting.
Ghana last year recorded a total of about 3,360 cases, which was described as the fewest number of cases ever reported since it was first reported in 1989 and 195 cases for the first quarter of 2008, about 91 per cent reduction of the previous year.
President Carter, after witnessing horrific guinea worm outbreak in Savelugu when he visited the country last year, expressed dissatisfaction with work done.
He said Ghana currently ranked second to Sudan on the world list and needed to move from that position by working hard for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare the nation a guinea worm free country.
"Your neighbouring countries like Togo Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Ethiopia have been declared guinea worm free and from here, we are going to these countries to give them certificates for being certified by WHO and that is what I want to see Ghana becoming in the next few years to come", he said.
A country is declared free after recording zero cases for three successful years after which WHO will certify the country. President Carter cautioned Ghana not be complacent and over-confident with the praise from him but work extra harder, have discipline volunteer corps and the political will to ensure its total eradication.
He noted that the Carter Centre for this year has voted 13 million dollars to the eradication programme and over 100 million dollars world-wide.
He commended the Google.org for supporting the fight in Ghana with total grant of 1.45 million dollars.
Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health who could not hide his joy for the extensive work done commended the media, health workers and volunteers for the collaborative efforts.
He attributed that good work to the collaboration of other ministries, departments and agencies, adding; "initially we all thought fighting guinea worm was a health problem but now that they have all come on board; we are gaining improvement and we hope to achieve our goal by the 2009."
He noted that the water situation in Tamale was improving and work on it was expected to be completed by August this year.
Mr. Esoun Benjamin, Chief Executive of Ghana's Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) said MiDA had been on board by supporting the expansion of water supply in the Tamale metropolis and its environs to relieve them of their sufferings.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
125 pupils out of school ....
..due to collapse of school building in 2006
Suhum, April 1, GNA - About 125 pupils of Anomansa Primary School in the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District have been sitting at home following the collapse of their school building by a rain storm two years ago. The school authorities said the school children were now being occupied with basket weaving, farm activities, and other menial jobs to earn a living.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency about the situation during an inspection of the collapsed school, the authorities which comprised the School Management Committee, the Parent Teacher Association and Unit Committee Chairman of the District noted that, the Ghana Education Service and the District Assembly have longed been notified about the situation.
Mr Samuel Darko, Chairman of the School Management Committee said, the school was established 14 years ago through communal labour and voluntary contribution of the people in the area.
He said during the 2004 general elections, Mr Fred Opare Ansah, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area visited the community and promised to rehabilitate the school block, but which did not happened. Mr Darko said on November 2006, the school building collapsed as a result of a heavy rainfall.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to come to their aid so as not to put the future of the unfortunate children into jeopardy. Mr Kofi Mensah, Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District Chief Executive, when contacted on telephone to react to the story said the issue was not brought to his notice.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Imported inferior goods flood market
Takoradi, April 1, GNA - Despite efforts by the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) and other related institutions to protect consumers from cheap imported products; many more inferior items continue to flood the Ghanaian markets, an official of the Board said on Tuesday Mr Frank .K. Nagetey, Head of the Destination Inspection Unit of the GSB who made this observation on Monday admitted that, it had not been easy to identify all the inferior and dangerous goods coming into the country because of the activities of smugglers, who kept changing the sources of their imports.
Another factor he mentioned was the conditions at the various borders, which he described as "porous", giving smugglers the field day to operate.
"The ignorance of the ordinary consumer can also not be ruled out," Mr Nagetey said when he addressed a day's seminar on inspection of high risk goods for Freight Forwarders in the Western and Central Regions at Takoradi on the topic "Guidelines for Inspection of High Risk Goods".
He, therefore, called on various consumer associations to join in the effort to protect the interest of the public. "About 90 per cent of imports from China and Dubai are of very inferior quality," Mr Nagetey said but blamed local importers for ordering such inferior goods using poverty as an excuse. Citing an instance, he said, electric cables imported from these countries have been found to be of very poor quality and his outfit had put in measures to ensure that such good were adequately tested before they were cleared from the ports.
Mr Nagetey also mentioned products such as, mosquito coils and bleaching creams from these countries that contained dangerous chemicals and therefore warned consumers to be wary of these items. He said household electrical items that do not conform to the labelling standards and requirements of the Energy Commission would not be certified for clearance.
The importation of used mattresses and used LPG gas cylinders, have been banned, while the GSB had proposed to the government to ban also, used lorry tyres.
Mr Peter Fleku of the GSB Special Projects Division urged participants of the seminar to advise their clients to always renew their registration with the GSB at the end of each year to avoid undue interruption.
They must also ensure that, all goods met the labelling and inspection requirement and noted with concern that there were a lot of malpractices within the import business.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
SG-SSB manager in custody for stealing GH¢120
Sekondi, April 1, GNA - A former manager of the SG-SSB bank, Mr Jeffrey Mensah, 49, has been remanded in police custody for stealing GH¢120 from the Bibiani branch of the bank. He pleaded guilty and would re-appear before the court on April 15, 2008.
The court gave him two weeks to repay the amount after pleading for the time.
Prosecuting at the Sekondi High Court, Madam Patience Klinogo a Principal State Attorney told the court presided over by Mr Justice Robin Batu that, the accused was transferred from the Bibiani office to the Kumasi Adum branch in March 2007 and during the auditing of his books, the theft was detected. She said Mensah admitted the offence and pledged to pay the debt but instead went into hiding. Madam Klinogo told the court that, on September 28 last year, Mensah was arrested from his hideout in Kumasi and handed over to the Bibiani Police which after preliminary investigations handed him over to the Regional Criminal Investigation Department for further investigations.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Four policemen taken hostage
Ho, March 31, GNA- Four policemen who were detailed to arrest a suspect at Awusakope near Sogakope were attacked by a mob, taken hostage and one AK 47 riffle they had on them taken away.
Kofi Agbenyo, the suspect they were to arrest, was alleged to have stolen a tarpaulin belonging to Rolaida Construction Limited. Mr Joy Afagbedzi, Volta Regional Police Public Relations Officer, told Ghana News Agency that Agbenyo, an employee of the company, was in-charge of the tarpaulins but he and other were redeployed. Mr Afagbedzi said when the theft was detected, the authorities of the company reported the case to the police who dispatched the four personnel to arrest Agbenyo but they were assaulted and taken hostage. He said police reinforcement that was sent to the village rescued the four officers and retrieved the riffle.
Mr Afagbedzi said no arrest had been made but investigations were going on to apprehend those who committed the crime.
Source:
GNA
Daily Dispatch: Mills Picks Mahama
The choice was difficult but in our humble view, the 2008 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has made the right choice.
The choice of who would be his running mate for the December 7, 2008 Presidential Elections was between three persons - Mr. John Mahama, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu and Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni.
Any political party which hopes to win the elections, will have to depend on those who are not their core supporters, these voters are known as floating voters.
To avoid offending the other two candidates, we will proceed to explain the basis of our assertion that of the three leading and well qualified members of the NDC. Mr. Mahama will add relatively more advantages to the NDC ticket.
Ethnicity
Available research indicates that on the average, between 4%-5% of the Ghanaian voters base their choice of who to vote for on ethnicity.
There are few political truisms regarding voting patterns of certain ethnic groups, which we may add, is debatable.
In the main, majority of members of the Ashanti ethnic group are inclined to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Many members of the Ewe ethnic group will, most likely, vote for the NDC.
The vote of the Dagombas, are in the main, split into two. The Andanis will in the main, vote for the NDC and majority of the Abudus, the NPP.
Gender
We belong to the school of thought that there are many well-qualified Ghanaian women who can even be presidential candidates, on their levels of competence.
However, there are no records or researches to buttress the claim that Ghanaian women will vote for a presidential ticket because there is a woman on that ticket.
The last time a presidential ticket had a woman on it was in 1992 when the presidential candidate of the National Independent Party (NIP), Mr. Kwabena Darko, picked a woman, Prof. Naa Afarley Sackeyfio, as his running mate. He had less than 4% of valid votes cast.
Attraction to youth By elections time, December 7, 2008, over 60% of the Ghanaian population would be below 45 years of age and of the three, Mr. Mahama appeals to most of them. We have some data but it is not widespread and thus, will not use it.
One of the perceptions which have affected the ability of Prof. Mills to attract many more floating voters has been that ex-President Jerry Rawlings will have undue influence on him.
Of the three leading candidates, the choice of the ex-President and his wife, Nana Konadu was Mrs. Mould Iddrisu.
The 'die hard' supporters of the Rawlingses will not be too happy that Prof. Mills has chosen someone he feels he can work with, relatively better and in a more congenial manner.
Such Rawlings admirers will have no choice but to vote for a Mills/Mahama ticket because the ex-President will definitely feel more comfortable under an NDC government than an NPP or Convention People's Party (CPP) government.
Source:
Daily Dispatch
High Court adjourns Railway/NLC case
Sekondi, March 31, GNA - A Sekondi High Court on Monday adjourned to April 9 a case in which the National Labour Commission (NLC) has instituted legal action against the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) for not calling off an industrial strike began on February 15.
The IMC members are Joseph K. T. Dadzie, Alex Boateng, E. Quansah, Daniel K. Esso, Francis Dadzie and Isaac Asare. The IMC was represented by Mr Asempa J. K. Mensah, Mr Joseph E.K. Abekah and Mr A. H. Bodza-Lumor, while Ms. Efiba Amihere represented the NLC.
Mr Mensah told the court presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong that the IMC received the service on March 26 but under the rules, they must be served for three clear days before they appear in court and that the service was too short. Mr Justice Oppong said the applicants should have allowed for three clear days before any action could begin and therefore adjourned to April 9.
Thousands of striking Ghana Railway Workers and their interim management Committee (IMC) besieged the court premises and brought proceedings at the three courts to a halt for almost three hours. The workers clad in red arm, head and neck bands, arrived at the premises at 0700hours amidst brass band music, singing and dancing. The court premises looked like a battle ground and the workers carried placards and a big banner.
Policemen were brought in to ensure law and order but their arrival rather incensed the workers. The workers are demanding the removal of their Managing Director, Mr. Rufus Quaye, 150 percent adjustment in their salaries and the payment of outstanding four months' salary. 31 March 08Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
LAST NEWS from 30.03.2008:
MiDA deplores Nduom's comments
NEW. Watch live television from Ghana, the latest Ghanaian movies and OBE TV.
Accra, March 30, GNA - The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) on Sunday expressed dismay about comments made by Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom concerning the implementation of some aspects of the Ghana Millennium Account (MCA) Programme.
A statement issued in Accra by MiDA's Chief Executive Officer, Martin Eson-Benjamin said by these comments, Dr. Nduom had cast a serious slur on the integrity and reputation of members of the MiDA Board, the Management of MiDA and the integrity of Millennium Challenge Compact's very stringent procurement and approval process.
Dr. Nduom, presidential candidate of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) told the media that, he had heard recently that, "MiDA was embarking on the process of rehabilitation of schools; which action goes against the Plan in the Compact to build new schools. He went on to say that he was not the type who will agree to the so called misapplication of MCA Funds for the 'wrong things', like school rehabilitation. "What is untrue and unfortunate about his accusation from Dr Nduom is that the decision to undertake the 'fast-track' school rehabilitation project, which he refers to as 'the wrong things', was taken during his tenure as chairman of the board and approved by MCC and the board of MiDA.
This decision enabled MiDA's Procurement Agent to include this activity under the General Procurement Notice No. 3, published on the MiDA website on May 8th, 2007 and also enable management to plan for its implementation.
"It is important to stress that this project sub-activity, the rehabilitation of schools, has been brought up and discussed at every meeting of the procurement committee of the board, which then also had Hon. Paa Kwesi Nduom as the chairman. The last of these discussions was on the 11th of July, 2007, with three other ministers in attendance. "The board and management of MiDA and MCC, indeed stand by the laudable decision to 'fast track' rehabilitation work on the 35 selected schools ahead of the strategic environmental assessments, which must precede any plan to construct a 'greenfield' school in the farming communities.
"Again, to ensure that farming communities in the northern agricultural zone of the Ghana MCA programme, whose schools were washed away by the recent floods, were not handicapped as participants in the new educational reform programme, MCC has given approval to MiDA to rehabilitate 30 of these schools. Funds for rehabilitation are therefore not being misapplied.
"The import of these explanations is that, at all times, MCC approved MiDA's plans, which they considered to be supportive of the Compact's goal of poverty reduction. What Dr Nduom ought to have added is that, the well-thought through rehabilitation of these 65 schools, will form part of the over 520 new schools to be built in the 31 districts. The 'fast-track' schools to be rehabilitated under phase one, will also benefit from additional infrastructure in the second phase of the schools project, making them responsive to our plans."
The statement said, "MiDA will like to assure all Ghanaians, that the chances of funds going back to MCC on account of alleged mis-procurements are very low indeed. MCC's funds disbursement process seeks to provide funds for only projects that have been approved by the MiDA board and MCC. MiDA cannot apply funds fraudulently or frivolously, not with the well spelt out procurement guidelines ad the over six audits of the programme activities in each year of the Compact, besides a strict regimen of monitoring and evaluation activities. "Dr Nduom's insinuation that 'some persons' want to claim credit for some activities and are therefore pushing to have specific activities done quickly, is also surprising.
"As a five-year project, it is considered necessary for senior and responsible persons in government to feel uncomfortable about the apparently slow pace of work on some of the project activities, in particular, MiDA's inability to get the N.I Highway Project underway, some two and half years after the Compact was signed. This eagerness to deliver the programme must not be misconstrued for any other motive. "The board and staff have serious work to do as implementers of the Compact. That is the hardest part of the challenge, for which we need undivided attention. MCC is appreciative of good work the MiDA team is doing to meet the programme goals and MiDA has the MCC's fullest support in our forward push.
"So far, nobody has played politics with Ghana's MCA programme and therefore, Dr Nduom must not drag MiDA into it. He played a useful and key role in putting the proposal together under his watch, but there were several others who equally assisted the process and it is important that Dr Nduom does not continue to claim credit for the success of a process he inherited from Hon. Yaw Osafo Marfo, who, under President Kufuor's leadership, initiated the process towards Ghana's Compact.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <
Global Water Initiative Project launched in Upper West Region
Zambogu, (UWR), March 30, GNA - The Global Water Initiative (GWI), an NGO that seeks to support the sustainable and equitable delivery of potable water to vulnerable rural communities in the Upper West Region has been launched at Zambogu in the Nadowli West District. The project is funded at a total cost of 432,454.10 Ghana cedis with Howard G. Buffet Foundation, an NGO providing 374,281.80 Ghana cedis, representing 86.5 per cent and the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) also an NGO contributing 58,172.30 Ghana cedis representing 13.5 per cent. Mr. Daniel Ayugane, Head of Programmes of CRS-Ghana who launched the project on Saturday, said the project would ensure that selected vulnerable rural communities in the two districts benefited from sustainable water sources and improved sanitation for healthy lives. He said the project was designated to achieve this goal through three main strategic objectives such as empowering 10 local communities each in Lawra and Nadowli to manage their water resources sustainably. It would also establish appropriate and sustainable water delivery and sanitation systems and build capacity and understanding among relevant authorities through training, logistical support for monitoring and participation advocacy forums.
Mr. Ayugane said currently, GWI has supported communities in the Lawra, Bongo, East Mamprusi and Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo Districts to meet their water and sanitation needs through the provision of 16 boreholes, four hand-dug wells and 980 household latrines. "Finding ways to put more equitable and sustainable water use and sanitation into practice as well as effecting behavioural change are the enormous challenges that the project seeks to tackle", he said. The Head of Programmes of CRS-Ghana said CRS has recognized that no single actor could provide the needed positive transformation in the lives of the people, especially those living in the rural areas. He said it was for this reason that CRS would continue to collaborate with government and other development partners to avoid duplication of efforts and also to ensure that projects and programmes complement the development agenda of the various district assemblies. Mr. Ayugane presented four Yamaha AG 100 motorcycles and two desktop computers to the two beneficiary districts to facilitate the project monitoring and supervision and for data keeping. Wing Commander Eric Dakura (Rtd), District Chief Executive of Nadowli thanked the NGOs for the project and assured them of the assemblies' cooperation.
Source:
GNA
> BACK TO TOP <