Hohoe, Oct. 18, GNA - Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Volta Regional Minister, on Wednesday inaugurated an 11-member committee to probe the 11th June, 2012 communal violence in Hohoe. The Committee, under the chairmanship of Justice Patrick Baayeh, a Ho High Court Judge, would among other things find out the cause of the violence and make recommendations to forestall similar occurrences in the future. Other members of the committee are; Miss Comfort Tasiame, from the Attorney General’s Department, Monsignor Anthony Kofi Kornu and Very Reverend Dr. Livingstone Buama, former Moderator of the EP Church. Others are; Nana Soglo Aloh IV, Mr Nicholas Afesi, Mr E.K Kumi, Alhaji Osman Kamal-Din and a representative from National Security, a representative of the National Chief Imam and a representative of the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL). The committee has eight weeks to present its findings to government. Mr Kamel said members of the committee were carefully selected in view of the “diverse nature of the issue” and called for the support of all. “Let’s remember that the committee has been set up by the President and it has high powers, so we all have to cooperate with it,” he said. Mr Kamel expressed appreciation to all stakeholders who helped in restoring relative peace to Hohoe. Dr Margaret Kwaku, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, reiterated the need for both sides-the Zongo community and indigenes of Hohoe to cooperate with the committee to find lasting solutions to the issue. She expressed worry about unguarded statements from women from both sides and urged opinion leaders to caution them. Justice Baayeh on behalf of the committee promised to accomplish the task within schedule and called for patience, understanding and cooperation of both sides. A misunderstanding between the local Zongo community and the indigenes over the issuance of burial rights and electrocution of a boy is believed to have resulted in the communal clashes. In the melee, the house of Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area and other properties were vandalized. Two lives were lost in the community which is still under a curfew and security surveillance. GNA...
Takoradi, Oct. 17 GNA - Officials of the Minerals/Mining Commission have hailed government for reviewing the regulations of the minerals and mining act as it would go a long way to eliminate illegal activities in the sector. The officials, Mr Evans Adadey, Principal Inspector of Mines and Mr Desmond Boahen, Inspector or Mines, noted that nuisances that hinder the growth of the industry like mining in the river bodies and foreigners actively engaging in the business should stop under the new regulation passed in June this year. The officials expressed these sentiments at a day’s workshop organized by the Takoradi office of the Commission for mineral and mining industrial operators in the Western Region at Takoradi. The workshop aimed at sensitizing the operators on the new regulations of Act 703 of 2012 in order for them to comply with its contents. Speaking on “health, safety and explosive regulation”, Mr Adadey noted that the old regulation of Act 703 of 2006 had serious challenges which did not address pertinent issues concerning their operations. The two officials said under the new regulations while surface mining and dredging are permitted, offences attracting severe punishment include mining in or close to river bodies, foreigners actively participating in the business. According to them, the new regulation if strictly adhered to, would allow mining operation in the country to conform to international practices. To ensure that the new regulations work perfectly, Mr Adadey called for extra vigilance from all stakeholders like the traditional authorities, operators, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to expose those who operate illegally. The Principal Inspector noted that these stakeholders live in the communities therefore should be able to know which areas that illegal mining take place to the appropriate quarters for action to be taken on them. Failure to expose illegal mining activities and unsafe mining practices, that degraded or polluted the environment amounts to connivance to offence and must not be tolerated he added. He called for proper disposal of remnants of mining activities by creating embankments for dumping in order not to harm the health of the surrounding community of their operation areas. To prevent encroachment on their concessions, Mr Adadey urged the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to factor into their planning buffer zones for small scale mining operators who comprise those into sand winning, quarries, and kaolin, salt among others. Mr Boahen spoke on “mineral property and rights” and entreated operators and stakeholders to study the new regulation and conform to the contents so that they are not caught up with the law. He warned against the submission of false documents to the Mineral/ Mining Commission as culprits would be made to face the law. During discussion period, the mineral/mining operators noted that vital business like small scale mining was reserved for Ghanaians only and therefore appealed to the government to rid it of all foreigners. They alleged that Ghanaians front for the Chinese to secure documentation for their business and later hand over to them for operation which is against the laws of the nation. To that effect, the operators appealed to all the authorities involved in the issuance of documents for mining operation in the country to scrutinize particulars and embark of active investigations before processing the documents. The operators further appealed to the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to charge uniform fees concerning their operation in the areas complaining of differences in the charging of fee. They also stressed the need for the decentralization of processing of documents as this could be done in the various regional offices to time, save cost and risk. GNA...
Accra, Oct. 17, GNA - Vodafone Ghana has introduced a pay- as- you- go data tariff that allows customers to pay less and browse for a longer time. This is to encourage the browsing habits of their customers on their network, where customers could see a reduction of up to 75 per cent of the standard pay- as- you- go charge. A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by the company said customers could download 10 MB of data in one session, which equates to the average length of a music video. Madam Tara Squire, Head of Consumer Marketing at Vodafone Ghana, explained that the rationale for the dynamic pricing model was for their customers to have varied browsing habits. ‘We aim to make sure that every data user is getting the best value for their money,” she noted. The statement said the pay-as-you-go tariff targets customers who typically browse on the go accessing the internet on their handheld devices wherever and whenever they go. It said this would allow them to experience the endless possibilities of the internet at very affordable pricing. According to the statement, the company launched a data campaign at the beginning of this year to educate Ghanaians on the infinite possibilities it could offer everyone “In addition to educating Ghanaians, Vodafone also aims to increase access to the internet with affordable handsets and devices while giving the best value for money for internet packages,” it added. Madam Tara further explained that Vodafone’s strategy to increase internet access and bring value to Ghanaians has made the company to provide tariffs that suit every pocket and every behaviour. According to the statement, for heavy browsers the company has developed daily and monthly data bundles which allowed the customer to experience the internet at affordable rates. GNA...
Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) on Wednesday called on the Eighteenth Session of the Conference of Parties (COP 18) to develop an extension to the Kyoto Protocol for countries like Canada and United States to commit to it. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most Rev Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, Vice President of the AACC for West Africa, made the call on behalf of the participants at the two-day Conference for the group in Accra. The international interfaith conference sought to discuss the role faith based organizations could play in climate change adaptation and mitigation, challenges faced by churches and mosques in climate mitigation and adaptation and to seek the extent the churches and mosques have been working on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Most Rev. Aboagye-Mensah called on the Eighteenth Session of COP 18 to give support to developing countries that show commitments by registering their mitigation and adaptation plans. He added that such countries needed to be provided with new non-concessional grants and predictable support. Most Rev Aboagye-Mensah added that there was the need to support faith-based organizations in mobilizing at the grassroots to effectively respond to climate justice challenges. “Such recognition must be in the form of financial, technical and human capacity among others”, he added. Most Rev Aboagye-Mensah said there must be an agreement that required that developed countries should go beyond the set GHG emission targets in order to avert projected global emissions peak in 2015. “Urgently accelerate the actualization of the Global Climate fund and mechanisms that were set up at COP 17 in Durban in December 2011”, he said. Since the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entered into force in 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC have been meeting annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change. The COP adopts decisions and resolutions, published in reports of the COP and successive decisions taken by the COP make up a detailed set of rules for practical and effective implementation of the Convention. Most Rev Aboagye-Mensah called on African governments to develop domestic resourcing strategies to finance local adaptation and mitigation initiatives. “Recognise and mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies into national development plan involving key stakeholders like the youth and women and other marginalized groups within the countries”, he said. He concluded by saying that “every lost moment in this very critical issue of climate change increases the irreversibility of the threat to dignified life and the future of Africa and the entire planet”. GNA...
Bewadze (C/R), Oct. 17, GNA – Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, says the prudent agricultural policies pursued by the government have spared Ghana the scourge of food insecurity. Speaking at the 32nd World Food Day which also marked 67th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at Gomoa Bewadze near Winneba in the Gomoa West District on Tuesday, Mr Ahwoi pointed out that 2012 Report on the state of food insecurity in the world estimated at about 870 million people representing 12.5 per cent of the world population under-nourished from 2010 to 2012 out of which 234 million were from sub-Saharan Africa. He noted that the rapid growth in the agricultural sector held the key to reduction of hunger and malnourishment in developing countries including Ghana. The Minister said the government has increased agricultural production since assuming office in 2009. He said in 2007, agriculture contributed 5,322 million cedis representing 29.1 per cent of the 2007 GDP of 19,913 million cedis at 2006 prices, but in 2011 agricultural contribution increased by 22.2 per cent over 2007 figure to 6,507 million cedis or 25.6 per cent of the 2011 GDP of 27,742 million Ghana cedis at the same 2006 prices. On the theme for the World Food Day: “Agriculture Cooperative: Key to Feeding the Word”, Mr Ahwoi said the most effective means of assisting small-scale farmers to address the issues of farmer livelihood and food security was the strategy of using farmers’ groups or farmer-based organisations (FBOs) to organise all aspects of agricultural value chain. He said the government with the support of the United States government under the first phase of the Millennium Challenge Compact trained and supported 1,242 FBOs countrywide bringing the total to 66,400 farmers in technical and business development skills to enable increase their productivity and income. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General, Dr Jose Graziano da Silva, in a message read by Mr Musa Saihou Mbenga, FAO-Ghana Country Representative, paid special tribute to cooperatives for working against hunger and over-coming market and policy constraints by providing their members access to a range of assets and services. The World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director, Mr Ismail Omer, encouraged all stakeholders in food security and the nutrition sector to redouble efforts to empower farmer-based organisations to accelerate food security for the small-holder farmer and for the entire country. He said since 2008 WFP had brought close to 42,000 metric tons of food worth 22.2 million US dollars from food suppliers for use in WFP-Ghana programme as well as other WFP offices in West Africa. Touching on the Ghana’s theme for the celebration of the day, “Restoring Coconut Farmers Livelihood through FBOs Collaboration,” the Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, commended the stakeholders on their effort to reactivate the coconut industry in the country. She said coconut is not a great source of food only but also a great source of income and called for the protection of the crop against diseases. Obrempong Nyanfun Krampah XI, Omanhen of Gomoa Ajumako, said farming was not for illiterate and school-dropouts and appealed to scholars to go into farming. The Omanhen appealed to the government to provide irrigation and storage facilities to enable farmers to cultivate all-year round and store reserves. GNA...
Ho, Oct. 17, GNA-The Volta Regional Secretariat of the National Democratic Party (NDP) on Wednesday said it had uncovered and estranged a mole within its ranks. Dr David Sunu, NDP National Youth Organizer, told journalists at a hurriedly arranged press-conference that one Mr Emmanuel Ashigbui had attempted luring constituency chairmen of the NDP back into the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He said the mole, parading as an Executive Member of the NDP allegedly invited the NDP executives to a meeting at a venue in Ho, during which he tried cajoling them to agree to announce their en-bloc desertion of the NDP in the presence of the media. Dr Sunu, flanked by Mr Tsokpo Senyo Bansah, NDP Volta Regional Chairman and the constituency chairmen said the plan failed as the constituency chairmen strongly contended the culprit. Dr Sunu said the attempt smacks of the politics of deception which is “the hallmark of the NDC”. He said the mole’s maneuvering was aimed at creating the impression that the NDP was losing its hold on its members and executives. Dr Sunu then declared, “we the National Executive Committee (NEC) members from the Region, Regional Executives, Constituency Chairmen and members of the great National Democratic Party wish to put on record that we are solidly behind the NDP”, He continued “we believe in the true ideals of probity, accountability, social justice and integrity in governance. “We support our indefatigable flagbearer Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings because she is a tried and tested leader “The NDC cannot deliver governance with integrity to this country. “We of the Volta Region had to put this on record because of attempts by the NDC to deceive our constituency chairmen into a meeting with media coverage to create an impression that they had defected to the NDC. “To avert such further deception we wish to put on record that the element who was used in this attempt, the person is not an executive member of the NDP and nobody should deal with him in that capacity. “The NDP will never be deterred by cheap and infantile strategy of deception. “We shall continue to maintain our members based on the politics of conviction and the principles we stand for. “We shall never join any other party but work hard to return power to the people…” Mr Andrews Agbeve, Mr Samuel Avulekpor and Mr Governor Fianyo constituency chairmen corroborated Dr Sunu’s account of the events, all saying the NDC mole had told them that he was an emissary of President Mahama, working to bring them back to the fold. When contacted Mr Ashigbui agreed he had organized the constituency chairmen at their own bidding, for a possible defection to the NDC because, they claimed they (the chairmen) were not satisfied with the happenings in the NDP. GNA...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – Two Ghanaian referees have been selected to officiate at the 2012 African Women’s Championship (AWC) scheduled for 28 October to 11 November in Equatorial Guinea. The duo; Christine Ziga Enyoman and Emmanuella Aglagoh will be the only Ghanaian representation at the tournament the Black Queens will be sitting out for the first time. Information gathered by GNA Sports indicates that the two referees made it into the list of 26 selected officials based on their performance in recent times. Ziga, 30, a centre referee will be making a second appearance at a major continental championship since receiving her international badge in 2010. For 32-year old assistant referee Aglagoh, the tourney will be her third major international competition after the recent FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan and her role at the All African Games in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011 where she officiated alongside Ziga. Ghanaian referees have performed creditably at the flagship continental women’s football championship, with retired Mercy Quarcoo Tagoe going all the way to officiate the final match of the 2008 edition also staged in Equatorial Guinea. GNA ...
Accra, Oct.18, GNA – The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in collaboration with some individuals, on Thursday donated four ventilators with anaesthesia to the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at the Korle-BuTeaching Hospital. The ventilators will support the center and give hope to burns patients with breathing difficulties. The individuals are; Mr Ghassan Yare, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Forwin (Gh) Limited, Mr Nabil Moukarzel, CEO of Finatrade Group of Companies, Brigadier Sudhi (Rtd) of Avnash Industries (Gh) Limited and Mr Upgit Sachdeva of Liberia. The Minister, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, said the move was as a result of explosion last June at the landing site in Brawire at Axim in the Western Region which claimed the lives of some fishermen while others sustained various degrees of injuries due to lack of a ventilator. He said: “To help them breath normally such patients are supposed to be put on ventilators but only one was available at the centre. “Due to lack of these ventilators and the severity of the burns all the patients, except one, passed away”. Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, Director of the Centre, appealed to the public to control domestic burns; saying “more than 80 per cent of burns are preventable but due to negligent it has become most frequent.” Dr Ampomah said gas and petroleum products accounted for a significant number of burns in the country and that there was the need to control it to save lives. He appealed to other philanthropists to come to the aid of the Centre. Mr Rajinder Bhagat, High Commissioner of India, pledged his country's unflinching support to train doctors, nurses and administrators under the ITEC programmes through the help of Apollo Hospitals. GNA ...
Tema, Oct. 18, GNA – Six Parliamentary aspirants in Tema on Wednesday submitted their nomination forms to the Tema Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC). Three of the aspirants are from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the other three are from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NDC candidates are Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development for (Tema West), Mr Kempes Papa Nii Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (Tema East) and Mr James Enu, private legal practitioner (Tema Central). Those from the NPP are Mrs Irene Naa Torshie Addo, the incumbent MP for Tema West, Mr Daniel Nii Kwatei Titus-Glover, a member of the NPP’s Presidential Campaign Team (Tema East), and Mr Kofi Brako, a businessman (Tema Central). Mr Gabriel Manu, Tema Regional Director of the EC, received the forms and thanked the aspirants for their prompt response to the Commission’s deadline for the submission of forms. Mr Manu wished them the best of luck in their campaigns. All the candidates pledged to conduct their campaigns in a healthy manner devoid of insults. GNA...
Ho, Oct 18, GNA - A group claiming to be part of executives of the National Democratic Party (NDP) in the Volta Region on Thursday said it was rejoining the National Democratic Congress (NDC). “If today His Excellency, the Former President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Jerry John Rawlings, also the founder of the NDC, remains a member of the said party, we don’t see the need of being dissidents,…” a five-point statement made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) stated. The four signatories to the statement are Emmanuel Ashigbui, Interim Volta Vice-Chairman of the NDP, Nathan Atto, said to be a Security Coordinator at the Regional Secretariat and Stanley Aggor, Ho-Central Constituency Chairman. The rest are Reginald Akpalu, Keta Consituency Chairman and Abraham Nenem, Ketu South. The statement said the current leaders of the NDP were unrepresentative of the members since they were not duly elected and therefore did not “reflect the image of the Party”. It said the “formation of the NDP, although a good gesture has been synchronized into rage and a meaningless endeavour since there is a high sense of ungratefulness”. The statement also criticized the fact that the position of the flagbearer of the party was not contested. It said the political scene had changed and “it is obvious that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has brought a new hope to the National Democratic Congress and to Ghana as a whole…” The NDP at the press conference in Ho on Wednesday had described Mr Ashigbui as a “mole” who had failed to convince Volta Regional Party Executives to stage a dramatic defection from the Party with full media coverage. Dr David Sunu, NDP National Youth Organizer, flanked by Mr Tsekpo Senyo Bansah, Volta Regional Chairman, said he (Ashigbui) was estranged. GNA...
Agotime-Kpetoe (V/R), Oct 18, GNA - Voice-Ghana, a Disability-Interest Advocacy Group is seeking a pledge from aspiring parliamentarians that on becoming Members of Parliament, they would initiate disability-focused statutes in parliament. A key demand put on the table at a meeting with representatives of political parties in the Agotime-Ziope and Adaklu constituencies was that parliamentarians ensured “health centres in their areas have at least a sign language interpreter”. Mr Francis Asong, Director, Voice- Ghana, told the interactive meeting that currently people with hearing impairment dreaded going to health facilities when sick. He called on the politicians to liaise with the “appropriate authorities including Ministry of Health and district directorates of health services to make health facilities and services more accessible to the disabled”. Mr Asong said these concerns were those voiced at the “deliberative forum for persons with disabilities in the Agotime-Ziope and Adaklu districts”. Other concerns were that MPs champion the use of part of the District Assemblies Common Fund set aside for the disabled for corrective surgeries, prosthetic, orthopaedic and physiotherapy services and the acquisition of vocational skills. The forum also wanted the issue of the disabled being exempted from paying health insurance registration and renewal fees tabled in parliament, district assembly bylaws for totally free basic education for children with disability, inclusion in pro-poor policies and recruitment into the National Youth Employment Programme. Another concern was the disregard for the disabled in the design of public toilets and boreholes. GNA...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – Ghana’s Black Stars will be housed in either Group B or D during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. According to information gathered by GNA Sports at the secretariat of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Stars or the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire will be placed in either Group B or D during the official draw of the tournament fixed for October 24 in Durban, South Africa. The Stars will be based in Port Elizabeth if they end up in Group B and Rustenburg in the event of Group D. Hosts South Africa will play in Group A whilst holders Zambia are in Group C. CAF said the ranking of the remaining 14 qualified teams minus hosts South Africa and current champions, Zambia was based on the performance of each team at the last three editions of the continental flagship event; 2008 (Ghana), 2010 (Angola) and 2012 (Gabon & Equatorial Guinea). It explained that a point system of seven was awarded to winners at the three previous tournaments, five for losing finalists, three for semi finalists, two for quarter finalists and one for teams eliminated at the group phase. “Moreover, a weighted coefficient on points will be given to each of the last three editions of the Africa Cup of Nations as follows; 2012 edition: points to be multiplied by 3; 2010 edition: points to be multiplied by 2 and 2008 edition: points to be multiplied by 1.” With that, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire each raked 22 points, joining hosts South Africa and holders Zambia in Pot One, which houses the top seeds. Pot Two is constituted by Mali, Tunisia, Angola and Nigeria; Pot Three has Algeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco and Niger with DR Congo, Togo, Cape Verde and Ethiopia in Pot Four. It means that Ghana can only clash with South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire or Zambia at the knockout stages but there is a huge possibility of being housed in the same group with giants such as Tunisia, Nigeria or Morocco. The final tournament will be held from 19 January to 10 February, 2013. The Stars as top seeds in 2010 and 2012 where housed in Group B and Group D respectively where they played their games in Cabinda (Angola) and Franceville (Gabon). GNA...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – The London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal is synonymous to the English Premier League, but this weekend the Golden City Park in Berekum will be the host other than Stamford Bridge or Emirates. Berekum duo, Chelsea and Arsenals will face-off in the top-liner of the week three matches of the 2012/2013 Premier League in a game that is expected to bring to a halt economic activities within the township and neighbouring towns. Chelsea, still in high mood after their impressive outing in the CAF Champions League few months ago have had the better of previous derbies and appear poised to yet again stamp their authority over their city rivals. The 2010/2011 league champions still possess enough arsenal despite the departures of Emmanuel Clottey and Gladson Awako to Esperance (Tunisia) and TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and appear capable of turning things their way. Not much has been heard of their city rivals, Arsenals, who narrowly escaped the drop last season, but their stalemates in their opening two games is enough signal for their opponents that they won’t come cheap. In Edmund Owusu Peprah, Arseanls have in their midst one of the seasoned forwards in the league and can cause some sleepless nights for the Chelsea rearguard of Samuel Kyere, Ahmed Adams, Edward Kpodo and Richard Kisi Boateng ahead of the game. At the Baba Yara Stadium, win-less Asante Kotoko will seek to tame Kpando Heart of Lions, yet to hit their old self that earned them a bogey status against the Porcupine Warriors. The league holders are likely to have head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani on the bench for the first time after his exploits with the Black Maidens at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan where they picked a historic bronze. Dramani has been overwhelmingly endorsed for his performance with the Maidens, yet there are many who still believe the Asante Kotoko job will be his real test. Without a win from two games, the red army followers will be counting on the former Black Queens deputy coach to produce the magic wand to return to winning ways. AshantiGold will serve a huge mountain for Liberty Professionals to climb when the two sides battle it out at the Sly Tetteh Stadium in Dansoman. Liberty, perched uncomfortably a place off the foot of the league log have been affected by the departure of several key players and need nothing short of the three points to boost their standings. At the Tamale Stadium, Real Tamale United will play host to Aduana Stars in a match that favours the visitors. Aduana, one of two sides to have won away from home in the two-week old and will definitely be a hard nut for Mohamed Gargo and his lads to crack. Newly promoted Amidaus Professionals will be at home at the Tema Park against King Faisal whilst bottom-placed Edubiase will be hoping to lift themselves up as they square Tema Youth at their favourite Nana Gyamfi Park in Bekwai with at least a point. On Saturday, Ebusua Dwarfs, still serving the home-ban will be up against Hearts of Oak at the Tema Park. GNA...
Cape Coast, Oct.18, GNA - Mr Ebow Barton Oduro, a Deputy Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, on Thursday advocated that teachers in special educational institutions such as school for the deaf and blind, should be given special remunerations and allowances to motivate them to give off their best. He said it was unfair for teachers in such schools to receive the same salary as that of teachers in ordinary schools, and asked the Ministry of Education to address the issue. Mr Oduro, who is also Member of Parliament for Cape Coast, made the call when he donated items to the Cape Coast School for the Deaf, at Cape Coast. The items included 10 bags each of rice, maize and beans, plastic cups, plates, buckets and basins, 10 cartons of soft drink 10 bales of used clothes. Mr Oduro supported Lion’s Club with 6,000 Ghana cedis towards the construction of a hearing assessment centre for the school. He said government was commitment to providing quality education for children disabilities, especially the deaf and blind, and stressed that everything would be done to address their needs. Mr Oduro asked the schools authorities to assess the disability fund which forms part of the district Assembly Common Fund to enable them solve some of their essential needs. He commended teachers and staff of the school for their efforts at training children with disabilities to become useful to society. Madam Baaba Enim, Headmistress of school, received the items on behalf of the school and thanked Mr Oduro for the gesture. She appealed to the MP to help the school to register inmates under the National Health Insurance Scheme, provide computers for the institution, a playing field and sporting equipment, assembly hall and rehabilitate the road leading to the school. GNA...
Tafo (ER), Oct. 18, GNA - Mr Victor Smith, Eastern Regional Minister, has urged Ghanaians to examine their living conditions and decide whether changing the present government or a continuation would be better for them. He said politicians were supposed to be responsive to the needs of the people who gave them the mandate to serve in government and so the electorate must review the performance of those they gave their mandate to. Speaking on the need for a peaceful election, at a forum organized by the Gender Centre for Empowerment and Development (GENCED) at Tafo in the East Akyem Municipality on Thursday, he indicated that violence was not the option for a better living and so Ghanaians must reject people who preached violence. Mr Smith said much as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was committed to ensuring a peaceful election to consolidate Ghana’s democratic gains, and that it would not allow people with ill motives to have their way. He said for the fact that poverty and needy persons existed in the Ghanaian society meant that politicians had a lot to do and urged the electorate to vote for people who had their welfare at heart and had proved within this short time that they could improve their lives. Mr Smith, who is the NDC parliamentary candidate for the Abuakwa North constituency, pledged his commitment to a peaceful campaign and election and urged supporters of all political parties to be mindful of their utterances and actions. A representative of the French Embassy, Mr. Christian Jolley, said the French embassy was supporting the association to organize series of fora to drum home the need for peace for the sake of women and children who suffered most in times of conflict. He said there was the need to create more opportunities for women to enter into politics since they constituted about half of the Ghanaian population. Mr Jolley advised all Ghanaians to be committed to peace in the December polls, adding that “a system where everyone has a say in governance is better than coup de tat”. Ms Ether Tawiah, the Programs Director of the association, said the project was inspired by the need to protect the marginalized group, particularly women and children who were often the victims of electoral violence. He said it was not enough to talk about peace and that people must believe in it and work at it to ensure that it became a reality and not a talk show. A representative of the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the area, Mr J.B Danquah-Adu, said the party and its entire parliamentary candidates were committed to peaceful elections and hoped that the NDC which was the party in government would not abuse its incumbency for the sake of peace. GNA...
Kade, Oct. 18, GNA - Mr Solomon Nkansah, Deputy National Propaganda Secretary of the National Democratic congress (NDC), has noted that the promise by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), of free education at the Senior High School (SHS) level only aims at conning the electorate to give him the nod. He challenged Nana Akufo Addo to show Ghanaians where the needed classrooms and other facilities were for the implementation of his policy. Addressing a large crowd at the launch of the Kade constituency branch of the NDC at Kade on Thursday, Mr Nkansah said the NPP Presidential candidate only wanted power at all cost hence “his sweet talk about the free education”. Ms Mavis Ama Frempong, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim North, who is contesting the New Abirem seat, said the administration of President J.A. Kufour had many cabinet ministers from the Eastern Region yet they did practically nothing for the region. She said the NDC government was currently constructing a number of projects including re-building roads which were in a bad state. Ms Frempong appealed to the people of the region to vote for the NDC to enable the party to complete the projects. Mr Tawiah Boateng, Eastern Regional Organizer of the NDC, told the crowd that they should not be deceived by the promise of free SHS education by voting for the NPP since that would not be possible. Mr George Agyemang Dua, Kwaebibirem District Chief Executive, said the electorate could testify the number of development projects he undertook or initiated since assuming the post only 18 months ago. He said he would serve with dedication and honesty to bring even greater development and progress to the Kade constituency. GNA...
Bahankra (Ash), Oct 18, GNA – The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has donated building materials worth GH¢3,500.00 in support of the construction of a permanent classroom block for the Bahankra D/Assembly Primary School in the Sekyere-Afram Plains District. These include 50 bags of cement, eight bundles of roofing sheets and eight boxes of nails. The school with a population of 280 pupils is presently housed in a wooden structure. Mr C. K. Adum-Nti, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the GNAT, said the donation was part of an initiative to assist schools in deprived communities and that the Association wanted to create awareness about the need to improve education infrastructure in the rural areas to promote quality. Mr Adum-Nti said GNAT was not committed only to the welfare of its members but equally concerned about the environment in which “teaching and learning takes place”. The association had already provided school uniforms, bags, shoes and books to 50 needy pupils in some selected deprived schools. Additionally, it had honoured hard working and dedicated teachers in the region with television sets, laptop computers, refrigerators and motorbikes as part of the celebration of this year’s World Teachers’ Day. Mr Paul Agyei Boakye, the Regional GNAT Trustee, handing over the items said it was a demonstration of the commitment of the Association to work together with all stakeholders to develop education. Mrs Agnes Akpenyo, the District Education Director, said the school was grateful for the donation. GNA...
Koforidua, Oct. 18, GNA - About 200 stakeholders in the mining industry on Thursday attended a day’s sensitization workshop on the Minerals and Mining Health, Safety Regulations 2012 Legislative Instrument (LI 2182), in Koforidua, capital city of the Eastern Region. The workshop, which was organized by the Minerals Commission, aimed to sensitize participants and the public on the LI, to enable them to play active roles in the enforcement of provisions of the legal document. The event also aimed to strengthen collaboration between stakeholders and regulators in the mining industry. Mr Kofi Adjei, Senior Inspector of Mines in charge of the Eastern Region, noted that Ghana had been operating outdated mining laws, and said since mining was dynamic, Parliament in June this year came out with six legislations (Minerals and Mining Regulations 2012). He said that previous Legislation Instruments, among many things did not make provisions for surface mining and dredging and “no provisions were also made for processing plants, especially with regards to cyanide tailings storage”. Mr Adjei said existence of current health, safety and technical regulations had addressed those challenges. He challenged the participants to operate within the laws, warning that those who may go contrarily to the laws, could face prosecution in the law courts and be jailed without option of a fine. Mr Adjei said the Minerals Commission would henceforth descend heavily on those violate mining laws. He advised workers in the mining industry to regularly go for medical checks and said: “do not think somebody is responsible for your safety, you should ensure your own safety”. Participants included representatives of large-scale mining companies, medium and small mining companies, industrial mineral operators, explosive companies, exploitative companies, service companies, district assemblies and traditional authorities. GNA...
Cape Coast, Oct 18, GNA - Wesley Girls’ High School on Wednesday “rolled the red carpet” for Form One students as the little girls, escorted by their visibly excited parents and guardians, entered the walls of the magnificent Wey Gey Hey to begin a three-year academic battle from which much is expected of them. These small, small girls, 14 and 15 years old, might have been wondering what was in stock for them when they set off from various parts of Ghana to begin a new era, a very important chapter, in their schooling. “I was apprehensive. I did not know what to expect because I have heard about experiences of new arrivals in certain school. They were not pleasant stories, the show of power by some seniors, the bullying” one told the GNA. A parent said he took his boy to a school in Koforidua four years ago and a housemaster had a cane he surprisingly used on some of the Form One students. “My boy got caned on his first day at senior high school and tears swelled in his eyes but I pretended I did not see it. It was a baptism of fire. I knew it was wrong but I said nothing. I held my cool,” a parent told the GNA. The welcoming ceremony at Wey Gey Hey was magnificent, well organized and executed with precision. Nothing was overlooked and surprisingly there were no mistakes. Staff, non-teaching staff and students were all involved and rolled out a welcoming ceremony that the first years would never forget. The school was decorated in bunting and music blared in the dormitories. Some of the parents who have children in other senior high schools said the spectacle surprised them. One said when she entered the compound with the daughter, she thought the school was preparing to have a big function like a speech day and it took her sometime to realize Wey Gey Hey was welcoming her daughter to the school. “All the flags, all the decoration, all the music and all the dancing in the dormitories were meant to make my daughter, our daughters to feel at home and get down to serious business of studies. Thank you Headmistress, staff, non-teaching staff and students,” the lady, who wants to remain anonymous, said. There were no classes on Wednesday as the day was declared a holiday by an “Executive Instrument” the Headmistress signed. The school’s cadets, looking smart in their military uniforms, were prominent and executed their assignments with precision. They saluted parents as they drove in with their beloved daughters and directed them where to park. The admission procedure was not performed as a mere formality, not as a ritual that is gone through every year. It was performed with passion and it took time. Every student was handled as an individual and made to take an oath to be a good student. Following their formal admission to Wey Gey Hey and having been allocated Houses, the little girls were escorted “queenly” to their dormitories with fanfare and surprisingly, their seniors carried their suitcases and chop boxes. “I was flabbergasted. Seniors carried my daughter’s luggage,” a parent said. In the dormitory the form ones opened their suitcases and seniors checked their clothes to make sure they did not include things they were not supposed to take to school. A parent walked down memory lane and said a little girl once told him “Daddy, your daughter is supposed to bring two white T-shits but she has brought four. Take two away.” The seniors really had time for the new arrivals. They taught them how to lay their beds, how to fold their clothes in their lockers and suitcases and lectured them about what to do and what not to do in the dormitories. As these processes went on, music blared and students, some in fanciful attires, did their own thing, including Azonto, on stages they had mounted. When the GNA enquired about the criteria that would be used to allocate the newest dormitory to students who would be interested, a student said there was balloting. She said “there is no favouritism at Wey Gey Hey. There is no “whom you know” business here. There is absolute fairness.” An elated parent told the GNA that he was pleased with what he had witnessed and expressed the hope that his daughter would live, for the rest of her life, the Wey Gey Hey motto “Live Pure, Right Wrong, Speak True, Follow the King.” “As a Wey Gey Hey father, this is what I wish for all our Wey Gey Hey daughters including BEK, HMGA and PO. God Bless the Headmistress, staff and non-teaching staff and students of Wey Gey Hey,” he said. GNA...
Etwebo (W/R), Oct.18, GNA - Employees of Chirano Gold Mines Limited on Thursday presented a cheque for GH¢ 41,210 to the family of the late Simon Larbi, a colleague who passed away last June. Presenting the cheque, Mr. Thomas Nyarko-Danquah, Human Resource Manager of the company said the contributions were made voluntarily by all employees to serve as an educational investment fund for the children of the late employee. Receiving the cheque on behalf of the family, Mr. Francis Antwi, an uncle of the deceased, expressed appreciation to the management and employees of Chirano Gold Mines Limited for the support, adding that only a few organizations would think about their employees in times of crisis. He assured the management and staff of CGML that the fund would be devoted to the educational needs of the wards. The late Larbi who was a driver of the company met his untimely death in June while on official duty. He is survived by a wife and three children. GNA...
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