Agona Swedru (C/R), Oct. 20, GNA- The Very Reverend Kweku Ackom, Chairman of the Agona Swedru Council of Churches, has appealed to the leaders and supporters of the political parties to refrain from acts that could plunge the nation into chaos. He stressed that the use of abusive language on political platforms against political opponents could cause trouble and must be avoided by all the players in Election 2012. Very Rev Ackom, who is in charge of Agona Swedru Ebenezer Methodist Church made the appeal when he addressed members of Agona Swedru for Peace Campaign towards a peaceful 2012 General Election. Very Rev Ackom who is the Vice Chairman of the Peace Campaign said it is sad to note that some political leaders preach virtue and practice vice, adding “it does not promote true democratic dispensation”. He said the time has come for political leaders and their supporters to conduct campaigns on issues, instead of insults, personal attacks as well as malicious issues that could spark-off mayhem. Very Rev Ackom asked elders of the religious bodies to preach messages that would promote peace and stability. Rev Fr Charles Dominic Obu-Cann, Chairman of Agona Swedru for Peace Campaign said the aim and objectives of the association is to raise awareness on the need to ensure peace in the December 7 elections. He said the Association is made up of Muslims, members of The Christian Council, Swedruman Council of Chiefs and Heads of political parties in the Agona West Constituency. Rev Father Obu-Cann said the Association has Mr Samuel Oppong, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive and Nana Oduro Kwarteng, Chief Director of Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Gyantuahene of Swedruman Council of Chiefs as patrons. He said the association has planned a number of activities to raise awareness about the peace campaign at Agona Swedru and other towns. These include a peace march, clean up exercise, gospel rock show, Church services, and fan games involving all political parties in Agona West from November 5 to November 11.    GNA...

Wa, Oct. 20, GNA – Stigmatisation and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) is on the increase in Upper West Region, making it impossible for newly infected persons to seek medical care. Mr Cezar Kale, Deputy Regional Minister who made this known at an HIV and AIDS training workshop for media personnel in the region said such attitude do not support the call for proper care and treatment for PLWHAs. The workshop was organised by Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) in collaboration with Ghana Journalists Association as part of efforts to galvanise support from the media to improve on its reportage on HIV and AIDS. Mr Kale said the 2011 edition of the HIV Sentinel Survey Report indicated a reduction in the prevalent rate in the region. He however stressed the need for the region to redouble efforts to prevent new infections particularly because the area is surrounded by countries that have significantly higher numbers of HIV prevalent rates.  Mr Kale therefore called on the media to help educate the public against stigmatisation and discrimination against PLHWHAs to encourage more people who tested positive to seek medical care. He urged stakeholders to endeavour to push more resources to support existing initiatives that had the potential to influence the prevalence trend. Dr Angela El-Adas, Director-General of the GAC said the trend of HIV had changed globally with focus on Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission. She also called on the media personnel to use their powerful mass medium of communication to educate the public on the need for everyone to know his or her status and why people who tested positive should be put on Anti-Retroviral drugs. Participants were taken through topics such as: “The National Response to HIV and AIDS: Progress and Challenges,” “2011-2015: Towards Achieving Comprehensive HIV Services,’ “HIV and AIDS Terminology Guidelines,” “The Role of the Media in the Response to HIV,” and “Observations of the Contribution of the Ghanaian Media to HIV Response.” GNA...

 Koforidua Oct. 20 GNA – Justice Joe Appiah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma North,  has outlined his vision for the area, placing Health, Education, Sanitation, Youth Development and Sports as his priorities. If given the mandate his number one dream to represent his people again would be to ensure the construction of 50-bed capacity Hospital at Odorkor and a Polyclinic at Darkuman. Mr Joe Appiah made the views known in Accra when about 500 members of the “Dynamic Souls” a youth group within the NPP drawn from different electoral visited him at his residence to show their solidarity and readiness to campaign vigorously for him and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the Party’s Presidential Candidate for victory in the December polls. He said the densely populated Constituency had not got a single health facility hence his desire to get the project executed if given the nod again. In addition to that, he said he would sponsor health screening and would also promote health lectures in all the electoral areas in the constituency. On Education, the MP revealed that Information Communication Technology centre and libraries would be constructed for schools in the area to promote the teaching and learning of computer-related and other relevant subjects and expressed the hope that it would enhance academic work. Mr Joe Appiah said he would sponsor the Annual “Spelling Bee”, Essay Writing and Quiz contests to sharpen the brains of school children which would also promote healthy competition among schools in his constituency.    Soccer gala and youth clubs he hinted would be formed in all the electoral areas to promote sports.  On the December polls, the MP appealed to the youth and the electorate in general to come out in their numbers to vote massively to retain him as their representative and Nana Akufo Addo as their next President. Mr Joe Appiah said he had done a lot for his people and gave assurance that when voted for the second time, he would do a lot more for the people of Ablekuma. He reminded Ghanaians that, Nana Akufo Addo’s vision of Free Senior High School education is not a farce as some detractors would want the electorate to believe, but a reality which would be seen by all Ghanaians if the NPP is given the nod. GNA...

Tamale, Oct. 20, GNA – Mr. Joseph Ayuboya, Acting Northern Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited has tasked the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce the sanitation bye-laws by prosecuting offenders who litter indiscriminately. He said the major challenge facing Zoomlion was the inability for the MMDAs to enforce the sanitation bye-laws, thereby giving leverage to the populace to litter the environment with the notion that ‘Zoomlion will clean the street’ ,saying that, such attitude of Ghanaians must change. Mr. Ayuboya raised these issues in Tamale on Saturday during a cleaning exercise embarked by Zoom Alliance, a subsidiary of the Zoomlion, which has been mandated to keep the country clean of filth for the next three months. The special clean-up exercise saw members of the sanitation taskforce who were recently recruited, cleaning the Aboabo market, Kaladan park, Tamale Zongo, Choggu and the  Dakheima palace whilst similar exercises were simultaneously taking place in all the districts of the region. The initiative is largely in tandem with the vision of the company in promoting clean, green and healthy communities in the country to deepen the good sanitation agenda to ensure a healthy environment in response to a national programme launched earlier by the President. Mr. Ayuboya said the task force would go from door to door educating Ghanaians about sound environmental and sanitation practices, helping in waste collections, desilting choked gutters and evacuating heap refuses till December 2012. He called for the unflinching support and cooperation of all stakeholders in the sanitation industry to ensure the successful implementation of the project, stressing that, the task force would not be working in isolation but with expert advice, monitoring and supervision. He called on the general public, religious leaders and traditional authorities to pull efforts together to ensure that the nation was kept clean to prevent communicable diseases. GNA...

Kade Oct. 20, GNA –Two Libraries and a resource centre built by the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kade constituency, Mr Ofosu Asamoah were on Friday handed over to the Ghana Education Service (GES) at separate ceremonies at Kade and Asuom.      Mr Asamoah said he used part of his MPs Common Fund and other supports to construct the projects.      He handed over the keys of the buildings, costing a total of GHC 160, 000 to the Kwaebibirem District Director of Education, Ms Gladys Appiagyei.      Mr Asamoah said as a result of constraints, the libraries, which he started in 2006, were now being handed over to the GES since the District Assembly was reluctant to take over and run them.      He said despite the discouragement by some people in the area by giving a “political colour” to the projects, he was not perturbed and saw to their completion.      Mr Asamoah asked the two communities to ensure that the facilities were well maintained.       He thanked the Ghana Education Trust (GET-FUND) for the support it offered towards the completion of the projects. The MP urged students and teachers, especially, to utilize the facilities at the libraries since learning is a lifetime activity.      Receiving the keys, the District Director of Education, thanked Mr Asamoah for his foresight and urged that the facilities be fully utilized and kept clean always.   GNA...

Kumasi, Oct. 20, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Police Command is adequately prepared to provide the needed security and protection to all residents before, during and after the elections.      Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyening, the Regional Police Commander, who stated this, said personnel were firmly equipped with professional skills and training to sufficiently provide security and protection at all levels before, during and after the elections to the satisfaction of all Ghanaians and the international community.      He was speaking at the closing of a one week intensive public order management course, organised by the police administration for 86 personnel of the Rapid Deployment Force in Kumasi on Saturday.      The course, which was supported by the German and French governments, is aimed at providing them with the requisite skills, knowledge and professional approach on public order management for the upcoming elections.      It was also to prepare them mentally, physically and psychologically to provide requisite security on crowd related violence to ensure peaceful and successful electioneering process.      Among the topics treated during the training were human rights and the use of force in crowd control as enshrined in the 1992 constitution, the use of fire arms in crowd control by the police on violent and recalcitrant riotous mob and ring leaders in accordance with the 1992 constitution and Service Instruction (SI) 97 of the Police Service.      They also undertook basic field and simulation exercises on problem solving related to elections violent as well as procedures on graduation in the use of force from minimum to maximum force.      Mr Gyening pointed out that the operational field deployment and tactical intervention skills acquired would enable the men to carry out their duties strictly on procedures and not trial and error basis.   GNA...

Techiman, Oct. 20, GNA – Two young men have presented their nomination forms to contest in the Techiman South Constituency as Parliamentary Candidates in the December 2012 general elections.      They are Bolyiaba Okyeame Frempa Taafuo, 25, an engineer, for Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and Joseph Dubik, a 26-year-old professional teacher for the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP).      Other candidates were Mr. Agyei Mensah, 42, Teacher for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Prince Yaw Donyina, 45-year-old self-employed, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Mr. Anthony Adjei, 66-year-old teacher, National Democratic Party (NDP).      In the Techiman North Constituency Madam Agartha Ampomah, 35, a teacher for the CPP is vying alongside Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, 67, incumbent MP for the NPP, Mr. Alex Kofi Kyeremeh, 50, an Accountant and Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the NDC, Mr. Kofi Kwakye, 47-year-old teacher for the PPP, and Mr. Agyemang Badu Opambuor, 30, self-employed for the NDP.      Mr. Samuel Dotoh Kwaah, the Techiman Municipal Electoral Officer asked candidates to educate their supporters against the defacing and destruction of posters of political opponents.   GNA...

Bechem (B/A), Oct. 20, GNA – A retired educationist, Mr. Nicholas Acheampong of Bechem in the Tano South District of Brong-Ahafo Region has appealed to the Ministry of Education (MoE) to absorb unemployed university graduates with educational backgrounds into the teaching profession.      He said, a lot of such graduates were roaming the streets without jobs but could be useful in the classroom to assist in raising the falling standards of education in the country.      Mr. Acheampong made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) about the graduate unemployment in the country on Thursday at Bechem      He said it was very disheartening that the potentials of those graduates were not being utilized after their parents had spent huge sums of money on them in the universities.      Mr. Acheampong observed that “most district education officials were more interested in the appointments of pupil teachers rather than graduates since over GHC400.00 are paid as baits for their appointments”.      He suggested that, the Ministry of Education should register all graduates who wished to go into teaching in the districts and offer them teaching appointments as a matter of urgency to curb the graduate unemployment.      He noted that a recent survey in some schools at Bechem and beyond showed that the output of work of some of the pupil teachers “ are nothing to write home about” and appealed to the MoE to help solve the problem, which had become a canker in the country.    GNA...

Sunyani, Oct. 20, GNA – Nana Akuffo-Addo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate for election 2012 has declared that an NPP government would offer all children free access to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).   He implied that “parents no longer have to be a subscriber to the NHIS for a child to benefit”, saying that “Millions of children will be covered by free healthcare”.      Nana Akuffo-Addo made the declaration on Wednesday night when he addressed students of Sunyani Nurses Training College in Sunyani on NPP’s health policy, titled: “Saving our health service, keeping our people healthy”  as part of his ten day “Hope Restoration Tour” of the Brong-Ahafo Region.      He was accompanied by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a member of the Akuffo-Addo Election 2012 campaign team, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia and Dr. Nsiah Asare, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).      Others were Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, member of the NPP communication team, Mr. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, Regional Chairman of the party, Mr. Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, MP for Sunyani East, Mr. Lord Commey, campaign team member and Dr. Kwasi Dei Anane, a Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist at the Berekum Holy Family Hospital.         The NPP Presidential Candidate said the party believes in fairness as a principle of social action since access to social services should be on the basis of need and that government had a duty to keep its people healthy.       Nana Akuffo-Addo stated that Ghana’s transformation required a healthy population and therefore reminded government of its duty to ensure that the most vulnerable had access to quality health care.      He expressed satisfaction that the NPP had a record of care and achievement as the last NPP government introduced significant initiatives to expand health service coverage, promising that “the next NPP government will introduce comprehensive measures to tackle the fundamental problem of Ghanaians dying because they can’t get proper healthcare”.   GNA...

Kade Oct. 20, GNA -The Kade District Magistrates’ Court on Friday granted GHC 1,000.00 bail with one surety each to three persons charged with causing unlawful damage and offensive conduct, conducive to the breach of the peace.      Yaw Baah, Kwame Panin and Yaw Nyame all pleaded not guilty to the charges and would re-appear on November 09.      Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Francis Cobbina, said the complainant in the case is the Bretuohene of Kade whilst the three accused persons are all resident at Kade.      He said there had been a protracted chieftaincy dispute at Kade of which the parties involved were made to sign a bond by the District Magistrates’ “B” Court in Koforidua to keep the peace until the substantial case was over.      The prosecutor said one Kwabena Obeng, a palace guard and a witness in the case, who was at the Kade Chief’s Palace  saw Baah forcibly removing the main door to the palace and he informed the complainant on his mobile phone about Baah’s presence.       The complainant rushed to the scene and met Baah in the act with Kwame Panin standing by.      When the complainant asked Baah to justify his action, Panin then started insulting him, describing the complainant as “stupid and useless man.”      A report was made to the police and the doors were later fixed back on the instructions of the police.      Later the same day at about 1600 hours, Nyame went to the palace and locked it with his own padlock and vowed to resist anyone who would attempt to re-open it.      On October 8th the police went to the respective homes of the accused persons to invite them for questioning but did not meet them and a message was left with their parents, but they did not show up.      The following day the police again went to their houses but they ran away when they realized the police were looking for them.      Criminal summons were later prepared and served on them to appear before the Court on October 11 for trial but they refused to appear in court that day and bench warrants were prepared for their arrest.      The Counsel for the accused, Mr Husain Ibn Alhassan, prayed the court to rescind the warrant order when they appeared in court on October 18.      Mr Alhassan argued that the accused were not part of the factions that signed the bond in Koforidua and pleaded for bail for them since it would help to promote peace and go a long way to cement the fragile relations between the factions.   GNA...

Kade, Oct. 20, GNA - Francis Amenyo, charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing, on Friday told the Kade District Magistrates’ Court that he was intoxicated when he committed the offence and pleaded with the court to be lenient with him.       Mr Abdul Majid Iliasu, the Magistrate, however told him that self-induced intoxication was no defence and so the court saw no reason for dealing leniently with him.      Presenting the facts of the case, Police Inspector Francis Cobbina said there had been rampant stealing of palm fruits from the plantation of the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company at Okumaning.      He said on October 4, at about 2200 hours, a security man of the company spotted Amenyo and two others carrying two fertilizer bags containing palm fruits collected from the plantation.      On seeing the security man, the three took to their heels but Amenyo was arrested and the other two managed to escape.      Amenyo was sent to the police station together with the fertilizer bags containing the palm fruits valued at GHc50.      He said during interrogation Amenyo admitted the offence and was processed for court.      Amenyo told the court that his two accomplices asked him to accompany them to see a friend but they rather took him to a section of the plantation where they collected the palm fruits.      The court granted him bail of GHC 1,200 with one surety of re-appear on November 9.   GNA...

Coaltar (E/R), Oct. 20, GNA – The Mankrado and Twafohene of Coaltar, Nana Atta Yaw Kwaakwah II, and Nana Kwasi Kwaakwah I, respectively, have jointly offered a 2.3-acre piece of land to the Ayensuano District Assembly to construct office buildings at Coaltar.   Briefing the Ghana News Agency after the sod-cutting ceremony, the two chiefs said they had given out the land as their contribution towards the development of the new district.   Nana Atta Yaw Kwaakwah, the Mankrado, who is also a tutor at the Nsawam Senior High School, said they would work hand-in-hand with the incoming District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Mark Ofori Darko to bring about more developmental projects in the area.   He said some of the projects that the people are expecting from the Assembly include the provision of potable water, and healthcare facilities.   Mr Darko, the incoming District Chief Executive, who chaired the function, commended the two chiefs.   The Abusuapanyin Otu Owusu and Obaahemaa Asiedua II, Ohemaa of Coaltar, performed the sod-cutting.   GNA...

Nkoranza (B/A), Oct. 20,GNA – Three parliamentary aspirants in the Nkoranza South Constituency on Thursday filed their nominations at Nkoranza to contest the seat.       Mr. Ekow Essien, Municipal Electoral Officer, who disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, said Mr. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, 39, the Nkoranza South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) is the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, and Mr. Kwame Amporfo Twumasi, 58, incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), for the New Patriotic Party (NPP)       A 54-year old teacher, Mr. Isaac Asirifi Kudom , is the candidate for the National Democratic Party (NDP).      In a related development, at Busunya in the Nkoranza North Constituency, Mr. Rudolph Chireh, Electoral officer in-charge of the Constituency, said at the close of nomination, Major (retired) Derek Oduro, 54, the incumbent MP had filed for the NPP whilst Mr. Kwadwo Agyei-Dwomoh, 36, and District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area also submitted for the NDC.      Mr. Kwaah Abdul Rahman, 21, a student of University of Development Studies (UDS) is the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) candidate, Mr. Daniel Baffoe, 35, Teacher, Convention People’s Party (CPP)and  Madam Esther Gethrude Worae, 53, Midwife is the NDP contestant.   GNA...

Sinuna (B/A), Oct. 20, GNA – Mr. George Boakye,  Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo South, has appealed to Ghanaians to give the New Patriotic Party (NPP) the mandate in election 2012 for and rapid socio-economic development of the country.         He called on rural dwellers especially, to vote massively for the party to enable it to continue with its rural development agenda.       Mr. Boakye made the call at Sinuna, a farming community in the Asunafo South District during an inauguration of a clinic estimated at GHC40,000.00 from his personal resources to provide quality health care services to the people.      Mr. Boakye expressed his commitment to quality health care delivery in the constituency and announced that same facility had been provided to the people of Beposo, Agyeikrom, Noberkaw and also an ambulance in addition to semi-detached two nurses’ quarters have been given to the Kukuom Health Centre.      He said the provision of all those health facilities indicated that the NPP as an opposition party would also fulfill all its electoral promises to the people when voted into power.      Mr. Boakye advised the people to register under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enable them to access ready and quality health care.      Mr. Osei Bonsu, Constituency Chair of the Party, appealed to the electorate to vote for the NPP for effective and accountable governance of the country.      He noted that the constituency which had been classified as a flash point had remained calm and peaceful in this campaign period and therefore appealed to people to bury their differences and forge ahead in unity for the development of the area.   GNA...

Sunyani, Oct. 20, GNA – Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, Kukuomhene and President, Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, to actively support the proper utilization and sustainability of forest and natural resources in the region.   Osahene Aterkyi was speaking at the launch of the Regional House of Chiefs’ Charter on Forest and Natural Resources Management in Sunyani on Thursday.       He highlighted the enormous and positive contribution of the chiefs amidst challenges to forest governance and implored them to use the charter to enhance their organizational capacity to provide information on forest and natural resource management for the benefit of their people.       The Charter is on traditional authorities’ transparency and accountability in forest and natural resource governance, with the theme, “Promoting Environmental Transparency”.      It was produced by the Centre for Indigenous and Organisational Development (CIKOD) and funded by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a Ghanaian and German Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) respectively, that are among others, promoting sustainable environment and development.      Osahene Aterkyi underscored the need for the charter to eliminate all the ambiguities in the utilization of natural resources and encourage the House to use the charter to their advantage for other house of chiefs in the country to emulate.       Mr. Wilberforce Laate, Deputy Executive Director of CIKOD, enumerated the NGO’s objectives as promoting the participation of traditional authorities and indigenous institutions in local level development, natural resource governance and community organizational development.      He stated that the Charter would strengthen the traditional leaders to engage with formal government structures in facilitating community-led development interventions to ensure sustainable management and the use of forest resources.       Mr. Laate revealed that many people held the view that traditional leaders received so much royalty without accounting to their subjects, disclosing that only nine per cent of the royalty went to the traditional authorities.      “It is in pursuance of this objective that CIKOD in collaboration with the House of Chiefs through a pilot project in Kukuom, has developed this charter to guide and regulate the management of revenue from natural resources for transparency in their traditional areas”, he explained.      The CIKOD Deputy Executive Director said the Charter would also justify the relevance and legitimacy of traditional authorities in the management of natural resources in Ghana to contribute to transparency and accountability in governance   GNA...

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Oct. 19, GNA –Several parliamentary aspirants thronged the Domaraa-Ahenkro District Office of the Electoral Commission on Thursday to file their dominations in order to contest Election 2012. Among the candidates was Mr. Amponsah Kumi, a 29-year-old Banker who filed his nomination on Thursday as the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Dormaa Central.      Professor Kwame Agyenim-Boateng, 60, an academic in the United States of America (USA) was cleared by the Commission as  the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Candidate at the Constituency, with Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, 57, a Chartered Accountant and incumbent member of Parliament also filing on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)      Mr. Appiah-Adjei Boateng, 60, a Diploma holder in mining engineering, is the candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP) while Mr. Alexander Yeboah, an 80-year-old Teacher with Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) is for the Convention people’s Party (CPP). In the Dormaa-East Constituency, Mr. Ali Adjei Ibrahim, 42, Presiding member of Dormaa-East Assembly and an Accountant would represent NDC, Mr. William Kwadwo Sabi, 46, a professional Health Economist, filed for the NPP, Mr. Alex  Asante Oppong, 34, an Accountant, for PPP, Mr. Adomah Hayford, 49-year-old self-employed, for CPP while Mr. Felix Kwaku Kumi, 35, a Farmer with a Masters degree in Marine Policy (LLM in International Law) would stand as Independent Candidate.      In the Dormaa-West Constituency, Ali Maija Halidu, 32, a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) holder and an employee of Food and Drugs Board (FDB) is the NPP candidate as Mr. Vincent Oppong Asamoah, 46, Dormaa Municipal Chief Executive, with Masters in Public Administration (MPA) is the candidate for NDC.      Mr. Isaac Sarpong, 56, a Diploma holder in Christian Education and a Pastor, is Parliamentary Candidate for CPP and  Mr. Anthony Gyabaah, 40, a Public Servant, also holding MPA would contest for NDP.   In the Sunyani East Constituency,  Mr. Michael Kwame Mensah Asare, a 41-year old Engineer, would contest as Independent candidate as Mrs. Vivian Tetteh, 38, a professional Teacher with Diploma in Basic Education, stands  for PPP.      Mr. Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, 46, a Lawyer, and the incumbent MP filed for the NPP, Mr. Philip Awuah, 59, a Teacher with B.Ed, NDC, while Mr. Sampson Alonyina Sampana, 38, also a Teacher with B.Ed, People’s National Convention (PNC) and Mr. Anthony Nana Antwi Boasiako, 48, a Bachelor of Science (Accounting) holder, is representing for NDP.    GNA...

Tamale, Oct. 20,GNA - The Global Hand Washing with Soap Day instituted by the United Nations General Assembly to create awareness on good sanitation and hygiene promotion through hand washing with soap has been marked.      This year's ceremony was the fifth in the series of the annual event, which is marked on October 15 globally to ensure that hand washing becomes an automatic behaviour performed voluntarily at homes, schools and communities instead of being viewed as an abstract good idea sometimes performed reluctantly.      It was organized by the Northern Region Office of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) in partnership with organizations such as United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Wash Alliance, and Unilever,      Speaking at the event which was held at the compound of the Tamale Senior High School in Tamale on Friday, Mr MacCarthy Ofori, Northern Regional Director of CWSA, said "we need a radical change of mind and attitude, and self discipline and together we shall get to the desired destination; which is good health and long life".      There were drama performances by school pupils depicting hand washing and the significance of washing hands with soap.      Mr Ofori said, "This celebration shall be meaningless if by same time next year, we as individuals and as a region cannot measure the positive behaviour change we have achieved in hand washing with soap within the year."      He said studies had shown that the "biggest killers of children and vulnerable adults in the developing countries are respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases, which are both preventable through the washing of hands with soap".      He argued that washing hands with water alone could remove some germs as compared to washing hands with soap and called on the populace to inculcate the habit of washing hands with soap for healthy living.      In a speech read for him, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister, urged all to share the importance of washing hands with soap to their loved ones and community members.      Meanwhile, Wuni Zaligu Development Aassociation, an NGO, donated nine water containers to the Ghana Education Service to be distributed to schools to promote hand washing with soap amongst school pupils.   GNA...

Bolgatanga (UE), Oct.20, GNA- People with vision impairment on Friday commemorated the International day of the White Cane in Bolgatanga with a call on all to respect the dignity of  people with vision impairment.      Mr Moses Ayorka, President of the Upper East Branch, noted that the vision impaired continued to suffer discrimination at workplaces while the public regarded the use of the White Cane as an obstruction to their movement.     He said drivers, riders and pedestrians found the use of the White Cane an obstruction and also the public frowned on them and regarded them as beggars.      On a route march with placards with inscriptions “Blindness is not contagious”,  “respect the blind” and “we need peace”, Mr Mark Akubire Atia,  who is a member of the association indicated that the White Cane was important to the vision impaired because it helped them to move about and also served as a supportive tool for identifying obstacles  and detecting lost items.      He said the blind could also play any leadership role as any other person and called on the general public not to discriminate against them.      He also enumerated other challenges such as members’ inability to procure the White Cane and called on benevolent organizations to come to their aid.      He added his voice to the message of the President of the Republic, Mr John Mahama in an address to the nation that Ghanaians should avoid character assassination but rather be engaged in discussing positive issues that would bring development to the country.   “When there is conflict, the blind would have no place to go”,  he added and called on all to let the 2012 election be a successful and peaceful one.   GNA...

Accra,Oct. 20,GNA- Former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has lamented the over-reliance on physical security to enforce peace on the African continent and called for investment in identifying the root causes of insecurity.   He said: “Too often we invest in physical security but that creates more enmity and stress. We should invest more time in political security. Physical security subordinates us and brings the worst out of us instead of the best.”   Former President Rawlings made the call when the Governor of Abia State of Nigeria, Chief Theodore Orji, paid a courtesy call on him at his Ridge office in Accra.   Chief Orji is in Ghana to participate as the Guest Speaker at the 8th Security Watch Lecture Series and 9th Annual Africa Security Awards Ceremony organised by Security Watch Africa.   Former President Rawlings commended the organisers for the choice of subject and said lack of security was a problem confronting the continent.   He said during his tenure as leader of Ghana, his government invested more in reaching the sources of problems and empowering the people, dwelling a lot more on education and doing away with social injustices.   Governor Orji, who received an award for instituting exemplary security policies in Abia State, said he called on President Rawlings because of the special relationship Nigeria has with Ghana.   He said the state government had invested a great deal in boosting security in Abia through the empowerment of the people and involvement of every citizen in governance.   Loans, he stated, had been offered to the youth to start their own businesses, the security forces had been equipped not only with weapons but in the area of intelligence gathering and the state legislature has formulated laws that facilitated the policies implemented by government.   President Rawlings expressed his gratitude for the courtesy call and prayed that all efforts will be made to explore the root causes of the situation in Mali so its resolution will serve as an example of how Africa can resolve its own problems.   He commended Chief Orji for his outstanding leadership and said Africa needed a few more of his ilk.   GNA...

Takoradi, Oct. 20, GNA- President John Dramani Mahama on Friday announced that government would revamp the country’s rail transport to reduce the burden on road transport which has manifested in traffic congestion.   Apart from that, he said the revamping of the railways would also facilitate the haulage of minerals, food and cash crops from the farming communities to marketing centres.   President Mahama announced this when he addressed Railway Workers Union in Takoradi as part of his five-day campaign tour of the Region.   During his stay in the Region, President Mahama would address rallies, inaugurate completed development projects, cut sod for the commencement of others and interact with chiefs and party supporters in the region.   President Mahama regretted that railway workers were some of the least paid government workers and promised that as soon as conditions were improved, their remunerations would also be increased to commensurate their performance in the country.   He said government had also awarded the Takoradi-Kojokrom railways on contract and was burnt on working on all the dilapidated and abandoned ones to recreate more jobs for workers and facilitate the movement of minerals and commodities to marketing locations.   Mr Godwill Ntarmah, Secretary General of Ghana Railway Workers Union, lamented that the highest paid worker at Ghana railways was taking about GHC 700 as salary and called on government to help to place them on the Single Spine Salary Structure.   The General Secretary also called for the review of their collective bargaining agreement to enable them to make the necessary salary negotiation for their workers.   He appealed to government to reverse the trend of delaying their salaries which had over the years plagued the company.   GNA...