Accra, Oct. 30, GNA- The Ghana Health Service in collaboration with its partners will on Wednesday re-launch female condoms in the country to promote its usage as an essential tool for the prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The programme, which seeks to increase public awareness and acceptance of female condoms, would occur at the Mandela Park in Ashaiman. It is under the theme: “Female Condom for Double Protection”. It is anticipated that successful promotion of the female condom may pave the way for the successful introduction of other prospective female-initiated methods, such as microbicides. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Yaa Osei Asante, Family Planning Programme Officer of the Ghana Health Service, explained that the first launch of the product was in May 2000 and though successful, uptake and usage remained low. She said “despite the current lull in activity with regard to female condom promotion, interest and nominal support for it at the policy level are high. This is evidenced by the female condom inclusion in the reproductive health and HIV/AIDS policy frameworks, service provider guidelines, and revised curricula for in-service training”. Dr Asante said in response to the low use of female condoms in the country, an exploratory study was conducted to gain an understanding of the current and historical landscape of female condom procurement and distribution in Ghana and address the barriers that hinder access to the use of the condom. The study, she said, revealed that stakeholders were in agreement that momentum has waned substantially since the initial launch adding that financial support for large scale promotion and distribution is also lacking. Dr Asante said while the product was reportedly available in both the public and private sector, social marketing efforts are virtually absent whiles pelvic models and information, education, and communication materials are equally limited. She said distribution primarily occurs in urban areas and aside from urban sex workers, programmers have limited information about current or prospective female condoms users. Dr Asante said government, working with its partners has made an exceptionally large procurement of the female condoms for distribution. She said there are plans to introduce new models of the female condoms into the country and these models are expected to increase client’s choice. Dr Asante gave the assurance that efforts to identify and address weaknesses in the supply chain and ensure that the product is available everywhere would be advertised. Ghana’s current contraceptive prevalence is 23.4 per cent according to the Multiple Indicator Survey Report for 2011 indicating a high unmet need for family planning. Though female condoms are currently available in 108 countries, its programming mechanisms and levels of uptake vary considerably. Successful programs have been launched in Brazil, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Research from these and other countries indicates that effective national promotion of the female condom has the potential to expand contraceptive choice and thus increase overall contraceptive prevalence.     GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 30, GNA – Government on Monday announced it had cut back on rice importation by 30 per cent and had increased local production of the cereal by 59 per cent. Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, made this known at a cocktail organized by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) for nominees for this year’s Farmer’s Day National Award scheduled for Friday, November 2, 2012. The feat was achieved through Government’s policies and interventions which included the Northern Rural Growth Programme aimed at contributing to an equitable and sustainable poverty reduction and food security among rural households and to increase income of northern rural households on a sustainable basis. Others were the subsidized fertilizer, distribution of improved seeds, farm machineries, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority project and other rice projects initiated by the Government. Mr Ahwoi commended the farmers for their contribution towards ensuring food security in the country and called on them to add value to the raw materials they produced. It is estimated that Ghana spends more than 450 million dollars annually on rice importation to augment local demand. In 2009 the country spent 218 million dollars on importing rice, an amount which is higher than that spent in 2008 (187 million dollars) and in 2007 (157 million dollars). In spite of efforts made in local rice production, it is said that the cost of production remained high and uncompetitive in the domestic market due to relatively cheaper imported rice. Imported rice which comes mainly from the US, Taiwan, Vietnam or Thailand compete with rice produced locally due to significant quality gap that existed between locally produced and imported rice caused by cost of inputs, poor post-harvest handling, lack of access to improved processing technologies and marketing challenges. Meanwhile Mr Stephen Kpordzih, Managing Director of ADB observed that the Bank had succeeded in strengthening its commitment to core business of agricultural financing, adding that the financial institution was on course to achieve and exceed its budget of GH¢170 million for the year. “Loan approvals to the agricultural sector have increased progressively year to year. From GH¢39.2 million in 2009, we achieved a sharp rise to GH¢100.1 million in 2010 and GH¢141.7 million in 2011”, he said. Mr Kpordzih added that total loan approvals to the agriculture sector had already reached GH¢146 million by mid October indicating that the Bank was on track to exceed its budget for the sector. He described ADB’s long standing associating with the National Farmers’ Day Celebration and Awards Scheme as an important aspect of the Bank’s corporate social responsibility. Mr Kpordzih said “our sponsorship which covers the First Prize, in the form of a three-bedroom house, the Farmers Forum held earlier, and this ceremony, appropriately underlines the importance we attack to the celebration and its associated award scheme”.   He expressed gratitude to the farmers and fishermen for their hardwork and commitment towards supporting the Bank to succeed stressing that the farmers and fishermen remained the core of their clientele base. GNA ...

Tamale, Oct. 30, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Monday arrived in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital to participate in the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential debate slated for Tuesday, October 30.   This is the first time a sitting President has agreed to participate in the debate comprising Presidential candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP).   The four Presidential candidates were the only qualified personalities to take part in the debate on account of their representation in Parliament.   According to the IEA standards, parties contesting in the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections were only qualified for the debate on condition that they had sitting members of Parliament in the current house, hence denying other contesting political parties that opportunity.   Mr John Jinapor, Spokesman for President Mahama told Journalists that, President Mahama was elated to participate in the debate, because it was an opportunity to outline some of the NDC policies that would consolidate the gains they had made over the last four years.   He said President Mahama would also take time to visit some of the communities of the Region, inaugurate projects and meet with the party hierarchy in the region.   GNA ...

Pakyi Number Two (Ash), Oct. 30, GNA – The Atwima Kwanwoma(AK) Rural Bank has declared a net profit of GH¢840,152.93 on its operations for the year 2011.     Compared with the 2010’s figure of GH¢702,312.13, this represented an increase of 19.63 per cent.    Within the period under review, its total deposits also rose to GH¢36.8 million from GH¢29.1 million.    Mr Patrick Owusu, the Board Chairman of the Bank, said this when addressing the 29th annual shareholders’ meeting at Pakyi Number Two in the Amansie West District.    He said there was a significant growth in investment from GH¢19,800,000.00 to GH¢23,900,000.00.    Loans and advances, he said, increased to GH¢9,204,953.98 from GH¢7,770,381.49 while total assets also increased from GH¢33.8 million to GH¢41.7 million.    On the share capital, Mr Owusu said it saw a 49.5 per cent increase, going up from GH¢368,699 to GH¢549,933.    The achievement, Mr Owusu said, was the result of aggressive shares promotion by the bank.    He said because of its impressive performance in deposit mobilization the bank won the “Gold Award” at the 2011 Ashanti Financial Services Excellence Awards and has been included in the “Prestigious Club 100”.    Mr Owusu said as part of its corporate social responsibility, the bank in collaboration with the Peace and Love Hospital in Kumasi, has been organizing free breast screening for people in areas where it has been doing business.    He said the bank is also supporting 55 students with scholarships and the number of beneficiaries is to be increased to 83, this academic year.   GNA ...

(Ghana News Agency, By Francis Ameyibor) Accra, Oct 29, GNA – Who is attracting the votes? The main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) seeks to use it’s avow pledged to extend free education to the Senior High School level, build public Universities in regions without one and raise the quality of education at all levels with more and better facilities, teaching and equipment, as their main bid for victory 2012. The party’s Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo described this year’s election as historic moment for Ghana. “Ghanaians have a simple choice to make in either moving forward with the NPP or staying with the failed policies and personalities of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration which according to the NPP have brought hardships and poverty. “We, in the NPP have been in the forefront of Ghana’s development and transformation agenda. Our record of achievement during our time in government points to the fact that we know how to bring prosperity to Ghana and also make our motto of development in freedom a reality for all. “Our education policy is the key to both individual and national development, and will be a priority of my Presidency. “I pledge to work in partnership with the private sector, we will make new markets for Ghanaian products and services. We will give new impetus to value-addition. “These will deliver the jobs that the teeming youth of the country are yearning for.  Our education system will equip our people for the jobs of the future,” the NPP stated in its Election 2012 manifesto available to the Ghana News Agency. According the NPP Presidential Candidate his administration will revive and restore confidence in the National Health Insurance Scheme and achieve universal coverage of the NHIS for all Ghanaians. “We shall expand health facilities and increase the training of health workers. Our priority is to train our medical professionals locally. “We will modernise agriculture and ensure that we double the numbers of farmers who have access to farming inputs, improved seedlings and fertilizer within my term of offices. “I will be active transformational President, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness at every level of government so that every Ghanaian has a say in and benefit from our national development. The fight against corruption will be wage with vigour and determination,” Nana Akufo Addo stated. The NPP Presidential Candidates says: “I believe in Ghana’s destiny and potential. Today, we can again lead our continent as we did over 50 years ago, showing the world a successful first-world black nation. He noted that Ghanaians have a responsibility to ourselves and to future generations to ensure we do not continue to compromise our future. “I believe in Ghana and in our ability to continue moving forward to a brighter future in which we will all share. Let us work together for victory on 7 December so that together we can realise our dream of a modern Ghana. “God did not put us on this rich land to be poor. It is bad leadership that makes us poor. So let’s change now and move Ghana”. According to the NPP, its message to Ghanaian electorates is simple: change is due. We will not achieve our aspirations and our hopes by doing things the same way. The NPP noted that after 55 years of independence, with all “our God given resources, the Ghanaian is still confronted with widespread poverty and wallowing in an unacceptably low quality of life. “We are offering a transformation programme that will put our dear country on the path of peace, opportunity, and prosperity for generations to come. By transforming the economy, promoting good governance, respect for the rule of law and proudly serving you, the people of Ghana, lives. “We need to transform our dear country to move Ghana forward. We need to transform Ghana into a good society that gives to the Ghanaian, a good life. The NPP lamented that many of our people go about their lives every day with just too many challenges to enable them live a comfortable life. Our infrastructure is weak and incapable of supporting the proper functioning of the country. Our lives are saddled with unreliable power and energy supply, frequent water shortages and networks nationwide. Access to quality education and quality healthcare is limited to only those who can afford it. Ghana has been declared as the 2nd lowest globally in sanitation access. We have one of the lowest savings rates and the highest bank interest rates one of the lowest in productivity. Our societies and social structures are breaking down, threatening security, safety and peace of our country. The structure of our economy, despite 55 years of independence, is fundamentally still the same, limiting development. Fifty years after independence, we are still a third world country despite having achieved middle-income status. We work too hard for too little because we haven’t changed the way we do things since we achieved nationhood. The world is rapidly changing and we are being left behind. It is clear that development does not happen by accident. Development occurs through well-conceived and executed plans and policies that focus on the ever changing and increasing needs of people. It is about a dynamic response to the needs of the people, and about communities, cities and countries that work. The way things are going on in our country, development has become a wish, instead of a clear vision. We cannot make that clear vision realisable unless we change the way we do things. It is that change that we so desperately need to move our country forward and bring hope and opportunity to people. Our transformation agenda simply means changing our systems, processes and outcomes to that of a modern country where things work for all. It comprises transforming our economy from its pre-dependence to a modern 21st century economy, one driven by knowledge, value addition and industrialisation that will create jobs. We will also transform our infrastructure so that it works for our people and supports rapid economic growth and improves the quality of life in our communities. We will modernise our agriculture to increase productivity to feed our people and our factories. We will transform our education such that it produces a capable, expanded economy. We will transform our healthcare to ensure a healthy population and an increased life expectancy. We will transform governance such that it facilities the right attitudes and relationship between government, the administration and you the people. We promoted good governance and democracy by strengthening our institutions of governance. Today, many of these gains have been rolled back and the country has been set back. We aim to reverse the retrogression and put the country back on track; set it on a new course for a transformed and prosperous Ghana. This requires an overhaul of the way we do things through a radical transformation and replacement of many of existing policies with innovative and solutions-oriented ones. We have in the NPP the team of talented men and women who can provide the leadership to implement this programme of transformation Ghana can and must change. We have this as our clear vision and will make it happen by providing the leadership, right policies and effective management and the inspiration. We invite every Ghanaian to join us make this happen by voting for Nana Akufo Addo. The NPP’s objective is to transform Ghana into a modern nation with an attractive quality of life and an economy that is business and development focused. According to the party change requires strong vision and strong leadership. Our vision is a free and fair Ghana that offers opportunities for our people, a vision every Ghanaian relates to.  This vision is based on providing an environment within which Ghanaians can achieve their aspirations. The NPP has a proud history of providing value and comfort to the Ghanaian people. Legislation and policies introduced under the Ex President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration include providing free Compulsory Basic Education, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Metro Mass Transport, Micro and Small Loans Centre and the Livelihood Empowerment and Advancement Programme (LEAP). These are the NPP’s goodies for election 2012 to attract your vote....

Half Assini (W/R) Oct. 30, GNA-The Half Assini District magistrate’s court on Monday remanded five suspected armed robbers into prison custody. The suspects are Charles Abeiku Frimpong, 20, from Mankessim, Kojo Ibrahim Brenya from Asutuare, Kojo Anumba, 18 , from Asafo, Ismanu Adams, 18, and Mubarak Mohammed all from Kumasi. Their pleas were not taken and the court presided over by Mr Hanz Kofi Kpogo ordered them to re-appear on November 29. This is to enable the police to continue their investigations. Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Franklin Seby told the crowded court that following a highway robbery on October 23at Nyame Bekyere near Elubo in which a woman, Rosaline Oguneleke, was shot dead by armed robbers the police went on night patrol. On October 24, a police patrol team saw a taxi and suspected it to be the robbers’ get-away and monitored its movement. Chief Inspector Seby said the robbers used their taxi to block the road in an attempt to attack the police vehicle but when they realized their mistake they sped off but were later arrested. The prosecution said during a search on them, a foreign pistol was found on one of them who confessed to the police that he shot dead the woman. Chief Inspector Seby said during a search on the vehicle at the District Police Headquarters at Half Assini, one pump action gun and a locally manufactured short gun and 18 pieces of life “BB” Cartridges, 16 rounds of ammunition and a bunch of keys were found concealed in the bonnet of the taxi. The prosecution told the court that their investigations have revealed that the suspects have been terrorizing travelers at Wassaw Akropong near Tarkwa and Tachiman in the Brong Ahafo Region before moving to the Elubo-Mpataba Highway. GNA...

Cape Coast, Oct 30, GNA - Mr. Joseph Eshun, a 39-year-old accounts clerk at the Central Regional Hospital Cape Coast, was on Monday granted bail in the sum of GH₵2,000 with one surety by a Magistrate’s court in Cape Coast for assaulting his wife, threatening and causing damage to her dress. The Court presided over by Mr. Ohemeng Mensah, however, transferred the case to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) committee in view of the remorseful behavior of accused person. Eshun, who will report back to the court on Monday, November 8, pleaded guilty with explanation but broke down in tears when the court asked for his explanation. According to the prosecutor, Sergeant Charles Effah, the complainant Ms. Lydia Amoah, a 35-year-old seamstress, have two children and they live together. He said on May 31, Eshun threatened that he would destroy her life because she failed to cook early for him and the children. Eshun ordered the wife to leave the house immediately but she ignored him and on June 29, the accused packed the belonging of his wife from their bedroom into their children’s room and denied her access to the bedroom. Sergeant Effah said on June 30, the accused seized the keys to the main door and the wife moved to her mother’s house and informed her parents about the incident. A report was made to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Police Service and Eshun was arrested and cautioned. He was granted police enquiry bail to be reporting after they were counseled whilst investigation continued but on July 27, Eshun assaulted his wife over a trivial issue and tore her dress, packed her belongings outside the house and asked her to leave with the children. The wife reported the incident to the police and he was re-arrested. GNA...

Cape Coast, Oct 30, GNA - Prof Domwini Dabire Kuupole, the Vice-Chancellor  of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has cut the tape to inaugurate a three-million Ghana cedis hostel built by its Alumni as part of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of UCC. Work on the Alumni Hostel, which has a groceries shop, library, salon, snack shop and junior common room, started in 2003 and should have been completed in 2008 but delayed due to difficulties in securing funds. Prof. Kuupole expressed gratitude to the Prudential Bank for granting a GH₵ 30,000.00 loan facility that enabled the project to be completed. Prof.Kuupole, the National President of the Alumni Association of the University, was assisted by former Vice Chancellors of UCC, Rev Prof Emmanuel Adow Obeng and Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang to cut the tape. The UCC Alumni Relations Officer, Mr. Abeku Essel, told the GNA that the Alumni, in collaboration with the University, was working to secure funds for the completion of a Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre. He appealed to the Alumni to promptly pay a levy of Gh₵30.00 which has been imposed for the early completion of the Centre. The celebration of the anniversary, which will be climaxed in December, is on the theme “UCC at 50: achievements and administration.”       GNA...

Agona Nyakrom(C/R), Oct 30, GNA- The First Vice Chairman of the Agona West branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kwadwo Kwakye, has appealed to the party’s communication officers at the national, regional and constituency levels to be circumspect with their utterances to avert creating problems for the party. He said the NPP’s political opponents, especially the National Democratic Congress (NDC), were looking for faults to capitalize on to score political points against the NPP. Speaking to NPP supporters at Agona Nyakrom, he said communication officers should use decent language in their radio, television and phone-in programmes in order to win votes for NPP. Mr Kwakye said the NDC wss desperate to get another mandate from Ghanaians and it was up to the NPP to point it out to the people that the government had done nothing good to remain in power. He appealed to the communication officers to package their messages, especially on the campaign platforms, well to make it easy for NPP to win the December election. Mr Kwakye said the free senior high school, quality health care, jobs and other social interventions messages from Nana Akuffo-Addo had gone down well with the people and urged supporters to step up their campaign to win more votes. Mrs Cynthia Morrison, a leading member of NPP, appealed to Ghanaian women to vote the NPP back to power to enable their children benefit from the free SHS policy. GNA...