Kumasi, Nov. 21, GNA - Thirty-four students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) College of Engineering were on Wednesday presented with cheques totaling GH¢57,500.00 to aid them in the pursuit of their academic programmes.     They received amounts ranging from GH¢500.00 to GH¢3,000.00.     The selection for support was based on academic brilliance and economic background.     The monies were jointly contributed by five organizations and an Australia-based Ghanaian Chemical Engineer and philanthropist, Professor Jonas Addae-Mensah.     Toyota Ghana Limited, Vodafone Ghana, Baker Hughes Ghana Limited, an oil and gas-based company, Genser Power Ghana Limited, a consultancy firm and Educational Pathway, a US-based NGO are the organizations.     Prof William Otoo Ellis, Vice-Chancellor, underlined the importance of stronger partnership between academia and industry to advance academic work through the provision of scholarship, students’ internship and infrastructure development.      This was the way to go to make the university a centre of excellence in the delivery of quality science and technology education for accelerated economic growth.      Prof Ellis thanked the donors for the gesture and said the college, in its effort to motivate engineering students and enhance their performance, had rolled out three award schemes and invited corporate bodies to help sustain them.      These include the “Top student”, “Excellent student” and the “Most Improved Student” awards.      Mr Steve Rossiter, Operations Manager of Baker Hughes Ghana Limited, urged the students to take advantage of the assistance and work hard to achieve excellence.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 21, GNA -Mrs Virginia Ofosu-Amaah, a former chairperson of the National Population Council, has called for continuous policy attention on the challenges that population dynamics pose to the continent’s socio-economic development.   She noted that with the challenge of aging populations that would soon confront most sub-Saharan countries, there is still a great need for relevant and timely research of issues on population and development.   Mrs Ofosu-Amaah made the call at the launch of the 40th anniversary celebration of the Regional Institute for Populations Studies (RIPS) of the University of Ghana, Legon in Accra on Wednesday.   Arguing that only Africans can solve the continents problems, she advocated the training of competent professionals and the conduct of high quality research that feeds into policy formulation, decision making and targeted interventions as a way forward for Africa.   RIPS, a research and training institute, is a joint initiative between the United Nations and Ghana, set up in 1972 to train demographers in Africa and undertake research in population sciences.   Under the theme: “40 years of Training and Research in Population for Sustainable Development,” the anniversary celebration would be marked with a series of activities planned over the next few months.   Mrs Ofosu-Amaah asked RIPS to continue to be in tune with new developments and approaches in order to position themselves to provide leadership in linking research to policy dialogue.   She implored the university to make efforts to engage political leadership in Ghana and Africa on making research findings relevant to policy decision and actions as a means of achieving a higher quality of life for all.   RIPS spearheads a south/south initiative to promote collaboration and networking among African and Asian training and research institutions.   GNA...

Asanta (W/R), Nov. 21, GNA – Mr Obeng Boampong, Jomoro District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has said it was important for all to obey the provisions of the constitution in order to maintain and preserve the peace of the country. He made the call at a durbar organized by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) on the coming elections at Asanta in the Ellembele District. Mr Boampong said the peace and stability that has been prevailing in the country since 1992 could be attributed to the constitution and that government resided in the people who have the power to form government. He said the constitutional provision on freedom of speech and expression empowers the people to speak on issues and avoid using insults. Mr Emmanuel Aidoo, Ellembele District Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), appealed to the electorates to observe the electoral rules in order to prevent violence and disturbances during the elections. He said those who did not check their names and personal details during the exhibition of the biometric voter’s register would have themselves to blame if they are unable to vote in the elections. Mr Aidoo said voters would be required to produce their voter’s identity cards (ID) and receipts at the polling stations. He said those who have misplaced their voter’s ID could be allowed to vote if they mentioned the name with which they registered and undergo fingerprint verification test. Mr Aidoo said nobody will be allowed to wear party T’shirt or colours or campaign at the polling stations, just as the playing of party songs on mobile phones at polling stations would not be permitted. Mr Aidoo said voters could ask for a new ballot paper if they mistakenly voted for a candidate. He said in that case, the polling official would collect the old ballot paper and put in an envelope provided for that purpose. Mr Samuel Akpanyah, Nzema East Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), asked the people to maintain the peace so that the elections would be free and fair.   GNA ...

Takoradi, Nov. 21, GNA - National Democratic Congress(NDC) Parliamentary Aspirant for Takoradi, Mr Alfred Ekow Gyan says he will institute a Constituency Development Plan to fast track grass root development when voted into power. The plan,which will be undertaken by a constituency development committee, will focus on the development of infrastructure, education and health to better the lot of the people in the metropolis. Mr Gyan said this when addressing a rally of NDC faithful and sympathizers at the inauguration of the Takoradi Youth for Mahama Association in Takoradi. He said a micro finance scheme to boost local business and empower artisans, those in the informal sector, will be instituted. On health, he said, the committee will use local funds to assist communities especially the aged and offer scholarships to students. The chairman of the Takoradi Branch of the Association, Mr Eliasu Rahman, said for the past 16 years, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has failed to develop the area but since 2009 when the NDC assumed office the Metropolis has been given a facelift. The youth, he maintained, will move all out to marshal strategies to wrestle the seat from the NPP in the December Parliamentary polls. A member of the group, Madam Fatimah Baba Konney, said the youth will rally behind President John Mahama because he is not a tribalist or ethnocentric and asked Ghanaians to vote for the NDC in memory of late President John Atta Mills.   GNA ...

Accra, Nov.21, GNA – Advocacy and Trainers for Children and Women Advancement Rights (ATCWAR) in collaboration with World Children Prize (WCP) on Tuesday organized a four-day capacity building training for 120 girls from some selected schools in Accra. The training which is aimed at promoting girls to be children ambassadors brought together students from the Central, Eastern, Volta and Greater Accra Regions. The training was also to raise awareness and support children, especially girls who want to fight for their rights and against the child sex trade. Ms Ekua Ansah-Eshon, Country Director of WCP, said the event was also to provide the children and schools with a unique, fun and exciting way to learn about their rights, the lives of children all over the world and about child rights heroes who fought for the world’s vulnerable children. She said the girls will receive basic training on the rights of the child, girl’s rights, the child sex trade (commercial sexual exploitation of children), the WCP education program and how to start and run WCP Child Rights Clubs. Ms Ansah-Eshon said it was important that schools and churches in the country establish child rights clubs to inform and educate children on how to fight for their rights and also to protect other people’s rights. She said child abuse was a very big offence which needed continuous education on how to treat children at schools, churches, in our homes and in our everyday life in our societies and communities and also fight against the child sex trade. Mr Kofi Kumah, National Coordinator of Ghana NGO’s Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC), said the knowledge of children needs to be deepened on the country’s laws, especially laws that fight for children’s rights. The called on parents and guardians to educate them on prostitution, sexual harassment, divorce, child trafficking, and corporal punishment in schools, early and force marriage and to also encourage guidance and counseling. Mr Barima Kwasi Amankwaah, Programmes Officer of GNCRC and Chairman of the occasion, appealed to organizers of the program to continue to do more and expand the programme to the other parts of the country.  GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - Finatrade Foundation, a subsidiary of the Finatrade Group of Companies has released a total of GH¢ 20,000.00 as bursary to brilliant, but needy Agricultural students in four public Universities. Forty students are currently benefitting from the facility, while another 20 students would be selected for the 2012/2013 academic year by February next year. Mr John Awuni, Corporate Affairs Manager of the Finatrade Group of Companies, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the students were drawn from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast and the University for Development Studies. He said the Foundation some few years ago instituted the scholarship scheme to support brilliant agricultural students, who were facing financial difficulties to harness their potentials and educate other people to accept agriculture as the mainstay of the economy. Apart from the scholarship for the undergraduates, the foundation also helped the students to gain practical knowledge by establishing demonstration farms. “So far, the Foundation has established demonstration farms at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Ghana,” Mr Awuni added. Mr Awuni said the Foundation had also supported eight post-graduate research students in Agriculture who would make their findings available for school authorities and political leaders to implement their recommendations for the betterment of agriculture in the country. The Corporate Affairs Manager told the GNA that since the inception of the scholarship, beneficiaries had performed tremendously adding “their performance will continue to encourage us to continue to support many others.         GNA ...

Kumasi, Nov. 21, GNA – Agricultural research scientists in Africa have been urged to establish stronger linkages and share ideas and expertise to tackle challenges impeding the growth of the agriculture sector. Professor Seth Kofi Akyea Danso, a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, said collaborative efforts through workshops and other forums were needed to address the post-harvest losses, low productivity, hunger, outmoded farming methods and low adoption rate of technology. He warned that it would be difficult to achieve food sufficiency for the continent in the wake of the changing climatic conditions and fast growing population unless the researchers accepted to pull their resources together. Prof Danso said this when addressing the opening session of a three-day regional workshop on root and tuber crops at the Crop Research Institute (CRI) at Fumesua, in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality. The workshop is being organized jointly by the Food and Agriculture Ministry and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and “Enhancing food security and regional integration through agricultural research and development”, is its theme. Prof Danso said the roots and tubers had the potential to prevent extreme hunger and poverty, adding that they could create employment for the people through value addition. Those crops, he said, had for many years been used for varied purposes and could be grown on larger scales for both local and international consumption. He expressed discomfort with the inability of Africa to feed its own people, relying mostly on food imports saying to end this trend would require making the right investment in the sector. Dr Abdullai Baba Salifu, Director-General of the CSIR, encouraged the CRI to continue to work hard to develop improved crop varieties for local consumption.   GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA – The Government has stated that after an objective comparative analysis of the manifestos of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) New Patriotic party (NPP) it becomes crystal clear that the ruling party has a superior and a more comprehensive agenda for Ghanaians.   This coupled with the NDC’s “unprecedented performance” in government explained why the Ghanaian electorate would place the future of Ghana in the hands of President John Mahama of the NDC, an official statement.   The statement signed by Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, explained that the comparative analysis of the two manifestos was carried out in order to enrich the debate on the alternatives on offer to the Ghanaian electorate and also to deepen discussion on substantive issues of germane importance to the Ghanaian.   Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa added that it could not be said that the two leading political parties were offering the same package to the electorate.   “This analysis reveals that there are clear distinctions and approaches which form the fundamental basis for the choice of the electorate and not the parochial sectarian divisions which opponents of President Mahama are trying hard albeit without success to create.”   Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa said that the comparative analysis, which showed the NDC as the party with great original ideas and also possessing the ability to proffer pragmatic solutions and offer hope for the future, further confirmed the NDC as the obvious choice in this election.   The following is the full text of key conclusions in the comparative analysis.   " 1)      “The NPP Manifesto under its health agenda totally neglects traditional medicine unlike the NDC manifesto which has a clear programme for traditional medicine including supporting the establishment of the proposed School of Traditional Medicine at the University of Health and Allied Sciences.   2)      The NPP Manifesto ignores equity and makes no provision for Regional Hospitals unlike the NDC Manifesto which pledges to establish regional hospitals in the Eastern Region, Upper East Region and complete what has been started by the NDC in the Upper West Region.  This is aside several other district hospitals and polyclinics the NDC promises.  Though the NPP promises to seek assistance from the private sector to establish three first class hospitals in their manifesto, they make no commitments to the people of Ghana as to where they will be sited and what will happen if they fail to get the private sector support they are relying on.   3)      Whereas the NDC Manifesto speaks to doubling the number of Community Health Improvement Planning and Service (CHPS) Compounds from 1600 to 3,200 given that over 1,300 have been constructed over the last four years, the NPP Manifesto is silent on CHPS as well.   4)      The NPP Manifesto has no intervention for the National Ambulance Service neither do they make provision for the establishment of an Accident Evacuation Centre to save lives on our major highways like the NDC does in its Manifesto.   5)      The NPP has no plan to upgrade the Central and Volta Regional Hospitals into Teaching Hospitals to service the University of Cape Coast and the University of Health and Allied Sciences respectively as contained in the NDC Manifesto.   6)      After seeing to the collapse of Ghana Airways, the NPP makes no provision to restore our national pride.  To the contrary, the NDC Manifesto boldly makes a case for the re-emergence of a national carrier.   7)      The NPP manifesto makes no provision for a Youth Jobs and Entrepreneurs Development Fund for young entrepreneurs to have easy access to start-up capital but the NDC Manifesto does.   8)      The NPP manifesto outlines no programme to stimulate the private sector in order that the private sector is able to employ more Ghanaian youth as compared to the NDC Manifesto which makes a clear provision for a stimulus package.   9)       The NPP manifesto makes no provision to enhance the capacity and welfare of Ghanaian Media practitioners in its Manifesto unlike the NDC Manifesto which makes extensive provision for the welfare and capacity of the Media and the National Media Commission including the commitment to complete a permanent campus for the Ghana Institute of Journalism at Okponglo in Accra.   10)   The NPP Manifesto makes no provision for National Reconciliation and harmonious coexistence unlike the NDC Manifesto which provides for a framework for national reconciliation including President John Mahama’s initiative to institute a quarterly meeting with all political party leaders.   11)   The NPP Manifesto makes no provision for universal access to Energy.  Only the NDC Manifesto pledges Energy for all by 2016.   12)   No programme in the NPP Manifesto to flush out foreigners who have invaded the small-scale mining sector since the sector is strictly reserved for Ghanaians like the NDC Manifesto does.   13)   No talk of a National Science Park in the NPP Manifesto whereas the NDC Manifesto pledges to construct 2 National Science Parks to spread the benefits of technology across Ghana.   14)   NPP Manifesto places no emphasis on early childhood and pre-kindergarten education considered very essential as the NDC Manifesto does.   15)   NPP manifesto says nothing about expanding the school feeding programme to achieve universal coverage unlike the NDC Manifesto which acknowledges the expansion in coverage from 600,000 children to over 1.4 million children over the last four years, the NDC Government commits to universal coverage to cover all public schools in rural and needy communities.   16)   NPP Manifesto says nothing about the Shift system the current government is seeking to abolish nationwide having succeeded in Accra unlike the NDC Manifesto   17)   No mention of regular reviews of the Capitation Grant as the NDC states in its Manifesto   18)   No attempt to address the many hidden costs at the basic level which has hampered free basic education as the NDC proposes to do   19)   No attempt to address universal access at the Senior High School level.  The NDC Manifesto pledges to achieve this by 2016   20)   NPP provides no specifics on expansion of new Senior High Schools to address the problem of access unlike the NDC which pledges to establish 200 Community Day Senior High Schools.   21)   Unlike the NDC manifesto which pledges to provide facilities in existing schools for students with disability, the NPP manifesto is silent on making our schools disability friendly.   22)   The NPP Manifesto seems to have no clear solution at addressing the acute teacher deficit unlike the NDC Manifesto which pledges to establish 10 additional Teacher Training Colleges.   23)   No special incentives for teachers in terms of incremental credits for Science, Technical and Vocational Teachers as the NDC manifesto provides.   24)   The NPP manifesto appears to ignore strategic tertiary institutions such as the Teacher Training Colleges, the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) and the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) unlike the NDC manifesto which has specific interventions for each of these.   25)   The NPP manifesto doesn’t outline any programme to provide computers for students unlike the NDC manifesto which promises 400,000 laptops for students.   26)   The NPP Manifesto fails to provide laptops for teachers unlike the NDC manifesto which makes provision for free laptops for teachers.”   GNA...

Agona Nsaba, Nov 21, GNA -The Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana, (CDD), has expressed concern about the politics of intolerance and insults as the Election 2012 approaches and said this had to stop.    Mr Edward Fokouh Ampratwum, National Research Officer of CDD, said this at a parliamentary debate at Agona Nsaba to discuss issues affecting people with disability, women and unemployed Youth.    It was organized by CDD-Ghana, Coalition of Domestic Elections Observers (CODEO) and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA).    Parliamentary candidates of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) and an independent candidate attended for debate.    Madam Pokuah Sawyer, National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the area, could not attend because according to her, she had a funeral.   Mr John Kwesi Agyabeng, the NPP parliamentary candidate and the MP for the area, also failed to turn up.     Mr Ampratwum expressed regret that there had been mistrust, intimidation and suspicion among political opponents and this would not help the growth of the country’s democracy.      Mrs Esther Aboagye, PPP parliamentary candidate, urged the electorate to vote for her and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the PPP presidential candidate.   Mr Magnus Abban, NDP parliamentary candidate, said the people of Agona East needed aggressive development projects and he would do it and Mr Musah Bashiru, the independent candidate, appealed to the people to vote for him since the NDC had failed to provide basic social amenities in the Agona District.   GNA...

Hohoe, Nov 21, GNA-A new global report on HIV and AIDS spotlights success in both prevention and treatment efforts, but also stresses that countries must ramp up both if the world hopes to meet the ambitious goals agreed upon last year at a special session of the United Nations.   The report, released Tuesday by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), estimates that the world had 34 million HIV-infected people at the end of 2011.   The most heartening news is that the rate of new infections, 2.5 million people last year, represents a 20% drop from 2001. The decline has been greater than 50% in 25 low- and middle-income countries, including some of the hardest hit in sub-Saharan Africa.   Roughly one-half of the decline is the result of interventions that aim to prevent transmission of HIV from pregnant women to their babies.   "It's amazing what's happening," UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said in remarks and made available to the GNA.   "We're increasing the pace of action. What was taking 10 years now is taking 2 years, even with the same level of resources."   Similarly impressive gains have occurred with treatment. Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are now provided to 8 million people, a 20-fold jump since 2003.   AIDS-related deaths have also fallen to 1.7 million, down from 2.3 million in 2005.   The report, which UNAIDS issued on the eve of World AIDS Day (December 1, 2011) describes this news as "encouraging," but also squarely acknowledges the daunting challenge of hitting several of the 2015 targets set at the United Nations meeting.   Specifically, countries agreed that three years from now, they will be providing 15 million people with ARVs, slash sexual and injecting drug transmission by 50%, and eliminate mother-to-child transmission.   "The next thousand days will be a real test to our collective commitment and action," said UNAIDS official Bernhard Schwartländer at a teleconference on Tuesday.   GNA...