THE Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, has observed that even though eight years have elapsed since the country adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Ghanaians continue to die from preventable diseases.
That, he said, was the result of high level of ignorance, poverty, illiteracy, cultural and religious beliefs which were impediments to accessing health services.
The Deputy Minister further noted the HIV/AIDS pandemic had complicated health service delivery and at the same time placed a heavy burden on the national budget and the country’s social systems.
Mr Kwakye made the observation during the climax of activities marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the Nursing and Midwifery Training College at Berekum at the weekend.
The theme for the occasion was: “50 years of producing quality nurses and midwives; our contribution to the healing ministry of Christ”.
The Deputy Regional Minister stressed that, the government had demonstrated its determination and commitment to improve access, participation and equity to essential health care as part of its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II.
He noted that health was an important sector in any country, because the collective efforts of all facets of society were measured by the health status of the population, adding that health indicators served as one of the basis for measuring the success of all government programmes.
Mr Kwakye advised the nurses and midwives to exhibit dedication, commitment, love, devotion and care in addition to ensuring proper medication, personal hygiene and all other forms of health promotion for humanity, as was exhibited by the founder of nursing, Florence Nightingale.
Dr (Mrs) Gladys N. Ashitey, the Deputy Minister of Health, stated that since 2004, the Ministry of Health (MOH) had rehabilitated and constructed 46 training institutions across the country at a cost of GH¢14.4 million.
She said out of the amount, the Berekum Nursing and Midwifery Training College received GH¢1.2 million for the construction of a hostel and classroom blocks.
Dr Ashitey observed that, in view of emerging global shortages for health care workers and its daunting effects on developing countries, such as Ghana, appropriate planning, production and management of human resource for health, were the key to ensuring that Ghanaians had access to health care providers they needed now and in the future.
In her welcome address, the Principal of the College, Miss Monica Nkrumah, said the college had over the years, chalked up academic successes, placing first in 2007 in the nation-wide Midwifery and General Nursing Licensing examinations with 94.66 per cent pass and 92.85 per cent pass in the Registered Midwifery.
She further stated that, since 2003, the college had seen massive infrastructural development from the MOH, including a 200-capacity hostel, a three-unit classroom block, extension to the dining hall and kitchen facilities
The President of the School Representative Council (SRC), Mr Samuel Sasu Bertchie, catalogued a number of activities the students had undertaken in churches, market places and on local FM radio stations over the years.
They include health talk on some common diseases, such as diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, malaria and cardiovascular accidents.
The Catholic Bishop of Goaso, Most Reverend Peter Atuahene, said in response to the changing health needs, the Catholic Health Services continued to introduce many innovative health reforms which were replicated by the MOH for the benefit of all Ghanaians.
He said, such policies, included health insurance, home-based care, primary health care and outreach services which were pioneered by some of the church’s facilities before their adoption by the MOH.
Prizes were awarded to distinguished personalities and some members of staff for their long services at the college.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
ZOOMLION LAUNCHES NEW PROGRAMME...To improve sanitation (PAGE 20)
THE management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company, has launched a programme known as “Tin Ton Tan” with the objective of preventing diseases through improved environmental sanitation.
The programme is to improve environmental cleanliness to reduce sanitation-related diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, respiratory infections, diarrhoea, among other ailments.
The launch of the programme took place at the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital in Sunyani after a massive clean-up exercise at the hospital premises which lasted about two hours.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Operations Supervisor of Zoomlion, Mr Kwame Gariba, who launched the programme, explained that it sought to reintroduce and emphasise the critical roles of traditional authorities in organising sanitation activities in their communities, such as communal work, the construction of toilets, the desilting of gutters and the clearing of bushes.
According to Mr Gariba, the major stakeholders in the programme included the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Ministries of Health, Manpower, Youth and Employment and Local Government, Rural Development and Environment.
He indicated that there would be a strong collaboration with the various hospital administrations, traditional rulers, assembly members and youth associations in the communities.
Mr Gariba stated that the programme would inculcate the spirit of clean environment in the communities.
“The ultimate goal is to reduce the incidence of sanitation-related diseases which will contribute to improving the health status of the citizenry. It will also reduce the burden on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and free resources for investment in other social programmes,” Mr Gariba explained.
The Medical Director of the Sunyani Regional Hospital, Dr Daniel Asare, lauded the initiative of the company, stressing that good sanitation improved the health of the people.
He, therefore, urged all community members to embrace the programme.
Dr Asare said in view of the expansion of the hospital, with its attendant sanitation problems, the authorities had contracted a company to assist in the day-to-day cleaning of the facility.
According to the medical director, the regional hospital had been adjudged one of the cleanest facilities in Africa and for that matter a team of experts in sanitation from the United Kingdom, Sough Africa and Canada had paid visits to verify the situation.
The programme is to improve environmental cleanliness to reduce sanitation-related diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, respiratory infections, diarrhoea, among other ailments.
The launch of the programme took place at the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital in Sunyani after a massive clean-up exercise at the hospital premises which lasted about two hours.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Operations Supervisor of Zoomlion, Mr Kwame Gariba, who launched the programme, explained that it sought to reintroduce and emphasise the critical roles of traditional authorities in organising sanitation activities in their communities, such as communal work, the construction of toilets, the desilting of gutters and the clearing of bushes.
According to Mr Gariba, the major stakeholders in the programme included the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the Ministries of Health, Manpower, Youth and Employment and Local Government, Rural Development and Environment.
He indicated that there would be a strong collaboration with the various hospital administrations, traditional rulers, assembly members and youth associations in the communities.
Mr Gariba stated that the programme would inculcate the spirit of clean environment in the communities.
“The ultimate goal is to reduce the incidence of sanitation-related diseases which will contribute to improving the health status of the citizenry. It will also reduce the burden on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and free resources for investment in other social programmes,” Mr Gariba explained.
The Medical Director of the Sunyani Regional Hospital, Dr Daniel Asare, lauded the initiative of the company, stressing that good sanitation improved the health of the people.
He, therefore, urged all community members to embrace the programme.
Dr Asare said in view of the expansion of the hospital, with its attendant sanitation problems, the authorities had contracted a company to assist in the day-to-day cleaning of the facility.
According to the medical director, the regional hospital had been adjudged one of the cleanest facilities in Africa and for that matter a team of experts in sanitation from the United Kingdom, Sough Africa and Canada had paid visits to verify the situation.
DON'T VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO WILL SLEEP IN PARLIAMENT (PAGE 16)
THE presidential aspirant of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has urged the electorate not to vote for aspiring parliamentarians who would eventually enter the house only to sleep during proceedings or debates.
He said it was not just anybody who should be voted for to enter parliament and would not contribute meaningfully to discussions or debates in the house.
Dr Nduom who made the appeal at Kwame Danso in the Sene District of the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday, pointed out thats “some people come to parliament, take their seats and keep mute while others will sleep off when important debates or discussions are going on with others raising their hands in agreement with colleagues’ assertions”.
The CPP flag bearer was introducing the CPP parliamentary candidate for the Sene Constituency, Mr Ramson Emmanuel Osei, a 51-year-old educationist, during an address of party faithful at the Kwame Danso Old Market as part of his campaign tour of some parts of the region.
He, therefore, appealed to the party’s supporters to vote massively for the candidate, who, he said, was capable of entering parliament and contributing his quota to the overall national development, and to the constituency in particular.
Dr Nduom noted that the parliamentary aspirant would also co-operate with the district assembly, show respect to both the elderly and the youth and know their problems before prescribing solutions, saying that the people needed a change of representation in parliament.
The CPP presidential aspirant again urged the people in the area to vote the CPP to power because, according to him, Kwame Danso, Atebubu, Amantin and indeed the entire vicinity had been the support base of the CPP in the 1960s.
He declared, “We are claiming back our land, come December 7 since it has been our stronghold in the past and I promise that the numerous factories that had collapsed would all be revived when you vote the CPP to power”.
Dr Nduom further assured the people that a vote for the CPP would mean a transformation in the economy, which he said, the people would actually feel in their pockets and not the rhetorics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The CPP flag bearer pointed out that the party was for real peace and that was why he did not insult people in his campaign messages, and explained that the recent clashes between the NDC and the NPP at Agbogbloshie, Tamale, Berekum, Ho and elsewhere in the country attested to the fact that the two parties were violent.
He also debunked the notion held in some circles that the CPP was for the older people, pointing out that a careful look at the posters of the NDC presidential aspirant, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, and the NPP presidential hopeful, Nana Akufo-Addo, compared to his picture, would show that he was more energetic.
“We need someone who is strong enough to be our leader and rule the nation, someone who can work tirelessly and not those who are in their pension state already. We don’t need pensioners in government”, he emphasised.
Dr Nduom declared, “You have voted four times without any reward and so it is not for me to tell you that you need a change which everyone is crying for this year, and a change in favour of the CPP means work and happiness”.
The CPP women’s organiser for the constituency, Miss Ubaida Yusif Saani, said the CPP had come to stay, and appealed to the people to put their votes together for Dr Nduom, come December 7, for a better Ghana.
She noted with satisfaction that during Dr Nkrumah’s regime, he did a lot for Ghana and based on that they should vote for the CPP led by Dr Nduom, adding that having tested the NDC and the NPP without any reward there was the need for change.
He said it was not just anybody who should be voted for to enter parliament and would not contribute meaningfully to discussions or debates in the house.
Dr Nduom who made the appeal at Kwame Danso in the Sene District of the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday, pointed out thats “some people come to parliament, take their seats and keep mute while others will sleep off when important debates or discussions are going on with others raising their hands in agreement with colleagues’ assertions”.
The CPP flag bearer was introducing the CPP parliamentary candidate for the Sene Constituency, Mr Ramson Emmanuel Osei, a 51-year-old educationist, during an address of party faithful at the Kwame Danso Old Market as part of his campaign tour of some parts of the region.
He, therefore, appealed to the party’s supporters to vote massively for the candidate, who, he said, was capable of entering parliament and contributing his quota to the overall national development, and to the constituency in particular.
Dr Nduom noted that the parliamentary aspirant would also co-operate with the district assembly, show respect to both the elderly and the youth and know their problems before prescribing solutions, saying that the people needed a change of representation in parliament.
The CPP presidential aspirant again urged the people in the area to vote the CPP to power because, according to him, Kwame Danso, Atebubu, Amantin and indeed the entire vicinity had been the support base of the CPP in the 1960s.
He declared, “We are claiming back our land, come December 7 since it has been our stronghold in the past and I promise that the numerous factories that had collapsed would all be revived when you vote the CPP to power”.
Dr Nduom further assured the people that a vote for the CPP would mean a transformation in the economy, which he said, the people would actually feel in their pockets and not the rhetorics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The CPP flag bearer pointed out that the party was for real peace and that was why he did not insult people in his campaign messages, and explained that the recent clashes between the NDC and the NPP at Agbogbloshie, Tamale, Berekum, Ho and elsewhere in the country attested to the fact that the two parties were violent.
He also debunked the notion held in some circles that the CPP was for the older people, pointing out that a careful look at the posters of the NDC presidential aspirant, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, and the NPP presidential hopeful, Nana Akufo-Addo, compared to his picture, would show that he was more energetic.
“We need someone who is strong enough to be our leader and rule the nation, someone who can work tirelessly and not those who are in their pension state already. We don’t need pensioners in government”, he emphasised.
Dr Nduom declared, “You have voted four times without any reward and so it is not for me to tell you that you need a change which everyone is crying for this year, and a change in favour of the CPP means work and happiness”.
The CPP women’s organiser for the constituency, Miss Ubaida Yusif Saani, said the CPP had come to stay, and appealed to the people to put their votes together for Dr Nduom, come December 7, for a better Ghana.
She noted with satisfaction that during Dr Nkrumah’s regime, he did a lot for Ghana and based on that they should vote for the CPP led by Dr Nduom, adding that having tested the NDC and the NPP without any reward there was the need for change.
Monday, October 27, 2008
THOUGHT ON BEST TEACHER AWARDS (NSEMPA, PAGE 20)
By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah & Samuel Duodu, Sunyani.
A NUMBER of people who attended the 14th Edition of the National Best Teacher Awards ceremony at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, the capital of the Brong Ahafo Region, have expressed varied opinions about the institution of the scheme.
While some of them argued that the yearly programme was a laudable initiative by the GNAT in 1995, others called for its expansion to cover more teachers and a review of some of the prizes, as well as an improvement of the general condition of service of teachers in the country.
Recognition
They contended that, since teachers were looked up to as opinion leaders, the awards would further strengthen their relationship with the communities in which they rendered their service.
Professor James H. Ephraim, the Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG) at Fiapre, near Sunyani, described the awards as a good facility to recognise the contributions of teachers but noted that; the awards were a “tokenism.”
He explained that there were a lot more teachers whose work needed to be recognised and rewarded to serve as an encouragement for them to give their best, adding that, if the general conditions of teachers were improved, there would not be the need for the awards.
Mrs Akua Akubour Debrah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of Education, also indicated that the awards scheme was a good one because it served as a reminder to all teachers to work harder.
She observed that the awards had a great impact on society at large, since teachers were not only supposed to teach, but their lives had an influence in the communities they served, especially the children they taught.
The Volta Regional Secretary of GNAT, Nana Pobee Asomaning, said the scheme as it stood now, served as an impetus for teachers, especially the young ones, adding that it was laudable but ought to be expanded to embrace more teachers for them to work harder.
Motivation
Mr Kwadwo Fordjour, a driver at the GNAT Secretariat in Kumasi, pointed out that, since teachers were training children to become future leaders, they were considered to be very important in society and so the institution of the awards was in the right direction.
The Public Relations Officer of the Western Regional Education office in Sekondi, Mr Francis Sankah, also said the awards were motivational and a welcome initiative for teachers to work harder.
However, he pointed out that, the presentation of fridges as prizes should be reviewed, describing those prizes as not good enough and only a token and also called for its expansion.
Ms Veronica Asare, a teacher of the St. Theresa’s Primary School at Asawasi in Kumasi for her part, indicated that whoever was occupying any enviable position, whether as a Member of Parliament, an engineer, doctor etc., were all taught by a teacher and therefore the work of teacher needed to be appreciated.
She suggested that the organisers should consider those who had taught for 10years and above in the next award instead of selecting only young ones who were energetic.
Honour
Nana Bofo Bena IV, Omanhene of Dwenem Traditaional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, also described the scheme as very good in the sense that, “A nation that does not honour its heroes was not worth dying for,” because it was the teacher’s contribution that had resulted in the socio-economic transformation of the country.
The Awerempimhene of Awua-Odumasi, near Sunyani, Nana Kwabena Ameyaw, who is also a retired Education Director, said the awards were very useful and encouraged teachers to give their best, and stressed that when one worked hard he or she needed to be rewarded.
He appealed to corporate oragnisations and benevolent individuals and groups to join the GNAT and the government in sponsoring the awards to cover more teachers.
The Upper East Regional Co-ordinator of the Best Teacher Awards noted that, a well-motivated teacher would be committed to his or her work, thereby improving the quality of teaching and learning, adding that the awards would ensure commitment and sacrifices.
Nana Kwadwo Kwakyie, Wirepemhene of Asankrabreman Division in the Wassa Amenfi District in the Western Region and Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, for his part said the awards was a good motivation for teachers that gives them national recognition.
Private schools
But, he observed that there were teachers in the private schools who were equally good and dedicated to their work like their counterparts in the public schools but were not recognised.
“We in the private sector have been conspicuously left out in the National Best Teacher Award Day, and I am therefore appealing to the organisers and the government to include teachers in the private sector in the awards, since we also contribute to the human resource development of the country,” Nana Kwakyie stressed.
Mr Apraku Tuffuor, Regional Committee Planning Member of the 14th edition of the teachers’ award day, said it was to recognise hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
He noted that being awarded does not mean you should be given something that you cannot afford, and that the significance of the awards was the recognition and not the value, and called on the committee, to upgrade the prizes.
Mr Emmanuel Charles Ansong of the Sunyani Municipal Fire Service Command and also in-charge of the Fire Education Team, pointed out that, the award scheme for teachers was laudable.
He however, urged teachers in the public schools to put in their maximum best to arrest the declining standard of education in the public sector.
Mr Yaw Adade Mensah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the Ghana Water Company, for his part, congratulated all teachers for the good work and expressed the hope that the awards would serve as a morale booster to them.
A NUMBER of people who attended the 14th Edition of the National Best Teacher Awards ceremony at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, the capital of the Brong Ahafo Region, have expressed varied opinions about the institution of the scheme.
While some of them argued that the yearly programme was a laudable initiative by the GNAT in 1995, others called for its expansion to cover more teachers and a review of some of the prizes, as well as an improvement of the general condition of service of teachers in the country.
Recognition
They contended that, since teachers were looked up to as opinion leaders, the awards would further strengthen their relationship with the communities in which they rendered their service.
Professor James H. Ephraim, the Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG) at Fiapre, near Sunyani, described the awards as a good facility to recognise the contributions of teachers but noted that; the awards were a “tokenism.”
He explained that there were a lot more teachers whose work needed to be recognised and rewarded to serve as an encouragement for them to give their best, adding that, if the general conditions of teachers were improved, there would not be the need for the awards.
Mrs Akua Akubour Debrah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of Education, also indicated that the awards scheme was a good one because it served as a reminder to all teachers to work harder.
She observed that the awards had a great impact on society at large, since teachers were not only supposed to teach, but their lives had an influence in the communities they served, especially the children they taught.
The Volta Regional Secretary of GNAT, Nana Pobee Asomaning, said the scheme as it stood now, served as an impetus for teachers, especially the young ones, adding that it was laudable but ought to be expanded to embrace more teachers for them to work harder.
Motivation
Mr Kwadwo Fordjour, a driver at the GNAT Secretariat in Kumasi, pointed out that, since teachers were training children to become future leaders, they were considered to be very important in society and so the institution of the awards was in the right direction.
The Public Relations Officer of the Western Regional Education office in Sekondi, Mr Francis Sankah, also said the awards were motivational and a welcome initiative for teachers to work harder.
However, he pointed out that, the presentation of fridges as prizes should be reviewed, describing those prizes as not good enough and only a token and also called for its expansion.
Ms Veronica Asare, a teacher of the St. Theresa’s Primary School at Asawasi in Kumasi for her part, indicated that whoever was occupying any enviable position, whether as a Member of Parliament, an engineer, doctor etc., were all taught by a teacher and therefore the work of teacher needed to be appreciated.
She suggested that the organisers should consider those who had taught for 10years and above in the next award instead of selecting only young ones who were energetic.
Honour
Nana Bofo Bena IV, Omanhene of Dwenem Traditaional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, also described the scheme as very good in the sense that, “A nation that does not honour its heroes was not worth dying for,” because it was the teacher’s contribution that had resulted in the socio-economic transformation of the country.
The Awerempimhene of Awua-Odumasi, near Sunyani, Nana Kwabena Ameyaw, who is also a retired Education Director, said the awards were very useful and encouraged teachers to give their best, and stressed that when one worked hard he or she needed to be rewarded.
He appealed to corporate oragnisations and benevolent individuals and groups to join the GNAT and the government in sponsoring the awards to cover more teachers.
The Upper East Regional Co-ordinator of the Best Teacher Awards noted that, a well-motivated teacher would be committed to his or her work, thereby improving the quality of teaching and learning, adding that the awards would ensure commitment and sacrifices.
Nana Kwadwo Kwakyie, Wirepemhene of Asankrabreman Division in the Wassa Amenfi District in the Western Region and Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, for his part said the awards was a good motivation for teachers that gives them national recognition.
Private schools
But, he observed that there were teachers in the private schools who were equally good and dedicated to their work like their counterparts in the public schools but were not recognised.
“We in the private sector have been conspicuously left out in the National Best Teacher Award Day, and I am therefore appealing to the organisers and the government to include teachers in the private sector in the awards, since we also contribute to the human resource development of the country,” Nana Kwakyie stressed.
Mr Apraku Tuffuor, Regional Committee Planning Member of the 14th edition of the teachers’ award day, said it was to recognise hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
He noted that being awarded does not mean you should be given something that you cannot afford, and that the significance of the awards was the recognition and not the value, and called on the committee, to upgrade the prizes.
Mr Emmanuel Charles Ansong of the Sunyani Municipal Fire Service Command and also in-charge of the Fire Education Team, pointed out that, the award scheme for teachers was laudable.
He however, urged teachers in the public schools to put in their maximum best to arrest the declining standard of education in the public sector.
Mr Yaw Adade Mensah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the Ghana Water Company, for his part, congratulated all teachers for the good work and expressed the hope that the awards would serve as a morale booster to them.
NDUOM CANVASSES FOR CPP CANDIDATES (PAGE 17)
THE presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, has urged the electorate not to vote for parliamentary candidates who will eventually enter the House only to sleep during proceedings or would agree to any debate.
He said it was not anybody at all who should be voted for to enter Parliament, since Members of Parliament (MPs) did not contribute meaningfully to whatever matter that came up for discussion on the floor of the House.
Dr Nduom who made the appeal at Kwame Danso in the Sene District of the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday pointed out that, “some people come to Parliament, take their seats and keep mute while others will sleep off when important debates or discussions are going on with others raising their hands in agreement with colleagues’ assertions”.
The CPP flag bearer was introducing the CPP parliamentary candidate for the Sene Constituency, Mr Ramson Emmanuel Osei, a 51-year-old educationist, at the party’s rally at the Kwame Danso Old market as part of his campaign tour of some parts of the region.
He therefore, appealed to the party’s supporters to vote massively for the candidate, who he said, was capable to enter Parliament and contribute his quota towards the overall national development and the constituency in particular.
Dr Nduom noted that the parliamentary candidate would also co-operate with the district assembly, show respect to both the elderly and the youth and to know their problems before prescribing solutions, saying that, the people needed a change of representation in parliament.
The CPP presidential candidate again urged the people in the area to vote the CPP to power because according to him, Kwame Danso, Atebubu, Amantin and the entire vicinity had been the support-base of the CPP the 1960s.
He declared, “we are claiming back our land come December 7 since it has been our stronghold in the past and I promise that the numerous factories that had collapsed would all be revived when you vote the CPP to power”.
Dr Nduom further assured the people that a vote for the CPP would mean a transformation in the economy which he said, the people would feel in their pockets and not the rhetorics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The CPP flag bearer pointed out that the party was for real peace and that was why he did not insult in his campaign messages, and explained that the recent clashes between NDC and NPP at Agbogloshie, Tamale, Berekum, Ho and elsewhere in the country attested to the fact that the two parties were violent.
He also debunked the notion held in some circles that, the CPP was for the older people, pointing out that, a careful look at the posters of the NDC presidential aspirant, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and the NPP presidential hopeful, Nana Akufo-Addo, as compared to his picture, would show that he was more energetic.
“We need someone who is strong enough to be our leader and rule the nation, someone who can work tirelessly and not those who are in their pension state already. We don’t need pensioners in government” he emphasised.
Dr Nduom declared, “You have voted four times without any reward and so it is not for me to tell you that you need a change which everyone is crying for this year and a change in favour of the CPP means work and happiness”.
The CPP women’s organiser for the constituency, Miss Ubaida Yusif Saani, said, the CPP had come to stay, and appealed to the people to put their votes together for Dr Nduom, come December 7 for a better Ghana.
She noted with satisfaction that during Dr Nkrumah’s regime, he did a lot for Ghana and based on that they should vote for the CPP, led by Dr Nduom, adding that having tested the NDC and the NPP without any reward, there was the need for a change now.
He said it was not anybody at all who should be voted for to enter Parliament, since Members of Parliament (MPs) did not contribute meaningfully to whatever matter that came up for discussion on the floor of the House.
Dr Nduom who made the appeal at Kwame Danso in the Sene District of the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday pointed out that, “some people come to Parliament, take their seats and keep mute while others will sleep off when important debates or discussions are going on with others raising their hands in agreement with colleagues’ assertions”.
The CPP flag bearer was introducing the CPP parliamentary candidate for the Sene Constituency, Mr Ramson Emmanuel Osei, a 51-year-old educationist, at the party’s rally at the Kwame Danso Old market as part of his campaign tour of some parts of the region.
He therefore, appealed to the party’s supporters to vote massively for the candidate, who he said, was capable to enter Parliament and contribute his quota towards the overall national development and the constituency in particular.
Dr Nduom noted that the parliamentary candidate would also co-operate with the district assembly, show respect to both the elderly and the youth and to know their problems before prescribing solutions, saying that, the people needed a change of representation in parliament.
The CPP presidential candidate again urged the people in the area to vote the CPP to power because according to him, Kwame Danso, Atebubu, Amantin and the entire vicinity had been the support-base of the CPP the 1960s.
He declared, “we are claiming back our land come December 7 since it has been our stronghold in the past and I promise that the numerous factories that had collapsed would all be revived when you vote the CPP to power”.
Dr Nduom further assured the people that a vote for the CPP would mean a transformation in the economy which he said, the people would feel in their pockets and not the rhetorics of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The CPP flag bearer pointed out that the party was for real peace and that was why he did not insult in his campaign messages, and explained that the recent clashes between NDC and NPP at Agbogloshie, Tamale, Berekum, Ho and elsewhere in the country attested to the fact that the two parties were violent.
He also debunked the notion held in some circles that, the CPP was for the older people, pointing out that, a careful look at the posters of the NDC presidential aspirant, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and the NPP presidential hopeful, Nana Akufo-Addo, as compared to his picture, would show that he was more energetic.
“We need someone who is strong enough to be our leader and rule the nation, someone who can work tirelessly and not those who are in their pension state already. We don’t need pensioners in government” he emphasised.
Dr Nduom declared, “You have voted four times without any reward and so it is not for me to tell you that you need a change which everyone is crying for this year and a change in favour of the CPP means work and happiness”.
The CPP women’s organiser for the constituency, Miss Ubaida Yusif Saani, said, the CPP had come to stay, and appealed to the people to put their votes together for Dr Nduom, come December 7 for a better Ghana.
She noted with satisfaction that during Dr Nkrumah’s regime, he did a lot for Ghana and based on that they should vote for the CPP, led by Dr Nduom, adding that having tested the NDC and the NPP without any reward, there was the need for a change now.
115 ASPIRING MPS FOR BA (PAGE 16)
A total of 112 parliamentary aspirants made up of 107 males and five females have filed their nominations to contest the December 7 elections in the 24 constituencies of the Brong Ahafo Region. Seven of them are standing as independent candidates.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have their candidates in all the constituencies while the Convention People’s Party (CPP) fielded 20 candidates with the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) presenting 13 candidates. The Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) have 12 candidates each.
The five female candidates are contesting on the tickets of the DPP in Asutifi North Constituency, CPP in the Tano North, PNC in Sunyani West, another DPP in Dormaa East and one other CPP in the Techiman North Constituency.
According to the list of parliamentary candidates made available to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani by the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Mark Kojo Anyimadu, two of the Independent candidates filed at Kintampo North Constituency and each in the Atebubu/Amantin, Pru, Tain and Jaman North.
The list indicated that the PNC and the DFP did not field any candidate in Asunafo North while the CPP and DPP also did not present any candidate in the Asunafo South Constituency and the list further showed that in Asutifi South, only the NPP, NDC and DPP fielded candidates.
For the Tano South Constituency, the DPP and DFP did not have any representation and again the DPP had no candidate for the Sunyani East Constituency and also did not present any person in the Berekum Constituency, likewise the PNC also did not field any candidate in the Dormaa East Constituency.
For the Jaman North and South constituencies, the DPP and DFP also failed to field candidates while in the Wenchi District the DPP and the PNC did not have representation.
In the Tain Constituency, the DFP and the PNC did not field anyone. The DPP and PNC did not field candidates in Techiman North while the DFP did not present a candidate for the Techiman South Constituency.
The DFP and the PNC again failed to field candidates in the Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South constituencies, with the DPP again, failing to present someone for the Kintampo North area, and in the Kintampo South, only the NPP, NDC and PNC had nominations.
For the Atebubu/Amantin Constituency, only the NPP and the NDC alongside the Independent candidate filed their nominations, with the PNC failing to present a candidate for the Pru area while the DFP also did not have a nominee for the Sene Constituency.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have their candidates in all the constituencies while the Convention People’s Party (CPP) fielded 20 candidates with the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) presenting 13 candidates. The Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) have 12 candidates each.
The five female candidates are contesting on the tickets of the DPP in Asutifi North Constituency, CPP in the Tano North, PNC in Sunyani West, another DPP in Dormaa East and one other CPP in the Techiman North Constituency.
According to the list of parliamentary candidates made available to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani by the Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Mark Kojo Anyimadu, two of the Independent candidates filed at Kintampo North Constituency and each in the Atebubu/Amantin, Pru, Tain and Jaman North.
The list indicated that the PNC and the DFP did not field any candidate in Asunafo North while the CPP and DPP also did not present any candidate in the Asunafo South Constituency and the list further showed that in Asutifi South, only the NPP, NDC and DPP fielded candidates.
For the Tano South Constituency, the DPP and DFP did not have any representation and again the DPP had no candidate for the Sunyani East Constituency and also did not present any person in the Berekum Constituency, likewise the PNC also did not field any candidate in the Dormaa East Constituency.
For the Jaman North and South constituencies, the DPP and DFP also failed to field candidates while in the Wenchi District the DPP and the PNC did not have representation.
In the Tain Constituency, the DFP and the PNC did not field anyone. The DPP and PNC did not field candidates in Techiman North while the DFP did not present a candidate for the Techiman South Constituency.
The DFP and the PNC again failed to field candidates in the Nkoranza North and Nkoranza South constituencies, with the DPP again, failing to present someone for the Kintampo North area, and in the Kintampo South, only the NPP, NDC and PNC had nominations.
For the Atebubu/Amantin Constituency, only the NPP and the NDC alongside the Independent candidate filed their nominations, with the PNC failing to present a candidate for the Pru area while the DFP also did not have a nominee for the Sene Constituency.
NDC CAN'T BE TRUSTED WITH ECONOMY (PAGE 16)
THE running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Pesidential Candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has stated that, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot be trusted to handle the Ghanaian economy having failed to do so during its 19 years in government.
He explained that, for the seven-and-a-half years in office, the NPP had proven that it was capable of managing the economy which had been shattered by the NDC.
Addressing students of the Sunyani Polytechnic (S-Poly) at the weekend, Dr Bawumia, explained that, the NPP inherited a HIPC economy but within a very time the party, under President J.A. Kufuor, had been able to turn the economy around to make it one of the best in Africa.
The Party, he said, had a big vision for Ghana to achieve a middle-income status by 2015, and therefore, called on Ghanaians to return the NPP to power for it to realise such a laudable goal for the country.
He pointed out that the NPP had ensured a peaceful and stable state, freedom of speech and that Ghanaians could now go about whatever enterprise they were engaged in freely and without any hindrance, a situation he said never existed previously.
According to the NPP running mate, the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme and many other interventions were testimonies that, the country was on the threshold of progress.
That, he said, could come about only when the electorate voted massively for the NPP in the December polls, adding that, a vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP meant a vote for a total transformation of the economy.
Dr Bawumia, however, advised the youth not to resort to violence of any form to mar the electoral process, pointing out that, as a democratic party, the NPP believed in the rule of law and absolute peace.
He explained that, for the seven-and-a-half years in office, the NPP had proven that it was capable of managing the economy which had been shattered by the NDC.
Addressing students of the Sunyani Polytechnic (S-Poly) at the weekend, Dr Bawumia, explained that, the NPP inherited a HIPC economy but within a very time the party, under President J.A. Kufuor, had been able to turn the economy around to make it one of the best in Africa.
The Party, he said, had a big vision for Ghana to achieve a middle-income status by 2015, and therefore, called on Ghanaians to return the NPP to power for it to realise such a laudable goal for the country.
He pointed out that the NPP had ensured a peaceful and stable state, freedom of speech and that Ghanaians could now go about whatever enterprise they were engaged in freely and without any hindrance, a situation he said never existed previously.
According to the NPP running mate, the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme and many other interventions were testimonies that, the country was on the threshold of progress.
That, he said, could come about only when the electorate voted massively for the NPP in the December polls, adding that, a vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP meant a vote for a total transformation of the economy.
Dr Bawumia, however, advised the youth not to resort to violence of any form to mar the electoral process, pointing out that, as a democratic party, the NPP believed in the rule of law and absolute peace.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
NEW PRESIDENT FOR BRONG AHAFO REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS (PAGE 21)
THE Omanhene of the Kukuom Traditional Area in the Asunafo South District in the Brong Ahafo Region, Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, is the new President of the Regional House of Chiefs.
Osahene Aterkyi defeated the incumbent President, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, by 23 votes to four in an election conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) at the third meeting of the house this year in Sunyani on Wednesday.
Osahene Aterkyi also beat Nana Kwame Korang, the former Vice-President of the house, who is also the Omanhene of the Odumase Traditional Area, when he secured 10 votes in the poll, giving way to the Paramount Chief of Yeji Traditional Area, Pemampem Yaw Kagbrese V.
Pemampem Kagbrese polled 29 votes to beat the Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Area, Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, who secured eight votes out of the total 37 ballots, to serve a four-year.
In another poll, three members of the house, namely, Nana Bofo Bene IV, Dwenimhene, who got 30 votes; Agyewodin Adu-Gyamfi Ampem, Acherensuamanhene, 24 votes, and Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, the Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Area, who secured 22 ballots, were elected to join the president and his vice for the required five slots to represent the region at the National House of Chiefs.
Two other chiefs, Nana Ansah Adu Baah, Yamfomanhene, and Nana Yaw Agyei, the Paramount Chief of the Mim Traditional Area, who polled 18 and six votes, respectively, contested with the three but lost in their bid.
All the elected chiefs were sworn in by Mr Justice Emmanuel Ato Assan, a High Court judge in Sunyani, who administered the oath of office.
Before the elections, conducted by the Regional Director of the EC, Mr M.K. Anyimadu, and his deputy, Mr James Arthur-Yeboah, two newly installed paramount chiefs for Sankore and Nsawkaw, Okogyeadee Yaw Adusei II and Nana Kutu Ayim Baffour II, respectively, had been admitted to the house, after the outgoing President, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom, who is the Nkoranzamanhene, had administered the official oath.
They again swore the judicial oath and the oath of secrecy administered by Justice Assan.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, his deputy, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, as well as the heads of the security services in the region, witnessed the ceremony.
In his acceptance speech, Osahene Aterkyi expressed delight at his election, which was in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) and within the framework of Article 274 of the 1992 Constitution.
He was also grateful to God for ensuring a peaceful election and further thanked the entire membership of the house for the trust and confidence reposed in him, adding, “Once the election is over, the house must stand firm in unity and with a common destiny.”
Earlier in a welcoming address, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom had prayed that the election would be free and fair for the results to be accepted by all the contestants.
He stated that whoever won should see it as a duty to deal with the numerous challenges of chieftaincy in the region in particular and the nation as a whole.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom announced that the number of chieftaincy cases in the region that stood at 54 at the beginning of the year had reduced to 42 as of the end of September 2008 and expressed the hope that the number would further reduce by the close of the year.
The regional minister also expressed gratitude to the chiefs for the cordial relationship that had existed between the house and the Regional Co-ordinating Council.
He commended Nananom for attending all important functions organised in the region and adding colour to such functions by displaying their rich culture.
Osahene Aterkyi defeated the incumbent President, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, by 23 votes to four in an election conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) at the third meeting of the house this year in Sunyani on Wednesday.
Osahene Aterkyi also beat Nana Kwame Korang, the former Vice-President of the house, who is also the Omanhene of the Odumase Traditional Area, when he secured 10 votes in the poll, giving way to the Paramount Chief of Yeji Traditional Area, Pemampem Yaw Kagbrese V.
Pemampem Kagbrese polled 29 votes to beat the Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Area, Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, who secured eight votes out of the total 37 ballots, to serve a four-year.
In another poll, three members of the house, namely, Nana Bofo Bene IV, Dwenimhene, who got 30 votes; Agyewodin Adu-Gyamfi Ampem, Acherensuamanhene, 24 votes, and Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, the Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Area, who secured 22 ballots, were elected to join the president and his vice for the required five slots to represent the region at the National House of Chiefs.
Two other chiefs, Nana Ansah Adu Baah, Yamfomanhene, and Nana Yaw Agyei, the Paramount Chief of the Mim Traditional Area, who polled 18 and six votes, respectively, contested with the three but lost in their bid.
All the elected chiefs were sworn in by Mr Justice Emmanuel Ato Assan, a High Court judge in Sunyani, who administered the oath of office.
Before the elections, conducted by the Regional Director of the EC, Mr M.K. Anyimadu, and his deputy, Mr James Arthur-Yeboah, two newly installed paramount chiefs for Sankore and Nsawkaw, Okogyeadee Yaw Adusei II and Nana Kutu Ayim Baffour II, respectively, had been admitted to the house, after the outgoing President, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom, who is the Nkoranzamanhene, had administered the official oath.
They again swore the judicial oath and the oath of secrecy administered by Justice Assan.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, his deputy, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, as well as the heads of the security services in the region, witnessed the ceremony.
In his acceptance speech, Osahene Aterkyi expressed delight at his election, which was in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the Chieftaincy Act, 2008 (Act 759) and within the framework of Article 274 of the 1992 Constitution.
He was also grateful to God for ensuring a peaceful election and further thanked the entire membership of the house for the trust and confidence reposed in him, adding, “Once the election is over, the house must stand firm in unity and with a common destiny.”
Earlier in a welcoming address, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom had prayed that the election would be free and fair for the results to be accepted by all the contestants.
He stated that whoever won should see it as a duty to deal with the numerous challenges of chieftaincy in the region in particular and the nation as a whole.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom announced that the number of chieftaincy cases in the region that stood at 54 at the beginning of the year had reduced to 42 as of the end of September 2008 and expressed the hope that the number would further reduce by the close of the year.
The regional minister also expressed gratitude to the chiefs for the cordial relationship that had existed between the house and the Regional Co-ordinating Council.
He commended Nananom for attending all important functions organised in the region and adding colour to such functions by displaying their rich culture.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
GOVERNMENT'S FREE HEALTH CARE IS LAUDABLE (PAGE 11)
A number of pregnant women who patronise the St. Elizabeth Hospital at Hwediem in the Asutifi District in the Brong Ahafo Region have expressed satisfaction at the government’s policy of allowing expectant mothers to attend ante-natal clinics (ANC) free of charge.
They explained that the policy had greatly relieved them of the difficulties they encountered in paying their hospital bills when they accessed medical care during pregnancy and in getting post-natal care.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews at Hwidiem, the women, therefore commended the government for soliciting funds from the British Government to fund the scheme, describing the initiative as a show of concern to pregnant women to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
Madam Dora Kankam, a hairdresser at Mim, who is eight months pregnant, said, the free anti-natal care had encouraged her to visit the hospital regularly to access medical care.
Ms Rosina Berchie, a nurse at the St. Elizabeth Hospital, who is carrying her second pregnancy, lauded the government’s initiative and said it would improve the health of expectant mothers and infants .
A seven-month-old pregnant woman,Madam Abena Animah, a farmer at Wamahinso, who is expecting her first child indicated that apart from looking for money to pay for her transport fare to attend hospital, “I don’t pay a pesewa for whatever drugs are supplied to me any time I come here”.
She, however, advised parents not to take undue advantage of the programme but plan for their family and ensure that they empowered themselves economically.
Mr Wilberforce Mfum, an Accra-based businessman, who accompanied his wife, Madam Fatima Adams, to the hospital, said the government’s assistance had indeed lessened the burden of husbands and their pregnant wives, adding that pregnant women in rural communities who had to raise money to pay their bills when they needed to undergo emergency surgical operation would benefit most.
Madam Adwoa Pinamang, a trader from Mim, who is expecting her fourth child indicated that in time past, she paid so much on drugs supplied to her at the hospital.
“I commend the government for the gesture but that does not mean I should continue to give birth to more children” she said.
Madam Hawa Karim, a farmer from Kwaku Nyumah village, who is carrying her sixth pregnancy, also noted that, for the previous pregnancies she went through, she used to pay so much for drugs whenever she visited the Kukuom, Nobeko, Dadiesoaba and Hwideim health facilities but now she did not pay for drugs and other services.
A farmer from Acherensua, who was seeking anti-natal care said she paid GH¢12.00 in respect of laboratory tests since she had not as yet registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). She, however, gave the assurance that she would do so very soon in order to benefit from the policy.
Later in an interview, a Midwife, Mrs Cecilia Newman, said the policy had resulted in increased hospital attendance by pregnant women, adding that, before the commencement of the policy, the staff of Hwidiem St. Elizabeth Hosiptal closed between 3.00 and 5:00p.m. but now, they could stay till about 7:30p.m.
She appealed for more hands at the clinic to help relieve the pressure on the staff .
Before the implementation of the policy in July this year, anti-natal clinic attendance at the hospital in January was 731; February, 737, March, 692; April, 420; May, 741; June, 615; July, 712, with 1,050 recorded in August.
Mr Kofi Baffour Asare, the Asutifi District Manager of the NHIS, expressed concern about what he termed as the increase in the rate of teenage pregnancy in the area, and attributed the situation to immoral practices perpetrated by some immigrants who engaged in illegal mining in the area.
He advised pregnant women not to wait until they fell sick before registering with the scheme .
In another development, the management of the Asutifi NHIS has presented bicycles valued at GH¢900.00 to 15 agents of the scheme who are registering people to join the scheme .
They explained that the policy had greatly relieved them of the difficulties they encountered in paying their hospital bills when they accessed medical care during pregnancy and in getting post-natal care.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews at Hwidiem, the women, therefore commended the government for soliciting funds from the British Government to fund the scheme, describing the initiative as a show of concern to pregnant women to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
Madam Dora Kankam, a hairdresser at Mim, who is eight months pregnant, said, the free anti-natal care had encouraged her to visit the hospital regularly to access medical care.
Ms Rosina Berchie, a nurse at the St. Elizabeth Hospital, who is carrying her second pregnancy, lauded the government’s initiative and said it would improve the health of expectant mothers and infants .
A seven-month-old pregnant woman,Madam Abena Animah, a farmer at Wamahinso, who is expecting her first child indicated that apart from looking for money to pay for her transport fare to attend hospital, “I don’t pay a pesewa for whatever drugs are supplied to me any time I come here”.
She, however, advised parents not to take undue advantage of the programme but plan for their family and ensure that they empowered themselves economically.
Mr Wilberforce Mfum, an Accra-based businessman, who accompanied his wife, Madam Fatima Adams, to the hospital, said the government’s assistance had indeed lessened the burden of husbands and their pregnant wives, adding that pregnant women in rural communities who had to raise money to pay their bills when they needed to undergo emergency surgical operation would benefit most.
Madam Adwoa Pinamang, a trader from Mim, who is expecting her fourth child indicated that in time past, she paid so much on drugs supplied to her at the hospital.
“I commend the government for the gesture but that does not mean I should continue to give birth to more children” she said.
Madam Hawa Karim, a farmer from Kwaku Nyumah village, who is carrying her sixth pregnancy, also noted that, for the previous pregnancies she went through, she used to pay so much for drugs whenever she visited the Kukuom, Nobeko, Dadiesoaba and Hwideim health facilities but now she did not pay for drugs and other services.
A farmer from Acherensua, who was seeking anti-natal care said she paid GH¢12.00 in respect of laboratory tests since she had not as yet registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). She, however, gave the assurance that she would do so very soon in order to benefit from the policy.
Later in an interview, a Midwife, Mrs Cecilia Newman, said the policy had resulted in increased hospital attendance by pregnant women, adding that, before the commencement of the policy, the staff of Hwidiem St. Elizabeth Hosiptal closed between 3.00 and 5:00p.m. but now, they could stay till about 7:30p.m.
She appealed for more hands at the clinic to help relieve the pressure on the staff .
Before the implementation of the policy in July this year, anti-natal clinic attendance at the hospital in January was 731; February, 737, March, 692; April, 420; May, 741; June, 615; July, 712, with 1,050 recorded in August.
Mr Kofi Baffour Asare, the Asutifi District Manager of the NHIS, expressed concern about what he termed as the increase in the rate of teenage pregnancy in the area, and attributed the situation to immoral practices perpetrated by some immigrants who engaged in illegal mining in the area.
He advised pregnant women not to wait until they fell sick before registering with the scheme .
In another development, the management of the Asutifi NHIS has presented bicycles valued at GH¢900.00 to 15 agents of the scheme who are registering people to join the scheme .
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Murder pf Goaso Hospital Administrator..SUNYANI HIGH COURT TO TRY 11 PEOPLE (PAGE 32)
THE Sunyani High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Godwin Gabor, will, on October 24, 2008, begin hearing the case in which 11 people have been linked to the murder of Mr Anthony Yeboah-Boateng, the former Administrator of the Goaso Government Hospital.
The accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, as well as causing unlawful damage to the car belonging to the late Yeboah-Boateng, who was also the Presiding Member of the then Asunafo North District Assembly.
They are Douglas Afriyie, Stephen Donkor, Kwasi Nyantekyi, Kwaku Agyeman Badu, Adama Hamidu and James Dankwah.
The rest are Kwame Yeboah Addae, Kwadwo Awuah, Kwame Anokye, Emmanuel Kwaku Lartey and Kwame Krah.
When they appeared before the court on October 13, 2008, four of them indicated that they had counsel, two of whom were in court, but the remaining seven had no representation.
Until their indictment, the 11 were among 30 suspects who had been standing trial at the Sunyani Magistrate Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of Yeboah-Boateng on Easter Sunday, last year.
A source close to the court in Sunyani, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said because of the nature of the case, and in accordance with procedure, the presiding judge had informed the Attorney-General’s Office to apply to the Legal Aid Board to provide lawyers to represent the seven.
According to the source, a five-member jury had been empanelled to hear the case and that all the prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and a Catholic nun who were in his car at the time of the incident, were in court.
On April 8, 2007, Yeboah-Boateng, in the company of his wife and two other women, was travelling from Goaso to Sunyani to convey the corpse of a relative from the Sunyani Regional Hospital to the Goaso Hospital mortuary.
When they got to Atronie, the accused persons, who had blocked the road, forced Yeboah-Boateng to stop.
According to the police, the accused persons rushed on him and accused him of being a ritual murderer because he was carrying a corpse in his car.
Before the deceased could offer any explanation, the accused pulled him out of the vehicle, clubbed him to death and attempted to set his body ablaze.
The accused persons then vandalised his car and the corpse, after which they bolted from the town.
The accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, as well as causing unlawful damage to the car belonging to the late Yeboah-Boateng, who was also the Presiding Member of the then Asunafo North District Assembly.
They are Douglas Afriyie, Stephen Donkor, Kwasi Nyantekyi, Kwaku Agyeman Badu, Adama Hamidu and James Dankwah.
The rest are Kwame Yeboah Addae, Kwadwo Awuah, Kwame Anokye, Emmanuel Kwaku Lartey and Kwame Krah.
When they appeared before the court on October 13, 2008, four of them indicated that they had counsel, two of whom were in court, but the remaining seven had no representation.
Until their indictment, the 11 were among 30 suspects who had been standing trial at the Sunyani Magistrate Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of Yeboah-Boateng on Easter Sunday, last year.
A source close to the court in Sunyani, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said because of the nature of the case, and in accordance with procedure, the presiding judge had informed the Attorney-General’s Office to apply to the Legal Aid Board to provide lawyers to represent the seven.
According to the source, a five-member jury had been empanelled to hear the case and that all the prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and a Catholic nun who were in his car at the time of the incident, were in court.
On April 8, 2007, Yeboah-Boateng, in the company of his wife and two other women, was travelling from Goaso to Sunyani to convey the corpse of a relative from the Sunyani Regional Hospital to the Goaso Hospital mortuary.
When they got to Atronie, the accused persons, who had blocked the road, forced Yeboah-Boateng to stop.
According to the police, the accused persons rushed on him and accused him of being a ritual murderer because he was carrying a corpse in his car.
Before the deceased could offer any explanation, the accused pulled him out of the vehicle, clubbed him to death and attempted to set his body ablaze.
The accused persons then vandalised his car and the corpse, after which they bolted from the town.
Murder pf Goaso Hospital Administrator..PO
THE Sunyani High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Godwin Gabor, will, on October 24, 2008, begin hearing the case in which 11 people have been linked to the murder of Mr Anthony Yeboah-Boateng, the former Administrator of the Goaso Government Hospital.
The accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, as well as causing unlawful damage to the car belonging to the late Yeboah-Boateng, who was also the Presiding Member of the then Asunafo North District Assembly.
They are Douglas Afriyie, Stephen Donkor, Kwasi Nyantekyi, Kwaku Agyeman Badu, Adama Hamidu and James Dankwah.
The rest are Kwame Yeboah Addae, Kwadwo Awuah, Kwame Anokye, Emmanuel Kwaku Lartey and Kwame Krah.
When they appeared before the court on October 13, 2008, four of them indicated that they had counsel, two of whom were in court, but the remaining seven had no representation.
Until their indictment, the 11 were among 30 suspects who had been standing trial at the Sunyani Magistrate Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of Yeboah-Boateng on Easter Sunday, last year.
A source close to the court in Sunyani, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said because of the nature of the case, and in accordance with procedure, the presiding judge had informed the Attorney-General’s Office to apply to the Legal Aid Board to provide lawyers to represent the seven.
According to the source, a five-member jury had been empanelled to hear the case and that all the prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and a Catholic nun who were in his car at the time of the incident, were in court.
On April 8, 2007, Yeboah-Boateng, in the company of his wife and two other women, was travelling from Goaso to Sunyani to convey the corpse of a relative from the Sunyani Regional Hospital to the Goaso Hospital mortuary.
When they got to Atronie, the accused persons, who had blocked the road, forced Yeboah-Boateng to stop.
According to the police, the accused persons rushed on him and accused him of being a ritual murderer because he was carrying a corpse in his car.
Before the deceased could offer any explanation, the accused pulled him out of the vehicle, clubbed him to death and attempted to set his body ablaze.
The accused persons then vandalised his car and the corpse, after which they bolted from the town.
The accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder, as well as causing unlawful damage to the car belonging to the late Yeboah-Boateng, who was also the Presiding Member of the then Asunafo North District Assembly.
They are Douglas Afriyie, Stephen Donkor, Kwasi Nyantekyi, Kwaku Agyeman Badu, Adama Hamidu and James Dankwah.
The rest are Kwame Yeboah Addae, Kwadwo Awuah, Kwame Anokye, Emmanuel Kwaku Lartey and Kwame Krah.
When they appeared before the court on October 13, 2008, four of them indicated that they had counsel, two of whom were in court, but the remaining seven had no representation.
Until their indictment, the 11 were among 30 suspects who had been standing trial at the Sunyani Magistrate Court for their alleged involvement in the murder of Yeboah-Boateng on Easter Sunday, last year.
A source close to the court in Sunyani, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said because of the nature of the case, and in accordance with procedure, the presiding judge had informed the Attorney-General’s Office to apply to the Legal Aid Board to provide lawyers to represent the seven.
According to the source, a five-member jury had been empanelled to hear the case and that all the prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s wife and a Catholic nun who were in his car at the time of the incident, were in court.
On April 8, 2007, Yeboah-Boateng, in the company of his wife and two other women, was travelling from Goaso to Sunyani to convey the corpse of a relative from the Sunyani Regional Hospital to the Goaso Hospital mortuary.
When they got to Atronie, the accused persons, who had blocked the road, forced Yeboah-Boateng to stop.
According to the police, the accused persons rushed on him and accused him of being a ritual murderer because he was carrying a corpse in his car.
Before the deceased could offer any explanation, the accused pulled him out of the vehicle, clubbed him to death and attempted to set his body ablaze.
The accused persons then vandalised his car and the corpse, after which they bolted from the town.
GUINEA WORM CASES REDUCE IN PRU DISTRICT (MIRROR, PAGE 35)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Yeji
The health system in the Pru District in the Brong Ahafo Region recorded a reduction in guinea worm cases from 169 in 2005 to 97 cases in 2006 and down to 12 in 2007.
Only two cases were recorded by June, this year.
The Pru District Director of Health Services, Dr Prince Quarshie, explained that the two were “imported cases” as the patients had contracted the disease from outside the district before relocating somewhere in January, this year. Three years ago the district was leading in guinea worm cases in the country with 169 cases. Ghana is second to Sudan in Africa in terms of guinea worm infections.
Dr Quarshie, who disclosed the statistics at the second annual general meeting of the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, said if by the end of December no more cases had been recorded then it would be understood that the disease had been eradicated in the area.
On tuberculosis (TB) control, he said 115 and 117 cases were recorded in 2006 and 2007 respectively and 119 thus far in 2008, while 9,494, 14,194 and 16,945 malaria cases were recorded in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively.
In the case of treatment of malaria, Dr Quarshie read statistics to the effect that 9,494 cases were handled in 2006; 14,194 in 2007 and 16,945 cases thus far in 2008, adding that, to reduce the burden of malaria infection, the district carried out intensive education on the preventive treatment of pregnant mothers.
He also mentioned the sale of insecticide treated bed nets (ITBNs) to prevent pregnant mothers and children under five from being infected; re-treatment of bed nets during the National Child Health Promotion Week celebration as well as monitoring of the use of some malaria treatment drugs by pregnant mothers as some of the programmes organised to help reduce the incidence of malaria in the district.
On HIV/AIDS, Dr Quarshie said 90 patients were screened in 2006 with 40 positive cases; 547 in 2007 with 80 positive cases and 191 so far this year with 46 testing positive.
Presenting the operational report, Alhaji Oathmah Adams, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the scheme, said the scheme had a total active membership of 59,539 of the district’s population of 98,304, realising a total premium of GH¢78,883.05.
He said the total health attendance recorded was 49,205 with 46,965 being Out-patients while patients below 18 formed more than 50 per cent of the total attendance followed by clients from the informal sector.
He said GH¢436,665.86 was paid to service providers of the scheme.
The health system in the Pru District in the Brong Ahafo Region recorded a reduction in guinea worm cases from 169 in 2005 to 97 cases in 2006 and down to 12 in 2007.
Only two cases were recorded by June, this year.
The Pru District Director of Health Services, Dr Prince Quarshie, explained that the two were “imported cases” as the patients had contracted the disease from outside the district before relocating somewhere in January, this year. Three years ago the district was leading in guinea worm cases in the country with 169 cases. Ghana is second to Sudan in Africa in terms of guinea worm infections.
Dr Quarshie, who disclosed the statistics at the second annual general meeting of the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, said if by the end of December no more cases had been recorded then it would be understood that the disease had been eradicated in the area.
On tuberculosis (TB) control, he said 115 and 117 cases were recorded in 2006 and 2007 respectively and 119 thus far in 2008, while 9,494, 14,194 and 16,945 malaria cases were recorded in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively.
In the case of treatment of malaria, Dr Quarshie read statistics to the effect that 9,494 cases were handled in 2006; 14,194 in 2007 and 16,945 cases thus far in 2008, adding that, to reduce the burden of malaria infection, the district carried out intensive education on the preventive treatment of pregnant mothers.
He also mentioned the sale of insecticide treated bed nets (ITBNs) to prevent pregnant mothers and children under five from being infected; re-treatment of bed nets during the National Child Health Promotion Week celebration as well as monitoring of the use of some malaria treatment drugs by pregnant mothers as some of the programmes organised to help reduce the incidence of malaria in the district.
On HIV/AIDS, Dr Quarshie said 90 patients were screened in 2006 with 40 positive cases; 547 in 2007 with 80 positive cases and 191 so far this year with 46 testing positive.
Presenting the operational report, Alhaji Oathmah Adams, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the scheme, said the scheme had a total active membership of 59,539 of the district’s population of 98,304, realising a total premium of GH¢78,883.05.
He said the total health attendance recorded was 49,205 with 46,965 being Out-patients while patients below 18 formed more than 50 per cent of the total attendance followed by clients from the informal sector.
He said GH¢436,665.86 was paid to service providers of the scheme.
WATCHMAN JAILED 10 YEARS FOR DEFILEMENT (PAGE 35)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani
A watchman, Baba Mamudu, has been jailed 10 years with hard labour for defiling a 12-year-old girl.
The 45-year-old watchman from Kotokrom, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, blindfolded, gagged and tore the girl’s panties before sexually abusing her.
He was sentenced on his own plea of guilty by the Sunyani Circuit Court ‘A’ presided over by Mr Kwame Ohene-Essel.
Mr Ohene-Essel, convicting Mamudu, said he considered the age of the victim and advised parents who send their children on errands to be wary of people like the accused.
The facts of the case were that the girl lived with her brother at Kotokrom, while Mamudu worked as a watchman in the vicinity.
According to the prosecution, Mamudu invited the girl to his house at about 1 p.m. on Monday, September 29, 2008, forced her into his room and abused her. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment and later discharged.
A doctor’s report, the prosecution said, indicated that the hymen of the girl had been broken and there were blood clots and requested the girl’s parents to deal leniently with her, since she was traumatised.
Mamudu was charged with defiling a female under 16 years of age under section 101 of Act 29/60 of the criminal code.
A watchman, Baba Mamudu, has been jailed 10 years with hard labour for defiling a 12-year-old girl.
The 45-year-old watchman from Kotokrom, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, blindfolded, gagged and tore the girl’s panties before sexually abusing her.
He was sentenced on his own plea of guilty by the Sunyani Circuit Court ‘A’ presided over by Mr Kwame Ohene-Essel.
Mr Ohene-Essel, convicting Mamudu, said he considered the age of the victim and advised parents who send their children on errands to be wary of people like the accused.
The facts of the case were that the girl lived with her brother at Kotokrom, while Mamudu worked as a watchman in the vicinity.
According to the prosecution, Mamudu invited the girl to his house at about 1 p.m. on Monday, September 29, 2008, forced her into his room and abused her. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment and later discharged.
A doctor’s report, the prosecution said, indicated that the hymen of the girl had been broken and there were blood clots and requested the girl’s parents to deal leniently with her, since she was traumatised.
Mamudu was charged with defiling a female under 16 years of age under section 101 of Act 29/60 of the criminal code.
Monday, October 13, 2008
BEST TEACHERS RECEIVE AWARDS IN SUNYANI (NSEMPA, PAGES 8 & 9)
By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah-Samuel Duodu, Sunyani
HUNDREDS of people from various parts of the country converged at the Sunyani Jubilee Park in the Brong Ahafo Region last Tuesday to witness the 14th edition of the National Best Teacher Awards ceremony, where 42-year-old Mr Sadique Boateng, an Integrated Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyaa Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi, emerged the Overall Best Teacher for 2008.
Winner
Mr Boateng, who is currently pursuing a Masters degree in ICT at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region, received a cheque for GH¢60,000 to be used for the construction of a house at a place of his choice, while the first runner-up, Madam Magdalene Mensah, 48, a French teacher at the Opoku Ware SHS, also in Kumasi, was presented with a Nissan Pick-up vehicle, a computer and its accessories.
Madam Alice Dzifa Gligui Denueme, 40, who is the Head of Department of Home Economics at the Awudome SHS at Tsito in the Volta Region, received a Nissan Sunny Saloon car valued at $18,000 plus a computer and its accessories.
As early as 7.00a.m. on the day, people from all walks of life had started arriving to witness the ceremony, which was instituted by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to bestow honours on teachers for their hard work, commitment and dedication to their profession.
Before converging on the park, members of the GNAT from various parts of the country went on a float through the principal streets of Sunyani, while dancing to tunes provided by a brass band.
Among the large audience were Members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), Municipal and District Chief Executives, the Clergy, retired educationists, regional and district Directors of Education, heads of educational institutions, traditional authorities, heads of the various security agencies, schoolchildren and students.
Also present were the Tanokrom Agoromaa of the Sunyani Centre for National Culture and other traditional drummers, as well as the Sunyani SHS Choir, which entertained the crowd with some thrilling performances while waiting for the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor, the guest of honour.
Patience
Having waited patiently over three hours, President Kufuor and his entourage arrived at the venue to a standing ovation amidst drumming as he went round the park to exchange pleasantries with the people.
In all, a total of 92 teachers, workers of the Ghana Education Service (GES), as well as foreign volunteers, National Service personnel and retire teachers from the host region who had distinguished themselves were honoured.
The awardees were presented with sets of computers, gas cookers, double and single-door fridges, native carvings, artifacts, certificates, ghetto blasters plus cash prizes.
The GNAT also used the occasion to present school bags containing school uniforms, exercise books and shoes to 20 needy pupils selected from two deprived communities, namely Nkrankrom in the Sunyani Municipality and Ashiayem in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was the major sponsor of the event while the MTN Ghana Foundation provided the prize for the 2nd runner-up.
Other sponsors were SEDCO/Longman, Ultimate Supplies Limited, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the French Embassy.
In a brief interview with newsmen, the Overall Best Teacher, Mr Boateng, said he was very happy to be the winner of the 2008 Overall Best National Teacher award.
According to him, he had received several offers with juicy conditions of service from financial institutions to work with them, but had turned down all those offers since he was committed to teaching.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kodom IV, President of the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs and the Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, who advised awardees to put in their best in the ensuing years, chaired the function.
Computers
Addressing the gathering, President J.A. Kufuor announced that all school children between the ages of five and 12 in public schools would be provided with personnel computers by the government soon.
He said the computers, designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America (USA), would enable the children to acquire knowledge in ICT, which is currently the most critical basic instrument of education worldwide.
The President disclosed further that the deal for the supply of the computers was negotiated by the late Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, two years ago.
To acknowledge the role the late minister played, the project would be called “Baah-Wiredu’s Computer a child” in his memory.
President Kufuor further announced that the first batch of 10,000 units of what he described as “Magic Computers for Children” would soon arrive in the country in fulfilment of the government’s promise.
The President said “Baah-Wiredu, was assigned the responsibility two years ago, to negotiate with MIT, the creators of this machine, to supply all children of Ghana. Rather tragically and sadly, the very day the producers came to present a sample of the wonder machine to me in New York two weeks ago, was when news of the minister’s demise reached me and here is the sample which I brought to show you”.
Happily, the President noted that, the emphasis placed on ICT in the educational reform was beginning to show the needed encouragement to make ICT user-friendly. Likewise, technical schools and the science resource centres in the 10 regional capitals were also being rehabilitated and resourced to give school leavers, the rounded education, that the global market demanded.
HUNDREDS of people from various parts of the country converged at the Sunyani Jubilee Park in the Brong Ahafo Region last Tuesday to witness the 14th edition of the National Best Teacher Awards ceremony, where 42-year-old Mr Sadique Boateng, an Integrated Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyaa Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi, emerged the Overall Best Teacher for 2008.
Winner
Mr Boateng, who is currently pursuing a Masters degree in ICT at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region, received a cheque for GH¢60,000 to be used for the construction of a house at a place of his choice, while the first runner-up, Madam Magdalene Mensah, 48, a French teacher at the Opoku Ware SHS, also in Kumasi, was presented with a Nissan Pick-up vehicle, a computer and its accessories.
Madam Alice Dzifa Gligui Denueme, 40, who is the Head of Department of Home Economics at the Awudome SHS at Tsito in the Volta Region, received a Nissan Sunny Saloon car valued at $18,000 plus a computer and its accessories.
As early as 7.00a.m. on the day, people from all walks of life had started arriving to witness the ceremony, which was instituted by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to bestow honours on teachers for their hard work, commitment and dedication to their profession.
Before converging on the park, members of the GNAT from various parts of the country went on a float through the principal streets of Sunyani, while dancing to tunes provided by a brass band.
Among the large audience were Members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), Municipal and District Chief Executives, the Clergy, retired educationists, regional and district Directors of Education, heads of educational institutions, traditional authorities, heads of the various security agencies, schoolchildren and students.
Also present were the Tanokrom Agoromaa of the Sunyani Centre for National Culture and other traditional drummers, as well as the Sunyani SHS Choir, which entertained the crowd with some thrilling performances while waiting for the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor, the guest of honour.
Patience
Having waited patiently over three hours, President Kufuor and his entourage arrived at the venue to a standing ovation amidst drumming as he went round the park to exchange pleasantries with the people.
In all, a total of 92 teachers, workers of the Ghana Education Service (GES), as well as foreign volunteers, National Service personnel and retire teachers from the host region who had distinguished themselves were honoured.
The awardees were presented with sets of computers, gas cookers, double and single-door fridges, native carvings, artifacts, certificates, ghetto blasters plus cash prizes.
The GNAT also used the occasion to present school bags containing school uniforms, exercise books and shoes to 20 needy pupils selected from two deprived communities, namely Nkrankrom in the Sunyani Municipality and Ashiayem in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was the major sponsor of the event while the MTN Ghana Foundation provided the prize for the 2nd runner-up.
Other sponsors were SEDCO/Longman, Ultimate Supplies Limited, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the French Embassy.
In a brief interview with newsmen, the Overall Best Teacher, Mr Boateng, said he was very happy to be the winner of the 2008 Overall Best National Teacher award.
According to him, he had received several offers with juicy conditions of service from financial institutions to work with them, but had turned down all those offers since he was committed to teaching.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kodom IV, President of the Brong Ahafo House of Chiefs and the Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, who advised awardees to put in their best in the ensuing years, chaired the function.
Computers
Addressing the gathering, President J.A. Kufuor announced that all school children between the ages of five and 12 in public schools would be provided with personnel computers by the government soon.
He said the computers, designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America (USA), would enable the children to acquire knowledge in ICT, which is currently the most critical basic instrument of education worldwide.
The President disclosed further that the deal for the supply of the computers was negotiated by the late Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, two years ago.
To acknowledge the role the late minister played, the project would be called “Baah-Wiredu’s Computer a child” in his memory.
President Kufuor further announced that the first batch of 10,000 units of what he described as “Magic Computers for Children” would soon arrive in the country in fulfilment of the government’s promise.
The President said “Baah-Wiredu, was assigned the responsibility two years ago, to negotiate with MIT, the creators of this machine, to supply all children of Ghana. Rather tragically and sadly, the very day the producers came to present a sample of the wonder machine to me in New York two weeks ago, was when news of the minister’s demise reached me and here is the sample which I brought to show you”.
Happily, the President noted that, the emphasis placed on ICT in the educational reform was beginning to show the needed encouragement to make ICT user-friendly. Likewise, technical schools and the science resource centres in the 10 regional capitals were also being rehabilitated and resourced to give school leavers, the rounded education, that the global market demanded.
BARCLAYS HOLDS SECOND MINI DRAW (NSEMPA, PAGE 20)
By Akwasi Ampratwum Mensah, Berekum
THE second mini-draw of the “Wheels of Surprise” promotion by Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited, has been held at the premises of the Berekum Branch of the bank, in the Brong Ahafo Region, with Mr Michael Ayisi, a customer of the Makola branch in Accra, emerging the winner with a DSTV-Dish, decoder and free installation as well as three months free subscription as his prize.
Mr Jeffery Telly Quainoo of the Maamobi branch, and Mr Jim Blankson Hemans of the Legon branch of the bank, both in Accra, won the second and third prizes in that order and have received the same items and services from the bank as their prizes.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh prizes were taken by Messrs George Asare of the Berekum branch, Emmanuel Osei, Agoogo in Ashanti, Tabi Tawiah William of the Darkuman branch and Robot Enterprise in Tema and for their prizes, Mr Asare and Mr Osei were presented with 21-inch colour television (TV) set each while Mr Tawiah and Robot Enterprise took home mobile phones each.
The first mini draw of the bank’s promotion was held a couple of weeks ago at Kasoa in the Central Region, and the winners of the two draws qualified for the final draw to be held before the end of the year and which has a Jaguar Saloon car at stake as the ultimate prize.
Speaking at the function, the Head of Consumer Banking of Barclays, Nana Dwommon Benneh, said it was the intention of the bank to move to every corner of the country to do business with the people.
He stressed that with the bank’s 91 years operation in Ghana, it would continue to work harder to satisfy the aspirations of its numerous customers, adding that, there were lots of products that both current customers and prospective ones would enjoy.
“We cherish our dear customers so we want to provide quality services to them, especially in the coming years, Mr Benneh emphasised.
In his welcome address, Mr E.O. Lamptey, the Berekum Branch Manager of Barclays disclosed that a little over one year now when the bank opened a branch at Berekum, it could boast of about 12,000 customers in the municipality who were enjoying a variety of their products.
He indicated that, as a new branch and starting with three officials and a cashier, “we did extremely well to cope with the anticipated pressure to balance our work even though in the end we closed from the office at about 11:00p.m. This baptism of fire became our resolve that we would aim at hard work and excellence.
In another development, Capital Rural Bank Limited, a privately owned financial institution with its headquarters at Abesim, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, has opened its third agency at Fiapre also in the Sunyani Municipality with the second one in the Sunyani township itself, in its fifth year of operations.
The chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Yaw Peprah-Agyemang, disclosed at the ceremony that, even though the bank was one of the youngest rural banks in the country, it had been able to meet the minimum capital requirement of GH¢150,000 by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
He added that, as the second youngest bank in the Brong Ahafo Region, it could boast of an asset base of about GH¢3million and also indicated that the bank was among the few rural banks in Ghana that, had fully computerised its operations, saying that, providing efficient services, high interest on savings and easy access to loans, was in conformity with the avowed aim of the bank to provide affordable and accessible banking services, relevant to the needs and aspirations of the people in its catchment area and Ghana as a whole.
Dr Peprah-Agyeman pointed out that, apart from the banks first year when it suffered a minor loss, Capital had been very profitable in the remaining years, stating that, for the past two years, “we emerged the most profitable rural bank in the Brong Ahafo Region, despite being the youngest,”
The Vice Chairman of the Regional Chapter of the Association of Rural Banks, Mr Kofi Bonsu Boakye-Boateng, advised the youth in the area to invest their money in profitable ventures such as buying shares in the bank rather than engaging in alcoholism, drug abuse and other social vices, which would in the end ruin their lives.
THE second mini-draw of the “Wheels of Surprise” promotion by Barclays Bank of Ghana Limited, has been held at the premises of the Berekum Branch of the bank, in the Brong Ahafo Region, with Mr Michael Ayisi, a customer of the Makola branch in Accra, emerging the winner with a DSTV-Dish, decoder and free installation as well as three months free subscription as his prize.
Mr Jeffery Telly Quainoo of the Maamobi branch, and Mr Jim Blankson Hemans of the Legon branch of the bank, both in Accra, won the second and third prizes in that order and have received the same items and services from the bank as their prizes.
The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh prizes were taken by Messrs George Asare of the Berekum branch, Emmanuel Osei, Agoogo in Ashanti, Tabi Tawiah William of the Darkuman branch and Robot Enterprise in Tema and for their prizes, Mr Asare and Mr Osei were presented with 21-inch colour television (TV) set each while Mr Tawiah and Robot Enterprise took home mobile phones each.
The first mini draw of the bank’s promotion was held a couple of weeks ago at Kasoa in the Central Region, and the winners of the two draws qualified for the final draw to be held before the end of the year and which has a Jaguar Saloon car at stake as the ultimate prize.
Speaking at the function, the Head of Consumer Banking of Barclays, Nana Dwommon Benneh, said it was the intention of the bank to move to every corner of the country to do business with the people.
He stressed that with the bank’s 91 years operation in Ghana, it would continue to work harder to satisfy the aspirations of its numerous customers, adding that, there were lots of products that both current customers and prospective ones would enjoy.
“We cherish our dear customers so we want to provide quality services to them, especially in the coming years, Mr Benneh emphasised.
In his welcome address, Mr E.O. Lamptey, the Berekum Branch Manager of Barclays disclosed that a little over one year now when the bank opened a branch at Berekum, it could boast of about 12,000 customers in the municipality who were enjoying a variety of their products.
He indicated that, as a new branch and starting with three officials and a cashier, “we did extremely well to cope with the anticipated pressure to balance our work even though in the end we closed from the office at about 11:00p.m. This baptism of fire became our resolve that we would aim at hard work and excellence.
In another development, Capital Rural Bank Limited, a privately owned financial institution with its headquarters at Abesim, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, has opened its third agency at Fiapre also in the Sunyani Municipality with the second one in the Sunyani township itself, in its fifth year of operations.
The chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr Yaw Peprah-Agyemang, disclosed at the ceremony that, even though the bank was one of the youngest rural banks in the country, it had been able to meet the minimum capital requirement of GH¢150,000 by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
He added that, as the second youngest bank in the Brong Ahafo Region, it could boast of an asset base of about GH¢3million and also indicated that the bank was among the few rural banks in Ghana that, had fully computerised its operations, saying that, providing efficient services, high interest on savings and easy access to loans, was in conformity with the avowed aim of the bank to provide affordable and accessible banking services, relevant to the needs and aspirations of the people in its catchment area and Ghana as a whole.
Dr Peprah-Agyeman pointed out that, apart from the banks first year when it suffered a minor loss, Capital had been very profitable in the remaining years, stating that, for the past two years, “we emerged the most profitable rural bank in the Brong Ahafo Region, despite being the youngest,”
The Vice Chairman of the Regional Chapter of the Association of Rural Banks, Mr Kofi Bonsu Boakye-Boateng, advised the youth in the area to invest their money in profitable ventures such as buying shares in the bank rather than engaging in alcoholism, drug abuse and other social vices, which would in the end ruin their lives.
Friday, October 10, 2008
NATIONAL TEACHERS AWARD SCHEME IS MOTIVATIONAL (PAGE 11)
TWO past winners of the National Best Teacher Awards have described as motivational, inspirational and laudable the institution of the National Best Teacher/Worker Award Scheme by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) about 14 years ago.
They said the scheme which sought to honour hard work, commitment and sacrifices of teachers had made them role models in their respective areas of service.
An English Language teacher and Assistant Headmistress of the Sunyani Senior High School (SHS) in the Brong Ahafo Region, Madam Doris Naana Marfo, and a teacher of the Obokrom-Kumasi District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School (JHS) in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region, Faustina Gyeketey, the 2005 and 2007 winners said since they received their respective awards, the honour had greatly impacted positively on their personal lives as well as that of their students and the community in which they lived.
Madam Marfo and Madam Gyeketey expressed their satisfaction and appreciation of the scheme when they spoke to the Daily Graphic at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani during the 14th National Best Teacher Awards ceremony on Tuesday.
They were also happy with the improvement in the awards each year, and expressed the hope that more teachers would be motivated to work hard to become proud recipients of future national awards.
In all, 52 teachers were honoured for their hard work, patriotism and dedication to duty, with the overall national best teacher award going to Mr Sadique Boateng, a 42-year-old Integrated Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teacher of T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The two past recipients however expressed regret at the failure of the organisers of this year’s programme to invite them as role models to the function but they decided to attend on their own.
They said, they would spearhead the formation of an association of all past award winners, with the view to identifying ways of ensuring that whatever experiences they had gone through after receiving the awards could be shared with the Ghana Education Service (GES) as well as the MoESS.
They appealed to corporate and financial institutions to sponsor the national best teacher awards day in order to make the packages for awardees more attractive, as that of the national farmers’ day, which is sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
Madam Marfo later said the award had changed her life entirely as people accord her a lot of respect and recognition, adding that currently she was into promoting girls education at the community level as well as undertaking a reading project in basic schools where she normally presents reading materials to schools she visited.
She expressed gratitude to SEDCO, EPP Books and other writers who have been assisting her in the reading project, and appealed for bigger sponsorship to extend the project to other basic schools.
Madam Marfo disclosed that she had completed the four bedroom house of her choice at the Airport residential area in the Sunyani Municipality with the prize money of Gh¢30,000 she received as the 2005 overall national best teacher.
She, however, appealed to well wishers, spirited individuals and corporate organisations to aid her to construct a wall and the landscaping on the compound of the house.
For her part, Ms Gyeketey, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Home Economics Education at the University of Winneba (UEW) in the Central Region said ever since she won the award she had received several invitations to speak at several fora.
She disclosed that her bankers, the Akyempim Rural Bank in the Central Region, gave her a television set and Gh¢50 cash in recognition of hard work which won her the 2007 award.
Currently, Ms Gyeketey said she was sponsoring the education of three girls at the SHS level and disclosed that she was at the roofing stage of her four bedroom house, for which she used the GH¢40,000 cash prize given her for the construction of her house at Agona Swedru in the Central Region, the place of her choice.
She suggested that in future, the winner of the National Best Teacher Award should be awarded a scholarship to pursue further studies.
They said the scheme which sought to honour hard work, commitment and sacrifices of teachers had made them role models in their respective areas of service.
An English Language teacher and Assistant Headmistress of the Sunyani Senior High School (SHS) in the Brong Ahafo Region, Madam Doris Naana Marfo, and a teacher of the Obokrom-Kumasi District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School (JHS) in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region, Faustina Gyeketey, the 2005 and 2007 winners said since they received their respective awards, the honour had greatly impacted positively on their personal lives as well as that of their students and the community in which they lived.
Madam Marfo and Madam Gyeketey expressed their satisfaction and appreciation of the scheme when they spoke to the Daily Graphic at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani during the 14th National Best Teacher Awards ceremony on Tuesday.
They were also happy with the improvement in the awards each year, and expressed the hope that more teachers would be motivated to work hard to become proud recipients of future national awards.
In all, 52 teachers were honoured for their hard work, patriotism and dedication to duty, with the overall national best teacher award going to Mr Sadique Boateng, a 42-year-old Integrated Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teacher of T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The two past recipients however expressed regret at the failure of the organisers of this year’s programme to invite them as role models to the function but they decided to attend on their own.
They said, they would spearhead the formation of an association of all past award winners, with the view to identifying ways of ensuring that whatever experiences they had gone through after receiving the awards could be shared with the Ghana Education Service (GES) as well as the MoESS.
They appealed to corporate and financial institutions to sponsor the national best teacher awards day in order to make the packages for awardees more attractive, as that of the national farmers’ day, which is sponsored by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
Madam Marfo later said the award had changed her life entirely as people accord her a lot of respect and recognition, adding that currently she was into promoting girls education at the community level as well as undertaking a reading project in basic schools where she normally presents reading materials to schools she visited.
She expressed gratitude to SEDCO, EPP Books and other writers who have been assisting her in the reading project, and appealed for bigger sponsorship to extend the project to other basic schools.
Madam Marfo disclosed that she had completed the four bedroom house of her choice at the Airport residential area in the Sunyani Municipality with the prize money of Gh¢30,000 she received as the 2005 overall national best teacher.
She, however, appealed to well wishers, spirited individuals and corporate organisations to aid her to construct a wall and the landscaping on the compound of the house.
For her part, Ms Gyeketey, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Home Economics Education at the University of Winneba (UEW) in the Central Region said ever since she won the award she had received several invitations to speak at several fora.
She disclosed that her bankers, the Akyempim Rural Bank in the Central Region, gave her a television set and Gh¢50 cash in recognition of hard work which won her the 2007 award.
Currently, Ms Gyeketey said she was sponsoring the education of three girls at the SHS level and disclosed that she was at the roofing stage of her four bedroom house, for which she used the GH¢40,000 cash prize given her for the construction of her house at Agona Swedru in the Central Region, the place of her choice.
She suggested that in future, the winner of the National Best Teacher Award should be awarded a scholarship to pursue further studies.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
FIVE INJURED IN VIOLENCE AT TUOBODOM (PAGE 50)
FIVE people suffered gunshot wounds when violence broke out on the outskirts of Tuobodom, near Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, during the celebration of the annual Yam Festival.
The injuries occurred when some unidentified gunmen were said to have attacked the convoy of the Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who had been invited to the festival by one of the claimants to the Tuobodom Stool, Nana Obeng Ameyaw II.
One of the injured, Kwaku Takyi, who is said to be in critical condition, has been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi from the Techiman Holy Family Hospital for further observation, while the other four remain at the Techiman Hospital.
The Wenchi Divisional Police Commander, Superintendent Kwame Nkrumah Akumia, told the Daily Graphic at Tuobodom yesterday that the other four injured persons were Stephen Afrifa, Peter Assah, Yaw Frimpong and Kwame Ameyaw, adding that Takyi had been hit in the head by the bullet.
The assailants are alleged to be supporters of the other faction in the chieftaincy dispute who barricaded the main Techiman–Tuobodom road, thereby preventing vehicular and human movement through the town by the large number of people who wanted to witness the festival.
When the Daily Graphic visited the town about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, calm had been restored but the town had heavy military and police presence.
Supt Akumia explained that as part of activities marking the festival, the chief and his people decided to undertake a procession through the town before converging on the Roman Catholic School Park for the durbar.
However, he said a rival faction barricaded one part of the road from Techiman to Tuobodom with all manner of items and the police had to move in quickly to remove the blockade.
According to the Divisional Commander, the security personnel had a hectic time doing so, adding that even after the removal of the blockade, the faction at the end of the town would not allow Nana Ameyaw to pass through their area.
He said around the same time, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw arrived in the town to witness the ceremony but he and his entourage were prevented from doing so.
He said during that tense moment, there was indiscriminate shooting from a bush nearby, resulting in the injury of the five persons who were quickly rushed to the Holy Family Hospital.
When the Daily Graphic visited Nana Ameyaw’s palace, he was not available for comment. However, Opanin Kwaku Poku, the Ankobea Abusuapanyin, pointed out that the chief and his people had planned to observe the Yam Festival about a month earlier after the successful celebration of the festival by the chiefs and people of Techiman and its environs.
He explained that Tuobodom was the last to celebrate it because of its significance and the position it occupied within the Techiman Traditional Area.
He indicated that the chief and his people had no intention of fomenting trouble, since they were in a festive mood, pointing out that because of the violence perpetrated by the other faction, all the expected dignitaries failed to attend the programme.
At the time of filing this report, the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC), led by the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, had visited the conflict zone to access the situation at first-hand and meet the various factions.
Meanwhile, Samuel Duodu reports that in a telephone interview, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw said he had been invited by the Tuobodomhene, Nana Obeng Ameyaw, who was celebrating his annual Yam Festival at Tuobodom, to come and chair a grand durbar on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the festival.
He said when he and his entourage got to the outskirts of Tuobodom on the Techiman-Tuobodom main road, he saw that the road had been barricaded, saying that when his people attempted to remove it, some unidentified persons who had ambushed them in a nearby bush fired indiscriminately into his convoy, resulting in the injury of five persons, Takyi critically.
The Techimanhene further said his Mercedes Benz, with registration number BA 6525 W, was riddled with bullets.
“But by God's grace I escaped unhurt,” he said.
“Because of the bullet wounds sustained by the five people, we had to rush them to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital where they were admitted. As a result, the durbar did not come on,” Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw stated.
The injuries occurred when some unidentified gunmen were said to have attacked the convoy of the Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who had been invited to the festival by one of the claimants to the Tuobodom Stool, Nana Obeng Ameyaw II.
One of the injured, Kwaku Takyi, who is said to be in critical condition, has been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi from the Techiman Holy Family Hospital for further observation, while the other four remain at the Techiman Hospital.
The Wenchi Divisional Police Commander, Superintendent Kwame Nkrumah Akumia, told the Daily Graphic at Tuobodom yesterday that the other four injured persons were Stephen Afrifa, Peter Assah, Yaw Frimpong and Kwame Ameyaw, adding that Takyi had been hit in the head by the bullet.
The assailants are alleged to be supporters of the other faction in the chieftaincy dispute who barricaded the main Techiman–Tuobodom road, thereby preventing vehicular and human movement through the town by the large number of people who wanted to witness the festival.
When the Daily Graphic visited the town about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, calm had been restored but the town had heavy military and police presence.
Supt Akumia explained that as part of activities marking the festival, the chief and his people decided to undertake a procession through the town before converging on the Roman Catholic School Park for the durbar.
However, he said a rival faction barricaded one part of the road from Techiman to Tuobodom with all manner of items and the police had to move in quickly to remove the blockade.
According to the Divisional Commander, the security personnel had a hectic time doing so, adding that even after the removal of the blockade, the faction at the end of the town would not allow Nana Ameyaw to pass through their area.
He said around the same time, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw arrived in the town to witness the ceremony but he and his entourage were prevented from doing so.
He said during that tense moment, there was indiscriminate shooting from a bush nearby, resulting in the injury of the five persons who were quickly rushed to the Holy Family Hospital.
When the Daily Graphic visited Nana Ameyaw’s palace, he was not available for comment. However, Opanin Kwaku Poku, the Ankobea Abusuapanyin, pointed out that the chief and his people had planned to observe the Yam Festival about a month earlier after the successful celebration of the festival by the chiefs and people of Techiman and its environs.
He explained that Tuobodom was the last to celebrate it because of its significance and the position it occupied within the Techiman Traditional Area.
He indicated that the chief and his people had no intention of fomenting trouble, since they were in a festive mood, pointing out that because of the violence perpetrated by the other faction, all the expected dignitaries failed to attend the programme.
At the time of filing this report, the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC), led by the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, had visited the conflict zone to access the situation at first-hand and meet the various factions.
Meanwhile, Samuel Duodu reports that in a telephone interview, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw said he had been invited by the Tuobodomhene, Nana Obeng Ameyaw, who was celebrating his annual Yam Festival at Tuobodom, to come and chair a grand durbar on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the festival.
He said when he and his entourage got to the outskirts of Tuobodom on the Techiman-Tuobodom main road, he saw that the road had been barricaded, saying that when his people attempted to remove it, some unidentified persons who had ambushed them in a nearby bush fired indiscriminately into his convoy, resulting in the injury of five persons, Takyi critically.
The Techimanhene further said his Mercedes Benz, with registration number BA 6525 W, was riddled with bullets.
“But by God's grace I escaped unhurt,” he said.
“Because of the bullet wounds sustained by the five people, we had to rush them to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital where they were admitted. As a result, the durbar did not come on,” Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw stated.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
SADIQUE BOATENG IS OVERALL BEST TEACHER (PAGE 3)
A 42-year-old Integrated Science and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi, Mr Sadique Boateng, has been adjudged the Overall Best Teacher for 2008.
At a well-attended National Best Teacher Awards ceremony at the Sunyani Jubilee Park yesterday, Mr Boateng, currently pursuing a masters degree in ICT at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), received a cheque for GH¢60,000 to be used for the construction of a house at a place of his choice.
Madam Magdalene Mensah, 48, a teacher of French at the Opoku Ware SHS, also in Kumasi, was the first runner-up and she was presented with a Nissan pick-up vehicle valued at $22,000, as well as a computer and its accessories.
Madam Alice Dzifa Gligui Denueme, 40, the Head of the Department of Home Economics at Awudome SHS at Tsito in the Volta Region, who was adjudged the second runner-up, received a Nissan Sunny saloon car valued at $18,009, as well as a computer and its accessories.
As early as 7:00 a.m. people from all walks of life had filled the Jubilee Park to witness the ceremony, which was instituted in 1995 by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to honour teachers for their hard work, commitment and dedicated services.
Earlier, members of GNAT from various part of the country had gone on a float through the principal streets of Sunyani, amid dancing and brass band music.
Among the large audience were members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), municipal and district chief executives, members of academia, the clergy, educationists, security personnel, chiefs and students.
Also present were the Tanokrom Agoroma of the Sunyani Centre for National Culture, other traditional drummers, as well as the Sunyani SHS Choir, which entertained the crowd with some thrilling performances while they were waiting for the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor, the guest of honour.
The theme for the occasion was, “Quality Teachers for Quality Education: Teachers Matter”.
President Kufuor and his entourage arrived at the venue to a tumultuous welcome, amidst drumming. They immediately went round the park to exchange pleasantries with the people.
In all, 92 teachers and workers of the Ghana Education Service (GES) who had distinguished themselves in their duties were honoured, as well as some foreign volunteers, some national service persons and retired teachers from the host region.
The award winners were presented with computers, gas cookers, double and single-door fridges, native carvings, artefacts, certificates, ghetto blasters and cash.
The GNAT also used the occasion to present school bags containing school uniforms, exercise books and footwear to 20 needy pupils selected from two deprived communities, namely, Nkrankrom in the Sunyani municipality and Ashiayem in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The major sponsor of the scheme was the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), with the MTN Ghana Foundation providing the prize for the second runner-up.
Other sponsors were SEDCO/Longman, Ultimate Supplies Limited, the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the French Embassy.
In a brief interview with newsmen, Mr Boateng said he was highly elated at winning the Overall Best National Teacher award.
According to him, he had received several offers with juicy conditions of service from financial institutions to come and work with them but he turned all of them down, since he was committed to teaching, saying he would want to remain in the teaching profession.
The function was chaired by the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyeman Kodom IV, who advised the award winners to do their best in the ensuing years.
At a well-attended National Best Teacher Awards ceremony at the Sunyani Jubilee Park yesterday, Mr Boateng, currently pursuing a masters degree in ICT at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), received a cheque for GH¢60,000 to be used for the construction of a house at a place of his choice.
Madam Magdalene Mensah, 48, a teacher of French at the Opoku Ware SHS, also in Kumasi, was the first runner-up and she was presented with a Nissan pick-up vehicle valued at $22,000, as well as a computer and its accessories.
Madam Alice Dzifa Gligui Denueme, 40, the Head of the Department of Home Economics at Awudome SHS at Tsito in the Volta Region, who was adjudged the second runner-up, received a Nissan Sunny saloon car valued at $18,009, as well as a computer and its accessories.
As early as 7:00 a.m. people from all walks of life had filled the Jubilee Park to witness the ceremony, which was instituted in 1995 by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to honour teachers for their hard work, commitment and dedicated services.
Earlier, members of GNAT from various part of the country had gone on a float through the principal streets of Sunyani, amid dancing and brass band music.
Among the large audience were members of the Council of State, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament (MPs), municipal and district chief executives, members of academia, the clergy, educationists, security personnel, chiefs and students.
Also present were the Tanokrom Agoroma of the Sunyani Centre for National Culture, other traditional drummers, as well as the Sunyani SHS Choir, which entertained the crowd with some thrilling performances while they were waiting for the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor, the guest of honour.
The theme for the occasion was, “Quality Teachers for Quality Education: Teachers Matter”.
President Kufuor and his entourage arrived at the venue to a tumultuous welcome, amidst drumming. They immediately went round the park to exchange pleasantries with the people.
In all, 92 teachers and workers of the Ghana Education Service (GES) who had distinguished themselves in their duties were honoured, as well as some foreign volunteers, some national service persons and retired teachers from the host region.
The award winners were presented with computers, gas cookers, double and single-door fridges, native carvings, artefacts, certificates, ghetto blasters and cash.
The GNAT also used the occasion to present school bags containing school uniforms, exercise books and footwear to 20 needy pupils selected from two deprived communities, namely, Nkrankrom in the Sunyani municipality and Ashiayem in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The major sponsor of the scheme was the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), with the MTN Ghana Foundation providing the prize for the second runner-up.
Other sponsors were SEDCO/Longman, Ultimate Supplies Limited, the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the French Embassy.
In a brief interview with newsmen, Mr Boateng said he was highly elated at winning the Overall Best National Teacher award.
According to him, he had received several offers with juicy conditions of service from financial institutions to come and work with them but he turned all of them down, since he was committed to teaching, saying he would want to remain in the teaching profession.
The function was chaired by the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyeman Kodom IV, who advised the award winners to do their best in the ensuing years.
COMPUTER PER CHILD...Govt's initiative to boost ICT skills in public schools (LEAD STORY)
ALL school children between the ages of five and 12 in public schools will soon be provided with personal computers by the government.
Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America (USA), the computers are to enable the children to acquire skills in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which is currently the most critical basic instrument of education world-wide.
Making the disclosure in Sunyani yesterday, President J. A. Kufuor said the deal for the supply of the computers was negotiated by the late Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, two years ago.
To acknowledge the role the late minister played, the machines are to be called “Baah-Wiredu’s Computer a child” to honour his memory.
Speaking at the 14th annual Teachers Awards ceremony in Sunyani yesterday, President Kufuor announced that the first batch of 10,000 units of what he described as “Magic Computers for Children” would soon arrive in the country in fulfilment of the government’s promise.
The President said “Baah-Wiredu was assigned the responsibility two years ago to negotiate with MIT, the creators of the machine, to supply all children in Ghana”.
“Rather tragically and sadly, the very day the producers came to present a sample of the wonder machine to me in New York, two weeks ago, was when news of the minister’s demise reached me. Here is the sample which I brought to show you,” he said.
The President then called for a minute’s silence to be observed in Mr Baah-Wiredu’s memory and remarked, “We cannot honour his memory enough. He was a dedicated public servant.”
In all, 52 teachers selected from 12 categories, as well as workers in education, were honoured for their hard work, patriotism and dedication to duty, with the Overall National Best Teacher award going to Mr Sadique Boateng, a 42- year-old Integrated Science and ICT teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The theme for the celebration was, “Quality Teachers for Quality Education: Teachers Matter”.
At the same ceremony, 40 retired teachers selected from the various districts of the host region were honoured.
President Kufuor also announced that textbooks and supplementary reading materials for all levels of education, from kindergarten, through primary and junior high school (JHS) to SHS, had been procured and were being distributed from district to district.
Happily, the President noted, the emphasis on ICT in the educational reform was beginning to show the need to make ICT user friendly, adding that technical schools and the science resource centres in the 10 regional capitals were also being rehabilitated and resourced to give school leavers the rounded education the global market needed.
President Kufuor again announced that the government aimed at providing every teacher with a personal computer, pointing out that “teachers must master the magic machine before they can guide their pupils to make any headway in it. Indeed, government intends to sustain the progress made thus far by motivating teachers in different ways”.
He said he had directed that the October 2006 salaries of some teachers which were suspended due to a strike they had embarked on be restored forthwith, adding that it was the government’s show of solidarity with the teachers as they celebrated the awards day.
According to President Kufuor, a progressive review of teachers’ salaries continued to engage government’s attention and further announced that preparations were underway to implement the recommendations for a single-spine salary structure to ensure that all workers received equal pay for equal work next year.
Other incentives for the teacher, he said, included 130 units of accommodation for them, free bicycles for those in deprived schools and motorbikes for circuit supervisors for purchase on manageable terms.
The President said to enhance management efficiency, 200 buses had been provided for the district education offices, while 100 Toyota 4x4 pick-up vehicles had been supplied to the district directorates of education and heads of selected SHS and that 40 Mahindra 4x4 Jeeps were expected for distribution to other SHS.
“These are only some of the things government is trying to do to rationalise the teaching service and make it more attractive,” he added.
He paid tribute to the award winners and urged them to work harder than before by returning to their classrooms and offices more committed than before.
“Let me take this opportunity, at this stage, to thank our development partners who have also been contributing to government’s efforts at improving and modernising education in the country. Their continued assistance is proof that truly the international community is evolving into an interdependent world,” he noted.
President Kufuor said by the operations of the national Constitution, his tenure as the President of the Republic was coming to an end in two months’ time and that he could not leave the scene without expressing his sincere appreciation and acknowledgement to the leadership and the rank and file of the educational sector, both public and private, for the dramatic growth in the sector.
He pointed out that the future of the nation was bright, with great prospects for industrialisation on the back of the petro-chemical industry and an integrated bauxite-aluminium industry.
The President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, noted that a dedicated teacher was the key to good education and that explained why there had been an innovative way to reward successful teachers, as well as encourage those who were striving to improve themselves.
The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Prof Dominic Fobih, launched a 60-page reader-friendly book which was designed to address some of the good practices in teaching and community service.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, in his welcoming address, urged teachers to gird their loins towards the successful implementation of the new educational reform.
The function was chaired by the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, who is also the Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area.
Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States of America (USA), the computers are to enable the children to acquire skills in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which is currently the most critical basic instrument of education world-wide.
Making the disclosure in Sunyani yesterday, President J. A. Kufuor said the deal for the supply of the computers was negotiated by the late Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, two years ago.
To acknowledge the role the late minister played, the machines are to be called “Baah-Wiredu’s Computer a child” to honour his memory.
Speaking at the 14th annual Teachers Awards ceremony in Sunyani yesterday, President Kufuor announced that the first batch of 10,000 units of what he described as “Magic Computers for Children” would soon arrive in the country in fulfilment of the government’s promise.
The President said “Baah-Wiredu was assigned the responsibility two years ago to negotiate with MIT, the creators of the machine, to supply all children in Ghana”.
“Rather tragically and sadly, the very day the producers came to present a sample of the wonder machine to me in New York, two weeks ago, was when news of the minister’s demise reached me. Here is the sample which I brought to show you,” he said.
The President then called for a minute’s silence to be observed in Mr Baah-Wiredu’s memory and remarked, “We cannot honour his memory enough. He was a dedicated public servant.”
In all, 52 teachers selected from 12 categories, as well as workers in education, were honoured for their hard work, patriotism and dedication to duty, with the Overall National Best Teacher award going to Mr Sadique Boateng, a 42- year-old Integrated Science and ICT teacher of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School (SHS) in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The theme for the celebration was, “Quality Teachers for Quality Education: Teachers Matter”.
At the same ceremony, 40 retired teachers selected from the various districts of the host region were honoured.
President Kufuor also announced that textbooks and supplementary reading materials for all levels of education, from kindergarten, through primary and junior high school (JHS) to SHS, had been procured and were being distributed from district to district.
Happily, the President noted, the emphasis on ICT in the educational reform was beginning to show the need to make ICT user friendly, adding that technical schools and the science resource centres in the 10 regional capitals were also being rehabilitated and resourced to give school leavers the rounded education the global market needed.
President Kufuor again announced that the government aimed at providing every teacher with a personal computer, pointing out that “teachers must master the magic machine before they can guide their pupils to make any headway in it. Indeed, government intends to sustain the progress made thus far by motivating teachers in different ways”.
He said he had directed that the October 2006 salaries of some teachers which were suspended due to a strike they had embarked on be restored forthwith, adding that it was the government’s show of solidarity with the teachers as they celebrated the awards day.
According to President Kufuor, a progressive review of teachers’ salaries continued to engage government’s attention and further announced that preparations were underway to implement the recommendations for a single-spine salary structure to ensure that all workers received equal pay for equal work next year.
Other incentives for the teacher, he said, included 130 units of accommodation for them, free bicycles for those in deprived schools and motorbikes for circuit supervisors for purchase on manageable terms.
The President said to enhance management efficiency, 200 buses had been provided for the district education offices, while 100 Toyota 4x4 pick-up vehicles had been supplied to the district directorates of education and heads of selected SHS and that 40 Mahindra 4x4 Jeeps were expected for distribution to other SHS.
“These are only some of the things government is trying to do to rationalise the teaching service and make it more attractive,” he added.
He paid tribute to the award winners and urged them to work harder than before by returning to their classrooms and offices more committed than before.
“Let me take this opportunity, at this stage, to thank our development partners who have also been contributing to government’s efforts at improving and modernising education in the country. Their continued assistance is proof that truly the international community is evolving into an interdependent world,” he noted.
President Kufuor said by the operations of the national Constitution, his tenure as the President of the Republic was coming to an end in two months’ time and that he could not leave the scene without expressing his sincere appreciation and acknowledgement to the leadership and the rank and file of the educational sector, both public and private, for the dramatic growth in the sector.
He pointed out that the future of the nation was bright, with great prospects for industrialisation on the back of the petro-chemical industry and an integrated bauxite-aluminium industry.
The President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, noted that a dedicated teacher was the key to good education and that explained why there had been an innovative way to reward successful teachers, as well as encourage those who were striving to improve themselves.
The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Prof Dominic Fobih, launched a 60-page reader-friendly book which was designed to address some of the good practices in teaching and community service.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, in his welcoming address, urged teachers to gird their loins towards the successful implementation of the new educational reform.
The function was chaired by the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, who is also the Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area.
Monday, October 6, 2008
INSURANCE COMMISSION EMBARKS ON CAMPAIGN ON COMPENSATION FUND (PAGE 52)
THE National Insurance Commission (NIC) has embarked on a nationwide campaign to educate businessmen and women, drivers, corporate organisations as well as individuals on the need to insure whatever enterprise they were engaged in so that in the event of any accident, they could be compensated.
The commission has observed that many people failed to insure their wares, property and other belongings so in case of fire outbreaks and other accidents, culminating in the loss of their items, they found it difficult to receive compensation.
The Legal Director of the NIC, Mrs Eunice Ocran, has addressed one of such campaigns in Sunyani.
She said a compensation fund was set-up in 1996 for injured persons who were unable to obtain compensation from an insurance company owing to certain unmet requirements.
The legal director further explained that the fund would compensate anybody who had been injured after 1996 but who was unable to obtain compensation from an insurance company because the motorist was uninsured, meaning that, the vehicle owner failed to take a motor insurance policy.
On the procedure for claims, she said, the victim should first put in claims from the insurer or vehicle owner and if that failed, he or she could petition either in writing to the secretary of the compensation fund or could call personally at the offices of the fund.
The legal director pointed out that where an insurance company refused a claim, a letter from the company stating clearly the reasons for the refusal, should also be provided.
The commission has observed that many people failed to insure their wares, property and other belongings so in case of fire outbreaks and other accidents, culminating in the loss of their items, they found it difficult to receive compensation.
The Legal Director of the NIC, Mrs Eunice Ocran, has addressed one of such campaigns in Sunyani.
She said a compensation fund was set-up in 1996 for injured persons who were unable to obtain compensation from an insurance company owing to certain unmet requirements.
The legal director further explained that the fund would compensate anybody who had been injured after 1996 but who was unable to obtain compensation from an insurance company because the motorist was uninsured, meaning that, the vehicle owner failed to take a motor insurance policy.
On the procedure for claims, she said, the victim should first put in claims from the insurer or vehicle owner and if that failed, he or she could petition either in writing to the secretary of the compensation fund or could call personally at the offices of the fund.
The legal director pointed out that where an insurance company refused a claim, a letter from the company stating clearly the reasons for the refusal, should also be provided.
4 PEOJECTS FOR CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY READY (PAGE 52)
FOUR projects have been completed at the new site of the Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG) at Fiapre, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The projects, costing GH¢25 million, have paved the way for the 2008/2009 academic year to start at the new campus.
Since its establishment in March 2003, academic work of the university had been taking place at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Sunyani.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) decided in 1998 to establish the CUGC.
The four structures at the new site are a resource centre hosting the university library, computer laboratories, and two large lecture theatres with a seating capacity of 1,200 and a classroom block containing nine big rooms, two of which have been converted into offices for the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor, with the third one being turned into a board meeting room.
Addressing a news conference to usher in the new academic year of the CUCG at the new site on Thursday, the Vice Chancellor, Professor James H. Ephraim, stated that a second classroom block was at the third floor level while an administration block was at the ground floor.
He added that 80 computers had already been set up in one of the two computer laboratories while additional 250 were expected to arrive soon.
The Vice Chancellor said a three-storey block under construction was 70 per cent complete, while contract had been awarded for the construction of 16 staff bungalows.
Plans, he said, were afoot for the establishment of science laboratories for the basic sciences.
The Vice Chancellor stated that from a modest beginning of 50 students, who matriculated on November 13, 2003, the university currently had enrolment of 1,280 undertaking degree programmes in Economics and Business Administration, with options in Economics, Accounting, Management as well as Banking and Finance.
According to Prof. Ephraim, the university was also offering training programmes in Religious Studies up to the Masters level, B.Sc. in Public Health with options in Health Management, Health Informatics and Health Education, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed), which has the options of School Administration and Guidance and Counselling.
In addition, he said, the university offered one-year and two-year Diploma programmes in Education for graduate teachers who wanted to have a professional qualification, and that it organised a Night School, which provides the opportunity for adults, especially employees, to study for their part-time degrees.
The projects, costing GH¢25 million, have paved the way for the 2008/2009 academic year to start at the new campus.
Since its establishment in March 2003, academic work of the university had been taking place at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Sunyani.
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) decided in 1998 to establish the CUGC.
The four structures at the new site are a resource centre hosting the university library, computer laboratories, and two large lecture theatres with a seating capacity of 1,200 and a classroom block containing nine big rooms, two of which have been converted into offices for the Registrar and the Vice Chancellor, with the third one being turned into a board meeting room.
Addressing a news conference to usher in the new academic year of the CUCG at the new site on Thursday, the Vice Chancellor, Professor James H. Ephraim, stated that a second classroom block was at the third floor level while an administration block was at the ground floor.
He added that 80 computers had already been set up in one of the two computer laboratories while additional 250 were expected to arrive soon.
The Vice Chancellor said a three-storey block under construction was 70 per cent complete, while contract had been awarded for the construction of 16 staff bungalows.
Plans, he said, were afoot for the establishment of science laboratories for the basic sciences.
The Vice Chancellor stated that from a modest beginning of 50 students, who matriculated on November 13, 2003, the university currently had enrolment of 1,280 undertaking degree programmes in Economics and Business Administration, with options in Economics, Accounting, Management as well as Banking and Finance.
According to Prof. Ephraim, the university was also offering training programmes in Religious Studies up to the Masters level, B.Sc. in Public Health with options in Health Management, Health Informatics and Health Education, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed), which has the options of School Administration and Guidance and Counselling.
In addition, he said, the university offered one-year and two-year Diploma programmes in Education for graduate teachers who wanted to have a professional qualification, and that it organised a Night School, which provides the opportunity for adults, especially employees, to study for their part-time degrees.
MOFA READY TO OFFER EXTENSION SERVICES TO FARMERS (PAGE 52)
THE Brong Ahafo Regional Extension Officer of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr John Ayisi Jatango, has given the assurance that agricultural extension services would be provided to farmers who were ready to accept those services with a view of addressing their needs.
He further stated that the ministry would team up with the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the District Assemblies in creating the enabling environment for private sector participation in the funding and delivery of extension services.
The aim of the programme, he said, was to raise agricultural productivity in the region in particular and the country as a whole.
Speaking at an agricultural forum for stakeholders in the sector in Sunyani, Mr Jatango said it was the mission of MoFA to promote sustainable agriculture by ensuring an improved human livelihood through research and technology development.
Mr Jatango who presented a paper on the topic: “Increasing farmers access to agricultural services and improving rural infrastructure: The role of MoFA,’’ said MoFA was pursuing six main functions, including ensuring food security for the Ghanaian population and facilitating the production of agricultural raw materials for industry.
The ministry, he said, facilitated the production of agricultural commodities for export, effective and efficient input supply and distribution and ensured effective and efficient output processing and marketing system.
The regional extension officer stated that, the most important function that was of utmost concern to all Ghanaians was ensuring food security, which covered good quality nutrients food, hygienically packaged and attractively presented, available in sufficient qualities all year round and located at appropriate places at affordable prices.
The Senior Programme Officer in charge of Agriculture and Food Security of ActionAid International (AAI), Mr James Kusi Boama, who also presented a paper, observed that it was the wish of all farmers to produce enough food to feed themselves and family as well as for sale to generate income.
His topic was: “Market access and fair price for farmers’ produce—Key to food security.”
According to him, market access in globalisation was an umbrella term for a number of measures that a country might use to restrict imports.
He said one of the most common forms of such restrictions was tariffs on imported goods.
Mr Boama also explained that market access concerned regulation of imported services, adding that some countries might limit the number of foreign service supplier in a sector or limit the number of service transactions a foreign supplier might perform.
He further stated that the ministry would team up with the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the District Assemblies in creating the enabling environment for private sector participation in the funding and delivery of extension services.
The aim of the programme, he said, was to raise agricultural productivity in the region in particular and the country as a whole.
Speaking at an agricultural forum for stakeholders in the sector in Sunyani, Mr Jatango said it was the mission of MoFA to promote sustainable agriculture by ensuring an improved human livelihood through research and technology development.
Mr Jatango who presented a paper on the topic: “Increasing farmers access to agricultural services and improving rural infrastructure: The role of MoFA,’’ said MoFA was pursuing six main functions, including ensuring food security for the Ghanaian population and facilitating the production of agricultural raw materials for industry.
The ministry, he said, facilitated the production of agricultural commodities for export, effective and efficient input supply and distribution and ensured effective and efficient output processing and marketing system.
The regional extension officer stated that, the most important function that was of utmost concern to all Ghanaians was ensuring food security, which covered good quality nutrients food, hygienically packaged and attractively presented, available in sufficient qualities all year round and located at appropriate places at affordable prices.
The Senior Programme Officer in charge of Agriculture and Food Security of ActionAid International (AAI), Mr James Kusi Boama, who also presented a paper, observed that it was the wish of all farmers to produce enough food to feed themselves and family as well as for sale to generate income.
His topic was: “Market access and fair price for farmers’ produce—Key to food security.”
According to him, market access in globalisation was an umbrella term for a number of measures that a country might use to restrict imports.
He said one of the most common forms of such restrictions was tariffs on imported goods.
Mr Boama also explained that market access concerned regulation of imported services, adding that some countries might limit the number of foreign service supplier in a sector or limit the number of service transactions a foreign supplier might perform.
BRONG AHAFO POLICE COMMAND PROBES FAKE CURRENCY DEAL (PAGE 63)
THE Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command has arrested five persons, including the National President of the Ghana Susu Collectors Association, Mr Emmanuel Elvis Aboagye-Manu, 60, for allegedly possessing large quantities of black papers, cut into the size of the new Ghana cedis and a bottle of liquid, believed to be used in printing fake currency notes.
The other suspects are Kofi Oppong Boadi, 56, Abubakari Musah, 65, Philemon Hayford, 42, and Amponsah Kuffour, 62.
The Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Charles Seth Oteng, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at the weekend, indicated that the suspects were arrested on September 27, 2008 by the Berekum Municipal Police upon a tip-off.
According to the regional police commander, the suspects had earlier sent Musah to Ayimanakro, in La Cote d’Ivoire, to secure the black pieces of paper, cut into the size of the Ghanaian currency and a bottle of liquid, which would be used to wash the black paper, which would finally turn into fake currency notes.
He alleged that the driver succeeded in securing the two items at the cost of GH¢100.00, after which he returned to the hotel in Berekum and subsequently informed Kuffour, who was then in Kumasi together with the other accomplices that he had safely arrived back with the items.
ACP Oteng again said Kuffour in turn relayed the message he had received from Musah to the other suspects on the latest development of their intended deal and requested that they all converge at the hotel again.
The regional police commander further intimated that while the suspects were about to drive out of the hotel in a Nissan Patrol 4x4 vehicle, believed to be owned by Aboagye-Manu, in which they hid a rectangular box containing the neatly packed black papers and the liquid, the police closed in on them and effected their arrest.
Mr Oteng, who showed the Daily Graphic the rectangular box which contained the black papers and the bottle of the liquid, indicated that the suspects were being rounded up under Currency Act 242 of 1964, adding that they would soon be put before court.
The other suspects are Kofi Oppong Boadi, 56, Abubakari Musah, 65, Philemon Hayford, 42, and Amponsah Kuffour, 62.
The Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Charles Seth Oteng, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at the weekend, indicated that the suspects were arrested on September 27, 2008 by the Berekum Municipal Police upon a tip-off.
According to the regional police commander, the suspects had earlier sent Musah to Ayimanakro, in La Cote d’Ivoire, to secure the black pieces of paper, cut into the size of the Ghanaian currency and a bottle of liquid, which would be used to wash the black paper, which would finally turn into fake currency notes.
He alleged that the driver succeeded in securing the two items at the cost of GH¢100.00, after which he returned to the hotel in Berekum and subsequently informed Kuffour, who was then in Kumasi together with the other accomplices that he had safely arrived back with the items.
ACP Oteng again said Kuffour in turn relayed the message he had received from Musah to the other suspects on the latest development of their intended deal and requested that they all converge at the hotel again.
The regional police commander further intimated that while the suspects were about to drive out of the hotel in a Nissan Patrol 4x4 vehicle, believed to be owned by Aboagye-Manu, in which they hid a rectangular box containing the neatly packed black papers and the liquid, the police closed in on them and effected their arrest.
Mr Oteng, who showed the Daily Graphic the rectangular box which contained the black papers and the bottle of the liquid, indicated that the suspects were being rounded up under Currency Act 242 of 1964, adding that they would soon be put before court.
WATCHMAN DEFILES 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL (MIRROR, PAGE 35)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani.
The Sunyani Municipal Police have arrested a 45-year-old watchman, Baba Mamudu at Kotokrom, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl after blindfolding, gagging and tearing her panties before abusing the girl sexually.
The teenager, who lives with her brother at Kotokrom, was said to have collapsed when she was on her way to the house after the suspect had released her and she was quickly rushed to hospital for treatment and was later discharged.
Superintendent of Police Charles Botwe, who is in charge of the municipality and disclosed this to The Mirror in Sunyani, quoted a doctor’s report that the ‘‘hymen of the girl had been perforated and there were clots of blood’’, and that the report asked her parents to deal leniently with her, since she was in a traumatised situation.
The municipal police commander indicated that about a couple of weeks ago the suspect contracted the victim to carry some quantity of corn from his farm but he refused to pay the girl the agreed amount.
Mr Botwe alleged that on Monday, September 29, 2008, the suspect invited her to his house at about 1:00 p.m. and with no one present at the time, Mamudu forced her into his room and abused her several times after which he gave her GH¢1.00 and released her.
According to the suspect, he had married twice and had three children from those marriages, and that he did not know what came upon him to abuse the girl sexually.
The Sunyani Municipal Police have arrested a 45-year-old watchman, Baba Mamudu at Kotokrom, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl after blindfolding, gagging and tearing her panties before abusing the girl sexually.
The teenager, who lives with her brother at Kotokrom, was said to have collapsed when she was on her way to the house after the suspect had released her and she was quickly rushed to hospital for treatment and was later discharged.
Superintendent of Police Charles Botwe, who is in charge of the municipality and disclosed this to The Mirror in Sunyani, quoted a doctor’s report that the ‘‘hymen of the girl had been perforated and there were clots of blood’’, and that the report asked her parents to deal leniently with her, since she was in a traumatised situation.
The municipal police commander indicated that about a couple of weeks ago the suspect contracted the victim to carry some quantity of corn from his farm but he refused to pay the girl the agreed amount.
Mr Botwe alleged that on Monday, September 29, 2008, the suspect invited her to his house at about 1:00 p.m. and with no one present at the time, Mamudu forced her into his room and abused her several times after which he gave her GH¢1.00 and released her.
According to the suspect, he had married twice and had three children from those marriages, and that he did not know what came upon him to abuse the girl sexually.
EXAM IMPERSONATORS FINED (MIRROR, PAGE 3)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani
The Sunyani Magistrate’s Court B, presided over by Mr J.K. Quanson, has sentenced two candidates of the November/December West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSSCE) Examination to a fine of GH¢300.00 each or in default serve a prison term of two years each for impersonation.
The accused, Godwin Ampofo and Collins Anning, contravened Section 5A of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) Act 719/2006.
Police Inspector Simon Kwaku Azah, who presented the facts of the case, mentioned that both accused persons were unemployed and lived at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North District in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He said Ampofo and Anning registered to write this year’s edition of the WASSSCE with index numbers 1061516079 and 1061516078 respectively and that on September 13, 2008 at the WAEC examination hall in Sunyani the accused persons reported for the English Language Paper I examination.
Inspector Azah pointed out that the two candidates wrote the same name, Godwin Ampofo on their answer booklets with serial number SSSCE No. 3590862 and SSSCE No. 3590863 but Ampofo, the first accused (A1), deliberately failed to write the last digit of his index number.
The prosecutor further stated that in the course of the examination, the supervisor, Ms Veronica Ayeh, detected the deal and suspected an attempted impersonation and consequently reported the matter to the Controller of WAEC in Sunyani, Mr William Amexo.
He said the controller quickly moved in to cross-check the information and confirmed the impersonation. He therefore drew the attention of the police officer on duty who effected their arrest. In their caution statements to the police, the accused admitted the offence and were accordingly charged.
The Sunyani Magistrate’s Court B, presided over by Mr J.K. Quanson, has sentenced two candidates of the November/December West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSSCE) Examination to a fine of GH¢300.00 each or in default serve a prison term of two years each for impersonation.
The accused, Godwin Ampofo and Collins Anning, contravened Section 5A of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) Act 719/2006.
Police Inspector Simon Kwaku Azah, who presented the facts of the case, mentioned that both accused persons were unemployed and lived at Duayaw Nkwanta in the Tano North District in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He said Ampofo and Anning registered to write this year’s edition of the WASSSCE with index numbers 1061516079 and 1061516078 respectively and that on September 13, 2008 at the WAEC examination hall in Sunyani the accused persons reported for the English Language Paper I examination.
Inspector Azah pointed out that the two candidates wrote the same name, Godwin Ampofo on their answer booklets with serial number SSSCE No. 3590862 and SSSCE No. 3590863 but Ampofo, the first accused (A1), deliberately failed to write the last digit of his index number.
The prosecutor further stated that in the course of the examination, the supervisor, Ms Veronica Ayeh, detected the deal and suspected an attempted impersonation and consequently reported the matter to the Controller of WAEC in Sunyani, Mr William Amexo.
He said the controller quickly moved in to cross-check the information and confirmed the impersonation. He therefore drew the attention of the police officer on duty who effected their arrest. In their caution statements to the police, the accused admitted the offence and were accordingly charged.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
AMBULANCE GIFT TO NKORANZA HEALTH CENTRE (PAGE 58)
The Nkoranza Kroye Kuo in Italy has donated an ambulance valued at €20,000 to the Nkoranza Health Centre in the Brong Ahafo Region at a brief ceremony in the town.
The donation of the vehicle was through a collaboration between the Nkoranza citizens, the International Association of Humanitarian Medicine (IAHM) and friends of the group, African Libra, both non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Italy .
Mr Osei Sarfo-Kantanka, chairman of the union, who handed over the vehicle, disclosed that the group, which was formed in 1992, had already presented beds and other hospital equipment to the health centre at a cost of €15,000, as well as 10,000 exercise books, to basic school pupils at Nkoranza, which also cost €1,800.
He cautioned that the ambulance was not meant to serve as a shuttle for staff at the centre but was particularly to provide ambulance service to patients within Nkoranza and its environs, and also advised the authorities at the hospital to ensure a regular maintenance to prolong its lifespan.
Receiving the keys to the vehicle, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Nkoranza, Mr James Kwabena Appiah Awuah, also disclosed that the IAHM had provided €3,000 towards the renovation of the maternity block and another €3,000 for the purchase of office equipment.
He also disclosed that one Christiana Malaguti, a native of Busunya near Nkoranza, and her husband, Marino Malaguti, Chairman of the African Libra, had established a clinic at Nkoranza where patients were treated free of charge, and that the couple’s NGO had also constructed a kindergarten block at Busunya.
The DCE used the occasion to appeal to the people of Nkoranza to live in unity and harmony, especially in the run-up to the December elections and also to enable them to benefit from infrastructural development in the town and its environs.
The Medical Assistant at the centre, Mr Sylvanus Be-lr, indicated that with the operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), attendance at the centre continued to increase, especially at the Outpatients Department (OPD), and therefore appealed for immediate expansion at the centre.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area and President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who chaired the function, expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to members of the Kroyekuo and urged them to sustain such assistance to Nkoranzaman.
The donation of the vehicle was through a collaboration between the Nkoranza citizens, the International Association of Humanitarian Medicine (IAHM) and friends of the group, African Libra, both non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Italy .
Mr Osei Sarfo-Kantanka, chairman of the union, who handed over the vehicle, disclosed that the group, which was formed in 1992, had already presented beds and other hospital equipment to the health centre at a cost of €15,000, as well as 10,000 exercise books, to basic school pupils at Nkoranza, which also cost €1,800.
He cautioned that the ambulance was not meant to serve as a shuttle for staff at the centre but was particularly to provide ambulance service to patients within Nkoranza and its environs, and also advised the authorities at the hospital to ensure a regular maintenance to prolong its lifespan.
Receiving the keys to the vehicle, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Nkoranza, Mr James Kwabena Appiah Awuah, also disclosed that the IAHM had provided €3,000 towards the renovation of the maternity block and another €3,000 for the purchase of office equipment.
He also disclosed that one Christiana Malaguti, a native of Busunya near Nkoranza, and her husband, Marino Malaguti, Chairman of the African Libra, had established a clinic at Nkoranza where patients were treated free of charge, and that the couple’s NGO had also constructed a kindergarten block at Busunya.
The DCE used the occasion to appeal to the people of Nkoranza to live in unity and harmony, especially in the run-up to the December elections and also to enable them to benefit from infrastructural development in the town and its environs.
The Medical Assistant at the centre, Mr Sylvanus Be-lr, indicated that with the operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), attendance at the centre continued to increase, especially at the Outpatients Department (OPD), and therefore appealed for immediate expansion at the centre.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, Omanhene of the Nkoranza Traditional Area and President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who chaired the function, expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to members of the Kroyekuo and urged them to sustain such assistance to Nkoranzaman.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
MINE SAFETY, FIRST AID COMPETITION HELD (PAGE 20)
THIS year’s Zone Two mine safety and first aid competition, involving five mining companies in the country, has taken place at the Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) plant site at Kenyasi in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Central African Gold Company Limited at Bibiani in the Western Region emerged the champions with 64.3 points.
The other companies that participated in the oral safety and first aid test quiz, as well as practical safety and first aid test, were AngloGold Ashanti at Obuasi, which placed second with 62.5 points, NGGL came third with 62 points, Chirano Mines at Chirano in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District in the Western Region followed with 51.8 points while Ghana Bauxite Company at Awaso placed fifth with 49.6 points.
Central African Gold and AshantiGold have thus qualified to participate in the national contest, which has an overall aim of bringing together mining companies and community representatives towards creating safety and first aid awareness among themselves.
For the community representative competition, NGGL community team scored 72 points to emerge winners followed by Chirano with 70 points and Central African Gold community placing third with 69 points. The first two teams have, therefore, qualified to compete in the national event. All the teams that participated were presented with prizes and certificates.
Speaking at the function, the General Manager, Environment and Social Responsibility of NGGL, Mr Dan Michaelsen, dismissed the perception by a section of the people that mining companies cared little about the safety of human life and the environment.
He explained that mining companies had a great deal of responsibility to ensure that their activities were carried out under the safest possible conditions and with minimum negative impact on the environment, adding, “This responsibility extends not only to employees, but also to communities in which we operate.”
Mr Michaelsen further explained that the ever-increasing global awareness about workplace safety and the environment had led to a corresponding increase in public expectation for extractive industries to be responsible in their activities.
The general manager stressed that it was precisely the growing attention of the public and other stakeholders that had spawned many of the safety and environmental initiatives that modern mining companies now supported, adding that one of such initiatives was the zonal safety and first aid competition.
He observed that it was within the context of self-regulation that the Ghana Chamber of Mines in partnership with other stakeholders instituted the mine safety competition to celebrate and reinforce the safety values now demonstrated by the mining industry and their communities.
Mr Michaelsen expressed satisfaction about the community involvement in the programme because it emphasised the fact that safety was as important to communities as it was for the mining companies and that his company was proud to host the competition for the first time at a cost of GH¢50,000.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce R. Aryee, in a speech read on his behalf, stated that the lack of indigenous blasting standards that suited local conditions had been a major concern for the mining industry.
The industry, she said, had to rely on standards from other countries, such as Australia and the United States of America.
To address this concern, Miss Aryee said, the Chamber in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission, had obtained the support of the Mining Sector Support Programme (MSSP) of the European Union to conduct a study to establish the requisite standards that were relevant for the country.
Central African Gold Company Limited at Bibiani in the Western Region emerged the champions with 64.3 points.
The other companies that participated in the oral safety and first aid test quiz, as well as practical safety and first aid test, were AngloGold Ashanti at Obuasi, which placed second with 62.5 points, NGGL came third with 62 points, Chirano Mines at Chirano in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District in the Western Region followed with 51.8 points while Ghana Bauxite Company at Awaso placed fifth with 49.6 points.
Central African Gold and AshantiGold have thus qualified to participate in the national contest, which has an overall aim of bringing together mining companies and community representatives towards creating safety and first aid awareness among themselves.
For the community representative competition, NGGL community team scored 72 points to emerge winners followed by Chirano with 70 points and Central African Gold community placing third with 69 points. The first two teams have, therefore, qualified to compete in the national event. All the teams that participated were presented with prizes and certificates.
Speaking at the function, the General Manager, Environment and Social Responsibility of NGGL, Mr Dan Michaelsen, dismissed the perception by a section of the people that mining companies cared little about the safety of human life and the environment.
He explained that mining companies had a great deal of responsibility to ensure that their activities were carried out under the safest possible conditions and with minimum negative impact on the environment, adding, “This responsibility extends not only to employees, but also to communities in which we operate.”
Mr Michaelsen further explained that the ever-increasing global awareness about workplace safety and the environment had led to a corresponding increase in public expectation for extractive industries to be responsible in their activities.
The general manager stressed that it was precisely the growing attention of the public and other stakeholders that had spawned many of the safety and environmental initiatives that modern mining companies now supported, adding that one of such initiatives was the zonal safety and first aid competition.
He observed that it was within the context of self-regulation that the Ghana Chamber of Mines in partnership with other stakeholders instituted the mine safety competition to celebrate and reinforce the safety values now demonstrated by the mining industry and their communities.
Mr Michaelsen expressed satisfaction about the community involvement in the programme because it emphasised the fact that safety was as important to communities as it was for the mining companies and that his company was proud to host the competition for the first time at a cost of GH¢50,000.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce R. Aryee, in a speech read on his behalf, stated that the lack of indigenous blasting standards that suited local conditions had been a major concern for the mining industry.
The industry, she said, had to rely on standards from other countries, such as Australia and the United States of America.
To address this concern, Miss Aryee said, the Chamber in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission, had obtained the support of the Mining Sector Support Programme (MSSP) of the European Union to conduct a study to establish the requisite standards that were relevant for the country.
ELEVEN ARRAINGED FOR RIOTING IN BEREKUM (BACK PAGE)
ELEVEN people have been arraigned before the Sunyani Circuit Court for their alleged involvement in the violent clashes between supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Berekum on September 21, 2008, which resulted in six persons being injured.
They were charged with four counts of rioting with offensive weapons, causing unlawful damage, assault and causing harm.
The accused are Rashid Ahmed, alias Shine; Yaw Owusu; Muda Dramani, alias C.I.A.; Ransford Osei, alias Otaamu; Norbert, alias Sobojo; Richard Osei Bawuah; Muller Omar; Azigiza; Musah (at large); Awudu Seidu, alias Seidu Rasta; Kwasi Asoma and Emmanuel Erskine.
The court, presided over by Mr Kwame Ohene-Essel, granted bail to the accused in the sum of GH¢5,000 with one surety each to reappear on Monday, October 20, 2008. They are to report themselves to the police at 9:00 a.m. every Monday and Friday until the adjourned date.
The bail was necessitated by an application by their counsel, Mr Williwise Kyeremeh, that some prominent people of Berekum had offered to mediate and amicably settle the case out of court.
Before granting bail, Mr Ohene-Essel warned that he had the discretion to revoke the bail term and remand the accused in custody if they engaged in any further violent behaviour while on bail.
Presenting the facts of the case at the crowded court, Police Chief Inspector Kingsley Baafi stated that on September 21, 2008, the police granted a permit to the NPP executive in Berekum to inaugurate the youth wing of the party in the constituency.
He said at the end of the ceremony at 5:30 p.m., the NPP supporters decided to go on a procession through the principal streets of the town and finally converged on the main Berekum Roundabout, near the post office.
According to the prosecutor, about the same time information reached the police to provide protection for the NPP group because some NDC supporters were at another function at Senase and Biadan, both suburbs of Berekum.
He said based on that information, the police, under Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Charles Ampem Koosono, who is also in charge of the Berekum municipality, took cover at a junction near the Berekum Hospital where the NDC supporters were likely to pass on their return to Berekum.
Chief Inspector Baafi indicated that a few minutes later, the police saw some of the NDC supporters on bicycles and motorbikes entering Berekum from Biadan. The police quickly stopped them to redirect their route through the police station area to enter the town.
He said the police took that decision because if the NDC supporters used the roundabout route they would encounter the NPP supporters and that would result in a clash. However, he said the NDC supporters disobeyed the order by the police and insisted that they would use the roundabout route.
Chief Inspector Baafi further alleged that the NDC supporters started throwing stones and other missiles, an action which provoked the NPP supporters to retaliate. In the process, a stone from the NDC direction hit the Municipal Police Commander.
The prosecutor told the court that later in their investigations the police identified the accused persons who had actively taken part in the violence and they were accordingly charged with the offences.
They were charged with four counts of rioting with offensive weapons, causing unlawful damage, assault and causing harm.
The accused are Rashid Ahmed, alias Shine; Yaw Owusu; Muda Dramani, alias C.I.A.; Ransford Osei, alias Otaamu; Norbert, alias Sobojo; Richard Osei Bawuah; Muller Omar; Azigiza; Musah (at large); Awudu Seidu, alias Seidu Rasta; Kwasi Asoma and Emmanuel Erskine.
The court, presided over by Mr Kwame Ohene-Essel, granted bail to the accused in the sum of GH¢5,000 with one surety each to reappear on Monday, October 20, 2008. They are to report themselves to the police at 9:00 a.m. every Monday and Friday until the adjourned date.
The bail was necessitated by an application by their counsel, Mr Williwise Kyeremeh, that some prominent people of Berekum had offered to mediate and amicably settle the case out of court.
Before granting bail, Mr Ohene-Essel warned that he had the discretion to revoke the bail term and remand the accused in custody if they engaged in any further violent behaviour while on bail.
Presenting the facts of the case at the crowded court, Police Chief Inspector Kingsley Baafi stated that on September 21, 2008, the police granted a permit to the NPP executive in Berekum to inaugurate the youth wing of the party in the constituency.
He said at the end of the ceremony at 5:30 p.m., the NPP supporters decided to go on a procession through the principal streets of the town and finally converged on the main Berekum Roundabout, near the post office.
According to the prosecutor, about the same time information reached the police to provide protection for the NPP group because some NDC supporters were at another function at Senase and Biadan, both suburbs of Berekum.
He said based on that information, the police, under Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Charles Ampem Koosono, who is also in charge of the Berekum municipality, took cover at a junction near the Berekum Hospital where the NDC supporters were likely to pass on their return to Berekum.
Chief Inspector Baafi indicated that a few minutes later, the police saw some of the NDC supporters on bicycles and motorbikes entering Berekum from Biadan. The police quickly stopped them to redirect their route through the police station area to enter the town.
He said the police took that decision because if the NDC supporters used the roundabout route they would encounter the NPP supporters and that would result in a clash. However, he said the NDC supporters disobeyed the order by the police and insisted that they would use the roundabout route.
Chief Inspector Baafi further alleged that the NDC supporters started throwing stones and other missiles, an action which provoked the NPP supporters to retaliate. In the process, a stone from the NDC direction hit the Municipal Police Commander.
The prosecutor told the court that later in their investigations the police identified the accused persons who had actively taken part in the violence and they were accordingly charged with the offences.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)