From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani.
The Sunyani and Goaso Magistrate Courts in the Brong Ahafo Region have imposed a total fine of GH¢2,020.00 on a number of drivers who were arraigned before them separately for committing various motor and traffic offences.
The recalcitrant drivers were arrested during a special exercise conducted by the regional Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service on the Goaso-Kukuom road, Goaso-Kumasi road, and the Berekum- Dormaa Ahenkro road and at the Bechem Junction.
They were charged for driving without license, use of motor vehicles with worn-out tyres, failing to equip their vehicles with fire extinguishers and warning triangle, use of vehicles with crashed windscreens, among other traffic offences.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paul Wesley Baah, the Regional MTTU Commander, told The Mirror in Sunyani that a total of 52 drivers were arrested during the first exercise on the Goaso-Kukuom and Goaso-Kumasi roads, out of which 39 were processed for the Goaso court, presided over by Mr Sydney Braimah.
ASP Baah indicated that the court then convicted 16 of the drivers who were found guilty to pay a total fine of GH¢1, 120.00 and issued a bench warrant for the arrest of 20 others who failed to appear before the court.
For the exercise carried out on the Berekum-Dormaa Ahenkro road and at the Bechem Junction, the MTTU Regional Commander explained that, in all, 38 drivers were arrested for indiscipline but 25 of them were sent to the Sunyani Magistrate Court ‘‘B’’, presided over by Mr J. Mensah.
He said the court then convicted nine of them to pay a total of GH¢900 and issued a bench warrant for the arrest of 16 while he directed the police to write warning letters to 13 others.
According to Mr Baah, his outfit would continue to instil discipline on the roads, especially with the approach of Christmas and even after the festivities.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
KENYASE HEALTH CENTRE UPGRADED (PAGE 22, DEC 29, 2010)
THE Kenyase Health Centre in the Asutifi District in the Brong Ahafo Region has been rehabilitated and upgraded at a cost of $85,000.
The project involved re-roofing of the building, extension of water to the centre from the main Small Town Water System at Kenyasi, the provision of water closet toilet facility as well as the construction of new male and female wards and two nurses quarters, among other expansion works.
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) operating the Ahafo Mine in the district financed the project after being given the green light by the District Assembly and the Ghana Health Service.
Speaking at a ceremony to hand over the new look facility at a ceremony at Kenyase, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said it was the aim of the company to ensure a sustainable development of communities within the operational area of the mine concession.
He stressed that the assistance to the health centre was a demonstration of the company’s commitment towards the promotion of quality healthcare delivery in its operational area.
Mr Bedu-Addo added: ‘‘We hope this contribution will go a long way to make health care more accessible to the community and at the same time, attract qualified health personnel to reside in the community.”
He said Newmont in partnership with the GHS and other stakeholders such as the International Finance Company had broadened the scope of education and prevention of malaria control, through its treated bed net distribution programme in local communities and workplaces.
Mr Bedu-Addo disclosed that the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria voted NGGL as a leading company in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention this year.
He stated that the worldwide coalition of 200 corporate organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) also voted the company’s work place HIV/AIDS and malaria programme as the best in the work place HIV/AIDS and malaria category.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr D. Aquaye, said health issues were paramount in the effective development of any nation hence the government’s intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure in the health sector.
He, however, said the central government could not shoulder the burden alone and, therefore, urged private individuals and groups to contribute their quota in the development of all facets of the economy.
Mr Aquaye commended the management of Newmont for the gesture and gave the assurance that the assembly would contribute towards the maintenance of the facility to prolong its lifespan.
The project involved re-roofing of the building, extension of water to the centre from the main Small Town Water System at Kenyasi, the provision of water closet toilet facility as well as the construction of new male and female wards and two nurses quarters, among other expansion works.
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) operating the Ahafo Mine in the district financed the project after being given the green light by the District Assembly and the Ghana Health Service.
Speaking at a ceremony to hand over the new look facility at a ceremony at Kenyase, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said it was the aim of the company to ensure a sustainable development of communities within the operational area of the mine concession.
He stressed that the assistance to the health centre was a demonstration of the company’s commitment towards the promotion of quality healthcare delivery in its operational area.
Mr Bedu-Addo added: ‘‘We hope this contribution will go a long way to make health care more accessible to the community and at the same time, attract qualified health personnel to reside in the community.”
He said Newmont in partnership with the GHS and other stakeholders such as the International Finance Company had broadened the scope of education and prevention of malaria control, through its treated bed net distribution programme in local communities and workplaces.
Mr Bedu-Addo disclosed that the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria voted NGGL as a leading company in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention this year.
He stated that the worldwide coalition of 200 corporate organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) also voted the company’s work place HIV/AIDS and malaria programme as the best in the work place HIV/AIDS and malaria category.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr D. Aquaye, said health issues were paramount in the effective development of any nation hence the government’s intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure in the health sector.
He, however, said the central government could not shoulder the burden alone and, therefore, urged private individuals and groups to contribute their quota in the development of all facets of the economy.
Mr Aquaye commended the management of Newmont for the gesture and gave the assurance that the assembly would contribute towards the maintenance of the facility to prolong its lifespan.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
KENYASE HEALTH CENTRE REHABILITATED (MIRROR, PAGE 35, DEC 24, 2010)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Kenyasi
Rehabilitation and upgrading works on the Kenyase Health Centre in the Asutifi District in the Brong Ahafo Region have been completed at a total cost of $85,000 and handed over to the district health administration.
The project included re-roofing the building, extending water to the centre from the main Small Town Water System at Kenyase, providing water closet toilet facility as well as constructing new female and male wards and two nurses quarters.
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL), operators of the Ahafo Mine in the district, financed the project, in consultation with the District Assembly, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other stakeholders in the district’s health delivery.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially hand over of the new facility at Kenyase, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said it was the aim of the company to ensure a healthy and sustainable development of communities within the area of the mine concession.
He said NGGL’s assistance to the health centre was a demonstration of its commitment towards the promotion of quality health care delivery in the its host communities, adding that “We hope this contribution will go a long way to make health care more accessible to the community and at the same time, attract qualified health personnel to reside in the community.”
The External Affairs Manager said Newmont, in partnership with the GHS and other stakeholders such as the International Finance Company, had broadened the scope of education and prevention of malaria control through its treated bed net distribution programme in local communities and the workplace, saying the programme had been acknowledged world-wide.
Mr Bedu-Addo disclosed that the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria voted NGGL as a leading company in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention this year.
He explained that the world-wide coalition of 200 corporate organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), also voted the company’s work place HIV/AIDS and malaria programme as the best in the work place HIV/AIDS and Malaria category.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr D. Acquaye, noted that health issues were paramount in the effective development of any nation, hence the government’s intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure in the health sector.
However, he said, the central government could not shoulder the burden alone and, therefore, urged private individuals and groups to contribute their quota in the development of all facets of the economy.
Mr Acquaye commended the management of Newmont for the gesture and gave the assurance that the Assembly would contribute towards the maintenance of the facility in order to prolong its life span.
Rehabilitation and upgrading works on the Kenyase Health Centre in the Asutifi District in the Brong Ahafo Region have been completed at a total cost of $85,000 and handed over to the district health administration.
The project included re-roofing the building, extending water to the centre from the main Small Town Water System at Kenyase, providing water closet toilet facility as well as constructing new female and male wards and two nurses quarters.
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL), operators of the Ahafo Mine in the district, financed the project, in consultation with the District Assembly, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other stakeholders in the district’s health delivery.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially hand over of the new facility at Kenyase, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said it was the aim of the company to ensure a healthy and sustainable development of communities within the area of the mine concession.
He said NGGL’s assistance to the health centre was a demonstration of its commitment towards the promotion of quality health care delivery in the its host communities, adding that “We hope this contribution will go a long way to make health care more accessible to the community and at the same time, attract qualified health personnel to reside in the community.”
The External Affairs Manager said Newmont, in partnership with the GHS and other stakeholders such as the International Finance Company, had broadened the scope of education and prevention of malaria control through its treated bed net distribution programme in local communities and the workplace, saying the programme had been acknowledged world-wide.
Mr Bedu-Addo disclosed that the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria voted NGGL as a leading company in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention this year.
He explained that the world-wide coalition of 200 corporate organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), also voted the company’s work place HIV/AIDS and malaria programme as the best in the work place HIV/AIDS and Malaria category.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr D. Acquaye, noted that health issues were paramount in the effective development of any nation, hence the government’s intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure in the health sector.
However, he said, the central government could not shoulder the burden alone and, therefore, urged private individuals and groups to contribute their quota in the development of all facets of the economy.
Mr Acquaye commended the management of Newmont for the gesture and gave the assurance that the Assembly would contribute towards the maintenance of the facility in order to prolong its life span.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
1,979 CONTEST ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN BRONG AHAFO (PAGE 13, DEC 22, 2010)
ONE thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine persons, made up of 1,830 males and 149 females have been duly nominated in the 766 electoral areas of the Brong Ahafo Region to contest the upcoming District Assembly elections.
Mr George Gyabaah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani indicated that one female contestant each was vying to be elected into the Kintampo South and Pru district assemblies.
Giving the breakdown of the contestants for the other districts, Mr Gyabaah said the Techiman Municipal assembly had the highest number of 131 candidates with nine women to stand the December 28, 2010 local poll, with Asutifi and Berekum having 124 contestants apiece including 13 and 10 females respectively.
The Tain and Kintampo North follow with 108 and 106 aspirants respectively, followed by Sene, 101 with six female contestants; Tano South, 100 with 14 women; Dormaa Municipal, 96 with 10 females; Jaman South, 95 also with 10 women contestants; Sunyani West, 93; Atebubu/Amantin, 91; Sunyani Municipal, 87 and Wenchi, 85.
According to the Regional EC Director, the Asunafo North and Nkoranza South follow with 78 each; Tano North, 72; Asunafo South, 66); Nkoranza North and Dormaa East, 64 and Jaman North, 63.
Mr Gyabaah said the regional office had taken delivery of notice of polls, which gave proof of all persons that had been duly nominated to contest the elections in the region, adding that the notice was meant to educate the electorate on how the ballot papers would look like and the position of the candidate, on the paper, their pictures, names, occupation and age.
He also indicated that his office had started mounting platforms for candidates in all the districts while training of Returning Officers and their deputies had been completed, who in turn were expected to go out to train Presiding Officers and Polling Assistants.
He, however, said that the office was yet to receive the ballot papers for the election but expressed the hope that they would be sent in from Accra by the close of the week.
At the time of the interview, district officers of the EC were taking away their respective materials for the polls, including notices of the poll, statement of poll, declaration of results forms, collation of results forms and guides to election officials.
Mr Gyabaah appealed to the electorate to participate fully in the elections by voting in their numbers in choosing those they found capable of leading them in their various communities and also be at the polling stations on time to avoid rush.
In a related development, 306 candidates are to contest the district assembly and unit committees' elections in the Sekyere Central District in the Ashanti Region.
Mr Raymond Nartey, the District Electoral Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Nsuta that 84 of the candidates comprising 75 males and seven females would contest for the assembly poll in the 27 electoral areas.
He said 222 made up of 194 men and 28 women were contesting to join the unit committees.
Mr Nartey said three of the electoral areas, Hemame, Awanya and Nkwagri had no one contesting for the unit committee election.
He said campaign platform mounted by the Electoral Commission (EC) for the candidates in the district officially ended on Sunday December 19, 2010.
The candidates, however, have the right to do their own house-to-house campaign.
Mr George Gyabaah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC) who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani indicated that one female contestant each was vying to be elected into the Kintampo South and Pru district assemblies.
Giving the breakdown of the contestants for the other districts, Mr Gyabaah said the Techiman Municipal assembly had the highest number of 131 candidates with nine women to stand the December 28, 2010 local poll, with Asutifi and Berekum having 124 contestants apiece including 13 and 10 females respectively.
The Tain and Kintampo North follow with 108 and 106 aspirants respectively, followed by Sene, 101 with six female contestants; Tano South, 100 with 14 women; Dormaa Municipal, 96 with 10 females; Jaman South, 95 also with 10 women contestants; Sunyani West, 93; Atebubu/Amantin, 91; Sunyani Municipal, 87 and Wenchi, 85.
According to the Regional EC Director, the Asunafo North and Nkoranza South follow with 78 each; Tano North, 72; Asunafo South, 66); Nkoranza North and Dormaa East, 64 and Jaman North, 63.
Mr Gyabaah said the regional office had taken delivery of notice of polls, which gave proof of all persons that had been duly nominated to contest the elections in the region, adding that the notice was meant to educate the electorate on how the ballot papers would look like and the position of the candidate, on the paper, their pictures, names, occupation and age.
He also indicated that his office had started mounting platforms for candidates in all the districts while training of Returning Officers and their deputies had been completed, who in turn were expected to go out to train Presiding Officers and Polling Assistants.
He, however, said that the office was yet to receive the ballot papers for the election but expressed the hope that they would be sent in from Accra by the close of the week.
At the time of the interview, district officers of the EC were taking away their respective materials for the polls, including notices of the poll, statement of poll, declaration of results forms, collation of results forms and guides to election officials.
Mr Gyabaah appealed to the electorate to participate fully in the elections by voting in their numbers in choosing those they found capable of leading them in their various communities and also be at the polling stations on time to avoid rush.
In a related development, 306 candidates are to contest the district assembly and unit committees' elections in the Sekyere Central District in the Ashanti Region.
Mr Raymond Nartey, the District Electoral Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Nsuta that 84 of the candidates comprising 75 males and seven females would contest for the assembly poll in the 27 electoral areas.
He said 222 made up of 194 men and 28 women were contesting to join the unit committees.
Mr Nartey said three of the electoral areas, Hemame, Awanya and Nkwagri had no one contesting for the unit committee election.
He said campaign platform mounted by the Electoral Commission (EC) for the candidates in the district officially ended on Sunday December 19, 2010.
The candidates, however, have the right to do their own house-to-house campaign.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
ASUTIFI HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME REGISTER MORE (PAGE 29, DEC 15, 2010)
THE Asutifi District Health Insurance Scheme (DHIS) in the Brong Ahafo Region registered new members and renewed expired cards of existing ones, all totalling 4,203, during a special promotional programme organised recently by the public relations (PR) department of the scheme in the area.
The special exercise, which took place simultaneously at Nkaseim, Acherensua, Gambia and Kenyase on November 16 and 17, 2010, generated a total of GH¢6,124 premium paid for the new and old registrants.
At Nkaseim, 1,178 members were registered while Acherensua, Gambia and Kenyase registered 1,074, 977 and 974, respectively.
Before the commencement of the two-day special exercise, the PR section had mounted a two-week awareness creation on the local FM radio stations, visited churches, mosques and institutions in the district to educate the people on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in general and the uniqueness of the promotional exercise in particular.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the DHIS, Mr Owusu Berchie, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Hwediem.
He stated that his outfit decided to visit some of the communities at dawn in the sensitisation efforts through the use of public address systems which, he said, was a very good strategy to reach predominantly farming communities.
Touching on the renewals, Mr Berchie said all expired cards were replaced irrespective of the expiry date while in the case of the new ones, the registrants were given a one month waiting period instead of the previous three months to obtain their national identification (ID) cards.
According to the PRO, while waiting for their permanent cards, the newly roped in members were issued with temporary cards to enable them to attend health facilities whenever they fell sick.
He added: “With all these packages, the renewal and premium fees remained the same to enable people who wish to register to get on board the scheme.”
Mr Berchie said even though the scheme had field agents working in the various communities for the special programme, its officials were deployed to the communities to sensitise and carry out the registration alongside the renewals.
He emphasised that hitherto the people felt reluctant to join the scheme or renew their cards but this time round, the involvement of the scheme staff had whipped up their enthusiasm to get on board.
The PRO also disclosed that as of October, this year, a total of 97,592 people, made up of 42,391 males and 55,201 females out of the district’s population of approximately 120,000, had registered with the scheme.
The special exercise, which took place simultaneously at Nkaseim, Acherensua, Gambia and Kenyase on November 16 and 17, 2010, generated a total of GH¢6,124 premium paid for the new and old registrants.
At Nkaseim, 1,178 members were registered while Acherensua, Gambia and Kenyase registered 1,074, 977 and 974, respectively.
Before the commencement of the two-day special exercise, the PR section had mounted a two-week awareness creation on the local FM radio stations, visited churches, mosques and institutions in the district to educate the people on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in general and the uniqueness of the promotional exercise in particular.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the DHIS, Mr Owusu Berchie, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Hwediem.
He stated that his outfit decided to visit some of the communities at dawn in the sensitisation efforts through the use of public address systems which, he said, was a very good strategy to reach predominantly farming communities.
Touching on the renewals, Mr Berchie said all expired cards were replaced irrespective of the expiry date while in the case of the new ones, the registrants were given a one month waiting period instead of the previous three months to obtain their national identification (ID) cards.
According to the PRO, while waiting for their permanent cards, the newly roped in members were issued with temporary cards to enable them to attend health facilities whenever they fell sick.
He added: “With all these packages, the renewal and premium fees remained the same to enable people who wish to register to get on board the scheme.”
Mr Berchie said even though the scheme had field agents working in the various communities for the special programme, its officials were deployed to the communities to sensitise and carry out the registration alongside the renewals.
He emphasised that hitherto the people felt reluctant to join the scheme or renew their cards but this time round, the involvement of the scheme staff had whipped up their enthusiasm to get on board.
The PRO also disclosed that as of October, this year, a total of 97,592 people, made up of 42,391 males and 55,201 females out of the district’s population of approximately 120,000, had registered with the scheme.
Friday, December 10, 2010
CHIEFTAINCY DISPUTES IN BRONG AHAFO INCREASE (MIRROR, PAGE 35, DEC 11, 2010)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani
A TOTAL of 56 chieftaincy cases, made up of 46 petitions and 10 appeals, are currently pending before the Judicial Committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.
This was against 54 recorded cases which comprised of 43 petitions and 11 appeals that were brought before the Committee in December 2009.
At the beginning of this year, the number of chieftaincy disputes that came before the committee were 63, as a result of seven more petitions and two additional appeals.
However, the Committee was able to dispose of four of the petitions and three appeals, thereby, bringing the final number to 56, which the Committee is making frantic efforts to deal with.
Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II , the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who disclosed this when he addressed the end of year general meeting of the House in Sunyani, the regional capital, could however, not catalogue the pending cases but mentioned the disposed petitions and appeals.
The disposed petitions are the Bassa Paramount stool, Bouyem-Techiman, Toubodom-Techiman and Tanoso- Techiman, while the settled appeal cases were Nkoranza Gyase, Odomase-Adantia as well as Nkoranza-Krabonso.
Osahene Aterkyi expressed the hope that Nananom would take action on the remaining cases pending so that the number would be drastically reduced in a few months time, saying, ‘‘We have already taken steps to ensure expeditious reduction of pending cases to the barest minimum.”.
He said it was rather regrettable thatfull attendance on hearing days was still not encouraging, and therefore, appealed to the panel members to ensure speedy discharge of the outstanding cases, to save the House from possible embarrassment.
According to the President, the House attempted to settle some of the pending cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism but indicated that most of them failed to yield positive results, adding, ‘‘Nonetheless, we shall pursue this further in the coming year’’.
Osahene Aterkyi, who is also the Omanhene of the Kukuom Traditional Area, pointed out that in the coming year, the house would plan to move into mediation process to resolve serious rifts/misunderstandings, arising in conflict areas to prevent legal tussle between royal families and kingmakers.
He gave the assurance that, in the early part of 2011, he plans to take a tour of the entire region, starting from Amanten through Atebubu to Bassa, Wiase, Dwan to Kadjaji area, to help patch up cracks in royal families/kingmakers that may possibly crystallise into open conflict.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, stressed that chieftaincy and land disputes did not augur well for the effective development of the country, pointing out that investors were scared of such conflicts and therefore, urged Nananom to ensure the speedy resolution of all pending cases.
A TOTAL of 56 chieftaincy cases, made up of 46 petitions and 10 appeals, are currently pending before the Judicial Committee of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.
This was against 54 recorded cases which comprised of 43 petitions and 11 appeals that were brought before the Committee in December 2009.
At the beginning of this year, the number of chieftaincy disputes that came before the committee were 63, as a result of seven more petitions and two additional appeals.
However, the Committee was able to dispose of four of the petitions and three appeals, thereby, bringing the final number to 56, which the Committee is making frantic efforts to deal with.
Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II , the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who disclosed this when he addressed the end of year general meeting of the House in Sunyani, the regional capital, could however, not catalogue the pending cases but mentioned the disposed petitions and appeals.
The disposed petitions are the Bassa Paramount stool, Bouyem-Techiman, Toubodom-Techiman and Tanoso- Techiman, while the settled appeal cases were Nkoranza Gyase, Odomase-Adantia as well as Nkoranza-Krabonso.
Osahene Aterkyi expressed the hope that Nananom would take action on the remaining cases pending so that the number would be drastically reduced in a few months time, saying, ‘‘We have already taken steps to ensure expeditious reduction of pending cases to the barest minimum.”.
He said it was rather regrettable thatfull attendance on hearing days was still not encouraging, and therefore, appealed to the panel members to ensure speedy discharge of the outstanding cases, to save the House from possible embarrassment.
According to the President, the House attempted to settle some of the pending cases through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism but indicated that most of them failed to yield positive results, adding, ‘‘Nonetheless, we shall pursue this further in the coming year’’.
Osahene Aterkyi, who is also the Omanhene of the Kukuom Traditional Area, pointed out that in the coming year, the house would plan to move into mediation process to resolve serious rifts/misunderstandings, arising in conflict areas to prevent legal tussle between royal families and kingmakers.
He gave the assurance that, in the early part of 2011, he plans to take a tour of the entire region, starting from Amanten through Atebubu to Bassa, Wiase, Dwan to Kadjaji area, to help patch up cracks in royal families/kingmakers that may possibly crystallise into open conflict.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, stressed that chieftaincy and land disputes did not augur well for the effective development of the country, pointing out that investors were scared of such conflicts and therefore, urged Nananom to ensure the speedy resolution of all pending cases.
FOUR REMANDED ON SUSPICION OF MURDER (BACK PAGE, DEC 9, 2010)
THE Duayaw Nkwanta Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Mr. D. K. Ahiado, has remanded in prison custody four persons suspected to have murdered a 35-year-old mason at Yamfo in the Tano North District in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The suspects, Kofi Kabie, 22, a driver’s mate; Kudjo Eminilbon, 34, a tractor operator; Gyamfi Kyeremeh, 47, a drinking bar operator; and Evans Peprah Tabiri, a 58-year-old road contractor, are alleged to have conspired to murder Kwasi Yeboah, also known as Kwasi Dada.
The body of the deceased, which was found on the outskirts of the town on Thursday, November 12, 2010, had since been buried after autopsy.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent of Police, Mr Eric Amoako, who made this known to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani, however, indicated that the police were yet to charge the suspects, who were picked on different occasions after the act.
The crime officer pointed out that Kabie and Eminilbon were the first to be arrested on November 13, 2010 and arraigned at the court on November 15, 2010, while Kyeremeh and Tabiri were picked on November 24 and November 27, 2010 respectively.
They are to reappear on December 21, 2010.
He explained that the police had started investigations into the case and appealed to the public, including the people of Yamfo, to volunteer any relevant information.
Mr Amoako gave the assurance that any such information would be treated with the confidentiality it deserved.
The suspects, Kofi Kabie, 22, a driver’s mate; Kudjo Eminilbon, 34, a tractor operator; Gyamfi Kyeremeh, 47, a drinking bar operator; and Evans Peprah Tabiri, a 58-year-old road contractor, are alleged to have conspired to murder Kwasi Yeboah, also known as Kwasi Dada.
The body of the deceased, which was found on the outskirts of the town on Thursday, November 12, 2010, had since been buried after autopsy.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent of Police, Mr Eric Amoako, who made this known to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani, however, indicated that the police were yet to charge the suspects, who were picked on different occasions after the act.
The crime officer pointed out that Kabie and Eminilbon were the first to be arrested on November 13, 2010 and arraigned at the court on November 15, 2010, while Kyeremeh and Tabiri were picked on November 24 and November 27, 2010 respectively.
They are to reappear on December 21, 2010.
He explained that the police had started investigations into the case and appealed to the public, including the people of Yamfo, to volunteer any relevant information.
Mr Amoako gave the assurance that any such information would be treated with the confidentiality it deserved.
Monday, December 6, 2010
POLICE WILL HELP ERADICATE HUMAN TRAFFICKING (PAGE 43, DEC 6, 2010)
THE Police Administration has given the assurance that the police will continue to collaborate with other security agencies to eliminate human trafficking in the country.
He, however, stated that it was the duty of society to rescue victims of human trafficking, and also eliminate the menace which is known to be modern-day slavery.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Seth Charles Oteng, gave the assurance when he inaugurated the regional anti-human trafficking unit of the Ghana Police Service in Sunyani.
The establishment of the unit throughout the country is a collaborative effort between the Police Administration and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
According to international labour estimates, about 2.4 million people were victims of human trafficking between 1995 and 2005 while the United States Department of State report also revealed that about one million children were exploited by the global commercial sex trade every year.
DCOP Oteng stated that human trafficking impacted negatively on the economy since it contributed to streetchildren, unskilled labour and commercial sex activities.
He said those who engaged in prostitution contracted all kinds of venereal diseases, including HIV and AIDS, which was a killer.
‘‘This is why the Police Administration in collaboration with the other security agencies, is determined to eliminate human trafficking in our society. We would not relent in our efforts until trafficking in human beings is no more practised in our society,’’ he stressed.
The regional police commander emphasised that human trafficking was very exploitative as children were trafficked and forced into all kinds of forced hazardous labour, such as stone quarrying, fishing, salt mining and worse of all, young ladies were forced into prostitution.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, said many years ago, there was the tendency of some women in parts of the country, who were enticed or induced to migrate to Abidjan, La Cote d’ Ivoire under the guise of finding gainful employment, only to be forced into prostitution by circumstances beyond their control.
He said some of them arrived to realise that they had been deceived because the promised jobs were non-existent and prostitution was the only avenue open to them to earn a living.
‘‘Occasionally, these Abidjan-based women visited home in fancy clothing which also enticed others to go along with them,’’ the Regional Minister stated.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, however, stated that human trafficking had assumed a new dimension with the recruitment and transportation of young boys and girls who were sold into slavery, either within or across national borders by the use of force, abduction or deception.
He, however, stated that it was the duty of society to rescue victims of human trafficking, and also eliminate the menace which is known to be modern-day slavery.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Seth Charles Oteng, gave the assurance when he inaugurated the regional anti-human trafficking unit of the Ghana Police Service in Sunyani.
The establishment of the unit throughout the country is a collaborative effort between the Police Administration and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
According to international labour estimates, about 2.4 million people were victims of human trafficking between 1995 and 2005 while the United States Department of State report also revealed that about one million children were exploited by the global commercial sex trade every year.
DCOP Oteng stated that human trafficking impacted negatively on the economy since it contributed to streetchildren, unskilled labour and commercial sex activities.
He said those who engaged in prostitution contracted all kinds of venereal diseases, including HIV and AIDS, which was a killer.
‘‘This is why the Police Administration in collaboration with the other security agencies, is determined to eliminate human trafficking in our society. We would not relent in our efforts until trafficking in human beings is no more practised in our society,’’ he stressed.
The regional police commander emphasised that human trafficking was very exploitative as children were trafficked and forced into all kinds of forced hazardous labour, such as stone quarrying, fishing, salt mining and worse of all, young ladies were forced into prostitution.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, said many years ago, there was the tendency of some women in parts of the country, who were enticed or induced to migrate to Abidjan, La Cote d’ Ivoire under the guise of finding gainful employment, only to be forced into prostitution by circumstances beyond their control.
He said some of them arrived to realise that they had been deceived because the promised jobs were non-existent and prostitution was the only avenue open to them to earn a living.
‘‘Occasionally, these Abidjan-based women visited home in fancy clothing which also enticed others to go along with them,’’ the Regional Minister stated.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, however, stated that human trafficking had assumed a new dimension with the recruitment and transportation of young boys and girls who were sold into slavery, either within or across national borders by the use of force, abduction or deception.
CHELSEA BEAT LIBERTY 2-0 (BACK PAGE, DEC 6, 2010)
Bechem Chelsea continued to enjoy their stay at the summit of the Glo Premier League when they beat visiting Liberty Professionals 2-0 at the Golden City Park in Berekum yesterday.
Chelsea got the opener on the 10th minute when they struck through skipper Abdul Basit Mohammed. From a carefully tendered cornerkick, Chelsea’s Bismark Idan struck at goal, but his left-footed shot was blocked, and the ball fell to Basit Mohammed to finish off with a shot from the rebound.
Chelsea kept dictating the pace of the game but could not add to their lead in the first half.
The restart saw Liberty lifting their game, but their attack found Chelsea’s defence unbeatable until the scales turned in favour of the homesters who secured a penalty for their efforts later on, and striker Emmanuel Clottey made no mistake to slot it home.
Chelsea got the opener on the 10th minute when they struck through skipper Abdul Basit Mohammed. From a carefully tendered cornerkick, Chelsea’s Bismark Idan struck at goal, but his left-footed shot was blocked, and the ball fell to Basit Mohammed to finish off with a shot from the rebound.
Chelsea kept dictating the pace of the game but could not add to their lead in the first half.
The restart saw Liberty lifting their game, but their attack found Chelsea’s defence unbeatable until the scales turned in favour of the homesters who secured a penalty for their efforts later on, and striker Emmanuel Clottey made no mistake to slot it home.
KINTAMPO HEALTH SCHOOL DEVELOPS 5-YEAR PLAN (PAGE 11, DEC 3, 2010)
THE authorities at the Kintampo Rural Health Training School (KRHTS), in the Brong Ahafo Region have developed a five-year strategic plan for 2011 to 2016.
It has the objective of transforming the school into a world-class health university that will continue to respond to the health needs of communities.
The KRHTS aspires to become an international resource centre for training and operational research, by working towards developing and delivering Bachelor and Masters’ Degrees in appropriate subjects in affiliation with other institutions.
Furthermore, as the school, which was established about 41 years ago endeavours to achieve steady growth in student numbers, it is determined to develop partnerships with national health and research institutions, local and international universities and health authorities to encourage and support staff to gain higher qualifications up to the PhD level.
That would certainly enhance the quality of teaching and learning as well as service delivery and research, thereby attracting international students to participate in its training and other programmes.
Dr Emmanuel Teye Adjase, the Director of KRHTS disclosed this at the 2010 Matriculation of 672 freshers, made up of 411 males and 251 females.
He indicated that the first priority of the strategic plan was for the school to emerge as a full research degree awarding university, by working with other universities and the relevant ministries to fulfil the criteria for a University College status by 2011.
The students would pursue programmes in Medical Assistant Psychiatry, Post Basic Medical Assistant, Post Basic Community Oral Health Direct Medical Assistant, Field Technician, Disease Control, Human Information, Laboratory Technician, Registered Dental Surgery, Assistant Nutrition and Community Mental Health.
Again, the Director said, the authorities would work with other universities and the relevant ministries to fulfil the criteria for the full university status by 2016, developing a reputation for the training institution for excellence in learning, teaching and research.
Under the same first strategic priority, Dr Adjase pointed out that, the school would encourage the staff to develop the research environment of the training institution by hosting conferences, editing journals and publishing research findings.
The Director also mentioned the remaining five-year strategic priority areas as: Becoming an international resource centre for training and operational research, to become a well-resourced institution to contribute to the ever changing global health needs, increase the number and variety of students served and enhance their experience of higher education and finally, ensure an excellent human, financial, physical and intellectual infrastructure for the training institution.
Dr Adjase was joined by the Chairman of the Advisory Council of the KRHTS, Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, who is also the immediate past Dean of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), to launch the plan.
They also launched an Online Portal for the school, which was installed by Fleet Technologies Limited in Accra, Specialists in Online Services for educational institutions and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Prof. Agbenyega commended the authorities of the school for turning out health professionals who were rendering dedicated services in all parts of the country, saying that, graduates from the school were the crop of health personnel who worked harder with the absence of medical officers who sought to seek greener pastures elsewhere after their training in Ghana.
It has the objective of transforming the school into a world-class health university that will continue to respond to the health needs of communities.
The KRHTS aspires to become an international resource centre for training and operational research, by working towards developing and delivering Bachelor and Masters’ Degrees in appropriate subjects in affiliation with other institutions.
Furthermore, as the school, which was established about 41 years ago endeavours to achieve steady growth in student numbers, it is determined to develop partnerships with national health and research institutions, local and international universities and health authorities to encourage and support staff to gain higher qualifications up to the PhD level.
That would certainly enhance the quality of teaching and learning as well as service delivery and research, thereby attracting international students to participate in its training and other programmes.
Dr Emmanuel Teye Adjase, the Director of KRHTS disclosed this at the 2010 Matriculation of 672 freshers, made up of 411 males and 251 females.
He indicated that the first priority of the strategic plan was for the school to emerge as a full research degree awarding university, by working with other universities and the relevant ministries to fulfil the criteria for a University College status by 2011.
The students would pursue programmes in Medical Assistant Psychiatry, Post Basic Medical Assistant, Post Basic Community Oral Health Direct Medical Assistant, Field Technician, Disease Control, Human Information, Laboratory Technician, Registered Dental Surgery, Assistant Nutrition and Community Mental Health.
Again, the Director said, the authorities would work with other universities and the relevant ministries to fulfil the criteria for the full university status by 2016, developing a reputation for the training institution for excellence in learning, teaching and research.
Under the same first strategic priority, Dr Adjase pointed out that, the school would encourage the staff to develop the research environment of the training institution by hosting conferences, editing journals and publishing research findings.
The Director also mentioned the remaining five-year strategic priority areas as: Becoming an international resource centre for training and operational research, to become a well-resourced institution to contribute to the ever changing global health needs, increase the number and variety of students served and enhance their experience of higher education and finally, ensure an excellent human, financial, physical and intellectual infrastructure for the training institution.
Dr Adjase was joined by the Chairman of the Advisory Council of the KRHTS, Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, who is also the immediate past Dean of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), to launch the plan.
They also launched an Online Portal for the school, which was installed by Fleet Technologies Limited in Accra, Specialists in Online Services for educational institutions and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Prof. Agbenyega commended the authorities of the school for turning out health professionals who were rendering dedicated services in all parts of the country, saying that, graduates from the school were the crop of health personnel who worked harder with the absence of medical officers who sought to seek greener pastures elsewhere after their training in Ghana.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
FOOD PRODUCTION BOOMS IN ASUTIFI DISTRICT (MIRROR, NOV 27, 2010, PAGE 35)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Ntotroso
Food production, especially plantain, cassava, cocoyam and maize in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region, witnessed a steady percentage increase over the past four years, mainly due to the adoption of good agricultural practices by farmers.
Additionally, increased extension services, farmer to farmer training by field officers as well as the supply of and use of high quality yielding inputs.
In 2009, a total of 301,438 metric tonnes (Mt) of plantain was produced as against 274,748Mt recorded the previous year while in 2007, the production level was 225,381Mt and a total of 216,713Mt in 2006.
For cassava, the district recorded 264,002Mt in 2009; 243,710Mt in 2008; 262,629Mt the previous year and 236, 178Mt in 2006, representing 10.54 per cent while in the case of cocoyam, the figures recorded were, 137,213Mt, in 2009; 118,427Mt in 2008; 104,137Mtin 2007 and 101,104Mt the previous year.
The consistent food productivity levels was as a result of the provision of a total of $10million by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) operating the Ahafo Mine in the district to about 5,000 farmers, who have been affected by the development of the mine to re-establish their livelihood, under a programme known as the Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme (AILAP).
The Asutifi District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Kodwo A. Intsuah, disclosed this at the 2010 Farmers Open Day organised by the company at Ntotroso in the district on Tuesday with the theme, “ Grow More Food: Food Security, our Priority”.
Giving the recorded statistics for maize during the period, Mr. Intsuah indicated that 13,983Mt was produced in 2009; 14,043Mt in 2008; 13,868 in 2007 and 12,165Mt produced in 2006, while yam had 2,014Mt in 2009; 1,919Mt the previous year, 1,647Mt in 2007 and 1,551 in 2006.
For rice, the district MoFA Director pointed out that a total of 388Mt was produced in 2009 while 312Mt was recorded in 2008; 291 in 2007 and 286 produced the previous year, adding that in view of the increase in productivity, there was always bumper harvests at the peak of the harvesting season.
He therefore called for proper marketing avenues and value chain additions.
The External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said there had been an increase in farm size for the production of maize from 5,840 hectares in 2004 to 6,102 hectares in 2009, adding that Newmont had a vested interest in the improvement of livelihoods and economic development of communities in the area.
He appealed to the farmers and other stakeholders in the community to focus on projects that would enhance the development of agriculture and agro-business in the district, since mining would not be a feature of the district forever.
“The mine will come to the end of its life in a couple of decades so we all need to begin to build legacies that can support and sustain the livelihood and development of the Asutifi District and its communities,” Mr Bedu-Addo explained.
The District Chief Executive for Asutifi, Mr Eric Addae, commended the management of the company for the assistance extended to the farmers who had been affected by the operation of the mine and expressed the hope that the farmers would continue to work harder to earn a decent living all the time.
Food production, especially plantain, cassava, cocoyam and maize in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region, witnessed a steady percentage increase over the past four years, mainly due to the adoption of good agricultural practices by farmers.
Additionally, increased extension services, farmer to farmer training by field officers as well as the supply of and use of high quality yielding inputs.
In 2009, a total of 301,438 metric tonnes (Mt) of plantain was produced as against 274,748Mt recorded the previous year while in 2007, the production level was 225,381Mt and a total of 216,713Mt in 2006.
For cassava, the district recorded 264,002Mt in 2009; 243,710Mt in 2008; 262,629Mt the previous year and 236, 178Mt in 2006, representing 10.54 per cent while in the case of cocoyam, the figures recorded were, 137,213Mt, in 2009; 118,427Mt in 2008; 104,137Mtin 2007 and 101,104Mt the previous year.
The consistent food productivity levels was as a result of the provision of a total of $10million by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) operating the Ahafo Mine in the district to about 5,000 farmers, who have been affected by the development of the mine to re-establish their livelihood, under a programme known as the Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme (AILAP).
The Asutifi District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Kodwo A. Intsuah, disclosed this at the 2010 Farmers Open Day organised by the company at Ntotroso in the district on Tuesday with the theme, “ Grow More Food: Food Security, our Priority”.
Giving the recorded statistics for maize during the period, Mr. Intsuah indicated that 13,983Mt was produced in 2009; 14,043Mt in 2008; 13,868 in 2007 and 12,165Mt produced in 2006, while yam had 2,014Mt in 2009; 1,919Mt the previous year, 1,647Mt in 2007 and 1,551 in 2006.
For rice, the district MoFA Director pointed out that a total of 388Mt was produced in 2009 while 312Mt was recorded in 2008; 291 in 2007 and 286 produced the previous year, adding that in view of the increase in productivity, there was always bumper harvests at the peak of the harvesting season.
He therefore called for proper marketing avenues and value chain additions.
The External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said there had been an increase in farm size for the production of maize from 5,840 hectares in 2004 to 6,102 hectares in 2009, adding that Newmont had a vested interest in the improvement of livelihoods and economic development of communities in the area.
He appealed to the farmers and other stakeholders in the community to focus on projects that would enhance the development of agriculture and agro-business in the district, since mining would not be a feature of the district forever.
“The mine will come to the end of its life in a couple of decades so we all need to begin to build legacies that can support and sustain the livelihood and development of the Asutifi District and its communities,” Mr Bedu-Addo explained.
The District Chief Executive for Asutifi, Mr Eric Addae, commended the management of the company for the assistance extended to the farmers who had been affected by the operation of the mine and expressed the hope that the farmers would continue to work harder to earn a decent living all the time.
FAISAL HOLD ARSENAL (BACK PAGE, NOV 29, 2010)
Alhaji Karim Gruzah’s King Faisal trekked gallantly to the Berekum Golden City Park to hold homesters Arsenal to a pulsating 0-0 draw in their Glo Premier League match yesterday.
Faisal’s determination to run away with victory forced the defence of Arsenal to work extra hard, however, Arsenal’s central defender, Kofi Agyare, was red-carded by Tamale-based Class One referee, Awal Mohammed, on the 89th minute for a second cautionable offence.
The homesters, backed by their teeming supporters, probed for victory but they failed, even with the seven minutes additional time played.
Faisal’s determination to run away with victory forced the defence of Arsenal to work extra hard, however, Arsenal’s central defender, Kofi Agyare, was red-carded by Tamale-based Class One referee, Awal Mohammed, on the 89th minute for a second cautionable offence.
The homesters, backed by their teeming supporters, probed for victory but they failed, even with the seven minutes additional time played.
ORGANISE YOURSELVES INTO STRONG ASSOCIATIONS (PAGE 22, NOV 27, 2010)
THE Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, has observed that for the private sector to be the engine of growth, intermediary organisations, such as trade and business association’s (TBSs), should act as the voice of the sector.
He stressed that private businesses must organise themselves into strong associations and through advocacy, use those associations as platforms to articulate their concerns for the attention of policy-makers at the national, regional and district levels.
“They can advise government on the adoption of prudent economic policies that will create the appropriate environment for private sector growth and development. The TBAs should strengthen the capacity of the private sector and determine policy as well as the allocation of resources,” Mr Nyamekye-Marfo suggested.
The Regional Minister made the observation in a speech read on his behalf at a workshop, in Sunyani, on promoting business associations in Ghana.
The workshop, which was organised by the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF) and sponsored by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, was aimed at improving the members’ capacity on trade and business transactions.
According to Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, TBAs in Ghana were weak, poorly funded and lacked research and lobbying capacity.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the workshop would strengthen the associations to enable them to have a strong and coherent voice to be able to effectively play their role in the development process and also contribute towards the achievement of the government’s “Better Ghana” agenda.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KAB Governance Consult, Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, who presented a paper on “The case for strengthening business associations,” said the policy environment remained relatively weak for the private sector in spite of the government’s declared commitment to private sector development.
He suggested that the leadership of business associations should strive for a strong voice in the determination of policy and the allocation of resources, adding that strengthening business associations was a shared responsibility.
According to Mr Badu, Ghanaian business associations had the potential to become a force to reckon with in the national arena, but said what was required was effective leadership and that the PEF needed to rise to the challenge and offer the required leadership.
The acting Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), Mr Saeed Owusu-Brobbey, in a speech read on his behalf, said in the current competitive business world, it was almost impossible for any small-scale entrepreneur to survive as an individual.
He explained that the resources of an individual alone might not be adequate enough to enable him or her to compete effectively with the larger business concerns which made use of modern and complex scientific methods in production.
He stressed that private businesses must organise themselves into strong associations and through advocacy, use those associations as platforms to articulate their concerns for the attention of policy-makers at the national, regional and district levels.
“They can advise government on the adoption of prudent economic policies that will create the appropriate environment for private sector growth and development. The TBAs should strengthen the capacity of the private sector and determine policy as well as the allocation of resources,” Mr Nyamekye-Marfo suggested.
The Regional Minister made the observation in a speech read on his behalf at a workshop, in Sunyani, on promoting business associations in Ghana.
The workshop, which was organised by the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF) and sponsored by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, was aimed at improving the members’ capacity on trade and business transactions.
According to Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, TBAs in Ghana were weak, poorly funded and lacked research and lobbying capacity.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the workshop would strengthen the associations to enable them to have a strong and coherent voice to be able to effectively play their role in the development process and also contribute towards the achievement of the government’s “Better Ghana” agenda.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KAB Governance Consult, Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, who presented a paper on “The case for strengthening business associations,” said the policy environment remained relatively weak for the private sector in spite of the government’s declared commitment to private sector development.
He suggested that the leadership of business associations should strive for a strong voice in the determination of policy and the allocation of resources, adding that strengthening business associations was a shared responsibility.
According to Mr Badu, Ghanaian business associations had the potential to become a force to reckon with in the national arena, but said what was required was effective leadership and that the PEF needed to rise to the challenge and offer the required leadership.
The acting Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), Mr Saeed Owusu-Brobbey, in a speech read on his behalf, said in the current competitive business world, it was almost impossible for any small-scale entrepreneur to survive as an individual.
He explained that the resources of an individual alone might not be adequate enough to enable him or her to compete effectively with the larger business concerns which made use of modern and complex scientific methods in production.
GOVT URGED TO ASSIST PRIVATE SCHOOLS (PAGE 22, NOV 27, 2010)
IT is an undeniable fact that education, especially formal education, is the key to the effective development of every nation.
It is in recognition of this fact that governments, the world over, strive to put premium on the education of their citizenry.
In fact, the so-called developed countries attained their current status because they spent a lot of their resources on their respective education sectors which in the final analysis have tremendously transformed their economies.
Having realised this reason, developing countries, including our dear nation Ghana, have decided to concentrate on the education of their children by channelling a greater proportion of their annual budgets to the education sector.
Currently, the government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is painstakingly embarking on the infrastructural development of public schools at all levels, an aim the previous administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sought to achieve. Indeed, it is the wish of every serious-minded government to place education high on its developmental agenda.
Governments are desirous to pay maximum attention to education and in fact, much more attention is placed on public educational institutions. However, the question arises as to what the government is doing to assist the private schools since there are a number of potential benefits to strengthen the private school sector. Admittedly, the private sector is the engine of growth and the education sector should not be an exception.
There is an observation that private schools of varying quality are mushrooming in the developing world. In the private education sector, some schools appear to deliver quality education to the poor than the public schools.
In Ghana, for instance, there is an overall perception among parents that private schools provide better education than the public schools, at the basic level a notion that is substantiated by the results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which is the only criterion considered for entry into the Senior High Schools (SHSs).
It is also estimated that nearly 75 per cent of all schools in the Greater Accra Region and the other cities in the country are private institutions and those schools mostly serve the poor. As stated earlier, there are a number of potential benefits to be derived if the private sector education is strengthened diversity.
In addition to reducing the burden of financing education from government expenditure, stronger private schools might increase the diversity and choice in educational provision and the access and quality in education as well as improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of schools.
However, there are a number of factors that negatively affect the growth and quality of private schools. They include limited access to financial assistance, which appears to be the major one.
While some private schools are poorly managed financially, owners of those institutions often have few options to finance their business and are forced to rely on their savings and family loans to establish, grow, improve and sustain their schools.
Consequently, many credit institutions are reluctant to provide loans to private schools because they are perceived as risky investments. Many of those schools also lack credible accounting and financial management practices that can allow financial institutions to appropriately evaluate risks.
In the light of this phenomenon, a policy dialogue is needed among the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education, authorities of private schools, donor agencies, parents, among other stakeholders, focusing on how private schools might achieve greater recognition and credibility and determine how they might fit into the country’s education goals in consonance with the Millennium Development Goals.
Given the potential of private schools at both the primary and secondary levels to improve efficiency, access and quality, governments and donors ought to consider private schools as partners in achieving education for all and working with the private sector to achieve such goals.
This, however, requires a new type of programming. The means to achieving such goals requires mobilising and increasing the effective use of financial resources.
It is in response to this thought that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), working through The Michel Group Incorporated (TMG) in 2009, launched an Affordable Private Schools (APS) pilot project in Ghana.
The APS is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the needs of the private basic education sector and to gather best practices and lessons learnt specifically about how best to meet the financing and other needs of this sector.
In fact, TMG Incorporated is helping the private education sector in Ghana to improve the internal operations of private schools and enhance their ability to access affordable credit to expand infrastructure and improve the quality of education.
TMG Incorporated, under USAID-funded programme and in partnership with ASKY Services Limited, a private enterprise in Sunyani, is organising a series of training programmes for owners/managers and prospective owners/managers of private schools in internationally accepted best practices in Business and Financial Management four days workshop.
Recently, 20 proprietors and managers attended a four-day workshop in Sunyani. During an interaction with the Daily Graphic, Mr Baba D. Anaba, the Project Co-ordinator of the TMG Assistance to Basic Education in Ghana, stated that the APS pilot programme was geared towards developing a package of operational best practices and lessons learned in enabling quality private education, with focus on stimulating affordable private financing for private schools.
According to Mr Anaba, the focus was also to build the business, managerial and teaching capabilities of private schools, building banks’ capacity to develop appropriate credit products for the schools and developing mutually beneficial relationships between private schools and the Ministry of Education.
The Co-ordinator disclosed that the results from the programme to date included a total of $600,000 loan by partner bank to schools which had benefited from the training so far.
He added that 85 Ghanaian private sector schools had received loans with an average size of $7,680 and a range loan size of between $1,000 and $36,000.
Mr Anaba stated that over 100 schools had participated in the group short-term working capital loan programme.
He said training programmes were currently being conducted in three different regions while more than 230 private school owners who were also members of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) from Ashanti, Central, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Upper East Regions, had attended the financial management workshops.
The workshops were aimed at empowering private school proprietors to manage their schools effectively’.
The proprietor of Kasipe Memorial International School at Sampa in the Jaman North District in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Siaka Stevens, who was a participant at the workshop, told this writer that the programme had been an eye opener and had strengthened him in particular.
‘‘I can now see far because I have learnt new ideas and methods of supervising and managing financial aspects of my school,’’ he stressed.
According to him, the government had never invited proprietors and managers of private schools to any of such workshops and so in the past, he did his own thing until USAID/TMG came in with the programme. Mr Siaka, therefore, commended the group for the support it had offered him so far.
The Headmistress of Hwediem OLA Preparatory/Junior High School in the Asutifi District also in the region, Sister Theresa Anima Kusi, shared a similar experience with this writer, stressing that she had learnt certain ideologies at the workshop, such as effective financial management and proper supervision of both members of staff and students, which hitherto she never knew.
‘‘I now know how to work with my accountant, going by the steps I have learnt here and it will be a reminder to me at all times in managing the school with my other sister colleagues. Henceforth, we shall be as flexible as possible to achieve the maximum results,’’ she stated.
It is in recognition of this fact that governments, the world over, strive to put premium on the education of their citizenry.
In fact, the so-called developed countries attained their current status because they spent a lot of their resources on their respective education sectors which in the final analysis have tremendously transformed their economies.
Having realised this reason, developing countries, including our dear nation Ghana, have decided to concentrate on the education of their children by channelling a greater proportion of their annual budgets to the education sector.
Currently, the government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is painstakingly embarking on the infrastructural development of public schools at all levels, an aim the previous administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sought to achieve. Indeed, it is the wish of every serious-minded government to place education high on its developmental agenda.
Governments are desirous to pay maximum attention to education and in fact, much more attention is placed on public educational institutions. However, the question arises as to what the government is doing to assist the private schools since there are a number of potential benefits to strengthen the private school sector. Admittedly, the private sector is the engine of growth and the education sector should not be an exception.
There is an observation that private schools of varying quality are mushrooming in the developing world. In the private education sector, some schools appear to deliver quality education to the poor than the public schools.
In Ghana, for instance, there is an overall perception among parents that private schools provide better education than the public schools, at the basic level a notion that is substantiated by the results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), which is the only criterion considered for entry into the Senior High Schools (SHSs).
It is also estimated that nearly 75 per cent of all schools in the Greater Accra Region and the other cities in the country are private institutions and those schools mostly serve the poor. As stated earlier, there are a number of potential benefits to be derived if the private sector education is strengthened diversity.
In addition to reducing the burden of financing education from government expenditure, stronger private schools might increase the diversity and choice in educational provision and the access and quality in education as well as improve the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of schools.
However, there are a number of factors that negatively affect the growth and quality of private schools. They include limited access to financial assistance, which appears to be the major one.
While some private schools are poorly managed financially, owners of those institutions often have few options to finance their business and are forced to rely on their savings and family loans to establish, grow, improve and sustain their schools.
Consequently, many credit institutions are reluctant to provide loans to private schools because they are perceived as risky investments. Many of those schools also lack credible accounting and financial management practices that can allow financial institutions to appropriately evaluate risks.
In the light of this phenomenon, a policy dialogue is needed among the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education, authorities of private schools, donor agencies, parents, among other stakeholders, focusing on how private schools might achieve greater recognition and credibility and determine how they might fit into the country’s education goals in consonance with the Millennium Development Goals.
Given the potential of private schools at both the primary and secondary levels to improve efficiency, access and quality, governments and donors ought to consider private schools as partners in achieving education for all and working with the private sector to achieve such goals.
This, however, requires a new type of programming. The means to achieving such goals requires mobilising and increasing the effective use of financial resources.
It is in response to this thought that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), working through The Michel Group Incorporated (TMG) in 2009, launched an Affordable Private Schools (APS) pilot project in Ghana.
The APS is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the needs of the private basic education sector and to gather best practices and lessons learnt specifically about how best to meet the financing and other needs of this sector.
In fact, TMG Incorporated is helping the private education sector in Ghana to improve the internal operations of private schools and enhance their ability to access affordable credit to expand infrastructure and improve the quality of education.
TMG Incorporated, under USAID-funded programme and in partnership with ASKY Services Limited, a private enterprise in Sunyani, is organising a series of training programmes for owners/managers and prospective owners/managers of private schools in internationally accepted best practices in Business and Financial Management four days workshop.
Recently, 20 proprietors and managers attended a four-day workshop in Sunyani. During an interaction with the Daily Graphic, Mr Baba D. Anaba, the Project Co-ordinator of the TMG Assistance to Basic Education in Ghana, stated that the APS pilot programme was geared towards developing a package of operational best practices and lessons learned in enabling quality private education, with focus on stimulating affordable private financing for private schools.
According to Mr Anaba, the focus was also to build the business, managerial and teaching capabilities of private schools, building banks’ capacity to develop appropriate credit products for the schools and developing mutually beneficial relationships between private schools and the Ministry of Education.
The Co-ordinator disclosed that the results from the programme to date included a total of $600,000 loan by partner bank to schools which had benefited from the training so far.
He added that 85 Ghanaian private sector schools had received loans with an average size of $7,680 and a range loan size of between $1,000 and $36,000.
Mr Anaba stated that over 100 schools had participated in the group short-term working capital loan programme.
He said training programmes were currently being conducted in three different regions while more than 230 private school owners who were also members of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) from Ashanti, Central, Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Volta and Upper East Regions, had attended the financial management workshops.
The workshops were aimed at empowering private school proprietors to manage their schools effectively’.
The proprietor of Kasipe Memorial International School at Sampa in the Jaman North District in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Siaka Stevens, who was a participant at the workshop, told this writer that the programme had been an eye opener and had strengthened him in particular.
‘‘I can now see far because I have learnt new ideas and methods of supervising and managing financial aspects of my school,’’ he stressed.
According to him, the government had never invited proprietors and managers of private schools to any of such workshops and so in the past, he did his own thing until USAID/TMG came in with the programme. Mr Siaka, therefore, commended the group for the support it had offered him so far.
The Headmistress of Hwediem OLA Preparatory/Junior High School in the Asutifi District also in the region, Sister Theresa Anima Kusi, shared a similar experience with this writer, stressing that she had learnt certain ideologies at the workshop, such as effective financial management and proper supervision of both members of staff and students, which hitherto she never knew.
‘‘I now know how to work with my accountant, going by the steps I have learnt here and it will be a reminder to me at all times in managing the school with my other sister colleagues. Henceforth, we shall be as flexible as possible to achieve the maximum results,’’ she stated.
INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE AFFECTS LESS-ENDOWED SCHOOLS (PAGE 11, NOV 26, 2010)
INADEQUATE and run-down infrastructure such as classrooms, teachers’ bungalows, dormitories or hostels have, over the years, made it difficult for less- endowed schools in the country to put up their best, the Dean of the Faculty of Art at the College of Arts and Social Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor Daniel A. Ohene Adu, has observed.
He said challenges of inadequate staff members, library facilities and poorly stocked libraries had contributed to the abysmal performance of the less-privileged schools in the country.
“The inability of students to pay their school fees as a result of poor income levels, lack of exposure, their relatively poor numeracy and language skills and inadequate textbooks in the less-privileged schools could not be downplayed in assessing the challenges of less-endowed schools in their attempt to educate the youth for national development,” Prof. Adu pointed out.
The Dean of the Faculty of Art made these observations when he addressed the first Speech and Prize-giving day of Berekum Presbyterian Senior High School (Berekum PRESEC) on the theme: “Educating the Youth for National Development: The Role and Challenges of Less-Endowed Schools.”
Prof. Adu said it was evident that problems of education related to funding, teacher quality and quantity, poor student academic performance, equal educational opportunity as well as curriculum, in relation to labour force needs and global competition.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, including the government, parents and guardians, old students or alumni, headmasters, teachers, staff and students, to play their individual and collective roles well, in order to provide sustainable solutions to the myriad of problems that confronted the less-endowed schools.
Prof. Adu, however, pointed out that the problems that plague the less-privileged schools and by a wider stretch the entire educational sector do not in any way preclude such schools from performing their roles in properly educating the country’s youth for national development.
He declared: “Less-endowed schools have on many occasions provided the sole opportunity for some youth to attain education. Such schools must, therefore, continue to provide the needed avenue for the training of the country’s youth for national development.”
The Dean of KNUST maintained that the quality of the human resource base of every country was, undoubtedly, one of the most valued and important resources through which that country could accelerate development and achieve competitive advantage in the global world, which was characterised by competition, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as a high level research, among others.
In his report, Mr Joseph Mensah-Diawuo, the Headmaster of Berekum Presec, indicated that the school which started with a student population of 40 in 1993 had increased steadily over the years to the current figure of 1,700, adding that enrolment could have been bigger but for the lack of classroom accommodation.
He announced that the school’s performance in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) had been very impressive, as it had recorded 100 per cent pass over the years, adding: “Our school has put aside our numerous constraints to turn our less-endowed students into teachers, nurses, soldiers, policemen/women, teaching assistants in the universities and great international footballers, such as John Paintsil of the Ghana Black Star fame.”
Mr Mensah-Diawuo stated that the time had come for the government to direct its attention to the less-endowed schools, by providing them with the basic infrastructure needs to promote teaching and learning, stressing that in spite of its constraints, Berekum Presec was doing very well academically under strict Presbyterian discipline.
The school’s Senior Prefect, Master Seth Effah, said despite its impressive performance, the school lacked a number of facilities, including an assembly hall, science laboratory, dormitories, an administration block and classrooms, among other pressing needs.
He said challenges of inadequate staff members, library facilities and poorly stocked libraries had contributed to the abysmal performance of the less-privileged schools in the country.
“The inability of students to pay their school fees as a result of poor income levels, lack of exposure, their relatively poor numeracy and language skills and inadequate textbooks in the less-privileged schools could not be downplayed in assessing the challenges of less-endowed schools in their attempt to educate the youth for national development,” Prof. Adu pointed out.
The Dean of the Faculty of Art made these observations when he addressed the first Speech and Prize-giving day of Berekum Presbyterian Senior High School (Berekum PRESEC) on the theme: “Educating the Youth for National Development: The Role and Challenges of Less-Endowed Schools.”
Prof. Adu said it was evident that problems of education related to funding, teacher quality and quantity, poor student academic performance, equal educational opportunity as well as curriculum, in relation to labour force needs and global competition.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, including the government, parents and guardians, old students or alumni, headmasters, teachers, staff and students, to play their individual and collective roles well, in order to provide sustainable solutions to the myriad of problems that confronted the less-endowed schools.
Prof. Adu, however, pointed out that the problems that plague the less-privileged schools and by a wider stretch the entire educational sector do not in any way preclude such schools from performing their roles in properly educating the country’s youth for national development.
He declared: “Less-endowed schools have on many occasions provided the sole opportunity for some youth to attain education. Such schools must, therefore, continue to provide the needed avenue for the training of the country’s youth for national development.”
The Dean of KNUST maintained that the quality of the human resource base of every country was, undoubtedly, one of the most valued and important resources through which that country could accelerate development and achieve competitive advantage in the global world, which was characterised by competition, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as a high level research, among others.
In his report, Mr Joseph Mensah-Diawuo, the Headmaster of Berekum Presec, indicated that the school which started with a student population of 40 in 1993 had increased steadily over the years to the current figure of 1,700, adding that enrolment could have been bigger but for the lack of classroom accommodation.
He announced that the school’s performance in the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) had been very impressive, as it had recorded 100 per cent pass over the years, adding: “Our school has put aside our numerous constraints to turn our less-endowed students into teachers, nurses, soldiers, policemen/women, teaching assistants in the universities and great international footballers, such as John Paintsil of the Ghana Black Star fame.”
Mr Mensah-Diawuo stated that the time had come for the government to direct its attention to the less-endowed schools, by providing them with the basic infrastructure needs to promote teaching and learning, stressing that in spite of its constraints, Berekum Presec was doing very well academically under strict Presbyterian discipline.
The school’s Senior Prefect, Master Seth Effah, said despite its impressive performance, the school lacked a number of facilities, including an assembly hall, science laboratory, dormitories, an administration block and classrooms, among other pressing needs.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
78 RECKLESS DRIVERS DISCIPLINED (MIRROR, PAGE 39, NOV 20, 2010)
A TOTAL of 78 drivers in the Sunyani Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region have been arrested by personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service for recklessness and indiscipline during a special pre-X’mas exercise to clamp down on drivers who contravened road traffic rules and regulations.
Out of the number, 63 were processed to appear before various courts in the municipality, 33 were fined between GH¢70 and GH¢300. Bench warrants were issued by the courts for the arrest of 19 of them and five were, however, cautioned and discharged.
The exercise, which the police said would continue, was aimed at ensuring that accidents which normally occurred during Christmas were drastically reduced to the barest minimum or prevented.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wesley Baah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Commander of the MTTU, told The Mirror in an interview that, 15, of the drivers were also issued with warning letters and explained that some of the drivers were plying the roads without their driving licenses while others had not equipped their vehicles with fire extinguishers and advanced warning triangles.
Mr Baah also intimated that some of the drivers were using worn-out tyres, others had overloaded, some were driving without road worthiness certificates, speeding, driving without insurance or expired certificates and many other offences, which according to him, were the cause of many accidents on the roads.
The MTTU Commander disclosed that the checks were mounted on the Sunyani- Kumasi, Sunyani-Techiman and the Sunyani-Berekum highways as well as the Sunyani-Odumase road, in collaboration with officials of the National Road and Safety Commission (NRSC) and the Driver, Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
He pointed out that as Christmas was fast approaching, the three institutions had decided to come out early to ensure that vehicles that plied the roads were of standard and conformed strictly with the road traffic and transport regulations so as to curb the carnage on the various road networks.
‘‘We want to make sure that every vehicle on the road is worthy, possessed valid license, insurance cover, advanced warning triangles, fire extinguishers and all the necessary documents and equipment before they embarked on their businesses,” Mr Baah stressed.
The MTTU Commander, however, cautioned that those drivers who would not obey the simple but important rules would be prosecuted at the law courts, adding that the exercise was going to be sustained to protect human lives and property.
According to the police officer, the checks were not limited to only commercial vehicles alone but covered all manner of transports, including motorbikes and, therefore, all drivers should co-operate with personnel of the service and their collaborators to make the exercise succeed in the interest of the wider population.
Mr Yaw Yeboah Asante, Assistant Planning Officer of the NRSC in Sunyani, said in another interaction that the exercise was intended to ensure safety on the roads and expressed optimism that at the end of the day, the drivers would do what was expected of them and not fall foul to the law.
Out of the number, 63 were processed to appear before various courts in the municipality, 33 were fined between GH¢70 and GH¢300. Bench warrants were issued by the courts for the arrest of 19 of them and five were, however, cautioned and discharged.
The exercise, which the police said would continue, was aimed at ensuring that accidents which normally occurred during Christmas were drastically reduced to the barest minimum or prevented.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wesley Baah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Commander of the MTTU, told The Mirror in an interview that, 15, of the drivers were also issued with warning letters and explained that some of the drivers were plying the roads without their driving licenses while others had not equipped their vehicles with fire extinguishers and advanced warning triangles.
Mr Baah also intimated that some of the drivers were using worn-out tyres, others had overloaded, some were driving without road worthiness certificates, speeding, driving without insurance or expired certificates and many other offences, which according to him, were the cause of many accidents on the roads.
The MTTU Commander disclosed that the checks were mounted on the Sunyani- Kumasi, Sunyani-Techiman and the Sunyani-Berekum highways as well as the Sunyani-Odumase road, in collaboration with officials of the National Road and Safety Commission (NRSC) and the Driver, Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
He pointed out that as Christmas was fast approaching, the three institutions had decided to come out early to ensure that vehicles that plied the roads were of standard and conformed strictly with the road traffic and transport regulations so as to curb the carnage on the various road networks.
‘‘We want to make sure that every vehicle on the road is worthy, possessed valid license, insurance cover, advanced warning triangles, fire extinguishers and all the necessary documents and equipment before they embarked on their businesses,” Mr Baah stressed.
The MTTU Commander, however, cautioned that those drivers who would not obey the simple but important rules would be prosecuted at the law courts, adding that the exercise was going to be sustained to protect human lives and property.
According to the police officer, the checks were not limited to only commercial vehicles alone but covered all manner of transports, including motorbikes and, therefore, all drivers should co-operate with personnel of the service and their collaborators to make the exercise succeed in the interest of the wider population.
Mr Yaw Yeboah Asante, Assistant Planning Officer of the NRSC in Sunyani, said in another interaction that the exercise was intended to ensure safety on the roads and expressed optimism that at the end of the day, the drivers would do what was expected of them and not fall foul to the law.
SENSITIZATION SEMINAR FOR MDAS (PAGE 13, NOV 24, 2010)
A sensitisation seminar on the Legislative Instrument (LI) 1961, with particular reference to the establishment of the new Department of Trade, Industry and Tourism and its linkage with the Business Advisory Centres (BACs) and Rural Technology Facilities (RTCs) within the District Assembly system, has been held in Sunyani, the capital of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The objective of the seminar was to help the stakeholders to identify practical ways of absorbing the BACs and the RTFs into the new department and ultimately mainstream them within the district assembly concept to ensure sustainability of the two structures.
It was organised by the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) in collaboration with its supervising Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Local Government Service.
The target groups were: District and Municipal Chief Executives, District Coordinating Directors, District Finance Officers, Planning Officers and other stakeholders from 66 participating districts of the REP in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo. Central, Western, Northern, Eastern, Upper East and Volta regions.
Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, who addressed the function, stressed that the ministry was pursuing a policy for strengthening the informal private sector by initiating the establishment of a national institutional framework for the promotion of micro and small-scale enterprises at the district, metropolitan and regional levels.
He explained that the bulk of the micro and small-scale enterprises operated at the district level, however, most of them did not operate at sustainable levels due to a number of reasons, including the lack of relevant business development support services.
The deputy minister further indicated that the passing of the LI 1961, 2009, sought to operationalise the decentralised departments, which included trade, industry and tourism at the district level as the substantive departments of the district assemblies.
Mr Ayariga also pointed out that the function of the new department within the assembly system, which among others, shall facilitate the promotion and development of small-scale industries, the task of the new arrangement was consistent with the objective of the REP and the operations of the BACs and the RTFs.
The National Coodinator of the REP, Mr Kwasi Atta-Antwi, explained that the BACs and RTFs were institutional structures that had strengthened the capacity of the assemblies to promote micro and small- scale enterprises and facilitated local economic development.
However, he noted that the assemblies face the challenge of directly paying for the salaries of the staff appointed by the assemblies to the two structures, and that was mainly because technically, the staff were not part of the assembly system which resulted in their demotivation and high attrition in some districts.
The objective of the seminar was to help the stakeholders to identify practical ways of absorbing the BACs and the RTFs into the new department and ultimately mainstream them within the district assembly concept to ensure sustainability of the two structures.
It was organised by the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) in collaboration with its supervising Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Local Government Service.
The target groups were: District and Municipal Chief Executives, District Coordinating Directors, District Finance Officers, Planning Officers and other stakeholders from 66 participating districts of the REP in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo. Central, Western, Northern, Eastern, Upper East and Volta regions.
Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, who addressed the function, stressed that the ministry was pursuing a policy for strengthening the informal private sector by initiating the establishment of a national institutional framework for the promotion of micro and small-scale enterprises at the district, metropolitan and regional levels.
He explained that the bulk of the micro and small-scale enterprises operated at the district level, however, most of them did not operate at sustainable levels due to a number of reasons, including the lack of relevant business development support services.
The deputy minister further indicated that the passing of the LI 1961, 2009, sought to operationalise the decentralised departments, which included trade, industry and tourism at the district level as the substantive departments of the district assemblies.
Mr Ayariga also pointed out that the function of the new department within the assembly system, which among others, shall facilitate the promotion and development of small-scale industries, the task of the new arrangement was consistent with the objective of the REP and the operations of the BACs and the RTFs.
The National Coodinator of the REP, Mr Kwasi Atta-Antwi, explained that the BACs and RTFs were institutional structures that had strengthened the capacity of the assemblies to promote micro and small- scale enterprises and facilitated local economic development.
However, he noted that the assemblies face the challenge of directly paying for the salaries of the staff appointed by the assemblies to the two structures, and that was mainly because technically, the staff were not part of the assembly system which resulted in their demotivation and high attrition in some districts.
BOATENG GYAN CHAIRS BOFOAKWA (PAGE 79, NOV 22, 2010)
The Board of Directors of Sunyani-based Bofoakwa Tano Football Club, a division one side in the Brong-Ahafo Region, has appointed Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan of the office of the President, Castle, as the new chairman of the club with immediate effect.
A letter dated November 16, 2010 and copied to the Graphic Sports in Sunyani, said, ‘‘I have been directed by the Chief Patron of Bofoakwa Tano FC, Dr E.A. Saarah Akyereko, to inform you that you have officially been appointed as the new Board Chairman of the club. Your appointment takes immediate effect’’.
The letter, signed by the Secretary of the board, Mr Charles Osei Shiamang, also named Mr J.Y. Appiah, an Accra representative of the club, as the Vice Chairman, saying, “I am fully convinced that you would accept your new appointment in good faith. accept my congratulations’’.
A letter dated November 16, 2010 and copied to the Graphic Sports in Sunyani, said, ‘‘I have been directed by the Chief Patron of Bofoakwa Tano FC, Dr E.A. Saarah Akyereko, to inform you that you have officially been appointed as the new Board Chairman of the club. Your appointment takes immediate effect’’.
The letter, signed by the Secretary of the board, Mr Charles Osei Shiamang, also named Mr J.Y. Appiah, an Accra representative of the club, as the Vice Chairman, saying, “I am fully convinced that you would accept your new appointment in good faith. accept my congratulations’’.
KOTOKO END LOSING STREAK (BACK PAGE, NOV 22, 2010)
Faded Kumasi Asante Kotoko continued their dismal display in the Glo Premier League as they failed to take advantage of their numerical strength to collect the three points at the expense of B.A. Stars at the Sunyani Coronation Park. The match ended goaless.
It was Kotoko’s first point in five games following a four-match losing streak that sent their otherwise brilliant start to the season tumbling into the reverse gear.
Tema-based FIFA referee Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo red-carded the hometers’ intelligent play-maker, Daniel Larbi Coomson, on the 50th minute for violent conduct.
B.A. Stars dominated play in all the departments of the game, but failed to utilise clear chances that they created to the amazement of their supporters and sympathisers.
In fact, the tutorials of Kotoko’s new coach, Bogdan Korak, are yet to yield dividends, and the doubts that have been cast over his capability of stemming the tide appears to have emanated from the floppy and unattractive nature of the current Kotoko side.
It was Kotoko’s first point in five games following a four-match losing streak that sent their otherwise brilliant start to the season tumbling into the reverse gear.
Tema-based FIFA referee Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo red-carded the hometers’ intelligent play-maker, Daniel Larbi Coomson, on the 50th minute for violent conduct.
B.A. Stars dominated play in all the departments of the game, but failed to utilise clear chances that they created to the amazement of their supporters and sympathisers.
In fact, the tutorials of Kotoko’s new coach, Bogdan Korak, are yet to yield dividends, and the doubts that have been cast over his capability of stemming the tide appears to have emanated from the floppy and unattractive nature of the current Kotoko side.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
ROTORIANS SUPPORT SUNYANI MUNICIPAL SCHOOL (JUNIOR GRAPHIC PAGE 6, NOV 17, 2010)
The Sunyani Central branch of the Rotary Club, in collaboration with Rotary International and other sister Rotary clubs in Canada, has provided teaching and health items for the Sunyani Municipal Basic School.
The items which included library books, computers, cupboards, television sets, mosquito nets, as well as health and sanitation equipment cost GH¢65,739.
In addition to these, the club has completed the construction of a fence wall to ward off thieves and other social miscreants who had hitherto used the open school compound for their criminal and other nefarious activities.
Mr Samuel A. Obour, President of the Sunyani Central Rotary Club, who disclosed this at a ceremony to officially inaugurate the security wall project, said the club had also decided to construct a 12-unit toilet facility for the school.
He said it was the intention of the club and Rotary International to improve the lives of deprived people in society and, therefore, appealed to all well-meaning residents of Sunyani to join the club in achieving its goals.
The Sunyani Municipal Director of Education, Rev Timothy Kankam Dwumfuor, commended the club for the decision to protect the vulnerable pupils and their teachers from criminals.
He used the occasion to advise the children to study hard in order to achieve their future goals, adding that it was the desire of the education directorate to ensure that results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) were improved in the municipality.
Mr Kwasi Oppong Ababio, Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), who performed the ceremony, noted that the gesture by the club was in line with the government’s policy of public-private partnership for development.
The items which included library books, computers, cupboards, television sets, mosquito nets, as well as health and sanitation equipment cost GH¢65,739.
In addition to these, the club has completed the construction of a fence wall to ward off thieves and other social miscreants who had hitherto used the open school compound for their criminal and other nefarious activities.
Mr Samuel A. Obour, President of the Sunyani Central Rotary Club, who disclosed this at a ceremony to officially inaugurate the security wall project, said the club had also decided to construct a 12-unit toilet facility for the school.
He said it was the intention of the club and Rotary International to improve the lives of deprived people in society and, therefore, appealed to all well-meaning residents of Sunyani to join the club in achieving its goals.
The Sunyani Municipal Director of Education, Rev Timothy Kankam Dwumfuor, commended the club for the decision to protect the vulnerable pupils and their teachers from criminals.
He used the occasion to advise the children to study hard in order to achieve their future goals, adding that it was the desire of the education directorate to ensure that results of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) were improved in the municipality.
Mr Kwasi Oppong Ababio, Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), who performed the ceremony, noted that the gesture by the club was in line with the government’s policy of public-private partnership for development.
NO CLASSROOMS @ BEREKUM PRESEC (JUNIOR GRAPHIC, NOV 17, 2010, PAGE 3)
About 500 newly admitted Form One students of the Berekum Presbyterian Senior High School (Berekum Presec) have no classrooms for their lessons.
However, as an interim measure, the authorities have decided to convert the school’s library block and the science laboratory into classrooms for their use.
In addition, an uncompleted headmaster’s bungalow which started about 10 years ago is currently being used by the Form One students as a hostel, owing to the acute accommodation problem in the school.
Mr Joseph Mensah-Diawuo, the Headmaster, who disclosed this at the maiden Speech and Prize-giving Day of the school, indicated that the school needed classrooms, an assembly hall, computer and science laboratories, hostels for boys and girls, staff bungalows, a home science centre and a vehicle.
The theme for the celebration was: “Educating the Youth for National Development: The Role and Challenges of Less-Endowed Schools”.
He pointed out that the time had come for the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to direct their attention at less-privileged schools in the country such as Berekum PRESEC by providing them with basic needs to promote teaching and learning.
The headmaster emphasised that in spite of the constraints, Berekum Presec was doing very well academically under strict Presbyterian discipline.
According to Mr Mensah-Diawuo, in 2005 the school won the first position in the National Science Fair competition, placed first and second in 2008, took the second and fourth positions in 2009 and came third this year.
In the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), he described the school’s performance as impressive and announced that from 2005 to 2009 it scored 100 per cent passes, explaining that out of the 298 students presented in 2009, 289 passed in six, seven or eight subjects.
The headmaster expressed his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the teachers for their dedication and hard work and disclosed that in 2001 one of them, Ms Cecilia Yeboah, was the second runner-up in the National Best Teacher awards.
The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, said the government had decided to construct a six-unit classroom block and a three-storey girls’ dormitory for the school.
However, as an interim measure, the authorities have decided to convert the school’s library block and the science laboratory into classrooms for their use.
In addition, an uncompleted headmaster’s bungalow which started about 10 years ago is currently being used by the Form One students as a hostel, owing to the acute accommodation problem in the school.
Mr Joseph Mensah-Diawuo, the Headmaster, who disclosed this at the maiden Speech and Prize-giving Day of the school, indicated that the school needed classrooms, an assembly hall, computer and science laboratories, hostels for boys and girls, staff bungalows, a home science centre and a vehicle.
The theme for the celebration was: “Educating the Youth for National Development: The Role and Challenges of Less-Endowed Schools”.
He pointed out that the time had come for the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to direct their attention at less-privileged schools in the country such as Berekum PRESEC by providing them with basic needs to promote teaching and learning.
The headmaster emphasised that in spite of the constraints, Berekum Presec was doing very well academically under strict Presbyterian discipline.
According to Mr Mensah-Diawuo, in 2005 the school won the first position in the National Science Fair competition, placed first and second in 2008, took the second and fourth positions in 2009 and came third this year.
In the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), he described the school’s performance as impressive and announced that from 2005 to 2009 it scored 100 per cent passes, explaining that out of the 298 students presented in 2009, 289 passed in six, seven or eight subjects.
The headmaster expressed his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the teachers for their dedication and hard work and disclosed that in 2001 one of them, Ms Cecilia Yeboah, was the second runner-up in the National Best Teacher awards.
The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, said the government had decided to construct a six-unit classroom block and a three-storey girls’ dormitory for the school.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
WORKSHOP ON PROMOTING BUSINESS ASSOCIATION ENDS (PAGE 22, NOV 12, 2010)
THE Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, has observed that for the private sector to be the engine of growth, intermediary organisations such as trade and business associations (TBS) should act as the voice of the sector.
He stressed that private businesses have to organise themselves into strong associations and through advocacy, use them as platforms to articulate their concerns for the attention of policy-makers at the national, regional and district levels.
“They can advise government on the adoption of prudent economic policies that will create the appropriate environment for private sector growth and development. The TBAs should strengthen the capacity of the private sector and determine policy as well as the allocation of resources,’’ Mr Nyamekye-Marfo suggested.
The Regional Minister made the observation in a speech read on his behalf at a workshop in Sunyani on “Promoting Business Associations in Ghana”, which was organised by the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF).
Sponsored by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the workshop was aimed at improving the membership and capacity of trade and business associations.
The workshop explored the current status of trade and business, inhibition factors in attaining optimal membership of trade and business associations and the potential roles of leadership and membership of trade and business associations, the state and other civil society organisations, among other objectives.
According to Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, TBAs in Ghana were weak, poorly funded and lacked research and lobbying capacity.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the workshop would strengthen the associations to enable them to have a strong and coherent voice to effectively play their role in the development process and also contribute towards the achievement of the government’s ‘‘Better Ghana’’ agenda.
The Regional Minister stated that the government’s support for active trade associations was premised on the knowledge that TBAs the world over, had the potential to facilitate the development of a strong private sector by representing the interest of businesses and providing support for members.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KAB Governance Consult, Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, who presented a paper on ‘‘The case for strengthening business associations,’’ said the policy environment remained relatively weak for the private sector in spite of the government’s declared commitment to private sector development.
He suggested that the leadership of business associations should strive for a strong voice in the determination of policy and the allocation of resources, adding that strengthening business associations was a shared responsibility.
According to Mr Badu, Ghanaian business associations had the potential to become a force to reckon with in the national arena but noted that what was required were effective leadership and the need for PEF to rise to the challenge and offer the required leadership.
The acting Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), Mr Saeed Owusu-Brobbey, in a speech read on his behalf, said in the current competitive business world, it was almost impossible for any small scale entrepreneur to survive as an individual.
He said the resources of an individual alone might not be enough to enable him or her to compete effectively with the larger business concerns which made use of modern and complex scientific methods in production.
He stressed that private businesses have to organise themselves into strong associations and through advocacy, use them as platforms to articulate their concerns for the attention of policy-makers at the national, regional and district levels.
“They can advise government on the adoption of prudent economic policies that will create the appropriate environment for private sector growth and development. The TBAs should strengthen the capacity of the private sector and determine policy as well as the allocation of resources,’’ Mr Nyamekye-Marfo suggested.
The Regional Minister made the observation in a speech read on his behalf at a workshop in Sunyani on “Promoting Business Associations in Ghana”, which was organised by the Private Enterprises Foundation (PEF).
Sponsored by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the workshop was aimed at improving the membership and capacity of trade and business associations.
The workshop explored the current status of trade and business, inhibition factors in attaining optimal membership of trade and business associations and the potential roles of leadership and membership of trade and business associations, the state and other civil society organisations, among other objectives.
According to Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, TBAs in Ghana were weak, poorly funded and lacked research and lobbying capacity.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that the workshop would strengthen the associations to enable them to have a strong and coherent voice to effectively play their role in the development process and also contribute towards the achievement of the government’s ‘‘Better Ghana’’ agenda.
The Regional Minister stated that the government’s support for active trade associations was premised on the knowledge that TBAs the world over, had the potential to facilitate the development of a strong private sector by representing the interest of businesses and providing support for members.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KAB Governance Consult, Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, who presented a paper on ‘‘The case for strengthening business associations,’’ said the policy environment remained relatively weak for the private sector in spite of the government’s declared commitment to private sector development.
He suggested that the leadership of business associations should strive for a strong voice in the determination of policy and the allocation of resources, adding that strengthening business associations was a shared responsibility.
According to Mr Badu, Ghanaian business associations had the potential to become a force to reckon with in the national arena but noted that what was required were effective leadership and the need for PEF to rise to the challenge and offer the required leadership.
The acting Brong Ahafo Regional Manager of the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), Mr Saeed Owusu-Brobbey, in a speech read on his behalf, said in the current competitive business world, it was almost impossible for any small scale entrepreneur to survive as an individual.
He said the resources of an individual alone might not be enough to enable him or her to compete effectively with the larger business concerns which made use of modern and complex scientific methods in production.
DCE WORRIED OVER COCOA SMUGGLING (PAGE 36, NOV 10, 2010)
THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Juabeso, Mr Solomon Fuachie, has expressed concern over the smuggling of cocoa by some unscrupulous people across the borders of Ghana.
He observed that the smuggling of tonnes of cocoa beans to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire over the years had been a big loss to the national economy.
He, therefore, appealed to the economic saboteurs to think about their country first before their selfish and parochial interests.
Mr Fuachie expressed the concern in his opening remarks at a ceremony where OLAM Ghana Limited, a licensed buying company (LBC) in the country presented three motorbikes valued at GH¢20,000 to an anti-cocoa smuggling squad of the security agencies at Sefwi Essam, the capital of the Bia District in the Western Region.
He noted that cocoa had been the backbone of the Ghanaian economy from time immemorial but noted with regret that some people did not seem to appreciate that fact and had rather resorted to undermining what the resource could do to sustain the economy.
‘‘We should be proud of the commodity and respect the producer price being offered by the government,’’ he said.
Mr Fuachie emphasised that by law it was only the government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), that had the sole responsibility to export cocoa beans for sale.
“We need to educate the people about the law and the consequences of smuggling. Let us condemn the act and the perpetrators in the strictest terms and in totality,” he emphasised.
He commended OLAM Ghana for the gesture.
Mr Fuachie appealed to the security agencies to work harder than before to stop the menace of cocoa smuggling in the area once and for all, stressing that the logistics they had received should be a morale booster for them to act swiftly on the smugglers in the district.
The Head of Business of OLAM Ghana Limited, Mr John Andre, disclosed that Ghana produced 650,000 metric tonnes of cocoa last year but lost about 100,000 tonnes of the commodity through smuggling, adding that the money that was lost could have been used to construct roads in the area.
According to him, his company had donated 100 hospital beds to the Dunkwa Health Assistants Training School and also presented a quantity of rice to its customers during the celebration of COPAL Day last year..
He added that the company had created many jobs and for the people to help improve their living conditions.
He said as the fourth largest LBC in the country, OLAM was operating in all the cocoa producing regions, except Volta.
He observed that the smuggling of tonnes of cocoa beans to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire over the years had been a big loss to the national economy.
He, therefore, appealed to the economic saboteurs to think about their country first before their selfish and parochial interests.
Mr Fuachie expressed the concern in his opening remarks at a ceremony where OLAM Ghana Limited, a licensed buying company (LBC) in the country presented three motorbikes valued at GH¢20,000 to an anti-cocoa smuggling squad of the security agencies at Sefwi Essam, the capital of the Bia District in the Western Region.
He noted that cocoa had been the backbone of the Ghanaian economy from time immemorial but noted with regret that some people did not seem to appreciate that fact and had rather resorted to undermining what the resource could do to sustain the economy.
‘‘We should be proud of the commodity and respect the producer price being offered by the government,’’ he said.
Mr Fuachie emphasised that by law it was only the government, through the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), that had the sole responsibility to export cocoa beans for sale.
“We need to educate the people about the law and the consequences of smuggling. Let us condemn the act and the perpetrators in the strictest terms and in totality,” he emphasised.
He commended OLAM Ghana for the gesture.
Mr Fuachie appealed to the security agencies to work harder than before to stop the menace of cocoa smuggling in the area once and for all, stressing that the logistics they had received should be a morale booster for them to act swiftly on the smugglers in the district.
The Head of Business of OLAM Ghana Limited, Mr John Andre, disclosed that Ghana produced 650,000 metric tonnes of cocoa last year but lost about 100,000 tonnes of the commodity through smuggling, adding that the money that was lost could have been used to construct roads in the area.
According to him, his company had donated 100 hospital beds to the Dunkwa Health Assistants Training School and also presented a quantity of rice to its customers during the celebration of COPAL Day last year..
He added that the company had created many jobs and for the people to help improve their living conditions.
He said as the fourth largest LBC in the country, OLAM was operating in all the cocoa producing regions, except Volta.
ARMED ROBBERS STRIKE ON KINTAMPO-TAMALE ROAD (PAGE 19, NOV 9, 2010)
TWO passenger vehicles, a Yutong bus and a Blue Bird, were attacked by armed robbers at a spot between Dawadawa No 1. and Atta Akuraa on the Kintampo-Tamale road in the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday.
Numbering about seven, the armed robbers allegedly took away GH¢ 3,000.00 from a co-driver of the Yutong bus and an unspecified amount from the passengers as well as their mobile phones and other items.
They are also alleged to have collected GH¢800.00 and a mobile phone from Daniel Marfo, the driver of the Blue Bird vehicle and GH¢200.00 from a woman on the bus.
Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Kintampo Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Desmond Owusu Boampong, said the robbers became furious when the Yutong bus driver attempted to bypass the Blue Bird vehicle which they had stopped so they shot at the vehicle, injuring one passenger who is now on admission at the Kintampo Government Hospital.
Superintendent Boampong said the police had begun investigations into the incident.
Numbering about seven, the armed robbers allegedly took away GH¢ 3,000.00 from a co-driver of the Yutong bus and an unspecified amount from the passengers as well as their mobile phones and other items.
They are also alleged to have collected GH¢800.00 and a mobile phone from Daniel Marfo, the driver of the Blue Bird vehicle and GH¢200.00 from a woman on the bus.
Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Kintampo Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Desmond Owusu Boampong, said the robbers became furious when the Yutong bus driver attempted to bypass the Blue Bird vehicle which they had stopped so they shot at the vehicle, injuring one passenger who is now on admission at the Kintampo Government Hospital.
Superintendent Boampong said the police had begun investigations into the incident.
RURAL ENTERPRISES PROJECT UP-SCALED (PAGE 22, NOV 9, 2010)
THE Ministry of Trade and Industry has decided to up-scale the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) to a National Rural Enterprises Programme (NREP) to cover all districts in the country and support job creation nationwide.
This is part of the government’s development effort to create wealth and reduce poverty in rural areas.
The Ministry believes that the implementation of a National Rural Enterprises Programme will reinforce the wider national strategy of empowering the rural poor with skills and other productive assets to develop and grow their businesses and further strengthen the private sector.
The up-scaling of the project followed an interim independent evaluation, which was carried out in July, this year and whose findings were positive. Consequently, a preliminary design mission of the proposed programme was set up, which completed its assignment and submitted its initial report to the Ministry.
A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mahama Ayariga, who announced this in Sunyani, said by January, 2012, the change of the project to a programme status would be officially launched.
He was addressing the 2010 annual review workshop of the REP, which was attended by District Chief Executives, District Co-ordinating Directors, staff of the project and other stakeholders from the participating districts of the project.
The REP was jointly financed by the government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide a critical mass support for the micro enterprise sector in Ghana.
According to the Deputy Minister, the President of IFAD, Dr Kanayo Felix Nwanze, assured the ministry on his recent visit to the country that IFAD could contribute funding to up-scale the programme to cover all rural districts in Ghana, made up of 66 existing participating districts and 95 additional ones.
He stressed that the objective was to spread the benefits of skills development, technology promotion and transfer, rural financial services, job creation and poverty reduction to all districts in the country.
He said that would involve among others, the establishment of sustainable structures for business promotion, including Business Advisory Centres (BACs) and Rural Technology Facilities nation-wide.
Mr Ayariga stated that the expansion of the programme nationwide fitted into the wider national strategy of establishing an institutional framework for the promotion of micro and small scale enterprises.
He said that had come about due to lack of co-ordination and effective linkages of various programmes on medium and small enterprises’ promotion at the district, regional and national level, adding that there was an avoidable gap that needed to be addressed for better synergy.
It was the expectation of the Deputy Minister that the institutional structure of the NREP that would cover all rural districts in the country would put in place an appropriate institutional framework that would effectively involve and co-ordinate the activities of all stakeholders at the district, regional and national levels, to enable them to work in harmony with the sustained development and growth of micro and small scale enterprises in the long term.
The Project Co-ordinator, Mr Kwasi Atta-Antwi, disclosed that since its inception in 2003, the project had reached over 196,000 persons, including 110,000 women, who formed 56 per cent, with various project services.
He said more than 89,000 persons out of the number were trained in various community-based skills trades, small business management, improved production processes, occupational safety and environmental management, banking culture and others.
Mr Atta-Antwi said in the area of rural financial services, the participating banks had disbursed GHC 1.7 million credit funds to support over 4,350 micro and small enterprises of which 58 per cent were female managed enterprises.
He added that the implementation of the project was scheduled to end in June, 2011 in accordance with the project design.
The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, stated that the REP was relevant since it had increased rural productivity, employment and income, thereby reducing poverty.
He said the project had the potential to contribute significantly towards the transformation of the rural economy of the country.
This is part of the government’s development effort to create wealth and reduce poverty in rural areas.
The Ministry believes that the implementation of a National Rural Enterprises Programme will reinforce the wider national strategy of empowering the rural poor with skills and other productive assets to develop and grow their businesses and further strengthen the private sector.
The up-scaling of the project followed an interim independent evaluation, which was carried out in July, this year and whose findings were positive. Consequently, a preliminary design mission of the proposed programme was set up, which completed its assignment and submitted its initial report to the Ministry.
A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mahama Ayariga, who announced this in Sunyani, said by January, 2012, the change of the project to a programme status would be officially launched.
He was addressing the 2010 annual review workshop of the REP, which was attended by District Chief Executives, District Co-ordinating Directors, staff of the project and other stakeholders from the participating districts of the project.
The REP was jointly financed by the government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide a critical mass support for the micro enterprise sector in Ghana.
According to the Deputy Minister, the President of IFAD, Dr Kanayo Felix Nwanze, assured the ministry on his recent visit to the country that IFAD could contribute funding to up-scale the programme to cover all rural districts in Ghana, made up of 66 existing participating districts and 95 additional ones.
He stressed that the objective was to spread the benefits of skills development, technology promotion and transfer, rural financial services, job creation and poverty reduction to all districts in the country.
He said that would involve among others, the establishment of sustainable structures for business promotion, including Business Advisory Centres (BACs) and Rural Technology Facilities nation-wide.
Mr Ayariga stated that the expansion of the programme nationwide fitted into the wider national strategy of establishing an institutional framework for the promotion of micro and small scale enterprises.
He said that had come about due to lack of co-ordination and effective linkages of various programmes on medium and small enterprises’ promotion at the district, regional and national level, adding that there was an avoidable gap that needed to be addressed for better synergy.
It was the expectation of the Deputy Minister that the institutional structure of the NREP that would cover all rural districts in the country would put in place an appropriate institutional framework that would effectively involve and co-ordinate the activities of all stakeholders at the district, regional and national levels, to enable them to work in harmony with the sustained development and growth of micro and small scale enterprises in the long term.
The Project Co-ordinator, Mr Kwasi Atta-Antwi, disclosed that since its inception in 2003, the project had reached over 196,000 persons, including 110,000 women, who formed 56 per cent, with various project services.
He said more than 89,000 persons out of the number were trained in various community-based skills trades, small business management, improved production processes, occupational safety and environmental management, banking culture and others.
Mr Atta-Antwi said in the area of rural financial services, the participating banks had disbursed GHC 1.7 million credit funds to support over 4,350 micro and small enterprises of which 58 per cent were female managed enterprises.
He added that the implementation of the project was scheduled to end in June, 2011 in accordance with the project design.
The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, stated that the REP was relevant since it had increased rural productivity, employment and income, thereby reducing poverty.
He said the project had the potential to contribute significantly towards the transformation of the rural economy of the country.
Friday, November 12, 2010
LIONS HOLD ARSENAL (BACK PAGE, NOV 8, 2010)
Kpando Heart of Lions played their hearts out at the Berekum Golden City Part and succeeded in holding their hosts, Berekum Arsenal, to a goalless draw in their Glo Premier League match played yesterday.
Cheered on by their vociferous fans, Arsenal conjured all that they could at their backyard but hard luck, coupled with the resilience of the back-line of Lions, robbed them of victory.
Led in attack by strong man, Gilbert Fiamenyo, the visitors nearly ran away with the maximum points but luck eluded them.
Cheered on by their vociferous fans, Arsenal conjured all that they could at their backyard but hard luck, coupled with the resilience of the back-line of Lions, robbed them of victory.
Led in attack by strong man, Gilbert Fiamenyo, the visitors nearly ran away with the maximum points but luck eluded them.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
CONSULTATIVE C'TTEE LAUNCHES FUND TO EMPOWER WOMEN (PAGE 11, NOV 4, 2010)
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL), working in the Ahafo area of the Brong Ahafo Region has formed a Women Consultative Committee (WCC) to provide a forum for women, in the Newmont Ahafo concession to discuss and share ideas and issues of concern in the mining communities.
The 85-member committee, which was formed in line with NGGL Gender Plan, was chaired by Nana Ataa Adwoa Agyeiwaa II, Omanhemaa of the Hwediem Traditional Area. It is made up of queens and elected representatives of all community women groups or associations within the Newmont Ahafo concession.
Members of the committee, which was inaugurated in November 2007, meet quarterly and each member is charged to be well informed about the operations of the company to enhance the free flow of information between the women and the company.
In September 2008, the women set up a revolving fund, which is managed by a nine-member committee, with assistance from a consultant, WALTEX Company Limited, contracted by Newmont, to economically empower themselves.
The money was raised through contributions made during their quarterly meetings, fund-raising activities and appeals to institutions and other organisations for assistance and by February 2009, the WCC had been able to mobilise more than GH¢1,060.00 for the first disbursement to contributors to promote their businesses, mostly of the WCC.
To date, a total of GH¢ 15,190.00 has been disbursed to 47 beneficiaries, with 10 being third-time beneficiaries, 20 being second-time beneficiaries while 17 have accessed the fund for the first time to support or start their businesses.
Since it is a revolving fund, a contributor is eligible to access the facility as many times as possible, once she duly completes repayment of the previous credit line.
The minimum amount a member can access is GH¢ 100.00 while the highest amount given out so far was GH¢ 1,000.00. Currently, the repayment rate is about 99 per cent and this has been largely due to the peer monitoring role played by the contributors with the view to protecting their investment.
Just recently, the fund was officially launched at Kenyasi, where the management of NGGL contributed GH¢ 100,000.00, during which the General Manager of Environment and Social Responsibility (ESR) of the company, Mr Dan V.Michaelsen, presented a dummy cheque to the WCC.
He said the Gender Mainstreaming Plan of Newmont, was formulated to change the face of the mining industry in Ghana, hence the establishment of the WCC and the decision by the members themselves to set up the revolving fund to support their activities.
‘‘The businesses our women engage in should contribute to the expansion of the economy here in this area and thus, fall in line with Newmont’s long-term plan to leave a sustainable legacy of economic development. And it is impressive that an amount of GH¢ 15,000.00 has so far been disbursed to nearly 50 contributing members of the WCC,’’ Mr Michaelsen noted.
Madam Elizabeth Opoku-Darko, the Co-ordinator of the NGGL Gender Mainstreaming Programme, also pointed out that research had shown that the mining sector had been a highly gender-biased sector, with income accruing from royalties, compensation, employment and supply opportunities, largely extended to men.
She added that in Ahafo, women made up 51 per cent of the population, hence their needs and aspirations could not be overlooked.
Some of the WCC beneficiaries of the fund, who gave testimonies at the launch, indicated that their lives had been economically transformed after accessing the money to start or expand their businesses
The way forward is that the WCC membership will continue to encourage other WCC members to access the fund while educating other women in the Ahafo host communities on the fund to prepare them towards contributing and accessing credits to improve on their businesses.
The 85-member committee, which was formed in line with NGGL Gender Plan, was chaired by Nana Ataa Adwoa Agyeiwaa II, Omanhemaa of the Hwediem Traditional Area. It is made up of queens and elected representatives of all community women groups or associations within the Newmont Ahafo concession.
Members of the committee, which was inaugurated in November 2007, meet quarterly and each member is charged to be well informed about the operations of the company to enhance the free flow of information between the women and the company.
In September 2008, the women set up a revolving fund, which is managed by a nine-member committee, with assistance from a consultant, WALTEX Company Limited, contracted by Newmont, to economically empower themselves.
The money was raised through contributions made during their quarterly meetings, fund-raising activities and appeals to institutions and other organisations for assistance and by February 2009, the WCC had been able to mobilise more than GH¢1,060.00 for the first disbursement to contributors to promote their businesses, mostly of the WCC.
To date, a total of GH¢ 15,190.00 has been disbursed to 47 beneficiaries, with 10 being third-time beneficiaries, 20 being second-time beneficiaries while 17 have accessed the fund for the first time to support or start their businesses.
Since it is a revolving fund, a contributor is eligible to access the facility as many times as possible, once she duly completes repayment of the previous credit line.
The minimum amount a member can access is GH¢ 100.00 while the highest amount given out so far was GH¢ 1,000.00. Currently, the repayment rate is about 99 per cent and this has been largely due to the peer monitoring role played by the contributors with the view to protecting their investment.
Just recently, the fund was officially launched at Kenyasi, where the management of NGGL contributed GH¢ 100,000.00, during which the General Manager of Environment and Social Responsibility (ESR) of the company, Mr Dan V.Michaelsen, presented a dummy cheque to the WCC.
He said the Gender Mainstreaming Plan of Newmont, was formulated to change the face of the mining industry in Ghana, hence the establishment of the WCC and the decision by the members themselves to set up the revolving fund to support their activities.
‘‘The businesses our women engage in should contribute to the expansion of the economy here in this area and thus, fall in line with Newmont’s long-term plan to leave a sustainable legacy of economic development. And it is impressive that an amount of GH¢ 15,000.00 has so far been disbursed to nearly 50 contributing members of the WCC,’’ Mr Michaelsen noted.
Madam Elizabeth Opoku-Darko, the Co-ordinator of the NGGL Gender Mainstreaming Programme, also pointed out that research had shown that the mining sector had been a highly gender-biased sector, with income accruing from royalties, compensation, employment and supply opportunities, largely extended to men.
She added that in Ahafo, women made up 51 per cent of the population, hence their needs and aspirations could not be overlooked.
Some of the WCC beneficiaries of the fund, who gave testimonies at the launch, indicated that their lives had been economically transformed after accessing the money to start or expand their businesses
The way forward is that the WCC membership will continue to encourage other WCC members to access the fund while educating other women in the Ahafo host communities on the fund to prepare them towards contributing and accessing credits to improve on their businesses.
CONTROVERSIAL YUTONG BUS IN ACCIDENT (1C, NOV 4, 2010)
FIVE people were killed on the spot when the Yutong passenger bus which had been at the centre of a controversial robbery and rape story, collided head-on with an articulated Benz truck at the Kintampo Waterfalls Junction in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Many others were injured in the bloody accident which occurred on the Kintampo-Tamale trunk road at midnight on Wednesday.
The bodies, including that of the mate of the Yutong driver, have been deposited at the Kintampo Government Hospital morgue.
Those who sustained injuries in the crash include the driver of the articulated truck which had travelled from Burkina Faso.
The driver of the Yutong bus with 47 persons on board also received minor injuries and was treated at the Kintampo Government Hospital.
The Kintampo District Police Commander, Superintendent Desmond Owusu Boampong, explained that about three days earlier, a vehicle was involved in an accident at the same waterfalls junction but it could not be removed from the spot, thereby making it difficult for other vehicles to use the junction.
He said this left just a narrow way for passing vehicles to use.
Supt Boampong said the police suspected that the drivers of both vehicles were both in haste to use that ‘‘one way’’ and in the process crashed head-on as they were both speeding.
Mr Boampong said upon receiving a call from the Ashanti Regional Police Commander about the accident at about 11.57 p.m., he quickly made a call to three police patrol vehicles and the Kintampo Motor Traffic and Transport personnel, who reported quickly at the scene to assist in the rescue efforts.
In view of the bad nature of the Kintampo Hospital mortuary, he said, the police would explore the possibility of transporting the bodies to the Sunyani Regional Hospital.
Meanwhile the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council led by its chairman, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye- Marfo, who is also the Regional Minister, visited the accident scene yesterday to assess the situation.
The delegation also visited some of the victims of the accident who were on admission at the Kintampo Government Hospital, reports Samuel Duodu.
Many others were injured in the bloody accident which occurred on the Kintampo-Tamale trunk road at midnight on Wednesday.
The bodies, including that of the mate of the Yutong driver, have been deposited at the Kintampo Government Hospital morgue.
Those who sustained injuries in the crash include the driver of the articulated truck which had travelled from Burkina Faso.
The driver of the Yutong bus with 47 persons on board also received minor injuries and was treated at the Kintampo Government Hospital.
The Kintampo District Police Commander, Superintendent Desmond Owusu Boampong, explained that about three days earlier, a vehicle was involved in an accident at the same waterfalls junction but it could not be removed from the spot, thereby making it difficult for other vehicles to use the junction.
He said this left just a narrow way for passing vehicles to use.
Supt Boampong said the police suspected that the drivers of both vehicles were both in haste to use that ‘‘one way’’ and in the process crashed head-on as they were both speeding.
Mr Boampong said upon receiving a call from the Ashanti Regional Police Commander about the accident at about 11.57 p.m., he quickly made a call to three police patrol vehicles and the Kintampo Motor Traffic and Transport personnel, who reported quickly at the scene to assist in the rescue efforts.
In view of the bad nature of the Kintampo Hospital mortuary, he said, the police would explore the possibility of transporting the bodies to the Sunyani Regional Hospital.
Meanwhile the Brong Ahafo Regional Security Council led by its chairman, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye- Marfo, who is also the Regional Minister, visited the accident scene yesterday to assess the situation.
The delegation also visited some of the victims of the accident who were on admission at the Kintampo Government Hospital, reports Samuel Duodu.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
NEW EXECUTIVE FOR HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION (SHOWBIZ, PAGE 23, OCT 28, 2010)
By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah
MR Herbert Acquaye has been elected as the new National President of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) to run the affairs of the association for the next four years. He was sworn in together with a 10-member executive during the association’s third National Executive Council meeting held at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The other executive members are Mr Tom Kuenyefa, National Vice President; Mrs Juliet Taylor, National Secretary; Ms Ellen Gandaa, Assistant National Secretary; Nana Afoani Tenkorang National Treasurer; Mr P.K. Ntiamoah, National Financial Secretary; Mrs Francisca Addison, Mr Abraham Ahinful, Mr G.W. Otoo and Mrs Wilhelmina Aklaku, as National Trustees.
Nana Adjei Twene, the immediate past President of the association, who administered the oath of office, was confident the new executive would deal effectively with matters affecting the association. He added that the GHA was not a political entity but a professional body that was expected to contribute its quota to the development of the economy.
Nana Twene, who is the current President of the Ghana Tourists Federation (GHATOF), expressed the hope that the new executive members would work hand-in-hand with the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) to “champion a common course’’.
Mr Acquaye, in his address noted that, a few years ago only a handful of GHA members had insurance cover for their premises but was delighted the situation had changed at present, with most members acquiring insurance policies from a reputable insurance company.
According to GHA president, credit schemes had been arranged with some local manufacturers and importers to enable members to acquire such logistics as good quality electrical appliances, beddings and consumables required for their smooth operations.
The President noted that rising cost of hotel facilities, high energy and maintenance bills were some of the major challenges confronting operations in the industry and seriously affecting their profitability. ‘‘Our turnover seems to be on the decline as we rely on very few business visitors; the leisure traveller does not seem to fall within our market segment.’’
Mr Acquaye pointed out that proprietors and managers of hotels needed a better understanding of the industry through regular interaction, training and capacity building in order to meet contemporary challenges of the industry.
He also suggested the institution of an annual hotel awards ceremony in order to help create competition and raise standards, stating it was a perfect way to bring members together to select and reward peers who had excelled in various activities.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Philip Ntiamoah, in his welcoming address, observed that some hotels were yet to receive payment for credit facilities granted to governmental and other agencies but were still expected pay the Value Added Tax (VAT).
He also noted with concern the increasing number of hotels which had not registered with the association and were still operating without the required licenses, rendered poor services to customers and subsequently evaded taxes.
MR Herbert Acquaye has been elected as the new National President of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) to run the affairs of the association for the next four years. He was sworn in together with a 10-member executive during the association’s third National Executive Council meeting held at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The other executive members are Mr Tom Kuenyefa, National Vice President; Mrs Juliet Taylor, National Secretary; Ms Ellen Gandaa, Assistant National Secretary; Nana Afoani Tenkorang National Treasurer; Mr P.K. Ntiamoah, National Financial Secretary; Mrs Francisca Addison, Mr Abraham Ahinful, Mr G.W. Otoo and Mrs Wilhelmina Aklaku, as National Trustees.
Nana Adjei Twene, the immediate past President of the association, who administered the oath of office, was confident the new executive would deal effectively with matters affecting the association. He added that the GHA was not a political entity but a professional body that was expected to contribute its quota to the development of the economy.
Nana Twene, who is the current President of the Ghana Tourists Federation (GHATOF), expressed the hope that the new executive members would work hand-in-hand with the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) to “champion a common course’’.
Mr Acquaye, in his address noted that, a few years ago only a handful of GHA members had insurance cover for their premises but was delighted the situation had changed at present, with most members acquiring insurance policies from a reputable insurance company.
According to GHA president, credit schemes had been arranged with some local manufacturers and importers to enable members to acquire such logistics as good quality electrical appliances, beddings and consumables required for their smooth operations.
The President noted that rising cost of hotel facilities, high energy and maintenance bills were some of the major challenges confronting operations in the industry and seriously affecting their profitability. ‘‘Our turnover seems to be on the decline as we rely on very few business visitors; the leisure traveller does not seem to fall within our market segment.’’
Mr Acquaye pointed out that proprietors and managers of hotels needed a better understanding of the industry through regular interaction, training and capacity building in order to meet contemporary challenges of the industry.
He also suggested the institution of an annual hotel awards ceremony in order to help create competition and raise standards, stating it was a perfect way to bring members together to select and reward peers who had excelled in various activities.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Philip Ntiamoah, in his welcoming address, observed that some hotels were yet to receive payment for credit facilities granted to governmental and other agencies but were still expected pay the Value Added Tax (VAT).
He also noted with concern the increasing number of hotels which had not registered with the association and were still operating without the required licenses, rendered poor services to customers and subsequently evaded taxes.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
CHIEF OF NKRANKWANTA APPEALS TO PREZ (PAGE 13, OCT 27, 2010)
THE Chief of Nkrankwanta, Nana Kwabena Asemia II, and some residents of the town, a predominantly cocoa and foodstuffs growing area in the Dormaa municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region, have passionately appealed to President J.E.A. Mills to, as a matter of urgency, fulfil his 2008 campaign promise to them.
According to them, during the 2008 campaign, President Mills gave the assurance that when he was voted into political office, he would ensure the immediate construction of the deteriorated road from Asikasu to Nkrankwanta and Nkrankwanta to Krakrom.
Nana Asemia, who is also the Dormaa Ankobea Dompimhene, noted that passenger vehicles of all types from Kumasi, Japekrom, Berekum, Drobo, Wamfie, Dormaa and other places, plied that western corridor to do business while heavy duty trucks came in to transport several tons of cocoa, logs of timber, food crops and crates of eggs to their various destinations.
He, however, pointed out that the people had become so disappointed and disillusioned that they would feel reluctant and apathetic to listen to politicians who might come to the area to solicit their votes, come the 2012 national elections.
‘‘This road is very important to us but looking at the extent of deterioration, it appears we are not part of Ghana but this area is known to produce the bulk of the nation’s cocoa and foodstuffs of all kinds to feed our people. If our road is not put in good shape, I do not think the politicians can come here to campaign during the 2012 general elections,” the chief declared.
The Dormaa Ankobea Dompimhene disclosed to journalists who had inspected the extent of the deplorable nature of the road that armed robbers had struck a number of times on the Ayum Forest Reserve section of the road, where the road is terribly bad and devoid of cell phone services, and, therefore, succeeded in making away with money and other valuable items from their victims during such attacks.
Mr Hayford Sakyi Bediako, the Nkrankwanta Cocoa District Manager of the Produce Buying Company (PBC), in another interview with newsmen, also expressed regrets that such a prolific cocoa growing area should suffer a deplorable road network while the people lived in fear and panic because of armed robbers and other social miscreants.
He disclosed that his station, together with other Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) of cocoa, purchased a total of 4,566.24tons of cocoa beans (73,060 bags) last year, adding, however, that the heavy duty vehicles which cart the cocoa unnecessarily break down or fall off due to the bad state of the road.
According to Mr Bediako, the Nkrankwanta Cocoa District was one of those areas that had the highest freight in the country and also transported the beans straight away to the Tema Port for export to Japan, which buys the beans from Ghana and so, ‘‘we are appealing to the government to immediately put the road in a best shape.”
Mr Noah Afari, popularly called Agya Noah and resident of Krakrom, expressed disagreement with the fact that the road from Krakrom and beyond was a feeder road and, therefore, pleaded that the stretch be tarred to encourage the people to continue to produce more cocoa and food crops to benefit the generality of Ghanaians.
He insisted that Krakrom was just a few kilometres from Nkrankwanta, and that the tarring of the Nkrankwanta township road should necessarily be extended to Krakrom to boost the morale of residents in their farming and other business enterprises.
The Assistant Manager of the Nkrankwanta Area Rural Bank, Mr Matthew Amankrah, for his part, pointed out that the security of customers of the bank, including the numerous farmers whose Akuafo cheques are honoured at the facility, was at risk, adding that some of its customers come from Accra to do business in the town and return, in the face of the deplorable nature of the road.
According to Mr Amankrah, barely one-and-a- half years after the bank started operations, a brand new Toyota van was suffering some defects, stressing that the bank was the only one that was serving the vast majority of the people in the area who are prone to attacks by thieves and armed robbers.
Mr Alex Ameyaw, the District Commander of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), said he had been using the scanty imprest to assist in the patching of some dangerous portions of the road to make it possible for vehicles to come in for assessment, a decision that had yielded dividend.
He intimated that it was this initiative that had helped the station in meeting its targets since he assumed control of the area in 2008, adding that ‘‘we are on the road every other day to do some patches and fill manholes, and any time it threatens to rain no vehicle will move because it risks getting stuck or falling off.”
A trader at Nkrankwanta, Mr James Yeboah, said he had twice encountered armed robbers, together with other travellers on the forest section of the road and robbed of substantial amount of money and other items.
According to them, during the 2008 campaign, President Mills gave the assurance that when he was voted into political office, he would ensure the immediate construction of the deteriorated road from Asikasu to Nkrankwanta and Nkrankwanta to Krakrom.
Nana Asemia, who is also the Dormaa Ankobea Dompimhene, noted that passenger vehicles of all types from Kumasi, Japekrom, Berekum, Drobo, Wamfie, Dormaa and other places, plied that western corridor to do business while heavy duty trucks came in to transport several tons of cocoa, logs of timber, food crops and crates of eggs to their various destinations.
He, however, pointed out that the people had become so disappointed and disillusioned that they would feel reluctant and apathetic to listen to politicians who might come to the area to solicit their votes, come the 2012 national elections.
‘‘This road is very important to us but looking at the extent of deterioration, it appears we are not part of Ghana but this area is known to produce the bulk of the nation’s cocoa and foodstuffs of all kinds to feed our people. If our road is not put in good shape, I do not think the politicians can come here to campaign during the 2012 general elections,” the chief declared.
The Dormaa Ankobea Dompimhene disclosed to journalists who had inspected the extent of the deplorable nature of the road that armed robbers had struck a number of times on the Ayum Forest Reserve section of the road, where the road is terribly bad and devoid of cell phone services, and, therefore, succeeded in making away with money and other valuable items from their victims during such attacks.
Mr Hayford Sakyi Bediako, the Nkrankwanta Cocoa District Manager of the Produce Buying Company (PBC), in another interview with newsmen, also expressed regrets that such a prolific cocoa growing area should suffer a deplorable road network while the people lived in fear and panic because of armed robbers and other social miscreants.
He disclosed that his station, together with other Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs) of cocoa, purchased a total of 4,566.24tons of cocoa beans (73,060 bags) last year, adding, however, that the heavy duty vehicles which cart the cocoa unnecessarily break down or fall off due to the bad state of the road.
According to Mr Bediako, the Nkrankwanta Cocoa District was one of those areas that had the highest freight in the country and also transported the beans straight away to the Tema Port for export to Japan, which buys the beans from Ghana and so, ‘‘we are appealing to the government to immediately put the road in a best shape.”
Mr Noah Afari, popularly called Agya Noah and resident of Krakrom, expressed disagreement with the fact that the road from Krakrom and beyond was a feeder road and, therefore, pleaded that the stretch be tarred to encourage the people to continue to produce more cocoa and food crops to benefit the generality of Ghanaians.
He insisted that Krakrom was just a few kilometres from Nkrankwanta, and that the tarring of the Nkrankwanta township road should necessarily be extended to Krakrom to boost the morale of residents in their farming and other business enterprises.
The Assistant Manager of the Nkrankwanta Area Rural Bank, Mr Matthew Amankrah, for his part, pointed out that the security of customers of the bank, including the numerous farmers whose Akuafo cheques are honoured at the facility, was at risk, adding that some of its customers come from Accra to do business in the town and return, in the face of the deplorable nature of the road.
According to Mr Amankrah, barely one-and-a- half years after the bank started operations, a brand new Toyota van was suffering some defects, stressing that the bank was the only one that was serving the vast majority of the people in the area who are prone to attacks by thieves and armed robbers.
Mr Alex Ameyaw, the District Commander of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), said he had been using the scanty imprest to assist in the patching of some dangerous portions of the road to make it possible for vehicles to come in for assessment, a decision that had yielded dividend.
He intimated that it was this initiative that had helped the station in meeting its targets since he assumed control of the area in 2008, adding that ‘‘we are on the road every other day to do some patches and fill manholes, and any time it threatens to rain no vehicle will move because it risks getting stuck or falling off.”
A trader at Nkrankwanta, Mr James Yeboah, said he had twice encountered armed robbers, together with other travellers on the forest section of the road and robbed of substantial amount of money and other items.
AGRIC SECTOR NEEDS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS — PROF ELLIS (PAGE 11, OCT 27, 2010)
THE Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor W.O. Ellis, has said that the agricultural sector in particular and the entire society are bedeviled with bottlenecks which needsustainable and innovative solutions.
He has, therefore, expressed the hope that, students of the Faculty of Forest Resources and Resources Technology (FFRT) of the Sunyani Campus of KNUST in the Brong Ahafo Region, will strive to acquire the needed skills, knowledge and attitudes to solve those myriad of problems confronting the agricultural sector.
‘‘You may be aware that, our entire society, especially, our agricultural sector is not without bottlenecks and those you experience in the course of your studies here on this campus are expected to introduce you to the broader problems that bedevil our society in general and the agricultural sector in particular that are yawning for sustainable and innovative solutions’’, he stressed.
Prof. Ellis made the observation when he addressed the 2010 matriculation ceremony of the FFRT at Fiapre, near Sunyani and said currently, the faculty was the only institution in the country that trained middle level manpower for the forestry sector.
In all, 97 fresh students, made up of 71 males and 26 females, representing 73 per cent and 27 per cent respectively, were admitted to the faculty this year, bringing the total student population to almost 400.
He said the Institute of Distance Learning admitted 150 students for the Sunyani Centre, who were also matriculated at the ceremony, which was attended by traditional authorities from Fiapre.
The Vice Chancellor reminded the students that, their first pre-occupation was to study to acquire degrees from the university and all other things ought to be considered secondary and said that statement did not mean they should not participate in co-curricular activities.
Giving the college by college rankings for the KNUST, Prof. Ellis revealed that, the College of Arts and Sciences admitted the highest number of students this year, accounting for 31 per cent of students, followed by the College of Engineering with 16 per cent of students while the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources admitted 13 per cent, Health Sciences 10 per cent and the College of Architecture and Planning, admitting eight per cent.
He noted that 475 students were studying for various degrees through the distance learning mode and expressed the hope to expand the frontiers of the Institute of Distance Learning and E-Learning Centre, which was inaugurated recently, to afford a lot more opportunities for science and technology.
According to him, the university authorities were fully aware of the number of problems confronting the Sunyani Campus, including academic facilities and transportation, adding that, the academic board was also giving serious consideration to the restructuring of the three-year diploma programme to entice more students.
He has, therefore, expressed the hope that, students of the Faculty of Forest Resources and Resources Technology (FFRT) of the Sunyani Campus of KNUST in the Brong Ahafo Region, will strive to acquire the needed skills, knowledge and attitudes to solve those myriad of problems confronting the agricultural sector.
‘‘You may be aware that, our entire society, especially, our agricultural sector is not without bottlenecks and those you experience in the course of your studies here on this campus are expected to introduce you to the broader problems that bedevil our society in general and the agricultural sector in particular that are yawning for sustainable and innovative solutions’’, he stressed.
Prof. Ellis made the observation when he addressed the 2010 matriculation ceremony of the FFRT at Fiapre, near Sunyani and said currently, the faculty was the only institution in the country that trained middle level manpower for the forestry sector.
In all, 97 fresh students, made up of 71 males and 26 females, representing 73 per cent and 27 per cent respectively, were admitted to the faculty this year, bringing the total student population to almost 400.
He said the Institute of Distance Learning admitted 150 students for the Sunyani Centre, who were also matriculated at the ceremony, which was attended by traditional authorities from Fiapre.
The Vice Chancellor reminded the students that, their first pre-occupation was to study to acquire degrees from the university and all other things ought to be considered secondary and said that statement did not mean they should not participate in co-curricular activities.
Giving the college by college rankings for the KNUST, Prof. Ellis revealed that, the College of Arts and Sciences admitted the highest number of students this year, accounting for 31 per cent of students, followed by the College of Engineering with 16 per cent of students while the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources admitted 13 per cent, Health Sciences 10 per cent and the College of Architecture and Planning, admitting eight per cent.
He noted that 475 students were studying for various degrees through the distance learning mode and expressed the hope to expand the frontiers of the Institute of Distance Learning and E-Learning Centre, which was inaugurated recently, to afford a lot more opportunities for science and technology.
According to him, the university authorities were fully aware of the number of problems confronting the Sunyani Campus, including academic facilities and transportation, adding that, the academic board was also giving serious consideration to the restructuring of the three-year diploma programme to entice more students.
B. A. STARS RESCIND PULL-OUT THREAT (PAGE 63, OCT 27, 2010)
The Board of Directors of B.A Stars has rescinded the decision by the club to withdraw from participating in the remaining matches of the Glo Premier league competition following alleged attempts by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to frustrate the club’s exploits.
“We are continuing the premier league and no subtle or overt attempts from any quarters can deter us from participating in the competition, and come 2011 we shall still be in the premiership competition” the board declared.
Addressing a well-attended press conference at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region yesterday, the board gave the assurance that they would mobilise all resources to ensure that there was no turning back and was confident to play in the Top 4 competition and also win the F.A cup.
However, it gave the FA a one week ultimatum to show the video clips of three of their league pairings against New Edubiase FC, Accra Hearts of Oak game honoured at the Sunyani Coronation park about three weeks ago and Kessben FC at the Essipon stadium at Sekondi last Sunday.
That, the board explained would enable all football loving people and indeed Ghanaians at large to know and judge for themselves the unfair officiating by referees appointed to handle matches involving their club.
The spokesperson for the board, Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, who is also a Sunyani-based legal practitioner, indicated further that the board was yet to meet to take decision on the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the club, Mr Takyi Arhin.
He said there was no truth in rumours that the coach of the club Karim Zito has resigned but rather explained that he had sought permission to visit his family and would soon return to his duty.
According to Mr Tuah-Yeboah, the earlier threat to pull out of the competition stemmed from the persistent and consistent attempt by referees to show open bias when handling matches involving B.A Stars and other opponents.
He dismissed claims that supporters of the club had been violent at the Sunyani Coronation park, saying there were other supporters and fans of their opponents who could misbehave at the park during matches.
According to Mr Tuah-Yeboah, the board always prevailed on supporters and fans of the club to behave well during matches but noted with concern and regret the bad officiating of some referees.
The board also noted that the decision of the referees were backed by some powers-that-be in the FA whose ultimate goal was to ensure that football clubs in the Brong Ahafo region were booted out of the premiership.
Mr Peter Nimoh, the chairman of the board of directors advised presenters of the various radio stations to report accurately about matches and the behaviour of referees for the listening public to know, saying that running of commentaries by some of the radio stations had not been the best.
He also blamed the public for masterminding the abrupt end of the match between B.A Stars and New Edubiase FC, adding that but for the police, the match officials would have continued the game to its final conclusion.
The General Manager of the club, Michael Agyeman, recounted the ordeal, frustration and intimidation that he want through at the Essipon stadium at the hands of a group of macho men who suspected him of being a jujuman.
“We are continuing the premier league and no subtle or overt attempts from any quarters can deter us from participating in the competition, and come 2011 we shall still be in the premiership competition” the board declared.
Addressing a well-attended press conference at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region yesterday, the board gave the assurance that they would mobilise all resources to ensure that there was no turning back and was confident to play in the Top 4 competition and also win the F.A cup.
However, it gave the FA a one week ultimatum to show the video clips of three of their league pairings against New Edubiase FC, Accra Hearts of Oak game honoured at the Sunyani Coronation park about three weeks ago and Kessben FC at the Essipon stadium at Sekondi last Sunday.
That, the board explained would enable all football loving people and indeed Ghanaians at large to know and judge for themselves the unfair officiating by referees appointed to handle matches involving their club.
The spokesperson for the board, Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, who is also a Sunyani-based legal practitioner, indicated further that the board was yet to meet to take decision on the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the club, Mr Takyi Arhin.
He said there was no truth in rumours that the coach of the club Karim Zito has resigned but rather explained that he had sought permission to visit his family and would soon return to his duty.
According to Mr Tuah-Yeboah, the earlier threat to pull out of the competition stemmed from the persistent and consistent attempt by referees to show open bias when handling matches involving B.A Stars and other opponents.
He dismissed claims that supporters of the club had been violent at the Sunyani Coronation park, saying there were other supporters and fans of their opponents who could misbehave at the park during matches.
According to Mr Tuah-Yeboah, the board always prevailed on supporters and fans of the club to behave well during matches but noted with concern and regret the bad officiating of some referees.
The board also noted that the decision of the referees were backed by some powers-that-be in the FA whose ultimate goal was to ensure that football clubs in the Brong Ahafo region were booted out of the premiership.
Mr Peter Nimoh, the chairman of the board of directors advised presenters of the various radio stations to report accurately about matches and the behaviour of referees for the listening public to know, saying that running of commentaries by some of the radio stations had not been the best.
He also blamed the public for masterminding the abrupt end of the match between B.A Stars and New Edubiase FC, adding that but for the police, the match officials would have continued the game to its final conclusion.
The General Manager of the club, Michael Agyeman, recounted the ordeal, frustration and intimidation that he want through at the Essipon stadium at the hands of a group of macho men who suspected him of being a jujuman.
Monday, October 25, 2010
TOURISM BRINGS IN U$1.6 BILLION (PAGE 15, OCT 23, 2010)
A total of 802,779 tourists visited Ghana last year, generating revenue of U$1,615.2 billion for the country.
The tourism industry thus contributes significantly to the Ghanaian economy, through such means as corporate, income and value added taxes, as well as the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) licence fees and airport service charges.
This contribution by the tourism industry was because the accommodation (hotel) sector plays a very crucial role with respect to the tourism industry’s contribution to the economy.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the GTB, Mr Charles Obeng, announced this at the opening of the third National Executive Council meeting of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) at Techiman.
He said the average tourist expenditure on accommodation had always been above 25 per cent since 1996.
That expenditure, according to Mr Obeng, was actually the highest compared to other expenditure items such as local transportation, shopping, food and beverage, entertainment, among others, and that the importance of the accommodation sector, therefore, could not be overemphasised.
The theme for the meeting, which was organised under the auspices of P.Z. Cussons Ghana Limited, was: ‘‘Establishing Professional Standards in the Hotel Industry’’.
He stressed the need for the hotels to strive to maintain highest standards to meet the demands of their clientele, as standards could be looked at in terms of quality, safety and authenticity.
Mr Obeng said even though there were specific standards covering beaches, tour guides, protected areas, many of the tourism standards focused on accommodation, and gave an assurance that the GTB would collaborate with the GHA executives to inspect facilities of members to ensure that standards were met, provide information for performance review, increase quality awareness, as well as improve customer satisfaction.
He stressed that most of the difficulties experienced in service delivery arose from the need for hotels to understand what the customer needed and when the service was needed and thereafter, to employ the necessary processes to convert those needs into the service.
To that end, the GTB regional director appealed to the national executive council to partner the board to organise periodic training programmes for their staff to bring about continued improvement in service delivery.
Mr Obeng said in recent times the regional office had been encouraging groups such as tourist clubs, students and church groups to visit tourist sites as a way of boosting domestic tourism.
He said to make that drive sustainable, hotels could give discounts and other packages, especially during off seasons, to those domestic tourists.
Those packages, he said, would make travels affordable to potential tourists leading to increased travels and thereby, increasing the market share of the hospitality industry.
He added that developing and even retaining one’s market share had become an increased priority on the agenda of most hotels.
The regional director said it was of utmost importance for hotels to develop consistent destination management approach with a clear tourism product definition oriented towards sustainability and new market trends.
Mr Herbert Acquaye, the newly elected National President of the GHA, noted that the cost of operating a hotel facility kept rising as a result of high energy and maintenance costs.
‘‘Our turnover seems to be on the decline, as we rely on very few business visitors,“ he said.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Philip Ntiamoah, in his welcoming address, called on metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives to take a critical look at some of the deplorable roads leading to the locations of hotels in their respective areas.
A 10-member national executive council was sworn into office to run affairs of the association for the next four years.
The tourism industry thus contributes significantly to the Ghanaian economy, through such means as corporate, income and value added taxes, as well as the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) licence fees and airport service charges.
This contribution by the tourism industry was because the accommodation (hotel) sector plays a very crucial role with respect to the tourism industry’s contribution to the economy.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the GTB, Mr Charles Obeng, announced this at the opening of the third National Executive Council meeting of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) at Techiman.
He said the average tourist expenditure on accommodation had always been above 25 per cent since 1996.
That expenditure, according to Mr Obeng, was actually the highest compared to other expenditure items such as local transportation, shopping, food and beverage, entertainment, among others, and that the importance of the accommodation sector, therefore, could not be overemphasised.
The theme for the meeting, which was organised under the auspices of P.Z. Cussons Ghana Limited, was: ‘‘Establishing Professional Standards in the Hotel Industry’’.
He stressed the need for the hotels to strive to maintain highest standards to meet the demands of their clientele, as standards could be looked at in terms of quality, safety and authenticity.
Mr Obeng said even though there were specific standards covering beaches, tour guides, protected areas, many of the tourism standards focused on accommodation, and gave an assurance that the GTB would collaborate with the GHA executives to inspect facilities of members to ensure that standards were met, provide information for performance review, increase quality awareness, as well as improve customer satisfaction.
He stressed that most of the difficulties experienced in service delivery arose from the need for hotels to understand what the customer needed and when the service was needed and thereafter, to employ the necessary processes to convert those needs into the service.
To that end, the GTB regional director appealed to the national executive council to partner the board to organise periodic training programmes for their staff to bring about continued improvement in service delivery.
Mr Obeng said in recent times the regional office had been encouraging groups such as tourist clubs, students and church groups to visit tourist sites as a way of boosting domestic tourism.
He said to make that drive sustainable, hotels could give discounts and other packages, especially during off seasons, to those domestic tourists.
Those packages, he said, would make travels affordable to potential tourists leading to increased travels and thereby, increasing the market share of the hospitality industry.
He added that developing and even retaining one’s market share had become an increased priority on the agenda of most hotels.
The regional director said it was of utmost importance for hotels to develop consistent destination management approach with a clear tourism product definition oriented towards sustainability and new market trends.
Mr Herbert Acquaye, the newly elected National President of the GHA, noted that the cost of operating a hotel facility kept rising as a result of high energy and maintenance costs.
‘‘Our turnover seems to be on the decline, as we rely on very few business visitors,“ he said.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Philip Ntiamoah, in his welcoming address, called on metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives to take a critical look at some of the deplorable roads leading to the locations of hotels in their respective areas.
A 10-member national executive council was sworn into office to run affairs of the association for the next four years.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
EPA, KATO COMMUNITY TO PROTECT FOREST RESERVE (BACK PAGE, OCT 16, 2010)
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Kato community in the Berekum municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region, has embarked on a programme to save the Mfensi Forest Reserve from further encroachment and destruction.
Already, 5,100 different types of indigenous trees, including Framo, Wawa, Kyenkyen and Cidrella, have been planted in the encroached portions of the forest.
In addition to the planting of trees, the EPA officials are educating the people of Mfensi on the relevance of the reserve to the community and the country.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the EPA, Mr Isaac Osei, and the Queen of Kato, Nana Afia Siraa Ababio II, led officials of the EPA, the people and students in the community to undertake a two-hour tree-planting exercise in some degraded portions of the about 40-hectare reserve.
For the past three years, the EPA, in association with the Kato traditional authorities, has been engaged in tree-planting activities to ensure that the hitherto rich biodiversity and national heritage was conserved for the present and future generations.
During an interaction with newsmen, Mr Osei expressed optimism that with the enthusiasm and zeal showed by the people, the area could become a miniature Kakum Park to attract tourists.
He observed that once the people themselves had come to realise and understand the significance of their own history, they ought not go about destroying their rich heritage but rather protect and preserve it at all times.
Nana Siraa disclosed that a 11-member committee, chaired by one Mr S.Y. Boakye, had been set up to oversee the effective protection of the groove, which she admitted was being encroached upon by certain unscrupulous persons in the area, saying, ‘‘We are educating them on the need to stop such encroachment.’’
Already, 5,100 different types of indigenous trees, including Framo, Wawa, Kyenkyen and Cidrella, have been planted in the encroached portions of the forest.
In addition to the planting of trees, the EPA officials are educating the people of Mfensi on the relevance of the reserve to the community and the country.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the EPA, Mr Isaac Osei, and the Queen of Kato, Nana Afia Siraa Ababio II, led officials of the EPA, the people and students in the community to undertake a two-hour tree-planting exercise in some degraded portions of the about 40-hectare reserve.
For the past three years, the EPA, in association with the Kato traditional authorities, has been engaged in tree-planting activities to ensure that the hitherto rich biodiversity and national heritage was conserved for the present and future generations.
During an interaction with newsmen, Mr Osei expressed optimism that with the enthusiasm and zeal showed by the people, the area could become a miniature Kakum Park to attract tourists.
He observed that once the people themselves had come to realise and understand the significance of their own history, they ought not go about destroying their rich heritage but rather protect and preserve it at all times.
Nana Siraa disclosed that a 11-member committee, chaired by one Mr S.Y. Boakye, had been set up to oversee the effective protection of the groove, which she admitted was being encroached upon by certain unscrupulous persons in the area, saying, ‘‘We are educating them on the need to stop such encroachment.’’
Friday, October 15, 2010
GRAINS COUNCIL PROVIDES WAREHOUSE FOR FARMERS (BACK PAGE, OCT 15, 2010 )
THE Ghana Grains Council (GGC), a private agricultural sector association in the country, has provided a warehouse to farmers to store their grains.
The certified warehouse pilot project at Nkoranza Breman in the Brong Ahafo Region will benefit more than 20,000 farmers from different farmer-based organisations in the country.
The United States of America (USA), through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), provided $543,655 as a grant to the GGC towards improving the performance of the country’s grain marketing.
The project will, particularly help smallholder farmers to avoid selling their grain at low prices, provide consumers with safer and more nutritious food and allow market actors to engage in transactions without the need to travel long distances to check on grain quality before buying it.
Mr Eric Opoku, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, who performed the inauguration of the facility at a ceremony at Breman near Nkoranza, said there were some major challenges facing agriculture in the country, including small farm sizes, averaging 1.5 acres per smallholder, and less than optimum yields estimated at one to two tons per hectare compared with about six to eight tons elsewhere.
He said the implementation of policies and programmes for a sustainable agricultural sector would, therefore, be the responsibility of the current generation and, especially, the government.
Mr Allen Flemming, the team leader of the Economic Growth Office, USAID, indicated that the US Government supported agribusiness and regional trade in agricultural commodities through Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) projects under the USAID.
He said there was a great demand for uniform good quality maize in commercially viable quantities, both domestically for agro alimentary products and livestock feed and in West African sub-region.
He added that the current organisation of the maize storage and marketing did not permit the growing of the industry to meet those demands.
The certified warehouse pilot project at Nkoranza Breman in the Brong Ahafo Region will benefit more than 20,000 farmers from different farmer-based organisations in the country.
The United States of America (USA), through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), provided $543,655 as a grant to the GGC towards improving the performance of the country’s grain marketing.
The project will, particularly help smallholder farmers to avoid selling their grain at low prices, provide consumers with safer and more nutritious food and allow market actors to engage in transactions without the need to travel long distances to check on grain quality before buying it.
Mr Eric Opoku, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, who performed the inauguration of the facility at a ceremony at Breman near Nkoranza, said there were some major challenges facing agriculture in the country, including small farm sizes, averaging 1.5 acres per smallholder, and less than optimum yields estimated at one to two tons per hectare compared with about six to eight tons elsewhere.
He said the implementation of policies and programmes for a sustainable agricultural sector would, therefore, be the responsibility of the current generation and, especially, the government.
Mr Allen Flemming, the team leader of the Economic Growth Office, USAID, indicated that the US Government supported agribusiness and regional trade in agricultural commodities through Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) projects under the USAID.
He said there was a great demand for uniform good quality maize in commercially viable quantities, both domestically for agro alimentary products and livestock feed and in West African sub-region.
He added that the current organisation of the maize storage and marketing did not permit the growing of the industry to meet those demands.
Friday, October 8, 2010
KOTOKO-ARSENAL CLASH CALLED OFF (BACK PAGE, OCT 7, 2010)
The teeming supporters of Berekum Arsenal and Kumasi Asante Kotoko who thronged the Golden City Park to watch the Glo Premier League encounter between the two sides left for home disappointed following the decision by the match officials to call off the match as a result of a clash of jerseys.
Both Arsenal and Kotoko put on white and red dominated jerseys which, according to the match officials, made it impossible for them to be distinguished.
Having waited for about 40 minutes, Accra-based class one referee Silas Okine called the two captains, Salou Mohammed and Jordan Opoku of Arsenal and Kotoko respectively, to inform them of the decision to call off the match after which players and officials of the two teams retired to the dressing room to change over again.
Before then there was a heated verbal exchanges between Kotoko officials and the match officials as to whether the visiting team was to change their apparel in accordance with the rules.
However, Kotoko insisted that they presented their jersey at the pre-match conference which was agreed by all before the start of the match.
The officials explained that it was detected that Kotoko were putting on white shorts and white hose which was the same as those of Arsenal and so they were asked to put on red shorts and red hose which the visiting team obliged to avoid a possible clash.
However, when the two teams marched to the field for the commencement of the match, the officials realised that the jerseys of the two teams were quite similar, thus making it difficult to distinguish between the two sides.
The match commissioner, M. G. Togborco from Cape Coast, and Referee Silas Okine of Accra insisted that Kotoko had breached what went on at the technical meeting, but the Kotoko officials, led by Jarvis Peprah, maintained that the match commissioner and the other officials were not presenting the true picture of the meeting.
Mr Augustine Asante, the Brong Ahafo chairman of the referees association, told the Daily Graphic that they would present their report about the incident to the FA for the necessary action.
Mr Togborco also indicated that by the rules, since the match had delayed for well over 30 minutes, it had to be called off for the necessary steps to be taken later.
Both Arsenal and Kotoko put on white and red dominated jerseys which, according to the match officials, made it impossible for them to be distinguished.
Having waited for about 40 minutes, Accra-based class one referee Silas Okine called the two captains, Salou Mohammed and Jordan Opoku of Arsenal and Kotoko respectively, to inform them of the decision to call off the match after which players and officials of the two teams retired to the dressing room to change over again.
Before then there was a heated verbal exchanges between Kotoko officials and the match officials as to whether the visiting team was to change their apparel in accordance with the rules.
However, Kotoko insisted that they presented their jersey at the pre-match conference which was agreed by all before the start of the match.
The officials explained that it was detected that Kotoko were putting on white shorts and white hose which was the same as those of Arsenal and so they were asked to put on red shorts and red hose which the visiting team obliged to avoid a possible clash.
However, when the two teams marched to the field for the commencement of the match, the officials realised that the jerseys of the two teams were quite similar, thus making it difficult to distinguish between the two sides.
The match commissioner, M. G. Togborco from Cape Coast, and Referee Silas Okine of Accra insisted that Kotoko had breached what went on at the technical meeting, but the Kotoko officials, led by Jarvis Peprah, maintained that the match commissioner and the other officials were not presenting the true picture of the meeting.
Mr Augustine Asante, the Brong Ahafo chairman of the referees association, told the Daily Graphic that they would present their report about the incident to the FA for the necessary action.
Mr Togborco also indicated that by the rules, since the match had delayed for well over 30 minutes, it had to be called off for the necessary steps to be taken later.
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