Ninety-Seven households drawn from four communities in the Bawku Municipality have received the first batch of grants under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP).
The beneficiaries could not participate in the first and second nationwide disbursement due to the conflict that rocked the Bawku Municipality from the beginning of this year, but this round has become possible as a result of the current peace in the area.
Four communities from where the 97 households are benefiting from the LEAP are South Natinga, Zawse, Baribari and Yarigungu.
A total of GH¢2,092 was disbursed by officials of Ghana Post in the presence of the Officers of the Social Welfare Department and the Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Abanga.
Beneficiaries had amounts ranging from GH¢16.00 to GH¢30.00. The District Director of Social Welfare Department, J.B. Ayaya, said it was quite unfortunate that the people of the area had to miss two chances to get their cash grant as a result of the insecurity that engulfed the area around the months of March and May when the first and second nationwide disbursements were made.
According to him, the LEAP is aimed at improving the livelihood of the very poor and vulnerable in society and so anything or group that obstructs this purpose should be exposed by all who cherish development and growth of the weak.
Beneficiaries of the LEAP are expected to enrol and retain their children in school at least through Basic Education. All children in beneficiary households are to be registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme and also register with the Births and Deaths Registry.
New babies in the beneficiary households should be made available for all immunisations and no child in the beneficiary households should be given up for trafficking.
Mr Abanga, for his part, called on communities to report anyone they suspected of or saw as promoting conflict and disturbances in the area to the police for the appropriate action to be taken and should not take any violent action to correct a mistake.
Sunday 31 August 2008
SEND THE GIRL-CHILD TO SCHOOL — SAM (D/G Monday September 1, 2008 PAGE 36)
THE Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, has urged Muslim women and mothers and their spouses to send their girl child to school and support them to the highest level in order to help them to attain their dreams.
"Let us disabuse our minds of the notion that the place of the girl or woman is in the kitchen. The ideal situation whereby Islam says the man should be the bread winner of the family does not in any way suggest that the woman cannot be a bread winner," he said.
Mr Samari was speaking at the 15th National Executive meeting of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Ghana (FOMWAG) at Bolgatanga.
The theme for the occasion was “Peaceful election, the concern of the Muslim Woman”. The special guest of honour was the wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Ramatu Mahama.
Mr Samari, who admonished women to work hard to support their husbands, also urged them to take their destinies in their hands by educating themselves and their female children to stand up to the task of family and society.
"It is formal education that can guarantee you good employment, not to mention the immense impact your education would have on the decision-making process and the matters that affect you as women.
He said the government had done a lot and would continue to empower women to play their proper roles in society.
Hajia Ramatu also reiterated the need for women to invest in the education of their children. She also called on them to serve as ambassadors of peace and advise their husbands and the youth to embrace peace and be tolerant as the nation was about to have elections.
"The Zongos should not be avenues for the recruitment of thugs for violent activities by politicians," she cautioned.
The National President of FOMWAG, Dr Rabiatu Armah, and her Upper East Regional President, Hajia Sheitu Tahiru, in their separate speeches, both prayed for a peaceful and successful election in December.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, who deputised for the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, said women and children suffered most in times of violence.
They must therefore urge their husbands, irrespective of their political party affiliation, to pursue peace and not violence.
"Let us disabuse our minds of the notion that the place of the girl or woman is in the kitchen. The ideal situation whereby Islam says the man should be the bread winner of the family does not in any way suggest that the woman cannot be a bread winner," he said.
Mr Samari was speaking at the 15th National Executive meeting of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Ghana (FOMWAG) at Bolgatanga.
The theme for the occasion was “Peaceful election, the concern of the Muslim Woman”. The special guest of honour was the wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Ramatu Mahama.
Mr Samari, who admonished women to work hard to support their husbands, also urged them to take their destinies in their hands by educating themselves and their female children to stand up to the task of family and society.
"It is formal education that can guarantee you good employment, not to mention the immense impact your education would have on the decision-making process and the matters that affect you as women.
He said the government had done a lot and would continue to empower women to play their proper roles in society.
Hajia Ramatu also reiterated the need for women to invest in the education of their children. She also called on them to serve as ambassadors of peace and advise their husbands and the youth to embrace peace and be tolerant as the nation was about to have elections.
"The Zongos should not be avenues for the recruitment of thugs for violent activities by politicians," she cautioned.
The National President of FOMWAG, Dr Rabiatu Armah, and her Upper East Regional President, Hajia Sheitu Tahiru, in their separate speeches, both prayed for a peaceful and successful election in December.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, who deputised for the Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, said women and children suffered most in times of violence.
They must therefore urge their husbands, irrespective of their political party affiliation, to pursue peace and not violence.
YIRIMEA INSPECTS ROAD WORKS IN UPPER EAST REGION (D/G Monday September 1, 2008 PAGE 36)
A Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Awudu Ahmed Yirimeah, has embarked on an inspection tour of some feeder roads under construction in the Upper East Region.
These roads were destroyed by last year's floods and were awarded on contract under a programme known as the Northern Floods Reconstruction Programme(NFRP) being executed under the Community-Based Rural Development Programme (CBRDP).
Alhaji Yirimeah, who was accompanied by the national coordinator of the CBRDP, Mr Matthew Brown Oppong, inspected some roads in the Bawku West, Builsa and Bongo districts in the region.
As a result of last year's floods, which killed several people, washed away livestock, and destroyed houses and other infrastructure, the Government of Ghana, through funding from the International Development Association and Agence Française de Developpment and the World Bank, initiated a programme towards the reconstruction of public infrastructure destroyed by floods in the three northern regions.
In all, 29 districts were selected and monies allocated for work to commence on some feeder roads. The works include reconstruction of damaged culverts.
At Bongo, the district chief executive, Mr Francis Asampana, who took the deputy minister round to inspect work of the 2.5 kilometre Dua-Apowongo road, said but for the timely intervention by the government, the Apawungo community would have been inaccessible.
He commended the government for the efforts to get the project carried out in the district.
He disclosed that the recent rains had washed off culverts along three other roads at Balungu and expressed the hope that the government and other development partners would go to the aid of the district.
He commended the CBRDP for assisting the district to construct two markets at Zorko and Beo to boost economic activities in the district and shore up its locally generated funds.
He hinted that the assembly had set aside part of its share of the Common Fund to attend to emergency need in the event of floods in the districts this year.
In a related development, Alhaji Yirimeah has underscored the need for District Assemblies to generate substantial income locally to enhance the pace of development.
He said the continuous dependence on the District Assemblies Common Fund to support development was not the best, stressing that institution of the fund was to complement funds generated locally.
He said in the past, assemblies were generating more funds to finance their development programmes but now it was the reverse and wondered how assemblies would perform if the common funds should cease to flow in.
At Zebilla, the DCE for the area, Mr Desmond Bugbilla, told the team that last year's floods resulted in the damage of most roads, cutting off links with the district capital.
He also said most contractors had cited the lack of funds for the delay in the execution of the contract.
Responding, Alhaji Yirimeah rejected the claim, stressing that under the NFRP, any contractor who completed work and submitted his or her certificates was paid without delay.
"No contractor is justified to use the delay in payment as an excuse for the delay in the execution of any contract. As far as the CBRDP is concerned, the money is paid for every work done," he said.
These roads were destroyed by last year's floods and were awarded on contract under a programme known as the Northern Floods Reconstruction Programme(NFRP) being executed under the Community-Based Rural Development Programme (CBRDP).
Alhaji Yirimeah, who was accompanied by the national coordinator of the CBRDP, Mr Matthew Brown Oppong, inspected some roads in the Bawku West, Builsa and Bongo districts in the region.
As a result of last year's floods, which killed several people, washed away livestock, and destroyed houses and other infrastructure, the Government of Ghana, through funding from the International Development Association and Agence Française de Developpment and the World Bank, initiated a programme towards the reconstruction of public infrastructure destroyed by floods in the three northern regions.
In all, 29 districts were selected and monies allocated for work to commence on some feeder roads. The works include reconstruction of damaged culverts.
At Bongo, the district chief executive, Mr Francis Asampana, who took the deputy minister round to inspect work of the 2.5 kilometre Dua-Apowongo road, said but for the timely intervention by the government, the Apawungo community would have been inaccessible.
He commended the government for the efforts to get the project carried out in the district.
He disclosed that the recent rains had washed off culverts along three other roads at Balungu and expressed the hope that the government and other development partners would go to the aid of the district.
He commended the CBRDP for assisting the district to construct two markets at Zorko and Beo to boost economic activities in the district and shore up its locally generated funds.
He hinted that the assembly had set aside part of its share of the Common Fund to attend to emergency need in the event of floods in the districts this year.
In a related development, Alhaji Yirimeah has underscored the need for District Assemblies to generate substantial income locally to enhance the pace of development.
He said the continuous dependence on the District Assemblies Common Fund to support development was not the best, stressing that institution of the fund was to complement funds generated locally.
He said in the past, assemblies were generating more funds to finance their development programmes but now it was the reverse and wondered how assemblies would perform if the common funds should cease to flow in.
At Zebilla, the DCE for the area, Mr Desmond Bugbilla, told the team that last year's floods resulted in the damage of most roads, cutting off links with the district capital.
He also said most contractors had cited the lack of funds for the delay in the execution of the contract.
Responding, Alhaji Yirimeah rejected the claim, stressing that under the NFRP, any contractor who completed work and submitted his or her certificates was paid without delay.
"No contractor is justified to use the delay in payment as an excuse for the delay in the execution of any contract. As far as the CBRDP is concerned, the money is paid for every work done," he said.
National Health Insurance Scheme...BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES IN THE BONGO DISTRICT (D/G Monday September 1, 2008 PAGE 36)
THE National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was fully implemented by the New Patriotic Party when it assumed the reins of power. Under the NHIS, the state and other contributors to the scheme subsidise the medical care provided the poor, as in many insurance schemes. For that reason, the economically active and the state pay for children, the aged and indigents.
It was introduced with the view to improving access of Ghanaians, especially the poor and vulnerable, to basic health services.
But like every initiative, it has its pros and cons. However, indications so far show that the good outweighs the challenges.
The pros of the scheme include equitable and universal access for all residents in Ghana to an acceptable quality of a package of essential health care services without physical payments at the point of service delivery.
This way, everyone is protected from the problems associated with having to find money at the time of illness before the needed health service is provided.
In the Upper East in general and the Bongo District in particular, the NHIS is one of the key pillars of poverty reduction and so far the district mutual health insurance scheme has lived up to expectation. Mr Clement Agana Ayamga is the Scheme Manager.
I dare say that it remains the best and most secure social welfare package that the state is providing its citizens.
Since its inception four years ago, the Bongo Mutual Health Insurance Scheme has seen a remarkable increase in registration of 12,498 in 2005 to 50, 598 members as of the close of June, this year, representing 60 per cent of the district’s population.
Total premium collected for the same period stood at GH¢70,377.83. The scheme has also built an office to house the personnel of the Information Management Systems.
It has also renovated the Outpatients Department of the Bongo District Hospital to ensure efficient computer networking and supported the facility with a loan to acquire a scanner.
A generator, a motorbike, two desktop computers and a refrigerator have been acquired to facilitate the effective running of the scheme in the district.
However, there are challenges. Despite the numerous achievements chalked up, the scheme is faced with a number of challenges. They include the lack of office accommodation, high tariffs for health care services, absence of terms of employment for the service staff and the multiple hospital attendance for health care services, resulting in double payment of tariffs. The general poverty of the residents in the district cannot go unnoticed.
Proffering some measures to curtail these challenges at the scheme's second annual general meeting, the Board Chairman, Mr Donatus Asosege, appealed to all registered members to be each other’s keeper by encouraging non-registered members to enrol in the scheme.
He also called on beneficiaries to desist from multiple attendance to reduce the already high premium being paid by members.
Mr Asosege also called on the government and the National Health Insurance Council to urgently come out with conditions of service for the staff to enable them to offer their best.
He also called for consideration for a fair representation of Board of Directors to cover all the Area Councils in the district, as well as gender equity.
His appeal to NGOs and interested stakeholders to assist groups in small-scale industries to reduce poverty in the district cannot go unnoticed.
Mr Ayamga also mentioned inadequate staffing to cope with the ever increasing tasks such as vetting of claims, field work, accounting, as well as data entry, as taking a toll on the onward movement of the scheme and appealed to the National Health Insurance Authority to give the scheme the opportunity to recruit the necessary staff to augment the current situation.
For politicians and other leaders, who have the opportunity to address large crowds in the district, Mr Ayamga has an appeal. "Please, dedicate a paragraph or two to health insurance so that more soles can be won in our struggle to sustain good health for mankind."
The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Bonaba Salifu Aleemyaarum, took the opportunity to advise people politicising the implementation of the NHIS in the district to desist from it, since the benefits to be derived from it are there for all to see.
The district chief executive, Mr Francis Asampana, through his representative from the assembly, gave assurance of continuous support to the operation of the scheme. This is very much welcome and one can only hope that all hands will be on deck to ensure total coverage in the not too distant future.
It was introduced with the view to improving access of Ghanaians, especially the poor and vulnerable, to basic health services.
But like every initiative, it has its pros and cons. However, indications so far show that the good outweighs the challenges.
The pros of the scheme include equitable and universal access for all residents in Ghana to an acceptable quality of a package of essential health care services without physical payments at the point of service delivery.
This way, everyone is protected from the problems associated with having to find money at the time of illness before the needed health service is provided.
In the Upper East in general and the Bongo District in particular, the NHIS is one of the key pillars of poverty reduction and so far the district mutual health insurance scheme has lived up to expectation. Mr Clement Agana Ayamga is the Scheme Manager.
I dare say that it remains the best and most secure social welfare package that the state is providing its citizens.
Since its inception four years ago, the Bongo Mutual Health Insurance Scheme has seen a remarkable increase in registration of 12,498 in 2005 to 50, 598 members as of the close of June, this year, representing 60 per cent of the district’s population.
Total premium collected for the same period stood at GH¢70,377.83. The scheme has also built an office to house the personnel of the Information Management Systems.
It has also renovated the Outpatients Department of the Bongo District Hospital to ensure efficient computer networking and supported the facility with a loan to acquire a scanner.
A generator, a motorbike, two desktop computers and a refrigerator have been acquired to facilitate the effective running of the scheme in the district.
However, there are challenges. Despite the numerous achievements chalked up, the scheme is faced with a number of challenges. They include the lack of office accommodation, high tariffs for health care services, absence of terms of employment for the service staff and the multiple hospital attendance for health care services, resulting in double payment of tariffs. The general poverty of the residents in the district cannot go unnoticed.
Proffering some measures to curtail these challenges at the scheme's second annual general meeting, the Board Chairman, Mr Donatus Asosege, appealed to all registered members to be each other’s keeper by encouraging non-registered members to enrol in the scheme.
He also called on beneficiaries to desist from multiple attendance to reduce the already high premium being paid by members.
Mr Asosege also called on the government and the National Health Insurance Council to urgently come out with conditions of service for the staff to enable them to offer their best.
He also called for consideration for a fair representation of Board of Directors to cover all the Area Councils in the district, as well as gender equity.
His appeal to NGOs and interested stakeholders to assist groups in small-scale industries to reduce poverty in the district cannot go unnoticed.
Mr Ayamga also mentioned inadequate staffing to cope with the ever increasing tasks such as vetting of claims, field work, accounting, as well as data entry, as taking a toll on the onward movement of the scheme and appealed to the National Health Insurance Authority to give the scheme the opportunity to recruit the necessary staff to augment the current situation.
For politicians and other leaders, who have the opportunity to address large crowds in the district, Mr Ayamga has an appeal. "Please, dedicate a paragraph or two to health insurance so that more soles can be won in our struggle to sustain good health for mankind."
The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Bonaba Salifu Aleemyaarum, took the opportunity to advise people politicising the implementation of the NHIS in the district to desist from it, since the benefits to be derived from it are there for all to see.
The district chief executive, Mr Francis Asampana, through his representative from the assembly, gave assurance of continuous support to the operation of the scheme. This is very much welcome and one can only hope that all hands will be on deck to ensure total coverage in the not too distant future.
Thursday 28 August 2008
LET'S GUARD AGAINST NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN (D/G August 28, 2008 PAGE 17)
The wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Ramatu Mahama, has called on parents, especially women, to use their natural gift as symbols of peace to encourage their husbands and children to uphold peace in their families and communities.
She said there was the need for the youth to collaborate with politicians to guard against campaigns of insults and other negative practices that could mar the success of the December elections.
She pointed out that Ghanaians needed to appreciate the relative peace and stability, as well as the freedom being enjoyed in the country and also strive hard to maintain them as the nation approached a general election.
Hajia Ramatu Mahama was addressing the 15th National Executive Meeting of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana (FOMWAG) in Bolgatanga.
The meeting, which brought together all heads of FOMWAG from all over the country, was on the theme, “Peaceful elections, the concern of the Muslim woman.”
“The Zongo community should not be avenues for the recruitment of persons for acts of violence. We as Muslim women must serve as ambassadors of peace and also advise our husbands and children on the importance of peace,” she said.
She underscored the need for Muslim women to invest in the education of their children and reiterated the need for parents to give their children the best of education to help them realise their dreams.
The National President of FOMWAG, Dr Rabiatu Amaah, called on women to stand up and make their mark in society by helping to rid it of social vices, especially among the youth.
According to her, since its inauguration, FOMWAG has made modest gains, adding that through the activities of the federation, Muslim women had been recognised and given recognition at various levels of national development.
The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, in an address read on her behalf by the Deputy East Regional Minister, Agnes Asangalisah Chigabatia, advised Muslim women to take proper care of their husbands and children, and urged them on the need to embrace peace.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, appealed to all politicians to approach their campaign with decorum.
“We have embraced multi-party democracy as our system of governance, and that demands that we ensure that the tenets of our democracy, which are still growing are really deepened,” he said, adding that, “Unity and good governance are prerequisites for development, and there can be no development without peace.”
Earlier in her welcoming address, the Upper East Regional Head of FOMWAG, Hajia Sheitu Tahiru, said education and the development of the capacity of women were the best way to give women a voice in decision-making.
She said there was the need for the youth to collaborate with politicians to guard against campaigns of insults and other negative practices that could mar the success of the December elections.
She pointed out that Ghanaians needed to appreciate the relative peace and stability, as well as the freedom being enjoyed in the country and also strive hard to maintain them as the nation approached a general election.
Hajia Ramatu Mahama was addressing the 15th National Executive Meeting of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana (FOMWAG) in Bolgatanga.
The meeting, which brought together all heads of FOMWAG from all over the country, was on the theme, “Peaceful elections, the concern of the Muslim woman.”
“The Zongo community should not be avenues for the recruitment of persons for acts of violence. We as Muslim women must serve as ambassadors of peace and also advise our husbands and children on the importance of peace,” she said.
She underscored the need for Muslim women to invest in the education of their children and reiterated the need for parents to give their children the best of education to help them realise their dreams.
The National President of FOMWAG, Dr Rabiatu Amaah, called on women to stand up and make their mark in society by helping to rid it of social vices, especially among the youth.
According to her, since its inauguration, FOMWAG has made modest gains, adding that through the activities of the federation, Muslim women had been recognised and given recognition at various levels of national development.
The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, in an address read on her behalf by the Deputy East Regional Minister, Agnes Asangalisah Chigabatia, advised Muslim women to take proper care of their husbands and children, and urged them on the need to embrace peace.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, appealed to all politicians to approach their campaign with decorum.
“We have embraced multi-party democracy as our system of governance, and that demands that we ensure that the tenets of our democracy, which are still growing are really deepened,” he said, adding that, “Unity and good governance are prerequisites for development, and there can be no development without peace.”
Earlier in her welcoming address, the Upper East Regional Head of FOMWAG, Hajia Sheitu Tahiru, said education and the development of the capacity of women were the best way to give women a voice in decision-making.
Tuesday 26 August 2008
3 POLICEMEN IN BAWKU QUIZZED (D/G Tuesday August 26, 2008 PAGE 20)
THE Police Administration has interrogated three of its men stationed at the Bawku District Police Station for allegedly doing acts contrary to the ethics of the profession.
The three, two males and a female (names withheld), were alleged to have conspired with a civilian, whose name was given only as Nana, to steal three out of a nnumber of bales of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, which were kept at the Bawku District Police Charge office.
A police source at Bawku told the Daily Graphic that the Police Administration was investigating the matter and if they were found culpable, they would be dismissed.
The source said on August 7, 2008, police personnel on duty at a police checkpoint at Bawku, intercepted a Kumasi-Bawku bound vehicle with registration number GR 1446 N.
He said a search on the vehicle uncovered six bales of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
According to the source, the bales were sent to the charge office of the Bawku District Police Headquarters for safe-keeping.
The Daily Graphic learnt that during routine inspection it was detected that three out of the six bales had been exchanged with three fertiliser sacks containing pieces of cloth.
Initial investigation led to the arrest of three policemen.
Meanwhile, the civilian identified as Nana is still at large, while the real owner of the goods is said to be on remand.
An inmate who witnessed the act was said to have reported the three policemen to their senior officers after they had reneged on a promise to pay him GH¢200.
When contacted, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Ofosu Mensah Gyeeavour, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) confirmed the story but stated that the Regional Police Command was still investigating the matter after which appropriate actions would be taken against the culprits if they were found culpable.
The three, two males and a female (names withheld), were alleged to have conspired with a civilian, whose name was given only as Nana, to steal three out of a nnumber of bales of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, which were kept at the Bawku District Police Charge office.
A police source at Bawku told the Daily Graphic that the Police Administration was investigating the matter and if they were found culpable, they would be dismissed.
The source said on August 7, 2008, police personnel on duty at a police checkpoint at Bawku, intercepted a Kumasi-Bawku bound vehicle with registration number GR 1446 N.
He said a search on the vehicle uncovered six bales of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
According to the source, the bales were sent to the charge office of the Bawku District Police Headquarters for safe-keeping.
The Daily Graphic learnt that during routine inspection it was detected that three out of the six bales had been exchanged with three fertiliser sacks containing pieces of cloth.
Initial investigation led to the arrest of three policemen.
Meanwhile, the civilian identified as Nana is still at large, while the real owner of the goods is said to be on remand.
An inmate who witnessed the act was said to have reported the three policemen to their senior officers after they had reneged on a promise to pay him GH¢200.
When contacted, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Ofosu Mensah Gyeeavour, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) confirmed the story but stated that the Regional Police Command was still investigating the matter after which appropriate actions would be taken against the culprits if they were found culpable.
MORE VACATE FLOOD PRONE AREAS (D/G Tuesday, August 26, 2008, BACK PAGE)
There has been some positive response to the campaign by the Volta River Authority (VRA), the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Information Services Department (ISD) for people in the flood-prone areas of the three northern regions to vacate to safe areas.
This comes ahead of the much anticipated spillage of water from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, which took place over the weekend, but so far it has had no adverse effect on downstream communities.
The opening of the Bagre Dam had in the past led to flooding in some communities along the White and Black Volta in the northern parts of Ghana with its attendant loss of lives and property.
A monitoring carried out by the Daily Graphic in the flood-prone areas in the Upper East Region yesterday indicated that so far the flow of the water had been normal with no record of excessive overflows from the river.
The District Chief Executive for Bawku West, Mr Desmond Bugbila, told the Daily Graphic that people had heeded the warning and had moved to safe grounds.
Mr Bugbila, who is also chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee, said a tour of communities like Galaka, Sapiiga and Guzongo, all near Sapeliga, the nearest Ghanaian community to the Bagre Dam, had indicated no signs of flooding apart from the usual sudden rise in water levels.
He, however, indicated that members of those communities and other communities had still been warned to stay off the areas until such time that the water would subside.
At Sandema, some residents told this reporter that unlike last year's floods, the effect of this year's spillage had been minimal, although a few houses constructed with mud had started collapsing.
The Builsa District Water and Sanitation Engineer, Mr Moses Awarikaro, last week told reporters that persistent rains had swept away the houses of 150 victims. The victims, he said, were putting up with friends and relatives.
This comes ahead of the much anticipated spillage of water from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, which took place over the weekend, but so far it has had no adverse effect on downstream communities.
The opening of the Bagre Dam had in the past led to flooding in some communities along the White and Black Volta in the northern parts of Ghana with its attendant loss of lives and property.
A monitoring carried out by the Daily Graphic in the flood-prone areas in the Upper East Region yesterday indicated that so far the flow of the water had been normal with no record of excessive overflows from the river.
The District Chief Executive for Bawku West, Mr Desmond Bugbila, told the Daily Graphic that people had heeded the warning and had moved to safe grounds.
Mr Bugbila, who is also chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee, said a tour of communities like Galaka, Sapiiga and Guzongo, all near Sapeliga, the nearest Ghanaian community to the Bagre Dam, had indicated no signs of flooding apart from the usual sudden rise in water levels.
He, however, indicated that members of those communities and other communities had still been warned to stay off the areas until such time that the water would subside.
At Sandema, some residents told this reporter that unlike last year's floods, the effect of this year's spillage had been minimal, although a few houses constructed with mud had started collapsing.
The Builsa District Water and Sanitation Engineer, Mr Moses Awarikaro, last week told reporters that persistent rains had swept away the houses of 150 victims. The victims, he said, were putting up with friends and relatives.
Monday 25 August 2008
Flood Alert: Bagre Dam Opens(D/G Monday, August 25, 2008 Front Page)
Story Benjamin Xornam Glover.
The floodgates to the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso have been opened. They were opened at 11am yesterday, officials of the Volta River Authority (VRA) have confirmed.The consequences of the spillage on the northern part of Ghana would be felt after 24 hours, they said.
A two-man delegation, led by the VRA’s Director of Environment, Mr Frank Atobrah, was in Burkina Faso to observe the spillage of the excess water from the dam to enable it to assess its likely effect on areas along the White and Black Volta rivers in the Upper East, Upper West and the Northern regions.The Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager of the VRA (NED), Sqn Ldr John Teye (retd), disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after a ceremony at which 30 two-unit houses were presented to victims of the 2007 floods at Chuchuliga in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region. Presenting the houses to the victims, the President of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS), Prof. Stephen Adei, added his voice to calls on people living in low-lying and flood-prone areas in the Upper East Region to evacuate to safe grounds during the impending flooding to avoid loss of lives and property."It is better to secure your lives than risk living in the course of the water.
Even if you move and your houses collapse, at least your lives will be spared and we can all think about reconstructing the houses," he said. Prof. Adei, who is also the Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said the houses were provided by the GRCS through funding from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Canadian International Development Agencies (CIDA).The 2007 floods left in its wake loss of lives and property in some communities in Northern Ghana.
Initial assessment of the disaster led to the declaration of an emergency situation by the government.In view of that, the IOM responded to the call of the government and, with support from CIDA, sent funds to assist Ghana to mitigate the emergency situation and restore the livelihood of the affected people.Relying on its vast global experience in the provision of emergency shelter, the IOM teamed up with the GRCS to provide non-food items such as blankets, jerry cans, and tarpaulins. IOM and the GRCS also initiated the shelter project in Chuchuliga in the Upper East Region and Sug-Tampia in the northern regions to provide a total of 55 two-unit houses for the poor and vulnerable. Prof. Adei said the people could not rely on the government for everything. Therefore, there was the need for them to heed the advice to relocate.He thanked the chiefs and people of Chuchuliga for their support, which led to the successful implementation of the project.
The Head of Mission, IOM, Mr David Terzi, commended the GRCS for observing a high sense of transparency, duty and professionalism in the execution of the project.
He urged the GRCS to keep up the good work, stressing that IOM would welcome any other opportunity to collaborate with GRCS for future humanitarian interventions.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, expressed her appreciation to IOM, the GRCS and CIDA for providing the people and their families with shelter to alleviate their suffering.
Mrs Chigabatia, who is also the MP for Builsa North, stressed the need for regular maintenance and the planting of trees around the houses to act as wind breaks.
The Chief of Chuchuliga, Nab Francis Asangalisa, said following the intervention of the GRCS, there was now greater collaboration between the people and the GRCS and IOM, adding that over 200 women in the area were organising to join the Red Cross.
He also disclosed that land had been allocated for an afforestation programme on teak and Mango to support the Red Cross Society.
Nab Asangalisa also thanked the Red Cross for securing 100 pieces of dual desk for the Chuchuliga Junior High School.
The District Coordinating Director of the Builsa District Assembly, Mr Everest Dery, joined the people to thank the benefactors for their kind gesture.
The floodgates to the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso have been opened. They were opened at 11am yesterday, officials of the Volta River Authority (VRA) have confirmed.The consequences of the spillage on the northern part of Ghana would be felt after 24 hours, they said.
A two-man delegation, led by the VRA’s Director of Environment, Mr Frank Atobrah, was in Burkina Faso to observe the spillage of the excess water from the dam to enable it to assess its likely effect on areas along the White and Black Volta rivers in the Upper East, Upper West and the Northern regions.The Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager of the VRA (NED), Sqn Ldr John Teye (retd), disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after a ceremony at which 30 two-unit houses were presented to victims of the 2007 floods at Chuchuliga in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region. Presenting the houses to the victims, the President of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS), Prof. Stephen Adei, added his voice to calls on people living in low-lying and flood-prone areas in the Upper East Region to evacuate to safe grounds during the impending flooding to avoid loss of lives and property."It is better to secure your lives than risk living in the course of the water.
Even if you move and your houses collapse, at least your lives will be spared and we can all think about reconstructing the houses," he said. Prof. Adei, who is also the Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said the houses were provided by the GRCS through funding from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Canadian International Development Agencies (CIDA).The 2007 floods left in its wake loss of lives and property in some communities in Northern Ghana.
Initial assessment of the disaster led to the declaration of an emergency situation by the government.In view of that, the IOM responded to the call of the government and, with support from CIDA, sent funds to assist Ghana to mitigate the emergency situation and restore the livelihood of the affected people.Relying on its vast global experience in the provision of emergency shelter, the IOM teamed up with the GRCS to provide non-food items such as blankets, jerry cans, and tarpaulins. IOM and the GRCS also initiated the shelter project in Chuchuliga in the Upper East Region and Sug-Tampia in the northern regions to provide a total of 55 two-unit houses for the poor and vulnerable. Prof. Adei said the people could not rely on the government for everything. Therefore, there was the need for them to heed the advice to relocate.He thanked the chiefs and people of Chuchuliga for their support, which led to the successful implementation of the project.
The Head of Mission, IOM, Mr David Terzi, commended the GRCS for observing a high sense of transparency, duty and professionalism in the execution of the project.
He urged the GRCS to keep up the good work, stressing that IOM would welcome any other opportunity to collaborate with GRCS for future humanitarian interventions.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, expressed her appreciation to IOM, the GRCS and CIDA for providing the people and their families with shelter to alleviate their suffering.
Mrs Chigabatia, who is also the MP for Builsa North, stressed the need for regular maintenance and the planting of trees around the houses to act as wind breaks.
The Chief of Chuchuliga, Nab Francis Asangalisa, said following the intervention of the GRCS, there was now greater collaboration between the people and the GRCS and IOM, adding that over 200 women in the area were organising to join the Red Cross.
He also disclosed that land had been allocated for an afforestation programme on teak and Mango to support the Red Cross Society.
Nab Asangalisa also thanked the Red Cross for securing 100 pieces of dual desk for the Chuchuliga Junior High School.
The District Coordinating Director of the Builsa District Assembly, Mr Everest Dery, joined the people to thank the benefactors for their kind gesture.
STAR BLACK exhibition in Bolga(D/G Saturday,August 23,2008 page 21)
From: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga.
STAR BLACK Foundation International (SBFI), a youth-oriented Pan African Organization, based in Twifo Hemang in the Central Region and supported by Africans in the Diaspora has held a five day exhibition of made in Africa products and cultural awareness creation in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Region..The aim of the exhibition is to showcase potentials of three northern regions and provide a platform for Africans in the Diaspora to easily trace their roots and invest in Ghana.Items of display included locally weaved straw baskets, pottery products, fugu, locally manufactured textiles; several products made of calabash, natural hair products amongst others.
The founder of SBFI, Mr. Jomo Hutaa, told the Daily Graphic that the primary aim of the organization was uniting all people of African descent.He said Africans in the Diaspora were ready to promote made in Africa goods and culture and appealed to Africans to patronize their products.
The President the foundation, Akua Asantewaa bemoaned the use of foreign names by Africans and encouraged Africans to promote the use of indigenous names to project the African continent and the black movement.
She also advocated the patronage of locally produced materials such as the shea butter, local textiles amongst others
Akua, who have lived in the UK all her life said she opted for that name, Akua Asantewaa, four years ago after she reconnected with her roots and found out who she really was.
She urged Africans to unite, stressing that in unity lies strength. “Let us unite, what we need to do is to educate the new generation that are coming up that, no matter where they are from, they are Africans.
The Vice President of the foundation, Kwesi Amoah said Africa must stop looking up to the west for support. “The time has come for Africans and people of the black generation to unite and trade among themselves to promote economic and social development.
Friday 22 August 2008
4 PERISH IN FLOODS...150 Others rendered homeless (D/G Friday August 22, 2008 front page)
FOUR days of persistent rains in the Upper East Region have claimed four lives and rendered 150 people homeless in the West Mamprusi and Builsa districts respectively.
At Janga in the West Mamprusi District four people drowned in the floods, raising fears of the worst disaster, if the floodgates to the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso are opened as expected on Sunday.
Burkinabe officials announced that the floodgates would be opened yesterday but this was postponed.
In the Builsa District the rains are said to have swept away the houses of the 150 victims, who are seeking refuge with friends and relatives.
A Senior Community Relations Officer of the Volta River Authority(VRA), Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, and a member of the Builsa District Water and Sanitation Team, Mr Moses Awarikaro, confirmed the incidents to the Daily Graphic after a tour of some communities to sensitise residents to the need to vacate the area in view of the impending spillage of water from the Bagre Dam.
Alhaji Erzuah said the dead were yet to be identified and that a number of homes, farms, food and livestock had also been destroyed by the rains.
He said some rivers such as the Sisilli were full and could overflow their banks any time soon. However, while most people had demonstrated their readiness to move to higher grounds, others were reluctant to evacuate because of their farmlands.
“Although the message has gone round, the cooperation is not there,” Alhaji Erzuah said.
He said at Kulungungu, the VRA team observed that the recently constructed embankment supporting the Bailey bridge that linked Ghana with neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali was weak and that any large inflow of water could lead to the collapse of the bridge.
Among the communities visited by the team were Wungu, Arigu, Fio Number 1 and 2, Kpatorigu, Chamma, Saligu, Sapkala, Sakori, Kpasenkpe, Tiya Alavanyo, and Soba Takora, all in the West Mamprusi District.
They have already visited some flood-prone communities in the Upper East Region to sensitise them to the intended spillage.
Ahead of the spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, the prayer of some residents in flood-prone communities along the White Volta River is that the spillage should not be accompanied by torrential rains.
According to them, already most rivers that could hold the huge volumes of water were already full following persistent rains being experienced in some parts of the Upper East Region.
They contended that any torrential rains in addition to the expected spillage of huge volumes of water from the Bagre dam could spell doom for them as the expected floods would surpass the one experienced last year.
These sentiments came to light yesterday when the Daily Graphic toured some flood-prone areas to test their readiness for the impending spillage.
Some of the communities toured were Sandema, Zebilla, Bazua Nafgolika and Pwalugu.
It was observed at the Kobore bridge in the Bawku West District and the Pwalugu Bridge in Talensi Nabdam that the river was gradually filling up and the fear was that heavy rains, coupled with the spillage, in the area could result in heavy flooding as happened last year.
One other observation made at Pwalugu was that some maize farmlands close to the river were already submerged in water, while the absence of trees along the river had led to serious erosion and the development of deep gullies along some portions of the river.
At Sandema, one resident told the Daily Graphic that in addition to the public announcement urging people to move to higher grounds to avert danger, he was expecting the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to come out with detailed evacuation measures to aid people, should the floods occur.
At Nafgolika in the Bawku Municipality, Mr Thomas Ndebugre, a farmer who had cultivated maize along the White Volta, said although he was aware of the possible dangers, he continued to farm near the banks of the river because the land there was fertile.
He, however, said he was ready to discontinue farming near the bank of the river on condition that he was assisted with inputs to farm far away from the river bank.
At Binduri, also in the Bawku Municipality, the assemblymember for the area, Madam Beatrice Dahamani, told the Daily Graphic that she had intensified her education programme to warn the people on the potential danger in trying to cross the river on Thursday.
At a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Ahmed Awudu Yirimeah at Sandema, the district capital, Mr Awarikaro added that the affected communities included Nyansa, Kandem, Abiyere, Kore, Tankunsa, Kaasa, Zondem and Siniesi.
The deputy minister is on a tour of the Upper East Region to inspect the extent of work being executed under the Northern Floods Reconstruction Programme.
At Janga in the West Mamprusi District four people drowned in the floods, raising fears of the worst disaster, if the floodgates to the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso are opened as expected on Sunday.
Burkinabe officials announced that the floodgates would be opened yesterday but this was postponed.
In the Builsa District the rains are said to have swept away the houses of the 150 victims, who are seeking refuge with friends and relatives.
A Senior Community Relations Officer of the Volta River Authority(VRA), Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, and a member of the Builsa District Water and Sanitation Team, Mr Moses Awarikaro, confirmed the incidents to the Daily Graphic after a tour of some communities to sensitise residents to the need to vacate the area in view of the impending spillage of water from the Bagre Dam.
Alhaji Erzuah said the dead were yet to be identified and that a number of homes, farms, food and livestock had also been destroyed by the rains.
He said some rivers such as the Sisilli were full and could overflow their banks any time soon. However, while most people had demonstrated their readiness to move to higher grounds, others were reluctant to evacuate because of their farmlands.
“Although the message has gone round, the cooperation is not there,” Alhaji Erzuah said.
He said at Kulungungu, the VRA team observed that the recently constructed embankment supporting the Bailey bridge that linked Ghana with neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali was weak and that any large inflow of water could lead to the collapse of the bridge.
Among the communities visited by the team were Wungu, Arigu, Fio Number 1 and 2, Kpatorigu, Chamma, Saligu, Sapkala, Sakori, Kpasenkpe, Tiya Alavanyo, and Soba Takora, all in the West Mamprusi District.
They have already visited some flood-prone communities in the Upper East Region to sensitise them to the intended spillage.
Ahead of the spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, the prayer of some residents in flood-prone communities along the White Volta River is that the spillage should not be accompanied by torrential rains.
According to them, already most rivers that could hold the huge volumes of water were already full following persistent rains being experienced in some parts of the Upper East Region.
They contended that any torrential rains in addition to the expected spillage of huge volumes of water from the Bagre dam could spell doom for them as the expected floods would surpass the one experienced last year.
These sentiments came to light yesterday when the Daily Graphic toured some flood-prone areas to test their readiness for the impending spillage.
Some of the communities toured were Sandema, Zebilla, Bazua Nafgolika and Pwalugu.
It was observed at the Kobore bridge in the Bawku West District and the Pwalugu Bridge in Talensi Nabdam that the river was gradually filling up and the fear was that heavy rains, coupled with the spillage, in the area could result in heavy flooding as happened last year.
One other observation made at Pwalugu was that some maize farmlands close to the river were already submerged in water, while the absence of trees along the river had led to serious erosion and the development of deep gullies along some portions of the river.
At Sandema, one resident told the Daily Graphic that in addition to the public announcement urging people to move to higher grounds to avert danger, he was expecting the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to come out with detailed evacuation measures to aid people, should the floods occur.
At Nafgolika in the Bawku Municipality, Mr Thomas Ndebugre, a farmer who had cultivated maize along the White Volta, said although he was aware of the possible dangers, he continued to farm near the banks of the river because the land there was fertile.
He, however, said he was ready to discontinue farming near the bank of the river on condition that he was assisted with inputs to farm far away from the river bank.
At Binduri, also in the Bawku Municipality, the assemblymember for the area, Madam Beatrice Dahamani, told the Daily Graphic that she had intensified her education programme to warn the people on the potential danger in trying to cross the river on Thursday.
At a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Ahmed Awudu Yirimeah at Sandema, the district capital, Mr Awarikaro added that the affected communities included Nyansa, Kandem, Abiyere, Kore, Tankunsa, Kaasa, Zondem and Siniesi.
The deputy minister is on a tour of the Upper East Region to inspect the extent of work being executed under the Northern Floods Reconstruction Programme.
Thursday 21 August 2008
POLCE SWOOP ON CRIMINALS IN BOLGA (D/G Thursday August 21, 2008 PAGE 40)
THE Police in Bolgatanga on Saturday arrested nine suspected criminals at their hideouts in a dawn swoop to flush out criminals within the municipality.Also arrested was a young woman whose name was given as Georgina, 17, believed to be an accomplice.The three-hour exercise, which was under the command of the Regional Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Victor Seth Agbetornyo, was carried out at the Tanzui, Zaare, Catholic Cemetery, main market square and Zamtec areas.Items retrieved from the suspected criminals included a locally manufactured pistol with one round of ammunition, dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and a machete.Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCOP) Ofosu Mensah Gyeabour, said inadequate drug control together with activities involving organised crime, was hindering the development of the country in general and the Upper East Region in particular.DCOP Gyeabour said it was the resolve of the police to deal with these issues to ensure that crimes were brought down to the barest minimum."We are committed to make the community a drug-free society and allow law-abiding citizens to operate freely," he added.The Regional Police Commander said those arrested would be screened,after which those found culpable would have appropriate charges preferred against them and put before the courts.
Tuesday 19 August 2008
NADMO, VRA ON THE MOVE...To prevent disaster in 3 northern regions (Tuesday August 19, 2008 LEAD STORY)
THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Volta River Authority (VRA) have moved personnel and logistics to the three northern regions to help evacuate residents who have ignored warnings of imminent danger of the opening of the floodgates of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso on Thursday.
This follows confirmation from the authorities in Burkina Faso that the Bagre Dam will be opened on Thursday, to spill water that threatens to collapse the dam.
It is predicted that the opening of the floodgates will lead to heavy floods that could endanger the lives and property of people living around the White and Black Volta rivers in the northern parts of Ghana.
Some of the high risk areas are Binduri, Sapelliga, Nafgolika Vakop, Gogo, Saaka, Bazua and Pwalugu.
In separate endeavours over the weekend, officials of the VRA toured some of the communities to impress upon those living along the White Volta to vacate the place due to the imminent floods, while NADMO deployed 5,000 volunteers to evacuate recalcitrant farmers along the disaster-prone zone.
The disaster volunteers groups, together with other stakeholders, are also to effect programmes aimed at stopping agricultural practices along the catchment areas of the Black and White Volta rivers.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in charge of relief and reconstruction, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, said the international community would not forgive the country, especially NADMO, if it remained aloof in spite of the timely warning from Burkina Faso.
He said there had been meetings at high governmental level between Ghana and Burkina Faso to control the spillage by opening the dams on gradual basis.
Alhaji Yirimea, however, said that should not form the basis for complacency on the part of NADMO and other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
He said the sensitisation programme was under way in communities that were likely to be affected most in the Wa East, especially the district capital Funsi and its environs.
He said disaster volunteer groups formed in those communities could also be found in such communities as Wechiau, Kubori, Sapelliga, Tanga, Nabugu and Nasia, where commercial rice farmers were concentrated.
The other communities likely to be affected by the floods of White Volta included Kalbeo, Dacheo, Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Bawku, Binduri and Sandema, where most of the road networks were washed away by the floods, rendering the roads impassable.
The deputy co-ordinator said some of the settler farmers also engaged in onion, tobacco and water melon cultivation, which thrive along river banks because of the humidity.
He said the settler farmers were so recalcitrant that sometimes NADMO personnel would have to move in with security agencies in order for them to comply to leave farming along the rivers banks.
He said NADMO was educating people in the flood-prone areas to change the traditional building code and build houses that could withstand the impact of flood waters.
Alhaji Yirimea said the disaster volunteer groups were also enjoying the co-operation of other volunteer groups such as the fire-fighting volunteers at the local level in sensitising the local people to the dangers and damage their activities had on socio-economic development of the country.
He said the education of the farmers had been extended to the Kassena Nankana and Builsa districts, where the spillage from the Tono Dam, due to heavy rains in the Kasena Nankana District, had serious repercussions for farmers in the area, resulting in post-harvest losses.
Alhaji Yirimea said NADMO was shifting emphasis from waiting for the disaster to strike before rushing with relief items to proactive activities to prevent disasters from taking a great toll on lives and property.
Last year, in August, when the country was given 24 hours before the dam was spilled, five people lost their lives in the Bolgatanga municipality and Bawku West District, when their rooms which got filled to window level collapsed on them.
The floods also caused damage to the Bawku-Kulungungu road, destroying the bridge spanning over the White Volta.
The roads destroyed by the floods also included the Bawku-Binduri; Bolga-Nyariga-Dacheo and the Navrongo-Sandema road networks.
The agricultural output was also affected when over 40,000 hectares of farmlands were submerged under water, destroying crops which were ready for harvest.
According to the Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Roy Ayariga, a total of 13,880 metric tonnes of foodstuffs went to waste as a result of the floods that submerged farms.
Similar to that of the NADMO, the aim of the VRA sensitisation visit was to educate the residents on the need to evacuate to higher grounds to avert the loss of lives and property.
Members of the VRA team who toured the flood prone areas were Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, Senior Community Relations Officer, Alhaji Ben Bukari Salifu, Deputy Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager, Mr Osei Kofi, Customer Relations Officer and Mr John Tayari, Assistant Customer Relations Officer.
Speaking to some opinion leaders at Binduri and Bazua, the leader of the team, Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, said due to the extent of the damage caused by last year's floods, the VRA has decided to embark on an exercise to sensitise the people, especially those living along the White Volta River, to the dangers that comes with the floods.
Alhaji Siam also warmed those who had farmed close to the river banks to harvest their crops and evacuate to higher grounds to avoid any danger.
He cautioned the community members against crossing the river on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and a few days thereafter.
Alhaji Siam said the VRA, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC), Regional Secretariat of NADMO, as well as the municipal and district assemblies in the region, would continue to sensitise the people living along the flood-prone areas to avoid casualties.
It would be recalled that almost all the districts in the Upper East Region were hit by a flood disaster as a result of torrential rains from August 24 to August 29, 2007.
The situation was aggravated by the opening of the spillway of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Consequently, more than 3000 houses in the Talensi-Nabdam, Bongo, Builsa, Bawku West and Bawku districts were destroyed, while almost 8000 inhabitants were left homeless. Also destroyed were several hundreds of hectares of farmland, roads and bridges.
Prominent among the collapsed bridges were the Kulungugu Bridge that links Ghana and her neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali and the Tamne Bridge on the Garu-Zabugu-Bawku road.
This follows confirmation from the authorities in Burkina Faso that the Bagre Dam will be opened on Thursday, to spill water that threatens to collapse the dam.
It is predicted that the opening of the floodgates will lead to heavy floods that could endanger the lives and property of people living around the White and Black Volta rivers in the northern parts of Ghana.
Some of the high risk areas are Binduri, Sapelliga, Nafgolika Vakop, Gogo, Saaka, Bazua and Pwalugu.
In separate endeavours over the weekend, officials of the VRA toured some of the communities to impress upon those living along the White Volta to vacate the place due to the imminent floods, while NADMO deployed 5,000 volunteers to evacuate recalcitrant farmers along the disaster-prone zone.
The disaster volunteers groups, together with other stakeholders, are also to effect programmes aimed at stopping agricultural practices along the catchment areas of the Black and White Volta rivers.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in charge of relief and reconstruction, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, said the international community would not forgive the country, especially NADMO, if it remained aloof in spite of the timely warning from Burkina Faso.
He said there had been meetings at high governmental level between Ghana and Burkina Faso to control the spillage by opening the dams on gradual basis.
Alhaji Yirimea, however, said that should not form the basis for complacency on the part of NADMO and other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
He said the sensitisation programme was under way in communities that were likely to be affected most in the Wa East, especially the district capital Funsi and its environs.
He said disaster volunteer groups formed in those communities could also be found in such communities as Wechiau, Kubori, Sapelliga, Tanga, Nabugu and Nasia, where commercial rice farmers were concentrated.
The other communities likely to be affected by the floods of White Volta included Kalbeo, Dacheo, Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Bawku, Binduri and Sandema, where most of the road networks were washed away by the floods, rendering the roads impassable.
The deputy co-ordinator said some of the settler farmers also engaged in onion, tobacco and water melon cultivation, which thrive along river banks because of the humidity.
He said the settler farmers were so recalcitrant that sometimes NADMO personnel would have to move in with security agencies in order for them to comply to leave farming along the rivers banks.
He said NADMO was educating people in the flood-prone areas to change the traditional building code and build houses that could withstand the impact of flood waters.
Alhaji Yirimea said the disaster volunteer groups were also enjoying the co-operation of other volunteer groups such as the fire-fighting volunteers at the local level in sensitising the local people to the dangers and damage their activities had on socio-economic development of the country.
He said the education of the farmers had been extended to the Kassena Nankana and Builsa districts, where the spillage from the Tono Dam, due to heavy rains in the Kasena Nankana District, had serious repercussions for farmers in the area, resulting in post-harvest losses.
Alhaji Yirimea said NADMO was shifting emphasis from waiting for the disaster to strike before rushing with relief items to proactive activities to prevent disasters from taking a great toll on lives and property.
Last year, in August, when the country was given 24 hours before the dam was spilled, five people lost their lives in the Bolgatanga municipality and Bawku West District, when their rooms which got filled to window level collapsed on them.
The floods also caused damage to the Bawku-Kulungungu road, destroying the bridge spanning over the White Volta.
The roads destroyed by the floods also included the Bawku-Binduri; Bolga-Nyariga-Dacheo and the Navrongo-Sandema road networks.
The agricultural output was also affected when over 40,000 hectares of farmlands were submerged under water, destroying crops which were ready for harvest.
According to the Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Roy Ayariga, a total of 13,880 metric tonnes of foodstuffs went to waste as a result of the floods that submerged farms.
Similar to that of the NADMO, the aim of the VRA sensitisation visit was to educate the residents on the need to evacuate to higher grounds to avert the loss of lives and property.
Members of the VRA team who toured the flood prone areas were Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, Senior Community Relations Officer, Alhaji Ben Bukari Salifu, Deputy Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager, Mr Osei Kofi, Customer Relations Officer and Mr John Tayari, Assistant Customer Relations Officer.
Speaking to some opinion leaders at Binduri and Bazua, the leader of the team, Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, said due to the extent of the damage caused by last year's floods, the VRA has decided to embark on an exercise to sensitise the people, especially those living along the White Volta River, to the dangers that comes with the floods.
Alhaji Siam also warmed those who had farmed close to the river banks to harvest their crops and evacuate to higher grounds to avoid any danger.
He cautioned the community members against crossing the river on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and a few days thereafter.
Alhaji Siam said the VRA, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC), Regional Secretariat of NADMO, as well as the municipal and district assemblies in the region, would continue to sensitise the people living along the flood-prone areas to avoid casualties.
It would be recalled that almost all the districts in the Upper East Region were hit by a flood disaster as a result of torrential rains from August 24 to August 29, 2007.
The situation was aggravated by the opening of the spillway of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Consequently, more than 3000 houses in the Talensi-Nabdam, Bongo, Builsa, Bawku West and Bawku districts were destroyed, while almost 8000 inhabitants were left homeless. Also destroyed were several hundreds of hectares of farmland, roads and bridges.
Prominent among the collapsed bridges were the Kulungugu Bridge that links Ghana and her neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali and the Tamne Bridge on the Garu-Zabugu-Bawku road.
Sunday 17 August 2008
BAWKU HEALTH WORKERS URGED TO RETURN TO WORK (D/G Monday, August 18,2008 PAGE 36)
THE Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, Mr Abdulai Abanga, has urged health workers of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, especially nurses who have been absent from work for the past seven months due to the protracted ethnic conflict, to return to work.
Mr Abanga, who is also Chairman of the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), has given assurance of their safety when they resume duty.
He made the plea when he, together with members of MUSEC, paid a surprise visit to the hospital.
It came to light during the visit that almost three quarters of the nurses at the hospital were not at post due to insecurity at Bawku.
At a short meeting with the hospital management team and the workers, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Peter Mawong, assured them that all threats received by the police would be dealt with, with despatch.
He said: "I have personally received many threats on my life but I have discarded them because they are empty threats,” adding, “Someone will buy a new chip for his mobile phone purposely to threaten you and thereafter throw it away."
The officer commanding the Airborne Force at Bawku, Major Frank Walanyo Agbebo, reiterated the same message, that his men were on the ground with enough logistics 24 hours so the nurses should heed to the call to resume work in order to save lives.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Abanga, noted with concern that the hospital, which had won national and international recognition, was gradually dying off because of the communal conflict.
He stressed that as the hospital was dear to the heart of the government and the assembly, they would do everything possible to preserve its status.
The new General Manager of the hospital, Mr John Abugri, advised the workers to exercise patience and tolerance by putting behind them what happened in the past seven months so that the hospital could regain its lost glory.
In a related development, the Director of Amnesty International, Ghana Section, Mr Michael A. Brigandi, has paid a two-day working visit to Bawku to assess first-hand the conflict situation in the area.
According to Mr Brigandi, his meeting with the opinion leaders of the Kusasis and Mamprusis at separate meetings, reviewed that both factions were eager to see the conflict come to an end.
He said the two factions were, however, looking up to the government to conclude its mediation efforts as soon as possible.
Mr Brigandi emphasised that their elders in particular, had shown so much interest to see to the end of the conflict in Bawku but the problem at the moment was with the youth who must be actively involved in the deliberations.
He said the situation in Bawku was pathetic, especially at Buabula where women and children were massacred.
He said both sides expressed concern about the high politicisation of the conflict and appealed to all politicians to be circumspect in their utterances on the Bawku conflict.
Mr Brigandi commended the Information Services Department and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for their sensitisation programme on peace promotion.
He called on the government and other stakeholders to give more resources to the two institutions to enable them to intensify their education.
He also urged the government to take up concrete steps in resolving the problem in Bawku as soon as possible.
Mr Abanga, who is also Chairman of the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), has given assurance of their safety when they resume duty.
He made the plea when he, together with members of MUSEC, paid a surprise visit to the hospital.
It came to light during the visit that almost three quarters of the nurses at the hospital were not at post due to insecurity at Bawku.
At a short meeting with the hospital management team and the workers, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Peter Mawong, assured them that all threats received by the police would be dealt with, with despatch.
He said: "I have personally received many threats on my life but I have discarded them because they are empty threats,” adding, “Someone will buy a new chip for his mobile phone purposely to threaten you and thereafter throw it away."
The officer commanding the Airborne Force at Bawku, Major Frank Walanyo Agbebo, reiterated the same message, that his men were on the ground with enough logistics 24 hours so the nurses should heed to the call to resume work in order to save lives.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Abanga, noted with concern that the hospital, which had won national and international recognition, was gradually dying off because of the communal conflict.
He stressed that as the hospital was dear to the heart of the government and the assembly, they would do everything possible to preserve its status.
The new General Manager of the hospital, Mr John Abugri, advised the workers to exercise patience and tolerance by putting behind them what happened in the past seven months so that the hospital could regain its lost glory.
In a related development, the Director of Amnesty International, Ghana Section, Mr Michael A. Brigandi, has paid a two-day working visit to Bawku to assess first-hand the conflict situation in the area.
According to Mr Brigandi, his meeting with the opinion leaders of the Kusasis and Mamprusis at separate meetings, reviewed that both factions were eager to see the conflict come to an end.
He said the two factions were, however, looking up to the government to conclude its mediation efforts as soon as possible.
Mr Brigandi emphasised that their elders in particular, had shown so much interest to see to the end of the conflict in Bawku but the problem at the moment was with the youth who must be actively involved in the deliberations.
He said the situation in Bawku was pathetic, especially at Buabula where women and children were massacred.
He said both sides expressed concern about the high politicisation of the conflict and appealed to all politicians to be circumspect in their utterances on the Bawku conflict.
Mr Brigandi commended the Information Services Department and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for their sensitisation programme on peace promotion.
He called on the government and other stakeholders to give more resources to the two institutions to enable them to intensify their education.
He also urged the government to take up concrete steps in resolving the problem in Bawku as soon as possible.
STUDENTS UNION ASSIST 11 SCHOOLS (D/G Monday August 18, 2008 PAGE 36)
THE Talensi/Nabdam Students Union (TANASU) has donated a quantity of books to 11 selected schools at Sheaga in the Talensi/Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
They were English, Mathematics, Science, Integrated Science and Social Studies books.
The beneficiary educational institutions included Nungo, Dasobligo, Sheaga, Nangodi, Yameriga, Tongo-Beo and Kontintagbu junior high schools.
Making the presentation, the President of the TANASU, Mr Emmanuel Awuni Nwoneba, said the donation, which was in its third phase, was an exercise aimed at arresting the falling standards of education in the district.
"Available records have revealed that as a result of some of the projects undertaken by our immediate past executives and their predecessors in addition to donations from individuals and some organisations, there have been a remarkable improvement in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the district in recent times," he stated.
Mr Nwoneba, however, stressed that some schools in the district needed special attention, citing the Kontintabig JHS as one of the schools whose structures were inadequate.
He said last year, a teacher of the Dapore JHS almost lost her life when she tried to cross a river between Dapore and Winkogo to attend classes but was fortunate to be rescued by somebody who had gone there to do some washing.
The TANASU president appealed to the district director of education, the district chief executive, chiefs, opinion leaders, the Member of Parliament for the area and public-spirited organisations to contribute to the improvement of educational standards in the district.
The Talensi/Nabdam District Director of Education, Mr Francis Ayaaba, stated that the district could not achieve any meaningful development without the co-operation and support of the people.
He, therefore, implored all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the development of the area.
Mr Ayaaba commended TANASU for its contribution to the development of education in the district and assured the union of the co-operation of his outfit.
They were English, Mathematics, Science, Integrated Science and Social Studies books.
The beneficiary educational institutions included Nungo, Dasobligo, Sheaga, Nangodi, Yameriga, Tongo-Beo and Kontintagbu junior high schools.
Making the presentation, the President of the TANASU, Mr Emmanuel Awuni Nwoneba, said the donation, which was in its third phase, was an exercise aimed at arresting the falling standards of education in the district.
"Available records have revealed that as a result of some of the projects undertaken by our immediate past executives and their predecessors in addition to donations from individuals and some organisations, there have been a remarkable improvement in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the district in recent times," he stated.
Mr Nwoneba, however, stressed that some schools in the district needed special attention, citing the Kontintabig JHS as one of the schools whose structures were inadequate.
He said last year, a teacher of the Dapore JHS almost lost her life when she tried to cross a river between Dapore and Winkogo to attend classes but was fortunate to be rescued by somebody who had gone there to do some washing.
The TANASU president appealed to the district director of education, the district chief executive, chiefs, opinion leaders, the Member of Parliament for the area and public-spirited organisations to contribute to the improvement of educational standards in the district.
The Talensi/Nabdam District Director of Education, Mr Francis Ayaaba, stated that the district could not achieve any meaningful development without the co-operation and support of the people.
He, therefore, implored all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the development of the area.
Mr Ayaaba commended TANASU for its contribution to the development of education in the district and assured the union of the co-operation of his outfit.
GOVT'S POLICY ON FERTILISE SUBSIDY VERY USEFUL (D/G Monday August 18, 2008 PAGE 36)
IN July, this year, the government introduced a policy on fertiliser subsidies.
Under the programme, the government would from this month up to December, this year, spend about US$14 million in subsidising fertilisers sold to farmers to encourage them to improve upon agricultural production.
Currently, the prices of popular fertilisers such as urea, sulphate of ammonia, NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 are GH¢26, GH¢18, GH¢26 and GH¢24 respectively.
Before the reduction of the prices, urea was selling at GH¢49 per bag while sulphate of ammonia went for GH¢31 with NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 being sold for GH¢48 and GH¢45 respectively.
To access the fertilisers, farmers and prospective buyers have to get coupons from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) offices, District Agricultural offices or Agricultural Extension offices.
The coupons are then presented to the dealers for the supply of the fertilisers. All coupons received by dealers should be forwarded to the fertiliser companies for submission to the government for payment of the subsidy component.
The implementation of the programme in the Upper East Region appears to be achieving some success as farmers have hailed the policy and are seizing every opportunity to ensure that they make the best out of the provision.
A visit to some district capitals in the region, such as Bawku and Sandema, attest to the fact that the farmers have wholeheartedly welcomed the policy and are committed to seeing to it that they benefit from it.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic from the various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme showed that the policy would ensure a better yield for the farmers.
In an interview with the Builsa District Director of Agriculture, Mr Paul Ayagiba, he said many farmers in the district had availed themselves of the opportunity and were waiting to be issued with coupons by Agricultural Extension Officers which they would be required to produce before any sales would be made to them by the fertiliser dealers.
He, however, stated that there were a few challenges.
To find lasting solutions to the problem, he said the Regional Agricultural Directorate had encouraged chiefs and other opinion leaders in the region to educate their people on the importance of the programme.
"We believe that with education, the people will appreciate the benefits to be derived from this policy," Mr Ayagiba said, adding that the policy was geared towards assisting farmers to make profit.
He expressed the hope that the farmers would embrace the programme in order to increase their yield.
Mr Ayagiba urged farmers to report any act of corruption by the Agricultural Extension Officers to the District or Regional Directors of Agriculture for the appropriate action to be taken.
A fertiliser dealer in the Builsa District, Mr Daniel Alabadek, described the policy as very laudable, explaining that in the past, farmers were buying fertilisers at exorbitant prices but the new arrangement had reduced their headaches.
"Due to the high prices of fertilisers, many farmers were unable to buy to increase production but with the policy, many farmers can now afford to buy and apply fertilisers on their farms," Mr Alabadek said.
He encouraged farmers to heed the advice of the extension officers in order to derive maximum benefit from the programme.
At Bawku, farmers who had not heard the good news were advised to take advantage of the new government policy to increase their production in order to improve their lifestyles and to prevent food shortage that was experienced in the region last year.
Government agencies like MoFA and the Information Services Department have all carried out public education to educate the public on the benefits of the policy.
Agriculture remains a strong option for achieving the nation's growth and poverty reduction objectives. There is, therefore, the need for all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the policy to play their assigned roles effectively to prevent its abuse.
Under the programme, the government would from this month up to December, this year, spend about US$14 million in subsidising fertilisers sold to farmers to encourage them to improve upon agricultural production.
Currently, the prices of popular fertilisers such as urea, sulphate of ammonia, NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 are GH¢26, GH¢18, GH¢26 and GH¢24 respectively.
Before the reduction of the prices, urea was selling at GH¢49 per bag while sulphate of ammonia went for GH¢31 with NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 being sold for GH¢48 and GH¢45 respectively.
To access the fertilisers, farmers and prospective buyers have to get coupons from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) offices, District Agricultural offices or Agricultural Extension offices.
The coupons are then presented to the dealers for the supply of the fertilisers. All coupons received by dealers should be forwarded to the fertiliser companies for submission to the government for payment of the subsidy component.
The implementation of the programme in the Upper East Region appears to be achieving some success as farmers have hailed the policy and are seizing every opportunity to ensure that they make the best out of the provision.
A visit to some district capitals in the region, such as Bawku and Sandema, attest to the fact that the farmers have wholeheartedly welcomed the policy and are committed to seeing to it that they benefit from it.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic from the various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme showed that the policy would ensure a better yield for the farmers.
In an interview with the Builsa District Director of Agriculture, Mr Paul Ayagiba, he said many farmers in the district had availed themselves of the opportunity and were waiting to be issued with coupons by Agricultural Extension Officers which they would be required to produce before any sales would be made to them by the fertiliser dealers.
He, however, stated that there were a few challenges.
To find lasting solutions to the problem, he said the Regional Agricultural Directorate had encouraged chiefs and other opinion leaders in the region to educate their people on the importance of the programme.
"We believe that with education, the people will appreciate the benefits to be derived from this policy," Mr Ayagiba said, adding that the policy was geared towards assisting farmers to make profit.
He expressed the hope that the farmers would embrace the programme in order to increase their yield.
Mr Ayagiba urged farmers to report any act of corruption by the Agricultural Extension Officers to the District or Regional Directors of Agriculture for the appropriate action to be taken.
A fertiliser dealer in the Builsa District, Mr Daniel Alabadek, described the policy as very laudable, explaining that in the past, farmers were buying fertilisers at exorbitant prices but the new arrangement had reduced their headaches.
"Due to the high prices of fertilisers, many farmers were unable to buy to increase production but with the policy, many farmers can now afford to buy and apply fertilisers on their farms," Mr Alabadek said.
He encouraged farmers to heed the advice of the extension officers in order to derive maximum benefit from the programme.
At Bawku, farmers who had not heard the good news were advised to take advantage of the new government policy to increase their production in order to improve their lifestyles and to prevent food shortage that was experienced in the region last year.
Government agencies like MoFA and the Information Services Department have all carried out public education to educate the public on the benefits of the policy.
Agriculture remains a strong option for achieving the nation's growth and poverty reduction objectives. There is, therefore, the need for all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the policy to play their assigned roles effectively to prevent its abuse.
82 NFED FACILITATORS HONOURED FOR HARD WORK (D/G Monday August 18, PAGE 36)
THE government has presented incentives to 82 facilitators, comprising 59 males and 23 females of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports at Navrongo in the Kassena Nankana District in the Upper East Region.
The items, valued at GH¢10,550, included bicycles, roofing sheets, ghetto blasters and sewing machines.
Making the presentation, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, said the government attached special importance to the functional literacy programme, aimed at encouraging adult learners to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.
He commended the facilitators for teaching the adult learners to acquire literacy and income-generating skills to improve their living conditions.
The District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Arimiyaw B. Adivila, stated that a total of 2,121 adults in the area had benefited from the services of the facilitators who were being rewarded.
He said apart from teaching the adults how to read and write, the NFED had incorporated a programme to explain government policies and programmes like the National Health Insurance Scheme, the effects of bush fires and land degradation, the National Identification System, as well as HIV/AIDS, to the rural people.
Mr Adivila said under its life skills programme, the learners were taught how to keep health issues and life management such as family planning, environmental hygiene, and immunisation.
He stated that in spite of the successes achieved, there were some challenges such as unavailability of structures leading to the organisation of classes in the open and under trees.
The District Director of Education, Mr Edward Peruse, praised the facilitators for their hard work and urged them to let the award stimulate them to give of their best.
He appealed to the facilitators to encourage their adult learners to send their children and wards to school, since the best legacy they could bequeath to their children was education.
The items, valued at GH¢10,550, included bicycles, roofing sheets, ghetto blasters and sewing machines.
Making the presentation, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, said the government attached special importance to the functional literacy programme, aimed at encouraging adult learners to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.
He commended the facilitators for teaching the adult learners to acquire literacy and income-generating skills to improve their living conditions.
The District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Arimiyaw B. Adivila, stated that a total of 2,121 adults in the area had benefited from the services of the facilitators who were being rewarded.
He said apart from teaching the adults how to read and write, the NFED had incorporated a programme to explain government policies and programmes like the National Health Insurance Scheme, the effects of bush fires and land degradation, the National Identification System, as well as HIV/AIDS, to the rural people.
Mr Adivila said under its life skills programme, the learners were taught how to keep health issues and life management such as family planning, environmental hygiene, and immunisation.
He stated that in spite of the successes achieved, there were some challenges such as unavailability of structures leading to the organisation of classes in the open and under trees.
The District Director of Education, Mr Edward Peruse, praised the facilitators for their hard work and urged them to let the award stimulate them to give of their best.
He appealed to the facilitators to encourage their adult learners to send their children and wards to school, since the best legacy they could bequeath to their children was education.
Wednesday 13 August 2008
WOMAN, 50, KILLED BY ARMED ROBBERS (Thursday August 14, 2008 PAGE 28)
A woman in her early fifties was killed while two others sustained serious wounds when suspected armed robbers attacked a passenger vehicle at Kulungugu, near the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
Police identified the deceased as Hajia Hasatu Dawuda, a trader, was on the vehicle with other traders from Bittou, in neighbouring Burkina Faso, when they were ambushed by the robbers at about 5:30 pm.
Giving details of the case, a police source said while the traders were returning from Bittou, a market centre in Burkina Faso, the attackers emerged from the bush on a motor bike and attacked them a few metres from the Kulungugu Bailey Bridge.
According to the source, the suspected robbers were wielding guns and machetes, and took an unspecified amount of monies from the passengers.
The source said some of the passengers who mustered courage managed to run away to safety.
However, the deceased was unable to escape so the robbers slashed her with a machete to death and injured two others.
The source said the police were called in and after identification, released the body to the family for burial, while further investigations continued.
Police identified the deceased as Hajia Hasatu Dawuda, a trader, was on the vehicle with other traders from Bittou, in neighbouring Burkina Faso, when they were ambushed by the robbers at about 5:30 pm.
Giving details of the case, a police source said while the traders were returning from Bittou, a market centre in Burkina Faso, the attackers emerged from the bush on a motor bike and attacked them a few metres from the Kulungugu Bailey Bridge.
According to the source, the suspected robbers were wielding guns and machetes, and took an unspecified amount of monies from the passengers.
The source said some of the passengers who mustered courage managed to run away to safety.
However, the deceased was unable to escape so the robbers slashed her with a machete to death and injured two others.
The source said the police were called in and after identification, released the body to the family for burial, while further investigations continued.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
GT Workers Back Vodafone Deal(D/G Tuesday August 12, 2008)
Workers of the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited yesterday embarked on demonstrations in some parts of the country to express their solidarity with the government in its bid to divest 70 per cent shares of GT to Vodafone of the UK.The demonstrations were intended to convince the public and other stakeholders that the intended sale would help recapitalise the company and save it from total collapse.
In Bolgatanga, Benjamin Xornam Glover reports that the demonstrating workers carried placards with inscriptions some of which read “We support Vodafone deal”, “Help! GT is collapsing”, Vodafone /GT deal-Good for Ghana” and “Vodafone Zaare(welcome)”.
Whereas the management and some workers of GT, as well as economists like Mr Kwame Pianim, have given their blessing to the deal, groups like the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) have been in the forefront of opposition to the deal.
Parliament is due to reconvene today to deliberate on the ratification of the deal.
Speaking to journalists after the protest, the Upper East Regional Corporate Affairs Manager of GT, Mr Gordon Wellu, said most workers held the view that it was better for the government to sell the shares, since it held well for the future expansion of the company.
“It is better for Vodafone to come in. Even if they are going to retrench workers, that exercise will not affect all the 4,200 workers.
It is better to have a few workers go than allow the entire entity to collapse,” he said.
Mr Wellu said workers were positive about the prospects of GT after the deal had been sealed, adding that “Vodafone, as a giant in the telecom sector, will resuscitate the dying GT”.
In Bolgatanga, Benjamin Xornam Glover reports that the demonstrating workers carried placards with inscriptions some of which read “We support Vodafone deal”, “Help! GT is collapsing”, Vodafone /GT deal-Good for Ghana” and “Vodafone Zaare(welcome)”.
Whereas the management and some workers of GT, as well as economists like Mr Kwame Pianim, have given their blessing to the deal, groups like the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) have been in the forefront of opposition to the deal.
Parliament is due to reconvene today to deliberate on the ratification of the deal.
Speaking to journalists after the protest, the Upper East Regional Corporate Affairs Manager of GT, Mr Gordon Wellu, said most workers held the view that it was better for the government to sell the shares, since it held well for the future expansion of the company.
“It is better for Vodafone to come in. Even if they are going to retrench workers, that exercise will not affect all the 4,200 workers.
It is better to have a few workers go than allow the entire entity to collapse,” he said.
Mr Wellu said workers were positive about the prospects of GT after the deal had been sealed, adding that “Vodafone, as a giant in the telecom sector, will resuscitate the dying GT”.
Monday 11 August 2008
Journalists told to assist readers to make informed decisions.(D/G Thursday, August 7, 2008 Page 32)
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover and Alhandu Abdul-Hamid, Bolgatanga.
A Veteran Journalist and the immediate Past President of the Northern Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalist Association(GJA) Mr. Alhassan Imoro, has entreated journalists to provide information that will help empower readers make informed choices and decisions.
“On the media landscape today ,what we see is that instead of focusing on the social significance of news, there is the tendency on the part of journalists to politicise, personalise, trivialize and dramatize social processes by failing to link polices, processes and actions with events, happenings and outcomes”, he said.
Mr. Imoro said this at the opening of a three day workshop on “Decentralisation and the Media” for media practitioners and local government functionaries in the Upper East Region, organised by the Institute of Local Government Studies in collaboration with the German Development Service (DED).
Topics discussed were Civic Journalism and Reporting, Peaceful Electioneering and Democracy in Ghana, Mechanism for Enhancing voice, advocacy, representation and free flow of information within the local government system, Ethics and Values in Local Governance: the role of the Media and District Assembly and Civil Society Organisations as partners in Peace Building and Development.
He said that most media practitioners tend to focus their reportage on events as one-off opportunities for news stories, adding that the daily routine where reporters are invited to cover events has the tendency of overburdening reporters with less time to pursue stories beyond graphic images and meaningless statistics.
“Since event-focused reporting looks at an event and not the underlying issues which need addressing, one wonders what stories of substance or context these reporters can come out with that can have an impact on the lives of the people”.
Mr. Imoro noted that in such situations, event organisers only get very scanty publicity since they cannot influence what was reported or ensure that their activities are highlighted the way they want their stories to be told.
He advised practitioners to play a watch-dog and facilitating role instead of skewing their concentration in favour of political issues and discussions to the neglect of real developmental issues.
The Director of the Tamale Campus of the Institute of Local Government Studies Dr. Callistus Mahama said that the purpose of the workshop was to re-enforce the roles and responsibilities of the media and civil society in advocacy and representation at the local level.
He noted that Government investment in the decentralisation process has not achieved the much anticipated results, saying as partners in the development the Media has been identified as a powerful medium through which much could be achieved.
A Veteran Journalist and the immediate Past President of the Northern Regional Branch of the Ghana Journalist Association(GJA) Mr. Alhassan Imoro, has entreated journalists to provide information that will help empower readers make informed choices and decisions.
“On the media landscape today ,what we see is that instead of focusing on the social significance of news, there is the tendency on the part of journalists to politicise, personalise, trivialize and dramatize social processes by failing to link polices, processes and actions with events, happenings and outcomes”, he said.
Mr. Imoro said this at the opening of a three day workshop on “Decentralisation and the Media” for media practitioners and local government functionaries in the Upper East Region, organised by the Institute of Local Government Studies in collaboration with the German Development Service (DED).
Topics discussed were Civic Journalism and Reporting, Peaceful Electioneering and Democracy in Ghana, Mechanism for Enhancing voice, advocacy, representation and free flow of information within the local government system, Ethics and Values in Local Governance: the role of the Media and District Assembly and Civil Society Organisations as partners in Peace Building and Development.
He said that most media practitioners tend to focus their reportage on events as one-off opportunities for news stories, adding that the daily routine where reporters are invited to cover events has the tendency of overburdening reporters with less time to pursue stories beyond graphic images and meaningless statistics.
“Since event-focused reporting looks at an event and not the underlying issues which need addressing, one wonders what stories of substance or context these reporters can come out with that can have an impact on the lives of the people”.
Mr. Imoro noted that in such situations, event organisers only get very scanty publicity since they cannot influence what was reported or ensure that their activities are highlighted the way they want their stories to be told.
He advised practitioners to play a watch-dog and facilitating role instead of skewing their concentration in favour of political issues and discussions to the neglect of real developmental issues.
The Director of the Tamale Campus of the Institute of Local Government Studies Dr. Callistus Mahama said that the purpose of the workshop was to re-enforce the roles and responsibilities of the media and civil society in advocacy and representation at the local level.
He noted that Government investment in the decentralisation process has not achieved the much anticipated results, saying as partners in the development the Media has been identified as a powerful medium through which much could be achieved.
NDEBUGRE TO CONTEST ZEBILLA AS INDEPENDENT (D/G Monday, August 10, 2008, PAGE 16)
THE sitting People’s National Convention (PNC) Member of Parliament for the Zebilla Constituency in the Upper East Region, Mr John Akparibo Ndebugre, has announced his intention to contest the seat as an independent candidate.
The reason for his actions stems from his long-standing disagreements with the leadership of his party.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic on Saturday, Mr Ndebugre, a one-time Upper East Regional Secretary in the PNDC era, accused the party’s flag bearer, Dr Edward Mahama, and said that his activities were negatively affecting the fortunes of the party.
According to him, he had the backing of over 400 ward chairmen and polling agents, who he claimed, were also dissatisfied with the leadership style of Dr Mahama.
He said that they had urged him to go independent and work for the PNC from Parliament to make it a formidable one.
“We cannot pretend that the party is intact when, in fact, he is doing what he wants and all efforts to get him to straighten out things have failed,” he said
Asked whether his decision to stand as an independent candidate would not affect the fortunes of the party, the one-time National Executive Member of the PNC conceded that his intention would affect the party, but insisted that “it is sometimes better to take two steps backwards and one leap forward”.
A meeting held at his private residence last week, Thursday and Friday, with his constituency ward executive members and polling agents at Zebilla unanimously adopted a resolution that the MP should contest as an independent parliamentary candidate.
Mr Ndebugre, who willingly accepted the decision, gave the assurance that he still remained a member of the PNC, and insisted that “he is indeed the legitimate 1st National Vice-Chairman of the party”.
He also assured his enthusiastic supporters that with their support, he hoped to return to Parliament in 2009, to reorganise the party and develop the Bawku West District Assembly.
He said during his term as an MP, he had made education, health and infrastructure his priority and disbursed all his share of the District Assembly Common Fund in those sectors of the economy.
When contacted, the Regional Secretary of the PNC, Mr Henry Fachu, stressed that the Regional Executive of the party was yet to receive an official communication regarding Mr Ndebugre’s intention to run as an independent candidate.
Mr Fachu insisted that the party had all it took to retain the seat, and assured all party faithful in the constituency to rally behind the party for victory in the forthcoming elections.
A former Regional Minister, Cletus Avoka of the NDC, and the former District Chief Executive, Mr Moses Abaare Appiah of the NPP, are all preparing to wrest the seat from its present occupant, Lawyer John Ndebugre.
The reason for his actions stems from his long-standing disagreements with the leadership of his party.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic on Saturday, Mr Ndebugre, a one-time Upper East Regional Secretary in the PNDC era, accused the party’s flag bearer, Dr Edward Mahama, and said that his activities were negatively affecting the fortunes of the party.
According to him, he had the backing of over 400 ward chairmen and polling agents, who he claimed, were also dissatisfied with the leadership style of Dr Mahama.
He said that they had urged him to go independent and work for the PNC from Parliament to make it a formidable one.
“We cannot pretend that the party is intact when, in fact, he is doing what he wants and all efforts to get him to straighten out things have failed,” he said
Asked whether his decision to stand as an independent candidate would not affect the fortunes of the party, the one-time National Executive Member of the PNC conceded that his intention would affect the party, but insisted that “it is sometimes better to take two steps backwards and one leap forward”.
A meeting held at his private residence last week, Thursday and Friday, with his constituency ward executive members and polling agents at Zebilla unanimously adopted a resolution that the MP should contest as an independent parliamentary candidate.
Mr Ndebugre, who willingly accepted the decision, gave the assurance that he still remained a member of the PNC, and insisted that “he is indeed the legitimate 1st National Vice-Chairman of the party”.
He also assured his enthusiastic supporters that with their support, he hoped to return to Parliament in 2009, to reorganise the party and develop the Bawku West District Assembly.
He said during his term as an MP, he had made education, health and infrastructure his priority and disbursed all his share of the District Assembly Common Fund in those sectors of the economy.
When contacted, the Regional Secretary of the PNC, Mr Henry Fachu, stressed that the Regional Executive of the party was yet to receive an official communication regarding Mr Ndebugre’s intention to run as an independent candidate.
Mr Fachu insisted that the party had all it took to retain the seat, and assured all party faithful in the constituency to rally behind the party for victory in the forthcoming elections.
A former Regional Minister, Cletus Avoka of the NDC, and the former District Chief Executive, Mr Moses Abaare Appiah of the NPP, are all preparing to wrest the seat from its present occupant, Lawyer John Ndebugre.
Sunday 3 August 2008
ISD OFFICIALS EDUCATE PEOPLE OF UE ON GOVT POLICIES ( D/G Monday August 4,2008 PAGE 40)
THE Upper East Regional Office of the Information Services Department (ISD) has undertaken a 14-day public education campaign aimed at disseminating government policies, programmes, plans and activities to the people.
The campaign covered all the nine municipalities/districts in the region, namely the Bolgatanga and Bawku Municipalities, Bongo, Builsa and Talensi-Nabdam districts.
Others are Kassena-Nankana, Garu-Tempane, Bawku West and Kassena-Nankana West Districts.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic , the Regional Information Officer, Mr Akwasi Amankwa, said in all, 650 communities through out the region and about 58,240 audiences were captured during the campaign.
He listed some of the beneficiary communities as Garu-Nating, Gagberi, Auosum, Kugrago, Denugu and Meliga, all in the Garu-Tempane District. Others were Manchoro, Gwenia, Kologu, Naguagnia, Kalvio and Tampola in the Kassena-Nankana district. The rest are Sandema, Wiaga, Fumbisi, Doninga and Kori, all in the Builsa District.
Mr Amankwa stated that in the Bolgatanga Municipality, the team covered communities such as Yikene, Tanzue, Zorbiisi, Gambibgo and Yorogo.
According to Mr Amankwa, government policies and programmes that were disseminated to the members of the community included the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the School Feeding Programme, Northern Development Fund, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Capitation Grant, Female Genital Mutilation and five-pronged initiative of the President to mitigate hardships facing Ghanaians.
Municipal and District Assemblies development projects and programmes were also incorporated in the education campaign.
Mr Amankwa stated that, to ensure effective impact of the campaign on the residents, local dialects, such as Gurune, Kassem, Nankni, Buli and Kusal were used as a tool of communication.
Jingles, local cassette music, talks and film shows were also used. Markets, open places, lorry parks and chiefs’ palaces were targeted as educational dissemination spots.
The Regional Information Officer added that varied reactions, observations and comments were made by the inhabitants in the affected communities.
He stated that farmers at the Vea Irrigation site in the Bongo District commended the government for reducing import duties on major food items , waiving levies on some petroleum products and subsidies on fertilisers and tractors.
They, however, appealed for further reduction of prices of tractors to enable as many farmers as possible to purchase them.
“As peasant farmers, our income from agricultural produce is woefully inadequate to enable us to purchase tractors at the current price,” remarked by one of the farmers.
The campaign covered all the nine municipalities/districts in the region, namely the Bolgatanga and Bawku Municipalities, Bongo, Builsa and Talensi-Nabdam districts.
Others are Kassena-Nankana, Garu-Tempane, Bawku West and Kassena-Nankana West Districts.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic , the Regional Information Officer, Mr Akwasi Amankwa, said in all, 650 communities through out the region and about 58,240 audiences were captured during the campaign.
He listed some of the beneficiary communities as Garu-Nating, Gagberi, Auosum, Kugrago, Denugu and Meliga, all in the Garu-Tempane District. Others were Manchoro, Gwenia, Kologu, Naguagnia, Kalvio and Tampola in the Kassena-Nankana district. The rest are Sandema, Wiaga, Fumbisi, Doninga and Kori, all in the Builsa District.
Mr Amankwa stated that in the Bolgatanga Municipality, the team covered communities such as Yikene, Tanzue, Zorbiisi, Gambibgo and Yorogo.
According to Mr Amankwa, government policies and programmes that were disseminated to the members of the community included the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the School Feeding Programme, Northern Development Fund, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Capitation Grant, Female Genital Mutilation and five-pronged initiative of the President to mitigate hardships facing Ghanaians.
Municipal and District Assemblies development projects and programmes were also incorporated in the education campaign.
Mr Amankwa stated that, to ensure effective impact of the campaign on the residents, local dialects, such as Gurune, Kassem, Nankni, Buli and Kusal were used as a tool of communication.
Jingles, local cassette music, talks and film shows were also used. Markets, open places, lorry parks and chiefs’ palaces were targeted as educational dissemination spots.
The Regional Information Officer added that varied reactions, observations and comments were made by the inhabitants in the affected communities.
He stated that farmers at the Vea Irrigation site in the Bongo District commended the government for reducing import duties on major food items , waiving levies on some petroleum products and subsidies on fertilisers and tractors.
They, however, appealed for further reduction of prices of tractors to enable as many farmers as possible to purchase them.
“As peasant farmers, our income from agricultural produce is woefully inadequate to enable us to purchase tractors at the current price,” remarked by one of the farmers.
35 APPRENTICES IN UE PRESENTED WITH WORKING TOOLS (D/G Monday August 4,2008 PAGE 40)
THIRTY-FIVE graduate apprentices in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region, have been presented with assorted start-up working tools worth GH¢10,000 to enable them to start their own businesses.
The items comprised tools for motor and bicycle repairs, masonry, weaving, hairdressing, vulcanising, barbering, welding as well as television and radio repairs.
The presentation of the equipment falls under the second phase of the Rural Enterprise Project (REP) support for graduate apprentices.
The REP contributed GH¢8,000 while the Builsa District Assembly provided the remaining GH¢2,000.
Making the presentation at a brief ceremony at Sandema, the district capital, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Thomas Alonsi, said under the REP, the assembly had been supporting various trade associations through capacity building programmes and the provision of vital tools and equipment to enable them to improve upon their businesses and to employ many more others to reduce the unemployment situation in the district.
In that regard, he said, capacity building programmes on bee keeping, guinea fowl rearing, batik tie - dye production, soap and pomade making, among others, had been organised for 864 individuals in the district.
Mr Alonsi said in addition, 142 individuals were to receive amounts ranging between GH¢240 and GH¢420 as micro credit.
He said the provision of tools to the graduate apprentices was aimed at empowering, improving and supporting the private sector to be the engine of growth of national development, adding that "the skills training for the unemployed is aimed at making them self-reliant to enable them to contribute to national development."
The Tamale Zonal Marketing Officer of the REP, Mr Abu Mahamadu, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the kits while the Builsa District Head of the Business Advisory Centre, Mr Abu Mutalib, charged the beneficiaries to adopt good business practices, such as efficient record keeping and good customer relations in order to win more customers for their businesses to expand.
The items comprised tools for motor and bicycle repairs, masonry, weaving, hairdressing, vulcanising, barbering, welding as well as television and radio repairs.
The presentation of the equipment falls under the second phase of the Rural Enterprise Project (REP) support for graduate apprentices.
The REP contributed GH¢8,000 while the Builsa District Assembly provided the remaining GH¢2,000.
Making the presentation at a brief ceremony at Sandema, the district capital, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Thomas Alonsi, said under the REP, the assembly had been supporting various trade associations through capacity building programmes and the provision of vital tools and equipment to enable them to improve upon their businesses and to employ many more others to reduce the unemployment situation in the district.
In that regard, he said, capacity building programmes on bee keeping, guinea fowl rearing, batik tie - dye production, soap and pomade making, among others, had been organised for 864 individuals in the district.
Mr Alonsi said in addition, 142 individuals were to receive amounts ranging between GH¢240 and GH¢420 as micro credit.
He said the provision of tools to the graduate apprentices was aimed at empowering, improving and supporting the private sector to be the engine of growth of national development, adding that "the skills training for the unemployed is aimed at making them self-reliant to enable them to contribute to national development."
The Tamale Zonal Marketing Officer of the REP, Mr Abu Mahamadu, urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the kits while the Builsa District Head of the Business Advisory Centre, Mr Abu Mutalib, charged the beneficiaries to adopt good business practices, such as efficient record keeping and good customer relations in order to win more customers for their businesses to expand.
BOLGATANGA POLYTECHNIC MAKES POSITIVE STRIDES (D/G Monday August 4,2008 PAGE 40)
A journey of 1000 miles begins with a step, so goes the adage. One institution in the Upper East Region which seems to have adopted this saying and built on it to achieve its current enviable status among the comity of polytechnics in Ghana is the Bolgatanga Polytechnic (B-POLY).
It was established in September, 1999 but admitted its first batch of students in 2003.
Under the leadership of Mr Robert A. Ajene, the founding Principal, B-Poly was started from the scratch and housed in rented premises in Bolgatanga. Through the generosity of the government, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), a new campus was started at Sumbrungu.
Though not completed, the massive investment under way, estimated at GH¢7.5 million, involves the construction of an administrative block, a library, lecture halls and workshops.
The vision of B-Poly management is to transform the institution into a centre of excellence for teaching, learning and research.
The authorities of the polytechnic hope to achieve that ambition by using a three-pronged approach. They are the introduction of innovative and demand-driven academic programmes, developing and maintaining a competent and motivated human resource base and putting in place the requisite state-of-the-art facilities required for the modern study of science, technology and the applied arts.
Student enrolment since the establishment of the institution has been growing steadily. From 79 in the year of its inception, the school can now boast of a total student population of 540.
Academic life has seen tremendous improvement over the years. From two accredited programmes (Statistics and Agriculture Engineering) in 1999, the polytechnic currently runs five programmes.
Four new programmes, Ecological Agriculture, Industrial Art, Civil Engineering, and Hotel Catering and Institutional Management have received approval from the National Accreditation Board and would soon be rolled out.
Speaking to this writer, the current Rector of B-Poly, Prof Paul Tanzubil, said the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Industrial Art programme was geared towards improving upon the flourishing art and craft industry in the Upper East Region through the training of full-time students and local artisans, as well as the generation of appropriate technology and innovation to address the pertinent constraints, as well as modernise the system.
He said similarly, the HND in Ecological Agriculture course was intended to help transform food and fibre production in northern Ghana from an increasingly exploitative model to a more ecologically friendly and sustainable enterprise.
Prof Tanzubil expressed the hope that those new courses would help equip the youth with skills for self-employment and also improve the productivity and efficiency of local producers and entrepreneurs.
The Governing Council, as well as the management of B-Poly, considers human resource development as one of its priorities. For that matter, serious efforts were being made to develop a strong and performing human resource base using the three-pronged strategy of recruitment, training and retraining.
The academic staff strength of B-Poly has increased from 16 in September, 2007 to 65 as of today. More than 80 per cent of the staff possess postgraduate and/or professional qualifications.
Again, as a tertiary institution, B-Poly is making great strides in the area of research. Proposal and report writing courses for academic staff and management training for Principal Officers, Deans and Heads of Department have been organised at various periods with funding from GETFund and other donors.
In spite of all these positive trends, B-Poly is not without challenges. According to Prof Tanzubil, low student enrolment remains probably the institution’s greatest challenge, especially in the areas of science, technology and vocational education.
He stressed that apart from the rather disadvantaged geographical location of the institution, endemic poverty and a relatively weak academic base at the pre-tertiary level within the polytechnic’s catchment area could be the contributory factors to the current state of affairs.
Addressing an audience at the maiden congregation of the polytechnic at Sumbrungu, where a total of 199 graduates, made up of 136 males and 63 females, who completed their academic programmes of study during the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 academic years, were awarded the Higher National Diploma, Prof Tanzubil mentioned lack of student hostels and low internally generated funds as some of the challenges facing the institution.
He made it clear that much as he was aware that the government policy was to de-link admissions from accommodation in tertiary institutions, there were absolutely no places to rent within the catchment area, making life really terrible for students.
While appealing to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to do something about the issue as a matter of urgency, Prof Tanzubil also called on private developers to take up the challenge of providing affordable accommodation for the students and staff.
He stated that due to a variety of reasons, there had been long delays in the completion of some projects, especially the water supply system and the library complex.
The rector, therefore, appealed to the government to channel more resources towards the early completion of those projects.
Polytechnic education plays an important role in national development. Apart from providing career-oriented and skills- based educational polytechnics are supposed to produce people who are career-focused and have a hands–on-direction suitable to the needs of industry, the community and the country at large.
It is hoped that having come this far, B-Poly would be given every assistance to enable it to become first class tertiary educational institution in the Upper East Region.
It was established in September, 1999 but admitted its first batch of students in 2003.
Under the leadership of Mr Robert A. Ajene, the founding Principal, B-Poly was started from the scratch and housed in rented premises in Bolgatanga. Through the generosity of the government, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), a new campus was started at Sumbrungu.
Though not completed, the massive investment under way, estimated at GH¢7.5 million, involves the construction of an administrative block, a library, lecture halls and workshops.
The vision of B-Poly management is to transform the institution into a centre of excellence for teaching, learning and research.
The authorities of the polytechnic hope to achieve that ambition by using a three-pronged approach. They are the introduction of innovative and demand-driven academic programmes, developing and maintaining a competent and motivated human resource base and putting in place the requisite state-of-the-art facilities required for the modern study of science, technology and the applied arts.
Student enrolment since the establishment of the institution has been growing steadily. From 79 in the year of its inception, the school can now boast of a total student population of 540.
Academic life has seen tremendous improvement over the years. From two accredited programmes (Statistics and Agriculture Engineering) in 1999, the polytechnic currently runs five programmes.
Four new programmes, Ecological Agriculture, Industrial Art, Civil Engineering, and Hotel Catering and Institutional Management have received approval from the National Accreditation Board and would soon be rolled out.
Speaking to this writer, the current Rector of B-Poly, Prof Paul Tanzubil, said the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Industrial Art programme was geared towards improving upon the flourishing art and craft industry in the Upper East Region through the training of full-time students and local artisans, as well as the generation of appropriate technology and innovation to address the pertinent constraints, as well as modernise the system.
He said similarly, the HND in Ecological Agriculture course was intended to help transform food and fibre production in northern Ghana from an increasingly exploitative model to a more ecologically friendly and sustainable enterprise.
Prof Tanzubil expressed the hope that those new courses would help equip the youth with skills for self-employment and also improve the productivity and efficiency of local producers and entrepreneurs.
The Governing Council, as well as the management of B-Poly, considers human resource development as one of its priorities. For that matter, serious efforts were being made to develop a strong and performing human resource base using the three-pronged strategy of recruitment, training and retraining.
The academic staff strength of B-Poly has increased from 16 in September, 2007 to 65 as of today. More than 80 per cent of the staff possess postgraduate and/or professional qualifications.
Again, as a tertiary institution, B-Poly is making great strides in the area of research. Proposal and report writing courses for academic staff and management training for Principal Officers, Deans and Heads of Department have been organised at various periods with funding from GETFund and other donors.
In spite of all these positive trends, B-Poly is not without challenges. According to Prof Tanzubil, low student enrolment remains probably the institution’s greatest challenge, especially in the areas of science, technology and vocational education.
He stressed that apart from the rather disadvantaged geographical location of the institution, endemic poverty and a relatively weak academic base at the pre-tertiary level within the polytechnic’s catchment area could be the contributory factors to the current state of affairs.
Addressing an audience at the maiden congregation of the polytechnic at Sumbrungu, where a total of 199 graduates, made up of 136 males and 63 females, who completed their academic programmes of study during the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 academic years, were awarded the Higher National Diploma, Prof Tanzubil mentioned lack of student hostels and low internally generated funds as some of the challenges facing the institution.
He made it clear that much as he was aware that the government policy was to de-link admissions from accommodation in tertiary institutions, there were absolutely no places to rent within the catchment area, making life really terrible for students.
While appealing to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to do something about the issue as a matter of urgency, Prof Tanzubil also called on private developers to take up the challenge of providing affordable accommodation for the students and staff.
He stated that due to a variety of reasons, there had been long delays in the completion of some projects, especially the water supply system and the library complex.
The rector, therefore, appealed to the government to channel more resources towards the early completion of those projects.
Polytechnic education plays an important role in national development. Apart from providing career-oriented and skills- based educational polytechnics are supposed to produce people who are career-focused and have a hands–on-direction suitable to the needs of industry, the community and the country at large.
It is hoped that having come this far, B-Poly would be given every assistance to enable it to become first class tertiary educational institution in the Upper East Region.
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