ONE of the top advisers of the Bawku Naba, Mr John Awunbila Ndego, who was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle arms and ammunition to Bawku, will be put before court today.
According to the Upper East Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Victor Seth Agbetornyo, the accused was in custody while the police were conducting further investigations.
Mr Ndego, who is also the assistant bursar of the Bawku Senior High School, was found carrying two AK 47 assault rifles, a pistol and 153 rounds of ammunition.
The Officer Commanding the Airborne Force, Major Orlando Agbeko, said the military had been attracted to the accused when he was buying fuel because his demeanour was suspicious.
He said the accused was wearing fugu and had a fertiliser bag tied to his motorbike when he was arrested.
The rifles and the ammunition were allegedly concealed in a briefcase which Ndego was conveying on his motorbike to Bawku.
Bawku and its environs are under curfew, following fresh fighting in the municipality. Under the terms of the curfew, persons in the affected areas are debarred from carrying arms, ammunition or any offensive weapons.
Meanwhile, Togolese government officials and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) say large numbers of Ghanaians fleeing the ethnic conflict in the Upper East Region are creating a humanitarian problem for Togo, reports Ebow Godwin, Lome.
A Togolese government source confirmed in Lome that “hundreds of persons, including old men, women and children, caught up in the ethnic crossfire between the Mamprusis and Kusasis in Bawku are fleeing in droves to seek refuge in northern Togo”.
Togo national television over the weekend showed footage of a large number of Ghanaian refugees being presented with food items by representatives of the Togolese Head of State, Faure Gnassingbe, at UNHCR temporary resettlement centres at Cinkasse and Dankpen in northern Togo.
Although some of the groups involved in the ethnic conflict in Bawku have relatives in Togo, officials of the UNHCR agree that the influx of the refugees from Ghana is creating a new humanitarian problem for Togo.
Hundreds of other residents fleeing the conflict zone in Bawku are said to be heading for Burkina Faso.
The latest fighting erupted Saturday, last week, following the stoning to death of a Mamprusi man at a town called Buabula, near Sabongeri, a community of Kusasi people, after he had gone out to search for his missing horse. That killing led to the massacre of a dozen Kusasis in a retaliatory attack by Mamprusis in Bawku.
Monday 30 June 2008
Friday 27 June 2008
RED CROSS SETS UP TENTS FOR BAWKU CONFLICT VICTIMS (BACK PAGE)
THE International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has intensified its efforts in Bawku to ensure that members of the public gain access to humanitarian services in view of the conflict in the municipality.
The organisation in collaboration with the security agencies in the area intends to set up tents at vantage points to attend to persons in need of first aid and other assistance from time to time. The tents will also serve as avenues for people who feel threatened to seek protection.
The officer-in-charge of the Red Cross in Bawku, Mr Alhassan Asana, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic on Wednesday, said in consultation with the security agencies the Red Cross had mapped out appropriate locations where the tents would be mounted for that purpose.
He disclosed that already 19 displaced persons were being sheltered in the house of one of his officers and said once the tents were erected more people would be offered assistance.
The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organisation whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.
Mr Asana seized the opportunity to appeal to the people of Bawku to live in unity and exercise restraint as the government intensified its efforts to work for peace in the municipality and its environs.
Meanwhile basic schools in the Bawku Municipality are automatically on holiday due to the curfew imposed on the municipality.
The Ministry of the Interior on Monday, June 23, 2008 imposed a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on the Bawku Municipality and its environs following hostilities between Kusasis and Mamprusis.
However, following sporadic shooting on both sides of the feuding factions, the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), in consultation with the Bawku Municipal Security Committee, has reviewed the time to 12 noon to 6 a.m.
A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern at the latest development and warned that should the situation persist, the future of the children could be jeopardised.
In a related development, a visit to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday revealed that the entire facility had been uninhabited as a result of the violence in the area.
Meanwhile, some residents have called on the government to declare a state of emergency in Bawku for two weeks and empower the security agencies to implement emergency plans to deal with the conflict in the municipality.
Others have also denounced the continuous imposition of curfew on the area, stressing that it was not helping the issues. “Rather than imposing the curfew, the government must consider taking drastic measures to bring the situation under control,” one resident told the Daily Graphic.
The organisation in collaboration with the security agencies in the area intends to set up tents at vantage points to attend to persons in need of first aid and other assistance from time to time. The tents will also serve as avenues for people who feel threatened to seek protection.
The officer-in-charge of the Red Cross in Bawku, Mr Alhassan Asana, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic on Wednesday, said in consultation with the security agencies the Red Cross had mapped out appropriate locations where the tents would be mounted for that purpose.
He disclosed that already 19 displaced persons were being sheltered in the house of one of his officers and said once the tents were erected more people would be offered assistance.
The ICRC is an impartial, neutral and independent organisation whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance.
Mr Asana seized the opportunity to appeal to the people of Bawku to live in unity and exercise restraint as the government intensified its efforts to work for peace in the municipality and its environs.
Meanwhile basic schools in the Bawku Municipality are automatically on holiday due to the curfew imposed on the municipality.
The Ministry of the Interior on Monday, June 23, 2008 imposed a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on the Bawku Municipality and its environs following hostilities between Kusasis and Mamprusis.
However, following sporadic shooting on both sides of the feuding factions, the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), in consultation with the Bawku Municipal Security Committee, has reviewed the time to 12 noon to 6 a.m.
A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern at the latest development and warned that should the situation persist, the future of the children could be jeopardised.
In a related development, a visit to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday revealed that the entire facility had been uninhabited as a result of the violence in the area.
Meanwhile, some residents have called on the government to declare a state of emergency in Bawku for two weeks and empower the security agencies to implement emergency plans to deal with the conflict in the municipality.
Others have also denounced the continuous imposition of curfew on the area, stressing that it was not helping the issues. “Rather than imposing the curfew, the government must consider taking drastic measures to bring the situation under control,” one resident told the Daily Graphic.
Wednesday 25 June 2008
POOR SANITATION HINDERS NHIS — DARKO (PAGE 29)
THE Minister for Local Government Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, has hinted that the National Health Insurance Scheme and other critical national programmes intended to increase school attendance had the propensity of grinding to a halt, if sanitation-related issues are not handled with the urgency and importance they deserve.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, at the fifth national quadrennial congress of the Ghana Environmental Health Officers Association (GEHOA) at Bolgatanga, Mr Adjei Darko emphasised the need for the society to work with the government on maintaining a clean environment, if the total disease burden was to be reduced.
He alluded to the fact that a greater number of the top 10 diseases, which include malaria, typhoid fever, worm infestation and cholera reported at the various health facilities were sanitation-related.
He said this, therefore, called for a change in strategy to the approach in the handling of hygiene and sanitation issues as a nation.
The theme for the congress, which was attended by over 200 participants drawn from all over the country, was “environmental sanitation for dignity, health, poverty reduction and development”.
The minister said poor sanitation, unhygienic conditions and unsafe water claimed the lives of most children under the age of five every year and added that in Ghana, a total of $22 million was spent on malarial treatment alone each year.
He pointed out that without improvement in sanitation, none of the millennium development goals, which the world had committed itself to, would be achieved.
“When the Environmental Health Officer conducts his/her duties judiciously, it is estimated that improved sanitation in our communities could reduce diarrhoea-related cases in young children by more than one-third.
He disclosed that the draft revised national environmental sanitation policy was before Cabinet for consideration, while a national strategy and implementation plan was being developed and expressed the hope that by the close of this year, the documents would have been ready.
The outgoing President of GEHOA, Mr Clement Kaba Bawunia, noted with concern the threat posed by desertification and advocated the need for every Ghanaian to plant at least one tree to combat the phenomenon.
Mr Abednego Chigumba from UNICEF called for resources for the environmental health training institution, if it was to achieve its mandate. He also called on members of the association to place more emphasis on research to come up with issues that would be of interest to the public.
In a solidarity message, the Student Representative Council President for the Accra School of Hygiene, Mr Michael Ewurah, said it was appalling that the three schools of hygiene in the country were not given the necessary attention when it came to solving problems of national concern. This, he said, had reflected on the poor performance of the officers on the field of work.
He expressed the hope that the government, NGOs, opinion leaders, ministers, traditional rulers and individuals at all levels would put more emphasis on preventive health services rendered by environmental health officers and other professionals to the communities in order to save the billions of cedis spent on preventable diseases with little or no success.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, at the fifth national quadrennial congress of the Ghana Environmental Health Officers Association (GEHOA) at Bolgatanga, Mr Adjei Darko emphasised the need for the society to work with the government on maintaining a clean environment, if the total disease burden was to be reduced.
He alluded to the fact that a greater number of the top 10 diseases, which include malaria, typhoid fever, worm infestation and cholera reported at the various health facilities were sanitation-related.
He said this, therefore, called for a change in strategy to the approach in the handling of hygiene and sanitation issues as a nation.
The theme for the congress, which was attended by over 200 participants drawn from all over the country, was “environmental sanitation for dignity, health, poverty reduction and development”.
The minister said poor sanitation, unhygienic conditions and unsafe water claimed the lives of most children under the age of five every year and added that in Ghana, a total of $22 million was spent on malarial treatment alone each year.
He pointed out that without improvement in sanitation, none of the millennium development goals, which the world had committed itself to, would be achieved.
“When the Environmental Health Officer conducts his/her duties judiciously, it is estimated that improved sanitation in our communities could reduce diarrhoea-related cases in young children by more than one-third.
He disclosed that the draft revised national environmental sanitation policy was before Cabinet for consideration, while a national strategy and implementation plan was being developed and expressed the hope that by the close of this year, the documents would have been ready.
The outgoing President of GEHOA, Mr Clement Kaba Bawunia, noted with concern the threat posed by desertification and advocated the need for every Ghanaian to plant at least one tree to combat the phenomenon.
Mr Abednego Chigumba from UNICEF called for resources for the environmental health training institution, if it was to achieve its mandate. He also called on members of the association to place more emphasis on research to come up with issues that would be of interest to the public.
In a solidarity message, the Student Representative Council President for the Accra School of Hygiene, Mr Michael Ewurah, said it was appalling that the three schools of hygiene in the country were not given the necessary attention when it came to solving problems of national concern. This, he said, had reflected on the poor performance of the officers on the field of work.
He expressed the hope that the government, NGOs, opinion leaders, ministers, traditional rulers and individuals at all levels would put more emphasis on preventive health services rendered by environmental health officers and other professionals to the communities in order to save the billions of cedis spent on preventable diseases with little or no success.
NPP FOOT SOLDIERS MUST DEVISE STRATEGIES FOR ELECTION 2008 (PAGE 16)
Story:Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga.
Foot soldiers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region have been called upon to warm up and generate new campaign strategies to win more voters for the party to ensure massive victory for the party in 2008.They have also been urged to embark on a massive education in all communities on the party's capabilities to retain power.The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes A. Chigabatia, made the call at the weekend during the re-launch ceremony of “One Touch Club”, a youth campaign organization within the NPP in the Bolgatanga Constituency.The club was officially outdoored by the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, in 2004, with the objective of uniting the rank and file of the party, with the view to winning elections “one touch”.Mrs. Chigabatia, who is also the MP for Builsa North, advised party members to stop the pull-him-down attitude and the backbiting and forge ahead in unity to ensure massive victory for the party.“We need to close our ranks by addressing the bickering, hate and the seeming power struggle that is going on in the party, especially during the primaries of the party across the country,” she said.She called for the use of dialogue and the appropriate channels given by the party’s constitution to address the challenges, rather than resorting to demonstrations, which were “tantamount to washing our dirty linen in public”.The MP urged the party faithful to be circumspect in their pronouncements in order not to inflame passions, which could threaten the peace and stability of the country.Mrs. Chigabatia, who catalogued her party’s developmental projects in the country since the NPP assumed the reigns of government, appealed to sympathisers of the party to intensify their campaigns to retain the party in power.The Regional Organiser of NPP, Mr Mahamoud Mahama, debunked assertions by political opponents that the introduction of mass transport services was aimed at collapsing the operations of the private transporters, stressing that those were some of the attempts employed by the opposition to deceive the people.The Chairman of the Club, Alhaji Alhassan Abdul Rahman, in a speech read on his behalf, called for unity among all members of the party.Madam Alima Mercy Musah, NPP parliamentary candidate for Bolgatanga Constituency, said with hard work and support from members of the party, she was poised to win the parliamentary seat for the party.
Foot soldiers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region have been called upon to warm up and generate new campaign strategies to win more voters for the party to ensure massive victory for the party in 2008.They have also been urged to embark on a massive education in all communities on the party's capabilities to retain power.The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes A. Chigabatia, made the call at the weekend during the re-launch ceremony of “One Touch Club”, a youth campaign organization within the NPP in the Bolgatanga Constituency.The club was officially outdoored by the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, in 2004, with the objective of uniting the rank and file of the party, with the view to winning elections “one touch”.Mrs. Chigabatia, who is also the MP for Builsa North, advised party members to stop the pull-him-down attitude and the backbiting and forge ahead in unity to ensure massive victory for the party.“We need to close our ranks by addressing the bickering, hate and the seeming power struggle that is going on in the party, especially during the primaries of the party across the country,” she said.She called for the use of dialogue and the appropriate channels given by the party’s constitution to address the challenges, rather than resorting to demonstrations, which were “tantamount to washing our dirty linen in public”.The MP urged the party faithful to be circumspect in their pronouncements in order not to inflame passions, which could threaten the peace and stability of the country.Mrs. Chigabatia, who catalogued her party’s developmental projects in the country since the NPP assumed the reigns of government, appealed to sympathisers of the party to intensify their campaigns to retain the party in power.The Regional Organiser of NPP, Mr Mahamoud Mahama, debunked assertions by political opponents that the introduction of mass transport services was aimed at collapsing the operations of the private transporters, stressing that those were some of the attempts employed by the opposition to deceive the people.The Chairman of the Club, Alhaji Alhassan Abdul Rahman, in a speech read on his behalf, called for unity among all members of the party.Madam Alima Mercy Musah, NPP parliamentary candidate for Bolgatanga Constituency, said with hard work and support from members of the party, she was poised to win the parliamentary seat for the party.
HUNDREDS FLEE BAWKU ...As situation remains tense (LEAD STORY)
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bawku
HUNDREDS of residents are fleeing the conflict zone in Bawku and heading for neighbouring communities in Burkina Faso and Togo following sporadic gunshots in the municipality on Monday night.
An immigration officer at the Kulungugu Border Post who asked not to be named told the Daily Graphic that majority of those fleeing were women and children, adding that they were mainly of the Moshie ethnic group.
The source said those fleeing claimed that they had relatives in those countries and hoped to live there until the situation in Bawku improved.
He said people in Kulungugu were currently living in fear and could no longer go about their normal duties freely.
“My brother, people living in Kulungugu rely on Bawku for everything, be it foodstuffs, hospital or banking services, and given the intensity of fighting, we are afraid to go out there. With the month coming to an end, some of us are worried whether we can go to Bawku for our salaries from the banks,” he said.
“In fact some of us are living in fear because we live in rented apartments in town, and with the new tactics adopted by the feuding factions, we are virtually living in fear as we do not know when and who next those involve in the fighting would attack,” the Immigration officer said.
Last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi man, was allegedly stoned to death at Buabula, near Sabongeri, a Kusasi community, after he had gone out in search of his missing horse.
This led to the massacre of about a dozen people in a retaliatory attack.
In the latest development, seven persons including five children who sustained various degrees of injury have been transferred to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. And a man, identified as Issaka Hasmin, 24, a Moshie, was gunned down at a suburb called Zemaasa.
On Monday, amidst heavy rains there were sporadic gunshots all over the Bawku township, and, according to a source, the shooting was so intense that people in far away Kulungungu could hear the shots, which triggered the mass fleeing of residents.
It would be recalled that in May this year when there was resurgence in the fighting in Bawku, some people fled to Goulongousi, a town in Togo, to seek refuge. Those who fled, after their houses and shops had been burnt, were mainly Mamprusis from Pusiga.
Although some of them were said to have returned others are still seeking refuge in that town.
HUNDREDS of residents are fleeing the conflict zone in Bawku and heading for neighbouring communities in Burkina Faso and Togo following sporadic gunshots in the municipality on Monday night.
An immigration officer at the Kulungugu Border Post who asked not to be named told the Daily Graphic that majority of those fleeing were women and children, adding that they were mainly of the Moshie ethnic group.
The source said those fleeing claimed that they had relatives in those countries and hoped to live there until the situation in Bawku improved.
He said people in Kulungugu were currently living in fear and could no longer go about their normal duties freely.
“My brother, people living in Kulungugu rely on Bawku for everything, be it foodstuffs, hospital or banking services, and given the intensity of fighting, we are afraid to go out there. With the month coming to an end, some of us are worried whether we can go to Bawku for our salaries from the banks,” he said.
“In fact some of us are living in fear because we live in rented apartments in town, and with the new tactics adopted by the feuding factions, we are virtually living in fear as we do not know when and who next those involve in the fighting would attack,” the Immigration officer said.
Last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi man, was allegedly stoned to death at Buabula, near Sabongeri, a Kusasi community, after he had gone out in search of his missing horse.
This led to the massacre of about a dozen people in a retaliatory attack.
In the latest development, seven persons including five children who sustained various degrees of injury have been transferred to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. And a man, identified as Issaka Hasmin, 24, a Moshie, was gunned down at a suburb called Zemaasa.
On Monday, amidst heavy rains there were sporadic gunshots all over the Bawku township, and, according to a source, the shooting was so intense that people in far away Kulungungu could hear the shots, which triggered the mass fleeing of residents.
It would be recalled that in May this year when there was resurgence in the fighting in Bawku, some people fled to Goulongousi, a town in Togo, to seek refuge. Those who fled, after their houses and shops had been burnt, were mainly Mamprusis from Pusiga.
Although some of them were said to have returned others are still seeking refuge in that town.
Tuesday 24 June 2008
SECURITY FORCES ROUND UP 93 ...In Bawku conflict (BACK PAGE)
NINETY-THREE persons have been rounded up in a swoop conducted by security forces in connection with the killing of over a dozen people in Bawku over the weekend.
The Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, told the Daily Graphic that the death toll in the latest clash had also risen to 13.
Last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi man, was brutally killed at Buabula, near Sabongeri, a Kusasi community, after he had gone out in search of his missing horse.
Later in the night, it was alleged that some group of Mamprusis disguised themselves in military attire and stormed the area and attacked four houses and murdered 10 people, mostly aged women and children. The males were said to have fled the area.
He disclosed that the death toll had risen to 13, adding that on Sunday night, one man identified as a Moshie was shot in the head at Patelmi, a suburb of Bawku.
DCOP Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, who gave the ages of the dead as ranging from five to 80, said in addition to the 93 arrested in the swoop, six others were picked up after the death of Abagre.
He indicated that seven persons including an eight-month-old baby girl were on admission at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.
He expressed concern at the new dimension to the conflict, particularly the butchering of women and children, and said the police and the military had intensified their patrol in the town to avert an escalation of the violence.
Meanwhile, the order by the Municipal Security Council for people to remain indoors has been relaxed. According to the Municipal Chief Executive and Chairman of MUSEC, Mr Abdulai Abanga, the dusk to dawn curfew was still in force in Bawku.
Between 6 p.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Monday, residents of Bawku were ordered not to step out of their homes, the decision, according to the MCE, was taken to forestall any mayhem in the municipality. When reached, Mr Abanga said the decision to relax the order was to enable people to get access to food and water.
The Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, told the Daily Graphic that the death toll in the latest clash had also risen to 13.
Last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi man, was brutally killed at Buabula, near Sabongeri, a Kusasi community, after he had gone out in search of his missing horse.
Later in the night, it was alleged that some group of Mamprusis disguised themselves in military attire and stormed the area and attacked four houses and murdered 10 people, mostly aged women and children. The males were said to have fled the area.
He disclosed that the death toll had risen to 13, adding that on Sunday night, one man identified as a Moshie was shot in the head at Patelmi, a suburb of Bawku.
DCOP Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, who gave the ages of the dead as ranging from five to 80, said in addition to the 93 arrested in the swoop, six others were picked up after the death of Abagre.
He indicated that seven persons including an eight-month-old baby girl were on admission at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.
He expressed concern at the new dimension to the conflict, particularly the butchering of women and children, and said the police and the military had intensified their patrol in the town to avert an escalation of the violence.
Meanwhile, the order by the Municipal Security Council for people to remain indoors has been relaxed. According to the Municipal Chief Executive and Chairman of MUSEC, Mr Abdulai Abanga, the dusk to dawn curfew was still in force in Bawku.
Between 6 p.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Monday, residents of Bawku were ordered not to step out of their homes, the decision, according to the MCE, was taken to forestall any mayhem in the municipality. When reached, Mr Abanga said the decision to relax the order was to enable people to get access to food and water.
Monday 23 June 2008
ASANTEMAN UNION SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN BOLGA (PAGE 40)
THE Upper East Regional branch of Asante Kotoko Kro Ye Kuo, a benevolent association of sons and daughters of Asanteman, has raised GH¢2,500 in aid of a GH¢5,000 cassava processing machine and other development projects in Bolgatanga. The gesture is the association’s contribution towards the development of Bolgatanga in particular and the region in general. The event, which also marked the official inauguration of the association in the region, attracted dignitaries including the Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Asangalisah Chigabatia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary nominee for the Bolgatanga constituency, Madam Alima Musah, and the Northern Regional Chairman of Asante Kotoko Football Club, Nana Addai Gyaeten. Speaking at the function, the deputy regional minister praised the association for its unity and patriotism towards the development of the region. Mrs Chigabatia urged the people to rally behind the NPP government in rebuilding the country, stressing that since it took over the administration of the country, many communities had been provided with development projects. The Chairman of the association, Mr Bediako-Agyeman, reminded the members that the success of the association was due largely to the respect they had been giving to the principles of democracy. Mr Bediako-Agyeman urged the members to continue to hold onto the tenets of democracy, which were fairness, transparency, respect for individual opinions and dissenting views, and also respect the authority of the association. He paid tribute to the founding fathers, mothers, dedicated executive members and members of the association, who had supported and continue to support the growth of the association. The Secretary of the association, Mr P.K. Adonteng, said the aim of the association was to build it to become a progressive group to seek the welfare of its members, manage issues and resolve the problems that might confront them. He said another objective of the association was to bring all Ashantis resident in region into a strong and unified association and encourage the members to maintain a high standard of discipline to uphold the prestige of the office of the occupant of the Golden Stool. According to Mr Adonteng, the association currently had a membership of 120. He stated that plans were afoot to establish a welfare fund to assist members who might face financial problems.
NGO OFFERS SUPPORT TO 31 ARTISANS (PAGE 40)
THIRTY-ONE artisans in the Upper East Region have been presented with tool kits worth GH¢38,000. Trax Ghana, a Bolgatanga-based non-governmental organisation, (NGO) in partnership with Tools for Self Reliance (TFSR), a UK-based charity organisation, donated the items to equip the beneficiaries with skills to make them self-reliant and to enhance their production capabilities towards income generation. Making the presentation at a ceremony at Bolgatanga, the Director of Trax Ghana, Mr Vincent Subbey, said in 2006, his outfit entered into partnership with the UK-based charity organisation to provide employable skills for young people in deprived rural communities. The aim, he said, was to encourage positive life choices and reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviours in the communities. According to him, the two organisations embarked on a project dubbed “Sustainable Agriculture Tools Initiative for Rural Communities”, to revive and expand blacksmithing at the grass-roots level to produce, repair and maintain agricultural tools. Mr Subbey said the pilot project identified four metal smiths, who received training and tool kits from FRS through Trax Ghana, adding that the beneficiaries also trained eight apprentices, who were currently producing agricultural tools in response to market demands. "The response to their products has been very positive and farmers are pleased with the quality of the local products," he said. According to Mr Subbey, since 2007, the project had been expanded to cover artisans such as masons, carpenters, seamstresses, auto mechanics, appliance repairers, cobblers, bicycle repairers and metal smiths, hence the presentation of the items. He called on the beneficiaries to utilise the skills they had acquired into productive use by working hard to improve upon their livelihoods and the local economy by recruiting more apprentices. The Co-ordinating Director of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, Mr P.K. Kupaul, and the Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Christopher Babooroh, commended Trax Ghana for its initiative, which would go a long way to give hope to the youth. A beneficiary, Mr David Amoa, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked Trax for its efforts aimed at addressing the needs of the youth in the region.IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN KASSENA NANKANA AREA (PAGE 20)
A SURVEY conducted in the Kassena Nankana and Kassena-Nankana West districts in the Upper East Region has revealed the need for more efforts to be made to translate knowledge in sexual reproductive health into attitudinal and behavioural change.
The survey was conducted by the Navrongo Health Research Centre under its Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Project.
The objective of the survey, among others, was aimed at developing and implementing a package of interventions that would provide accurate and reliable information, skills and services for rural adolescents.
It was also to evaluate the impact of the intervention on the sexual behaviour and reproductive health of adolescents.
Presenting the findings of the study at a seminar for teachers and parents in the two districts at Navrongo, a Research Officer, Ms Matilda Aberese, said the survey was conducted in 41 junior secondary schools in the then Kassena-Nankana District, in 2006. In all, 6,977 pupils, aged between 15 and 19, were interviewed.
According to Ms Aberese, the survey indicated that over 90 per cent of students interviewed were aware of the existence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while less than 50 per cent knew about the existence of other STIs.
On the use of condoms, the survey said 80 per cent of males and 72.1 per cent of females interviewed knew about it as a method of preventing pregnancy.
She said the survey recommended that to make sex education more meaningful to adolescents, every effort should be made to intensify education on it and building the relevant skills among school pupils.
"This should be developed around themes such as abstinence, faithfulness to one's partner, consistent and proper use of condom, prompt and effective use of health services for preventive and curative purposes," he said.
Giving an overview of the Navrongo Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health intervention project, Ms Martha Hilla, a research assistant, said globally, young people less than 25 years constituted half of the world’s population, adding that evidence suggested that many of them engaged in risky sexual behaviours and were, therefore, at risk of getting pregnant and being infected with STIs, including HIV/AIDS.
Ms Hilla said there was a lack of evidence-based public health interventions in less developed countries that adequately addressed the Sexual Reproductive Health information and service needs of young people.
The Deputy Co-ordinating Director of the Kassena-Nankana District Assembly, Mr Mohammed Akalifa, on behalf of the District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, commended the research centre for taking the initiative to get pupils educated on sexual and reproductive health issues.
He expressed worry at the spread of HIV/AIDS, which he said continued to exert a heavy toll on the population, especially the youth.
Mr Akalifa attributed the rise in HIV/AIDS partly to the imposition of Western lifestyles, which has led the youth into risky behaviours that predispose them to contracting STIs and HIV.
He urged teachers and parents to co-operate with the NHRC to enable them to achieve their objective.
The survey was conducted by the Navrongo Health Research Centre under its Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Project.
The objective of the survey, among others, was aimed at developing and implementing a package of interventions that would provide accurate and reliable information, skills and services for rural adolescents.
It was also to evaluate the impact of the intervention on the sexual behaviour and reproductive health of adolescents.
Presenting the findings of the study at a seminar for teachers and parents in the two districts at Navrongo, a Research Officer, Ms Matilda Aberese, said the survey was conducted in 41 junior secondary schools in the then Kassena-Nankana District, in 2006. In all, 6,977 pupils, aged between 15 and 19, were interviewed.
According to Ms Aberese, the survey indicated that over 90 per cent of students interviewed were aware of the existence of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while less than 50 per cent knew about the existence of other STIs.
On the use of condoms, the survey said 80 per cent of males and 72.1 per cent of females interviewed knew about it as a method of preventing pregnancy.
She said the survey recommended that to make sex education more meaningful to adolescents, every effort should be made to intensify education on it and building the relevant skills among school pupils.
"This should be developed around themes such as abstinence, faithfulness to one's partner, consistent and proper use of condom, prompt and effective use of health services for preventive and curative purposes," he said.
Giving an overview of the Navrongo Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health intervention project, Ms Martha Hilla, a research assistant, said globally, young people less than 25 years constituted half of the world’s population, adding that evidence suggested that many of them engaged in risky sexual behaviours and were, therefore, at risk of getting pregnant and being infected with STIs, including HIV/AIDS.
Ms Hilla said there was a lack of evidence-based public health interventions in less developed countries that adequately addressed the Sexual Reproductive Health information and service needs of young people.
The Deputy Co-ordinating Director of the Kassena-Nankana District Assembly, Mr Mohammed Akalifa, on behalf of the District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, commended the research centre for taking the initiative to get pupils educated on sexual and reproductive health issues.
He expressed worry at the spread of HIV/AIDS, which he said continued to exert a heavy toll on the population, especially the youth.
Mr Akalifa attributed the rise in HIV/AIDS partly to the imposition of Western lifestyles, which has led the youth into risky behaviours that predispose them to contracting STIs and HIV.
He urged teachers and parents to co-operate with the NHRC to enable them to achieve their objective.
10 KILLED IN RENEWED FIGHTING IN BAWKU (PAGE 3)
Ten people were killed over the weekend in the latest outbreak of fighting in Bawku.
Seven others were also reported injured following the renewed attacks. They have since been transferred to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital for treatment
Information made available to the Daily Graphic said last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi, was allegedly stoned to death around Buabula, a suburb of Bawku. Abagre was said to have gone out to search for a missing horse.
According to police sources, later in the night, a group of unidentified people who were allegedly dressed in attire similar to military uniforms stormed the village in what was believed to be vengeance for the killing of Abagre.
The perpetrators were said to have entered some of the houses and murdered the inhabitants, mostly elderly women and children. The males were said to have fled their houses.
Police sources also disclosed that some of the injured were on admission at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.
Meanwhile, in order to forestall further bloodshed in the municipality, the Bawku Municipal Security Council on Sunday ordered that everybody should remain indoors.
A van with a public address system was deployed to the town to convey the message to the populace.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Abdulai Abanga, who confirmed the death toll, said the decision to keep people indoors on Sunday was taken to forestall any trouble. At the time of filing this report, the restriction on movement in Bawku was still in force.
Already a dusk-to-dawn curfew is in force in Bawku and its environs following the outbreak of conflict in the area since December 31, 2007.
The MCE expressed regret at the latest development, especially at a time when the government was making every effort to ensure that there was peace in Bawku and its environs.
For his part, the Officer Commanding the Airborne Force in Bawku, Major Orlando Agbebo, said they received a distress call and moved in to rescue Abagre, adding that on arrival at the spot, they found Abagre dead so they conveyed his body to the police station for the necessary procedures to be carried out. Later, the body was released to his family for burial.
According to him, not too long after, another message was received that a group of people had attacked the Buabula community, broken into some houses and killed a number of people.
The latest development is being viewed in certain circles as a stab in the back of the National Peace Council, which has initiated a process to find lasting and peaceful solution to the Bawku crisis.
Members of the council, led by its Chairman, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, travelled to Bawku at the invitation of the President about a month ago to meet with the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II and opinion leaders of the Mamprusis to assess the situation on the ground and discuss ways of resolving the conflict.
The delegation also met with the Overload of Mamprugu, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai, to seek his counsel to enable them to carry out their work for peace to return to the Bawku municipality.
Following that move, Naa Mahami Abdulai and Asigri Azoka held separate press conferences calling on the inhabitants to exercise restraint and promote peace in the area.
Seven others were also reported injured following the renewed attacks. They have since been transferred to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital for treatment
Information made available to the Daily Graphic said last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi, was allegedly stoned to death around Buabula, a suburb of Bawku. Abagre was said to have gone out to search for a missing horse.
According to police sources, later in the night, a group of unidentified people who were allegedly dressed in attire similar to military uniforms stormed the village in what was believed to be vengeance for the killing of Abagre.
The perpetrators were said to have entered some of the houses and murdered the inhabitants, mostly elderly women and children. The males were said to have fled their houses.
Police sources also disclosed that some of the injured were on admission at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.
Meanwhile, in order to forestall further bloodshed in the municipality, the Bawku Municipal Security Council on Sunday ordered that everybody should remain indoors.
A van with a public address system was deployed to the town to convey the message to the populace.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Abdulai Abanga, who confirmed the death toll, said the decision to keep people indoors on Sunday was taken to forestall any trouble. At the time of filing this report, the restriction on movement in Bawku was still in force.
Already a dusk-to-dawn curfew is in force in Bawku and its environs following the outbreak of conflict in the area since December 31, 2007.
The MCE expressed regret at the latest development, especially at a time when the government was making every effort to ensure that there was peace in Bawku and its environs.
For his part, the Officer Commanding the Airborne Force in Bawku, Major Orlando Agbebo, said they received a distress call and moved in to rescue Abagre, adding that on arrival at the spot, they found Abagre dead so they conveyed his body to the police station for the necessary procedures to be carried out. Later, the body was released to his family for burial.
According to him, not too long after, another message was received that a group of people had attacked the Buabula community, broken into some houses and killed a number of people.
The latest development is being viewed in certain circles as a stab in the back of the National Peace Council, which has initiated a process to find lasting and peaceful solution to the Bawku crisis.
Members of the council, led by its Chairman, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, travelled to Bawku at the invitation of the President about a month ago to meet with the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II and opinion leaders of the Mamprusis to assess the situation on the ground and discuss ways of resolving the conflict.
The delegation also met with the Overload of Mamprugu, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai, to seek his counsel to enable them to carry out their work for peace to return to the Bawku municipality.
Following that move, Naa Mahami Abdulai and Asigri Azoka held separate press conferences calling on the inhabitants to exercise restraint and promote peace in the area.
Sunday 22 June 2008
WORKSHOP ON VOLTA BASIN HELD AT BOLGA (PAGE 40)
THE White Volta Basin Secretariat of the Water Recourses Commission, in collaboration with the Challenge Programme, has held a joint workshop to deliberate on research findings on three of its projects in the Volta Basin.
The projects, sponsored by the International Challenge Programme for Water and Food, was aimed at informing the White Volta Basin Board and other organisations working in the region to better manage water resources.
The first project, which investigated how local water management strategies could strengthen trans-boundary institutions, highlighted the role that customary institutions for water resources management played in Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The second project, which examined how simulation models could be used to improve integrated agriculture and water resources, showed that irrigated agriculture had unrealised potential to reduce poverty in the region.
The report, however, stated that there were still considerable challenges, such as access to credit and well-maintained infrastructure.
The third project, which developed various tools for the planning, management, design and use of small reservoirs, found that careful citing of reservoirs would make it possible to use the region's full hydrological potential.
Commenting on the findings, the White Volta Basin Officer, Mr Aaron Aduna, stated that water was very key to poverty reduction.
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to protect the basin and desist from disposing untreated human and solid waste into it.
The projects, sponsored by the International Challenge Programme for Water and Food, was aimed at informing the White Volta Basin Board and other organisations working in the region to better manage water resources.
The first project, which investigated how local water management strategies could strengthen trans-boundary institutions, highlighted the role that customary institutions for water resources management played in Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The second project, which examined how simulation models could be used to improve integrated agriculture and water resources, showed that irrigated agriculture had unrealised potential to reduce poverty in the region.
The report, however, stated that there were still considerable challenges, such as access to credit and well-maintained infrastructure.
The third project, which developed various tools for the planning, management, design and use of small reservoirs, found that careful citing of reservoirs would make it possible to use the region's full hydrological potential.
Commenting on the findings, the White Volta Basin Officer, Mr Aaron Aduna, stated that water was very key to poverty reduction.
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to protect the basin and desist from disposing untreated human and solid waste into it.
ILLEGAL MINING CREATING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS (PAGE 40)
THE upsurge of small-scale gold mining activities, popularly known as "galamsey" in some communities in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region is posing a great danger not only to the environment, but also the very lives of the people.
The illegal activity, which has for sometime now been practised in the "overseas areas" of the West Mamprusis District of the Northern Region sharing a common boundary with the district, is gradually gaining grounds in the Fumbisi and Kadema communities in the district.
Earlier this year, some of the illegal miners in the "overseas areas" found traces of gold in the district.
The discovery led to a mass movement of miners into Fumbisi with many young men and women in and around the area moving in their numbers to participate in the newly discovered economic activity.
Within a brief period, many mining shafts had been created by individuals. The shafts are sunk both vertically and laterally with the hope of finding gold- bearing rocks for processing.
The environmental degradation associated with those activities dotted all over the place, is unimaginable. Indiscriminate defecation in the area has become the order of the day.
At this year’s People’s Assembly at Sandema, the District Chief Executive for Builsa, Mr Thomas Alonsi, said the activities of the miners had been brought to the attention of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency whose officials had visited the area and produced a comprehensive report on the environmental effects of the activities of the miners.
He stated that the attention of the Regional Officer of the Mineral Commission had also been drawn to the development in the area.
According to Mr Alonsi, the officer had already visited the area and promised that he would take the appropriate measures to get the activities of the miners streamlined in line with the law on small scale mining activities.
He stated that the small-scale mining activities was creating tension between interested factions in Fumbisi and other communities, which had the potential of degenerating into a violent conflict.
Mr Alonsi indicated that the District Security Committee had held several meetings in connection with the problems associated with the mining activity in a bid to find lasting solutions to the challenges.
"When the issue was becoming intractable, the committee took the decision to set up a task force, comprising representatives of the police, the Fire Service and the District Assembly to stop the small-scale mining activities and flush out all the miners from the Fumbisi site," he said.
According to him, the assembly had so far spent a little over GH¢1,100 on the activities of the task force.
The DCE, however, noted that the recurring activities of the illegal miners had become a headache for the district, especially in the Kadema area, adding that apart from the devastation being caused to the environment, there had been numerous accidents at the site leading to needless loss of human lives.
He disclosed that the number of reported deaths from Kadema sites stood at six, with the latest of those accidents occurring on Tuesday, May 20, 2008, when a mine caved in and killed four people.
Mr Alonsi, therefore, appealed to the Regional Security Council, (REGSEC) to assist the District Security Committee (DISEC) to stem the tide, to avoid the rate of loss of lives and the destruction to the environment through the activities of the illegal miners.
Mr Alonsi also urged opinion leaders, who he alleged were conniving and colliding with those illegal miners to cause havoc on the environment, to desist from the negative practice or have themselves to blame.
Checks at the Bolgatanga office of the Mineral Commission, indicated that all efforts at streamlining the activities of the miners at Kadema had not yielded any positive result largely because the district assembly was yet to submit an application to the office for further processing.
The Assistant District Mines Officer, Mr Wilson Waanab Zoogah, told this reporter that upon receiving the complaints, the district assembly was advised to put in an application.
He added that even though the land had been demarcated and a site plan produced, the assembly was yet to return the application for further processing in Accra.
"Once we receive the application forms from the assembly, it will be forwarded to Accra for further processing," Mr Zoogah said.
It is hoped that considering the fast rate at which the land in some communities in the Builsa District is being destroyed through the search of minerals, the necessary steps would be taken in time to halt the wanton degradation of the environment and the untimely deaths being recorded.
The illegal activity, which has for sometime now been practised in the "overseas areas" of the West Mamprusis District of the Northern Region sharing a common boundary with the district, is gradually gaining grounds in the Fumbisi and Kadema communities in the district.
Earlier this year, some of the illegal miners in the "overseas areas" found traces of gold in the district.
The discovery led to a mass movement of miners into Fumbisi with many young men and women in and around the area moving in their numbers to participate in the newly discovered economic activity.
Within a brief period, many mining shafts had been created by individuals. The shafts are sunk both vertically and laterally with the hope of finding gold- bearing rocks for processing.
The environmental degradation associated with those activities dotted all over the place, is unimaginable. Indiscriminate defecation in the area has become the order of the day.
At this year’s People’s Assembly at Sandema, the District Chief Executive for Builsa, Mr Thomas Alonsi, said the activities of the miners had been brought to the attention of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency whose officials had visited the area and produced a comprehensive report on the environmental effects of the activities of the miners.
He stated that the attention of the Regional Officer of the Mineral Commission had also been drawn to the development in the area.
According to Mr Alonsi, the officer had already visited the area and promised that he would take the appropriate measures to get the activities of the miners streamlined in line with the law on small scale mining activities.
He stated that the small-scale mining activities was creating tension between interested factions in Fumbisi and other communities, which had the potential of degenerating into a violent conflict.
Mr Alonsi indicated that the District Security Committee had held several meetings in connection with the problems associated with the mining activity in a bid to find lasting solutions to the challenges.
"When the issue was becoming intractable, the committee took the decision to set up a task force, comprising representatives of the police, the Fire Service and the District Assembly to stop the small-scale mining activities and flush out all the miners from the Fumbisi site," he said.
According to him, the assembly had so far spent a little over GH¢1,100 on the activities of the task force.
The DCE, however, noted that the recurring activities of the illegal miners had become a headache for the district, especially in the Kadema area, adding that apart from the devastation being caused to the environment, there had been numerous accidents at the site leading to needless loss of human lives.
He disclosed that the number of reported deaths from Kadema sites stood at six, with the latest of those accidents occurring on Tuesday, May 20, 2008, when a mine caved in and killed four people.
Mr Alonsi, therefore, appealed to the Regional Security Council, (REGSEC) to assist the District Security Committee (DISEC) to stem the tide, to avoid the rate of loss of lives and the destruction to the environment through the activities of the illegal miners.
Mr Alonsi also urged opinion leaders, who he alleged were conniving and colliding with those illegal miners to cause havoc on the environment, to desist from the negative practice or have themselves to blame.
Checks at the Bolgatanga office of the Mineral Commission, indicated that all efforts at streamlining the activities of the miners at Kadema had not yielded any positive result largely because the district assembly was yet to submit an application to the office for further processing.
The Assistant District Mines Officer, Mr Wilson Waanab Zoogah, told this reporter that upon receiving the complaints, the district assembly was advised to put in an application.
He added that even though the land had been demarcated and a site plan produced, the assembly was yet to return the application for further processing in Accra.
"Once we receive the application forms from the assembly, it will be forwarded to Accra for further processing," Mr Zoogah said.
It is hoped that considering the fast rate at which the land in some communities in the Builsa District is being destroyed through the search of minerals, the necessary steps would be taken in time to halt the wanton degradation of the environment and the untimely deaths being recorded.
Thursday 19 June 2008
BE INTERESTED IN GOVERNANCE ...Chigabiatia urges women (PAGE 11)
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, has challenged Ghanaian women to make their voices heard particularly on issues on governance to influence, shape and determine the impact of decision that affect the lives of women.
“You must take keen interest in what is happening around you by actively participating in issues of national concern,” she said.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Upper East Regional Branch of Fire Service Ladies Association (FISLA) at Bolgatanga, she noted that women were generally marginalised, abused and impoverished and therefore advised women to develop the passion for leadership and advance the development of the nation.
Mrs Chigabatia said to ensure that equal opportunities existed for all gender groups in the country, the government had taken due cognisance of the hitherto male-dominated political area and consciously introduced appropriate interventions to ensure that women were deliberately taken on board to actively participate in the political and socio-economic development of the country.
FISLA is an association of female fire officers, with the main objective of organising and uniting all female officers under one umbrella, in order to promote a healthy relationship among them.
Mrs Chigabatia called on members of FISLA to collaborate with their male colleagues to promote the image of the Ghana National Fire Service.
The Upper East Regional Fire Officer, Mr Abu Johnson, asked members of FISLA to properly advise the public about the functions of the fire service and how they can contact the service in terms of fire outbreaks. They should also educate the public on fire safety measures in order to eliminate or bring to the minimum the possible causes of fires in the home and work places.
He also advised the executives to be fair and reasonable in their dealings with members without being biased.
The National President of the Fire Service Ladies Association, Mercy Nutsugah, challenged her colleagues, especially women to work diligently and tirelessly to boost the image of the Ghana National Fire Service.
The Regional President of FISLA, Hajia Lucy Mumuni, said the role of a fire woman had changed dramatically as they no longer only sat in the watch room to keep occurrences, receive fire calls and dispatch fire engines but they also join their male counterparts to fight fire.
“We the women have taken the mantle to work harder so that we can contribute more effectively to the socio-economic development of our nation by saving lives, properties and our vegetation as well”, Hajia Mumuni said.
Present at the event were service commanders of sister security services, and a former national chief fire officer, Mr Emmanuel Atinga who called on members of the association to remain committed to the objectives of the association.
“You must take keen interest in what is happening around you by actively participating in issues of national concern,” she said.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Upper East Regional Branch of Fire Service Ladies Association (FISLA) at Bolgatanga, she noted that women were generally marginalised, abused and impoverished and therefore advised women to develop the passion for leadership and advance the development of the nation.
Mrs Chigabatia said to ensure that equal opportunities existed for all gender groups in the country, the government had taken due cognisance of the hitherto male-dominated political area and consciously introduced appropriate interventions to ensure that women were deliberately taken on board to actively participate in the political and socio-economic development of the country.
FISLA is an association of female fire officers, with the main objective of organising and uniting all female officers under one umbrella, in order to promote a healthy relationship among them.
Mrs Chigabatia called on members of FISLA to collaborate with their male colleagues to promote the image of the Ghana National Fire Service.
The Upper East Regional Fire Officer, Mr Abu Johnson, asked members of FISLA to properly advise the public about the functions of the fire service and how they can contact the service in terms of fire outbreaks. They should also educate the public on fire safety measures in order to eliminate or bring to the minimum the possible causes of fires in the home and work places.
He also advised the executives to be fair and reasonable in their dealings with members without being biased.
The National President of the Fire Service Ladies Association, Mercy Nutsugah, challenged her colleagues, especially women to work diligently and tirelessly to boost the image of the Ghana National Fire Service.
The Regional President of FISLA, Hajia Lucy Mumuni, said the role of a fire woman had changed dramatically as they no longer only sat in the watch room to keep occurrences, receive fire calls and dispatch fire engines but they also join their male counterparts to fight fire.
“We the women have taken the mantle to work harder so that we can contribute more effectively to the socio-economic development of our nation by saving lives, properties and our vegetation as well”, Hajia Mumuni said.
Present at the event were service commanders of sister security services, and a former national chief fire officer, Mr Emmanuel Atinga who called on members of the association to remain committed to the objectives of the association.
Monday 16 June 2008
NDC WILL PAY WITHHELD SALARIES OF TEACHERS (PAGE 14)
Mr John Mahama, the running mate of Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), has assured Ghanaians that the party will on humanitarian grounds consider the release of withheld salaries of teachers who are members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) when voted back into power.
Addressing journalists at Navrongo as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region, Mr Mahama said “we are considering doing this because we think that it was not done fairly”.
“Around the time NAGRAT members went on strike, other professional bodies had also embarked on strike but that treatment was not applied to them”, he explained, adding that “although the new labour law frowns on what the teachers did, we can not discriminate against the teachers and withhold their salaries like that.
“Why should others be paid and others made to suffer? If we want to apply the laws, then we need to release the salaries of teachers and start afresh so that anybody who goes on strike would know that he or she loses his or her salary”, he said.
The tour of the region, his first since he was nominated by the NDC flag bearer, took Mr Mahama to the Bolgatanga, Bongo, Tongo, Talensi-Nabdam, Kassena-Nankana, Builsa districts as well as the “overseas” areas of Yagaba Kobore in the West Mamprusis District of the Northern Region.
He was accompanied by the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, the National Youth Organiser, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Mr Gilbert Iddi and Donald Adabre, former ministers in the NDC administration as well as Regional Executives of the NDC.
Touching on a wide range of issues, Mr Mahama castigated the NPP administration for failing in its poverty eradication programmes.
He argued that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme as a direct cash transfer system was meant to be a last resort when “you fail in all other options such as micro credit, agriculture extension, subsidies, among others.
According to Mr Mahama, the best way to bring people out of poverty was to empower them and improve their abilities to earn incomes.
“It is when you fail that you dole out direct cash to people. The introduction of LEAP, therefore, signifies a failure on the part of the NPP government”, he said.
He said a new NDC government will focus on increased support for agriculture, particularly in the northern part of the country, to reduce the poverty level and curb the drift to the southern parts of the country by the youth in search of jobs.
He said the NDC would also consider strengthening the sheanut industry not only to create employment but also empower the people.
Asked whether the feeding grant for northern students should be withdrawn and parents made to pay for the feeding of their wards, Mr Mahama, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, said until incomes were improved it would be impossible to withdraw support for students in the short to medium term.
He called for the introduction of strategic interventions to help address the problem which occurs yearly.
Mr Mahama who also touched on Education, Health, Agriculture, infrastructural development and other sectors of the economy emphasised the need for effective decentralisation, which he said could go a long way to solve the development needs of the northern parts of the country.
“A new NDC offers the best alternative choice for Ghana. We are very much acquainted with the problems of the country and Ghanaians must give us the chance”, he said.
Addressing journalists at Navrongo as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region, Mr Mahama said “we are considering doing this because we think that it was not done fairly”.
“Around the time NAGRAT members went on strike, other professional bodies had also embarked on strike but that treatment was not applied to them”, he explained, adding that “although the new labour law frowns on what the teachers did, we can not discriminate against the teachers and withhold their salaries like that.
“Why should others be paid and others made to suffer? If we want to apply the laws, then we need to release the salaries of teachers and start afresh so that anybody who goes on strike would know that he or she loses his or her salary”, he said.
The tour of the region, his first since he was nominated by the NDC flag bearer, took Mr Mahama to the Bolgatanga, Bongo, Tongo, Talensi-Nabdam, Kassena-Nankana, Builsa districts as well as the “overseas” areas of Yagaba Kobore in the West Mamprusis District of the Northern Region.
He was accompanied by the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, the National Youth Organiser, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Mr Gilbert Iddi and Donald Adabre, former ministers in the NDC administration as well as Regional Executives of the NDC.
Touching on a wide range of issues, Mr Mahama castigated the NPP administration for failing in its poverty eradication programmes.
He argued that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme as a direct cash transfer system was meant to be a last resort when “you fail in all other options such as micro credit, agriculture extension, subsidies, among others.
According to Mr Mahama, the best way to bring people out of poverty was to empower them and improve their abilities to earn incomes.
“It is when you fail that you dole out direct cash to people. The introduction of LEAP, therefore, signifies a failure on the part of the NPP government”, he said.
He said a new NDC government will focus on increased support for agriculture, particularly in the northern part of the country, to reduce the poverty level and curb the drift to the southern parts of the country by the youth in search of jobs.
He said the NDC would also consider strengthening the sheanut industry not only to create employment but also empower the people.
Asked whether the feeding grant for northern students should be withdrawn and parents made to pay for the feeding of their wards, Mr Mahama, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, said until incomes were improved it would be impossible to withdraw support for students in the short to medium term.
He called for the introduction of strategic interventions to help address the problem which occurs yearly.
Mr Mahama who also touched on Education, Health, Agriculture, infrastructural development and other sectors of the economy emphasised the need for effective decentralisation, which he said could go a long way to solve the development needs of the northern parts of the country.
“A new NDC offers the best alternative choice for Ghana. We are very much acquainted with the problems of the country and Ghanaians must give us the chance”, he said.
Sunday 15 June 2008
WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOUR HELD AT TONGO (PAGE 35)
This year’s International World Day Against Child Labour has been observed with a call on all stakeholders to join forces in the fight towards the liberation of the Ghanaian child from child labour.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, who made the call, said the issue of child labour continued to draw the nation backwards.
Mrs Chigabatia, who was speaking at the national celebration of the day at Tongo in the Talensi-Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, stressed the need for people to focus their attention on educating the children to eradicate the problem.
The theme for the celebration was: “Education - The right response to child labour.”
According to the deputy regional minister, the latest data available, indicated that in the Upper East Region, majority of children between the ages of five and 17 were child labourers with young girls being the worst affected.
“In the Upper East Region, it is common to see children engage in domestic work, commercial agriculture, fishing, mining, stone quarrying, among others, to the detriment of their education,” she said.
Mrs Chigabatia called on chiefs, opinion leaders and well-meaning people to espouse education as the tool to reduce the problem of child labour in the region in particular and Ghana in general.
She said the introduction of the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) should serve as an encouragement to parents to send their wards to school.
The Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, Madam Akosua Frema-Opare, said in order to deal with the worst forms of child labour, child labour issues had been mainstreamed into the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II and the guidelines of the Medium Term Development Plans of ministries and departments.
She stressed the need for stakeholders to join forces and increase their commitment in making education accessible to all children of school age.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Mrs Angelina Baiden Amissah, said children were precious assets who must be treated with dignity, adding “the slave trade now belongs to history.”
She announced that a three-classroom block would be constructed and furnished for the small scale mining sites in the Talensi-Nabdam District as the right response to end child labour in those communities.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Talensi-Nabdam, Mr Anaba K. Nabila, said the assembly, in partnership with Afrikids, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), had been able to rescue and prevent about 450 children from entering into worst forms of child labour such as small scale mining in the district.
The Head of Core Projects, Afrikids Ghana, Mr Cletus Anaaya, the implementing agency in the Talensi-Nabdam District, said 150 children had so far been withdrawn by his outfit from the small scale mining centres in the district out of which 119 had been enrolled in school while the remaining 31 were undertaking various vocational training courses.
Mr Anaaya added that all the 150 children had been registered with the NHIS while their families had also been supported with food aid and flood relief items.
Ms Millicent Dagben, one of the rescued children, appealed to the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly, Afrikids and the Ghana Education Service to make good their promise to construct, furnish and staff a public school to serve the educational needs of the mining communities in the district.
Individuals and organisations who had contributed to child labour issues over the years were awarded certificates.
They included Ms Stella Abudu and Kingsley Obeng Kyere of GBC, the Ghana Journalists Association, New Times Corporation, Afrikids, the Kassena Nankana District Assembly, ICOUR, ILO's international programme on the elimination of child labour (IPEC) and UNICEF.
The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, who made the call, said the issue of child labour continued to draw the nation backwards.
Mrs Chigabatia, who was speaking at the national celebration of the day at Tongo in the Talensi-Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, stressed the need for people to focus their attention on educating the children to eradicate the problem.
The theme for the celebration was: “Education - The right response to child labour.”
According to the deputy regional minister, the latest data available, indicated that in the Upper East Region, majority of children between the ages of five and 17 were child labourers with young girls being the worst affected.
“In the Upper East Region, it is common to see children engage in domestic work, commercial agriculture, fishing, mining, stone quarrying, among others, to the detriment of their education,” she said.
Mrs Chigabatia called on chiefs, opinion leaders and well-meaning people to espouse education as the tool to reduce the problem of child labour in the region in particular and Ghana in general.
She said the introduction of the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) should serve as an encouragement to parents to send their wards to school.
The Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, Madam Akosua Frema-Opare, said in order to deal with the worst forms of child labour, child labour issues had been mainstreamed into the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II and the guidelines of the Medium Term Development Plans of ministries and departments.
She stressed the need for stakeholders to join forces and increase their commitment in making education accessible to all children of school age.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Mrs Angelina Baiden Amissah, said children were precious assets who must be treated with dignity, adding “the slave trade now belongs to history.”
She announced that a three-classroom block would be constructed and furnished for the small scale mining sites in the Talensi-Nabdam District as the right response to end child labour in those communities.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Talensi-Nabdam, Mr Anaba K. Nabila, said the assembly, in partnership with Afrikids, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), had been able to rescue and prevent about 450 children from entering into worst forms of child labour such as small scale mining in the district.
The Head of Core Projects, Afrikids Ghana, Mr Cletus Anaaya, the implementing agency in the Talensi-Nabdam District, said 150 children had so far been withdrawn by his outfit from the small scale mining centres in the district out of which 119 had been enrolled in school while the remaining 31 were undertaking various vocational training courses.
Mr Anaaya added that all the 150 children had been registered with the NHIS while their families had also been supported with food aid and flood relief items.
Ms Millicent Dagben, one of the rescued children, appealed to the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly, Afrikids and the Ghana Education Service to make good their promise to construct, furnish and staff a public school to serve the educational needs of the mining communities in the district.
Individuals and organisations who had contributed to child labour issues over the years were awarded certificates.
They included Ms Stella Abudu and Kingsley Obeng Kyere of GBC, the Ghana Journalists Association, New Times Corporation, Afrikids, the Kassena Nankana District Assembly, ICOUR, ILO's international programme on the elimination of child labour (IPEC) and UNICEF.
Friday 13 June 2008
NDC POISED TO WIN 2008 ELECTION — ASIEDU NKETIA (PAGE 16)
THE General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, has stated that the party is poised to wrest power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2008 general election.
Mr Asiedu-Nketia gave the assurance when addressing the youth wing of the party at Navrongo as part of his tour of the Upper East Region.
He noted that the NPP had failed the electorate and deserved to take a back seat to enable the NDC take over the reins of government.
The general secretary said in spite of the fact that the NDC faced numerous challenges, including inadequate funding, the party was determined to win the December general election.
“The NPP is by far the richest party in Ghana, but it does not take money alone to win elections,” he said, adding that people would vote for Professor Atta Mills based on issues.
“We in the NDC plan to use a scientific way of approaching the election in December and nothing can sway us from achieving our mission,” he stressed.
According to Mr Asiedu-Nketia, the experience the party had gathered over the years and the quality of people on board the campaign would enable it to emerge victorious in the December election.
He urged sympathisers of the party, especially the youth, to embark on a vigorous house-to-house campaign to help the party wrest the seat from the incumbent NPP Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Joseph Kofi Adda.
He advised all eligible persons in the constituency to register as voters during the re-opening of the voter's register later this year to enable them exercise their franchise in the 2008 election.
Mr Mark Wayongo, who is the NDC parliamentary nominee for Navrongo Central constituency, said he was more than convinced that he would deliver the parliamentary seat to the NDC.
“We want to set a record in Navrongo by beating our closest rival by the widest margin that has never been witnessed before,” he stressed.
He called on the youth not to relent in their quest to get the party elected back into power.
Mr Asiedu-Nketia gave the assurance when addressing the youth wing of the party at Navrongo as part of his tour of the Upper East Region.
He noted that the NPP had failed the electorate and deserved to take a back seat to enable the NDC take over the reins of government.
The general secretary said in spite of the fact that the NDC faced numerous challenges, including inadequate funding, the party was determined to win the December general election.
“The NPP is by far the richest party in Ghana, but it does not take money alone to win elections,” he said, adding that people would vote for Professor Atta Mills based on issues.
“We in the NDC plan to use a scientific way of approaching the election in December and nothing can sway us from achieving our mission,” he stressed.
According to Mr Asiedu-Nketia, the experience the party had gathered over the years and the quality of people on board the campaign would enable it to emerge victorious in the December election.
He urged sympathisers of the party, especially the youth, to embark on a vigorous house-to-house campaign to help the party wrest the seat from the incumbent NPP Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Joseph Kofi Adda.
He advised all eligible persons in the constituency to register as voters during the re-opening of the voter's register later this year to enable them exercise their franchise in the 2008 election.
Mr Mark Wayongo, who is the NDC parliamentary nominee for Navrongo Central constituency, said he was more than convinced that he would deliver the parliamentary seat to the NDC.
“We want to set a record in Navrongo by beating our closest rival by the widest margin that has never been witnessed before,” he stressed.
He called on the youth not to relent in their quest to get the party elected back into power.
Thursday 12 June 2008
Man, 50, Floored By Own Dope(D/G Thursday May 12, 2008)
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga
A 50-year-old trader who allegedly laced a drink with a sedative and offered it to a co-passenger with the intention of getting her drowsy and then turning round to rob her, has been arrested by the police in Bolgatanga.The suspect, Musa Alhassan, who trades in kola, is alleged to have put a drug suspected to be valium into a can of soft drink and offered it to a co-passenger, Asana Ouedrago, who refused to drink it.The two were said to be on board a Bolgatanga-bound passenger vehicle, along with others, from Kumasi.The Upper East Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic, said Alhassan and Asana boarded the vehicle in Kumasi on Monday, June 9, 2008.He said on the way, Alhassan allegedly dropped some tablets into a can of soft drink he had and offered it to the woman to drink.According to the PRO, Asana flatly refused the offer, but unknown to Alhassan, some other passengers on board the vehicle had seen him putting the tablets into the drink before offering it to the woman.He said suspecting foul play, the other passengers confronted Alhassan, who initially denied any wrongdoing.He said not convinced, the passengers challenged him to sip the drink if he was sure that he was not up to some mischief, which he obliged.He said moments after taking a sip, Alhassan attempted to throw away the rest of the drink but he was overpowered by the passengers who managed to take the drink from him.Alhassan was alleged to have fallen asleep moments after tasting the drink until the bus arrived in Bolgatanga, where the passengers lodged a complaint with the police and handed Alhassan over to them, Inspector Tetteh said.“Interestingly, the suspect, who was brought to the police station at 9.00 a.m., slept for 24 hours before waking up,” he added.The police PRO said when the suspect woke up from his sleep, he was alleged to have admitted the offence and pleaded for clemency.Inspector Tetteh said the remaining drink was yet to be analysed by experts, after which the appropriate charges would be slapped on the suspect.
A 50-year-old trader who allegedly laced a drink with a sedative and offered it to a co-passenger with the intention of getting her drowsy and then turning round to rob her, has been arrested by the police in Bolgatanga.The suspect, Musa Alhassan, who trades in kola, is alleged to have put a drug suspected to be valium into a can of soft drink and offered it to a co-passenger, Asana Ouedrago, who refused to drink it.The two were said to be on board a Bolgatanga-bound passenger vehicle, along with others, from Kumasi.The Upper East Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic, said Alhassan and Asana boarded the vehicle in Kumasi on Monday, June 9, 2008.He said on the way, Alhassan allegedly dropped some tablets into a can of soft drink he had and offered it to the woman to drink.According to the PRO, Asana flatly refused the offer, but unknown to Alhassan, some other passengers on board the vehicle had seen him putting the tablets into the drink before offering it to the woman.He said suspecting foul play, the other passengers confronted Alhassan, who initially denied any wrongdoing.He said not convinced, the passengers challenged him to sip the drink if he was sure that he was not up to some mischief, which he obliged.He said moments after taking a sip, Alhassan attempted to throw away the rest of the drink but he was overpowered by the passengers who managed to take the drink from him.Alhassan was alleged to have fallen asleep moments after tasting the drink until the bus arrived in Bolgatanga, where the passengers lodged a complaint with the police and handed Alhassan over to them, Inspector Tetteh said.“Interestingly, the suspect, who was brought to the police station at 9.00 a.m., slept for 24 hours before waking up,” he added.The police PRO said when the suspect woke up from his sleep, he was alleged to have admitted the offence and pleaded for clemency.Inspector Tetteh said the remaining drink was yet to be analysed by experts, after which the appropriate charges would be slapped on the suspect.
Wednesday 11 June 2008
Minister calls for due regard for peace council(D/G Wednesday, June 11, 2008. pp 31)
THE Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, has called on the feuding parties in the Bawku conflict to have due regard for the National Peace Council in its quest to help restore peace in the area.He made the call when the General Manager in charge of Newspapers of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Bolgatanga.According to the regional minister, the return of peace to the area would not only accelerate the pace of development but also help to restore the image of the region, which was now associated with violence.Mr Samari congratulated the media, particularly the GCGL group of papers, on the effective and efficient manner in which they had covered the issues in Bawku and called on them to use their media to promote unity to speed up the development of the region.He, however, bemoaned the late arrival of the newspapers in the region and urged the company to explore other options such as airlifting the papers to Tamale to facilitate the early arrival of the newspapers in the region.Mr Samari also noted that the lack of vehicles was the major problem confronting journalists in the region, adding that it sometimes restricted their movement and appealed to the management of the GCGL and other media houses to support their staff with vehicles.He thanked the general manager for his visit and gave the assurance that his office would continue to collaborate with and support the media in the region in the performance of their work.Responding, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh said the conflict brought no good to anybody, as it had led to the destruction of homes and property that would take a long time to restore.He, therefore, expressed the hope that the National Peace Council would succeed in bringing peace to the Bawku municipality.He also called on both sides of the conflict to exercise restraint and continue to live in peace and harmony with one another and contribute to the progress of the region.The general manager, who was in the region to interact with the staff of the company and discuss with them the challenges facing them in the discharge of their duties, said measures were being put in place to ensure the early delivery of the company's products to the region.He said the management of the group had put a delivery van on the Tamale route, adding that very soon a new printing plant would be installed to ensure faster printing and early dispatch of the papers.Meanwhile, Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh has toured the Bawku area to access the situation there. He paid a courtesy call on the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, and interacted with some opinion leaders of the Mamprusi community.He appealed to both sides to collaborate with the National Peace Council and the Regional and Municipal Security committees to ensure the return of peace to the area.Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh was accompanied by the Senior Zonal Manager of the GCGL in charge of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, Mr Michael Kofi Baga, and the Regional Correspondent of the group’s newspapers, Mr Benjamin Xornam Glover.Monday 9 June 2008
MAMPRUGU PARAMOUNT CHIEF CALLS FOR RESTRAINT (PAGE 50)
THE Paramount Chief of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayire Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai, has called on the people of Bawku to exercise restraint and co-operate with the National Peace Council (NPC) in its strive to work for the restoration of peace in the Bawku Municipality.
The Nayire made the appeal at Nalerigu at the weekend when members of the NPC, led by its chairperson, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, called on him at his palace. The visit of the Peace Council, which is at the request of the President J.A. Kufuor, was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the recurrent Bawku conflict.
According to the Nayire, both Kusasis and Mamprusis in Bawku were his children. He, therefore, saw no reason why they should be fighting.
He appealed to people of the area to co-operate with the Peace Council to find amicable solutions to the conflict.
The Chairman of the NPC, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, was hopeful that through the wise counsel and advice of the overlord of Mamprugu, a solution would be found to the recurrent conflict.
The delegation, which was in the Upper East Region a fortnight ago, is due to hold peace talks with the various factions in the Bawku Municipality aimed at reconciling the feuding factions.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, and Members of the Regional Security Council accompanied members of the NPC to the Nayire.
Other members of the NPC present at the meeting were the Ameer and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Ghana, Maulvi Wahab Adam; a representative of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Mahamud Gedel; the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu; and Professor Irene Odotei.
The Nayire made the appeal at Nalerigu at the weekend when members of the NPC, led by its chairperson, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, called on him at his palace. The visit of the Peace Council, which is at the request of the President J.A. Kufuor, was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the recurrent Bawku conflict.
According to the Nayire, both Kusasis and Mamprusis in Bawku were his children. He, therefore, saw no reason why they should be fighting.
He appealed to people of the area to co-operate with the Peace Council to find amicable solutions to the conflict.
The Chairman of the NPC, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, was hopeful that through the wise counsel and advice of the overlord of Mamprugu, a solution would be found to the recurrent conflict.
The delegation, which was in the Upper East Region a fortnight ago, is due to hold peace talks with the various factions in the Bawku Municipality aimed at reconciling the feuding factions.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, and Members of the Regional Security Council accompanied members of the NPC to the Nayire.
Other members of the NPC present at the meeting were the Ameer and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Ghana, Maulvi Wahab Adam; a representative of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Mahamud Gedel; the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu; and Professor Irene Odotei.
Sunday 8 June 2008
THE BAWKU CONFLICT...1ST MAJOR CONFLICT ERUPTED IN 1983
IT is often with a heavy heart that reference is made to Bawku, a town with great potential for prosperity but whose recurrent story of fighting has usually attracted banner headlines. The once sprawling commercial hub of the Upper East Region is now comatose. The vibrancy is gone and in its wake are deep-rooted mistrust, fear and uncertainty among two of Ghana’s most endowed ethnic groups, Kusasis and Mamprusis.Indeed, with military and police armoured vehicles now patrolling the town instead of the usual cargo trucks carrying and unloading goods to and from the municipality, it is clear that all is not well in Bawku.As is already well known, the prevailing situation is the result of the recurrent and destructive ethnic conflicts between the Kusasis and Mamprusis over the rightful custodians of the area. That is the crux of the matter, which regularly explodes into disagreements, bloody confrontations and sporadic killings between the two groups.History recalls that the first major conflict between the two ethnic groups erupted in 1983 during the Samanpiid Festival, which is celebrated by the Kusasis to signify bumper harvest.In 1984, the conflict broke out again. This time over the ownership of farmlands. Subsequent conflicts occurred in 1985 during the Samanpiid, 2000, during the general election, 2001 and 2007, also during the Samanpiid. Aside of these major conflicts, there have also been several small but deadly skirmishes over the years between the factions.Actual figures are hard to come by but the results of all these disturbances have been that scores of people have lost their lives while many others have sustained various degrees of injury. The latest incident, which occurred early this year, according to official figures given by security sources, claimed 10 lives with many others sustaining injuries, as well as a number of arrests made. However, some residents interviewed by the Daily Graphic were of the opinion that the number of casualties could be more. While some of those arrested have been granted bail, others are set for prosecution.What is more surprising is that over the years, there have been intermarriages between the two tribes and it is not uncommon to meet people in Bawku and surrounding communities who have a Kusasi mother and a Mamprusi father and vice versa.Some of the minority ethnic groups in the area such as Moshes, Hausas, Bimobas, Dagombas and Bisas are also divided in their alliance to either the Kusasis or Mamprusis in the protracted conflict. The situation is really difficult for non-natives and visitors alike and one has to be careful with who to associate with while in Bawku.Even though life is moving on, with some people going about their regular businesses, many stores are still locked up by owners for fear of the unexpected.The two groups are also trapped in their respective enclaves in the metropolis. While the Mamprusis are located in the central business district of the municipality, which extends from the traffic light intersection to parts of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital area, the Kusasis, who are in the majority, are spread across the town, thus virtually encircling the Mamprusis.Ordinary citizens, as well as prominent figures from each of the two major ethnic groups, are hesitant to cross over into the other’s suburb without security escort.A military source indicated that both sides were dangerously armed with sophisticated weapons. A resident, Akparibo Ndego, expressed concern that ‘‘if nothing concrete is done to calm the tension and it explodes again, the consequences could be more disastrous’’.A 67-year-old retiree, Mahama Adama, said ‘‘any visitor to Bawku now would think we do not have problems but beneath the seeming calm are deep-rooted suspicion and mistrust between us’’.He said any sound akin to gunfire from either side puts fear in people because of the possibility of a resurgence of the conflict.The prevailing uneasiness has, therefore, compelled people to flee the town to neighbouring communities, with some notable persons seeking refuge in the Upper East regional capital, Bolgatanga, and parts of northern Togo.The situation has also compelled the government to impose a curfew on the people. At the peak of this year’s the hostilities, residents had only two hours of freedom, from 7am to 9am. The curfew has since been relaxed to begin at 6pm to 6am.The effect of the conflict on the socio-economic development of the area is disturbing. All aspects of social life and development such as education, heath, agriculture and commerce have suffered tremendous setbacks to worsen the existing deprivations in the area. And since the outbreak of the latest hostilities in December last year, most schools have been closed while majority of teachers have fled the area.Banks, civil society organisations and other public sector offices, including health centres, temporarily closed down. At the time the Daily Graphic team visited the area, some of the banks and other offices had re-opened and offering services to the public. Some are yet to resume duties, though.It was also realised that some workers and their families stayed at Bolga and daily commuted to work at Bawku.Farming, which is the main occupation of majority of the people, is very likely to suffer this season, following the existing levels of suspicion and apprehension between the two peoples.Another area of concern to most people is this year’s electioneering in the Bawku municipality. As a result of the conflict, the people are seriously polarised and it is feared any attempt to hold campaigns and rallies there could spark further trouble.As a result, some concerned residents have even suggested that the general election there should be suspended till such a time that peace would return. ‘‘I do not know what the Constitution says about such a situation in an election year, but I would advise that even if the elections cannot be suspended, political campaigns should be banned,’’ a 32-year old teacher, Awinbun Alale, opined.The young dynamic Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Abdulai Abanga, who took office barely six months ago, could not hide his disappointment when he said, ‘‘My brothers, the conflict has really frustrated all my efforts and the plans I had to bring development and create jobs for our people through the establishment of brick and tile and meat factories’’.According to him, ‘‘development activities have ceased, all efforts are now geared towards resolving the crisis and bringing peace to the municipality’’.Even though the chief executive could not give ready figures of the total amount expended on the conflict, he did not mince words by saying that the Assembly had committed more than GH¢200, 000 so far.In spite of the fact that central government was supporting the security institutions in their peace operation exercise in the area, the Assembly is also complementing the efforts by providing fuel and other logistics, as well as assisting in the maintenance of their vehicles.More than 500 military cum police personnel are stationed in Bawku and its surrounding communities.On the way forward, some residents entreated the security command to be proactive by taking immediate action on any report of the activities of individuals or group who would attempt to disturb the prevailing calm.They further contended that politicians should not take advantage of the division of the people for their selfish interests by supporting either of the factions in their quest for power.For his part, the chief executive pointed out that perpetrators should be dealt with severely by making them to face the full rigours of the law, while the government and other stakeholders continued their pursuance of dialogue to bring the situation under control.More educational campaigns should be intensified in the area to sensitise the people to the dangers of conflict and its repercussions and the urgent need to live harmoniously together while dialoguing to iron out their differences.Credit must be given to the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Alhassan Samari and the Regional Coordinating Council for the tremendous roles and efforts they made in the strive for peace in the Bawku area. Commendation must also go to the religious bodies, non-governmental organisations(NGOs) and various stakeholders for their contributions in curbing the violence in the area.In any conflict situation, it is women and children who suffer. It was for this reason that a group of young ladies and pupils this paper encountered appealed to the warring factions to let reason prevail by stopping all hostilities
....BOTH HAVE TAKEN ENTRENCHED POSITIONS
The two antagonists in the Bawku ethnic and chieftaincy conflict, the Kusasis and Mamprusis, have both taken entrenched positions in the prevailing crisis. Neither of the two ethnic groups is ready to accede its position in the ensuing imbroglio.
While the Mamprusis are claiming that, historically, Bawku is under the traditional authority of the King of Mamprugu, the Kusasis maintain that the land belongs to them and as such, they should be allowed to govern themselves.
According to the Regent of Mamprusi in Bawku, Ibrahim Adam Zangbego, the Mamprusis, historically, were the real custodians of the area because according to him, the founder of the Mamprugu Kingdom, Naa Gbewaa, was the first person to settle in the Bawku area.
An elder at the palace, Alhaji Ibrahim Kobilla, who spoke on behalf of the regent in his presence, said Naa Gbewaa lived and died in Pusiga, near Bawku. The regent claimed that the Kusasis came to the area around the late 18th Century from their settlements at Beingu and Zuaga in what is now known as Burkina Faso.
‘‘It was after the Nayiri of Mamprugu had created peace in his Kingdom of Bawku that the Kusasis and the Busansis, who were then being harassed by slave raiders, sought protection from the Nayiri to move from their locations in Burkina Faso to settle in the Bawku kingdom as his subjects,’’ the regent stated.
He said since then, the Mamprusis had ruled as chiefs of Bawku and that the first Kusasi chief of Bawku was installed in the late 1950s by Dr Kwame Nkrumah for political reasons.
‘‘Dr Nkrumah found the Mamprusis very hard nuts to crack, and felt that the best way to deal with them was to take the Bawku skin from them. And that was the beginning of the chieftaincy problem in the Bawku area,’’ the regent claimed.
He further alleged that ‘‘the right of the Mamprusis to the Bawku skin was traditionally driven whereas the claim to the Bawku skin by the Kusasis was politically motivated’’.
The regent stated that after the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime, the National Liberation Council (NLC) promulgated a decree, Decree 112, that ‘‘nullified the appointment of Abugrago Azoka I as the Bawku Naba’’.
He said this was after the traditionally installed and rightful ruler of Bawku, Naba Yirimea Mahama, who was then exiled to Togo during Nkrumah’s regime, had died. He added that after the funeral of the late Mahama, the Nayiri appointed and enskined Adam Zangbego in 1967 as the Bawku Naba.
‘‘Peace gained roots in Bawku until 1981 when Bawku Naba Adam Zangbego died,’’ the regent said.
He alleged that the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime headed by Jerry John Rawlings in 1983 later influenced the repeal of the NLC Decree 112 and replaced it with PNDC Law 75 that sought to restore Abugrago Azoka as the Bawku Naba.
‘‘I, therefore, have the conviction that the unrest and rancour that has eluded the Bawku area was due to the promulgation of the PNDC Law 75 that had since been repealed by Act 516 of 1996,’’ the regent claimed.
He further alleged that earlier claims by the Kusasis that it was the British colonialists who extended the Nayiri’s influence to the Bawku area constituted a historical fallacy, stating that the Mamprugu Empire that stretched from the West and East Mamprugu districts and beyond in the Northern Region to Bawku in the Upper East Region was the oldest in Ghana and predates colonialism.
The regent described claims by the Kusasis to the effect that the Supreme Court in 2003 ruled in their favour that Abugrago Azoka I was a Bawku Naba as ridiculous and an exhibition of ignorance.
‘‘The truth of the matter is that the plaintiff, who is the regent of Bawku in the person of Alhaji Ibrahim Adam Zangbego, filed a writ in the Supreme Court against the defendant, Abugrago Azoka, in consonance with the PNDC Law 75, which gave legal backing to the Abugrago Azoka chieftaincy claim,’’ he indicated.
‘‘On the contrary, the PNDC Law 75 was repealed in 1996, so the plaintiff, upon the advice of his eminent lawyers, decided to withdraw the writ. So anybody who is of the view that there was a ruling has undermined our country’s highest adjudicator and exhibits gross disrespect of the highest order,’’ the regent added.
According to the genealogical tree made available to the Daily Graphic by the Regent, the first Bawku Naba was Naa Ali Atabia, who ruled from 1721 till he died in 1732. He was enskinned by his father, who was the 10th Nayiri, Naa Atabia.
The funeral of the 14th Mamprusi chief of Bawku, Naa Adam Zangbego, who died in 1981, is yet to be performed as a result of the disagreements between the two ethnic groups.
The regent has, however, appealed to the government to allow his father’s funeral to be performed as a Bawku Naba as part of efforts to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, at a meeting with members of the National Peace Council, headed by His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson at Bawku on Tuesday, the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, described claims by the Mamprusis that Kusasis were settlers from Burkina Faso as mere fabrication by the former.
‘‘Who performs sacrifices to the land gods in the entire area as Tindanas?’’ he queried, adding that ‘‘certainly no settler or stranger can perform this role’’.
He emphasised that the fact that the Kusasis were the rightful custodians of the area was never in doubt.
The Naba also said that the ruling by the Supreme Court in 2003 favoured the Kusasis’ claim to the skin and further alleged that apart from being the indigenous owners of the land, the Kusasis were also the most dominant in terms of numbers.
Naba Azoka explained that reports from the Yeboah Appiah Committee, appointed by the then Governor–General in Ghana in 1957, whose recommendations formed the basis of a White Paper issued by the Governor-General, recognised the late Abugrago Azoka I as the rightful Bawku-Naba.
The Naba described the NLC Degree 112 in 1966 that removed Azoka I as the Bawku Naba as unfortunate and a gross injustice to the Kusasis.
‘‘Weak, humble and law-abiding as our people had always been, we managed to put up with the abnormal situation till 1983 when the PNDC regime saw reason to correct the anomaly by promulgating PNDC Law 75, which restored the deposed Abugrago Azoka I to his former position,’’ he indicated.
The Naba also alluded to a political conference held by the British colonial government in 1929, which, he said, specified the administrative districts in the then Northern Territories of the Gold Coast according to colonial boundaries.
At that conference, he said, the Mamprusi District was clearly separated from the Kusasi District.
He also claimed that the Mamprusis homeland was Mamprugu, while that of the Kusasis, Kusaug which is in the Bawku area, extends slightly into Burkina Faso, where, he said, the Mamprusis claim was the Kusasis’ original base.
Naba Azoka explained that the Kusasis had been under the dominance of the Mamprusis for long and ‘‘the feeling of having been colonised prompted the people to rise up in rebellion’’.
He further claimed that the Mamprusi chiefs and princesses used to force the Kusasis to work for them.
‘‘We believe that these reasons account for the current determination of the Mamprusis to force us under their control once more, in blatant disregard of the rule of law which we believe still exists in Ghana,’’ the Naba further alleged.
He said the Kusasis now want to be free and able to run their own affairs.
‘‘At a point in time the Kusasis found out that its ethnic group in the Bawku Traditional Area came under the control of the Mamprusis and we struggled for freedom and self rule.’’
Naba Azoka described the demand by the Mamprusis to be allowed to perform the funeral of the late Alhaji Azangbego as a Bawku Naba as untenable, ‘‘considering the fact that the PNDCL 75 nullified his position as chief and also his funeral had already been performed as a Muslim.’’
‘‘Our humble demand is to be allowed to rule ourselves on our own land in peace; the culture of impunity must be halted before matters get out of hand,’’ he stated.
....BOTH HAVE TAKEN ENTRENCHED POSITIONS
The two antagonists in the Bawku ethnic and chieftaincy conflict, the Kusasis and Mamprusis, have both taken entrenched positions in the prevailing crisis. Neither of the two ethnic groups is ready to accede its position in the ensuing imbroglio.
While the Mamprusis are claiming that, historically, Bawku is under the traditional authority of the King of Mamprugu, the Kusasis maintain that the land belongs to them and as such, they should be allowed to govern themselves.
According to the Regent of Mamprusi in Bawku, Ibrahim Adam Zangbego, the Mamprusis, historically, were the real custodians of the area because according to him, the founder of the Mamprugu Kingdom, Naa Gbewaa, was the first person to settle in the Bawku area.
An elder at the palace, Alhaji Ibrahim Kobilla, who spoke on behalf of the regent in his presence, said Naa Gbewaa lived and died in Pusiga, near Bawku. The regent claimed that the Kusasis came to the area around the late 18th Century from their settlements at Beingu and Zuaga in what is now known as Burkina Faso.
‘‘It was after the Nayiri of Mamprugu had created peace in his Kingdom of Bawku that the Kusasis and the Busansis, who were then being harassed by slave raiders, sought protection from the Nayiri to move from their locations in Burkina Faso to settle in the Bawku kingdom as his subjects,’’ the regent stated.
He said since then, the Mamprusis had ruled as chiefs of Bawku and that the first Kusasi chief of Bawku was installed in the late 1950s by Dr Kwame Nkrumah for political reasons.
‘‘Dr Nkrumah found the Mamprusis very hard nuts to crack, and felt that the best way to deal with them was to take the Bawku skin from them. And that was the beginning of the chieftaincy problem in the Bawku area,’’ the regent claimed.
He further alleged that ‘‘the right of the Mamprusis to the Bawku skin was traditionally driven whereas the claim to the Bawku skin by the Kusasis was politically motivated’’.
The regent stated that after the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime, the National Liberation Council (NLC) promulgated a decree, Decree 112, that ‘‘nullified the appointment of Abugrago Azoka I as the Bawku Naba’’.
He said this was after the traditionally installed and rightful ruler of Bawku, Naba Yirimea Mahama, who was then exiled to Togo during Nkrumah’s regime, had died. He added that after the funeral of the late Mahama, the Nayiri appointed and enskined Adam Zangbego in 1967 as the Bawku Naba.
‘‘Peace gained roots in Bawku until 1981 when Bawku Naba Adam Zangbego died,’’ the regent said.
He alleged that the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime headed by Jerry John Rawlings in 1983 later influenced the repeal of the NLC Decree 112 and replaced it with PNDC Law 75 that sought to restore Abugrago Azoka as the Bawku Naba.
‘‘I, therefore, have the conviction that the unrest and rancour that has eluded the Bawku area was due to the promulgation of the PNDC Law 75 that had since been repealed by Act 516 of 1996,’’ the regent claimed.
He further alleged that earlier claims by the Kusasis that it was the British colonialists who extended the Nayiri’s influence to the Bawku area constituted a historical fallacy, stating that the Mamprugu Empire that stretched from the West and East Mamprugu districts and beyond in the Northern Region to Bawku in the Upper East Region was the oldest in Ghana and predates colonialism.
The regent described claims by the Kusasis to the effect that the Supreme Court in 2003 ruled in their favour that Abugrago Azoka I was a Bawku Naba as ridiculous and an exhibition of ignorance.
‘‘The truth of the matter is that the plaintiff, who is the regent of Bawku in the person of Alhaji Ibrahim Adam Zangbego, filed a writ in the Supreme Court against the defendant, Abugrago Azoka, in consonance with the PNDC Law 75, which gave legal backing to the Abugrago Azoka chieftaincy claim,’’ he indicated.
‘‘On the contrary, the PNDC Law 75 was repealed in 1996, so the plaintiff, upon the advice of his eminent lawyers, decided to withdraw the writ. So anybody who is of the view that there was a ruling has undermined our country’s highest adjudicator and exhibits gross disrespect of the highest order,’’ the regent added.
According to the genealogical tree made available to the Daily Graphic by the Regent, the first Bawku Naba was Naa Ali Atabia, who ruled from 1721 till he died in 1732. He was enskinned by his father, who was the 10th Nayiri, Naa Atabia.
The funeral of the 14th Mamprusi chief of Bawku, Naa Adam Zangbego, who died in 1981, is yet to be performed as a result of the disagreements between the two ethnic groups.
The regent has, however, appealed to the government to allow his father’s funeral to be performed as a Bawku Naba as part of efforts to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, at a meeting with members of the National Peace Council, headed by His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson at Bawku on Tuesday, the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, described claims by the Mamprusis that Kusasis were settlers from Burkina Faso as mere fabrication by the former.
‘‘Who performs sacrifices to the land gods in the entire area as Tindanas?’’ he queried, adding that ‘‘certainly no settler or stranger can perform this role’’.
He emphasised that the fact that the Kusasis were the rightful custodians of the area was never in doubt.
The Naba also said that the ruling by the Supreme Court in 2003 favoured the Kusasis’ claim to the skin and further alleged that apart from being the indigenous owners of the land, the Kusasis were also the most dominant in terms of numbers.
Naba Azoka explained that reports from the Yeboah Appiah Committee, appointed by the then Governor–General in Ghana in 1957, whose recommendations formed the basis of a White Paper issued by the Governor-General, recognised the late Abugrago Azoka I as the rightful Bawku-Naba.
The Naba described the NLC Degree 112 in 1966 that removed Azoka I as the Bawku Naba as unfortunate and a gross injustice to the Kusasis.
‘‘Weak, humble and law-abiding as our people had always been, we managed to put up with the abnormal situation till 1983 when the PNDC regime saw reason to correct the anomaly by promulgating PNDC Law 75, which restored the deposed Abugrago Azoka I to his former position,’’ he indicated.
The Naba also alluded to a political conference held by the British colonial government in 1929, which, he said, specified the administrative districts in the then Northern Territories of the Gold Coast according to colonial boundaries.
At that conference, he said, the Mamprusi District was clearly separated from the Kusasi District.
He also claimed that the Mamprusis homeland was Mamprugu, while that of the Kusasis, Kusaug which is in the Bawku area, extends slightly into Burkina Faso, where, he said, the Mamprusis claim was the Kusasis’ original base.
Naba Azoka explained that the Kusasis had been under the dominance of the Mamprusis for long and ‘‘the feeling of having been colonised prompted the people to rise up in rebellion’’.
He further claimed that the Mamprusi chiefs and princesses used to force the Kusasis to work for them.
‘‘We believe that these reasons account for the current determination of the Mamprusis to force us under their control once more, in blatant disregard of the rule of law which we believe still exists in Ghana,’’ the Naba further alleged.
He said the Kusasis now want to be free and able to run their own affairs.
‘‘At a point in time the Kusasis found out that its ethnic group in the Bawku Traditional Area came under the control of the Mamprusis and we struggled for freedom and self rule.’’
Naba Azoka described the demand by the Mamprusis to be allowed to perform the funeral of the late Alhaji Azangbego as a Bawku Naba as untenable, ‘‘considering the fact that the PNDCL 75 nullified his position as chief and also his funeral had already been performed as a Muslim.’’
‘‘Our humble demand is to be allowed to rule ourselves on our own land in peace; the culture of impunity must be halted before matters get out of hand,’’ he stated.
MCE DONATES TO AIR BORNE FORCE IN BAWKU (PAGE 23)
THE Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, Mr Abdulai Abanga, has made a personal donation of a cow and 15 cartons of assorted drinks to personnel of the Air Borne Force (ABF) detachment on operational duties in Bawku.
Presenting the items, Mr Abanga said ever since the military started their operations in Bawku, they had discharged their duties with professionalism and had contained the conflict situation anytime there was renewed clashes.
He said the donation was to let the military know that the assembly and the entire Bawku community appreciated their efforts at maintaining peace in Bawku.
Mr Abanga admonished them not to be fed up with the situation on the ground but should be encouraged by the fact that other efforts, including peace talks were under way to ensure that peace was restored to the once vibrant commercial town.
Receiving the items, the officer commanding the ABF detachment in Bawku, Captain Victor Abbey, on behalf of his men, thanked the MCE for the donation.
Captain Abbey said it was refreshing and motivating to know that the people whom they were saving appreciated their efforts.
He promised that the military would continue to carry out their duties as required, and hoped that peace would soon return to Bawku.
Presenting the items, Mr Abanga said ever since the military started their operations in Bawku, they had discharged their duties with professionalism and had contained the conflict situation anytime there was renewed clashes.
He said the donation was to let the military know that the assembly and the entire Bawku community appreciated their efforts at maintaining peace in Bawku.
Mr Abanga admonished them not to be fed up with the situation on the ground but should be encouraged by the fact that other efforts, including peace talks were under way to ensure that peace was restored to the once vibrant commercial town.
Receiving the items, the officer commanding the ABF detachment in Bawku, Captain Victor Abbey, on behalf of his men, thanked the MCE for the donation.
Captain Abbey said it was refreshing and motivating to know that the people whom they were saving appreciated their efforts.
He promised that the military would continue to carry out their duties as required, and hoped that peace would soon return to Bawku.
BOLGATANGA JUBILEE DURBAR GROUNDS COMPLETED (PAGE 23)
WORK on the long awaited Jubilee durbar grounds in the Upper East Region, popularly referred to as the PLAZA, has been completed and handed over to the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly.
The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Nsoh Amoah, announced this in a speech read on his behalf by the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr Joseph Amuyuure, when he presented a report on the assembly's performance at the region’s People's Assembly at Bolgatanga.
The project, which was constructed by a Kumasi-based construction firm, consists of the presidential stand, the media wing, the spectator stands, as well as a cafeteria. The grounds have been paved.
The assembly has, however, negotiated with the contractor to work on an additional stand, which the MCE explained, was not initially part of the project.
With the completion of the grounds, it is expected to host major outdoor events in the region.
In his report, Mr Nsoh Amoah stated that the rehabilitated Bolgatanga market, whose re-opening was fraught with several demonstrations from market women due to disagreement over allocation procedures, would soon be opened to allow businessmen and women to conduct their trading activities.
The assembly's effort to get the market opened a couple of months ago, proved futile as a result of demonstrations by a group of women over the procedures of allocation of stalls and stores.
According to the MCE, as a result of that, a competent and dispassionate committee was set up by the Regional Co-ordinating Council to undertake the allocation process.
He said so much work had now been done to ensure that the place was opened for business.
"The assembly has been able to provide 10 lockable gates to the markets. We have also provided security lights and the place has been cleared of all debris," he stated.
The MCE expressed the hope that all stakeholders would collaborate with the assembly to ensure that the facility built with huge sums of money, was put to good use.
Meanwhile, the assembly last year supported 868 farmers to undertake dry season farming to ensure adequate food supply after the floods.
According to the MCE, the farmers were given financial assistance and farm inputs to cultivate 150 hectares of tomatoes, three hectares of onions, six hectares of pepper, four hectares of okro and leafy vegetables and 30 hectares of rice.
He said for this year's major farming season, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) was collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to assist farmers with seeds for sowing and grain for food.
Those measures, he explained, were aimed at ensuring adequate food security for the people.
The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Isaac Nsoh Amoah, announced this in a speech read on his behalf by the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr Joseph Amuyuure, when he presented a report on the assembly's performance at the region’s People's Assembly at Bolgatanga.
The project, which was constructed by a Kumasi-based construction firm, consists of the presidential stand, the media wing, the spectator stands, as well as a cafeteria. The grounds have been paved.
The assembly has, however, negotiated with the contractor to work on an additional stand, which the MCE explained, was not initially part of the project.
With the completion of the grounds, it is expected to host major outdoor events in the region.
In his report, Mr Nsoh Amoah stated that the rehabilitated Bolgatanga market, whose re-opening was fraught with several demonstrations from market women due to disagreement over allocation procedures, would soon be opened to allow businessmen and women to conduct their trading activities.
The assembly's effort to get the market opened a couple of months ago, proved futile as a result of demonstrations by a group of women over the procedures of allocation of stalls and stores.
According to the MCE, as a result of that, a competent and dispassionate committee was set up by the Regional Co-ordinating Council to undertake the allocation process.
He said so much work had now been done to ensure that the place was opened for business.
"The assembly has been able to provide 10 lockable gates to the markets. We have also provided security lights and the place has been cleared of all debris," he stated.
The MCE expressed the hope that all stakeholders would collaborate with the assembly to ensure that the facility built with huge sums of money, was put to good use.
Meanwhile, the assembly last year supported 868 farmers to undertake dry season farming to ensure adequate food supply after the floods.
According to the MCE, the farmers were given financial assistance and farm inputs to cultivate 150 hectares of tomatoes, three hectares of onions, six hectares of pepper, four hectares of okro and leafy vegetables and 30 hectares of rice.
He said for this year's major farming season, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) was collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to assist farmers with seeds for sowing and grain for food.
Those measures, he explained, were aimed at ensuring adequate food security for the people.
BAWKU WEST ASSEMBLY MAKES PROGRESS (PAGE 23)
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Zebilla
THE year 2007 will go down the annals of the Upper East Region in particular and the three northern regions in general as a very challenging year for those regions.
This is as a result of the disaster that befell almost all communities in those parts of the country.
The disaster was in two folds, the first was the severe drought that hit the area between April and June resulting in the withering of most of the crops the residents planted.
The disaster was followed closely by another one — floods that occurred between August and November that reached uncontrollable levels leading to the lost of lives and property, including farm produce and livestock.
The situation compelled the central government to declare a state of emergency in the three regions and launched a global appeal for food and medical aid.
The government’s rapid response to the disaster, as well as that of philanthropists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), went a long way to save the three regions from catastrophe.
Despite these challenges, most Municipal and District Assemblies in the three northern regions, with support from their development partners, have managed to surmount the challenges posed by the natural disasters.
The three regions have striven through thick and thin, achieved much success in the areas of health, agriculture, education, amongst others, despite the disasters.
One district in the Upper East Region, which has not been daunted by those challenges, is the Bawku West District Assembly.
Under the leadership of a young and dynamic District Chief Executive (DCE), the assembly has pursued effective plans and policies targeted at bringing relief to the people.
The DCE, Mr Desmond Bugbilla, a former Customs, Exercise and Preventive Service Officer, took over the administration of the area from Mr Moses Abaare Appiah in January, this year, after President Kufuor had relieved the latter of his post.
On assumption of office, Mr Bugbilla took it upon himself to familiarise himself with all the 11 divisional chiefs in the district.
The visit was also to afford him the opportunity to interact with the traditional rulers and identify the problems and concerns confronting the people and devise meaningful ways of addressing them.
The visits also offered the new DCE the opportunity to inspect ongoing development projects in the various traditional areas.
Mr Bugbilla also used the tour to introduce mini people’s assembly concept in the various communities.
He instituted the forums as a way of interacting with members of the various communities to explain government policies and programmes directly to the people and to seek their maximum support to ensure the success of his administration.
Through the mini people’s assembly concept, he was able to form and inaugurate Town and Area Councils and crowned them with the District People’s Assembly.
The Bawku West District is one local government agency that ranks high among its peers. The assembly is deeply committed to the decentralisation process.
Over the past years, the assembly accomplished its constitutional mandate and built the capacities of not only assembly members, but also members of the sub-structures and heads of decentralised departments.
Operationalisation of the sub-structures has earned the district prestige as it was adjudged the second best assembly in that direction in 2003.
In 2007, the District Co-ordinating Director led a team of councillors and secretaries of the sub-structures to Yendi where they made a presentation on the districts experience in operationalisation of the sub-structures.
Currently, the sub-structures have, through counterpart funding from IBIS Ghana and the district assembly, instituted monthly rotational meetings of chairpersons and secretaries to address common problems confronting them. Those arrangements have reduced the number of cases addressed to the DCE’s office for solution.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Bugbilla commended the central government, traditional rulers and the assembly’s development partners for their co-operation towards the rapid development of the area.
Cataloguing some of the achievements of the district since he assumed duty, Mr Bugbilla mentioned that in the area of health, the assembly had been very supportive.
He said currently, 100 nurses trainees were being sponsored in the nurses’ training colleges while about 60 others had already passed out and were working in the district.
The DCE added that two medical students and a medical assistant were also being sponsored by the assembly and were expected to serve the district on completion of their courses.
According to Mr Bugbilla, a 100-kilowatt stand-by diesel generator had been procured by the assembly and given out to the district hospital to be used in time of power outages.
Mr Bugbilla stated that the District Health Directorate in collaboration with the District Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit was in the process of screening food vendors and issue them with certificates.
He added that the assembly would soon pass a bye-law against the sale of non-iodated salt in the district.
The DCE, however, bemoaned the high prevalence rate of the HIV/AIDS in the district and appealed to the youth to take the necessary precaution to avoid its escalation in the area.
He said under the National Health Insurance Scheme, a total of 34,450 people were registered in 2007.
According to Mr Bugbilla, the scheme continued to receive support from the district assembly to ensure that its coverage was extended to many more people.
He said the National Youth Employment Programme was also progressing steadily in the district.
The DCE stated that since its inception of the programme, six models had been rolled out employing a total of 834 youth so far.
On agriculture, he said the assembly with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), was collaborating with stakeholders, such as Technoserve, an NGO, to boost food security in the district.
Mr Bugbilla cited for instance that, under a MoFA-Technoserve partnership, a total of 110 farmers from five communities, namely Teshie, Soogo, Yikurugu, Sakom and Nagbere, were supported with pumping machines, fertilisers and other farming inputs to cultivate 110 acres of onions.
On infrastructure, Mr Bugbilla said some roads that were destroyed by the floods had been awarded on contract. They include the 12.6-kilometre Kubore-Sapeliga road, the 8.4-kilometre Kukruzua-Widnaba road, the Zabilla-Zabre road, the nine-kilometre Zebilla-Teshie-Soogo road.
The DCE stated that the Zebilla township-hospital and Kobore Junction-Sapeliga roads had also been earmarked for tarring this year.
On rural electrification, the DCE said as part of government's programme to ensure that every community was hooked to the national grid, some communities in the district had been selected for that project. They include Widnaba, Zongoyire, Komaka, Buliga, Apodabogo and Dagunga.
On finance, the DCE stated that the assembly generated GH¢49,361 revenue internally last year, representing 88 per cent of its target of GH¢56,336.
He, however, indicated that effective measures had been put in place to increase the assembly’s revenue from traditional sources.
A cursory look at the development profile of the Bawku West District indicates that it is on track and ready to meet the aspiration of the people.
THE year 2007 will go down the annals of the Upper East Region in particular and the three northern regions in general as a very challenging year for those regions.
This is as a result of the disaster that befell almost all communities in those parts of the country.
The disaster was in two folds, the first was the severe drought that hit the area between April and June resulting in the withering of most of the crops the residents planted.
The disaster was followed closely by another one — floods that occurred between August and November that reached uncontrollable levels leading to the lost of lives and property, including farm produce and livestock.
The situation compelled the central government to declare a state of emergency in the three regions and launched a global appeal for food and medical aid.
The government’s rapid response to the disaster, as well as that of philanthropists and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), went a long way to save the three regions from catastrophe.
Despite these challenges, most Municipal and District Assemblies in the three northern regions, with support from their development partners, have managed to surmount the challenges posed by the natural disasters.
The three regions have striven through thick and thin, achieved much success in the areas of health, agriculture, education, amongst others, despite the disasters.
One district in the Upper East Region, which has not been daunted by those challenges, is the Bawku West District Assembly.
Under the leadership of a young and dynamic District Chief Executive (DCE), the assembly has pursued effective plans and policies targeted at bringing relief to the people.
The DCE, Mr Desmond Bugbilla, a former Customs, Exercise and Preventive Service Officer, took over the administration of the area from Mr Moses Abaare Appiah in January, this year, after President Kufuor had relieved the latter of his post.
On assumption of office, Mr Bugbilla took it upon himself to familiarise himself with all the 11 divisional chiefs in the district.
The visit was also to afford him the opportunity to interact with the traditional rulers and identify the problems and concerns confronting the people and devise meaningful ways of addressing them.
The visits also offered the new DCE the opportunity to inspect ongoing development projects in the various traditional areas.
Mr Bugbilla also used the tour to introduce mini people’s assembly concept in the various communities.
He instituted the forums as a way of interacting with members of the various communities to explain government policies and programmes directly to the people and to seek their maximum support to ensure the success of his administration.
Through the mini people’s assembly concept, he was able to form and inaugurate Town and Area Councils and crowned them with the District People’s Assembly.
The Bawku West District is one local government agency that ranks high among its peers. The assembly is deeply committed to the decentralisation process.
Over the past years, the assembly accomplished its constitutional mandate and built the capacities of not only assembly members, but also members of the sub-structures and heads of decentralised departments.
Operationalisation of the sub-structures has earned the district prestige as it was adjudged the second best assembly in that direction in 2003.
In 2007, the District Co-ordinating Director led a team of councillors and secretaries of the sub-structures to Yendi where they made a presentation on the districts experience in operationalisation of the sub-structures.
Currently, the sub-structures have, through counterpart funding from IBIS Ghana and the district assembly, instituted monthly rotational meetings of chairpersons and secretaries to address common problems confronting them. Those arrangements have reduced the number of cases addressed to the DCE’s office for solution.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Bugbilla commended the central government, traditional rulers and the assembly’s development partners for their co-operation towards the rapid development of the area.
Cataloguing some of the achievements of the district since he assumed duty, Mr Bugbilla mentioned that in the area of health, the assembly had been very supportive.
He said currently, 100 nurses trainees were being sponsored in the nurses’ training colleges while about 60 others had already passed out and were working in the district.
The DCE added that two medical students and a medical assistant were also being sponsored by the assembly and were expected to serve the district on completion of their courses.
According to Mr Bugbilla, a 100-kilowatt stand-by diesel generator had been procured by the assembly and given out to the district hospital to be used in time of power outages.
Mr Bugbilla stated that the District Health Directorate in collaboration with the District Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit was in the process of screening food vendors and issue them with certificates.
He added that the assembly would soon pass a bye-law against the sale of non-iodated salt in the district.
The DCE, however, bemoaned the high prevalence rate of the HIV/AIDS in the district and appealed to the youth to take the necessary precaution to avoid its escalation in the area.
He said under the National Health Insurance Scheme, a total of 34,450 people were registered in 2007.
According to Mr Bugbilla, the scheme continued to receive support from the district assembly to ensure that its coverage was extended to many more people.
He said the National Youth Employment Programme was also progressing steadily in the district.
The DCE stated that since its inception of the programme, six models had been rolled out employing a total of 834 youth so far.
On agriculture, he said the assembly with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), was collaborating with stakeholders, such as Technoserve, an NGO, to boost food security in the district.
Mr Bugbilla cited for instance that, under a MoFA-Technoserve partnership, a total of 110 farmers from five communities, namely Teshie, Soogo, Yikurugu, Sakom and Nagbere, were supported with pumping machines, fertilisers and other farming inputs to cultivate 110 acres of onions.
On infrastructure, Mr Bugbilla said some roads that were destroyed by the floods had been awarded on contract. They include the 12.6-kilometre Kubore-Sapeliga road, the 8.4-kilometre Kukruzua-Widnaba road, the Zabilla-Zabre road, the nine-kilometre Zebilla-Teshie-Soogo road.
The DCE stated that the Zebilla township-hospital and Kobore Junction-Sapeliga roads had also been earmarked for tarring this year.
On rural electrification, the DCE said as part of government's programme to ensure that every community was hooked to the national grid, some communities in the district had been selected for that project. They include Widnaba, Zongoyire, Komaka, Buliga, Apodabogo and Dagunga.
On finance, the DCE stated that the assembly generated GH¢49,361 revenue internally last year, representing 88 per cent of its target of GH¢56,336.
He, however, indicated that effective measures had been put in place to increase the assembly’s revenue from traditional sources.
A cursory look at the development profile of the Bawku West District indicates that it is on track and ready to meet the aspiration of the people.
Tuesday 3 June 2008
SLOW IMPLEMENTATION OF NHIS WORRIES TALENSI-NABDAM RESIDENTS (PAGE 21)
PARTICIPANTS at the People's Assembly forum held at Tongo, the district capital for the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly in the Upper East Region, have expressed concern about the long delay in the establishment of a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in the district.
They explained that due to the non-operation of the scheme in the area, people in the district, which was carved out of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly nearly four years ago had to go through difficulties to access health care delivery.
They, therefore, appealed to the authorities to fast track the implementation of the scheme in the area.
The NHIS is currently not operational in the Talensi-Nabdam and Garu-Tempane districts of the Upper East Region.
For that reason, citizens from those areas seeking health care have to subscribe to the scheme in the Bolgatanga or the Bawku municipalities.
Responding to the concerns, the Talensi-Nabdam District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Anaba Nabila, said all was set for the operation of the scheme in the district.
According to him, the assembly had already submitted the necessary requirements for the scheme to be taken to the National Health Insurance Authority, adding “we are patiently waiting for the response and the logistics from the authority to kick-start the scheme in the district”.
Giving an overview of the assembly’s performance over the past year, Mr Nabila said the district had witnessed positive change in terms of development.
He said a total of 262.2 kilometres of roads had either been re-gravelled, graded or upgraded in the district within the last year
The development of the roads, Mr Nabila stated, had provided farmers easy access to their farms and to marketing centres.
On education, Mr Nabila said last year, the assembly spent a total of GH¢55,731.02 to sponsor 233 students in Teacher Training Colleges, Nurses’ Training Colleges, as well as in second cycle and tertiary educational institutions.
He said some of the sponsored students were persons with disabilities.
According to him, three communities, Pelungu, Duusi and Sakoti were currently being connected to the national electricity grid under the Self-Help Electrification Project.
He added that another batch of five communities, namely Nangodi, Sheaga-Tindongo, Winkongo/Awaredonne, Tongo and Zanlerigu would soon be hooked on to the national grid.
Mr Nabila said, of the 287 people employed under the National Youth Employment Programme, 130 were with the community teaching assistant module, 71 as auxiliary health nurses, 36 in the sanitation module, 20 in agriculture and 30 were engaged in the community policing unit.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, seized the opportunity to explain government policies and programmes carried out in the region over the past seven years, and urged the people to renew the mandate of the government in order to continue its good work.
The Deputy Minister of Women’s and Children Affairs, Mr Daniel Dugan, highlighted a number of negative cultural practices that hampered the growth and development of women and children.
He cited female genital mutilation (FGM), rape, widowhood rites, wife bashing and child labour as some of the practices that must not be encouraged.
They explained that due to the non-operation of the scheme in the area, people in the district, which was carved out of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly nearly four years ago had to go through difficulties to access health care delivery.
They, therefore, appealed to the authorities to fast track the implementation of the scheme in the area.
The NHIS is currently not operational in the Talensi-Nabdam and Garu-Tempane districts of the Upper East Region.
For that reason, citizens from those areas seeking health care have to subscribe to the scheme in the Bolgatanga or the Bawku municipalities.
Responding to the concerns, the Talensi-Nabdam District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Anaba Nabila, said all was set for the operation of the scheme in the district.
According to him, the assembly had already submitted the necessary requirements for the scheme to be taken to the National Health Insurance Authority, adding “we are patiently waiting for the response and the logistics from the authority to kick-start the scheme in the district”.
Giving an overview of the assembly’s performance over the past year, Mr Nabila said the district had witnessed positive change in terms of development.
He said a total of 262.2 kilometres of roads had either been re-gravelled, graded or upgraded in the district within the last year
The development of the roads, Mr Nabila stated, had provided farmers easy access to their farms and to marketing centres.
On education, Mr Nabila said last year, the assembly spent a total of GH¢55,731.02 to sponsor 233 students in Teacher Training Colleges, Nurses’ Training Colleges, as well as in second cycle and tertiary educational institutions.
He said some of the sponsored students were persons with disabilities.
According to him, three communities, Pelungu, Duusi and Sakoti were currently being connected to the national electricity grid under the Self-Help Electrification Project.
He added that another batch of five communities, namely Nangodi, Sheaga-Tindongo, Winkongo/Awaredonne, Tongo and Zanlerigu would soon be hooked on to the national grid.
Mr Nabila said, of the 287 people employed under the National Youth Employment Programme, 130 were with the community teaching assistant module, 71 as auxiliary health nurses, 36 in the sanitation module, 20 in agriculture and 30 were engaged in the community policing unit.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, seized the opportunity to explain government policies and programmes carried out in the region over the past seven years, and urged the people to renew the mandate of the government in order to continue its good work.
The Deputy Minister of Women’s and Children Affairs, Mr Daniel Dugan, highlighted a number of negative cultural practices that hampered the growth and development of women and children.
He cited female genital mutilation (FGM), rape, widowhood rites, wife bashing and child labour as some of the practices that must not be encouraged.
HOUSEWIFE ARRESTED FOR IMPERSONATION (BACK PAGE)
Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bawku
A 42-YEAR-OLD housewife who allegedly presented herself as the wife of her husband’s elder brother and tried to collect social security claims on behalf of two minors has been arrested by the police in Bawku.
Madam Adisa Sumaila had gone to the Bawku Office of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to claim GH¢735.32 as death and survivor’s benefit on behalf of the children of one Amalbo Dasmani, now deceased, who had contributed to the scheme.
According to the Bawku branch manager of SSNIT, Mr Abudu Abdulai, Madam Adisa Sumaila went to the SSNIT office and introduced herself as Barikisu Dasmani, the wife of the deceased, formerly of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, and requested for death and survivor’s benefit on behalf of their children, a set of twins.
Mr Abdulai said after processing all relevant documents he asked Madam Sumaila to produce the photographs of the children as a proof of the identity of the children, but she could not do so and promised to bring them the following day.
The branch manager said after waiting for two weeks without the woman showing up, he decided to follow up to the village, Zawse, a suburb of Bawku, to find out what the problem was.
He said that upon reaching Zawse, he asked of Madam Barikisu and was shown a house.
“After several probing, I chanced upon the real mother of the children who produced the National Health Insurance cards of the children. Sadly, however, she knew nothing about the existence of such benefits,” Mr Abdulai stated.
Mr Abdulai said he finally located the house of Madam Sumaila, which was a few metres away, and invited her to come for the money even if she had not got the pictures.
He said in the SSNIT office, the two women met and when Madam Sumaila was asked whether she knew Barikisu, she responded in the negative.
Sensing a case of impersonation, the manager said he reported the case to the police to conduct further investigations and while at the police station, Madam Sumaila confessed impersonating.
Meanwhile the benefits have since been paid to the real mother of the children.
A 42-YEAR-OLD housewife who allegedly presented herself as the wife of her husband’s elder brother and tried to collect social security claims on behalf of two minors has been arrested by the police in Bawku.
Madam Adisa Sumaila had gone to the Bawku Office of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to claim GH¢735.32 as death and survivor’s benefit on behalf of the children of one Amalbo Dasmani, now deceased, who had contributed to the scheme.
According to the Bawku branch manager of SSNIT, Mr Abudu Abdulai, Madam Adisa Sumaila went to the SSNIT office and introduced herself as Barikisu Dasmani, the wife of the deceased, formerly of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, and requested for death and survivor’s benefit on behalf of their children, a set of twins.
Mr Abdulai said after processing all relevant documents he asked Madam Sumaila to produce the photographs of the children as a proof of the identity of the children, but she could not do so and promised to bring them the following day.
The branch manager said after waiting for two weeks without the woman showing up, he decided to follow up to the village, Zawse, a suburb of Bawku, to find out what the problem was.
He said that upon reaching Zawse, he asked of Madam Barikisu and was shown a house.
“After several probing, I chanced upon the real mother of the children who produced the National Health Insurance cards of the children. Sadly, however, she knew nothing about the existence of such benefits,” Mr Abdulai stated.
Mr Abdulai said he finally located the house of Madam Sumaila, which was a few metres away, and invited her to come for the money even if she had not got the pictures.
He said in the SSNIT office, the two women met and when Madam Sumaila was asked whether she knew Barikisu, she responded in the negative.
Sensing a case of impersonation, the manager said he reported the case to the police to conduct further investigations and while at the police station, Madam Sumaila confessed impersonating.
Meanwhile the benefits have since been paid to the real mother of the children.
Sunday 1 June 2008
UPPER EAST 2ND CYCLE SCHOOLS TO RE-OPEN (PAGE 3)
SECOND cycle schools in the Upper East Region which remain closed as a result of the delay in the release of feeding grants for the 2007/2008 academic year will reopen on Monday, June 2, 2008.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, (CHASS), Mr Patrick Tangonyire, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Navrongo, said the reopening of the schools followed the receipt of the cheques for the grants.
Mr Tangonyire, who is also the Headmaster of Navrongo Senior High School (SHS), told the Daily Graphic that the cheques were collected in Accra on Thursday, May 29, 2008 by his accountant and paid into the schools’ accounts immediately.
Subsequent to that, Mr Tangonyire, who will not speak further on the issue, said notices had been dispatched to all heads of SHSs throughout the region to reopen on Monday, June 2, 2008.
The failure of the National Scholarship Secretariat to release feeding grants of students in the second cycle schools in the three northern regions has resulted in the indefinite postponement of the reopening of the third term of SHSs in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
First and second year students who were to report to their respective schools on April 27, 2008 for the third term are still at home waiting for official reopening of their schools.
It will be recalled that the Daily Graphic, in its Thursday, May 29, 2008 edition, reported that the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, had told Parliament last Wednesday that only last week, a cheque for GH¢1.7 million was issued, but wondered why the heads of second cycle schools in those areas had refused to reopen the schools.
Professor Fobih was reacting to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, on the cumulative effect of the disruption of the academic calendar of SHSs in the three northern regions.
According to the story, the government had so far released GH¢4,255,149.92, out of the GH¢7,344,413.92 to be paid as feeding grant for second cycle schools in the three northern regions for the 2007/08 academic year.
It quoted the minister as saying efforts were being made to pay the balance of GH¢3,079.264 to enable the schools to pay their creditors.
Responding to a question as to whether the delay would affect the academic calendar of the schools, Mr Tangonyire explained that the students would stay in school for the entire term and so that the delay would not adversely affect their academic work.
“They are supposed to vacate in July, but when they (students) come, the academic calendar will be adjusted and shifted forward to August to make up for the lost time. Again, I have appealed to my staff to go the extra mile to make up for the lost period,” he said.
The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, (CHASS), Mr Patrick Tangonyire, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Navrongo, said the reopening of the schools followed the receipt of the cheques for the grants.
Mr Tangonyire, who is also the Headmaster of Navrongo Senior High School (SHS), told the Daily Graphic that the cheques were collected in Accra on Thursday, May 29, 2008 by his accountant and paid into the schools’ accounts immediately.
Subsequent to that, Mr Tangonyire, who will not speak further on the issue, said notices had been dispatched to all heads of SHSs throughout the region to reopen on Monday, June 2, 2008.
The failure of the National Scholarship Secretariat to release feeding grants of students in the second cycle schools in the three northern regions has resulted in the indefinite postponement of the reopening of the third term of SHSs in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
First and second year students who were to report to their respective schools on April 27, 2008 for the third term are still at home waiting for official reopening of their schools.
It will be recalled that the Daily Graphic, in its Thursday, May 29, 2008 edition, reported that the Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Professor Dominic Fobih, had told Parliament last Wednesday that only last week, a cheque for GH¢1.7 million was issued, but wondered why the heads of second cycle schools in those areas had refused to reopen the schools.
Professor Fobih was reacting to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, on the cumulative effect of the disruption of the academic calendar of SHSs in the three northern regions.
According to the story, the government had so far released GH¢4,255,149.92, out of the GH¢7,344,413.92 to be paid as feeding grant for second cycle schools in the three northern regions for the 2007/08 academic year.
It quoted the minister as saying efforts were being made to pay the balance of GH¢3,079.264 to enable the schools to pay their creditors.
Responding to a question as to whether the delay would affect the academic calendar of the schools, Mr Tangonyire explained that the students would stay in school for the entire term and so that the delay would not adversely affect their academic work.
“They are supposed to vacate in July, but when they (students) come, the academic calendar will be adjusted and shifted forward to August to make up for the lost time. Again, I have appealed to my staff to go the extra mile to make up for the lost period,” he said.
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