DEPUTY MINISTER ESCAPES DEATH (SPREAD, APRIL 24, 2010)

The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and a team of journalists last Thursday survived an accident when her official vehicle veered off the road and somersaulted three times at Binduri, near Bawku.
The deputy minister, in the company of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officials and the press, was on her way to Garu Tempane to inspect buildings damaged by a rainstorm.
A reporter of the Daily Graphic, Mr Alhandu Abdul-Hamid, one of the four journalists on the accident vehicle, a Toyota Landcruiser GXR V8, with registration number UE 3 -10, who survived the accident, said the deputy minister’s driver, who tried overtaking the NADMO vehicle which was leading the convoy, veered off the road and the vehicle somersaulted three times.
He said the Upper East Regional Correspondent of Metro Television, Mr Abdulai Issaka, had to break the windscreen of the vehicle with his hands for those in the car to escape. In the process, Mr Issaka sustained some cuts.
Mr Issaka later indicated that but for the airbags in the vehicle, the occupants would have been exposed to great danger.
The Regional Correspondent of the Ghanaian Times, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, also sustained minor injuries.
The timely intervention by inhabitants of Binduri and the NADMO officials saved the deputy minister, whose legs were trapped under the seats of the vehicle.
Mrs Awuni, who was rushed to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, is on admission but in stable condition, while the press men, as well as the driver and the security escort, have been treated and discharged.

RAINSTORM DESTROYS HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC POLES (SPREAD, APRIL 24, 2010)

A severe rainstorm has destroyed more than 23 high tension electric poles in the Builsa District in the Upper East Region.
The rainstorm, which also ripped off portions of the roof of the eight-classroom block of the Sandema Senior High School completed just two years ago, has led to the cutting of electric power to most towns in the southern part of the district, including Wiaga and Fumbisi.
Also destroyed were public schools, including the Chiock Primary School, the Woblisa Day Care block and the Fumbisi Senior High and Agriculture School, which had their roofs ripped off.
At the Fumbisi Senior High and Agriculture School, the entire roof of the Science Laboratory was blown off, exposing students, laboratory equipment and chemicals to the vagaries of the weather.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Builsa, Mr Norbert Awulley, and the District Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Solomon Akogti, have toured the affected areas.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Awulley said the havoc caused by the storm had disrupted electricity supply to parts of the district, adding that some individual households had also lost a number of property.
He said the assembly had contacted the Upper East Regional Office of the Northern Electricity Department of the Volta River Authority to help restore power supply.
He appealed to the VRA to act with dispatch, saying the lack of electricity was affecting the economic life of the people since most to them relied on electric power to operate their small businesses.
Mr Akogti said many houses had collapsed and those affected were living with relatives and friends.
He said his outfit was in the process of collating data on affected persons for onward submission to the regional office of NADMO for assistance to some of the victims.

. EAST NURSES CONDEMN MRDER OF COLLEAGUE (PAGE 31, APRIL 20, 2010)

THE Upper East Region branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) has condemned the recent attack and killing of a nurse in Bawku.
They have, therefore, appealed to the people in the conflict area to embrace peace rather than resorting to violence.
On Thursday, April 1, 2010, a Deputy Nurse Anaesthetist at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Mr Samuel Ayamba Akolgo, was pulled out of a vehicle and lynched.
The Regional Secretary of the GRNA, Mr Samuel Akolgo, told the Daily Graphic during the annual week celebration of the GRNA at Bolgatanga that the association would not hesitate to withdraw their services if the security situation did not improve.
He said most of their colleagues, especially those working in the conflict area, were now living in a state of fear while others had lost their property due to the protracted nature of the conflict.
Mr Akolgo, therefore, challenged the the government and the security agencies to improve security situation in the area.
The week was celebrated on the theme: "Moving nursing into professional excellence.”
As part of the celebration, members of the association organised a health walk through the principal streets of Bolgatanga to draw public attention to the importance of physical exercise.
The association also mobilised a team of medical assistants, dental, ear, nose and throat professionals to screen members of the public.
The regional GRNA secretary said although the GRNA appreciated the government's efforts to improve conditions of service of health workers, there were still issues that needed urgent attention.
He called for negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement submitted in 2008 to address the grievances to motivate them to perform better in health delivery.
Mr Akolgo said the association was watching keenly the issue of duty allowance and expressed the hope that their employer would not make the mistake of the past by listening to one section of the health workers.
He urged nurses to be devoted to their duty and demonstrate their respect for human life and dignity since the attitude of some nurses had been in question in recent times.
Mr Akolgo also charged nurses to respect the Ghana Health Service Code of Ethics for the nursing profession.

CURFEW BREAKER JAILED 3 YEARS (PAGE 3, APRIL 17, 2010)

THE Bolgatanga Circuit Court has sentenced a resident of Bawku, Ayimbilla Bashiru, to a three-year jail term with hard labour for breaking curfew hours in the municipality.
Bashiru pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced on his own plea by the court presided over by Mr William Boampong.
According to the prosecution, Bashiru was arrested on April 11, 2010 at 11:20 p.m. loitering in the Bawku municipality and was picked up by the police, who were on patrol.
Curfew from 4p.m. to 6a.m. has been imposed by the government on Bawku and its environs in view of the protracted violence in the municipality.
Counsel for Bashiru, Mr Joseph Kpemka, said the prosecution, in its rush to obtain conviction, committed an error by applying laws which had been repealed and vowed to file an appeal at the Bolgatanga High Court to have the sentence quashed.

ONE PERSON ARRESTED OVER DANLADI'S MURDER (PAGE 3, APRIL 17, 2010)

THE police in Bawku have arrested one person in connection with the shooting of a 53-year-old man at Mishiga near Bawku on Thursday night.
The deceased, Abdulai Awudu Danladi, was allegedly shot at about 8p.m. while having dinner with his wife, who also sustained gunshot wounds.
Danladi is said to be the New Patriotic Party (NPP) polling station chairman at Mishiga.
The Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Kwaku Buadu Peprah, could, however, not readily disclose the name of the suspect arrested because he was not in the office and was not up to date with investigations conducted as of the time the Daily Graphic spoke to him on phone.
Danladi’s wife is responding to treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital.
Chief Supt. Peprah said the police would get to the bottom of the matter and apprehend the culprits who were behind the shooting.
Questions are being raised about how the assailants could carry out their deadly mission amid tight security in place at Bawku and its environs particularly when a 4:00p.m.-6:00a.m. curfew had been imposed.

CULTIVATE HEALTHY LIVING HABITS (PAGE 21, APRIL 14, 2010)

THE Manager of the Binaba Area Community Health Project, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mr Simon Amoah, has stressed the need for people to strive in cultivating healthy living habits.
He mentioned the regular cleaning of surroundings and avoiding open defecation as some of the practices that could guarantee quality living.
Mr Amoah also urged people without any of toilet facilities to dig and bury their faecal matter as a way of safely disposing of human excreta.
Mr Amoah gave the advice at a ceremony at Binaba to mark the world’s longest queue, which coincided with the World Water Day celebrated annually.
The event was aimed at re-echoing the importance of improved sanitary facilities for national development.
A total of 104 women joined a queue to symbolise the need for toilet facilities in the community.
According to Mr Amoah, the national coverage with regard to the provision of improved toilets facilities was nothing to write home about, showing a meagre 11 per cent national coverage with the Bawku District having a 2.2 per cent coverage.
He said that was very disheartening, especially when one reflected on the high prevalence of sanitation-related illness and their disastrous effects on the population.
Mr Amoah said reports indicated that diarrhoeal diseases and intestinal worms, which are sanitation-related illnesses, were among the 10 common diseases frequently seen at the outpatients department throughout the district.

MAJOR BANKS, FIRMS CLOSE DOWN IN BAWKU (PAGE 3, APRIL 13, 2010)

A number of banks and business entities operating in the Bawku municipality have relocated due to the unstable situation of the one-time brisk commercial town.
A survey of the municipality yesterday revealed that three major banks — the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and Barclays Bank — have relocated to other parts of the Upper East Region.
The staff of the GCB have been relocated to Bolgatanga, while those of Barclays Bank have been sent to Tamale.
Customers in need of banking services will now have to travel to Bolgatanga to access them.
The Area Manager of the GCB in charge of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, when contacted on telephone for explanation, directed the reporter to the Public Affairs Manager of the bank in Accra for the reasons behind the temporary closure but he did not rule out the general insecurity in the municipality.
Bawku, one of the brisk commercial towns in northern Ghana, has suffered a major economic setback in recent times due to the general instability in the municipality.
The protracted internecine conflict in the municipality has had a negative impact on socio-economic activities. Many people have fled and development projects in the area have stalled.
In an interview, the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Musah Abdulai, said about 70 per cent of the assembly’s revenue had been channelled into conflict prevention, to the detriment of development projects in the area.
The Upper East Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Mr Mark Woyongo, after a REGSEC meeting in Bawku last Wednesday, hinted that as a result of the conflict in the border town, the nation was losing so much in revenue collection at the Customs, Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS) operation points since most traders who plied the route to the Sahelian countries were now using other alternative routes.
The Sector Commander of CEPS, Mr N.A.K. Kitiki, when contacted, declined to comment, with the excuse that he needed clearance from the Commissioner of CEPS in Accra or the Public Relations Office of the service before passing any comment.
Last week, National Security imposed a temporary ban on motor riding in Bawku with the aim of reducing the spate of lawlessness and murder in the area.
The ban, according to the authorities, was to curb the activities of gunmen who go about killing innocent people and fleeing from the crime scene with the aid of the motorbikes.
Sections of the public in Bawku, especially government workers, health workers and teachers, have appealed to the government for special permits to enable them to use their motorbikes, which are the major means of transportation in the municipality.

COFTWOM LAUDS PRESIDENT MILLS (PAGE 16, APRIL 12, 2010)

THE Coalition for the Welfare of the Masses (COFTWOM) has commended President J.E.A. Mills for instituting investigations into the allegations against the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo.
It also expressed confidence in the National Security, hoping that by the end of the investigations the President would have a clear picture of the issues the coalition had earlier raised against Mr Woyongo for allegedly awarding a contract to his nephew without applying the Procurement Law.
COFTWOM expressed these sentiments in a press statement signed by a leading member of the coalition and Deputy Co-ordinator of the NDC Communication Team in the Upper East, Felix Dordaa.
It also commended Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Upper East Region for their mediation role in the matter which ensured that it did not lead to demonstrations and chaos.
“We agree that the mode of agitation by NDC youth across the country is not the best in recent times and wish to state emphatically that the coalition has been pretty civil in its dealings. It is important to state that nobody should try, or as it were, discount or dismiss complaints made by people. The agitation that is coming from all over the country is the product of the lack of attention and refusal on the part of people to listen to complaints and act appropriately,” it said.
It called on the party hierarchy and the President to meet such youth groups and all stakeholders to listen to them and resolve their complaints.
The coalition said it was not against the award of contracts to people who were not NDC members or relations of the minister, neither was it demanding that contracts be given to only NDC members, but it was against the mode of the awards and the victimisation of some of its members who had openly demanded why the regional minister had given big contracts to his nephew and cronies alone, while the majority of contractors were denied contracts.
In the view of COFTWOM, the regional minister should have suggested to the committee to break down the contract into bits to enable other contractors in the region to be awarded part of the work.

NEW EXECUTIVE FOR U/EAST CONTRACTORS SWORN IN (PAGE 40, APRIL 12, 2010)

THE re-elected chairman of the Upper East Regional branch of the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC), Mr Edward Ghanem, has advised members of the association to strive to improve open their performance.
Mr Ghanem gave the advice at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected executives of the association at Bolgatanga.
The other executive members of the association are Mr Hakem Duada, vice chairman; Mr Aiden Anewenah, treasurer and Mr B.K. Acheampong, the Regional Technical Officer.
They were sworn in by the Supervising High Court Judge for Bolgatanga, Mr G.A. Kwesi-Kumah.
At the ceremony, Mr Ghanem noted with concern the late payment of contractors and asked the new executives to work hard to address the problem.
Mr Ghanem assured the members of an open administration to move the association forward.
“Since the association is made up of like-minded members, our strength lies in our unity of purpose,” he stated.
Mr Ghanem urged members to patronise and engage in the affairs of ASROC in order for it to achieve its objective.

GARE-GBANE APPEALS FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOOL BLOCK (PAGE 40, APRIL 12, 2010)

THE residents of Gare-Gbane in the Talensi-Nabdam District in the Upper East Region have appealed to the government to provide them with an additional school block since the current facility cannot contain the large number of pupils.
They said the only primary school in the community had a total enrolment of 836 pupils, comprising 463 males and 373 females.
Established in 1998 by individual philanthropists, the six-unit classroom block has not seen any expansion and with the current population growth, each classroom contains not less than 100 children.
The people made the appeal when the Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, distributed exercise books and school uniforms to them in fulfilment of the government’s promise to invest in people and education.
Presenting the items, Mrs Awuni said the government was committed to investing in the youth because they were the future leaders of the country.
She commended the parents and the chief of the area, Naab Pobaataba Nabil, for ensuring that every child above the age of six was enrolled in school.
The deputy regional minister, however, entreated parents not to shirk their responsibility but rather provide for the needs of their children.
The Talensi-Nabdam District Chief Executive, Mrs Vivian Anafo, said the district had so far received a total of 26,869 exercise books out of the 122,350 allocated to the district, while 1,685 school uniforms had also been received.
She, however, bemoaned the lack of school buildings in the district as a result of which most of the pupils attended classes under trees while the few classroom blocks in the district were overcrowded, leading to congestion, with some pupils lying on the bare floor for lessons.
The District Director of Education, Mr Francis Ayaaba, said there were many schools in the district, which did not have adequate classrooms, and therefore, called on the government to provide more facilities to accommodate the increasing number of pupils.
The Headmaster of Gare-Gbane Primary School, Mr Johnson Konlan, said the overcrowding situation was affecting quality education delivery.

WOYONGO MUST STEP ASIDE FOR INVESTIGATION — NPP (PAGE 14, APRIL 10, 2010)

The Communication Team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region, has called for the immediate investigations into alleged claims by the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, that one Clement Akapami, a contractor, contributed GH¢50,000 to the NDC's campaign in 2008.
According to the group, the allegation, if proven to be true, contravenes the Political Party Law, section 20, which forbids individuals from contributing such huge sums of money towards a political party's campaign.
A press statement issued by the group and signed by its spokespersons, Messrs Randy Aganah and Bediako Ahmed, also called for the prosecution of the said contractor if he was found not to have paid his taxes appropriately.
The group also called on President John Evans Atta Mills to ask the regional minister to stay out of office to allow for the setting up of a committee to investigate the minister over the awards of contracts by the Regional Co-ordinating Council.
According to the spokespersons of the group, the regional minister had been brazenly violating procurement laws in the region.
"If the regional minister saw it necessary to ask those two civil servants of the Regional Co-ordinating Council, to step aside to allow for investigation, for allegedly leaking information on the award of contract letters, then he should do the same, for the sake of fairness."
“In any case the minister’s continuous stay in office may compromise the investigations and bring about a Muntaka scenario,” the statement said.

TENSION IN BAWKU ...REGSEC calls for help from A-G's office (LEAD STORY, APRIL 8, 2010)

Story: Benjamin Glover, Bawku

Tension and confusion engulfed the Bawku municipality yesterday following sporadic shooting in the area a week after the alleged killing of innocent people in the internecine ethnic and chieftaincy conflict.
The shooting, which started about 11 a.m., lasted about 30 minutes and raised serious security concerns in the already tensed area.
As guns boomed from the Guinea Fowl Market near the Bawku Community Centre, market women, schoolchildren, government officials and other residents ran for cover.
So far, no arrests have been made and as of the time of filing this report, calm had returned to the municipality.
The shooting incident occurred at a time when a joint Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and Bawku Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) meeting was being held.
In the spate of about a week, three people have allegedly been shot dead, while others have been injured.
On Monday, March 29, 2010, one person was allegedly shot dead and two others were injured in Bawku. The shooting occurred around the Barclays Bank in Bawku about 8 p.m.
The deceased, identified as Sule Adinya, 41, a tea seller, was rushed to the Bawku Hospital but died shortly after, while one of the injured, identified as Nichima Adam, 30, a loading boy, is responding to treatment.
The third victim, Mohammed Abubakari, 30, who had a bullet fracture in the head, was discharged
The security agencies rounded up 13 people for screening. The Bawku Municipal Police Commander, DSP Godwin Cashman Blewushie, who confirmed the incident, said all the 13 people arrested in connection with the shooting incident were screened last Tuesday by the police.
On Thursday, Thursday April 1, 2010, a senior anaesthetist of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Mr Samuel Akolgo Ayamba, and Akurigu Awini, 60, were pulled out of a vehicle and lynched at the Sankansi Lorry Station, near Natinga in Bawku.
Mahmudu Ziblila, 29, together with his girlfriend, Atika Dramani Osman, 19, was also shot at by two unidentified assailants riding a motorbike. The two sustained various degrees of injury.
On Tuesday, April 6, 2010, Mumuni Haruna, a 40-year-old commercial motor operator in the municipality, was allegedly lynched and set ablaze by a group of unidentified youth at Gingande, near the Bawku District Magistrate Court.
According to the police, a deep cut on Haruna’s head and neck indicated that he had allegedly been hit with a sharp object before being set ablaze.
At the end of the three-hour long meeting today, both the REGSEC and the MUSEC called for the beefing up of military personnel in Bawku from the current 150 to 300.
Briefing journalists, the Chairman of the REGSEC, Mr Mark Woyongo, said 105 security personnel would arrive in Bawku at the weekend to support peacekeeping efforts in the area.
He also called for support for the police in terms of logistics such as vehicles, bullet-proof vests and communication gadgets for efficient communication in order to curb the impunity in Bawku.
Mr Woyongo said in order to curb the impunity in Bawku, the Attorney-General’s office in Accra should strengthen its regional office in Upper East with more staff to prosecute cases speedily.
Again, he said Action units of the Ghana Police Service should be deployed in the Bawku municipality, while security personnel should be motivated financially to ensure effectiveness.
The regional minister called on National Security to provide military helicopters for occasional aerial patrols, especially on market days which had proved to be days on which skirmishes occurred.
The REGSEC and the MUSEC noted with concern some media reportage which inflamed passions and called on the media to be circumspect in their reportage.
They asked the media to help them in their efforts to restore lasting peace to the municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Musah Abdulai, said about 70 per cent of the assembly’s revenue was channelled into conflict prevention, to the detriment of development projects in the area.
He, therefore, appealed to the youth to put an end to the incessant conflict in the area for the development of Bawku.