THE Bawku West District Assembly has handed over three development projects it has undertaken over the past six months for the Atarikom, Kusanaba and Agatusi communities.
The projects, which cost a total of GH¢227,119.50, include a six-unit classroom block with an office and a store, as well as toilet facilities, for the Atarikom-Gbere community.
Others are a two-unit workshop for the Kusanaba Vocational Centre and a three-bedroom facility, as well as a Community Health Provision Services Compound for the Agatusi community.
The projects were financed with funds from the District-Wide Assistance Programme (DWAP) of the Canadian International Development Assistance and the assembly’s share of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund.
Handing over the projects at separate functions, the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Anaba Adam Moro, said the construction of the projects illustrated the government’s commitment to the improvement of access to basic education and health care in the district.
At Atarikom, the construction of the classroom block has brought great relief to the people, who said the children had been learning under sheds and trees since 2004 when the school was established.
Mr Moro said the provision of toilets and urinals was particularly significant in the assembly’s efforts to inculcate into children good sanitary habits that would eventually benefit the whole community.
He entreated the teachers and parents to encourage the pupils to use the sanitary facility and take good care of them.
Mr Moro also called for proper maintenance of the facility to increase its lifespan.
At Kusanaba, the DCE said the assembly decided to provide the workshop to facilitate practical work for carpentry and joinery, as well as building and construction programme of the school, because the assembly was of the belief that the facility was fundamental to reducing poverty among the youth in the district.
He expressed the hope that graduates of the vocational school would also be in the position to informally train others on the job, thereby spreading the benefits of the skills they acquired to others.
Mr Moro assured the school that the assembly had taken note of its dilapidated classroom structures, adding that every effort would be made to renovate them.
The District Director of Education, Mr Paul Apanga, commended the assembly for providing the structures, which, he said, would translate into improved academic performance.
The Headmaster of Atarikom Primary School, Mr Michael Atubiga, said the lack of teaching staff, furniture and accommodation for teachers was among some of the the challenges facing the school.
He, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service to come to the school’s aid by posting trained teachers to the institution.
The Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Moses Aduk-Pam, said the provision of the educational and health infrastructures formed part of an overall strategy to develop the entire district to alleviate the plight of the people.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
MIDIVES EQUIPPED WITH LIFE-SAVING SKILLS (PAGE 11, FEB 16, 2010)
The Upper East Regional Health Directorate is equipping midwives in the region with life-saving skills as part of efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.
According to the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, available figures indicated that the region had witnessed a slow but steady increase in supervised delivery from 44 per cent in 2007, 49 per cent in 2008 and 52.3 per cent in 2009, adding that maternal mortality increased from 27 in 2008 to 33 in 2009.
He said although 31 of the deaths were audited, it was not enough to only audit the deaths but rather make sure they did not occur, stressing, “It is totally unacceptable for a woman to lose her life while giving birth,” adding that maternal mortality was an important measure of the effectiveness of the health delivery system.
The regional director announced this at the 2010 annual regional health sector performance meeting at Bolgatanga.
The theme for this year’s meeting was “Upper East Region at 50 years: Achieving Better Health and Wealth Creation” and it provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to take stock of the performance of the health sector and identify the challenges hampering effective and efficient delivery of health services.
Dr Awoonor-Williams spoke about challenges facing the health sector in the region, and particularly mentioned inadequate human resource and infrastructural facilities.
He said the current doctor–patient ratio in the region was 1:34,000, adding that each of the current five district hospitals was still manned by a single Ghanaian doctor.
He was, however, grateful to the Cuban Medical Brigade for working closely with their Ghanaian colleagues to provide valuable services.
He said most people refused to accept posting to the region, while some staff applied to leave the region to other regions on a daily basis, with over 90 per cent of those requesting to leave being natives of the region who had the opportunity to be trained in schools in the region.
“Unfortunately, these requests are even facilitated by people in high authority who should rather help us retain our meagre staff,” he said.
According to him, over the past three years, out of the 19 doctors posted to the region, only one reported and out of the 57 newly qualified medical doctors, none chose posting to the Upper East Region.
Dr Awoonor-Williams said the directorate was still waiting for another batch of seven doctors and one specialist who were posted to the region two months ago.
He said as a first step in reversing the trend, the directorate, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), would conduct a needs assessment in the region during the second quarter of this year to help identify the gaps and find solutions to the problem.
He said in line with efforts to improve timely diagnosis and treatment, 34 health aides in the region were recently trained in basic laboratory diagnosis and posted to various health facilities in the region, with plans in place to train more health aides this year and provide the necessary logistics and equipment to enhance better diagnosis leading to better treatment.
Dr Awoonor-Williams announced that malaria continued to account for the highest number of out-patients department attendance and admissions and remained the main cause of death mostly in children under five years.
He mentioned that the abandoned polyclinic for the Bolgatanga Municipality would be reactivated and completed for operation to augment the regional hospital.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the health workers for their hard work in spite of the many challenges confronting them and assured them of the government’s continuous support.
He disclosed that as part of measures to address the inadequate human resource challenges, all municipal and district assemblies had been directed to shortlist and comprehensively sponsor at least five medical students, as well as other health personnel, yearly as a way of ensuring the availability of staff for an efficient and reliable health service delivery in the region.
According to the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, available figures indicated that the region had witnessed a slow but steady increase in supervised delivery from 44 per cent in 2007, 49 per cent in 2008 and 52.3 per cent in 2009, adding that maternal mortality increased from 27 in 2008 to 33 in 2009.
He said although 31 of the deaths were audited, it was not enough to only audit the deaths but rather make sure they did not occur, stressing, “It is totally unacceptable for a woman to lose her life while giving birth,” adding that maternal mortality was an important measure of the effectiveness of the health delivery system.
The regional director announced this at the 2010 annual regional health sector performance meeting at Bolgatanga.
The theme for this year’s meeting was “Upper East Region at 50 years: Achieving Better Health and Wealth Creation” and it provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to take stock of the performance of the health sector and identify the challenges hampering effective and efficient delivery of health services.
Dr Awoonor-Williams spoke about challenges facing the health sector in the region, and particularly mentioned inadequate human resource and infrastructural facilities.
He said the current doctor–patient ratio in the region was 1:34,000, adding that each of the current five district hospitals was still manned by a single Ghanaian doctor.
He was, however, grateful to the Cuban Medical Brigade for working closely with their Ghanaian colleagues to provide valuable services.
He said most people refused to accept posting to the region, while some staff applied to leave the region to other regions on a daily basis, with over 90 per cent of those requesting to leave being natives of the region who had the opportunity to be trained in schools in the region.
“Unfortunately, these requests are even facilitated by people in high authority who should rather help us retain our meagre staff,” he said.
According to him, over the past three years, out of the 19 doctors posted to the region, only one reported and out of the 57 newly qualified medical doctors, none chose posting to the Upper East Region.
Dr Awoonor-Williams said the directorate was still waiting for another batch of seven doctors and one specialist who were posted to the region two months ago.
He said as a first step in reversing the trend, the directorate, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), would conduct a needs assessment in the region during the second quarter of this year to help identify the gaps and find solutions to the problem.
He said in line with efforts to improve timely diagnosis and treatment, 34 health aides in the region were recently trained in basic laboratory diagnosis and posted to various health facilities in the region, with plans in place to train more health aides this year and provide the necessary logistics and equipment to enhance better diagnosis leading to better treatment.
Dr Awoonor-Williams announced that malaria continued to account for the highest number of out-patients department attendance and admissions and remained the main cause of death mostly in children under five years.
He mentioned that the abandoned polyclinic for the Bolgatanga Municipality would be reactivated and completed for operation to augment the regional hospital.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the health workers for their hard work in spite of the many challenges confronting them and assured them of the government’s continuous support.
He disclosed that as part of measures to address the inadequate human resource challenges, all municipal and district assemblies had been directed to shortlist and comprehensively sponsor at least five medical students, as well as other health personnel, yearly as a way of ensuring the availability of staff for an efficient and reliable health service delivery in the region.
EDUCATION BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT SOON (PAGE 17, FEB 15, 2010)
THE Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has said that the Colleges of Education Bill will be presented to Parliament soon.
The bill, when passed, is expected to give colleges of education the necessary legal framework to enable them to operate as full tertiary institutions.
At the first congregation of the St. John Bosco’s College of Education at Navrongo in the Upper East Region, the Vice-President said the government was leaving no stone unturned to restructure and revamp the educational sector in order to meet the manpower requirements of the nation.
He said the main focus of the government was to implement the education strategic plan, which, among the other things, sought to address the challenges in the management structure and content of education.
According to him, a lot of interventions had been put in the 2010 Budget Statement to address most of these challenges.
He said, for example, that the government was seriously pursuing the full conversion of the 38 Colleges of Education into tertiary institutions.
Vice-President Mahama said, as a first step, interim councils would be appointed to oversee the transition of these colleges into tertiary institutions, adding that the GETFund would also step up support for these tertiary institutions to complete their projects and start new ones to ensure that they were fully ready in terms of infrastructure to assume the responsibility that would be placed on them.
In 2004, teacher training colleges in Ghana were given the mandate to run the Diploma in Basic Education Programme. This was followed by the institutional accreditation of 38 public and one private teacher training colleges in August 2007.
The colleges were thus designated Colleges of Education and regarded as tertiary institutions. Since then, the colleges had been waiting for a bill to be passed in Parliament to give them the necessary legal framework to operate as full tertiary institutions.
The Vice-President said teachers in rural areas who were pursuing distance education programmes would benefit from GH¢100 government assistance annually, while Science and Mathematics teachers would also continue to enjoy three incremental credits on their respective ranks.
He indicated that the government was also reviewing the vexed issue of study leave to see how it could be made transparent, fair and equitable.
He also disclosed that the legislation for the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), a policy initiative designed to put more resources into the north and open up opportunity to help close the development gap between the north and the south, was ready and would be presented to the current session of Parliament, in the hope that it would be passed.
He said even before the SADA legislation was passed, the government had received pledges from international organisations and donors in excess of $100 million.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the past and present leadership of the college and all other stakeholders who had worked to bring the college this far.
He disclosed that as part of efforts to address the infrastructural needs of the college, work would soon begin on a three-storey flat for tutors, while the contract for the principals bungalow had been awarded.
The Principal of the College, Mr Alfred Abugre Ndago, called for the resourcing of colleges of education in the north now, to prevent them from collapsing in the future.
He, however, bemoaned the situation where the northern colleges were usually lumped together and treated the same way as their southern counterparts who were more endowed by virtue of their geographical location and years of support.
“Any development agenda for Colleges of Education in the north must be well informed by the educational and poverty gaps between the north and the south,” he said.
He also challenged the government to pay close attention to teacher education, since of late, the northern colleges were registering a dip in academic performance compared to their counterparts in the south.
“It is clear that the three northern regions are the poorest in Ghana with about nine out of 10 people earning less than $ 1 a day. Parents under such poor condition can hardly make any significant contributions to the education process by paying fees promptly and providing teaching and learning materials to their children.”
The principal said despite the successes chalked up by the college, it still faced some serious challenges which included inadequate staff and students accommodation and poor road network, appealing to the government to assist the college in addressing these challenges.
The first batch of students presented for the congregation completed their programmes of study between 2007 and 2009. They consist of 654 full-time graduates and 272 sandwich-serving teachers in the field.
St. John Bosco’s College of Education was founded in 1946 and has to date trained about 10,000 teachers who are now serving in various capacities, both within and outside the borders of Ghana.
The bill, when passed, is expected to give colleges of education the necessary legal framework to enable them to operate as full tertiary institutions.
At the first congregation of the St. John Bosco’s College of Education at Navrongo in the Upper East Region, the Vice-President said the government was leaving no stone unturned to restructure and revamp the educational sector in order to meet the manpower requirements of the nation.
He said the main focus of the government was to implement the education strategic plan, which, among the other things, sought to address the challenges in the management structure and content of education.
According to him, a lot of interventions had been put in the 2010 Budget Statement to address most of these challenges.
He said, for example, that the government was seriously pursuing the full conversion of the 38 Colleges of Education into tertiary institutions.
Vice-President Mahama said, as a first step, interim councils would be appointed to oversee the transition of these colleges into tertiary institutions, adding that the GETFund would also step up support for these tertiary institutions to complete their projects and start new ones to ensure that they were fully ready in terms of infrastructure to assume the responsibility that would be placed on them.
In 2004, teacher training colleges in Ghana were given the mandate to run the Diploma in Basic Education Programme. This was followed by the institutional accreditation of 38 public and one private teacher training colleges in August 2007.
The colleges were thus designated Colleges of Education and regarded as tertiary institutions. Since then, the colleges had been waiting for a bill to be passed in Parliament to give them the necessary legal framework to operate as full tertiary institutions.
The Vice-President said teachers in rural areas who were pursuing distance education programmes would benefit from GH¢100 government assistance annually, while Science and Mathematics teachers would also continue to enjoy three incremental credits on their respective ranks.
He indicated that the government was also reviewing the vexed issue of study leave to see how it could be made transparent, fair and equitable.
He also disclosed that the legislation for the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), a policy initiative designed to put more resources into the north and open up opportunity to help close the development gap between the north and the south, was ready and would be presented to the current session of Parliament, in the hope that it would be passed.
He said even before the SADA legislation was passed, the government had received pledges from international organisations and donors in excess of $100 million.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the past and present leadership of the college and all other stakeholders who had worked to bring the college this far.
He disclosed that as part of efforts to address the infrastructural needs of the college, work would soon begin on a three-storey flat for tutors, while the contract for the principals bungalow had been awarded.
The Principal of the College, Mr Alfred Abugre Ndago, called for the resourcing of colleges of education in the north now, to prevent them from collapsing in the future.
He, however, bemoaned the situation where the northern colleges were usually lumped together and treated the same way as their southern counterparts who were more endowed by virtue of their geographical location and years of support.
“Any development agenda for Colleges of Education in the north must be well informed by the educational and poverty gaps between the north and the south,” he said.
He also challenged the government to pay close attention to teacher education, since of late, the northern colleges were registering a dip in academic performance compared to their counterparts in the south.
“It is clear that the three northern regions are the poorest in Ghana with about nine out of 10 people earning less than $ 1 a day. Parents under such poor condition can hardly make any significant contributions to the education process by paying fees promptly and providing teaching and learning materials to their children.”
The principal said despite the successes chalked up by the college, it still faced some serious challenges which included inadequate staff and students accommodation and poor road network, appealing to the government to assist the college in addressing these challenges.
The first batch of students presented for the congregation completed their programmes of study between 2007 and 2009. They consist of 654 full-time graduates and 272 sandwich-serving teachers in the field.
St. John Bosco’s College of Education was founded in 1946 and has to date trained about 10,000 teachers who are now serving in various capacities, both within and outside the borders of Ghana.
KABRUISE LAID TO REST (PAGE 3, FEB 15, 2010)
THE remains of Professor John B. K. Kabruise, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies, have been laid to rest in Navrongo.
The burial was preceded by a burial mass at the Our Lady of Sorrows Cathedral.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, led a government delegation to the funeral. Other members of the delegation were the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, and municipal and district chief executives from the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
The university community in Ghana and other countries were present at the funeral of the late Professor who was appointed the second Vice Chancellor of the UDS from April 2002 to April, 2007.
Tributes were read by his family, spouses, children, the UDS, the Committee of Vice Chancellors, among others.
Mr Mahama, in a tribute, said the late Professor Kabruise was noted for his intelligence during his school days and working life.
According to him, the deceased excelled in whatever position he found himself in, hence his demise was the loss of a genius to this country and even beyond the borders of the country.
He recounted the performance of the deceased as vice-chancellor of the UDS and said as a visionary and strategic leader, the late Professor first and foremost developed a five-year strategic plan spanning 2003 to 2008.
He said he opened the Faculty of Integrated Studies in Wa, transferred the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies from Tamale to the Navrongo Campus, expanded the student intake in all the campuses, ensured gender equity in all the programmes, among others.
“Though Professor is gone, the legacies he left behind are carved in gold that can never be erased from our memories,” he said.
Vice-President Mahama said the deceased discharged his duties creditably and diligently until his retirement as vice-chancellor, saying even in his retirement he believed he was quite energetic and could contribute meaningfully towards the development of the country.
He said although Professor Kabruise decided to venture into politics in 2008 by contesting the primaries of the NPP for the Navrongo Central seat and was disqualified, he never reneged on his political ambition but continued to avail himself to various political leaders by offering good counsel and sharing his vision with them for the betterment of the country.
“The government and the people of Ghana indeed owe you a great debt of gratitude for your unparallel political contribution towards the development of Mother Ghana,” he said.
Vice-President Mahama, on behalf of the government, later presented GH¢3,000 and assorted drinks to the bereaved family.
In its tribute, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors said as Chairman of the committee, the late Professor Kabruise brought his legal and international experiences to bear on labour negotiations with unions on improved conditions of service.
The committee noted that he, together with Prof. Assenso-Okyere, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, instituted the retreat of vice-chancellors to deliberate on problems confronting university education in the country.
The life of the late Professor Kabruise was that of a rigorous academic career of lectureship and leadership. These included the holding of many positions, such as Visiting Research Fellow in Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA (1977), Fulbright Visiting Professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA (1981).
He was also a Visiting Professor, Institute of Foreign and Comparative Law, UNISA Pretoria, 1987, and Official Visiting Fellow, Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
The burial was preceded by a burial mass at the Our Lady of Sorrows Cathedral.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, led a government delegation to the funeral. Other members of the delegation were the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid, and municipal and district chief executives from the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
The university community in Ghana and other countries were present at the funeral of the late Professor who was appointed the second Vice Chancellor of the UDS from April 2002 to April, 2007.
Tributes were read by his family, spouses, children, the UDS, the Committee of Vice Chancellors, among others.
Mr Mahama, in a tribute, said the late Professor Kabruise was noted for his intelligence during his school days and working life.
According to him, the deceased excelled in whatever position he found himself in, hence his demise was the loss of a genius to this country and even beyond the borders of the country.
He recounted the performance of the deceased as vice-chancellor of the UDS and said as a visionary and strategic leader, the late Professor first and foremost developed a five-year strategic plan spanning 2003 to 2008.
He said he opened the Faculty of Integrated Studies in Wa, transferred the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies from Tamale to the Navrongo Campus, expanded the student intake in all the campuses, ensured gender equity in all the programmes, among others.
“Though Professor is gone, the legacies he left behind are carved in gold that can never be erased from our memories,” he said.
Vice-President Mahama said the deceased discharged his duties creditably and diligently until his retirement as vice-chancellor, saying even in his retirement he believed he was quite energetic and could contribute meaningfully towards the development of the country.
He said although Professor Kabruise decided to venture into politics in 2008 by contesting the primaries of the NPP for the Navrongo Central seat and was disqualified, he never reneged on his political ambition but continued to avail himself to various political leaders by offering good counsel and sharing his vision with them for the betterment of the country.
“The government and the people of Ghana indeed owe you a great debt of gratitude for your unparallel political contribution towards the development of Mother Ghana,” he said.
Vice-President Mahama, on behalf of the government, later presented GH¢3,000 and assorted drinks to the bereaved family.
In its tribute, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors said as Chairman of the committee, the late Professor Kabruise brought his legal and international experiences to bear on labour negotiations with unions on improved conditions of service.
The committee noted that he, together with Prof. Assenso-Okyere, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, instituted the retreat of vice-chancellors to deliberate on problems confronting university education in the country.
The life of the late Professor Kabruise was that of a rigorous academic career of lectureship and leadership. These included the holding of many positions, such as Visiting Research Fellow in Law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA (1977), Fulbright Visiting Professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, USA (1981).
He was also a Visiting Professor, Institute of Foreign and Comparative Law, UNISA Pretoria, 1987, and Official Visiting Fellow, Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
UPPER EAST POPULATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE HOLDS MEETING (PAGE 23, FEB 13, 2010)
THE Deputy Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr James Akpabli, has called on Municipal and District Chief Executives to be more concerned about the rate of population growth of the region rather than overconcentrating on the provision of physical infrastructure.
Dr Akpablie raised the concerns at the first quarterly meeting of the Upper East Regional Population Advisory Committee in Bolgatanga.
He stated that although provision of infrastructure constituted one of the most important factors determining the development of a district, “we need to get the M/DCEs to understand and appreciate the issue of population.
Dr Akpablie implored them not to focus on the provision of infrastructure but must understand the problem that could arise as a result of population explosion.
He stated that available figures indicated that family planning was a big challenge in the region with most men ignorant of their involvement in family planning.
Dr Akpablie said the time had come for district assemblies to work closely with institutions tasked with that responsibility to step up family planning activities in the region.
The Regional Population Officer, Mr Sylvester Alosibah Azam, said during the year under review, his office through the Municipal and the District Population Advisory Committees, had encouraged the various municipal and district assemblies in the region to appreciate the need for integrating population issues into their development plans.
He, however, said one major challenge was the difficulty in getting assemblies to release funds from budget lines created for population advisory committees.
Mr Azam, therefore, urged the assemblies to ensure that funds were released for population activities.
Dr Akpablie raised the concerns at the first quarterly meeting of the Upper East Regional Population Advisory Committee in Bolgatanga.
He stated that although provision of infrastructure constituted one of the most important factors determining the development of a district, “we need to get the M/DCEs to understand and appreciate the issue of population.
Dr Akpablie implored them not to focus on the provision of infrastructure but must understand the problem that could arise as a result of population explosion.
He stated that available figures indicated that family planning was a big challenge in the region with most men ignorant of their involvement in family planning.
Dr Akpablie said the time had come for district assemblies to work closely with institutions tasked with that responsibility to step up family planning activities in the region.
The Regional Population Officer, Mr Sylvester Alosibah Azam, said during the year under review, his office through the Municipal and the District Population Advisory Committees, had encouraged the various municipal and district assemblies in the region to appreciate the need for integrating population issues into their development plans.
He, however, said one major challenge was the difficulty in getting assemblies to release funds from budget lines created for population advisory committees.
Mr Azam, therefore, urged the assemblies to ensure that funds were released for population activities.
Friday, 26 February 2010
BAZUA MILITARY CAMP INAUGURATED (PAGE 47, FEB 4, 2010)
A MILITARY barracks to ensure the permanent presence of soldiers in Bawku has been opened on the outskirts of the town by the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant-General J. H. Smith.
The facility, which is situated at Bazua, 15 kilometres from Bawku, was previously used by the Department of Animal Husbandry under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, but has been upgraded and reconfigured for the accommodation of soldiers in the conflict-prone area.
It includes an administration block, residential accommodation for three platoons, a supply depot, a military truck depot and a magazine.
A 250 KVA standby generator is also to be installed to provide back-up power supply for the camp.
Inaugurating the facility on Monday, Lt. Gen. Smith stated that the government’s intention to set up the barracks in the Upper East Region was to ensure a permanent military presence in the area to rapidly counter any outbreak of violence.
According to him, conveyance of military personnel by road or air over long distances was not only expensive, but also a major cause of delay, and since there was no immediate end to the Bawku conflict, the need to station troops in the area had become urgent.
It would also end the difficulty involved in transporting troops and logistics from the Airborne Force in Tamale, which is more than 200 kilometres away from Bawku.
The Minister for Defence said the inauguration of the facility marked another step forward in the search for peace in Bawku, adding that the establishment of the garrison in Bazua was not meant to serve Bawku alone, but also to serve as a base from where peacekeepers would be sent to any security flashpoints in the Upper East, Upper West and parts of the Northern Region close to Bawku.
The project was financed by the Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Bawku Municipal Assembly, district assemblies in the region, as well as the Ministry of Defence.
While pledging the commitment of the government to do all it could to halt the conflict in Bawku, Lt. Gen. Smith appealed to the parties in the conflict to seriously consider giving peace a chance.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said the setting up of a military camp at Bazua came as a great source of relief, since the time spent travelling the long distance from Tamale to Bawku could always make the difference between success and failure to contain the situation in Bawku.
He was, however, quick to add that the establishment of the military barracks in Bazua was no guarantee that lasting peace would come to Bawku, adding that the peace that endured and lasted should originate from the hearts and minds of the two factions themselves.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Musa Abdulai, in a welcoming address, reminded the people of Bawku that the resolution of the conflict was in the hands of the people themselves, stressing that outsiders could only facilitate it.
“We should not expect anybody to impose peace on us. We should take advantage of the interventions and see reason with each other. Let us remain focused in our effort at ensuring that the relative peaceful atmosphere is maintained,” he said.
Earlier, the Defence Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, and also called on the Elder of the Mamprusi community, Mr Akalifah Bugri, to brief them on the military installation.
Elder Akalifah, in his interaction with the delegation, said only a strong political will would bring about permanent peace in the area.
The facility, which is situated at Bazua, 15 kilometres from Bawku, was previously used by the Department of Animal Husbandry under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, but has been upgraded and reconfigured for the accommodation of soldiers in the conflict-prone area.
It includes an administration block, residential accommodation for three platoons, a supply depot, a military truck depot and a magazine.
A 250 KVA standby generator is also to be installed to provide back-up power supply for the camp.
Inaugurating the facility on Monday, Lt. Gen. Smith stated that the government’s intention to set up the barracks in the Upper East Region was to ensure a permanent military presence in the area to rapidly counter any outbreak of violence.
According to him, conveyance of military personnel by road or air over long distances was not only expensive, but also a major cause of delay, and since there was no immediate end to the Bawku conflict, the need to station troops in the area had become urgent.
It would also end the difficulty involved in transporting troops and logistics from the Airborne Force in Tamale, which is more than 200 kilometres away from Bawku.
The Minister for Defence said the inauguration of the facility marked another step forward in the search for peace in Bawku, adding that the establishment of the garrison in Bazua was not meant to serve Bawku alone, but also to serve as a base from where peacekeepers would be sent to any security flashpoints in the Upper East, Upper West and parts of the Northern Region close to Bawku.
The project was financed by the Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Bawku Municipal Assembly, district assemblies in the region, as well as the Ministry of Defence.
While pledging the commitment of the government to do all it could to halt the conflict in Bawku, Lt. Gen. Smith appealed to the parties in the conflict to seriously consider giving peace a chance.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said the setting up of a military camp at Bazua came as a great source of relief, since the time spent travelling the long distance from Tamale to Bawku could always make the difference between success and failure to contain the situation in Bawku.
He was, however, quick to add that the establishment of the military barracks in Bazua was no guarantee that lasting peace would come to Bawku, adding that the peace that endured and lasted should originate from the hearts and minds of the two factions themselves.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Musa Abdulai, in a welcoming address, reminded the people of Bawku that the resolution of the conflict was in the hands of the people themselves, stressing that outsiders could only facilitate it.
“We should not expect anybody to impose peace on us. We should take advantage of the interventions and see reason with each other. Let us remain focused in our effort at ensuring that the relative peaceful atmosphere is maintained,” he said.
Earlier, the Defence Minister and his entourage had paid a courtesy call on the Bawku Naba, Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, and also called on the Elder of the Mamprusi community, Mr Akalifah Bugri, to brief them on the military installation.
Elder Akalifah, in his interaction with the delegation, said only a strong political will would bring about permanent peace in the area.
GBEOGO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF GETS ASSISTANCE (PAGE 20, JAN 29, 2010)
THE Deputy Director of the Gbeogo School for the Deaf at Tongo in the Talensi–Nabdam District in the Upper East Region, Mr Francis Andiiba, has appealed for logistic support for the school.
He observed that the absence of basic requirements such as effective lighting systems, inadequate infrastructure for staff and students and bad access roads were hampering effective teaching and learning in the school.
Mr Andiiba made the appeal when the Regional Co-ordinating Council donated a number of items to the school.
The items were 50 pieces of students’ mattresses, 10 cartons of washing soap, 200 plastic plates, two large boxes of matches, 100 plastic buckets, 100 plastic bowls and 20 plastic cups.
The rest were 20 lanterns, five cartons of cooking oil and five cartons of bathing soap.
The donation was as a result of the problems the school faced when the Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, visited the institution last year to acquaint herself with challenges of the school.
According to Mr Andiiba, the absence of electricity, a major component for communication, especially at night, for the hearing impaired students, was very frustrating and hampered effective teaching and learning in the school.
“Without lights, our children cannot communicate. It is rather unfortunate that the lighting situation is nothing to write home about. The unavailability of electricity on our campus is a drawback and we will be happy if something is done about the situation,” Mr Andiiba appealed.
The Gbeogo School for the Deaf was established in 1996 with an initial enrolment of 10 students. Currently, the school has a student population of 320, comprising 190 boys and 130 girls and operates in a 12-unit classroom block for both the primary and junior high schools.
The sad aspect is that the junior high school block does not have electricity connected to it and the dining and assembly hall complex is uncompleted.
The boys’ dormitory is overcrowded and unable to accommodate the large number of students.
According to the deputy director of the school, some of the students lie on mats instead of on mattresses.
Following an appeal made to the Regional Co-ordinating Council, a number of items were mobilised and presented to the school to alleviate their suffering.
Addressing the students, the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, accompanied by his deputy, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and the District Director of Education, Madam Vivian Anafo, advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them to study hard.
He said with hard work they could be well-educated persons in future and pledged his administration’s commitment in tackling the needs of the schools.
The deputy director of the school said the items had come as a big relief to the school and promised that they would be put to good use.
He observed that the absence of basic requirements such as effective lighting systems, inadequate infrastructure for staff and students and bad access roads were hampering effective teaching and learning in the school.
Mr Andiiba made the appeal when the Regional Co-ordinating Council donated a number of items to the school.
The items were 50 pieces of students’ mattresses, 10 cartons of washing soap, 200 plastic plates, two large boxes of matches, 100 plastic buckets, 100 plastic bowls and 20 plastic cups.
The rest were 20 lanterns, five cartons of cooking oil and five cartons of bathing soap.
The donation was as a result of the problems the school faced when the Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, visited the institution last year to acquaint herself with challenges of the school.
According to Mr Andiiba, the absence of electricity, a major component for communication, especially at night, for the hearing impaired students, was very frustrating and hampered effective teaching and learning in the school.
“Without lights, our children cannot communicate. It is rather unfortunate that the lighting situation is nothing to write home about. The unavailability of electricity on our campus is a drawback and we will be happy if something is done about the situation,” Mr Andiiba appealed.
The Gbeogo School for the Deaf was established in 1996 with an initial enrolment of 10 students. Currently, the school has a student population of 320, comprising 190 boys and 130 girls and operates in a 12-unit classroom block for both the primary and junior high schools.
The sad aspect is that the junior high school block does not have electricity connected to it and the dining and assembly hall complex is uncompleted.
The boys’ dormitory is overcrowded and unable to accommodate the large number of students.
According to the deputy director of the school, some of the students lie on mats instead of on mattresses.
Following an appeal made to the Regional Co-ordinating Council, a number of items were mobilised and presented to the school to alleviate their suffering.
Addressing the students, the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, accompanied by his deputy, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and the District Director of Education, Madam Vivian Anafo, advised the students to make good use of the opportunity offered them to study hard.
He said with hard work they could be well-educated persons in future and pledged his administration’s commitment in tackling the needs of the schools.
The deputy director of the school said the items had come as a big relief to the school and promised that they would be put to good use.
UE ROAD CONTRACTORS HOLD AGM (PAGE 20, JAN 29, 2010)
THE Upper East Regional Chairman of the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC), Mr Edward Ghanem, has called for the re-examination of over-dependence on the Road Fund for local contractors.
Addressing the annual general meeting (AGM) of members in Bolgatanga, Mr Ghanem proposed that the Road Fund should rather be made to supplement a substantial national budget allocation for road infrastructure development.
According to Mr Ghanem, the consolidated fund should bear at least 70 per cent of road development, maintenance, rehabilitation and repair cost with the balance coming from the Road Fund.
“This activity is the responsibility of the central government everywhere and should not be ceded to any other authority as it is the case in Ghana,” he said.
Mr Ghanem expressed concern about the plight of road contractors in general and the non-payment of members in particular, adding that despite assurances by the government the situation on the ground was not the best.
“We (local contractors) are still wallowing in stressful financial conditions with banks’ interests swallowing the value of our outstanding loans,” he stated.
Mr Ghanem said although the government recently voted GH¢160 million for the payment of contractors, that money could only cater for less than 10 local contractors out of the over 400 valid local claims.
“This means nearly all local claims will remain unpaid while our foreign counterparts will be fully paid,” he said.
“The construction industry as the largest employer after [the] government should be given top priority in the order of things, since we are the front-runner in national development,” he stressed.
“We are also the barometer for measuring the health of any economy and therefore, a haphazard handling of contractors’ issues can only beget national stagnation and cause suffering to large numbers of workers, create unemployment and become a dangerous recipe for nurturing social vices, including armed robbery, violent crimes and burglaries,” Mr Ghanem said.
He observed that alongside the non-payment of contractors was the steep decline of the industry with many local contractors becoming redundant and idle. According to him, with the few jobs the contractors get from time to time, the payment rates were so low that most of the contractors ended up with debts instead of profits on completion of projects.
Mr Ghanem stated that the Procurement Law 663 had not helped matters, adding that since its introduction a few years ago by the previous regime, the industry had suffered untold hardships resulting in the stagnation contractors were going through.
He, therefore, called for the repeal of the law or its review to reflect realities on the ground and advance national development.
Another deficiency, Mr Ghanem observed, was the terms and implications of the lowest evaluated bidder, and called for its review and to be replaced with the original bidding criterion of plus or minus 10 of the engineers’ estimated price as it pertained before.
“When contractors are being paid realistic prices, quality work can be expected, assured and the shoddy work syndrome will be broken forever. After all, shoddy payments can only result in shoddy work,” he said.
Mr Ghanem bemoaned the failure of members of the association to pay their annual dues, and urged them to honour their financial obligation to enhance the smooth operations of the association.
Addressing the annual general meeting (AGM) of members in Bolgatanga, Mr Ghanem proposed that the Road Fund should rather be made to supplement a substantial national budget allocation for road infrastructure development.
According to Mr Ghanem, the consolidated fund should bear at least 70 per cent of road development, maintenance, rehabilitation and repair cost with the balance coming from the Road Fund.
“This activity is the responsibility of the central government everywhere and should not be ceded to any other authority as it is the case in Ghana,” he said.
Mr Ghanem expressed concern about the plight of road contractors in general and the non-payment of members in particular, adding that despite assurances by the government the situation on the ground was not the best.
“We (local contractors) are still wallowing in stressful financial conditions with banks’ interests swallowing the value of our outstanding loans,” he stated.
Mr Ghanem said although the government recently voted GH¢160 million for the payment of contractors, that money could only cater for less than 10 local contractors out of the over 400 valid local claims.
“This means nearly all local claims will remain unpaid while our foreign counterparts will be fully paid,” he said.
“The construction industry as the largest employer after [the] government should be given top priority in the order of things, since we are the front-runner in national development,” he stressed.
“We are also the barometer for measuring the health of any economy and therefore, a haphazard handling of contractors’ issues can only beget national stagnation and cause suffering to large numbers of workers, create unemployment and become a dangerous recipe for nurturing social vices, including armed robbery, violent crimes and burglaries,” Mr Ghanem said.
He observed that alongside the non-payment of contractors was the steep decline of the industry with many local contractors becoming redundant and idle. According to him, with the few jobs the contractors get from time to time, the payment rates were so low that most of the contractors ended up with debts instead of profits on completion of projects.
Mr Ghanem stated that the Procurement Law 663 had not helped matters, adding that since its introduction a few years ago by the previous regime, the industry had suffered untold hardships resulting in the stagnation contractors were going through.
He, therefore, called for the repeal of the law or its review to reflect realities on the ground and advance national development.
Another deficiency, Mr Ghanem observed, was the terms and implications of the lowest evaluated bidder, and called for its review and to be replaced with the original bidding criterion of plus or minus 10 of the engineers’ estimated price as it pertained before.
“When contractors are being paid realistic prices, quality work can be expected, assured and the shoddy work syndrome will be broken forever. After all, shoddy payments can only result in shoddy work,” he said.
Mr Ghanem bemoaned the failure of members of the association to pay their annual dues, and urged them to honour their financial obligation to enhance the smooth operations of the association.
BE GUIDED BY ETHICS OF JOURNALISM PROFESSION (PAGE 20, JAN 29, 2010)
THE Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Eric Amoh, has reiterated the need for media practitioners to acquaint themselves with the ethics of the profession and abide by them to safeguard the integrity of journalism.
Mr Amoh gave the advice at a media soiree the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) organised in Bolgatanga to express appreciation for media practitioners for projecting the image of the region.
In attendance were the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, his deputy, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and the Public Relations Officer of the RCC, Mr Medzida Khassim.
Mr Amoh bemoaned the situation where journalists blatantly ignored the rules and regulations and ethics governing the profession.
He said it was about time members of the GJA and media practitioners who were non-members of the association operating in the region, abided by the regulations on journalism to avoid problems.
Mr Woyongo commended the media practitioners for the co-operation and support he had enjoyed from them since assuming office, in spite of the numerous challenges facing them.
The challenges include lack of means of transport and basic modern communication equipment such as fax machines and Internet connectivity to facilitate the work of journalists.
Mr Woyongo said while exerting all efforts to facilitate the smooth operations of the media practitioners, the RCC would also continue to lobby management of the various media organisations to resource their outfits in the region.
He reminded the media practitioners of the golden jubilee celebration of the creation of the region and the enormous benefits that would accrue to the region.
The regional minister stressed the need for the media practitioners to positively advertise the region to enable stakeholders such as the government, bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as investors both local and foreign, to take interest in the region’s development.
“You must remember that the region is a deprived one so you should use your pens more positively to better the lot of our people,” Mr Woyongo said.
The regional minister, who himself is a journalist, advised media practitioners to cover activities of Bawku with circumspection.
He said while conceding that the Bawku conflict was a good source of news to the media which helped to sell newspapers and encouraged people to listen to radio stations and watch TV channels, reportage in the conflict area should not be done at the expense of the welfare of the people.
Mr Amoh gave the advice at a media soiree the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) organised in Bolgatanga to express appreciation for media practitioners for projecting the image of the region.
In attendance were the Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, his deputy, Mrs Lucy Awuni, and the Public Relations Officer of the RCC, Mr Medzida Khassim.
Mr Amoh bemoaned the situation where journalists blatantly ignored the rules and regulations and ethics governing the profession.
He said it was about time members of the GJA and media practitioners who were non-members of the association operating in the region, abided by the regulations on journalism to avoid problems.
Mr Woyongo commended the media practitioners for the co-operation and support he had enjoyed from them since assuming office, in spite of the numerous challenges facing them.
The challenges include lack of means of transport and basic modern communication equipment such as fax machines and Internet connectivity to facilitate the work of journalists.
Mr Woyongo said while exerting all efforts to facilitate the smooth operations of the media practitioners, the RCC would also continue to lobby management of the various media organisations to resource their outfits in the region.
He reminded the media practitioners of the golden jubilee celebration of the creation of the region and the enormous benefits that would accrue to the region.
The regional minister stressed the need for the media practitioners to positively advertise the region to enable stakeholders such as the government, bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as investors both local and foreign, to take interest in the region’s development.
“You must remember that the region is a deprived one so you should use your pens more positively to better the lot of our people,” Mr Woyongo said.
The regional minister, who himself is a journalist, advised media practitioners to cover activities of Bawku with circumspection.
He said while conceding that the Bawku conflict was a good source of news to the media which helped to sell newspapers and encouraged people to listen to radio stations and watch TV channels, reportage in the conflict area should not be done at the expense of the welfare of the people.
MIXED REACTION GREET AVOKA'S REASSIGNMENT (PAGE 16, JAN 28, 2010)
THERE have been mixed reactions in Bawku in the Upper East Region to the ministerial reshuffle announced by the President, particularly with regard to the reassignment of Mr Cletus Avoka.
The President, John Evans A. Mills, replaced Mr Cletus Avoka with Martin Amidu as Minister for the Interior in the ministerial reshuffle last Monday.
When the Daily Graphic sampled views of some residents in Bawku, they said his reassignment boded well for the peace process in Bawku, while others said his removal as the Interior Minister did not make any difference as far as the search for peace in Bawku was concerned.
Ever since he was appointed the Interior Minister, a section of the populace in Bawku, especially the Mamprusis, have doubted the neutrality of the MP for Zebilla, who at one time served as counsel for the Kusasis.
Some Mamprusis went to the extent of appealing to the President to reassign the Zebilla MP, but the seasoned lawmaker vehemently disagreed with those assertions, insisting that he was capable of handling the office.
A leading member of the Mamprusi tribe in Bawku, Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, in an interview, said the replacement of Mr Avoka with Mr Amidu did not change anything as the latter was once a counsel for the Kusasis in 2003 when he represented the Kusasi at the Supreme Court in 2003.
According to him, much as he respects the competence of Martin Amidu, his unflinching allegiance to the Kusasis in the past could obstruct him from being fair and neutral in the handling of the situation on the ground.
“That notwithstanding, we will have to adopt a wait-and-see attitude to see how he is going to handle the peace process in Bawku. I want to believe he will be impartial and we are prepared to give him a helping hand,” Mr Nambe said.
For his part, another elder of the Mamprusi side, Alhaji Kobila, cautioned Mr Martin Amidu to be neutral and not be seen as interfering with the peace process in favour of the other side.
“Everybody in Bawku is interested in peace, and so we expect him to work for all and not for some few people.”
Mr Thomas Abilla, a Kusasi and Personal Assistant to the Bawku Naba, asserted that Mr Avoka had never been an impediment to the peace process in Bawku.
He said the records were there for all to see, and insisted on “facts and facts”, saying “we don’t expect anyone to change the facts”.
Bawku has been a conflict area since Independence. There had been numerous clashes between the Mamprusis and the Kusasis, with the most recent one in December 2007.
Both the Police and the Military have been deployed to Bawku metropolis to restore the peace in the area.
The President, John Evans A. Mills, replaced Mr Cletus Avoka with Martin Amidu as Minister for the Interior in the ministerial reshuffle last Monday.
When the Daily Graphic sampled views of some residents in Bawku, they said his reassignment boded well for the peace process in Bawku, while others said his removal as the Interior Minister did not make any difference as far as the search for peace in Bawku was concerned.
Ever since he was appointed the Interior Minister, a section of the populace in Bawku, especially the Mamprusis, have doubted the neutrality of the MP for Zebilla, who at one time served as counsel for the Kusasis.
Some Mamprusis went to the extent of appealing to the President to reassign the Zebilla MP, but the seasoned lawmaker vehemently disagreed with those assertions, insisting that he was capable of handling the office.
A leading member of the Mamprusi tribe in Bawku, Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, in an interview, said the replacement of Mr Avoka with Mr Amidu did not change anything as the latter was once a counsel for the Kusasis in 2003 when he represented the Kusasi at the Supreme Court in 2003.
According to him, much as he respects the competence of Martin Amidu, his unflinching allegiance to the Kusasis in the past could obstruct him from being fair and neutral in the handling of the situation on the ground.
“That notwithstanding, we will have to adopt a wait-and-see attitude to see how he is going to handle the peace process in Bawku. I want to believe he will be impartial and we are prepared to give him a helping hand,” Mr Nambe said.
For his part, another elder of the Mamprusi side, Alhaji Kobila, cautioned Mr Martin Amidu to be neutral and not be seen as interfering with the peace process in favour of the other side.
“Everybody in Bawku is interested in peace, and so we expect him to work for all and not for some few people.”
Mr Thomas Abilla, a Kusasi and Personal Assistant to the Bawku Naba, asserted that Mr Avoka had never been an impediment to the peace process in Bawku.
He said the records were there for all to see, and insisted on “facts and facts”, saying “we don’t expect anyone to change the facts”.
Bawku has been a conflict area since Independence. There had been numerous clashes between the Mamprusis and the Kusasis, with the most recent one in December 2007.
Both the Police and the Military have been deployed to Bawku metropolis to restore the peace in the area.
ORGANISED LABOUR RESIND DECISION TO WITHDRAW SERVICES (PAGE 31, JAN 27, 2010)
Members of organised labour in the Bawku municipality have rescinded their decision to withdraw their services by February 1, this year if nothing is done to improve on the security situation in the conflict-prone area.
The decision followed a meeting held between the workers and the Upper East Regional Security Council, as well as the Bawku Municipal Security Committee, in Bawku on Monday.
According to the workers, the decision to call off the threat followed the swift response received from the REGSEC and assurances that everything possible would be done to guarantee their safety.
On January 17, 2010, labour groups in the Bawku municipality threatened to lay down their tools by February 1, 2010 if the government did not act swiftly to ensure a peaceful working environment.
At the meeting in Bawku, the Chairman of the REGSEC, Mr Mark Woyongo, appealed to the workers to exercise restraint, as the government was making all efforts to ensure that lasting peace returned to Bawku.
Mr Woyongo, who is also the Upper East Regional Minister, said the REGSEC was particularly concerned about their well-being as workers and would not sit down for any of them to lose his or her life.
According to him, Bawku had not seen any development project for some time and the municipal assembly was in serious debt because of the conflict.
He added that as a result of the conflict, nobody was willing to invest in the area and a lot of people from Bawku were now relocating to Bolgatanga and other major towns because of the unending clashes.
Those notwithstanding, he said the government would not shirk its responsibility but work tirelessly to get solutions to the problems in the area.
He announced that the REGSEC had given approval for the inclusion of the leadership of organised labour on the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee to articulate the concerns of workers.
Ms Lucy Gariba of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), on behalf of the workers, made suggestions to the government on how to manage the security challenges in the Bawku municipality.
They included the need for the government to consider mounting high surveillance towers at strategic locations to enhance the work of security personnel.
The workers also called on both the government and the security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering at all times and provide security hotlines for members of the public for the relay of information on criminals.
The decision followed a meeting held between the workers and the Upper East Regional Security Council, as well as the Bawku Municipal Security Committee, in Bawku on Monday.
According to the workers, the decision to call off the threat followed the swift response received from the REGSEC and assurances that everything possible would be done to guarantee their safety.
On January 17, 2010, labour groups in the Bawku municipality threatened to lay down their tools by February 1, 2010 if the government did not act swiftly to ensure a peaceful working environment.
At the meeting in Bawku, the Chairman of the REGSEC, Mr Mark Woyongo, appealed to the workers to exercise restraint, as the government was making all efforts to ensure that lasting peace returned to Bawku.
Mr Woyongo, who is also the Upper East Regional Minister, said the REGSEC was particularly concerned about their well-being as workers and would not sit down for any of them to lose his or her life.
According to him, Bawku had not seen any development project for some time and the municipal assembly was in serious debt because of the conflict.
He added that as a result of the conflict, nobody was willing to invest in the area and a lot of people from Bawku were now relocating to Bolgatanga and other major towns because of the unending clashes.
Those notwithstanding, he said the government would not shirk its responsibility but work tirelessly to get solutions to the problems in the area.
He announced that the REGSEC had given approval for the inclusion of the leadership of organised labour on the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee to articulate the concerns of workers.
Ms Lucy Gariba of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), on behalf of the workers, made suggestions to the government on how to manage the security challenges in the Bawku municipality.
They included the need for the government to consider mounting high surveillance towers at strategic locations to enhance the work of security personnel.
The workers also called on both the government and the security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering at all times and provide security hotlines for members of the public for the relay of information on criminals.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
4 FARMING COMMUNITIES GET WATER PUMPING MACHINES (PAGE 47, JAN 25, 2010)
The Water Resources Commission (WRC), in collaboration with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has presented 13 water pumping machines and accessories to four farming groups.
The pumping machines, worth GH¢13,000, were presented to the farming groups in four communities along the White Volta in the Bawku municipality and the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region to support the implementation of the Improving Water Governance in the Volta Basin (PAGEV) project.
The presentation of the equipment to the communities, namely, Bazua, Nafkolga, Googo and Kobore, was aimed at encouraging farmers in those localities to desist from farming too close to the White Volta, a practice which leads to erosion, but rather move upland to farm.
The IUCN is a trans-boundary sub-basin of 2,700 kilometre square spanning downstream of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso to the Gambaga Scarp in Ghana.
In Ghana, PAGEV is assisting communities in river conservation activities and supporting initiatives for income generation among marginalised people, especially women.
The PAGEV is also responsible for supporting communities in Ghana and Burkina Faso to improve policies that enhance a better governance of the shared water basin.
Speaking at a brief ceremony at Zebilla in the Bawku West District, the Project Co-ordinator for PAGEV, Mr Kwame Ababio, said the gesture was to promote the preservation of the eco-system, adding that it was also aimed at promoting greater collaboration between Ghana and Burkina Faso in managing shared water resources within the Volta Basin geared towards limiting potential conflicts between the two countries.
According to him, the project would also help to reduce poverty among the people.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the IUCN and its development partners, notably the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA) and the Netherlands Government, for their continued support to the water and environmental sectors.
He noted that a close observation of the White Volta depicted a widening of the river channel, with reduced water holding capacity, which was caused by siltation, deforestation, farming too close to the river and erosion.
Mr Woyongo, therefore, welcomed the decision to support the beneficiary communities with water pumping machines, stressing that the gesture would not only reforest degraded river banks but also augment their efforts at harnessing water for dry season farming.
He urged the beneficiary communities to take advantage of the programme to preserve the ecosystem to improve upon their livelihoods.
“It is my fervent hope that farmers will take advantage of the support received to increase their cropping areas and consequently their earnings to reduce poverty,” he said.
He also encouraged them to embark on the planting of economic trees along the White Volta to boost their income- generating activities, in addition to the food crops that they would cultivate.
Mr Woyongo encouraged the implementers of the project to target women, since they played a key role in augmenting the livelihoods and food security needs of their families.
The pumping machines, worth GH¢13,000, were presented to the farming groups in four communities along the White Volta in the Bawku municipality and the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region to support the implementation of the Improving Water Governance in the Volta Basin (PAGEV) project.
The presentation of the equipment to the communities, namely, Bazua, Nafkolga, Googo and Kobore, was aimed at encouraging farmers in those localities to desist from farming too close to the White Volta, a practice which leads to erosion, but rather move upland to farm.
The IUCN is a trans-boundary sub-basin of 2,700 kilometre square spanning downstream of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso to the Gambaga Scarp in Ghana.
In Ghana, PAGEV is assisting communities in river conservation activities and supporting initiatives for income generation among marginalised people, especially women.
The PAGEV is also responsible for supporting communities in Ghana and Burkina Faso to improve policies that enhance a better governance of the shared water basin.
Speaking at a brief ceremony at Zebilla in the Bawku West District, the Project Co-ordinator for PAGEV, Mr Kwame Ababio, said the gesture was to promote the preservation of the eco-system, adding that it was also aimed at promoting greater collaboration between Ghana and Burkina Faso in managing shared water resources within the Volta Basin geared towards limiting potential conflicts between the two countries.
According to him, the project would also help to reduce poverty among the people.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the IUCN and its development partners, notably the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA) and the Netherlands Government, for their continued support to the water and environmental sectors.
He noted that a close observation of the White Volta depicted a widening of the river channel, with reduced water holding capacity, which was caused by siltation, deforestation, farming too close to the river and erosion.
Mr Woyongo, therefore, welcomed the decision to support the beneficiary communities with water pumping machines, stressing that the gesture would not only reforest degraded river banks but also augment their efforts at harnessing water for dry season farming.
He urged the beneficiary communities to take advantage of the programme to preserve the ecosystem to improve upon their livelihoods.
“It is my fervent hope that farmers will take advantage of the support received to increase their cropping areas and consequently their earnings to reduce poverty,” he said.
He also encouraged them to embark on the planting of economic trees along the White Volta to boost their income- generating activities, in addition to the food crops that they would cultivate.
Mr Woyongo encouraged the implementers of the project to target women, since they played a key role in augmenting the livelihoods and food security needs of their families.
PNC MUST EMBARK ON RESTRUCTURING (PAGE 16, JAN 25, 2010)
THE Upper East Regional Secretary of the People’s National Convention, (PNC), Mr Henry Fatchu, has called on the leadership of the party to embark on a restructuring and organisation of the party to capture political power come 2012.
This is the only way the party can work to implement the unfinished agenda of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Hilla Limann’s.
According to Mr Fatchu, this had become necessary because Ghanaians were not impressed with the unfulfilled promises of both the NDC and the NPP.
In a statement issued in Bolgatanga to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the death of Dr Hilla Limann, President of the Third Republic of Ghana, which fell on January 23, 2010, Mr Fatchu noted, “No matter how short Dr Hilla Limann’s administration was, he has his footprint in the sands of Ghana’s politics which has served as a benchmark for non-partisan, objective and civilized politics so as to truly reconcile a traumatised, impoverish and a divided nation after eight years of military dictatorship which should be the goal of all democrats.”
The Regional Secretary of the PNC said significantly, Dr Limann’s legacy of freedom from corruption in the Ghanaian society which he demonstrated by personally writing letters to all his appointees reminding them of the code of conduct, as well as the need to shun ostentatious lifestyles and lead clean lives, were worth noting.
Mr Fatchu said another achievement of Dr Limann worth reflecting on was in the area of agriculture. According to him, although the late President announced a two year crash programme for agriculture, between 1980 and 1981, those brilliant ideas where not implemented.
“Thirty years on, the question to ask is what is the situation of hunger, poverty and disease in the country if the right people are at the helm of affairs, Ghana would be a prosperous nation,” Mr Fatchu said.
Again, Mr Fatchu said, the late President’s acceptance of the rule of law and the verdict of democracy which was characterised by transparency which had hitherto unsurpassed records of human rights and democratic governance, was remarkable.
“With the advent of multiparty constitutionalism in 1992, he founded the PNC after various attempts to unite the Nkrumaists family under one political party failed”, he said, adding that today, the PNC was the second largest opposition party in parliament.
This is the only way the party can work to implement the unfinished agenda of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Hilla Limann’s.
According to Mr Fatchu, this had become necessary because Ghanaians were not impressed with the unfulfilled promises of both the NDC and the NPP.
In a statement issued in Bolgatanga to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the death of Dr Hilla Limann, President of the Third Republic of Ghana, which fell on January 23, 2010, Mr Fatchu noted, “No matter how short Dr Hilla Limann’s administration was, he has his footprint in the sands of Ghana’s politics which has served as a benchmark for non-partisan, objective and civilized politics so as to truly reconcile a traumatised, impoverish and a divided nation after eight years of military dictatorship which should be the goal of all democrats.”
The Regional Secretary of the PNC said significantly, Dr Limann’s legacy of freedom from corruption in the Ghanaian society which he demonstrated by personally writing letters to all his appointees reminding them of the code of conduct, as well as the need to shun ostentatious lifestyles and lead clean lives, were worth noting.
Mr Fatchu said another achievement of Dr Limann worth reflecting on was in the area of agriculture. According to him, although the late President announced a two year crash programme for agriculture, between 1980 and 1981, those brilliant ideas where not implemented.
“Thirty years on, the question to ask is what is the situation of hunger, poverty and disease in the country if the right people are at the helm of affairs, Ghana would be a prosperous nation,” Mr Fatchu said.
Again, Mr Fatchu said, the late President’s acceptance of the rule of law and the verdict of democracy which was characterised by transparency which had hitherto unsurpassed records of human rights and democratic governance, was remarkable.
“With the advent of multiparty constitutionalism in 1992, he founded the PNC after various attempts to unite the Nkrumaists family under one political party failed”, he said, adding that today, the PNC was the second largest opposition party in parliament.
COURT GRANTS BAIL TO SHOOTING SUSPECTS (PAGE 19, JAN 23, 2010)
A circuit court in Bolgatanga has granted bail to the two suspects arrested in Bawku in connection with the shooting incident in the municipality in November last year.
Rashid Bukari and Justine Hado were granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 90,000 with a surety to be justified and will re-appear before the court on February 15, 2010.
Mr Joseph Kpemka Dindiok, counsel for the suspects, whose arrest generated a massive furore based on allegations that they had been stripped naked by the security personnel who apprehended them, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said per the terms of the bail, the two were not to return to Bawku but remain in Bolgatanga until the next court hearing.
Bukari, 26, a Mamprusi, and his accomplice, Hado, a Yanga by tribe and teacher at the Methodist JHS in Bawku, were arrested by soldiers in Bawku in November last year following a shooting incident in Bawku.
The two were being held for unlawful possession of ammunition and had been in prison custody until they were granted bail.
Rashid Bukari and Justine Hado were granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 90,000 with a surety to be justified and will re-appear before the court on February 15, 2010.
Mr Joseph Kpemka Dindiok, counsel for the suspects, whose arrest generated a massive furore based on allegations that they had been stripped naked by the security personnel who apprehended them, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said per the terms of the bail, the two were not to return to Bawku but remain in Bolgatanga until the next court hearing.
Bukari, 26, a Mamprusi, and his accomplice, Hado, a Yanga by tribe and teacher at the Methodist JHS in Bawku, were arrested by soldiers in Bawku in November last year following a shooting incident in Bawku.
The two were being held for unlawful possession of ammunition and had been in prison custody until they were granted bail.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
BISHOP ABADAMLOORA BURIED (SPREAD, JAN 16, 2010)
THE body of Bishop Lucas Abadamloora, the late President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, have been buried at Bolgatanga.
The Most Reverend Lucas Abadamloora, who was also the Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, aged 71. He was the third Bishop of the Diocese and served from June 1994 till his death.
The body of the Bishop was interred inside the Sacred Heart Cathedral after a funeral mass attended by thousands of Roman Catholics and non-Catholics from far and near.
The solemn mass was occasionally interspersed with traditional war dance performances as a cultural expression of the flock the late bishop led.
There was a high turnout of other colleague bishops from both within and outside Ghana, as well as priests, nuns, and laypeople, who filled the church, where the funeral mass was held.
Also in attendance was the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Reverend Leon B. Kalenga, the President of the Pontifical Commission on Justice and Peace in Rome, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, the Most Reverend Philip Naameh, who was the main celebrant.
In his homily, Bishop Paul Bemile, the Catholic Bishop of Wa, said the late Bishop was prepared by the moral training he had in his formative years to confront the many hardships and challenges that came with his ministry.
He said the late Bishop worked tirelessly beyond the diocese and his death was an invitation to receive the recompense of Christ for his toil on earth.
Most Reverend Bemile recalled the late Bishop’s contribution to bringing peace to Bawku in particular and said the only tribute the people of the area could pay to the memory of the late Bishop was to live in peace.
Most Reverend Matthew Gyemfi, the Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, who read a tribute on behalf of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, recalled the enormous contributions of his deceased colleague to the fraternity and the Catholic Church as a whole and said Bishop Abadamloora worked hard and tirelessly to uplift the image of the Catholic Church in Ghana.
The Upper East Region Minister, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, who stood in for the Vice President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, and read a tribute on behalf of the government, praised the late Bishop Abadamloora for his peace-building efforts.
“It is recalled that he came on the scene at a time the church in the diocese had developed cracks along ethnic lines, which threatened its unity and oneness. Thankfully, his style of administration and fairness gradually restored the unity of the church and brought peace among the faithful,” he said.
According to the Vice President, who had on Friday participated in a vigil mass for the late Bishop, the deceased’s love for peace even extended beyond the boundaries of the church and that as the government, “we have watched with keen interest and profound gratitude his peace-building efforts among the Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Bawku conflict”.
“The role of the church under his leadership in helping the government to resolve the Bawku conflict will never be forgotten. Even though the conflict is still not fully resolved, he has blazed the trail, which his successor will be bound to follow”, the Vice President said.
The Most Reverend Lucas Abadamloora, who was also the Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, aged 71. He was the third Bishop of the Diocese and served from June 1994 till his death.
The body of the Bishop was interred inside the Sacred Heart Cathedral after a funeral mass attended by thousands of Roman Catholics and non-Catholics from far and near.
The solemn mass was occasionally interspersed with traditional war dance performances as a cultural expression of the flock the late bishop led.
There was a high turnout of other colleague bishops from both within and outside Ghana, as well as priests, nuns, and laypeople, who filled the church, where the funeral mass was held.
Also in attendance was the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Reverend Leon B. Kalenga, the President of the Pontifical Commission on Justice and Peace in Rome, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, the Most Reverend Philip Naameh, who was the main celebrant.
In his homily, Bishop Paul Bemile, the Catholic Bishop of Wa, said the late Bishop was prepared by the moral training he had in his formative years to confront the many hardships and challenges that came with his ministry.
He said the late Bishop worked tirelessly beyond the diocese and his death was an invitation to receive the recompense of Christ for his toil on earth.
Most Reverend Bemile recalled the late Bishop’s contribution to bringing peace to Bawku in particular and said the only tribute the people of the area could pay to the memory of the late Bishop was to live in peace.
Most Reverend Matthew Gyemfi, the Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, who read a tribute on behalf of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, recalled the enormous contributions of his deceased colleague to the fraternity and the Catholic Church as a whole and said Bishop Abadamloora worked hard and tirelessly to uplift the image of the Catholic Church in Ghana.
The Upper East Region Minister, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, who stood in for the Vice President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, and read a tribute on behalf of the government, praised the late Bishop Abadamloora for his peace-building efforts.
“It is recalled that he came on the scene at a time the church in the diocese had developed cracks along ethnic lines, which threatened its unity and oneness. Thankfully, his style of administration and fairness gradually restored the unity of the church and brought peace among the faithful,” he said.
According to the Vice President, who had on Friday participated in a vigil mass for the late Bishop, the deceased’s love for peace even extended beyond the boundaries of the church and that as the government, “we have watched with keen interest and profound gratitude his peace-building efforts among the Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Bawku conflict”.
“The role of the church under his leadership in helping the government to resolve the Bawku conflict will never be forgotten. Even though the conflict is still not fully resolved, he has blazed the trail, which his successor will be bound to follow”, the Vice President said.
10 LABOUR GROUPS IN BAWKU THREATEN TO WITHDRAW SERVICES (PAGE 20, JAN 18, 2010)
Ten labour groups in the Bawku municipality have threatened to withdraw their services by the first of February, this year, if nothing is done to improve on the security situation in the conflict-prone area.
The threat follows the death of an assistant chief medical assistant, Mr Roger Alenga, on December 31, 2009 and whose body is still at the mortuary of the Bolgatanga Government Hospital awaiting burial.
“Government should note seriously that the protracted insecurity situation in the Bawku Traditional Area has generated lack of hope among organised labour hence government should, without delay, act swiftly to ensure a peaceful environment; otherwise workers in the municipality would lay down their working tools by 1st February, 2010 or take the necessary steps to relocate any moment from now without notice.”
The threat was contained in a petition issued last Friday to the chairman of the Regional Security Council and copied to the heads of security agencies in Bawku and the media.
The petition was signed by representatives of 10 labour groups namely: Ms Lucy Gariba of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Mr Joseph Samanadi Tokyo of the Judicial Service Staff Association, Mr Mohammed B. Dinko of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association and Mr Daniel Anaba of the Health Service Workers Union.
The rest are Mr Akure Dennis of the National Association of Graduate Teachers, Mr Daniel Aboko Akologo of the Public Services Workers Union, Mr Paul Apam, representing the Civil Servants Association, Mr Seidu Amadu and Mr Albana Dun of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association respectively.
“With hearts full of sorrow, we regret to inform your honoured offices that the death toll among workers as of December 31, 2009 in the municipality stood as high as seven — three deaths recorded prior to our petition in June, 2009 and four others thereafter.
“It is also heartbreaking to bring to your notice that following the death of the medical assistant, several workers have chosen to stay off work in order to avoid the unexpected, in view of the current insecurity in the municipality”.
The workers called on the government to ensure that the security agencies and the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee were strengthened enough to guard against the lingering insecurity and speed up the attainment of absolute peace in the Bawku Traditional Area.
Responding to the threats by the workers, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said though REGSEC appreciated the sacrifices being made by the workers, he had thought they would have resorted to dialogue rather than issue a threat to withdraw their services.
“Considering the relationship we have with workers in this region, there should have been a follow-up on their earlier petition in June, last year, to discuss the issue further with us and the threat to withdraw their services should have been the last resort,” he said.
According to the Regional Minister, he was very much concerned about the welfare of workers in that part of the country and he, together with other members of REGSEC, would do everything to protect them.
“If there are security problems, we will definitely be the first to advice on what to do. We are concerned and would not like to expose them to any risk or danger,” Mr Woyongo said.
He described the current threat as rather unfortunate, since steps were underway to encourage the Mamprusis side on the Bawku Inter-Ethic Peace Committee to re-join the negotiation table in the search for peace in the area.
He assured the workers that everything possible would be done to bring peace to the area and appealed to the workers to explore all avenues for dialogue.
The threat follows the death of an assistant chief medical assistant, Mr Roger Alenga, on December 31, 2009 and whose body is still at the mortuary of the Bolgatanga Government Hospital awaiting burial.
“Government should note seriously that the protracted insecurity situation in the Bawku Traditional Area has generated lack of hope among organised labour hence government should, without delay, act swiftly to ensure a peaceful environment; otherwise workers in the municipality would lay down their working tools by 1st February, 2010 or take the necessary steps to relocate any moment from now without notice.”
The threat was contained in a petition issued last Friday to the chairman of the Regional Security Council and copied to the heads of security agencies in Bawku and the media.
The petition was signed by representatives of 10 labour groups namely: Ms Lucy Gariba of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Mr Joseph Samanadi Tokyo of the Judicial Service Staff Association, Mr Mohammed B. Dinko of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association and Mr Daniel Anaba of the Health Service Workers Union.
The rest are Mr Akure Dennis of the National Association of Graduate Teachers, Mr Daniel Aboko Akologo of the Public Services Workers Union, Mr Paul Apam, representing the Civil Servants Association, Mr Seidu Amadu and Mr Albana Dun of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association respectively.
“With hearts full of sorrow, we regret to inform your honoured offices that the death toll among workers as of December 31, 2009 in the municipality stood as high as seven — three deaths recorded prior to our petition in June, 2009 and four others thereafter.
“It is also heartbreaking to bring to your notice that following the death of the medical assistant, several workers have chosen to stay off work in order to avoid the unexpected, in view of the current insecurity in the municipality”.
The workers called on the government to ensure that the security agencies and the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee were strengthened enough to guard against the lingering insecurity and speed up the attainment of absolute peace in the Bawku Traditional Area.
Responding to the threats by the workers, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, said though REGSEC appreciated the sacrifices being made by the workers, he had thought they would have resorted to dialogue rather than issue a threat to withdraw their services.
“Considering the relationship we have with workers in this region, there should have been a follow-up on their earlier petition in June, last year, to discuss the issue further with us and the threat to withdraw their services should have been the last resort,” he said.
According to the Regional Minister, he was very much concerned about the welfare of workers in that part of the country and he, together with other members of REGSEC, would do everything to protect them.
“If there are security problems, we will definitely be the first to advice on what to do. We are concerned and would not like to expose them to any risk or danger,” Mr Woyongo said.
He described the current threat as rather unfortunate, since steps were underway to encourage the Mamprusis side on the Bawku Inter-Ethic Peace Committee to re-join the negotiation table in the search for peace in the area.
He assured the workers that everything possible would be done to bring peace to the area and appealed to the workers to explore all avenues for dialogue.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
BAWKU WEST IMPROVES REVENUE GENERATION (PAGE 22, JAN 9, 2010)
The Bawku West District Assembly has made tremendous improvements in the generation of funds internally since the last sitting of the assembly.
From a mere GH¢200.00, representing 22.2 per cent of collection level as at the end of September last year, the assembly was able to increase its collection level to GH¢83, 236.96, representing 73.32 per cent.
The District Chief Executive for Bawku West, Mr Anabah Adam Moro, who announced this at the third ordinary meeting of the fifth session of the assembly, said the situation meant that GH¢ 50,036.93 was mobilised within a spate of two-and-a-half months.
He explained that the enviable feat was achieved through vigorous and massive campaigns and an aggressive mobilisation by revenue task force, the finance office and debt collecting contractors as well as the entire secretariat staff of the assembly.
Mr Moro commended all those who contributed directly and indirectly to the successes chalked up, and urged all assembly members to intensify their efforts in the quest to boost the development of the district.
Touching on some development projects in the district, Mr Moro said the issue of student sponsorship still lingered on, and that although the assembly had set aside GH¢20,000.00 for students sponsorship in its 2009 supplementary budget, it had paid over GH¢29,000.00, above what was budgeted for.
On the assembly’s sub-committees, the DCE said the continuous existence and operation of all 11 sub-committee was bringing untold financial burden on the assembly.
“In this year’s annual budget, GH¢5,300 was allocated for sitting allowances. However, the assembly had already spent GH¢22,458 on sitting allowances this year.”
According to the DCE, the situation could not be allowed to continue, considering the current system of assessing the performance of assemblies under the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT). He, therefore, recommended that the non- statutory sub-committee be reduced.
On security, the DCE said there had been a few reported cases of robbery in the district over the period, and commended security agencies for clamping down on the activities of criminal elements within society.
He requested the assembly members to encourage their electorate to inform the security agencies of any criminal activities detected and not to take the law into their own hands.
The Presiding Member (PM) of the assembly, Mr Moses Aduk-Pam, supported calls for the reduction of the number of sub-committees in the assembly from 11 to seven, since savings made could go into more development projects and the payment of improved sitting allowances for assembly members.
Mr Aduk-Pam also cautioned that if it came to the notice of the assembly that revenue collectors had pocketed the revenue collected, the general assembly would not hesitate to call on management to make the culprits account for their stewardship and possibly face sanctions.
“Just as we will punish lazy ones and cheats, we would also reward the hardworking revenue collectors,” the PM said.
From a mere GH¢200.00, representing 22.2 per cent of collection level as at the end of September last year, the assembly was able to increase its collection level to GH¢83, 236.96, representing 73.32 per cent.
The District Chief Executive for Bawku West, Mr Anabah Adam Moro, who announced this at the third ordinary meeting of the fifth session of the assembly, said the situation meant that GH¢ 50,036.93 was mobilised within a spate of two-and-a-half months.
He explained that the enviable feat was achieved through vigorous and massive campaigns and an aggressive mobilisation by revenue task force, the finance office and debt collecting contractors as well as the entire secretariat staff of the assembly.
Mr Moro commended all those who contributed directly and indirectly to the successes chalked up, and urged all assembly members to intensify their efforts in the quest to boost the development of the district.
Touching on some development projects in the district, Mr Moro said the issue of student sponsorship still lingered on, and that although the assembly had set aside GH¢20,000.00 for students sponsorship in its 2009 supplementary budget, it had paid over GH¢29,000.00, above what was budgeted for.
On the assembly’s sub-committees, the DCE said the continuous existence and operation of all 11 sub-committee was bringing untold financial burden on the assembly.
“In this year’s annual budget, GH¢5,300 was allocated for sitting allowances. However, the assembly had already spent GH¢22,458 on sitting allowances this year.”
According to the DCE, the situation could not be allowed to continue, considering the current system of assessing the performance of assemblies under the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool (FOAT). He, therefore, recommended that the non- statutory sub-committee be reduced.
On security, the DCE said there had been a few reported cases of robbery in the district over the period, and commended security agencies for clamping down on the activities of criminal elements within society.
He requested the assembly members to encourage their electorate to inform the security agencies of any criminal activities detected and not to take the law into their own hands.
The Presiding Member (PM) of the assembly, Mr Moses Aduk-Pam, supported calls for the reduction of the number of sub-committees in the assembly from 11 to seven, since savings made could go into more development projects and the payment of improved sitting allowances for assembly members.
Mr Aduk-Pam also cautioned that if it came to the notice of the assembly that revenue collectors had pocketed the revenue collected, the general assembly would not hesitate to call on management to make the culprits account for their stewardship and possibly face sanctions.
“Just as we will punish lazy ones and cheats, we would also reward the hardworking revenue collectors,” the PM said.
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THE Minister of the Interior, Mr Cletus Avoka and the Director General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Mrs Elizabeth Adjei, have jointly c...
