Harmattan can't deter us from celebrating Xmas — Bolga residents declare By: Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Tuesday, 24 December 2013

Since time immemorial, Christmas has been the season of spreading good cheer, of spending time with family and of sharing, caring and giving and this year is no different at least in the Upper East Region. For some people in Bolgatanga, the regional capital, the severe harmattan weather condition cannot affect the way they celebrate this festive season. A visit to various sections of the Bolgatanga main market on Monday, which happens to be a market day ahead of Christmas day, saw a large number of people who had converged to trade and shop in items ranging from clothing, footwear, xmas decorations, foodstuff, livestock, poultry products, assorted alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, among others. Patronage of items such as guinea fowls, either fresh or processed, were in high demand and the traditional hand-made fugu (smock) were all enjoying good sales forcing prices to double and in some cases triple. A tour of the market revealed that a live guinea fowl, a local delicacy, is sold for between GH ¢15 and GH¢ 25 while a sheep and a goat are sold between GH¢70 and GH¢150 respectively depending on the size. A bowl (olonka) of locally produced rice sells between GH¢5 and GH¢7, depending on the grade of rice. A smock manufacturer, who gave his name only as Salifu, indicated that depending on the size and quality of material used, a smock might cost between GH¢60 or GH¢150 adding that sales had not been bad at all. Transportation The Christmas season comes with a lot of travelling and this year is no exception. Most public sector workers resident in the region were spotted travelling to their hometowns for the Christmas holidays. At the O.A.Travel and Tours bus station, officials at the terminal told the Daily Graphic that since Wednesday December 19, all services to places such as Accra in the Greater Accra Region and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have been recording full bookings, adding that the situation had persisted throughout the weekend leading to Christmas day. The situation is no different at the main GPRTU terminal as many passengers were spotted trying to board buses to their hometowns. Officials at the Metro Mass Transit station said they would be running services throughout the holiday period in order to make it possible for people to join their families for the holiday season. At the Intercity STC bus terminal, a notice pasted with regards to the Christmas and New Year operational programme indicated that there would be normal service on all routes on Tuesday, December 24, 2013 for Domestic Bus Service. The company will, however not work on Christmas day but will resume transport service on Boxing Day. The notice, however urged regional and station managers to confer among themselves on changes that might suit the period and make amendments where necessary. Religious leaders The reason for the season is Jesus Christ. The Christian community and the Regional Coordinating Council held a festival of nine lessons and carols at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church where choirs of various churches in the regional capital ushered their flock into the Christmas mood. Religious leaders in the region also seized the opportunity to advise people of the region and Ghanaians in general to be optimistic of the future because Ghana had a bright future and that the involvement of every Ghanaian and friends of Ghana was needed to move the nation forward. In separate interactions with various religious leaders in the region, they were hopeful that 2014 would be brighter than 2013. The Chairperson of Upper Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Esmond W. Nagba, said Christmas should be a time of sober reflections adding that Christians must use the period to renew and rededicate their lives to God via the preaching of the gospel’s message of peace and reconciliation. He said the Christmas period must also be a time for people to share love with their neighbours and resolve to be more devoted to God. Rev. Nagba said there was work to be done by all Ghanaians especially Christians who found themselves in leadership stressing that Ghana is looking for a leadership of truth, one that does not compromise and is ready to expose wrongdoing in society. He bemoaned the level of political polarisation permeating the Ghanaian society and prayed that the season will lead to unity. “Let’s eschew all forms of tendencies that will polarise this nation for development to thrive,” Rev. Nagba said. The Bolgatanga District Overseer of the Evangelical Church of Ghana, (ECG), Rev. Samuel Apeligeba advised Christians to come out of their spiritual captivity and slavery during this Christmas season. In an earlier sermon, Rev Apeligeba expressed regret that some Christians had allowed themselves to be driven by worldly things for far too long and said Christmas was the right season for such Christians to seek the face of God for his divine deliverance. Speaking on the theme; “The hope of Christ is coming soon, Rev. Apeligeba also stressed the need for Christians to be mindful of the second coming of Jesus Christ as highlighted in the book of Luke 21:25-33. The Senior Pastor of Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga, Pastor Eastwood Anaba in his Christmas greetings released on YouTube to friends and partners of the Eastwood Anaba Ministries said although many people were discouraged about many things that might have happened, the grace of God had sustained everyone to this point as we approach the end of the year. He encouraged Christians and the general public to “finish the race, fight the good fight, because in 2014, I believe that the clock will reset and you will make another dash towards your victory” Security The Upper East Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, in a message to the people, wished every citizen the best of the season. He said although the season is characterised with a lot of happiness and reunion, the festivities are normally bedeviled with a lot of security threats in terms of people trying to commit crimes and deprive others of the joy. He gave the assurance that all the necessary security arrangements had been put in place to ensure that people of the region go through the festivities without fear or favour, especially those who will be travelling at night to attend one programme or the other. While assuring all of their security, the regional minister also advised revelers to exercise moderation and be cautious in their celebrations. “We must all be alive to enjoy 2014” he admonished. He appealed to all to cooperate with the police and other security agencies who are out there to ensure the safety of life and property. In the area of development, he conceded that 2013 came with some challenges but was optimistic that with all the groundwork, 2014 will be a prosperous one as a number of developmental projects had been earmarked for implementation in the coming year. http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/14735-harmattan-can-t-deter-us-from-celebrating-xmas-bolga-residents-declare.html

Atongo Zimba urges re-packaging of northern music

Date of Publication; December 14, 2013 DAILY GRAPHIC, GHANA

Ghanaian international musician, Atongo Zimba, has called on young musicians from northern Ghana to focus on indigenous music from northern Ghana and re-package it for bigger appeal. The No Beer in Heaven hit-maker argued that indigenous northern Ghanaian music was comparable to award-winning songs from other parts of the continent that had gained international recognition. “The problem we have here is that we disrespect our own music. If you listen to northern music, you will realise that we are mostly on the track of the likes of Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Baaba Maal and Manu Dibango,” Atongo said during an interview in Bolgatanga. “Music from the northern Ghana is the type Europeans want to hear. Northern music is authentic and organic and must be promoted, ” he said adding that he was ready to contribute his experience to support initiatives that sought to reposition indigenous northern music. Atongo Zimba, together with the famous King Ayisoba and 2012 MTN Hit-Maker finalist, Atimbilla among other artistes, performed last Saturday at the Kofi Charlie Floor of the Bolgatanga Catering Rest House. Atongo Zimba and King Ayisoba lit up the night and treated patrons to some good kologo tunes that got patrons out of their seats to shake off the biting cold associated with the harmattan weather. The show sought to relive the hey days of the defunct Uppers International Band and start a process of reviving the band. Musicians such as Christy Azuma, Nat Awuni and Sammy Young all played for the government- supported band that broke up after the demise of the Kutu Acheampong military regime. Guests at last Saturday’s show included the Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru and his deputy, Daniel Syme. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru commended the organizers of the programme for their initiative to revive the entertainment scene in the region and pledged the support of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council. One of the patrons of the idea to retrace the steps of the Old Uppers International Band, Naba Bombiga, who is also the chief of Zaare, spoke of the strides made by the Uppers International Band Chapters 1 and 2 and the nation-wide impact they made. He was hopeful that with the support of all, such success could be replicated http://graphic.com.gh/entertainment/14166-atongo-zimba-urges-re-packaging-of-northern-music.html

People living with HIV bemoan shortages with drugs at ART centres

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The periodic stock-outs of antiretroviral in recent times, lack of vitalfol, a critical drug as well as the lack of regents for CD4 count machines in the Upper East Region has been identified as some of the impediments impeding success towards universal access to HIV prevention and treatment in the Upper East Region. The Regional President of the Network of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (NAP +GHANA), Madam Comfort Ayamga disclosed this at the Upper East Regional celebration said as the nation reflect upon efforts to accelerate progress and expand access to HIV services, all must endeavour to ensure that universal access to treatment for all persons living with HIV and AIDS becomes a reality. Addressing a gathering on a day that brought together people from around the region to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and demonstrate solidarity in the face of the pandemic, Madam Ayamga said persons living with HIV need and have a right to an environment conducive for the reduction of stigma which kills faster that HIV. She therefore called on all especially the political, traditional and religious leaders as well as the media and other stakeholders to work together in partnership to create a Ghana free of HIV related stigma and discrimination which will lead to the reduction of the spread of the disease. “Universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and the reduction of stigma and discrimination are issues we all fight for everyday. This year’s theme is “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths” with a sub-national theme being “Accelerating the National Response towards the Millennium Development Goals”. The Deputy Upper East Regional Director of Health Services in charge of Administration, Mr Lucio Dery disclosed that the Regional Health Directorate has started a programme to scale up HIV and AIDS services which focuses in individual around the region having access to HIV prevention, access to treatment, care and support. All this is said will eventually dovetail into the national efforts of getting to zero. He said by the close of this year, four more designated health centers would be providing HIV treatment adding up to 10 already existing sites offering antiretroviral treatment in the region. “These are strategically placed sites that will make HIV drugs accessible to many more people who need,” he said. On elimination of mother -to-child HIV transmission, Mr Dery said all Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) centers up to Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) centers are providing services aimed at prevention of motor to child transmission of HIV. This, he said is targeted to achieve universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme emphasized the resolve of government to continue in its pursuit of an aggressive public health approach to rendering HIV prevention, treatment, care and maintain support services and appealed to corporate organizations to contribute towards the response to the HIV and AIDS menace. He also cautioned all Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to ensure that the 0.5 per cent share of the District Assemblies Common Fund(DACF) which is allocated to addressing HIV and AIDS issues are strictly applied for the purpose for which it was created. This admonition come in the face of a recent audit conducted early this year by the Ghana AIDS Commission to determine the compliance of the assemblies on the release of the 0.5 per cent of the DACF which revealed that some assemblies in the region have not complied with the directive for the past two years. Apart from the directive to the assemblies to adhere, Mr Syme proposed that the Ghana AIDS Commission should collaborate with the DACF Administrator to have the mandatory 0.5 percent of the fund deducted at source and paid into the individual accounts of the MMDAs as it is being done for the Disability Fund. -End-

MTN inaugurates ICT center in Bolgatanga

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga MTN Ghana Foundation has inaugurated an Information Communication Technology (ICT) Center and Library for the St. Charles Primary School in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region. The 21-seater capacity ICT facility would serve as computer training center and a reading facility to equip pupils of the school and 10 other surrounding communities with ICT skills and help improve general academic work. The intervention followed an appealed by the school in 2011 during its 85th anniversary celebration to MTN to help transform pupils in the digital divide. The facility was set up at a cost of GH c 128,000 and its forms part of MTN’s contributions towards improvement ICT education in Ghana. Inaugurating the facility, the Executive Secretary of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Robert Kuzoe said MTN is dedicated to expanding ICT access to many people especially those in rural and deprived communities adding that the initiative is also to support the implementation of the mandatory ICT component of the new educational reform and to help develop entrepreneurship skills in the youth in Northern Ghana. “The use of the internet and other technologies are crucial to the development of the Ghanaian economy and MTN remains committed to ensuring that our communities are connected.” He said He said in addition to establishment of the ICT facility, MTN Ghana Foundation has invested to the tune of GH c 848,873.37 in various community development projects in the areas of health and education across the region. Some of the Projects embarked in the Upper East region include: donation of an incubator to the Bawku West District Hospital to support quality health delivery, construction of an CHPS compound at Azuribisi, refurbishment of the Zuarungu Health Center and the renovation of a facility for reproductive child health, consulting and administrative office for the Ayamfooya Memorial Clinic as well as sponsorship for 20 schools to participate in the national spelling bee competition for the past three years. Mr Kuzoe appealed the the management of the school to maintain the ICT facility in order to ensure that it is sustained for future generations. Mrs Bibiana Weye, Headmistress of the school who did not hide her excitement expressed gratitude to MTN for supporting the facility. The Municipal Chief Executive for Bolagatanga, Mr Edward Ayagle while commending MTN Ghana Foundation also urged the pupils to seize opportunity and make themselves computer literate even before they progress to the Senior High School level. -End- Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

Work on four aerodromes to begin next year

(Published in the Daily Graphic of Friday, November 22, 2013 Page 32) The construction of four aerodromes in the Upper East, Volta, Central and Eastern regions is scheduled to begin early next year. President John Dramani Mahama said the Ghana Airports Authority was finalising the designs for the projects, while the process for the award of the contracts was going on. The President, who announced this yesterday after inspecting the proposed site for the Bolgatanga aerodrome at Anateem, said the construction of the aerodromes would enhance domestic air travel. He said the aerodromes would facilitate the lifting of passengers to and from the beneficiary regions to the other regions. Air travel President Mahama said the aviation industry had picked up in the country, with five companies operating commercial flights. Besides, he said, the number of domestic passengers had also increased astronomically. However, he said due to the absence of airports in the Upper East, Central, Volta and Eastern regions, people who wanted to fly out and those who wanted to go to those regions were compelled to travel to adjoining regions to catch flights. He said the construction of the aerodromes, which was part of the promises contained in the 2012 manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), would save passengers the trouble of going through adjoining regions before catching flights. President Mahama indicated that the Accra, Kumasi and Sunyani airports would also see major facelift. The President’s visit to the project site formed part of his two-day working visit to the Upper East Region. He also inspected construction works on the Nangodi section of the Bolgatanga-Bawku Road and inaugurated a school facility funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for Our Lady of Lourdes Girls' Senior High School in Navrongo. The President’s presence in the region is the second leg of his nation-wide tour. He first visited the Volta Region from November 16-17, 2013.

Focus on Talensi

Published in Daily Graphic of Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Isaac Yin is a teacher at Tongo but lives in Bolgatanga from where he communes to work daily. He always gets to work with brown hair because of the dusty roads between Winkongo and Tongo. He wants work on the road to be completed early so that he avoids the inconveniences he has to endure every week on his way to and from school. The seven kilometre Winkongo-Tongo road in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region was one of several road projects awarded in 2012. The project is expected to be completed in June 2014. Even though work on that stretch of road is progressing at an appreciable rate, some residents of the area, especially those whose houses are close to the road have decried its dusty nature because it has serious health implications. In an interview with the District Chief Executive for Talensi, Mr Edward Awunore at Tongo, he said the assembly would ensure a speedy completion of the project.

“I have been on the engineer to ensure that the contractor delivers a quality job and so far they have not disappointed. All the old culverts have been demolished and new and stronger ones constructed,” he said, adding that work was progressing speedily as the contractors were now left with the last stage of gravelling before the application of bitumen on the surface of the road.” Mr Awunore said the Talensi District Assembly has initiated a number of developmental projects to help address the myriad of both educational and social problems in some communities in the district. The lined up projects, which cut across the area of education, provision of electricity and access to potable water, have been spread evenly to benefit each community. Education The DCE for Talensi said his assembly had chosen education as its main priority to help improve its human resource base and enhance the socio-economic transformation of the people. Therefore, the assembly in consultation with the chiefs and opinion leaders has initiated a new senior high and technical school which is ready to admit its first batch of students. He said the assembly had set up an implementation committee to supervise enrolment for this year and also written to the National Service Secretariat to post personnel to the school to aid with teaching. He said the assembly has also identified indigenes who have studied relevant courses in the universities and polytechnic and would engage them to help support the school in order to improve quality education for children in the district. He conceded that although Bolgatanga Senior High School (BIGBOSS) was located within the district, it was more like a regional model school and not all qualified students from the district gain admission to BIGBOSS, hence the initiative to establish a new school to complement the existing senior high school. Mr Awunore disclosed that his district has also been selected to benefit from the community Senior High Schools (SHSs) initiated by the president adding that already a 51 acre land has been secured for that purpose. Technical and Vocational Education The DCE said technical and vocational education also remained the focus of the assembly and the assembly had extended support to two institutions within the area. These are the Namalteng Integrated Vocational School and the Duusi Vocational School, initiated by the former MP for Talensi, Mr John Tia Akolgu. He said the Namalteng Integrated Vocational School had its facility recently renovated and painted by the assembly and was also supplied with some freezers and gas burner to support the practical lessons in the school. The Duusi Vocational School which will soon commence enrolment also received some sewing machines and 25 computers procured by the former MP for the use of the school. At the Namalteng Integrated Vocational School, an administrator of the school, Mr Clement Anaba, confirmed the assembly’s support for the school but bemoaned the lack of interest in vocational and technical education on the part of parents and children. He said the school, which runs a four-year programme in courses such as catering, secretarial practice, building and construction, carpentry, textiles, hand weaving and dressmaking, has a student population of only 31. He said sometimes, tutors had to go into town to canvass for enrolment and suggested that the school be placed on the computerised placement system to address the issue of low enrolment. Streetlights The DCE said the assembly had installed a number of streetlights in some communities and institutions to boost security. Among them are the Bolgatanga Senior High School and the Pwalugu Police Training School, emphasising that the assembly is ready to do its best to bring development to the people. Water One other challenge facing the people in the district is access to potable water. Due to the rocky nature of the area, any attempt to drill a borehole is met with difficulties. That notwithstanding, the DCE said the assembly was also implementing a Small Town Water System in communities such as Pwalugu and Duusi to address the challenge of access to potable water in the district. He added that the assembly was also looking at drilling about 10 boreholes in selected communities to help to ease challenges facing the people with regards to access to water. According to Mr Awunore, the assembly was also collaborating with World Vision International Ghana with the drilling of some boreholes in the district. “It is my strongest belief that when these projects are fully implemented, the people of the district, especially Pwalugu, will no more have water problems,” he said. Health In the area of Health care, the DCE said the assembly was working hard towards upgrading the health centre into a district hospital. As a result, the assembly has initiated the construction of a new patient ward and a theatre facility, and work is progressing steadily. Mining He said the Talensi District was blessed with mineral resources, mostly gold. This has seen an active small scale mining industry in the area. He noted that in the midst of this enterprise, the district has recorded a number of security challenges as a result of disputes among mining firms over who owns a concession. The DCE said to address the challenge, the Talensi District Security Committee (DISEC), in collaboration with the Ghana Immigration Service, the police, the Mineral Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has stepped in to help bring calm at the various mining sites and promote harmonious working environment. Revenue Mobilisation He said the assemblies, realising that they could not continue to rely on the District Assemblies Common Fund to support development projects, have put in place mechanisms to increase its internal revenue mobilisation. As a result, as of June 2013 this year, the assembly mobilised GH¢ 74.000 as against GH¢ 61,000 estimated as internally generated funds. Support for Women groups Mr Awunore said the assembly had assisted women groups by putting up two craft centres; one at Winkongo and the other at Tongo, where women groups converge to engage in basket weaving. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/focus-on-talensi.html

Fibre cuts hamper quality service — MTN

Mobile Telecommunications Network, MTN has indicated that rampant cuts of its fiber optic cables continue to be a major challenge that undermine the company’s ability to provide the kind of quality services to its subscribers. The Corporate Service Executive, Mrs Cynthia Lumor in an interview with the Graphic Business in Bolgatanga said the frequent damage being caused to the company’s fiber optic cables imposes a huge cost on the service provider but most importantly create difficulties for customers in affected areas in their quest to access telecommunication services. Mrs Lumor who led officials of MTN Ghana to Bolgatanga to interact with Editors and senior media practitioners in the Upper East Region as part of its annual editor’s fora held across the country said a huge percentage of the cuts are as a result of road construction activity, small scale mining and theft. She said the situation is getting worse by the day in spite of a vigorous campaign to sensitize the public against it. She said MTN will continue to liaise with stakeholders such as the Association of Road Contractors, Ghana Highway Authority, Department of Feeder and Urban Roads amongst others to try and find ways to avoid the fiber cuts that occur when road construction is going on. “The effect of fiber cuts is that it compromises MTN’s ability to provide quality services to customers. The reason why we have invested so much in fiber is because of the quality and capacity of services that fiber optic network provides. It has so much capacity that it can carry so much more calls, there is faster speed doe greater service but when the fiber is cut, it means customers who would have been supported with very good quality service are deprived of the chance to access the network,” she said. She said even though MTN has redundancies, for example ability to deploy its microwave network in cases when its fiber optic cables, because the microwave has less capacity, it will result in fewer resources being contended for by many more people which then leads to congestion on the network, drop calls and its attendant frustrations. She therefore appealed to the public to report activities of such miscreants to the law enforcement agencies. Mrs Lumor said the experiences of MTN customers remain the focus of its operations and to that effect, this year, MTN is investing $ 105 million in network upgrade to improve customer experience. The Editors Forum also focused on the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives by the MTN Foundation in the country. Mrs Lumor indicated that the Foundation invested a total of GHc 750, 927 in the Upper East Region mostly is areas of health and education. Among the beneficiary is the St Charles Primary School, in Bolgatanga where an ICT centre is being provided. The Head of Technical Services of MTN in charge of the Northern Sector, Mr Charles Osei Akoto said between 2007 to date, 230 arrest have been made of people who are involved in the stealing of MTN transmission logistics such as liters of fuel, as well as generator batteries from the company’s various cell sites. He said the incidence of theft took place in five regions including Upper East, Upper West, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions but stressed that majority of those cases were recorded in the Asante Region with the remaining regions recording just a few cases. “Specifically, we have made arrest in Juaso, Obuasi, Juabeng, Sunyani” he added. He explained that because MTN is a strong brand and has the largest cell sites; it has become the target of more theft cases. Touching on MTN’s network improvement in the Upper East Region, Mr Akoto said MTN network availability in the region has significantly improved after a radio assess network project carried out recently adding that a total of 60 cell sites have been swapped and upgraded in the region as at the end of August 2013 He also indicated that extension of fiber network in the Upper East Region which will see the implementation of 181 kilometer fiber line between Tamale and Bolgatanga will kick start soon. He said when this happens; the Upper East Region will be link to MTN’s national and international fiber network. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Graphic Business/Ghana Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh http://graphic.com.gh/Business-News/fibre-cuts-hamper-quality-service-mtn.html

Regions join in ‘celebrating’ eclipse

Benjamin Xornam Glover reports from Bolgatanga that after watching the spectacle, a resident, Ms Regina Sundong, simply remarked, "This is a beautiful scenery by all standards." She was among several residents of Bolgatanga who watched the phenomenon that saw the moon passing between the sun and the earth, causing a partial blocking of the sun’s rays. Some residents of Koforidua observing the eclipse from a bowl of water. Picture: Nana Konadu AgyemanSome residents of Koforidua observing the eclipse from a bowl of water. Picture: Nana Konadu AgyemanSome students of the Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School who took turns to watch the phenomenon by sharing a single solar eclipse shade available marvelled at the sight of the sun. Ms Elizabeth Anaba, a form one student, said she was happy to have experienced the "once-in-a-lifetime” occurrence, adding that it was an experience that would live with her for a long time. Published: Daily Graphic, November 4, 2013 http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/regions-join-in-celebrating-eclipse.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Youth urged to shun negative behaviours

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, BOLGATANGA Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Daniel A Syme has advised the youth in the region to shun negative tendencies such as ethnic, political a and religious and rather focus on their studies to become better persons in future. Mr Syme who gave the advice during the observations of the African Youth Day at the Bolgatanga Girls Senior School reiterated the fact that if the youth should concentrate on their studies, they will become useful citizens not only for their families but their communities and the region as a whole. The Africa Union Youth Day is observed on November 1 each year. This was as a result of a resolution adopted by Heads of state and governments of the Africa Union in Banjul, Gambia in 2006. Since then, Ghana has been celebrating the African Youth Day.The theme for the 2013 celebration is "Africa's Youth Population: opportunity or threats,Ghana in perspective" The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme in a keynote address also called on people with selfish interest, who use the youth to perpetuate crimes, to desist from the act and rather help groom them to become responsible future leaders. "I remain convinced that our youth must be effectively engaged and involved in efforts to achieve sustainable development of Ghana and Africa for that matter. To do this, the youth must be adequately prepared,which sharply imposes the need to invest sufficiently in human capital development," he said. He gave the assurance that government would continue to expedite action to pass into law and implement the Ghana Youth Policy and finalize its action plans, as well as ensuring that data and information on young people are available to inform sustainable actions. Mr Syme also appealed to stakeholders, including the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Private Sector, NGOs, development partners and the youth to synergize efforts in delivering on youth development and empowerment in Africa. The Upper East Regional Youth Coordinator of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Mr Daud James Abang-Gos, said the day is set aside to appreciate the achievements of the country's youth and celebrate thir successes. Mr Abang-Gos said the celebration of the day usually offers the opportunity for government, Civil Society Organizations, parents, key state actors, including the youth themselves, to share a common platform by taking stock of activities, successes and failures, challenges of young people in Africa and propose policy directions to address them. He said the youth in Ghana and Africa in general have been involved in nation building in the areas of agriculture, sports, academia, productivity and maintainable of general security, adding that "it is not the case that young people are always involved in negative things, they also contribute to nation building" "We in the National Youth Authority with support from government are prepared to deliver quality youth service to make them work with their hands, legs, hearts and heads," he added. A communication and leadership trainer, Mr Eduard Povel, advised the youth to remain focus, developed a goal and work towards achieving their targeting life. -end Quick read > Since 2006, Ghana has been celebrating the African Youth Day > The day was set aside following a resolution adopted in Banjul by Heads of state and governments of the Africa Union to declare every 1st day of November as Africa Union Youth Day. > The Deputy Upper East who addressed a forum at the BOLGATANGA Girls Senior High School at this year's regional celebration called in the youth to shun negative behaviors and embrace attitudes that changes the world. Writers's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

Bawku: REGSEC calls for restraint

DOB: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013, PAGE 17

The Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has called on the people of Bawku, especially the youth, to remain calm and not to resort to violence in seeking redress to violence. The Chairman of the REGSEC, who is also the Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Bolgatanga, said the region, in general, and Bawku, in particular, needed peace and unity for speedy development. He said nothing would be spared in ensuring that permanent peace was restored in the region. After leading members of the REGSEC to visit Bawku, where two people were shot dead last weekend, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru also met opinion leaders in the Bawku area — both Kussasis and Mamprusis — and encouraged the youth to cooperate with the security personnel in Bawku in their quest to bring peace to the region. “On our part, we will get the security agencies to intensify their patrols and make efforts at bringing the troublemakers to order,” he said. It will be recalled that two people were shot dead in separate incidents in the Bawku municipality in the Upper East Region last weekend. While one of them, identified as Hasmin Yakubu, 28, was shot at Sagabo last Friday, the other, whose name was given as Osman Inusah, died at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital where he had been rushed to after he had been shot at Possum, near the Bawku Cattle Market on Saturday. Two others, whose names were given as Dambilla Issah, 68, and Tanko Haruna, 30, who sustained injuries were treated and discharged from the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital after they were attacked by unidentified gunmen last Friday. So far no arrest has been made in connection with the two incidents, but according to the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ebenezer Kawku Asare, police investigations are underway. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/bawku-regsec-calls-for-restraint.html

Farmers introduced to new varieties of maize

DOP: 14 October 2013

Some farmers from the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality and the Bongo District in the Upper East Region have been introduced to new varieties of maize, sorghum and cowpea. At a farmers’ field day at Bonia in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality and Samboligo in the Bongo District, the farmers, numbering about 40, were introduced to the hybrid maize variety, which has high protein content; high yielding sorghum varieties; and cowpeas. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), in collaboration with the Savanna Agriculture Research Institute (SARI), and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) organised the field day. ­­The IITA Representative, Mr Clement Achuliba, said the project was being sponsored by the IITA Africa Rising Programme based in Ibadan, Nigeria, with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He said prior to the start of the project, a community analysis programme was carried out during which researchers interacted with the farmers and identified some of the challenges facing farming in the selected communities. The challenges, he said, ranged from pest, disease, erratic rainfall which all contributed to low yields, adding that lack of access to improved seeds was also identified as a disincentive to farming. Mr Achiliba was optimistic that over the four-year project span, the intervention to promote drought tolerant crops would be achieved and result in farmers benefiting from their toil. The Bongo District Director of MOFA, Alhaji Musbau Ahmed, who represented the Regional Director of Agriculture, noted that because the rain pattern had become unpredictable in the region, there was the need for fast maturing crops that could withstand drought. He said the hybrid maize seed, such as the one being introduced to the farmers, was well timed, since maize was fast catching up in the Upper East Region as a staple. He, however, bemoaned the high cost of the seeds and suggested that farmers could come together, pool resources and purchase the seeds, since they stood to benefit in the long run. The Deputy Co-ordinating Director for the Kassena-Nankana East Municipal Assembly, Mr Michael Awuni, said agriculture played a crucial role in the economy of the country in general, and that people of the area in particular should welcome the intervention which, he said, would help reduce poverty and hunger and ultimately improve the standards of living of farmers By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/farmers-introduced-to-new-varieties-of-maize.html

1, 134 pupils in Gowrie benefit from oral health education and screening

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Gowrie Eastwood Anaba Ministries, (EAM), a Christian worldwide revival ministry, under its social transformation programme, has carried out a dental exercise for pupils of the Gowrie and Tingre Primary and Junior High schools in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region. A team of oral health officers screened the over 1,134 pupils. The organizers also distributed toothbrushes and paste, literature on good oral practices as well as bibles to each of the pupils. The Vice President of EAM, Mrs. Mrs. Rosemond Anaba said the motive of the programme was to promote oral health and hygiene among the school children and encourage them to practice good dental care. She said the programme is a contribution to efforts the government and the various NGOs to improve the lifestyles of the people in the Gowrie community adding that the community was selected because of the peculiar challenges prevalent in the area. Explaining the four folds aim of the sensitization programme, Mrs Anaba said first of all, the organizers through the programme wishes to warm about the dangers of bad oral hygiene, since oral health is an aspect of health care many people take for granted. “Many people don’t know that bad oral hygiene is connected to heart diseases and other related diseases. It also has damaging effect on their personalities and also affect their social lives in many ways including marriage”, she said. Secondly, Mrs. Anaba said the programme is to impact knowledge about the causes of diseases of the decay of the teeth and the gum and also demonstrate some of the ways to prevent diseases and how to seek effective treatment. She said her organization also seeks to offer direction to people, especially children concerning the effective use of tooth brushes and tooth paste and caution them on the application of fluoride products on the market and other sustainable alternatives to prevent mouth odour. Mrs Anaba said EAM through this outreach missions seeks to establish the maintenance of good oral hygiene by encouraging communities to go for regular check up with the dentist. She urged parents, teachers and guidance to act as dentists by looking into the mouth of children to ensure that everything is alright. “Good teeth will always attract good people to you and improves a person confidence level,” she said She was optimistic that by targeting the young ones, the children will embrace the need to keep their teeth clean at all times and grow to practice good oral hygiene. A Senior Oral Health Officer at the Sandema District Hospital, Mr Jonas Panwum who led a team of oral health officers to examine and sensitize the pupils on oral health underscored the need for regular visit to the dentist. He said one of the many problems in the region is halitosis adding that having a smelly mouth or halitosis can be greatly embarrassing since one can lose a lot of friends and loose respect too. He said bad breath can largely be prevented and expressed appreciation to the organizers for offering them the platform to reach out to people and educates them on the need to seek early treatment. Mr Panwum appealed to the government and the chief dental officer to put in place incentive packages that will motivate a lot more dentists to come to the region and also provide logistics including means of transport to carry out similar outreach programmes for the benefit of the people. Madam Monica Nsoh, Headmistresses for the Gowrie Primary School expressed her appreciation to EAM and their partners for reaching out to the over 100 school children, and urged other corporate bodies in Ghana to emulate this shining and humanitarian exercise. -END- Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh Quick read Ø 1,134 pupils in the Gowrie Community in the Bongo District have benefited from a free dental care. Ø The outreach was organized by the Eastwood Anaba Ministries, a Christian revival ministry with aim to promote good oral health and hygiene among the school children and encourage them to practice good dental care. Ø The beneficiaries apart from the screening and education where presented with tooth brushes and tooth paste and also educated the use of other sustainable alternatives to prevent mouth odour. Pix: The Vice President of EAM, Mrs. Mrs. Rosemond Anaba(right) handing out a package of tooth brushes and tooth paste to a pupil as part of the outreach programme.

Builsa North District Assembly hands over health and educational projects to four communities

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Sandema The Builsa North District Assembly in the Upper East Region has handed over two new Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds to the Ghana Health Service in the district to provide quality health care to the people in the Zundema-Siniensi and Yipaala-Chuchuliga communities. The GH 194, 444.24 CHPS compounds, built with resources from the District Development Fund (DDF), has facilities for a ward, theatre and offices and residential accommodation for the resident midwife and Community Health Officer. It would bring quality health care services closer to the people, who hitherto had to travel long distances to access health services. The assembly has also handed over a three-unit kindergarten block with ancillary facilities at Achog-Yeri to the District Education Directorate built at a cost of GH c 105,145.80 also funded by the DDF. The Builsa North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Bonaventure Adangabey, who handed over the projects also cut the sod to mark the beginning of work on GH c 295, 532.83 Six -unit classroom block a for the Awusu-Yeri community. Funding for the project was provided by the Ghana Education Trust Fund, (GETFUND) as part of effort to eliminate the phenomenon of schools under trees. In his remarks, Mr Adangabey said the provision of the projects is part of the efforts aimed at improvement access to basic education in deprived communities as well as improving access quality health services in the district. He particularly bemoaned the congestion in the Awusu-Yeli Primary School where as many as 80 pupils struggle find space in a classroom and urged the contractor, Messrs Nabula Enterprise to stick to the 6 months duration and complete the work on time to facilitate decongestion of the classrooms. He said it is expected that the project when completed will go to ease the difficulty with congestion and led to an improvement in the teaching and learning in the community. In respect of the CHPS compounds, he said many people in the rural areas were suffering because of inaccessibility to a health facility, hence the need to provide the CHPS compound. He urged the District Health Directorate to as a matter of emergency post staff and logistics to the facility to for the effective running of the facilities. The District Director of Education, Mr Bernard Akara and his Counterpart from the Health Service, Madam Juliana Adiali expressed their appreciation to the district assembly for its unwavering commitment at helping accelerate access to basic education and health in the area by constructing the classroom and the CHPS facility. They both pledged to help make effective use of the facilities in order to create a conducive learning environment for children in the community as well as enhance the quality of health care services to the people in the beneficiary communities. Madam Adiali appealed the members of the Zundema-Siniensi and Yipala-Chuchuliga communities, especially the women and children to patronize CHPS compound and also urged the community members to ensure the new structures were adequately maintained. -End- Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh Quick read:  The Builsa North District Assembly has handed over two new CHPS compound to provide quality health care to the people in the Zundema-Siniensi and Yipaala-Chuchuliga communities.  The assembly has also constructed a three-Unit classroom KG block with ancillary facilities as well as cut the sod for a six-unit primary school block to ease congestion in the Awusu-Yeri community.  It is expected that the four new projects will enhance access to health care and also improve teaching and learning in the district. UNPUBLISHED

Two die in Bawku shooting incidents

Two people were shot dead in two separate incidents in the Bawku municipality in the Upper East Region during the weekend. While one of them, identified as Hasmin Yakubu, 28, was shot at Sagabo last Friday, the other, whose name was given as Osman Inusah, died at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital where he had been rushed to after he had been shot at Possum, near the Bawku Cattle Market on Saturday. Published on Monday October 21, 2013 Pg 16 Two others, whose names were given as Dambilla Issah, 68, and Tanko Haruna, 30, are receiving treatment at the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital after they were attacked by unidentified gunmen last Friday. Issah is said to have been shot in the abdomen, while Haruna is said to have sustained multiple wounds on both arms, the right thigh and chest. Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ebenezer Kwaku Asare, said the incidents were not linked to the protracted ethnic clashes which had deprived the once popular economic hub of northern Ghana the necessary economic and social progress. According to the police, Yakubu was shot about 7:40 p.m. by unknown assailants when he was sitting with a lady, suspected to be his girlfriend, in front of a house. He was shot in the neck and the chest, killing him instantly. He said in Inusah’s case, two gunmen allegedly went to his house about 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, knocked on his door and after he had opened the door, his assailants opened fire on him. Inusah was rushed to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, where he died later. The suspected armed assailants also shot Issah and Haruna, who were rushed to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, where they are being treated. Chief Supt Asare said when the security team combed the scene; they found 24 empty shells and two live ones of AK 47 ammunition. So far, no arrest has been made in connection with the two incidents, but police investigations are underway. By Benjamin Xorman Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/two-die-in-bawku-shooting-incidents.html

Builsa South DCE to bridge development gap

Published in the Daily Graphic on Tuesday 08 OCTOBER 2013. Elizabeth Jane Afuic, one of the two female District Chief Executives (DCEs) in the Upper East Region, has committed herself to collaborate with the technocrats and other assembly members to bridge the development gap between Builds South and the rest of the country. Madam Afuic who was recently endorsed by all the 27 members of the Builsa South District Assembly, in an interview with the Daily Graphic during the second ordinary meeting of the assembly at Fumbisi, said she saw her appointment and subsequent confirmation by the assembly members as a move to encourage more women in the district to enter local-level politics. She has, therefore, vowed to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in her. Out of the 13 districts in the Upper East Region, only two are headed by female chief executives. The other assembly headed by a woman is the Nabdam District Assembly, which has Madam Vivian Anafo as the DCE. “This singular act that saw my overwhelming endorsement is a clear demonstration of their preparedness to support me in our collective effort at delivering development to our people”, she said, adding that she would count on their support and unity to confront the numerous development challenges of the district. The DCE, who prior to her appointment, served as a government appointee in the assembly, said she intended to tap from the varied and diverse expertise of the assembly members as well as the technocrats in the district to accelerate development in the district, which was recently carved out of the Builsa District. Outlining her agenda for the district, Madam Afuic said her administration’s topmost priority would be to address issues related to illiteracy, poor healthcare delivery, low agricultural productivity, inadequate water and sanitation, poor road network and the creation of employment opportunities for the youth. Madam Afuic disclosed that the district had been selected as one of the first 50 districts to benefit from the construction of a senior high school (SHS) out of the 200 SHSs the government had decided to construct across the country. The DCE said the project site, between Kanjarga and Gbedema community, had already been selected and the site plan prepared for that purpose. In the area of health, the Builsa South DCE said, maternal mortality, malaria and teenage pregnancy were on the ascendency and to address that, she would work closely with the district directorate of health to sensitise the target population to take preventive measures to reduce such occurrences, if not to eliminate them. Madam Afuic said with agriculture being the mainstay of the people in the district and engaging about 70 per cent of the population, she would lead efforts to expand the sector, increase productivity and also make sure that farmers had value for money. She added that opportunities in the rice sector support programme and other government policy interventions such as the fertiliser subsidy programme, youth in agriculture and block farming programme would be embraced to address the food insecurity situation in the district. She lamented the poor road infrastructure in the area, especially the main trunk road spanning Sandema-Wiaga-Fumbisi, which is in a deplorable state and posing a great risk to commuters, and gave an assurance that she would coordinate with the Department of Feeder Roads and the sector ministry to have those roads tarred and to open up the areas, which incidentally are farming communities. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/builsa-south-dce-to-bridge-development-gap.html

Kassena-Nankana West Assembly confirms DCE

Published on Daily Graphic, Saturday October 5, 2013 Page 17 Members of the Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly have confirmed Mr George Nonterah, a retired educationist, as the District Chief Executive for the area. Mr Nonterah polled 51 out of the total 64 assembly votes, representing 79.7 per cent, in the election supervised by the Electoral Commission. Twelve assembly members voted against the nominee while 1 vote was rejected. Though the nominee had an overwhelming endorsement, there was drama, as prior to the sitting of the house, all 20 government appointees, including the presiding member of the house, were presented with letters revoking their appointment. The terse letter, dated September 25, 2013, signed by the Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, read: “The Government has with effect from 16th August, 2013 revoked your appointment as government appointee for the Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly. Thank you for your service.” Subsequently, 10 out of the 20, whose appointment were revoked, were recalled while a new set of persons were appointed to the assembly as ‘government appointees’ for the confirmation process to proceed. Mr James K. Kupamwo, one of the dismissed appointees, who is also the Chiana-Paga Constituency Chairman of the NDC, described the revocation as a blot on the party in the constituency since, in his view, the interest of a greater number of people in the district had been sacrificed just for one single individual. He warned that the fortunes of the NDC in the constituency remained bleak by that singular action taken by the regional minister and regional executives of the party. He questioned the propriety of the letter revoking the appointment of members of the assembly, arguing that the same persons who were dismissed had participated in similar meetings days after August 16, 2013. Responding to the correctness or otherwise of the decision to dismiss the government appointees on the eve of the sitting of the house to consider the president’s nominee, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru maintained that the participation of the dismissed assembly members in the previously failed attempts was not illegal. He maintained that even though the revocation took effect from August 16, 2013, the dismissed appointees were not served, hence it could be argued that they were not communicated to. The regional minister said the one who appointed them could revoke their appointment at anytime, hence government did not err by dismissing them from their assembly. He dared the peeved appointees to head to court if they felt their rights had been infringed upon. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru had earlier advised the assembly members to have the development of the place at heart and rally behind the elected DCE to develop the district. He also advised the approved DCE to work with all assembly members and not be selective in their dealings. “In a democracy, minority views must be respected,” he stressed. The regional minister assured the people that with tier support, he would push hard for the carving out of a new district out of the existing one since that was the major desire of the people. “The paper work has been completed and if we should all work hard, eschew division, it should be possible to get a new district out of the existing one,” he said. He urged the approve DCE to promote peace and unity to propel development, and urged assembly members to abstain from acts of acrimony. Mr George Nonterah , the approved DCE, expressed gratitude to the President for nominating him for the position and thanked the assembly members for the confidence reposed in him. He gave the assurance that he would run an open door administration to ensure that the problems of the district are solved together. “The complexity of our district makes us very suspicious of one another. We need to have trust for one another. Let this be the beginning of mutual respect and trust so that together we will push for the development of the area,” said Mr Nonterah who also pledged to prioritised education in his development agenda for the area. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/kassena-nankana-west-assembly-confirms-dce.html

Tackling Streetism in Bolgatanga -School of Night Rabbits to the rescue

Published in the Daily Graphic of Thursday October 3, 2013 Page 47

Streetism is a term used to describe children who are forced to spend most of their time outside their homes, engaging in menial income-generating activities in order to survive. Often, such children who seek refuge and survive outside the home come from rural or the poor areas of towns and cities. Bolgatanga, the regional capital of the Upper East Region, and a major transit point to some West African countries, has been grappling with streetism for some time now. The town’s strategic position avails it to the type of menial jobs that attract street children. They carry loads for lorry drivers and passengers, while others work in the ‘chop bars’ and eat whatever is available to them. School of Night Rabbits In 2003, a volunteer from the United Kingdom, Clare Armstrong, in collaboration with a manager of a foster home, Mama Laadi foster Home, started a programme initially known as “School of Hard Knocks,” which provided an avenue for street children to gather regularly to receive health support and basic tutoring from the two women. In 2005, Afrikids Ghana, an NGO, partnered ‘School of Hard Knocks’ and assumed responsibility for the project. Under the new name, School of Night Rabbits, Afrikids continued to take children off the streets and put them in the classroom where they were taught some basic numeracy and literacy skills. The NGO also took responsibility for the children’s upkeep. The syllabus run by the School of Night Rabbits is a mix of Ghana Education Service lessons and a wider set of social and health lessons and recreation. During classes, the children are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in some practical lessons such as drumming and dancing, storytelling, poetry recitals, doormat weaving etc. They are also taught basic health and hygiene and how to stay safe even on the streets. Teachers Teachers of the “School of Night Rabbits” spend a lot of time on the streets where they monitor the situation of the children and find out their backgrounds. The project, thus, helps to guard even children on the streets from getting into worse situations. When possible, the children are mainstreamed into the Afrikids Ghana main sponsored projects for them to receive more comprehensive support or unit them with their families. The teachers are volunteers who receive monthly allowances from Afrikids Ghana. The leader of the volunteers is Ms Saratu Abubakari. Giving an overview of the programme at a ceremony in Bolgatanga, where free school uniforms and learning materials were presented to beneficiaries, Ms Abubakari said for the three years that she had been engaged on the project, a number of children had been withdrawn from the streets and encouraged to either go back home or to school. She said from October 2012 to date, the “School of Night Rabbits” had registered about 70 children, though 43 of them were regular at evening tutorials, and added that of the 43 street children rescued, 24 had been placed in schools. Ms Abubakari was not happy about the irregular manner in which the 24 pupils attended classes because they had to hustle on the streets after school each day in order to survive. She said the remaining 19 children had all expressed interest in going to school and indicated that a search was being made for schools to absorb them. Support Package The head of the Bolgatanga Area Programme of Afrikids Ghana, Mr Cletus Anaaya, said support provided the children under the project included monthly stipend, health insurance, provision of female goats for families of the children to rear, soap and other toiletries, educational talks to motivate them to want to go back to school, as well as counselling services. He said after a period of nine months, during which time the children attended night classes, some of them agreed to go back to school, while others went back to their families. Mr Anaaya said a few neither went back to school nor home because they had nobody to take care of them. “The organisation unfortunately is also unable to mainstream them into any of its existing projects for direct support. Intervention The Director of Programmes at Afrikids Ghana, Mr David Pwalua, said the intervention had given them the opportunity to reach out to children who, through no fault of theirs, were not regular in school or had not been to school at all. He called on all stakeholders, including lorry park overseers, parents and civil society organisations, as well as the government to support Afrikids Ghana to give education to children who are not in the formal school system. A beneficiary, Ms Ibrahim Fidaus, who is now in junior high school, thanked Afrikids for picking her from the streets and enrolling her in school. Ms Ibrahim revealed that she would remain in school and continue till she reached the highest level. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/tackling-streetism-in-bolgatanga-school-of-night-rabbits-to-the-rescue.html

Alcohol menace in Upper East Region?

Published on Friday, September 27, 2013 Page 23 It is the latest craze in town. Drinking bars are springing up across the region with such rapidity and that is a worry to many residents. The rate at which bars and drinking joints are springing up in different parts in the Bolgatanga municipality indicates that more residents are not only looking for ways to burn stress, but are also promoting alcoholism. The situation has become alarming to the extent that hardly does one move beyond a stone-throw in the municipality without seeing a drinking bar. The fact is that along all the major streets and other parts of the municipality, the operation of bars and joints have become a choice business. And the owners of these facilities are from varied backgrounds. While some are politicians and retired civil servants; others are businessmen. Sad to say, the clientele these joints attract are mainly the youth, even though adults also patronise these joints. If the adage, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, is something to go by, then one will argue that “breaking a bottle or two”, to put it in street parlance, after a hard day’S work is not a bad idea, but it appears the situation is going overboard and many have linked the spread of alcoholism to the poverty in the region. Alcohol consumption is among the factors that contribute to poverty in the region and this trend needs to be changed. Apart from the local brew, pito, which many think is medicinal, most of the youth are heavily engaged in the consumption of hard liquor such as ”akpeteshie” and smoking of marijuana. The Regional Coordinator of Psychiatry, Mr Peter Akagwire, in an interview reiterated the fact that substance abuse including excessive alcohol intake and smoking of marijuana is on the rise in the region but those engaged in the act did not seek assistance. He added that family members were also not supportive in helping to seek assistance for addicted persons. Standard of Education The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, at a recent meeting with members of the Christian Council of Ghana attributed the falling standards of education in the region to the high incidence of alcoholism among teachers. According to him, alcoholism was ‘eating up’ most of the teachers, adding that “about 70 per cent of the teachers in this region are alcoholics. They do not even go to work. Even if they are in the classroom, they are drunk. How can you get somebody in this state to perform in the classroom and deliver the goods?” the regional minister quizzed. Extreme poverty Delivering a keynote address recently at a youth empowerment seminar in Bolgatanga, Rev. Eastwood Anaba identified alcoholism and two Other factors -polygamy and idolatry – as the main factors that contributed to extreme underdevelopment of the Upper East Region. He bemoaned the fact that the region is ranked as the poorest in Ghana, the same region is noted to be the number one region in terms of alcohol consumption. “Pito is brewed everywhere and akpeteshie flows incessantly. You do not get pito and akpeteshie free of charge. You spend money on it”, he said. He opined that the Upper East Region was the richest, going by its resources and that if the alcoholics could change their lifestyles and habits and channel their resources in the right direction, the region could change the trend of its economic growth. Effects Excessive drinking of alcohol, health experts have warned could lead to brain impairment. This is because regular heavy drinking interferes with some essential components of the brain that are needed for good mental health. On the other hand, high levels of alcohol could as well contribute to one’s feeling of depression and anxiety and makes stress harder to deal with. Solution Municipal and district assemblies provide communities with recreational facilities in order to disengage the youth from social vices such as alcoholism and marijuana. Apart from regulating the siting of metal containers in the Bolgatanga Municipality as was indicated recently when some shops, including drinking spots without business operating licence were demolished by the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, it should be possible for heavy taxes to be imposed on all alcoholic drinks as a way of discouraging alcoholism. Again, as much as possible, health professionals should be well resourced to give intensive health education and counselling on drug and substance abuse to victims to help curb the problem. Parents, teachers, religious leaders, chiefs and politicians must all come on board to help address the high consumption of alcohol in the region, particularly among the youth, for as the cliché goes, they are the future leaders. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/alcohol-menace-in-upper-east-region.html

Bongo Assembly endorses Ayamdoo as DCE

Published on September 26, 2013 Page 19 The Bongo District Assembly has endorsed Mr Alexis A. Ayamdoo, as District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area. All the 52 members of the assembly voted to approve the President’s nominee, who has since resigned his position as the Presiding Member for the Bongo District Assembly. The election was supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC), which was represented by Mr Azu Bosco Anyigire. Assembly members and well-wishers of Mr Ayamdoo, who filled the assembly hall to capacity, went into jubilation after his endorsement. Mr Ayamdoo, who was immediately sworn into office by the Bongo District Magistrate, Madam Vivian Yamusah, in an acceptance speech, thanked the President for his nomination and the assembly members for the confidence reposed in him, and pledged to work tirelessly with the assembly members and the assembly staff to ensure that all the resources of the assembly were explored and used judiciously to bring about some level of progress at Bongo. The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru, commended the assembly members for setting aside their political differences and rallying behind the nominee by endorsing him, stressing it demonstrated their commitment to propel the development agenda of the area. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru asked the DCE and the assembly members to close their ranks and work harder to provide the development needs of the people. He advised the DCE to adopt an open door policy, develop a listening ear and consult those who matter and serve everybody who needed his services in order to bring about development. The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, a native of the district, who observed the process, commended the assembly members for endorsing the nominee and urged all to work in unity to develop the district. Earlier, the regional minister interacted with heads of decentralized department during which he expressed worry over attitudes of some public and civil service workers who were portraying a negative stance towards the development of the nation. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru, who was scheduled to meet the heads of department ahead of the confirmation programme, called on the workers in the district to change their attitudes towards work and develop a sense of urgency and hard work to provide quality service to the nation. He said the casual approach towards work, lack of respect for time, reporting late for work and knocking off early from work had greatly affected the development of the country, stressing that must stopped. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/bongo-assembly-endorses-ayamdoo-as-dce.html

Bagre Dan spillage begins today(Monday, September 23, 2013)

Published in the Daily Graphic on Monday, September 23, 2013 Page 29) Water from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso will be spilled today. A flood alert issued by the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC) said reports received from the authorities of the Bagre Dam indicated that the spillage exercise, done annually, will be carried out in two phases. The first phase is today while the date for the second phase would be communicated to the public as and when it becomes necessary. The UERCC has, as it does yearly, called on people living in low-lying and flood-prone areas in the Upper East Region to evacuate to safe grounds to avoid loss of lives and property during the spillage periods, since this could lead to flooding. The consequences of the spillage on the northern part of Ghana would normally be felt after 48 hours when the spillways are opened. In the alert the UERCC urged all people living close to tributaries of the White Volta, especially those farming near or fishing in the White Volta River and those whose houses are located in low lying areas within the flow parameters of the river, to be cautions and watch out for water levels in the river and avoid being swept away by flood waters. For nearly 10 years now, communities along the White Volta River in the Upper East Region have had to bear the brunt of flooding due to the annual spillage of water from the Bagre Dam, which was completed in 1992. Pwalugu Dam As part of interventions to halt the devastation this spillage causes to inhabitants, the Volta River Authority is considering the possible construction of a multi-purpose dam at Pwalugu to hold the water for both hydroelectric power generation and irrigation farming. These interventions, if successful, will improve the lives of the people and reduce poverty in the catchment area. 2007 Experience In 2007, the Government of Ghana had to declare a state of emergency in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions. That incident affected over 300,000 people and caused the death of nearly 50 people. Some 35,000 houses, 1,500 kilometres of road and thousand hectares of crops were destroyed. The government made an appeal to the international community for assistance for the reconstruction of flood-devastated areas. NADMO Alert In a related development, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) on Wednesday, September 18, 2013, alerted residents in 265 communities to the possible spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, following the rise in the water level of the dam. Seventy-seven of the communities, with a population of 155,000, are in West Mamprusi, Savelugu Nanton, Kumbungu, Tolon, Gonja North, Central Gonja and West Gonja districts, all in the Northern Region, while 57 communities with a population of 105,000 are in the Bawku-East, Bawku Municipality, Talensi, Nabdam, Bawku-West, Binduri and Pusiga districts in the Upper East Region. Other 131 communities will also be affected by the spillage. These are communities with a population of 172,704, in the Lambushie-Karni, Sisala West, Wa East, Wa West, Wa Municipality, Nadowli and Jirapa districts in the Upper West Region. A release issued by the NADMO said the water in the Bagre Dam was likely to be spilled because the water in the dam had reached a critical level of 235m that called for the spillage. According to the release, the water level had reached 232m, a situation which had persisted for the past 10 days. The NADMO, therefore, pleaded for co-operation from all sectors of the society, especially the chiefs, opinion leaders and people of the possible affected areas, in dealing with the situation before, during and after the spillage. The statement further entreated the public to listen to and follow advice from the NADMO and other experts. The release also called on women who hunted for wild-nuts and firewood to be circumspect when embarking on such ventures and should stay away from such ventures when they saw signs of flooding. Children within the affected communities have also been advised to desist from going to the bush unaccompanied. graphic.com.gh/General-News/bagre-dam-spillage-begins-today.html‎

Legal Resources Centre holds forum on how to ensure affordable premium in the Bongo District.

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bongo Participants at a stakeholders meeting to map out measures to ensure affordable premiums for rural and informal sector population in the Bongo district of the Upper East Region have identified extreme poverty as accounting for some people’s failure to enroll unto the scheme. They are therefore advocating for the expansion of the various government social safety net programmes, improvement of the local economy, change in lifestyles on the part of the people, yearly fundraising programmes by the various communities and intense public sensitization to help get a lot more people enroll and get access to health care. Other recommendation made by participants is the need for the MP for the area to use at least one per cent of his share of the Common Fund to register people, support from NGOs. The stakeholders particularly the traditional rulers also proposed that the premium of the NHIS be reviewed downwards from GH c 8.00 to Gh c 5 Ghana, adding that apart from the Gh c 8.00 they pay, they still pay for administrative cost of Ghc 4.00 making it 12 Ghana cedis. The stakeholder’s forum which was organized the Legal Resources Centre(LRC) with support from STAR-Ghana under the “Right to Health” project was aimed at increasing the uptake of rural and informal sector populations unto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in six communities in the Bongo and West Mamprusi Districts of the Upper East and Northern. Participants at the forum included staff of Bongo office of NHIS, the Bongo District Health Directorate, the Social Welfare Department, the District Assembly, Traditional authorities and Assembly persons Mr Samsom Akanpigbiam of the LRC noted that a research study carried out in the Bongo District revealed that one of the critical issues facing the community based NHIS registration and renewal system for rural and informal populations was the high rate of poverty among the community members. He said the lack of money to register and renew cards due to poverty came out strongly in their work adding that another major finding was that the premium is high for People with Disability (PWDs) and the poor in general. Mr Akanpigbiam said following on the major findings in the selected communities about the high rate of poverty among the community members and community members’ perception of the premiums being charged by the NHIS as high for them, the forum was organized to discuss how to ensure affordable premium for the selected communities. The Bongo District Manager of the NHIS Manager, Mr. Clement Agana Ayamga said although the scheme offers premium –free incentives to pregnant women, indigents and children below the ages of five, many more people who forms part of the informal sector of the populations in the district are unable to afford the premiums and renewals. He added that even though the scheme has maintained the premium of GH 7.2 since the scheme started operations in the district in 2004, a lot more people are enrolling due to the deprived nature of the district. Mr Ayamga disclosed that in July this year, the Scheme in collaboration with the World Bank organized a registration free of charge of over 11, 000 people captured as indigents. He however expressed the fear as to how that can be sustained since it was clear that the people have not gotten used to paying their annual NHIS premium and renewal. He said once the scheme has grown to become the major instrument for financing health care in the country, a lot more efforts need to put in to ensure sustenance. The District Coordinating Director for Bongo, Mr Jasper Adenyo, advocated a change in lifestyles and habits such as alcoholism and rather channels their resources into issues of health care and education. “People are quick to say we are poor. Poverty is relative. Visit the homes of most of our people and see the number of livestock and guinea fowls they have. Why can’t they sell at least one fowl to cater for their premiums? Instead what do we see, on market days, people ride their bicycles to market and can make the return journey home because they are drunk. If they can channel some of these resources into other sectors, they can turn around their poverty”. -End- Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh Quick Read Ø The lack of money to register and renew cards due to poverty has been identified as a major setback for the uptake of NHIS in Bongo District. Ø Another major finding was that the premium is high for People with Disability (PWDs) and the poor in general. Ø A study carried out by the Legal Resource Centre among others is the need for waiver of registration and renewal of premiums for the rural and informal sector population in order to get such populations on to the NHIS.

Navrongo Municipal Assembly endorses President’s nominee ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2013.

Mr Mark WoyongoMembers of the Kassena-Nankana East Municipal Assembly in the Upper East Region have voted to confirm Dr Stanislaus Alu Kadingdi as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). Dr Kadingdi, a teacher with International Development background, polled 33 votes, representing 67 per cent, as against 16 votes against his nomination. The election was supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC), which was represented by Mr Bruce Ayisi, the Regional Director, and his Deputy, Mr Azu Bosco Anyigire. The MCE elect was immediately sworn into office by the Navrongo District Magistrate, Mrs Comfort A. Apalayine. In his post-endorsement speech, Dr Kadingdi expressed his appreciation to the President for nominating him and the assembly members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work harmoniously with the assembly members and the various technocrats in the Municipal Assembly to fast track the much needed development agenda for the municipality. “I am a team worker, and I entreat all of you to work with me to explore new areas and then together we will develop the municipality. As a house, we must in spite of our differences find common grounds, negotiate and build trust to ensure that the municipality does not pay the price in the quest to get things our way at all cost,” he said. Dr Kandingdi promised to operate an open-door policy and therefore called on all assembly members, heads of decentralised agencies and departments and traditional rulers to give him the needed support to succeed in dealing with some of the development challenges confronting the municipality. The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme, advised the MCE elect to build bridges and reach out to the entirety of the assembly, if he is to succeed in his new appointment. He said municipality lagged behind in development due to the fact that funds, such as the Common Fund, DDF and the Urban Grant which were meant to support the assembly to pursue development programmes, had been held back because of the absence of a substantive MCE. Mr Syme said with the successful endorsement of the MCE, development programmes would be rolled out for the benefit of the people. He urged the MCE elect not to lord his position over the people but constantly make room to listen to their concerns, consult widely before taking any major decision and forge unity in the municipality. The Member of Parliament for Navrongo Central and Minister for Defence, Mr Mark Woyongo, commended the assembly members for endorsing the nominee. He appealed to the assembly members to, in the interest of the Navrongo Municipality, put their differences aside and work together as a house. He said deliberations in the house must be devoid of partisan politics and rather be focused more on how to develop Navrongo and its environs. “Navrongo is crying for development. Now that Navrongo is a municipality, we need to work to justify that status,” Mr Woyongo added. He announced some development projects which had been lined up for the municipality, the major one being the drainage system for the area, which is currently in a deplorable state. He said as MP, he had been able to secure the approval for the rehabilitation of the drainage system in the municipality. The MP said he had also been able to secure an ambulance for the Kologo Health Centre and was expecting an amount of GH¢440 million to rehabilitate the health centre and provide accommodation for staff so that arrangements could be made for a permanent doctor to be stationed there to serve communities in the southern corridor of the municipality, which are all far from the Navrongo Hospital. He said as MP he was pushing hard for the upgrading of the Navrongo–Naaga road to ease travelling on that corridor. He also announced that a school building project had also been earmarked for Doba to provide a comfortable environment for teaching and learning. He pledged to work closely with assembly members and take on board some of their recommendations and appealed to the assembly members to work as a team and channel their development needs through the Presiding Members in order to prioritise their concerns to bring development to the people. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/navrongo-municipal-assembly-endorses-presidents-nominee.html

Minister rejects ‘no consultation’ claim

Published in the Daily Graphic on 12 September 2013 The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, has debunked assertions that the Bawku Central Constituency executive members were not consulted before the nomination of Mr Amadu I.W.Karimu as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru maintained that due diligence was done and all the various stakeholders at the regional and constituency levels were consulted before two names of the shortlisted applicants were submitted to the National Selection Committee for the final decision to be made by the President. At a meeting with NDC party constituency executive members, aggrieved youth and members of the Municipal Security Committee in Bawku, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru maintained that he personally informed the constituency chairman and other executive members when the vacancy was announced and tasked them to start the process of receiving applications and shortlisting candidates for vetting. The meeting in Bawku was necessitated by agitation by some aggrieved youth of the NDC in the municipality who were opposed to the nomination of Mr Amadu I.W.Karimu for the position of MCE. Among several accusations, the youth doubted the loyalty of the nominee whom they accused of being a ‘political flirt” who had hopped from one party to another and worked against the NDC in the past. The agitations by the youth also threatened the peace of Bawku due to a a shooting incident recorded in the area on Sunday, September 1, 2013 by an unidentified person. Following the announcement of Mr Karimu’s nomination as the MCE, the constituency chairman, Mr Issifu Asaana, told the agitated youth that he would resign if the appointment was not revoked because he was not consulted. Addressing the meeting, the regional minister explained that when the vacancy was announced, he drove to the constituency chairman’s house in Bawku in the company of the former MCE, Abdulai Musah and the DCEs for Pusiga and Binduri, to hold a meeting with the chairman, his secretary and treasurer. “During our interaction, I told him that the applications he was receiving was not an academic exercise, neither was it a social nor a religious exercise, but it was a political exercise, so he must make sure that as someone who knows the people, he must insist that the people who were applying were party members.” “I told the constituency chairman and the executive members present that we are using him because he knows the people who deserved to be given the position in the municipality,” the regional minister told the meeting. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/Daily Graphic/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/Politics/minister-rejects-no-consultation-claim.html

Pregnant woman killed by ‘rival’

The Mirror, September 7,2013 The police in Navrongo have arrested two persons for allegedly killing a 23-year-old pregnant woman, Gladys Weija, at Pungu in the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality. Emmanuel Kaba,40, uncle of Gladys, and Gloria Amena Kudamu,24, a housewife and a ‘rival’ of Gladys, have been remanded in police custody for further interrogation. The Upper East Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Thomas Agbanyo, confirmed the arrest to The Mirror. He said Gladys, who was four months pregnant, was found dead after she was stabbed in the stomach and her eyes gorged out with an implement suspected to be a knife. The corpse has been deposited at the Navrongo Government Hospital pending autopsy. According to ASP Agbanyo, Gloria was married to one Mr Maclean Boya of the Community Protection Unit and they had two children. He said not long ago, there had been some misunderstanding between the couple, forcing Gloria to spend longer hours in Bolgatanga after work. The Police PRO said as a result, Boya decided to go in for another woman and therefore befriended Gladys, who lived with her uncle, Emmanuel Kaba, at Pungu. ASP Agbanyo said Gladys’ uncle, Kaba disapproved of the relationship between Boya and Gladys, as a result, Kaba always called Gloria and complained to her whenever Boya visited Gladys at Pungu. According to ASP Agbanyo, on September 2, 2013 at about 8p.m., Boya once again visited Gladys at Pungu and they went to have some drink at a spot. ASP Agbanyo said Kaba, on seeing Boya and Gladys, called Gloria on phone and informed her about her husband’s presence at Pungu. The police said Kaba went and picked Gloria from her house in Nayagnia and encouraged her to deal with Gladys. The police said both Kaba and Gloria, on reaching Pungu, ambushed Gladys, who was returning home after she had seen Boya off. According to the PRO, Kaba and Gloria allegedly attacked and stabbed Gladys in the stomach and gorged out her eyes. The police said Gloria allegedly phoned Boya and told him about the death of Gladys. ASP Agbanyo said both Boya and Gloria admitted committing the crime upon their arrest. By Benjamin Xorman Glover/ The Mirror/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/pregnant-woman-killed-by-rival.html

Alcoholism high among teachers in Upper East Region 07 SEPTEMBER 2013.

The Mirror, September 7, 2013 The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru, has attributed the falling standards of education in the region to the high incidence of alcoholism among teachers. “Alcoholism is eating up most of our teachers, especially in this part of the country. If you talk to the directors of education in the region, they will tell you that the level of alcoholism among teachers is very high. About 70 per cent of the teachers in this region are alcoholics. They do not even go to work. Even if they are in the classroom, they are drunk. How can you get somebody in this state to perform in the classroom and deliver the goods?” the regional minister asked. The minister said this during a courtesy call on him by the Christian Council of Ghana last Tuesday. He appealed to members of the Council to collaborate with the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the education sector in the region to help change the trend and instill sanity into the system through their sermons. Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru said this was necessary because it would contribute to fighting the three worse enemy facing the people, namely poverty, illiteracy and disease and help fast-track the development agenda. He commended the Christian Council in the region for their numerous efforts at bringing development to the region in the area of education, healthcare and water and sanitation, and urged them to continue to partner the government in eradicating poverty in the region. The regional minister lauded the churches for their role in calling on their members to fast and intensify their prayers to ensure the sustenance of peace and tranquillity in the country, especially after the Supreme Court judgement on the election petition. He encouraged the religious bodies not to sit back but constructively offer advice to the political leadership as and when necessary to guide his administration and help deliver good governance and accelerate development for the benefit of the people. The Regional Chairman of the Council, Rev. Esmund Wasau Nagba, who is also the Chairman of the Upper Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the minister, the first since he assumed office. The visit was also to introduce the council to the Regional Co-ordinating Council. By Benjamin Xornam Glover/The Mirror/Ghana http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/alcoholism-high-among-teachers-in-upper-east-region.html

Scrap allowances for trainee nurses - Awoonor-Williams

Daily Graphic, September 5, 2013. Page 3 The Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, has asked the Ministry of Health to be bold and scrap the allowance given to nurse trainees, just as the Ministry of Education has done to that given to teacher trainees. That, he said, would not only ensure equity but also bring the best and committed nurses into the health profession. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Awoonor-Williams said the example demonstrated by the Ministry of Education should bring to a closure the debate on whether or not trainee nurses should be given allowances that had raged on for years. “Currently, there is absolutely no accountability in the management of trainee nurses’ allowances, resulting in huge loses to the taxpayer,” he said. He said the nursing profession was a unique one in the country, pointing out that once “you gain admission to a nursing school, you are sure of employment. All must be done to ensure that only those who are committed to serve humanity are allowed in”. Favoured Profession He said although the nursing profession was most favoured, that did not reflect in the overall sector performance in many ways. Dr Awoonor-Williams explained that a student, once enrolled, could take five to six years to finally pass his or her examinations, even if he or she failed every year, explaining that no matter the number of years it took him or her to finally pass the examination, he or she would continue to receive trainee allowance. "It seems as if there is no end. There are many students who have continued to receive trainee allowances for five years for a two-year programme, simply because they continue to fail their final licensure examinations and so long as they continue to fail, they continue to receive allowances," he said. Currently, trainee nurses receive allowances to the tune of GH¢356 a month and this is believed to have contributed to the lack of motivation for students to pass their examinations once and for all. The Daily Graphic learnt that those who fail their final licensure examinations ran to the private clinics and facilities to work, even though they do not have the qualifications. Again, most of the proprietors do not care once the person has a uniform and claims to be a nurse. That situation, Dr Awoonor-Williams said, was untenable and a waste in the system. “No country does this, not even the richest countries. It is time to make bold policy decisions,” he said. Training Institutions According to Dr Awoonor-Williams, with the opening of more and more nurses training institutions in the country by the Ministry of Health, one could imagine the amount of money that went into trainee nurses’ allowances and the effect on the overall health sector budget and health services provision. “These schools are opened without thinking of the anticipated increase in the volume of trainee allowances. Teachers are equally as important as nurses and there is no need to scrap allowances for teacher trainees and keep those for nurse trainees,” he emphasised. He wondered why the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service were silent on trainee nurses’ allowances while public debate was raging regarding teacher trainee allowances. “Maintaining the trainee nurses’ allowance while scrapping that for teacher trainees will rather portray a huge inequity. The health sector is at the crossroads in terms of funding and this needs practical solutions, innovations and time-tested policy reforms to address the huge funding gaps. “Our traditional partners are not putting into the sector the resources we used to get in the past simply because of our status as a lower middle-income country. With over 90 per cent of our health sector budget going into salaries and wages, with only less than 10 per cent left for actual service delivery, it is time we thought outside the box and did things differently, reduce waste and ensure that we manage the fewer resources prudently to bring about equity and efficiency,” he added. He said with the huge number of public health training institutions and the low pass rate, one could imagine the financial implications on the public purse in terms of trainee allowances. Dr Awoonor-Williams said nurse trainees must be supported to access loans from the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) and SSNIT, just as other students did to fund their education. “The days when the free trainee nurses’ allowance policy was relevant are long gone and it is time we faced the reality of modern times. It is time the government took a critical look at all trainees who are on allowances across all the sectors and scrap the allowances, while putting in measures that trainee students are able to access loans to fund their education. It will breed responsibility and commitment. It is the only way that committed and serious students will be attracted to these professions. “For now, it seems the attraction is the free money. Taking this step will, therefore, ensure equity and fairness across the board all over the country and ensure that only the best and committed prospective students who have the passion for the nursing profession are attracted. There is absolutely no justification to continue this flawed policy that has existed for too long,” he added. http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/scrap-allowances-for-trainee-nurses-awoonor-williams.html