Pavilions constructed for 3 Tema West child welfare clinics ( Daily Graphic, Monday, June 24, 2024 Page 23)

 The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West Constituency, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, has handed over three pavilions to the Tema West Health Directorate to be used for child welfare clinics (CWC). 

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The pavilions were constructed for the Tema Community Two Mangoase, Sakumono Estates and Lashibi communities to provide access to and promote health care and service delivery in the areas of antenatal and postnatal care for mothers and their babies.

The fully-furnished CWC, which is made up of a pavilion, office, store and washroom, will also serve as a place for weighing babies, as well as to engage mothers in learning through play methodology, which is vital for the development of children who are from zero to three years.

The MP also donated assorted medical equipment and consumables, as well as plastic chairs and tables, to all three CWCs to enhance operations at the centres.

Speaking during the handover of the CWC to the authorities of the Tema West Municipal Health Directorate at Community Two last Friday, Mr Ahenkorah expressed optimism that health outcomes in the area would improve as mothers patronised the facility.

Weather

He said he was moved to construct the pavilions when during one of his campaign tours, he saw nursing mothers and service providers enduring the discomfort of the rain because weighing was being carried out under trees.

One of the pavillions

He said because there was no proper facility for nursing mothers and service providers to seek shelter, the women and their babies were left at the mercy of the weather, adding that on another occasion, due to the lack of chairs, he saw nursing mothers standing while accessing antenatal and postnatal care.

He said so far three of such pavilions had already been constructed, with a fourth one being considered for the Adjei Kojo area, to provide access to and promote health care and service delivery in the Tema West Municipality.

Mr Ahenkorah said the major challenge was the access to land, but he was optimistic that through collaboration with community members, all the electoral areas would have similar pavilions constructed for CWC activities.

Appreciation

The Greater Accra Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Vivian Gwira, expressed appreciation to the Tema West Constituency MP for providing the facility for the community, stressing that it would improve the healthcare needs of infants and mothers.

“You have reduced the pressure that was on us to provide this facility, and we are very grateful for this gesture,” she said. The Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) in charge of Tema West, Ivy Asoku, said the centres would improve child welfare clinic attendance and growth of children and also provide some level of comfort for nursing mothers and babies accessing CWC services.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-pavilions-constructed-for-3-tema-west-child-welfare-clinics.html

Central University empowers Miotso youth through reading ( Daily Graphic, Saturday, June 22, 2024 Page 22)

The Central University (CU) Library Directorate has launched a literacy programme within the Miotso community aimed at empowering young people through reading.

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The intervention, which involves the establishment of a Reading Club at the Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School, is aimed at fostering a closer bond between the university and the Miotso community, while promoting the importance of literacy and education.

As part of the collaborative effort, the CU Library Directorate presented 600 story books to the Dawhenya DA Basic ‘C’ School to inspire a lifelong love for reading and learning among the learners.

Launching the literacy programme last Wednesday, the Director of the CU Library Directorate, Francisca Yaba Asante, said as the university continued its mission to promote literacy and education, events such as the establishment of a reading club underscored the importance of community engagement and collaboration.

She said in line with the vision of the Central University Library to strive for excellence in the provision of quality, relevant, current and timely information to raise transformational leaders, the directorate as part of its yearly Library Week celebration considered providing quality, relevant, current and timely information to the pupils whom they considered transformational leaders.  

“Reading, for that matter, cannot be taken out of achieving quality education. For this reason, the library directorate found it important to inculcate the virtue of reading in our pupils at this young age,” she said. 

Personal development

Mrs Asante said reading clubs in primary schools played a significant role in children’s academic and personal development, adding that regular reading could significantly improve a child’s vocabulary, comprehension and fluency, instil a lifelong love for reading in children, enhance children’s critical thinking skills, provide a platform for social interaction and the development of communication skills among other benefits.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Central University, Prof. Stephen Abenney-Mickson, described the establishment of the CU Library Club at Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering a culture of reading and intellectual growth.

“This club will serve as a platform for young minds to engage with literature, develop critical thinking skills and cultivate a love for reading that will last a lifetime. We hope that through this initiative, students will be encouraged to explore new worlds, both real and imagined and to seek knowledge beyond the classroom,” he said. 

The Ningo-Prampram District Director of Education, Solace Osei Appiah, and the Headmistress of Dawhenya D.A Basic ‘C’ School, Sabina Akonnor, described the intervention as a significant step forward in the collective efforts to promote literacy, foster love for reading and enhance the educational experiences of learners to complement the efforts of the government in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for inclusive, equitable and quality education for all Ghanaian children.

via:  https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/education/central-university-empowers-miotso-youth-through-reading.html

 

Tema East Constituency: NPP haven, fishing hub (Daily Graphic, Friday, June 21, 2024 Pages 16 & 17)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blending a cluster of industrial concerns and residential property, the Tema East Constituency in the Greater Accra Region is one of the active environments in the country. 

Located on the coastal belt, it is one of the two constituencies under the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). It covers Tema Manhean and Tema Community One, and hosts the Tema Port and a number of industries, including the Pioneer Food Cannery Limited (PFC), Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), Sentuo Oil Refinery, Tema Fishing Harbour, Tema Lube Oil Company Limited (TLOC), Mankoadze Fisheries, among others.

It is also a commercial centre and a fishing hub of artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fishing vessels. The constituency also hosts the Meridian Line monument located on the premises of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Greenwich Congregation, in Community One, where the Greenwich Meridian line runs southward to meet the Equator in the ocean.

The Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, which is next to the Chemu Lagoon, can also be found in the constituency. Tema Manhean is linked to Community One by one major road.

The only alternative route through the Manhean cemetery, via VALCO, is currently in a bad shape, and residents have called for its reconstruction to improve mobility for road users.

The constituency has formal and informal workers, including factory hands, fishermen, fish processors, teachers, civil and public servants, health workers, traders and commercial drivers.

The interior of a newly built classroom block at TMA Day Care Centre, Site 7, Community 1

Fishing is the main occupation in the constituency and a visit to the Landing Beach at Manhean would reveal a number of canoes docked at the wharf. In recent times, a number of fishermen have bemoaned what they termed as insufficient and irregular supply of premix fuel, which was sold at subsidised prices.

Eric Adjetey, a fisherman, told the Daily Graphic that fishermen were going through a lot of challenges with regard to access to premix fuel and they did not have any choice but to buy it at higher prices from intermediaries.

Another challenge facing the fishing business was the issue of tidal waves, which according to Grace Narh, a fish processor, was eating away the shoreline and impacting negatively on their business.

Parliamentary trends

Tema East has always been an interesting constituency when it comes to party politics. In 1992, Erasmus Aruna Quao of the National Convention Party (NCP), won the parliamentary seat.

Since 1996, the NPP has won the seat six times, leaving the NDC with one victory in 2020, while the defunct NCP won the parliamentary seat in 1992. In 1996, the NPP, with the late Ishmael Ashitey as its candidate, garnered 48.2 per cent of the votes to defeat NDC’s Nii Adjei Larbie, who had 43.1 per cent of the votes.

Ishmael Ashitey retained the parliamentary seat in 2000 after securing 48.1 per cent of the votes as against NDC’s Ebenezer Anuwa-Amarh’s 29.6 per cent of the total votes cast. Ishmael Ashitey got the nod for the third time in 2004, this time recording 48.1 per cent of the votes as opposed to NDC’s Emelia Kai Adjei’s 31.6 per cent of the votes.

The NPP then transferred the baton to Samuel Evans Ashong Narh in the 2008 polls and he obtained 49.4 per cent of the votes, while the NDC’s Robert Kempes Papa Nii Ofosuware did 40.3 per cent.

Then came the famous 2012 elections which pitted NPP’s Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover against NDC’s Robert Kempes Papa Nii Ofosuware, then MCE for Tema. In that contest, which happens to be the closest election fought between the two parties in the constituency, Mr Titus Glover defeated Kempes with just three votes.

The new classroom block at TMA Day Care Centre, Site 7 Community 1 

In 2016, however, Mr Titus Glover secured a renewed mandate when he stretched the margin to 4,125 votes against his old rival.

1n 2020, another former MCE for Tema, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, gained political independence for the NDC when he polled 41,663 votes, representing 55.9 per cent of the votes cast, to defeat Mr Titus Glover, who had 32, 320 votes, representing 43.4 per cent.

The outcome of that election, some election watchers in the constituency believed, hinged on the last-minute arrest of the NDC parliamentary candidate; Isaac Ashai Odamtten, for failing to meet a bail condition he was given by an Accra court on counts of alleged embezzlement, while he was the MCE for Tema.

For them, the arrest, detention and release less than five days to the 2020 elections earned some sympathy votes for the NDC although some NDC faithful in the constituency objected to that, insisting that the works of Mr Odamtten as a former MCE did the trick for the party.
 

Presidential elections 

In the presidential elections, the trend indicates that since 1992 the NPP has won the constituency five times, leaving the NDC with three victories in 1992, 2012 and 2020. In 1996, candidate J.A. Kufuor of the NPP had 50.7 per cent, while Jerry John Rawlings secured 47.0 per cent. Mr Kufuor maintained the momentum, garnering 63. 5 per cent in the 2000 election, while NDC’s John Evans Mills did 31.9 per cent.

The recently constructed Manhean District Police Headquarters operationalised during the tenure of the NPP government

The NPP repeated the feat in 2004 when J.A. Kufuor got 61.7 per cent as against NDC’s 36. 6 per cent. Nana Akufo-Addo maintained the NPP's hold of Tema East when he won the 2008 elections with 53.4 per cent, while NDC ended the polls with 44. 2 per cent.

The trend, however, changed in favour of the NDC in 2012 with John Mahama polling 50.7 per cent of the votes, while the NPP did 48.4 per cent. But the tables turned in 2016 when NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo regained the hold on the constituency with 54.9 per cent as against the NDC’s 44.4 per cent.

The NDC’s John Mahama made a good showing in 2020, winning the race in the constituency with 51.2 per cent as opposed to NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo’s 47.8 per cent of the votes.

With the NDC presenting John Mahama and NPP parading Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on December 7 this year, will the NPP entrench its dominance over the Tema East Constituency or the NDC is going to spring a surprise? Time will tell.
 

NDC

The Deputy Constituency Communication Officer of the NDC, Henry Okoe Oninku, holds the view that Isaac Ashai Odamtten, who is seeking a second-term mandate, has demonstrated that he deserved another term in office and was on track towards winning the 2024 election.

Yohane Amarh Ashitey — NPP parliamentary aspirant for Tema East

He told the Daily Graphic that Mr Odamtten, who was first appointed by President Mahama as MCE for Tema in 2012, did well as a mayor and everyone in the constituency would attest to the fact that he worked well in every aspect to bring development to the area.

Mr Oninku said in areas such as health, education, security, Mr Odamtten showed great leadership and brought some positive development to Tema East and that it was based on those achievements that the constituents elected him as MP in 2020.

He added that as an opposition MP in a government headed by the NPP, Mr Odamtten in the area of education introduced a programme called “Back to School Project”, where he supports needy, brilliant students who have gained admission to SHS with some essential school items to facilitate their education.

Mr Oninku said the MP, since assuming office, had maintained his commitment to education by presenting scholarships to students from his constituency pursuing tertiary education across the country.

The gesture, he explained, was in line with the MP's vision to empower the people of Tema East and ensure a brighter future for the beneficiaries, adding, ‘that was a demonstration of Mr Odamtten’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of education.”

He added that the NDC MP had also supported a number of young people in the constituency to gain employment in the industries located in Tema and also advocated and helped those who found themselves in the artisanal fishing sector, the main economic activity of the people.

Apart from that, Mr Oninku said the NDC candidate had supported the registration of constituents, including the aged, onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He said though fishing was a major economic activity for the people, the sector faced challenges with access to logistics such as premix fuel, nets, and outboard motors. 

He believed that this year’s parliamentary election would be fought based on the records of the two leading candidates who have had the opportunity to serve as MCE for their respective parties.
 

NPP

For his part, the NPP Communication Officer for Tema East, Albert Krakue, thought the party’s candidate, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, the current MCE for Tema, had a superior record and would emerge victorious to recapture the seat for the NPP.

Isaac Ashai Odamtten — Incumbent MP for Tema East

Mr Krakue, who is also the Personal Assistant to the MCE, told the Daily Graphic that since assuming office, the MCE had spearheaded a number of development projects not only for the Tema East Constituency, but the entire Tema Metropolis.

The projects include the rehabilitation and asphalting of three-kilometre roads within the  Meridian Enclave, the construction of the Meridian Cruyff Court (mini soccer astro turf) at Oniniku Cluster of Schools in Community 1 with support from Cargill Ghana), face-lift of the Kpotame durbar grounds for events at Tema Manhean, rehabilitation of the Tema New Town Transport Terminal, construction of a new ICT building at Manhean Secondary Technical School, construction of sanitary facilities for Our Lady of Mercy SHS, Manhean Senior High Technical School, and Tema Technical Institute, construction of a new classroom block for the TMA Day Care Centre, Site 7,  and a new classroom block at Community 8 Number 3 Basic School and Padmore Basic School, among others.

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ghana-news-tema-east-constituency-npp-haven-fishing-hub.html

 

DEKS Educational Institute marks 50th anniversary with float( Junior Graphic, Wednesday, June 19, 2024 Page 4)

 

Muslims end Eid with prayers for peaceful election (Daily Graphic, Tuesday, June 18, 2024)

Muslim faithful across the country at the weekend congregated in the regions to offer prayers to mark the end of the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the feast of sacrifice. Advertisement From the Tema Metropolis in the Greater Accra Region, Benjamin Xornam Glover writes that Muslims within the Metropolis converged on the Tema Stadium in thanksgiving as they celebrated this year's Eid-ul-Adha prayers last Sunday. Present at the prayers were the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Tema, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamtten. Leading the prayers, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Imam, Alhaji Abubakari Adams, advised the worshippers, especially the youth, to refrain from any acts of violence that can mar the upcoming general elections slated for December 7 this year. Latex Foam He said the Islamic religion taught against all forms of violence and therefore did not take kindly to people who perpetrated violent acts. He urged the youth not to give in to pressure from politicians who would like to use them to foment trouble in the country. He said on election day, Muslims and any other Ghanaians should cast their ballot peacefully and wait patiently for the results to be declared by those mandated to do so in an atmosphere of peace and unity. Alhaji Adams also called for respect for authority and cautioned against any action that could disturb the peace of the nation before, during and after the elections. The MCE for Tema commended the Muslim community of Tema for their cooperation and collaboration with the assembly in the discharge of its work and expressed optimism that both sides would build on that unity to ensure the delivery of social services to the residents of the area. The MP for Tema East stressed the need for the peaceful celebration of the Eid, saying that in their happiness and joy, the youth especially must eschew acts that could lead to accidents and injury.

 

via : https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-muslims-end-eid-with-prayers-for-peaceful-election.html

Ningo, Glefe coastal protection projects progressing steadily (Daily Graphic, Saturday, June 15, 2024 Page 22)

Contractors working on the Ningo Coastal Protection Project have promised to deliver the project by September this year. 

The Project Manager for Dredge Masters Limited, Ghana (DML), the contractor on the project, Kwasi Osei Sarpong, gave the assurance last Tuesday, when the Deputy Minister of Works and

Housing, Dr Prince Hamid Armah, visited the project site at Ningo to inspect the progress of work.

Mr Sarpong said the project involved the construction of 24 groynes — 200 metres apart — to cover five kilometres of coastline in the community.

He said the contract was awarded in October 2019 and was expected to be completed in October 2023 but due to the COVID-19 challenges the completion date delayed.

He was, however, optimistic that works would be completed and handed over by September.

Mr Sarpong said apart from protecting the shoreline and the livelihood of the people, the second component of the project which involved the dredging of the 1.5 kilometres of lagoon at the Ningo estuary was also progressing steadily.

Chief Hydrographic Surveyor on the project, Rajesh Kumar, said so far 700 metres out of the 1.5 kilometre of the lagoon had so far been completed, adding that workers were working around the clock to have the dredging component also completed by September.

He said when completed the lagoon would support salt production business upstream and also boost fishing in the lagoon, while encouraging boat rides to facilitate tourism.

Glefe

From Ningo, the deputy minister and his entourage visited the Glefe sea defence project and the Glefe township near Dansoman where the government is building a two-kilometre sea defence wall.

Head of the Coastal Division, Ghana Hydrological Authority, Yiadom B. Akoto, told journalists that so far the contractor, Sidalco Group of Companies, had done over 95 per cent of the works which involved a 1.6 kilometre revetment which protected against erosion caused by wave action, storm surge and currents and two groyne structures to protect the remaining 400 metres stretch of coastline.

Dr Prince Hamid Armah (2nd left), Deputy Minister, Works and Housing, being conducted round the Ningo Coastal Protection Project site by Kwasi Osei Sarpong (3rd from left), Project Manager for Dredge Masters Limited.

He said the remaining works to be done were ancillary structures, including drainage works that would tie in with the revetment.

Mr Akoto said since the project was started, it had protected the Glefe community from being washed away by tidal waves, and that he was optimistic that when finally completed the areas beyond Glefe, including Shiabu, would all be spared the impact of the sea waves.

Commitment 

During an interview with journalists, Dr Armah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely completion of ongoing coastal protection projects across the country.

Dr Armah said Ghana has a coastline that spans more than 500 kilometres and out of that 370 kilometres require coastal protection projects.

He said so far the government had built sea defence walls along 80 kilometres, leaving 270 kilometres yet to be done in order to safeguard the shoreline, communities and stay off climate change impacts on historical heritage sites.

He urged contractors to maintain round-the-clock efforts to ensure projects are delivered promptly for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

The deputy minister and his entourage of engineers also made a stopover at La, a few metres from La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, where they witnessed the accelerated erosion being caused by the sea and threatening the main La-Teshie, Nungua road.

Dr Armah said the ministry had made a proposal for a five kilometre sea defence project from La towards the Regional Maritime University in Nungua involving revetment and groyne systems to protect the area from further erosion.

He said a concept note for the La project had been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance advancing key justification to have that project executed within the revised timelines

 via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ningo-glefe-coastal-protection-projects-progressing-steadily.html

Decapitated body of young woman found at Tema Community 25 (Graphic Online, Thursday, June 13, 2024 )

 The body of an unidentified young woman was found on Thursday [June 13, 2024] at Community 25 in Tema in Greater Accra. 

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Parts of the body had been chopped off including the head.

The decapitated body, which was found wrapped in a black polythene bag and placed in a travelling bag, was found in the early hours of Thursday. 

The unidentified young woman, believed to be in her late 20s, had parts of her body, including legs, arms and breasts chopped off and taken away. 

Some residents told journalists that they woke up to discover the body at a place called Tigo beside a farm near the Community 25 Police Station. 

One resident said she saw the bag and initially thought it was rubbish, but upon a closer observation, she found out it was a human body which had been left by the roadside. 

The police was later invited to the scene for investigations.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/decapitated-body-of-a-young-woman-discovered-at-community-25.html

Young author hands over e-library to St Paul's Methodist School.(Junior Graphic, Wednesday, June 12, 2024 Page 4)

 

Strategic Youth Network for Development, Prudential Life team up to restore mangroves (Daily Graphic, June 11, 2024 Page 26)

 

Include private schools in free SHS programme (Daily Graphic, Monday, June 10, 2024 Page 26)

The General Manager of DEKS Educational Institute at Tema in the Greater Accra Region, Mark Dei has urged the government to include private Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the implementation of the free SHS programme. 

He said the private sector have capacity to complement their counterparts in the public schools in implementing the policy and urged government to include private schools in the Computerized School Selection and Placement system (CSSPS) to help address some of the challenges association with the policy such as frequently overcrowded schools and classrooms in public schools

Mr Dei was speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic at Tema on the sidelines of a street float organised by staff and students of DEKS Educational Institute as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the school.

Clad in DEKS@50 paraphernalia, the staff and students went on a procession along some principal streets in Tema and Ashaiman to interact with the public. The theme for the celebration was; “Half a century of education success, proud past, and a promising future.”

Mr Dei said the private schools had the facilities and capacity to provide sound education for the students, noting that some parents had shown high interest in private schools over the last few years.

Imbalance

He indicated that though private schools have been applauded in the past for improving academic achievement; they were facing a number of challenges due to some of the policies that exist in the education sector.

“We seem to be branded in a negative light as being exploiters and because of that we are suffering and a lot of the private schools have had to close down their Private SHS because they are not being given a fair ground to operate.” He said.

He said unfortunately the imbalance has been extended to the pre Junior High School level where as part of government Free SHS policy, 30 percent of places in Category A’ Senior High Schools have been reserved for students from public basic schools who have performed creditably at the BECE.

Mr Dei expressed displeasure over a decision adding that the situation that this has led to a worrying trend where the moment learners in private schools gets to class six, parents were in a rush to move them to the public schools because they want them to get placement in SHS regardless of what aggregate score they get.

He expressed concern at the dwindling numbers of student population in private schools and appealed to the government to add private schools to the list of schools to partner their counterparts in the public schools to help make the free SHS better.

 

 via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-include-private-schools-in-free-shs-programme.html

Research Vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen docks in Tema( Daily Graphic, Monday, June 10, 2024 Page 49)

 

A marine research vessel (R/V), Dr Fridtjof Nansen, has docked at the Tema Port after completing an ecosystem survey in Ghanaian waters.

 

The survey is part of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF)-Nansen Programme that the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Norway, and other partners are helping Ghana to implement.

 

The vessel docked in Tema after completing this year's Transboundary Demersal and Pelagic Resource Survey in Ghanaian waters, marking the end of a comprehensive 30-day ecosystem survey within the central Gulf of Guinea.

 

The vessel, owned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), is manned and operated by the Institute of Marine Research of the University Bergen, Norway.

It assists developing countries in improving their fisheries. The docking coincided with this year's celebration of World Oceans Day, which is commemorated on June 8 each year.

 

FAO, Ghana’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and the Royal Norwegian Embassy held a durbar at the Tema Port last Friday to mark the occasion,

Present were representatives from the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea and from the public and private sectors who were taken on a guided tour of the research vessel before it returns to sea.

 

The vessel first visited Ghana in 1981, and subsequently in 2016 and 2019 to conduct stock assessment. The RV Dr Fridtjof Nansen is at the centre of the EAF-Nansen Programme, a long-standing partnership between FAO, Norway, regional organisations and 32 partner countries in Africa and the Bay of Bengal.

 

Named after the late Norwegian scientist, an explorer and humanitarian who was renowned for his ocean research contributions, the vessel is a platform for fostering cooperation among partner countries, researchers and partner organisations of the EAF-Nansen Programme.

 

Address

Speaking at the ceremony, a Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Abdul-Aziz Ayaba Musah, commended the FAO for implementing the EAF-Nansen Programme and for extending other technical assistance initiatives to Ghana.

 

“Today's activities underscore our collective commitment to stewardship, collaboration and shared responsibility,” he said. Mr Musah said Ghana's marine waters were rich with fisheries resources that must be exploited sustainably to benefit Ghanaians.

 

He indicated that the sector, however, faced challenges, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices, climate change, marine habitat destruction and pollution from plastics and industrial waste.

 

These issues, he said, had led to the over-exploitation of fisheries resources, depletion of fish species, loss of habitat and biodiversity, declining profitability for fishers and women fish processors, and increasing poverty in fishing communities.

 

He expressed optimism that the survey carried out by the vessel would provide the country with immense data on the stock levels of both pelagic and demersal resources, as well as the environmental conditions and pollution levels in the marine waters of Ghana.

 

The Deputy Head of Mission representing the Ambassador of Norway to Ghana, Kyrre Holm, said the presence of the vessel in Ghana marked not only a milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the two nations but also a testament to the enduring partnership between Ghana and Norway.

 

"Its legacy is one of unparalleled dedication to the preservation of our oceans and the livelihoods that depend on them,” he said.

 

SDGs

Arslen Bounemra of the FAO, in a statement read on behalf of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Charles Abani, said artisanal fishing communities were among the poorest and most vulnerable in the world.

 

Feed The Future

He said as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) commit to leaving no one behind, all must collectively ensure that artisanal fishing communities were not left behind. Over the years, the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen has conducted several scientific expeditions in Ghana, providing vital information for management of the oceans and marine life.

 

 

In the two most recent surveys, 14 national scientists and technicians were involved, receiving hands-on training in the vessel's scientific equipment, research methods and analysis.

 

Having recently completed a study on fisheries resources in the Western Gulf of Guinea, the vessel will return to sea on June 8 to do a survey in the waters off Ghana to assess the selectivity of trawl gear, with the aim of making bottom trawl fisheries more sustainable.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-research-vessel-dr-fridtjof-nansen-docks-in-tema.html

Mahama to exempt canoe and artisanal fishers from 'closed season' ban (Daily Graphic, Monday, June 10, 2024 Page 49 )

The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has indicated that when elected as President, his government would exempt canoe and artisanal fishermen from the closed season programme.

The closed season is implemented annually for artisanal and inshore fleets. 

It is a fisheries management procedure designed to protect fish stocks and increase their population.

The policy is aimed at curbing overfishing, restore over exploited fish stocks, replenish dwindling fish populations and allow fish to lay their eggs to replace lost population.

Former President Mahama addressing fishermen in Tema on Saturday said the activities of  the canoe and artisanal fishermen groups of fishers did not contribute to dwindling fish stock in Ghana.

Interacting with the members of the fishing community selected across the coastal communities on Saturday, June 8, 2024 in Tema, Mr. Mahama said the closed season will be for only trawlers and other huge vessels. 

He said his administration would re-organise the Landing Beach Committees (LBCs) to empower the fishermen to address the current irregularities and disparity in the distribution of premix fuel and other fishing gears including nets and outboard motors at the landing beaches.

He said the reconstituted LBCs would be made up of representatives of the various stakeholders in the fishing industry and not persons affiliated to political parties and intermediary people who resell the subsidised premix fuel and outboard motors at higher prices to fishermen. “We must eschew politics from the fishing industry,” he said.

Mr Mahama said his administration would also resource the Ghana Navy with patrol vessels to monitor trawlers and other bigger vessels within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of the sea.

Concerns 

Responding to concerns about plastics and pollution at the shores, Mr Mahama said his administration would engage young people in fishing communities along the coast to address issues of waste management along the shores that negatively impacted fisheries and destroy the health of the ocean.

The Chairman of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana, Nana Kweigya, implored the government to try other innovative means of addressing the depleting fish stocks in Ghana.

He said climate change was causing fish to move from shallow waters to much deeper waters hence artisanal fishers were compelled to move far away to have access to fish.

Nana Kweigya said it was necessary for government to consider extending the inshore EEZ for artisanal fishers to cope with competition from industrial fishers as far as access to fisheries resources were concerned. 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/mahama-to-exempt-artisanal-fishers-from-closed-fishing-season.html

Kpone Katamanso: NDC stronghold, Industrial hub(Daily Graphic, Friday, June 7, 2024 Page 16/17)

 

Kpone-Katamanso in the Greater Accra Region is a modest environment thriving as a new host of real estate development. 

The Tema Community 26 affordable housing project executed by the state through the TDC Company Ltd has come to symbolise the expansion of the residential accommodation infrastructure of the Tema industrial township.

But this community also hosts the landfill site that receives thousands of tonnes of waste daily from far and near, a waste management plant, and a cemetery that became a major burial ground when land around the Tema Community 9 Cemetery looked exhausted about two decades ago.

A CHPS Compound under construction in the Saki Bediako community

Kpone-Katamanso is also the host community of the Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Company Limited, a major player in Ghana’s current energy production mix; steel manufacturer, B5 Plus; tile manufacturer, Sentuo Ceramics, and a lot of warehouses and manufacturing concerns.

Such is the economic importance of the area that the extremes of production and waste combine to give it a unique attraction of different kinds.

Politics

For now, however, the largely National Democratic Congress (NDC) stronghold faces its next major test as the December 2024 elections approach.

The Kpone-Katamanso seat has been monopolised by the NDC since 1992. The first MP for the area was Joseph Teye Tetteh, who was succeeded by Beatrice Love Naa-Afieye Ashong, who held the seat from 1997 and retained it in 2004.

A major bridge at Nmlitsakpo Electoral Area under construction connects Saki Bediako to other communities in the area

Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, aka Lion, took over the mantle in 2004, and served four terms before hanging up his political gloves. The mantle then fell on Joseph Akuerteh Tettey, a business consultant, who was elected in 2020 and retained in the 2024 elections.

The closest the NPP has come to winning the seat was in the 2016 polls when its candidate, Solomon Tettey Appiah, marshalled 45.4 per cent of the total votes.

The history of the voting trend in the constituency indicates that the constituency has always voted NDC since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

In 1996, the NDC won the presidential election by 76.8 per cent as against 22.0 per cent secured by the NPP.  In 2000, NDC’s performance dropped to 54.5 per cent, while the NPP improved its performance to 35.8 per cent. In 2004, NDC upped its figures to 87.8 per cent, while that of the NPP dropped to an abysmal 8.9 per cent.

In 2008, NDC’s performance dropped to 65.5 per cent, while the NPP did 32.9 per cent. NPP recorded 39.7 per cent, 45.3 per cent and 40.1 per cent in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential polls, respectively, while the NDC on its part, did 59.7 per cent,  53.9 per cent and 58.8 per cent in those elections.

Based on the statistics, it appears the NPP votes have been appreciating since 2012, while the NDC has been doing below 60 per cent. But would that be enough to turn the tide?

In the 1996 parliamentary polls, the NDC did 70.5 per cent while the NPP recorded 23.3 per cent. The NDC repeated its dominance in the 2000 elections when it recorded 52.2 per cent while the NPP did 29.5 per cent.

In 2004, NDC shot up marginally to 53.8 per cent, while the NPP did 33.0 per cent. In 2008, NDC recorded 63.0 per cent, while the NPP did 32.5 per cent. For the 2012, 2016 and 2020 polls, NDC did 57.3 per cent, 51.4 per cent and 55.3 per cent, respectively, while the NPP achieved 40.9 per cent, 45.4 per cent and 42.3 per cent in that order.

Who wins?

The main contenders for this year’s election are the incumbent MP, Joseph Akuerteh Tetteh of the NDC, and William Ofosu Asante of the NPP.

Joseph Akuerteh Tetteh — MP for Kpone Katamanso and NDC Parliamentary Candidate 

Tetteh, popularly known as Joe T, took over from Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, a political stalwart in the constituency who hanged up his political gloves in 2020 after winning the 2019 primaries.

A businessman, Joe T once served as a Branch Chairman for the NDC at Sebrepor. He rose to become a Ward Coordinator and later the Constituency Youth Organiser in 2005.

He also served as a government appointee at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) when Kpone was part of the TMA. Joe T was later appointed the District Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme for Kpone in 2011.

Mr William Ofosu Asante, for his part, made a foray into the political space in Kpone Katamanso in  2019 when he lost the NPP primaries to Hopeson Adorye.
He polled 203 votes in that race as against 321 garnered by Mr Adorye, but he never relented. He stepped forward again in 2022, this time defeating the MCE for Kpone Katamanso, Samuel Okoe Amanquah, to secure the ticket to contest in the December 7 general election.

The question is whether the NPP would be able to beat the political hegemony of the NDC in the constituency?

KKMA

The Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly (KKMA) came into existence in 2012 after it was carved out of the then Tema Metropolitan Assembly by the government.

William Ofosu Asante — NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Kpone Katamanso

Per the Ghana Statistical Service survey in 2021, the population of the municipality was 417,334, representing 7.6 per cent of Greater Accra Region’s total population.

The survey indicated that the male population was 208,040, representing 49.8 per cent, while that of the females was 209,294, representing 50.2 per cent.

The area is the most populous Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region and the second most populous assembly in the country. 

The area is located along the coast in the Greater Accra Region and shares boundaries with Tema to the west, Ada West to the east, the Gulf of Guinea to the south and Akuapem South to the north.

Being an area that stretches from the coast to the southern slopes of the Akuapem Mountains, crop farming is predominant in the northern part of the municipality, fishing dominates in the south, with animal rearing also being a major activity in the area.

The municipality boasts major industries such as the Free Zones Enclave, a number of power plants, including the Sunon Asogli Thermal Power Plant, CEN Power, VRA Thermal Plant, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Inland Port (Unity Terminal), and other manufacturing industries.

The Tema to Mpakadan railway line for goods passes through the municipality from the Tema Harbour.
 

Roads

Statistics from the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly Composite Budget for 2022/2025 Programme Based Budget Estimates for 2022 indicates that although the municipality is accessible and well connected to other towns, most roads can be described as dusty, rough, bumpy and muddy during the rainy season.

The state of the roads in the Nmlitsakpo electoral area

The total length of roads within the Municipality is 480.1km, made up of 3.5km asphaltic, 3.92 concrete, leading to the breakdown of heavy vehicles plying most of the roads.

There is, therefore, the need for the construction of drains, reshaping and re-gravelling of the roads to save travel time. The area is currently seeing the construction of a 17km three-lane dual express carriageway from the Tema Motorway Interchange through the Central University area, as well as the construction of a 7.2km dual carriageway from VALCO Roundabout in Tema to Kpone, albeit at a very slow pace.

These projects, if executed, might ease the congestion on the Accra-Aflao Highway. In terms of education, the area can boast of over 950 educational facilities across the length and breadth of the municipality, including public and private basic, first and second cycle schools, as well as one private university, Valley View University, at Oyibi.

Political scene

The Assembly member for the Nmlitsakpo Electoral Area, Tetteh Isaac Newton, told the Daily Graphic that one of the major challenges facing residents of the constituency was the deplorable nature of the roads in the area.

"Yes, most of our major roads are very deplorable, including the inner lanes. This makes it very difficult for cars to use them, especially during the rainy season."

He said the situation at Nmlitsakpo, for instance, was the exact representation of roads within the various communities in the entire municipality and, by extension, the constituency, adding that some were even worse.

He said although some of the road projects had been awarded, works had stalled, adding that some residents had to mobilise funds to purchase laterite to fix some of the roads, albeit on a temporary basis.

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ghana-news-kpone-katamanso-ndc-stronghold-industrial-hub.html

Rikair supports Tema General Hospital with medical consumables (Daily Graphic, June 5, 2024 Page 33)

 

 

Rikair Company Limited has donated medical consumables worth over GH¢340,000 to the Tema General Hospital in the Greater Accra Region to support healthcare services. 

The items include medical face masks, surgical gowns, disposable coveralls and temperature guns to augment the facility’s effort at delivering efficient health service.

Rikair also seeks to install a Medical Gas Piping System for the hospital to ensure the safe usage of medical oxygen at the facility. The donation was the result of a needs assessment by the Health and Safety team at Rikair on the critical health challenges of the health facility.

As the leading referral centre in the industrial city close to three major highways, namely Tema to Accra Motorway, Tema to Aflao Highways and Tema to Akosombo Highway, the facility also serves the needs of a number of patients from nearby communities such as Ashaiman, Afienya, Dawhenya, Prampram, among others. 

Capacity 

The Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital, Dr Richard Anthony, received the items and said the donation was timely and would significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to provide quality healthcare to clients under their care.

He expressed appreciation to the company for the generous support, adding that the resources provided would be put to good use and also called for more support for the hospital.

The Manager of Marketing at Rikair Company Limited, Abigail Essel, said supporting Tema General Hospital was part of the company’s contribution to enhance healthcare services to help the facility to maintain the standards of health delivery.  

She said the company had extended support to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in the Central Region and the Mamobi Polyclinic in Accra, indicating that similar support would be extended to health facilities in other parts of the country. 

The Director of Production and Sales, Dominic Ocloo, assured management of the facility of their continuous support towards the delivery of quality service to clients.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-rikair-supports-tema-general-hospital-with-medical-consumables.html
   

Mahama reiterates pledge to regularise 'Okoda' business and introduce electric bikes when elected president (Daily Graphic, Monday, June 3, 2024 Page 18)

 

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated his commitment to legalise the operations of commercial motor cycles popularly known as ‘okada’ if elected president.

He has also expressed his intention to introduce electric motorbikes for commercial use and provide training for riders to ensure proper regulation of the business.

Addressing members of the Okada Riders Association at a community engagement at Ashaiman on Friday (May 31, 2024), Mr Mahama renewed his promise to legalise and regulate the business of 'okada' to contribute to job creation. 

Mr Mahama said in 2016, the unemployment rate stood at 8.5 percent however under a Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia's administration, unemployment rate has shot up to 14.7 person adding that but for the 'okada' business, a number of young people would have been rendered jobless.

Safety 

He said legalising 'okada' business was not novel as other countries in East Africa for instance had legalised and regulated the okada business adding that same can be done in Ghana to ensure everyone works in safety and security 

“I want to assure you that a future NDC government would put in place all the necessary structures to support the okada business.” he said. 

Mr Mahama said under his administration, the National Road Safety Authority would work with riding instructors across the regions to train riders on safe riding techniques. He urged okada operators to be law abiding and obey all the regulations that would be put in place to ensure safety if the business is legalised  to ensure safety of both riders and their pillions on the road. 

He said his government would assist and support okada operators to acquire the necessary licence to operate, adding that a future NDC government would engage insurance companies to design a special insurance cover for commercial riders and their pillion riders

He said as part of the measures, his administration would issue unique number plates to commercial okada riders to distinguish them from private riders, adding that this would help identify them and also curb infiltrators some of whom use the motorbikes to commit crime.

Regulations 

Mr Mahama said he was committed to safety on the roads and thus called on the commercial riders to adhere to all the regulations that would be instituted including the wearing of appropriate safety gears to protect both riders and their pillions. 

He said he had already engaged some companies who were into the production of electric motorbikes and said such companies would make available access points where riders can replace their rechargeable batteries at subsidised rates 

He said commercial motor riders played a critical role in the transport sector as they were able to access communities where cars could not go adding that they must be supported to not only create employment but also supported to operate in safety 

 

Mr Mahama said a future NDC government would ensure dedicated lanes were constructed for riders when awarding road contracts for roads, this would enhance their safety. 

Instructors

The Public Relations Officer of the Okada Riders Association, Solomon Akpanaba said although there were recognized motor riding  instructors in Ghana, they do not have the opportunity to operate as such due to the fact that the appropriate laws that would compel riders to get the training and certificate as proof of skill acquisition to be licensed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, (DVLA) did not exist.

He said although  commercial riders were compelled to insure their motorbikes, they did not qualify for insurance benefits due to the current position of the law against commercial riding in Ghana.

“We are supposed to be operating under recognised unions but again the law against commercial riding is an obstacle, making it difficult for us to sanction few individuals who are reckless when riding,” he said. 

He said as commercial riders, they were ready to pay all forms of income tax for the development of roads and other infrastructure demands of the society  when their operations were legalised and regularised.

The President of the Okada Riders Association Mohammed Tijani commended the former President for sticking to his pledge to legalise the business and said the riders were ready to comply with all the regulations to make the plan a success .

 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/mahama-reiterates-pledge-to-regularise-okoda-business-when-elected-president.html

Ningo SHTS gets water system to address chronic water crisis (Online, Sunday, June 2, 2024/ Daily Graphic, Tuesday, June 4, 2024 Page 23 )

 

Students and staff of the Ningo Senior High Technical School in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region can now heave a sigh of relief following the construction of a mechanised water system for the school.  

The water system, which is expected to improve access to potable water for the students and staff, was funded by the United Dangme Association of USA Incorporated (UDA-USA Inc).

The school, which has a population of 1750 students with majority being females, have for a number of years been grappling with water issues.

Students had to walk for nearly three kilometers for water; a situation, which had adversely affected teaching and learning in the school as well as the health and sanitation of the students.

Currently, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census as released by the Ghana Statistical Service, 87.7 percent of the populace have access to basic water supply services. However, there was a disparity between urban and rural communities. 

About 96.4 per cent of the urban populace have access to basic water supply services whiles 74.4 percent of the rural populace have access to basic water supply services. 

It was for this reason that the UDA-USA Inc took up the challenge to construct the water system following a request by the Queen of the Ningo, Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II through the Project Coordinator of the Association, Francis Opai Tetteh.

Negative impact

Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II lamented the negative impact of the lack of water on especially the female students. 

She applauded the UDA-USA Inc  and its members for the gesture and urged the students to make good use of the facility and called on the students to own the facility and use it as though it was built with their resources.

Breakthrough 

Mr Opai Tetteh on behalf of the President of UDA-USA Incorporated,George Tetteh said after several attempts to provide water to the school, there has finally been a breakthrough to enable the students focus on their studies. 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/ningo-shts-gets-water-system-to-address-chronic-water-crisis.html