FOUR days of persistent rains in the Upper East Region have claimed four lives and rendered 150 people homeless in the West Mamprusi and Builsa districts respectively.
At Janga in the West Mamprusi District four people drowned in the floods, raising fears of the worst disaster, if the floodgates to the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso are opened as expected on Sunday.
Burkinabe officials announced that the floodgates would be opened yesterday but this was postponed.
In the Builsa District the rains are said to have swept away the houses of the 150 victims, who are seeking refuge with friends and relatives.
A Senior Community Relations Officer of the Volta River Authority(VRA), Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, and a member of the Builsa District Water and Sanitation Team, Mr Moses Awarikaro, confirmed the incidents to the Daily Graphic after a tour of some communities to sensitise residents to the need to vacate the area in view of the impending spillage of water from the Bagre Dam.
Alhaji Erzuah said the dead were yet to be identified and that a number of homes, farms, food and livestock had also been destroyed by the rains.
He said some rivers such as the Sisilli were full and could overflow their banks any time soon. However, while most people had demonstrated their readiness to move to higher grounds, others were reluctant to evacuate because of their farmlands.
“Although the message has gone round, the cooperation is not there,” Alhaji Erzuah said.
He said at Kulungungu, the VRA team observed that the recently constructed embankment supporting the Bailey bridge that linked Ghana with neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali was weak and that any large inflow of water could lead to the collapse of the bridge.
Among the communities visited by the team were Wungu, Arigu, Fio Number 1 and 2, Kpatorigu, Chamma, Saligu, Sapkala, Sakori, Kpasenkpe, Tiya Alavanyo, and Soba Takora, all in the West Mamprusi District.
They have already visited some flood-prone communities in the Upper East Region to sensitise them to the intended spillage.
Ahead of the spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, the prayer of some residents in flood-prone communities along the White Volta River is that the spillage should not be accompanied by torrential rains.
According to them, already most rivers that could hold the huge volumes of water were already full following persistent rains being experienced in some parts of the Upper East Region.
They contended that any torrential rains in addition to the expected spillage of huge volumes of water from the Bagre dam could spell doom for them as the expected floods would surpass the one experienced last year.
These sentiments came to light yesterday when the Daily Graphic toured some flood-prone areas to test their readiness for the impending spillage.
Some of the communities toured were Sandema, Zebilla, Bazua Nafgolika and Pwalugu.
It was observed at the Kobore bridge in the Bawku West District and the Pwalugu Bridge in Talensi Nabdam that the river was gradually filling up and the fear was that heavy rains, coupled with the spillage, in the area could result in heavy flooding as happened last year.
One other observation made at Pwalugu was that some maize farmlands close to the river were already submerged in water, while the absence of trees along the river had led to serious erosion and the development of deep gullies along some portions of the river.
At Sandema, one resident told the Daily Graphic that in addition to the public announcement urging people to move to higher grounds to avert danger, he was expecting the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to come out with detailed evacuation measures to aid people, should the floods occur.
At Nafgolika in the Bawku Municipality, Mr Thomas Ndebugre, a farmer who had cultivated maize along the White Volta, said although he was aware of the possible dangers, he continued to farm near the banks of the river because the land there was fertile.
He, however, said he was ready to discontinue farming near the bank of the river on condition that he was assisted with inputs to farm far away from the river bank.
At Binduri, also in the Bawku Municipality, the assemblymember for the area, Madam Beatrice Dahamani, told the Daily Graphic that she had intensified her education programme to warn the people on the potential danger in trying to cross the river on Thursday.
At a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Alhaji Ahmed Awudu Yirimeah at Sandema, the district capital, Mr Awarikaro added that the affected communities included Nyansa, Kandem, Abiyere, Kore, Tankunsa, Kaasa, Zondem and Siniesi.
The deputy minister is on a tour of the Upper East Region to inspect the extent of work being executed under the Northern Floods Reconstruction Programme.
Friday, 22 August 2008
Thursday, 21 August 2008
POLCE SWOOP ON CRIMINALS IN BOLGA (D/G Thursday August 21, 2008 PAGE 40)
THE Police in Bolgatanga on Saturday arrested nine suspected criminals at their hideouts in a dawn swoop to flush out criminals within the municipality.Also arrested was a young woman whose name was given as Georgina, 17, believed to be an accomplice.The three-hour exercise, which was under the command of the Regional Police Crime Officer, Superintendent Victor Seth Agbetornyo, was carried out at the Tanzui, Zaare, Catholic Cemetery, main market square and Zamtec areas.Items retrieved from the suspected criminals included a locally manufactured pistol with one round of ammunition, dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and a machete.Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCOP) Ofosu Mensah Gyeabour, said inadequate drug control together with activities involving organised crime, was hindering the development of the country in general and the Upper East Region in particular.DCOP Gyeabour said it was the resolve of the police to deal with these issues to ensure that crimes were brought down to the barest minimum."We are committed to make the community a drug-free society and allow law-abiding citizens to operate freely," he added.The Regional Police Commander said those arrested would be screened,after which those found culpable would have appropriate charges preferred against them and put before the courts.
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
NADMO, VRA ON THE MOVE...To prevent disaster in 3 northern regions (Tuesday August 19, 2008 LEAD STORY)
THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Volta River Authority (VRA) have moved personnel and logistics to the three northern regions to help evacuate residents who have ignored warnings of imminent danger of the opening of the floodgates of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso on Thursday.
This follows confirmation from the authorities in Burkina Faso that the Bagre Dam will be opened on Thursday, to spill water that threatens to collapse the dam.
It is predicted that the opening of the floodgates will lead to heavy floods that could endanger the lives and property of people living around the White and Black Volta rivers in the northern parts of Ghana.
Some of the high risk areas are Binduri, Sapelliga, Nafgolika Vakop, Gogo, Saaka, Bazua and Pwalugu.
In separate endeavours over the weekend, officials of the VRA toured some of the communities to impress upon those living along the White Volta to vacate the place due to the imminent floods, while NADMO deployed 5,000 volunteers to evacuate recalcitrant farmers along the disaster-prone zone.
The disaster volunteers groups, together with other stakeholders, are also to effect programmes aimed at stopping agricultural practices along the catchment areas of the Black and White Volta rivers.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in charge of relief and reconstruction, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, said the international community would not forgive the country, especially NADMO, if it remained aloof in spite of the timely warning from Burkina Faso.
He said there had been meetings at high governmental level between Ghana and Burkina Faso to control the spillage by opening the dams on gradual basis.
Alhaji Yirimea, however, said that should not form the basis for complacency on the part of NADMO and other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
He said the sensitisation programme was under way in communities that were likely to be affected most in the Wa East, especially the district capital Funsi and its environs.
He said disaster volunteer groups formed in those communities could also be found in such communities as Wechiau, Kubori, Sapelliga, Tanga, Nabugu and Nasia, where commercial rice farmers were concentrated.
The other communities likely to be affected by the floods of White Volta included Kalbeo, Dacheo, Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Bawku, Binduri and Sandema, where most of the road networks were washed away by the floods, rendering the roads impassable.
The deputy co-ordinator said some of the settler farmers also engaged in onion, tobacco and water melon cultivation, which thrive along river banks because of the humidity.
He said the settler farmers were so recalcitrant that sometimes NADMO personnel would have to move in with security agencies in order for them to comply to leave farming along the rivers banks.
He said NADMO was educating people in the flood-prone areas to change the traditional building code and build houses that could withstand the impact of flood waters.
Alhaji Yirimea said the disaster volunteer groups were also enjoying the co-operation of other volunteer groups such as the fire-fighting volunteers at the local level in sensitising the local people to the dangers and damage their activities had on socio-economic development of the country.
He said the education of the farmers had been extended to the Kassena Nankana and Builsa districts, where the spillage from the Tono Dam, due to heavy rains in the Kasena Nankana District, had serious repercussions for farmers in the area, resulting in post-harvest losses.
Alhaji Yirimea said NADMO was shifting emphasis from waiting for the disaster to strike before rushing with relief items to proactive activities to prevent disasters from taking a great toll on lives and property.
Last year, in August, when the country was given 24 hours before the dam was spilled, five people lost their lives in the Bolgatanga municipality and Bawku West District, when their rooms which got filled to window level collapsed on them.
The floods also caused damage to the Bawku-Kulungungu road, destroying the bridge spanning over the White Volta.
The roads destroyed by the floods also included the Bawku-Binduri; Bolga-Nyariga-Dacheo and the Navrongo-Sandema road networks.
The agricultural output was also affected when over 40,000 hectares of farmlands were submerged under water, destroying crops which were ready for harvest.
According to the Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Roy Ayariga, a total of 13,880 metric tonnes of foodstuffs went to waste as a result of the floods that submerged farms.
Similar to that of the NADMO, the aim of the VRA sensitisation visit was to educate the residents on the need to evacuate to higher grounds to avert the loss of lives and property.
Members of the VRA team who toured the flood prone areas were Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, Senior Community Relations Officer, Alhaji Ben Bukari Salifu, Deputy Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager, Mr Osei Kofi, Customer Relations Officer and Mr John Tayari, Assistant Customer Relations Officer.
Speaking to some opinion leaders at Binduri and Bazua, the leader of the team, Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, said due to the extent of the damage caused by last year's floods, the VRA has decided to embark on an exercise to sensitise the people, especially those living along the White Volta River, to the dangers that comes with the floods.
Alhaji Siam also warmed those who had farmed close to the river banks to harvest their crops and evacuate to higher grounds to avoid any danger.
He cautioned the community members against crossing the river on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and a few days thereafter.
Alhaji Siam said the VRA, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC), Regional Secretariat of NADMO, as well as the municipal and district assemblies in the region, would continue to sensitise the people living along the flood-prone areas to avoid casualties.
It would be recalled that almost all the districts in the Upper East Region were hit by a flood disaster as a result of torrential rains from August 24 to August 29, 2007.
The situation was aggravated by the opening of the spillway of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Consequently, more than 3000 houses in the Talensi-Nabdam, Bongo, Builsa, Bawku West and Bawku districts were destroyed, while almost 8000 inhabitants were left homeless. Also destroyed were several hundreds of hectares of farmland, roads and bridges.
Prominent among the collapsed bridges were the Kulungugu Bridge that links Ghana and her neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali and the Tamne Bridge on the Garu-Zabugu-Bawku road.
This follows confirmation from the authorities in Burkina Faso that the Bagre Dam will be opened on Thursday, to spill water that threatens to collapse the dam.
It is predicted that the opening of the floodgates will lead to heavy floods that could endanger the lives and property of people living around the White and Black Volta rivers in the northern parts of Ghana.
Some of the high risk areas are Binduri, Sapelliga, Nafgolika Vakop, Gogo, Saaka, Bazua and Pwalugu.
In separate endeavours over the weekend, officials of the VRA toured some of the communities to impress upon those living along the White Volta to vacate the place due to the imminent floods, while NADMO deployed 5,000 volunteers to evacuate recalcitrant farmers along the disaster-prone zone.
The disaster volunteers groups, together with other stakeholders, are also to effect programmes aimed at stopping agricultural practices along the catchment areas of the Black and White Volta rivers.
The Deputy National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in charge of relief and reconstruction, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, said the international community would not forgive the country, especially NADMO, if it remained aloof in spite of the timely warning from Burkina Faso.
He said there had been meetings at high governmental level between Ghana and Burkina Faso to control the spillage by opening the dams on gradual basis.
Alhaji Yirimea, however, said that should not form the basis for complacency on the part of NADMO and other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
He said the sensitisation programme was under way in communities that were likely to be affected most in the Wa East, especially the district capital Funsi and its environs.
He said disaster volunteer groups formed in those communities could also be found in such communities as Wechiau, Kubori, Sapelliga, Tanga, Nabugu and Nasia, where commercial rice farmers were concentrated.
The other communities likely to be affected by the floods of White Volta included Kalbeo, Dacheo, Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Bawku, Binduri and Sandema, where most of the road networks were washed away by the floods, rendering the roads impassable.
The deputy co-ordinator said some of the settler farmers also engaged in onion, tobacco and water melon cultivation, which thrive along river banks because of the humidity.
He said the settler farmers were so recalcitrant that sometimes NADMO personnel would have to move in with security agencies in order for them to comply to leave farming along the rivers banks.
He said NADMO was educating people in the flood-prone areas to change the traditional building code and build houses that could withstand the impact of flood waters.
Alhaji Yirimea said the disaster volunteer groups were also enjoying the co-operation of other volunteer groups such as the fire-fighting volunteers at the local level in sensitising the local people to the dangers and damage their activities had on socio-economic development of the country.
He said the education of the farmers had been extended to the Kassena Nankana and Builsa districts, where the spillage from the Tono Dam, due to heavy rains in the Kasena Nankana District, had serious repercussions for farmers in the area, resulting in post-harvest losses.
Alhaji Yirimea said NADMO was shifting emphasis from waiting for the disaster to strike before rushing with relief items to proactive activities to prevent disasters from taking a great toll on lives and property.
Last year, in August, when the country was given 24 hours before the dam was spilled, five people lost their lives in the Bolgatanga municipality and Bawku West District, when their rooms which got filled to window level collapsed on them.
The floods also caused damage to the Bawku-Kulungungu road, destroying the bridge spanning over the White Volta.
The roads destroyed by the floods also included the Bawku-Binduri; Bolga-Nyariga-Dacheo and the Navrongo-Sandema road networks.
The agricultural output was also affected when over 40,000 hectares of farmlands were submerged under water, destroying crops which were ready for harvest.
According to the Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Roy Ayariga, a total of 13,880 metric tonnes of foodstuffs went to waste as a result of the floods that submerged farms.
Similar to that of the NADMO, the aim of the VRA sensitisation visit was to educate the residents on the need to evacuate to higher grounds to avert the loss of lives and property.
Members of the VRA team who toured the flood prone areas were Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, Senior Community Relations Officer, Alhaji Ben Bukari Salifu, Deputy Upper East Regional Human Resource Manager, Mr Osei Kofi, Customer Relations Officer and Mr John Tayari, Assistant Customer Relations Officer.
Speaking to some opinion leaders at Binduri and Bazua, the leader of the team, Alhaji Mohammed Erzuah Siam, said due to the extent of the damage caused by last year's floods, the VRA has decided to embark on an exercise to sensitise the people, especially those living along the White Volta River, to the dangers that comes with the floods.
Alhaji Siam also warmed those who had farmed close to the river banks to harvest their crops and evacuate to higher grounds to avoid any danger.
He cautioned the community members against crossing the river on Thursday, August 21, 2008 and a few days thereafter.
Alhaji Siam said the VRA, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (UERCC), Regional Secretariat of NADMO, as well as the municipal and district assemblies in the region, would continue to sensitise the people living along the flood-prone areas to avoid casualties.
It would be recalled that almost all the districts in the Upper East Region were hit by a flood disaster as a result of torrential rains from August 24 to August 29, 2007.
The situation was aggravated by the opening of the spillway of the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Consequently, more than 3000 houses in the Talensi-Nabdam, Bongo, Builsa, Bawku West and Bawku districts were destroyed, while almost 8000 inhabitants were left homeless. Also destroyed were several hundreds of hectares of farmland, roads and bridges.
Prominent among the collapsed bridges were the Kulungugu Bridge that links Ghana and her neighbouring Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali and the Tamne Bridge on the Garu-Zabugu-Bawku road.
Sunday, 17 August 2008
BAWKU HEALTH WORKERS URGED TO RETURN TO WORK (D/G Monday, August 18,2008 PAGE 36)
THE Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, Mr Abdulai Abanga, has urged health workers of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, especially nurses who have been absent from work for the past seven months due to the protracted ethnic conflict, to return to work.
Mr Abanga, who is also Chairman of the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), has given assurance of their safety when they resume duty.
He made the plea when he, together with members of MUSEC, paid a surprise visit to the hospital.
It came to light during the visit that almost three quarters of the nurses at the hospital were not at post due to insecurity at Bawku.
At a short meeting with the hospital management team and the workers, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Peter Mawong, assured them that all threats received by the police would be dealt with, with despatch.
He said: "I have personally received many threats on my life but I have discarded them because they are empty threats,” adding, “Someone will buy a new chip for his mobile phone purposely to threaten you and thereafter throw it away."
The officer commanding the Airborne Force at Bawku, Major Frank Walanyo Agbebo, reiterated the same message, that his men were on the ground with enough logistics 24 hours so the nurses should heed to the call to resume work in order to save lives.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Abanga, noted with concern that the hospital, which had won national and international recognition, was gradually dying off because of the communal conflict.
He stressed that as the hospital was dear to the heart of the government and the assembly, they would do everything possible to preserve its status.
The new General Manager of the hospital, Mr John Abugri, advised the workers to exercise patience and tolerance by putting behind them what happened in the past seven months so that the hospital could regain its lost glory.
In a related development, the Director of Amnesty International, Ghana Section, Mr Michael A. Brigandi, has paid a two-day working visit to Bawku to assess first-hand the conflict situation in the area.
According to Mr Brigandi, his meeting with the opinion leaders of the Kusasis and Mamprusis at separate meetings, reviewed that both factions were eager to see the conflict come to an end.
He said the two factions were, however, looking up to the government to conclude its mediation efforts as soon as possible.
Mr Brigandi emphasised that their elders in particular, had shown so much interest to see to the end of the conflict in Bawku but the problem at the moment was with the youth who must be actively involved in the deliberations.
He said the situation in Bawku was pathetic, especially at Buabula where women and children were massacred.
He said both sides expressed concern about the high politicisation of the conflict and appealed to all politicians to be circumspect in their utterances on the Bawku conflict.
Mr Brigandi commended the Information Services Department and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for their sensitisation programme on peace promotion.
He called on the government and other stakeholders to give more resources to the two institutions to enable them to intensify their education.
He also urged the government to take up concrete steps in resolving the problem in Bawku as soon as possible.
Mr Abanga, who is also Chairman of the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), has given assurance of their safety when they resume duty.
He made the plea when he, together with members of MUSEC, paid a surprise visit to the hospital.
It came to light during the visit that almost three quarters of the nurses at the hospital were not at post due to insecurity at Bawku.
At a short meeting with the hospital management team and the workers, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Peter Mawong, assured them that all threats received by the police would be dealt with, with despatch.
He said: "I have personally received many threats on my life but I have discarded them because they are empty threats,” adding, “Someone will buy a new chip for his mobile phone purposely to threaten you and thereafter throw it away."
The officer commanding the Airborne Force at Bawku, Major Frank Walanyo Agbebo, reiterated the same message, that his men were on the ground with enough logistics 24 hours so the nurses should heed to the call to resume work in order to save lives.
The Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Abdulai Abanga, noted with concern that the hospital, which had won national and international recognition, was gradually dying off because of the communal conflict.
He stressed that as the hospital was dear to the heart of the government and the assembly, they would do everything possible to preserve its status.
The new General Manager of the hospital, Mr John Abugri, advised the workers to exercise patience and tolerance by putting behind them what happened in the past seven months so that the hospital could regain its lost glory.
In a related development, the Director of Amnesty International, Ghana Section, Mr Michael A. Brigandi, has paid a two-day working visit to Bawku to assess first-hand the conflict situation in the area.
According to Mr Brigandi, his meeting with the opinion leaders of the Kusasis and Mamprusis at separate meetings, reviewed that both factions were eager to see the conflict come to an end.
He said the two factions were, however, looking up to the government to conclude its mediation efforts as soon as possible.
Mr Brigandi emphasised that their elders in particular, had shown so much interest to see to the end of the conflict in Bawku but the problem at the moment was with the youth who must be actively involved in the deliberations.
He said the situation in Bawku was pathetic, especially at Buabula where women and children were massacred.
He said both sides expressed concern about the high politicisation of the conflict and appealed to all politicians to be circumspect in their utterances on the Bawku conflict.
Mr Brigandi commended the Information Services Department and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for their sensitisation programme on peace promotion.
He called on the government and other stakeholders to give more resources to the two institutions to enable them to intensify their education.
He also urged the government to take up concrete steps in resolving the problem in Bawku as soon as possible.
STUDENTS UNION ASSIST 11 SCHOOLS (D/G Monday August 18, 2008 PAGE 36)
THE Talensi/Nabdam Students Union (TANASU) has donated a quantity of books to 11 selected schools at Sheaga in the Talensi/Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
They were English, Mathematics, Science, Integrated Science and Social Studies books.
The beneficiary educational institutions included Nungo, Dasobligo, Sheaga, Nangodi, Yameriga, Tongo-Beo and Kontintagbu junior high schools.
Making the presentation, the President of the TANASU, Mr Emmanuel Awuni Nwoneba, said the donation, which was in its third phase, was an exercise aimed at arresting the falling standards of education in the district.
"Available records have revealed that as a result of some of the projects undertaken by our immediate past executives and their predecessors in addition to donations from individuals and some organisations, there have been a remarkable improvement in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the district in recent times," he stated.
Mr Nwoneba, however, stressed that some schools in the district needed special attention, citing the Kontintabig JHS as one of the schools whose structures were inadequate.
He said last year, a teacher of the Dapore JHS almost lost her life when she tried to cross a river between Dapore and Winkogo to attend classes but was fortunate to be rescued by somebody who had gone there to do some washing.
The TANASU president appealed to the district director of education, the district chief executive, chiefs, opinion leaders, the Member of Parliament for the area and public-spirited organisations to contribute to the improvement of educational standards in the district.
The Talensi/Nabdam District Director of Education, Mr Francis Ayaaba, stated that the district could not achieve any meaningful development without the co-operation and support of the people.
He, therefore, implored all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the development of the area.
Mr Ayaaba commended TANASU for its contribution to the development of education in the district and assured the union of the co-operation of his outfit.
They were English, Mathematics, Science, Integrated Science and Social Studies books.
The beneficiary educational institutions included Nungo, Dasobligo, Sheaga, Nangodi, Yameriga, Tongo-Beo and Kontintagbu junior high schools.
Making the presentation, the President of the TANASU, Mr Emmanuel Awuni Nwoneba, said the donation, which was in its third phase, was an exercise aimed at arresting the falling standards of education in the district.
"Available records have revealed that as a result of some of the projects undertaken by our immediate past executives and their predecessors in addition to donations from individuals and some organisations, there have been a remarkable improvement in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results in the district in recent times," he stated.
Mr Nwoneba, however, stressed that some schools in the district needed special attention, citing the Kontintabig JHS as one of the schools whose structures were inadequate.
He said last year, a teacher of the Dapore JHS almost lost her life when she tried to cross a river between Dapore and Winkogo to attend classes but was fortunate to be rescued by somebody who had gone there to do some washing.
The TANASU president appealed to the district director of education, the district chief executive, chiefs, opinion leaders, the Member of Parliament for the area and public-spirited organisations to contribute to the improvement of educational standards in the district.
The Talensi/Nabdam District Director of Education, Mr Francis Ayaaba, stated that the district could not achieve any meaningful development without the co-operation and support of the people.
He, therefore, implored all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the development of the area.
Mr Ayaaba commended TANASU for its contribution to the development of education in the district and assured the union of the co-operation of his outfit.
GOVT'S POLICY ON FERTILISE SUBSIDY VERY USEFUL (D/G Monday August 18, 2008 PAGE 36)
IN July, this year, the government introduced a policy on fertiliser subsidies.
Under the programme, the government would from this month up to December, this year, spend about US$14 million in subsidising fertilisers sold to farmers to encourage them to improve upon agricultural production.
Currently, the prices of popular fertilisers such as urea, sulphate of ammonia, NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 are GH¢26, GH¢18, GH¢26 and GH¢24 respectively.
Before the reduction of the prices, urea was selling at GH¢49 per bag while sulphate of ammonia went for GH¢31 with NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 being sold for GH¢48 and GH¢45 respectively.
To access the fertilisers, farmers and prospective buyers have to get coupons from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) offices, District Agricultural offices or Agricultural Extension offices.
The coupons are then presented to the dealers for the supply of the fertilisers. All coupons received by dealers should be forwarded to the fertiliser companies for submission to the government for payment of the subsidy component.
The implementation of the programme in the Upper East Region appears to be achieving some success as farmers have hailed the policy and are seizing every opportunity to ensure that they make the best out of the provision.
A visit to some district capitals in the region, such as Bawku and Sandema, attest to the fact that the farmers have wholeheartedly welcomed the policy and are committed to seeing to it that they benefit from it.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic from the various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme showed that the policy would ensure a better yield for the farmers.
In an interview with the Builsa District Director of Agriculture, Mr Paul Ayagiba, he said many farmers in the district had availed themselves of the opportunity and were waiting to be issued with coupons by Agricultural Extension Officers which they would be required to produce before any sales would be made to them by the fertiliser dealers.
He, however, stated that there were a few challenges.
To find lasting solutions to the problem, he said the Regional Agricultural Directorate had encouraged chiefs and other opinion leaders in the region to educate their people on the importance of the programme.
"We believe that with education, the people will appreciate the benefits to be derived from this policy," Mr Ayagiba said, adding that the policy was geared towards assisting farmers to make profit.
He expressed the hope that the farmers would embrace the programme in order to increase their yield.
Mr Ayagiba urged farmers to report any act of corruption by the Agricultural Extension Officers to the District or Regional Directors of Agriculture for the appropriate action to be taken.
A fertiliser dealer in the Builsa District, Mr Daniel Alabadek, described the policy as very laudable, explaining that in the past, farmers were buying fertilisers at exorbitant prices but the new arrangement had reduced their headaches.
"Due to the high prices of fertilisers, many farmers were unable to buy to increase production but with the policy, many farmers can now afford to buy and apply fertilisers on their farms," Mr Alabadek said.
He encouraged farmers to heed the advice of the extension officers in order to derive maximum benefit from the programme.
At Bawku, farmers who had not heard the good news were advised to take advantage of the new government policy to increase their production in order to improve their lifestyles and to prevent food shortage that was experienced in the region last year.
Government agencies like MoFA and the Information Services Department have all carried out public education to educate the public on the benefits of the policy.
Agriculture remains a strong option for achieving the nation's growth and poverty reduction objectives. There is, therefore, the need for all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the policy to play their assigned roles effectively to prevent its abuse.
Under the programme, the government would from this month up to December, this year, spend about US$14 million in subsidising fertilisers sold to farmers to encourage them to improve upon agricultural production.
Currently, the prices of popular fertilisers such as urea, sulphate of ammonia, NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 are GH¢26, GH¢18, GH¢26 and GH¢24 respectively.
Before the reduction of the prices, urea was selling at GH¢49 per bag while sulphate of ammonia went for GH¢31 with NPK 15-15-15 and NPK 23-10-05 being sold for GH¢48 and GH¢45 respectively.
To access the fertilisers, farmers and prospective buyers have to get coupons from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) offices, District Agricultural offices or Agricultural Extension offices.
The coupons are then presented to the dealers for the supply of the fertilisers. All coupons received by dealers should be forwarded to the fertiliser companies for submission to the government for payment of the subsidy component.
The implementation of the programme in the Upper East Region appears to be achieving some success as farmers have hailed the policy and are seizing every opportunity to ensure that they make the best out of the provision.
A visit to some district capitals in the region, such as Bawku and Sandema, attest to the fact that the farmers have wholeheartedly welcomed the policy and are committed to seeing to it that they benefit from it.
Information gathered by the Daily Graphic from the various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme showed that the policy would ensure a better yield for the farmers.
In an interview with the Builsa District Director of Agriculture, Mr Paul Ayagiba, he said many farmers in the district had availed themselves of the opportunity and were waiting to be issued with coupons by Agricultural Extension Officers which they would be required to produce before any sales would be made to them by the fertiliser dealers.
He, however, stated that there were a few challenges.
To find lasting solutions to the problem, he said the Regional Agricultural Directorate had encouraged chiefs and other opinion leaders in the region to educate their people on the importance of the programme.
"We believe that with education, the people will appreciate the benefits to be derived from this policy," Mr Ayagiba said, adding that the policy was geared towards assisting farmers to make profit.
He expressed the hope that the farmers would embrace the programme in order to increase their yield.
Mr Ayagiba urged farmers to report any act of corruption by the Agricultural Extension Officers to the District or Regional Directors of Agriculture for the appropriate action to be taken.
A fertiliser dealer in the Builsa District, Mr Daniel Alabadek, described the policy as very laudable, explaining that in the past, farmers were buying fertilisers at exorbitant prices but the new arrangement had reduced their headaches.
"Due to the high prices of fertilisers, many farmers were unable to buy to increase production but with the policy, many farmers can now afford to buy and apply fertilisers on their farms," Mr Alabadek said.
He encouraged farmers to heed the advice of the extension officers in order to derive maximum benefit from the programme.
At Bawku, farmers who had not heard the good news were advised to take advantage of the new government policy to increase their production in order to improve their lifestyles and to prevent food shortage that was experienced in the region last year.
Government agencies like MoFA and the Information Services Department have all carried out public education to educate the public on the benefits of the policy.
Agriculture remains a strong option for achieving the nation's growth and poverty reduction objectives. There is, therefore, the need for all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the policy to play their assigned roles effectively to prevent its abuse.
82 NFED FACILITATORS HONOURED FOR HARD WORK (D/G Monday August 18, PAGE 36)
THE government has presented incentives to 82 facilitators, comprising 59 males and 23 females of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports at Navrongo in the Kassena Nankana District in the Upper East Region.
The items, valued at GH¢10,550, included bicycles, roofing sheets, ghetto blasters and sewing machines.
Making the presentation, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, said the government attached special importance to the functional literacy programme, aimed at encouraging adult learners to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.
He commended the facilitators for teaching the adult learners to acquire literacy and income-generating skills to improve their living conditions.
The District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Arimiyaw B. Adivila, stated that a total of 2,121 adults in the area had benefited from the services of the facilitators who were being rewarded.
He said apart from teaching the adults how to read and write, the NFED had incorporated a programme to explain government policies and programmes like the National Health Insurance Scheme, the effects of bush fires and land degradation, the National Identification System, as well as HIV/AIDS, to the rural people.
Mr Adivila said under its life skills programme, the learners were taught how to keep health issues and life management such as family planning, environmental hygiene, and immunisation.
He stated that in spite of the successes achieved, there were some challenges such as unavailability of structures leading to the organisation of classes in the open and under trees.
The District Director of Education, Mr Edward Peruse, praised the facilitators for their hard work and urged them to let the award stimulate them to give of their best.
He appealed to the facilitators to encourage their adult learners to send their children and wards to school, since the best legacy they could bequeath to their children was education.
The items, valued at GH¢10,550, included bicycles, roofing sheets, ghetto blasters and sewing machines.
Making the presentation, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr Emmanuel Chegeweh, said the government attached special importance to the functional literacy programme, aimed at encouraging adult learners to contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the country.
He commended the facilitators for teaching the adult learners to acquire literacy and income-generating skills to improve their living conditions.
The District Co-ordinator of the NFED, Mr Arimiyaw B. Adivila, stated that a total of 2,121 adults in the area had benefited from the services of the facilitators who were being rewarded.
He said apart from teaching the adults how to read and write, the NFED had incorporated a programme to explain government policies and programmes like the National Health Insurance Scheme, the effects of bush fires and land degradation, the National Identification System, as well as HIV/AIDS, to the rural people.
Mr Adivila said under its life skills programme, the learners were taught how to keep health issues and life management such as family planning, environmental hygiene, and immunisation.
He stated that in spite of the successes achieved, there were some challenges such as unavailability of structures leading to the organisation of classes in the open and under trees.
The District Director of Education, Mr Edward Peruse, praised the facilitators for their hard work and urged them to let the award stimulate them to give of their best.
He appealed to the facilitators to encourage their adult learners to send their children and wards to school, since the best legacy they could bequeath to their children was education.
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Tema East Sub Metro demolished structure ( Daily Graphic, Monday, August 3, 2026)
https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-tema-east-sub-metro-demolishes-structures.html
