The Garu-Tempane District in the Upper East Region has set aside GH¢6,612,936.29 to support development projects in the district for 2010.
The assembly has also estimated that it will generate GH¢96,620.00 as its internally generated fund, which is the primary source of revenue to every assembly.
The Garu-Tempane District Chief Executive, Mr David Adakudugu, said this at the second ordinary meeting of the fourth session of the assembly at Garu.
According to Mr Adakudugu, the 2010 Annual Action Plan of the assembly contained most of the 2009 projects, which had been rolled over and a few ones added for implementation.
He said the plan had been sub-divided into ‘Good Governance and Civic Responsibility, Human Resource Development and Private Sector Competitiveness, which conformed with the three thematic areas of GPRS II, the document that guides the national development drive.
Giving a breakdown of the figure, the DCE said GH¢ 1,504,086.58 had been earmarked under the Good Governance and Civic Responsibility agenda, while with the Human Resource Development, which covered sectors such as education, health and support for persons with disability had a provision of GH¢1,397,549.02.
According to the DCE, the Private Sector Competitiveness sector which included agriculture and its sub-sectors, roads, markets, water and sanitation also had a provision of GH¢6,990,407.11.
Mr Adakudugu commended the assembly members for their support and appealed to them to collaborate more in the provision of development projects for the area.
“Effective revenue mobilisation has been a major problem in the district. The assembly has, therefore, instituted measures to improve the revenue mobilisation drive,” the DCE said, adding that in doing so management had been able to reshuffle the nine area council secretaries and steps were underway to do same for the revenue collectors to set realistic targets.
“We will also ensure regular monitoring of the revenue collection points,” Mr Adakudugu said.
He said in addition to the above, an instant payment of commission to revenue collectors as they rendered accounts on their daily collections was being introduced to avoid accumulating commissions that were being used as an excuse for embezzling revenue.
The DCE said another measure was to embark on training programmes to build the capacities of the revenue collectors and area council staff in revenue mobilisation and record management.
He told the assembly members that a number of projects had been awarded on contract, and would thus be completed between three and six months.
These include the construction of Community Health Preventive Services (CHPS) compounds with a borehole at Aloko and Gagbiri; the construction of classroom blocks at Akara, Kongo, Garu, Nomboko, Kpatia, Buipielsi and Gaago.
The DCE commended the district’s development partners such as the District Wide Assistance Programe (DWAP), World Vision International, Community Base Rural Development, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Children’s Fund, among others, for their support in achieving the needed development in the district.
The Presiding Member of the assembly, Mr Solomon Awini, noted the marked improvement in the security situation in the district and expressed hope that with support from the District Police Commander, the Community Watchdog Committee concept would come into force to save the people from the wrath of criminals.
He also brought to the notice of the assembly members the harm done to the environment by bush fires and enlisted their support to avert the situation in future.
The assembly passed a resolution to ban the use of “spinners” at funerals after sunset. According to the assembly members, the use of the spinning equipment at funerals attracted children to the funeral grounds at the expense of their education.
They also claimed that it had raised the level of promiscuity in the town since an inspection of funeral grounds a day after showed a large collection of used condoms. The Presiding Member also said available figures from the Girl Child Education Unit indicated that the number of teenage pregnancy cases and illegal abortions was on the increase.
The restriction, as proposed by the chiefs in the area, is therefore to reverse the situation.
The DCE also backed the resolution and stressed that it would go a long way to help preserve the indigenous culture of the people.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
TECHNOSERVE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME ENDS (PAGE 22, DEC 30)
Technoserve (TNS) Ghana, a non-governmental organisation has since 2005, begun implementing a food security programme called the Multi Year Assistance Programme (MYAP) in the Upper East Region.
The overall goal of the programme was to build the resilience of communities and households to insecurity through agricultural assistance and institutional development of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) ,supported the MYAP which was funded through the Community Enterprise Development Initiative (CEDI) Trust.
Five years on, the TNS has brought the MYAP to a close, leaving in its trail a lot of successes, which if sustained, will go a long way to help most food-insecure households and communities to build sustainable capacity to mitigate food-related shocks.
Speaking at a close-up durbar at Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, a Senior Programme Advisor of TNS, Mr Anthony Adom, said in the Upper East Region alone, the MYAP benefited 2,350 farming households from 42 communities which were registered into 72 co-operative groups.
He said additionally, 12 communities were supported with 16 irrigation-pumping machines for dry season farming.
The programme also constructed three 40 tonne-capacity and eleven 20 tonne-capacity grain warehouses in 14 communities in the region.
According to Mr Adom, 42 farmers were also trained as extension volunteers to augment the efforts of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Extension Service programme.
One other intervention, which was carried out within the five-year programme, was the support to 18 communities with boreholes to increase their accessibility to potable water, Mr Adom noted.
This followed a realisation that some assisted communities did not have access to good drinking water and even where it was available, the distance covered to access the resource was so great that accessing potable water was laborious and time consuming.
Mr Adom said another significant success chalked up was in the area of improving accessibility to market centres from production sites.
He said most of the operational communities were in remote and deprived areas of the region, some of which were not passable and farmers had to trek to the nearest market centres.
During the period of the MYAP, Mr Adom said one of such routes which needed attention was the Katiu-Kayoro. The TNS-Bolgatanga supported the district assembly in blasting of rocks to level and construct retaining walls to facilitate vehicular movement for evacuation of foodstuffs and people to the market centres and to the rest of the district.
The senior programme advisor also indicated that the programme was in collaboration with the Non-Formal Education Division to train facilitators from 24 beneficiary communities to organise literacy classes for the people. The TNS and the NFED district directors supervised these classes and provided chalk, blackboards, exercise books, pencils, solar lamps and paid the monthly allowances of teachers.
To ensure sustainability of the farmer groups and the technologies transferred to them under the MYAP, the TNS facilitated registration of the farmers with the Department of Co-operatives.
Mr Adom said it was his expectation that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Co-operatives would continue to work with the farmer groups in sustaining the gains of the MYAP.
TNS donated motorbikes to the Department of Co-operatives and the Gender Desk Officer of the MoFA where the programme was implemented to ensure its sustainability.
Mr Adom said although the TNS was closing out the MYAP, that did not mean that its activities in the Upper East Region had ended, as other programmes, such as the Sorghum and shea projects being implemented in the region at the moment would continue.
He commended MoFA and the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute for supporting the TNS in all its activities under the MYAP.
The Bawku West District Director of Agriculture Mr Yussif Sulemana commended the TNS for its MYAP intervention, which he said had benefited farmers in the area, stressing that farmers who participated had experienced improved changes in their farming enterprise with increased income levels which ensured food security.
The Bawku West District Chief Executive, Mr Anabah Adam Moro, noted that for farmers in the Upper East Region in general and the Bawku area in particular, the improvement in the onion farming business would trigger economic growth for the farmers.
He added that provision of irrigation-pumping machines to enable farmers to produce onions and other vegetables during the dry season was in fulfilment of the government’s agenda to create jobs for the youth and reduce the rural-urban migration that was assuming an alarming rate.
Dr Roger Kanton of SARI implored regional and district directors of agriculture to sustain the mechanism instituted by TECHNOSERVE during its intervening period to ensure food security and more income for farmers.
He also called on politicians to invest more in agriculture, particularly in the northern regions of Ghana since a successful implementation would turn the area into a grain basket for the whole nation.
A representative of the beneficiary farmers, Mr John Akonaba, expressed appreciation of the farmers to the TNS for coming to their aid, and said the lessons learnt over the period would go a long way to increase food production.
The overall goal of the programme was to build the resilience of communities and households to insecurity through agricultural assistance and institutional development of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) ,supported the MYAP which was funded through the Community Enterprise Development Initiative (CEDI) Trust.
Five years on, the TNS has brought the MYAP to a close, leaving in its trail a lot of successes, which if sustained, will go a long way to help most food-insecure households and communities to build sustainable capacity to mitigate food-related shocks.
Speaking at a close-up durbar at Zebilla in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, a Senior Programme Advisor of TNS, Mr Anthony Adom, said in the Upper East Region alone, the MYAP benefited 2,350 farming households from 42 communities which were registered into 72 co-operative groups.
He said additionally, 12 communities were supported with 16 irrigation-pumping machines for dry season farming.
The programme also constructed three 40 tonne-capacity and eleven 20 tonne-capacity grain warehouses in 14 communities in the region.
According to Mr Adom, 42 farmers were also trained as extension volunteers to augment the efforts of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Extension Service programme.
One other intervention, which was carried out within the five-year programme, was the support to 18 communities with boreholes to increase their accessibility to potable water, Mr Adom noted.
This followed a realisation that some assisted communities did not have access to good drinking water and even where it was available, the distance covered to access the resource was so great that accessing potable water was laborious and time consuming.
Mr Adom said another significant success chalked up was in the area of improving accessibility to market centres from production sites.
He said most of the operational communities were in remote and deprived areas of the region, some of which were not passable and farmers had to trek to the nearest market centres.
During the period of the MYAP, Mr Adom said one of such routes which needed attention was the Katiu-Kayoro. The TNS-Bolgatanga supported the district assembly in blasting of rocks to level and construct retaining walls to facilitate vehicular movement for evacuation of foodstuffs and people to the market centres and to the rest of the district.
The senior programme advisor also indicated that the programme was in collaboration with the Non-Formal Education Division to train facilitators from 24 beneficiary communities to organise literacy classes for the people. The TNS and the NFED district directors supervised these classes and provided chalk, blackboards, exercise books, pencils, solar lamps and paid the monthly allowances of teachers.
To ensure sustainability of the farmer groups and the technologies transferred to them under the MYAP, the TNS facilitated registration of the farmers with the Department of Co-operatives.
Mr Adom said it was his expectation that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Co-operatives would continue to work with the farmer groups in sustaining the gains of the MYAP.
TNS donated motorbikes to the Department of Co-operatives and the Gender Desk Officer of the MoFA where the programme was implemented to ensure its sustainability.
Mr Adom said although the TNS was closing out the MYAP, that did not mean that its activities in the Upper East Region had ended, as other programmes, such as the Sorghum and shea projects being implemented in the region at the moment would continue.
He commended MoFA and the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute for supporting the TNS in all its activities under the MYAP.
The Bawku West District Director of Agriculture Mr Yussif Sulemana commended the TNS for its MYAP intervention, which he said had benefited farmers in the area, stressing that farmers who participated had experienced improved changes in their farming enterprise with increased income levels which ensured food security.
The Bawku West District Chief Executive, Mr Anabah Adam Moro, noted that for farmers in the Upper East Region in general and the Bawku area in particular, the improvement in the onion farming business would trigger economic growth for the farmers.
He added that provision of irrigation-pumping machines to enable farmers to produce onions and other vegetables during the dry season was in fulfilment of the government’s agenda to create jobs for the youth and reduce the rural-urban migration that was assuming an alarming rate.
Dr Roger Kanton of SARI implored regional and district directors of agriculture to sustain the mechanism instituted by TECHNOSERVE during its intervening period to ensure food security and more income for farmers.
He also called on politicians to invest more in agriculture, particularly in the northern regions of Ghana since a successful implementation would turn the area into a grain basket for the whole nation.
A representative of the beneficiary farmers, Mr John Akonaba, expressed appreciation of the farmers to the TNS for coming to their aid, and said the lessons learnt over the period would go a long way to increase food production.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
RURAL BANKS MUST STREAMLINE OPERATIONS (PAGE 39, DEC 29)
THE Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni, has called on rural and community banks to streamline their operations to favour rural customers.
She said much as the rules and regulations governing the rural banks should be upheld, management also ought to be flexible in their dealings with their rural clients.
At the opening of the Bongo Rural Bank in the Upper East Region, Mrs Awuni urged the bank to take particular note of the peculiar circumstances of the area where the greater majority of the customers lived and design an appropriate product, which, she said, would encourage them to save regularly.
In situations suah as this, banking institutions should not just be concerned with providing traditional banking services, but should play a lead role in the general socio-economic development of the people," the deputy regional minister said.
The opening of the bank brings to five the number of rural banks operating in the region. The opening of the bank was mooted by the district assembly as far back as 2002 and by dint of hard work and through the many challenges that confronted the promoters, the bank is now operational.
Mrs Awuni, while commending the district assembly and the promoters who contributed in diverse ways towards the establishment of the facility, urged the people of Bongo to contribute towards the sustenance of the bank by investing in the shares of the bank.
The Interim Board Chairman of the bank, Mr Joachim Akuure, stated that it had been the desire of the bank since 2002 to have banking services on the doorstep of the people.
He recounted some of the challenges that came their way and commended the district assembly, the traditional authorities and citizens of Bongo for supporting the idea.
The President of the North Eastern Chapter of Association of Rural Banks, Mr John Asabigi, urged management and staff of the Bongo Rural Bank to study the Bank of Ghana regulations and comply with the directives to avoid sanctions. He also called on the management to report accurately and timely to bodies that legitimately required such information.
Mr Phillip Cobinnah, Assistant Director, Banking Supervision Department of the Bank of Ghana, appealed to opinion leaders to educate their people on the need to promptly repay loans that were advanced to them to save the bank from collapse.
The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Mr Clement Akugre, said the inauguration of the bank would no doubt have a great impact on the local economy in particular and the region as a whole.
He said apart rendering services in the form of granting loans for the enhancement of the small and medium scale enterprises to expand their businesses, the opening of the new branches would reduce the man-hours that were lost by workers through travelling to the regional capital to access banking services.
"The man-hours gained as a result of the establishment of the bank would undoubtedly contribute in no small measure towards the accelerated growth of the district," he said.
She said much as the rules and regulations governing the rural banks should be upheld, management also ought to be flexible in their dealings with their rural clients.
At the opening of the Bongo Rural Bank in the Upper East Region, Mrs Awuni urged the bank to take particular note of the peculiar circumstances of the area where the greater majority of the customers lived and design an appropriate product, which, she said, would encourage them to save regularly.
In situations suah as this, banking institutions should not just be concerned with providing traditional banking services, but should play a lead role in the general socio-economic development of the people," the deputy regional minister said.
The opening of the bank brings to five the number of rural banks operating in the region. The opening of the bank was mooted by the district assembly as far back as 2002 and by dint of hard work and through the many challenges that confronted the promoters, the bank is now operational.
Mrs Awuni, while commending the district assembly and the promoters who contributed in diverse ways towards the establishment of the facility, urged the people of Bongo to contribute towards the sustenance of the bank by investing in the shares of the bank.
The Interim Board Chairman of the bank, Mr Joachim Akuure, stated that it had been the desire of the bank since 2002 to have banking services on the doorstep of the people.
He recounted some of the challenges that came their way and commended the district assembly, the traditional authorities and citizens of Bongo for supporting the idea.
The President of the North Eastern Chapter of Association of Rural Banks, Mr John Asabigi, urged management and staff of the Bongo Rural Bank to study the Bank of Ghana regulations and comply with the directives to avoid sanctions. He also called on the management to report accurately and timely to bodies that legitimately required such information.
Mr Phillip Cobinnah, Assistant Director, Banking Supervision Department of the Bank of Ghana, appealed to opinion leaders to educate their people on the need to promptly repay loans that were advanced to them to save the bank from collapse.
The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Mr Clement Akugre, said the inauguration of the bank would no doubt have a great impact on the local economy in particular and the region as a whole.
He said apart rendering services in the form of granting loans for the enhancement of the small and medium scale enterprises to expand their businesses, the opening of the new branches would reduce the man-hours that were lost by workers through travelling to the regional capital to access banking services.
"The man-hours gained as a result of the establishment of the bank would undoubtedly contribute in no small measure towards the accelerated growth of the district," he said.
SECURITY BEEFED UP IN BAWKU (BACK PAGE, DEC 29)
THE Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has beefed up security in Bawku ahead of today’s Samanpiid Festival of the chiefs and people of the Kusasi Traditional Area.
According to the Chairman of the REGSEC and Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, additional security personnel drawn from the military and the police had been deployed to the area to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
In an interview in Bolgatanga, Mr Woyongo said it was the desire of the REGSEC that the relative peace being enjoyed in the area was retained and enhanced, for which reason the council would not leave anything to chance.
He disclosed that an additional 100 soldiers and the same number of policemen had been deployed in the town to assist those already on the ground to ensure a peaceful celebration.
This year’s Samanpiid Festival, which is a traditional thanksgiving event by the Kusaug (Kusasis), also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the enskinment of the current Paramount Chief of Bawku, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Personal Assistant of the Bawku Naba, Mr Thomas Abilla, said the Samanpiid Planning Committee had been liaising with the Bawku Municipal Security Committee to ensure that the right things were done to ensure an incident-free ceremony.
He said this time round the event would be held at the Daduri Park, instead of the Community Centre Park, which, from all indications, could not contain the anticipated large number of people.
“We have invited the Nayiri and King of Mamprugu, the Kumbu Naa, the Lawra Naa, the Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga and the Paga Pio, who is also the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, to join the Bawku Naba to celebrate this milestone and you would agree with me that if all these prominent chiefs are coming with their retinue of elders, then the Community Centre Park cannot contain all of them, in addition to the 23 divisional chiefs and their entourage, hence the choice of the Daduri Park,” Mr Abilla said.
According to him, in addition to those dignitaries, other prominent sons and daughters of Bawku, including all the Members of Parliament from Bawku, as well as ministers of state, had been invited to join in the celebrations.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, is scheduled to join the people for the celebration as the special guest of honour.
According to the Chairman of the REGSEC and Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, additional security personnel drawn from the military and the police had been deployed to the area to ensure that nothing untoward happened.
In an interview in Bolgatanga, Mr Woyongo said it was the desire of the REGSEC that the relative peace being enjoyed in the area was retained and enhanced, for which reason the council would not leave anything to chance.
He disclosed that an additional 100 soldiers and the same number of policemen had been deployed in the town to assist those already on the ground to ensure a peaceful celebration.
This year’s Samanpiid Festival, which is a traditional thanksgiving event by the Kusaug (Kusasis), also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the enskinment of the current Paramount Chief of Bawku, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Personal Assistant of the Bawku Naba, Mr Thomas Abilla, said the Samanpiid Planning Committee had been liaising with the Bawku Municipal Security Committee to ensure that the right things were done to ensure an incident-free ceremony.
He said this time round the event would be held at the Daduri Park, instead of the Community Centre Park, which, from all indications, could not contain the anticipated large number of people.
“We have invited the Nayiri and King of Mamprugu, the Kumbu Naa, the Lawra Naa, the Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga and the Paga Pio, who is also the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, to join the Bawku Naba to celebrate this milestone and you would agree with me that if all these prominent chiefs are coming with their retinue of elders, then the Community Centre Park cannot contain all of them, in addition to the 23 divisional chiefs and their entourage, hence the choice of the Daduri Park,” Mr Abilla said.
According to him, in addition to those dignitaries, other prominent sons and daughters of Bawku, including all the Members of Parliament from Bawku, as well as ministers of state, had been invited to join in the celebrations.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, is scheduled to join the people for the celebration as the special guest of honour.
Monday, 28 December 2009
BISHOP ABADAMLOORA PASSES ON (SPREAD, DEC 28)
THE President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, The Most Reverend Bishop Lucas Abadamloora, is dead.
He died on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, a day after his 71st birthday, at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.
The sudden death of Bishop Abadamloora, who was also the Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, seriously affected the celebration of Christmas by the church in Bolgatanga as many members grieved over the death of the beloved bishop.
In a chat with a cross-section of Catholics during the Christmas period, they described the man as a very good man who performed his service to God and mankind with great love and compassion.
Some priests who also spoke to the Daily Graphic reluctantly and pleaded anonymity, because the church was yet to make an official statement, described him as an inspirational leader.
A native of Chiana in the Upper East Region, Bishop Abadamloora celebrated his 71st birthday at a private ceremony on December 22, 2009, shortly after which he was said to have felt some pain in his body and checked into the hospital but died a few hours later.
The Vicar General of the Catholic Church, Monsignor Thomas Anamoo, when contacted, declined to comment and said the church hierarchy in the Tamale Archdiocese would be meeting on Monday after which an official announcement would be made. “Until that is done, I cannot make any statement on the issue,” he said.
He died on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, a day after his 71st birthday, at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.
The sudden death of Bishop Abadamloora, who was also the Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, seriously affected the celebration of Christmas by the church in Bolgatanga as many members grieved over the death of the beloved bishop.
In a chat with a cross-section of Catholics during the Christmas period, they described the man as a very good man who performed his service to God and mankind with great love and compassion.
Some priests who also spoke to the Daily Graphic reluctantly and pleaded anonymity, because the church was yet to make an official statement, described him as an inspirational leader.
A native of Chiana in the Upper East Region, Bishop Abadamloora celebrated his 71st birthday at a private ceremony on December 22, 2009, shortly after which he was said to have felt some pain in his body and checked into the hospital but died a few hours later.
The Vicar General of the Catholic Church, Monsignor Thomas Anamoo, when contacted, declined to comment and said the church hierarchy in the Tamale Archdiocese would be meeting on Monday after which an official announcement would be made. “Until that is done, I cannot make any statement on the issue,” he said.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
PWDs CALL FOR GREATER SUPPORT (MIRROR, DEC 24, PAGE 25)
From Benjamin Xornam Glover,
Sambolgo
Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region have called on the government to ensure that issues affecting persons with disabilities are considered in the implementation of projects and programmes towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
“It is our expectation that the government and parliament would take steps to address our concerns with the view to ensuring our full participation in all matters affecting our well-being.”
A spokesperson of the Federation of Persons with Disability in the district, Mr David Aniaa, made the appeal at a delayed celebration of the International Day of the Disabled at Sambolgo Namoo in the Bongo District.
December 3 has been set aside by the UN to serve as a platform for raising the concerns and challenges of PWDs who represent an appreciable proportion of the world’s population
Members of the federation marked the day in the district, which was on the theme “Making the MDGs inclusive; Empowering Persons with Disabilities and their Communities around the World”, with a route march through the streets of the town to create awareness in the rural community on the need to treat children and adults with disabilities with dignity.
Mr Aniaa emphasised that over 2.8 million people with disabilities in the country were armed with the requisite tools, skills and knowledge to enter the national political life as active participants.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that in spite of these development, PWDs worldwide continued to live under poverty, diseases and hunger thus portraying them as the most vulnerable class.
According to a spokesperson for the group, PWDs are not asking for charity but rather empowerment or skill training to realise their full potential.
He solicited the support of the Bongo District Assembly, as well as heads of departments, to provide a quota for the employment of persons with disability, as well as the National Youth Employment Programme to cover PWDs.
Mr Aniaa also called on the Bongo Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to continue to support the vulnerable to enable them to access free medical care.
A director at the Assembly, Mr John Adongo, disclosed that the Assembly had approved funds for the building of a resource centre for the disabled and said work would soon begin on the project.
Presenting a paper on “Disability and Human Rights Perspective of the Millennium Development Goals,” the District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Amos Ayuure, said the MDGs would not be achieved if policies, programmes, monitoring and evaluation of the goals did not include persons with disability.
“The international community needs urgently to act to mainstream disability in the MDG processes,” he stressed.
The Food Security and Community Rehabilitation Programmes Co-ordinator of ADDRO, an NGO, Akologo Daniel Adoliba, reaffirmed a statement the Former World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, said, that, “Unless disabled people are brought into the development mainstream, it will be impossible to cut poverty in half by 2015 or give every girl and boy the chance to achieve a primary education by the same date.”
According to Daniel Adoliba, disability continues to be largely ignored as a MDG issue and this must be corrected.
He suggested that PWDs should be given greater representation in programmes targeted at achieving any of the eight MDGs.
“Though the MDGs do not specifically mention human rights and disability, the implementation of the MDGs should be done in such a way that promote the human rights of PWDs,” he said.
Sambolgo
Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region have called on the government to ensure that issues affecting persons with disabilities are considered in the implementation of projects and programmes towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
“It is our expectation that the government and parliament would take steps to address our concerns with the view to ensuring our full participation in all matters affecting our well-being.”
A spokesperson of the Federation of Persons with Disability in the district, Mr David Aniaa, made the appeal at a delayed celebration of the International Day of the Disabled at Sambolgo Namoo in the Bongo District.
December 3 has been set aside by the UN to serve as a platform for raising the concerns and challenges of PWDs who represent an appreciable proportion of the world’s population
Members of the federation marked the day in the district, which was on the theme “Making the MDGs inclusive; Empowering Persons with Disabilities and their Communities around the World”, with a route march through the streets of the town to create awareness in the rural community on the need to treat children and adults with disabilities with dignity.
Mr Aniaa emphasised that over 2.8 million people with disabilities in the country were armed with the requisite tools, skills and knowledge to enter the national political life as active participants.
He, however, bemoaned the fact that in spite of these development, PWDs worldwide continued to live under poverty, diseases and hunger thus portraying them as the most vulnerable class.
According to a spokesperson for the group, PWDs are not asking for charity but rather empowerment or skill training to realise their full potential.
He solicited the support of the Bongo District Assembly, as well as heads of departments, to provide a quota for the employment of persons with disability, as well as the National Youth Employment Programme to cover PWDs.
Mr Aniaa also called on the Bongo Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to continue to support the vulnerable to enable them to access free medical care.
A director at the Assembly, Mr John Adongo, disclosed that the Assembly had approved funds for the building of a resource centre for the disabled and said work would soon begin on the project.
Presenting a paper on “Disability and Human Rights Perspective of the Millennium Development Goals,” the District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Amos Ayuure, said the MDGs would not be achieved if policies, programmes, monitoring and evaluation of the goals did not include persons with disability.
“The international community needs urgently to act to mainstream disability in the MDG processes,” he stressed.
The Food Security and Community Rehabilitation Programmes Co-ordinator of ADDRO, an NGO, Akologo Daniel Adoliba, reaffirmed a statement the Former World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, said, that, “Unless disabled people are brought into the development mainstream, it will be impossible to cut poverty in half by 2015 or give every girl and boy the chance to achieve a primary education by the same date.”
According to Daniel Adoliba, disability continues to be largely ignored as a MDG issue and this must be corrected.
He suggested that PWDs should be given greater representation in programmes targeted at achieving any of the eight MDGs.
“Though the MDGs do not specifically mention human rights and disability, the implementation of the MDGs should be done in such a way that promote the human rights of PWDs,” he said.
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
33 FILE TO CONTEST POSITIONS IN UE NPP (PAGE 17, DEC 22)
Former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Asangalisah Chigabatia, has announced her intention to contest the position of Upper East Regional Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
At the close of filing of nominations last Friday, December 18, 2009, Mrs Chigabatia, the immediate past Member of Parliament for Builsa North, was the only female among the list of eight persons contesting to lead the party in the region.
Others on the list are the incumbent Regional Chairman, Tahiru Issahaku Ahmed, Messrs Jonathan Anoboro Angme, Basko Kante, Bukari Bawa Ayamga, Alfred Kwara, Anderson Anaphor-Nabo, and Rockson Bukari, the charismatic former Municipal Chief of Bolgatanga.
In all, 33 individuals have filed to contest for the nine executive positions of the party in the Upper East Region.
Four persons are contesting for the position of First Vice Chairman. They are the incumbent ,Mr Kizito Akamyonse, Alhaji Abubakar Jibriel Ustarz, Mr Gabriel Ayaana and Mr Paul Allou.
A former District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana, Mr Emmanuel Chegewe, Mr Isaac Atasige and Osman Konkonaba have all lined up for the position of Second Vice Chairman.
The position of Secretary is being hotly contested by two former DCEs who incidentally are lawyers, an aspiring lawyer and one other person.
Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpemka , former DCE for Garu-Tempane, comes face to face with his colleague lawyer. Mr Thomas Alonsi, formerly a DCE for Builsa; Mr Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, an aspiring lawyer, and Mr William Aduum.
The race for the position of Assistant Secretary will be between Mr Roland Minyila and Cletus Ayambire Innocent.
Perhaps the hottest contest will be that for the position of Organiser of the party, which will be keenly contested by the incumbent Mohammed Mahama and firebrand Yaw Mort.
The contest for the position of Treasurer involves three people. They are Messrs Edward Nchor, Patrick Ayaaba and Madam Constance Apasinaba, while for the position of Women Organiser, three persons, namely Janet Azupwah, Hajia Nnichima Hawa, and Madam Alima Musah, who contested and lost the Bolgatanga Central seat in the last parliamentary elections, will battle it out.
Incumbent Youth Organizer, Abdulai Mohammed Tanimu faces a stiff challenge from Messrs Paul Atinga, Michael Abogro and Latif Solomon.
Filing of nominations opened on Monday, December 14, and ended on December 18, 2009. The position of chairperson attracted a nomination fee of GH¢ 1,000 while that of the other positions went for GH¢500.
The outgoing Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Godfred Koyiba, said with the filing of the nomination successfully completed, the current regional executives would meet with the party’s Regional Council of Elders after which a date would be scheduled for the vetting of the candidates, as well as setting the date for the elections.
He appealed to the aspirants to work hard, understand each other, and avoid campaigns of infighting and vilification.
“People should come out and indicate to the electorate what they actually can do for the party, so that come 2012, the NPP will recapture political power. We are aware that we have pushed our party into a ditch and that was through our own misunderstanding and differences,” he said.
At the close of filing of nominations last Friday, December 18, 2009, Mrs Chigabatia, the immediate past Member of Parliament for Builsa North, was the only female among the list of eight persons contesting to lead the party in the region.
Others on the list are the incumbent Regional Chairman, Tahiru Issahaku Ahmed, Messrs Jonathan Anoboro Angme, Basko Kante, Bukari Bawa Ayamga, Alfred Kwara, Anderson Anaphor-Nabo, and Rockson Bukari, the charismatic former Municipal Chief of Bolgatanga.
In all, 33 individuals have filed to contest for the nine executive positions of the party in the Upper East Region.
Four persons are contesting for the position of First Vice Chairman. They are the incumbent ,Mr Kizito Akamyonse, Alhaji Abubakar Jibriel Ustarz, Mr Gabriel Ayaana and Mr Paul Allou.
A former District Chief Executive for Kassena-Nankana, Mr Emmanuel Chegewe, Mr Isaac Atasige and Osman Konkonaba have all lined up for the position of Second Vice Chairman.
The position of Secretary is being hotly contested by two former DCEs who incidentally are lawyers, an aspiring lawyer and one other person.
Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpemka , former DCE for Garu-Tempane, comes face to face with his colleague lawyer. Mr Thomas Alonsi, formerly a DCE for Builsa; Mr Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, an aspiring lawyer, and Mr William Aduum.
The race for the position of Assistant Secretary will be between Mr Roland Minyila and Cletus Ayambire Innocent.
Perhaps the hottest contest will be that for the position of Organiser of the party, which will be keenly contested by the incumbent Mohammed Mahama and firebrand Yaw Mort.
The contest for the position of Treasurer involves three people. They are Messrs Edward Nchor, Patrick Ayaaba and Madam Constance Apasinaba, while for the position of Women Organiser, three persons, namely Janet Azupwah, Hajia Nnichima Hawa, and Madam Alima Musah, who contested and lost the Bolgatanga Central seat in the last parliamentary elections, will battle it out.
Incumbent Youth Organizer, Abdulai Mohammed Tanimu faces a stiff challenge from Messrs Paul Atinga, Michael Abogro and Latif Solomon.
Filing of nominations opened on Monday, December 14, and ended on December 18, 2009. The position of chairperson attracted a nomination fee of GH¢ 1,000 while that of the other positions went for GH¢500.
The outgoing Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Godfred Koyiba, said with the filing of the nomination successfully completed, the current regional executives would meet with the party’s Regional Council of Elders after which a date would be scheduled for the vetting of the candidates, as well as setting the date for the elections.
He appealed to the aspirants to work hard, understand each other, and avoid campaigns of infighting and vilification.
“People should come out and indicate to the electorate what they actually can do for the party, so that come 2012, the NPP will recapture political power. We are aware that we have pushed our party into a ditch and that was through our own misunderstanding and differences,” he said.
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