AS the Board of Governors, school authorities, old students, and students of Jachie-Pramso Senior High School (Mighty JAPASS) prepare feverishly to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the school on November 6, 2010, attention is primarily focused on how to sustain the discipline and academic prowess currently prevailing among students .
Of equal importance and worthy of celebration during the occasion is the immense confidence of students in terms of communication skills they have acquired, thus boosting their self esteem as they prepare to build their career for future prospects.
The celebration during which the second speech and prize giving day of the school with a population of 1,362 would be held, would offer a real opportunity for stakeholders in the school, especially the current and old students, to collaborate more meaningfully and strategise on how to sustain the high academic excellence and the discipline which is making the school very attractive among second cycle schools in the Ashanti Region.
Students from Mighty JAPASS pursuing higher education in the various tertiary institutions such as the University of Ghana, Legon, University of Cape Coast, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the various polytechnics in the country, demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities.
Old students already in the field such as the former Executive Director of the National Identification Authority, Professor Ken Agyemang Ateffuah; the Board Chairman of JAPASS and Chief Linquist of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Nana Nsuase Poku; the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei Mensah; Assistant Commissioner of Police Patrick Adusei Sarpong of the Legal Department of the Ghana Police Service , the Area Manager of ECOBANK Accra, Nana Wereko – Ampim Opoku and the Chief Executive of Goldstreet in Kumasi, Mr Mark Kakraba –Ampeh, have all firmly established themselves in their chosen fields in Ghana after completing Mighty JAPASS.
Others, such as Mr P.K.B. Asamoah, who is a Research Professor in Planning and Housing at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, a Professor in Education in Los Angeles, USA; Mr Kofi Amankwaa Karikari of the KNUST Registry, and Rev. George Evans Mensah , who is a publisher of the Golden Nuggets series, just to mention a few, are some of the old students of Mighty JAPASS who have become role models for the youth and are making giant strides in supporting accelerated national development.
With ‘Akyeame’ as their slogan, both old and the current crop of students have made it their duty to develop communication skills as part of their career in a way that would propel them to have fruitful interaction with their target publics.
Commenting on the achievement of Mighty JAPASS in spite of the numerous challenges confronting the school during an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Headmistress, Ms Asuande Fameyeh Eshun, said the school, established in 1970, “has not only come very far in terms of producing high class academicians , but has also “ inculcated in them the spirit of God-fearing patriotism, hardwork, selflessness and commitment to duty. Our students also abide by the tenets of the rule of law and strive to offer their best to support sustainable national development at every corner they find themselves in the country”. She noted.
On the challenges confronting the school as they converge in the school on November 6 to celebrate their anniversary, Ms Fameyeh Eshun noted, “we would appreciate it if we could be supported in the provision of boys dormitory, an 18 unit classroom block, an assembly hall and a library complex”.
The headmistress also expressed concern about the poor drainage in the school and said the school needed support to improve the drainage system as part of their beautification programme.
She was also full of praise for the Energy Minister, Dr Joe Oteng Adjei, for donating a transformer to the school, explaining that the gesture by the Energy Minister who is also a Board Member, “has stabilised our erratic power system, making it possible for students to focus on their academic programmes”.
Ms Fameyeh Eshun also mentioned the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, who supported the school by donating two tonnes of iron rods for the roofing of the old girls dormitory.
She said the MP who is an old boy of Mighty JAPASS also donated GH¢2,000.00 as seed capital towards the 40th anniversary celebration.
She was also full of praise for the chiefs for their contribution to the development of the school, and said their gesture of donating 107 acres to the school to undertake various educational facilities had gone a long way in giving an opportunity to the youth in their catchment area and beyond to develop their potential more meaningfully.
She said the proposed one-storey library with the base as an auditorium will have a seating capacity of 40. Many of the books there have outgrown their usefulness, or deteriorated due to their regular use, she added.
Friday, October 29, 2010
GRUESOME MURDER IN KUMASI (1B, OCT 29, 2010)
A 46-year-old teacher, Isaac Bannor, who was scheduled to travel to Belgium for a Master’s programme on Saturday, was killed at dawn yesterday and his body dismembered on a compound at Kronom, a suburb of Kumasi.
The suspect in the gruesome act is Francis Owusu Frimpong, a 25-year-old step-son of the deceased, described by family members as a drug addict, who was recently discharged from the Ankaful Mental Hospital.
The late Bannor, who was a leading member of the Deeper Life Bible Church and a teacher at the Aduman Senior High School, had met the family the previous night to discuss his scheduled flight to Belgium on Saturday, to pursue a Master’s degree programme at the Antwerp University, family sources told Daily Graphic.
Pastor Owusu Fodjuor, who spoke on behalf of the family, said after the discussions and preparations for the pending trip, the family retired to bed, but about 3a.m. yesterday, they were woken up by persistent banging on the iron gates of the house.
He said when it was discovered that it was the suspect who was making the noise from outside the gate, Mr Bannor went out and opened the gate but just then, the suspect hit him with a heavy stick causing him to fall down.
He then used a sharp machete he was wielding to wage a savage attack on him, cutting him on all parts of the body.
Pastor Fordjour said some minutes later Mrs Bannor, who did not know why her husband had kept that long, came out only to see the butchered body at the gate.
He said Mrs Bannor was horrified by the severely mutilated body and, therefore, started wailing to attract other members of the family.
He said other members of the community were attracted to the scene and saw the body with parts chopped off.
The police later retrieved a severed leg from the gutter hours after they had taken the main body to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Other family sources told Daily Graphic that the suspect was a school dropout with many years of addiction to marijuana.
One said he had known the suspect since he was 19, adding that “even at that age, he was known to be addicted to Indian hemp”.
He said efforts by the family to prevail on him to stop smoking Indian hemp proved futile, a situation which was suspected to have led to his mental derangement.
Another neighbour said about four days earlier, the suspect developed a penchant for slaughtering chicken in the neighbourhood, and his parents, who were disturbed about his action, tried in vain to prevail upon him to stop, and it got worse as he attacked and killed any fowl he encountered.
The Suame District Crime Officer, DSP Kwaku Duah, who confirmed the incident, said the police had launched an investigation into the incident.
He also confirmed that the suspect was a known mental patient who was admitted to the Ankaful Hospital about two years ago and was only discharged recently.
He said the suspect was known to the police because of the problems he had been creating at home, and in most cases, it was the deceased who was able to contain him.
The late Barnnor left behind four children, two boys and two girls.
The suspect in the gruesome act is Francis Owusu Frimpong, a 25-year-old step-son of the deceased, described by family members as a drug addict, who was recently discharged from the Ankaful Mental Hospital.
The late Bannor, who was a leading member of the Deeper Life Bible Church and a teacher at the Aduman Senior High School, had met the family the previous night to discuss his scheduled flight to Belgium on Saturday, to pursue a Master’s degree programme at the Antwerp University, family sources told Daily Graphic.
Pastor Owusu Fodjuor, who spoke on behalf of the family, said after the discussions and preparations for the pending trip, the family retired to bed, but about 3a.m. yesterday, they were woken up by persistent banging on the iron gates of the house.
He said when it was discovered that it was the suspect who was making the noise from outside the gate, Mr Bannor went out and opened the gate but just then, the suspect hit him with a heavy stick causing him to fall down.
He then used a sharp machete he was wielding to wage a savage attack on him, cutting him on all parts of the body.
Pastor Fordjour said some minutes later Mrs Bannor, who did not know why her husband had kept that long, came out only to see the butchered body at the gate.
He said Mrs Bannor was horrified by the severely mutilated body and, therefore, started wailing to attract other members of the family.
He said other members of the community were attracted to the scene and saw the body with parts chopped off.
The police later retrieved a severed leg from the gutter hours after they had taken the main body to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Other family sources told Daily Graphic that the suspect was a school dropout with many years of addiction to marijuana.
One said he had known the suspect since he was 19, adding that “even at that age, he was known to be addicted to Indian hemp”.
He said efforts by the family to prevail on him to stop smoking Indian hemp proved futile, a situation which was suspected to have led to his mental derangement.
Another neighbour said about four days earlier, the suspect developed a penchant for slaughtering chicken in the neighbourhood, and his parents, who were disturbed about his action, tried in vain to prevail upon him to stop, and it got worse as he attacked and killed any fowl he encountered.
The Suame District Crime Officer, DSP Kwaku Duah, who confirmed the incident, said the police had launched an investigation into the incident.
He also confirmed that the suspect was a known mental patient who was admitted to the Ankaful Hospital about two years ago and was only discharged recently.
He said the suspect was known to the police because of the problems he had been creating at home, and in most cases, it was the deceased who was able to contain him.
The late Barnnor left behind four children, two boys and two girls.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
20 CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM FREE HEART SURGERY (PAGE 23, OCT 27, 2010)
Authorities of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), in collaboration with the Children’s Hospital in Boston, United States of America, have successfully conducted paediatric heart surgery on 20 children with congenial heart diseases.
The surgeries, performed free of charge by the two institutions, is the fourth since 2007.
Over 60 children with various forms of heart diseases were screened by the paediatric surgeons after which 20 were selected for the surgery .
The beneficiary children were selected across the country, and they had all been discharged from the hospital.
The free operation, which lasted for 10 days, is the fourth paediatric cardiothoracic mission conducted by the heart specialists from Children’s Hospital in Boston.
Each of the beneficiary children would have paid GH¢12,000 for the heart surgery.
About 65 children have so far benefited from the gesture since the two institutions started their collaborative programme three years ago.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the leader of the Boston team, Dr Francis Fynn-Thompson, who is a Paediatric Heart Surgeon, said the two institutions have agreed on a road map to establish a paediatric heart centre at the KATH within a five-year period.
He said it was based on such mission that they had donated heart-lung machine and their accessories towards the establishment of the centre.
He pointed out that the team from Boston was also assisting in the training of medical staff from the KATH as a way of building their capacity for them to acquire the needed skills.
This, he said, would enable the medical staff perform paediatric heart surgeries for children suffering from various forms of heart problems in the country and the West African sub-Region.
As part of the measure to sustain the exercise, the two institutions had agreed to establish a Paediatric Heart Foundation to mobilise adequate resources in and outside the country to support children with heart problems.
With such a foundation, the training programme to build the capacity of medical officers at the KATH will also run smoothly.
The Chief Executive of the KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, commended the team for their gesture and said all efforts would be made to sustain the programme.
The parents of the beneficiary children also expressed their gratitude for the management of the KATH and the Boston Children’s Hospital specialists for their assistance .
The surgeries, performed free of charge by the two institutions, is the fourth since 2007.
Over 60 children with various forms of heart diseases were screened by the paediatric surgeons after which 20 were selected for the surgery .
The beneficiary children were selected across the country, and they had all been discharged from the hospital.
The free operation, which lasted for 10 days, is the fourth paediatric cardiothoracic mission conducted by the heart specialists from Children’s Hospital in Boston.
Each of the beneficiary children would have paid GH¢12,000 for the heart surgery.
About 65 children have so far benefited from the gesture since the two institutions started their collaborative programme three years ago.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the leader of the Boston team, Dr Francis Fynn-Thompson, who is a Paediatric Heart Surgeon, said the two institutions have agreed on a road map to establish a paediatric heart centre at the KATH within a five-year period.
He said it was based on such mission that they had donated heart-lung machine and their accessories towards the establishment of the centre.
He pointed out that the team from Boston was also assisting in the training of medical staff from the KATH as a way of building their capacity for them to acquire the needed skills.
This, he said, would enable the medical staff perform paediatric heart surgeries for children suffering from various forms of heart problems in the country and the West African sub-Region.
As part of the measure to sustain the exercise, the two institutions had agreed to establish a Paediatric Heart Foundation to mobilise adequate resources in and outside the country to support children with heart problems.
With such a foundation, the training programme to build the capacity of medical officers at the KATH will also run smoothly.
The Chief Executive of the KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, commended the team for their gesture and said all efforts would be made to sustain the programme.
The parents of the beneficiary children also expressed their gratitude for the management of the KATH and the Boston Children’s Hospital specialists for their assistance .
RESIDENTS LAUD SUNSHINE CITI PROJECT (PAGE 23, OCT 27, 2010)
Some residents of Bantama, Abrepo, Suame, Mbrom and Adum in Kumasi, which are within the neighbourhood of the Sunshine Citi project at Race Course, have highly commended the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for donating the land, which is designed to transform the Race Course into a mini city in Kumasi.
They have also expressed their profound gratitude to Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante, who initiated the Sunshine Citi project and assured of their support to ensure the success of the project and transform Kumasi into a tourist attraction centre.
According to the residents, the multi-million project dubbed Sunshine Citi, Kumasi, and designed to transform the Race Course Area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre within the Kumasi metropolis, would not only address the problem of slum created at the Race Course, but would also promote tourism and boost business transaction among residents.
They pointed out that with facilities such as a shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling tours, as well as restaurants being developed at the Race Course Area, the place would become more attractive and boost commerce to offer employment to the unemployed youth.
The Sunshine Citi project is being undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews on their impression about the project, Mr Kwaku Duah, a resident of Bantama, said since the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) converted the Race Course into a market centre and lorry terminal about 10 years ago, “Bantama has not been the same again because all manner of characters have made the market their permanent place of abode where they hide to perpetrate criminal activities”.
He pointed out that the Race Course Area had become “ a no go area , especially late in the evenings”, explaining that “ anyone who dares to move around the area at odd hours is attacked and robbed. Sometimes, people are killed in the area, giving Bantama a bad image”.
He pointed out that Alfred Zieme, a convicted armed robber now serving a prison sentence, succeeded in robbing his victims in broad day light, from the Race Course area.
He said apart from armed robbers, drug peddlers had also turned the area into their den, where they harassed traders and passengers who arrived late in the night, saying “ we are going to offer all the needed support and encouragement to the businessman who has initiated the Sunshine Citi project so that it would be completed on schedule”.
Mr Duah pointed out that with the early completion of the project, Bantama would assume a new image “ because with business booming, the youth would be engaged in productive ventures in support of national development”.
Other residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic appealed to the KMA to find alternative places for the displaced traders to enable them continue operating their businesses.
They pointed out that since the Race Course Area was only used as a temporary place for the traders, it behoved on the city authorities to address the concerns of the traders as quickly as possible to enable them to continue to stay in business.
They have also expressed their profound gratitude to Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante, who initiated the Sunshine Citi project and assured of their support to ensure the success of the project and transform Kumasi into a tourist attraction centre.
According to the residents, the multi-million project dubbed Sunshine Citi, Kumasi, and designed to transform the Race Course Area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre within the Kumasi metropolis, would not only address the problem of slum created at the Race Course, but would also promote tourism and boost business transaction among residents.
They pointed out that with facilities such as a shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling tours, as well as restaurants being developed at the Race Course Area, the place would become more attractive and boost commerce to offer employment to the unemployed youth.
The Sunshine Citi project is being undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews on their impression about the project, Mr Kwaku Duah, a resident of Bantama, said since the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) converted the Race Course into a market centre and lorry terminal about 10 years ago, “Bantama has not been the same again because all manner of characters have made the market their permanent place of abode where they hide to perpetrate criminal activities”.
He pointed out that the Race Course Area had become “ a no go area , especially late in the evenings”, explaining that “ anyone who dares to move around the area at odd hours is attacked and robbed. Sometimes, people are killed in the area, giving Bantama a bad image”.
He pointed out that Alfred Zieme, a convicted armed robber now serving a prison sentence, succeeded in robbing his victims in broad day light, from the Race Course area.
He said apart from armed robbers, drug peddlers had also turned the area into their den, where they harassed traders and passengers who arrived late in the night, saying “ we are going to offer all the needed support and encouragement to the businessman who has initiated the Sunshine Citi project so that it would be completed on schedule”.
Mr Duah pointed out that with the early completion of the project, Bantama would assume a new image “ because with business booming, the youth would be engaged in productive ventures in support of national development”.
Other residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic appealed to the KMA to find alternative places for the displaced traders to enable them continue operating their businesses.
They pointed out that since the Race Course Area was only used as a temporary place for the traders, it behoved on the city authorities to address the concerns of the traders as quickly as possible to enable them to continue to stay in business.
TASK FORCE TO GET TOUGH WITH DRIVERS (PAGE 23, OCT 27, 2010)
A joint Task Force has been set up to patrol major roads in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs for 24 hours to enforce road traffic regulations.
It is formed by the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA), the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) and the Road Safety Commission in Kumasi.
The task force will arrest and prosecute drivers who use rickety vehicles, especially those that have various defects, causing them to break down frequently on the roads.
It will also arrest and prosecute drivers who use vehicles with defective brakes, especially Nissan Urvan and 207 Mercedes Benz buses with dismantled rear brakes, which they said cause a number of road accidents.
The DVLA Manager in Kumasi, Mr Noah Tettey Matey, announced this in Kumasi as part of the educational campaigns to create awareness among motorists on the need to be circumspect on the road before, during and after the Christmas festivities to reduce road traffic accidents .
He pointed out that as part of the exercise, drivers without driving license, as well as those who drive with expired driving licences would not be spared.
He said “Those who also drive with inappropriate class of license, as well as those who drive with photocopy licenses would be arrested and prosecuted” .
Mr Matey pointed out that it was important for drivers to have fire extinguishers, warning triangles, insurance and road worthy certificate in their vehicles to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Expressing concern about the increased accident rate in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, he said the time had come for stakeholders to join hands with road safety campaigners to educate motorists for them to abide by safety regulations, stressing that “safety on the road, as we all know, is a collective and shared responsibility of all road users”
He mentioned human error, the poor state of road networks, mechanical faults and weather conditions as the contributory factors to carnage on the road.
Explaining, he said drivers need to be disciplined by avoiding wrong overtaking, speeding both on the highways and residential areas, and drunk driving, among others, to enhance sanity on the road. He said drivers should also replace worn out tires and undertake regular maintenance of their vehicles.
The Regional DVLA boss said it was equally important for motorists to be weary of visibility conditions when driving and explained that since visibility was also very low in the night, drivers should dim their lights to avoid blinding the view of the oncoming driver.
It is formed by the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority (DVLA), the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) and the Road Safety Commission in Kumasi.
The task force will arrest and prosecute drivers who use rickety vehicles, especially those that have various defects, causing them to break down frequently on the roads.
It will also arrest and prosecute drivers who use vehicles with defective brakes, especially Nissan Urvan and 207 Mercedes Benz buses with dismantled rear brakes, which they said cause a number of road accidents.
The DVLA Manager in Kumasi, Mr Noah Tettey Matey, announced this in Kumasi as part of the educational campaigns to create awareness among motorists on the need to be circumspect on the road before, during and after the Christmas festivities to reduce road traffic accidents .
He pointed out that as part of the exercise, drivers without driving license, as well as those who drive with expired driving licences would not be spared.
He said “Those who also drive with inappropriate class of license, as well as those who drive with photocopy licenses would be arrested and prosecuted” .
Mr Matey pointed out that it was important for drivers to have fire extinguishers, warning triangles, insurance and road worthy certificate in their vehicles to avoid arrest and prosecution.
Expressing concern about the increased accident rate in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, he said the time had come for stakeholders to join hands with road safety campaigners to educate motorists for them to abide by safety regulations, stressing that “safety on the road, as we all know, is a collective and shared responsibility of all road users”
He mentioned human error, the poor state of road networks, mechanical faults and weather conditions as the contributory factors to carnage on the road.
Explaining, he said drivers need to be disciplined by avoiding wrong overtaking, speeding both on the highways and residential areas, and drunk driving, among others, to enhance sanity on the road. He said drivers should also replace worn out tires and undertake regular maintenance of their vehicles.
The Regional DVLA boss said it was equally important for motorists to be weary of visibility conditions when driving and explained that since visibility was also very low in the night, drivers should dim their lights to avoid blinding the view of the oncoming driver.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
IMPROVING WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH...Significance of KATH project (PAGE 11, OCT 26, 2010)
THE issue of maternal and neonatal deaths causes pain, anxiety and confusion and uneasiness considering the fact that the factors that jeopardise maternal and new-born survival are preventable or treatable with essential services, and the most effective, affordable public health interventions.
Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill-health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. The impact of reproductive health intiatives is to make motherhood safer by improving access to family planning in order to reduce unintended pregnancy and achieving preferred spacing between intended pregnancies; achieving skilled care for all births; and providing timely obstetric care for all women who develop complications during childbirth
Reducing maternal deaths is a concern for all and that is why the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed to by world leaders in September 2000, included a specific target of reducing the number of women dying during pregnancy and childbirth by three-quarters by 2015.
The MDGs give a central place to maternal health and gender equality. MGD 5, improving maternal health, is often called “the heart of the MDGs” because if it fails, the other goals will also fail. However, health experts say the situation may not change by 2015 if no drastic measures are taken to reverse the situation.
In October 2007, the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations approved a new target on universal access to reproductive health. The indicators of measuring progress towards the target included providing access to family planning to reduce unintended pregnancies of adolescents; and providing antenatal care to address health risks to mothers and children.
According to the experts, an obstetric emergency was not a situation whereby the expectant mother involved could be asked to come back the next day, since that can result in her death.
The United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman, Ted Turner was reported to have stated among others in the media that “ one of the best ways to accelerate progress on all of MDGs is to improve women’s and children’s health and to reduce the burden of preventable diseases by expanding access to immunisation.
Last week, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan , the Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku and a team of United Nations Foundation Board of Directors, Mr Turner visited the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on a fact finding mission.
The visit to the KATH also formed part of the United Nations Foundation Board of Directors objectives towards ending extreme poverty and tackling global challenges including health care and environmental sustainability, as well as the preparation to launch a nationwide measles immunisation campaign scheduled for early November this year.
The visit to the hospital took the team to the labour ward A2 and the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Baby Unit of the Child Health Care Unit of the hospital where there is serious congestion.
They also took advantage of their visit to find out about the Children and Maternity block project which has been under construction for the past 36 years.
Briefing the media about the present state of affairs and the problems created as a result of delay in the execution of the project, moments after the dignitaries had left the hospital, the Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei said KATH authorities would need about $30 million to complete the project.
He said the delay in the completion of the project was seriously undermining quality health care delivery by creating massive congestion at both the labour and Children’s wards of the hospital.
While the wards are choked, forcing some patients on admission at the labour ward to lie on the floor, and newly-born babies packed in cots at great risk, patients intake keep on increasing daily, compounding the problem of congestion.
When completed, the Children’s and Maternity block will be equipped with a total of 995 beds , including 322 at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology wards , and 448 beds and the paediatric block.
It will also be equipped with 10 separate theatres , 28 consulting rooms and other facilities that will facilitate quality healthcare delivery at the KATH.
He pleaded with philanthropists, corporate institutions , and organisations the general public to support the hospital with funds that would facilitate the early completion of the project.
Reproductive health problems remain the leading cause of ill-health and death for women of childbearing age worldwide. The impact of reproductive health intiatives is to make motherhood safer by improving access to family planning in order to reduce unintended pregnancy and achieving preferred spacing between intended pregnancies; achieving skilled care for all births; and providing timely obstetric care for all women who develop complications during childbirth
Reducing maternal deaths is a concern for all and that is why the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agreed to by world leaders in September 2000, included a specific target of reducing the number of women dying during pregnancy and childbirth by three-quarters by 2015.
The MDGs give a central place to maternal health and gender equality. MGD 5, improving maternal health, is often called “the heart of the MDGs” because if it fails, the other goals will also fail. However, health experts say the situation may not change by 2015 if no drastic measures are taken to reverse the situation.
In October 2007, the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations approved a new target on universal access to reproductive health. The indicators of measuring progress towards the target included providing access to family planning to reduce unintended pregnancies of adolescents; and providing antenatal care to address health risks to mothers and children.
According to the experts, an obstetric emergency was not a situation whereby the expectant mother involved could be asked to come back the next day, since that can result in her death.
The United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman, Ted Turner was reported to have stated among others in the media that “ one of the best ways to accelerate progress on all of MDGs is to improve women’s and children’s health and to reduce the burden of preventable diseases by expanding access to immunisation.
Last week, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan , the Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku and a team of United Nations Foundation Board of Directors, Mr Turner visited the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on a fact finding mission.
The visit to the KATH also formed part of the United Nations Foundation Board of Directors objectives towards ending extreme poverty and tackling global challenges including health care and environmental sustainability, as well as the preparation to launch a nationwide measles immunisation campaign scheduled for early November this year.
The visit to the hospital took the team to the labour ward A2 and the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Baby Unit of the Child Health Care Unit of the hospital where there is serious congestion.
They also took advantage of their visit to find out about the Children and Maternity block project which has been under construction for the past 36 years.
Briefing the media about the present state of affairs and the problems created as a result of delay in the execution of the project, moments after the dignitaries had left the hospital, the Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei said KATH authorities would need about $30 million to complete the project.
He said the delay in the completion of the project was seriously undermining quality health care delivery by creating massive congestion at both the labour and Children’s wards of the hospital.
While the wards are choked, forcing some patients on admission at the labour ward to lie on the floor, and newly-born babies packed in cots at great risk, patients intake keep on increasing daily, compounding the problem of congestion.
When completed, the Children’s and Maternity block will be equipped with a total of 995 beds , including 322 at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology wards , and 448 beds and the paediatric block.
It will also be equipped with 10 separate theatres , 28 consulting rooms and other facilities that will facilitate quality healthcare delivery at the KATH.
He pleaded with philanthropists, corporate institutions , and organisations the general public to support the hospital with funds that would facilitate the early completion of the project.
Monday, October 25, 2010
RACE COURSE...Set to gain new status (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, LEAD STORY, OCT 25, 2010)
By George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
The Race Course area which for sometime now had been the location for a number of small-scale businesses and traders would soon be transformed into a magnificent tourist attraction by a project which is expected to change the face of that part of the Kumasi metropolis.
The project dubbed ‘Sunshine Citi, Kumasi’, would have a 25,000 metre square capacity shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling and tours offices, as well as restaurants, and would be undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Other facilities that would be developed at the Race Course Area at Bantama are a five-star international clinic with a helipad and ambulance station, a five-star international hotel with 1,200 state-of-the-art executive rooms, presidential and royal suites, amphi-theatre, and restaurants.
The five-star hotel would also have casinos, conference facilities, as well as an amusement park with water sports, roller and fitness centres.
Also included in the Race Course project are 240 executive semi-detached housing units separated into eight gated communities, with each of the communities having a magnificent swimming pool. According to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Race Course Area was allocated to the KMA, for free sometime ago when the then Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo approached him to support the displaced business operatives by allocating a parcel of land for them to operate their businesses.
Allocation
Explaining why he allocated the land to the KMA about ten years ago, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted, “I was touched by the request, especially taking into consideration the number of my grandchildren who had been affected by the Kajetia Lorry Park reconstruction exercise, so I quickly told them to prepare the Race Course Area for the traders to operate their businesses on temporal bases, while they (KMA) looked for a more decent place for the displaced traders.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II last Friday exposed the alleged fraudulent operations of a section of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) officials who allegedly extorted huge sums of money from displaced business operatives at the Kajetia terminal before allocating places for them to operate their business at the Race Course Area at Bantama.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed these sentiments moments before he performed the sod cutting ceremony for the multi million project designed to transform the Race Course area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre within the Kumasi Metropolis
“I gave the land free of charge to the KMA for free distribution to the affected people. It was my contribution to support the youth who were eager to operate small scale businesses to generate the needed income to support their livelihood, but later information reaching me indicated that some KMA officials extorted various sums of money from the displaced traders before allocating places for them to operate.”
Concern
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also expressed concern about the use of the Race Course area for all manner of criminal activities, saying “the area has now become not only a den for robbers, but also a place where fraudulent operations take place in the name of business”.
He explained that when he allocated the Race Course Area to the KMA, he made it clear that it was only for temporal use and that anytime there was the need to reallocate it for the use of other ventures that would accelerate the pace of socio-economic development in the metropolis, he would not hesitate to do so.
Otumfuo said it was for this reason that he agreed to reallocate the area to the Chairman of the Kenbert Group, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante, when he approached him four years ago.
“I realised that Kenbert Group did not only have the expertise to transform the Race Course Area into a magnificent tourist attraction, but also have the resources that can accelerate the pace of development in the Kumasi Metropolis, as well as offer job opportunities to the youth who have requisite employable skills to work with them”.
He pointed out that as he did ten years ago by offering the Race Course area free of charge, “So am I doing today by offering this place free of charge to Kenbert Group for them to transform the Race Course into a viable tourist centre where millions of people across the globe would troop to relax and operate their businesses.”
Income
The Asantehene said notwithstanding the fact that the area was offered free of charge to Kenbert Group, it was agreed that he (the Asantehene), would have a share in the operations of Kenbert Group at the Race Course “to enable me generate the needed income to support my livelihood”.
Explaining further, he said through the shares acquired from the land offered, adequate income would be generated not only for himself and the present generation, but also to support the livelihood of future occupants of the Golden Stool and their offsprings.
He said already, he had discussed with the Chief Executive of the KMA, Mr Samuel Sarpong to provide a suitable place for traders who were operating businesses at the Race Course Area and urged the traders to cooperate with the developers by vacating the area to enhance the smooth take off of constructional works.
“This business will not only open doors for our children, but would also transform Kumasi to regain its former glory as the Garden City of the West African sub region”.
Earlier, the Chairman of Kenbert Group, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante had commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for supporting his group with a parcel of land to initiate the development projects at the area.
He assured the Asantehene that the Sunshine Citi would be a replica of a similar facility in Johannesburg, which has become a major tourist attraction.
Mr Appiah Asante said when completed, the Sunshine Citi project would become a major tourist attraction to complement that of the Zoo and the Centre for National Culture.
The Race Course area which for sometime now had been the location for a number of small-scale businesses and traders would soon be transformed into a magnificent tourist attraction by a project which is expected to change the face of that part of the Kumasi metropolis.
The project dubbed ‘Sunshine Citi, Kumasi’, would have a 25,000 metre square capacity shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling and tours offices, as well as restaurants, and would be undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Other facilities that would be developed at the Race Course Area at Bantama are a five-star international clinic with a helipad and ambulance station, a five-star international hotel with 1,200 state-of-the-art executive rooms, presidential and royal suites, amphi-theatre, and restaurants.
The five-star hotel would also have casinos, conference facilities, as well as an amusement park with water sports, roller and fitness centres.
Also included in the Race Course project are 240 executive semi-detached housing units separated into eight gated communities, with each of the communities having a magnificent swimming pool. According to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Race Course Area was allocated to the KMA, for free sometime ago when the then Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo approached him to support the displaced business operatives by allocating a parcel of land for them to operate their businesses.
Allocation
Explaining why he allocated the land to the KMA about ten years ago, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted, “I was touched by the request, especially taking into consideration the number of my grandchildren who had been affected by the Kajetia Lorry Park reconstruction exercise, so I quickly told them to prepare the Race Course Area for the traders to operate their businesses on temporal bases, while they (KMA) looked for a more decent place for the displaced traders.
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II last Friday exposed the alleged fraudulent operations of a section of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) officials who allegedly extorted huge sums of money from displaced business operatives at the Kajetia terminal before allocating places for them to operate their business at the Race Course Area at Bantama.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed these sentiments moments before he performed the sod cutting ceremony for the multi million project designed to transform the Race Course area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre within the Kumasi Metropolis
“I gave the land free of charge to the KMA for free distribution to the affected people. It was my contribution to support the youth who were eager to operate small scale businesses to generate the needed income to support their livelihood, but later information reaching me indicated that some KMA officials extorted various sums of money from the displaced traders before allocating places for them to operate.”
Concern
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also expressed concern about the use of the Race Course area for all manner of criminal activities, saying “the area has now become not only a den for robbers, but also a place where fraudulent operations take place in the name of business”.
He explained that when he allocated the Race Course Area to the KMA, he made it clear that it was only for temporal use and that anytime there was the need to reallocate it for the use of other ventures that would accelerate the pace of socio-economic development in the metropolis, he would not hesitate to do so.
Otumfuo said it was for this reason that he agreed to reallocate the area to the Chairman of the Kenbert Group, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante, when he approached him four years ago.
“I realised that Kenbert Group did not only have the expertise to transform the Race Course Area into a magnificent tourist attraction, but also have the resources that can accelerate the pace of development in the Kumasi Metropolis, as well as offer job opportunities to the youth who have requisite employable skills to work with them”.
He pointed out that as he did ten years ago by offering the Race Course area free of charge, “So am I doing today by offering this place free of charge to Kenbert Group for them to transform the Race Course into a viable tourist centre where millions of people across the globe would troop to relax and operate their businesses.”
Income
The Asantehene said notwithstanding the fact that the area was offered free of charge to Kenbert Group, it was agreed that he (the Asantehene), would have a share in the operations of Kenbert Group at the Race Course “to enable me generate the needed income to support my livelihood”.
Explaining further, he said through the shares acquired from the land offered, adequate income would be generated not only for himself and the present generation, but also to support the livelihood of future occupants of the Golden Stool and their offsprings.
He said already, he had discussed with the Chief Executive of the KMA, Mr Samuel Sarpong to provide a suitable place for traders who were operating businesses at the Race Course Area and urged the traders to cooperate with the developers by vacating the area to enhance the smooth take off of constructional works.
“This business will not only open doors for our children, but would also transform Kumasi to regain its former glory as the Garden City of the West African sub region”.
Earlier, the Chairman of Kenbert Group, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante had commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for supporting his group with a parcel of land to initiate the development projects at the area.
He assured the Asantehene that the Sunshine Citi would be a replica of a similar facility in Johannesburg, which has become a major tourist attraction.
Mr Appiah Asante said when completed, the Sunshine Citi project would become a major tourist attraction to complement that of the Zoo and the Centre for National Culture.
Friday, October 22, 2010
TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING RESOURCED (PAGE 63, OCT 25, 2010)
THE Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has approved a budget of GH¢300,000 for the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) for the procurement of vehicles, computers and accessories, as well as drawing materials that will enhance effective and efficient operations of the department.
It is also to enable the TCPD rehabilitate its offices and provide special training to a number of employees in order to inject efficiency in its operations.
The acting Director of the TCPU, Mr Asiedu Poku, who announced this at a four-day workshop organised in Kumasi, commended the sector ministry for its support.
He said budgetary allocation would not only help to inject efficiency into their operations, but would also enable them to address some key challenges that undermined their operations.
The workshop, on the theme: “Building capacity for a better image for the Town and Country Planning Department” was attended by regional and district planning officers.
It aimed at bringing the officers together to deliberate on the current state of the department and strategies needed to enhance professionalism in its operations.
It was also to offer the officers the needed orientation on the financial management and procurement process for special projects, deliberate on how to improve medium-term plans for the 2010-2013 planning period, and update them on the Land Use Planning and Management Project (LUPMP).
Expressing concern about the operations of the TCPD, Mr Asiedu Poku noted that “personnel of the department lacked common understanding of certain key issues; there was no operational co-ordination between the regional offices and the head office on several other issues related to the functions, vision and mission of the department”.
He pointed out that shortcomings “have resulted in inefficiency in the department’s operations, leading to a rather low image”.
Recalling the rationale behind the establishment of the TCPD, the acting director noted that the TCPD, which was established in 1945, was considered crucial because it was felt that the economic and social transformation envisioned for the country at the time was not going to be possible without a full fledged institutional structure to provide guidance for investment in space and human settlement growth and development”.
“Consequently, the TCPD became the pivot for the famous Seven Year Plan for National Reconstruction and Development (1963-70) which was prepared under the visionary leadership of Dr Kwame Nkrumah,” he stressed. Mr Asiedu Poku said at that time, the TCPD led the process of “preparing several other national plans for the nation as a whole and all the major cities, notably Accra-Tema, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Cape Coast”.
He said unlike the past, where the public held the department in high esteem due to its proficiency in service delivery, they now had the perception that the department was not only inept, but also inefficient and ineffective in their operations.
He attributed the public perception to the narrow appreciation of national planning “to mean only economic planning, resulting in the neglect or mediocre investment in spatial planning, thereby weakening the capacity of the department to perform any meaningful role”.
He said notwithstanding the challenges confronting them, there was the need for the management to salvage the department’s sinking image by being innovative and proactive in their operations.
Mr Asiedu Poku said as part of their initiatives, management had commissioned consultancy services “to undertake comprehensive institutional studies, including legal reviews and make recommendations for the reformation of institutional structures for effective human settlement planning and management in Ghana”.
He gave the assurance that the Land Use Planning Bill, expected in Parliament for passage “would also bring into being the Town and Country Planning Authority and streamline spatial planning and enforcement procedures for sustainable human settlement development in Ghana”.
He said as part of the measures to inject efficiency in the department’s operations, about 321 officers, involving technical officers and professional planners, had been trained in spatial planning and management tools.
He said their training also involved the application of Map Maker software in the preparation of spatial plans.
He said consideration was also being given to the capacity building plan development under the LUPMP for implementation, and assured that many people would benefit from the training programmes “ specifically designed to enhance the department’s operations”.
It is also to enable the TCPD rehabilitate its offices and provide special training to a number of employees in order to inject efficiency in its operations.
The acting Director of the TCPU, Mr Asiedu Poku, who announced this at a four-day workshop organised in Kumasi, commended the sector ministry for its support.
He said budgetary allocation would not only help to inject efficiency into their operations, but would also enable them to address some key challenges that undermined their operations.
The workshop, on the theme: “Building capacity for a better image for the Town and Country Planning Department” was attended by regional and district planning officers.
It aimed at bringing the officers together to deliberate on the current state of the department and strategies needed to enhance professionalism in its operations.
It was also to offer the officers the needed orientation on the financial management and procurement process for special projects, deliberate on how to improve medium-term plans for the 2010-2013 planning period, and update them on the Land Use Planning and Management Project (LUPMP).
Expressing concern about the operations of the TCPD, Mr Asiedu Poku noted that “personnel of the department lacked common understanding of certain key issues; there was no operational co-ordination between the regional offices and the head office on several other issues related to the functions, vision and mission of the department”.
He pointed out that shortcomings “have resulted in inefficiency in the department’s operations, leading to a rather low image”.
Recalling the rationale behind the establishment of the TCPD, the acting director noted that the TCPD, which was established in 1945, was considered crucial because it was felt that the economic and social transformation envisioned for the country at the time was not going to be possible without a full fledged institutional structure to provide guidance for investment in space and human settlement growth and development”.
“Consequently, the TCPD became the pivot for the famous Seven Year Plan for National Reconstruction and Development (1963-70) which was prepared under the visionary leadership of Dr Kwame Nkrumah,” he stressed. Mr Asiedu Poku said at that time, the TCPD led the process of “preparing several other national plans for the nation as a whole and all the major cities, notably Accra-Tema, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Cape Coast”.
He said unlike the past, where the public held the department in high esteem due to its proficiency in service delivery, they now had the perception that the department was not only inept, but also inefficient and ineffective in their operations.
He attributed the public perception to the narrow appreciation of national planning “to mean only economic planning, resulting in the neglect or mediocre investment in spatial planning, thereby weakening the capacity of the department to perform any meaningful role”.
He said notwithstanding the challenges confronting them, there was the need for the management to salvage the department’s sinking image by being innovative and proactive in their operations.
Mr Asiedu Poku said as part of their initiatives, management had commissioned consultancy services “to undertake comprehensive institutional studies, including legal reviews and make recommendations for the reformation of institutional structures for effective human settlement planning and management in Ghana”.
He gave the assurance that the Land Use Planning Bill, expected in Parliament for passage “would also bring into being the Town and Country Planning Authority and streamline spatial planning and enforcement procedures for sustainable human settlement development in Ghana”.
He said as part of the measures to inject efficiency in the department’s operations, about 321 officers, involving technical officers and professional planners, had been trained in spatial planning and management tools.
He said their training also involved the application of Map Maker software in the preparation of spatial plans.
He said consideration was also being given to the capacity building plan development under the LUPMP for implementation, and assured that many people would benefit from the training programmes “ specifically designed to enhance the department’s operations”.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
SUNSHINE CITI PROJECT TAKES OFF (PAGE 18, OCT 19, 2010)
An impressive ceremony has been performed by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to mark the commencement of the Sunshine City project, which is designed to transform the Race Course area at Bantama into a viable commercial centre in the Kumasi metropolis.
The project, dubbed Sunshine Citi, Kumasi, with facilities which include the construction of a 25,000 metre square capacity shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling tours, as well as restaurants, is being undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Other facilities that would be developed at the Race Course Area are a clinic with a helipad, ambulance station and a five-star hotel. The project is expected to transform Kumasi to regain its former glory as the ‘Garden City of the West’ and create job avenues for the unemployed youth.
The Otumfuo donated the Race Course area free of charge to the developers as his contribution to the development of the Kumasi metropolis.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Archbishop of the Kumasi Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev. Thomas Kwaku Mensah, the Anglican Bishop, Rt Rev. Daniel Yinka Sarfo and the Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church, Rt Rev. Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka, were among the dignitaries who witnessed the sod cutting ceremony.
In his address, Otumfuo Osei Tutu commended Mr Asante in particular and Kenbert Group company for initiating the project and gave assurance of his support and that of the entire chiefs of the Kumasi Traditional Council.
He pointed out that the project would not only enhance the development of the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, but would also offer employment opportunities to the youth.
He explained that donating the land for such a viable project was in line with his effort to support the development of the metropolis.
He mentioned the Otumfuo Educational Fund, which has helped a section of the youth to build their capacity in various fields in medicine and law, and said his contributions to health-related issues was also enhancing the primary healthcare delivery.
He said the project was one of the programmes of ensuring that the city’s development agenda for a better standard of living for the metropolis was achieved and called on traders who used to operate at the Race Course area to co-operate with the developers by vacating the area to enhance the smooth take off of constructional projects.
In his address, Mr Asante, who is also the Chairman of Kenbert Group, said the Sunshine City is a replica of a similar facility in Johannesburg which has become a major tourist attraction .
He gave assurance of the early completion of the project as part of his contribution to boost the tourist potentials in the country, and called for support from the residents in the successful execution of the project.
He also appealed to chiefs in the Kumasi traditional area to offer him the needed support and protection as a way of motivating him to complete the project on schedule.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, assured those who operate their business at the Race Course Area that efforts were being made to provide them with an alternative area.
The project, dubbed Sunshine Citi, Kumasi, with facilities which include the construction of a 25,000 metre square capacity shopping mall, banking halls, insurance and travelling tours, as well as restaurants, is being undertaken by a South African-based Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Robert Kwaku Appiah Asante.
Other facilities that would be developed at the Race Course Area are a clinic with a helipad, ambulance station and a five-star hotel. The project is expected to transform Kumasi to regain its former glory as the ‘Garden City of the West’ and create job avenues for the unemployed youth.
The Otumfuo donated the Race Course area free of charge to the developers as his contribution to the development of the Kumasi metropolis.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Archbishop of the Kumasi Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev. Thomas Kwaku Mensah, the Anglican Bishop, Rt Rev. Daniel Yinka Sarfo and the Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church, Rt Rev. Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka, were among the dignitaries who witnessed the sod cutting ceremony.
In his address, Otumfuo Osei Tutu commended Mr Asante in particular and Kenbert Group company for initiating the project and gave assurance of his support and that of the entire chiefs of the Kumasi Traditional Council.
He pointed out that the project would not only enhance the development of the Kumasi metropolis and its environs, but would also offer employment opportunities to the youth.
He explained that donating the land for such a viable project was in line with his effort to support the development of the metropolis.
He mentioned the Otumfuo Educational Fund, which has helped a section of the youth to build their capacity in various fields in medicine and law, and said his contributions to health-related issues was also enhancing the primary healthcare delivery.
He said the project was one of the programmes of ensuring that the city’s development agenda for a better standard of living for the metropolis was achieved and called on traders who used to operate at the Race Course area to co-operate with the developers by vacating the area to enhance the smooth take off of constructional projects.
In his address, Mr Asante, who is also the Chairman of Kenbert Group, said the Sunshine City is a replica of a similar facility in Johannesburg which has become a major tourist attraction .
He gave assurance of the early completion of the project as part of his contribution to boost the tourist potentials in the country, and called for support from the residents in the successful execution of the project.
He also appealed to chiefs in the Kumasi traditional area to offer him the needed support and protection as a way of motivating him to complete the project on schedule.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, assured those who operate their business at the Race Course Area that efforts were being made to provide them with an alternative area.
MOTORISRS CALL FOR ROAD MARKINGS (PAGE 18, OCT 19, 2010)
SOME motorists in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs have expressed concern about inadequate road markings on major roads, saying the situation is undermining road safety.
According to the drivers, road markings play significant roles of ensuring road safety for road users and have, therefore, urged the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) to regularise the situation to reduce the risk of travelling through the principal roads in Kumasi .
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews on the state of road markings in Kumasi, the drivers said it was important for the Department of Urban Roads to mark roads at regular intervals as part of road maintenance to enhance the safety of commuters.
They pointed out that the lack of maintenance culture, especially on the road network in the Kumasi metropolis had been the cause of accidents that claimed precious lives and maimed others for life.
Mr Kwame Ofosu, a taxi driver told the Daily Graphic that apart from neglecting their responsibility of marking major roads, many of the roads in the suburbs, especially at junctions are not clearly marked, creating a state of confusion for some drivers at times.
He said it is important for the DUR to live up to expectation by not only filling pot holes in the metropolis , but also marking the roads at regular intervals to ensure sanity .
Mr Emmanuel Asante, a trotro driver said road marking should not be concentrated only on the highways.
He pointed out that roads at suburbs such as Asafo , Amakom, Asokwa, Dechemso, Krofrom, Tafo, Bantama, Kwadaso and Suame among others, are hardly marked, saying the DUR seems to have neglected such responsibility.
When contacted, the Director of Urban Roads, Mr T. Quaye, said plans were far advanced to mark all roads in the metropolis. He said the man in charge of the roads markings had just arrived in Kumasi and would begin work as soon as possible.
According to Mr Quaye, road marking in Kumasi were done at two year intervals and therefore, dispelled the concern of motorists that road markings in Kumasi had been totally neglected.
“ The standard for road markings is two years, and we have been doing it at such periods “ he noted.
According to the drivers, road markings play significant roles of ensuring road safety for road users and have, therefore, urged the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) to regularise the situation to reduce the risk of travelling through the principal roads in Kumasi .
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews on the state of road markings in Kumasi, the drivers said it was important for the Department of Urban Roads to mark roads at regular intervals as part of road maintenance to enhance the safety of commuters.
They pointed out that the lack of maintenance culture, especially on the road network in the Kumasi metropolis had been the cause of accidents that claimed precious lives and maimed others for life.
Mr Kwame Ofosu, a taxi driver told the Daily Graphic that apart from neglecting their responsibility of marking major roads, many of the roads in the suburbs, especially at junctions are not clearly marked, creating a state of confusion for some drivers at times.
He said it is important for the DUR to live up to expectation by not only filling pot holes in the metropolis , but also marking the roads at regular intervals to ensure sanity .
Mr Emmanuel Asante, a trotro driver said road marking should not be concentrated only on the highways.
He pointed out that roads at suburbs such as Asafo , Amakom, Asokwa, Dechemso, Krofrom, Tafo, Bantama, Kwadaso and Suame among others, are hardly marked, saying the DUR seems to have neglected such responsibility.
When contacted, the Director of Urban Roads, Mr T. Quaye, said plans were far advanced to mark all roads in the metropolis. He said the man in charge of the roads markings had just arrived in Kumasi and would begin work as soon as possible.
According to Mr Quaye, road marking in Kumasi were done at two year intervals and therefore, dispelled the concern of motorists that road markings in Kumasi had been totally neglected.
“ The standard for road markings is two years, and we have been doing it at such periods “ he noted.
Monday, October 18, 2010
NII ADJEI WINS DAY FOR KOTOKO (BACK PAGE, OCT 18, 2010)
An expert volley by Daniel Nii Adjei outside the Real Tamale United box on the stroke of full time burst the bubble of the visitors who were on their way to sharing the spoils with Kumasi Asante Kotoko in their seventh week Glo Premier League match played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi yesterday.
Prior to Nii Adjei’s match winner, former Hearts of Oak player Hassan Mohammed had headed home a 67th minute goal to cancel Kotoko’s 25th minute opener by Alex Asamoah.
It was RTU who nearly opened the scores in the 24th minute, but a goal-bound shot hit the post and bounced back into play.
A counter-attack by Kotoko found Alex Asamoah in the vital area of RTU and, after outwitting two attackers, he teased goalkeeper John Adjetey out of the post before planting the ball at the far corner of the net to give Kotoko the opener.
Undaunted by the early lead, RTU pushed more men into attack and punctured holes in the Kotoko defence, compelling them to chase the shadows of their guests in a bid to prevent them from equalising.
However, it was Kotoko who came close to increasing the tally in the 30th minute, but Adjetey brilliantly saved a power-laden shot by Nii Adjei.
The RTU keeper again denied Asamoah in the 32nd minute by stretching full limit to intercept the ball in mid-air before the striker could apply his head to nod home Louis Agyemang’s swinger in the box.
RTU resumed the second half by taking total control of the game and forced their opponents to defend but failed to translate their dominance into goals.
Nii Adjei, however, restored Kotoko’s lead an the stroke of full time amid protests by the visitors that assistant referee one J.B. Smith’s flag was up before the ball hit the back of the net.
Prior to Nii Adjei’s match winner, former Hearts of Oak player Hassan Mohammed had headed home a 67th minute goal to cancel Kotoko’s 25th minute opener by Alex Asamoah.
It was RTU who nearly opened the scores in the 24th minute, but a goal-bound shot hit the post and bounced back into play.
A counter-attack by Kotoko found Alex Asamoah in the vital area of RTU and, after outwitting two attackers, he teased goalkeeper John Adjetey out of the post before planting the ball at the far corner of the net to give Kotoko the opener.
Undaunted by the early lead, RTU pushed more men into attack and punctured holes in the Kotoko defence, compelling them to chase the shadows of their guests in a bid to prevent them from equalising.
However, it was Kotoko who came close to increasing the tally in the 30th minute, but Adjetey brilliantly saved a power-laden shot by Nii Adjei.
The RTU keeper again denied Asamoah in the 32nd minute by stretching full limit to intercept the ball in mid-air before the striker could apply his head to nod home Louis Agyemang’s swinger in the box.
RTU resumed the second half by taking total control of the game and forced their opponents to defend but failed to translate their dominance into goals.
Nii Adjei, however, restored Kotoko’s lead an the stroke of full time amid protests by the visitors that assistant referee one J.B. Smith’s flag was up before the ball hit the back of the net.
Friday, October 15, 2010
FEDERATION OF DISABLED TO REGISTER MEMBERS FOR NHIS (PAGE 35, OCT 16, 2010)
From George Ernest Asare, Nyinahin
THE Atwima Mponua District of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled have pledged to support its members who have financial problems to enable them register to join the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) .
The gesture, according to the Federation, was to make quality healthcare readily accessible to its members to enable them undertake productive ventures, thereby reducing the poverty rate among them.
The District Chairman of the Federation, Mr Moses Hubert Atia, who announced this during their maiden annual general meeting at Nyinahin expressed concern about the poverty rate among some members .
He said the problem was undermining their quest to join the NHIS for them to source for quality healthcare and therefore assured of the executives’ preparedness to register some of their members who were financially handicapped .
He explained that each year, the association will register 20 of its members to join the NHIS to reduce their plight.
Mr Atia advised the members to learn vocational skills as a way of building their capacity.
This, he said, would offer them the opportunity to initiate their own businesses and generate the requisite resources that would make life more meaningful and enjoyable for them.
He pointed out that the association would provide the needed support to members eager to learn vocational skills, and therefore encouraged them to do so.
He also announced that the association had acquired an office at Nyinahin to enhance effective interaction between the executives and its members.
He said it was therefore important for the members to channel all their grievances through the office for immediate solution.
Mr Atia said to ease the problem of travelling long distances to the district office, the executives had zoned the district into seven,where monthly meetings would be held.
He mentioned Mpasatia, Bayerebon, Tano-dumasi, Atuntuma, Kotokuom and Nyinahin as the communities where monthly meetings would be held .
He urged members to attend the monthly meetings in their numbers to enable them initiate policies and programmes that would impact positively on the welfare of the members.
THE Atwima Mponua District of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled have pledged to support its members who have financial problems to enable them register to join the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) .
The gesture, according to the Federation, was to make quality healthcare readily accessible to its members to enable them undertake productive ventures, thereby reducing the poverty rate among them.
The District Chairman of the Federation, Mr Moses Hubert Atia, who announced this during their maiden annual general meeting at Nyinahin expressed concern about the poverty rate among some members .
He said the problem was undermining their quest to join the NHIS for them to source for quality healthcare and therefore assured of the executives’ preparedness to register some of their members who were financially handicapped .
He explained that each year, the association will register 20 of its members to join the NHIS to reduce their plight.
Mr Atia advised the members to learn vocational skills as a way of building their capacity.
This, he said, would offer them the opportunity to initiate their own businesses and generate the requisite resources that would make life more meaningful and enjoyable for them.
He pointed out that the association would provide the needed support to members eager to learn vocational skills, and therefore encouraged them to do so.
He also announced that the association had acquired an office at Nyinahin to enhance effective interaction between the executives and its members.
He said it was therefore important for the members to channel all their grievances through the office for immediate solution.
Mr Atia said to ease the problem of travelling long distances to the district office, the executives had zoned the district into seven,where monthly meetings would be held.
He mentioned Mpasatia, Bayerebon, Tano-dumasi, Atuntuma, Kotokuom and Nyinahin as the communities where monthly meetings would be held .
He urged members to attend the monthly meetings in their numbers to enable them initiate policies and programmes that would impact positively on the welfare of the members.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
MORE RESIDENTS YET TO BE ENUMERATED IN KUMASI (PAGE 18, OCT 12, 2010)
TWO weeks after the commencement of the on-going census exercise, a number of residents in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs say they are yet to be enumerated.
From the Eastern-by-pass in Kumasi, around Asuoyeboa, Kwadaso, through Nzema to Santasi , Danyame and TUC area down to suburbs like Ahenasan, Atonsu and Kyerapatre Estate, residents waited patiently for enumerators to capture them, but were highly disappointed as the clock ticked past October 10, 2010, the day on which the census was orginally planned to end.
Other residents at suburbs such as Asokwa, Amakom, Akwatialine, through Dechemso, Krofrom, to Buokrom Estate, Duase, Tafo and Pankrono, as well as Ahwiaa, were also yet to be captured a day after the exercise officially ended last Sunday.
Inadequate materials for enumerators, especially questionnaires were cited as part of the problems that undermined the success of the exercise.
An enumerator who spoke to Daily Graphic about her challenges since the exercise started, said inadequate education about the importance of the census created a wrong perception among residents that the Census was intended to score political points, so many of the residents turned her off especially, during the first week of the exercise.
She emphatically said, she had to spend a lot of time, using all her persuasive skills before some of the respondents finally rescinded their decision to be enumerated.
She said apart from that, her enumeration area was also too large, explaining that “ they demarcated the enumeration area based on the 2000 census, but the area has now developed significantly not only in terms of population, but structures as well, so it has made my work very difficult”.
According to the enumerator, the materials , especially questionnaire which formed the basis of the exercise were very few when she started the exercise , making it impossible for her to capture the number of people to make the exercise successful.
She however gave the assurance that with the provision of additional questionnaires, she hoped to capture all residents and structures within her enumeration area .
Another enumerator who spoke to Daily Graphic said because of inadequate questionnaires, he was compelled to use exercise books to take information from respondents.
“I devised this method to capture respondents because my respondents were eager to be captured at a time my questionnaires had finished. As I am speaking to you, I have not been given additional questionnaires, in spite of the extension of the exercise” he explained
He pointed out that many of his colleagues adopted this method in spite of the risk involved, explaining that “while some of my colleagues would be more able to transfer all the information captured from the exercise books onto the questionnaire, others may not be able to do so and that may undermine the success of the exercise”.
Mr Peter Opoku, a resident of Kyerapatre Estate who spoke to Daily Graphic said because of the importance of the exercise, he had instructed his wife to stay at home for his family to be captured, “ but as I am speaking to you now, not a single soul has come to my area to capture my family nor any of my neighbours”.
Other residents that the Daily Graphic interviewed from the other suburbs also expressed the hope that authorities of the Statistical Service would be up to the task by not only supplying the needed materials, but would also motivate the enumerators for them to capture all residents in the metropolis and the country in general.
When the Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako, met members of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi early September this year, she described the census as one of the key and credible sources of data collection that would be used for the planning and implementation of programmes for the state.
She therefore pleaded with Members of the House to use festivals, durbars, funerals and other social gatherings to encourage their respective subjects to participate fully in the exercise, explaining that it would enable the nation to collate the needed information that would make the exercise more authentic and credible to facilitate accelerated national development.
From the Eastern-by-pass in Kumasi, around Asuoyeboa, Kwadaso, through Nzema to Santasi , Danyame and TUC area down to suburbs like Ahenasan, Atonsu and Kyerapatre Estate, residents waited patiently for enumerators to capture them, but were highly disappointed as the clock ticked past October 10, 2010, the day on which the census was orginally planned to end.
Other residents at suburbs such as Asokwa, Amakom, Akwatialine, through Dechemso, Krofrom, to Buokrom Estate, Duase, Tafo and Pankrono, as well as Ahwiaa, were also yet to be captured a day after the exercise officially ended last Sunday.
Inadequate materials for enumerators, especially questionnaires were cited as part of the problems that undermined the success of the exercise.
An enumerator who spoke to Daily Graphic about her challenges since the exercise started, said inadequate education about the importance of the census created a wrong perception among residents that the Census was intended to score political points, so many of the residents turned her off especially, during the first week of the exercise.
She emphatically said, she had to spend a lot of time, using all her persuasive skills before some of the respondents finally rescinded their decision to be enumerated.
She said apart from that, her enumeration area was also too large, explaining that “ they demarcated the enumeration area based on the 2000 census, but the area has now developed significantly not only in terms of population, but structures as well, so it has made my work very difficult”.
According to the enumerator, the materials , especially questionnaire which formed the basis of the exercise were very few when she started the exercise , making it impossible for her to capture the number of people to make the exercise successful.
She however gave the assurance that with the provision of additional questionnaires, she hoped to capture all residents and structures within her enumeration area .
Another enumerator who spoke to Daily Graphic said because of inadequate questionnaires, he was compelled to use exercise books to take information from respondents.
“I devised this method to capture respondents because my respondents were eager to be captured at a time my questionnaires had finished. As I am speaking to you, I have not been given additional questionnaires, in spite of the extension of the exercise” he explained
He pointed out that many of his colleagues adopted this method in spite of the risk involved, explaining that “while some of my colleagues would be more able to transfer all the information captured from the exercise books onto the questionnaire, others may not be able to do so and that may undermine the success of the exercise”.
Mr Peter Opoku, a resident of Kyerapatre Estate who spoke to Daily Graphic said because of the importance of the exercise, he had instructed his wife to stay at home for his family to be captured, “ but as I am speaking to you now, not a single soul has come to my area to capture my family nor any of my neighbours”.
Other residents that the Daily Graphic interviewed from the other suburbs also expressed the hope that authorities of the Statistical Service would be up to the task by not only supplying the needed materials, but would also motivate the enumerators for them to capture all residents in the metropolis and the country in general.
When the Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako, met members of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi early September this year, she described the census as one of the key and credible sources of data collection that would be used for the planning and implementation of programmes for the state.
She therefore pleaded with Members of the House to use festivals, durbars, funerals and other social gatherings to encourage their respective subjects to participate fully in the exercise, explaining that it would enable the nation to collate the needed information that would make the exercise more authentic and credible to facilitate accelerated national development.
KMA KEEPS WASTE CONTRACTORS ON TOES (PAGE 18, OCT 12, 2010)
THE Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has intensified efforts to monitor waste management contractors who cart refuse from the various collection points in the metropolis.
The exercise, which started early this year, has not only improved sanitation in Kumasi, but has also created awareness among residents on the need to develop a positive attitude towards proper waste disposal.
As part of the measures, the metropolis has been zoned into 10 areas with each zone assigned to a particular waste management contractor who carts refuse from various collection points at regular intervals to prevent spillage of refuse in residential areas and other refuse collection points.
The Public Relations Officer of KMA, Mr Clement Kegeri said the Chief Executive Officer of KMA, Mr Samuel Sarpong was personally involved in the monitoring exercise to ensure that all waste management contractors strictly abided by the refuse collection measures adopted by the assembly.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic about the importance of the monitoring exercise, Mr Kigeri said the KMA had also “involved key members in the various zones in the monitoring exercise to enable them to report any recalcitrant waste management contractor who refuses to do his work.
“We have sustained the monitoring exercise since we started, and so far it has been very successful. The success story stems from the fact that we have a chief executive who is not only personally involved in an important exercise such as sanitation but also bent on reducing filth in the metropolis to the barest minimum to enable residents to enjoy better health” he explained.
Mr Kigeri cited the Moro Market at Krofrom, where AMA threatened the waste management contractor who was reneging on his responsibilities “to jolt him into action and since then the Moro Market could be described as one of the success stories so far as regular collection of refuse is concerned”.
He said the KMA had made it clear that it was not prepared to renew the contract of contractors who failed to live up to expectation.
Mr Kegeri said the success story of the KMA so far, had encouraged the assembly to sustain the exercise to improve environmental hygiene in the metropolis.
On how to deal with refuse that drop on the road from moving refuse trucks, Mr Kigeri said contractors had already been advised to cover trucks with nets and wondered why some had refused to comply with the directives.
He warned against such attitude since the assembly would charge those who flout the regulations.
He also charged residents to develop positive attitudes of disposing waste by putting waste in litter bins placed at vantage points in the metropolis.
He said littering was an offence under the KMA by-laws and therefore urged residents to be law-abiding by co-operating with the KMA to turn the city not only into a centre of business but also an attractive residential area.
The exercise, which started early this year, has not only improved sanitation in Kumasi, but has also created awareness among residents on the need to develop a positive attitude towards proper waste disposal.
As part of the measures, the metropolis has been zoned into 10 areas with each zone assigned to a particular waste management contractor who carts refuse from various collection points at regular intervals to prevent spillage of refuse in residential areas and other refuse collection points.
The Public Relations Officer of KMA, Mr Clement Kegeri said the Chief Executive Officer of KMA, Mr Samuel Sarpong was personally involved in the monitoring exercise to ensure that all waste management contractors strictly abided by the refuse collection measures adopted by the assembly.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic about the importance of the monitoring exercise, Mr Kigeri said the KMA had also “involved key members in the various zones in the monitoring exercise to enable them to report any recalcitrant waste management contractor who refuses to do his work.
“We have sustained the monitoring exercise since we started, and so far it has been very successful. The success story stems from the fact that we have a chief executive who is not only personally involved in an important exercise such as sanitation but also bent on reducing filth in the metropolis to the barest minimum to enable residents to enjoy better health” he explained.
Mr Kigeri cited the Moro Market at Krofrom, where AMA threatened the waste management contractor who was reneging on his responsibilities “to jolt him into action and since then the Moro Market could be described as one of the success stories so far as regular collection of refuse is concerned”.
He said the KMA had made it clear that it was not prepared to renew the contract of contractors who failed to live up to expectation.
Mr Kegeri said the success story of the KMA so far, had encouraged the assembly to sustain the exercise to improve environmental hygiene in the metropolis.
On how to deal with refuse that drop on the road from moving refuse trucks, Mr Kigeri said contractors had already been advised to cover trucks with nets and wondered why some had refused to comply with the directives.
He warned against such attitude since the assembly would charge those who flout the regulations.
He also charged residents to develop positive attitudes of disposing waste by putting waste in litter bins placed at vantage points in the metropolis.
He said littering was an offence under the KMA by-laws and therefore urged residents to be law-abiding by co-operating with the KMA to turn the city not only into a centre of business but also an attractive residential area.
Monday, October 11, 2010
SHAME...JHS students study under trees (NSEMPA, LEAD STORY, OCT 11, 2010)
By George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.
About 160 first-year students of Ahenema Kokoben D/A Junior High School (JHS) has been battling with the weather as they sit under trees to take their lessons during school period.
The students, made up of forms one ‘A’ ‘B’ and ‘C’ who graduated from Primary Six with high expectation to further develop their academic prowess, were not offered any classrooms in the JHS due to inadequate classrooms.
Intermittent rainfall within the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs in recent times always disrupt classes, as students have to abandon their lessons and rush to put their furniture at safe places.
The predicament of the Ahenema Kokoben JHS came to light when Graphic Nsempa chanced upon them during their usual rounds, and at a time the students were having their English lesson.
In an interview, the students expressed concern about the problems they were going through as a result of studying under trees.
They pointed out that with no classroom, they are denied the use of chalkboards for any kind of illustration, especially, during mathematics and science lessons, where illustration on the chalkboard facilitates understanding of the topics being taught.
Apart from battling with the weather, the students also have to struggle to cope with intruders who use the school compound as a walkway.
Residents who are unmindful of the predicament facing the school usually disrupt lessons by talking on top of their voices as they walk leisurely across the school compound, and at a time students are busily taking their lessons.
Stressing on their predicament, one of the students noted, “ With this present situation where we have to abort classes anytime the clouds begin to gather, we wonder how we would be able to complete our syllabus before we are promoted to form two, where we may a have permanent classroom.”
They said since they were running against time, it was important for the District Directorate of Education and the assembly to collaborate meaningfully and generate the needed financial assistance to put up a classroom to alleviate their plight.
Consequently, the students have appealed to the sector ministry to collaborate with the GETfund administrator to build a classroom block for the school as a matter of urgency.
The students have also made a passionate appeal to the district assembly to initiate the construction of a classroom block for the school to facilitate teaching and learning.
Sources close to the school told Graphic Nsempa that the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno, had been notified about the plight of the school.
When the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno was contacted, he said he was aware of the plight of the school and had already contacted the district assembly for support.
He said apart from a classroom block to be constructed to accommodate the students, they had also contacted the head teacher of the school to levy each parent to buy plywood for the construction of temporal classrooms for the first year students.
“ The Atwima Kwanwoma District is a newly created district so they lack the needed resources to develop educational infrastructure in communities that lack such facilities at a fast rate, but we are doing our best under the present circumstances,” he noted.
About 160 first-year students of Ahenema Kokoben D/A Junior High School (JHS) has been battling with the weather as they sit under trees to take their lessons during school period.
The students, made up of forms one ‘A’ ‘B’ and ‘C’ who graduated from Primary Six with high expectation to further develop their academic prowess, were not offered any classrooms in the JHS due to inadequate classrooms.
Intermittent rainfall within the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs in recent times always disrupt classes, as students have to abandon their lessons and rush to put their furniture at safe places.
The predicament of the Ahenema Kokoben JHS came to light when Graphic Nsempa chanced upon them during their usual rounds, and at a time the students were having their English lesson.
In an interview, the students expressed concern about the problems they were going through as a result of studying under trees.
They pointed out that with no classroom, they are denied the use of chalkboards for any kind of illustration, especially, during mathematics and science lessons, where illustration on the chalkboard facilitates understanding of the topics being taught.
Apart from battling with the weather, the students also have to struggle to cope with intruders who use the school compound as a walkway.
Residents who are unmindful of the predicament facing the school usually disrupt lessons by talking on top of their voices as they walk leisurely across the school compound, and at a time students are busily taking their lessons.
Stressing on their predicament, one of the students noted, “ With this present situation where we have to abort classes anytime the clouds begin to gather, we wonder how we would be able to complete our syllabus before we are promoted to form two, where we may a have permanent classroom.”
They said since they were running against time, it was important for the District Directorate of Education and the assembly to collaborate meaningfully and generate the needed financial assistance to put up a classroom to alleviate their plight.
Consequently, the students have appealed to the sector ministry to collaborate with the GETfund administrator to build a classroom block for the school as a matter of urgency.
The students have also made a passionate appeal to the district assembly to initiate the construction of a classroom block for the school to facilitate teaching and learning.
Sources close to the school told Graphic Nsempa that the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno, had been notified about the plight of the school.
When the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno was contacted, he said he was aware of the plight of the school and had already contacted the district assembly for support.
He said apart from a classroom block to be constructed to accommodate the students, they had also contacted the head teacher of the school to levy each parent to buy plywood for the construction of temporal classrooms for the first year students.
“ The Atwima Kwanwoma District is a newly created district so they lack the needed resources to develop educational infrastructure in communities that lack such facilities at a fast rate, but we are doing our best under the present circumstances,” he noted.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The abaortive 5th week game at Berekum ASANTE KOTOKO DEMAND FAIRNESS (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 11, OCT 8, 2010)
The Management of Kumasi Asante Football Club has expressed confidence in the Ghana Football Association in the determination of the circumstances surrounding last Wednesday’s abortive Glo Premier League match with Berekum Arsenals at the Golden City Park, Berekum.
It has, therefore, urged the FA to come out with the right judgement on the abortive game and apply the needed sanctions.
Mr. Jarvis Peprah, Director of Communication of Kotoko, said his side followed the rules of the game to the last letter prior to kick-off time and are therefore hopeful that the football governing body would not only apply the rules in determining the guilty side, but would also use the correct judgement in applying the needed sanctions.
Both Kotoko and Arsenals put on white and red-dominated jerseys which, according to the match officials, made it impossible for them to distinguish between the players of the two teams.
This was when supporters of the two teams had filled the stadium in their numbers, expecting a beautiful match, but they were highly disappointed when the match was called off due to the clash of jerseys.
According to match report, there were heated verbal exchanges between Kotoko officials and the match officials as to whether the visiting team was to change their jersey when they had entered the field.
Explaining the rationale behind the abortive match, the Communications Director of Kotoko said during the pre-match conference at 11am last Wednesday, the match officials told Kotoko to change their colours because they clashed with that of Arsenals.
He said they complied with the directives and changed the colours by putting on white jerseys with- red- dominated pants and hoses ,saying the two teams could have played the match without any incident. But just after they entered the field, supporters of Arsenals called the match officials to compel Kotoko to change their colours again.
He said the action of the Arsenal supports might have jolted the match officials to change their decision by calling on Kotoko officials to change their jerseys after entering the field, a situation which he said, was against the rules of the game.
Explaining, he said it was the same match officials who asked the guest team to change their colours during the pre-match conference.
“We have taken photographs of the colours of the jerseys and would present them to the FA when the need arises, so we are not disturbed about the turn of events”, he said.
He debunked the assertion that Kotoko was at fault, saying “we never faulted because we agreed to change the colours during the pre-match conference, and it was the referee who led the two teams onto the field of play, but suddenly changed his mind for reasons difficult to comprehend.
It has, therefore, urged the FA to come out with the right judgement on the abortive game and apply the needed sanctions.
Mr. Jarvis Peprah, Director of Communication of Kotoko, said his side followed the rules of the game to the last letter prior to kick-off time and are therefore hopeful that the football governing body would not only apply the rules in determining the guilty side, but would also use the correct judgement in applying the needed sanctions.
Both Kotoko and Arsenals put on white and red-dominated jerseys which, according to the match officials, made it impossible for them to distinguish between the players of the two teams.
This was when supporters of the two teams had filled the stadium in their numbers, expecting a beautiful match, but they were highly disappointed when the match was called off due to the clash of jerseys.
According to match report, there were heated verbal exchanges between Kotoko officials and the match officials as to whether the visiting team was to change their jersey when they had entered the field.
Explaining the rationale behind the abortive match, the Communications Director of Kotoko said during the pre-match conference at 11am last Wednesday, the match officials told Kotoko to change their colours because they clashed with that of Arsenals.
He said they complied with the directives and changed the colours by putting on white jerseys with- red- dominated pants and hoses ,saying the two teams could have played the match without any incident. But just after they entered the field, supporters of Arsenals called the match officials to compel Kotoko to change their colours again.
He said the action of the Arsenal supports might have jolted the match officials to change their decision by calling on Kotoko officials to change their jerseys after entering the field, a situation which he said, was against the rules of the game.
Explaining, he said it was the same match officials who asked the guest team to change their colours during the pre-match conference.
“We have taken photographs of the colours of the jerseys and would present them to the FA when the need arises, so we are not disturbed about the turn of events”, he said.
He debunked the assertion that Kotoko was at fault, saying “we never faulted because we agreed to change the colours during the pre-match conference, and it was the referee who led the two teams onto the field of play, but suddenly changed his mind for reasons difficult to comprehend.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
MAN ARRESTED FOR IMPERSONATION (PAGE 29, OCT 6, 2010)
A YOUNG man who disguised himself as a Moslem lady to write the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for his girlfriend in Kumasi has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, who was identified as Iddrisu Kadril , was arrested last Saturday while writing the Economics paper (2) for Samitu Inusah with index number 1051511267, at the Anglican Senior High School in Kumasi.
Police are investigating whether the suspect also wrote the English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Economics Paper One, under similar guise for the candidate.
Moments after he was arrested , Iddrisu Kadril told the police that he was only responding to the needs of the candidate who was indisposed.
According to the Controller of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Kumasi, Mr Edgar Fiagbey, the suspect was dressed like a Moslem girl with veils covering his the head and part of the face”
Briefing Daily Graphic about the arrest, Mr Fiagbey said due to the increase in cases of impersonation during such examinations, WAEC officials had become more alert and had succeeded in arresting a number of suspects.
He explained that following the attitude of Iddrisu Kadril when he entered the examination centre, the examination officials decided find out if he was the right candidate to write the examination.
He said the suspect was holding the admission notice, indicating that he was qualified to write the paper and it was after a careful scrutiny of the features of the suspect and that of the real candidate, that the examination officials managed to apprehend Kadri to assist them in their investigations.
Mr Fiagbey said the WAEC officials in Kumasi have so far arrested eight suspects for impersonation and other offences bordering on examination malpractice. He gave their names as Flynt Kelvin, Rexford Twene, Blessing Dwuma Manu, Alexander Arthur, Samuel Tabi, Augustine Adowo and Mary Dotsey, who were arrested at different examination centres in the Kumasi Metropolis, and were assisting police in their investigations. He said another suspect, identified as Martha Owusu, however, managed to escape police arrest, and efforts were being made to arrest her for impersonation.
Expressing concern about the increased rate of impersonations , Mr Fiagbey said “ parents should encourage their children to focus on their academic work for them to write the examination themselves because we are more vigilant than ever, and would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute impersonators.
He said besides prosecuting offenders, the results of their entire examination would also be cancelled , and suspects bonded for some time, thereby preventing them from writing such examinations immediately.
The suspect, who was identified as Iddrisu Kadril , was arrested last Saturday while writing the Economics paper (2) for Samitu Inusah with index number 1051511267, at the Anglican Senior High School in Kumasi.
Police are investigating whether the suspect also wrote the English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Economics Paper One, under similar guise for the candidate.
Moments after he was arrested , Iddrisu Kadril told the police that he was only responding to the needs of the candidate who was indisposed.
According to the Controller of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Kumasi, Mr Edgar Fiagbey, the suspect was dressed like a Moslem girl with veils covering his the head and part of the face”
Briefing Daily Graphic about the arrest, Mr Fiagbey said due to the increase in cases of impersonation during such examinations, WAEC officials had become more alert and had succeeded in arresting a number of suspects.
He explained that following the attitude of Iddrisu Kadril when he entered the examination centre, the examination officials decided find out if he was the right candidate to write the examination.
He said the suspect was holding the admission notice, indicating that he was qualified to write the paper and it was after a careful scrutiny of the features of the suspect and that of the real candidate, that the examination officials managed to apprehend Kadri to assist them in their investigations.
Mr Fiagbey said the WAEC officials in Kumasi have so far arrested eight suspects for impersonation and other offences bordering on examination malpractice. He gave their names as Flynt Kelvin, Rexford Twene, Blessing Dwuma Manu, Alexander Arthur, Samuel Tabi, Augustine Adowo and Mary Dotsey, who were arrested at different examination centres in the Kumasi Metropolis, and were assisting police in their investigations. He said another suspect, identified as Martha Owusu, however, managed to escape police arrest, and efforts were being made to arrest her for impersonation.
Expressing concern about the increased rate of impersonations , Mr Fiagbey said “ parents should encourage their children to focus on their academic work for them to write the examination themselves because we are more vigilant than ever, and would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute impersonators.
He said besides prosecuting offenders, the results of their entire examination would also be cancelled , and suspects bonded for some time, thereby preventing them from writing such examinations immediately.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
MEDICAL STUDENT DONATES TO KUMASI SOUTH HOSPITAL (PAGE 29, OCT 5, 2010)
A GERMANY-based Ghanaian medical student, Ms Evelyn Akua Achiaa, has donated quantities of medical equipment to the Kumasi South Hospital as her contribution to quality healthcare delivery to patients in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
A group of medical students from the University of Regensburg in Germany – Colours for a New Life – with Evelyn as the leader, sourced for the funds to buy the equipment for to the hospital.
This was after Evelyn had briefed them about the plight of the hospital as medical staff struggled with obsolete and inadequate medical equipment in their quest to provide medical care to patients.
According to the donor, the equipment, donated to the blood bank unit of the hospital were also meant to curb maternal and infant mortality rate to enable Ghana to meet her target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The cost of the equipment which included four ultrasound-fog basic monitors, a 1300- litre capacity blood bank refrigerator, EKG-monitor cables, two nutrition pump system for transfusion, two infusion pumps, and two container sucking machines were estimated at Euro 20, 000.
About two years ago, the mother of Ms Evelyn Akua Achiaa single handedly constructed a maternity block at the Kumasi South Hospital to facilitate healthcare delivery for women and according to the medical officers at the hospital ,the facility has impacted positively on their operations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the rationale behind her gesture, Ms Achiaa, who is a final year medical student at the University of Regensburg, said her attention was drawn to the plight of the hospital when she, together with her mother, visited Ghana and decided to seek medical attention for their ailing grandmother.
“When we entered, we saw that the medical staff were eager to provide the needed healthcare to patients, but they lacked the requisite equipment which would facilitate their operations. This informed me that I have to do something to support the hospital to function well to enable patients to receive the needed medical care, hence, the donation of these equipment as our widow’s mite”, she explained.
She said the refrigerator in particular, which had the capacity to
store as much as 1300 litres of blood would ease the pressure of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in terms of blood storage to enhance blood transfusion to accident victims and women in labour.
The Medical Supervisor of the Kumasi South Hospital, Dr Frank Abebrese, commended Evelyn in particular, and her school mates in general for their gesture.
He said it was the initiatives of Evelyn which caught the attention of her mates in Germany and assured that with the gesture, the medical staff would be adequately motivated to offer their best to enhance quality healthcare delivery at the hospital.
Dr Abebrese reiterated the need for residents in Kumasi to voluntarily donate blood regularly to the blood bank unit of the hospital for them to provide emergency healthcare to patients. That, he said, would ease the pressure on the KATH and enhance quality healthcare delivery.
A group of medical students from the University of Regensburg in Germany – Colours for a New Life – with Evelyn as the leader, sourced for the funds to buy the equipment for to the hospital.
This was after Evelyn had briefed them about the plight of the hospital as medical staff struggled with obsolete and inadequate medical equipment in their quest to provide medical care to patients.
According to the donor, the equipment, donated to the blood bank unit of the hospital were also meant to curb maternal and infant mortality rate to enable Ghana to meet her target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
The cost of the equipment which included four ultrasound-fog basic monitors, a 1300- litre capacity blood bank refrigerator, EKG-monitor cables, two nutrition pump system for transfusion, two infusion pumps, and two container sucking machines were estimated at Euro 20, 000.
About two years ago, the mother of Ms Evelyn Akua Achiaa single handedly constructed a maternity block at the Kumasi South Hospital to facilitate healthcare delivery for women and according to the medical officers at the hospital ,the facility has impacted positively on their operations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the rationale behind her gesture, Ms Achiaa, who is a final year medical student at the University of Regensburg, said her attention was drawn to the plight of the hospital when she, together with her mother, visited Ghana and decided to seek medical attention for their ailing grandmother.
“When we entered, we saw that the medical staff were eager to provide the needed healthcare to patients, but they lacked the requisite equipment which would facilitate their operations. This informed me that I have to do something to support the hospital to function well to enable patients to receive the needed medical care, hence, the donation of these equipment as our widow’s mite”, she explained.
She said the refrigerator in particular, which had the capacity to
store as much as 1300 litres of blood would ease the pressure of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in terms of blood storage to enhance blood transfusion to accident victims and women in labour.
The Medical Supervisor of the Kumasi South Hospital, Dr Frank Abebrese, commended Evelyn in particular, and her school mates in general for their gesture.
He said it was the initiatives of Evelyn which caught the attention of her mates in Germany and assured that with the gesture, the medical staff would be adequately motivated to offer their best to enhance quality healthcare delivery at the hospital.
Dr Abebrese reiterated the need for residents in Kumasi to voluntarily donate blood regularly to the blood bank unit of the hospital for them to provide emergency healthcare to patients. That, he said, would ease the pressure on the KATH and enhance quality healthcare delivery.
KUMASI RESIDENTS UNDERTAKE CLEAN-UP EXERCISE (PAGE 29, OCT 6, 2010)
AUTHORITIES of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, led by the Chief Executive, Mr Samuel Sarpong, last Saturday, embarked on a massive clean up exercise at the Central Business District (CBD) of Adum and other parts of the metropolis .
The exercise, according to the chief executive, was meant to rekindle communal spirit among residents in the Kumasi Metropolis for them to undertake regular clean up exercises, thereby creating a healthy environment.
Areas like Pampaso, the Spare Parts area, PZ, Unicorn House, Nsuase, Post Office and the fore court of the Kumasi Prisons at Adum benefited from the exercise as officials from the KMA, Zoom Lion, Goldstreet Limited and the Waste Management Limited, cleared choked gutters,swept streets and cleared weeds that had created a lot of filth at the CBD.
Communal containers, mini refuse trucks, tractors, tricycles and wheelbarrows, among other equipment, were used to facilitate the clearing of the filth from the choked gutters and other parts of the CBD.
Briefing the Daily Graphic about the exercise, Mr Samuel Sarpong said the KMA was more determined than ever to educate the public on the importance of doing business in a clean environment.
“It is unfortunate that the communal spirit that induced the public to undertake regular clean-up exercises is dying in Kumasi, and with this, we are creating the needed awareness, so that regular clean-up exercises would be undertaken in the metropolis”, he noted .
Mr Sarpong, therefore, charged residents in the metropolis to support the KMA in its quest of creating healthy environment in the metropolis by undertaking regular clean-up exercises at their immediate environments, especially at the weekends.
The exercise, according to the chief executive, was meant to rekindle communal spirit among residents in the Kumasi Metropolis for them to undertake regular clean up exercises, thereby creating a healthy environment.
Areas like Pampaso, the Spare Parts area, PZ, Unicorn House, Nsuase, Post Office and the fore court of the Kumasi Prisons at Adum benefited from the exercise as officials from the KMA, Zoom Lion, Goldstreet Limited and the Waste Management Limited, cleared choked gutters,swept streets and cleared weeds that had created a lot of filth at the CBD.
Communal containers, mini refuse trucks, tractors, tricycles and wheelbarrows, among other equipment, were used to facilitate the clearing of the filth from the choked gutters and other parts of the CBD.
Briefing the Daily Graphic about the exercise, Mr Samuel Sarpong said the KMA was more determined than ever to educate the public on the importance of doing business in a clean environment.
“It is unfortunate that the communal spirit that induced the public to undertake regular clean-up exercises is dying in Kumasi, and with this, we are creating the needed awareness, so that regular clean-up exercises would be undertaken in the metropolis”, he noted .
Mr Sarpong, therefore, charged residents in the metropolis to support the KMA in its quest of creating healthy environment in the metropolis by undertaking regular clean-up exercises at their immediate environments, especially at the weekends.
Monday, October 4, 2010
AHENEMA KOKOBEN JHS PUPILS STUDY UNDER TREES (PAGE 11, OCT 4, 2010)
INADEQUATE classroom blocks to accommodate students of Ahenema Kokoben D/A Junior High School (JHS) is seriously undermining effective teaching and learning as students have to study under trees at the mercy of the weather.
Currently, 160 first year students made up of forms one ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ who were promoted from Primary Six with high expectations to further their education, have to battle with the weather on a daily basis as they sit under trees to study.
Since schools reopened two weeks ago for the first term of the 2010/11 academic year, classes have been disrupted on three occasions as a result of heavy downpours, and anytime the clouds start gathering, students have to rush to pack their furniture into the various classrooms.
Worse, they do not have chalkboards for any kind of illustration to facilitate understanding, especially in Mathematics and Science.
The Daily Graphic saw the students in that situation during its rounds in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
Sources close to the school told the Daily Graphic that the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno had been notified.
The source said the director was also aware that the high population of the continuous students in forms two and three was around 80 students per class.
The congestion, according to the teachers, undermined meaningful teaching and learning in the school.
The source said the District Chief Executive, had also been informed of the situation at the school and he had donated 80 bags of cement to the school to enable it start the construction of a classroom block.
Some of the students expressed concern about the state of affairs, and wondered why the District Directorate of Education did not collaborate with the District Assembly to build a classroom block during the long vacation.
They said since they were running against time, it was important for the District Directorate of Education and the Assembly to collaborate to address the situation.
They also appealed to the administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to come to their aid.
When the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno was contacted, he said he was aware of the plight of the students and had already contacted the District Assembly for support.
Currently, 160 first year students made up of forms one ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ who were promoted from Primary Six with high expectations to further their education, have to battle with the weather on a daily basis as they sit under trees to study.
Since schools reopened two weeks ago for the first term of the 2010/11 academic year, classes have been disrupted on three occasions as a result of heavy downpours, and anytime the clouds start gathering, students have to rush to pack their furniture into the various classrooms.
Worse, they do not have chalkboards for any kind of illustration to facilitate understanding, especially in Mathematics and Science.
The Daily Graphic saw the students in that situation during its rounds in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
Sources close to the school told the Daily Graphic that the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno had been notified.
The source said the director was also aware that the high population of the continuous students in forms two and three was around 80 students per class.
The congestion, according to the teachers, undermined meaningful teaching and learning in the school.
The source said the District Chief Executive, had also been informed of the situation at the school and he had donated 80 bags of cement to the school to enable it start the construction of a classroom block.
Some of the students expressed concern about the state of affairs, and wondered why the District Directorate of Education did not collaborate with the District Assembly to build a classroom block during the long vacation.
They said since they were running against time, it was important for the District Directorate of Education and the Assembly to collaborate to address the situation.
They also appealed to the administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to come to their aid.
When the District Director of Education, Mr Francis Akumbuno was contacted, he said he was aware of the plight of the students and had already contacted the District Assembly for support.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
ZONGO YOUTH AFFIRMS DEFECTION (PAGE 12, OCT 2, 2010)
A SECTION of youth purporting to come from the New Aduampong Zongo in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency in Ashanti Region, have debunked the assertion that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is against the interest of northerners as against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that seeks their interest.
The Zongo Youth, who made the remarks when they visited the Kumasi Office of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to reinforce their defection to the NPP, expressed concern about the propagandist machinery of some politicians who over the years, sought to portray some political parties in the country as biased against some ethnic groups.
In the September 25, 2010 issue of the Daily Graphic, the Executive members of Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency of the NDC issued a statement, debunking recent media report that 65 members of the NDC at New Aduampong Zongo had defected to the NPP.
According to the executive, “ the story was a political propaganda work undertaken by the NPP” and therefore urged the public to “ treat the story with contempt”.
Reacting to the remark by the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Secretary of the NDC, Mr Kingston Opoku to the effect that the 65 Zongo youth from New Aduampong who defected to the NPP were misled by the Member of Parliament of the constituency Dr Appiah Kubi and that the NPP had nothing good to offer northerners from the area in particular and northerners in general, the youth said “our defection is, real”.
“We have also never confessed to anyone or a group of people that we have nothing to do with the NPP as reported by the Daily Graphic on September 25, 2010” he stated.
They said it was unfortunate that Mr Kingston Opoku had played down their intelligence and asserted that the 65 Zongo youth at New Aduampong, who defected to the NPP were manipulated by Dr Appiah Kubi.
Their Spokeperson, Mr Mumuni Sumaila, noted that after comparing the government of the NDC since 1992 and the eight year reign of the NPP, “ we have decided to pitch camp with the NPP and want to assure our detractors that we defected on own volition, but not through the manipulation of any politician as the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Secretary of the NDC want the world to believe”.
It would be recalled that the statement signed by Mr Kingston Opoku also alleged that “ the NPP Member of Parliament for the area, Dr Appiah Kubi, convinced the NDC members to go out and condemn the NDC so that he would give them money”.
The statement further indicated that the MP also promised to “build a mosque and help develop the Zongo community for them if they publicly announced their defection from the NDC”.
Reacting to the NDC statement, Mr Mumuni Sumaila, who claimed to be once the NDC Chairman of the Zongo Community at New Aduampong said, “we have now come of age and will never sell our conscience to politicians who only use us to seek their political interest”.
He said a few days after they announced their defection to the NPP, Mr Opoku, together with a section of his executive rushed to their community to attempt to convince them to change their minds, “but we maintained our stand and made them aware that our decision was final and that there was no way that we would change our minds”.
He said moments after they declared their intention, some of the group assaulted them, warning that “ we would be driven away from the community if we maintained our stand”.
“We have reached a new level of our democratic landmark so politicians should not assume wrongly that they can continue to use us to perpetuate their political interest” he advised .
The Constituency Chairman of the NPP, who accompanied them to the office, assured of their safety and urged them to support the party.
“You are welcome to the party and we are ready to work with you to facilitate the return of the NPP to power so that we would initiate policies and programmes that would promote your interest”, he stressed.
The Zongo Youth, who made the remarks when they visited the Kumasi Office of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to reinforce their defection to the NPP, expressed concern about the propagandist machinery of some politicians who over the years, sought to portray some political parties in the country as biased against some ethnic groups.
In the September 25, 2010 issue of the Daily Graphic, the Executive members of Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency of the NDC issued a statement, debunking recent media report that 65 members of the NDC at New Aduampong Zongo had defected to the NPP.
According to the executive, “ the story was a political propaganda work undertaken by the NPP” and therefore urged the public to “ treat the story with contempt”.
Reacting to the remark by the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Secretary of the NDC, Mr Kingston Opoku to the effect that the 65 Zongo youth from New Aduampong who defected to the NPP were misled by the Member of Parliament of the constituency Dr Appiah Kubi and that the NPP had nothing good to offer northerners from the area in particular and northerners in general, the youth said “our defection is, real”.
“We have also never confessed to anyone or a group of people that we have nothing to do with the NPP as reported by the Daily Graphic on September 25, 2010” he stated.
They said it was unfortunate that Mr Kingston Opoku had played down their intelligence and asserted that the 65 Zongo youth at New Aduampong, who defected to the NPP were manipulated by Dr Appiah Kubi.
Their Spokeperson, Mr Mumuni Sumaila, noted that after comparing the government of the NDC since 1992 and the eight year reign of the NPP, “ we have decided to pitch camp with the NPP and want to assure our detractors that we defected on own volition, but not through the manipulation of any politician as the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency Secretary of the NDC want the world to believe”.
It would be recalled that the statement signed by Mr Kingston Opoku also alleged that “ the NPP Member of Parliament for the area, Dr Appiah Kubi, convinced the NDC members to go out and condemn the NDC so that he would give them money”.
The statement further indicated that the MP also promised to “build a mosque and help develop the Zongo community for them if they publicly announced their defection from the NDC”.
Reacting to the NDC statement, Mr Mumuni Sumaila, who claimed to be once the NDC Chairman of the Zongo Community at New Aduampong said, “we have now come of age and will never sell our conscience to politicians who only use us to seek their political interest”.
He said a few days after they announced their defection to the NPP, Mr Opoku, together with a section of his executive rushed to their community to attempt to convince them to change their minds, “but we maintained our stand and made them aware that our decision was final and that there was no way that we would change our minds”.
He said moments after they declared their intention, some of the group assaulted them, warning that “ we would be driven away from the community if we maintained our stand”.
“We have reached a new level of our democratic landmark so politicians should not assume wrongly that they can continue to use us to perpetuate their political interest” he advised .
The Constituency Chairman of the NPP, who accompanied them to the office, assured of their safety and urged them to support the party.
“You are welcome to the party and we are ready to work with you to facilitate the return of the NPP to power so that we would initiate policies and programmes that would promote your interest”, he stressed.
KUMAWUMAN RURAL BANK'S PROFIT SOARS (PAGE 29, OCT 2, 2010)
THE Kumawuman Rural Bank last year increased its profit from GH¢170,070 in 2008 to GH¢222,535, due to what management of the bank described as prudent financial measures.
Total deposits also increased from GH¢4.87 million in 2008 to GH¢6.66 million, with total assets rising to GH¢10.17 million from the GH¢6.22 million recorded in 2008.
The Board Chairman of the bank, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, who said this in a report read on his behalf at the 17th annual general meeting of the bank, said loans and advances offered to clients also appreciated from GH¢3.27 million to GH¢4.15 million during the period under review.
Dr Duffuor, who is also the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, gave the assurance that the board would continue to initiate policies and programmes that would facilitate its expansion, adding that the bank was more determined than ever to develop products that would accelerate its growth more meaningfully.
He said it was such policies that had enabled the bank to play “its role as a typical rural bank by contributing to the growth of the country’s domestic capital formation”.
The bank, he said, had already demonstrated its invaluable contribution to the local economy as 61 per cent of the deposits of the bank were made up of savings from customers who were predominantly residents of the rural economy.
He announced the bank had instituted a scholarship scheme to support the youth in its catchment area, saying “it will make it possible for them to unearth their talents by focusing on their academic programmes effectively”.
Last year, the Kumawuman Rural Bank offered a total of GH¢11,346 in scholarships to selected students in its catchment area. In all, 41 students from senior high and the tertiary benefited from the gesture.
Dr Duffuor pointed out that since many cocoa farmers in its catchment’s area decided to accept cocoa cheques payments instead of cash from their produce buyers, the bank was able to increase the Akuafo Cheques purchase, which increased from GH¢19,969 in 2008 to GH¢29,126 last year.
He said all the branches of the bank were also “ being computerised by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) through the Apex Bank “assuring that the computerisation of the bank would be completed before the end of the year”.
Dr Duffuor said the Kumawu Traditional Council had released a parcel of land to the bank to build its Head Office, assuring that the project would start early next year.
On its social responsibilities, Dr Duffuor said the Kumawuman Rural Bank spent a total of GH¢4,395 to undertake a number of development projects in some of the communities in their catchment areas as a way of accelerating socio-economic development in such areas.
He mentioned Tafo Traditional Council, the Sekyere East District Assembly, the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School, the Sekyere East District Directorate and the Kumasi sub Metro of the Ghana Education Service as some of the beneficiaries of the bank’s benevolence.
Total deposits also increased from GH¢4.87 million in 2008 to GH¢6.66 million, with total assets rising to GH¢10.17 million from the GH¢6.22 million recorded in 2008.
The Board Chairman of the bank, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, who said this in a report read on his behalf at the 17th annual general meeting of the bank, said loans and advances offered to clients also appreciated from GH¢3.27 million to GH¢4.15 million during the period under review.
Dr Duffuor, who is also the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, gave the assurance that the board would continue to initiate policies and programmes that would facilitate its expansion, adding that the bank was more determined than ever to develop products that would accelerate its growth more meaningfully.
He said it was such policies that had enabled the bank to play “its role as a typical rural bank by contributing to the growth of the country’s domestic capital formation”.
The bank, he said, had already demonstrated its invaluable contribution to the local economy as 61 per cent of the deposits of the bank were made up of savings from customers who were predominantly residents of the rural economy.
He announced the bank had instituted a scholarship scheme to support the youth in its catchment area, saying “it will make it possible for them to unearth their talents by focusing on their academic programmes effectively”.
Last year, the Kumawuman Rural Bank offered a total of GH¢11,346 in scholarships to selected students in its catchment area. In all, 41 students from senior high and the tertiary benefited from the gesture.
Dr Duffuor pointed out that since many cocoa farmers in its catchment’s area decided to accept cocoa cheques payments instead of cash from their produce buyers, the bank was able to increase the Akuafo Cheques purchase, which increased from GH¢19,969 in 2008 to GH¢29,126 last year.
He said all the branches of the bank were also “ being computerised by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) through the Apex Bank “assuring that the computerisation of the bank would be completed before the end of the year”.
Dr Duffuor said the Kumawu Traditional Council had released a parcel of land to the bank to build its Head Office, assuring that the project would start early next year.
On its social responsibilities, Dr Duffuor said the Kumawuman Rural Bank spent a total of GH¢4,395 to undertake a number of development projects in some of the communities in their catchment areas as a way of accelerating socio-economic development in such areas.
He mentioned Tafo Traditional Council, the Sekyere East District Assembly, the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School, the Sekyere East District Directorate and the Kumasi sub Metro of the Ghana Education Service as some of the beneficiaries of the bank’s benevolence.
JUSTICE ACADEMY WIN KONONGO GALA (PAGE 31, OCT 2, 2010)
Two goals, one in each half of extra time made it possible for Justice Academy Football Club at Konongo to defeat Nyinampomase Football Club in the finals of a gala competition played at the Owere Mines football park last Sunday to lift the giant trophy at stake and an amount of GH¢500.00.
The goals were scored by Yaha Abdul and Kwabena Beng on the 95th and 115th minutes respectively after the two teams had played a barren draw after the 90 minutes.
The gala competition was organised by Owere Mines Company Limited, a mining company that is operating the Konongo Gold Project, as part of its social responsibility of unearthing the talents of the youth .
The youth from 12 selected communities from the catchment area of the mining company participated in the tournament which started three weeks ago .
The communities included Agyareago, Konongo, Kyekyewere, Domeabra, Obenemase, Odumase, Kwakwakwa, Nyaboo, Patriensa, Kyekyebiase, Atunsu and Nyinamponase.
On their way to the finals, Nyinamponase defeated Kyekyebiase Youth 2-1, accounted for Owereman from Konongo 3-2, before losing to Justice Academy 0-2 .
Justice Academy also whitewashed Nana Kwame Stars from Odumase 4-1, defeated Golden Palace also from Konongo 4-1 on penalties, before accounting for Nyinamponase 2-0 at the finals to lift the trophy and the prize money at stake.
Nyinamponase Football Club received Gh¢300 for placing second, as well as a certificate of participation and a football.
All the participating teams were also given footballs each and a certificate of participation.
The gala competition was organised a few weeks after the company had organised an Akan proverb competition which was won by Fatimatu Alhassan – a second year junior high school student from Odumase Presby School.
Addressing the participants after the final game, the Project Manager of Owere Mines, Mr Roger Bannister, gave the assurance that the company was determined to support the youth within its catchment area in diverse ways to enable them to develop their potentials.
The goals were scored by Yaha Abdul and Kwabena Beng on the 95th and 115th minutes respectively after the two teams had played a barren draw after the 90 minutes.
The gala competition was organised by Owere Mines Company Limited, a mining company that is operating the Konongo Gold Project, as part of its social responsibility of unearthing the talents of the youth .
The youth from 12 selected communities from the catchment area of the mining company participated in the tournament which started three weeks ago .
The communities included Agyareago, Konongo, Kyekyewere, Domeabra, Obenemase, Odumase, Kwakwakwa, Nyaboo, Patriensa, Kyekyebiase, Atunsu and Nyinamponase.
On their way to the finals, Nyinamponase defeated Kyekyebiase Youth 2-1, accounted for Owereman from Konongo 3-2, before losing to Justice Academy 0-2 .
Justice Academy also whitewashed Nana Kwame Stars from Odumase 4-1, defeated Golden Palace also from Konongo 4-1 on penalties, before accounting for Nyinamponase 2-0 at the finals to lift the trophy and the prize money at stake.
Nyinamponase Football Club received Gh¢300 for placing second, as well as a certificate of participation and a football.
All the participating teams were also given footballs each and a certificate of participation.
The gala competition was organised a few weeks after the company had organised an Akan proverb competition which was won by Fatimatu Alhassan – a second year junior high school student from Odumase Presby School.
Addressing the participants after the final game, the Project Manager of Owere Mines, Mr Roger Bannister, gave the assurance that the company was determined to support the youth within its catchment area in diverse ways to enable them to develop their potentials.
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