From George Ernest Asare, Asante Mampong
AS part of measures to instil sanity on the road and reduce the incidence of road traffic accidents in the Mampong Municipality and its environs, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) has embarked on an exercise to arrest and prosecute motorists who have been flouting road traffic regulations.
So far, nine drivers have been arrested, prosecuted and fined to pay various sums of money since the exercise started last week.
Four others were cautioned and discharged when they appeared before the court.
A Mampong Circuit Court, presided over by Miss Joyce Bamfo, fined the nine drivers to pay a total of GH¢1,308 after the court, found them guilty of flouting various road traffic regulations.
The drivers pleaded guilty to using expired road worthy certificates, underweight driving licence, rickety vehicles and worn out tyres among other offences.
Briefing The Mirror about the exercise, the Mampong Municipal MTTU commander, DSP Benjamin Kwadwo Gyasi, said with Christmas festivities the tendency for motorists to disregard road safety measures with the intention of increasing sales was high, hence, the exercise.
He pointed out that the Municipal MTTU had put stringent measures in place to ensure that motorists strictly abided by road traffic regulations before, during and after the Christmas festivities, to reduce the trauma passengers go through anytime a vehicle was involved in an accident.
He gave the names of the convicted drivers as; Frank Kwarteng; Louis Osei Peprah; Kofi Akyeampong and Daniel Boakye.
The others included; Francis Boadi; Abdulai Awudu; Emmanuel Adomako; Peter Owusu and Emmanuel Osei Justice.
DSP Gyasi urged drivers to be law abiding by strictly complying with road traffic regulations to prevent them from being arrested and prosecuted.
He pointed out that the duty of the police was not to harass drivers but to ensure that they operated within the confines of the law to make travelling more comfortable and enjoyable.
DSP Gyasi said it was equally important for executives of the various drivers’ unions to impress on their members to maintain their vehicles regularly and regularise their documents to ensure that they did not fall victims to the exercise being carried out by the police.
Friday, December 31, 2010
BUSINESSMAN IN TROUBLE OVER INHUMAN TREATMENT (MIRROR, DEC 31, 2010, PAGE 19)
From George Ernest Asare, Obuasi
A magistrate Court at Obuasi presided over by Mr Owusu Sekyere has slapped a GH¢6,000 court fine at an Obuasi businessman after he was found guilty on charges of assault and subjecting a 12-year-old boy to inhuman treatment.
John Bonful, aka Santiago, forced the boy to eat his own faeces after assaulting him, a situation that caused a lot of public outcry.
When Bonful appeared before the court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, but was found guilty after the court had gone through the full trial of the case.
The convict was made to pay GH¢3,000 as court fine to the charges preferred against him, and was also ordered to pay GH¢ 3,000 as compensation to the child he abused.
He was given a week to settle the compensation to the victim after he paid the court fine.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Amissah, told the court that in March, this year parents of the victim reported that Bonful had assaulted the boy for defecating in public.
He said not satisfied with his action, Bonful again forced the boy to eat the faeces as a form of punishment.
He said the action caused the parents of the boy to report the action of Bonful to the police who arrested and charged him for the offence after investigations were completed.
A magistrate Court at Obuasi presided over by Mr Owusu Sekyere has slapped a GH¢6,000 court fine at an Obuasi businessman after he was found guilty on charges of assault and subjecting a 12-year-old boy to inhuman treatment.
John Bonful, aka Santiago, forced the boy to eat his own faeces after assaulting him, a situation that caused a lot of public outcry.
When Bonful appeared before the court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, but was found guilty after the court had gone through the full trial of the case.
The convict was made to pay GH¢3,000 as court fine to the charges preferred against him, and was also ordered to pay GH¢ 3,000 as compensation to the child he abused.
He was given a week to settle the compensation to the victim after he paid the court fine.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Amissah, told the court that in March, this year parents of the victim reported that Bonful had assaulted the boy for defecating in public.
He said not satisfied with his action, Bonful again forced the boy to eat the faeces as a form of punishment.
He said the action caused the parents of the boy to report the action of Bonful to the police who arrested and charged him for the offence after investigations were completed.
Monday, December 27, 2010
SOROMA CAPITAL TO BUILD APARTMENTS IN KUMASI (PAGE 18, DEC 27, 2010)
THE Akyempemhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, has broken grounds for construction work to begin on a $3.5 million 18 apartments at the Ridge residential area in Kumasi.
The project which is being undertaken by Soroma Capital and expected to be completed by December 2011, aims at reducing accommodation problems among the working class, enhancing the beauty of Kumasi and boosting the tourist attractions in the metropolis.
About 40 people have so far been employed to work on the project and expectations are that many more would be employed as construction works progress.
Addressing a cross-section of the public during a brief ceremony, Oheneba Adusei Poku commended Soroma Capital for initiating the project at one of the high-class residential areas in Kumasi.
He said the project would not only add to the tourist attractions in Kumasi when completed, but would also provide accommodation for the emerging middle-class group who find it difficult to rent apartments in the metropolis.
Oheneba Adusei Poku pointed out that it was therefore, important for the project managers to put premium in the quality of work to entice others to invest in real estate, which he said, had now become the norm in urban centres.
“For the first time, Kumasi is going to have first-class real estate edifice which befits its status as the Garden City, so it is important that you use all the requisite expertise and avoid compromising on quality” he advised.
He gave the assurance that he would consult the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for him to release adequate land for investors who would be interested in investing in real estate, and thereby ease accommodation problems affecting residents in the metropolis.
In his address, the Project Manager of Soroma Capital, Mr Kwabena Addi-Kissiedu, said their desire of initiating the project in Kumasi, especially the Ridge residential area, was to offer the emerging middle-class group the opportunity to be accommodated in high-class residential areas.
That, he said, would not only provide serene atmosphere for them to concentrate on their core businesses, but would also enable them have the peace of mind to focus on how to increase productivity and income generation.
Explaining further, Mr Addi-Kissiedu noted, “Property investors are interested in diversifying their portfolios geographically, and Soroma Capital is blazing the trail with these apartments in Kumasi as our contribution to raise standards in the metropolis”.
The project which is being undertaken by Soroma Capital and expected to be completed by December 2011, aims at reducing accommodation problems among the working class, enhancing the beauty of Kumasi and boosting the tourist attractions in the metropolis.
About 40 people have so far been employed to work on the project and expectations are that many more would be employed as construction works progress.
Addressing a cross-section of the public during a brief ceremony, Oheneba Adusei Poku commended Soroma Capital for initiating the project at one of the high-class residential areas in Kumasi.
He said the project would not only add to the tourist attractions in Kumasi when completed, but would also provide accommodation for the emerging middle-class group who find it difficult to rent apartments in the metropolis.
Oheneba Adusei Poku pointed out that it was therefore, important for the project managers to put premium in the quality of work to entice others to invest in real estate, which he said, had now become the norm in urban centres.
“For the first time, Kumasi is going to have first-class real estate edifice which befits its status as the Garden City, so it is important that you use all the requisite expertise and avoid compromising on quality” he advised.
He gave the assurance that he would consult the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for him to release adequate land for investors who would be interested in investing in real estate, and thereby ease accommodation problems affecting residents in the metropolis.
In his address, the Project Manager of Soroma Capital, Mr Kwabena Addi-Kissiedu, said their desire of initiating the project in Kumasi, especially the Ridge residential area, was to offer the emerging middle-class group the opportunity to be accommodated in high-class residential areas.
That, he said, would not only provide serene atmosphere for them to concentrate on their core businesses, but would also enable them have the peace of mind to focus on how to increase productivity and income generation.
Explaining further, Mr Addi-Kissiedu noted, “Property investors are interested in diversifying their portfolios geographically, and Soroma Capital is blazing the trail with these apartments in Kumasi as our contribution to raise standards in the metropolis”.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
ASHANTI RECORDS 572 FIRE OUTBREAKS (MIRROR, PAGE 34, DEC 24, 2010)
AFrom George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A TOTAL of 572 fire outbreaks, including domestic, industrial, vehicle and bushfires were recorded in the Ashanti Region between January and November this year.
The estimated cost of property totally destroyed by fire in the region during the period were pegged at Gh¢ 2,254,878.80.
The Ashanti Regional Fire Officer, ACFO, Mr P. A. Mensah, who made this known when the acting Chief Fire Officer, Mr Albert Brown-Gaisie, paid a familiarisation visit to Kumasi, said during the same period last year, a total of 602 fire outbreaks were recorded.
He said a total of GH¢2,342,538 properties were also destroyed last year. Mr Mensah pointed out that during the period under review, the various regional fire stations responded positively to rescue exercises, especially during road traffic collisions involving various vehicles.
Explaining, he said, they responded to 63 road traffic collisions, which caused 27 deaths as a result of multiple injuries the victims sustained.
He said in all, 76 passengers who sustained injuries were rushed to hospital, making it possible for them to receive medical care.
He said compared to last year, there had been a decrease in fire outbreaks in the region and attributed the situation to the safety education campaigns being carried out.
He pointed out that the fire safety educational campaigns were gradually creating the needed awareness, saying, “ The public now fully appreciate the socio-economic effects of fire outbreaks”.
Assuring that they would not relent their effort to move the fire safety campaigns to market places, churches, educational institutions, industries and the media among other places.
He pointed out that as part of their educational campaigns, they observed a safety week between December 6 and 10, on the theme “ Fire safety, everybody’s concern”.
He said during the campaign they interacted with many female groups, institutions, radio stations, artisans and market women.
He said notwithstanding the numerous challenges confronting them in their educational campaigns and core duties of responding to emergencies, they lacked the needed equipment that would facilitate their operations.
He said Fire Stations at Kuntanase, Agona, Ejura, New Edubiase, Fomena and Nkenkansu among others do not have fire appliances.
He said those with appliances such as Manhyia, Mamponteng, Komfo Anokye and Bekwai “ have developed weak engines and have therefore been booked out of commission”.
On the numerical strength of their staff, Mr Mensah said out of 541 personnel in the region, “a good number are on terminal leave prior to retirement”
He, therefore, pleaded that authorities place high premium on recruitment and manpower development as a way of beefing up their strength.
In his remarks, Mr Brown-Gaisie commended personnel in the region for their commitment to their core businesses.
He also assured of the measures being taken to provide them with the needed equipment to facilitate their operations.
A TOTAL of 572 fire outbreaks, including domestic, industrial, vehicle and bushfires were recorded in the Ashanti Region between January and November this year.
The estimated cost of property totally destroyed by fire in the region during the period were pegged at Gh¢ 2,254,878.80.
The Ashanti Regional Fire Officer, ACFO, Mr P. A. Mensah, who made this known when the acting Chief Fire Officer, Mr Albert Brown-Gaisie, paid a familiarisation visit to Kumasi, said during the same period last year, a total of 602 fire outbreaks were recorded.
He said a total of GH¢2,342,538 properties were also destroyed last year. Mr Mensah pointed out that during the period under review, the various regional fire stations responded positively to rescue exercises, especially during road traffic collisions involving various vehicles.
Explaining, he said, they responded to 63 road traffic collisions, which caused 27 deaths as a result of multiple injuries the victims sustained.
He said in all, 76 passengers who sustained injuries were rushed to hospital, making it possible for them to receive medical care.
He said compared to last year, there had been a decrease in fire outbreaks in the region and attributed the situation to the safety education campaigns being carried out.
He pointed out that the fire safety educational campaigns were gradually creating the needed awareness, saying, “ The public now fully appreciate the socio-economic effects of fire outbreaks”.
Assuring that they would not relent their effort to move the fire safety campaigns to market places, churches, educational institutions, industries and the media among other places.
He pointed out that as part of their educational campaigns, they observed a safety week between December 6 and 10, on the theme “ Fire safety, everybody’s concern”.
He said during the campaign they interacted with many female groups, institutions, radio stations, artisans and market women.
He said notwithstanding the numerous challenges confronting them in their educational campaigns and core duties of responding to emergencies, they lacked the needed equipment that would facilitate their operations.
He said Fire Stations at Kuntanase, Agona, Ejura, New Edubiase, Fomena and Nkenkansu among others do not have fire appliances.
He said those with appliances such as Manhyia, Mamponteng, Komfo Anokye and Bekwai “ have developed weak engines and have therefore been booked out of commission”.
On the numerical strength of their staff, Mr Mensah said out of 541 personnel in the region, “a good number are on terminal leave prior to retirement”
He, therefore, pleaded that authorities place high premium on recruitment and manpower development as a way of beefing up their strength.
In his remarks, Mr Brown-Gaisie commended personnel in the region for their commitment to their core businesses.
He also assured of the measures being taken to provide them with the needed equipment to facilitate their operations.
Monday, December 20, 2010
KOTOKO WIN 2-1 (BACK PAGE, DEC 20, 2010)
Kumasi Asante Kotoko ended the first round of the Glo Premier League on a bright note by defeating Wa All Stars 2-1 at the Baba Yara Stadium yesterday.
All Stars put up a brilliant display and therefore deserved to win at least a point but failed to convert their chances, especially in the first half.
Kotoko were awarded a penalty in the first half but Daniel Nii Adjei failed to convert the opportunity to the disappointment of the teeming fans.
However, Prince Boateng shot Kotoko into the lead in the 57th minute by beating two defenders before delivering a shot that beat goalkeeper Robert Dabuo.In the 67th minute, Opoku doubled the lead for Kotoko with a 25-metre drive before undaunted All Stars pulled a goal back through Nathaniel Asamoah who outwitted two Kotoko defenders before putting the ball at the blind side of goalkeeper Isaac Amoako.
All Stars put up a brilliant display and therefore deserved to win at least a point but failed to convert their chances, especially in the first half.
Kotoko were awarded a penalty in the first half but Daniel Nii Adjei failed to convert the opportunity to the disappointment of the teeming fans.
However, Prince Boateng shot Kotoko into the lead in the 57th minute by beating two defenders before delivering a shot that beat goalkeeper Robert Dabuo.In the 67th minute, Opoku doubled the lead for Kotoko with a 25-metre drive before undaunted All Stars pulled a goal back through Nathaniel Asamoah who outwitted two Kotoko defenders before putting the ball at the blind side of goalkeeper Isaac Amoako.
KUMASI BANS 99 VEHICLES (PAGE 3, DEC 20, 2010)
NINETY-NINE commercial and private vehicles operating within the Kumasi metropolis have been prohibited from using any road in the country due to the danger they pose to other road users.
A total of 125 commercial and private transport operators in the metropolis and its environs have also been convicted to pay various fines for flouting road traffic regulations.
This was after they had been arrested between November 5 and December 10, 2010 and successfully prosecuted.
The convicts, who pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them, were made to pay GH¢16,640 as fines after they had been found guilty of road traffic offences.
Seventy-six others whose vehicles were prohibited from using the roads have, however, repaired all the defects on their vehicles and been issued with roadworthy certificates.
The arrest and conviction of the drivers followed the operations of a joint task force comprising the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service mandated to enforce road traffic regulations.
The Ashanti Regional Licencing Officer, Mr Noah Tettey Matey, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the operations, said the offences of the convicted drivers ranged from the use of defective brakes, rickety vehicles and underweight licences to expired roadworthy stickers and broken windscreens.
He said the use of worn-out tyres and disconnected rear brakes also came under scrutiny during the operations, causing the task force to arrest and prosecute many offenders.
Mr Matey said the task force scrutinised 1,010 vehicles, including 225 taxis, 117 private cars, 224 mini-buses and 47 motorcycles.
He said they also scrutinised 151 Mercedes Benz 207 buses, 100 light trucks, 73 cargo trucks, 24 tractors and 19 articulated trucks, assuring the public that the exercise would be sustained to bring sanity on the roads.
Mr Matey said at the moment five of the cases were still pending before the court, while two drivers had been cautioned and discharged.
He said the court also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of three drivers who failed to appear before it.
He pointed out that the spate of accidents on the roads could partly be blamed on the rampant break-down of vehicles on major trunk roads, saying the situation could be greatly reduced if drivers regularly maintained their vehicles.
He said the task force would continue to be in operation, even after Christmas, to ensure that drivers complied with road traffic regulations.
A total of 125 commercial and private transport operators in the metropolis and its environs have also been convicted to pay various fines for flouting road traffic regulations.
This was after they had been arrested between November 5 and December 10, 2010 and successfully prosecuted.
The convicts, who pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them, were made to pay GH¢16,640 as fines after they had been found guilty of road traffic offences.
Seventy-six others whose vehicles were prohibited from using the roads have, however, repaired all the defects on their vehicles and been issued with roadworthy certificates.
The arrest and conviction of the drivers followed the operations of a joint task force comprising the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service mandated to enforce road traffic regulations.
The Ashanti Regional Licencing Officer, Mr Noah Tettey Matey, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the operations, said the offences of the convicted drivers ranged from the use of defective brakes, rickety vehicles and underweight licences to expired roadworthy stickers and broken windscreens.
He said the use of worn-out tyres and disconnected rear brakes also came under scrutiny during the operations, causing the task force to arrest and prosecute many offenders.
Mr Matey said the task force scrutinised 1,010 vehicles, including 225 taxis, 117 private cars, 224 mini-buses and 47 motorcycles.
He said they also scrutinised 151 Mercedes Benz 207 buses, 100 light trucks, 73 cargo trucks, 24 tractors and 19 articulated trucks, assuring the public that the exercise would be sustained to bring sanity on the roads.
Mr Matey said at the moment five of the cases were still pending before the court, while two drivers had been cautioned and discharged.
He said the court also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of three drivers who failed to appear before it.
He pointed out that the spate of accidents on the roads could partly be blamed on the rampant break-down of vehicles on major trunk roads, saying the situation could be greatly reduced if drivers regularly maintained their vehicles.
He said the task force would continue to be in operation, even after Christmas, to ensure that drivers complied with road traffic regulations.
Friday, December 17, 2010
MTTU BOSS TO APPEAL AGAINST DRIVERS ACQUITTAL (MIRROR, PAGE 28, DEC 18, 2010)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
The Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Awuni Angwubutoge, has threatened to appeal against a case in which the Motor Court, presided over by Justice Mariam Sulemna Sinera, acquitted and discharged a 21-year-old driver who had pleaded guilty to committing various traffic offences.
Briefing The Mirror about the case, he said the driver, Nurudeen Gaisie, who was in charge of LT cargo truck with registration number GT 387 A, was arrested on December 2, 2010, for driving a commercial vehicle without valid licence.
He said the driver was also using a vehicle with no valid road worthy certificate and worn out tyres.
“The vehicle was also very weak, with a rusty body which had the tendency to create danger to other road users” he explained.
Explaining further, Mr Awuni said officers of the MTTU arrested the driver along the Graphic–Kaneshie road around 1.00 p.m. on December 2, 2010, and when he was asked to produce his licence, he could not do so.
He said he was also 21 years old and driving a commercial vehicle was against traffic regulations.
Mr Awuni said during inspection, the officers found out that all the tyres on the vehicle were completely worn out, exposing the inner threads, and further inspection also revealed that the road worthy certificate had expired for more than a year.
He said after investigations, the driver was charged for using an expired road worthy certificate, driving a commercial vehicle without valid licence and using a vehicle that exposed other road users to danger, among other offences.
He said when Nurudeen appeared before the Motor Court, he pleaded guilty to all the offences, but surprisingly the judge acquitted and discharged him.
Expressing his displeasure against the ruling, Mr Awuni said such actions by the courts undermined the efforts by the police to enforce road traffic regulations.
He pointed out that the MTTU needed to be encouraged to enforce road traffic regulations as a way of reducing the rate of accidents that had been claiming precious lives and destroying property all year round.
Mr Awuni pointed out that as Christmas approached, the tendency for drivers to disregard road safety regulations were high, saying MTTU personnel would be on duty to enforce road traffic regulations, but their efforts would not yield positive results if the courts continue to set drivers free when they plead guilty to offences committed.
The Commanding Officer of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Awuni Angwubutoge, has threatened to appeal against a case in which the Motor Court, presided over by Justice Mariam Sulemna Sinera, acquitted and discharged a 21-year-old driver who had pleaded guilty to committing various traffic offences.
Briefing The Mirror about the case, he said the driver, Nurudeen Gaisie, who was in charge of LT cargo truck with registration number GT 387 A, was arrested on December 2, 2010, for driving a commercial vehicle without valid licence.
He said the driver was also using a vehicle with no valid road worthy certificate and worn out tyres.
“The vehicle was also very weak, with a rusty body which had the tendency to create danger to other road users” he explained.
Explaining further, Mr Awuni said officers of the MTTU arrested the driver along the Graphic–Kaneshie road around 1.00 p.m. on December 2, 2010, and when he was asked to produce his licence, he could not do so.
He said he was also 21 years old and driving a commercial vehicle was against traffic regulations.
Mr Awuni said during inspection, the officers found out that all the tyres on the vehicle were completely worn out, exposing the inner threads, and further inspection also revealed that the road worthy certificate had expired for more than a year.
He said after investigations, the driver was charged for using an expired road worthy certificate, driving a commercial vehicle without valid licence and using a vehicle that exposed other road users to danger, among other offences.
He said when Nurudeen appeared before the Motor Court, he pleaded guilty to all the offences, but surprisingly the judge acquitted and discharged him.
Expressing his displeasure against the ruling, Mr Awuni said such actions by the courts undermined the efforts by the police to enforce road traffic regulations.
He pointed out that the MTTU needed to be encouraged to enforce road traffic regulations as a way of reducing the rate of accidents that had been claiming precious lives and destroying property all year round.
Mr Awuni pointed out that as Christmas approached, the tendency for drivers to disregard road safety regulations were high, saying MTTU personnel would be on duty to enforce road traffic regulations, but their efforts would not yield positive results if the courts continue to set drivers free when they plead guilty to offences committed.
COALITION EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT JATROPHA FARMS (PAGE 51, DEC 17, 2010)
THE Civil Society Coalition on Land (CICOL) has expressed concern over the scramble for large tracts of land across the country by multinational and local companies for the cultivation of jatropha.
According to CICOL, as much as 510,000 hectares of land had already been acquired for the cultivation of jatropha in Agogo in the Ashanti Region, Yeji in the Brong Ahafo Region and other parts of the country, explaining that the activity had already displaced many farmers, thereby affecting food production in the areas without adequate compensation.
The executive committee of CICOL, therefore, appealed to the government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene, saying displacing farmers for the cultivation of jatropha at the expense of food crops had the tendency of creating food insecurity and shortages in the country.
An executive member of CICOL, Nana Dwomo Sarpong, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the operations of multinational companies in the cultivation of jatropha and its effect on food production, explained that in Agogo, a Norwegian company had acquired 400,000 hectares of land belonging to the people of Agogo for the cultivation of jatropha for bio-diesel production.
Explaining further, he said an Israeli company, Galten Company Limited, had also acquired 100,000 hectares of land for the cultivation of the crop at Yeji, while an Italian company, Agroils Limited, had also acquired 10,000 hectares of land to cultivate the crop.
Nana Sarpong, who is also the President of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies, an environmental NGO, said so far more than 20 companies from The Netherlands, India, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Israel, Norway, China and Brazil were now in Ghana cultivating lands in the Volta, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern and Northern regions.
On oil exploration in the country, he said the situation would further aggravate the land grabbing situation in Ghana, since vast parcels of land had already been obtained for large-scale gold mining, timber utilisation, as well as rubber and oil plantation.
“These acquisitions have impacted on land rights and livelihood and compensation issues remain a great challenge,” he stated.
“The oil find is on the verge of rendering the rural folks in the Jomoro District poorer, as their lands which were used for the cultivation of cocoa, coconut, oil palm, cassava, maize, groundnut and vegetables are now leased out for other purposes in relation to the oil find,” he explained.
Nana Sarpong reiterated the need for adequate compensation to be paid to displaced farmers, saying, “Farmers have to be compensated fairly when their farmlands are claimed for other purposes.”
According to CICOL, as much as 510,000 hectares of land had already been acquired for the cultivation of jatropha in Agogo in the Ashanti Region, Yeji in the Brong Ahafo Region and other parts of the country, explaining that the activity had already displaced many farmers, thereby affecting food production in the areas without adequate compensation.
The executive committee of CICOL, therefore, appealed to the government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene, saying displacing farmers for the cultivation of jatropha at the expense of food crops had the tendency of creating food insecurity and shortages in the country.
An executive member of CICOL, Nana Dwomo Sarpong, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the operations of multinational companies in the cultivation of jatropha and its effect on food production, explained that in Agogo, a Norwegian company had acquired 400,000 hectares of land belonging to the people of Agogo for the cultivation of jatropha for bio-diesel production.
Explaining further, he said an Israeli company, Galten Company Limited, had also acquired 100,000 hectares of land for the cultivation of the crop at Yeji, while an Italian company, Agroils Limited, had also acquired 10,000 hectares of land to cultivate the crop.
Nana Sarpong, who is also the President of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies, an environmental NGO, said so far more than 20 companies from The Netherlands, India, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Israel, Norway, China and Brazil were now in Ghana cultivating lands in the Volta, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern and Northern regions.
On oil exploration in the country, he said the situation would further aggravate the land grabbing situation in Ghana, since vast parcels of land had already been obtained for large-scale gold mining, timber utilisation, as well as rubber and oil plantation.
“These acquisitions have impacted on land rights and livelihood and compensation issues remain a great challenge,” he stated.
“The oil find is on the verge of rendering the rural folks in the Jomoro District poorer, as their lands which were used for the cultivation of cocoa, coconut, oil palm, cassava, maize, groundnut and vegetables are now leased out for other purposes in relation to the oil find,” he explained.
Nana Sarpong reiterated the need for adequate compensation to be paid to displaced farmers, saying, “Farmers have to be compensated fairly when their farmlands are claimed for other purposes.”
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
GOVT URGED TO SUPPORT PRIVATE TERTIARY STUDENTS (PAGE 11, DEC 15, 2010)
THE Chairman of the Governing Council of Ghana Baptist University College, (GBUC) Professor Edwin Kwame Wiredu, has stressed the need for the government to extend financial support to students pursuing various programmes in private tertiary institutions just like those in the public schools.
Speaking on the theme, “tapping the potential of private universities in Ghana for job creation and national economic development”, during the second graduation ceremony of the Ghana Baptist University College in Kumasi, Professor Wiredu said “ since education is considered more of a right than a privilege, it is important that we consider an all-inclusive system of education that benefits every youth in Ghana”.
In all, 109 students were awarded certificates in Theology , Music Business Administration, Human Resource Management and Management, among other programmes.
Professor Wiredu said apart from parents paying taxes that went to support the educational sector, “ students in both private and public universities offer one year mandatory national service”, hence, the need to support every tertiary student financially .
He assured that the Council would establish an endowment fund that would enhance research work in the university to broaden the horizon of students.
He, therefore, charged the management of the school to establish a research committee that would not only work out modalities of the research programme, but would also source for sponsors to facilitate the establishment of the programme.
He said the Council had also given approval to pay 10 per cent of the fees of all Baptists who qualified to access tertiary education at the university.
Professor Wiredu said as part of the measures being taken to offer opportunity for students to study French as a second language, a multi-media centre was being established at the Citi Campus at Amakom.
Explaining, he said, the centre would “enhance teaching and learning of French and English through audio visual presentations”.
In his address, the President of the GBUC, Rev. Dr Kojo Osei-Wusuh, said from a humble beginning, the University College was now growing steadily.
He said measures had been established to enhance quality teaching and learning, explaining that apart from the increased classroom blocks provided to enhance effective lecturer-student interaction, hostel facilities had also been provided to ease accommodation for prospective students.
Rev. Dr Wusuh said the GBUC had also not only refurbished its library facility to enhance research work but was also upgrading its Internet facilities with the view to introducing e-library to ensure efficient teaching, learning and research for both students and the faculty.
He, therefore, urged students to take advantage of the facility to broaden their horizon.
He announced that the University was in the process of introducing Personnel Development Planning programme to equip students with “personal self-understanding and how to plan their career and life”, and pointed out that the programme was also intended to make students fully prepared and confident in their effort to overcome any challenge they may encounter as they developed their career.
For his part, the Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, commended private universities for their roles in expanding the enrolment of students at the tertiary level in the country .
He pointed out that “until the establishment of private universities which expanded access to higher education in Ghana, only 25-30 per cent of the total number of candidates who qualified each year for admission into the five public universities actually gained admission”.
He pointed out that evidence clearly pointed to the fact that higher education could produce both public and private benefits for individuals, including the enhancement of academic capacity, better employment prospect, as well as relatively higher salaries and a greater ability to save and invest.
On its benefits to the public, Most Rev. Professor Asante said “tertiary education can help economies develop and promote faster technological catch-up and improve a country’s ability to maximise its economic output”.
Speaking on the theme, “tapping the potential of private universities in Ghana for job creation and national economic development”, during the second graduation ceremony of the Ghana Baptist University College in Kumasi, Professor Wiredu said “ since education is considered more of a right than a privilege, it is important that we consider an all-inclusive system of education that benefits every youth in Ghana”.
In all, 109 students were awarded certificates in Theology , Music Business Administration, Human Resource Management and Management, among other programmes.
Professor Wiredu said apart from parents paying taxes that went to support the educational sector, “ students in both private and public universities offer one year mandatory national service”, hence, the need to support every tertiary student financially .
He assured that the Council would establish an endowment fund that would enhance research work in the university to broaden the horizon of students.
He, therefore, charged the management of the school to establish a research committee that would not only work out modalities of the research programme, but would also source for sponsors to facilitate the establishment of the programme.
He said the Council had also given approval to pay 10 per cent of the fees of all Baptists who qualified to access tertiary education at the university.
Professor Wiredu said as part of the measures being taken to offer opportunity for students to study French as a second language, a multi-media centre was being established at the Citi Campus at Amakom.
Explaining, he said, the centre would “enhance teaching and learning of French and English through audio visual presentations”.
In his address, the President of the GBUC, Rev. Dr Kojo Osei-Wusuh, said from a humble beginning, the University College was now growing steadily.
He said measures had been established to enhance quality teaching and learning, explaining that apart from the increased classroom blocks provided to enhance effective lecturer-student interaction, hostel facilities had also been provided to ease accommodation for prospective students.
Rev. Dr Wusuh said the GBUC had also not only refurbished its library facility to enhance research work but was also upgrading its Internet facilities with the view to introducing e-library to ensure efficient teaching, learning and research for both students and the faculty.
He, therefore, urged students to take advantage of the facility to broaden their horizon.
He announced that the University was in the process of introducing Personnel Development Planning programme to equip students with “personal self-understanding and how to plan their career and life”, and pointed out that the programme was also intended to make students fully prepared and confident in their effort to overcome any challenge they may encounter as they developed their career.
For his part, the Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Asante, commended private universities for their roles in expanding the enrolment of students at the tertiary level in the country .
He pointed out that “until the establishment of private universities which expanded access to higher education in Ghana, only 25-30 per cent of the total number of candidates who qualified each year for admission into the five public universities actually gained admission”.
He pointed out that evidence clearly pointed to the fact that higher education could produce both public and private benefits for individuals, including the enhancement of academic capacity, better employment prospect, as well as relatively higher salaries and a greater ability to save and invest.
On its benefits to the public, Most Rev. Professor Asante said “tertiary education can help economies develop and promote faster technological catch-up and improve a country’s ability to maximise its economic output”.
NO MANSION COMMENT FROM MANHYIA PALACE (1B, DEC 14, 2010)
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE Manhyia Palace has declined comment on a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report quoting the Sunday Times newspaper that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has purchased a $5 million mansion in London.
The Public Affairs Manager at Manhyia, Mr G.B. Osei-Antwi, told the Daily Graphic at the palace yesterday that all he knew was that the Asantehene had not mandated anyone to speak on the matter.
Earlier in the day, the Akyempimhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, had told Accra-based Joy FM that there could not be any truth in the allegation.
Mr Osei-Antwi, however, refused to comment on that statement by the Akyempimhene and emphasised that Manhyia had not made any official statement on the report.
“Let's all take it now that officially nothing has come up with regard to the publication,” he told the Daily Graphic.
The Akyempimhene, in his interview with the radio station, had stated that Asanteman would meet on the issue to take a decision.
Oheneba Adusei Poku, the eldest son of the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II and lawyer, emphasised that Otumfuo Osei Tutu believed in the development of his people and nothing would be done to stray from that path.
The property, according to the British report, “sits on a 20-acre estate with creamy marble floors and a cinema room”.
It added that the property had an attractive drawing room with double windows, a decorative fireplace and panelling.
The story sought to strike a contrast between the Asantehene’s modest lifestyle in London, when he was working for a local council before returning home to ascend the throne, to what the BBC now describes as a grand lifestyle which includes playing golf with some of the world’s most important people.
According to The Sunday Times, the estate is situated in the wealthy neighbourhood of Henley-on-Thames.
The BBC’s Celeste Hicks added, “The Ashanti King is the most influential traditional figure of authority in Ghana.
He lives in a palace in Kumasi, the capital of his gold-rich kingdom, but he travels the world often to meet subjects and raise funds for his many charity educational projects.”
“This six-bedroom neo-colonial property bought in November is expected to provide an aside from his work. It has an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court and stables.
“It sits on a 20-acre estate with creamy marble floors throughout and a cinema room. However, it is still the drawing room with double windows, a decorative fireplace and panelling that caught the eye of the 60-year old king.
“Before getting to the throne in Ghana, he lived a modest life in London working for a local council, but like his 15 predecessors, he now lives a grand life, holding court with his subjects, playing golf and meeting some of the world’s most important people. That includes the Queen of England who he met on one of his many visits to Britain.
“Ghana, a producer of gold since the 16th century, today has one of the largest and richest reserves of gold in the world.
“The Obuasi gold mine, some 30 minutes’ drive from the kingdom’s capital, Kumasi, is the biggest in the country. So with the mining industry that has been a relative success story, the influence of a king who presides is immense.
“Though without constitutional powers, his approval is sought in many political appointments and decisions. His office is so revered that public criticism is rare, but with this new purchase, many in his kingdom and beyond might just muster the courage to ask questions about the king’s priorities,” he wrote.
THE Manhyia Palace has declined comment on a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report quoting the Sunday Times newspaper that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has purchased a $5 million mansion in London.
The Public Affairs Manager at Manhyia, Mr G.B. Osei-Antwi, told the Daily Graphic at the palace yesterday that all he knew was that the Asantehene had not mandated anyone to speak on the matter.
Earlier in the day, the Akyempimhene, Oheneba Adusei Poku, had told Accra-based Joy FM that there could not be any truth in the allegation.
Mr Osei-Antwi, however, refused to comment on that statement by the Akyempimhene and emphasised that Manhyia had not made any official statement on the report.
“Let's all take it now that officially nothing has come up with regard to the publication,” he told the Daily Graphic.
The Akyempimhene, in his interview with the radio station, had stated that Asanteman would meet on the issue to take a decision.
Oheneba Adusei Poku, the eldest son of the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II and lawyer, emphasised that Otumfuo Osei Tutu believed in the development of his people and nothing would be done to stray from that path.
The property, according to the British report, “sits on a 20-acre estate with creamy marble floors and a cinema room”.
It added that the property had an attractive drawing room with double windows, a decorative fireplace and panelling.
The story sought to strike a contrast between the Asantehene’s modest lifestyle in London, when he was working for a local council before returning home to ascend the throne, to what the BBC now describes as a grand lifestyle which includes playing golf with some of the world’s most important people.
According to The Sunday Times, the estate is situated in the wealthy neighbourhood of Henley-on-Thames.
The BBC’s Celeste Hicks added, “The Ashanti King is the most influential traditional figure of authority in Ghana.
He lives in a palace in Kumasi, the capital of his gold-rich kingdom, but he travels the world often to meet subjects and raise funds for his many charity educational projects.”
“This six-bedroom neo-colonial property bought in November is expected to provide an aside from his work. It has an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court and stables.
“It sits on a 20-acre estate with creamy marble floors throughout and a cinema room. However, it is still the drawing room with double windows, a decorative fireplace and panelling that caught the eye of the 60-year old king.
“Before getting to the throne in Ghana, he lived a modest life in London working for a local council, but like his 15 predecessors, he now lives a grand life, holding court with his subjects, playing golf and meeting some of the world’s most important people. That includes the Queen of England who he met on one of his many visits to Britain.
“Ghana, a producer of gold since the 16th century, today has one of the largest and richest reserves of gold in the world.
“The Obuasi gold mine, some 30 minutes’ drive from the kingdom’s capital, Kumasi, is the biggest in the country. So with the mining industry that has been a relative success story, the influence of a king who presides is immense.
“Though without constitutional powers, his approval is sought in many political appointments and decisions. His office is so revered that public criticism is rare, but with this new purchase, many in his kingdom and beyond might just muster the courage to ask questions about the king’s priorities,” he wrote.
Friday, December 10, 2010
CABLE STEALING GANG ON REMAND (MIRROR, PAGE 35, DEC 11, 2010)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A mobile phone repairer, based at Nsuta, near Mampong, Maxwell Akwasi Tuffour, alias Man, alleged to have conspired with six others to steal quantities of high tension electricity cables and underground telephone cables, belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Vodafone Ghana, has been remanded into prison custody, pending further investigations.
The items, estimated at GH¢1,023,000 were detected to have been stolen in October this year and a tip off led to the arrest of Tuffour and his accomplices.
The suspects are Kwesi Yeboah, alias Sagacious, a drinking bar operator based at Nsuta, near Mampong, Kwadjo Antwi, an electrical engineer, Kwadjo Amponsem, Kwadjo Gyemfi and Yussif Abubakari all electricians and Iklilu Mohammed, a scrap dealer.
While Tuffour and Yeboah were charged with dishonestly receiving and possession of firearms and ammunitions without lawful authority, the others were charged with dishonestly receiving when they appeared before a Kumasi Circuit court, presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Amoo-Yartey.
A search conducted by the police in an uncompleted house belonging to Tuffour on October 29, 2010, led to the retrieval of some of the stolen high-tension and underground telephone cables. Also found in the house were locally manufactured pistol and live cartridges.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before the court. They would reappear before the court in two weeks time.
Presenting the facts before the court, a State Attorney, Mr Emmanuel Lawrence Otoo-Boison, said the ECG and Vodafone had in recent times been complaining to the police about theft of their cables within the Asante Mampong-Nsuta Municipality.
He said on October 28, 2010, the police had a tip -off that Tuffour and three others now at large were the culprits, and based on the information, the police arrested Tuffour and conducted a search in his uncompleted house at Nsuta.
Mr Otoo-Boison said when questioned about the items found in the house, Tuffour mentioned Yeboah as the owner of the pistol and cartridges and also mentioned Mohammed as the one who had been buying the stolen cables from him.
He said when the police arrested Mohammed in his uncompleted storey building at Mampong, they found large quantities of the cables cut into pieces and heaped in one of his rooms.
Mr Otoo-Boison said Mohammed in his caution statement to the police, admitted the offence, but mentioned Antwi who is a sub contractor and his three employees, namely Amponsem, Gyemfi and Abubakari as his accomplices.
He explained that the sub contractor and his employees were responsible for replacing high tension cables from Neuter to Kwaman for the ECG and they used the opportunity to allegedly steal the items and sell to the private land developers.
He said when Yeboah was also arrested on November 1, 2010, he claimed ownership of the locally manufactured pistol found with Tuffour but vehemently denied any knowledge about the cartridges.
He said when officials of the ECG and Vodafone were invited to inspect the items retrieved from the suspects, they admitted that they were their property and based on that the suspects were hauled into the court while investigations continued.
A mobile phone repairer, based at Nsuta, near Mampong, Maxwell Akwasi Tuffour, alias Man, alleged to have conspired with six others to steal quantities of high tension electricity cables and underground telephone cables, belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Vodafone Ghana, has been remanded into prison custody, pending further investigations.
The items, estimated at GH¢1,023,000 were detected to have been stolen in October this year and a tip off led to the arrest of Tuffour and his accomplices.
The suspects are Kwesi Yeboah, alias Sagacious, a drinking bar operator based at Nsuta, near Mampong, Kwadjo Antwi, an electrical engineer, Kwadjo Amponsem, Kwadjo Gyemfi and Yussif Abubakari all electricians and Iklilu Mohammed, a scrap dealer.
While Tuffour and Yeboah were charged with dishonestly receiving and possession of firearms and ammunitions without lawful authority, the others were charged with dishonestly receiving when they appeared before a Kumasi Circuit court, presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Amoo-Yartey.
A search conducted by the police in an uncompleted house belonging to Tuffour on October 29, 2010, led to the retrieval of some of the stolen high-tension and underground telephone cables. Also found in the house were locally manufactured pistol and live cartridges.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before the court. They would reappear before the court in two weeks time.
Presenting the facts before the court, a State Attorney, Mr Emmanuel Lawrence Otoo-Boison, said the ECG and Vodafone had in recent times been complaining to the police about theft of their cables within the Asante Mampong-Nsuta Municipality.
He said on October 28, 2010, the police had a tip -off that Tuffour and three others now at large were the culprits, and based on the information, the police arrested Tuffour and conducted a search in his uncompleted house at Nsuta.
Mr Otoo-Boison said when questioned about the items found in the house, Tuffour mentioned Yeboah as the owner of the pistol and cartridges and also mentioned Mohammed as the one who had been buying the stolen cables from him.
He said when the police arrested Mohammed in his uncompleted storey building at Mampong, they found large quantities of the cables cut into pieces and heaped in one of his rooms.
Mr Otoo-Boison said Mohammed in his caution statement to the police, admitted the offence, but mentioned Antwi who is a sub contractor and his three employees, namely Amponsem, Gyemfi and Abubakari as his accomplices.
He explained that the sub contractor and his employees were responsible for replacing high tension cables from Neuter to Kwaman for the ECG and they used the opportunity to allegedly steal the items and sell to the private land developers.
He said when Yeboah was also arrested on November 1, 2010, he claimed ownership of the locally manufactured pistol found with Tuffour but vehemently denied any knowledge about the cartridges.
He said when officials of the ECG and Vodafone were invited to inspect the items retrieved from the suspects, they admitted that they were their property and based on that the suspects were hauled into the court while investigations continued.
MP FOR BOSOMTWE SUPPORTS JAPASS (PAGE 12, DEC 10, 2010)
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, is supporting the development of educational infrastructure at the Jachie-Pramso Senior High School (Mighty JAPASS) with the construction of a computer laboratory for the school.
Construction work for the project, estimated at GH¢30,000, is expected to begin early next year.
Already, the MP has contracted architects to come out with drawings and designs that would meet the specifications of the computer laboratory, expected to accommodate 50 students at a time.
Mr Osei- Mensah, who announced this during the 40th anniversary celebration of JAPASS, pointed out that with the computer laboratory, students would have the opportunity of being introduced into the basics of computer literacy, which he said had now become the major component of securing job opportunities.
He pointed out that his desire to construct the computer laboratory for the school was born by the fact that without computer literacy, students from the school would be handicapped when sourcing job opportunities.
“ Computer literacy has now become pre-requisite for employment, so this is my widow’s mite to help students of JAPASS become computer literate to enable them to be abreast of modern trends of communication” he explained.
Mr Osei-Mensah commended the Parents Teacher Association of JAPASS for their sense of commitment and initiatives, which he said had made it possible for them to initiate many development projects for the school.
He pointed out that with the pace at which the school was expanding, and the increasing number of students being admitted each academic year, there was the need to protect the land earmarked for the development of the school.
Mr Osei–Mensah, therefore, appealed to the chiefs of Jachie and Pramso to discourage the encroachment of any part of the school land, saying any thing contrary to the protection of the school lands would undermine the expansion of educational infrastructure in future .
He also urged the headmistress of the school to collaborate with the PTA and board of governors of the school to secure the needed documents covering all school land to prevent any form of encroachment.
Mr Osei Mensah paid glowing tribute to the executive members of the old students association for their sense of dynamism, making it possible for them to support the 40th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the school which also coincided with the speech and prize giving day celebrations.
He challenged old students of JAPASS residing in Accra and other parts of the country, to come together to form vibrant regional associations to enable them to support the development initiatives of the school.
This, he said, would adequately motivate the current students for them to focus on their academic programmes and develop their potentials more effectively.
He also appealed to the government to support the development initiative of the school by constructing a three-storey dormitory to address the accommodation problems facing male students in the school.
In his address, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku -Manu, commended the chiefs and people of Jachie and Pramso for their foresight, which he said made it possible for them to establish the school, now the centre of excellence of academic programmes in the Bosomtwe district.
“ The school can now boast of having produced highly placed people, including Professor Ken Agyemang Attefuah who is contributing immensely towards the development initiatives of the country” he noted, stressing “what is worth commending is the fact that the school is not as resourced and endowed as some of the schools in the region, but it has held on to its own principles and standards, and managed to make significant impact in the educational landscape of the country”.
Mr Opoku- Manu said he would donate 100 bags of cement to support the construction of ongoing projects of the school and urged the old boys “ to rally behind the school authorities to ensure that the upgrading of the school become a reality and meaningful”.
He assured that “the government would continue to support the school as a way of propelling it to an enviable height in future.
The District Chief Executive of Bosomtwe, Mr Nti Berko, assured that the assembly would start the construction of a three-unit classroom block immediately to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
He also assured that the assembly would donate 50 bags of cement to the school to support the construction of ongoing projects.
The Chairman of the Board of Governors of JAPASS, Nana Nsuase Poku Agyeman III, commended the headmistress of the school for collaborating with the teaching and non-teaching staff to instil high level of discipline among students , making it possible for them to focus on their academic programmes.
Construction work for the project, estimated at GH¢30,000, is expected to begin early next year.
Already, the MP has contracted architects to come out with drawings and designs that would meet the specifications of the computer laboratory, expected to accommodate 50 students at a time.
Mr Osei- Mensah, who announced this during the 40th anniversary celebration of JAPASS, pointed out that with the computer laboratory, students would have the opportunity of being introduced into the basics of computer literacy, which he said had now become the major component of securing job opportunities.
He pointed out that his desire to construct the computer laboratory for the school was born by the fact that without computer literacy, students from the school would be handicapped when sourcing job opportunities.
“ Computer literacy has now become pre-requisite for employment, so this is my widow’s mite to help students of JAPASS become computer literate to enable them to be abreast of modern trends of communication” he explained.
Mr Osei-Mensah commended the Parents Teacher Association of JAPASS for their sense of commitment and initiatives, which he said had made it possible for them to initiate many development projects for the school.
He pointed out that with the pace at which the school was expanding, and the increasing number of students being admitted each academic year, there was the need to protect the land earmarked for the development of the school.
Mr Osei–Mensah, therefore, appealed to the chiefs of Jachie and Pramso to discourage the encroachment of any part of the school land, saying any thing contrary to the protection of the school lands would undermine the expansion of educational infrastructure in future .
He also urged the headmistress of the school to collaborate with the PTA and board of governors of the school to secure the needed documents covering all school land to prevent any form of encroachment.
Mr Osei Mensah paid glowing tribute to the executive members of the old students association for their sense of dynamism, making it possible for them to support the 40th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the school which also coincided with the speech and prize giving day celebrations.
He challenged old students of JAPASS residing in Accra and other parts of the country, to come together to form vibrant regional associations to enable them to support the development initiatives of the school.
This, he said, would adequately motivate the current students for them to focus on their academic programmes and develop their potentials more effectively.
He also appealed to the government to support the development initiative of the school by constructing a three-storey dormitory to address the accommodation problems facing male students in the school.
In his address, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku -Manu, commended the chiefs and people of Jachie and Pramso for their foresight, which he said made it possible for them to establish the school, now the centre of excellence of academic programmes in the Bosomtwe district.
“ The school can now boast of having produced highly placed people, including Professor Ken Agyemang Attefuah who is contributing immensely towards the development initiatives of the country” he noted, stressing “what is worth commending is the fact that the school is not as resourced and endowed as some of the schools in the region, but it has held on to its own principles and standards, and managed to make significant impact in the educational landscape of the country”.
Mr Opoku- Manu said he would donate 100 bags of cement to support the construction of ongoing projects of the school and urged the old boys “ to rally behind the school authorities to ensure that the upgrading of the school become a reality and meaningful”.
He assured that “the government would continue to support the school as a way of propelling it to an enviable height in future.
The District Chief Executive of Bosomtwe, Mr Nti Berko, assured that the assembly would start the construction of a three-unit classroom block immediately to enhance teaching and learning in the school.
He also assured that the assembly would donate 50 bags of cement to the school to support the construction of ongoing projects.
The Chairman of the Board of Governors of JAPASS, Nana Nsuase Poku Agyeman III, commended the headmistress of the school for collaborating with the teaching and non-teaching staff to instil high level of discipline among students , making it possible for them to focus on their academic programmes.
MINING COMPANY REPAIRS DAM AT KONONGO (PAGE 35, DEC 9, 2010)
THE Konongo Traditional Council has commended the management of Owere Mines, a gold mining company in the town, for its prompt response to the rehabilitation of the Konongo dam which broke down recently.
The damage affected the free flow of water for domestic use, forcing the residents of Konongo to resort to the use of contaminated streams and rivers for domestic and other uses.
To avert the outbreak of any water-borne disease among residents during the water shortage period, the traditional council appealed to management of Oweri Mines to come to their aid and their response was swift.
According to the management of Owere Mines, the dam, which broke down as a result of the recent heavy downpour in the area was rehabilitated at a cost of GH¢55,000.
It added that the embankment of the dam was also filled with debris and silt, making it impossible for water to flow into the head station.
The chief of Konongo, Nana Batafo Akyeampong Nti, in an interview with Daily Graphic after management had handed over the dam to the Ghana Water Company, said the intervention by the mining company saved the residents from contracting water-borne diseases.
He said the dam was the only source of potable water for Konongo and its environs so when it broke down, residents had no alternative than resorting to the use of streams and wells, most of which were contaminated.
“When we contacted the mining company to help in rehabilitating the damaged dam, it did not hesitate by providing the necessary materials and funds to repair the dam to restore free flow of water so we are grateful for the support,” Nana Nti stated.
He said apart from supporting the community with potable water, the company had also supported the construction of a police station at Odumase to motivate the personnel of the Konongo Municipal Police to be effective in maintaining law and order.
Nana Nti appealed to the management of the company to employ the youth in the area who had employable skills to reduce the unemployment rate in the municipality.
The Project Manager of the company, Mr Roger Bannister, said apart from rehabilitating the dam, the mining company had also repaired the left side of the embankment of the main transmission line.
He explained that their quick response to the water crisis at Konongo was to “prevent its associated risk of contracting water-borne diseases”.
The damage affected the free flow of water for domestic use, forcing the residents of Konongo to resort to the use of contaminated streams and rivers for domestic and other uses.
To avert the outbreak of any water-borne disease among residents during the water shortage period, the traditional council appealed to management of Oweri Mines to come to their aid and their response was swift.
According to the management of Owere Mines, the dam, which broke down as a result of the recent heavy downpour in the area was rehabilitated at a cost of GH¢55,000.
It added that the embankment of the dam was also filled with debris and silt, making it impossible for water to flow into the head station.
The chief of Konongo, Nana Batafo Akyeampong Nti, in an interview with Daily Graphic after management had handed over the dam to the Ghana Water Company, said the intervention by the mining company saved the residents from contracting water-borne diseases.
He said the dam was the only source of potable water for Konongo and its environs so when it broke down, residents had no alternative than resorting to the use of streams and wells, most of which were contaminated.
“When we contacted the mining company to help in rehabilitating the damaged dam, it did not hesitate by providing the necessary materials and funds to repair the dam to restore free flow of water so we are grateful for the support,” Nana Nti stated.
He said apart from supporting the community with potable water, the company had also supported the construction of a police station at Odumase to motivate the personnel of the Konongo Municipal Police to be effective in maintaining law and order.
Nana Nti appealed to the management of the company to employ the youth in the area who had employable skills to reduce the unemployment rate in the municipality.
The Project Manager of the company, Mr Roger Bannister, said apart from rehabilitating the dam, the mining company had also repaired the left side of the embankment of the main transmission line.
He explained that their quick response to the water crisis at Konongo was to “prevent its associated risk of contracting water-borne diseases”.
NAPA WARNS AGAINST ADULTERATION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS (SPREAD, DEC 7, 2010)
THE National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has charged oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to refrain from adulterating their products with the intention of maximising profits.
The Technical Director of the NPA, Mr Isaac C. Tagoe, who gave the directive, warned that companies found to be indulging in activities that adversely affected the quality of their products would not only be sanctioned but also have their licences withdrawn.
He said spot checks conducted recently in Accra by the NPA revealed that some companies did not only adulterate their products, making it impossible for motorists to get the desired quality, but also adjusted their pumps to deny motorists the needed quantity.
Mr Tagoe gave the warning when he introduced the newly appointed NPA Zonal Manager for the northern sector, Mr Samuel Asare Bediako, to managers of OMCs in Kumasi.
Mr Bediako, who is a mechanical engineer with 24 years’ working experience, was working with Total Petroleum Ghana Limited as its Engineering Manager.
With his new appointment, Mr Bediako will be in charge of the day-to-day administration of programmes, inspection, compliance and monitoring of products and programmes in the northern sector.
He will also be in charge of the issuing of licences and permits to enhance their operations.
Mr Tagoe urged the management of the OMCs in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to collaborate more meaningfully with the new manager in his operations.
Mr Bediako gave the assurance that he would collaborate with the management of the OMCs in all their endeavours.
The Technical Director of the NPA, Mr Isaac C. Tagoe, who gave the directive, warned that companies found to be indulging in activities that adversely affected the quality of their products would not only be sanctioned but also have their licences withdrawn.
He said spot checks conducted recently in Accra by the NPA revealed that some companies did not only adulterate their products, making it impossible for motorists to get the desired quality, but also adjusted their pumps to deny motorists the needed quantity.
Mr Tagoe gave the warning when he introduced the newly appointed NPA Zonal Manager for the northern sector, Mr Samuel Asare Bediako, to managers of OMCs in Kumasi.
Mr Bediako, who is a mechanical engineer with 24 years’ working experience, was working with Total Petroleum Ghana Limited as its Engineering Manager.
With his new appointment, Mr Bediako will be in charge of the day-to-day administration of programmes, inspection, compliance and monitoring of products and programmes in the northern sector.
He will also be in charge of the issuing of licences and permits to enhance their operations.
Mr Tagoe urged the management of the OMCs in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to collaborate more meaningfully with the new manager in his operations.
Mr Bediako gave the assurance that he would collaborate with the management of the OMCs in all their endeavours.
Monday, December 6, 2010
AMANDA OPPONG EYES ASAFO ASSEMBLY SLOT (NSEMPA, DEC 6, 2010, PAGE 4)
By George Ernest Asare
An aspiring assemblywoman of Asafo Electoral Area, Ms Amanda Oppong, has interacted with members of the Asafo Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission as part of her door-to-door campaign.
The door-to-door campaign is intended to whip up massive support for her campaign from the electorate at the Asafo Electoral Area. Ms Oppong has been using every opportunity she gets to interact with the youth, opinion leaders and religious bodies to solicit their support to enable her become the first woman to be elected to represent the community at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
The visit to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission was the second since Ms Oppong declared her intention to contest the district level elections.
During the Ramadan, she visited them and donated quantities of food items to the Ahmadis as a gesture to encourage and strengthen them to focus on the fasting.
During last Friday’s visit, she again donated some drinks, water and mats to formally introduce herself to them as one of the five candidates contesting the district level election in the community.
In a short address, she pleaded with the Ahmadis to pray for God’s guidance, good heath, the spirit of perseverance and commitment to enable her overcome all obstacles that would come her way during her campaign.
This, she said, would enable her succeed in her effort to win the Asafo Electoral Area district elections for her to initiate policies and programmes that would impact positively on their lives.
She also asked them to pray for peace and unity of purpose to prevail in the country to enable the citizenry focus on their economic ventures to accelerate socio-economic development.
She pointed out that her visit marked the beginning of a steady relationship between them and assured them that it would further strengthen their relationship to their mutual benefit, when she won the elections.
A Member of the mission, Jamil Ibrahim Boadu, thanked the aspiring assemblywoman for her gesture and encouraged her to focus on the campaign irrespective of the hurdles that will come her way.
This, he said would enable her win the confidence of the electorate for them to offer her their mandate.
He also assured her of their continuous support and prayers to enable her focus on her campaign.
An aspiring assemblywoman of Asafo Electoral Area, Ms Amanda Oppong, has interacted with members of the Asafo Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission as part of her door-to-door campaign.
The door-to-door campaign is intended to whip up massive support for her campaign from the electorate at the Asafo Electoral Area. Ms Oppong has been using every opportunity she gets to interact with the youth, opinion leaders and religious bodies to solicit their support to enable her become the first woman to be elected to represent the community at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
The visit to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission was the second since Ms Oppong declared her intention to contest the district level elections.
During the Ramadan, she visited them and donated quantities of food items to the Ahmadis as a gesture to encourage and strengthen them to focus on the fasting.
During last Friday’s visit, she again donated some drinks, water and mats to formally introduce herself to them as one of the five candidates contesting the district level election in the community.
In a short address, she pleaded with the Ahmadis to pray for God’s guidance, good heath, the spirit of perseverance and commitment to enable her overcome all obstacles that would come her way during her campaign.
This, she said, would enable her succeed in her effort to win the Asafo Electoral Area district elections for her to initiate policies and programmes that would impact positively on their lives.
She also asked them to pray for peace and unity of purpose to prevail in the country to enable the citizenry focus on their economic ventures to accelerate socio-economic development.
She pointed out that her visit marked the beginning of a steady relationship between them and assured them that it would further strengthen their relationship to their mutual benefit, when she won the elections.
A Member of the mission, Jamil Ibrahim Boadu, thanked the aspiring assemblywoman for her gesture and encouraged her to focus on the campaign irrespective of the hurdles that will come her way.
This, he said would enable her win the confidence of the electorate for them to offer her their mandate.
He also assured her of their continuous support and prayers to enable her focus on her campaign.
FAKE SERVICE PERSON FINED OVER FAKE DRIVER'S LICENSE (MIRROR, DEC 4, 2010, PAGE 27)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A 35-year-old man, Yaw Boama, who claimed to have been attached to the Driver Vehicle and Licence Authority (DVLA) as a National Service Person last year, has been convicted to pay a fine of GH¢1,200 or serve eight months jail term in default.
Yaw Boama was convicted by a motor traffic court after he was found guilty of forging a licence belonging to a lady in Koforidua for use by a trotro driver.
The court, presided over by Mrs Miriam S. Sinare, also convicted the driver, Victor Kwame Aduful, who was using the fake driving licence to a fine of GH¢600 or serve four months jail term in default.
While the court convicted Boama on charges of impersonation and forging driving licence, Aduful, who is a 29-year-old driver, was convicted on charges of unauthorised parking, road obstruction, soliciting and picking passengers elsewhere, and forging driving licence.
Aduful, who was first arrested by personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service for unauthorised parking of vehicle, was found to be using a fake driving licence, and during investigation, he led the police to arrest Boama as the one who provided him with the fake licence.
Giving the facts of the case, the Prosecutor, Chief Inspector V.K. Ahiabor, said as part of their routine checks, personnel from the MTTU arrested Aduful for unauthorised parking of his vehicle, and when they demanded to see his driving license, he produced one which the police detected to be fake.
He said as part of their investigations, the MTTU personnel sent a letter to the DVLA for the verification of the licence produced by Aduful, and a feedback indicated that the said licence was issued to Mrs Mary Ananoo by the Koforidua office of the DVLA on January 14, 2005.
He said when Aduful was confronted with the facts, he started panicking and mentioned Boama as the one who forged the licence for him for a fee of GH¢160.
Chief Inspector Ahiabor said with the assistance of Aduful, the police succeeded in arresting Boama.
A 35-year-old man, Yaw Boama, who claimed to have been attached to the Driver Vehicle and Licence Authority (DVLA) as a National Service Person last year, has been convicted to pay a fine of GH¢1,200 or serve eight months jail term in default.
Yaw Boama was convicted by a motor traffic court after he was found guilty of forging a licence belonging to a lady in Koforidua for use by a trotro driver.
The court, presided over by Mrs Miriam S. Sinare, also convicted the driver, Victor Kwame Aduful, who was using the fake driving licence to a fine of GH¢600 or serve four months jail term in default.
While the court convicted Boama on charges of impersonation and forging driving licence, Aduful, who is a 29-year-old driver, was convicted on charges of unauthorised parking, road obstruction, soliciting and picking passengers elsewhere, and forging driving licence.
Aduful, who was first arrested by personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service for unauthorised parking of vehicle, was found to be using a fake driving licence, and during investigation, he led the police to arrest Boama as the one who provided him with the fake licence.
Giving the facts of the case, the Prosecutor, Chief Inspector V.K. Ahiabor, said as part of their routine checks, personnel from the MTTU arrested Aduful for unauthorised parking of his vehicle, and when they demanded to see his driving license, he produced one which the police detected to be fake.
He said as part of their investigations, the MTTU personnel sent a letter to the DVLA for the verification of the licence produced by Aduful, and a feedback indicated that the said licence was issued to Mrs Mary Ananoo by the Koforidua office of the DVLA on January 14, 2005.
He said when Aduful was confronted with the facts, he started panicking and mentioned Boama as the one who forged the licence for him for a fee of GH¢160.
Chief Inspector Ahiabor said with the assistance of Aduful, the police succeeded in arresting Boama.
USED CLOTHES SELLERS WANT BAN LIFTED (PAGE 36, DEC 6, 2010)
MEMBERS of the Kumasi Used Clothes Sellers Association have called for the lifting of the ban on undergarments since there is no empirical evidence to prove that the use of such products have health hazards for users.
They contended that undergarments imported are treated with the best of hygienic care before being shipped into the country, and indicated that they have no health implications for users of the products.
At a forum in Kumasi to educate members of the association on a Legislative Instrument introduced in 1994 prohibiting the importation and clearance of used undergarments, the acting Director of the Inspectorate Division of the Ghana Standards Board, Mr F. Kofi Nagetey, noted that the law would be strictly enforced by February 1, 2011.
“The Ghana Standards Board now intends to enforce this legislation to prevent the importation, distribution and sale of these used undergarments”, he noted and stressed “ all consignments of used clothing would be inspected by the Ghana Standards Board before release at the various ports and entry points by the first quarter of 2011”.
He pointed out that notwithstanding the ban on the importation of undergarments “ the prohibited goods are hidden among other used clothing like shirts , jackets and trousers in bales, making it difficult to detect them at the ports.
Explaining why the products were banned , Mr Nagetey said, undergarments “ are good source of micro-organisms that can cause skin infection.”
He pointed out that fungal candidiasis and flora infections are common among those who use undergarment clothes and this had compelled the government to ban their importation into the country.
According to Mr Nagetey, the forum was part of the public education for the public to appreciate the dangers of wearing used undergarments.
He said similar fora had taken place in Accra and Sekondi and warned that after the public education and the February 1, 2011 deadline “the Ghana Standards Board will intensify, market surveillance and with the support of the security swoop on traders to get rid of used undergarments on the markets.”
He said consignments of used goods “found to contain any used undergarments would be confiscated and destroyed”.
It was during question time that members of the used clothes association expressed concern about the law prohibiting the importation, distribution and sale of the used undergarments and called for the lifting of the ban.
They further contended that the ban was politically motivated to cripple their business and questioned why the Legislative Instrument that introduced the law in 1994 was not enforced until February 1, 2011.
Others, however, called for the extension of the February 1, 2011 deadline and suggested that since they were yet to inform their partners, the deadline should be extended to May or June next year.
They contended that undergarments imported are treated with the best of hygienic care before being shipped into the country, and indicated that they have no health implications for users of the products.
At a forum in Kumasi to educate members of the association on a Legislative Instrument introduced in 1994 prohibiting the importation and clearance of used undergarments, the acting Director of the Inspectorate Division of the Ghana Standards Board, Mr F. Kofi Nagetey, noted that the law would be strictly enforced by February 1, 2011.
“The Ghana Standards Board now intends to enforce this legislation to prevent the importation, distribution and sale of these used undergarments”, he noted and stressed “ all consignments of used clothing would be inspected by the Ghana Standards Board before release at the various ports and entry points by the first quarter of 2011”.
He pointed out that notwithstanding the ban on the importation of undergarments “ the prohibited goods are hidden among other used clothing like shirts , jackets and trousers in bales, making it difficult to detect them at the ports.
Explaining why the products were banned , Mr Nagetey said, undergarments “ are good source of micro-organisms that can cause skin infection.”
He pointed out that fungal candidiasis and flora infections are common among those who use undergarment clothes and this had compelled the government to ban their importation into the country.
According to Mr Nagetey, the forum was part of the public education for the public to appreciate the dangers of wearing used undergarments.
He said similar fora had taken place in Accra and Sekondi and warned that after the public education and the February 1, 2011 deadline “the Ghana Standards Board will intensify, market surveillance and with the support of the security swoop on traders to get rid of used undergarments on the markets.”
He said consignments of used goods “found to contain any used undergarments would be confiscated and destroyed”.
It was during question time that members of the used clothes association expressed concern about the law prohibiting the importation, distribution and sale of the used undergarments and called for the lifting of the ban.
They further contended that the ban was politically motivated to cripple their business and questioned why the Legislative Instrument that introduced the law in 1994 was not enforced until February 1, 2011.
Others, however, called for the extension of the February 1, 2011 deadline and suggested that since they were yet to inform their partners, the deadline should be extended to May or June next year.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
WORK BEGINS ON SICKLE CELL CLINIC AT KATH (BACK PAGE NOV 26, 2010)
THE sod was cut yesterday for work to begin on the construction of a clinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for the treatment of sickle cell patients.
When completed, the three-storey edifice, which is expected to cost GH¢13.6 million, will serve as a centre for the management of sickle cell patients in the West African sub-region.
The project, dubbed ‘Kumasi Blood and Sickle Cell Centre’, will comprise a blood transfusion unit, an out-patient sickle cell clinic and a centre for research.
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who performed the sod-cutting ceremony in Kumasi, also launched the national new-born screening programme for sickle cell and other diseases.
He also inaugurated a 12-member New-born Screening Committee to draft new-born screening policy for the Ministry of Health.
The members of the committee are Dr Sylvester Anemana, Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, Dr (Mrs) Jemima Dennis Antwi, Mrs Mary Lamptey, Mr Edward J.N. Tettey and Dr Alexander Osei Akoto.
The rest are Mr Benedict Sackey, Dr Jennifer Welbeck, Dr Solomon Ofori-Acquah, Dr William Bosu, Professor Francis Nkrumah and Mrs Mabel Kissiwa Safe.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Kunbuor charged the committee to start work immediately and submit drafts of the national new-born screening policy and the technical plan and budget for the implementation of the national screening programme by March 1, 2011”.
He said the goals of the national new-born screening programme were to offer every baby born in Ghana screening test for sickle cell diseases.
He said by screening new-borns for sickle cell disease, it would be possible “to diagnose the disease early before symptoms and complications develop”.
He commended President John Evan Atta Mills for making the project a top priority by lobbying the former Brazilian President, Mr Lula da Silva, to take personal interest and support in the construction of the project.
He also commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his continued support, giving the assurance that the project would be completed on schedule to enable sickle cell patients to receive quality health care.
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, said the project would provide greater impetus to enhance quality of life of sufferers, “through the provision of facilities for optimum provision of quality service centre for patients.
He commended the Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana for facilitating the construction of the project.
When completed, the three-storey edifice, which is expected to cost GH¢13.6 million, will serve as a centre for the management of sickle cell patients in the West African sub-region.
The project, dubbed ‘Kumasi Blood and Sickle Cell Centre’, will comprise a blood transfusion unit, an out-patient sickle cell clinic and a centre for research.
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who performed the sod-cutting ceremony in Kumasi, also launched the national new-born screening programme for sickle cell and other diseases.
He also inaugurated a 12-member New-born Screening Committee to draft new-born screening policy for the Ministry of Health.
The members of the committee are Dr Sylvester Anemana, Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, Dr (Mrs) Jemima Dennis Antwi, Mrs Mary Lamptey, Mr Edward J.N. Tettey and Dr Alexander Osei Akoto.
The rest are Mr Benedict Sackey, Dr Jennifer Welbeck, Dr Solomon Ofori-Acquah, Dr William Bosu, Professor Francis Nkrumah and Mrs Mabel Kissiwa Safe.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Kunbuor charged the committee to start work immediately and submit drafts of the national new-born screening policy and the technical plan and budget for the implementation of the national screening programme by March 1, 2011”.
He said the goals of the national new-born screening programme were to offer every baby born in Ghana screening test for sickle cell diseases.
He said by screening new-borns for sickle cell disease, it would be possible “to diagnose the disease early before symptoms and complications develop”.
He commended President John Evan Atta Mills for making the project a top priority by lobbying the former Brazilian President, Mr Lula da Silva, to take personal interest and support in the construction of the project.
He also commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for his continued support, giving the assurance that the project would be completed on schedule to enable sickle cell patients to receive quality health care.
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, said the project would provide greater impetus to enhance quality of life of sufferers, “through the provision of facilities for optimum provision of quality service centre for patients.
He commended the Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana for facilitating the construction of the project.
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