Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
Seventeen workers of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have been honoured for their hard work.
They were presented with television sets, deep freezers and cookers, among other items, as their reward.
The overall best worker award went to Ms Regina Obeng- a Nurse- who was presented with a Tata saloon car.
Other award winners were Ms Yaa Nyarko Poku- Best Nurse- junior category, who was presented with a five-burner cooker, Ms Margaret Aboraa, Best Midwife, who also received a burner cooker as her reward, Mr Samuel A. Asibi, Best Nurse Anaesthetist, who received a 32-inch LCD television, Ms Faustina Otumphoe, Best Healthcare Assistant, who was given a double- decker fridge, Mr William Parker, who also received a double-decker fridge as the Best Allied Health junior division.
The others are Mr Augustine Baah, Best Allied Health, a double-decker fridge, Mr Joseph Atta Amankwah, Best Administrator, a 32-inch LCD television, Mr Yahaya Adamu, Best Support Staff, junior category, a double-decker fridge , Mr James Baddeu, Best Support Staff, senior category, a 32-inch LCD television and Mr Kwasi Appiah, Best Pharmacist, a deep freezer.
The rest are Ms Francisca Antwi, Best Pharmacy Assistant, a five-burner cooker, Mr Simon Mariwa Mensah, Best Audit Staff, a 32-inch television, Mr Kwame O. Atrams, Best Finance Officer, a 32-inch television, Dr Paa Ekow Hoyte Williams, Best Doctor, Junior category, a 32-inch television, Dr Fred Stephen Sarfo, Best Doctor, senior category, a 32-inch LCD television and Dr Thomas Konney, Best Specialist, a deep freezer as his prize.
Delivering an address at the award and thanksgiving ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Robert Joseph Mettle- Nunoo, commended the Management and Board of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for initiating a Provident Fund designed to improve the welfare of its staff and secure their future.
He has also commended them for designing and implementing unique packages aimed at motivating the staff to offer their best in terms of quality healthcare delivery.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the government had recognised the immense contributions by the management and board of the hospital to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the country and, therefore, challenged the staff of the hospital to work harder than before “to reciprocate these laudable interventions”.
Commending the award winners for their invaluable contributions to healthcare delivery, Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the government had “developed a comprehensive plan to address the infrastructure deficit in the country’s health delivery system”, stressing that “The government is determined to bequeath a functional and robust health delivery system for Ghanaians”.
He said the government was also “ready to dialogue with all health professional groupings in the country in finding mutually acceptable solutions needed to address some of the outstanding issues on conditions of service”.
For his part, the Chief Executive of the KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, assured that “ staff motivation and welfare continue to be a pivotal priority for management” Explaining, he said, “ A well-trained and motivated workforce constitutes the bedrock upon which the hospital’s vision for becoming a Medical Centre of Excellence can be achieved”.
He pointed out that “as the sole referral health facility in arguably the most populous region in the country, we know how over-burdened our staff are with work,” noting that “ as management, we believe the little we can do is to assuage this heavy workload by instituting special welfare packages to compensate workers for their sacrifices, hence, the establishment of the Provident Fund to take care of the future security of staff”.
He said the hospital had paid a total of GH¢180,000.00 from the Provident Fund to 516 workers who either went on retirement or were transferred from the hospital.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
ALEX KONAD TAKES A BOW (PAGE 3, JAN 27, 2011)
By George Ernest Asare.
Alex Kwabena Konadu, the man who hit the limelight in the late 1970’s with his brand of highlife songs such as Asaase Asa, Agya Ata Wuo , Aweie and Asem Bi Adi Bone has died. He died in Kumasi on January 18, 2011 at the age of 63.
Popularly known as One Man Thousand, Alex Konadu died at a time he, and his bosom friend, Professor Kofi Abraham, had accepted an invitation to rock the Sunyani municipality with a highlife and gospel music concert at the end of January. Barely two weeks before the ‘D’ day, Konadu was taken ill, and with support from Kofi Abraham, he sought medical care at various health care institutions in Kumasi.
Just as he was gradually recovering, he suddenly relapsed and was taken to Bomso Clinic in Kumasi by Kofi Abraham but as if to say that enough was enough, he gave up the ghost a few hours later.
“His death is a great loss to me. This is because he was more than a friend, and we have totally become inseparable over the years. We were a great pair at this stage of our lives, and did almost every thing together, a wet-eyed Prof Abraham told Showbiz.
When asked to describe Kwabena Konadu, Professor Abraham said, “ he was in a class of his own in terms of highlife music .This is because he did not only use his music to comfort mourners at funeral grounds, but also succeeded in encouraging the downtrodden to appreciate their values in society.
He also used highlife music to entertain all classes of people at drinking spots, festivals and marriage ceremonies among other programmes to make life more meaningful to them”.
Stressing, Professor Abraham noted , “What endeared him most to music lovers was his desire to entertain his fans by honouring all manner of programmes. He was down to earth, and easily socialized with all classes of people, so his death is a huge loss, not only to me, but many lovers of highlife music, especially our generation, who were completely consumed in highlife music” he said.
According to family sources, the ace highlife musician left behind a wife, Adwoa Fordjour, and 12 children.
Alex Kwabena Konadu, the man who hit the limelight in the late 1970’s with his brand of highlife songs such as Asaase Asa, Agya Ata Wuo , Aweie and Asem Bi Adi Bone has died. He died in Kumasi on January 18, 2011 at the age of 63.
Popularly known as One Man Thousand, Alex Konadu died at a time he, and his bosom friend, Professor Kofi Abraham, had accepted an invitation to rock the Sunyani municipality with a highlife and gospel music concert at the end of January. Barely two weeks before the ‘D’ day, Konadu was taken ill, and with support from Kofi Abraham, he sought medical care at various health care institutions in Kumasi.
Just as he was gradually recovering, he suddenly relapsed and was taken to Bomso Clinic in Kumasi by Kofi Abraham but as if to say that enough was enough, he gave up the ghost a few hours later.
“His death is a great loss to me. This is because he was more than a friend, and we have totally become inseparable over the years. We were a great pair at this stage of our lives, and did almost every thing together, a wet-eyed Prof Abraham told Showbiz.
When asked to describe Kwabena Konadu, Professor Abraham said, “ he was in a class of his own in terms of highlife music .This is because he did not only use his music to comfort mourners at funeral grounds, but also succeeded in encouraging the downtrodden to appreciate their values in society.
He also used highlife music to entertain all classes of people at drinking spots, festivals and marriage ceremonies among other programmes to make life more meaningful to them”.
Stressing, Professor Abraham noted , “What endeared him most to music lovers was his desire to entertain his fans by honouring all manner of programmes. He was down to earth, and easily socialized with all classes of people, so his death is a huge loss, not only to me, but many lovers of highlife music, especially our generation, who were completely consumed in highlife music” he said.
According to family sources, the ace highlife musician left behind a wife, Adwoa Fordjour, and 12 children.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
PAY TEACHERS THEIR SALARY ARREARS — NAGRAT URGES FWSC (PAGE 11, JAN 26, 2011)
THE National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to pay all arrears due teachers since January 2010.
The President of NAGRAT, Mr Christian Addai-Poku, who made the call, said it was equally important for the FWSC to standardise all allowances for public workers as a matter of urgency.
At a press conference organised in Kumasi after their national executive meeting, NAGRAT again called on the FWSC to convene the Public Sector Joint Negotiating Team meeting for them to start work to determine the new base pay for 2011.
Mr Addai-Poku explained that organising the joint negotiating team had become necessary due to the “recent increases in taxes and prices of petroleum products which had unleashed severe hardships on workers”.
The press conference sought to address issues relating to the migration of teachers’ salaries onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), and what NAGRAT described as “succession problems within the Ghana Education Service (GES) and unwarranted releases of teachers within the GES.”
Mr Addai-Poku hinted that intensive work performed by a committee of experts, including members of NAGRAT, the GES and other teachers unions, had yielded fruitful results, as the salaries of teachers would be migrated onto the SSSS by the end of February.
“We are happy that the FWSC agreed to the new proposals submitted by teachers unions,” he announced, adding that, “this agreement has gone a long way to avert an imminent strike action by NAGRAT”.
While urging the FWSC to expedite action on migrating teachers onto the SSSS, Mr Addai-Poku cautioned members of NAGRAT to tone down their expectations for the Single Spine Pay Policy, explaining that “figures generated so far do not point to a marked increase in the salary of teachers, even if they were migrated onto the new salary structure”.
Expressing concern about what NAGRAT described as “illegality being perpetrated with respect to disengagement of headmasters and Directors of Education in Ghana, Mr Addai-Poku appealed to the Minister of Education to investigate the problem “to ensure a well structured succession plan within the GES”.
He suggested that “heads of institutions and Directors of Education should be made to proceed on leave prior to their retirement to enable them to prepare and psyche themselves for their handover”.
He pointed out that the rampant release of teachers without recourse to due process did not only create anarchy in the educational sector, but also did cause “ huge financial loss to the GES”.
Explaining, Mr Addai-Poku said “cases where teachers have enjoyed their full salaries for over a year without working are many, and this cannot be allowed to continue”.
Citing the case of Aburi Girls Senior High as an example, the NAGRAT President said some teachers in the school had been issued with release letters by the Regional Director of Education in the middle of an academic year without any reason being assigned.
“This action of hers is a slap in the face of Section 27 of our Collective Agreement which states that ‘release of teachers in both first and second cycle institutions shall take place at the end of the academic year”.
Mr Addai-Poku said apart from not following due process in releasing the teachers, the Regional Director also asked the affected teachers to bear the cost of their transfer.
He said their Collective Agreement makes it clear that “ a transfer grant of two months gross salary shall be paid to each member on approved transfer.
Explaining further, he said under the Collective Agreement, teachers were supposed to be “ paid a transfer grant at an appropriate rate where the transfer is at the instance of management, resulting in the change of station, as well as movement of household effects”.
He said since the affected teachers had not been charged with any offence and they had also not been brought before any disciplinary committee as enshrined in the Code of Discipline for teachers, they should not be treated in such a harsh manner.
While appealing to the acting Director General of the GES “to take immediate steps to reverse the problem” he urged the affected teachers to appeal against the action of the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rene Boache Boateng”.
He gave an assurance that NAGRAT “will follow closely all developments related to the matter until the teachers get justice”.
The President of NAGRAT, Mr Christian Addai-Poku, who made the call, said it was equally important for the FWSC to standardise all allowances for public workers as a matter of urgency.
At a press conference organised in Kumasi after their national executive meeting, NAGRAT again called on the FWSC to convene the Public Sector Joint Negotiating Team meeting for them to start work to determine the new base pay for 2011.
Mr Addai-Poku explained that organising the joint negotiating team had become necessary due to the “recent increases in taxes and prices of petroleum products which had unleashed severe hardships on workers”.
The press conference sought to address issues relating to the migration of teachers’ salaries onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), and what NAGRAT described as “succession problems within the Ghana Education Service (GES) and unwarranted releases of teachers within the GES.”
Mr Addai-Poku hinted that intensive work performed by a committee of experts, including members of NAGRAT, the GES and other teachers unions, had yielded fruitful results, as the salaries of teachers would be migrated onto the SSSS by the end of February.
“We are happy that the FWSC agreed to the new proposals submitted by teachers unions,” he announced, adding that, “this agreement has gone a long way to avert an imminent strike action by NAGRAT”.
While urging the FWSC to expedite action on migrating teachers onto the SSSS, Mr Addai-Poku cautioned members of NAGRAT to tone down their expectations for the Single Spine Pay Policy, explaining that “figures generated so far do not point to a marked increase in the salary of teachers, even if they were migrated onto the new salary structure”.
Expressing concern about what NAGRAT described as “illegality being perpetrated with respect to disengagement of headmasters and Directors of Education in Ghana, Mr Addai-Poku appealed to the Minister of Education to investigate the problem “to ensure a well structured succession plan within the GES”.
He suggested that “heads of institutions and Directors of Education should be made to proceed on leave prior to their retirement to enable them to prepare and psyche themselves for their handover”.
He pointed out that the rampant release of teachers without recourse to due process did not only create anarchy in the educational sector, but also did cause “ huge financial loss to the GES”.
Explaining, Mr Addai-Poku said “cases where teachers have enjoyed their full salaries for over a year without working are many, and this cannot be allowed to continue”.
Citing the case of Aburi Girls Senior High as an example, the NAGRAT President said some teachers in the school had been issued with release letters by the Regional Director of Education in the middle of an academic year without any reason being assigned.
“This action of hers is a slap in the face of Section 27 of our Collective Agreement which states that ‘release of teachers in both first and second cycle institutions shall take place at the end of the academic year”.
Mr Addai-Poku said apart from not following due process in releasing the teachers, the Regional Director also asked the affected teachers to bear the cost of their transfer.
He said their Collective Agreement makes it clear that “ a transfer grant of two months gross salary shall be paid to each member on approved transfer.
Explaining further, he said under the Collective Agreement, teachers were supposed to be “ paid a transfer grant at an appropriate rate where the transfer is at the instance of management, resulting in the change of station, as well as movement of household effects”.
He said since the affected teachers had not been charged with any offence and they had also not been brought before any disciplinary committee as enshrined in the Code of Discipline for teachers, they should not be treated in such a harsh manner.
While appealing to the acting Director General of the GES “to take immediate steps to reverse the problem” he urged the affected teachers to appeal against the action of the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rene Boache Boateng”.
He gave an assurance that NAGRAT “will follow closely all developments related to the matter until the teachers get justice”.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
CONSTRUCT CANALS TO FACILITATE ALL-YEAR FARMING (PAGE 19, JAN 25, 2011)
An Environmental Crusader, Nana Dwomo Sarpong, has reiterated the need for the government to initiate steps to construct canals in the northern parts of Ghana to link rivers and dams spread across the area.
This is to make water readily accessible all year round to induce large-scale irrigation farming.
He pointed out that the cost involved in building canals in northern Ghana notwithstanding, the country stood to gain tremendously from such an initiative.
He explained that the area would become the food basket for both local consumption and export if the requisite infrastructure was fully built, as a matter of priority.
“With the availability of water from the canals, local investors would not hesitate to pitch their camps in the northern regions to undertake large scale irrigation farming.
This is because we do not only have vast lands that would induce investments in food and cash crop production, but we also have a lot of human resource which could be easily tapped to turn things around in the north,” he explained.
Nana Dwomo Sarpong, who is also the President of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies — a non-governmental organisation (NGO) — made this suggestion when he spoke with the Daily Graphic on his return from a trip to the northern parts of the country.
He said local investors would be adequately motivated to undertake large-scale farming in the north if the government initiated the construction of canals to make water readily available all year round.
He said the trip gave him the opportunity to properly access the potential of the north in terms of human resource, land and other natural resources such as rivers and dams that would enhance large-scale farming if they were effectively harnessed.
He said with the availability of dams and rivers in the area, the construction of canals would be feasible, provided the government took it as a challenge and made it a national priority.
He mentioned yams, millet, rice, sorghum, maize, tomato and mangoes as some of the food and cash crops that could be produced for both local consumption and export to reduce poverty associated with the area.
“ I am certain that crops like maize, rice, tomatoes, millet and yams could be cultivated and harvested two or three times annually to make food readily available and affordable to Ghanaians, especially if water becomes readily accessible at various parts of the northern regions,” he prophesied.
He stressed that the availability of food in the northern part of Ghana would also enhance income generation for farmers and thereby enhance accelerated socio-economic development.
“If Burkina Faso has done it, and is now exporting vegetables and other cereals to neighbouring countries, and Israel, of all countries, is sufficient in food production, then Ghana has no excuse not to be self-sufficient in food production, especially considering the vast land available and the rivers flowing through the land,” he noted.
He said the country could also take advantage of the annual spillage of dams from Burkina Faso by tapping the water into the canals that would be constructed and using them for large-scale farming.
north would also make it possible for parents to invest in their children’s education and help nurture their potential more meaningfully.
That, he said, would also enable the youth in the area to acquire the needed employable skills to support sustainable socio-economic development in diverse ways.
“The northern parts of Ghana would soon become the food basket of the nation if we take advantage of both the human and natural resources, which are lying fallow in the area,” he noted.
He said: “The banks would be ready to offer loans to prospective farmers because they are aware that with the needed infrastructure and the commitment on the part of the youth to take to farming as a business, they stand to gain tremendously from such business transactions.”
This is to make water readily accessible all year round to induce large-scale irrigation farming.
He pointed out that the cost involved in building canals in northern Ghana notwithstanding, the country stood to gain tremendously from such an initiative.
He explained that the area would become the food basket for both local consumption and export if the requisite infrastructure was fully built, as a matter of priority.
“With the availability of water from the canals, local investors would not hesitate to pitch their camps in the northern regions to undertake large scale irrigation farming.
This is because we do not only have vast lands that would induce investments in food and cash crop production, but we also have a lot of human resource which could be easily tapped to turn things around in the north,” he explained.
Nana Dwomo Sarpong, who is also the President of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies — a non-governmental organisation (NGO) — made this suggestion when he spoke with the Daily Graphic on his return from a trip to the northern parts of the country.
He said local investors would be adequately motivated to undertake large-scale farming in the north if the government initiated the construction of canals to make water readily available all year round.
He said the trip gave him the opportunity to properly access the potential of the north in terms of human resource, land and other natural resources such as rivers and dams that would enhance large-scale farming if they were effectively harnessed.
He said with the availability of dams and rivers in the area, the construction of canals would be feasible, provided the government took it as a challenge and made it a national priority.
He mentioned yams, millet, rice, sorghum, maize, tomato and mangoes as some of the food and cash crops that could be produced for both local consumption and export to reduce poverty associated with the area.
“ I am certain that crops like maize, rice, tomatoes, millet and yams could be cultivated and harvested two or three times annually to make food readily available and affordable to Ghanaians, especially if water becomes readily accessible at various parts of the northern regions,” he prophesied.
He stressed that the availability of food in the northern part of Ghana would also enhance income generation for farmers and thereby enhance accelerated socio-economic development.
“If Burkina Faso has done it, and is now exporting vegetables and other cereals to neighbouring countries, and Israel, of all countries, is sufficient in food production, then Ghana has no excuse not to be self-sufficient in food production, especially considering the vast land available and the rivers flowing through the land,” he noted.
He said the country could also take advantage of the annual spillage of dams from Burkina Faso by tapping the water into the canals that would be constructed and using them for large-scale farming.
north would also make it possible for parents to invest in their children’s education and help nurture their potential more meaningfully.
That, he said, would also enable the youth in the area to acquire the needed employable skills to support sustainable socio-economic development in diverse ways.
“The northern parts of Ghana would soon become the food basket of the nation if we take advantage of both the human and natural resources, which are lying fallow in the area,” he noted.
He said: “The banks would be ready to offer loans to prospective farmers because they are aware that with the needed infrastructure and the commitment on the part of the youth to take to farming as a business, they stand to gain tremendously from such business transactions.”
Friday, January 21, 2011
BUSINESSWOMAN, TWO OTHERS ASSAULT IRS OFFICIAL (MIRROR, PAGE 20, JAN 22, 2011)
George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.
A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Amo-Yartey, has convicted a business woman, Faustina Adusei, together with her daughter, Yvette Aboagye Kumi and sister, Victoria Ataa Serwaa Adusei, to serve two months jail term each for assaulting an official of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The three also prevented the IRS official from carrying out his official duties, heaping verbal abuses on him at a time he was executing his official responsibilities.
While the court convicted Faustina, 43 and Victoria, to serve two months jail term each with hard labour, it ordered Yvettee, who is a 16-year-old student to be sent to a juvenile court to be convicted to serve the two months jail term imposed on her.
Faustina, who operates a mini provision shop and a student’s hostel at Bomso in Kumasi, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to register her business and offensive conduct when she appeared before the court, and the court convicted her on her own plea.
Victoria, who was also charged with causing unlawful harm, obstructing public officials in the performance of their duties, and impeding the work of the IRS, pleaded guilty to the charges when she appeared before the court and was also convicted on her own plea.
Yvette, for her part, pleaded guilty to charges of assault on the public officer and obstructing an officer of the Internal Revenue Service in the performance of his duties and like the others, she was also convicted on her own plea.
Presenting the facts of the case before the court, Chief Inspector A K.Fandoh, who prosecuted, said while the complainants in the case are officials from the IRS, the three operate a mini provision shop and a hostel at Bomso, a Kumasi suburb.
He said on August 23, 2010, the IRS official went to collect revenue and sales tax from traders who operate their businesses at Bomso at a time Faustina had not paid any revenue for three consecutive years.
The prosecutor said notwithstanding the fact that the officers had regularly invited Faustina to honour her tax obligations, and also served her with several letters, she had refused to comply.
Chief Inspector Fandoh said when the officer went to the premises of Faustina to demand payment of her tax, Victoria and Yvettee, who were by then in the mini shop, told the officer that Faustina had gone out.
He said based on the information received, the officer decided to apply the law as prescribed by locking up the shop until Faustina settled her indebtedness, but in the process of locking the shop, Victoria and Yvettee obstructed him.
He said Victoria pushed him violently, causing him to tumble onto the ground breaking his right hand in the process.
He said as soon as the incident occurred, Faustina emerged from nowhere and assisted her sister and daughter to assault the officer who was lying helplessly on the ground by holding his manhood asking him to have sex with her (Faustina) so that she would have money to pay her tax.
He said when the officer managed to leave the premises, he lodged a complaint with the police who effected their arrest to assist in investigations.
A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Amo-Yartey, has convicted a business woman, Faustina Adusei, together with her daughter, Yvette Aboagye Kumi and sister, Victoria Ataa Serwaa Adusei, to serve two months jail term each for assaulting an official of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The three also prevented the IRS official from carrying out his official duties, heaping verbal abuses on him at a time he was executing his official responsibilities.
While the court convicted Faustina, 43 and Victoria, to serve two months jail term each with hard labour, it ordered Yvettee, who is a 16-year-old student to be sent to a juvenile court to be convicted to serve the two months jail term imposed on her.
Faustina, who operates a mini provision shop and a student’s hostel at Bomso in Kumasi, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to register her business and offensive conduct when she appeared before the court, and the court convicted her on her own plea.
Victoria, who was also charged with causing unlawful harm, obstructing public officials in the performance of their duties, and impeding the work of the IRS, pleaded guilty to the charges when she appeared before the court and was also convicted on her own plea.
Yvette, for her part, pleaded guilty to charges of assault on the public officer and obstructing an officer of the Internal Revenue Service in the performance of his duties and like the others, she was also convicted on her own plea.
Presenting the facts of the case before the court, Chief Inspector A K.Fandoh, who prosecuted, said while the complainants in the case are officials from the IRS, the three operate a mini provision shop and a hostel at Bomso, a Kumasi suburb.
He said on August 23, 2010, the IRS official went to collect revenue and sales tax from traders who operate their businesses at Bomso at a time Faustina had not paid any revenue for three consecutive years.
The prosecutor said notwithstanding the fact that the officers had regularly invited Faustina to honour her tax obligations, and also served her with several letters, she had refused to comply.
Chief Inspector Fandoh said when the officer went to the premises of Faustina to demand payment of her tax, Victoria and Yvettee, who were by then in the mini shop, told the officer that Faustina had gone out.
He said based on the information received, the officer decided to apply the law as prescribed by locking up the shop until Faustina settled her indebtedness, but in the process of locking the shop, Victoria and Yvettee obstructed him.
He said Victoria pushed him violently, causing him to tumble onto the ground breaking his right hand in the process.
He said as soon as the incident occurred, Faustina emerged from nowhere and assisted her sister and daughter to assault the officer who was lying helplessly on the ground by holding his manhood asking him to have sex with her (Faustina) so that she would have money to pay her tax.
He said when the officer managed to leave the premises, he lodged a complaint with the police who effected their arrest to assist in investigations.
REGULATE OPERATIONS OF BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS (PAGE 22, JAN 21, 2011)
THE Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has reiterated the need for Parliament to pass a bill that would effectively regulate the operations of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists in the country to enhance quality health care delivery.
In an address read on his behalf at the launch of an award ceremony organised by the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS) in Kumasi, Otumfuo Osei Tutu acknowledged the distinct role Biomedical Laboratory Scientists play in the health care delivery system.
The programme, which was held on the theme: “Enhancing quality laboratory practices in Ghana — Strategies for strengthening the efforts further,” coincided with the launch of a two-year action plan that sought to galvanise members of the association for them to be more proactive in their health care delivery system.
The two-year strategic plan, a 14-paged document, seeks to devise means of addressing the challenges confronting members of the association.
The document also provides a logo, official website for the association, as well as a constitution in a booklet format and souvenirs for members that would enhance their self-esteem.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu stated that by providing confirmatory diagnostic services to aid the treatment of diseases, Biomedical Laboratory Scientists ensure efficiency in the health care delivery process.
“Clearly, without you, a lot of things will go wrong in the health delivery process. Your practice could save lives or push people to their graves earlier,” he observed.
The Asantehene said it was, therefore, important for Parliament to pass the Legislative Instrument “to regulate this noble profession to make you more organised and better regulated than you are now.”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also urged them not only to exhibit high professional standards in their practices, but also engage in activities that would make them more productive in the health care delivery system.
He said that would make health care delivery in the country more effective and efficient.
The President of the GABMLS, Mr Prince Sokode Amuzu, promised that the association would support health care delivery in the country in diverse ways.
He said the association did not only boast qualified lecturers in universities across the country who trained biomedical scientists, but also had qualified medical laboratory professional biomedical scientists who manned the medical laboratories in various hospitals in Ghana.
He stated that with the solid foundation that had been laid to build a professional body, it was important for them to advocate and lobby Parliament to pass the relevant Legislative Instrument that “shall regulate medical laboratory practice in Ghana”.
He said it was also important for the association to “set up the Institute of Biomedical Laboratory Science to facilitate the professional development of members as a way of maintaining high standard of professional practice”.
He said with such a body, it would be easy for members to be issued with accreditation and certification, and keep a credible register of all qualified members.
Mr Amuzu said that would make it possible for them to “expose all fraudulent practitioners and laboratories to safeguard public interest.”
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Thomas Kwabena Gyampomah, said notwithstanding their contribution to health care delivery, members “do not enjoy appreciable esteem, recognition and prestige from the public.”
“The growth expected for this sector lags far behind other health professional groups,” he stressed, adding that measures were being taken to address the lapses.
In an address read on his behalf at the launch of an award ceremony organised by the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS) in Kumasi, Otumfuo Osei Tutu acknowledged the distinct role Biomedical Laboratory Scientists play in the health care delivery system.
The programme, which was held on the theme: “Enhancing quality laboratory practices in Ghana — Strategies for strengthening the efforts further,” coincided with the launch of a two-year action plan that sought to galvanise members of the association for them to be more proactive in their health care delivery system.
The two-year strategic plan, a 14-paged document, seeks to devise means of addressing the challenges confronting members of the association.
The document also provides a logo, official website for the association, as well as a constitution in a booklet format and souvenirs for members that would enhance their self-esteem.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu stated that by providing confirmatory diagnostic services to aid the treatment of diseases, Biomedical Laboratory Scientists ensure efficiency in the health care delivery process.
“Clearly, without you, a lot of things will go wrong in the health delivery process. Your practice could save lives or push people to their graves earlier,” he observed.
The Asantehene said it was, therefore, important for Parliament to pass the Legislative Instrument “to regulate this noble profession to make you more organised and better regulated than you are now.”
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also urged them not only to exhibit high professional standards in their practices, but also engage in activities that would make them more productive in the health care delivery system.
He said that would make health care delivery in the country more effective and efficient.
The President of the GABMLS, Mr Prince Sokode Amuzu, promised that the association would support health care delivery in the country in diverse ways.
He said the association did not only boast qualified lecturers in universities across the country who trained biomedical scientists, but also had qualified medical laboratory professional biomedical scientists who manned the medical laboratories in various hospitals in Ghana.
He stated that with the solid foundation that had been laid to build a professional body, it was important for them to advocate and lobby Parliament to pass the relevant Legislative Instrument that “shall regulate medical laboratory practice in Ghana”.
He said it was also important for the association to “set up the Institute of Biomedical Laboratory Science to facilitate the professional development of members as a way of maintaining high standard of professional practice”.
He said with such a body, it would be easy for members to be issued with accreditation and certification, and keep a credible register of all qualified members.
Mr Amuzu said that would make it possible for them to “expose all fraudulent practitioners and laboratories to safeguard public interest.”
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the association, Mr Thomas Kwabena Gyampomah, said notwithstanding their contribution to health care delivery, members “do not enjoy appreciable esteem, recognition and prestige from the public.”
“The growth expected for this sector lags far behind other health professional groups,” he stressed, adding that measures were being taken to address the lapses.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
18 DIE IN TWO MOTOR ACCIDENTS (SPREAD, JAN 20, 2011)
Eighteen people died in two separate accidents yesterday, one at Onyaadze on the Apam-Winneba road in the Central Region and the other at Ohene Nkwanta, near Konongo in the Ashanti Region.
In the Onyaadze crash involving two vehicles, 12 people died on the spot and one person later, while 16 others in critical condition have been admitted to the Winneba Government Hospital. The dead include the drivers of the two vehicles involved.
And at Ohene Nkwanta, five passengers, including two females and a baby girl, died on the spot when a Man Diesel articulated truck crashed into a Tata bus.
The Apam Regional Police Commander, Superintendent Oduro Amaning, told the Daily Graphic that the accident occurred around 5.30 a.m. when a cargo Benz, with registration number ER 7024 X, loaded with canned fish and mayonnaise from Accra towards Cape Coast veered of its lane and collided head-on with a Benz 207, with registration number CR 447 P, travelling from Mumford to Winneba.
In the Ashanti Region, a truck, with registration number AS 507-10, which was heading towards Accra from Kumasi, was said to have first hit the rear of a truck which was ahead of it, veered off its lane before crashing into the side of the Tata bus which was travelling from the opposite direction, causing the bus to crash into a ditch.
The Ashanti Regional Police Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) Commander, Superintendent G. D. Hlordzi, who briefed the Daily Graphic about the incident, said the impact of the crash was so intense that the Tata bus rolled several times before falling on its side, causing five of the passengers to die on the spot from the injuries they sustained.
He said majority of the passengers in the Tata bus, with registration number GW 1764 X, sustained injuries, and were, therefore, rushed to the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for medical care.
He said both the driver of the bus and the articulated truck survived the accident, explaining that while the driver of the bus, identified as Mustapha Seidu, was treated and discharged from the Konongo Government Hospital, the truck driver, yet to be identified, was on admission at the same hospital.
He said the bodies of the deceased were first transported to the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, but the mortuary was full, so arrangements were made for them to be deposited at the KATH mortuary.
Superintendent Hlordzi said initial police investigations revealed that the driver of the Man Diesel articulated truck was dozing, a situation which he said caused him to hit the rear of a truck which was ahead of it.
He said it was the impact of the first incident that caused the truck to veer from its lane to crash into the Tata bus travelling from the opposite direction.
Superintendent Hlordzi said efforts were being made to identify the deceased passengers, giving assurance that investigations were underway.
In the Onyaadze crash involving two vehicles, 12 people died on the spot and one person later, while 16 others in critical condition have been admitted to the Winneba Government Hospital. The dead include the drivers of the two vehicles involved.
And at Ohene Nkwanta, five passengers, including two females and a baby girl, died on the spot when a Man Diesel articulated truck crashed into a Tata bus.
The Apam Regional Police Commander, Superintendent Oduro Amaning, told the Daily Graphic that the accident occurred around 5.30 a.m. when a cargo Benz, with registration number ER 7024 X, loaded with canned fish and mayonnaise from Accra towards Cape Coast veered of its lane and collided head-on with a Benz 207, with registration number CR 447 P, travelling from Mumford to Winneba.
In the Ashanti Region, a truck, with registration number AS 507-10, which was heading towards Accra from Kumasi, was said to have first hit the rear of a truck which was ahead of it, veered off its lane before crashing into the side of the Tata bus which was travelling from the opposite direction, causing the bus to crash into a ditch.
The Ashanti Regional Police Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) Commander, Superintendent G. D. Hlordzi, who briefed the Daily Graphic about the incident, said the impact of the crash was so intense that the Tata bus rolled several times before falling on its side, causing five of the passengers to die on the spot from the injuries they sustained.
He said majority of the passengers in the Tata bus, with registration number GW 1764 X, sustained injuries, and were, therefore, rushed to the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for medical care.
He said both the driver of the bus and the articulated truck survived the accident, explaining that while the driver of the bus, identified as Mustapha Seidu, was treated and discharged from the Konongo Government Hospital, the truck driver, yet to be identified, was on admission at the same hospital.
He said the bodies of the deceased were first transported to the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital, but the mortuary was full, so arrangements were made for them to be deposited at the KATH mortuary.
Superintendent Hlordzi said initial police investigations revealed that the driver of the Man Diesel articulated truck was dozing, a situation which he said caused him to hit the rear of a truck which was ahead of it.
He said it was the impact of the first incident that caused the truck to veer from its lane to crash into the Tata bus travelling from the opposite direction.
Superintendent Hlordzi said efforts were being made to identify the deceased passengers, giving assurance that investigations were underway.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
EC TO RE-RUN SOME ELECTIONS IN ASHANTI REGION (PAGE 12, JAN 18, 2011)
The Ashanti Regional office of the Electoral Commission (EC) will re-run the District Level Elections in four electoral areas where candidates tied, making it impossible for anyone to be elected to represent the electoral area at the District Assembly.
The electoral areas where the District Level Elections would be re-run are Adukrom in the Asante Akim North District, Teacherkrom in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District, Atwere in the Amasie West District and Kensere in the Bekwai District.
A Deputy Ashanti Regional EC Officer, Mr Isaac Owusu, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the supposed ties in the four electoral areas, explained that while Messrs Ebenezer Oteng and Edward Kofi Amoo tied with 155 votes each at the Adukrom Electoral Area, their counterparts at Teacherkrom, Isaac Fabina and Alex Agyapong also tied with 142 votes each.
He said at the Atwere Electoral Area where four candidates contested for the elections, Messrs Jones Akwasi Yeboah and Stephen Fosu tied with 332 votes each, while their counterparts at the Kensere Electoral Area, Messrs E.M. Osei Mensah and Edward Frimpong also tied with 272 votes each.
Mr Owusu pointed out that they have already briefed the Chairman of the Electoral Commission about the ties in the four electoral areas and were waiting for a date for them to re-run elections in the affected areas.
He said apart from the four electoral areas, the Commission would also re-run elections in two Unit Areas where candidates tied for the fifth position.
He mentioned the Akrofoso Unit at the Ahafo Ano North District, and the Kyenkyekura Unit at the Ejura -Sekyedumase District as areas where the Commission would re-run elections for candidates who tied for the fifth position.
Explaining, he said while Messrs Issaka Bukari and Samuel Osei tied with 222 votes each at the Akrofoso Unit Area for the fifth position, their counterparts at Kyenkyekura, Messrs Zakari Abubakari and Dabilnan Paknamwa tied with 215 votes each.
He said the Commission would provide fresh ballot papers for the candidates as soon as they get the nod from the national headquarters and the date to re-run the elections.
Mr Owusu said elections would be held simultaneously in the affected Electoral and Unit areas, giving the assurance that sufficient education would be provided to make the electorates become aware of the dates of the elections to ensure massive turn out.
The electoral areas where the District Level Elections would be re-run are Adukrom in the Asante Akim North District, Teacherkrom in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District, Atwere in the Amasie West District and Kensere in the Bekwai District.
A Deputy Ashanti Regional EC Officer, Mr Isaac Owusu, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the supposed ties in the four electoral areas, explained that while Messrs Ebenezer Oteng and Edward Kofi Amoo tied with 155 votes each at the Adukrom Electoral Area, their counterparts at Teacherkrom, Isaac Fabina and Alex Agyapong also tied with 142 votes each.
He said at the Atwere Electoral Area where four candidates contested for the elections, Messrs Jones Akwasi Yeboah and Stephen Fosu tied with 332 votes each, while their counterparts at the Kensere Electoral Area, Messrs E.M. Osei Mensah and Edward Frimpong also tied with 272 votes each.
Mr Owusu pointed out that they have already briefed the Chairman of the Electoral Commission about the ties in the four electoral areas and were waiting for a date for them to re-run elections in the affected areas.
He said apart from the four electoral areas, the Commission would also re-run elections in two Unit Areas where candidates tied for the fifth position.
He mentioned the Akrofoso Unit at the Ahafo Ano North District, and the Kyenkyekura Unit at the Ejura -Sekyedumase District as areas where the Commission would re-run elections for candidates who tied for the fifth position.
Explaining, he said while Messrs Issaka Bukari and Samuel Osei tied with 222 votes each at the Akrofoso Unit Area for the fifth position, their counterparts at Kyenkyekura, Messrs Zakari Abubakari and Dabilnan Paknamwa tied with 215 votes each.
He said the Commission would provide fresh ballot papers for the candidates as soon as they get the nod from the national headquarters and the date to re-run the elections.
Mr Owusu said elections would be held simultaneously in the affected Electoral and Unit areas, giving the assurance that sufficient education would be provided to make the electorates become aware of the dates of the elections to ensure massive turn out.
OWERI MINES EMPLOYS FOUR FEMALES (PAGE 11, JAN 18, 2011)
The Oweri Mines, operators of the Konongo Gold Mines, has employed four females to work at its plant site.
This is in line with management’s policy of supporting females in its operational community to enable them to build their capacity more meaningfully.
The Operations Manager of the Oweri Mines, Mr Rogers Bannister, who briefed the Daily Graphic about the opportunity offered the four female employees during a media interaction, said the action was the first of management to offer the females an opportunity to work at any plant site of a mining company in the country.
He explained that the safety officer of the mines, Mr Maxwell Toffah, had already taken the female employees through interactive training sessions to make them more familiar with the operations of the mines.
That, he explained, was meant to build and sustain the confidence of the female employees to excel in their new environment.
He said they had also gone through safety, health, environmental and risk induction exercises to enable them to identify any form of risks and hazards that might confront them in the course of their operations.
Mr Bannister pointed out that as part of measures to make the female employees useful to the Oweri Mines, “they have been trained to operate forklifts, as well as grinding and wielding machines”.
He gave the assurance that the “Owere mines is doing everything possible to employ as many women as possible to work at sensitive areas just as their male counterparts, when production starts fully in the first quarter of 2011”.
“Women need to be empowered in all fields and management is desirous of supporting females in its operational area to enable them to realise their potentials and contribute to the country’s accelerated socio-economic development, ” he stressed.
Mr Bannister also gave the assurance that management would provide the youth with more employment avenues.
He said already a number of unemployed youth in the Asante Akyem North District “have applied and they would benefit from employment opportunities being created by the Oweri Mines”.
He said since management was also concerned about its social responsibilities, it donated GH¢10, 000 to support the construction of a police station at Odumase last year.
He explained that the gesture became necessary because the rented structure housing the Odumase police had become a death trap as a result of irregular maintenance.
He said management also presented a laptop computer to the Konongo Divisional Police Command to enhance efficiency in keeping and retrieving documents.
“ We have also donated GH¢5,000.00 to support works on the Juabenhene’s palace, repaired the bridge over a river at Odumase and paid over GH¢123,573.00 as compensation for damaged crops when we started our operations at the mines, ” he said.
This is in line with management’s policy of supporting females in its operational community to enable them to build their capacity more meaningfully.
The Operations Manager of the Oweri Mines, Mr Rogers Bannister, who briefed the Daily Graphic about the opportunity offered the four female employees during a media interaction, said the action was the first of management to offer the females an opportunity to work at any plant site of a mining company in the country.
He explained that the safety officer of the mines, Mr Maxwell Toffah, had already taken the female employees through interactive training sessions to make them more familiar with the operations of the mines.
That, he explained, was meant to build and sustain the confidence of the female employees to excel in their new environment.
He said they had also gone through safety, health, environmental and risk induction exercises to enable them to identify any form of risks and hazards that might confront them in the course of their operations.
Mr Bannister pointed out that as part of measures to make the female employees useful to the Oweri Mines, “they have been trained to operate forklifts, as well as grinding and wielding machines”.
He gave the assurance that the “Owere mines is doing everything possible to employ as many women as possible to work at sensitive areas just as their male counterparts, when production starts fully in the first quarter of 2011”.
“Women need to be empowered in all fields and management is desirous of supporting females in its operational area to enable them to realise their potentials and contribute to the country’s accelerated socio-economic development, ” he stressed.
Mr Bannister also gave the assurance that management would provide the youth with more employment avenues.
He said already a number of unemployed youth in the Asante Akyem North District “have applied and they would benefit from employment opportunities being created by the Oweri Mines”.
He said since management was also concerned about its social responsibilities, it donated GH¢10, 000 to support the construction of a police station at Odumase last year.
He explained that the gesture became necessary because the rented structure housing the Odumase police had become a death trap as a result of irregular maintenance.
He said management also presented a laptop computer to the Konongo Divisional Police Command to enhance efficiency in keeping and retrieving documents.
“ We have also donated GH¢5,000.00 to support works on the Juabenhene’s palace, repaired the bridge over a river at Odumase and paid over GH¢123,573.00 as compensation for damaged crops when we started our operations at the mines, ” he said.
Monday, January 17, 2011
KAMA CEO ADVISES YOUTH (PAGE 29, JAN 17, 2011)
THE Chief Executive of KAMA Group of Companies, Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, has challenged the youth to adequately develop and nurture skills in entrepreneurship.
He said that would enable them to acquire expertise in establishing private firms capable of contributing to sustainable socio-economic development.
Dr Agyekum Addo was addressing the Ash-town sector of the Kumasi South Central Ghana Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church as part of their camp meeting at Kumawu.
About 1,000 youth from the Ash-town sector took advantage of the Christmas festivities to converge on the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School compound where they engaged in productive ventures to build their capacity.
The 10-day camp meeting on the theme: “Dare to lead”, also sought to rekindle the youth spiritually to enable them to lead honest and God-fearing lifestyles.
Dr Agyekum Addo stressed that unless the youth developed their minds holistically and acquired imaginative minds that would make it possible for them to establish their own firms, they would remain unemployed no matter their level of education at the formal sector.
He prophesised that looking at the accelerated development and expansion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes and their impact on world economy, there would be massive unemployment at all sectors of the economy globally by the next 10 years.
Dr Agyekum Addo said during such periods, only people with imaginative minds stood the chance of earning income that would be sustainable enough.
Speaking on the topic: “The secret ingredient for success,” Dr Agyekum Addo said being successful in life did not only depend on acquiring entrepreneurship skills, but also rested on developing positive attitude in life.
He stressed that investing in lucrative ventures without acquiring positive attitude would be a wasteful venture, adding that positive attitude and skills development played vital roles in helping individuals nurture their potentials and fully develop them in order to make an impact on society.
Dr Agyekum Addo also urged the youth to be time conscious by ensuring that they worked within the time frame at all programmes they initiated.
“If you want to be successful and make it in life, you should have much value for time,” he stressed.
He said that would enable them to acquire expertise in establishing private firms capable of contributing to sustainable socio-economic development.
Dr Agyekum Addo was addressing the Ash-town sector of the Kumasi South Central Ghana Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church as part of their camp meeting at Kumawu.
About 1,000 youth from the Ash-town sector took advantage of the Christmas festivities to converge on the Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School compound where they engaged in productive ventures to build their capacity.
The 10-day camp meeting on the theme: “Dare to lead”, also sought to rekindle the youth spiritually to enable them to lead honest and God-fearing lifestyles.
Dr Agyekum Addo stressed that unless the youth developed their minds holistically and acquired imaginative minds that would make it possible for them to establish their own firms, they would remain unemployed no matter their level of education at the formal sector.
He prophesised that looking at the accelerated development and expansion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes and their impact on world economy, there would be massive unemployment at all sectors of the economy globally by the next 10 years.
Dr Agyekum Addo said during such periods, only people with imaginative minds stood the chance of earning income that would be sustainable enough.
Speaking on the topic: “The secret ingredient for success,” Dr Agyekum Addo said being successful in life did not only depend on acquiring entrepreneurship skills, but also rested on developing positive attitude in life.
He stressed that investing in lucrative ventures without acquiring positive attitude would be a wasteful venture, adding that positive attitude and skills development played vital roles in helping individuals nurture their potentials and fully develop them in order to make an impact on society.
Dr Agyekum Addo also urged the youth to be time conscious by ensuring that they worked within the time frame at all programmes they initiated.
“If you want to be successful and make it in life, you should have much value for time,” he stressed.
Friday, January 14, 2011
FIVE DRIVERS CONVICTED FOR UNAUTHORISED PARKING (MIRROR, PAGE 20, JAN 15, 2011)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
Five recalcitrant heavy truck drivers, who have been flouting road traffic regulations with impunity by constantly parking their trucks on the shoulders of the main Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway, disregarding the danger they pose to other road users, were slapped with a total fine of GH¢1,860 by a Motor Court for flouting road traffic regulations.
The Motor Court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Bart Plange-Brew, directed the convicts to serve various prison terms, ranging between eight and 10 months, if they failed to pay the court fines.
The convicts, whose ages ranged between 35 and 62 years, were arrested on Friday, January 7, 2011 after they had parked their trucks on the shoulders of the Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway in Accra, blocking the view of on-coming vehicles.
The convicts, Zakari Jibril, 52, Seidu Ouadrago, 35, Abdulai Issaka,58, Alhaji Hamidu, 54 and Anthony N. Quainoo, 62, pleaded guilty to charges of wrongful parking of vehicles when they appeared before the court, and the Judge convicted them on their own plea.
While Zakari Jibril who was in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢360, or serve 10 months jail term in default, Abdulai Issaka also in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢240, or serve eight months jail term in default.
Seidu Ouadrago, a Burkinabe in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢360, or serve 10 months jail term in default, while Alhaji Hamidu in charge of a DAF truck has been slapped with a fine of GH¢420 or serve 10 months jail term.
The oldest among the convicts, Anthony Quainoo aka Oldman, who was driving a Man Diesel truck, was also slapped with a fine of GH¢480 or serve 10 months jail term in default.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Dora Serwah told the court that the convicts were arrested around 10 a.m. on Friday January 7, 2011, for parking their trucks on the main Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway.
She explained that as part of their routine motor checks, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit spotted that the trucks were parked at an area that posed great danger to other road users.
She said the MTTU , mindful of the danger posed to motorists when vehicles are parked at unauthorised places, had been educating drivers to desist from such action, but some of them always ignore such advice.
She said MTTU personnel who spotted the trucks parked at the unauthorised places effected their arrest and after investigations, they were charged with the offence.
Five recalcitrant heavy truck drivers, who have been flouting road traffic regulations with impunity by constantly parking their trucks on the shoulders of the main Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway, disregarding the danger they pose to other road users, were slapped with a total fine of GH¢1,860 by a Motor Court for flouting road traffic regulations.
The Motor Court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Bart Plange-Brew, directed the convicts to serve various prison terms, ranging between eight and 10 months, if they failed to pay the court fines.
The convicts, whose ages ranged between 35 and 62 years, were arrested on Friday, January 7, 2011 after they had parked their trucks on the shoulders of the Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway in Accra, blocking the view of on-coming vehicles.
The convicts, Zakari Jibril, 52, Seidu Ouadrago, 35, Abdulai Issaka,58, Alhaji Hamidu, 54 and Anthony N. Quainoo, 62, pleaded guilty to charges of wrongful parking of vehicles when they appeared before the court, and the Judge convicted them on their own plea.
While Zakari Jibril who was in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢360, or serve 10 months jail term in default, Abdulai Issaka also in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢240, or serve eight months jail term in default.
Seidu Ouadrago, a Burkinabe in charge of a DAF truck, was convicted to pay a fine of GH¢360, or serve 10 months jail term in default, while Alhaji Hamidu in charge of a DAF truck has been slapped with a fine of GH¢420 or serve 10 months jail term.
The oldest among the convicts, Anthony Quainoo aka Oldman, who was driving a Man Diesel truck, was also slapped with a fine of GH¢480 or serve 10 months jail term in default.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Dora Serwah told the court that the convicts were arrested around 10 a.m. on Friday January 7, 2011, for parking their trucks on the main Tetteh Quarshie-Achimota Highway.
She explained that as part of their routine motor checks, the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit spotted that the trucks were parked at an area that posed great danger to other road users.
She said the MTTU , mindful of the danger posed to motorists when vehicles are parked at unauthorised places, had been educating drivers to desist from such action, but some of them always ignore such advice.
She said MTTU personnel who spotted the trucks parked at the unauthorised places effected their arrest and after investigations, they were charged with the offence.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Horrific accident at Akomadan...15 PERISH...15 Sheep also killed (LEAD STORY, JAN 12, 2011)
FIFTEEN people died on the spot when two Yutong buses collided on the outskirts of Akomadan in the Ashanti Region at about 2 a.m. yesterday.
The accident scene was a bloody sight of scattered dead human beings and sheep, as about 15 sheep being transported from Bolgatanga in one of the buses also died on the spot, with other sheep, numbering about 20, injured and scattered around.
The deceased included the drivers of both vehicles and a young woman and her two-year-old baby boy.
Two of the deceased, including one of the drivers, had their legs chopped off, while others suffered serious head and body injuries.
While volunteers helped to transport the dead to the Nkenkansu Government Hospital, those who were seriously injured were rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman for emergency care.
The situation attracted a large crowd to the hospitals, with many weeping uncontrollably.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the tragedy, the Officer in charge of the Akomadan Police Station, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Philbert Zuboviel, said the two buses, which were fully loaded, collided in a sharp curve on the outskirts of the town.
The impact was so great that one of the buses, with registration number GN 2673-10, which was heading towards Tamale and with a seating capacity of 25, was completely damaged beyond repair. The majority of the dead were in that bus.
The other bus, with registration number GC 4818 Z, which was heading to Kumasi from Bolgatanga and was carrying passengers and the livestock, crashed into a ditch, killing some of the passengers, including the driver, and the sheep, with many of the passengers sustaining various degrees of injury.
The deceased were yet to be identified as of the time the Daily Graphic reached the Nkenkansu Government Hospital.
ASP Zuboviel said moments after the crash, he organised his men to the scene to rescue the passengers, many of whom were trapped in the mangled buses.
He said it took the volunteers several hours to rescue the injured and rush them to the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman, while the seriously injured were taken to KATH.
ASP Zuboviel said the passengers who sustained minor injuries were, however, treated at and discharged from the Holy Family Hospital.
The accident scene was a bloody sight of scattered dead human beings and sheep, as about 15 sheep being transported from Bolgatanga in one of the buses also died on the spot, with other sheep, numbering about 20, injured and scattered around.
The deceased included the drivers of both vehicles and a young woman and her two-year-old baby boy.
Two of the deceased, including one of the drivers, had their legs chopped off, while others suffered serious head and body injuries.
While volunteers helped to transport the dead to the Nkenkansu Government Hospital, those who were seriously injured were rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman for emergency care.
The situation attracted a large crowd to the hospitals, with many weeping uncontrollably.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the tragedy, the Officer in charge of the Akomadan Police Station, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Philbert Zuboviel, said the two buses, which were fully loaded, collided in a sharp curve on the outskirts of the town.
The impact was so great that one of the buses, with registration number GN 2673-10, which was heading towards Tamale and with a seating capacity of 25, was completely damaged beyond repair. The majority of the dead were in that bus.
The other bus, with registration number GC 4818 Z, which was heading to Kumasi from Bolgatanga and was carrying passengers and the livestock, crashed into a ditch, killing some of the passengers, including the driver, and the sheep, with many of the passengers sustaining various degrees of injury.
The deceased were yet to be identified as of the time the Daily Graphic reached the Nkenkansu Government Hospital.
ASP Zuboviel said moments after the crash, he organised his men to the scene to rescue the passengers, many of whom were trapped in the mangled buses.
He said it took the volunteers several hours to rescue the injured and rush them to the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman, while the seriously injured were taken to KATH.
ASP Zuboviel said the passengers who sustained minor injuries were, however, treated at and discharged from the Holy Family Hospital.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fighting HIV stigma and discrimination...PREVENT SHOWS THE WAY (PAGE 23, JAN 12, 2011)
“The problem that many people living with HIV have is stigmatisation. People point their fingers at you and discriminate against you wherever you go. Some HIV-positive persons have been thrown out of their homes; some have lost their jobs. People even refuse to eat with you. Such treatment kills. The disease does not.”
These were the complaints of an HIV-positive person at a programme organised at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region recently.
His concern sums up the humiliation, injustice and unfair treatment that confront people living with HIV and AIDS in Ghana, immediately they go public with their status.
Public attitude towards people living with HIV and AIDS, especially the responses when the disease started, created the impression that the disease was an illness visited on immoral and sinful persons. It was such a perception that caused society to stigmatise the patients and eventually isolate them, causing them to feel unwanted in society.
The result has been frustration in efforts to combat the disease. This is because people who know their status do not only refuse to come out publicly to declare it, but also consciously ignore safety measures that can prevent or curb the spread of the disease.
In Ghana, only a few HIV-positive persons have been bold enough to openly declare their status, but records show that no public figure has declared his or her status.
With such an attitude, stigmatisation has become a big problem to HIV prevention and control in the country - a situation that raises a number of concerns.
The question is, how can we as a nation control the disease effectively and efficiently to prevent future generations from being infected?
How do we as a nation, prevent new infections, especially when it is perceived that due to the stigmatisation, HIV-positive persons do not only refuse to come out publicly, but go underground or refuse to go for anti-retroviral therapy to help them manage the disease more meaningfully?
One organisation which is making a lot of impact in the management of the disease is Care Ghana.
This organisation is now making a headway in implementing a project dubbed ‘Prevent’ to encourage HIV-positive persons not only to feel at home, but also to socialise more meaningfully.
Started about two-and-a-half years ago with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and support from Care Denmark, the project is showing the way by approaching HIV and AIDS prevention, as well as support and care in a humane and non-stigmatising manner.
So far, as many as 36 communities in six districts of Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Western Regions of Ghana are benefiting from the project.
Among the beneficiary communities are Asafo, Amafie and Bibiani in the Western Region; Hansua, Menji and Nsawkaw in the Brong Ahafo Region, as well as Kensere, Kokofu and Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
One of the primary objectives of the project is to make the beneficiary communities appreciate the need to sympathise with persons living with HIV and AIDS, as well as care for and support them in a competent and non-stigmatising manner.
With such positive attitudes towards them, the beneficiary communities are emerging not only as strong and resourceful people, but are also tailoring their activities to serve as examples for replication to other communities across the country.
Care Ghana is collaborating with traditional authorities in all the participating communities, the National Association of HIV-Positive People (NAP), that is the national network of people living with HIV and AIDS, as well as the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), in this initiative .
What is important is that two-and-a half years of active work on the field is yielding positive results which could be attributed to the best practices packaged by Care Ghana.
Among the significant achievement of Care Ghana is enhancing the capacity of traditional authorities through various training workshops in HIV and AIDS management.
With such capacity building, traditional rulers in the beneficiary communities now have the skills to interact positively with members of their communities and devise mechanisms and strategies that would put control and preventive measures in place to ensure that they lead healthy lifestyles.
This is very significant because if the crusade against HIV and AIDS will yield positive results, traditional authorities have a big role to play.
They have been bestowed with the ability not only to mobilise people in their respective communities at a short notice, but also have the skills to ginger them to support development initiatives, including appreciating the essence of living healthily.
Trained queens have visited and learnt lessons from their counterparts at Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region and Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Traditional authorities and their community members have also been trained to develop their own stigmatisation and HIV and AIDS prevention plans.
The plans, which identified key HIV prevention activities including anti-stigmatisation campaigns, condom distribution, counselling and testing, were supported with available community resources and budget.
The efforts of the Prevent Project in promoting the integration of HIV and AIDS prevention into cultural activities and traditional practices in the project communities is also yielding fruitful results .
Another remarkable achievement of the Care Project is the practice where between 10 and 30 minutes is allocated for HIV and AIDS education at weekly traditional council sittings of paramount chiefs, sub-chiefs and queens of the project communities.
During such important meetings, resource persons trained by the project are invited to have positive interaction with the traditional authorities and opinion leaders as part of the strategy to make the project more sustainable.
In order to reach a wide audience, the traditional leaders also use customary and traditional ceremonies such as festivals and funerals as platforms for HIV and AIDS education.
Of equal importance is the fact that puberty rites have been reintroduced in some of the participating communities, and during the performance of such rites, HIV and AIDS education are integrated to make the youth appreciate the need to lead productive lifestyles.
The Prevent Project is also using existing traditional and community-based behavioural change communication channels in the project areas to provide HIV and AIDS information.
This is very significant because the application of these channels do not require any extensive training , beside the fact that community members are used. A typical example is the use of the gong-gong, which is a traditional means of mass communication, to mobilise community members for HIV and AIDS activities including counselling and testing services.
The project also uses community durbars to provide HIV and AIDS information to a large audience, and as advocacy tools, they are used to rally support and create the enabling environment for effective HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
In addition, support group members contact individuals through home visits and provide them comprehensive HIV and AIDS information on one-on-one basis. Consequently, knowledge about HIV and AIDS has increased tremendously among the participating community members.
An innovative strategy (“Know Your Status” Campaign) of the Ghana Health Service has also been adapted by the Prevent Project to make HIV counselling and testing more decentralised and affordable to rural communities.
The project is part of the strategies used by the Prevent Project and a collaborative effort between the beneficiary communities, the Information Services Department and the Ghana Health Service to galvanise members of the respective communities to undertake voluntary testing to determine their status, so as to lead more responsible lifestyle.
This particular project is spearheaded by the traditional authorities, while the District Health Management Teams provide nurses and counsellors for the exercise.
The Prevent Project has also lived up to its original billing as a collaborative effort among diverse stakeholders. The municipal and district and assemblies (MDAs) provide the needed political leadership and create the necessary platform for education, while the Ghana Health Service provides the technical expertise and products to support community-based services including counselling and testing, as well as condom distribution.
Similarly, the traditional authorities, community members and HIV and AIDS support groups have also been formed to develop and implement their HIV and AIDS prevention plans. To make the project more effective and sustainable, a monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the project is effectively implemented.
At the district level, monitoring teams involving Prevent Project staff, District HIV Focal Persons, CIKOD and NAP members undertake regular monitoring visits to the communities.
They also organise review meetings at the community and district levels, where they discuss project implementation issues.
Two Paramount Chiefs, Nana Karikari Apau of Bekwai, and Barima Ofei Akwasi Okogyeasuo II of Kokofu, have shown their commitment to the implementation of the HIV and AIDS prevention programmes.
They are not only leading the crusade to fight HIV and AIDS related stigma, but have also mandated all sub-chiefs under their paramountcy to take concrete steps to replicate the project in their respective communities.
The idea is to prevent HIV infection by discouraging the keeping of multiple partners and promotion of stable marriages. In the same vein, the Chief of Kensere in the Ashanti Region, Nana Fosu Kwabi, is championing HIV and AIDS prevention in his community. It is reassuring to witness how Nana Kwabi has personally led condom distribution and been demonstrating their proper use during anti HIV and AIDS campaigns in the area.
The dynamism of the queen of the Sefwi Wiaso Traditional Council, Nana Afia Korama, is also an example of what traditional authorities can do to move the HIV and AIDS prevention programme forward.
She discusses HIV and sexuality issues with children and regularly provides HIV education to her community, especially women and young people. Her activities were extended to schools, churches and other traditional leaders in her community.
Furthermore, the queen is promoting girl-child education and campaigning to prevent teenage pregnancy and school dropouts in her traditional area.
Through her efforts, the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council has passed a bye-law to check people who impregnate girls under 18 years. The district assembly has approved the bye-law, and people who flout it are fined GH¢100.
The efforts of the queen of Hansua in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Afia Bema, in organising women and youth forums on HIV and AIDS and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programmes for her people to support the sustenance of the project is also paying off.
The Prevent Project has also built the capacities of groups of people living with HIV in the six project districts. They have been empowered and are serving as resource persons to support community-level HIV prevention activities.
Before the project, many people living with HIV were reluctant to come out publicly to support HIV activities.
However, through training and other support from the project, they have now become more assertive, confident and more resilient in supporting each other in the management of their conditions.
The NAP Ghana was established with the primary purpose of mobilising all HIV-positive persons under one umbrella to promote their welfare.
This noble intention is far from being realised, as many PLHIV, especially those in the rural areas, are reluctant to join the association.
The reality now is NAP-Ghana is gradually but surely becoming a household name for PLHIV Groups in the project districts.
Members of the PLHIV Groups in the project districts have registered, thus making the public sympathise with them and reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
A baseline survey conducted under the Prevent Project revealed that HIV and AIDS — related stigma and discrimination in the project districts is widespread and pervasive. However, recent studies show that HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination seems to be on the decline in the 36 project communities.
The various strategies have worked together to change the attitude of community members who are demonstrating acceptable attitudes towards people infected and affected by HIV.
These were the complaints of an HIV-positive person at a programme organised at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region recently.
His concern sums up the humiliation, injustice and unfair treatment that confront people living with HIV and AIDS in Ghana, immediately they go public with their status.
Public attitude towards people living with HIV and AIDS, especially the responses when the disease started, created the impression that the disease was an illness visited on immoral and sinful persons. It was such a perception that caused society to stigmatise the patients and eventually isolate them, causing them to feel unwanted in society.
The result has been frustration in efforts to combat the disease. This is because people who know their status do not only refuse to come out publicly to declare it, but also consciously ignore safety measures that can prevent or curb the spread of the disease.
In Ghana, only a few HIV-positive persons have been bold enough to openly declare their status, but records show that no public figure has declared his or her status.
With such an attitude, stigmatisation has become a big problem to HIV prevention and control in the country - a situation that raises a number of concerns.
The question is, how can we as a nation control the disease effectively and efficiently to prevent future generations from being infected?
How do we as a nation, prevent new infections, especially when it is perceived that due to the stigmatisation, HIV-positive persons do not only refuse to come out publicly, but go underground or refuse to go for anti-retroviral therapy to help them manage the disease more meaningfully?
One organisation which is making a lot of impact in the management of the disease is Care Ghana.
This organisation is now making a headway in implementing a project dubbed ‘Prevent’ to encourage HIV-positive persons not only to feel at home, but also to socialise more meaningfully.
Started about two-and-a-half years ago with funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and support from Care Denmark, the project is showing the way by approaching HIV and AIDS prevention, as well as support and care in a humane and non-stigmatising manner.
So far, as many as 36 communities in six districts of Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Western Regions of Ghana are benefiting from the project.
Among the beneficiary communities are Asafo, Amafie and Bibiani in the Western Region; Hansua, Menji and Nsawkaw in the Brong Ahafo Region, as well as Kensere, Kokofu and Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
One of the primary objectives of the project is to make the beneficiary communities appreciate the need to sympathise with persons living with HIV and AIDS, as well as care for and support them in a competent and non-stigmatising manner.
With such positive attitudes towards them, the beneficiary communities are emerging not only as strong and resourceful people, but are also tailoring their activities to serve as examples for replication to other communities across the country.
Care Ghana is collaborating with traditional authorities in all the participating communities, the National Association of HIV-Positive People (NAP), that is the national network of people living with HIV and AIDS, as well as the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), in this initiative .
What is important is that two-and-a half years of active work on the field is yielding positive results which could be attributed to the best practices packaged by Care Ghana.
Among the significant achievement of Care Ghana is enhancing the capacity of traditional authorities through various training workshops in HIV and AIDS management.
With such capacity building, traditional rulers in the beneficiary communities now have the skills to interact positively with members of their communities and devise mechanisms and strategies that would put control and preventive measures in place to ensure that they lead healthy lifestyles.
This is very significant because if the crusade against HIV and AIDS will yield positive results, traditional authorities have a big role to play.
They have been bestowed with the ability not only to mobilise people in their respective communities at a short notice, but also have the skills to ginger them to support development initiatives, including appreciating the essence of living healthily.
Trained queens have visited and learnt lessons from their counterparts at Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region and Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Traditional authorities and their community members have also been trained to develop their own stigmatisation and HIV and AIDS prevention plans.
The plans, which identified key HIV prevention activities including anti-stigmatisation campaigns, condom distribution, counselling and testing, were supported with available community resources and budget.
The efforts of the Prevent Project in promoting the integration of HIV and AIDS prevention into cultural activities and traditional practices in the project communities is also yielding fruitful results .
Another remarkable achievement of the Care Project is the practice where between 10 and 30 minutes is allocated for HIV and AIDS education at weekly traditional council sittings of paramount chiefs, sub-chiefs and queens of the project communities.
During such important meetings, resource persons trained by the project are invited to have positive interaction with the traditional authorities and opinion leaders as part of the strategy to make the project more sustainable.
In order to reach a wide audience, the traditional leaders also use customary and traditional ceremonies such as festivals and funerals as platforms for HIV and AIDS education.
Of equal importance is the fact that puberty rites have been reintroduced in some of the participating communities, and during the performance of such rites, HIV and AIDS education are integrated to make the youth appreciate the need to lead productive lifestyles.
The Prevent Project is also using existing traditional and community-based behavioural change communication channels in the project areas to provide HIV and AIDS information.
This is very significant because the application of these channels do not require any extensive training , beside the fact that community members are used. A typical example is the use of the gong-gong, which is a traditional means of mass communication, to mobilise community members for HIV and AIDS activities including counselling and testing services.
The project also uses community durbars to provide HIV and AIDS information to a large audience, and as advocacy tools, they are used to rally support and create the enabling environment for effective HIV and AIDS prevention activities.
In addition, support group members contact individuals through home visits and provide them comprehensive HIV and AIDS information on one-on-one basis. Consequently, knowledge about HIV and AIDS has increased tremendously among the participating community members.
An innovative strategy (“Know Your Status” Campaign) of the Ghana Health Service has also been adapted by the Prevent Project to make HIV counselling and testing more decentralised and affordable to rural communities.
The project is part of the strategies used by the Prevent Project and a collaborative effort between the beneficiary communities, the Information Services Department and the Ghana Health Service to galvanise members of the respective communities to undertake voluntary testing to determine their status, so as to lead more responsible lifestyle.
This particular project is spearheaded by the traditional authorities, while the District Health Management Teams provide nurses and counsellors for the exercise.
The Prevent Project has also lived up to its original billing as a collaborative effort among diverse stakeholders. The municipal and district and assemblies (MDAs) provide the needed political leadership and create the necessary platform for education, while the Ghana Health Service provides the technical expertise and products to support community-based services including counselling and testing, as well as condom distribution.
Similarly, the traditional authorities, community members and HIV and AIDS support groups have also been formed to develop and implement their HIV and AIDS prevention plans. To make the project more effective and sustainable, a monitoring mechanism has been put in place to ensure that the project is effectively implemented.
At the district level, monitoring teams involving Prevent Project staff, District HIV Focal Persons, CIKOD and NAP members undertake regular monitoring visits to the communities.
They also organise review meetings at the community and district levels, where they discuss project implementation issues.
Two Paramount Chiefs, Nana Karikari Apau of Bekwai, and Barima Ofei Akwasi Okogyeasuo II of Kokofu, have shown their commitment to the implementation of the HIV and AIDS prevention programmes.
They are not only leading the crusade to fight HIV and AIDS related stigma, but have also mandated all sub-chiefs under their paramountcy to take concrete steps to replicate the project in their respective communities.
The idea is to prevent HIV infection by discouraging the keeping of multiple partners and promotion of stable marriages. In the same vein, the Chief of Kensere in the Ashanti Region, Nana Fosu Kwabi, is championing HIV and AIDS prevention in his community. It is reassuring to witness how Nana Kwabi has personally led condom distribution and been demonstrating their proper use during anti HIV and AIDS campaigns in the area.
The dynamism of the queen of the Sefwi Wiaso Traditional Council, Nana Afia Korama, is also an example of what traditional authorities can do to move the HIV and AIDS prevention programme forward.
She discusses HIV and sexuality issues with children and regularly provides HIV education to her community, especially women and young people. Her activities were extended to schools, churches and other traditional leaders in her community.
Furthermore, the queen is promoting girl-child education and campaigning to prevent teenage pregnancy and school dropouts in her traditional area.
Through her efforts, the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council has passed a bye-law to check people who impregnate girls under 18 years. The district assembly has approved the bye-law, and people who flout it are fined GH¢100.
The efforts of the queen of Hansua in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Afia Bema, in organising women and youth forums on HIV and AIDS and Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programmes for her people to support the sustenance of the project is also paying off.
The Prevent Project has also built the capacities of groups of people living with HIV in the six project districts. They have been empowered and are serving as resource persons to support community-level HIV prevention activities.
Before the project, many people living with HIV were reluctant to come out publicly to support HIV activities.
However, through training and other support from the project, they have now become more assertive, confident and more resilient in supporting each other in the management of their conditions.
The NAP Ghana was established with the primary purpose of mobilising all HIV-positive persons under one umbrella to promote their welfare.
This noble intention is far from being realised, as many PLHIV, especially those in the rural areas, are reluctant to join the association.
The reality now is NAP-Ghana is gradually but surely becoming a household name for PLHIV Groups in the project districts.
Members of the PLHIV Groups in the project districts have registered, thus making the public sympathise with them and reduce the stigma associated with the disease.
A baseline survey conducted under the Prevent Project revealed that HIV and AIDS — related stigma and discrimination in the project districts is widespread and pervasive. However, recent studies show that HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination seems to be on the decline in the 36 project communities.
The various strategies have worked together to change the attitude of community members who are demonstrating acceptable attitudes towards people infected and affected by HIV.
Monday, January 10, 2011
6,000 DIE IN ACCIDENTS (LEAD STORY, JAN 10, 2011)
ACCIDENTS have been increasing throughout the country since 2007, claiming at least six thousand lives and causing injury to almost 40,000 people, the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service has said.
From 2007 to 2010, a total of 6,213 lives had been lost while 39,797 others had sustained various degrees of injury in motor accidents.
According to records compiled by the unit, 1,760 people died while 11, 147 people were injured in 12,981 motor accidents involving 18,589 vehicles in 2010.
In 2009, 12,565 accidents involving 17,409 vehicles were recorded claiming 1,587 lives and causing injuries to 9,767 people.
Whereas 1,520 deaths and 7,433 injuries were recorded in 2008, 1,346 deaths and 11,450 injuries were registered in 2007.
As many as 71,102 vehicles were damaged in accidents from 2007 to 2010, according to the statistics.
Commenting on the spate of accidents in the country and its implications on socio-economic development, the Commanding Officer of the MTTU, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Angwubutoge Awuni, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that his outfit would intensify education on safety measures for all road users as a way of reducing the carnage.
He said the MTTU would also collaborate with the executives of the various transport unions to enforce road traffic regulations to ensure that commercial motorists strictly complied with such regulations.
He mentioned regular maintenance of vehicles to ensure that only vehicles which were roadworthy were allowed to load at the various lorry terminals across the country.
He pointed out that adequate maintenance of vehicles would reduce the number of vehicles that usually broke down on major highways to cause accidents.
Mr Awuni said as part of the measures to ensure that sanity prevailed on the roads to make travelling more comfortable and enjoyable, the MTTU would not only arrest motorists who flout road traffic regulations, but would also prosecute them.
“We would not show any mercy to motorists who drive recklessly on the road. We are going to arrest and prosecute drunk drivers, drivers who use rickety vehicles, as well as those who drive recklessly and put the lives of other road users in danger.
We would also arrest and prosecute drivers who abandon their vehicles on the road so they should always maintain their vehicles,” he warned.
Mr Awuni said while the MTTU would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute drivers who drive recklessly on the road, it was important
for passengers to advise drivers to behave and report the recalcitrant ones to any nearest police station for action to be taken against them.
He appealed to the judiciary to support the operations of the MTTU by not only imposing heavy fines on motorists who flout road traffic regulations, but also ban the recalcitrant ones to bring sanity on the roads.
Mr Awuni said it was equally important for the government to adequately resource the MTTU by not only beefing up their number, but also providing the requisite logistics that would enable the personnel to discharge their duty in a more effective and efficient manner.
He explained that by beefing up the number of MTTU personnel, they would be able to expand their operations on the major highways across the country to monitor the operations of motorist and bring them to order.
He said the provision of the needed logistics would also enhance their operations to make their presence of the highways more effective.
From 2007 to 2010, a total of 6,213 lives had been lost while 39,797 others had sustained various degrees of injury in motor accidents.
According to records compiled by the unit, 1,760 people died while 11, 147 people were injured in 12,981 motor accidents involving 18,589 vehicles in 2010.
In 2009, 12,565 accidents involving 17,409 vehicles were recorded claiming 1,587 lives and causing injuries to 9,767 people.
Whereas 1,520 deaths and 7,433 injuries were recorded in 2008, 1,346 deaths and 11,450 injuries were registered in 2007.
As many as 71,102 vehicles were damaged in accidents from 2007 to 2010, according to the statistics.
Commenting on the spate of accidents in the country and its implications on socio-economic development, the Commanding Officer of the MTTU, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Angwubutoge Awuni, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that his outfit would intensify education on safety measures for all road users as a way of reducing the carnage.
He said the MTTU would also collaborate with the executives of the various transport unions to enforce road traffic regulations to ensure that commercial motorists strictly complied with such regulations.
He mentioned regular maintenance of vehicles to ensure that only vehicles which were roadworthy were allowed to load at the various lorry terminals across the country.
He pointed out that adequate maintenance of vehicles would reduce the number of vehicles that usually broke down on major highways to cause accidents.
Mr Awuni said as part of the measures to ensure that sanity prevailed on the roads to make travelling more comfortable and enjoyable, the MTTU would not only arrest motorists who flout road traffic regulations, but would also prosecute them.
“We would not show any mercy to motorists who drive recklessly on the road. We are going to arrest and prosecute drunk drivers, drivers who use rickety vehicles, as well as those who drive recklessly and put the lives of other road users in danger.
We would also arrest and prosecute drivers who abandon their vehicles on the road so they should always maintain their vehicles,” he warned.
Mr Awuni said while the MTTU would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute drivers who drive recklessly on the road, it was important
for passengers to advise drivers to behave and report the recalcitrant ones to any nearest police station for action to be taken against them.
He appealed to the judiciary to support the operations of the MTTU by not only imposing heavy fines on motorists who flout road traffic regulations, but also ban the recalcitrant ones to bring sanity on the roads.
Mr Awuni said it was equally important for the government to adequately resource the MTTU by not only beefing up their number, but also providing the requisite logistics that would enable the personnel to discharge their duty in a more effective and efficient manner.
He explained that by beefing up the number of MTTU personnel, they would be able to expand their operations on the major highways across the country to monitor the operations of motorist and bring them to order.
He said the provision of the needed logistics would also enhance their operations to make their presence of the highways more effective.
Friday, January 7, 2011
MTTU TO ARREST POLICEMEN WHO BREAK TRAFFIC REGULATIONS (MIRROR, PAGE 21, JAN 8, 2011)
From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE Commanding Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, has ordered personnel of the Unit to arrest and prosecute all policemen who use unlicensed motor bikes in any part of the country.
“ We are waging war against the use of unlicensed motor bikes and anyone found to be using one should not be spared, even if they are policemen”, he noted.
He also charged the personnel to arrest and prosecute all policemen who fail to use helmets when riding on motorbikes.
Mr Awuni again directed personnel of the MTTU to arrest drivers who use rickety vehicles "even if they have road worthy stickers”.
Explaining, he said: “Rickety vehicles, vehicles with defective tyres, headlights, and bodies have been the cause of rampant accidents in Ghana, claiming precious lives and destroying property with impunity, and we cannot allow them to continue operating and perpetuate mayhem, in the name of using road worthy certificates.”
Addressing District, Municipal and Regional MTTU Commanders from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions in Kumasi as part of his familiarisation visit, Mr Awuni expressed concern about the attitude of police officers “who flout road traffic regulations and turn round to arrest motorists for committing the same offence”.
“Policemen are not above the laws that they have been mandated to enforce,” he noted, explaining, “We cannot condone the action of some of our men who put on attitudes that undermine the image of the profession “.
He pointed out that under police regulations, policemen who display any misconduct in public would be arrested and charged, adding, “So are those who flout any form of road traffic regulations, including the use of unlicensed motor bikes and those who refuse to put on helmets when riding on motor bikes”.
Mr Awuni also expressed concern about the abuse in using unlicensed vehicles in the country, especially saloon cars that carry more than two passengers.
For his part, a Special Assistant for Operational Duties of the Ghana Police Service, AC Yakubu, advised MTTU personnel to be vigilant anytime they mounted road checks.
That, he said, would enable them detect stolen vehicles, arrest and prosecute criminals who use such vehicles to commit crime.
THE Commanding Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mr Angwubutoge Awuni, has ordered personnel of the Unit to arrest and prosecute all policemen who use unlicensed motor bikes in any part of the country.
“ We are waging war against the use of unlicensed motor bikes and anyone found to be using one should not be spared, even if they are policemen”, he noted.
He also charged the personnel to arrest and prosecute all policemen who fail to use helmets when riding on motorbikes.
Mr Awuni again directed personnel of the MTTU to arrest drivers who use rickety vehicles "even if they have road worthy stickers”.
Explaining, he said: “Rickety vehicles, vehicles with defective tyres, headlights, and bodies have been the cause of rampant accidents in Ghana, claiming precious lives and destroying property with impunity, and we cannot allow them to continue operating and perpetuate mayhem, in the name of using road worthy certificates.”
Addressing District, Municipal and Regional MTTU Commanders from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions in Kumasi as part of his familiarisation visit, Mr Awuni expressed concern about the attitude of police officers “who flout road traffic regulations and turn round to arrest motorists for committing the same offence”.
“Policemen are not above the laws that they have been mandated to enforce,” he noted, explaining, “We cannot condone the action of some of our men who put on attitudes that undermine the image of the profession “.
He pointed out that under police regulations, policemen who display any misconduct in public would be arrested and charged, adding, “So are those who flout any form of road traffic regulations, including the use of unlicensed motor bikes and those who refuse to put on helmets when riding on motor bikes”.
Mr Awuni also expressed concern about the abuse in using unlicensed vehicles in the country, especially saloon cars that carry more than two passengers.
For his part, a Special Assistant for Operational Duties of the Ghana Police Service, AC Yakubu, advised MTTU personnel to be vigilant anytime they mounted road checks.
That, he said, would enable them detect stolen vehicles, arrest and prosecute criminals who use such vehicles to commit crime.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
JACHIE-PRAMSO SHS GETS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (PAGE 11, JAN 5, 2011)
STUDENTS of the Jachie-Pramso Senior High School (JAPASS) were beside themselves with joy when they were presented with a set of musical instruments.
The instruments, which will be used during festive periods, church services, anniversary ceremonies, durbars, among other events, were donated by the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah.
The presentation of the musical instruments coincided with the donation of 100 bags of cement by Mr Osei-Mensah to facilitate the construction of a six-classroom block being undertaken by the Bosomtwe District Assembly.
The block, which has reached the roofing stage, is supposed to accommodate first year students to enhance effective teaching and learning.
Addressing the students during the presentation, Mr Osei-Mensah, who is an old student, gave an assurance that he would provide another set of musical instruments for them early next year if they maintained the set of instruments well.
He entreated the school cadet to take advantage of the instruments to build their capacity in drills to enable them perform creditably during festive occasions.
He used the occasion to advise them to focus on their academic work and maintain the highest sense of discipline as a way of motivating their teachers to offer their best.
That, he said, would not only enable them to excel in all their academic programmes, but would also enhance their admission prospects into tertiary institutions for them to nurture their potentials in a more proficient way.
He pointed out that it was only when they built their capacity in a sustainable manner that they could acquire the requisite know-how to support socio-economic development of the country.
Mr Osei-Mensah also gave an assurance to construct an information and communication technology centre for the school early next year.
He said the centre, which would be fully furnished and stocked with modern computers, would be his widow’s mite for the school that nurtured his potentials, making it possible for him to become one of the most outstanding politicians in the country today.
He assured the school that the centre would be completed within a two-year period after constructional works begin, saying that plans were far advanced for the project to take off.
In her remarks, the Headmistress of JAPASS, Ms Esuande Fameye–Eshun, commended Mr Osei-Mensah for his gesture.
She said such support and motivation, especially coming from old students, encouraged the current students to appreciate the need to stay focused with their academic programmes to enable them excel.
She said the school authorities would co-ordinate their activities in their quest to provide academic excellence.
The instruments, which will be used during festive periods, church services, anniversary ceremonies, durbars, among other events, were donated by the Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah.
The presentation of the musical instruments coincided with the donation of 100 bags of cement by Mr Osei-Mensah to facilitate the construction of a six-classroom block being undertaken by the Bosomtwe District Assembly.
The block, which has reached the roofing stage, is supposed to accommodate first year students to enhance effective teaching and learning.
Addressing the students during the presentation, Mr Osei-Mensah, who is an old student, gave an assurance that he would provide another set of musical instruments for them early next year if they maintained the set of instruments well.
He entreated the school cadet to take advantage of the instruments to build their capacity in drills to enable them perform creditably during festive occasions.
He used the occasion to advise them to focus on their academic work and maintain the highest sense of discipline as a way of motivating their teachers to offer their best.
That, he said, would not only enable them to excel in all their academic programmes, but would also enhance their admission prospects into tertiary institutions for them to nurture their potentials in a more proficient way.
He pointed out that it was only when they built their capacity in a sustainable manner that they could acquire the requisite know-how to support socio-economic development of the country.
Mr Osei-Mensah also gave an assurance to construct an information and communication technology centre for the school early next year.
He said the centre, which would be fully furnished and stocked with modern computers, would be his widow’s mite for the school that nurtured his potentials, making it possible for him to become one of the most outstanding politicians in the country today.
He assured the school that the centre would be completed within a two-year period after constructional works begin, saying that plans were far advanced for the project to take off.
In her remarks, the Headmistress of JAPASS, Ms Esuande Fameye–Eshun, commended Mr Osei-Mensah for his gesture.
She said such support and motivation, especially coming from old students, encouraged the current students to appreciate the need to stay focused with their academic programmes to enable them excel.
She said the school authorities would co-ordinate their activities in their quest to provide academic excellence.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
DRAMA AT KUMASI CENTRAL PRISONS (1B, JAN 4, 2011)
DRAMA unfolded at the Kumasi Central Prison yesterday when a prisoner alleged to be protesting against his transfer to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison climbed the communication mast erected at the heart of the prison.
For over two hours the prisoner remained glued to the top of the mast, refusing to accept that he could harm himself, heightening fears among the public that he would commit suicide.
It took the arrival of officers from the Ghana National Fire Service, accompanied by a fire engine, for the convict to be persuaded to come down from the mast.
Eyewitness accounts had it that moments after the convict had seen the fire engine, with registration number FS 60, he started descending, amid shouts from the crowd, who had gathered around the prison yard to watch the drama as it unfolded.
The prisoner, who was identified only as 2020 and is alleged to be serving a 20-year term, succeeded in holding a section of residents of Kumasi spellbound as he shouted at the top of his voice that he would not descend from the top of the communication mast.
Prison officers were desperate as they tried to convince the prisoner to come down from the tall mast he had climbed but all attempts to get him to change his mind failed until the Fire Service officers arrived with the fire engine.
The transfer of a section of prisoners from the Kumasi Central Prison to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison was said to have started last week, much against the wish of some of the prisoners who had served more than five years.
According to a source close to the prison, prisoners who had served a number of years assumed an aura of authority and easily had their way against those who had just started their prison terms.
It indicated that transferring those who had served a number of years to new prisons across the country meant that the transferred prisoners would be regarded as newcomers at their new places of confinement, for which reason they would lose some of the privileges they had been enjoying at their former prisons.
Prison authorities refused to brief the media on how the prisoner managed to climb the mast in the midst of prison officers who had been keeping guard over the inmates.
They also refused to comment on the measures being taken to prevent future occurrences.
The situation affected visitors who were visiting their relations who are serving various prison terms, as they were driven away by the guards and told to return the following day.
After media men had waited for over three hours in an effort to seek clearance from the prison authorities concerning the drama, the Public Relations Officer of the Kumasi Central Prison, Mr Stephen Nti, emerged to tell them that the Ashanti Regional Prison Commander, Deputy Director of Prisons Mr Kwame Akon Gyeedu, had ordered him not to talk to journalists regarding the circumstances that compelled 2020 to climb the communication mast.
For over two hours the prisoner remained glued to the top of the mast, refusing to accept that he could harm himself, heightening fears among the public that he would commit suicide.
It took the arrival of officers from the Ghana National Fire Service, accompanied by a fire engine, for the convict to be persuaded to come down from the mast.
Eyewitness accounts had it that moments after the convict had seen the fire engine, with registration number FS 60, he started descending, amid shouts from the crowd, who had gathered around the prison yard to watch the drama as it unfolded.
The prisoner, who was identified only as 2020 and is alleged to be serving a 20-year term, succeeded in holding a section of residents of Kumasi spellbound as he shouted at the top of his voice that he would not descend from the top of the communication mast.
Prison officers were desperate as they tried to convince the prisoner to come down from the tall mast he had climbed but all attempts to get him to change his mind failed until the Fire Service officers arrived with the fire engine.
The transfer of a section of prisoners from the Kumasi Central Prison to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison was said to have started last week, much against the wish of some of the prisoners who had served more than five years.
According to a source close to the prison, prisoners who had served a number of years assumed an aura of authority and easily had their way against those who had just started their prison terms.
It indicated that transferring those who had served a number of years to new prisons across the country meant that the transferred prisoners would be regarded as newcomers at their new places of confinement, for which reason they would lose some of the privileges they had been enjoying at their former prisons.
Prison authorities refused to brief the media on how the prisoner managed to climb the mast in the midst of prison officers who had been keeping guard over the inmates.
They also refused to comment on the measures being taken to prevent future occurrences.
The situation affected visitors who were visiting their relations who are serving various prison terms, as they were driven away by the guards and told to return the following day.
After media men had waited for over three hours in an effort to seek clearance from the prison authorities concerning the drama, the Public Relations Officer of the Kumasi Central Prison, Mr Stephen Nti, emerged to tell them that the Ashanti Regional Prison Commander, Deputy Director of Prisons Mr Kwame Akon Gyeedu, had ordered him not to talk to journalists regarding the circumstances that compelled 2020 to climb the communication mast.
Monday, January 3, 2011
KATH HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO TRAIN IN CHINA (SPREAD, JAN 1, 2011)
A number of health personnel at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are to undergo intensive training in China.
They include doctors, nurses and other para-medics who will benefit from an exchange programme between KATH and two Chinese health institutions.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed between the management of KATH and two Chinese health institutions for the programme to begin in the early part of 2011.
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, made this known during an interaction between the management of the hospital and media practitioners in Kumasi last Thursday.
He explained that with the exchange programme, medical personnel from both KATH and their Chinese counterparts would visit each other periodically and expand their horizons in healthcare delivery to enhance efficiency.
Additionally, Professor Ohene Adjei said as part of the efforts at enhancing quality healthcare delivery at the hospital, management had intensified in-service training for medical personnel.
He appealed to both the print and electronic media operating in the Ashanti Region to support the development initiatives of the hospital.
That, according to the management, will enhance effective and efficient healthcare delivery for the numerous patients who attend the hospital for care.
Expressing concern about the increasing number of patients to the hospital on daily basis, Professor Ohene Adjei said KATH was supposed to be a referral hospital to address emergency cases, but inadequate healthcare facilities in Kumasi always forced patients to troop to the hospital for primary health care.
“The hospital was developed purposely for accidents and emergency cases, but it is not being used for that purpose, hence the pressure on medical personnel, equipment and infrastructure at the hospital,” he said.
He said it was, therefore, key for the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to attach much more importance to the expansion of the Manhyia, Suntreso, Tafo and Kyirapatre hospitals for them to provide adequate medical care to patients in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
He said management was also initiating vital projects at the hospital to make quality healthcare delivery readily accessible to patients.
He mentioned the eye centre under construction and gave an assurance that it would be completed by July, 2011.
He said management was also sourcing for financial support to rehabilitate the main hospital block, explaining that the rehabilitation would start from the ‘D’ block and gradually extend to the other blocks.
On the Child and Maternal block which has been under construction since 1974, Professor Ohene Adjei said efforts were being made to secure the needed financial resources to complete it.
The chief executive said management was also replacing antiquated equipment at the X-ray department to enhance performance at the department.
In addition, Professor Ohene Adjei said management was also in the process of acquiring a DNA equipment at the hospital to reduce the cost of travelling to Accra to secure such services.
They include doctors, nurses and other para-medics who will benefit from an exchange programme between KATH and two Chinese health institutions.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed between the management of KATH and two Chinese health institutions for the programme to begin in the early part of 2011.
The Chief Executive of KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei, made this known during an interaction between the management of the hospital and media practitioners in Kumasi last Thursday.
He explained that with the exchange programme, medical personnel from both KATH and their Chinese counterparts would visit each other periodically and expand their horizons in healthcare delivery to enhance efficiency.
Additionally, Professor Ohene Adjei said as part of the efforts at enhancing quality healthcare delivery at the hospital, management had intensified in-service training for medical personnel.
He appealed to both the print and electronic media operating in the Ashanti Region to support the development initiatives of the hospital.
That, according to the management, will enhance effective and efficient healthcare delivery for the numerous patients who attend the hospital for care.
Expressing concern about the increasing number of patients to the hospital on daily basis, Professor Ohene Adjei said KATH was supposed to be a referral hospital to address emergency cases, but inadequate healthcare facilities in Kumasi always forced patients to troop to the hospital for primary health care.
“The hospital was developed purposely for accidents and emergency cases, but it is not being used for that purpose, hence the pressure on medical personnel, equipment and infrastructure at the hospital,” he said.
He said it was, therefore, key for the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to attach much more importance to the expansion of the Manhyia, Suntreso, Tafo and Kyirapatre hospitals for them to provide adequate medical care to patients in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
He said management was also initiating vital projects at the hospital to make quality healthcare delivery readily accessible to patients.
He mentioned the eye centre under construction and gave an assurance that it would be completed by July, 2011.
He said management was also sourcing for financial support to rehabilitate the main hospital block, explaining that the rehabilitation would start from the ‘D’ block and gradually extend to the other blocks.
On the Child and Maternal block which has been under construction since 1974, Professor Ohene Adjei said efforts were being made to secure the needed financial resources to complete it.
The chief executive said management was also replacing antiquated equipment at the X-ray department to enhance performance at the department.
In addition, Professor Ohene Adjei said management was also in the process of acquiring a DNA equipment at the hospital to reduce the cost of travelling to Accra to secure such services.
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