Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A total of 58 people were killed through motor accidents in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs between January and March this year. As many as 24 of the victims were knocked down by speeding drivers near traffic lights in the metropolis.
The Ashanti Regional Police Commander of the Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU), Superintendent James Sarfo Peprah, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview, pointed out that as many as 463 vehicles were involved in accidents during the period under review, stressing that 75 of the accidents were fatal, while the minor ones were 183.
He said 305 people were also involved in accidents, and sustained various degrees of injury, making it impossible for them to make any meaningful contribution towards sustainable national development.
Mr Peprah said in January alone, 18 people died through motor accidents, while a total of 20 people were killed in February with March.
On those who sustained injuries through motor accidents, Mr Peprah said 127 injuries were recorded in January while those who sustained various degrees of injury through motor accidents in February totalled 68.
He said in March, as many as 110 people who were involved in accidents sustained various degrees of injury.
Mr Sarfo Peprah attributed the rampant accident cases in and around the metropolis to the disregard of traffic regulations by drivers and said the police would continue to monitor their activities and apprehend those who flout the regulations.
He said the fact that 24 people were knocked down and died around traffic lights, show that some drivers “ have no respect for road traffic regulations, and jump red lights, which is a serious offence”.
He pointed out that a lot of drivers do not only speed in town, but also drive through when the red traffic lights are showing and pedestrians are crossing. He, therefore, advised drivers to respect road traffic regulations to enhance sanity on the road and make travelling enjoyable.
He said some of the offending drivers had been arrested and were helping the police in their investigations.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
KUMASI ENTERPRISES PROJECT LAUNCHED (PAGE 29)
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, PSD and PSI, Mrs Gifty Ohene-Konadu, has launched the Micro, Small, Medium and Enterprises (MSME) project in the Kumasi Metropolis as part of government’s initiative to provide essential financing and technical support to the business community in the Ashanti Region to accelerate the development of the industrial sector.
The project, which is the collaboration of the Ghana Government and the World Bank, seeks to support the MSME’s in the country with a total of $118.90 million to facilitate their growth to enable the country to achieve middle-income status by 2015.
It is one of the 10 pilot projects that had already been launched at Accra, Cape Coast, Sekondi -Takoradi, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa and Sunyani.
It also seeks to provide a comprehensive range of integrated interventions to address the major constraints that affect the growth of MSME’s in Ghana, and is designed to benefit firms and business associations as well as financial institutions, business development and service providers.
According to Mrs Ohene- Konadu, the project “ is also seen as one of the major vehicles needed to mobilise and harness the potentials of the MSME sector, which already accounts for more than 90 per cent of all registered companies in Ghana”. Launching the project, Mrs Ohene-Konadu called on the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities offered them by the government and explore the sector further to facilitate its growth.
She noted that the project “ is well designed to make our MESE’s more competitive and more efficient in their operations and also encourage managerial discipline in carrying out their day-to-day activities”
Stressing on the fact that it also “seeks to facilitate access to finance and markets as well as providing business advisory services, infrastructure and entrepreneurship development and technology improvement to the business community”.
She pointed out that the Ashanti Region abounds in a lot of products and natural resources that were yet to be developed for both domestic use and export.
She therefore challenged them to “aggressively pursue and avail themselves of the unprecedented opportunities being offered as an intervention to develop a vibrant and productive MSME sector”.
She explained that it was when the government recognised the challenges that confronted the MSME’s that it came out with such a timely intervention. She noted that by coming out with the intervention, the sector would be well focused to achieve rapid growth and poverty reduction goals in line with government’s objectives.
“ It is clear that a focused and tailored-made assistance to the SME sector will make a significant impact on the transformation of the economy of Ghana from low income economy to middle level income society in 2015,” she stressed.
Mrs Konadu also urged Metropolitan and District Chief Executives and other government appointees in the various agencies in the region “ to own this project
and provide the needed support and maximum commitment to the realisation of the laudable objectives set by the government”.
In his presentation, the Finance Access Manager of the MSME, Mr Abra Appiah, made an assurance that the project “ will support the establishment of business incubators and the creation of Common Services Centres (CSC) to enhance economic opportunities for MSME’s”.
He said among the facilities that would be established by the project were an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) park, a Furniture City, a clothing technology and Training Centre and Projects involving the creation of common service centres.
THE Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, PSD and PSI, Mrs Gifty Ohene-Konadu, has launched the Micro, Small, Medium and Enterprises (MSME) project in the Kumasi Metropolis as part of government’s initiative to provide essential financing and technical support to the business community in the Ashanti Region to accelerate the development of the industrial sector.
The project, which is the collaboration of the Ghana Government and the World Bank, seeks to support the MSME’s in the country with a total of $118.90 million to facilitate their growth to enable the country to achieve middle-income status by 2015.
It is one of the 10 pilot projects that had already been launched at Accra, Cape Coast, Sekondi -Takoradi, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa and Sunyani.
It also seeks to provide a comprehensive range of integrated interventions to address the major constraints that affect the growth of MSME’s in Ghana, and is designed to benefit firms and business associations as well as financial institutions, business development and service providers.
According to Mrs Ohene- Konadu, the project “ is also seen as one of the major vehicles needed to mobilise and harness the potentials of the MSME sector, which already accounts for more than 90 per cent of all registered companies in Ghana”. Launching the project, Mrs Ohene-Konadu called on the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities offered them by the government and explore the sector further to facilitate its growth.
She noted that the project “ is well designed to make our MESE’s more competitive and more efficient in their operations and also encourage managerial discipline in carrying out their day-to-day activities”
Stressing on the fact that it also “seeks to facilitate access to finance and markets as well as providing business advisory services, infrastructure and entrepreneurship development and technology improvement to the business community”.
She pointed out that the Ashanti Region abounds in a lot of products and natural resources that were yet to be developed for both domestic use and export.
She therefore challenged them to “aggressively pursue and avail themselves of the unprecedented opportunities being offered as an intervention to develop a vibrant and productive MSME sector”.
She explained that it was when the government recognised the challenges that confronted the MSME’s that it came out with such a timely intervention. She noted that by coming out with the intervention, the sector would be well focused to achieve rapid growth and poverty reduction goals in line with government’s objectives.
“ It is clear that a focused and tailored-made assistance to the SME sector will make a significant impact on the transformation of the economy of Ghana from low income economy to middle level income society in 2015,” she stressed.
Mrs Konadu also urged Metropolitan and District Chief Executives and other government appointees in the various agencies in the region “ to own this project
and provide the needed support and maximum commitment to the realisation of the laudable objectives set by the government”.
In his presentation, the Finance Access Manager of the MSME, Mr Abra Appiah, made an assurance that the project “ will support the establishment of business incubators and the creation of Common Services Centres (CSC) to enhance economic opportunities for MSME’s”.
He said among the facilities that would be established by the project were an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) park, a Furniture City, a clothing technology and Training Centre and Projects involving the creation of common service centres.
TB, HIV CASES IN K'SI REDUCE (PAGE 30)
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases reported to the various health institutions in the Kumasi Metropolis, excluding the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), reduced from 1,034 in 2006 to 960 last year.
In 2005, as many as 1,187 people suffering from tuberculosis were reported to have visited health institutions in the metropolis for treatment.
The Medical Director in charge of the Kumasi Metropolis, Dr Joseph Oduro, who confirmed this during an interview with the Daily Graphic, pointed out that the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate was putting adequate measures in place to ensure that all patients suffering from the disease sourced for comprehensive treatment, thereby reducing the rate of infection.
Explaining, he said it was only when infected people reported for treatment and rigidly followed the prescription and requisite period for treatment that they would be completely cured.
Dr Oduro pointed out that the treatment of TB was free and that the Ministry of Health also catered for the feeding and transport fares of patients to enable them attend hospitals regularly for review.
He said a number of volunteers had also been trained to visit victims of the disease to supervise and encourage them as they took their drugs. This, he said, enabled the victims to complete the period for treatment, He therefore urged people who had traces of the disease to visit hospitals to receive treatment and reduce the spread of the disease.
On the number of HIV-positive cases diagnosed over the period, Dr Oduro said in 2005, 812 cases were diagnosed in the various health institutions, excluding the KATH, but the number reduced to 599 the following year.
He said last year, as many as 1,215 HIV-positive cases were diagnosed in the metropolis, and out of the number, 250 of them regularised their visits to health institutions to receive treatment.
He said in 2006, only 13 out of the 599 people who tested positive for the dreadful HIV diseases in the metropolis sought treatment and expressed concern about the low turnout.
Dr Oduro said in 2005, as many as 18,657 people suffering from cardiovascular diseases reported for treatment but the number reduced to 17,680 in 2006.
He said last year, hypertension cases reported to the various health institutions in the metropolis, excluding that of the KATH, shot up to 33,050. He attributed the rapid increase of the disease to lifestyles adopted by the people. He said eating fatty and
more nutritious food without adequate exercise put people at the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases.
He said the disease was now among the top 10 killers which should be taken seriously and, therefore, advised the public to make time and exercise daily to enhance blood circulation. He said it was equally important for the public to eat more fruits and vegetables to reduce risk of acquiring diseases.
The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases reported to the various health institutions in the Kumasi Metropolis, excluding the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), reduced from 1,034 in 2006 to 960 last year.
In 2005, as many as 1,187 people suffering from tuberculosis were reported to have visited health institutions in the metropolis for treatment.
The Medical Director in charge of the Kumasi Metropolis, Dr Joseph Oduro, who confirmed this during an interview with the Daily Graphic, pointed out that the Kumasi Metropolitan Health Directorate was putting adequate measures in place to ensure that all patients suffering from the disease sourced for comprehensive treatment, thereby reducing the rate of infection.
Explaining, he said it was only when infected people reported for treatment and rigidly followed the prescription and requisite period for treatment that they would be completely cured.
Dr Oduro pointed out that the treatment of TB was free and that the Ministry of Health also catered for the feeding and transport fares of patients to enable them attend hospitals regularly for review.
He said a number of volunteers had also been trained to visit victims of the disease to supervise and encourage them as they took their drugs. This, he said, enabled the victims to complete the period for treatment, He therefore urged people who had traces of the disease to visit hospitals to receive treatment and reduce the spread of the disease.
On the number of HIV-positive cases diagnosed over the period, Dr Oduro said in 2005, 812 cases were diagnosed in the various health institutions, excluding the KATH, but the number reduced to 599 the following year.
He said last year, as many as 1,215 HIV-positive cases were diagnosed in the metropolis, and out of the number, 250 of them regularised their visits to health institutions to receive treatment.
He said in 2006, only 13 out of the 599 people who tested positive for the dreadful HIV diseases in the metropolis sought treatment and expressed concern about the low turnout.
Dr Oduro said in 2005, as many as 18,657 people suffering from cardiovascular diseases reported for treatment but the number reduced to 17,680 in 2006.
He said last year, hypertension cases reported to the various health institutions in the metropolis, excluding that of the KATH, shot up to 33,050. He attributed the rapid increase of the disease to lifestyles adopted by the people. He said eating fatty and
more nutritious food without adequate exercise put people at the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases.
He said the disease was now among the top 10 killers which should be taken seriously and, therefore, advised the public to make time and exercise daily to enhance blood circulation. He said it was equally important for the public to eat more fruits and vegetables to reduce risk of acquiring diseases.
Monday, April 21, 2008
ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH OUTDOORS BUS (NSEMPA, PAGE 22)
By George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.
THE Parish Priest of St Mary’s Immaculate Catholic Diocese Church at South Suntreso, in Kumasi, Rev Fr. Dominic Asiedu Fosu, has recieved the keys of a 33 seater Tata bus purchased by the members of the church to facilitate transportation of the church members.
The president of the transport committee, Mr J B Adade, handed the keys of the Tata bus to the parish priest, after he had blessed the bus and prayed for the safety of anyone who would board it for future programmes.
The new bus, which was estimated at GH¢41,300 was outdoored on Sunday April 13, 2008, after the morning’s church service. It was acquired through annual harvest and fund raising activities initiated by the executives of the church.
The committee’s president, told Graphic Nsempa in an interview that the need for the church to acquire its own bus to attend programmes was very important since it would reduce the cost of future transactions involving members of the church.
He said the bus would also enable the church to expand its outreach programmes on evangelism, thereby winning more souls for the Kingdom of God.
He explained that as the church was growing, there was also the need for them to attend social activities such as weddings, and funerals in and around the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs to meet the needs of the members.
The Parish Priest, Rev Dominic Asiedu Fosu commended the transport committee for their invaluable services to the church and urged them to sustain it. He urged them to outline how the bus would be used by the members of the congregation to enhance efficiency and longspan.
He said it was equally important for the Transport Committee to take good care of the vehicle and maintain it regularly to ensure a long life-span.
THE Parish Priest of St Mary’s Immaculate Catholic Diocese Church at South Suntreso, in Kumasi, Rev Fr. Dominic Asiedu Fosu, has recieved the keys of a 33 seater Tata bus purchased by the members of the church to facilitate transportation of the church members.
The president of the transport committee, Mr J B Adade, handed the keys of the Tata bus to the parish priest, after he had blessed the bus and prayed for the safety of anyone who would board it for future programmes.
The new bus, which was estimated at GH¢41,300 was outdoored on Sunday April 13, 2008, after the morning’s church service. It was acquired through annual harvest and fund raising activities initiated by the executives of the church.
The committee’s president, told Graphic Nsempa in an interview that the need for the church to acquire its own bus to attend programmes was very important since it would reduce the cost of future transactions involving members of the church.
He said the bus would also enable the church to expand its outreach programmes on evangelism, thereby winning more souls for the Kingdom of God.
He explained that as the church was growing, there was also the need for them to attend social activities such as weddings, and funerals in and around the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs to meet the needs of the members.
The Parish Priest, Rev Dominic Asiedu Fosu commended the transport committee for their invaluable services to the church and urged them to sustain it. He urged them to outline how the bus would be used by the members of the congregation to enhance efficiency and longspan.
He said it was equally important for the Transport Committee to take good care of the vehicle and maintain it regularly to ensure a long life-span.
REVELATIONS AT ATHLETICS MEET ...New talents unearthed (NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)
By George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
“CATCHING them young and nurturing their potentials with the requisite technical expertise to ensure that they fully blossom to become national stars,” was how the Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, (NSC) Mr Prince Oduro Mensah, described a 13- year-old girl, who put up a splendid performance at the just ended National Athletics Championships, held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on April 11 and 12, 2008.
Young Talent
It was an advice Mr Oduro Mensah gave to the coaches handling the national athletes, who converged at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi last week. This was after he had witnessed an outstanding performance, by some of the young athletes, including that teenager, during the meet.
The girl, Miss Sarah Owu, who attends John Bosco Primary at Winneba, dismissed the bluff of her older competitors and became the toast of sports fans, when she defied all odds to win silver medals at both the 1500 and 5000 meter events.
When she joined her bigger competitors on the tracks for the beginning of the race, considering the fact that both the 1500 and 5000 meters were meant for athletes with big hearts, abundant stamina and sheer bravado, the spectators started murmuring, wondering how she would fit into the system, but she proved in the end that, in matters of sports, age and size play no role.
Success
Running for the first time on a tartan track and without any spikes to aid her, Sarah showed no complex, and succeeded in brushing aside all forms of opposition to win the hearts of the sports fans, including the executive members of the NSC and the Ghana Amateur Athletics Association (GAAA).
Millicent Boadi who had been in the competition for about a decade had to ran the race of her life, before winning both races, but it was only her experience acquired over the years on the tracks that gave her the advantage over the teenager, to win gold both the1500 and 5000 events.
The performance of Sarah Owu, was simply phenomenal, and it was therefore not surprising that she received a standing ovation and cash donations as a way of encouraging her, to fully develop her potentials for her own good and that of the nation.
Potential
Apart from Sarah, Okatakyie Afrifa of GUSA, who won the 100 meters event with a time of 10.35 seconds, was another youngster who showed a lot of potential in all the races that he took part in, and proved that, given the chance and encouragement, he would soon take Africa and the world by storm.
Lack of Competition
Other athletes like Shepherd Agbeko, Emmanuel Appiah-Kusi, Gifty Addy, Elizabeth Amolofo, Nathan Kpegbah and Victor Togo among others, also showed prominence in their respective races by winning medals and sent a strong message to the sports governing body that, like their compatriots abroad, they also needed a lot of competitions at home and exposure at the international level, to give them what it takes to market Ghana at the international arena.
Speaking in an interview with some of the athletes after the two day-competition, they were of the same accord that “ lack of local competitions were the main hindrance to their forward match to stardom.
“ We need a lot of competitions to enable us develop our potentials, but in Ghana, competitions are organised once a while, making it difficult for us to keep pace with our compatriots abroad who are always offered the chance to compete to enhance their performance.”
They pointed out that, the likes of Ohene Karikari (Sahara), Mike Ahey, Alice Anum (Baby Jet), J.A Addy, Joshua Owusu, Stanley Allotey, George Daniels, (strong bow legged) Rose Hart, Christiana Boateng, (flying queen) Hannah Afriyie, Grace Bakari and Rose Asieduwaa, among others, who distinguished themselves and won many medals at international competitions, “ came into the limelight due to the numerous local competitions organised for them in the country,”
Championships
“In their days, not less than five or six local competitions were organised in a year for them to out do each other and this always kept them in shape and regularised their training, but in our time, we are suffering from organisational hiccups, and this affects our performance,” they complained.
2,They said unlike the past where inadequate facilities in the country were used as the main excuse for not organising athletics competitions for the locally based athletes, “ the country now boasts of many facilities at Essipon, Tamale and Kumasi, so they have no excuse to deny us the chance to compete and keep ourselves in shape.”
Budget
The athletes pointed out that just like soccer, the government should show commitment by coming out with a budgetary requirement that would support the development of athletics in a more effective and efficient way.
This, they said, would ensure that the youth who had an interest in the sport would have the opportunity to develop their potentials before they got to their prime. They also urged the sports authorities to come out with a programme that would make it possible for both the local and foreign based athletes to compete regularly.
Sponsorship
According to the athletes, companies in the country seem to be in love with soccer to the detriment of other sporting disciplines in the country.
“ If companies that support soccer divert a little of their time, energy and resources to athletics and actively support its organisation on regular basis, this nation would come out with athletes who would be able to compete favourably with those with big names at the international scene,” they assured, adding, “ We have the potentials as you saw during this competition and we are only waiting for sponsorship in diverse ways from The Nestles, Guinness’s, Tigo’s, One Touch, SIC’s, ADB’s, Barclays’ Stanbic’s, ECOBANK’s and SGSSB’s among others, to market Ghana abroad, and we hope they will respond positively to our pleas.”
Commendation
In his closing remarks, Mr Oduro Mensah, commended the athletes for their outstanding performances and urged them to train regularly to keep themselves in good shape for future events.
He said it was equally important for their coaches, to develop the requisite techniques that would enable the athletes, develop their potentials in an efficient way to enhance their performances, especially at the international level.
With the right facilities in the country and the huge potentials among the youth spread across every hamlet in the country, the onus lay on the government, companies and individuals, to collaborate to help them nurture and develop their potentials to blossom, instead of idling around and wasting their time on unproductive ventures that mostly lead them into trouble.
“CATCHING them young and nurturing their potentials with the requisite technical expertise to ensure that they fully blossom to become national stars,” was how the Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, (NSC) Mr Prince Oduro Mensah, described a 13- year-old girl, who put up a splendid performance at the just ended National Athletics Championships, held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on April 11 and 12, 2008.
Young Talent
It was an advice Mr Oduro Mensah gave to the coaches handling the national athletes, who converged at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi last week. This was after he had witnessed an outstanding performance, by some of the young athletes, including that teenager, during the meet.
The girl, Miss Sarah Owu, who attends John Bosco Primary at Winneba, dismissed the bluff of her older competitors and became the toast of sports fans, when she defied all odds to win silver medals at both the 1500 and 5000 meter events.
When she joined her bigger competitors on the tracks for the beginning of the race, considering the fact that both the 1500 and 5000 meters were meant for athletes with big hearts, abundant stamina and sheer bravado, the spectators started murmuring, wondering how she would fit into the system, but she proved in the end that, in matters of sports, age and size play no role.
Success
Running for the first time on a tartan track and without any spikes to aid her, Sarah showed no complex, and succeeded in brushing aside all forms of opposition to win the hearts of the sports fans, including the executive members of the NSC and the Ghana Amateur Athletics Association (GAAA).
Millicent Boadi who had been in the competition for about a decade had to ran the race of her life, before winning both races, but it was only her experience acquired over the years on the tracks that gave her the advantage over the teenager, to win gold both the1500 and 5000 events.
The performance of Sarah Owu, was simply phenomenal, and it was therefore not surprising that she received a standing ovation and cash donations as a way of encouraging her, to fully develop her potentials for her own good and that of the nation.
Potential
Apart from Sarah, Okatakyie Afrifa of GUSA, who won the 100 meters event with a time of 10.35 seconds, was another youngster who showed a lot of potential in all the races that he took part in, and proved that, given the chance and encouragement, he would soon take Africa and the world by storm.
Lack of Competition
Other athletes like Shepherd Agbeko, Emmanuel Appiah-Kusi, Gifty Addy, Elizabeth Amolofo, Nathan Kpegbah and Victor Togo among others, also showed prominence in their respective races by winning medals and sent a strong message to the sports governing body that, like their compatriots abroad, they also needed a lot of competitions at home and exposure at the international level, to give them what it takes to market Ghana at the international arena.
Speaking in an interview with some of the athletes after the two day-competition, they were of the same accord that “ lack of local competitions were the main hindrance to their forward match to stardom.
“ We need a lot of competitions to enable us develop our potentials, but in Ghana, competitions are organised once a while, making it difficult for us to keep pace with our compatriots abroad who are always offered the chance to compete to enhance their performance.”
They pointed out that, the likes of Ohene Karikari (Sahara), Mike Ahey, Alice Anum (Baby Jet), J.A Addy, Joshua Owusu, Stanley Allotey, George Daniels, (strong bow legged) Rose Hart, Christiana Boateng, (flying queen) Hannah Afriyie, Grace Bakari and Rose Asieduwaa, among others, who distinguished themselves and won many medals at international competitions, “ came into the limelight due to the numerous local competitions organised for them in the country,”
Championships
“In their days, not less than five or six local competitions were organised in a year for them to out do each other and this always kept them in shape and regularised their training, but in our time, we are suffering from organisational hiccups, and this affects our performance,” they complained.
2,They said unlike the past where inadequate facilities in the country were used as the main excuse for not organising athletics competitions for the locally based athletes, “ the country now boasts of many facilities at Essipon, Tamale and Kumasi, so they have no excuse to deny us the chance to compete and keep ourselves in shape.”
Budget
The athletes pointed out that just like soccer, the government should show commitment by coming out with a budgetary requirement that would support the development of athletics in a more effective and efficient way.
This, they said, would ensure that the youth who had an interest in the sport would have the opportunity to develop their potentials before they got to their prime. They also urged the sports authorities to come out with a programme that would make it possible for both the local and foreign based athletes to compete regularly.
Sponsorship
According to the athletes, companies in the country seem to be in love with soccer to the detriment of other sporting disciplines in the country.
“ If companies that support soccer divert a little of their time, energy and resources to athletics and actively support its organisation on regular basis, this nation would come out with athletes who would be able to compete favourably with those with big names at the international scene,” they assured, adding, “ We have the potentials as you saw during this competition and we are only waiting for sponsorship in diverse ways from The Nestles, Guinness’s, Tigo’s, One Touch, SIC’s, ADB’s, Barclays’ Stanbic’s, ECOBANK’s and SGSSB’s among others, to market Ghana abroad, and we hope they will respond positively to our pleas.”
Commendation
In his closing remarks, Mr Oduro Mensah, commended the athletes for their outstanding performances and urged them to train regularly to keep themselves in good shape for future events.
He said it was equally important for their coaches, to develop the requisite techniques that would enable the athletes, develop their potentials in an efficient way to enhance their performances, especially at the international level.
With the right facilities in the country and the huge potentials among the youth spread across every hamlet in the country, the onus lay on the government, companies and individuals, to collaborate to help them nurture and develop their potentials to blossom, instead of idling around and wasting their time on unproductive ventures that mostly lead them into trouble.
CHIEF PAYS NHIS FEES FOR HIS PEOPLE (PAGE 29)
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE residents of Nsema, a suburb of Kumasi, last Friday realised their dream of getting access to quality health care when their chief, Nana Nkansa Boadu Ayeboafo, offered to pay GH¢15,000 as their health insurance premium for the year.
The gesture by the chief was his contribution to make the residents healthy to enable them to engage in productive ventures to adequately cater for their dependants and also contribute to sustainable national development.
Prior to their registration on Friday, April 11, 2008, many of the residents had not registered to join the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) and the few who had registered had also not renewed their insurance after it expired.
Initially, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo intended to pay the premium of the aged, widows and single parents in the community, but when he realised that majority of them had not registered to join the scheme, he directed the management of the Bantama Sub-Mutual Insurance Scheme which was registering the beneficiaries to extend the gesture to the entire Nsema community.
When the Daily Graphic visited the registration centre at the chief’s palace at Nsema, the youth, who constituted the greater percentage of the community, were in a long queue jostling one another to get their pictures taken and to fill documents to join the scheme.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo said, “I took that decision of sponsoring the registration of the entire Nsema community when I realised that almost all of them do not benefit from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) because of financial difficulties.
“Initially I wanted to support only the aged, widows and single parents to join the scheme to enable them to access quality health care anytime they fall sick, but later I got to know that almost the entire community, including the youth, had not registered, hence my decision to pay for everybody at Nsema.”
He noted that he had not got a seal on the total amount of money he was using to register the entire community, adding, “But I think that GH¢15,000 will be enough to pay for the premium of the Nsema community. If business thrives, I will renew it for them next year.”
He said to enhance their registration, he contacted the Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mrs Leticia Osei Poku, who directed the scheme manager of the Bantama sub-metro to move to Nsema to register the entire community.
“This is my contribution to make the people of Nsema healthy to enable them to embark on productive ventures,” he noted.
Nana Boadu Ayeboafo expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of some of the residents towards issues of national importance, saying it was such an attitude that had prevented some of them from joining the mutual health scheme.
“But they are able to get money to buy expensive cloths to attend funerals every weekend,” he lamented.
For her part, Mrs Osei Poku commended Nana Boadu Ayeboafo for his gesture, saying, “This is the first time a chief has spent so much to pay for the premium of an entire community for them to join the health insurance scheme.”
She pointed out that since the health insurance scheme played a key role in productivity, chiefs should support the people in their communities who faced financial difficulties in paying their premium to enable them to 0access quality health delivery.
“People should not get sick before they pay their premiums because it could cost them their lives,” she advised.
THE residents of Nsema, a suburb of Kumasi, last Friday realised their dream of getting access to quality health care when their chief, Nana Nkansa Boadu Ayeboafo, offered to pay GH¢15,000 as their health insurance premium for the year.
The gesture by the chief was his contribution to make the residents healthy to enable them to engage in productive ventures to adequately cater for their dependants and also contribute to sustainable national development.
Prior to their registration on Friday, April 11, 2008, many of the residents had not registered to join the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) and the few who had registered had also not renewed their insurance after it expired.
Initially, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo intended to pay the premium of the aged, widows and single parents in the community, but when he realised that majority of them had not registered to join the scheme, he directed the management of the Bantama Sub-Mutual Insurance Scheme which was registering the beneficiaries to extend the gesture to the entire Nsema community.
When the Daily Graphic visited the registration centre at the chief’s palace at Nsema, the youth, who constituted the greater percentage of the community, were in a long queue jostling one another to get their pictures taken and to fill documents to join the scheme.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Nana Boadu Ayeboafo said, “I took that decision of sponsoring the registration of the entire Nsema community when I realised that almost all of them do not benefit from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) because of financial difficulties.
“Initially I wanted to support only the aged, widows and single parents to join the scheme to enable them to access quality health care anytime they fall sick, but later I got to know that almost the entire community, including the youth, had not registered, hence my decision to pay for everybody at Nsema.”
He noted that he had not got a seal on the total amount of money he was using to register the entire community, adding, “But I think that GH¢15,000 will be enough to pay for the premium of the Nsema community. If business thrives, I will renew it for them next year.”
He said to enhance their registration, he contacted the Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mrs Leticia Osei Poku, who directed the scheme manager of the Bantama sub-metro to move to Nsema to register the entire community.
“This is my contribution to make the people of Nsema healthy to enable them to embark on productive ventures,” he noted.
Nana Boadu Ayeboafo expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of some of the residents towards issues of national importance, saying it was such an attitude that had prevented some of them from joining the mutual health scheme.
“But they are able to get money to buy expensive cloths to attend funerals every weekend,” he lamented.
For her part, Mrs Osei Poku commended Nana Boadu Ayeboafo for his gesture, saying, “This is the first time a chief has spent so much to pay for the premium of an entire community for them to join the health insurance scheme.”
She pointed out that since the health insurance scheme played a key role in productivity, chiefs should support the people in their communities who faced financial difficulties in paying their premium to enable them to 0access quality health delivery.
“People should not get sick before they pay their premiums because it could cost them their lives,” she advised.
KUMASI MTTU BAGS GH¢13,000 (PAGE 55)
Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
A five-day special operation carried out by the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to check irregularities on road traffic and other traffic offences generated GH¢13,000 for the state.
On hundred and twenty drivers who committed various traffic offences were arrested during the special operations that started on April 1, 2008 and ended five days later.
Out of the number of drivers arrested during the period, 90 of them were arraigned and 65 were convicted by the Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by Justice Ernest Yao Obimpeh and fined between GH¢400 and GH¢500.
The Ashanti Regional Commander of the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service, DSP James Sarfo Peprah, told the Daily Graphic that the police were investigating the cases of 25 other suspects who were arrested during the exercise.
He said among the offences committed by the drivers were use of expired driving licences, road worthiness certificates and insurance, speeding, wrong overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol and overloading of vehicles.
Mr Sarfo Peprah said the exercise was carried out mainly on the Kumasi-Obuasi road, where commercial and private car users were known to flout road traffic regulations.
He pointed out that many of the offending drivers used 207 Mercedes Benz buses and when their vehicles were inspected, it was noticed that their insurance and roadworthiness certificates had either expired, or had faulty brakes or overloaded their vehicles.
He said some of the drivers had also taken alcohol beyond the required limit, and therefore expressed concern about the continuous flouting of traffic regulations by drivers in spite of the numerous road safety campaigns.
He said those arrested and prosecuted included drivers who plied the Kumasi-Elubo, Kumasi-Takoradi, Kumasi-Obuasi, Kumasi Mankessim and Kumasi-Dunkwa and Bekwai routes.
He pointed out that most of the fatal accidents had not only occurred on that particular road, but also involved 207 Mercedes Benz drivers.
He wondered why some drivers continued to disregard road traffic regulations at the peril of their lives and those of passengers, whose lives were entrusted to them in the course of their journey.
Mr Sarfo Peprah also expressed concern about the behaviour of some passengers during the exercise, saying that there was the need for passengers to co-operate with the police when such operations were being carried out because it was in their own interest.
“Passengers sometimes go to the extent of insulting the police for wasting their time during such operations, but kept quiet when drivers were speeding and driving recklessly, putting their lives at great risk,” he complained.
“It is my plea that passengers should always co-operate with the police whenever we are carrying out such exercises. This is because it is our civic responsibility to ensure that there is sanity on the road to make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable,” he added.
A five-day special operation carried out by the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs to check irregularities on road traffic and other traffic offences generated GH¢13,000 for the state.
On hundred and twenty drivers who committed various traffic offences were arrested during the special operations that started on April 1, 2008 and ended five days later.
Out of the number of drivers arrested during the period, 90 of them were arraigned and 65 were convicted by the Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by Justice Ernest Yao Obimpeh and fined between GH¢400 and GH¢500.
The Ashanti Regional Commander of the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service, DSP James Sarfo Peprah, told the Daily Graphic that the police were investigating the cases of 25 other suspects who were arrested during the exercise.
He said among the offences committed by the drivers were use of expired driving licences, road worthiness certificates and insurance, speeding, wrong overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol and overloading of vehicles.
Mr Sarfo Peprah said the exercise was carried out mainly on the Kumasi-Obuasi road, where commercial and private car users were known to flout road traffic regulations.
He pointed out that many of the offending drivers used 207 Mercedes Benz buses and when their vehicles were inspected, it was noticed that their insurance and roadworthiness certificates had either expired, or had faulty brakes or overloaded their vehicles.
He said some of the drivers had also taken alcohol beyond the required limit, and therefore expressed concern about the continuous flouting of traffic regulations by drivers in spite of the numerous road safety campaigns.
He said those arrested and prosecuted included drivers who plied the Kumasi-Elubo, Kumasi-Takoradi, Kumasi-Obuasi, Kumasi Mankessim and Kumasi-Dunkwa and Bekwai routes.
He pointed out that most of the fatal accidents had not only occurred on that particular road, but also involved 207 Mercedes Benz drivers.
He wondered why some drivers continued to disregard road traffic regulations at the peril of their lives and those of passengers, whose lives were entrusted to them in the course of their journey.
Mr Sarfo Peprah also expressed concern about the behaviour of some passengers during the exercise, saying that there was the need for passengers to co-operate with the police when such operations were being carried out because it was in their own interest.
“Passengers sometimes go to the extent of insulting the police for wasting their time during such operations, but kept quiet when drivers were speeding and driving recklessly, putting their lives at great risk,” he complained.
“It is my plea that passengers should always co-operate with the police whenever we are carrying out such exercises. This is because it is our civic responsibility to ensure that there is sanity on the road to make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable,” he added.
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