A Ghanaian Women’s Fellowship,Holy Fire Dynamic International, based in the United States of America, (USA) has donated quantities of food items and clothing to the inmates of the Kumasi Children’s Home to keep them healthy.
The donation was also meant to motivate the inmates to concentrate on their academic programmes to enable them fully develop their potential to enhance their integration into society.
The items included five maxi bags of long grain rice, three bags of sugar, quantities of fruit drinks, toffees, and biscuits, as well as two gallons of cooking oil, quantities of assorted soaps and second-hand clothing.
Madam Agnes Danso, a Kumasi based trader, donated the items on behalf of her sister, Mrs Elizabeth Nyarko, who is the leader of the women’s fellowship.
In her remarks, Madam Danso said the gesture, which had been an annual affair would be sustained to encourage the supervisors of the home to offer the best of services to the inmates and also unearth their talents.
This, she said, would not only make it possible for the inmates to develop their potential in a meaningful way, but would also enable them contribute to sustainable national development in future.
She, therefore, charged the supervisors to take proper care of the inmates by treating them as their own children.
This, she said, would boost the confidence of the inmates and help them to build their capacity for their own benefit and that of the society.
The Supervisor of the Home, Ms Victoria Asugnya, who received the items on behalf of the inmates, thanked the Holy Fire Dynamic International, for their continuous support to the inmates, and gave the assurance that the items would be used for the benefit of the inmates.
Madam Agnes Danso (third from right), and the Supervisor of the Kumasi Children’s Home, Ms Victoria Asugnya, inspecting the items moments after the presentation. Among them are some of the inmates of Kumasi Children’s Home and family members of the donors.
Monday, March 30, 2009
NON-ENFORCEMENT OF BYLAWS CAUSE OF LAWLESSNESS (PAGE 28)
THE Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) can score high marks for possessing one of the finest bye-laws that regulate the activities of residents to ensure that law and order reigns supreme for sanity to prevail in the metropolis.
Compiled in 1998 in its Local Government Bulletin, the bye-laws range from the regulation of truck pushers, control of the manufacture of charcoal, sale of intoxicating liquor, restaurants and chop bar operations, to the erection of billboards and signboards in the metropolis.
Others are the protection of roads, control of hawkers, mills, dogs, cattle and poultry, as well as bylaws on how to maintain effective sanitation to enhance healthy lifestyles among residents.
Also included in the bylaws of the KMA are the abatement of nuisance, litter and noise, as well as regulation of vehicle parking places, business transactions, trade, among others.
On paper, the KMA’s bylaws are among the finest documents ever produced, which would have made Kumasi a haven of peace and serenity, but years of failure to enforce the bylaws seems to have resulted in a state of lawlessness in certain parts of the metropolis.
Take Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462) of the KMA truck pushers bylaws, for example. This section states emphatically that “all owners or persons in possession of any vehicle, having wheels not propelled by mechanical means in use for the carriage of goods in the metropolis, shall take out a licence for such a vehicle”.
It adds that “every vehicle for which a licence is issued shall have affixed therein the number plate assigned to it by the KMA”.
The bylaws on truck pushers also make it clear that “no person below the age of 18, shall push any vehicle which is subject to these bye-laws and no user of such a vehicle shall sit on them while it is in motion”.
It also states that “the user of any such vehicle which is subject to these bylaws shall observe the normal rules of road traffic movement and shall keep close to the right hand side of the road”, adding “no vehicle licensed under these bylaws shall operate between the hours of 5.30 p.m. and 5.30 a.m.”.
Of course, the bylaws mince no words about the consequences one could face if he/she flouts the by-laws. “Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these bylaws shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding GH¢5 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.”
If this particular KMA bylaw had been strictly enforced, teenagers who have been pushing trucks in the Kumasi metropolis over the years would not have been encouraged to do so.
This is because the law would not have spared them. But who enforces such bylaws after they have been enacted?
Not until I looked through the KMA bylaws, I never knew that sitting on trucks was an offence liable to arrest, prosecution and conviction if found guilty, neither did I know that pushing trucks on the left side of the road also constituted an offence.
I was also enlightened that pushing a truck between 5.30 p.m. and 5.30 a.m., as well as failing to fix a number plate on it, constitutes an offence and all those who flout such regulations would be arrested and prosecuted.
The heavy human and vehicular traffic that occur in Adum, Kejetia and around the Central Market daily can partially be attributed to truck pushers who use the wrong lanes and block oncoming vehicles, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.
It is at that period that the traffic wardens of the KMA are found roaming about and creating the impression that they are monitoring the smooth flow of traffic.
How many of the trucks that ply the central business district (CBD), Kejetia, the Central Market, the Asafo Market, among other areas, have licensed number plates that will make for easy identification when their owners commit offences?
It is also on record that the activities of some truck pushers have resulted in fatal vehicular accidents leading to the loss of precious lives and property in Kumasi.
These and many regulations, when enforced to the letter, will result in sanity, thereby enhancing business transactions and peaceful co-existence.
As Kumasi eagerly awaits the appointment of a new Mayor, a section of its residents are praying that the he or she will initiate policies and programmes that will see to the strict enforcement of the KMA bylaws.
Compiled in 1998 in its Local Government Bulletin, the bye-laws range from the regulation of truck pushers, control of the manufacture of charcoal, sale of intoxicating liquor, restaurants and chop bar operations, to the erection of billboards and signboards in the metropolis.
Others are the protection of roads, control of hawkers, mills, dogs, cattle and poultry, as well as bylaws on how to maintain effective sanitation to enhance healthy lifestyles among residents.
Also included in the bylaws of the KMA are the abatement of nuisance, litter and noise, as well as regulation of vehicle parking places, business transactions, trade, among others.
On paper, the KMA’s bylaws are among the finest documents ever produced, which would have made Kumasi a haven of peace and serenity, but years of failure to enforce the bylaws seems to have resulted in a state of lawlessness in certain parts of the metropolis.
Take Section 79 of the Local Government Act 1993 (Act 462) of the KMA truck pushers bylaws, for example. This section states emphatically that “all owners or persons in possession of any vehicle, having wheels not propelled by mechanical means in use for the carriage of goods in the metropolis, shall take out a licence for such a vehicle”.
It adds that “every vehicle for which a licence is issued shall have affixed therein the number plate assigned to it by the KMA”.
The bylaws on truck pushers also make it clear that “no person below the age of 18, shall push any vehicle which is subject to these bye-laws and no user of such a vehicle shall sit on them while it is in motion”.
It also states that “the user of any such vehicle which is subject to these bylaws shall observe the normal rules of road traffic movement and shall keep close to the right hand side of the road”, adding “no vehicle licensed under these bylaws shall operate between the hours of 5.30 p.m. and 5.30 a.m.”.
Of course, the bylaws mince no words about the consequences one could face if he/she flouts the by-laws. “Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these bylaws shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding GH¢5 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.”
If this particular KMA bylaw had been strictly enforced, teenagers who have been pushing trucks in the Kumasi metropolis over the years would not have been encouraged to do so.
This is because the law would not have spared them. But who enforces such bylaws after they have been enacted?
Not until I looked through the KMA bylaws, I never knew that sitting on trucks was an offence liable to arrest, prosecution and conviction if found guilty, neither did I know that pushing trucks on the left side of the road also constituted an offence.
I was also enlightened that pushing a truck between 5.30 p.m. and 5.30 a.m., as well as failing to fix a number plate on it, constitutes an offence and all those who flout such regulations would be arrested and prosecuted.
The heavy human and vehicular traffic that occur in Adum, Kejetia and around the Central Market daily can partially be attributed to truck pushers who use the wrong lanes and block oncoming vehicles, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.
It is at that period that the traffic wardens of the KMA are found roaming about and creating the impression that they are monitoring the smooth flow of traffic.
How many of the trucks that ply the central business district (CBD), Kejetia, the Central Market, the Asafo Market, among other areas, have licensed number plates that will make for easy identification when their owners commit offences?
It is also on record that the activities of some truck pushers have resulted in fatal vehicular accidents leading to the loss of precious lives and property in Kumasi.
These and many regulations, when enforced to the letter, will result in sanity, thereby enhancing business transactions and peaceful co-existence.
As Kumasi eagerly awaits the appointment of a new Mayor, a section of its residents are praying that the he or she will initiate policies and programmes that will see to the strict enforcement of the KMA bylaws.
MOTORBIKE RIDER KILLS 2 STUDENTS OF TOASE (PAGE 3)
A speeding motorbike has run over a number of students of the Toase Senior High School who were jogging at dawn on Saturday, killing two in the process and injuring 10 others.
The incident turned the campus of the school in the Atwima Nwabiagya District in the Ashanti Region into a scene of mourning.
One of the victims, Master Bernard Adu, died instantly while the other victim, Master Adjei Kassim, died moments after being admitted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The deceased suffered multiple injuries in various parts of the body when the speeding motorbike, being ridden by one Ernest Yeboah, knocked them down.
A source at the KATH told the Daily Graphic that two of the 10 injured students whose conditions were very critical were currently on admission at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the KATH, while four others whose conditions were stable had been admitted to the accident ward.
Those on admission at the ICU have been identified as Masters Richard Osei Kwarteng and Godfred Aboagye.
Those on admission at the accidents ward of the KATH are Masters Godfred Amoako, Samuel Opoku, Appiah Kusi Asenso and Andrews Nti Asem.
The source said four others, Evans Amanfo Fredrick Boakye, Solomon Sakyi and Foster Ofori, who suffered minor injuries, were, however, treated and discharged.
The rider of the motorbike, who also sustained some injuries, is also on admission at the KATH.
A source from the school told the Daily Graphic that while jogging along the Kumasi-Bibiani highway as part of their training schedules, they spotted the speeding motorbike heading towards Kumasi, and, therefore, signalled it to slow down.
The source said the rider ignored their signal and speeded through the students, knocking down many of them, including the deceased and those on admission at the ICU of the KATH.
The police later confirmed the accident and told the Daily Graphic that they had initiated investigations into the circumstances leading to the tragic accident.
The incident turned the campus of the school in the Atwima Nwabiagya District in the Ashanti Region into a scene of mourning.
One of the victims, Master Bernard Adu, died instantly while the other victim, Master Adjei Kassim, died moments after being admitted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The deceased suffered multiple injuries in various parts of the body when the speeding motorbike, being ridden by one Ernest Yeboah, knocked them down.
A source at the KATH told the Daily Graphic that two of the 10 injured students whose conditions were very critical were currently on admission at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the KATH, while four others whose conditions were stable had been admitted to the accident ward.
Those on admission at the ICU have been identified as Masters Richard Osei Kwarteng and Godfred Aboagye.
Those on admission at the accidents ward of the KATH are Masters Godfred Amoako, Samuel Opoku, Appiah Kusi Asenso and Andrews Nti Asem.
The source said four others, Evans Amanfo Fredrick Boakye, Solomon Sakyi and Foster Ofori, who suffered minor injuries, were, however, treated and discharged.
The rider of the motorbike, who also sustained some injuries, is also on admission at the KATH.
A source from the school told the Daily Graphic that while jogging along the Kumasi-Bibiani highway as part of their training schedules, they spotted the speeding motorbike heading towards Kumasi, and, therefore, signalled it to slow down.
The source said the rider ignored their signal and speeded through the students, knocking down many of them, including the deceased and those on admission at the ICU of the KATH.
The police later confirmed the accident and told the Daily Graphic that they had initiated investigations into the circumstances leading to the tragic accident.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
THE SPATE OF ARMED ROBBERY IN THE COUNTRY...How should it be controlled? (MIRROR, PAGE 21)
Prophet
Stephen Adom ,
Adom Prayer and Healing Ministry
Armed robbery has been in existence for a long time, but these days the situation has been on the increase, creating a state of fear among the public.
One factor that has brought about this situation is the increase in population which has brought in its wake a lot of socio-economic problems.
At the family level, while family heads spend much of their time in finding solutions to basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and how to educate their children and members of the extended family, very little attention on the other hand is given to the training of children on good habits and morality.
When children are properly trained, it becomes part of their value systems and integrated into their existence and this guides how they live and conduct themselves in the larger society.
Of late many of the youth give birth without thinking about the means to cater for their offspring. Having been without the basic needs in life, this provides room for such children to fend for themselves at very tender ages.
The streets become their abode and it is here that they learn the tricks of petty thievery and later graduate into armed robbers.
The present situation of unemployment, some section of the youth seem to make armed robbery a profession and attack innocent people without any sense of regret.
Some in responsible positions also use their influence to indulge in corrupt practices and acquire wealth at the expense of the state and this seems to be a motivating consideration for the youth, especially those who are unemployed, to indulge in armed robbery and also get rich.
To address the problems of armed robbery, Ghanaians need to be conscious of their personal security and that of their neighbours.
Many others have become absent-minded and therefore while walking or working on the streets and travelling in vehicles, they make themselves vulnerable to armed robbers.
The public erroneously think that it is only the police who have the responsibility to fight armed robbers, this is wrong.
It is time that communities rallied their youth to combat armed robbery. Community watchdog committees should be revived in the country and awareness created for the public to make us conscious of the menace of armed robbery. I think if this is done it would be a first step in keeping armed robbers away.
Mr Stephen Mensah Opoku Agyemang,
Ashanti Regional Stool Lands
Officer.
Armed robbery has been on the increase at an alarming rate currently and one always has to look over the shoulder to see if he or she is being followed.
The rate at which people from the rural communities are trooping to the urban centres to find jobs is an indication that there is unemployment in the rural areas.
Ghana cannot be compared to the advanced countries where the unemployed are offered financial support to enable them to meet the basic needs of life including food, accommodation and clothing.
Since the unemployed have to eat, dress, sleep and address other social needs, some have chosen the easy way out and prefer to attack people with guns for their monies and property.
Others engage in crime because notwithstanding the fact that they are not employed, they have developed a taste for glamorous living and want to drive in expensive cars and drink expensive wines. As a result, they are motivated to indulge in armed robbery to finance their acquired tastes.
Some who are addicted to drugs also have to engage in armed robbery to be able to finance their drug deals which are very expensive to maintain.
Armed robbery undermines the security of the state. It also affects investment drive in the country because those who would like to invest are sometimes scared of being attacked and robbed of their lifetime savings.
The public is also not secured and many fear of being attacked and robbed at gun and knife points.
To address the problem, the government should collaborate with the private sector and create jobs to absorb the teeming unemployed youth.
The law enforcement agencies should also be up and doing to address the menace in order to restore peace.
Theresa
Abuabu Dadzie,
Teacher, Oforikrom M/A JHS.
If news from both the print and electronic media on highway robbery and public places are anything to go by, then I can say that the spate of armed robbery in the country is on the increase.
The constant attack on innocent Ghanaians and sometimes foreigners at gunpoint is quite alarming.
Sometimes the armed robbers go to the extent of killing their victims after robbing them.
Others rape their victims, thereby putting them in a state of trauma.
It is very unfortunate that the youth, who are considered to be the future leaders of the country, are the ones actively engaged in armed robbery.
The lack of opportunity for some of them to re-write their final examination at the junior high school (JHS) level, the absence of proper parental care and poverty, among others, are the ills that drive some of them into armed robbery.
Armed robbery attacks sometimes lead to premature death of victims, thereby denying that nation of people with great potential and who were contributing meaningfully towards sustaining our national development. Others are also killed in cold blood, leaving their dependants with no one to care for them.
Some of the victims who lose valuable items and substantial amounts of money are also traumatised under the circumstances to the extent that they go insane while their dependants drop out of school.
To control the spate of armed robbery in the country the Ministry of Education should offer opportunity to JHS graduates who fail to re-sit their examinations to prove themselves capable.
Graduates who have Technical and Vocational skills but fail to enter senior high school should be introduced to vocational training to enable them to further develop their potential.
The police should also be motivated to intensify their patrol on the highways and residential areas and the public encouraged to provide information to the police on suspected robbers.
The government should endeavour to provide logistics and equipment to the police to enable them to effectively combat armed robbery in the country.
Michael Adusei Poku,
Assembly Member, Dadiesoaba
Electoral Area
There is no gainsaying the fact that the crime rate in the Kumasi metropolis has gone up. I was personally a victim of armed robbery recently.
I think security in the metropolis should be strengthened. In addition, the practice of the establishment of community watchdog should be encouraged and made to work hand in hand with the security agencies.
Areas that do not have watchdog committees should be made to form one.
It is important to note that the security agencies alone cannot protect all of us and that there is the need for us to show concern and offer alternatives.
Efforts must also be made by the government and other well-meaning citizens to assist the youth to find gainful employment. This is because many of the crimes are committed by the youth who do not have any form of employment.
Parents ought to take the education of their children seriously, while school dropouts should be assisted to learn a trade.
I believe if these things are done, the youth would be discouraged from engaging in criminal activities.
Kwame Asare Boadu,
Ashanti Regional Editor, Daily Graphic
Any objective observer would not dispute the fact that the crime rate in Kumasi has gone up in recent times. It is unfortunate though that the situation is being politicised.
Crime is of great concern to all of us living in Kumasi and I think something serious ought to be done about it.
We hear of taxi drivers conniving with others to rape women; armed robbers attacking people left and right, and mobile phone snatchers doing their own thing.
Interestingly, some of the men engaged in acts like armed robbery and mobile phone snatching sometimes use women and girls as baits to attack their victims. It is no wonder therefore that the majority of prisoners are the youth.
These are people who should have been working to promote our national development, yet their criminal acts have resulted in their incarceration.
Some people argue that the rising crime wave is a result of unemployment. But I beg to differ. The fact that there are no jobs does not mean one should steal.
No government on earth can provide jobs for all the people of the country. The government’s responsibility is to create the congenial environment for the private sector to thrive so that they could complement its efforts in creating jobs for the people.
The police are doing their best to tackle the problem of crime, but it looks like their efforts have not been enough to address the challenges. However, the police can be excused because they do not have the resources to deal with the situation.
The former government did some work by providing the police with some logistics to do their work. It is my hope that the current government will build on that to ensure that the police undertake their work without much difficulty.
Superintendent Michael Nketia, Frempong, AshANTI REGIONAL POLICE HQRS.
The spate of armed robbery in the Ashanti Region has reduced considerably in recent times. Those crimes involving car and mobile phone snatching which topped the list of robbery cases in the metropolis did also reduce substantially.
Indeed, records show that the youth between the ages of 18 and 25 constitute the majority who are engaged in armed robbery. This age group is dominated by men while some women engaged in it are used as bait to deceive unsuspecting victims.
The use of hard drugs constitute a major driving force behind the activities of robbers as it makes them feel a sense of invincibility when they go about their nefarious and mostly nocturnal undertaking.
Lack of good parental care has also been identified as a cause that pushes many young persons into robbery.
Poverty, broken homes, peer pressure and unemployment are other factors that entice some young people into armed robbery.
As a result of the activities of armed robbers many law-abiding citizens have lost their properties. Some have been maimed in the process and this has given rise to the feeling of insecurity among a section of the population. This cripples businesses and undermines investments.
It is impossible to totally eliminate armed robbery but it could be reduced considerably. While the police would have to enhance its intelligence network, the public would also have to provide useful information that would enable the police to work effectively to control robbery.
Victims should assist the police in diverse ways in the prosecution of suspected robbers.
Stephen Adom ,
Adom Prayer and Healing Ministry
Armed robbery has been in existence for a long time, but these days the situation has been on the increase, creating a state of fear among the public.
One factor that has brought about this situation is the increase in population which has brought in its wake a lot of socio-economic problems.
At the family level, while family heads spend much of their time in finding solutions to basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and how to educate their children and members of the extended family, very little attention on the other hand is given to the training of children on good habits and morality.
When children are properly trained, it becomes part of their value systems and integrated into their existence and this guides how they live and conduct themselves in the larger society.
Of late many of the youth give birth without thinking about the means to cater for their offspring. Having been without the basic needs in life, this provides room for such children to fend for themselves at very tender ages.
The streets become their abode and it is here that they learn the tricks of petty thievery and later graduate into armed robbers.
The present situation of unemployment, some section of the youth seem to make armed robbery a profession and attack innocent people without any sense of regret.
Some in responsible positions also use their influence to indulge in corrupt practices and acquire wealth at the expense of the state and this seems to be a motivating consideration for the youth, especially those who are unemployed, to indulge in armed robbery and also get rich.
To address the problems of armed robbery, Ghanaians need to be conscious of their personal security and that of their neighbours.
Many others have become absent-minded and therefore while walking or working on the streets and travelling in vehicles, they make themselves vulnerable to armed robbers.
The public erroneously think that it is only the police who have the responsibility to fight armed robbers, this is wrong.
It is time that communities rallied their youth to combat armed robbery. Community watchdog committees should be revived in the country and awareness created for the public to make us conscious of the menace of armed robbery. I think if this is done it would be a first step in keeping armed robbers away.
Mr Stephen Mensah Opoku Agyemang,
Ashanti Regional Stool Lands
Officer.
Armed robbery has been on the increase at an alarming rate currently and one always has to look over the shoulder to see if he or she is being followed.
The rate at which people from the rural communities are trooping to the urban centres to find jobs is an indication that there is unemployment in the rural areas.
Ghana cannot be compared to the advanced countries where the unemployed are offered financial support to enable them to meet the basic needs of life including food, accommodation and clothing.
Since the unemployed have to eat, dress, sleep and address other social needs, some have chosen the easy way out and prefer to attack people with guns for their monies and property.
Others engage in crime because notwithstanding the fact that they are not employed, they have developed a taste for glamorous living and want to drive in expensive cars and drink expensive wines. As a result, they are motivated to indulge in armed robbery to finance their acquired tastes.
Some who are addicted to drugs also have to engage in armed robbery to be able to finance their drug deals which are very expensive to maintain.
Armed robbery undermines the security of the state. It also affects investment drive in the country because those who would like to invest are sometimes scared of being attacked and robbed of their lifetime savings.
The public is also not secured and many fear of being attacked and robbed at gun and knife points.
To address the problem, the government should collaborate with the private sector and create jobs to absorb the teeming unemployed youth.
The law enforcement agencies should also be up and doing to address the menace in order to restore peace.
Theresa
Abuabu Dadzie,
Teacher, Oforikrom M/A JHS.
If news from both the print and electronic media on highway robbery and public places are anything to go by, then I can say that the spate of armed robbery in the country is on the increase.
The constant attack on innocent Ghanaians and sometimes foreigners at gunpoint is quite alarming.
Sometimes the armed robbers go to the extent of killing their victims after robbing them.
Others rape their victims, thereby putting them in a state of trauma.
It is very unfortunate that the youth, who are considered to be the future leaders of the country, are the ones actively engaged in armed robbery.
The lack of opportunity for some of them to re-write their final examination at the junior high school (JHS) level, the absence of proper parental care and poverty, among others, are the ills that drive some of them into armed robbery.
Armed robbery attacks sometimes lead to premature death of victims, thereby denying that nation of people with great potential and who were contributing meaningfully towards sustaining our national development. Others are also killed in cold blood, leaving their dependants with no one to care for them.
Some of the victims who lose valuable items and substantial amounts of money are also traumatised under the circumstances to the extent that they go insane while their dependants drop out of school.
To control the spate of armed robbery in the country the Ministry of Education should offer opportunity to JHS graduates who fail to re-sit their examinations to prove themselves capable.
Graduates who have Technical and Vocational skills but fail to enter senior high school should be introduced to vocational training to enable them to further develop their potential.
The police should also be motivated to intensify their patrol on the highways and residential areas and the public encouraged to provide information to the police on suspected robbers.
The government should endeavour to provide logistics and equipment to the police to enable them to effectively combat armed robbery in the country.
Michael Adusei Poku,
Assembly Member, Dadiesoaba
Electoral Area
There is no gainsaying the fact that the crime rate in the Kumasi metropolis has gone up. I was personally a victim of armed robbery recently.
I think security in the metropolis should be strengthened. In addition, the practice of the establishment of community watchdog should be encouraged and made to work hand in hand with the security agencies.
Areas that do not have watchdog committees should be made to form one.
It is important to note that the security agencies alone cannot protect all of us and that there is the need for us to show concern and offer alternatives.
Efforts must also be made by the government and other well-meaning citizens to assist the youth to find gainful employment. This is because many of the crimes are committed by the youth who do not have any form of employment.
Parents ought to take the education of their children seriously, while school dropouts should be assisted to learn a trade.
I believe if these things are done, the youth would be discouraged from engaging in criminal activities.
Kwame Asare Boadu,
Ashanti Regional Editor, Daily Graphic
Any objective observer would not dispute the fact that the crime rate in Kumasi has gone up in recent times. It is unfortunate though that the situation is being politicised.
Crime is of great concern to all of us living in Kumasi and I think something serious ought to be done about it.
We hear of taxi drivers conniving with others to rape women; armed robbers attacking people left and right, and mobile phone snatchers doing their own thing.
Interestingly, some of the men engaged in acts like armed robbery and mobile phone snatching sometimes use women and girls as baits to attack their victims. It is no wonder therefore that the majority of prisoners are the youth.
These are people who should have been working to promote our national development, yet their criminal acts have resulted in their incarceration.
Some people argue that the rising crime wave is a result of unemployment. But I beg to differ. The fact that there are no jobs does not mean one should steal.
No government on earth can provide jobs for all the people of the country. The government’s responsibility is to create the congenial environment for the private sector to thrive so that they could complement its efforts in creating jobs for the people.
The police are doing their best to tackle the problem of crime, but it looks like their efforts have not been enough to address the challenges. However, the police can be excused because they do not have the resources to deal with the situation.
The former government did some work by providing the police with some logistics to do their work. It is my hope that the current government will build on that to ensure that the police undertake their work without much difficulty.
Superintendent Michael Nketia, Frempong, AshANTI REGIONAL POLICE HQRS.
The spate of armed robbery in the Ashanti Region has reduced considerably in recent times. Those crimes involving car and mobile phone snatching which topped the list of robbery cases in the metropolis did also reduce substantially.
Indeed, records show that the youth between the ages of 18 and 25 constitute the majority who are engaged in armed robbery. This age group is dominated by men while some women engaged in it are used as bait to deceive unsuspecting victims.
The use of hard drugs constitute a major driving force behind the activities of robbers as it makes them feel a sense of invincibility when they go about their nefarious and mostly nocturnal undertaking.
Lack of good parental care has also been identified as a cause that pushes many young persons into robbery.
Poverty, broken homes, peer pressure and unemployment are other factors that entice some young people into armed robbery.
As a result of the activities of armed robbers many law-abiding citizens have lost their properties. Some have been maimed in the process and this has given rise to the feeling of insecurity among a section of the population. This cripples businesses and undermines investments.
It is impossible to totally eliminate armed robbery but it could be reduced considerably. While the police would have to enhance its intelligence network, the public would also have to provide useful information that would enable the police to work effectively to control robbery.
Victims should assist the police in diverse ways in the prosecution of suspected robbers.
Friday, March 27, 2009
RAINSTORM DESTROYS ACHIASE PRIMARY SCHOOL (PAGE 20)
A SEVERE rainstorm that hit Achiase, near Barekese in the Atwima District in the Ashanti Region, has ripped off the roof of the entire block of the Methodist Primary School in the town.
The storm, which also destroyed part of the walls of the six-unit classroom block constructed in 1933, also destroyed a number of textbooks and exercise books, as well as furniture, belonging to the pupils.
At the moment, the more than 400 pupils from primary one to six who use the block are compelled to study under trees, making it difficult for them to concentrate on their academic work.
The pupils, teachers and opinion leaders of Achiase have, therefore, appealed to the Atwima District Assembly, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GetFund) Administration, philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to help the community to put up a new classroom block to facilitate academic work.
The Assembly member for Asuofua Electoral Area, Mr Ali Ibrahim, made the appeal through the Daily Graphic during a visit to Achiase.
He said the school, which was among the first to be constructed in the Atwima District, had served a useful purpose by providing a platform for the youth at Achiase and its environs to develop their potential through formal education.
Mr Ibrahim expressed concern about the state of affairs at the moment, saying “the pupils are now at the mercy of the weather because they can neither study under the scorching sun, nor do same anytime it rains”.
The Chairman of the School Management Committee, Mr Kwabena Atta Boakye, gave the assurance that the Achiase community would offer communal labour to support the construction of a new classroom as soon as they received financial support.
He said the rainstorm also destroyed a number of private houses at Achiase.
The storm, which also destroyed part of the walls of the six-unit classroom block constructed in 1933, also destroyed a number of textbooks and exercise books, as well as furniture, belonging to the pupils.
At the moment, the more than 400 pupils from primary one to six who use the block are compelled to study under trees, making it difficult for them to concentrate on their academic work.
The pupils, teachers and opinion leaders of Achiase have, therefore, appealed to the Atwima District Assembly, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GetFund) Administration, philanthropists and well-to-do individuals to help the community to put up a new classroom block to facilitate academic work.
The Assembly member for Asuofua Electoral Area, Mr Ali Ibrahim, made the appeal through the Daily Graphic during a visit to Achiase.
He said the school, which was among the first to be constructed in the Atwima District, had served a useful purpose by providing a platform for the youth at Achiase and its environs to develop their potential through formal education.
Mr Ibrahim expressed concern about the state of affairs at the moment, saying “the pupils are now at the mercy of the weather because they can neither study under the scorching sun, nor do same anytime it rains”.
The Chairman of the School Management Committee, Mr Kwabena Atta Boakye, gave the assurance that the Achiase community would offer communal labour to support the construction of a new classroom as soon as they received financial support.
He said the rainstorm also destroyed a number of private houses at Achiase.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
GOVERNMENT URGED TO ESTABLISH OVERSIGHT BODY (PAGE 29)
THE Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has suggested to the government to establish an oversight body to strictly monitor the construction of private development projects in the country.
This, according to the GIA, will ensure that private land developers adhere to the rules governing the development of projects in the country by acquiring the requisite documents and specifications of the projects they intend to develop.
The GIA made the suggestion at a stakeholders meeting in Kumasi on Thursday.
The meeting, which was attended by 25 participants drawn from a cross-section of the public, was on the theme: “Addressing the adverse impact of the non- enforcement of development controls”.
The participants were made up of architects, Lands Commission officers, environmental officers, Fire Service personnel and officials from the Town and Country Planning Department and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
The meeting was a follow-up to an earlier one held in Accra, following a draft report on a research submitted by the GIA, which dealt with the adverse impact of the non-enforcement of building and development controls in Ghana.
The draft report recommended, among others, the constitution of a strong task force to monitor the development of private projects in the country in order to reduce indiscriminate encroachment of public lands, as well as the haphazard construction of houses in the country.
The report also recommended that chiefs who sold land without title to private land developers should be made to face the full rigours of the law.
It said it was important for chiefs and other stakeholders to be provided with skills that would enable them to become conscious of how to use their positions to protect the environment instead of collaborating with private land developers to destroy the environment.
It further suggested that all planning institutions should be sited close to each other to facilitate the processing of building permits, stressing that the present approval procedure on building permits should be reviewed because it was too cumbersome.
This, according to the GIA, will ensure that private land developers adhere to the rules governing the development of projects in the country by acquiring the requisite documents and specifications of the projects they intend to develop.
The GIA made the suggestion at a stakeholders meeting in Kumasi on Thursday.
The meeting, which was attended by 25 participants drawn from a cross-section of the public, was on the theme: “Addressing the adverse impact of the non- enforcement of development controls”.
The participants were made up of architects, Lands Commission officers, environmental officers, Fire Service personnel and officials from the Town and Country Planning Department and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
The meeting was a follow-up to an earlier one held in Accra, following a draft report on a research submitted by the GIA, which dealt with the adverse impact of the non-enforcement of building and development controls in Ghana.
The draft report recommended, among others, the constitution of a strong task force to monitor the development of private projects in the country in order to reduce indiscriminate encroachment of public lands, as well as the haphazard construction of houses in the country.
The report also recommended that chiefs who sold land without title to private land developers should be made to face the full rigours of the law.
It said it was important for chiefs and other stakeholders to be provided with skills that would enable them to become conscious of how to use their positions to protect the environment instead of collaborating with private land developers to destroy the environment.
It further suggested that all planning institutions should be sited close to each other to facilitate the processing of building permits, stressing that the present approval procedure on building permits should be reviewed because it was too cumbersome.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
DVLA TO WITHDRAW OLD LICENCES (PAGE 30)
The Kumasi Office of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) in collaboration with the Kumasi Metropolitan Police Command is to withdraw all driving licences issued between 1999 and 2004 from the system.
This is the result of the introduction of new licences in 2005 by the authority.
The DVLA is also to prevent all commercial and private ramshackle vehicles that ply the roads in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs from operating.
Drivers who use fake driving licences and fake roadworthy certificates would be arrested and prosecuted when the task force begins its work in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
The exercise, which is to enhance efficiency among the driving public, is also meant to reduce the spate of accidents, the result of reckless driving, which has led to the loss of precious lives and valuable property.
The removal of the ramshackle vehicles is also meant to reduce the constant breakdown of such vehicles on the major trunk roads, which creates insecurity among the travelling public.
The Ashanti Regional Manager of the DVLA, Mr Noah Tetteh Matey, who announced this in an interview with the Daily Graphic expressed concern about the number of accidents on the roads in recent times, which had made the travelling public and their dependants panicky.
He explained that the old driving licences were being withdrawn from the system because those who still possessed them had refused to acquire the new driving licences which had been introduced.
“ Such licences had already been phased out, which means that no one can use them to operate ... unless he undertakes an aptitude and practical test to verify if he has the requisite skills”.
The test is also to ensure that they can interpret road signs very well to enhance efficiency on the roads to make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable,” he stressed.
“ Those who still have the old licences in their possession would be tested as fresh drivers, and it is only when they excel in their examinations that new licences will be issued to them to operate as drivers, ” he further explained.
“ We have realised that those who use the old licences cannot read and write to enable them appreciate the road signs and warning signals placed at vantage points, and this creates problems for them and other road users, ” he said.
On the activities of the DVLA, Mr Matey said customer care was their priority, so they had taken measures to sensitise their staff to enhance efficiency in the delivery of services to those who did business with them.
He said the authority had increased its staff from six to 10 to enable them attend quickly to their clients.
This is the result of the introduction of new licences in 2005 by the authority.
The DVLA is also to prevent all commercial and private ramshackle vehicles that ply the roads in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs from operating.
Drivers who use fake driving licences and fake roadworthy certificates would be arrested and prosecuted when the task force begins its work in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs.
The exercise, which is to enhance efficiency among the driving public, is also meant to reduce the spate of accidents, the result of reckless driving, which has led to the loss of precious lives and valuable property.
The removal of the ramshackle vehicles is also meant to reduce the constant breakdown of such vehicles on the major trunk roads, which creates insecurity among the travelling public.
The Ashanti Regional Manager of the DVLA, Mr Noah Tetteh Matey, who announced this in an interview with the Daily Graphic expressed concern about the number of accidents on the roads in recent times, which had made the travelling public and their dependants panicky.
He explained that the old driving licences were being withdrawn from the system because those who still possessed them had refused to acquire the new driving licences which had been introduced.
“ Such licences had already been phased out, which means that no one can use them to operate ... unless he undertakes an aptitude and practical test to verify if he has the requisite skills”.
The test is also to ensure that they can interpret road signs very well to enhance efficiency on the roads to make travelling more enjoyable and comfortable,” he stressed.
“ Those who still have the old licences in their possession would be tested as fresh drivers, and it is only when they excel in their examinations that new licences will be issued to them to operate as drivers, ” he further explained.
“ We have realised that those who use the old licences cannot read and write to enable them appreciate the road signs and warning signals placed at vantage points, and this creates problems for them and other road users, ” he said.
On the activities of the DVLA, Mr Matey said customer care was their priority, so they had taken measures to sensitise their staff to enhance efficiency in the delivery of services to those who did business with them.
He said the authority had increased its staff from six to 10 to enable them attend quickly to their clients.
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