From Vincent Amenuveve, Tamale
When a 24-year-old apprentice electrician threatened to kill his brother with a machete during a misunderstanding at Gumbihini, a suburb of Tamale, little did he know that his intimidation would eventually lead to his arrest and subsequent imprisonment for possessing cannabis (wee).
Majeed Alhassan has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in hard labour by the Tamale Circuit Court for possessing a narcotic drug.
The facts of the case, as presented by a State Attorney, Mr Agbeko Kra, were that in the evening of May 7, 2007, Alhassan was found wielding a machete, threatening to kill his brother if he dared draw near him.
The prosecution stated that with the assistance of the other siblings in the house, the convict was arrested and taken to his room where they found large quantities of cannabis (wee) in a plastic bag.
Mr Kra said with the discovery, the siblings reported the matter to the police in Tamale, who arrested him. Upon interrogation, he claimed ownership of the substance.
Majeed had stated that he was a beggar who moved from one village to another to beg for alms, saying that anytime he got tired on his rounds he smoked the wee to make him more active.
Monday, June 8, 2009
REPORT HOARDING OF FUEL OF POLICE (PAGE 53)
THE Northern Regional Officer of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Mr Francis Luguwuu, has entreated residents of the Tamale metropolis to report suspected hoarding of fuel by filling stations to the Ghana Police Service.
He noted that issues of hoarding were criminal and that it was the duty of the police to investigate such matters.
Mr Luguwuu explained to the Daily Graphic in Tamale that his outfit embarked on periodic checks of delivery pumps at the various filling stations every six months.
According to him, the checks were to ensure that the filling stations used the required measuring standards in selling the fuel to avoid cheating unsuspecting customers.
He further intimated that it was only when people failed to be vigilant that they later complained of alleged cheating by fuel attendants.
“As far as we are concerned, the issue of hoarding is the responsibility of the police but of course we can help educate the public on what to do in case they suspect hoarding” the officer observed.
Mr Luguwuu advised residents to lodge complaints at the office of the GSB in Tamale anytime they suspected under delivery of fuel, adding that “we would give them a form to fill after which my outfit would pursue the matter and make the outcome known to the complainants”.
He, however, said the GSB had never come across a situation where any filling station had broken the seals put on the delivery pumps after they had been checked.
Some managers of filling stations have however denied hoarding but some commercial drivers in the metropolis insisted that some filling stations were hoarding fuel in anticipation of price hikes. The fuel shortage that hit the metropolis a few days ago had normalised.
He noted that issues of hoarding were criminal and that it was the duty of the police to investigate such matters.
Mr Luguwuu explained to the Daily Graphic in Tamale that his outfit embarked on periodic checks of delivery pumps at the various filling stations every six months.
According to him, the checks were to ensure that the filling stations used the required measuring standards in selling the fuel to avoid cheating unsuspecting customers.
He further intimated that it was only when people failed to be vigilant that they later complained of alleged cheating by fuel attendants.
“As far as we are concerned, the issue of hoarding is the responsibility of the police but of course we can help educate the public on what to do in case they suspect hoarding” the officer observed.
Mr Luguwuu advised residents to lodge complaints at the office of the GSB in Tamale anytime they suspected under delivery of fuel, adding that “we would give them a form to fill after which my outfit would pursue the matter and make the outcome known to the complainants”.
He, however, said the GSB had never come across a situation where any filling station had broken the seals put on the delivery pumps after they had been checked.
Some managers of filling stations have however denied hoarding but some commercial drivers in the metropolis insisted that some filling stations were hoarding fuel in anticipation of price hikes. The fuel shortage that hit the metropolis a few days ago had normalised.
COMMIT RESOURCES TOWARDS EDUCCATION OF GIRL-CHILD (PAGE 11)
THE Administrator of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), Mr Sam Garba, has entreated the elite in northern Ghana to help evolve effective strategies to commit more resources towards the education of the girl-child.
He noted that the alarming rate at which girls engaged in menial jobs in southern Ghana demanded that urgent and concrete steps were taken to arrest the situation.
Mr Garba told students of the Tamale Senior High School at the weekend that “my heart bleeds anytime I see young girls from the north engaging in the ‘kayayo’ business with its attendant problems like teenage pregnancy”.
He equally attributed the high maternal and infant mortality rates in northern Ghana, partly to the high illiteracy rates among women as a result of the failure of stakeholders to send girls to school.
According to him, the plight of women in the northern part of the country might worsen if the elite did not tackle the problem urgently to ensure that streetism and the kayayo business among the girls became a thing of the past.
The Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, observed that northern Ghana was not “short of role models”, and entreated girls to keep their dreams high and alive so that they could become responsible women in the future.
Mr Iddrisu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, indicated that stakeholders must help close the historical gaps and disparities that existed between the north and the south in terms of quality education.
As his contribution to the development of girls’ education, the minister made a personal pledge ofGH¢2,000 as seed money towards the establishment of the Pang-naa Girl-Child Education Fund.
He noted that the alarming rate at which girls engaged in menial jobs in southern Ghana demanded that urgent and concrete steps were taken to arrest the situation.
Mr Garba told students of the Tamale Senior High School at the weekend that “my heart bleeds anytime I see young girls from the north engaging in the ‘kayayo’ business with its attendant problems like teenage pregnancy”.
He equally attributed the high maternal and infant mortality rates in northern Ghana, partly to the high illiteracy rates among women as a result of the failure of stakeholders to send girls to school.
According to him, the plight of women in the northern part of the country might worsen if the elite did not tackle the problem urgently to ensure that streetism and the kayayo business among the girls became a thing of the past.
The Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, observed that northern Ghana was not “short of role models”, and entreated girls to keep their dreams high and alive so that they could become responsible women in the future.
Mr Iddrisu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, indicated that stakeholders must help close the historical gaps and disparities that existed between the north and the south in terms of quality education.
As his contribution to the development of girls’ education, the minister made a personal pledge ofGH¢2,000 as seed money towards the establishment of the Pang-naa Girl-Child Education Fund.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
INVESTMENT SEMINAR ENDS IN TAMALE (PAGE 20)
THE poor infrastructural development, non existence of business partnerships and low entrepreneurial skills have been identified as some of the contributory factors to the low investment flow in the Northern Region.
According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the region had so far benefited from only 34 out of a total of 2,955 investment projects nationwide.
The situation has been described by stakeholders as unacceptable. The Upper East has two of the projects while the Upper West has eight.
The Director, Global and Regional Operations of the GIPC, Mr Augustine Otoo briefed media practitioners on the issue at a regional investment seminar in Tamale to sensitise stakeholders to the situation and to formulate strategies to address them.
He explained that the perceived lack of peace in the Northern Region and the distance of the region from ports regarding exports, were other challenges to investment promotion in the area.
Mr Otoo, therefore, stressed on the need for district assemblies to support the GIPC in its bid to identify investment potentials in the districts and package them for development.
He expressed regret that last year, appeals were made to the Regional Houses of Chiefs to release land for investment purposes but to date, nothing had been heard about that from the region.
According to him, the GIPC had so far attracted over $13 billion of both foreign and local investments.
The Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Sumani Nayina urged the GIPC to work closely with the Regional House of Chiefs, land owners and all relevant institutions to harmonise the utilisation of lands for investment purposes.
“I believe that we the players in this region have the capacity to identify local opportunities dotted all over the place, which in concert with the GIPC, will be packaged for development and promoted both within and outside to attract win-win partnerships”, he stated.
Mr Nayina said the prominent area of investment in the region remained largely in the agricultural sector.
The Manager, Enclave and Estate Development of the Ghana Free Zones Board, Nana Kodwo Adentwi stated that as of last year, 201 companies were licensed to operate under the board.
He said five of the companies were located in the region, adding that 27,736 employment avenues had so far been created nationwide.
The Member of Parliament for Salaga, Alhaji Ibrahim Dey called on citizens of the region to help develop the area since “nobody will develop this place for us”.
According to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), the region had so far benefited from only 34 out of a total of 2,955 investment projects nationwide.
The situation has been described by stakeholders as unacceptable. The Upper East has two of the projects while the Upper West has eight.
The Director, Global and Regional Operations of the GIPC, Mr Augustine Otoo briefed media practitioners on the issue at a regional investment seminar in Tamale to sensitise stakeholders to the situation and to formulate strategies to address them.
He explained that the perceived lack of peace in the Northern Region and the distance of the region from ports regarding exports, were other challenges to investment promotion in the area.
Mr Otoo, therefore, stressed on the need for district assemblies to support the GIPC in its bid to identify investment potentials in the districts and package them for development.
He expressed regret that last year, appeals were made to the Regional Houses of Chiefs to release land for investment purposes but to date, nothing had been heard about that from the region.
According to him, the GIPC had so far attracted over $13 billion of both foreign and local investments.
The Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Sumani Nayina urged the GIPC to work closely with the Regional House of Chiefs, land owners and all relevant institutions to harmonise the utilisation of lands for investment purposes.
“I believe that we the players in this region have the capacity to identify local opportunities dotted all over the place, which in concert with the GIPC, will be packaged for development and promoted both within and outside to attract win-win partnerships”, he stated.
Mr Nayina said the prominent area of investment in the region remained largely in the agricultural sector.
The Manager, Enclave and Estate Development of the Ghana Free Zones Board, Nana Kodwo Adentwi stated that as of last year, 201 companies were licensed to operate under the board.
He said five of the companies were located in the region, adding that 27,736 employment avenues had so far been created nationwide.
The Member of Parliament for Salaga, Alhaji Ibrahim Dey called on citizens of the region to help develop the area since “nobody will develop this place for us”.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES IN NR SWORN INTO OFFICE (PAGE 13)
SEVENTEEN Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Northern Region have been sworn into office at a ceremony in Tamale with a call on them to guard against conflict of interest and corruption for the accelerated development of their respective districts.
They took the oath of office, secrecy and allegiance administered by the Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Sumani Nayina in line with Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution and the Local Government Act 462.
There were, however, no representatives for the Savelugu-Nanton, Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and Gushegu districts as their respective nominees had been rejected by their assemblies.
Traditional rulers, heads of departments and assembly members attended the ceremony.
Mr Nayina cautioned the MMDCEs against engaging in conflicts with Members of Parliament (MPs) and traditional rulers in their respective districts.
“You must address the needs and aspirations of the people to justify the confidence reposed in you; if any DCE wants to enter Parliament, he or she must let us know of it else we would remove you from office”, he further warned.
“MMDCEs have a responsibility to respond and address the needs of the people with dispatch and adopt an open door policy in your administration”, the minister stressed.
Mr Nayina advised the chief executives to avoid interfering in chieftaincy matters, adding that as MMDCEs, their major concern should be the maintenance of law and order.
“I also implore you to display transparency and accountability in your administration in order to win the confidence of the people and respect for yourself”, he emphasised.
The Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Joseph Dasanah, entreated MMDCEs to “stand firm and persevere until success is achieved”.
A Member of the Council of State, Kpan-Naa Mohammed Bawah, who chaired the function, congratulated the MMDCEs and urged them to help unite and mobilise the people, traditional rulers and civil society groups for the accelerated development of their respective areas.
The Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the President and the people for the confidence reposed in them.
He on behalf of his colleagues, pledged to discharge their duties effectively.
“We would live up to expectation and we are prepared to serve our people; we would not rest on our oars”, he stated.
They took the oath of office, secrecy and allegiance administered by the Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Sumani Nayina in line with Article 243 of the 1992 Constitution and the Local Government Act 462.
There were, however, no representatives for the Savelugu-Nanton, Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo and Gushegu districts as their respective nominees had been rejected by their assemblies.
Traditional rulers, heads of departments and assembly members attended the ceremony.
Mr Nayina cautioned the MMDCEs against engaging in conflicts with Members of Parliament (MPs) and traditional rulers in their respective districts.
“You must address the needs and aspirations of the people to justify the confidence reposed in you; if any DCE wants to enter Parliament, he or she must let us know of it else we would remove you from office”, he further warned.
“MMDCEs have a responsibility to respond and address the needs of the people with dispatch and adopt an open door policy in your administration”, the minister stressed.
Mr Nayina advised the chief executives to avoid interfering in chieftaincy matters, adding that as MMDCEs, their major concern should be the maintenance of law and order.
“I also implore you to display transparency and accountability in your administration in order to win the confidence of the people and respect for yourself”, he emphasised.
The Regional Coordinating Director, Mr Joseph Dasanah, entreated MMDCEs to “stand firm and persevere until success is achieved”.
A Member of the Council of State, Kpan-Naa Mohammed Bawah, who chaired the function, congratulated the MMDCEs and urged them to help unite and mobilise the people, traditional rulers and civil society groups for the accelerated development of their respective areas.
The Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the President and the people for the confidence reposed in them.
He on behalf of his colleagues, pledged to discharge their duties effectively.
“We would live up to expectation and we are prepared to serve our people; we would not rest on our oars”, he stated.
INSTANT FINES FOR MOTORBIKE RIDERS WITHOUT HELMETS (PAGE 30)
MOTOR riders who ride into the premises of the Tamale District Court without wearing crash helmets will now pay a spot fine and will also be made to purchase helmets before their bikes are released to them.
The measure is to help instil discipline among motor riders and ensure that they adhere to road safety measures.
The District Magistrate, Mr Gabriel Mate-Teye, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale that the initiative was part of the court’s contribution to reducing accidents in the metropolis.
He attributed about 95 per cent of accidents that occurred in the metropolis to the refusal of riders and their pillion riders to wear their helmets.
Mr Mate-Teye, therefore, urged the Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service to intensify education campaigns on the use of crash helmets in schools and communities.
“We are taking it upon ourselves to do these things because a lot of people are dying as a result of their refusal to use the helmet”, Mr Mate-Teye pointed out.
He entreated motorbike dealers to ensure that they sold the bikes with helmets, stressing that any buyer who wanted to purchase a motorbike must be compelled to buy crash helmets.
According to the magistrate,“people who come to court must do the right thing because we cannot allow the alarming rate of accidents and deaths among riders to continue”.
The measure is to help instil discipline among motor riders and ensure that they adhere to road safety measures.
The District Magistrate, Mr Gabriel Mate-Teye, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale that the initiative was part of the court’s contribution to reducing accidents in the metropolis.
He attributed about 95 per cent of accidents that occurred in the metropolis to the refusal of riders and their pillion riders to wear their helmets.
Mr Mate-Teye, therefore, urged the Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service to intensify education campaigns on the use of crash helmets in schools and communities.
“We are taking it upon ourselves to do these things because a lot of people are dying as a result of their refusal to use the helmet”, Mr Mate-Teye pointed out.
He entreated motorbike dealers to ensure that they sold the bikes with helmets, stressing that any buyer who wanted to purchase a motorbike must be compelled to buy crash helmets.
According to the magistrate,“people who come to court must do the right thing because we cannot allow the alarming rate of accidents and deaths among riders to continue”.
STUDENTS ADVISED TO REFRAIN FROM NEGATIVE ACTS (PAGE 11)
THE Northern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Elizabeth De-Souza, has cautioned students against engaging in negative acts and joining bad company that could ruin their future.
She equally advised students to take their studies seriously, stressing that “you the boys must avoid smoking and the girls should desist from accepting gifts like mobile phones and watches from strangers”.
Mrs De-Souza was speaking during the presentation of a 21-inch colour television set and deck to the authorities of the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO) in Tamale. The items were donated by the office of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to honour the school for excelling in this year’s Regional Independence Day debate programme.
The director entreated students of GHANASCO to aim beyond the sky in all their endeavours and said “you must make your school the home of learning and remember that whatever you do here is not in vain”.
She observed that the students had the potential to aspire to the highest level in life and stressed that the holding of debates in the school was one of the activities meant to encourage them to master the art of speaking in public.
Mrs De-Souza therefore called on teachers of the school to continue to work hard to enable the school to maintain discipline and high academic performance.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Mary Asobayire Dan-Braimah, announced that the school had been provided with 248 compact discs (CDs) on English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Chemistry and Physics under the President’s Special Initiative on Distance Learning.
She observed that GHANASCO had over the years proved that it was a force to reckon with regarding national and regional debates.
Mrs Dan-Braimah intimated for instance that in 2003, the school emerged winner of a national Independence Day debate competition.
According to her, the school also won the regional Independence Day debate competition in 2007.
She equally advised students to take their studies seriously, stressing that “you the boys must avoid smoking and the girls should desist from accepting gifts like mobile phones and watches from strangers”.
Mrs De-Souza was speaking during the presentation of a 21-inch colour television set and deck to the authorities of the Ghana Senior High School (GHANASCO) in Tamale. The items were donated by the office of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to honour the school for excelling in this year’s Regional Independence Day debate programme.
The director entreated students of GHANASCO to aim beyond the sky in all their endeavours and said “you must make your school the home of learning and remember that whatever you do here is not in vain”.
She observed that the students had the potential to aspire to the highest level in life and stressed that the holding of debates in the school was one of the activities meant to encourage them to master the art of speaking in public.
Mrs De-Souza therefore called on teachers of the school to continue to work hard to enable the school to maintain discipline and high academic performance.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Mary Asobayire Dan-Braimah, announced that the school had been provided with 248 compact discs (CDs) on English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Chemistry and Physics under the President’s Special Initiative on Distance Learning.
She observed that GHANASCO had over the years proved that it was a force to reckon with regarding national and regional debates.
Mrs Dan-Braimah intimated for instance that in 2003, the school emerged winner of a national Independence Day debate competition.
According to her, the school also won the regional Independence Day debate competition in 2007.
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