A former first Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has stated that “those who do not believe in June 4 do not also believe in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) because the party and what the country has today was built on the foundations of the revolution”.
“It took a lot of effort, commitment and sacrifice to put the NDC where it is today; it is important to know that the NDC constitution talks about the June 4 and other important days that must be celebrated” Nana Konadu pointed out.
She made this statement when an 11-member executive of the Nurses Training College (NTC) branch of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was inaugurated in Tamale at the weekend with a call on executives to help educate student nurses on the ideals of the June 4 celebration.
She observed that the revolution came to cleanse the system that was fraught with corruption, bad governance and economic policies by successive governments that crippled the nation before 1979.
The former first Lady who is also the Vice Chairperson of the NDC, noted that it was important to form political groups on various campuses of tertiary institutions because there was the need to pass on the “the baton to the younger generation”.
She said that the NDC believed in the concept of power to the people and the only way to do this was to empower the citizens of the country.
She entreated the executives of TEIN to unite the members and other student nurses on campus.
“Do not treat members with disdain and avoid being rude to them by showing them respect; members must also support and collaborate with the leadership for the well being of the group” Nana Konadu pointed out.
Touching on some challenges in the health sector, the former first lady called for urgent steps to provide maternity hospitals in all districts of the country as a strategy to curb the high maternal and infant mortality rates.
She equally advised student nurses to be compassionate towards their patients because they were vulnerable.
The new President of the NTC-TEIN, Mr Abdul Hamid Tawfiq said the June 4 celebration had come to stay.
According to him, the ideals of June 4 should be held in high esteem and paid a glowing tribute to the founder of the NDC, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings.
Mr Tawfiq thanked the TEIN members for the confidence reposed in him and his colleagues and called for effective collaboration and trust to enhance the fortunes of the group.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
CHECK ILLEGAL WATER CONNECTIONS (PAGE 23, JUNE 7, 2010)
THE General Manager of Communications of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL), Mr Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, has called for stiffer punishment to be meted out to those who engage in illegal water connections in the Tamale Metropolis.
He said imposing “stringent sanctions” on recalcitrant consumers of water would serve as a deterrent to others and enhance the revenue base of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the area.
Mr Sakyi-Addo was interacting with newsmen in Tamale during a stakeholders meeting which was organised by the AVRL/GWCL on addressing the challenges that militate against ample supply of water to the metropolis.
In attendance were traditional rulers, representatives of public agencies and institutions, officials of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC)..
He said that the situation where persons who had been arrested for engaging in illegal connection were fined paltry sums and went back to commit the same illegal act must be stopped.
The General Manager further intimated that the challenges in the water sector needed to be solved collectively.
“It is, however, clear that water supply has over the years significantly improved but the issue is that the improved supply is not commensurate with the revenue being generated”, he pointed out.
Mr Sakyi-Addo, stressed the need for intensive public education to ensure that consumers pay for the water they used.
According to him, the company would need $1.8 billion to increase urban water coverage from 59 to 80 per cent nationwide.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Mabengba, observed that the shortage of potable water had the potential of eroding the gains made in eliminating guinea worm.
“Although massive investment in the water sector had been made in the past, more needs to be done to match the increasing population of the region, especially the rural communities and the Tamale Metropolis”, he stated.
Mr Mabengba said in spite of the successful execution of the Tamale Water Expansion Project, many communities still complained of not having potable water and indicated that the RCC would support the various district assemblies to pull down illegal structures situated on the pipelines of the AVRL/GWCL.
“The public wants value for money to justify calls for prompt payment of bills and tariff increases; the public fails to understand why losses emanating from lack of supervision on the part of the operator should be pushed down the throats of consumers”, he stressed.
The Regional Customer Care Manager, Mr Kwabena Tabiri, mentioned hostilities and threats from some customers, interference by some opinion leaders and tampering of water installations as some of challenges facing the sector.
He said high water demand during dry season, construction of structures on pipelines,thereby causing leakages, unstable power supply in the production system, illegal water connections and meter bypasses were some of the problems that the company faced.
He said imposing “stringent sanctions” on recalcitrant consumers of water would serve as a deterrent to others and enhance the revenue base of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the area.
Mr Sakyi-Addo was interacting with newsmen in Tamale during a stakeholders meeting which was organised by the AVRL/GWCL on addressing the challenges that militate against ample supply of water to the metropolis.
In attendance were traditional rulers, representatives of public agencies and institutions, officials of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (RCC)..
He said that the situation where persons who had been arrested for engaging in illegal connection were fined paltry sums and went back to commit the same illegal act must be stopped.
The General Manager further intimated that the challenges in the water sector needed to be solved collectively.
“It is, however, clear that water supply has over the years significantly improved but the issue is that the improved supply is not commensurate with the revenue being generated”, he pointed out.
Mr Sakyi-Addo, stressed the need for intensive public education to ensure that consumers pay for the water they used.
According to him, the company would need $1.8 billion to increase urban water coverage from 59 to 80 per cent nationwide.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Mabengba, observed that the shortage of potable water had the potential of eroding the gains made in eliminating guinea worm.
“Although massive investment in the water sector had been made in the past, more needs to be done to match the increasing population of the region, especially the rural communities and the Tamale Metropolis”, he stated.
Mr Mabengba said in spite of the successful execution of the Tamale Water Expansion Project, many communities still complained of not having potable water and indicated that the RCC would support the various district assemblies to pull down illegal structures situated on the pipelines of the AVRL/GWCL.
“The public wants value for money to justify calls for prompt payment of bills and tariff increases; the public fails to understand why losses emanating from lack of supervision on the part of the operator should be pushed down the throats of consumers”, he stressed.
The Regional Customer Care Manager, Mr Kwabena Tabiri, mentioned hostilities and threats from some customers, interference by some opinion leaders and tampering of water installations as some of challenges facing the sector.
He said high water demand during dry season, construction of structures on pipelines,thereby causing leakages, unstable power supply in the production system, illegal water connections and meter bypasses were some of the problems that the company faced.
REV NAAMEH NOT HAPPHY WITH VANDALISM (PAGE 23, JUNE 7, 2010)
THE Catholic Archbishop of Tamale, the Most Reverend Philip Naameh, has expressed concern over the immoral acts and social vices that are practised in secondary and tertiary institutions in the country.
He pointed out that deviant acts like lesbianism, homosexuality, pervasive sexual immorality and occultism which are alien to the Ghanaian culture had gained notoriety among students and must be nipped in the bud.
The Most Rev. Naameh stated this during the inauguration of the Second Ghana Version of the World Youth Day celebration (WYD) of the Catholic Archdioceses in Tamale.
It was organised by the Ghana National Catholic Youth Council (GHANCYC).
It had the theme “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and aimed at complementing government and civil society ‘s efforts to bring lasting peace to the north.
The conference was also to help encourage the youth to avoid such social vices such as indecent dressing, drug abuse, alcoholism and disrespect for the elderly.,
More than 3,000 Catholic youth from all over the country attended the five-day programme.
The Archbishop further pointed out that “these anti-Gospel practices in our secondary and tertiary institutions are through the influx of foreign cultures and these negative practices inhibit the youth from practising sound moral values”.
He entreated religious bodies, educational authorities, parents, traditional rulers and elders in the society to help address these issues in order to secure a good future for the youth.
The Most Rev. Naameh equally observed that the celebration would enable the youth to “destroy those prejudices and stereotyping of some ethnic groups in the country”.
“The youth are being commissioned to go out and evangelise, particularly among their peers because some people do not acknowledge the need for sound moral values”, he stated.
The Archbishop observed that bringing Catholic youth together on such occasions was necessary as it would afford them the opportunity of living together and accepting each other, in spite of their tribes.
He urged Catholics to support the youth and exhibit a certain level of sacrifice to make the celebration successful.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Mr Peter Tanga, entreated the youth not to allow themselves to be used by “selfish and greedy adults to perpetuate crime”.
According to him, the time had come for the youth to change their attitude and “surrender themselves totally to the Living God; we must see ourselves as agents of change”.
Mr Tanga condemned the recent ‘shit-bombing’ of the Martyrs of Uganda Parish by unidentified members .
He, therefore, called on parents and the church leaders to take a second look at the upbringing of children and youth of the Catholic Church.
“Parents no longer encourage their children to attend youth programmes where Catholic values are taught and exhibited and the church also no longer provides enough funding for the continuous formulation of youth programme,” he stated.
He pointed out that deviant acts like lesbianism, homosexuality, pervasive sexual immorality and occultism which are alien to the Ghanaian culture had gained notoriety among students and must be nipped in the bud.
The Most Rev. Naameh stated this during the inauguration of the Second Ghana Version of the World Youth Day celebration (WYD) of the Catholic Archdioceses in Tamale.
It was organised by the Ghana National Catholic Youth Council (GHANCYC).
It had the theme “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” and aimed at complementing government and civil society ‘s efforts to bring lasting peace to the north.
The conference was also to help encourage the youth to avoid such social vices such as indecent dressing, drug abuse, alcoholism and disrespect for the elderly.,
More than 3,000 Catholic youth from all over the country attended the five-day programme.
The Archbishop further pointed out that “these anti-Gospel practices in our secondary and tertiary institutions are through the influx of foreign cultures and these negative practices inhibit the youth from practising sound moral values”.
He entreated religious bodies, educational authorities, parents, traditional rulers and elders in the society to help address these issues in order to secure a good future for the youth.
The Most Rev. Naameh equally observed that the celebration would enable the youth to “destroy those prejudices and stereotyping of some ethnic groups in the country”.
“The youth are being commissioned to go out and evangelise, particularly among their peers because some people do not acknowledge the need for sound moral values”, he stated.
The Archbishop observed that bringing Catholic youth together on such occasions was necessary as it would afford them the opportunity of living together and accepting each other, in spite of their tribes.
He urged Catholics to support the youth and exhibit a certain level of sacrifice to make the celebration successful.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Mr Peter Tanga, entreated the youth not to allow themselves to be used by “selfish and greedy adults to perpetuate crime”.
According to him, the time had come for the youth to change their attitude and “surrender themselves totally to the Living God; we must see ourselves as agents of change”.
Mr Tanga condemned the recent ‘shit-bombing’ of the Martyrs of Uganda Parish by unidentified members .
He, therefore, called on parents and the church leaders to take a second look at the upbringing of children and youth of the Catholic Church.
“Parents no longer encourage their children to attend youth programmes where Catholic values are taught and exhibited and the church also no longer provides enough funding for the continuous formulation of youth programme,” he stated.
TAMALE POLYTECHNIC AFFECTED BY ENCROACHMENT (PAGE 23, JUNE 7, 2010)
ENCROACHMENT of lands is one phenomenon in the Tamale metropolis that has bedevilled its development agenda.
Concerns have been raised on many platforms about this issue by developers, school authorities and other development partners, but it seemed not to get the needed attention.
In some cases, the issue degenerates into legal tussles by interested parties.
The latest institution to complain about encroachment is the Tamale Polytechnic.
At its recent 4th Congregation, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Dr Yakubu Seidu Peligah, made a special appeal to the government to help construct a fence wall round the Polytechnic.
He stressed that “in recent times, the Tamale Polytechnic has had to engage in land litigations due mainly to encroachment on our land”.
Dr Peligah therefore, entreated traditional rulers in the metropolis to help fight encroachment on the polytechnic’s land.
Indeed, a similar concern was raised by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Seidu Mohammed Mustapha.
“One other serious difficulty confronting the polytechnic is encroachment on its lands, especially on its eastern borders; council is very much concerned about this phenomenon and as such, our ultimate goal is to fence the boundaries of the polytechnic” he pointed out.
Dr Mustapha however, expressed regret that the issue of fencing the Polytechnic required “heavy capital investment” and hoped the donor community and non-governmental organisations would support it in that direction.
He pleaded with traditional authorities who are the real custodians of the land for their assistance in protecting the polytechnic’s land from encroachers.
Concerns have been raised on many platforms about this issue by developers, school authorities and other development partners, but it seemed not to get the needed attention.
In some cases, the issue degenerates into legal tussles by interested parties.
The latest institution to complain about encroachment is the Tamale Polytechnic.
At its recent 4th Congregation, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Dr Yakubu Seidu Peligah, made a special appeal to the government to help construct a fence wall round the Polytechnic.
He stressed that “in recent times, the Tamale Polytechnic has had to engage in land litigations due mainly to encroachment on our land”.
Dr Peligah therefore, entreated traditional rulers in the metropolis to help fight encroachment on the polytechnic’s land.
Indeed, a similar concern was raised by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Seidu Mohammed Mustapha.
“One other serious difficulty confronting the polytechnic is encroachment on its lands, especially on its eastern borders; council is very much concerned about this phenomenon and as such, our ultimate goal is to fence the boundaries of the polytechnic” he pointed out.
Dr Mustapha however, expressed regret that the issue of fencing the Polytechnic required “heavy capital investment” and hoped the donor community and non-governmental organisations would support it in that direction.
He pleaded with traditional authorities who are the real custodians of the land for their assistance in protecting the polytechnic’s land from encroachers.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
GIVE ALLEGED WITCHES ACCESS TO NHIS (PAGE 19, JUNE 1, 2010)
THE Regent of Kukuo in the Nanumba South District of the Northern Region, Mahami Iddrisu, has called on human rights activists and the government to ensure that the alleged witches confined at a camp in the area benefit from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He explained that the health needs of the witches were in jeopardy due to poverty, and the failure to grant them the NHIS services was undermining their fundamental human rights as citizens of the country.
The regent made the call when the Co-ordinator of the Southern Sector Youth and Women Empowerment Network (SOSYWEN), Madam Zenabu Sakibu, called on him at his palace as part of her visit to the witches camp.
The SOSYWEN, a non-governmental organisation, has been instrumental in supporting efforts at providing the needs of the 123 alleged witches and their 171 grandchildren at the camp.
Regent Iddrisu said of the 123 witches, only 11 were on the scheme, with 64 out of their 171 grandchildren having been registered.
He contended that it was unacceptable for the witches to be denied access to the scheme just because they were poor.
According to him, the witches were only being accused of engaging in suspected witchcraft and that was not enough proof to deny them of their health needs, which was their right.
According to the regent, because of stigmatisation most of the witches and their grandchildren could not be integrated into their respective communities although the purification rites had been performed.
“Whether witches can be integrated into their community or not depends so much on the will of the community and their respective families; whereas a man (wizard) can go back to his community a woman accused of witchcraft cannot because of cultural and traditional values,” the regent stated.
He, therefore, appealed to benevolent and public-spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the alleged witches.
He explained that the health needs of the witches were in jeopardy due to poverty, and the failure to grant them the NHIS services was undermining their fundamental human rights as citizens of the country.
The regent made the call when the Co-ordinator of the Southern Sector Youth and Women Empowerment Network (SOSYWEN), Madam Zenabu Sakibu, called on him at his palace as part of her visit to the witches camp.
The SOSYWEN, a non-governmental organisation, has been instrumental in supporting efforts at providing the needs of the 123 alleged witches and their 171 grandchildren at the camp.
Regent Iddrisu said of the 123 witches, only 11 were on the scheme, with 64 out of their 171 grandchildren having been registered.
He contended that it was unacceptable for the witches to be denied access to the scheme just because they were poor.
According to him, the witches were only being accused of engaging in suspected witchcraft and that was not enough proof to deny them of their health needs, which was their right.
According to the regent, because of stigmatisation most of the witches and their grandchildren could not be integrated into their respective communities although the purification rites had been performed.
“Whether witches can be integrated into their community or not depends so much on the will of the community and their respective families; whereas a man (wizard) can go back to his community a woman accused of witchcraft cannot because of cultural and traditional values,” the regent stated.
He, therefore, appealed to benevolent and public-spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the alleged witches.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
STATION MANAGERS MUST BE VIGILANT (PAGE 29, MAY 25, 2010)
The Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Mr Noble Appiah, has entreated station managers and branch executives of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the Aboabu Lorry Station in Tamale to be vigilant and check drivers and their vehicles to reduce accidents on the roads.
He stated that the Ministry of Roads and Transport had instituted an awards scheme for station managers and drivers as a way of encouraging them to play effective roles in the curbing of accidents on the roads.
Mr Appiah gave the advice at a meeting with station managers and branch executives of the GPRTU at the Aboabu Lorry Station in Tamale.
The meeting was aimed at educating drivers on the need to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents.
Mr Appiah said it was important for executives of the GPRTU to ensure that drivers complied with road safety measures.
“You must assert yourselves and ensure that your drivers avoid thinking so much about their profit, to the detriment of the safety of passengers,” he added.
He expressed regret that 70 per cent of all accidents recorded in Ghana occurred on good roads.
“Road traffic accidents are not acceptable and passengers must also assert themselves if their lives are put in jeopardy,” he observed.
He pointed out that “station managers must know drivers who are competent”.
He also lamented the fact that about a month ago 21 people died when two vehicles from Tamale got involved in an accident at Dawadawa on the Tamale-Kintampo road.
“This is unacceptable and we must ensure that this does not happen again. We all have a responsibility to ensure effective road safety measures,” Mr Appiah stressed.
He stated that the Ministry of Roads and Transport had instituted an awards scheme for station managers and drivers as a way of encouraging them to play effective roles in the curbing of accidents on the roads.
Mr Appiah gave the advice at a meeting with station managers and branch executives of the GPRTU at the Aboabu Lorry Station in Tamale.
The meeting was aimed at educating drivers on the need to take precautionary measures to avoid accidents.
Mr Appiah said it was important for executives of the GPRTU to ensure that drivers complied with road safety measures.
“You must assert yourselves and ensure that your drivers avoid thinking so much about their profit, to the detriment of the safety of passengers,” he added.
He expressed regret that 70 per cent of all accidents recorded in Ghana occurred on good roads.
“Road traffic accidents are not acceptable and passengers must also assert themselves if their lives are put in jeopardy,” he observed.
He pointed out that “station managers must know drivers who are competent”.
He also lamented the fact that about a month ago 21 people died when two vehicles from Tamale got involved in an accident at Dawadawa on the Tamale-Kintampo road.
“This is unacceptable and we must ensure that this does not happen again. We all have a responsibility to ensure effective road safety measures,” Mr Appiah stressed.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
SHOW CONCERN FOR CHILDREN AT ORPHANAGES (PAGE 11, MAY 18, 2010)
ATHE Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, has advised operators of orphanages to be primarily concerned with the interest of children under their care.
Sharing his thoughts on the proliferation of orphanages in certain parts of the country with the Daily Graphic in Tamale, he said some of “the children in these orphanages are not orphans but are put there by greedy and selfish people who use them to solicit alms in kind and in cash for their personal gains”.
He said in some cases the practice of keeping children in these institutions was now counter-productive and should be discouraged.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako explained that over the years, the practice of keeping children in such institutions was viewed as the most appropriate option for offering care, support and protection for needy children, but pointed out that the practice was now different as most operators of those institutions did not have the paramount interest of the children at heart.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako said, for instance, that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed over the decades between the Government of Ghana and Save Our Souls (SOS) Villages must be reviewed, stressing that, “We have operated under this document since then but times have changed, situations differ now from then and it is about time we revisited that document to bring it up-to-date with current developments in the field of child protection”.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the SOS Villages ran community-based social and educational programmes in the surrounding communities within which they operated and described that initiative as a better childcare option.
The Northern Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr John Ankrah, said children should grow in a family setting.
He, however, explained that although allowing children to grow in institutions retarded their emotional and brain development, that did not contribute to the breakdown of the nuclear and extended family systems.
Mr Ankrah attributed the breakdown of family structures to industrialisation resulting in rural-urban migration and said when people migrated to the cities for ‘greener pastures’, they got detached from their nuclear and extended families as most of them were unable to attend funerals and other social gatherings or support their families economically.
He said in law, the orphanages were referred to as residential homes for children in the Children’s Act and stressed the need for operators of orphanages to operate their facilities as such, by providing them with the needed care, support, love and training to enhance their growth and development.
Sharing his thoughts on the proliferation of orphanages in certain parts of the country with the Daily Graphic in Tamale, he said some of “the children in these orphanages are not orphans but are put there by greedy and selfish people who use them to solicit alms in kind and in cash for their personal gains”.
He said in some cases the practice of keeping children in these institutions was now counter-productive and should be discouraged.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako explained that over the years, the practice of keeping children in such institutions was viewed as the most appropriate option for offering care, support and protection for needy children, but pointed out that the practice was now different as most operators of those institutions did not have the paramount interest of the children at heart.
Mr Antwi-Boasiako said, for instance, that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed over the decades between the Government of Ghana and Save Our Souls (SOS) Villages must be reviewed, stressing that, “We have operated under this document since then but times have changed, situations differ now from then and it is about time we revisited that document to bring it up-to-date with current developments in the field of child protection”.
The minister, however, acknowledged that the SOS Villages ran community-based social and educational programmes in the surrounding communities within which they operated and described that initiative as a better childcare option.
The Northern Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr John Ankrah, said children should grow in a family setting.
He, however, explained that although allowing children to grow in institutions retarded their emotional and brain development, that did not contribute to the breakdown of the nuclear and extended family systems.
Mr Ankrah attributed the breakdown of family structures to industrialisation resulting in rural-urban migration and said when people migrated to the cities for ‘greener pastures’, they got detached from their nuclear and extended families as most of them were unable to attend funerals and other social gatherings or support their families economically.
He said in law, the orphanages were referred to as residential homes for children in the Children’s Act and stressed the need for operators of orphanages to operate their facilities as such, by providing them with the needed care, support, love and training to enhance their growth and development.
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