FARMERS in northern Ghana now have the capacity to increase food production through modern agricultural practices.
This has been made possible through the inauguration of the second phase of the Farmer Agricultural Production and Marketing Project (FAMAR) in Tamale.
The project, which costs 1.4 million Euros, is expected to increase the number of beneficiary farmers from the current 6,000 to 10,000 in the next four years, as well as help introduce the farmers to appropriate technology to increase food production in the north.
The formation of farmer-based organisations (FBOs) from the community level through the district to the regional levels will also be enhanced under the project.
It is being jointly funded by the Association of Church Development Projects (ACDEP), Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), the European Union (EU) and the International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC).
The Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr. Ernest Debrah, in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr Clement Eledi stated that the project was initiated as a private-public partnership project to link small holder farmers to large buyers.
According to the sector minister, the first phase of the project had been successful, which had encouraged the development partners to inject more capital into it.
Mr. Debrah indicated that the production of sorghum, soybeans and groundnuts had increased significantly between 2005 and 2008.
He noted that another success chalked up during the implementation of the first phase of the FAMAR project was the establishment of the Savannah Farmers’ Marketing Company Limited that had gained strong linkage between farmers and agro-processing companies.
The Executive Director of ACDEP, Mr. Malex Alebikiya, said the project would continue to focus on enhancing farmers’ productive capacity through improved farmer skills, access to credit and savings opportunities.
“The project will also help to improve crop yields, namely, sorghum, soya beans and groundnuts through appropriate technology and extension services,” he stated.
The Northern Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, Mr Sylvester Adongo, observed that in recent times the long dry season and erratic rainfall patterns had threatened farming activities of smallholder farmers in the area.
“It will not be far-fetched to say that the smallholder farmer in the north is gradually becoming an ‘endangered species’ and will need special interventions to stay above water,” he pointed out.
Mr Adongo, therefore, expressed gratitude to the development partners and the government for extending the FAMAR project that had given farmers hope that they could benefit immensely from large secure markets devoid of exploitation.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, entreated the private sector to help establish more storage facilities for farmers to prevent post-harvest losses.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
EMPLOY LOCAL YOUTH ON BUI PROJECT (PAGE 21)
THE Seikwa Tertiary Students Association (SETSA), an umbrella organisation in tertiary students from Seikwa Traditional Area in the Tain District of the Brong Ahafo Region, has appealed to the Bui Power Authority to employ the youth from the district in the on-going construction of the Bui Hydro-electric Dam.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic at Seikwa, the president of the association said most of the association’s members are still jobless after the commencement of the project ,contrary to assurances given by officials to employ them .
He called on the government and the authorities concerned to reserve an appreciable percentage of job vacancies for the sons and daughters of Tain, where the dam is being constructed, and added that the workforce needed for the project should include the youth of the area.
Mr Adade, further stated that a positive response from the authorities concerned would help to fight poverty and illiteracy, which constitute a major source of worry to the people in the area.
“While commending the government for taking the bold step to initiate the Bui power project, we are calling on her to let us the inhabitants of Tain to benefit fully from the project since our land bears both the good or bad result of the project,” he stressed.
Mr Adade further appealed to the government and other private developers to turn their attention to the Tain District, as it was an economically viable area for the establishment of factories and other lucrative business ventures.
On agriculture, he noted that the Degedege Irrigation Dam, which was currently under-utilised, could be put to good use to boost agricultural activities in the area, to further create jobs for the youth and enhance food security, as well as the local economy.
Mr Adade also entreated the local financial institutions in the area to assist the youth in the district by granting them soft loans for them to venture into economic activities.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic at Seikwa, the president of the association said most of the association’s members are still jobless after the commencement of the project ,contrary to assurances given by officials to employ them .
He called on the government and the authorities concerned to reserve an appreciable percentage of job vacancies for the sons and daughters of Tain, where the dam is being constructed, and added that the workforce needed for the project should include the youth of the area.
Mr Adade, further stated that a positive response from the authorities concerned would help to fight poverty and illiteracy, which constitute a major source of worry to the people in the area.
“While commending the government for taking the bold step to initiate the Bui power project, we are calling on her to let us the inhabitants of Tain to benefit fully from the project since our land bears both the good or bad result of the project,” he stressed.
Mr Adade further appealed to the government and other private developers to turn their attention to the Tain District, as it was an economically viable area for the establishment of factories and other lucrative business ventures.
On agriculture, he noted that the Degedege Irrigation Dam, which was currently under-utilised, could be put to good use to boost agricultural activities in the area, to further create jobs for the youth and enhance food security, as well as the local economy.
Mr Adade also entreated the local financial institutions in the area to assist the youth in the district by granting them soft loans for them to venture into economic activities.
TAMALE TO GO AGOG (PAGE 29)
THE Tamale metropolis will once again be filled to capacity today with the celebration of this year’s Eid-Ul-Fitr.
Residents of the metropolis have been preparing feverishly to celebrate the occasion in a grand style.
During such occasions, the metropolis glitters with Muslims exquisitely dressed, mostly in their boubou or “Agbada” attire as they celebrate the season after the month-long Ramadan.
It is worthy to note that both Muslims and non-Muslims share in the joy of the season.
Currently, the metropolis, which is predominantly a Muslim community, is witnessing the influx of a significant number of visitors, including holidaymakers.
Eid-Ul-Fitr is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. ‘Eid’ is an Arabic word, meaning festivity, while ‘Fitr’ means breaking a fast. It is a three-day celebration where Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothing to attend a special prayer that is performed in Mosques or at open spaces like parks and fields.
All the mosques in the metropolis and the Jubilee Park in Tamale will be filled by Muslims as they pray on September 30 and October 1, 2008.
Apart from the prayers to mark the day, it is always a time for residents to socialise and to meet friends, family members and visitors.
It is also a time revellers are treated to a variety of music from both visiting and local artistes at various social gatherings. Undoubtedly, visitors have a lot to experience and enjoy in the metropolis as nightlife is also expected to be boosted during the period.
According to an event organiser, Mr Adam Abdul-Basit, hip-life artistes like K.K. Fosu, Kofi Nti and some local musicians have been billed to perform in the metropolis to mark the day.
Residents of the metropolis have been preparing feverishly to celebrate the occasion in a grand style.
During such occasions, the metropolis glitters with Muslims exquisitely dressed, mostly in their boubou or “Agbada” attire as they celebrate the season after the month-long Ramadan.
It is worthy to note that both Muslims and non-Muslims share in the joy of the season.
Currently, the metropolis, which is predominantly a Muslim community, is witnessing the influx of a significant number of visitors, including holidaymakers.
Eid-Ul-Fitr is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. ‘Eid’ is an Arabic word, meaning festivity, while ‘Fitr’ means breaking a fast. It is a three-day celebration where Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothing to attend a special prayer that is performed in Mosques or at open spaces like parks and fields.
All the mosques in the metropolis and the Jubilee Park in Tamale will be filled by Muslims as they pray on September 30 and October 1, 2008.
Apart from the prayers to mark the day, it is always a time for residents to socialise and to meet friends, family members and visitors.
It is also a time revellers are treated to a variety of music from both visiting and local artistes at various social gatherings. Undoubtedly, visitors have a lot to experience and enjoy in the metropolis as nightlife is also expected to be boosted during the period.
According to an event organiser, Mr Adam Abdul-Basit, hip-life artistes like K.K. Fosu, Kofi Nti and some local musicians have been billed to perform in the metropolis to mark the day.
MORE YOUTH ENGAGE IN VACATION JOBS (PAGE 29)
VACATION jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the Tamale metropolis have peaked in recent times.
A significant number of youth who are predominantly school leavers have been engaged either as mobile-to-mobile phone service providers or hawkers of cosmetic products and toiletries, particularly from office to office in the metropolis.
Indeed, the youth get paid for whatever they do although some of them complain that the wages they receive are meagre, compared to the workload.
Most of them are found roaming the streets in the scorching sun doing brisk business to earn a living.
Those who hawk the cosmetic products get paid depending on how much sales they make in a day.
A significant number of these hawkers are females who are either on vacation or are school leavers.
The females do brisk business compared to their male counterparts, as the former are more persuasive than the latter in getting customers to patronise their goods.
The females have awesome marketing strategies that earn them admiration from their buyers who are enticed to buy their products.
They serve as agents of companies, most of which are located in Accra.
One of the ladies in that business, who gave her name only as Hawa, could best be described as an intelligent and smart hawker.
Before she leaves an office she makes sure she persuades you to buy some of her wares.
She claimed she had been in that business for sometime but would continue her education up to the university level if she obtains good results.
Most of the lady hawkers, however, admitted that although some men made advances at them they were careful to avoid immoral acts that would ruin their future.
Rufai Abdulai is a mobile-to-mobile phone operator who usually sits adjacent to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) Tamale main branch building.
He has completed senior secondary school but needs to rewrite a few of the papers to enable him achieve his dreams of gaining admission into the university.
Abdulai told this reporter that he earned less than GH¢50 and that he made a lot of money during “pay-days” or when workers were paid at the end of the month.
According to him, one needed about GH¢300 to start business but added that one needed to re-invest in the business in order to keep it going.
Abdulai said that sometimes he encountered problems when transferring units from his mobile phone to a customer’s mobile phone.
“You can transfer the units and your customer can tell you he or she did not receive it; you can also transfer the units and it could be more than what the customer paid for in which case it becomes a debt because some of the customers would not tell you that you transferred more units to them than what they required,” he pointed out.
Abdulai said he paid GH10p daily to the assembly task force for occupying the space where he had erected a small canopy to transact the business.
“All of us you see lined up here are not going to retire on this job because we have bigger dreams ahead of us. One of my colleagues recently sold all the items he was using for the business and went back to school and to be specific, the University for Development Studies,” he stressed.
It is heart-warming to note that the youth, at least, are trying to earn some income before moving on in life, for “a thousand miles’ journey begins with a first step”.
A significant number of youth who are predominantly school leavers have been engaged either as mobile-to-mobile phone service providers or hawkers of cosmetic products and toiletries, particularly from office to office in the metropolis.
Indeed, the youth get paid for whatever they do although some of them complain that the wages they receive are meagre, compared to the workload.
Most of them are found roaming the streets in the scorching sun doing brisk business to earn a living.
Those who hawk the cosmetic products get paid depending on how much sales they make in a day.
A significant number of these hawkers are females who are either on vacation or are school leavers.
The females do brisk business compared to their male counterparts, as the former are more persuasive than the latter in getting customers to patronise their goods.
The females have awesome marketing strategies that earn them admiration from their buyers who are enticed to buy their products.
They serve as agents of companies, most of which are located in Accra.
One of the ladies in that business, who gave her name only as Hawa, could best be described as an intelligent and smart hawker.
Before she leaves an office she makes sure she persuades you to buy some of her wares.
She claimed she had been in that business for sometime but would continue her education up to the university level if she obtains good results.
Most of the lady hawkers, however, admitted that although some men made advances at them they were careful to avoid immoral acts that would ruin their future.
Rufai Abdulai is a mobile-to-mobile phone operator who usually sits adjacent to the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) Tamale main branch building.
He has completed senior secondary school but needs to rewrite a few of the papers to enable him achieve his dreams of gaining admission into the university.
Abdulai told this reporter that he earned less than GH¢50 and that he made a lot of money during “pay-days” or when workers were paid at the end of the month.
According to him, one needed about GH¢300 to start business but added that one needed to re-invest in the business in order to keep it going.
Abdulai said that sometimes he encountered problems when transferring units from his mobile phone to a customer’s mobile phone.
“You can transfer the units and your customer can tell you he or she did not receive it; you can also transfer the units and it could be more than what the customer paid for in which case it becomes a debt because some of the customers would not tell you that you transferred more units to them than what they required,” he pointed out.
Abdulai said he paid GH10p daily to the assembly task force for occupying the space where he had erected a small canopy to transact the business.
“All of us you see lined up here are not going to retire on this job because we have bigger dreams ahead of us. One of my colleagues recently sold all the items he was using for the business and went back to school and to be specific, the University for Development Studies,” he stressed.
It is heart-warming to note that the youth, at least, are trying to earn some income before moving on in life, for “a thousand miles’ journey begins with a first step”.
Monday, September 29, 2008
SECURITY TASK FORCE FOR NORTHERN REGION (PAGE 16)
A 10-member Northern Regional Electoral Security Task Force has been inaugurated in Tamale.
The task force, chaired by the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the region as well as providing a conducive security environment to ensure smooth elections.
It is also expected to help identify all flash points in the region and to create a congenial atmosphere for smooth political campaigns in the area.
The Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, in his inaugural address stated that the task force was expected to be neutral, firm, fair and resolute in the performance of its duties.
They are also supposed to monitor pre- and post-election activities and help provide security to the Electoral Commission (EC) to distribute election materials and personnel to all polling stations.
“It is regrettable that current developments in the electoral process in some African countries for the past decade are not the best”, he stated.
Alhaji Idris therefore urged stakeholders to work closely to ensure that what had been achieved was further consolidated for incident-free and credible elections, acceptable not only to the political parties but also to the international community.
Mr Ofosu-Mensah, for his part, expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him, and gave the assurance that members of the task force would help maintain law and order.
“We would ensure proper investigations, objective policing, and provide security to the Electoral Commission to transport electoral materials”, he further assured.
According to the chairman of the task force they would put in place a rapid deployment force in all constituencies to ensure an incident-free election in the region.
“There will be maximum security at all polling stations and we will also ensure protection of vital installations in the region”, Mr Ofosu-Mensah stressed.
The Regional Director of the EC, Mr Sylvester Kanyi, announced that there would be an exhibition of the voters register from October 5-11 2008, adding that nomination forms for parliamentary aspirants had arrived in the region.
According to him, filing of nominations would take place on October 16 and 17, 2008.
The task force, chaired by the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, is tasked with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the region as well as providing a conducive security environment to ensure smooth elections.
It is also expected to help identify all flash points in the region and to create a congenial atmosphere for smooth political campaigns in the area.
The Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, in his inaugural address stated that the task force was expected to be neutral, firm, fair and resolute in the performance of its duties.
They are also supposed to monitor pre- and post-election activities and help provide security to the Electoral Commission (EC) to distribute election materials and personnel to all polling stations.
“It is regrettable that current developments in the electoral process in some African countries for the past decade are not the best”, he stated.
Alhaji Idris therefore urged stakeholders to work closely to ensure that what had been achieved was further consolidated for incident-free and credible elections, acceptable not only to the political parties but also to the international community.
Mr Ofosu-Mensah, for his part, expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him, and gave the assurance that members of the task force would help maintain law and order.
“We would ensure proper investigations, objective policing, and provide security to the Electoral Commission to transport electoral materials”, he further assured.
According to the chairman of the task force they would put in place a rapid deployment force in all constituencies to ensure an incident-free election in the region.
“There will be maximum security at all polling stations and we will also ensure protection of vital installations in the region”, Mr Ofosu-Mensah stressed.
The Regional Director of the EC, Mr Sylvester Kanyi, announced that there would be an exhibition of the voters register from October 5-11 2008, adding that nomination forms for parliamentary aspirants had arrived in the region.
According to him, filing of nominations would take place on October 16 and 17, 2008.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
24-HOUR SECURITY FOR TAMALE HOSPITAL (PAGE 38)
Following an alleged assault on a medical officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Dr Prosper Akanbon, the management of the hospital and the Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) have formulated strategies to provide 24-hour security for all categories of health staff at the hospital.
Dr Akanbon was said to have been physically assaulted by a group of young men last Saturday for allegedly delaying in attending to the ailing father of one of the young men that resulted in the patient’s death.
The names of the men have been withheld for security reasons but they are currently assisting the police in their investigations.
Dr Akanbon, a physician specialist in charge of the three northern regions, was attending to a patient who was bleeding profusely when the incident occurred.
The Director of Administration of the TTH, Mr Kusi K. Boachie, told the Daily Graphic that the young man’s father died before he was sent to the hospital.
He further said that workers of the hospital rescinded their decision to embark on a strike in solidarity with their colleague when they were assured of their safety by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris; the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Amin Adam; the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, and the Regent of Tamale, Alhaji Ziblim Abdulai.
He said when the minister’s attention was drawn to the matter, he quickly mobilised security personnel to bring the situation under control.
According to the director, the management of the TTH reported the matter to the Regent of Tamale, who advised the management to report the incident to the police for the law to take its course.
Mr Boachie entreated health personnel not to refuse posting to the area, since the management was working, with support from the political heads of the Northern Region, to ensure maximum security for them.
A member of the Health Services Workers Union who pleaded anonymity said his colleagues were not happy with recent developments at the hospital.
According to him, cases of assault on staff of the hospital were becoming rampant and stated that there was the need for such negative acts to be nipped in the bud to ensure smooth healthcare delivery at the TTH.
Dr Akanbon was said to have been physically assaulted by a group of young men last Saturday for allegedly delaying in attending to the ailing father of one of the young men that resulted in the patient’s death.
The names of the men have been withheld for security reasons but they are currently assisting the police in their investigations.
Dr Akanbon, a physician specialist in charge of the three northern regions, was attending to a patient who was bleeding profusely when the incident occurred.
The Director of Administration of the TTH, Mr Kusi K. Boachie, told the Daily Graphic that the young man’s father died before he was sent to the hospital.
He further said that workers of the hospital rescinded their decision to embark on a strike in solidarity with their colleague when they were assured of their safety by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris; the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Amin Adam; the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, and the Regent of Tamale, Alhaji Ziblim Abdulai.
He said when the minister’s attention was drawn to the matter, he quickly mobilised security personnel to bring the situation under control.
According to the director, the management of the TTH reported the matter to the Regent of Tamale, who advised the management to report the incident to the police for the law to take its course.
Mr Boachie entreated health personnel not to refuse posting to the area, since the management was working, with support from the political heads of the Northern Region, to ensure maximum security for them.
A member of the Health Services Workers Union who pleaded anonymity said his colleagues were not happy with recent developments at the hospital.
According to him, cases of assault on staff of the hospital were becoming rampant and stated that there was the need for such negative acts to be nipped in the bud to ensure smooth healthcare delivery at the TTH.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
4 SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS NABBED (PAGE 32)
Four suspected armed robbers were on Sunday night arrested by a military highway patrol team for attacking and robbing traders who were on board a 38-seater Benz bus at Yemo-Karaga in the Karaga District of the Northern Region.
The victims were robbed of their money, mobile phones and other valuable items running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
The robbers allegedly manhandled a baby whose mother refused to obey their orders and inflicted wounds on some of the traders and the driver of the vehicle.
The Tamale Metropolitan Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Caesar Abanga, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic but he did not disclose the names of the suspects.
Narrating the incident, the driver of the vehicle, Alhaji Abdul Wahab Abdulai, said about 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, as he approached Yemo-Karaga, he saw the suspects flashing their searchlights and firing at the vehicle at the same time, which compelled him to stop.
He said as soon as he stopped, he was asked to switch on the lights inside his vehicle but he refused, which angered the robbers, for which they dragged him out of the vehicle.
According to Abdulai, one of the robbers slapped him and used the butt of a gun to hit him on the head and on his left hand and also took GH¢20 from him.
The robbers, he further said, then moved into the passengers and robbed them of their money and mobile phones.
One of the victims, Hardi Zakaria, a mobile phone dealer in Tamale, said he was robbed of 10 mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money.
According to the traders, the robbery lasted for an hour before a team of military personnel arrived on the scene and managed to arrest one of the suspects, who later led the police to the robbers’ hideout in the vicinity where the incident occurred.
The Regent of Yemo-Karaga, Mahama Abukari Andani, said he had been informed about the incident, noting that such incidents had become rampant in the town for some time now.
Information reaching the Daily Graphic indicated that this was the second time in six months that a similar incident had occurred on that same stretch of road.
The victims were robbed of their money, mobile phones and other valuable items running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
The robbers allegedly manhandled a baby whose mother refused to obey their orders and inflicted wounds on some of the traders and the driver of the vehicle.
The Tamale Metropolitan Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Caesar Abanga, confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic but he did not disclose the names of the suspects.
Narrating the incident, the driver of the vehicle, Alhaji Abdul Wahab Abdulai, said about 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, as he approached Yemo-Karaga, he saw the suspects flashing their searchlights and firing at the vehicle at the same time, which compelled him to stop.
He said as soon as he stopped, he was asked to switch on the lights inside his vehicle but he refused, which angered the robbers, for which they dragged him out of the vehicle.
According to Abdulai, one of the robbers slapped him and used the butt of a gun to hit him on the head and on his left hand and also took GH¢20 from him.
The robbers, he further said, then moved into the passengers and robbed them of their money and mobile phones.
One of the victims, Hardi Zakaria, a mobile phone dealer in Tamale, said he was robbed of 10 mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money.
According to the traders, the robbery lasted for an hour before a team of military personnel arrived on the scene and managed to arrest one of the suspects, who later led the police to the robbers’ hideout in the vicinity where the incident occurred.
The Regent of Yemo-Karaga, Mahama Abukari Andani, said he had been informed about the incident, noting that such incidents had become rampant in the town for some time now.
Information reaching the Daily Graphic indicated that this was the second time in six months that a similar incident had occurred on that same stretch of road.
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