OF what interest did I have in a net? Neither was I a fisherman nor a tennis player. And I have never been a woman, so I have nothing to do with hair nets.
This is why I had a net in my room, but I never had a use for it. The net was just an ordinary one, although it had bright colours and a power worth acquiring.
The net was not hidden in my wardrobe, but lying on the sofa. So each day I entered and left the room, it smiled at me, although I never returned the smile.
It took just one night for me to find value for this piece of strings-woven material. Just one night for us to begin dating, express our love for each other and pledge to stay together forever, till death do us part. And how did it all happen? I’ll tell you.
We all know how valuable sleep is, especially when you are stressed and your bones are aching and you are craving for a good sleep. So in my desperation to catch a peaceful sleep on the night of Sunday, July 3, 2011, I took an early shower and settled on the bed by 8:30am.
Initially, it was all rosy as I turned from side to side. Sweet dreams and more...
Suddenly, I was awoken by a mosquito bite on a part of my arm and it felt really agonizing. I guess the blood-thirsty animal had roamed my room for a long time and finally found my body a suitable meal for the night.
And after that bite, I was never able to continue cruising. I was awoken intermittently by bites that felt too excruciating for me to pretend to be unaffected.
In fact, each night I get these bites from my unfriendly roommates, but on this particular night, they appeared more aggressive than ever.
When I finally could take it no more, I got up, switched the lights on and began searching for these tiny beasts. On the ceiling, on the walls, in the wardrobe, behind the window and door curtains and anywhere I taught they could be hidden.
Luckily, I found some of them and they felt the anger in me. Paa, paa, paa...I kept hitting, leaving tiny blood stains on my hands, portions of the wall and their various dwelling places.
Some managed to escape, but somehow I felt a bit relieved that I had dealt with these stinging vampires.
Then, finally, hmm, I went back to sleep once more, with a cloth covering most part of my body, except for a larger part of my head. The battle appeared to be over and I seemed to be getting back into gear.
And just when I was getting back into deep sleep, I felt another painful sensation of a mosquito bite, this time on a portion of my hairy scalp. Paa.., I hit that part! So mosquitoes even bite through the hair, I asked myself. Oh my God! What now!
I got up, once more, sat on the bed, this time with irritated sleepy eyes and several itchy spots on my two arms and legs. I switched on the lights, sat on the bed and began to think. In fact, you would have empathised with me, if you were in the room that faithful day.
What was even more shocking to me was that I had sprayed my room earlier in the evening, so what happened? Was it that the spray was ineffective or it is indeed true that mosquito sprays mostly weaken the mosquitoes, only for them to be revitalize after a while when the killer smell is no more.
After sitting for some few minutes, I looked round the room and suddenly my eyes settled on the net, which was sitting comfortably on the sofa in its beautiful blue pack and staring straight at me. As to whether it was empathising with me or saying “good for you,” only God can tell.
On the first sight of it, I remained indifferent because I still could not fathom how it could be of help. After all, it had been in my room for more than a year and I had never made use of it. In fact, it was my mom who gave it to me.
But on the second look, I thought otherwise. Is that not a treated mosquito net? Of course it is. But why am I not utilising it. You see, the last time I used a mosquito net was during my secondary school days.
I have never cherished using a net. It is mostly discomforting to sleep in the net due to heat. Removing it during the day and re-fixing it at night was also a bother. And the bigger challenge was how to find the points to tie the net.
On the faithful night, however, all these grudges I had with the net seemed to have disappeared. Due to the mistreatment I received from my unfriendly roommates, the net suddenly appeared to be a messiah.
Quickly I took it out of the pack and began looking for points to tie it. And as the saying goes: ‘necessity is the mother of invention,’ so in that brief moment, I was able to figure out ways to tie my mosquito net.
I took out laces from my two snickers and tied the four ends of the net to my windows at opposite ends. I was forced to abandon my bed, however, because apparently the position of the windows was not close to the bed.
Then, once again, I made an attempt to switch into sleeping gear, this time with more assurance, warranty, guarantee, you name it.
Initially, I felt a little hot, but as dawn approached and the atmosphere felt colder, the sleep became more and more enjoyable, except that I kept scratching the itch spots.
Several days have come to pass since then, but the net has remained tied in my room.
This was how an old friend of mine – the mosquito net – re-established its place in my heart and became my trusted partner for life.
Unknowingly for my wicked roommates, they had revived my relationship with the net, this time with much more romance.
More importantly for me, I have avoided being infected with malaria and would definitely not be counted among the statistics of people who travelled to Nether (land of the dead) and said goodbye to earth, unwillingly.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
SUSTAIN EFFORTS TO CHECK RE-EMERGENCE OF GUINEA WORM (BACK PAGE, JULY 29, 2011)
GHANA still stands the risk of the re-emergence of the guinea worm disease should the disease be imported to the country, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama has warned.
According to him, until guinea worm is eradicated globally, the country cannot rest on its shores and continue to revel over the success of the eradication programme.
“For us in West Africa, our immediate threat is Mali, which is entering the transmission season,” he stated, adding that the disease was still prevalent in countries like Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia.
Mr Mahama gave this caution in Tamale when he formally declared the good news that Ghana has interrupted the cycle of guinea worm infections, since there has not been any case over a fourteen-month period.
Fourteen months is said to be the maximum incubation period for the worm, and, therefore, if there was any infection last year, it should have been detected by now.
With the interruption of the indigenous transmission of guinea worm, the country would now focus on strengthening surveillance nationwide to ensure that the gains are sustained for a period of three years, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) would declare the country guinea worm free.
At the Annual Mid-Year Review Meeting of the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) in Tamale, Mr Mahama described the feat achieved by the country as a major milestone.
He observed that the enormity of the disease burden in the 1980s and 90s was alarming.
“The past 23 years have been difficult and marred by several incidents that disrupted the eradication efforts,” he said, adding that this time, the country must stand firm and ensure that there are no drawbacks.
Mr Mahama said government’s commitment to providing safe water was unwavering and that this remains the most potent way of curbing the disease.
He urged the media to play a major role in sensitising and alerting communities on the guinea worm disease.
The Minister of Health, Mr Joseph Yileh Chireh announced an amount of GH¢200 reward for any person who reported a case confirmed to be guinea worm.
He said the government would continue to work with its partners towards strengthening surveillance.
The National Programme Manager of GWEP, Dr Seidu Korkor mentioned that key among the eradication efforts was the prevention of re-infection through the containment of reported cases, increased surveillance and policing of water sources.
He said much effort also went into the provision of safe sources of drinking water and in assisting communities that relied on dams and other open water sources to filter and treat the water before use.
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba said in order to give special attention to the fight against guinea worm, his office created an inter-agency committee to co-ordinate the eradication efforts.
He said apart from enacting bye-laws to protect water bodies, district assemblies were also asked to use personnel of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to police sources of drinking water.
Ghana now becomes the 17th country to have broken transmission of guinea worm disease.
According to him, until guinea worm is eradicated globally, the country cannot rest on its shores and continue to revel over the success of the eradication programme.
“For us in West Africa, our immediate threat is Mali, which is entering the transmission season,” he stated, adding that the disease was still prevalent in countries like Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia.
Mr Mahama gave this caution in Tamale when he formally declared the good news that Ghana has interrupted the cycle of guinea worm infections, since there has not been any case over a fourteen-month period.
Fourteen months is said to be the maximum incubation period for the worm, and, therefore, if there was any infection last year, it should have been detected by now.
With the interruption of the indigenous transmission of guinea worm, the country would now focus on strengthening surveillance nationwide to ensure that the gains are sustained for a period of three years, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) would declare the country guinea worm free.
At the Annual Mid-Year Review Meeting of the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) in Tamale, Mr Mahama described the feat achieved by the country as a major milestone.
He observed that the enormity of the disease burden in the 1980s and 90s was alarming.
“The past 23 years have been difficult and marred by several incidents that disrupted the eradication efforts,” he said, adding that this time, the country must stand firm and ensure that there are no drawbacks.
Mr Mahama said government’s commitment to providing safe water was unwavering and that this remains the most potent way of curbing the disease.
He urged the media to play a major role in sensitising and alerting communities on the guinea worm disease.
The Minister of Health, Mr Joseph Yileh Chireh announced an amount of GH¢200 reward for any person who reported a case confirmed to be guinea worm.
He said the government would continue to work with its partners towards strengthening surveillance.
The National Programme Manager of GWEP, Dr Seidu Korkor mentioned that key among the eradication efforts was the prevention of re-infection through the containment of reported cases, increased surveillance and policing of water sources.
He said much effort also went into the provision of safe sources of drinking water and in assisting communities that relied on dams and other open water sources to filter and treat the water before use.
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba said in order to give special attention to the fight against guinea worm, his office created an inter-agency committee to co-ordinate the eradication efforts.
He said apart from enacting bye-laws to protect water bodies, district assemblies were also asked to use personnel of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to police sources of drinking water.
Ghana now becomes the 17th country to have broken transmission of guinea worm disease.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
GHANA CELEBRATES GUINEA WORM ERADICATION (BACK PAGE, JULY 28, 2011)
A COLOURFUL durbar was yesterday held at Diare in the Savelugu Nanton District of the Northern Region to mark the total eradication of guinea worm infection in the country.
The high point of the durbar was when Madam Azaria, a middle-aged woman who was the last person to be treated of guinea worm infection, extended her hand to the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to thank the government for its efforts at eradicating the disease, which had plagued a number of communities since 1989.
Guinea worm infection has not been reported in the country for the past 13 months, setting the stage for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare Ghana as being free from the infection.
According to health officials, the country had not recorded any single case of guinea worm infection since May last year because the transmission of the disease had been interrupted in the Northern Region.
Addressing the durbar, Mr Mahama observed that it would be unfortunate for the country to record any new case of guinea worm that would draw it backwards.
He, therefore, cautioned health workers and community volunteers to be on the look out for any suspected case of guinea worm.
“We have come a long way. This is a feat we all take pride in but we should be cautious,” he stated.
He said guinea worm was not only a health issue but also a major contributor to poverty in the three northern regions.
“At the height of guinea worm infection, you could go to a village and find that about half of the people were infected. This meant that farming and economic activities could not go on,” he observed.
“Many children also stayed out of school just because they were infected with guinea worm,” he added.
The Vice-President also commended volunteers for their surveillance and sensitisation which helped the country achieve that feat.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr Sylvester Amemana, said the community volunteers provided vital data on cases and that helped the ministry focus its intervention on endemic areas.
The Regent of Dieri, Abdulai Abukari, appealed to the government to ensure adequate and sustainable supply of potable water in the area.
The Vice-President later inspected the Tamale water extension project which will extend water to Savelugu. The project is being implemented by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).
The high point of the durbar was when Madam Azaria, a middle-aged woman who was the last person to be treated of guinea worm infection, extended her hand to the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to thank the government for its efforts at eradicating the disease, which had plagued a number of communities since 1989.
Guinea worm infection has not been reported in the country for the past 13 months, setting the stage for the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare Ghana as being free from the infection.
According to health officials, the country had not recorded any single case of guinea worm infection since May last year because the transmission of the disease had been interrupted in the Northern Region.
Addressing the durbar, Mr Mahama observed that it would be unfortunate for the country to record any new case of guinea worm that would draw it backwards.
He, therefore, cautioned health workers and community volunteers to be on the look out for any suspected case of guinea worm.
“We have come a long way. This is a feat we all take pride in but we should be cautious,” he stated.
He said guinea worm was not only a health issue but also a major contributor to poverty in the three northern regions.
“At the height of guinea worm infection, you could go to a village and find that about half of the people were infected. This meant that farming and economic activities could not go on,” he observed.
“Many children also stayed out of school just because they were infected with guinea worm,” he added.
The Vice-President also commended volunteers for their surveillance and sensitisation which helped the country achieve that feat.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr Sylvester Amemana, said the community volunteers provided vital data on cases and that helped the ministry focus its intervention on endemic areas.
The Regent of Dieri, Abdulai Abukari, appealed to the government to ensure adequate and sustainable supply of potable water in the area.
The Vice-President later inspected the Tamale water extension project which will extend water to Savelugu. The project is being implemented by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).
INFORMAL BUSINESSES EVADE TAX (PAGE 55, JULY 27, 2011)
SEVENTY per cent of business entities operating in the informal sector in the Northern Region do not honour their tax obligations, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has indicated.
According to the authority, these entities, mostly sole proprietorships, include retail outlets, petty trading, artisans, food vendors, hairdressing salons and drinking bars.
Consequently, the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the GRA has sent a note of caution to these operators to register with the GRA to avoid any penalties that may cripple their businesses.
The Northern Regional Communications and Public Affairs Officer (PRO) of the GRA, Mr Abugri Afuugu told the Daily Graphic that the DTRD, as part of its monitoring and inspection, reminded business operators to acquire tax certificates and honour their taxes regularly.
“We have warned them that it is an offence for any person to commence business without a tax registration certificate and a taxpayer identification number,” he stated.
Mr Afuugu explained that many informal sector business operators in the region were evading their tax obligations because they had failed to register their businesses with the tax office.
“Persons who want to start a business must first of all contact the tax office for advice and help relating to their tax affairs and desist from jumping into business without completing the registration process,” he noted.
Mr Afuugu mentioned that the registration of business was now a one-off transaction in the life of a business upon payment of an appropriate fee that is not subject to annual renewal.
“When you register with us, we give you an identification number and a tax certificate, which must be displayed boldly at your workplace,” he said.
He noted that although there were sanctions for operators who failed to honour their taxes, the GRA often wanted to avoid instituting these sanctions.
“Instead, we want business operators to approach us and negotiate the terms of payment of their taxes to make it more favourable,” he said, adding that resorting to court is not always a good option, since it could cripple many businesses.
Mr Afuugu therefore urged all taxpayers, including withholding agents to be alive to their responsibilities in meeting deadlines for settlement of taxes that are due.
The PRO again noted that the GRA was making more efforts nationwide to widen the tax net to capture all sectors of the economy that were supposed to be paying tax.
He said the challenge in the Northern Region had been the informal sector, because those in the formal sector mostly honoured their tax obligations duly.
He mentioned that the Tamale Metropolitan area and the Yendi Municipality served as the two principal tax districts in the region, whiles sub-offices that are situated in Walewale, Bole and Bimbilla co-ordinate tax collection in those areas and nearby communities.
According to the authority, these entities, mostly sole proprietorships, include retail outlets, petty trading, artisans, food vendors, hairdressing salons and drinking bars.
Consequently, the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) of the GRA has sent a note of caution to these operators to register with the GRA to avoid any penalties that may cripple their businesses.
The Northern Regional Communications and Public Affairs Officer (PRO) of the GRA, Mr Abugri Afuugu told the Daily Graphic that the DTRD, as part of its monitoring and inspection, reminded business operators to acquire tax certificates and honour their taxes regularly.
“We have warned them that it is an offence for any person to commence business without a tax registration certificate and a taxpayer identification number,” he stated.
Mr Afuugu explained that many informal sector business operators in the region were evading their tax obligations because they had failed to register their businesses with the tax office.
“Persons who want to start a business must first of all contact the tax office for advice and help relating to their tax affairs and desist from jumping into business without completing the registration process,” he noted.
Mr Afuugu mentioned that the registration of business was now a one-off transaction in the life of a business upon payment of an appropriate fee that is not subject to annual renewal.
“When you register with us, we give you an identification number and a tax certificate, which must be displayed boldly at your workplace,” he said.
He noted that although there were sanctions for operators who failed to honour their taxes, the GRA often wanted to avoid instituting these sanctions.
“Instead, we want business operators to approach us and negotiate the terms of payment of their taxes to make it more favourable,” he said, adding that resorting to court is not always a good option, since it could cripple many businesses.
Mr Afuugu therefore urged all taxpayers, including withholding agents to be alive to their responsibilities in meeting deadlines for settlement of taxes that are due.
The PRO again noted that the GRA was making more efforts nationwide to widen the tax net to capture all sectors of the economy that were supposed to be paying tax.
He said the challenge in the Northern Region had been the informal sector, because those in the formal sector mostly honoured their tax obligations duly.
He mentioned that the Tamale Metropolitan area and the Yendi Municipality served as the two principal tax districts in the region, whiles sub-offices that are situated in Walewale, Bole and Bimbilla co-ordinate tax collection in those areas and nearby communities.
NORTHERN REGION DFP BACKS MERGER WITH NDC (PAGE 13, JULY 27, 2011)
THE Regional and Constituency Executives of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in the Northern Region have backed calls for the party to realign with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The founder of the party, Dr Yao Obed Asamoah hinted some few weeks ago that his party, which was an offspring of the NDC, is considering rejoining the NDC due to what he described as positive developments in the NDC.
In a statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday and signed by the Northern Regional Secretary of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Yussif, the northern regional and constituency executives resolved to support the national leadership to negotiate with the NDC for the possible comeback.
The executives said the decision was certainly in the interest of the party and thus pledged their “unqualified” support Dr Asamoah is his bid to commence the unity talks.
The statement however indicated that although there were pockets of people who were kicking against this measure, these people constituted the “very small minority” and therefore did not have the power to stand in the way of the interest of the entire party.
The Regional Organiser of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Iddrisu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the decision to support the national leadership in their bid to rejoin the NDC was not taken out of the blue.
“When this issue came up, we consulted our members and leaders in the constituencies and the popular consensus was that we should rejoin the NDC,” he stated.
“We also consulted all the candidates who stood in the parliamentary elections on the tickets of the DFP and they were also in full support of this decision. So we are on track,” he added.
Mr Iddrisu noted that the party was aware that not all its members may be in support of the decision to join the NDC, but admitted that the decision of the majority was what mattered most.
“At this crucial moment, this could be the best for our party because we emerged from the NDC and should without doubt go back to it when it is moving in the right direction,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu also noted that members of the party take inspiration from Dr Asamoah because he is not only the founder, but also the financier of the party’s operations.
“Dr Asamoah would not take a decision which would not be in the interest of the party. So, if he thinks that the state of the NDC at the moment is good for democracy, then it is right for us the members to follow,” he stated.
Mr Iddrisu said the NDC was not very attractive because the party had become democratic in its operations and the government was performing to expectations.
The founder of the party, Dr Yao Obed Asamoah hinted some few weeks ago that his party, which was an offspring of the NDC, is considering rejoining the NDC due to what he described as positive developments in the NDC.
In a statement issued in Tamale on Tuesday and signed by the Northern Regional Secretary of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Yussif, the northern regional and constituency executives resolved to support the national leadership to negotiate with the NDC for the possible comeback.
The executives said the decision was certainly in the interest of the party and thus pledged their “unqualified” support Dr Asamoah is his bid to commence the unity talks.
The statement however indicated that although there were pockets of people who were kicking against this measure, these people constituted the “very small minority” and therefore did not have the power to stand in the way of the interest of the entire party.
The Regional Organiser of the DFP, Mr Mohammed Iddrisu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the decision to support the national leadership in their bid to rejoin the NDC was not taken out of the blue.
“When this issue came up, we consulted our members and leaders in the constituencies and the popular consensus was that we should rejoin the NDC,” he stated.
“We also consulted all the candidates who stood in the parliamentary elections on the tickets of the DFP and they were also in full support of this decision. So we are on track,” he added.
Mr Iddrisu noted that the party was aware that not all its members may be in support of the decision to join the NDC, but admitted that the decision of the majority was what mattered most.
“At this crucial moment, this could be the best for our party because we emerged from the NDC and should without doubt go back to it when it is moving in the right direction,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu also noted that members of the party take inspiration from Dr Asamoah because he is not only the founder, but also the financier of the party’s operations.
“Dr Asamoah would not take a decision which would not be in the interest of the party. So, if he thinks that the state of the NDC at the moment is good for democracy, then it is right for us the members to follow,” he stated.
Mr Iddrisu said the NDC was not very attractive because the party had become democratic in its operations and the government was performing to expectations.
TRUCK DRIVERS PROTEST AXLE LOAD CHARGES (PAGE 3, JULY 26, 2011)
THE Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) is to meet to resolve an impasse between the Ghana Highway Authority and drivers of cargo trucks that ply the ECOWAS trunk road.
The drivers, who blocked traffic on the portion of the route in Bolgatanga on Monday morning due to the impasse, have threatened to continue with the protest if their grievances were not addressed.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Upper East Region, Chief Inspector Thomas Yaw Agbenyo, who was among a team of police personnel that visited the scene to restore order, told the Daily Graphic that the drivers had blocked other vehicles from using the Tamale-Bolga route.
He said the trucks numbered over twenty, adding that this action of the drivers caused a heavy traffic on the route and caused considerable inconvenience to other road users.
Chief Insp. Agbenyo said when the police got to the scene, the drivers were adamant, until the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo and the Regional Police Commander, intervened.
He said the concerns of the drivers were that they were made to pay double because they were forced to stop at the axle load weighing station at Bolga, although they had already been weighed at axle load weighing station in Yapei in the Northern Region.
“The drivers said they could not understand why after weighing at Yapei, they should be made to weigh and pay fines one more time at Bolga,” he narrated.
Chief Insp Agbenyo noted that the some of the drivers also raised concerns about the fees charged at the Bolga weighing station, describing such fees as exorbitant.
“They claim they are made to pay as high as GH¢1000 for exceeding the standard loading limit,” he mentioned.
He further noted that the drivers claimed that some of them who carried foodstuffs run into loss anytime their trucks were seized for failure to pay the fines.
“Now REGSEC would meet and discuss this matter with the hope of finding a lasting solution to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, further investigations carried out by this paper revealed that the axle loading weighing station at Bolgatanga is managed by LIZHASSAN Enterprise.
Many of the trucks that weigh at this station are coming from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and other countries.
The drivers, who blocked traffic on the portion of the route in Bolgatanga on Monday morning due to the impasse, have threatened to continue with the protest if their grievances were not addressed.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Upper East Region, Chief Inspector Thomas Yaw Agbenyo, who was among a team of police personnel that visited the scene to restore order, told the Daily Graphic that the drivers had blocked other vehicles from using the Tamale-Bolga route.
He said the trucks numbered over twenty, adding that this action of the drivers caused a heavy traffic on the route and caused considerable inconvenience to other road users.
Chief Insp. Agbenyo said when the police got to the scene, the drivers were adamant, until the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo and the Regional Police Commander, intervened.
He said the concerns of the drivers were that they were made to pay double because they were forced to stop at the axle load weighing station at Bolga, although they had already been weighed at axle load weighing station in Yapei in the Northern Region.
“The drivers said they could not understand why after weighing at Yapei, they should be made to weigh and pay fines one more time at Bolga,” he narrated.
Chief Insp Agbenyo noted that the some of the drivers also raised concerns about the fees charged at the Bolga weighing station, describing such fees as exorbitant.
“They claim they are made to pay as high as GH¢1000 for exceeding the standard loading limit,” he mentioned.
He further noted that the drivers claimed that some of them who carried foodstuffs run into loss anytime their trucks were seized for failure to pay the fines.
“Now REGSEC would meet and discuss this matter with the hope of finding a lasting solution to it,” he said.
Meanwhile, further investigations carried out by this paper revealed that the axle loading weighing station at Bolgatanga is managed by LIZHASSAN Enterprise.
Many of the trucks that weigh at this station are coming from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and other countries.
UDS TO INTRODUCE NEW GRADUATE PROGRAMMES (PAGE 11, JULY 27, 2011)
THE University for Development Studies (UDS) is introducing new post-graduate programmes in response to the growing manpower needs of the ever-expanding and dynamic industry.
The programmes include Master of Arts (MA) in Development Communication, Master of Commerce (MCOM), Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc), MA in Peace Studies, MA in Social Administration and Master of Education (M.Ed).
The university hopes to churn out graduates with the requisite skills to work in areas such as natural resource and environmental governance, development communication, conflict management and rural development.
The Vice Chancellor of the UDS, Prof. Haruna Yakubu made this known during a matriculation ceremony for newly-admitted post-graduate students of the UDS.
A total of 282 applicants were admitted by the UDS to pursue various post-graduate programmes on sandwich basis for the new academic year that commenced few weeks ago.
The courses include a PhD in Endogenous Development, MPhil in Development Studies, MA in Environmental Security and Livelihood Change, MA in Business Planning and Microfinance Management and MA in Leadership and Development.
Others are Master of Science (MSc) in Development Management, MSc in Community Health and Development and MA in NGO Management and Rural Development.
The VC mentioned that the new programmes were likely to commence in the next academic if the university secures approval from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for these programmes.
He said already the academic board had given the go-ahead and that the programmes would be advertised when all hurdles were cleared.
“These programmes, when mounted, would give prospective applicants the opportunity to choose from a more diversified number of attractive professional programmes,” he noted.
Prof Yakubu expressed delight over the increasing interest of applicants in programmes offered by the UDS.
“I am particularly delighted in seeing that the number of students we are matriculating today had increased by 32.4 per cent over last year’s numbers. This is an indication of the popularity of our programmes and in view of this the university is committed to stretching its resources to providing quality education,” he stated.
The VC noted that although the university put premium on qualified candidates, it gave special considerations for female qualified applicants.
“This year, we admitted almost as many ladies as gentlemen, indicating that our gender sensitive admission policy is beginning to yield fruits. Our ultimate focus remains at 50-50 male to female ratio,” he hinted.
The programmes include Master of Arts (MA) in Development Communication, Master of Commerce (MCOM), Master of Professional Accounting (MPAcc), MA in Peace Studies, MA in Social Administration and Master of Education (M.Ed).
The university hopes to churn out graduates with the requisite skills to work in areas such as natural resource and environmental governance, development communication, conflict management and rural development.
The Vice Chancellor of the UDS, Prof. Haruna Yakubu made this known during a matriculation ceremony for newly-admitted post-graduate students of the UDS.
A total of 282 applicants were admitted by the UDS to pursue various post-graduate programmes on sandwich basis for the new academic year that commenced few weeks ago.
The courses include a PhD in Endogenous Development, MPhil in Development Studies, MA in Environmental Security and Livelihood Change, MA in Business Planning and Microfinance Management and MA in Leadership and Development.
Others are Master of Science (MSc) in Development Management, MSc in Community Health and Development and MA in NGO Management and Rural Development.
The VC mentioned that the new programmes were likely to commence in the next academic if the university secures approval from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for these programmes.
He said already the academic board had given the go-ahead and that the programmes would be advertised when all hurdles were cleared.
“These programmes, when mounted, would give prospective applicants the opportunity to choose from a more diversified number of attractive professional programmes,” he noted.
Prof Yakubu expressed delight over the increasing interest of applicants in programmes offered by the UDS.
“I am particularly delighted in seeing that the number of students we are matriculating today had increased by 32.4 per cent over last year’s numbers. This is an indication of the popularity of our programmes and in view of this the university is committed to stretching its resources to providing quality education,” he stated.
The VC noted that although the university put premium on qualified candidates, it gave special considerations for female qualified applicants.
“This year, we admitted almost as many ladies as gentlemen, indicating that our gender sensitive admission policy is beginning to yield fruits. Our ultimate focus remains at 50-50 male to female ratio,” he hinted.
TAMALE SCHOOL GRAPPLES WITH PROBLEMS (PAGE 23, JULY 18, 2011)
I FELT sorry for the students and authorities of the Business Senior High School (BISCO) in Tamale when I read in the papers that fire had gutted the administration block of the school on Saturday, June 25, this year.
The blaze, reportedly, destroyed valuable properties, including computers, air-conditioners, books and 700 mattresses.
In fact, a retired teacher of the school, Mr Issah Issahaku, was reported in the Daily Graphic as saying that the whole administration block needs to be rebuilt judging from the extent of damage caused by the fire.
As I read this story, the thoughts that run through my mind was “why should it be BISCO.” This is a school that is already riddled with numerous challenges and whiles the school’s authorities continue to plead for some attention, there comes such a disaster.
How will the school rebuild and refurnish, when it is obvious it lacks the financial wherewithal. I hope the government and corporate institutions would extend a hand of support to the school to enable it recover from this mess.
BISCO, which was established in the 1960s in Nyohini, a suburb of Tamale, is currently in a quagmire of setbacks. One the biggest headaches of the school, from my enquiries, is how to stop the increasing spate of encroachment on the school’s land.
Some inhabitants of Nyohini and other surrounding communities continue to develop settlements on portions of land that is supposed to belong to the school.
Each year, the settlements get closer and closer to the school. One day, it would be difficult to separate the school surroundings from the community and this could pose some real problems.
Already, schools, like the Ghana Senior High School, are having a huge challenge getting people who have settled very close to the school structures to vacate.
No wonder the Headmaster of BISCO, Mr Saaka Bakeri Awari was reported in the media expressing fears that the school’s environs and the neighbouring communities could be merged into a single community and this could have negative implications for the maintenance of discipline.
He also noted that soon the school may not have adequate space to construct more classroom blocks, dormitories, administrative blocks and staff accommodation.
Mr Awari therefore pleaded with the government, corporate bodies and alumni to support the school to construct a wall to fence the school’s premises so as to halt further encroachment and safeguard the rest of the land.
Apart from protecting school lands, a fence wall would also help the authorities to supervise the movement and activities of the students so as to guard against undisciplined behaviour.
The current image of the school in terms of indiscipline leaves much to be desired. And this is largely due to the absence of a fence wall, which has allowed the boarding students to move in and out of the campus easily without control.
All manner of persons have 24-hour access to the school, therefore exposing the students to all kinds of dangers, including theft and sexual harassment.
Another major problem that confronts BISCO is its exposure to floods. In the construction of the Tamale-Nyankpala road, the gutter on the BISCO side of the road was left midway.
The uncompleted portion is directed towards the school’s premises and therefore water that is collected in the drain runs directly onto the school’s premises.
During the rainy season, the quantity of water in the drain increases significantly and this flows onto the school’s premises causing floods.
The floods have caused erosion on several portions of the school’s surroundings and consequently the landscaping has lost its beauty.
This is certainly a concern that should be placed right at the door step of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA). I hope Alhaji Haruna Friday, the mayor of Tamale, has already started doing something about this. If he has not, then he must do it now before a catastrophe occurs.
And like many other schools, BISCO is faced with the challenge of not having enough space to accommodate its students and staffs.
The schools population, according to Mr Awari, is about 2300 and yet it has limited boarding facilities to house the boarding students, which has therefore led to overcrowding in the various dormitories.
Whiles both boys and girls are facing the same challenge, the former have been lucky. A new boys’ dormitory is currently under construction.
When completed, it would help decongest the existing boys’ dormitories. A similar project for the girls would certainly be in order.
As expected, BISCO also needs more classrooms. Information I gathered indicates that, last year, BISCO admitted 500 new students and were nearly plunged into a crisis due to the four-year system.
Thankfully, the GETFund provided a new 6-unit classroom block with a recreational hall, bath and toilet for the school. This provided some relief.
The GETFund has also awarded on contract an 18-unit classroom block project to augment the current number of classrooms.
With all these problems, one cannot help but advocate support for BISCO.
Although all the problems of BISCO cannot be addressed in a single stitch, some efforts should be made to tackle the challenges one by one.
The TaMA, Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), GETFund, Education Ministry and other partners should combine efforts to breathe life into this school.
The question I am left pondering over is where have all the products of BISCO gone to? This is a school that enjoyed some good image in the 1990s and produced a lot of students.
BISCO is losing its shine and the time to revive it is now.
The blaze, reportedly, destroyed valuable properties, including computers, air-conditioners, books and 700 mattresses.
In fact, a retired teacher of the school, Mr Issah Issahaku, was reported in the Daily Graphic as saying that the whole administration block needs to be rebuilt judging from the extent of damage caused by the fire.
As I read this story, the thoughts that run through my mind was “why should it be BISCO.” This is a school that is already riddled with numerous challenges and whiles the school’s authorities continue to plead for some attention, there comes such a disaster.
How will the school rebuild and refurnish, when it is obvious it lacks the financial wherewithal. I hope the government and corporate institutions would extend a hand of support to the school to enable it recover from this mess.
BISCO, which was established in the 1960s in Nyohini, a suburb of Tamale, is currently in a quagmire of setbacks. One the biggest headaches of the school, from my enquiries, is how to stop the increasing spate of encroachment on the school’s land.
Some inhabitants of Nyohini and other surrounding communities continue to develop settlements on portions of land that is supposed to belong to the school.
Each year, the settlements get closer and closer to the school. One day, it would be difficult to separate the school surroundings from the community and this could pose some real problems.
Already, schools, like the Ghana Senior High School, are having a huge challenge getting people who have settled very close to the school structures to vacate.
No wonder the Headmaster of BISCO, Mr Saaka Bakeri Awari was reported in the media expressing fears that the school’s environs and the neighbouring communities could be merged into a single community and this could have negative implications for the maintenance of discipline.
He also noted that soon the school may not have adequate space to construct more classroom blocks, dormitories, administrative blocks and staff accommodation.
Mr Awari therefore pleaded with the government, corporate bodies and alumni to support the school to construct a wall to fence the school’s premises so as to halt further encroachment and safeguard the rest of the land.
Apart from protecting school lands, a fence wall would also help the authorities to supervise the movement and activities of the students so as to guard against undisciplined behaviour.
The current image of the school in terms of indiscipline leaves much to be desired. And this is largely due to the absence of a fence wall, which has allowed the boarding students to move in and out of the campus easily without control.
All manner of persons have 24-hour access to the school, therefore exposing the students to all kinds of dangers, including theft and sexual harassment.
Another major problem that confronts BISCO is its exposure to floods. In the construction of the Tamale-Nyankpala road, the gutter on the BISCO side of the road was left midway.
The uncompleted portion is directed towards the school’s premises and therefore water that is collected in the drain runs directly onto the school’s premises.
During the rainy season, the quantity of water in the drain increases significantly and this flows onto the school’s premises causing floods.
The floods have caused erosion on several portions of the school’s surroundings and consequently the landscaping has lost its beauty.
This is certainly a concern that should be placed right at the door step of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA). I hope Alhaji Haruna Friday, the mayor of Tamale, has already started doing something about this. If he has not, then he must do it now before a catastrophe occurs.
And like many other schools, BISCO is faced with the challenge of not having enough space to accommodate its students and staffs.
The schools population, according to Mr Awari, is about 2300 and yet it has limited boarding facilities to house the boarding students, which has therefore led to overcrowding in the various dormitories.
Whiles both boys and girls are facing the same challenge, the former have been lucky. A new boys’ dormitory is currently under construction.
When completed, it would help decongest the existing boys’ dormitories. A similar project for the girls would certainly be in order.
As expected, BISCO also needs more classrooms. Information I gathered indicates that, last year, BISCO admitted 500 new students and were nearly plunged into a crisis due to the four-year system.
Thankfully, the GETFund provided a new 6-unit classroom block with a recreational hall, bath and toilet for the school. This provided some relief.
The GETFund has also awarded on contract an 18-unit classroom block project to augment the current number of classrooms.
With all these problems, one cannot help but advocate support for BISCO.
Although all the problems of BISCO cannot be addressed in a single stitch, some efforts should be made to tackle the challenges one by one.
The TaMA, Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), GETFund, Education Ministry and other partners should combine efforts to breathe life into this school.
The question I am left pondering over is where have all the products of BISCO gone to? This is a school that enjoyed some good image in the 1990s and produced a lot of students.
BISCO is losing its shine and the time to revive it is now.
CORPORATE BODIES URGED TO SUPPORT DEPRIVED CHILDREN (PAGE 23, JULY 18, 2011)
THE Country Director of the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), Mrs Sanatu Natogma has urged corporate bodies to extend a hand of support to deprived children to enable them cope with life.
According to her, it is a blot on society’s conscience to abandon children who by no fault of theirs are born into poverty, thereby impeding their growth and happiness.
“Just as you have extended support to many social events, it would also be very beneficial and prudent if such support gets to children, who we all know are the future of our dear nation,” Mrs Natogma stated during a ceremony where the CCFC was presented with a quantity of assorted products by Fan Milk Ghana Limited.
The items were meant to support the CCFC hold its annual party for children in deprived communities in various parts of the Northern Region.
This year’s party is being held in Bimbilla for children selected from rural communities in the Nanumba North district that have been beneficiaries of the CCFC’s development interventions.
“Each year, we organised some sort of event to bring joy onto the faces of children in our operational areas. It is a way of putting smiles on their faces and letting them grow with hope of a better future,” Mrs Natogma stated
She again mentioned that such get-togethers help promote positive socialisation and interaction among the children, who are drawn from various communities with different cultural backgrounds.
Mrs Nantogmah commended Fan Milk Ghana for its kind gesture, adding that the company had shown it was committed to the welfare of children.
“We hope this will be the beginning of a wonderful collaboration in the interest of children who are deprived,” she stated further.
The Tamale Depot Manager of Fan Milk, Mr Joe Manu, said it was the company’s hope that its “widows mite” could help make the children happy.
According to her, it is a blot on society’s conscience to abandon children who by no fault of theirs are born into poverty, thereby impeding their growth and happiness.
“Just as you have extended support to many social events, it would also be very beneficial and prudent if such support gets to children, who we all know are the future of our dear nation,” Mrs Natogma stated during a ceremony where the CCFC was presented with a quantity of assorted products by Fan Milk Ghana Limited.
The items were meant to support the CCFC hold its annual party for children in deprived communities in various parts of the Northern Region.
This year’s party is being held in Bimbilla for children selected from rural communities in the Nanumba North district that have been beneficiaries of the CCFC’s development interventions.
“Each year, we organised some sort of event to bring joy onto the faces of children in our operational areas. It is a way of putting smiles on their faces and letting them grow with hope of a better future,” Mrs Natogma stated
She again mentioned that such get-togethers help promote positive socialisation and interaction among the children, who are drawn from various communities with different cultural backgrounds.
Mrs Nantogmah commended Fan Milk Ghana for its kind gesture, adding that the company had shown it was committed to the welfare of children.
“We hope this will be the beginning of a wonderful collaboration in the interest of children who are deprived,” she stated further.
The Tamale Depot Manager of Fan Milk, Mr Joe Manu, said it was the company’s hope that its “widows mite” could help make the children happy.
Friday, July 15, 2011
POLICE RETRIEVE MEDICAL SUPPLIES IN TAMALE (BACK PAGE, JULY 14, 2011)
THE Police in Tamale have retrieved large quantities of assorted medical items that were locked up in a house located in Lamashegu, a suburb of Tamale.
The items, which were contained in boxes and polythene bags, included a wheel chair, Insulin, measuring scales, children’s weighing scales, BCJ syringes, Icepacks and rolls of gauze.
The owner of the house, 40-year old Yehuza Fuseini, was arrested and placed in custody yesterday (Wednesday), after he presented himself to the police.
Whiles the suspect, who is a business man, provided some receipts to prove he acquired the items through proper means, personnel of the Medical Stores of the Northern Regional Health Directorate have also claimed that the items belong to the stores.
According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, the items were retrieved when a team of police personnel, led by the Metro Commmander, Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) Caeser Abanga, conducted a search on the house, numbered SL 317.
He said the particular room where the items were concealed was located in an uncompleted building that was being raised within the inner perimeters of another existing building.
Chief Inspector Tetteh said the police undertook the search following some vital information received indicating that some stolen items were hidden in that house.
He said on July 7th, this year the NR Health Directorate lodged a complaint at the police headquarters that a number of food items were stolen from its Medical Stores about three months ago and that efforts by the directorate to find the items proved futile.
Following the complaint, the PRO mentioned that four personnel of the medical stores were picked up by the police to assist in investigations.
Those picked up were Kotoka Yaw Paul, 28 and Ahmed Issahaku, 36, who are both labourers, and Wodome Kumane, 36 and Mohammed Zakari, 55, who worked as security personnel.
Chief Inspector Tetteh said the four were later granted police enquiry bail, whiles investigations continued.
He said it was in the course of investigations that the police had vital information that the items could be located in a house at Lamashegu and this therefore prompted the police to conduct the search.
“The missing food items, which allegedly belonged to the World Food Programme (WFP), have therefore not been found yet and so the police would continue its investigations to unravel the mystery,” the PRO stated.
“We would also ascertain where the medical items really belong to the suspect or that of the medical stores,” he added.
The items, which were contained in boxes and polythene bags, included a wheel chair, Insulin, measuring scales, children’s weighing scales, BCJ syringes, Icepacks and rolls of gauze.
The owner of the house, 40-year old Yehuza Fuseini, was arrested and placed in custody yesterday (Wednesday), after he presented himself to the police.
Whiles the suspect, who is a business man, provided some receipts to prove he acquired the items through proper means, personnel of the Medical Stores of the Northern Regional Health Directorate have also claimed that the items belong to the stores.
According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, the items were retrieved when a team of police personnel, led by the Metro Commmander, Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) Caeser Abanga, conducted a search on the house, numbered SL 317.
He said the particular room where the items were concealed was located in an uncompleted building that was being raised within the inner perimeters of another existing building.
Chief Inspector Tetteh said the police undertook the search following some vital information received indicating that some stolen items were hidden in that house.
He said on July 7th, this year the NR Health Directorate lodged a complaint at the police headquarters that a number of food items were stolen from its Medical Stores about three months ago and that efforts by the directorate to find the items proved futile.
Following the complaint, the PRO mentioned that four personnel of the medical stores were picked up by the police to assist in investigations.
Those picked up were Kotoka Yaw Paul, 28 and Ahmed Issahaku, 36, who are both labourers, and Wodome Kumane, 36 and Mohammed Zakari, 55, who worked as security personnel.
Chief Inspector Tetteh said the four were later granted police enquiry bail, whiles investigations continued.
He said it was in the course of investigations that the police had vital information that the items could be located in a house at Lamashegu and this therefore prompted the police to conduct the search.
“The missing food items, which allegedly belonged to the World Food Programme (WFP), have therefore not been found yet and so the police would continue its investigations to unravel the mystery,” the PRO stated.
“We would also ascertain where the medical items really belong to the suspect or that of the medical stores,” he added.
Monday, July 11, 2011
TTH HOLDS FREE MEDICAL SCREENING AT DUHANAYILI (PAGE 23, JULY 11, 2011)
AS part of its corporate social responsibility, the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) has organised a free medical screening and treatment for the residents of Duhanayili, a suburb of Tamale.
Inhabitants of the area and adjourning communities underwent checks for various conditions, including eye, dental and ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases.
At the eye section, where many children and adults had queued to have their eyes checked, the ophthalmologist in charge of the TTH Eye Clinic, Dr Seth Wanye told the Daily Graphic that the people were being screened for various eye conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, haemorrhage conjunctivitis and injury cases.
“Those whose conditions demand immediate treatment, we do us such, whiles others with serious cases are asked to report at the facility for further attention,” he stated.
Dr Wanye said most of the cases that had been detected were conjunctivitis, which is known widely as ‘Apollo’.
The Public Relations Officer of the TTH, Nii Otu-Ankrah hinted that community outreaches had come to be part of the hospital’s yearly activity calendar.
“We want to make an impact on the lives of our people and enable them live healthier lives,” he said, adding that many more communities have been pencilled to benefit from this outreach.
The unit committee chairman for the area, Mr Mahamud Alhassan Makanaa, who was among those who were attended to, praised the hospital for its initiative.
“We know that although we are walking tall, we are sick. People are therefore excited about every opportunity given them to undergo health check and get treatment,” he told this paper.
Mr Makanaa encouraged the hospital to do more of such outreaches since that would also help bind the hospital and the community folk.
Whiles the health screening was ongoing, members of the Suhuyini drama group performed a play to educate the people on how the Cholera infection occurs and how the residents could curb its spread.
Inhabitants of the area and adjourning communities underwent checks for various conditions, including eye, dental and ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases.
At the eye section, where many children and adults had queued to have their eyes checked, the ophthalmologist in charge of the TTH Eye Clinic, Dr Seth Wanye told the Daily Graphic that the people were being screened for various eye conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, haemorrhage conjunctivitis and injury cases.
“Those whose conditions demand immediate treatment, we do us such, whiles others with serious cases are asked to report at the facility for further attention,” he stated.
Dr Wanye said most of the cases that had been detected were conjunctivitis, which is known widely as ‘Apollo’.
The Public Relations Officer of the TTH, Nii Otu-Ankrah hinted that community outreaches had come to be part of the hospital’s yearly activity calendar.
“We want to make an impact on the lives of our people and enable them live healthier lives,” he said, adding that many more communities have been pencilled to benefit from this outreach.
The unit committee chairman for the area, Mr Mahamud Alhassan Makanaa, who was among those who were attended to, praised the hospital for its initiative.
“We know that although we are walking tall, we are sick. People are therefore excited about every opportunity given them to undergo health check and get treatment,” he told this paper.
Mr Makanaa encouraged the hospital to do more of such outreaches since that would also help bind the hospital and the community folk.
Whiles the health screening was ongoing, members of the Suhuyini drama group performed a play to educate the people on how the Cholera infection occurs and how the residents could curb its spread.
MAJOR BOOST FOR EYE CARE SERVICES IN THE NORTH (PAGE 23, JULY 11, 2011)
THE provision of eye care services in the three northern regions is to receive a major boost as the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) prepares to take delivery of state of the art medical equipment.
The equipment would enable the hospital to perform major eye surgical operations that include cornea transplant and laser treatment for diabetic patients with severe retinal diseases.
In addition, a tissue bank and an optical laboratory would also be established at the eye unit to enable the unit produce eye glasses and make them available to patients at affordable prices.
This has come as welcoming news to the management of the hospital, who believe that such upgrading would transform the TTH into a centre for comprehensive medical care, training and research.
The ophthalmologist in charge of the TTH Eye Clinic, Dr Seth Wanye, told the Daily Graphic that the equipment would be provided by the Lions Eye Centre and the University of Louisville, both in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States.
He said the hospital was very excited at this kind gesture and was full of appreciation to the two institutions for their endeavour.
The assistance to the TTH has been made possible by the flourishing sister-city relationship that has existed between Tamale and Louisville.
Dr Wanye explained that at the moment, the eye clinic undertakes screening and surgical operations on conditions ranging from cataract to glaucoma.
He said patients with conditions that require laser treatment or cornea transplant are referred to either Korle-Bu or Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.
He mentioned that in 2005, the Swiss Red Cross provided some support to the clinic, including the provision of equipment such as operating microscopes, slit lamps, surgical instruments and visual field machines.
“It also gave us a van and due to this support, the eye clinic began to function properly and we commenced community outreaches,” he noted.
Meanwhile, a visiting delegation from Louisville would be in the hospital on Monday to demonstrate their willingness to support the hospital.
They would bring along a portable laser machine and a donor tissue and join doctors at the eye clinic to perform a cornea transplant and also, a laser treatment for a patient with a proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
The team would also give a lecture on modern techniques in cornea transplant.
Dr Wanye noted that a patient who needed cornea transplant was one whose cornea was malfunctioning and thus did not permit light to penetrate into the retina and this made the person with the condition unable to see.
“After the transplant, the person gets a cornea that functions properly and this allows the retina to also function,” he stated.
The equipment would enable the hospital to perform major eye surgical operations that include cornea transplant and laser treatment for diabetic patients with severe retinal diseases.
In addition, a tissue bank and an optical laboratory would also be established at the eye unit to enable the unit produce eye glasses and make them available to patients at affordable prices.
This has come as welcoming news to the management of the hospital, who believe that such upgrading would transform the TTH into a centre for comprehensive medical care, training and research.
The ophthalmologist in charge of the TTH Eye Clinic, Dr Seth Wanye, told the Daily Graphic that the equipment would be provided by the Lions Eye Centre and the University of Louisville, both in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States.
He said the hospital was very excited at this kind gesture and was full of appreciation to the two institutions for their endeavour.
The assistance to the TTH has been made possible by the flourishing sister-city relationship that has existed between Tamale and Louisville.
Dr Wanye explained that at the moment, the eye clinic undertakes screening and surgical operations on conditions ranging from cataract to glaucoma.
He said patients with conditions that require laser treatment or cornea transplant are referred to either Korle-Bu or Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals.
He mentioned that in 2005, the Swiss Red Cross provided some support to the clinic, including the provision of equipment such as operating microscopes, slit lamps, surgical instruments and visual field machines.
“It also gave us a van and due to this support, the eye clinic began to function properly and we commenced community outreaches,” he noted.
Meanwhile, a visiting delegation from Louisville would be in the hospital on Monday to demonstrate their willingness to support the hospital.
They would bring along a portable laser machine and a donor tissue and join doctors at the eye clinic to perform a cornea transplant and also, a laser treatment for a patient with a proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
The team would also give a lecture on modern techniques in cornea transplant.
Dr Wanye noted that a patient who needed cornea transplant was one whose cornea was malfunctioning and thus did not permit light to penetrate into the retina and this made the person with the condition unable to see.
“After the transplant, the person gets a cornea that functions properly and this allows the retina to also function,” he stated.
BODY ENHANCES WORK OF UNIT COMMITTEES IN TAMALE (PAGE 23, JULY 11, 2011)
LOCAL governance becomes effective when all the pillars in the decentralisation process, from the foundation to the roof, impact positively on the workings of the system.
However, for several years, some components of Ghana’s decentralisation system have not functioned as expected, thereby weakening the local governance process.
One of these components is the unit committee, which is required to monitor the implementation of development projects in its locality, mobilise the grassroots for self-help interventions and create the platform for participatory decision making.
These committees are again expected to assist in revenue collection and supervise the work of assembly staff working in their localities.
Therefore, when unit committees were virtually non-existent or malfunctioning, development in many local communities moved at a rather slow pace.
The recent election of new members to constitute unit committees has therefore restored hope in the decentralisation process.
It is however important to note that these unit committee members can not deliver as required of them if they do not understand the decentralisation process or lack the skills to function effectively.
It is in the light of this that a civil-society organisation in Tamale, the Wuni Zaligu Development Association (WUZDA), with support from GIZ, a German aid organisation, organised a training workshop for selected members of the newly-constituted unit committees in the Tamale metropolis.
The aim of the training was to build the capacity of the participants to play their role effectively in the local governance process and support the development of their respective communities.
A total of 63 unit committee members from 21 electoral areas participated in the training programme.
The Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, who addressed the trainees during the opening ceremony, expressed hope that the training would impact positively on the work of the assembly.
He commended WUZDA and its sponsors for the initiative and entreated the participants to work towards finding regular meeting points or office to conduct local government business.
“You are the foundation of the decentralised local government pillar and so you have the power to be the initiators of all development projects in your respective areas,” the Metropolitan Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani told the trainees.
“You have to identify the development concerns of your people and push towards addressing them. You must also monitor the implementation of all development projects in the area and raise alarm when things go wrong,” he added.
Alhaji Saani implored the unit committee members to be proactive in seeking for support for local development instead of looking up to central government.
“Do not think that it is the President or your MP who would bring development to your area, because you know what is more important to you than them,” he stated.
Mr Adbullah Issah, one of the participants told the Daily Graphic that the training was beneficial since it served as a form of orientation for him.
“I have been schooled on how to track the progress of development projects and to ensure that things go in the right direction to the benefit of my community,” he stated.
The Programme Manager of WUZDA, Mr Abdul-Karim Ziblim mentioned that the trainees were now expected to mobilize their community folk to undertake needs assessment, identify and prioritise these needs and work with the assembly towards meeting these needs.
He said initially, when unit committees were ineffective in ensuring community participation in the development process, “many viable projects were abandoned and left to rot.”
Hopefully, with more of such training programmes, the work of unit committees in Tamale would improve and this would impact positively on the development of local communities.
However, for several years, some components of Ghana’s decentralisation system have not functioned as expected, thereby weakening the local governance process.
One of these components is the unit committee, which is required to monitor the implementation of development projects in its locality, mobilise the grassroots for self-help interventions and create the platform for participatory decision making.
These committees are again expected to assist in revenue collection and supervise the work of assembly staff working in their localities.
Therefore, when unit committees were virtually non-existent or malfunctioning, development in many local communities moved at a rather slow pace.
The recent election of new members to constitute unit committees has therefore restored hope in the decentralisation process.
It is however important to note that these unit committee members can not deliver as required of them if they do not understand the decentralisation process or lack the skills to function effectively.
It is in the light of this that a civil-society organisation in Tamale, the Wuni Zaligu Development Association (WUZDA), with support from GIZ, a German aid organisation, organised a training workshop for selected members of the newly-constituted unit committees in the Tamale metropolis.
The aim of the training was to build the capacity of the participants to play their role effectively in the local governance process and support the development of their respective communities.
A total of 63 unit committee members from 21 electoral areas participated in the training programme.
The Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, who addressed the trainees during the opening ceremony, expressed hope that the training would impact positively on the work of the assembly.
He commended WUZDA and its sponsors for the initiative and entreated the participants to work towards finding regular meeting points or office to conduct local government business.
“You are the foundation of the decentralised local government pillar and so you have the power to be the initiators of all development projects in your respective areas,” the Metropolitan Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul-Razak Saani told the trainees.
“You have to identify the development concerns of your people and push towards addressing them. You must also monitor the implementation of all development projects in the area and raise alarm when things go wrong,” he added.
Alhaji Saani implored the unit committee members to be proactive in seeking for support for local development instead of looking up to central government.
“Do not think that it is the President or your MP who would bring development to your area, because you know what is more important to you than them,” he stated.
Mr Adbullah Issah, one of the participants told the Daily Graphic that the training was beneficial since it served as a form of orientation for him.
“I have been schooled on how to track the progress of development projects and to ensure that things go in the right direction to the benefit of my community,” he stated.
The Programme Manager of WUZDA, Mr Abdul-Karim Ziblim mentioned that the trainees were now expected to mobilize their community folk to undertake needs assessment, identify and prioritise these needs and work with the assembly towards meeting these needs.
He said initially, when unit committees were ineffective in ensuring community participation in the development process, “many viable projects were abandoned and left to rot.”
Hopefully, with more of such training programmes, the work of unit committees in Tamale would improve and this would impact positively on the development of local communities.
CCFC, TUMA KAVI SUPPORTS POLIO IMMUNISATION IN NR
THE Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) is supporting the Ghana Health Service to de-worm and provide vitamin A supplements to children in the Northern Region.
This is running concurrently with the National Polio Immunization exercise which commenced on Thursday, 12 May and would end on Saturday, 14 May, 2011.
Personnel of the Tuma Kavi Development Programme (TKDP), the local partners of the CCFC who have been monitoring the exercise in the Savelugu/Nanton district, described it as successful.
The Programme Officer of TKDP in the Zogu Area, Ms Vivian Awabu Sumani told the Daily Graphic that the de-wormers and vitamin A supplements were meant to complement efforts aimed at strengthening child health.
She explained that children who eat balanced diets were likely to get the vitamins and minerals they needed, but due to the low income levels, many parents were unable to provide these balanced diets.
“This therefore means that we have to give some nutritional supplements to support the growth of the children,” she noted.
The Community Health Nurse at the Zogu Health Centre, Ms Duulie Daina said the immunization exercise was going on smoothly, noting that the children were being given the Vitamin A supplements and de-wormers as well.
She indicated that the Zogu area had been given a thousand each of the de-wormers, vitamin A supplements and polio vaccines.
Meanwhile, the CCFC is also supporting the fight against malaria particularly in children and pregnant women.
In line with this, it provided 224 insecticide treated nets, which were distributed by the TKDP to children in Duko, a community in the Savelugu/Nanton district.
“We are also undertaking some sensitisation on how to prevent malaria infection and to seek the right treatment,” Ms Vivian Awabu Sumani, the Programme Officer of TKDP in the Zogu Area, stated during the presentation.
She said in addition to the nets, the TKDP also distributed some hygiene kits to adolescent females in Mogla, also in the Savelugu/Nanton district.
“Each kit is made up of items such as detergents, sanitary pads, shaving sticks, nail cutters and disinfectants,” she mentioned.
The programme officer explained that the decision to give hygiene kits was influenced by the realisation that many adolescent females knew very little about how to manage the health challenges they face during that stage in life.
“So apart from giving them these kits, we also educated them and their parents on how to observe personal hygiene and manage their menses,” she added.
This is running concurrently with the National Polio Immunization exercise which commenced on Thursday, 12 May and would end on Saturday, 14 May, 2011.
Personnel of the Tuma Kavi Development Programme (TKDP), the local partners of the CCFC who have been monitoring the exercise in the Savelugu/Nanton district, described it as successful.
The Programme Officer of TKDP in the Zogu Area, Ms Vivian Awabu Sumani told the Daily Graphic that the de-wormers and vitamin A supplements were meant to complement efforts aimed at strengthening child health.
She explained that children who eat balanced diets were likely to get the vitamins and minerals they needed, but due to the low income levels, many parents were unable to provide these balanced diets.
“This therefore means that we have to give some nutritional supplements to support the growth of the children,” she noted.
The Community Health Nurse at the Zogu Health Centre, Ms Duulie Daina said the immunization exercise was going on smoothly, noting that the children were being given the Vitamin A supplements and de-wormers as well.
She indicated that the Zogu area had been given a thousand each of the de-wormers, vitamin A supplements and polio vaccines.
Meanwhile, the CCFC is also supporting the fight against malaria particularly in children and pregnant women.
In line with this, it provided 224 insecticide treated nets, which were distributed by the TKDP to children in Duko, a community in the Savelugu/Nanton district.
“We are also undertaking some sensitisation on how to prevent malaria infection and to seek the right treatment,” Ms Vivian Awabu Sumani, the Programme Officer of TKDP in the Zogu Area, stated during the presentation.
She said in addition to the nets, the TKDP also distributed some hygiene kits to adolescent females in Mogla, also in the Savelugu/Nanton district.
“Each kit is made up of items such as detergents, sanitary pads, shaving sticks, nail cutters and disinfectants,” she mentioned.
The programme officer explained that the decision to give hygiene kits was influenced by the realisation that many adolescent females knew very little about how to manage the health challenges they face during that stage in life.
“So apart from giving them these kits, we also educated them and their parents on how to observe personal hygiene and manage their menses,” she added.
TAMALE TEACHING HOSPITAL RECEIVES MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
THE Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) has taken delivery of a large quantity of assorted medical equipment estimated to be worth over $2million.
Notable among the equipment, which were delivered to the hospital in a cargo container, are three COBE dialysis machines, birthing beds, ventilators and EKG units, which are used for graphical recording of the cardiac cycle.
The equipment were donated to the hospital by a United States (US)-based aid organisation, The Children of Abraham, through some Ghanaian citizens in the US.
According to officials of the hospital, this is one of the biggest donations ever received by the hospital and it has come at a time when the hospital is refurbishing and expanding its units to deliver standard services required of a tertiary facility.
Mr Alidu Fuseini, a Ghanaian civil servant presented the items to the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba and management of the hospital at a short ceremony in Tamale.
Mr Fuseini explained that on one of his visits to the US, he, together with Prof Rufai Misbau and Mrs Habiba Fuseini, who are both executives of the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago, approached the donor organisation with the challenges facing the TTH.
“The organisation accepted willingly to assist the TTH with medical equipment. Dr Abass Adam was then contacted to liaise and supply all the equipment needed because the philanthropists did not believe in supplying items that will not be needed,” he mentioned.
Mr Fuseini said the items were therefore compiled based on the list presented to the donors and mentioned that the container had more than 1800 boxes full of medical equipment.
He however cautioned the hospital management to take proper care of the items because “these are very valuable items which are critical to health care delivery.”
“It would be very sad to hear later that some of them were stolen at the store,” he added.
The regional minister thanked the organisation for its kind gesture, describing it as very timely and essential.
He said although the government was totally committed to resourcing healthcare institutions in the country, “the government alone cannot do all due to resource constraints.”
Meanwhile, the TTH has also received an Ambulance from the City of Chicago through the Ghana – American Chamber of Commerce and the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago.
According to Mr Alidu Fuseini, The city had a number of ambulances to donate around the world and Ghana succeeded in attracting two of these ambulances due to the successful collaboration among the various partners.
He also mentioned that an amount of $6000 was raised by members of the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago to pay for the shipment of the Ambulance to Ghana.
He commended the outgoing Mayor of Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley for his efforts in securing the ambulances for Ghana.
Notable among the equipment, which were delivered to the hospital in a cargo container, are three COBE dialysis machines, birthing beds, ventilators and EKG units, which are used for graphical recording of the cardiac cycle.
The equipment were donated to the hospital by a United States (US)-based aid organisation, The Children of Abraham, through some Ghanaian citizens in the US.
According to officials of the hospital, this is one of the biggest donations ever received by the hospital and it has come at a time when the hospital is refurbishing and expanding its units to deliver standard services required of a tertiary facility.
Mr Alidu Fuseini, a Ghanaian civil servant presented the items to the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba and management of the hospital at a short ceremony in Tamale.
Mr Fuseini explained that on one of his visits to the US, he, together with Prof Rufai Misbau and Mrs Habiba Fuseini, who are both executives of the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago, approached the donor organisation with the challenges facing the TTH.
“The organisation accepted willingly to assist the TTH with medical equipment. Dr Abass Adam was then contacted to liaise and supply all the equipment needed because the philanthropists did not believe in supplying items that will not be needed,” he mentioned.
Mr Fuseini said the items were therefore compiled based on the list presented to the donors and mentioned that the container had more than 1800 boxes full of medical equipment.
He however cautioned the hospital management to take proper care of the items because “these are very valuable items which are critical to health care delivery.”
“It would be very sad to hear later that some of them were stolen at the store,” he added.
The regional minister thanked the organisation for its kind gesture, describing it as very timely and essential.
He said although the government was totally committed to resourcing healthcare institutions in the country, “the government alone cannot do all due to resource constraints.”
Meanwhile, the TTH has also received an Ambulance from the City of Chicago through the Ghana – American Chamber of Commerce and the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago.
According to Mr Alidu Fuseini, The city had a number of ambulances to donate around the world and Ghana succeeded in attracting two of these ambulances due to the successful collaboration among the various partners.
He also mentioned that an amount of $6000 was raised by members of the Ghana Northern Union of Chicago to pay for the shipment of the Ambulance to Ghana.
He commended the outgoing Mayor of Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley for his efforts in securing the ambulances for Ghana.
AGRIC PLANT POOL SET UP IN TAMALE (BACK PAGE, JULY 9, 2011)
PLANS are underway to set up an upgraded agricultural plant pool in Tamale to serve farmers in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
The project, which would cost US$4.2m, is expected to boost the agricultural mechanisation programme being pursued by the government, as it would make available modern agricultural implements to farmers in those parts of the country.
The National Association of Agric Mechanisation Service Centre Operators (NAAMSECO) is establishing the centre through a special funding arrangement.
Under this arrangement, the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGPP) will provide 40 per cent of the funds as a grant, as part of its matching grants initiative.
The Stanbic Bank Ghana will make available 50 per cent of the amount in the form of a loan, whiles the association itself is required to commit the remaining 10 per cent as an equity contribution.
The Chairman of NAAMSECO, Mr Lawrence Addison and his vice, Mr Isaac Azadagli made these known to the Daily Graphic in an interview in Tamale.
They mentioned that the centre would have the full complement of mechanised equipment required for agriculture and they include tractors, bulldozers, planters, boom sprayers, harvesters, threshers, seed selectors and grain transporters.
“We want to ensure that all the processes in the production chain, from land preparation to bagging of the produce, are carried out at the centre with the aid of machines, instead of labour,” Mr Azadagli explained.
“We are also acquiring vehicles to transport the produce to storage and market centres,” he further indicated.
Already, the association has acquired space for offices and workshops for the plant pool.
“We expect that by the end of July, the equipment would be in the country and would be delivered to the centre to support farmers in this year’s farming season,” Mr Addison hinted.
The two again mentioned that NAAMSECO was currently operating 84 mechanisation centres in various parts of the country and that 48 of these centres were situated in parts of the three northern regions.
They said for now all the centres had only tractors and that this was the reason why the association was making efforts to provide the full complement of agric machinery.
They entreated tractor operators in the three northern regions to link up with the association to enable them benefit from a planned training programme in modern land preparation.
They also commended the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi for his support to the organisation, adding that the fruitful collaboration between MoFA and NAAMSECO would yield positive results for Ghana’s agriculture.
The government has, over the past few years, focused its attention on transforming the country’s agriculture from a subsistence level to commercial basis.
However, this requires the injection of heavy agricultural implements to replace the hoe and cutlass business, so as to make land preparation, planting and harvesting more effective and quicker.
The project, which would cost US$4.2m, is expected to boost the agricultural mechanisation programme being pursued by the government, as it would make available modern agricultural implements to farmers in those parts of the country.
The National Association of Agric Mechanisation Service Centre Operators (NAAMSECO) is establishing the centre through a special funding arrangement.
Under this arrangement, the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGPP) will provide 40 per cent of the funds as a grant, as part of its matching grants initiative.
The Stanbic Bank Ghana will make available 50 per cent of the amount in the form of a loan, whiles the association itself is required to commit the remaining 10 per cent as an equity contribution.
The Chairman of NAAMSECO, Mr Lawrence Addison and his vice, Mr Isaac Azadagli made these known to the Daily Graphic in an interview in Tamale.
They mentioned that the centre would have the full complement of mechanised equipment required for agriculture and they include tractors, bulldozers, planters, boom sprayers, harvesters, threshers, seed selectors and grain transporters.
“We want to ensure that all the processes in the production chain, from land preparation to bagging of the produce, are carried out at the centre with the aid of machines, instead of labour,” Mr Azadagli explained.
“We are also acquiring vehicles to transport the produce to storage and market centres,” he further indicated.
Already, the association has acquired space for offices and workshops for the plant pool.
“We expect that by the end of July, the equipment would be in the country and would be delivered to the centre to support farmers in this year’s farming season,” Mr Addison hinted.
The two again mentioned that NAAMSECO was currently operating 84 mechanisation centres in various parts of the country and that 48 of these centres were situated in parts of the three northern regions.
They said for now all the centres had only tractors and that this was the reason why the association was making efforts to provide the full complement of agric machinery.
They entreated tractor operators in the three northern regions to link up with the association to enable them benefit from a planned training programme in modern land preparation.
They also commended the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi for his support to the organisation, adding that the fruitful collaboration between MoFA and NAAMSECO would yield positive results for Ghana’s agriculture.
The government has, over the past few years, focused its attention on transforming the country’s agriculture from a subsistence level to commercial basis.
However, this requires the injection of heavy agricultural implements to replace the hoe and cutlass business, so as to make land preparation, planting and harvesting more effective and quicker.
RENEWED ANGER AGAINST FULANI HERDSMEN - AS FARMER'S TRACTOR IS SET ABLAZE (PAGE 3, JULY 9, 2011)
THERE is renewed anger among some local communities in the Northern Region against the Fulani herdsmen, who are operating in parts of the region.
This follows an incident in Libi in the East Gonja district on Wednesday night, where a tractor belonging to a commercial farmer, Alhaji Yakubu Botingnaa, was set ablaze. Two Fulani herdsmen have been accused of the act.
Already, there has been some tensed relationship between the local communities and the Fulani herdsmen, who they have accused of various crimes, ranging from rape to the destruction of farmlands.
The Fulanis could therefore suffer some reprisal attacks from the local population at some point, if the relationship continues to deteriorate.
Alhaji Botingnaa told newsmen in Tamale that his farm workers returned from the farm on Thursday morning only to show him pictures of the remnants of his burnt tractor.
“They had gone to the farm in the morning to continue ploughing, but returned that same morning to give me this bad news,” he said, adding “I am very shocked at this and I do not know which move to make next.”
The farm, located on a 50-acre piece of land in Libi in the East Gonja district, was still undergoing land preparation for the cultivation of rice and maize.
Unfortunately, the tractor that was being used was acquired in 2009 through high purchase from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at a cost of GH¢24,000.
As per the agreement, Alhaji made an initial payment of GH¢12,000 and was paying the remaining balance in instalments over a three year period.
Following the incident, Alhaji expressed fears about a possible failure on his part to settle the rest of the balance, since the absence of the tractor would greatly affect his farming business.
“I am also thinking about how I can raise resources to rent the services of a tractor to complete the rest of the ploughing,” he said, adding that so far, only 20 acres of the 50-acre land had been ploughed.
Alhaji Botingna said he had sent some of his workers to the police station to report the incident and that he would also, formally, notify MoFA of the incident.
Two of Alhaji’s farm workers told the Daily Graphic that the tractor had developed a fault on Wednesday evening and so they parked it at the farm.
“When we went back the next, morning we found a burnt tractor and the community people pointed accusing fingers at two Fulanis.
“They said they saw the Fulanis moving towards the farm and were later spotted again moving away from the direction of the farm in a hasty manner, panting for breath,” one of the workers narrated.
He said the community folk later heard noise akin of a tyre blast from the direction of the farm and when they checked, it was the tractor that had been set ablaze.
“So they mobilised and stopped the fire, but it was too late since the fire had already caused much damage to the tractor,” he said.
This follows an incident in Libi in the East Gonja district on Wednesday night, where a tractor belonging to a commercial farmer, Alhaji Yakubu Botingnaa, was set ablaze. Two Fulani herdsmen have been accused of the act.
Already, there has been some tensed relationship between the local communities and the Fulani herdsmen, who they have accused of various crimes, ranging from rape to the destruction of farmlands.
The Fulanis could therefore suffer some reprisal attacks from the local population at some point, if the relationship continues to deteriorate.
Alhaji Botingnaa told newsmen in Tamale that his farm workers returned from the farm on Thursday morning only to show him pictures of the remnants of his burnt tractor.
“They had gone to the farm in the morning to continue ploughing, but returned that same morning to give me this bad news,” he said, adding “I am very shocked at this and I do not know which move to make next.”
The farm, located on a 50-acre piece of land in Libi in the East Gonja district, was still undergoing land preparation for the cultivation of rice and maize.
Unfortunately, the tractor that was being used was acquired in 2009 through high purchase from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at a cost of GH¢24,000.
As per the agreement, Alhaji made an initial payment of GH¢12,000 and was paying the remaining balance in instalments over a three year period.
Following the incident, Alhaji expressed fears about a possible failure on his part to settle the rest of the balance, since the absence of the tractor would greatly affect his farming business.
“I am also thinking about how I can raise resources to rent the services of a tractor to complete the rest of the ploughing,” he said, adding that so far, only 20 acres of the 50-acre land had been ploughed.
Alhaji Botingna said he had sent some of his workers to the police station to report the incident and that he would also, formally, notify MoFA of the incident.
Two of Alhaji’s farm workers told the Daily Graphic that the tractor had developed a fault on Wednesday evening and so they parked it at the farm.
“When we went back the next, morning we found a burnt tractor and the community people pointed accusing fingers at two Fulanis.
“They said they saw the Fulanis moving towards the farm and were later spotted again moving away from the direction of the farm in a hasty manner, panting for breath,” one of the workers narrated.
He said the community folk later heard noise akin of a tyre blast from the direction of the farm and when they checked, it was the tractor that had been set ablaze.
“So they mobilised and stopped the fire, but it was too late since the fire had already caused much damage to the tractor,” he said.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE FOOD QUALITY (PAGE 51, JULY 6, 2011)
THE Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) secretariat is planning to introduce nutritional guidelines to ensure that children benefiting from the programme get the right quantities of specific nutrients that they need to support their growth.
As it stands now, menus for beneficiary schools are drawn up to include locally-produced foodstuffs considered nourishing, but there is no mechanism to direct which quantities of these foodstuffs should be served.
The new guidelines, when introduced, would therefore give direction to the grassroots implementers of the programme on how to vary the various foodstuffs to meet the nutritional needs of the beneficiary children.
The Focal Person for the GSFP at the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, Mrs Irene Messiba disclosed this in Tamale at an orientation programme for media practitioners in the Northern Region.
“We would adopt a system that is accepted as standard so that our caterers would be able to mix the right quantities of the various food items to provide the needed calories,” she stated.
Mrs Messiba indicated that research was currently on track to enable the GSFP come out with the appropriate nutritional guidelines, adding that getting a balanced diet requires more than just eating food considered nutritious.
The orientation programme forms part of the implementation of the GSFP Social Accountability Project (SAP), which seeks to encourage accountability on the part of the programme implementers, by increasing and sustaining community and civil society’s interest, participation and ownership of the programme.
It is believed that when there is accountability, the stakeholders become alive to their responsibilities and the programme is more likely to meet its objectives, whiles eschewing all negative tendencies.
The SAP, which commenced in 2010 and is in its last year, is funded jointly by four main partners – the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Government of Ghana, SNV and SIGN, with the former contributing the largest amount.
Mrs Messiba explained that the need for a social accountability initiative arose when it was realised that the programme’s implementation was beset with numerous challenges, including low community participation, low co-ordination, inadequate monitoring and non-functioning local implementing structures.
She said since the commencement of the SAP, the GSFP had succeeded in undertaking a nationwide sensitisation exercise that had helped many people to understand the programme and feel the need to play their roles towards its success.
“We now undertake quarterly monitoring, we have developed and made available abridged versions of the Operations and Social Accountability manuals and we have put in place a management information system,” she mentioned further.
Mrs Messiba noted that although the SAP would span only two years, “we would mainstream social accountability into the GSFP as part of the redesigning of the project to guarantee its success.”
As it stands now, menus for beneficiary schools are drawn up to include locally-produced foodstuffs considered nourishing, but there is no mechanism to direct which quantities of these foodstuffs should be served.
The new guidelines, when introduced, would therefore give direction to the grassroots implementers of the programme on how to vary the various foodstuffs to meet the nutritional needs of the beneficiary children.
The Focal Person for the GSFP at the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, Mrs Irene Messiba disclosed this in Tamale at an orientation programme for media practitioners in the Northern Region.
“We would adopt a system that is accepted as standard so that our caterers would be able to mix the right quantities of the various food items to provide the needed calories,” she stated.
Mrs Messiba indicated that research was currently on track to enable the GSFP come out with the appropriate nutritional guidelines, adding that getting a balanced diet requires more than just eating food considered nutritious.
The orientation programme forms part of the implementation of the GSFP Social Accountability Project (SAP), which seeks to encourage accountability on the part of the programme implementers, by increasing and sustaining community and civil society’s interest, participation and ownership of the programme.
It is believed that when there is accountability, the stakeholders become alive to their responsibilities and the programme is more likely to meet its objectives, whiles eschewing all negative tendencies.
The SAP, which commenced in 2010 and is in its last year, is funded jointly by four main partners – the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Government of Ghana, SNV and SIGN, with the former contributing the largest amount.
Mrs Messiba explained that the need for a social accountability initiative arose when it was realised that the programme’s implementation was beset with numerous challenges, including low community participation, low co-ordination, inadequate monitoring and non-functioning local implementing structures.
She said since the commencement of the SAP, the GSFP had succeeded in undertaking a nationwide sensitisation exercise that had helped many people to understand the programme and feel the need to play their roles towards its success.
“We now undertake quarterly monitoring, we have developed and made available abridged versions of the Operations and Social Accountability manuals and we have put in place a management information system,” she mentioned further.
Mrs Messiba noted that although the SAP would span only two years, “we would mainstream social accountability into the GSFP as part of the redesigning of the project to guarantee its success.”
BUIPE POLICE SEARCH FOR SUSPECTED ROBBERS (PAGE 3, JULY 6, 2011)
THE Northern Regional Police have mounted a search for two young men who shot one person and wounded another when they went on a robbery mission in Buipe in the Northern Region, on Monday dawn.
The two, who are believed to be Fulani, allegedly shot 45-year old Amidu Kwadja in the stomach, and slashed the hands of another person, who is yet to be identified.
Whiles the body of the former, who died at the scene, has been deposited at the morgue, the latter is currently receiving treatment at the Buipe Health Centre.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the region, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh said the two suspects attacked a man, identified as Manu Yaro, in his house at the Buipe Bridge area between 12pm and 1am on Monday.
“They knocked on his door and when he opened they asked him to give them a bag that they claimed contained large amounts of money,” he stated.
“Investigations revealed that the robbers had a tip off that a brother of Yaro, who is a cattle farmer, had visited him and had given him the bag. Unfortunately on their part, Yaro’s brother, who was indeed in town, was not with Yaro at that time and also had not left any bag with him,” he added.
Chief Insp. Tetteh said an argument broke out between Yaro and the two men, because the former kept insisting that his brother had not left any bag containing money with him.
He said in the heat of the argument, a neighbour who was attracted to the scene by the noise challenged the two men to leave the house, but unluckily on his part, one of the two men, who was infuriated by his actions, raised his cutlass and slashed the man in his hand.
According to the PRO, the two men later forced themselves into the room of Yaro, took out a bag that they thought was the one containing the money and took off from the scene.
He said on the way, they met Amidu Kwadja, who is now deceased, and shot him in the stomach.
“We are yet to ascertain why they shot him, but we believe it might be out of fear or may be he reproached them,” Chief Insp Tetteh stated.
Following the incident, the PRO mentioned that the Buipe police have consequently alerted the residents of Buipe to be on the look out for any such persons with a suspicious character and report them to the police.
Meanwhile, as this incident was happening, four bare-chested armed men also barricaded a portion of the Yapei-Buipe road and attempted robbing occupants of vehicles that used the route.
A driver of a Free Zones Board truck, with registration number FZB 214 Z, Adamu Yakubu, drove pass the barricade, but his windscreen was pierced by a bullet and his mate sustained minor injuries on his finger from the shot.
Yakubu reported the incident when he got to the police check point at Buipe, but when the patrol team drove to the scene, the men had vacated.
The two, who are believed to be Fulani, allegedly shot 45-year old Amidu Kwadja in the stomach, and slashed the hands of another person, who is yet to be identified.
Whiles the body of the former, who died at the scene, has been deposited at the morgue, the latter is currently receiving treatment at the Buipe Health Centre.
Narrating the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) in the region, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh said the two suspects attacked a man, identified as Manu Yaro, in his house at the Buipe Bridge area between 12pm and 1am on Monday.
“They knocked on his door and when he opened they asked him to give them a bag that they claimed contained large amounts of money,” he stated.
“Investigations revealed that the robbers had a tip off that a brother of Yaro, who is a cattle farmer, had visited him and had given him the bag. Unfortunately on their part, Yaro’s brother, who was indeed in town, was not with Yaro at that time and also had not left any bag with him,” he added.
Chief Insp. Tetteh said an argument broke out between Yaro and the two men, because the former kept insisting that his brother had not left any bag containing money with him.
He said in the heat of the argument, a neighbour who was attracted to the scene by the noise challenged the two men to leave the house, but unluckily on his part, one of the two men, who was infuriated by his actions, raised his cutlass and slashed the man in his hand.
According to the PRO, the two men later forced themselves into the room of Yaro, took out a bag that they thought was the one containing the money and took off from the scene.
He said on the way, they met Amidu Kwadja, who is now deceased, and shot him in the stomach.
“We are yet to ascertain why they shot him, but we believe it might be out of fear or may be he reproached them,” Chief Insp Tetteh stated.
Following the incident, the PRO mentioned that the Buipe police have consequently alerted the residents of Buipe to be on the look out for any such persons with a suspicious character and report them to the police.
Meanwhile, as this incident was happening, four bare-chested armed men also barricaded a portion of the Yapei-Buipe road and attempted robbing occupants of vehicles that used the route.
A driver of a Free Zones Board truck, with registration number FZB 214 Z, Adamu Yakubu, drove pass the barricade, but his windscreen was pierced by a bullet and his mate sustained minor injuries on his finger from the shot.
Yakubu reported the incident when he got to the police check point at Buipe, but when the patrol team drove to the scene, the men had vacated.
Monday, July 4, 2011
IMPROVING WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION - TAMALE COMMUNITIES ENGAGE DUTY BEARERS (PAGE 23, JULY 4, 2011)
THE importance of water and sanitation to human existence cannot be overemphasized. Whilst water remains one of the critical sources of survival, sanitation is the key to a healthy and prolonged life.
However, many communities, largely rural and Peri-urban, in the Tamale metropolis have had to rely on polluted dams and streams for water.
Open defecation and the use of polythene bags have also been the norm in these communities due to the absence of improved sanitary facilities.
The result is the poor health of the people evidenced in the number of recorded cases of Cholera, Typhoid and other water-borne and sanitation-related diseases.
To bring a stop to this, New Energy and WaterAid Ghana, two non-governmental organisations, have partnered to create a platform for citizens in Tamale to demand answers from duty bearers on how they are delivering on their mandate to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities.
The platform, known as the ‘Accountability Day Forum’, is also designed to help the metro assembly in its planning scheme as it identifies and prioritises the needs of the various communities for appropriate interventions in its development plans.
At the recent accountability day forum held at the Presbyterian Lay Training Centre in Tamale, representatives from four Peri-urban communities – Koblimahagu, Sognayili, Dimali and Zuo Zugu – took turns to engage the duty bearers who were invited to the forum.
The community representatives, led by their assembly men, outlined the concerns of their communities in relation to sanitation and access to potable water.
Notable among these concerns was the absence of water and sanitary facilities in their communities.
In Koblimahagu, for instance, the assembly man, Mr Iddrisu Mustapha indicated that a project meant to connect water to most communities in Tamale was abandoned when it got to the Koblimahagu area.
“The connection was not completed and checks from the Ghana Water Company Limited indicated that there were some challenges regarding the completion of the project,” he noted.
For sanitation, the assembly man mentioned that a toilet facility that was initially meant for the Koblimahagu area was rather sited in Kukuo, a nearby community.
“Till date, the space reserved for this toilet is still lying idle, whiles some of our people resort to open defecation and the use of polythene, which is adverse to our health,” he stated.
Mr Mustapha therefore urged the district assembly and the GWCL to endeavour to complete the water expansion project and provide the people of Koblimahagu with a decent public toilet and a waste container.
The assembly man for the Zuo Zugu community, Mr Abdul-Mumin also outlined the challenges facing his community with regards to access to water and sanitation facilities.
“Our people rely on a dam, which is the same source of water for animals.” he mentioned.
Having listened to these concerns, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, the mayor of Tamale, reiterated the assembly’s commitment to design appropriate interventions and source funds to address the concerns of the various communities.
“Improving access to water and sanitation are so crucial that the assembly cannot renege in providing these essentials,” he stated.
The mayor noted that the forum had come at an opportune time because the assembly was formulating its medium term development plan, adding that “your concerns would therefore be captured in this plan.”
A Policy Officer for WaterAid Ghana, Mr Enoch Cudjoe noted later told the Daily Graphic that the main objective of the accountability forum is to strengthen the relationship between local government authorities and ordinary citizens.
He said this project formed part of the Local Millennium Development Goals Initiative (LMDGI), which is aimed at empowering local government authorities in planning their development agenda.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of New Energy, Mr Osman Sahanun also indicated that the outcomes of such forums are crucial to the development process.
“It promotes open discussions with all the stakeholders having a collective goal of championing development,” he mentioned.
However, many communities, largely rural and Peri-urban, in the Tamale metropolis have had to rely on polluted dams and streams for water.
Open defecation and the use of polythene bags have also been the norm in these communities due to the absence of improved sanitary facilities.
The result is the poor health of the people evidenced in the number of recorded cases of Cholera, Typhoid and other water-borne and sanitation-related diseases.
To bring a stop to this, New Energy and WaterAid Ghana, two non-governmental organisations, have partnered to create a platform for citizens in Tamale to demand answers from duty bearers on how they are delivering on their mandate to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities.
The platform, known as the ‘Accountability Day Forum’, is also designed to help the metro assembly in its planning scheme as it identifies and prioritises the needs of the various communities for appropriate interventions in its development plans.
At the recent accountability day forum held at the Presbyterian Lay Training Centre in Tamale, representatives from four Peri-urban communities – Koblimahagu, Sognayili, Dimali and Zuo Zugu – took turns to engage the duty bearers who were invited to the forum.
The community representatives, led by their assembly men, outlined the concerns of their communities in relation to sanitation and access to potable water.
Notable among these concerns was the absence of water and sanitary facilities in their communities.
In Koblimahagu, for instance, the assembly man, Mr Iddrisu Mustapha indicated that a project meant to connect water to most communities in Tamale was abandoned when it got to the Koblimahagu area.
“The connection was not completed and checks from the Ghana Water Company Limited indicated that there were some challenges regarding the completion of the project,” he noted.
For sanitation, the assembly man mentioned that a toilet facility that was initially meant for the Koblimahagu area was rather sited in Kukuo, a nearby community.
“Till date, the space reserved for this toilet is still lying idle, whiles some of our people resort to open defecation and the use of polythene, which is adverse to our health,” he stated.
Mr Mustapha therefore urged the district assembly and the GWCL to endeavour to complete the water expansion project and provide the people of Koblimahagu with a decent public toilet and a waste container.
The assembly man for the Zuo Zugu community, Mr Abdul-Mumin also outlined the challenges facing his community with regards to access to water and sanitation facilities.
“Our people rely on a dam, which is the same source of water for animals.” he mentioned.
Having listened to these concerns, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday, the mayor of Tamale, reiterated the assembly’s commitment to design appropriate interventions and source funds to address the concerns of the various communities.
“Improving access to water and sanitation are so crucial that the assembly cannot renege in providing these essentials,” he stated.
The mayor noted that the forum had come at an opportune time because the assembly was formulating its medium term development plan, adding that “your concerns would therefore be captured in this plan.”
A Policy Officer for WaterAid Ghana, Mr Enoch Cudjoe noted later told the Daily Graphic that the main objective of the accountability forum is to strengthen the relationship between local government authorities and ordinary citizens.
He said this project formed part of the Local Millennium Development Goals Initiative (LMDGI), which is aimed at empowering local government authorities in planning their development agenda.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of New Energy, Mr Osman Sahanun also indicated that the outcomes of such forums are crucial to the development process.
“It promotes open discussions with all the stakeholders having a collective goal of championing development,” he mentioned.
URBANET, CHRAJ EDUCATE COMMUNITIES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (PAGE 23, JULY 4, 2011)
URBANET, a non-governmental organisation that works to safeguard women’s rights, is partnering with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to educate citizens in five communities in Tamale on the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.
The objective of this initiative is to get the grassroots informed about the existence of the law and enhance their understanding of the various provisions of the law in order to encourage adherence to the law.
ActionAid Ghana is funding this sensitisation programme as part of efforts to reduce the occurrence of domestic violence in these communities.
This came to light during a community durbar on domestic violence in Wayamba, one of the communities selected to benefit from the sensitisation programme.
The other communities are Yong Dakpemyili, Chanshegu, Gbambaya and Dugshegu.
The Domestic Violence Law (Act 732) was instituted to provide protection for people who share a domestic relationship, particularly children and women, from any form of violence as contained in the law.
Although the law came into force in May 2007, many people are still oblivious of the provisions of this law and this is partly the reason why some people continue to act contrary to the law.
It is the belief of officials of UrbANET that the sensitisation programme would encourage the inhabitants of these communities to shy away from acts that constitute domestic violence in order not to offend the law.
Speaking at the durbar, the Northern Regional Director of CHRAJ, Mr Stephen Azantilow said for domestic violence to occur, there must be a domestic relationship.
A domestic relationship, he explained, is created when people are binded by certain factors, such as marriage, family relations, child birth, courtship adoption or living under one roof.
Mr Azantilow cited some acts that constitute domestic violence, which include forced marriage, rape or defilement, denial of inheritance, neglect of family’s welfare and physical abuse.
Duelling on forced marriage, he explained that the law prohibits parents and guardians from forcing their girl children, particularly minors, into marriage.
He said the choice of a man and the decision to marry a man remained the discretion of the child, but added that parents could negotiate with their children to make choices that they think are right.
“If the man was able to exercise his right of choice to request your daughter’s hand in marriage, why would you prevent your daughter from also exercising her right to say yes or no,” he questioned.
Mr Azantilow made similar presentations on other forms of domestic violence and entreated people who suffered any of such to report to the police or CHRAJ for redress.
He noted that CHRAJ was mandated by the laws that established it to protect the rights of citizens and ensure administrative justice.
The objective of this initiative is to get the grassroots informed about the existence of the law and enhance their understanding of the various provisions of the law in order to encourage adherence to the law.
ActionAid Ghana is funding this sensitisation programme as part of efforts to reduce the occurrence of domestic violence in these communities.
This came to light during a community durbar on domestic violence in Wayamba, one of the communities selected to benefit from the sensitisation programme.
The other communities are Yong Dakpemyili, Chanshegu, Gbambaya and Dugshegu.
The Domestic Violence Law (Act 732) was instituted to provide protection for people who share a domestic relationship, particularly children and women, from any form of violence as contained in the law.
Although the law came into force in May 2007, many people are still oblivious of the provisions of this law and this is partly the reason why some people continue to act contrary to the law.
It is the belief of officials of UrbANET that the sensitisation programme would encourage the inhabitants of these communities to shy away from acts that constitute domestic violence in order not to offend the law.
Speaking at the durbar, the Northern Regional Director of CHRAJ, Mr Stephen Azantilow said for domestic violence to occur, there must be a domestic relationship.
A domestic relationship, he explained, is created when people are binded by certain factors, such as marriage, family relations, child birth, courtship adoption or living under one roof.
Mr Azantilow cited some acts that constitute domestic violence, which include forced marriage, rape or defilement, denial of inheritance, neglect of family’s welfare and physical abuse.
Duelling on forced marriage, he explained that the law prohibits parents and guardians from forcing their girl children, particularly minors, into marriage.
He said the choice of a man and the decision to marry a man remained the discretion of the child, but added that parents could negotiate with their children to make choices that they think are right.
“If the man was able to exercise his right of choice to request your daughter’s hand in marriage, why would you prevent your daughter from also exercising her right to say yes or no,” he questioned.
Mr Azantilow made similar presentations on other forms of domestic violence and entreated people who suffered any of such to report to the police or CHRAJ for redress.
He noted that CHRAJ was mandated by the laws that established it to protect the rights of citizens and ensure administrative justice.
GWCL TO RETRIEVE 2.5M OWED BY CONSUMERS IN TAMALE (PAGE 23, JULY 4, 2011)
THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has embarked on an aggressive debt collection exercise in Tamale in a bid to retrieve an estimated GH¢2.5 million owed the company by water consumers in the city.
The company has therefore commenced the prosecution of defaulting customers, as well as the disconnection of water supply to both domestic and commercial entities.
The Northern Regional Communications Officer of the GWCL, Mr Nicholas Nii-Abbey, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the level of indebtedness to the company is affecting the operations of the company.
“As expected, our operations are being crippled by the lack of finance, which is as a result of the failure on the part of consumers to pay us for the water they consume,” he stated.
Nii-Abbey mentioned that the company had already prosecuted 10 people whose total indebtedness to the company amounted to over GH¢11,000.
“This month, we plan to prosecute 30 more defaulting customers who owe the company about GH¢50,000,” he hinted.
He however entreated defaulting customers who wanted to avoid prosecution to contact the company for negotiations to settle their debts.
The communications officer noted that 50 per cent of water produced by the GWCL to serve Tamale and its surroundings is unaccounted for.
He said it is either people were illegally tapping the water without paying for it or that there are damages in the distribution system, which has led to wastage or a combination of both.
Meanwhile, the GWCL is also making efforts towards overhauling the water supply system in the Tamale metropolis.
As part of the implementation of the two-year Subsequent Year Investment Programme (SYIP), which will commence next month, the GWCL will replace weak pipelines, extend services to low income communities and rehabilitate the existing distribution network.
The project, which would be executed by a Chinese firm, China Jiangsi Corporation, forms part of the Urban Water Supply Project being funded by the World Bank and other partners.
In 2008, another project was undertaken to expand the production capacity from 19,560 cubic metres, that is about 4.5 million gallons, to 44,560 cubic metres or 10 million gallons.
Major works that were carried out under this project included the installation of three new low lift pumps, the construction of new water treatment works and reservoirs and the laying of new transmission lines from Dalun to Tamale.
Currently, the GWCL has the capacity to produce about 45,000 cubic metres or about 10 million gallons of water per day to serve Tamale and its environs if its plants are to operate to its optimum capacity.
The company has therefore commenced the prosecution of defaulting customers, as well as the disconnection of water supply to both domestic and commercial entities.
The Northern Regional Communications Officer of the GWCL, Mr Nicholas Nii-Abbey, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the level of indebtedness to the company is affecting the operations of the company.
“As expected, our operations are being crippled by the lack of finance, which is as a result of the failure on the part of consumers to pay us for the water they consume,” he stated.
Nii-Abbey mentioned that the company had already prosecuted 10 people whose total indebtedness to the company amounted to over GH¢11,000.
“This month, we plan to prosecute 30 more defaulting customers who owe the company about GH¢50,000,” he hinted.
He however entreated defaulting customers who wanted to avoid prosecution to contact the company for negotiations to settle their debts.
The communications officer noted that 50 per cent of water produced by the GWCL to serve Tamale and its surroundings is unaccounted for.
He said it is either people were illegally tapping the water without paying for it or that there are damages in the distribution system, which has led to wastage or a combination of both.
Meanwhile, the GWCL is also making efforts towards overhauling the water supply system in the Tamale metropolis.
As part of the implementation of the two-year Subsequent Year Investment Programme (SYIP), which will commence next month, the GWCL will replace weak pipelines, extend services to low income communities and rehabilitate the existing distribution network.
The project, which would be executed by a Chinese firm, China Jiangsi Corporation, forms part of the Urban Water Supply Project being funded by the World Bank and other partners.
In 2008, another project was undertaken to expand the production capacity from 19,560 cubic metres, that is about 4.5 million gallons, to 44,560 cubic metres or 10 million gallons.
Major works that were carried out under this project included the installation of three new low lift pumps, the construction of new water treatment works and reservoirs and the laying of new transmission lines from Dalun to Tamale.
Currently, the GWCL has the capacity to produce about 45,000 cubic metres or about 10 million gallons of water per day to serve Tamale and its environs if its plants are to operate to its optimum capacity.
WE ARE VULNERABLE TO NARCOTICS - SCHOOL CHILDREN (FRONT PAGE, JUNE 29, 2011)
A NUMBER of school children in Tamale have stated that they are vulnerable to the use of narcotics, following the failure of state institutions to prohibit public smoking.
They said they could not comprehend how the youth were expected to stay clear of narcotics, like tobacco smoking, whiles adults were permitted to smoke in the full view of the public.
The school children raised these concerns at the public symposia in Tamale to mark the World Drugs Day, which was celebrated globally on June 26, 2011.
The symposia, organised by the Narcotics Control Board, was held on the theme ‘Be smart to be healthy – Don’t do drugs’.
School children and teachers from a number of selected basic and second-cycle schools participated in the event.
“If cigarette smoking is dangerous, why do people smoke in public and nothing is done to stop them,” one of the students queried during question time.
Aside the issue of public smoking, the children also raised eyebrows about the failure of state security institutions to prevent the transit of drugs in and out of the country.
A member of the governing Board of the Narcotics Control Board and Acting Deputy Chief Executive for Drugs at the Food and Drugs Board, Mrs Akua Owusua Amartey however cautioned the students not to allow the fact that others smoke to sway them into using drugs.
“You must remain guided by the fact that drug abusers are exposed to a lot of health hazards, including mental illness, which you don’t want to get into,” she stated.
Mrs Amartey also entreated the students not to allow themselves to be used by drug dealers in couriering drugs, since that had health and other implications.
“If you swallow pellets of cocaine, you are likely to end up dead and if you survive, you are more likely to end up behind prison bars,” she said.
In a speech delivered on his behalf, the Interior Minister, Mr Benjamin Kumbour said the government was resourcing security agencies and institutions to tighten efforts towards curbing drug trafficking.
He said a draft legislation designed to amend the existing legislation on narcotics control was currently being assessed by the Attorney General.
Mr Kumbour noted that this new legislation, when passed into law, will make NACOB an independent institution and institute tighter sanctions for drug peddlers.
The law, he additionally mentioned, will also conform to modern trends of law enforcement and international best practice on drug control.
A member of the Council of State, Kpan-Naa Mohammed Bawa entreated heads of schools to use Monday morning assembly meetings to sensitise the students and teacher on pertinent issues such as drug abuse.
“You can just use 10 minutes of the assembly time to help your students become better people by showing them how to avoid the things in life that could endanger their future,” he stated.
Some of the students, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, entreated the government to fast-track the passage of the law that would ban public smoking.
A message was read on behalf of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon on the importance of the day.
They said they could not comprehend how the youth were expected to stay clear of narcotics, like tobacco smoking, whiles adults were permitted to smoke in the full view of the public.
The school children raised these concerns at the public symposia in Tamale to mark the World Drugs Day, which was celebrated globally on June 26, 2011.
The symposia, organised by the Narcotics Control Board, was held on the theme ‘Be smart to be healthy – Don’t do drugs’.
School children and teachers from a number of selected basic and second-cycle schools participated in the event.
“If cigarette smoking is dangerous, why do people smoke in public and nothing is done to stop them,” one of the students queried during question time.
Aside the issue of public smoking, the children also raised eyebrows about the failure of state security institutions to prevent the transit of drugs in and out of the country.
A member of the governing Board of the Narcotics Control Board and Acting Deputy Chief Executive for Drugs at the Food and Drugs Board, Mrs Akua Owusua Amartey however cautioned the students not to allow the fact that others smoke to sway them into using drugs.
“You must remain guided by the fact that drug abusers are exposed to a lot of health hazards, including mental illness, which you don’t want to get into,” she stated.
Mrs Amartey also entreated the students not to allow themselves to be used by drug dealers in couriering drugs, since that had health and other implications.
“If you swallow pellets of cocaine, you are likely to end up dead and if you survive, you are more likely to end up behind prison bars,” she said.
In a speech delivered on his behalf, the Interior Minister, Mr Benjamin Kumbour said the government was resourcing security agencies and institutions to tighten efforts towards curbing drug trafficking.
He said a draft legislation designed to amend the existing legislation on narcotics control was currently being assessed by the Attorney General.
Mr Kumbour noted that this new legislation, when passed into law, will make NACOB an independent institution and institute tighter sanctions for drug peddlers.
The law, he additionally mentioned, will also conform to modern trends of law enforcement and international best practice on drug control.
A member of the Council of State, Kpan-Naa Mohammed Bawa entreated heads of schools to use Monday morning assembly meetings to sensitise the students and teacher on pertinent issues such as drug abuse.
“You can just use 10 minutes of the assembly time to help your students become better people by showing them how to avoid the things in life that could endanger their future,” he stated.
Some of the students, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, entreated the government to fast-track the passage of the law that would ban public smoking.
A message was read on behalf of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon on the importance of the day.
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