SPECIALISTS in sickle cell disease (SCD) insist that most people born with this condition can survive and lead fruitful lives as adults if adequate care is provided from infancy.
It is this reasoning that led to Ghana adopting a National Newborn Screening Programme (NNbSP) for SCD which is to overhaul the management of the disease in the country through early screening and comprehensive care for people living with that condition.
To ensure the smooth implementation of this programme, health professionals selected from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions underwent an intensive training in the management of SCD, with much emphasis on newborn screening.
The training workshop, which took place in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, helped to re-orient and up-date the knowledge of the health personnel on the management of SCD.
The Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (SCFG), which is the implementing institution of the NNbSP, organized the training in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service.
The trainees included doctors, nurses, midwives, public and community health nurses, laboratory technicians and other allied-health personnel.
Areas tackled during the training programme included the screening, tracking and follow-up of newborns with SCD, interpreting results of laboratory tests for haemoglobin disorders, providing nursing services and providing patient education and support.
It is expected that the beneficiaries of this training would form core teams in their respective districts for comprehensive management of SCD in those areas.
They would also pass on the knowledge and skills to other health personnel at all levels of health care delivery in order to ensure that the proper management of SCD trickles to the primary level.
The newborn screening programme, which is being rolled out nationwide in phases, is a key intervention to address SCD in Ghana by ensuring that care is available for people living with SCD from early childhood.
Mr. Eddie Tettey, who is the Vice President for Finance and Administration of the SCFG, told the Daily Graphic that the training is very critical to sickle cell management in the country.
“We want health personnel in all health centres to be ready to provide adequate and professional care for babies who would be found to have SCD, when the newborn screening rolls out altogether,” he stated.
Mr Tettey, who is also the Programme Administrator of the NNbSP, said the Foundation’s expectation was that by 2015, newborn screening for SCD would be effective and efficient in all parts of the country.
“Our main objective is to have a situation where everyone with SCD or its related conditions, in Ghana, is properly diagnosed and offered education, counselling and modern medical and psychosocial services,” he further noted.
The President of the SCFG and Programme Coordinator of the NNbSP, Prof. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong also mentioned, in an interview, that newborn screening was an essential first step in tackling SCD.
“When we screen blood samples of babies, we are able to tell who is born with sickle cell disease and who is not. Some interventions can then be made to save those born with the disease from early complications that may arise when the disease begins to manifest,” he explained.
Prof Ohene-Frempong, who works in the United States at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, noted that one of the major causes of complications for children with SCD was infection.
He said one way to protect newborns found to have sickle cell from getting infection was to put them on antibiotics.
According to Prof Ohene-Frempong, it is estimated that about two per cent of babies born in Ghana have SCD.
“One per cent of newborns in Ghana are SS and 0.8 per cent are SC. So this population in addition to those with other forms of SCD constitutes about two per cent of the population,” he explained.
The professor however indicated that it is difficult to tell the percentage of Ghana’s population that is currently living with SCD because “we do not know how many of those born with the disease are still living.”
It is expected, therefore, that a successful implementation of the NNbSP would lead to an improved management of SCD in Ghana, which would ultimately reduce the number of complications and fatalities associated with the wrong handling of the condition.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
BODIES OF DROWNED VICTIMS RETRIEVED (PAGE 35, AUG 23, 2011)
Attn: News Desk.
Story: Nurudeen Salifu, Tamale.
THE two remaining bodies of the three workers of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) who got drowned in a river at Pagazaa in the Tamale metropolis have been recovered.
The bodies, which have been deposited at the morgue of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, were retrieved on Saturday through the hard work of 35 fishermen of Oda origin, widely referred to as the “Bator” people.
The assembly man for the Wamale electoral area, Ibrahim Abu, who was part of the team that sought the support of the fishermen, told the Daily Graphic that several groups of fishermen dived deep into the river and managed to rescue the first body at about 11am on Saturday.
He said the retrieval of the last body posed some challenges to the fishermen and, therefore, some traditional rituals had to be performed to appease the River god before the body was recovered after 3pm.
“The fishermen told us that anytime they were about to pick the body, it would slip and move to another location and so they requested that the sacrifices be made to help the process,” Mr Abu stated.
According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh arrangements were being made as at Sunday afternoon to convey the bodies to Accra.
Earlier on Friday, the body of the driver, which was strapped to his seat by the seatbelt, was found when the police and some inhabitants succeeded in removing the car.
The three GIFEC personnel were returning from Yendi, after they had gone to undertake an electronic assessment in line with the implementation the Ghana Prison’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) connectivity initiative, when their vehicle skidded off the road, hit a bridge and fell into the river.
The incident sent shock waves to residents of Tamale, due a radio message on a local fm station – Radio Justice – calling on people to rush to the scene and help rescue any survivors.
End.
Story: Nurudeen Salifu, Tamale.
THE two remaining bodies of the three workers of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) who got drowned in a river at Pagazaa in the Tamale metropolis have been recovered.
The bodies, which have been deposited at the morgue of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, were retrieved on Saturday through the hard work of 35 fishermen of Oda origin, widely referred to as the “Bator” people.
The assembly man for the Wamale electoral area, Ibrahim Abu, who was part of the team that sought the support of the fishermen, told the Daily Graphic that several groups of fishermen dived deep into the river and managed to rescue the first body at about 11am on Saturday.
He said the retrieval of the last body posed some challenges to the fishermen and, therefore, some traditional rituals had to be performed to appease the River god before the body was recovered after 3pm.
“The fishermen told us that anytime they were about to pick the body, it would slip and move to another location and so they requested that the sacrifices be made to help the process,” Mr Abu stated.
According to the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh arrangements were being made as at Sunday afternoon to convey the bodies to Accra.
Earlier on Friday, the body of the driver, which was strapped to his seat by the seatbelt, was found when the police and some inhabitants succeeded in removing the car.
The three GIFEC personnel were returning from Yendi, after they had gone to undertake an electronic assessment in line with the implementation the Ghana Prison’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) connectivity initiative, when their vehicle skidded off the road, hit a bridge and fell into the river.
The incident sent shock waves to residents of Tamale, due a radio message on a local fm station – Radio Justice – calling on people to rush to the scene and help rescue any survivors.
End.
PROJECT LAUNCHED TO CURB YOUTH VIOLENCE (PAGE 23, AUG 22, 2011)
FOR several years Tamale had been a peaceful city. People of various ethnic backgrounds and nationalities found the city as a suitable place for their stay and business activities.
In fact, Tamale is a place where traditional African hospitality is at its best, because the indigenes of Tamale welcome and treat visitors better than they treat themselves.
However, due to the activities of some politicians, Tamale lost its peaceful status after 2002 when the city was rocked by series of political violence with ethnic and chieftaincy undertones.
Although the city has regained its status at peaceful city, its image seems to have been dented heavily by the isolated incidents of violence that occurred.
The same can be said about Bawku. In his book, ‘A Sense of Savannah – Tales of a friendly walk through Northern Ghana’, Kofi Akpabli describes Bawku as a place that possesses “the indifference of New York” and “the business savvy of Kumasi.”
He proceeds to mention that the area should have one of the highest per capita in Ghana because it is a beehive of commerce and a fulcrum of economic activity by traders from Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.
In spite of these positives, the town seem to have been painted negatively in the minds of people who live outside the town just because of some violent activities that took place in the area over a period of time.
Indeed, Tamale and Bawku are not the only cities that have attracted negative press and commentary as a result of some repeated incidents of violence in these areas.
What is clear in all these violent incidents is the involvement of the youth. Young political activists are mostly used by the experienced ones to carry out violent activities to serve their interests, some of which are inextricably linked to ethnicity.
In their bid to get attention from political leaders, who are believed to be influential in giving jobs and monetary hand-outs, the youth become vulnerable to all manner of abuses, including being used for violent purposes.
It is unfortunate that some politicians are willing to go to greater lengths just to capture political power. They care less about the trails of destruction and strained relationship they leave behind.
Although it is clear that issues of ‘bread and butter’ are the main drivers of the youth’s involvement in political violence, it would be wrong for our leaders to fold their arms and watch as the youth are destroyed.
As the 2012 elections draw nearer and nearer, it is critical for some interventions to help curb the involvement of the youth in violence.
Past incidents in the 2008 elections should serve as a signal of what may happen next year.
In this direction, it is worth mentioning that the Ghana chapter of the West African Network for Peace-building (WANEP) launched a project about two weeks ago expected to help redirect the youth to contribute positively to the success of the 2012 elections.
The Youth in Election (YiEl) project, which was launched in Tamale, would help in socialising youth of the various political parties to appreciate the use of peaceful means, such as dialogue, to resolve their differences.
In the estimation of WANEP, the lack of dialogue among young people of various political parties is a major contributor to violence among these groups.
Thus, under the YiEl project, Inter-Party Youth Dialogue Committees are to be formed to ensure that the youth discuss alternate ways of resolving issues of contention, while relegating the use of violence.
Fortunately, Tamale and Bawku are among the eight towns that have been selected to pilot the project over a six month period. The rest are Kumasi, Takoradi, Yendi, Ho, Sunyani and Gushiegu.
As you may be aware, these are potential hotspots for political violence and thus, the need for their inclusion.
The YiEl project, which is on the theme “Harnessing the power of the youth for peace in 2012,” is being supported by the German International Development Co-operation (GIZ), Christian Aid, Canadian High Commission and IBIS.
Apart from undertaking joint activities, the Inter-party dialogue committees would be expected to discuss emerging issues that pose a danger to the conduct of the elections and make attempts to bring all sides on board for a harmonious resolution.
“By working together, these committees will increase communication amongst the youth of the various parties and dispel rumours that pose a threat to peaceful co-existence,” the National Co-ordinator of WANEP, Ghana, Mr Justin Bayor stated at the launch of the project at the Modern City Hotel.
He noted that the introduction of the project followed research findings that indicated that election violence was mostly perpetrated by the youth.
“The research was conducted by WANEP-Ghana on behalf of the United Nations (UN) in four conflict hotspots in the country and the findings proved that violence was mostly expressed by the youth,” he mentioned.
Indeed, the youth form the majority of the population and when they are able to resist being manipulated by politicians, the country’s fledgling democracy would be enhanced.
What remains critical for the success of this project is for the grassroots to be captured, because many of the violent acts are perpetrated by the teeming unemployed, idle and vulnerable youth, who do not feel that they have something to lose when there is instability.
It is also crucial that the political parties throw their weight behind this project else, little results would be achieved.
More importantly, inhabitants of Tamale and all the selected areas must support this project, because when there is violence, business is disrupted and development is stalled.
Investors would also shy away from putting their investments in areas where violence is rife.
In fact, Tamale is a place where traditional African hospitality is at its best, because the indigenes of Tamale welcome and treat visitors better than they treat themselves.
However, due to the activities of some politicians, Tamale lost its peaceful status after 2002 when the city was rocked by series of political violence with ethnic and chieftaincy undertones.
Although the city has regained its status at peaceful city, its image seems to have been dented heavily by the isolated incidents of violence that occurred.
The same can be said about Bawku. In his book, ‘A Sense of Savannah – Tales of a friendly walk through Northern Ghana’, Kofi Akpabli describes Bawku as a place that possesses “the indifference of New York” and “the business savvy of Kumasi.”
He proceeds to mention that the area should have one of the highest per capita in Ghana because it is a beehive of commerce and a fulcrum of economic activity by traders from Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.
In spite of these positives, the town seem to have been painted negatively in the minds of people who live outside the town just because of some violent activities that took place in the area over a period of time.
Indeed, Tamale and Bawku are not the only cities that have attracted negative press and commentary as a result of some repeated incidents of violence in these areas.
What is clear in all these violent incidents is the involvement of the youth. Young political activists are mostly used by the experienced ones to carry out violent activities to serve their interests, some of which are inextricably linked to ethnicity.
In their bid to get attention from political leaders, who are believed to be influential in giving jobs and monetary hand-outs, the youth become vulnerable to all manner of abuses, including being used for violent purposes.
It is unfortunate that some politicians are willing to go to greater lengths just to capture political power. They care less about the trails of destruction and strained relationship they leave behind.
Although it is clear that issues of ‘bread and butter’ are the main drivers of the youth’s involvement in political violence, it would be wrong for our leaders to fold their arms and watch as the youth are destroyed.
As the 2012 elections draw nearer and nearer, it is critical for some interventions to help curb the involvement of the youth in violence.
Past incidents in the 2008 elections should serve as a signal of what may happen next year.
In this direction, it is worth mentioning that the Ghana chapter of the West African Network for Peace-building (WANEP) launched a project about two weeks ago expected to help redirect the youth to contribute positively to the success of the 2012 elections.
The Youth in Election (YiEl) project, which was launched in Tamale, would help in socialising youth of the various political parties to appreciate the use of peaceful means, such as dialogue, to resolve their differences.
In the estimation of WANEP, the lack of dialogue among young people of various political parties is a major contributor to violence among these groups.
Thus, under the YiEl project, Inter-Party Youth Dialogue Committees are to be formed to ensure that the youth discuss alternate ways of resolving issues of contention, while relegating the use of violence.
Fortunately, Tamale and Bawku are among the eight towns that have been selected to pilot the project over a six month period. The rest are Kumasi, Takoradi, Yendi, Ho, Sunyani and Gushiegu.
As you may be aware, these are potential hotspots for political violence and thus, the need for their inclusion.
The YiEl project, which is on the theme “Harnessing the power of the youth for peace in 2012,” is being supported by the German International Development Co-operation (GIZ), Christian Aid, Canadian High Commission and IBIS.
Apart from undertaking joint activities, the Inter-party dialogue committees would be expected to discuss emerging issues that pose a danger to the conduct of the elections and make attempts to bring all sides on board for a harmonious resolution.
“By working together, these committees will increase communication amongst the youth of the various parties and dispel rumours that pose a threat to peaceful co-existence,” the National Co-ordinator of WANEP, Ghana, Mr Justin Bayor stated at the launch of the project at the Modern City Hotel.
He noted that the introduction of the project followed research findings that indicated that election violence was mostly perpetrated by the youth.
“The research was conducted by WANEP-Ghana on behalf of the United Nations (UN) in four conflict hotspots in the country and the findings proved that violence was mostly expressed by the youth,” he mentioned.
Indeed, the youth form the majority of the population and when they are able to resist being manipulated by politicians, the country’s fledgling democracy would be enhanced.
What remains critical for the success of this project is for the grassroots to be captured, because many of the violent acts are perpetrated by the teeming unemployed, idle and vulnerable youth, who do not feel that they have something to lose when there is instability.
It is also crucial that the political parties throw their weight behind this project else, little results would be achieved.
More importantly, inhabitants of Tamale and all the selected areas must support this project, because when there is violence, business is disrupted and development is stalled.
Investors would also shy away from putting their investments in areas where violence is rife.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
THREE WORKERS OF GIFEC DROWN (FRONT PAGE, AUG 20, 2011)
THREE people were believed to have lost their lives yesterday in Tamale when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off a bridge and fell into a river.
According to people who rushed to the scene when the incident happened, the vehicle was coming from Yendi heading to Tamale when their pick up slipped off the road, crushed into the bridge and fell into the river at Pagazaa, a community about 18km to Tamale town.
When the police were called to the scene, they, together with some of the community folk, managed to remove the pick-up from the river and found the lifeless body of the driver strapped to his seat by the seatbelt.
At press time, yesterday, the bodies of the two other passengers, believed to have drowned, were yet to be retrieved, whiles the body of the deceased was deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who spoke to the Daily Graphic from the scene of the accident, said the accident occurred around 11am.
He said an intensive search was still underway to find the remaining bodies, but noted that there was barely any hope that the two other passengers could still alive.
Chief Insp. Tetteh mentioned that the three persons had been identified as personnel of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and identified the pick-up they were travelling in as a Toyota Hilux with registration number GX S799/10.
He gave the name of the driver as John Armah, whiles the other two missing people were identified only as Bright and Mark, believed to be in their late twenties.
The police PRO mentioned that information available to the police indicated that the three persons were in the Northern Region to do an assessment with regards to the implementation of the Ghana Prison’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) connectivity initiative.
“As part of the assessment, they went to the Yendi prison and were returning to Tamale to proceed to Kete Krachi,” he said.
He also mentioned that the three GIFFEC personnel were being accompanied by an Assistant Director of Prisons, Mr Godwin Hunyedi, who is in charge of Technical Services at the Prison’s Headquarters in Accra.
He said luckily for the prison officer, at the time of the accident, he was being driven in a service vehicle which was in the lead.
According to people who rushed to the scene when the incident happened, the vehicle was coming from Yendi heading to Tamale when their pick up slipped off the road, crushed into the bridge and fell into the river at Pagazaa, a community about 18km to Tamale town.
When the police were called to the scene, they, together with some of the community folk, managed to remove the pick-up from the river and found the lifeless body of the driver strapped to his seat by the seatbelt.
At press time, yesterday, the bodies of the two other passengers, believed to have drowned, were yet to be retrieved, whiles the body of the deceased was deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who spoke to the Daily Graphic from the scene of the accident, said the accident occurred around 11am.
He said an intensive search was still underway to find the remaining bodies, but noted that there was barely any hope that the two other passengers could still alive.
Chief Insp. Tetteh mentioned that the three persons had been identified as personnel of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and identified the pick-up they were travelling in as a Toyota Hilux with registration number GX S799/10.
He gave the name of the driver as John Armah, whiles the other two missing people were identified only as Bright and Mark, believed to be in their late twenties.
The police PRO mentioned that information available to the police indicated that the three persons were in the Northern Region to do an assessment with regards to the implementation of the Ghana Prison’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) connectivity initiative.
“As part of the assessment, they went to the Yendi prison and were returning to Tamale to proceed to Kete Krachi,” he said.
He also mentioned that the three GIFFEC personnel were being accompanied by an Assistant Director of Prisons, Mr Godwin Hunyedi, who is in charge of Technical Services at the Prison’s Headquarters in Accra.
He said luckily for the prison officer, at the time of the accident, he was being driven in a service vehicle which was in the lead.
SQUARE PEGS IN ROUND HOLES - BANE OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PAGE 10, AUG 18, 2011)
IT was one of those workshops or capacity building training programmes as we call them now-a-days.
Organised by the Coalition on Domestic Violence Legislation in Ghana, the workshop sought to enhance the capacity of media personnel in responding to issues of gender-based violence.
In fact, this was not the first time I was attending a workshop on domestic violence, so the event itself was not new.
At many of these workshops, people go and sit down for long hours listening to other people, called facilitators, who make series of long-loaded presentations, without any impact.
However, this particular workshop was poles apart from many other workshops, because one of the facilitators did leave an impression in the minds of many of the participants.
His name is Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, the Co-ordinator of the DV Coalition.
Mr Bekoe made a presentation on “Counselling on Gender-Based Violence” and by the time he finished, some of the participants felt they had been “touched, counselled and challenged to act.”
The simple reason was that Mr Bekoe was not speaking merely because the occasion demanded so, but because he had a passion for the topic he was speaking about.
It was not surprising, therefore, when I found out that Mr Bekoe is the Head of the Psychology Department at the Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG).
Although, one could argue that his profession contributed partly to making him who he is, it is also true that other people might get this training but fail to act as expected.
If you have been listening and watching the Standpoint on GTV, you would appreciate the man I am talking about. His delivery of issues relating to people’s welfare shows he has a calling to his profession.
Now, why am I eulogizing a man I know very little about and have no personal relationship with?
The reason is simple. The passion and grit with which Mr Bekoe delivers his presentations when doing advocacy on DV issues is what endears him to people who come into contact with him.
His ability to influence others to act in a desired manner enables him to leave a mark wherever he goes.
Indeed, there are several other notable personalities in this country whose demeanour demonstrates their love for what they do. Talk of the late Rtd Major Courage Quarshigah, ACP Angwubutoge Awuni, Kwaku Sintim Misa, Uncle Ebo White, Kwabena Yeboah, Nana Oye Lithur, Doris Yaa Dartey, Vincent Kuagbenu and a host of others.
Anytime you hear and see these people talk and act, you get the sense that these people are not politicians, but people with a sense of passion for what they believe in and live by.
If Ghana was made up predominantly of people like these, our development would have progressed much faster. When you have a country with people who are willing to go the extra mile to get the right things done, the results is higher productivity.
However, the problem with our dear Ghana at 54 is that many of its offspring are into professions that do not suit their interests and character. Simply put, many Ghanaians have become square pecks in round holes.
This is why we are complaining about the poor attitudes of some nurses, teachers, doctors, journalists and public servants.
In my estimation, the term public servant means someone whose is prepared to serve the public for the good of the people of the nation, but many public servants rather want to be served.
The last time I visited the hospital, I was stunned by the attitude of a nurse who attended to me.
I reported to a private hospital in Tamale with some fever and after some checks and tests, I was diagnosed of Malaria. As part of the treatment, I was directed to one of the wards to get an injection.
When I entered this room, there were two nurses, a male and female, lying on a bed fidgeting with their phones.
The female nurse got up from the bed, took the injections and asked me to stand at a point and wait. When she was ready, she asked me to lower my pants at the right side and just when I had done this, the nurse suddenly pierced and the needle into my hard bottoms.
Before I could even bring my attention to it, she asked that I lower the left side of my pants. Once again, she repeated the act and then went back to her bed.
With the little coaching I had had from my mom, a retired midwife, I massaged the two bottoms for some seconds, dressed up and “thanked” the nurse. Was that lady really a nurse – somebody who has agreed to emulate Florence Nightingale?
Whiles walking out of the room where I had my terrible injections, I could not help but remember some very passionate nurses who once served and continue to serve with all their body and soul. These are nurses who have demonstrated that nursing was in them.
Some of our current nurses have succeeded in killing patients, when instead they were supposed to keep them alive. Some teachers have succeeded in keeping their students ignorant and depressed instead of making them knowledgeable and inspired.
What we are experiencing is the result when people choose professions that they do not have passion for. You see, when you do something because you are forced to, you would mostly not do it well.
In Ghana many people go into professions for other reasons, other than the passion for that profession. Sometimes, it is for money, other times, it is merely for fame.
Some parents even force their children into professions, like medical practice and law, just because of the prestige attached to these professions. Meanwhile, their children’s temperaments might make them unfit for such professions.
Sometimes it baffles me why parents feel that it is better for their children to be doctors and accountants even when the child desires to be an artist, musician, teacher, writer, actor, fashion designer, etc.
For political reasons, people who have no idea and interest in disaster response are appointed into critical institutions like the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the result is the poor management of disasters.
And for the love of money or fame, we have so-called journalists who indulge in mudslinging and destroy people’s reputations, without any basis.
I could not agree more with Dr Audrey Gadzekpo who once stated that journalism is a calling. So many of those who are not called into it only get into it for some mischief, and they end up soiling the name of the profession.
Certainly, they cannot be compared to the likes of Anas Armeyaw Anas who are willing to go to greater lengths just to get a good story and advance the general good of society.
We can only hope and pray that as we progress as a nation, people would realise their potentials and genuinely take up positions where they are rightly placed to deliver.
Organised by the Coalition on Domestic Violence Legislation in Ghana, the workshop sought to enhance the capacity of media personnel in responding to issues of gender-based violence.
In fact, this was not the first time I was attending a workshop on domestic violence, so the event itself was not new.
At many of these workshops, people go and sit down for long hours listening to other people, called facilitators, who make series of long-loaded presentations, without any impact.
However, this particular workshop was poles apart from many other workshops, because one of the facilitators did leave an impression in the minds of many of the participants.
His name is Mr Adolf Awuku Bekoe, the Co-ordinator of the DV Coalition.
Mr Bekoe made a presentation on “Counselling on Gender-Based Violence” and by the time he finished, some of the participants felt they had been “touched, counselled and challenged to act.”
The simple reason was that Mr Bekoe was not speaking merely because the occasion demanded so, but because he had a passion for the topic he was speaking about.
It was not surprising, therefore, when I found out that Mr Bekoe is the Head of the Psychology Department at the Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG).
Although, one could argue that his profession contributed partly to making him who he is, it is also true that other people might get this training but fail to act as expected.
If you have been listening and watching the Standpoint on GTV, you would appreciate the man I am talking about. His delivery of issues relating to people’s welfare shows he has a calling to his profession.
Now, why am I eulogizing a man I know very little about and have no personal relationship with?
The reason is simple. The passion and grit with which Mr Bekoe delivers his presentations when doing advocacy on DV issues is what endears him to people who come into contact with him.
His ability to influence others to act in a desired manner enables him to leave a mark wherever he goes.
Indeed, there are several other notable personalities in this country whose demeanour demonstrates their love for what they do. Talk of the late Rtd Major Courage Quarshigah, ACP Angwubutoge Awuni, Kwaku Sintim Misa, Uncle Ebo White, Kwabena Yeboah, Nana Oye Lithur, Doris Yaa Dartey, Vincent Kuagbenu and a host of others.
Anytime you hear and see these people talk and act, you get the sense that these people are not politicians, but people with a sense of passion for what they believe in and live by.
If Ghana was made up predominantly of people like these, our development would have progressed much faster. When you have a country with people who are willing to go the extra mile to get the right things done, the results is higher productivity.
However, the problem with our dear Ghana at 54 is that many of its offspring are into professions that do not suit their interests and character. Simply put, many Ghanaians have become square pecks in round holes.
This is why we are complaining about the poor attitudes of some nurses, teachers, doctors, journalists and public servants.
In my estimation, the term public servant means someone whose is prepared to serve the public for the good of the people of the nation, but many public servants rather want to be served.
The last time I visited the hospital, I was stunned by the attitude of a nurse who attended to me.
I reported to a private hospital in Tamale with some fever and after some checks and tests, I was diagnosed of Malaria. As part of the treatment, I was directed to one of the wards to get an injection.
When I entered this room, there were two nurses, a male and female, lying on a bed fidgeting with their phones.
The female nurse got up from the bed, took the injections and asked me to stand at a point and wait. When she was ready, she asked me to lower my pants at the right side and just when I had done this, the nurse suddenly pierced and the needle into my hard bottoms.
Before I could even bring my attention to it, she asked that I lower the left side of my pants. Once again, she repeated the act and then went back to her bed.
With the little coaching I had had from my mom, a retired midwife, I massaged the two bottoms for some seconds, dressed up and “thanked” the nurse. Was that lady really a nurse – somebody who has agreed to emulate Florence Nightingale?
Whiles walking out of the room where I had my terrible injections, I could not help but remember some very passionate nurses who once served and continue to serve with all their body and soul. These are nurses who have demonstrated that nursing was in them.
Some of our current nurses have succeeded in killing patients, when instead they were supposed to keep them alive. Some teachers have succeeded in keeping their students ignorant and depressed instead of making them knowledgeable and inspired.
What we are experiencing is the result when people choose professions that they do not have passion for. You see, when you do something because you are forced to, you would mostly not do it well.
In Ghana many people go into professions for other reasons, other than the passion for that profession. Sometimes, it is for money, other times, it is merely for fame.
Some parents even force their children into professions, like medical practice and law, just because of the prestige attached to these professions. Meanwhile, their children’s temperaments might make them unfit for such professions.
Sometimes it baffles me why parents feel that it is better for their children to be doctors and accountants even when the child desires to be an artist, musician, teacher, writer, actor, fashion designer, etc.
For political reasons, people who have no idea and interest in disaster response are appointed into critical institutions like the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the result is the poor management of disasters.
And for the love of money or fame, we have so-called journalists who indulge in mudslinging and destroy people’s reputations, without any basis.
I could not agree more with Dr Audrey Gadzekpo who once stated that journalism is a calling. So many of those who are not called into it only get into it for some mischief, and they end up soiling the name of the profession.
Certainly, they cannot be compared to the likes of Anas Armeyaw Anas who are willing to go to greater lengths just to get a good story and advance the general good of society.
We can only hope and pray that as we progress as a nation, people would realise their potentials and genuinely take up positions where they are rightly placed to deliver.
LPG SITUATION STILL PRECARIOUS (MIDDLE SPREAD, AUG 18, 2011)
GAS has remained a scarce commodity in parts of the Northern Region for over two months now.
At most vending stations, it has become normal to see placards with “No Gas” inscription placed at their entrants.
On Tuesday morning, when the Daily Graphic visited some of these vending stations in Tamale, they were as quite as cemeteries, since there was no gas for sale.
The situation in the region is so severe that people have to sleep over night at various gas outlets just to get served anytime limited quantities are brought into the region.
In an interview, the managers of some of the vending stations said they were expecting gas soon, but could not give a guarantee as to the exact day.
The Zonal Manager of GOIL, Mr Marcus Deo Dake, said they his outfit had projected to sell 52,000kg of gas per month in the three northern regions, but that they had not been able to achieve even half of that due to the shortages.
He said his outfit was yet to receive consignment for the month of August, but that, they have been told that gas would soon be discharged to the north.
Although government officials have given assurances that the shortage would soon be over, inhabitants of Tamale and other parts of the region are entreating the President, Prof John Atta Mills to do something more pragmatic to avert future shortages.
The shortage of this essential commodity has led to a higher demand for charcoal, but for some people, the use of charcoal brings back the discomfort of cooking in an environment engulfed by smoke and ash.
“We are compelled to cook in the open space because our kitchen is such that we cannot use the coal-pot inside,” Madam Adisa Mahama, a resident of Russian Bungalows lamented.
For some people, having more cylinders in their homes has become the only way to cope.
“I have just bought another cylinder and I plan to add another one very soon. If I do not do this, anytime the single cylinder is empty, it means I have to live for several days or even weeks without gas,” Mr Francis Npong, a journalists with the Enquirer newspaper stated.
Meanwhile, the absence of gas has also had a negative toll on some Muslims who are observing the Ramadan.
In the early and cold hours of between 2am and 3am, some households wake up and struggle to start fire with dampened charcoal and other materials.
To avoid this difficulty, some Muslims have rather adapted to storing food cooked in the night for use at dawn.
At most vending stations, it has become normal to see placards with “No Gas” inscription placed at their entrants.
On Tuesday morning, when the Daily Graphic visited some of these vending stations in Tamale, they were as quite as cemeteries, since there was no gas for sale.
The situation in the region is so severe that people have to sleep over night at various gas outlets just to get served anytime limited quantities are brought into the region.
In an interview, the managers of some of the vending stations said they were expecting gas soon, but could not give a guarantee as to the exact day.
The Zonal Manager of GOIL, Mr Marcus Deo Dake, said they his outfit had projected to sell 52,000kg of gas per month in the three northern regions, but that they had not been able to achieve even half of that due to the shortages.
He said his outfit was yet to receive consignment for the month of August, but that, they have been told that gas would soon be discharged to the north.
Although government officials have given assurances that the shortage would soon be over, inhabitants of Tamale and other parts of the region are entreating the President, Prof John Atta Mills to do something more pragmatic to avert future shortages.
The shortage of this essential commodity has led to a higher demand for charcoal, but for some people, the use of charcoal brings back the discomfort of cooking in an environment engulfed by smoke and ash.
“We are compelled to cook in the open space because our kitchen is such that we cannot use the coal-pot inside,” Madam Adisa Mahama, a resident of Russian Bungalows lamented.
For some people, having more cylinders in their homes has become the only way to cope.
“I have just bought another cylinder and I plan to add another one very soon. If I do not do this, anytime the single cylinder is empty, it means I have to live for several days or even weeks without gas,” Mr Francis Npong, a journalists with the Enquirer newspaper stated.
Meanwhile, the absence of gas has also had a negative toll on some Muslims who are observing the Ramadan.
In the early and cold hours of between 2am and 3am, some households wake up and struggle to start fire with dampened charcoal and other materials.
To avoid this difficulty, some Muslims have rather adapted to storing food cooked in the night for use at dawn.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
MAKING ASSEMBLY WOMEN ICT LITERATE, GINKS' INITIATIVE (AUG 16, 2011, PAGE 11)
CLICK, click, click…Ms Anambiak Asampo Elizabeth, the assembly woman for Nawuni/Afayili electoral area in the Tolon-Kumbungu district, moves the cursor to various icons on the screen of her desktop checking out some websites to look for information.
Afterwards, she taps the keys on the keyboard typing one or two sentences to put together a position paper on an issue of concern to her area.
Faraway in Zabzugu, Ms Mary Tagba, who is the Presiding Member for the Zabzugu-Tatale district assembly, is busily chatting with some personal contacts on one of these social networking sites. She is sharing her experiences with these contacts and gathering some feedback to enhance her performance.
This is how the Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS) is using ICT to build the capacities of women to participate effectively in the information society and by so doing, GINKS is bridging the information literacy gap between men and women.
Elizabeth and Mary are among the 21 elected assembly women in the Northern Region who benefitted from a 5-day intensive training programme in Information Literacy organised by GINKS, with funding from the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).
These are women who initially found the computer too fearsome to get close to and allowed their male counterparts to intimidate them with ICTs.
Today, they are not just using the computer to type and store their documents, but also surfing the internet for information that could support them in finding solutions to the challenges facing their respective areas.
In this ‘information society’, assembly women certainly need these skills to enable them monitor what is happening in others part of the world and stay informed to enable them contribute more positively to national debate.
So click by click, these women, who are expected to deliver to expectation to justify women’s abilities, have now found a new partner to champion the course of women empowerment.
The new clichés among these assembly women is: “women can use the computer just as their male counterparts” and “women are as informed as the men are.”
“This is one of the best trainings we have had as assembly women. I can now open an email account and a website and do case studies,” the assembly woman for the Fungu electoral area in the West Mamprusi district stated at the end of the training.
She opined that through such training programmes, women would become more informed and participate actively and intelligently in the development process.
Indeed, assembly women are expected to play essential roles in their respective communities, but most often they lack the information literacy skills that are vital for influencing policy decision making in favour of their constituents.
Apart from being responsible for informing their constituents on the programmes and policies of the government, they are also expected to lobby the assembly to give the community its share of development projects.
The training by GINKS has therefore built the capacity of the assembly women to recognise when information and networking is needed and how to gather and organise such information and networks to present a good case.
According to the facilitators of the training programme, Mr Joseph Kpetigo, who is the Assistant Coordinator of GINKS and Mr John Stephen Agbenyo, Director of Savana Signatures, the women were also trained to understand the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of information.
“We have trained them to critically evaluate any information they access and its sources. For every website, they must know who publishes the content, for what ends and when the content was posted,” stated Mr Agbenyo.
With these skills, assembly women in the Northern Region are now better placed to assert themselves and contribute more effectively to national development.
Afterwards, she taps the keys on the keyboard typing one or two sentences to put together a position paper on an issue of concern to her area.
Faraway in Zabzugu, Ms Mary Tagba, who is the Presiding Member for the Zabzugu-Tatale district assembly, is busily chatting with some personal contacts on one of these social networking sites. She is sharing her experiences with these contacts and gathering some feedback to enhance her performance.
This is how the Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS) is using ICT to build the capacities of women to participate effectively in the information society and by so doing, GINKS is bridging the information literacy gap between men and women.
Elizabeth and Mary are among the 21 elected assembly women in the Northern Region who benefitted from a 5-day intensive training programme in Information Literacy organised by GINKS, with funding from the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).
These are women who initially found the computer too fearsome to get close to and allowed their male counterparts to intimidate them with ICTs.
Today, they are not just using the computer to type and store their documents, but also surfing the internet for information that could support them in finding solutions to the challenges facing their respective areas.
In this ‘information society’, assembly women certainly need these skills to enable them monitor what is happening in others part of the world and stay informed to enable them contribute more positively to national debate.
So click by click, these women, who are expected to deliver to expectation to justify women’s abilities, have now found a new partner to champion the course of women empowerment.
The new clichés among these assembly women is: “women can use the computer just as their male counterparts” and “women are as informed as the men are.”
“This is one of the best trainings we have had as assembly women. I can now open an email account and a website and do case studies,” the assembly woman for the Fungu electoral area in the West Mamprusi district stated at the end of the training.
She opined that through such training programmes, women would become more informed and participate actively and intelligently in the development process.
Indeed, assembly women are expected to play essential roles in their respective communities, but most often they lack the information literacy skills that are vital for influencing policy decision making in favour of their constituents.
Apart from being responsible for informing their constituents on the programmes and policies of the government, they are also expected to lobby the assembly to give the community its share of development projects.
The training by GINKS has therefore built the capacity of the assembly women to recognise when information and networking is needed and how to gather and organise such information and networks to present a good case.
According to the facilitators of the training programme, Mr Joseph Kpetigo, who is the Assistant Coordinator of GINKS and Mr John Stephen Agbenyo, Director of Savana Signatures, the women were also trained to understand the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of information.
“We have trained them to critically evaluate any information they access and its sources. For every website, they must know who publishes the content, for what ends and when the content was posted,” stated Mr Agbenyo.
With these skills, assembly women in the Northern Region are now better placed to assert themselves and contribute more effectively to national development.
TWO NGOs INITIATE ORGANIC COMPOSTING PROJECT (AUG 15, 2011, PAGE 30)
AGRICULTURAL scientists have noted that the use of organic manure promotes sustainable agriculture as it enhances soil efficiency and crop yield without causing any harm to the environment.
It is therefore heart-warming to see agricultural scientists making significant inroads towards introducing newer and more effective methods of producing organic fertilizer.
It is even gratifying to find that some of these scientists are helping Ghanaian farmers to learn and adopt these new methods to increase their yield.
Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are helping farmers in Tamale and other parts of the Northern Region, most of whom are struggling with low yields, to adopt these methods.
The two NGOs are touting the recycling of household waste, farm residue and other organic waste as one of the effective methods of producing high quality fertilizer.
The Abokoby Society Switzerland (ASS), one of the NGOs, combines fine-grained charcoal waste with soil to form organic manure. It is produced by heating these organic materials up to 300-700 degrees Celsius in the absence of oxygen.
During the heating process, organic molecules are partially cracked thereby releasing gases and vapour from the organic matter. The residual matter after the pyrolysis of these organic materials is what is called biochar.
When wood is the only material that is decomposed through this heating procedure, the final product from the kiln is called charcoal. In fact, this technique is what is used by rural charcoal producers in their earth mounted kilns.
In fact, agricultural scientists have noted that organic materials such as grass, organic household waste, manure or industrial waste products like saw dust, rice husks or nutshells could be used to produce biochar when they undergo pyrolysis.
According to Mr Felix Jenny, who is the ASS representative for the biochar project, his organisation first applied the biochar method in Ghana in 2009.
“The first test was carried out in Accra, but the success rate was low. Follow-up tests were carried out on different soils in the Tamale area in 2009 and 2010 and these were successful,” Jenny stated.
The other NGO, DeCo, produces compost by recycling organic waste that is collected from households, restaurants and hotels.
After gathering these waste materials, the NGO mixes them with other organic materials, such as chicken and pig manure, which are of high quality. This is done in order to optimize the proportion between carbon and nitrogen content.
The organic materials are remixed periodically for a few weeks so as to aerate it for better composting.
Afterwards, the compost formed from this mixture is transferred from outer space to an enclosed place, such as a warehouse, and allowed to mature under controlled conditions, without being affected by the weather.
The final product is then packed into 35kg bags and sold at the market.
Both the ASS and DeCo are currently undertaking joint tests to achieve better results with these methods.
Mr Peter Billa, who is a local representative for the ASS in Tamale, told the Daily Graphic that not all soil types in Ghana are qualified for the new biochar method, “so the tests would also seek to determine which soils are suitable.”
He said so far the soil test results had shown that soils in the Tamale area were suitable for the biochar method or a mixture of both the biochar and compost methods.
It is expected that wherever these sustainable organic methods are successfully applied within Ghana, soil fertility and crop output will rise because these types of compost have higher nutrients for soil fertility.
“I have tried these new methods and I think they are very effective. They are inexpensive and every serious farmer needs to try it,” Alhaji Ibrahim Taimako, a commercial farmer said in an interview.
Hopefully, farmers would generate more income and rural poverty could be reduced significantly.
One can only hope that farmers adopt these methods and that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) finds it worthwhile to promote the use of organic manure as a better option to chemical fertilizer.
It is therefore heart-warming to see agricultural scientists making significant inroads towards introducing newer and more effective methods of producing organic fertilizer.
It is even gratifying to find that some of these scientists are helping Ghanaian farmers to learn and adopt these new methods to increase their yield.
Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are helping farmers in Tamale and other parts of the Northern Region, most of whom are struggling with low yields, to adopt these methods.
The two NGOs are touting the recycling of household waste, farm residue and other organic waste as one of the effective methods of producing high quality fertilizer.
The Abokoby Society Switzerland (ASS), one of the NGOs, combines fine-grained charcoal waste with soil to form organic manure. It is produced by heating these organic materials up to 300-700 degrees Celsius in the absence of oxygen.
During the heating process, organic molecules are partially cracked thereby releasing gases and vapour from the organic matter. The residual matter after the pyrolysis of these organic materials is what is called biochar.
When wood is the only material that is decomposed through this heating procedure, the final product from the kiln is called charcoal. In fact, this technique is what is used by rural charcoal producers in their earth mounted kilns.
In fact, agricultural scientists have noted that organic materials such as grass, organic household waste, manure or industrial waste products like saw dust, rice husks or nutshells could be used to produce biochar when they undergo pyrolysis.
According to Mr Felix Jenny, who is the ASS representative for the biochar project, his organisation first applied the biochar method in Ghana in 2009.
“The first test was carried out in Accra, but the success rate was low. Follow-up tests were carried out on different soils in the Tamale area in 2009 and 2010 and these were successful,” Jenny stated.
The other NGO, DeCo, produces compost by recycling organic waste that is collected from households, restaurants and hotels.
After gathering these waste materials, the NGO mixes them with other organic materials, such as chicken and pig manure, which are of high quality. This is done in order to optimize the proportion between carbon and nitrogen content.
The organic materials are remixed periodically for a few weeks so as to aerate it for better composting.
Afterwards, the compost formed from this mixture is transferred from outer space to an enclosed place, such as a warehouse, and allowed to mature under controlled conditions, without being affected by the weather.
The final product is then packed into 35kg bags and sold at the market.
Both the ASS and DeCo are currently undertaking joint tests to achieve better results with these methods.
Mr Peter Billa, who is a local representative for the ASS in Tamale, told the Daily Graphic that not all soil types in Ghana are qualified for the new biochar method, “so the tests would also seek to determine which soils are suitable.”
He said so far the soil test results had shown that soils in the Tamale area were suitable for the biochar method or a mixture of both the biochar and compost methods.
It is expected that wherever these sustainable organic methods are successfully applied within Ghana, soil fertility and crop output will rise because these types of compost have higher nutrients for soil fertility.
“I have tried these new methods and I think they are very effective. They are inexpensive and every serious farmer needs to try it,” Alhaji Ibrahim Taimako, a commercial farmer said in an interview.
Hopefully, farmers would generate more income and rural poverty could be reduced significantly.
One can only hope that farmers adopt these methods and that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) finds it worthwhile to promote the use of organic manure as a better option to chemical fertilizer.
SCHOOL HEADS UNDERGO ICT TRAINING (AUG 15, 2011, PAGE 30)
TWENTY (20) selected head teachers of schools in the Tamale metropolis have benefited from a three-week intense practical training programme in Information Communication and Technology (ICT).
This is part of a series of training programmes designed to sharpen the skills of teachers in ICT to enable them support school children to appreciate ICT as a necessary tool for advancement.
The programme is being spearheaded by an ICT-based non-governmental organisation, Savannah Signatures (Savsign), in partnership with the Community Outreach Programme of the Radboud University in the Netherlands.
The head teachers, many of whom conceded they had little or no experience with ICT, were taken through the basics of ICT.
The areas tackled included basic ICT knowledge about hardware and software, typing skills, mouse movement and the use of Microsoft Office tools and the Internet.
The Director for Savana Signatures, Mr John Stephen Agbenyo said the training was largely practical so as to build the capacity of the teachers to incorporate ICT into the administration of their respective schools.
He noted that with Microsoft excel, the computing of students’ marks and the balancing of school accounts will be much easier and more convenient.
“This can improve upon teaching and learning, increase productivity through effective administration and eventually translate into good academic performance of students,” he added.
Mr Agbenyo mentioned that the head teachers could now access the pool of knowledge and opportunities on the internet at virtually no cost, while at the same time saving time and energy.
He commended them for the commitment they exhibited throughout the course and reiterated the commitment of Savsign to continue working towards mainstreaming ICTs into education by empowering teachers to play a lead role.
The course trainers, Robbin Janssen and Iris van Kesteren, from the Radboud University, said they were thrilled about the progress made by the heads within the three weeks of training.
“It is important that you (the teachers) constantly put what you have learnt into practice because that is the sure way not to forget,” Kesteren remarked.
The beneficiaries were full of appreciation for the training course, noting that it had demystified the computer for them because hitherto, they saw the computer as a complex and inexpensive machine that could be operated only by experts.
“Each day, we were embarrassed because of our lack of knowledge in ICT,” the Headmistress of Bishop’s Junior High School (JHS) stated.
“Today, apart from also using the computer in my office to compute academic records, I can go onto the internet to do research and operate an email account,” he added.
This is part of a series of training programmes designed to sharpen the skills of teachers in ICT to enable them support school children to appreciate ICT as a necessary tool for advancement.
The programme is being spearheaded by an ICT-based non-governmental organisation, Savannah Signatures (Savsign), in partnership with the Community Outreach Programme of the Radboud University in the Netherlands.
The head teachers, many of whom conceded they had little or no experience with ICT, were taken through the basics of ICT.
The areas tackled included basic ICT knowledge about hardware and software, typing skills, mouse movement and the use of Microsoft Office tools and the Internet.
The Director for Savana Signatures, Mr John Stephen Agbenyo said the training was largely practical so as to build the capacity of the teachers to incorporate ICT into the administration of their respective schools.
He noted that with Microsoft excel, the computing of students’ marks and the balancing of school accounts will be much easier and more convenient.
“This can improve upon teaching and learning, increase productivity through effective administration and eventually translate into good academic performance of students,” he added.
Mr Agbenyo mentioned that the head teachers could now access the pool of knowledge and opportunities on the internet at virtually no cost, while at the same time saving time and energy.
He commended them for the commitment they exhibited throughout the course and reiterated the commitment of Savsign to continue working towards mainstreaming ICTs into education by empowering teachers to play a lead role.
The course trainers, Robbin Janssen and Iris van Kesteren, from the Radboud University, said they were thrilled about the progress made by the heads within the three weeks of training.
“It is important that you (the teachers) constantly put what you have learnt into practice because that is the sure way not to forget,” Kesteren remarked.
The beneficiaries were full of appreciation for the training course, noting that it had demystified the computer for them because hitherto, they saw the computer as a complex and inexpensive machine that could be operated only by experts.
“Each day, we were embarrassed because of our lack of knowledge in ICT,” the Headmistress of Bishop’s Junior High School (JHS) stated.
“Today, apart from also using the computer in my office to compute academic records, I can go onto the internet to do research and operate an email account,” he added.
DOES THE PRESIDENT EAT LOCAL RICE (AUG 13, 2011, PAGE 10)
THE President of Bolivia, Evo Morales was reported to have introduced a new legislation in his country, which aims at ensuring food security in that country.
“Under the plan, state-owned companies will be set up to produce seeds and fertilisers,” a recent BBC report read.
It further revealed that the Bolivian government plans to invest $5billion, over a 10-year period, in providing credits to small farmers in order to bring about a food revolution to ensure that Bolivians can feed themselves for generations to come.
What a wise decision by a man who has been criticised so much by the West – a man who wants his people to move from simply being players in consumption to actors in production.
He certainly wants his country to avoid the situation in Ghana where we import several thousand tonnes of rice, although we grow rice.
As at 2009, it was estimated that local rice production accounted for only 30 per cent of rice demand and that, to make up for the shortfall, the country was importing several tonnes of rice worth $500m.
Various initiatives, such as the Rice Sector Support programme, have been implemented by the government and private sector in a bid to promote the local rice industry.
From Fievie in the Volta Region all the way to Nasia in the Northern Region, various rice farms are blossoming as a result of public private partnerships.
However, one thing still remains missing in all these efforts, which is the worry of this writer.
All the efforts being made to improve local rice production would amount to zilch if the produce is neither consumed by the Ghanaian community nor of value to the international market.
How many Ghanaians, especially those within the high and middle income groups, consume our local rice?
The farm in Fieve, for instance, expects to yield 20,000 tonnes of rice by 2012 for the Ghanaian market. Is there a Ghanaian market when it comes to local rice?
The problem is not that the rice does not meet demand, but that the little that is even produced is not in high demand.
Would there be the need for the National Food Buffer Stock Company to mop up excess rice produce if indeed our local rice production falls short of demand.
Last year, this company stored about 7000 metric tonnes of rice, as was indicated by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwabena Duffour in the 2011 Bugdet Statement. How can something that is in shortage get into excess.
So, if the country even increases rice production to meet 50 per cent of demand, as the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama once indicated, many Ghanaians would still be consuming imported rice.
Have we not realised that in Ghana, we import almost everything that we have the potential and advantage to produce: ranging from furniture, food to toothpicks.
We even pretend to be helping the youth by training them in vocational and technical skills and, yet, we are unwilling to purchase the items they produce.
Is that not the reason why many of our youth are studying marketing, because we have become specialists in marketing other people’s products?
What is even more troubling is the attitude of many of our leaders when it comes to patronising locally-made products. It appears they preach one thing and do the other.
They spend huge state resources launching campaigns to promote the consumption and patronage of local food and other products and, yet, go back to their offices and homes to use products exported from other countries.
Of course, it is everybody’s right to purchase whatever product he or she desires, no qualms. However, it is an obligation to lead by example when you ask your flock to act in a particular manner.
Have our leaders not realised that anytime they buy a foreign product, they put Ghanaian taxpayers’ monies in the pockets of producers from those countries.
They also deprive our local industries the cash they need to grow and, then, they reinforce the mindset that anything foreign is good.
For sometime now, I have been looking for the opportunity to ask someone in the castle whether the rice cooked for our president and other officials is the one sourced from the fields that have been tilled by our hardworking farmers.
When we receive foreign dignitaries, what type of food do we serve them? Is it fufu, tuo zafi, tuubani, dawadawa jollof and aprapransa or it is the highly-garnished fatty meals that our visitors are trying hard to relegate in their home countries, which we have adopted with so much zeal.
And do we serve them in our local bowls, like the earthenware bowl, or in imported cutlery.
What about our President’s clothing, are they sewn by our tailors or imported? The chairs and other furniture at the castle, were they contracted to a local artisan or they were procured from one of those big elite shops that retail foreign goods?
If I could get answers to these questions, I would much appreciate it.
As Bob Marley once said, “he, who feels it, knows it.” If the President and his lieutenants were to be consuming local rice, the industry would not be in its current distressful state.
Why, because the government would have made it a priority to build the country’s industrial capacity to produce rice that is of par with international quality and unique to Ghana.
After all, would the President and his dignitaries eat rice that is mixed with chaff, stones and other foreign materials?
At one point in time, the current Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi was quoted by the Daily Graphic as saying that the Agric Ministry was fashioning out a policy or programme that would compel all state institutions, including the presidency, to consume local rice.
What happened to that brilliant initiative, Mr Minister? Did your ministry mean serious business or you were, simply, trying to satisfy news-thirsty journalists.
Whatever the case, it is long over due for the nation to have a policy that makes it compulsory for all state institutions – like public schools, official government residencies and public hospitals – to consume local rice.
Even at state functions, from the district to the national level, when rice is to be served, it must be local rice.
The benefits that we would derive from such a policy are numerous. Our farmers would say goodbye to poverty as they would begin to reap the benefits of their toils.
Ghanaians would begin to consume local rice. The reason being that when government institutions purchase local rice, the producers would get more cash to improve on the packaging and quality of the rice in order to meet the eye and taste of the Ghanaian consumer.
They would have the opportunity to brand Ghana’s rice and let the world know how yummy and nutritious it is.
Many of our youth, who are on a wild goose chase for non-existing white-collar jobs and who are always on the necks of politicians to provide jobs, would move into the business of rice farming.
When we eat the food we grow, we are guaranteed of quality and safety. We would no more eat chemically-produced food that has caused many of our people to develop various types of cancer and other diseases.
Have we not monitored what is happening in Kenya, where the people have raised the red flag at what they believe is their government’s intention to import genetically modified maize, which they describe as poisonous. I hope we would never get into that situation in Ghana.
I remain hopeful that President Mills would act fast to salvage our local rice industry, promote food security and restore our national pride as a nation whose people can feed themselves.
“Under the plan, state-owned companies will be set up to produce seeds and fertilisers,” a recent BBC report read.
It further revealed that the Bolivian government plans to invest $5billion, over a 10-year period, in providing credits to small farmers in order to bring about a food revolution to ensure that Bolivians can feed themselves for generations to come.
What a wise decision by a man who has been criticised so much by the West – a man who wants his people to move from simply being players in consumption to actors in production.
He certainly wants his country to avoid the situation in Ghana where we import several thousand tonnes of rice, although we grow rice.
As at 2009, it was estimated that local rice production accounted for only 30 per cent of rice demand and that, to make up for the shortfall, the country was importing several tonnes of rice worth $500m.
Various initiatives, such as the Rice Sector Support programme, have been implemented by the government and private sector in a bid to promote the local rice industry.
From Fievie in the Volta Region all the way to Nasia in the Northern Region, various rice farms are blossoming as a result of public private partnerships.
However, one thing still remains missing in all these efforts, which is the worry of this writer.
All the efforts being made to improve local rice production would amount to zilch if the produce is neither consumed by the Ghanaian community nor of value to the international market.
How many Ghanaians, especially those within the high and middle income groups, consume our local rice?
The farm in Fieve, for instance, expects to yield 20,000 tonnes of rice by 2012 for the Ghanaian market. Is there a Ghanaian market when it comes to local rice?
The problem is not that the rice does not meet demand, but that the little that is even produced is not in high demand.
Would there be the need for the National Food Buffer Stock Company to mop up excess rice produce if indeed our local rice production falls short of demand.
Last year, this company stored about 7000 metric tonnes of rice, as was indicated by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwabena Duffour in the 2011 Bugdet Statement. How can something that is in shortage get into excess.
So, if the country even increases rice production to meet 50 per cent of demand, as the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama once indicated, many Ghanaians would still be consuming imported rice.
Have we not realised that in Ghana, we import almost everything that we have the potential and advantage to produce: ranging from furniture, food to toothpicks.
We even pretend to be helping the youth by training them in vocational and technical skills and, yet, we are unwilling to purchase the items they produce.
Is that not the reason why many of our youth are studying marketing, because we have become specialists in marketing other people’s products?
What is even more troubling is the attitude of many of our leaders when it comes to patronising locally-made products. It appears they preach one thing and do the other.
They spend huge state resources launching campaigns to promote the consumption and patronage of local food and other products and, yet, go back to their offices and homes to use products exported from other countries.
Of course, it is everybody’s right to purchase whatever product he or she desires, no qualms. However, it is an obligation to lead by example when you ask your flock to act in a particular manner.
Have our leaders not realised that anytime they buy a foreign product, they put Ghanaian taxpayers’ monies in the pockets of producers from those countries.
They also deprive our local industries the cash they need to grow and, then, they reinforce the mindset that anything foreign is good.
For sometime now, I have been looking for the opportunity to ask someone in the castle whether the rice cooked for our president and other officials is the one sourced from the fields that have been tilled by our hardworking farmers.
When we receive foreign dignitaries, what type of food do we serve them? Is it fufu, tuo zafi, tuubani, dawadawa jollof and aprapransa or it is the highly-garnished fatty meals that our visitors are trying hard to relegate in their home countries, which we have adopted with so much zeal.
And do we serve them in our local bowls, like the earthenware bowl, or in imported cutlery.
What about our President’s clothing, are they sewn by our tailors or imported? The chairs and other furniture at the castle, were they contracted to a local artisan or they were procured from one of those big elite shops that retail foreign goods?
If I could get answers to these questions, I would much appreciate it.
As Bob Marley once said, “he, who feels it, knows it.” If the President and his lieutenants were to be consuming local rice, the industry would not be in its current distressful state.
Why, because the government would have made it a priority to build the country’s industrial capacity to produce rice that is of par with international quality and unique to Ghana.
After all, would the President and his dignitaries eat rice that is mixed with chaff, stones and other foreign materials?
At one point in time, the current Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi was quoted by the Daily Graphic as saying that the Agric Ministry was fashioning out a policy or programme that would compel all state institutions, including the presidency, to consume local rice.
What happened to that brilliant initiative, Mr Minister? Did your ministry mean serious business or you were, simply, trying to satisfy news-thirsty journalists.
Whatever the case, it is long over due for the nation to have a policy that makes it compulsory for all state institutions – like public schools, official government residencies and public hospitals – to consume local rice.
Even at state functions, from the district to the national level, when rice is to be served, it must be local rice.
The benefits that we would derive from such a policy are numerous. Our farmers would say goodbye to poverty as they would begin to reap the benefits of their toils.
Ghanaians would begin to consume local rice. The reason being that when government institutions purchase local rice, the producers would get more cash to improve on the packaging and quality of the rice in order to meet the eye and taste of the Ghanaian consumer.
They would have the opportunity to brand Ghana’s rice and let the world know how yummy and nutritious it is.
Many of our youth, who are on a wild goose chase for non-existing white-collar jobs and who are always on the necks of politicians to provide jobs, would move into the business of rice farming.
When we eat the food we grow, we are guaranteed of quality and safety. We would no more eat chemically-produced food that has caused many of our people to develop various types of cancer and other diseases.
Have we not monitored what is happening in Kenya, where the people have raised the red flag at what they believe is their government’s intention to import genetically modified maize, which they describe as poisonous. I hope we would never get into that situation in Ghana.
I remain hopeful that President Mills would act fast to salvage our local rice industry, promote food security and restore our national pride as a nation whose people can feed themselves.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
POLITICS OF INSULTS PROMOTE BAD GOVERNANCE (PAGE 13, AUG 11, 2011)
THE trading of insults among some political activist has been identified as a contributor to bad governance in the country.
According to the Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, politicians have reduced politics to who can overcome the other in trading of insults and have therefore relegated the contest of ideas and solutions required to transform the country.
He also mentioned that the system now rewards those who engage in the use of intemperate language because political parties tend to hail these people and even proceed to offer them public post because they contributed in demonising their opponents.
“Instead of rebuking people with insulting characters, political parties rather glorify them and, by so doing, they endorse the politics of insults,” he stated.
Mr Osei-Darkwa shared these thoughts with the Daily Graphic when he visited Tamale to support the campaign bid of Bice Osei Kufour, aka Obour, who is gunning for Presidency of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
He observed that people who engaged in politics of insults certainly lacked ideas, articulacy and the creativity to govern.
“If you know the topic being discussed, why degenerate into insults,” he asked rhetorically.
Mr Osei-Darkwa expressed worry about the involvement of young people in this negative practice.
“We are beginning to see young political activist engaged in the use of bad language against their opponents, simply because they have been emboldened by the old and experienced politicians,” he noted.
He said the tension being created by these insults would explode in the future and it is the youth who would suffer it.
He entreated the youth not to allow partisan politics to block their sound judgement and to stand up against the politics of insults.
Mr Osei-Darkwa also stressed the need for more organisations in civil society to join the crusade against the use of abusive and insulting language among politicians in the media.
He said sanity could only be instilled by civil society, because they could not be painted in the colours of any political party.
He said politicians could certainly not be the solution because the only way politicians could show their rejection of politics of insult was to publicly shun party faithful who use unprintable words on political opponents, but they have hesitated to do this.
According to the Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, politicians have reduced politics to who can overcome the other in trading of insults and have therefore relegated the contest of ideas and solutions required to transform the country.
He also mentioned that the system now rewards those who engage in the use of intemperate language because political parties tend to hail these people and even proceed to offer them public post because they contributed in demonising their opponents.
“Instead of rebuking people with insulting characters, political parties rather glorify them and, by so doing, they endorse the politics of insults,” he stated.
Mr Osei-Darkwa shared these thoughts with the Daily Graphic when he visited Tamale to support the campaign bid of Bice Osei Kufour, aka Obour, who is gunning for Presidency of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
He observed that people who engaged in politics of insults certainly lacked ideas, articulacy and the creativity to govern.
“If you know the topic being discussed, why degenerate into insults,” he asked rhetorically.
Mr Osei-Darkwa expressed worry about the involvement of young people in this negative practice.
“We are beginning to see young political activist engaged in the use of bad language against their opponents, simply because they have been emboldened by the old and experienced politicians,” he noted.
He said the tension being created by these insults would explode in the future and it is the youth who would suffer it.
He entreated the youth not to allow partisan politics to block their sound judgement and to stand up against the politics of insults.
Mr Osei-Darkwa also stressed the need for more organisations in civil society to join the crusade against the use of abusive and insulting language among politicians in the media.
He said sanity could only be instilled by civil society, because they could not be painted in the colours of any political party.
He said politicians could certainly not be the solution because the only way politicians could show their rejection of politics of insult was to publicly shun party faithful who use unprintable words on political opponents, but they have hesitated to do this.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
RAMADAN LEAVES TAMALE QUITE (PAGE 34, AUG 09, 2011)
IT is 7:00am and the streets of Tamale are quite. Human and vehicular traffic in the central business district is virtually non-existent. Only a few traders and passengers can be seen beginning the day’s activities.
Where have the people gone to? And what about the many food vendors who usually sell in the morning? Have they embarked on a strike action or there is a state of emergency in Tamale.
If you were a first time visitor to Tamale, you would probably be asking yourself these questions, but do not be deceived.
The people of this sprawling city have not travelled out to anywhere and there is neither a boycott by the traders nor any curfew in place. It is Ramadan season and the Muslim-dominated area is still at sleep.
A large number of Muslims in Tamale who wake up at dawn for meals go back to sleep and wake up later in the morning. Therefore, many of them go to work a little late, be it formal or informal workplaces. You may agree with them or criticise them for it, it’s your opinion.
The annual 30-day fasting, which is a critical aspect of the Islamic religion, commenced nationwide on Monday, August 1st, 2011, although not all Muslims in Tamale began on this day.
Depending on one’s faith, fasting could either be an opportunity for one to demonstrate his or her faith through great sacrifice or a difficult period as one has to do without food and water for a long period.
Indeed, fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth in the Islamic calendar, is compulsory upon every Muslim, even though there are exceptions, particularly for people with acute conditions.
To fast means to abstain from food, drinks, sex and immoral conduct for a specified period. Food is usually taken only at dawn and in the evenings.
The essence of fasting is to, among other things, enable Muslims to rededicate their lives to the will of Allah through selfless devotion and also ask for forgiveness.
As early as 3:00am each morning, sounds emanate from homes and mosques in the various neighbourhoods, as calls for prayer and Quranic recitals blare out from loud speakers in the mosques.
Human activities in the various houses combine to create a day-like atmosphere as cooking utensils come into contact with each other, women shout on top of their voices and young people drum to wake others up.
During the day, the actions of many Muslims reflect the fact that we are in Ramadan season.
Apart from dressing wholly and ‘holy’ and avoiding acts such as violence, petty quarrels, gossip and love-making, some Muslims show additional traits that indicates that they are in a fasting mood.
If you are not careful and you irritate the type that show anger due to hunger, you would surely not like their response. Individuals of this type talk less during the fasting season and do not want to be bothered or overworked.
At sunset, the city comes alive, as traffic intensifies due to the hurry of many road users to get home and break the day’s fast.
It’s a spectacle at the various business areas as food vendors and fruits sellers cash in on hungry, moody and anxious Muslims who overwhelm these sellers in their bid to get some meals and fruits to break their fast.
Like Muslims in any part of the world, those in Tamale rely on oranges, bananas, dates, pineapples, mangos and watermelons, depending on the season, to break their fast and boost their appetite for the heavy meals that may follow later in the evening.
In fact, the communal and hospitality spirit of Muslims in Tamale is so high that at break of fast, a Muslim can join other Muslims anywhere in the city to break his or her fast. If nothing at all, you’ll get some ‘koko’ and some oranges.
Equally conspicuous is the gathering of Muslim adherents at various prayer sites. They are not planning any civil or political action, but simply listening to preachers and Islamic recitals.
Aside reminding themselves of Quranic verses, they also believe that this activity helps them to avoid troubles, whilst getting more blessings from Allah.
So, if you find yourself in Tamale between Monday, August 1st and Wednesday, August 31st, join the Muslim community to celebrate this holy month and enjoy the sumptuous meals that may be served on the day of ‘Eid’ul Fitr’.
Where have the people gone to? And what about the many food vendors who usually sell in the morning? Have they embarked on a strike action or there is a state of emergency in Tamale.
If you were a first time visitor to Tamale, you would probably be asking yourself these questions, but do not be deceived.
The people of this sprawling city have not travelled out to anywhere and there is neither a boycott by the traders nor any curfew in place. It is Ramadan season and the Muslim-dominated area is still at sleep.
A large number of Muslims in Tamale who wake up at dawn for meals go back to sleep and wake up later in the morning. Therefore, many of them go to work a little late, be it formal or informal workplaces. You may agree with them or criticise them for it, it’s your opinion.
The annual 30-day fasting, which is a critical aspect of the Islamic religion, commenced nationwide on Monday, August 1st, 2011, although not all Muslims in Tamale began on this day.
Depending on one’s faith, fasting could either be an opportunity for one to demonstrate his or her faith through great sacrifice or a difficult period as one has to do without food and water for a long period.
Indeed, fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth in the Islamic calendar, is compulsory upon every Muslim, even though there are exceptions, particularly for people with acute conditions.
To fast means to abstain from food, drinks, sex and immoral conduct for a specified period. Food is usually taken only at dawn and in the evenings.
The essence of fasting is to, among other things, enable Muslims to rededicate their lives to the will of Allah through selfless devotion and also ask for forgiveness.
As early as 3:00am each morning, sounds emanate from homes and mosques in the various neighbourhoods, as calls for prayer and Quranic recitals blare out from loud speakers in the mosques.
Human activities in the various houses combine to create a day-like atmosphere as cooking utensils come into contact with each other, women shout on top of their voices and young people drum to wake others up.
During the day, the actions of many Muslims reflect the fact that we are in Ramadan season.
Apart from dressing wholly and ‘holy’ and avoiding acts such as violence, petty quarrels, gossip and love-making, some Muslims show additional traits that indicates that they are in a fasting mood.
If you are not careful and you irritate the type that show anger due to hunger, you would surely not like their response. Individuals of this type talk less during the fasting season and do not want to be bothered or overworked.
At sunset, the city comes alive, as traffic intensifies due to the hurry of many road users to get home and break the day’s fast.
It’s a spectacle at the various business areas as food vendors and fruits sellers cash in on hungry, moody and anxious Muslims who overwhelm these sellers in their bid to get some meals and fruits to break their fast.
Like Muslims in any part of the world, those in Tamale rely on oranges, bananas, dates, pineapples, mangos and watermelons, depending on the season, to break their fast and boost their appetite for the heavy meals that may follow later in the evening.
In fact, the communal and hospitality spirit of Muslims in Tamale is so high that at break of fast, a Muslim can join other Muslims anywhere in the city to break his or her fast. If nothing at all, you’ll get some ‘koko’ and some oranges.
Equally conspicuous is the gathering of Muslim adherents at various prayer sites. They are not planning any civil or political action, but simply listening to preachers and Islamic recitals.
Aside reminding themselves of Quranic verses, they also believe that this activity helps them to avoid troubles, whilst getting more blessings from Allah.
So, if you find yourself in Tamale between Monday, August 1st and Wednesday, August 31st, join the Muslim community to celebrate this holy month and enjoy the sumptuous meals that may be served on the day of ‘Eid’ul Fitr’.
TRAFFIC THICKENS IN TAMALE (PAGE 34, AUGUST 09, 2011)
TRAFFIC has over the past few months been building up in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale, as the city, which is considered the third largest in Ghana, is expanding in all spheres.
Initially, the traffic situation in Tamale was free flowing because the roads, which have linked all the suburbs, were rehabilitated and expanded in the 1990s.
Again, the number of vehicles in the city was considerably low, since motorbikes and bicycles were the main means of transportation.
However, the sprawling city has in recent years grown from its compact nature to a large cosmopolitan area with several important institutions and companies.
There are now about 20 banks and a similar number of insurance companies operating in the city. Whiles banks like Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and Barclays Bank have two or more branches, the latest banks to enter the city are Guarantee Trust Bank, Ecobank and Fidelity.
Air traffic is also said to be increasing. According to the Manager of the Tamale airport
As for hotels and guest houses, they are spread in all parts of the city, with some of them competing among the best hospitality companies in the country.
Institutions like the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the countless non-governmental organisations have all contributed to attracting many people to Tamale.
It is therefore not surprising that human traffic has consequently swelled significantly as all these institutions have employees, some of whom were posted to the city from other regions.
Among the population, the wealthy class has equally increased, thereby contributing to an increase in cars.
And also critical is the fact that Tamale is more or less the heartbeat of the three Northern Regions as it serves as the fulcrum for many economic and social activities that occur in the north.
But one thing remains clear in all this. There is an urgent need for all major roads in Tamale to be expanded as the city grows, else Tamale could soon join the likes of Accra and Kumasi, where the traffic situation has become a nightmare.
Initially, the traffic situation in Tamale was free flowing because the roads, which have linked all the suburbs, were rehabilitated and expanded in the 1990s.
Again, the number of vehicles in the city was considerably low, since motorbikes and bicycles were the main means of transportation.
However, the sprawling city has in recent years grown from its compact nature to a large cosmopolitan area with several important institutions and companies.
There are now about 20 banks and a similar number of insurance companies operating in the city. Whiles banks like Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and Barclays Bank have two or more branches, the latest banks to enter the city are Guarantee Trust Bank, Ecobank and Fidelity.
Air traffic is also said to be increasing. According to the Manager of the Tamale airport
As for hotels and guest houses, they are spread in all parts of the city, with some of them competing among the best hospitality companies in the country.
Institutions like the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the countless non-governmental organisations have all contributed to attracting many people to Tamale.
It is therefore not surprising that human traffic has consequently swelled significantly as all these institutions have employees, some of whom were posted to the city from other regions.
Among the population, the wealthy class has equally increased, thereby contributing to an increase in cars.
And also critical is the fact that Tamale is more or less the heartbeat of the three Northern Regions as it serves as the fulcrum for many economic and social activities that occur in the north.
But one thing remains clear in all this. There is an urgent need for all major roads in Tamale to be expanded as the city grows, else Tamale could soon join the likes of Accra and Kumasi, where the traffic situation has become a nightmare.
YOUTH ADVISED AGAINST PARTISAN POLITICS (PAGE 34, AUG 09, 2011)
THE youth in Tamale have been urged not to take the statements and promises of politicians hook, line and sinker.
According to the Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, the youth form a major power bloc and therefore must assert themselves and ensure that their needs were met.
Interacting with some youth in Tamale, Mr Osei-Darkwa challenged them not to let partisan politics mislead them into simply being followers of politicians who do not serve the general good of the society and the youth in particular.
“You may have sympathies for party ‘A’ or ‘B’, but remember that if you allow these parties to destroy our nation, you would suffer it,” he stated.
He said instead of allowing politicians to decide the future of the youth, the youth must rather get involved and lead in shaping their future.
“It is our future, not theirs. Today is for them and tomorrow for us. So if we do not build it the way we like it, they would destroy it for us,” he stressed.
Mr Osei-Darkwa noted that the 2012 elections presents an opportunity to the youth to speak with one voice and demand answers from politicians who would be seeking their mandate to rule this country.
He said instead of simply cheering to the pledges of politicians, it is high time the youth demanded that politicians outline how they intend to fulfil those promises.
He said it was wrong for the electorate to wait until political parties assume the reins of government before demanding to know how they intend to fulfil their promises.
“You should not accept blank cheques. In 2012, the ‘how’ is going to be paramount and you must push politicians to tell you these ‘how(s)’, else you reject them,” he added.
Mr Osei-Darkwa is the recipient of the Bruce W. Tancrell Peace Award 2011, which was instituted to honour individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to instilling a culture of peace and non-violence.
He was presented with this award in June this year at University of Rhode Island, the United States of America (USA).
Mr Osei-Darkwa’s organisation – Youth Icons Ghana – championed a non-violent campaign in the country in the run up to the 2008 elections through the “One Ghana Peace” project.
According to the Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa, the youth form a major power bloc and therefore must assert themselves and ensure that their needs were met.
Interacting with some youth in Tamale, Mr Osei-Darkwa challenged them not to let partisan politics mislead them into simply being followers of politicians who do not serve the general good of the society and the youth in particular.
“You may have sympathies for party ‘A’ or ‘B’, but remember that if you allow these parties to destroy our nation, you would suffer it,” he stated.
He said instead of allowing politicians to decide the future of the youth, the youth must rather get involved and lead in shaping their future.
“It is our future, not theirs. Today is for them and tomorrow for us. So if we do not build it the way we like it, they would destroy it for us,” he stressed.
Mr Osei-Darkwa noted that the 2012 elections presents an opportunity to the youth to speak with one voice and demand answers from politicians who would be seeking their mandate to rule this country.
He said instead of simply cheering to the pledges of politicians, it is high time the youth demanded that politicians outline how they intend to fulfil those promises.
He said it was wrong for the electorate to wait until political parties assume the reins of government before demanding to know how they intend to fulfil their promises.
“You should not accept blank cheques. In 2012, the ‘how’ is going to be paramount and you must push politicians to tell you these ‘how(s)’, else you reject them,” he added.
Mr Osei-Darkwa is the recipient of the Bruce W. Tancrell Peace Award 2011, which was instituted to honour individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to instilling a culture of peace and non-violence.
He was presented with this award in June this year at University of Rhode Island, the United States of America (USA).
Mr Osei-Darkwa’s organisation – Youth Icons Ghana – championed a non-violent campaign in the country in the run up to the 2008 elections through the “One Ghana Peace” project.
GOVERNMENT TO UPGRADE TAMALE AIRPORT (PAGE 23, AUGUST 08, 2011)
THE Government is sourcing funds to undertake the upgrading of the Tamale Airport to an international status.
The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, who disclosed this, said a team is currently in Brazil negotiating for funds for the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to undertake its programmes, one of which is the upgrading of the Tamale Airport.
“This project is very dear to our hearts and therefore government is on track to ensuring that this project sees the light of day,” he stated.
Mr Mahama was responding to an appeal made by the Acting Regent of Savelugu, Yoo-Naa Mahama for the conversion of the Tamale Airport to an international airport.
The Yoo-Naa made this request when the Veep, as part of a working visit to the Northern Region, made a stop at Savelugu to inspect the progress of work on the Tamale Water Extension Project.
“When the airport is converted to an international airport, it would open up the Savannah region by making it a major export hub for agricultural produce and other commodities,” Mr Mahama stated.
He said however that he could not give an assurance as to when the project would commence, because the funding arrangement was not yet in place.
In his request, the Yoo-Naa indicated that the Northern sector was full of potentials and therefore making the airport international would open the way for investors to tap these potentials.
He said the north could say goodbye to poverty and conflicts, because an international airport would improve agriculture and commerce, which would consequently create jobs and reduce the number of idle youth who are prone to violence.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic, the Manager of the Tamale Airport, Mr Julius Akoboafo noted that making the airport international would certainly have social and economic implications for the north.
“People would be able to make direct flights abroad from Tamale, especially those who embark on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca,” he stated.
Mr Akoboafo mentioned that making the airport international would require extending the runway, building a new terminal and improving upon the existing equipment.
He said currently, about 1500 passengers used the airport on a monthly basis, but hinted that the number would increase tremendously as additional airlines would soon extend their operations to the Tamale airport.
Information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the Tamale Airport was built in 1945 in Nyohini, a suburb of Tamale.
It was however relocated to its current place, near Savelugu, during the era of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Although it was initially meant for the military, it is now being used for both civilian and military activities.
Many individuals and institutions have repeatedly called on the government, both past and present, to upgrade the Tamale Airport to an international airport, but that request is yet to materialise.
The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, who disclosed this, said a team is currently in Brazil negotiating for funds for the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) to undertake its programmes, one of which is the upgrading of the Tamale Airport.
“This project is very dear to our hearts and therefore government is on track to ensuring that this project sees the light of day,” he stated.
Mr Mahama was responding to an appeal made by the Acting Regent of Savelugu, Yoo-Naa Mahama for the conversion of the Tamale Airport to an international airport.
The Yoo-Naa made this request when the Veep, as part of a working visit to the Northern Region, made a stop at Savelugu to inspect the progress of work on the Tamale Water Extension Project.
“When the airport is converted to an international airport, it would open up the Savannah region by making it a major export hub for agricultural produce and other commodities,” Mr Mahama stated.
He said however that he could not give an assurance as to when the project would commence, because the funding arrangement was not yet in place.
In his request, the Yoo-Naa indicated that the Northern sector was full of potentials and therefore making the airport international would open the way for investors to tap these potentials.
He said the north could say goodbye to poverty and conflicts, because an international airport would improve agriculture and commerce, which would consequently create jobs and reduce the number of idle youth who are prone to violence.
In a telephone interview with the Daily Graphic, the Manager of the Tamale Airport, Mr Julius Akoboafo noted that making the airport international would certainly have social and economic implications for the north.
“People would be able to make direct flights abroad from Tamale, especially those who embark on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca,” he stated.
Mr Akoboafo mentioned that making the airport international would require extending the runway, building a new terminal and improving upon the existing equipment.
He said currently, about 1500 passengers used the airport on a monthly basis, but hinted that the number would increase tremendously as additional airlines would soon extend their operations to the Tamale airport.
Information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the Tamale Airport was built in 1945 in Nyohini, a suburb of Tamale.
It was however relocated to its current place, near Savelugu, during the era of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Although it was initially meant for the military, it is now being used for both civilian and military activities.
Many individuals and institutions have repeatedly called on the government, both past and present, to upgrade the Tamale Airport to an international airport, but that request is yet to materialise.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
TAMALE DOWNPOUR LEAVES HOUSES FLOODED (PAGE 18, AUGUST 6, 2011)
A NUMBER of houses and stores in Tamale were flooded on Wednesday morning after a heavy downpour that lasted for about four hours.
The floods occurred in parts of Gumani, Sakasaka, Ward K, Kalpohin, Lamakara, Bomahagu and Fuo.
The main cause of the flooding has been attributed to choked gutters, which have prevented the free flow of running water.
Apart from properties that were soaked, some crops were also destroyed on farmlands that had been inundated.
Operators of shops on the Sakasaka road could be seen mopping their shops and drying their property in the sun after the downpour.
In an interview, the Tamale Metropolitan Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Hajia Abiba Kassim said the extent of damage could not yet be determined at the time of going to press.
“We have been to some of those affected areas, but we are yet unable to tell how widespread the flooding was,” she said.
Hajia Abiba said her outfit had, nonetheless, notified the regional and national offices of the flooding to enable them prepare for any relief assistance.
She expressed worry over the unwillingness of community folk to engage in communal labour aimed at emptying the choked gutters.
“It is unfortunate that the people who dump waste materials into these gutters are not prepared to mobilise and empty these gutters,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the residents of Koblimahagu, Bomahagu and Fuo are worried that a major catastrophe could happen any moment should the rains intensify.
This is because a big drainage that passes through these areas has not been completed and the uncompleted portions continue to expand each rainy season.
During the Wednesday early morning rain, the water in the gutter overflew its banks thereby inundating homes and farms nearby.
The residents therefore want the assembly to expedite action on the completion of the project before any avoidable disaster occurs.
“We are very anxious. All we pray for is for the intensity of the rain to reduce, else we would be in big trouble,” a resident of Bomahagu, Hajia Katumi Alhassan stated.
Already the area lacks roads, electricity, water and sanitation facilities and any flooding disaster could further worsen the plight of the inhabitants.
The floods occurred in parts of Gumani, Sakasaka, Ward K, Kalpohin, Lamakara, Bomahagu and Fuo.
The main cause of the flooding has been attributed to choked gutters, which have prevented the free flow of running water.
Apart from properties that were soaked, some crops were also destroyed on farmlands that had been inundated.
Operators of shops on the Sakasaka road could be seen mopping their shops and drying their property in the sun after the downpour.
In an interview, the Tamale Metropolitan Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Hajia Abiba Kassim said the extent of damage could not yet be determined at the time of going to press.
“We have been to some of those affected areas, but we are yet unable to tell how widespread the flooding was,” she said.
Hajia Abiba said her outfit had, nonetheless, notified the regional and national offices of the flooding to enable them prepare for any relief assistance.
She expressed worry over the unwillingness of community folk to engage in communal labour aimed at emptying the choked gutters.
“It is unfortunate that the people who dump waste materials into these gutters are not prepared to mobilise and empty these gutters,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the residents of Koblimahagu, Bomahagu and Fuo are worried that a major catastrophe could happen any moment should the rains intensify.
This is because a big drainage that passes through these areas has not been completed and the uncompleted portions continue to expand each rainy season.
During the Wednesday early morning rain, the water in the gutter overflew its banks thereby inundating homes and farms nearby.
The residents therefore want the assembly to expedite action on the completion of the project before any avoidable disaster occurs.
“We are very anxious. All we pray for is for the intensity of the rain to reduce, else we would be in big trouble,” a resident of Bomahagu, Hajia Katumi Alhassan stated.
Already the area lacks roads, electricity, water and sanitation facilities and any flooding disaster could further worsen the plight of the inhabitants.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
SAGA OF INSULTS - WHO TAKES THE BLAME (PAGE 7, AUG 03, 2011)
THE Dagombas have a saying that when diarrhoea roams a household for long, its mission is simply to attack the head of the household.
The meaning of this axiom is that when leaders fail to deal adequately with impending danger, they end up getting consumed by these dangers.
The culture of insults has been with us for long. Various political, religious and institutional leaders have been at the receiving end of these verbal blows and we have, as a common people, failed to raise eyebrows.
Today our president, the number one statesman of our land, has become the target.
In fact, many big shots of this country have at one point or the other indulged in this habit of using intemperate language and all we have done is look on as if these people were untouchable.
We have heard top politicians attack the personality, intelligence and academic qualifications of their counterparts in a very trenchant and sarcastic manner.
When it favours a section, they justify it, whiles those who feel affected condemn it. And depending on one’s political disposition, an insult could be seen as fitting or the opposite.
In all these our inaction as a nation of people with shared values of decency has helped institutionalise this culture to the extent that today, the youth even feel alright to use such bad language against elders, so far as they are clad in partisan smocks.
The most regrettable aspect of this insulting trade is that people even get rewarded for it. People become sole proprietors of insults because apparently there is a reward scheme, which is mostly political power or public post.
It appears the more one uses invectives to ridicule and demoralise his or her opponents, the more he is worshipped by his party fellows. It is therefore not surprising that when a party assumes the reins of government, some of the positions are reserved for those who did the dirty job during campaign.
No wonder serial callers, who use intemperate language on radio against their opponents, now have a bargaining chip. The result of all these is that people who do not deserve public office, rather get into these positions and eventually stall progress because, apparently, they lack the expertise and temperament required to run such offices.
The Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa certainly hit the point right when he stated that those who lack ideas and composure are those who reduce national discourse to the trading of invectives. So you can imagine what happens when we put our destiny into the hands of these people.
It is even more disturbing to hear some politicians force Ghanaians to accept that the use of intemperate language could be justified when one is simply doing it for retribution purposes.
I find it very difficult to come to terms with this analogy, simply because two wrongs never make a right. Whether your insult followed another insult or it was the first, the bottom line is that it is an insult.
The fact that you went to steal because somebody also stole from you does not make your act of stealing moral or legal. I therefore cannot fathom why top political leaders allow themselves to be dragged along into the gutter only to defend themselves by saying they had been provoked.
Have our leaders not got scruples? Why should they simply act in uncivilised manners just because they were provoked? It is just like saying that one has respect for womanhood and yet when somebody insults your mother, you also insult that person’s mother. How then do you prove your respect for womanhood?
One thing that remains clear is that, insults though can be cutting and spiting, does not pose real danger to human life. As far as I know, when it rains it does not wash off the spots of the leopard. Similarly insults do not physically injure a person, except for his emotions and perceived reputation.
Therefore, a principled and civil person does not necessarily lose his composure just because he or she has been insulted.
What even baffles me more is the absence of a regulatory mechanism to check the use of abusive language in the media. It appears all we do to tackle these unfortunate incidents is by public condemnation.
All one hears is this or that institution urging people to avoid insults. So, we are now appealing to people’s moral conscience to act well. Even the top echelon of our political leadership is always ‘urging’. When would they be directing and instructing. They have our mandate to bring change, so they should stop acting like toothless bulldogs.
What about the National Media Commission. Of what use is its existence if it cannot instil professionalism into the Ghanaian media industry.
Apart from allowing people to use intemperate language in their newspapers and broadcast networks, media companies further rubs more salt into injuries as they repeat these insults.
Although bringing an issue to light could prompt some discussion, it must also be stated that insulting characters could be relegated and given the coldness they deserve by not even giving them avenues to speak in the media.
In fact, Metro TV deserves commendation for deciding not to read out intemperate language in newspapers during the review of newspaper stories on its Good Morning Ghana show.
Now it is clear, we can simply not rely on politicians to bring sanity, because, apart from they being the ones who stoke the fire, many of them have simply lost the independent mind that is needed to think and talk rightly and progressively.
So the mantle now rests on civil society. And if civil society players also become allies with politicians, then who becomes the independent judge to breathe an air of sanity into this country?
God help our nation.
The meaning of this axiom is that when leaders fail to deal adequately with impending danger, they end up getting consumed by these dangers.
The culture of insults has been with us for long. Various political, religious and institutional leaders have been at the receiving end of these verbal blows and we have, as a common people, failed to raise eyebrows.
Today our president, the number one statesman of our land, has become the target.
In fact, many big shots of this country have at one point or the other indulged in this habit of using intemperate language and all we have done is look on as if these people were untouchable.
We have heard top politicians attack the personality, intelligence and academic qualifications of their counterparts in a very trenchant and sarcastic manner.
When it favours a section, they justify it, whiles those who feel affected condemn it. And depending on one’s political disposition, an insult could be seen as fitting or the opposite.
In all these our inaction as a nation of people with shared values of decency has helped institutionalise this culture to the extent that today, the youth even feel alright to use such bad language against elders, so far as they are clad in partisan smocks.
The most regrettable aspect of this insulting trade is that people even get rewarded for it. People become sole proprietors of insults because apparently there is a reward scheme, which is mostly political power or public post.
It appears the more one uses invectives to ridicule and demoralise his or her opponents, the more he is worshipped by his party fellows. It is therefore not surprising that when a party assumes the reins of government, some of the positions are reserved for those who did the dirty job during campaign.
No wonder serial callers, who use intemperate language on radio against their opponents, now have a bargaining chip. The result of all these is that people who do not deserve public office, rather get into these positions and eventually stall progress because, apparently, they lack the expertise and temperament required to run such offices.
The Executive Director of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa certainly hit the point right when he stated that those who lack ideas and composure are those who reduce national discourse to the trading of invectives. So you can imagine what happens when we put our destiny into the hands of these people.
It is even more disturbing to hear some politicians force Ghanaians to accept that the use of intemperate language could be justified when one is simply doing it for retribution purposes.
I find it very difficult to come to terms with this analogy, simply because two wrongs never make a right. Whether your insult followed another insult or it was the first, the bottom line is that it is an insult.
The fact that you went to steal because somebody also stole from you does not make your act of stealing moral or legal. I therefore cannot fathom why top political leaders allow themselves to be dragged along into the gutter only to defend themselves by saying they had been provoked.
Have our leaders not got scruples? Why should they simply act in uncivilised manners just because they were provoked? It is just like saying that one has respect for womanhood and yet when somebody insults your mother, you also insult that person’s mother. How then do you prove your respect for womanhood?
One thing that remains clear is that, insults though can be cutting and spiting, does not pose real danger to human life. As far as I know, when it rains it does not wash off the spots of the leopard. Similarly insults do not physically injure a person, except for his emotions and perceived reputation.
Therefore, a principled and civil person does not necessarily lose his composure just because he or she has been insulted.
What even baffles me more is the absence of a regulatory mechanism to check the use of abusive language in the media. It appears all we do to tackle these unfortunate incidents is by public condemnation.
All one hears is this or that institution urging people to avoid insults. So, we are now appealing to people’s moral conscience to act well. Even the top echelon of our political leadership is always ‘urging’. When would they be directing and instructing. They have our mandate to bring change, so they should stop acting like toothless bulldogs.
What about the National Media Commission. Of what use is its existence if it cannot instil professionalism into the Ghanaian media industry.
Apart from allowing people to use intemperate language in their newspapers and broadcast networks, media companies further rubs more salt into injuries as they repeat these insults.
Although bringing an issue to light could prompt some discussion, it must also be stated that insulting characters could be relegated and given the coldness they deserve by not even giving them avenues to speak in the media.
In fact, Metro TV deserves commendation for deciding not to read out intemperate language in newspapers during the review of newspaper stories on its Good Morning Ghana show.
Now it is clear, we can simply not rely on politicians to bring sanity, because, apart from they being the ones who stoke the fire, many of them have simply lost the independent mind that is needed to think and talk rightly and progressively.
So the mantle now rests on civil society. And if civil society players also become allies with politicians, then who becomes the independent judge to breathe an air of sanity into this country?
God help our nation.
LOCAL FOODS RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN'S GROWTH (PAGE 11, AUG 02, 2011)
IT is surprising how fast we have adopted meals that were completely foreign to us.
Whiles some of these meals lack adequate nutrients, others are replete with excess fats and oils, thereby posing a danger to human health.
It is therefore not surprising that nutritionists are beginning to urge Ghanaians to go back to their roots – ‘Sankofa’ – and bring back the local foods, which were once the preferred meals in our homes and food joints.
The nutrition experts are particularly touting indigenous foods as a solution to child malnutrition.
According to them, Ghana has enough indigenous foods that have the recommended combination of nutrients to support the growth of children.
These meals are prepared with food items, like moringa, beans, agushi, smoked fish and spinach, which have been found to be rich in nutrients that the body needs for proper growth.
It is in the light of this that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) collaborated with Women in Agric Development from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to demonstrate some of the nutritious meals that we can prepare for children using local foodstuffs.
Nutrition officers and public health nurses drawn from the regional and district levels took part in the activity to enable learn and replicate it in their respective areas.
When I got to the venue, the participants were trying their hands on the various meals and yours truly could certainly not resist a bite or two of ‘kosei’, whiles trying to keep my concentration on the story.
Some of the meals that were prepared included Tuubani, Dawadawa Jollof, Apapransa or yankikal-li (in Dagbani), Wakye, Moringa soup and porridge made from a combination of flour from millet, soya beans and groundnuts.
The Daily Graphic learnt that the promotion of indigenous meals is a key component of the implementation of the Nutrition and Malaria Control for Child Survival Project (NMCCSP) being spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and GHS.
The US$25million project is under the funding of the World Bank and it is aimed at utilising some selected community-based health and nutrition services for children under the age of two and pregnant women in selected districts.
The project commenced in September 2007 and is expected to span a period of five years, by which time all districts in the Northern Region, Upper West, Upper East, Central and Volta regions would have been covered.
The five regions were chosen to benefit from the project due the high prevalence of under-five mortality in those areas, which has been attributed to the high rate of malnutrition and malaria among children in those regions.
In an interview with the Programme Manager of the project, Mrs Hannah Adjei, she indicated that the nutrition officers and public health nurses were expected to replicate these demonstrations in their operational communities.
“They would involve community volunteers and mothers in these demonstrations to ensure that these lessons trickle down to the grassroots,” she said.
She noted that the volunteers were so critical to the programme because they helped the community nurses to teach women, particularly pregnant and lactating mothers, how to prepare these nutritious meals.
Madam Adjei expressed regret over the fact that governments and private sector were not willing to give adequate support to nutrition initiatives simply because the benefits of nutrition could not be instantly quantified or measured.
She mentioned that supporting nutrition efforts would contribute to higher productivity because people who get the right nutrition from childhood grow up to be more productive because they are mentally-sharp and physically stronger.
The nutritionist mentioned that poor nutrition resulted in poor growth, which could result in people looking younger than their age and not showing much brilliance and immunity from diseases as they should.
She also noted that poor nutrition contributes to poverty because stunted children mostly tend not to do well in life and this prevents them from making enough income to get out of the poverty range.
“If we can prevent stunting within the first two years, it would have far-reaching benefits for the child as he or she grows up,” she stressed.
With this project ongoing, one can only hope that these efforts could be sustained and expanded to ensure that Ghanaians really go back for their local meals so as the ensure that the future generation grows more properly.
Whiles some of these meals lack adequate nutrients, others are replete with excess fats and oils, thereby posing a danger to human health.
It is therefore not surprising that nutritionists are beginning to urge Ghanaians to go back to their roots – ‘Sankofa’ – and bring back the local foods, which were once the preferred meals in our homes and food joints.
The nutrition experts are particularly touting indigenous foods as a solution to child malnutrition.
According to them, Ghana has enough indigenous foods that have the recommended combination of nutrients to support the growth of children.
These meals are prepared with food items, like moringa, beans, agushi, smoked fish and spinach, which have been found to be rich in nutrients that the body needs for proper growth.
It is in the light of this that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) collaborated with Women in Agric Development from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to demonstrate some of the nutritious meals that we can prepare for children using local foodstuffs.
Nutrition officers and public health nurses drawn from the regional and district levels took part in the activity to enable learn and replicate it in their respective areas.
When I got to the venue, the participants were trying their hands on the various meals and yours truly could certainly not resist a bite or two of ‘kosei’, whiles trying to keep my concentration on the story.
Some of the meals that were prepared included Tuubani, Dawadawa Jollof, Apapransa or yankikal-li (in Dagbani), Wakye, Moringa soup and porridge made from a combination of flour from millet, soya beans and groundnuts.
The Daily Graphic learnt that the promotion of indigenous meals is a key component of the implementation of the Nutrition and Malaria Control for Child Survival Project (NMCCSP) being spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and GHS.
The US$25million project is under the funding of the World Bank and it is aimed at utilising some selected community-based health and nutrition services for children under the age of two and pregnant women in selected districts.
The project commenced in September 2007 and is expected to span a period of five years, by which time all districts in the Northern Region, Upper West, Upper East, Central and Volta regions would have been covered.
The five regions were chosen to benefit from the project due the high prevalence of under-five mortality in those areas, which has been attributed to the high rate of malnutrition and malaria among children in those regions.
In an interview with the Programme Manager of the project, Mrs Hannah Adjei, she indicated that the nutrition officers and public health nurses were expected to replicate these demonstrations in their operational communities.
“They would involve community volunteers and mothers in these demonstrations to ensure that these lessons trickle down to the grassroots,” she said.
She noted that the volunteers were so critical to the programme because they helped the community nurses to teach women, particularly pregnant and lactating mothers, how to prepare these nutritious meals.
Madam Adjei expressed regret over the fact that governments and private sector were not willing to give adequate support to nutrition initiatives simply because the benefits of nutrition could not be instantly quantified or measured.
She mentioned that supporting nutrition efforts would contribute to higher productivity because people who get the right nutrition from childhood grow up to be more productive because they are mentally-sharp and physically stronger.
The nutritionist mentioned that poor nutrition resulted in poor growth, which could result in people looking younger than their age and not showing much brilliance and immunity from diseases as they should.
She also noted that poor nutrition contributes to poverty because stunted children mostly tend not to do well in life and this prevents them from making enough income to get out of the poverty range.
“If we can prevent stunting within the first two years, it would have far-reaching benefits for the child as he or she grows up,” she stressed.
With this project ongoing, one can only hope that these efforts could be sustained and expanded to ensure that Ghanaians really go back for their local meals so as the ensure that the future generation grows more properly.
NEW SCHOOL BLOCK FOR GUUNAYILI - INSPIRES HOPE IN PUPILS (PAGE 34, AUG 02, 2011)
FOR many children in privileged schools in the country, a new school block could mean nothing new, but this was certainly not the case for pupils of the AME Zion Primary School in Guunayili, a suburb of Tamale.
A glimmer of hope showed in their faces as they sat waiting eagerly to occupy their newly-constructed school block.
It was a ceremony to inaugurate the new block and the atmosphere generated by the children and their parents was enough demonstration of their excitement.
Chiefs, elders, mothers and fathers came to the grounds in their numbers amidst drumming and dancing. The atmosphere was further electrified by some traditional dance and poetry performances from some of the school pupils.
Interestingly, about 400 metres away from this school is the Tamale SOS school compound, which is replete with nice edifices.
So, for the children of the AME Zion Primary, their new beautiful building, which is comparable to the ones at the SOS school, certainly inspires hope.
But more importantly for the children, they could now sit comfortably in separate classrooms and enjoy their lessons. Initially, those in classes 2 and 3 shared the same classroom, whiles those in class 1 sat under a tree in the open space.
This was because their existing three classroom block was simply inadequate to contain all the classes. The primary had a total of 185 pupils, whiles the two Kindergartens had 146 children.
Two institutions deserve the praise for putting a smile on the faces of these little kids and their parents – the Princess Umul Hatiyya (PUH) Foundation and Coca Cola Africa Foundation.
Through the PUH Foundation, Coca Cola funded the construction of the six-classroom block and office, together with other auxiliary facilities at an estimated GH¢100, 844.
The other facilities include kitchen, dinning area, rainwater harvesting system, water storage tank, urinary and toilets.
“We were using the bush anytime we wanted to urinate or go to toilet,” Wahab Barkisu, a class three pupil of the school told the Daily Graphic.
She said she was also happy that they now have a decent place to sit and eat their meals.
The Guunayili AME Zion primary happen to be one of the schools benefiting from the school feeding programme and thus the kitchen and dining seem to be very appropriate.
It can be recollected that the PUH Foundation was formed by Princess Umul Hatiyya, who attracted the headlines in 2009 when she rode a bicycle from Accra to Tamale in a bid to raise funds to support children in deprived communities.
The elated Princess Umul Hatiyya could certainly not hide her joy having made a giant step towards meeting her organisation’s goals.
“I am overjoyed today to see this beautiful edifice. This is a major milestone in the history of our foundation,” she stated.
Princess reiterated the fact that education is the foundation of every developed nation and urged the teachers to be committed and instil in the children the habit of reading.
The Public Affairs and Communications Director of Coca Cola Equatorial Africa, Mr Philippe Ayivor said the project was in line with the company’s “build a school” programme.
He explained that under this programme, the company provides new school structures or renovate existing ones in selected communities each year.
He pleaded with the assembly, the school authorities and the community to ensure that the facilities are properly maintained and not left to deteriorate like many other public buildings.
He said Coca Cola was willing to provide the school with a library and staff common room if the assembly was prepared to bear half the cost.
A glimmer of hope showed in their faces as they sat waiting eagerly to occupy their newly-constructed school block.
It was a ceremony to inaugurate the new block and the atmosphere generated by the children and their parents was enough demonstration of their excitement.
Chiefs, elders, mothers and fathers came to the grounds in their numbers amidst drumming and dancing. The atmosphere was further electrified by some traditional dance and poetry performances from some of the school pupils.
Interestingly, about 400 metres away from this school is the Tamale SOS school compound, which is replete with nice edifices.
So, for the children of the AME Zion Primary, their new beautiful building, which is comparable to the ones at the SOS school, certainly inspires hope.
But more importantly for the children, they could now sit comfortably in separate classrooms and enjoy their lessons. Initially, those in classes 2 and 3 shared the same classroom, whiles those in class 1 sat under a tree in the open space.
This was because their existing three classroom block was simply inadequate to contain all the classes. The primary had a total of 185 pupils, whiles the two Kindergartens had 146 children.
Two institutions deserve the praise for putting a smile on the faces of these little kids and their parents – the Princess Umul Hatiyya (PUH) Foundation and Coca Cola Africa Foundation.
Through the PUH Foundation, Coca Cola funded the construction of the six-classroom block and office, together with other auxiliary facilities at an estimated GH¢100, 844.
The other facilities include kitchen, dinning area, rainwater harvesting system, water storage tank, urinary and toilets.
“We were using the bush anytime we wanted to urinate or go to toilet,” Wahab Barkisu, a class three pupil of the school told the Daily Graphic.
She said she was also happy that they now have a decent place to sit and eat their meals.
The Guunayili AME Zion primary happen to be one of the schools benefiting from the school feeding programme and thus the kitchen and dining seem to be very appropriate.
It can be recollected that the PUH Foundation was formed by Princess Umul Hatiyya, who attracted the headlines in 2009 when she rode a bicycle from Accra to Tamale in a bid to raise funds to support children in deprived communities.
The elated Princess Umul Hatiyya could certainly not hide her joy having made a giant step towards meeting her organisation’s goals.
“I am overjoyed today to see this beautiful edifice. This is a major milestone in the history of our foundation,” she stated.
Princess reiterated the fact that education is the foundation of every developed nation and urged the teachers to be committed and instil in the children the habit of reading.
The Public Affairs and Communications Director of Coca Cola Equatorial Africa, Mr Philippe Ayivor said the project was in line with the company’s “build a school” programme.
He explained that under this programme, the company provides new school structures or renovate existing ones in selected communities each year.
He pleaded with the assembly, the school authorities and the community to ensure that the facilities are properly maintained and not left to deteriorate like many other public buildings.
He said Coca Cola was willing to provide the school with a library and staff common room if the assembly was prepared to bear half the cost.
TAMALE WATER EXTENSION PROJECT ON COURSE (PAGE 34, AUG 02, 2011)
THE Tamale Water Extension Project, which seeks to provide potable water to over 50,000 inhabitants of communities in and around the Tamale metropolis, is on course.
When the project is completed, inhabitants of some communities in the Tamale Metropolis, Savelugu-Nanton district and Tolon-Kumbungu district would have access to clean drinking water.
Implementers of the project, the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), claim that the project is 70 per cent within completion and that they are likely to meet the completion deadline in October.
Already, 72km of pipeline has been laid to 17 farming communities and the Pong Tamale treatment plant is in its final stages of upgrading.
The project, which is funded through the US$547 Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) compact, is being executed by Berock Ventures Ltd, whiles Gauff Ingenieure act as the consultant.
This would contribute significantly to sustaining the gains made in the eradication of guinea worm, which used to be prevalent in these areas.
As part of a working visit to the Northern Region, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama inspected work at one of the project sites and commended the engineers for working tirelessly towards the completion of the project.
He said failure to complete the project within schedule could have repercussions for the country, since the funding support for these projects would be withdrawn when the programme elapses.
The Veep observed that Ghana was selected to benefit from a second compact because it had done well with the utilisation of the first compact.
He said this was why the country must ensure that it delivers all the proposed projects as expected so as to enable it to keep benefiting from such initiatives.
The Chief Operating Officer for MiDA, Mr Matthew Armah, who briefed the Veep, said the water project came into fruition as a result of collaborative efforts between a number of key stakeholders who were eager to bring clean water and sanitation facilities to rural communities, particularly areas where guinea worm was endemic.
“MiDA found these efforts worth supporting because it would assist to achieve improved health, reduce the incidence of illnesses and the loss of productivity due to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation,” he stated.
Mr Armah again noted that the water project formed part of MiDA’s Rural Development Activity, which seeks to provide supplementary facilities such as school infrastructure and electricity to rural farming communities that have already been selected for road infrastructure and agricultural support.
“These investments in social infrastructure will act as catalysts for accelerating agricultural production in the programme’s intervention zones,” he added.
The Acting Regent of Savelugu, Yoo-Naa Mahama commended the government for including Savelugu in the MiDA beneficiary districts, adding that the extension of water to the area was enough to bring joy to the people.
When the project is completed, inhabitants of some communities in the Tamale Metropolis, Savelugu-Nanton district and Tolon-Kumbungu district would have access to clean drinking water.
Implementers of the project, the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), claim that the project is 70 per cent within completion and that they are likely to meet the completion deadline in October.
Already, 72km of pipeline has been laid to 17 farming communities and the Pong Tamale treatment plant is in its final stages of upgrading.
The project, which is funded through the US$547 Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) compact, is being executed by Berock Ventures Ltd, whiles Gauff Ingenieure act as the consultant.
This would contribute significantly to sustaining the gains made in the eradication of guinea worm, which used to be prevalent in these areas.
As part of a working visit to the Northern Region, the Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama inspected work at one of the project sites and commended the engineers for working tirelessly towards the completion of the project.
He said failure to complete the project within schedule could have repercussions for the country, since the funding support for these projects would be withdrawn when the programme elapses.
The Veep observed that Ghana was selected to benefit from a second compact because it had done well with the utilisation of the first compact.
He said this was why the country must ensure that it delivers all the proposed projects as expected so as to enable it to keep benefiting from such initiatives.
The Chief Operating Officer for MiDA, Mr Matthew Armah, who briefed the Veep, said the water project came into fruition as a result of collaborative efforts between a number of key stakeholders who were eager to bring clean water and sanitation facilities to rural communities, particularly areas where guinea worm was endemic.
“MiDA found these efforts worth supporting because it would assist to achieve improved health, reduce the incidence of illnesses and the loss of productivity due to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation,” he stated.
Mr Armah again noted that the water project formed part of MiDA’s Rural Development Activity, which seeks to provide supplementary facilities such as school infrastructure and electricity to rural farming communities that have already been selected for road infrastructure and agricultural support.
“These investments in social infrastructure will act as catalysts for accelerating agricultural production in the programme’s intervention zones,” he added.
The Acting Regent of Savelugu, Yoo-Naa Mahama commended the government for including Savelugu in the MiDA beneficiary districts, adding that the extension of water to the area was enough to bring joy to the people.
MABENGBA PRESENTS NEW FIRE ENGINES TO GNFS (PAGE 34, AUG 02, 2011)
THE Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba has cautioned officers of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the region to take good care of the new fleet of fire equipment that has been acquired for the service by the government.
According to him, efforts at retooling the fire service would yield the little results if the equipment do not stay longer to serve the purpose for which they were provided.
Mr Mabengba gave this caution in Tamale at a ceremony to formally present four new fire-fighting engines to the Northern Regional GNFS.
The GNFS had only three fire engines in the region, but only two were functioning. The four additional engines would thus increase the number to six.
Earlier in May this year, the President, John Evans Atta Mills presented 54 fire engines and other fire-fighting equipment to the GNFS as a major move to enhance the operations of the service.
Mr Mabengba described the effort of government as a step towards fulfilling its ‘Better Ghana Agenda’.
“As you can see, we are certainly on course to resourcing the major institutions in our country to enable them perform their roles effectively and make the lives of Ghanaians better,” he stated.
“We have often underestimated the role of the fire service, but wait until your house or other property is reduced to ashes and you would appreciate the need for this institution to be empowered,” he added.
The Northern Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bawa Kakraba said the new fire engines would be allocated to fire stations in Tamale, Yendi, Walewale and Bole.
“Each fire engine has a water capacity of 2000 gallons or 9000 metres,” he mentioned.
Mr Kakraba thanked the government for its efforts at supporting the service and noted that the new fleet of equipment has boosted the operations of the service.
According to him, efforts at retooling the fire service would yield the little results if the equipment do not stay longer to serve the purpose for which they were provided.
Mr Mabengba gave this caution in Tamale at a ceremony to formally present four new fire-fighting engines to the Northern Regional GNFS.
The GNFS had only three fire engines in the region, but only two were functioning. The four additional engines would thus increase the number to six.
Earlier in May this year, the President, John Evans Atta Mills presented 54 fire engines and other fire-fighting equipment to the GNFS as a major move to enhance the operations of the service.
Mr Mabengba described the effort of government as a step towards fulfilling its ‘Better Ghana Agenda’.
“As you can see, we are certainly on course to resourcing the major institutions in our country to enable them perform their roles effectively and make the lives of Ghanaians better,” he stated.
“We have often underestimated the role of the fire service, but wait until your house or other property is reduced to ashes and you would appreciate the need for this institution to be empowered,” he added.
The Northern Regional Commander of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bawa Kakraba said the new fire engines would be allocated to fire stations in Tamale, Yendi, Walewale and Bole.
“Each fire engine has a water capacity of 2000 gallons or 9000 metres,” he mentioned.
Mr Kakraba thanked the government for its efforts at supporting the service and noted that the new fleet of equipment has boosted the operations of the service.
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