Dr Susan Herlin, 18 years as Tamale's Chief of Friendship

Dr Herlin sitting in state in 1995

ON July 25, 1995, an American scholar of History, Dr Susan J. Herlin was installed as a chief in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.

She was given the title 'Zo-Simli Naa', meaning 'Chief of Friendship'. It was a gesture by the people of Tamale to acknowledge the role she and others played in promoting the sister city relationship that was forged between Tamale and Louisville in the United States (US) in 1979.

By so doing, she became a symbol of this friendship, which has been growing ever since the parties shook hands.

It has been 18 years since this significant ceremony and for Dr Susan, life as a chief has been a humbling and learning experience.

"It has been an important part of my life," she told the Daily Graphic in an interview at her palace.

Tamale Government Secretarial School facing infrastructure challenges

THE Government Secretarial School in Tamale is facing a huge infrastructure deficit which is crippling efforts by the school to expand its programmes and admissions.

For over 60 years since the school was established, no additional infrastructure has been constructed for the school.

The entire school is still housed in a single storey block. Whilst the ground floor is used as a hostel to accommodate some of the students, the rooms at the upper floor serve as the lecture halls, administration and other departments of the school.

Maize yields increase...following application of organic 'biochar' fertilizer

Some of the farmers on their maize farms

THE application of a type of organic fertilizer introduced by soil scientists to smallholder farmers in the Northern Region has led to significant increases in the yields of maize.

Maize produced from the use of this organic fertilizer appeared much bigger as compared to those produced on farms where only chemical fertilizer were applied.

An international organisation, the Abokobi Society of Switzerland (ASS) is distributing this organic fertilizer to farmers in the Northern Region to help them improve the soils on their farmlands and consequently increase their yields.

It is produced through a combination of fine-grained charcoal, known as biochar, and organic waste, such as chicken manure, shea butter waste and household organic waste.