NDUOM SUPPORTS TAMALE CPP OFFICE

  (Daily Graphic, Oct 17, 2011, Page 12)

THE 2008 Presidential Aspirant for the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paapa Kwesi Ndoum has thrown his weight behind efforts to revamp the party’s structures in the Northern Region.

This is to help the party reinvigorate its grassroots and effectively co-ordinate its campaign activities in the region as election 2012 approaches.

In line with this commitment, Dr Ndoum over the weekend presented a number of building materials to the Northern Regional executives of the CPP at a short ceremony at the party’s makeshift office in Tamale.

The donation, he explained, was to help the executives construct a permanent office for the CPP in the Northern Region.

“One of the things that did not help us in 2008 was that many of the voters could not contact our party’s executives because they could not find our party’s offices,” Dr Ndoum stated.

“That is why I have taken it upon myself to help the party build its structures in all parts of the country before the next election,” he added.

Dr Ndoum revealed that he was supporting the rebuilding of the party’s offices in over 50 constituencies in the country, adding that the reorganisation of polling stations would follow soon.

He said he was happy that the Northern Regional executives were desirous of building a new and permanent party structure, noting that such a move would help the party in the long run.

Dr Ndoum described criticisms that he was helping the party in order to boost his bid for re-election as the party’s flag-bearer for 2012 as misplaced, stressing that it should be the priority of every party member to support the party’s rebuilding.

“There are people who tell you what they would do for the party when they win power and there are people who would do it now. Which one do you prefer,” he asked rhetorically.

On his plans to contest the presidential primaries of the CPP, Dr Ndoum said he would make his intentions clear this week, but noted that he was sure if he contests, he would be the preferred candidate of the delegates because he had proven his abilities to spearhead the party’s comeback.

He rejected calls for the CPP to focus only on the parliamentary contest, saying that “being in Parliament, but not in government is not interesting. We must go to the flagstaff house in 2012.”

On his part, the Northern Regional Chairman of the CPP, Alhaji Issah Zorro commended Dr Ndoum for his endeavour to rebuild the CPP.

He said the party was definitely on a path of revival and the executives in the region were working tirelessly to support this process.

WFP BUILDS CAPACITY OF RICE, COWPEA FARMERS (Daily Graphic, Oct 15, 2011, Page 22)

THE World Food Programme (WFP) is building the capacities of rice and cowpea farmers in some parts of the Northern Region to become competitive players in the agricultural value chains.

This forms a core component of the Purchase for Progress (P4P) programme, which the WFP is implementing in 21 countries around the world, with the aim to improve the lives of smallholder low income farmers.

Under the P4P programme, the farmers are supported to produce high quality foodstuffs and to access markets for their produce.

In line with the implementation of this programme, the WFP organised a training programme in Tamale for over 500 rice and cowpea farmers from the Tamale metropolis and Tolon-Kumbungu district.

The farmers, both male and females, received training on how to apply agronomic practices to get good quality yield, how to reduce post harvest losses and how to negotiate for fair prices.

They were also sensitised to the WFP’s traditional local procurement rules and regulations to enable them join the list of local suppliers who provide food for the WFP’s programmes in Ghana.

The WFP is currently undertaking a number of activities which includes assistance to the School Feeding Programme, humanitarian aid support to refugees, a take-home food rations initiative for girls and food for assets and training initiative.

In a statement read on his behalf at the training programme, the WFP Country Director, Mr Ismail Omer noted that in Ghana the P4P programme had been structure to address some of the major constraints facing smallholder farmers.

These setbacks, he mentioned, include low productivity, poor market infrastructure and inadequate market access.

Mr Omer said, this year, a total of 1300 low income farmers selected from a number of farmer-based organisations in the Ejura-Sekyedumasi district in the Ashanti Region and Tamale and Tolon-Kumbungu district in the Northern Region were benefiting from the programme.

“Apart from building their capacity, WFP’s P4P initiative is also working to ensure that smallholder/low-income farmer organisations are provided with simple modern farm implements to help them increase their production,” he stated.

He said the ultimate goal of the P4P programme was to increase the income levels of farmers, improve food security and nutrition and reduce poverty in farming communities.

In an interview, some of the beneficiary farmers identified irregular rains, weeds, lack of fertiliser and difficulties in land preparation as some of the setbacks that bedevilled their farming activities.

“If the WFP can help us to address these challenges, then we are hopeful of increasing production,” Mma Fati, a cowpea farmer, stated.

LAZY NYEP EMPLOYEES TO FACE SANCTIONS (Daily Graphic, Oct 13, 2011, Page 13)

EMPLOYEES of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in the Northern Region who are apathetic towards their duties are to face sanctions.

The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr San Nasamu Asabigi gave this warning in Tamale at the graduation ceremony of trainees under the hairdressing module.

According to him, the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) have received numerous complaints from various heads of institutions that some of the NYEP beneficiaries were toying with their duties.

“The complaints are getting too much and so we have now asked the heads to file formal complaints against anyone who is engaged in such behaviour so we could sanction the fellow,” he stated.

The deputy minister mentioned that whiles some of the employees were said to be disrespectful and lazy towards work, others either failed to report for duty or always reported late.

He said some of those who have been engaged under the teaching and health assistants’ modules were reportedly absenting themselves from work and, whenever they do, they lacked decorum in their approach to clients and superiors.

Mr Nasamu disapproved of such behaviour and reminded the NYEP beneficiaries to be mindful of the fact that they were being paid from the public purse and were enjoined, therefore, to serve the nation.

“You are the lucky ones who have been selected among thousands of unemployed youth. I therefore see no reason why you should joke with this opportunity as if you are not accountable to anyone,” he remarked.

The deputy minister noted that the idea behind the training of the youth was to enable them develop entrepreneurial skills and become self-employed and independent.

He said it was therefore inappropriate for government to pump in resources into this training, only for the beneficiaries to relax afterwards.

He entreated the graduates to link up with financial institutions and have access to capital to enable them start their own businesses.

He also cautioned the young females not to rush into marriage commitments that would impede their progress.

PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURE CAN WIN 2012 ELECTIONS FOR NDC - Dr Sugri (Daily Graphic, Oct 8, 2011, Page 13)

THE Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nalerigu/Gambaga, Dr Alfred Tia Sugri has indicated that the progress made in agriculture would win the December 2012 elections for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, the achievements of the NDC in the agricultural sector would be a major bargaining chip for the NDC during the elections, because “it shows how efficient our government has been in improving food production and promoting the welfare of farmers.”

He said the progress made in agriculture was overwhelming and this had reflected in the rise in food production, the stability of food prices and the increase in cash crops.

Dr Tia Sugri made these remarks at a durbar held in Lengbinsi in the East Mamprusi district of the Northern Region, during which the sod was cut for the commencement of work on the Walewale-Gambaga road.

He told his constituents, particularly farmers, women and the youth, to strive to benefit from the various agricultural programmes that the government had implemented.

Dr Tia Sugri mentioned the 30 per cent subsidy on agricultural machinery and the 50 per cent subside of fertiliser as two of the programmes that had contributed positively to the progress made in agriculture.

“As farmers, you can own your farm implements through the subsidy programme. You can acquire tractors, planters and harvesters to facilitate land preparation, planting and harvesting,” he stated.

Dr Tia Sugri also mentioned the block farm concept, which he noted had “produced a lot of impetus for food production and has reduced poverty considerably in the Mamprusi area.”

He said the programme had encouraged many people, especially the youth, to go into agriculture because of the support and attention that the government had given to the programme.

The Deputy Agric Minister again pointed out that the law establishing the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) had been amended by Parliament to allow the fund to give out concessionary loans to farmers.

“The fund now makes loans available to farmers at 12.5 per cent, which is far lower than commercial rates of many banks,” he noted.

He hinted of more enhanced packages for farmers if the NDC is retained into office, explaining that the government was currently exploring better ways of improving the lot of farmers.

Dr Tia Sugri however cautioned farmers in the Mamprugu area to avoid the practice of smuggling subsidised fertiliser to neighbouring countries.

He described those who were involved in the practice as betrayers of the nation, adding that “you are stabbing yourselves in the back because if this programme fails, farmers would lose.”

WOMEN IN BUIPE MARCH FOR PEACE - Canadian High Commissioner joins (Daily Graphic, Oct 4, 2011, Page 11)

THE Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Trudy Kernighan over the weekend joined women from the two feuding factions in the chieftaincy dispute in Buipe in the Northern Region to hold a peace march.

The march, organised by the West African Network for Peace-building (WANEP), Ghana, and the Canadian High Commission, was expected to put pressure on the factions to resolve their differences and let there be peace in Buipe.

Buipe has experienced some uneasy calm on a number of occasions due to a protracted chieftaincy dispute between the Jinapor and Lebu gates.

Women leaders from the two gates noted that the conflict was retarding development in Buipe and this impacted negatively on the lives of women and children.

Ms Mankari Barchisu Kinshiwuripe of the Lebu gate told the Daily Graphic that women in Buipe could not undertake their economic activities anytime the conflict turned violent.

“When we do not engage in economic activities, we won’t get income to take care of our families and we would remain poor,” she said, adding that women from the Lebu gate were ever prepared to dialogue with their colleagues from the other side so as to bring lasting peace to Buipe.

A representative of the Jinapor gate, Ms Mariama Yakubu said women from the Jinapor gate were equally prepared to dialogue with their counterparts from the other side.

“We can only make progress when we sit together and talk, bring out the issues from our hearts and find the way forward. We are tired of the fighting,” she stated.

A board member of WANEP-Ghana, Mr Theophilus Dokurugu described the march as very significant and historic.

He said the peace march was not an idea of WANEP-Ghana, but that of the women of Buipe, adding that they made the decision to undertake the march at the close of a dialogue meeting held some weeks earlier.

“For the women themselves to choose to embark on a march to demonstrate their dislike for the conflict and their love for peace is an indication of their preparedness to resolve their differences,” he noted.

On her part, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana said the march was a reflection of how women could actively promote peace and dialogue, instead of always claiming to be victims.

“My greatest hope is that we have motivated the rest of the community in Buipe to move forward and resolve to peacefully settle the ongoing dispute,” she intimated.

EPA REVIEWS DRAFT GENDER MAINSTREAMING STRATEGY (Daily Graphic, Oct 4, 2011, Page 11)

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing a draft gender mainstreaming strategy which is to ensure that both men and women benefit equitably from various interventions aimed at reversing and mitigating the impact of desertification.

It would also ensure that women, just as their male counterparts, are involved at all levels of decision-making with regards to natural resource and environmental governance.

The main objective of the strategy, known as the Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan (GESAP), is to mainstream gender perspectives into the implementation of the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP).

As part of the review of the gender strategy, the EPA and the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) organised a stakeholders’ forum in Tamale to seek views to enrich the document.

A number of environmentalists, representatives of non-governmental organisations and heads of institutions attended the forum.

It was acknowledged at the forum that although women played vital roles in ensuring food security at the household and community levels, they had limited or no access to land, inputs, finances, technologies and expertise.

Again, it was noted that the impact of desertification on women and children in rural communities would be graver because access to water, foodstuffs and firewood would become increasingly difficulty.

The participants thereby stressed the need for the strategy to ensure that women benefit adequately from alternate livelihood and adaptation schemes.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Acting Executive Director of the EPA, Mr Daniel Amlalo said the strategy was prepared by a National Gender Committee which was constituted by the EPA in its bid to effectively address the issue of gender equality in the implementation of GEMP.

The committee, he noted, had representatives from various institutions, including the EPA, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, National Development Planning Commission and Water Resources Commission.

Mr Amlalo explained that gender mainstreaming was important at all levels because socio-economic development, because women, men and youth play essential roles in the management of natural resources, including soil, water, forests and energy.

“The integration of gender into the GEMP would therefore ensure the full realization of the project goal in terms of outputs, impacts and outcome,” he stated.

The GEMP is a five-year project aimed at reversing desertification in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions by building the capacities of communities and environmental institutions.

The project, which started in 2008, is already in its fourth year, but many environmentalists are very sceptical about its success at the grassroots level.

EDIF PROVIDES FUNDING FOR MANGO CULTIVATION (Daily Graphic, Oct 4, 2011, Back Page)

THE Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) has provided funds for the cultivation of over five thousand (5000) acres of mango plantations in the Brong Ahafo, Volta, Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions this year.

This is to give meaning to the government’s plans to champion mango cultivation in the Savannah areas and other parts of the country as a mechanism to increase farmer incomes and combat rural poverty.

Already, EDIF has invested over GH¢11.7 million into the project and its goal is to ensure that a total of 20,000 acres of mango plantations are cultivated by 2013.

The Board Chairman of EDIF, Prof Francis Dodoo made this know at an interactive meeting with beneficiary farmers of the EDIF mango project.

The meeting was organised to enable the board and management of EDIF have first hand information of the requirements of the farmers involved in the project so as to address these needs and facilitate the execution of the project.

Prof Dodoo noted that the fund had engaged some consultants in June, 2011 to visit and inspect the progress of work on the various farms.

“Based on the recommendations from that exercise, appropriate steps had been taken to ensure that the fund gives you the necessary support to ensure the success of the project,” he stated.

Prof Dodoo mentioned that between 2009 and 2010, a total of 6,600 acres was cultivated and that 39 farmers had been selected for the 2011 planting season.

He said EDIF was considering how it could extend further support to the farmers who had established their farms during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, so that the farms would be well maintained to flourish.

The Board Chairman again noted that although the Fund had no plans to acquire inputs for the farmers, it intended to ensure that the inputs acquired were standard.

“We have started discussions about how we might facilitate this process by perhaps advertising and screening suppliers of inputs, so that we can make available to the farmers, the qualified suppliers’ list,” he said.

Prof Dodoo also did not mince words in cautioning the farmers not to listen to rumours that sought to suggest that the board and the new management of EDIF were not interested in the success of the project.

“Nobody in EDIF is interested in the failure of the project. For this project to succeed, we need to build trust between us,” he intimated.

The farmers raised a number of concerns including the difficulties in acquiring land, the cost of land preparation, the cost of engaging technical personnel and casual workers and the lack of irrigation.

A former Northern Regional Minster, Prince Imoro Andani, who is also a mango farmer, suggested the need to locate some of the mango farms closer to each other so they could source water from a single irrigation facility, thereby reducing cost.

He said mango farming could become a very important source of revenue to farmers in Northern Ghana if given the needed support.

MABENGBA CUTS SOD FOR WALEWALE-GAMBAGA ROAD (DG, OCT 1, 2011, PAGE 13)

THE Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba has stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is working tirelessly to transform road networks in the Northern Region.

He said this was crucial to open up the various districts and facilitate transportation, enhance the movement of agricultural produce, and facilitate trade.

Mr Mabengba made this known when he cut the sod for the commencement of construction works on yet another important road network in the Northern Region, which links Walewale to Gambaga.

Phase one of the upgrading project, which has kick-started, involves works on an 11km section of the road at an estimated contract sum of over GH¢7.1m.

The project would span 18 months and is being executed by Messrs A&N Ghanem.

The Walewale to Gambaga road is an important road network that links West Mamprusi to the East Mamprusi district and stretches further to the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo district and neighbouring Togo.

The road has been in a very deplorable state for several years, thereby impeding movement on that route.

Residents of communities located along the route were therefore excited over the commencement of works on the road and this was reflected in the festive sod-cutting ceremony which was graced by the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami and a host of Members of Parliament and District Chief Executives.

“Government has committed funds to this project because of the high priority it places on it. We would ensure that the project is finished on schedule,” Mr Mabengba stated.

He said the government’s intention was to ensure that all district capitals in the region were connected through first class asphalted roads, which would enhance transportation.

Mr Mabengba stressed that the NDC’s governance strategy was to do the work on the ground, other than focusing on politics of rhetoric.

“We would aggressively build the roads, schools, hospitals, and support agriculture because these are what you need to improve your livelihoods, and not the talk,” he intimated.

The minister lauded the Nayiri for co-operating with the government to implement development projects and sustaining the peace in the Mamprugu area.

The DCE for East Mamprusi district, Mr Adam Imoro noted that the road project was a manifestation of the NDC government’s commitment to giving the people of Mamprugu their share of a “Better Ghana”.

“This road, when completed will open up so many communities to market centres in Mamprugu,” he stated.

Mr Imoro mentioned that apart from roads, government had undertaken numerous projects in other areas, such as education, health, energy, water and sanitation, and was confident the lives of the people would be transformed in due time.

The Nayiri, on his part, applauded the President, Prof John Atta Mills, for fulfilling his pledge to upgrade road networks in the Mamprugu area.

He said the road was of great significance to the Mamprugu Kingdom, because “it leads to the seat of Mamprugu.”

HEALTH WORKERS APPEAL TO GOVT FOR ICT TOOLS (DG, SEPT 30, 2011, PAGE 29)

HEALTH workers in the Northern Region have made an appeal to the government to invest in deploying Information Communication and Technology (ICT) tools in the health sector to enhance healthcare delivery.

In their estimation, using ICT to process patient’s records and other critical data would not only speed up service delivery, but also improve health sector administration.

They noted that some of the current challenges facing various health facilities, such as over-crowding at the OPDs and difficulty in processing health insurance claims, could be surmounted when these units are migrated from manual onto an ICT platform.

The health workers made the appeal at a training workshop on how to mainstream ICT in healthcare delivery in the country.

The Ghana Information Network for Knowledge Sharing (GINKS) organised the workshop in collaboration with Savana Signatures, an ICT-focused non-governmental organisation.

The participants included health personnel from some of the hospitals, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) offices and Births and Deaths Registry.

The main objective of the training was to expose the health workers to various ways of using ICTS in managing patients’ data for an effective health delivery system.

The participants however noted that policy makers needed to be convinced to appreciate the importance of ICT to the health sector.

“We need to impress on policy makers to pursue this agenda. Apart from initiating the policies, it is they who provide the funds for implementation,” one of the participants, Mr Osman Wahab, stated.

The participants however stressed the need for the deployment of ICT in the health sector to be done gradually because rushing it would pose problems due to the lack of finance, logistics and human resource.

In an interview, the Regional ICT Co-ordinator of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) for the Upper East Region, Mr Hassan Hamadu explained that the use of ICT reduces the time and labour spent in processing patients’ data and also facilitates planning.

“If you have an electronic database of these records, by a click of a button you can generate reports easily and periodically,” he stated.

The Director of Filla Consult, Mr William Nsiah-Asare also stated in an interview that the manual processing of health insurance claims poses major difficulties for various health facilities due to the large number of clients.

“The NHIA sometimes rejects some claims made by the facilities partly due to mistakes in the claims processing, thereby denying the facilities of the revenues due them,” he mentioned.

Mr Nsiah-Asare noted that his company had developed a software programme that was being used by health facilities to process claim forms more effectively and accurately.

“The software enables the claim management officers to collate claim forms and produce summary reports easily so they could access their payments,” he explained.

He mentioned the Yendi Government Hospital, Tamale West Hospital and Gusheigu Government hospital as some of the health facilities that had began using the software.

DCE FOR MAMPRUSI CONFIRMED (DG, SEPT 30, 2011, PAGE 13)

MEMBERS of the West Mamprusi District Assembly in the Northern Region have confirmed Mr Adam Yussif as the new District Chief Executive for the area.

Mr Yussif, 42, was endorsed at a calm and joyful assembly meeting in Walewale, during which all but one of the 60 assembly members who were present to cast their vote gave their approval.

The confirmation balloting  was supervised by regional officers Electoral Commission and witnessed by a number of dignitaries, including the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, his deputy, Mr Nasamu Asabigi and representatives of the Overlord of the Mamprugu traditional area, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami.

Mr Yussif, who is a professional teacher and a graduate of the University of Ghana, becomes the second DCE to be nominated and approved for the area under the Mills’ administration, after the first DCE, Mr Lord Abudu Sulley was dismissed.

In his victory speech, Mr Yussif, who appeared humble, but elated, acknowledged the challenge ahead of him and declared his readiness to run an open administration which would bring on board views from all stakeholders in the district.

“My vision is to see a strong, united and attractive district capable of unearthing, its potentials, both human and natural resources for the betterment of our people,” he stated.

Mr Yussif said he would draw upon his experience as a teacher and development worker to spearhead the development of the district and said he was confident of full support from the chiefs, youth and political leaders.

The Regional Minister, who acted during the absence of a substantive DCE, commended the assembly members for approving the President’s nominee without any hesitation.

He said the provision of logistics to district assemblies by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was a clear demonstration of its commitment to fulfilling the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.

“As I speak, your motorbikes have been dispatched and you would soon have them. The payment of ex-gratia to the former assembly members is another proof of the NDC government’s commitment to your welfare,” he stated.

The minister said it was crucial for the people to co-operate with the new DCE to enable him run an effective administration.