Wednesday, February 27, 2008

THREE CHIEF EXECUTIVES SWORN IN (PAGE 17)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Upper West Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson, has sworn in three chief executives for the Wa Municipal, Wa East and the Sissala West district assemblies at a brief ceremony in Wa.
They are Abdul Aziz Mohammed for Wa Municipal and Isaac Halitu and Salifu Beluwe for Wa East and Sissala West, respectively.
They swore the official oath of secrecy, oath of allegiance and the oath of office.
In a brief remark, Mr Benson congratulated them on their appointment and urged them to lead exemplary lifestyles in order not to give the government a bad name.
He also advised them to be servants of the people and not lord over them.
"You must be seen to be servant of the people and not as masters," he added.
In a response on behalf of his colleagues the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Abdul-Aziz Mohammed gave the assurance that they would work hard to justify the confidence reposed in them by President J.A. Kufuor.
He thanked the President for their appointment and pledged to work to improve the living standard of their people. end

Monday, February 25, 2008

HIGH DEMAND FOR POLYTECHNIC GRADUATES (PAGE 29)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Rector of the Wa Polytechnic, Prof. Sampson Agodzo, has observed that the demand for polytechnic graduates on the job market especially in business management, engineering and computer science is very high.
He has, therefore, said the situation posed a great competition for their counterparts from the universities with similar qualification.
He said, for example, the Agricultural Engineering Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates had brighter chances in industry, banking and development and the non-governmental sectors where they could be engaged as project officers, as well as in the non-traditional export sectors.
This was because of the technical and practical nature of their training which their jobs demanded, Prof. Agodzo stated.
The Rector was speaking at the opening of the first annual research conference of the polytechnic in Wa in the Upper West Region.
It was on the theme “The growing relevance of polytechnic education in the national development agenda: Challenges for Ghanaian polytechnics.”
Prof. Agodzo noted that polytechnic education was expected to be the route for accelerating technological and economic growth and that the establishment of the polytechnics was expected to lead to increase in the middle-level technical manpower base of the country.
Making a case for polytechnic graduates, he said students in these institutions were also required to undertake intensive study of Mathematics, Science and Engineering as foundation subjects for further learning.
He was of the view that Ghanaian polytechnics produced highly skilled middle-level manpower for the nation’s economic development and that this had led to the empowerment of polytechnics to introduce higher professional degrees such as Bachelor of Technology programmes at the Takoradi and Ho polytechnics.
Prof. Agodzo debunked the notion that polytechnic education was for those who failed to enter the universities and pointed out that this line of education was the carrier-focused type and should play second fiddle to university qualifications.
He recommended that all stakeholders involved in tertiary education use the long-term planning framework to track investments, progress and challenges.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

UPPER WEST YOUTH URGED TO GO INTO AGRICULTURE (PAGE 22)

STORY: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Upper West Regional Minister, Mr George Hickah Benson, has urged the youth of the region to be encouraged by the national best farmer award won by a citizen of the region, to go into serious agriculture.
He said Alhaji Abdul Salaam Akati’s success story had made the region proud, which the youth could capitalise on to improve upon their living conditions.
“I plead with you to embrace agriculture, since it is very rewarding,” the regional minister stressed.
Mr Benson was speaking at a brief ceremony to welcome Alhaji Akati, who hails from the region, to Wa.
The regional minister said Alhaji Akati had brought honour to the region, since that was the second time the Upper West had produced an overall national best farmer.
He commended Alhaji Akati for his support when the region was hit with disaster last year.
For his part, Alhaji Akati stated that he had come home to express his gratitude to his people, stressing that he would work harder to win more laurels for the region.

STUDENTS ATTEND CAREER GUIDANCE PROGRAMME (PAGE 22)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

A career guidance programme has been held for students of all Methodist Junior High Schools in the Upper West Region and the Bole District of the Northern Region.
The programme was aimed at helping students to know the different job openings and be able to make realistic choice of jobs in the future.
Addressing the students, the Upper West Regional Manager of the Methodist Educational Unit, Very Reverend Isaac Nsiah-Berko, expressed the hope that the exercise would enable the students to identify their potential.
He advised parents and teachers not to dictate to students the kind of profession they should do but instead avail to them the different existing jobs to enable them to make their own choices.
Very Reverend Nsiah-Berko condemned the attitude of some parents and teachers, who forced their wards to do certain courses which affected their performances.
"Since it is an imposition on them, the students tend to lose interest in such courses thereby affecting their academic work," he added.
Very Reverend Nsiah-Berko gave the assurance that the Methodist Educational Unit would periodically organise such programmes for its students.

RURAL DEV PROJECT IMPLEMENTS NEW INITIATIVE ...In Upper West

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Community-Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP) is implementing the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) approach in four area councils in the Upper West Region.
The area councils are Vieri, Ga (Wa West), Gbae and Tuggo in the Jirapa-Lambussie District.
The projects include a three-unit classroom block, day care centre, CHPS compound and sanitary facilities.
The rapid results initiative is a planned effort designed to stimulate "group adrenaline" by galvanising a team around to achieve meaningful and challenging results in a short period of time.
The programme generates progress and creates momentum in a critical area of an overall project, and stimulates new insights on implementation challenges and risks.
"It aims at a real, measurable, bottom-line results not just a study or set of recommendations for someone else to implement, but it is achievable within 100 days," Mr Anthony Boateng, the institutional specialist in charge of the project in Upper West, told the Daily Graphic.
According to him, the rapid results approach had been used successfully by private sector organisations and government agencies to jump-start change efforts and enhance implementation capacity.
The approach speeds up the achievement of longer-term efforts by focusing on specific, results-based goals that require the co-operation of several different parties.
Achieving the results has three benefits, namely, the immediate benefit for targeted communities, achieving benefit that helps the parties involved to discover new ways of working together, and the development of skills and confidence of those involved.
Mr Boateng said the RRI, which was on a pilot basis, gave a grant of ¢GH 1,500 with their District Assemblies contributing discussions with other stakeholders after which the CBRDP released the grant to the area council and beneficiary communities.
"Interestingly, they control the funds but we monitor them constantly to ensure accountability and transparency," he added.
Mr Boateng was happy that the communities had accepted the programme, especially Ga, where a day care centre being built was at the lintel level.

Friday, February 22, 2008

DON'T REGARD GOVT APPOINTEES AS STOOGES (PAGE 15)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Upper West Regional Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Hafiz Bin Salih, has said that the recent revocation of the appointment of government appointees in the region to manipulate the process for the confirmation of the President’s nominees to the position of district and municipal chief executives was alien to the political culture of the region.
He said government appointees to the assemblies must not be regarded as stooges who must always dance to the tune of the Executive arm of government.
Mr Bin Salih, who was speaking to the Daily Graphic in Wa on the activities that preceded the endorsement of the President’s nominees to the position of district chief executives (DCE) in the Wa Municipality and other districts of the region, called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn such acts.
"Those who took the decision to revoke the appointment of government appointees were ill-advised and their actions, though a bad precedent, also has the tendency to further tear the NPP family in the region apart," the regional organiser said.
He further explained that government appointees to the assemblies were supposed to be knowledgeable people in some special areas in order to be able to advise their respective assemblies.
Commenting on the selection of parliamentary candidates in the Sissala East and West constituencies, Mr Bin Salih appealed to the national executive of the party to allow the regional executives to field their own candidates since anything contrary to the decision of the regional executive would spell doom for the party.
He expressed optimism that the NPP could capture more seats in the December 2008 elections in the region, but the increasing bad blood between some ministers and DCEs on one hand, and party executives on the other hand, would not augur well for the party.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

DABUO TO CONTEST CPP LAWRA NANDOM (PAGE 14)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

A 30-year-old teacher at Cherie in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region, Mr Wilson Dabuo, is to contest on the ticket of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in the Lawra Nandom Constituency.
The aspiring candidate, who is also the assembly member for Nandom East Electoral Area, explained that his intention was as a result of what he termed “pressure” from the youth of the area.
“Having studied developments in the CPP, the youth think they need to entrust their destiny into the hands of a much more younger person,” he added.
He told the Daily Graphic in Wa that he had observed that there was a lack of interest in both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency.
Beside that, Mr Dabuo said, by studying the political trend, Ghanaians were yearning for change and that the alternative was the CPP.
“Ghanaians want a new face as president and that person is Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom and the CPP,” he stressed.
He gave the assurance that if elected as the Member of Parliament for Lawra Nandom, he would use his experience as an assembly member as the basis for accelerated development.
Mr Dabuo predicated a resounding victory for the CPP come December 7, this year.

Monday, February 18, 2008

KARNI TRADITIONAL AREA APPEALS TO GOVT (PAGE 29)

Story: George Folley Quaye. Wa

THE chiefs and people of the Karni Divisional Area, near Jirapa, in the Upper West Region have expressed their strong reservation about their placement under the newly created Lambussie District.
They have, therefore, petitioned the government to place the area under the Jirapa District.
In the petition, the chiefs said the recent Legislative Instrument (LI) placed part of the Karni Divisional Area under the Lambussie District, thus contradicting with the geographical contiguity.
“This situation has not only distorted the geographical contiguity and split of the Karni Area Council, but also created palpable physical barriers between families,” the petition added.
Explaining further, the petition said the Karni Divisional Area had three electoral areas out of which one was under the new Lambussie District, thus suggesting that majority of their people were in the Jirapa District.
“It, therefore, makes sense for the other electoral areas to be brought under the Jirapa District in order to make the divisional area complete,” it said.
The petition recalled that throughout history, the Karni Divisional Area belonged to the Jirapa paramountcy.
It warned that should the government fail to heed their request, the people would advise themselves appropriately in order to preserve the time tested traditional cohesion among them.
The petition was signed by the chief of the area, Naa B.A. Yaayiri, Mr Gbaraa Kodi (Tendana of Karni) and Mr Alexis Doozuch, secretary of the Karni Area. Youth and Development Association.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

GMA PREPARES FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY (Page 20)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Upper West Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has lined up a number of activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the association.
The activities include a symposium on the low enrolments and registering the poor in the National Health Insurance Scheme; advocacy roles through radio panel discussion; reviewing the statistics on snake bites; and community durbar on guinea worm eradication at Funsi in the Wa East District.
Briefing the media in Wa, the Regional President of the GMA, Dr Abdulai Abukari, said for the last 50 years, the GMA had been active in the development of health policies in Ghana.
He mentioned the production of a blueprint for the implementation of primary health care in Ghana, and playing of pivotal role in the setting up of the college of physicians and surgeons, as some of the achievements of the GMA.
Dr Abukari stated that with the passage of time, the GMA had gained both local and international recognition as a credible professional organisation.
"Through various policy and health advocacy initiatives, the GMA has also made crucial interventions in Ghana's health delivery thereby establishing itself as a major player whose deeds have benefited not just its members, but the entire citizens of Ghana," Dr Abukari added.
Dr Abukari called for support and participation of all stakeholders, especially the media to make the golden jubilee of its association a success.

BAC TRAINS 46 IN POMADE MAKING (Page 20)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

THE Business Advisory Centre (BAC), under the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) in the Jirapa-Lambussie District in the Upper West Region, has trained 46 people in pomade, hair food, powder and soap making.
The training programme was part of the REP's intervention to reduce poverty and improve the living standards of the people.
The specific objectives of the workshop were to expose the participants to new and improved methods of manufacturing the products and to encourage them to consider self-employment as a viable career option.
The participants were taken through eight different types of soap making—bar, box rail, cake, mini, ball, washing powder and Azuma blow soap and manufacturing various types of creams — hair, wax, 'obateng' cream and medicated sulphur cream and powder.
The Regional Head of the BAC, Mr Mohammed A. Moomin, in his address, said the REP was a government project designed to improve the living conditions in rural areas, by increasing the income of women and vulnerable groups, especially.
He appealed to the people to patronise the services of the BAC in order to get the full benefit of the project.
Mr Moomin urged the beneficiaries of the programme to practise the knowledge and skills they had acquired.
The Deputy District Co-ordinating Director for Jirapa-Lambushie, Mr Safo William Mumuni, in his closing address, commended the participants for their active interest in the programme.
He assured them of the district assembly’s readiness to assist serious-minded entrepreneurs to improve upon their businesses.
Mr Mumuni seized the opportunity to encourage the youth to venture into private businesses and also appealed to the public to patronise the products of those who had been trained.
He stated that only four out of the eight districts in the region namely, Nadwoli, Sissala East, Sissala West and Jirapa-Lambussie, were benefiting from the project.
One of the resource persons, Mr Abdulai Samaila, stressed that the products had been tested and accepted nation-wide, adding that they were of good quality.

WA SCHOOLS HOLD SOCIALISATION MEETING (Page 20)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

A Cluster of schools in Wa in the Upper West Region, which are in an exchange programme with schools in the United Kingdom, have held a socialisation meeting in Wa.
The programme, known as the connecting classrooms project, is a British-sponsored programme, which aims at exchanging curricula of selected schools in sub-Saharan Africa with the United Kingdom.
The programme covers various areas in the schools curricula, including literacy, sports, culture and health.
The partner countries in Africa are Kenya and Ghana.
The cluster of schools taking part in Wa are the Wa Model and the Limanyiri Junior High schools as well as the Wa Methodist School for the Blind.
Addressing the socialisation meeting, the Programme Co-ordinator and Headmaster of the Wa School for the Blind, Mr Sampson Akurugu, gave a detailed history and purpose of the project.
He was also happy about the performance of the schoolchildren, who provided music during the function.

ZOOMLION EVACUATES TONNES OF WASTE IN WA (Page 20)

STORY: George Folley Quaye, Wa

ZOOMLION Ghana Limited, a waste management company, has evacuated 321 tonnes of waste from a number of refuse sites in the Wa Municipality.
The sites included areas around Koroyiri, Children's Park, Tampalipaani, Jebogu, Domoyiri, Tagrayiri, Kamballi and Sandamuni.
According to the Upper West Regional Supervisor of the company, Mr Daniel Martey, the evacuated waste had been sent to the final disposal sites at Sombo, a suburb of Wa.
He said the company was determined to ensure a clean environment as a measure of improving the living conditions of the people.
"We believe that a clean environment will go a long way to eliminate or reduce certain sicknesses like malaria from our communities," he added.
Mr Martey advised residents of Wa to maintain a clean environment in order to be healthy at all times.
He gave the assurance that the company would extend the exercise to the rest of the districts in the region.
Mr Martey, therefore, called for support and co-operation from the district assemblies.

UPPER WEST EXPERIENCES HARSH HARMATTAN WEATHER ...(PAGE 20)

Story: George Folley Quaye, Wa

"I have never regretted for being posted to the Upper West Region five years ago. The only period that I feel uncomfortable in this part of the country, is during the harmattan season.
Although I have experienced serious harmattan during my five-year stay in the region, never has it been so severe like this year."
These were the words of Mr Ekow Amega, a public servant at Wa, about the severity of the dry weather condition in the region.
During his annual leave recently, Mr Amega had to run away from the unfriendly weather in the region by travelling to southern Ghana, precisely Sekondi in the Western Region.
He carried along broken lips and a dry skin. After only three days, his situation changed with the little cracks on his lips and body vanishing with the speed of lightening, apparently as a result of an improved weather condition.
After two weeks stay in southern Ghana, Mr Amega decided to return to Wa, thinking that the weather had improved for the better, only to meet the severest part of it.
The above scenario is what residents of the Upper West Region are going through. The worse part of the situation is early in the morning. Waking up in the morning to prepare for work is hell. No wonder some residents including Egya Mbir have called it "Little Europe".
Workers report to work during this period of the year with some of them sometimes reaching their workplaces around 9 a.m. as a result of the chilly weather condition. People in this region have procured different kinds of jackets to face the weather.
Schoolchildren feel very uncomfortable when going to school very early in the morning. One could see students and children struggling to walk to school, especially students of the T.I. Ahmadiyya Primary and Junior High schools, who walk about five kilometres from town to the SSNIT Flats, where their schools are located.
Other children who face the same problem are the students of Dan-Ibu International School, whose school bus picks them as early as 6 a.m. when their parents are comfortably asleep.
"When will this weather change to save us from suffering?" one frustrated student of Dan-Ibu school asked this reporter.
It is hoped that God would soon listen to the voices of these little children by reducing the severity of the harmattan to its barest minimum.