THE Business Advisory Centre (BAC) of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has organised a five-day workshop for physically challenged persons in Wa in the Upper West Region.
The workshop, which attracted 25 participants, treated topics such as marketing, credit management and business planning.
Others were characteristics of entrepreneurship and understanding the business environment.
Closing the workshop, the Upper West Regional Head of the BAC, Mr Gabriel Fiatui, expressed the hope that the knowledge the participants had acquired would assist them to achieve financial independence.
He was worried that most entrepreneurs failed to keep records of their activities, which made monitoring and performance of their businesses difficult.
"I can assure you that when you put the knowledge acquired into practice, your businesses will see tremendous improvement", he told the participants.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
LANDOWNERS CALL FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT (PAGE 20)
A Number of landowners have appealed to the government for support following changes in the approval procedures in land management in the country.
So far, 10 out of 23 landowners have been selected for support in the form of technical expertise, capacity building, provision of office equipment, among other things.
The Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Rita Iddi, announced this at the inauguration of a customary land secretariat (CLS) in Wa in the Upper West Region.
She said similar secretariats had been opened at Bekwai, Nkawie, Toase, Mampong, Agogo, Ejisu in Ashanti and Beyin in the Western Region.
According to Mrs Iddi, between October 2004 and June 2007, the government based its support to customary authorities for the establishemnt or strengthening of their land secretariats on a supply-led approach.
Under this approach, public land agencies selected areas without adequate consultation with the landowners.
"This approach to implementation resulted in the lack of ownership and commitment, suspicion, high expectation from the government for funding activities," she added.
The deputy minister said currently, assistance for the project was only available to stools, skins, families and other landowners who requested for such support.
Mrs Iddi said it was required that such requests came with a clear demonstration of ownership and commitment to support and sustain the secretariats.
She emphasised that the governemnt was not just interested in the establishement of the CLSs, and that the overall success of the customary land administration reform could only be achieved when the secretariats had strong and reliable database and were financially and technically sustainable.
She, therefore, encouraged all customary landowners of Wa and all stakeholders to sustain the goodwill and commitment that had been exhibited so far.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, appealed to chiefs in the region to assist in the implementation of the Land Administration Project (LAP).
She also called on all land-user agencies to ensure proper use of land through a well-co-ordinated team work.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Aziz, expressed the hope that the establishment of the secretariat in the municipality would minimise land disputes.
So far, 10 out of 23 landowners have been selected for support in the form of technical expertise, capacity building, provision of office equipment, among other things.
The Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Rita Iddi, announced this at the inauguration of a customary land secretariat (CLS) in Wa in the Upper West Region.
She said similar secretariats had been opened at Bekwai, Nkawie, Toase, Mampong, Agogo, Ejisu in Ashanti and Beyin in the Western Region.
According to Mrs Iddi, between October 2004 and June 2007, the government based its support to customary authorities for the establishemnt or strengthening of their land secretariats on a supply-led approach.
Under this approach, public land agencies selected areas without adequate consultation with the landowners.
"This approach to implementation resulted in the lack of ownership and commitment, suspicion, high expectation from the government for funding activities," she added.
The deputy minister said currently, assistance for the project was only available to stools, skins, families and other landowners who requested for such support.
Mrs Iddi said it was required that such requests came with a clear demonstration of ownership and commitment to support and sustain the secretariats.
She emphasised that the governemnt was not just interested in the establishement of the CLSs, and that the overall success of the customary land administration reform could only be achieved when the secretariats had strong and reliable database and were financially and technically sustainable.
She, therefore, encouraged all customary landowners of Wa and all stakeholders to sustain the goodwill and commitment that had been exhibited so far.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, appealed to chiefs in the region to assist in the implementation of the Land Administration Project (LAP).
She also called on all land-user agencies to ensure proper use of land through a well-co-ordinated team work.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Aziz, expressed the hope that the establishment of the secretariat in the municipality would minimise land disputes.
WA POLYTECHNIC GETS COSMETOLOGY DEPT (PAGE 20)
A NEW cosmetology department for the Wa Polytechnic in the Upper West Region has been inaugurated by the Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson.
The facility, the first of its kind in the country's polytechnics, is estimated at $20,000.
In a brief remark, Mr Hikah Benson commended the polytechnic for being the pacesetter in polytechnic education in the country.
He urged the management of the institution to take good care of the facility, and expressed the hope that the purpose for which it was established would be achieved.
The Vice Rector of Wa Polytechnic, Mr Solomon Danzie, said the institution would collaborate with beauticians in the region to organise seminars for their members on modern methods in cosmetology.
He thanked the Teaching and Learning Fund (TALIF) and the Saskachuan Institute of Applied Sciences in Canada for their support in the establishment of the facility.
The facility, the first of its kind in the country's polytechnics, is estimated at $20,000.
In a brief remark, Mr Hikah Benson commended the polytechnic for being the pacesetter in polytechnic education in the country.
He urged the management of the institution to take good care of the facility, and expressed the hope that the purpose for which it was established would be achieved.
The Vice Rector of Wa Polytechnic, Mr Solomon Danzie, said the institution would collaborate with beauticians in the region to organise seminars for their members on modern methods in cosmetology.
He thanked the Teaching and Learning Fund (TALIF) and the Saskachuan Institute of Applied Sciences in Canada for their support in the establishment of the facility.
METTEW GETS HEALTH PLANNING SERVICES (PAGE 20)
METTEW is a small farming community in the Wa West District in the Upper West Region.
Being an isolated area, this community lacks a lot of social amenities. Social amenities such as potable water, electricity and others to improve their standard of living are not available in the community.
When the people are sick, they have to go to the nearest community called Gurungu, which is quite a distance.
Just recently, through the benevolence of Plan Ghana, a child-centred non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mettew has been provided with a community-based health planning services (CHPS) compound to cater for the health needs of the people.
The smiles, joy and happiness demonstrated by the people, amidst drumming and dancing, clearly indicated that at long last God had answered their prayers.
Inaugurating the CHPS compound, the Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson, described the occasion as unique as it sought to bring health care delivery to the doorstep of the people.
He observed that health was wealth as no group of people could develop in the absence of health.
"It is, therefore, refreshing that this facility is being provided to serve as first point of call for all cases of ailment in and around the Mettew community," he said.
Mr Benson expressed the hope that the facility would contribute to the eventual reduction in both mortality and morbidity rates among the people.
According to him, the greatest challenge to health delivery in the region was the high maternal and under five mortality rates of 208 per 1,000 live births.
He said efforts to address those issues were yet to achieve the desired results, adding that soon a forum would be convened to discuss the problems in order to find a lasting solution to them.
The regional minister said the government in its quest to reduce infant mortality had unveiled a programme to provide free ante-natal care to all pregnant women.
He urged communities in the Wa West District to ensure that pregnant women registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The District Director of Health Services, Miss Phoebe Balaguutime, announced that eight out of the 32 CHPS compounds earmarked for the district had been completed.
She thanked Plan Ghana and other stakeholdders for their contribution in the provision of the facility.
The Northern Sector Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr William Agyekum-Acquah, expressed the hope that the people would make maximum use of the GH¢5,004 facility.
Being an isolated area, this community lacks a lot of social amenities. Social amenities such as potable water, electricity and others to improve their standard of living are not available in the community.
When the people are sick, they have to go to the nearest community called Gurungu, which is quite a distance.
Just recently, through the benevolence of Plan Ghana, a child-centred non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mettew has been provided with a community-based health planning services (CHPS) compound to cater for the health needs of the people.
The smiles, joy and happiness demonstrated by the people, amidst drumming and dancing, clearly indicated that at long last God had answered their prayers.
Inaugurating the CHPS compound, the Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson, described the occasion as unique as it sought to bring health care delivery to the doorstep of the people.
He observed that health was wealth as no group of people could develop in the absence of health.
"It is, therefore, refreshing that this facility is being provided to serve as first point of call for all cases of ailment in and around the Mettew community," he said.
Mr Benson expressed the hope that the facility would contribute to the eventual reduction in both mortality and morbidity rates among the people.
According to him, the greatest challenge to health delivery in the region was the high maternal and under five mortality rates of 208 per 1,000 live births.
He said efforts to address those issues were yet to achieve the desired results, adding that soon a forum would be convened to discuss the problems in order to find a lasting solution to them.
The regional minister said the government in its quest to reduce infant mortality had unveiled a programme to provide free ante-natal care to all pregnant women.
He urged communities in the Wa West District to ensure that pregnant women registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The District Director of Health Services, Miss Phoebe Balaguutime, announced that eight out of the 32 CHPS compounds earmarked for the district had been completed.
She thanked Plan Ghana and other stakeholdders for their contribution in the provision of the facility.
The Northern Sector Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr William Agyekum-Acquah, expressed the hope that the people would make maximum use of the GH¢5,004 facility.
PARENTAL NEGLECT AND SAFETY OF WA SCHOOLCHILDREN (PAGE 20)
ABU Paul is a motorist in the Wa Municipality. Recently, while riding his Yamaha motorbike at Kpaguri in the municipality, he knocked down a six-year- old child, who died instantly.
Abu made all efforts to trace the parents of the child until he went to a local FM radio station to make an announcement before the child’s parents came to identify her.
The question on the lips of people was why should the parents of the child be so irresponsible in the upkeep of their child, such that her whereabouts were not known until the radio announcement.
The above scenario is what most often pertains in Wa. At times, one sees three or four year old children walking to school without any grown-up accompanying them. They are, therefore, exposed to serious risks from road users, especially motor-riders.
For those who do not know, this is perhaps the only part of the country where regard for road regulations is non-existent.
Kids often act on impulse. If this happens while they are walking, riding bicycles or playing near traffic, the risk of injury or even death is always inevitable. They are very vulnerable by themselves.
Parents and children are now being taught about safety on the roads and how to avoid dangerous situations.
Research shows that in some countries, road accidents are the major causes of death for young children. People between one and 15 years as well as those around 20 are killed while those around 40 years get seriously injured in road accidents in each year.
One parent at Wa, who wants to remain anonymous, said the reason why some of the children were left on their own to go to school was that parents thought road users would be sensible and wise enough to give the children the opportunity to cross the roads to and from school.
"We are also faced with the issue of transportation as some of us do not either have bicycles or motor-bikes" she told the Daily Graphic.
According to her, two of her children were nearly killed at a zebra crossing when a motorbike rider ignored the children, but for a good Samaritan who shouted at the rider, the kids might have died.
She, therefore, appealed to the police Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) to constantly position their men at various points to assist schoolchildren.
The community police personnel who are doing a good job must be commended. However, there is more room for improvement.
They must be given the support to perform their duties instead of the hostile attitude towards them by road users.
Parents must also take keen interest in their children since they are the future leaders of the country. Adequate measures should be put in place to protect them from bad road users.
Young children cannot use the roads safely on their own until they have been taught how to see dangerous situations and how to act.
Although all adults and caretakers can help protect young children from harm, parents have the primary responsibility and the most direct influence. There are many practical ways that parents can help as one must not be a road safety expert to do so.
Children in Wa are at risk because they do not have the skills and judgement that come with increasing age and experience. Parents can help children to use the roads safely in many day-to-day situations, such as:
-Child restraints
-Walking
-Riding bicycles
-Using wheeled devices and toys
They must be occupied in the house for them to be at home after school hours instead of wandering and trying to fend for themselves.
Abu made all efforts to trace the parents of the child until he went to a local FM radio station to make an announcement before the child’s parents came to identify her.
The question on the lips of people was why should the parents of the child be so irresponsible in the upkeep of their child, such that her whereabouts were not known until the radio announcement.
The above scenario is what most often pertains in Wa. At times, one sees three or four year old children walking to school without any grown-up accompanying them. They are, therefore, exposed to serious risks from road users, especially motor-riders.
For those who do not know, this is perhaps the only part of the country where regard for road regulations is non-existent.
Kids often act on impulse. If this happens while they are walking, riding bicycles or playing near traffic, the risk of injury or even death is always inevitable. They are very vulnerable by themselves.
Parents and children are now being taught about safety on the roads and how to avoid dangerous situations.
Research shows that in some countries, road accidents are the major causes of death for young children. People between one and 15 years as well as those around 20 are killed while those around 40 years get seriously injured in road accidents in each year.
One parent at Wa, who wants to remain anonymous, said the reason why some of the children were left on their own to go to school was that parents thought road users would be sensible and wise enough to give the children the opportunity to cross the roads to and from school.
"We are also faced with the issue of transportation as some of us do not either have bicycles or motor-bikes" she told the Daily Graphic.
According to her, two of her children were nearly killed at a zebra crossing when a motorbike rider ignored the children, but for a good Samaritan who shouted at the rider, the kids might have died.
She, therefore, appealed to the police Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) to constantly position their men at various points to assist schoolchildren.
The community police personnel who are doing a good job must be commended. However, there is more room for improvement.
They must be given the support to perform their duties instead of the hostile attitude towards them by road users.
Parents must also take keen interest in their children since they are the future leaders of the country. Adequate measures should be put in place to protect them from bad road users.
Young children cannot use the roads safely on their own until they have been taught how to see dangerous situations and how to act.
Although all adults and caretakers can help protect young children from harm, parents have the primary responsibility and the most direct influence. There are many practical ways that parents can help as one must not be a road safety expert to do so.
Children in Wa are at risk because they do not have the skills and judgement that come with increasing age and experience. Parents can help children to use the roads safely in many day-to-day situations, such as:
-Child restraints
-Walking
-Riding bicycles
-Using wheeled devices and toys
They must be occupied in the house for them to be at home after school hours instead of wandering and trying to fend for themselves.
Friday, July 25, 2008
WA WESST NDC DENIES DEFECTION STORY (PAGE 17)
THE Wa West Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied that the entire constituency executive has defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a statement to the media, it accused a former interim chairman of the party, Mr Seidu Jaladeen, who had now joined the NPP, of stage-managing those "defections" to destabilise the NDC.
"Mr Jaladeen has a history of jumping from party to party. It is, therefore, no news if he again says he has defected to the elephant party in Wa West, since that is the beauty of democracy," the statement added.
It, therefore, urged its members and supporters not to panic but remain calm, since the alleged defection was totally false.
"Our members should treat it with the contempt it deserves, as it is a fabricated ploy to cause disaffection among the rank and file of our great party," the statement, signed by the constituency Secretary, Iddrisu Abdulai, said.
According to the statement, since August 20, 2005 when the constituency held its maiden delegates conference and elected its executive, no single member had defected.
The statement wished Mr Jaladeen well in his position as the campaign manager of the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Wa West, Mr Daniel Dari.
In a statement to the media, it accused a former interim chairman of the party, Mr Seidu Jaladeen, who had now joined the NPP, of stage-managing those "defections" to destabilise the NDC.
"Mr Jaladeen has a history of jumping from party to party. It is, therefore, no news if he again says he has defected to the elephant party in Wa West, since that is the beauty of democracy," the statement added.
It, therefore, urged its members and supporters not to panic but remain calm, since the alleged defection was totally false.
"Our members should treat it with the contempt it deserves, as it is a fabricated ploy to cause disaffection among the rank and file of our great party," the statement, signed by the constituency Secretary, Iddrisu Abdulai, said.
According to the statement, since August 20, 2005 when the constituency held its maiden delegates conference and elected its executive, no single member had defected.
The statement wished Mr Jaladeen well in his position as the campaign manager of the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Wa West, Mr Daniel Dari.
COCOBOD ASKED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO SHEANUT (BACK PAGE)
The Upper West branch of the Sheanut Dealers Association has appealed to the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) to make the sheanut industry viable for the country to earn more foreign exchange from it.
The association’s call stems from the fact that Cocobod has failed to give sheanut the needed attention and support.
The Regional Secretary of the association, Mr Moses Yuoni, made the appeal at a press conference in Wa in the Upper West Region.
He observed that as a result of the little attention being given to sheanut production, Cocobod did not even know the real stakeholders operating in the three northern regions.
He alleged that any time the board had to have a meeting or stakeholders workshop on sheanut, it handpicked participants most of whom were not in sheanut production.
"The result of this total neglect of sheanut production in the three northern regions by Cocobod is that during the sheanut season, it is a free-for-all event."
According to Mr Youni, anytime the price of sheanut began to rise, companies left the market because they had alternative sources of sheanut in other African countries.
He said most of the companies did not know when exactly sheanut was ready for sale so they came in when the nuts were hardly matured on the trees.
He was of the belief that if the sheanut business was properly organised it could go a long way to alleviate poverty in northern Ghana.
Touching on a recent advertisers announcement published in the July 11, 2008, edition of the Daily Graphic, Mr Yuoni denied that the association did not challenge the publication.
The publication accused the association, among other things, of organising an illegal workshop on the sheanut industry at which various sums of money were collected from Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).
Mr Yuoni debunked the publication and said it was a deliberate attempt to mislead Ghanaians.
He admitted, however, that the association organised a workshop in Wa to sensitise its members to the right methods of producing sheanut to meet international standards for export.
The association’s call stems from the fact that Cocobod has failed to give sheanut the needed attention and support.
The Regional Secretary of the association, Mr Moses Yuoni, made the appeal at a press conference in Wa in the Upper West Region.
He observed that as a result of the little attention being given to sheanut production, Cocobod did not even know the real stakeholders operating in the three northern regions.
He alleged that any time the board had to have a meeting or stakeholders workshop on sheanut, it handpicked participants most of whom were not in sheanut production.
"The result of this total neglect of sheanut production in the three northern regions by Cocobod is that during the sheanut season, it is a free-for-all event."
According to Mr Youni, anytime the price of sheanut began to rise, companies left the market because they had alternative sources of sheanut in other African countries.
He said most of the companies did not know when exactly sheanut was ready for sale so they came in when the nuts were hardly matured on the trees.
He was of the belief that if the sheanut business was properly organised it could go a long way to alleviate poverty in northern Ghana.
Touching on a recent advertisers announcement published in the July 11, 2008, edition of the Daily Graphic, Mr Yuoni denied that the association did not challenge the publication.
The publication accused the association, among other things, of organising an illegal workshop on the sheanut industry at which various sums of money were collected from Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs).
Mr Yuoni debunked the publication and said it was a deliberate attempt to mislead Ghanaians.
He admitted, however, that the association organised a workshop in Wa to sensitise its members to the right methods of producing sheanut to meet international standards for export.
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