A ROW is brewing between the youth of Jujeidayiri in the Wa municipality in the Upper West Region and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation over the ownership of a parcel of land currently being developed by the corporation.
The youth said if the GBC failed to halt all activities on the land, a conflict might erupt.
“We want to stage our utmost and total displeasure at the manner in which the GBC management want to bend the laws of Ghana by using the security forces to intimidate the Jujeidayiri community in order to confiscate a portion of land which is not part of a piece of land given to them,” said Mr Mohammed Nanii, a spokesman for the group, at a news conference in Wa.
He said the community had exhausted all official means to resolve the issue amicably and would resort to other methods to stop the GBC from further development.
According to Mr Naani, in May this year, a meeting was held among the elders of the community, the Wa Municipal Assembly, the GBC management and the police to resolve the issue and a consensus was reached that work should halt until a lasting solution was found.
However, he said, to the utmost surprise of the elders of the community, work started again on that portion of land under full police guard.
Mr Nanii said it was ridiculous and elementary for the GBC to rely on inconsistent certificates of allocation signed by the Commissioner of Lands in 1954 and 1956, as the basis for ownership of the land.
He argued that a certificate of allocation only opened the negotiation doors and did not vest ownership of the land.
Mr Naani said the youth of Jjujeidayiri had resolved that no amount of intimidation or force from any quarters would prevent them from pursuing the matter.
“We shall resist in no uncertain terms any forceful means by GBC and its collaborators to rob us. GBC will never know peace should they make an attempt to further extend the wall beyond where it is at the moment,” he warned.
Mr Naani appealed to the regional minister and stakeholders to prevail on the management of GBC to spare the good people of Wa any disturbances.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
WA WEST ASSEMLY BUILDS CLASSROOMS (PAGE 22, AUGUST 10, 2010)
THE Wa West District Assembly in the Upper West Region has started constructing 10 six–unit classroom blocks in selected communities in the district.
The beneficiary communities include Boro, Lassia Tuolu and Wechiau.
Inspecting one of the projects at the Lassia–Tuolu Senior High School (SHS), the District Chief Executive, Mr Seidu Tungbani said the classroom blocks had become necessary in view of the large number of junior secondary school (JHS) graduates expected to be admitted in September, this year.
He said the government was committed to providing enough educational infrastructure in the country as a result of the four-year system introduced by the previous government.
Tungbani said it was in that vein that the government had embarked on a crash programme to address those imbalances.
He gave the assurance that electricity would be extended to the school to ensure effective teaching and learning.
In another development, an American non–governmental organisation (NGO), MEDPLUS, has presented assorted hospital equipment to the Wechiau Health Centre in the Wa West District.
The items included hospital beds, gloves and solar lights.
Making the presentation, the Executive Director of the NGO, Miss Emma Lawrence, said the organisation conducted visits to its partner hospitals and health centres to assess their needs after which they were supplied with what they actually needed.
She said the Lawra hospital recently also benefited from a similar donation, adding that MEDPLUS was partnering a Ghanaian NGO, EVCO–Africa, to instal a sever at the health centres.
Miss Lawrence said the NGO had extended its partnership with hospitals and health centres throughout the three northern regions.
For his part, the DCE, Mr Seidu Tingbani, thanked the NGO for the support and said it would go a long way to improve health care delivery at the health centre.
The beneficiary communities include Boro, Lassia Tuolu and Wechiau.
Inspecting one of the projects at the Lassia–Tuolu Senior High School (SHS), the District Chief Executive, Mr Seidu Tungbani said the classroom blocks had become necessary in view of the large number of junior secondary school (JHS) graduates expected to be admitted in September, this year.
He said the government was committed to providing enough educational infrastructure in the country as a result of the four-year system introduced by the previous government.
Tungbani said it was in that vein that the government had embarked on a crash programme to address those imbalances.
He gave the assurance that electricity would be extended to the school to ensure effective teaching and learning.
In another development, an American non–governmental organisation (NGO), MEDPLUS, has presented assorted hospital equipment to the Wechiau Health Centre in the Wa West District.
The items included hospital beds, gloves and solar lights.
Making the presentation, the Executive Director of the NGO, Miss Emma Lawrence, said the organisation conducted visits to its partner hospitals and health centres to assess their needs after which they were supplied with what they actually needed.
She said the Lawra hospital recently also benefited from a similar donation, adding that MEDPLUS was partnering a Ghanaian NGO, EVCO–Africa, to instal a sever at the health centres.
Miss Lawrence said the NGO had extended its partnership with hospitals and health centres throughout the three northern regions.
For his part, the DCE, Mr Seidu Tingbani, thanked the NGO for the support and said it would go a long way to improve health care delivery at the health centre.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
CONTROL ARMED ROBBERY IN UPPER WEST — NAA LOGGAH (PAGE 22, AUGUST 3, 2010)
THE Upper West Regional platform on disaster reduction has called for immediate solutions to a number of major challenges currently facing the region.
They are domestic and highway armed robbery, flood, wind, rainstorms and food security.
Addressing a news conference in Wa, the Chairman of the platform, Naa Robert Loggah, said between January and June, this year, eight major robberies had occurred in the region with serious consequences.
He said apart from those robberies, there were other major ones outside the jurisdiction of the Upper West Regional Police Command during which almost all the victims were raped, maimed or killed with impunity.
Naa Loggah said the first incident involved a Controller and Accountant General vehicle returning from official duties in Accra which was attacked and the driver shot dead, other persons on board suffered serious injuries from gun shots and severe beatings on the Wa–Bambo–Techiman highway.
“The second incident which also occurred in May, this year, involved students from tertiary educational institutions in the region. One girl was raped, a colossal amount of money as well as mobile phones were seized on the Tumu–Bolga highway,” he added.
Naa Loggah identified the cause of floods in the region as farming along river banks, building on water courses and use of drains as garbage dumps.
On food security, he attributed the situation to smuggling of farm inputs to neighbouring Burkina Faso, lack of storage facilities, among others.
Naa Loggah suggested preventive measures such as the establishment of emergency operation centres to patrol Tinga and its environs, the Wa–Bamboi-Techiman, Wa–Hamile, Wa–Bolgatanga and Sawla – Damango Fulfuso highways, to address the situation.
He suggested that “There must be joint military/police patrols in the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions while installation communication masts within Maluwe–Tinga and Tumu–Nakong catchment areas must be installed by telecommunication companies.”
Naa Loggah also urged the government to come out with a land use policy to include village planning and a design of structures to withstand windstorms by encouraging the round structures and use of appropriate building materials.
He called for the establishment of a disaster fund to be started by the government, while information sharing must be encouraged.
Naa Loggah expressed the hope that the concerns raised would promptly be responded to by the government and other organisations in the country since “disaster management is everybody’s business.”
They are domestic and highway armed robbery, flood, wind, rainstorms and food security.
Addressing a news conference in Wa, the Chairman of the platform, Naa Robert Loggah, said between January and June, this year, eight major robberies had occurred in the region with serious consequences.
He said apart from those robberies, there were other major ones outside the jurisdiction of the Upper West Regional Police Command during which almost all the victims were raped, maimed or killed with impunity.
Naa Loggah said the first incident involved a Controller and Accountant General vehicle returning from official duties in Accra which was attacked and the driver shot dead, other persons on board suffered serious injuries from gun shots and severe beatings on the Wa–Bambo–Techiman highway.
“The second incident which also occurred in May, this year, involved students from tertiary educational institutions in the region. One girl was raped, a colossal amount of money as well as mobile phones were seized on the Tumu–Bolga highway,” he added.
Naa Loggah identified the cause of floods in the region as farming along river banks, building on water courses and use of drains as garbage dumps.
On food security, he attributed the situation to smuggling of farm inputs to neighbouring Burkina Faso, lack of storage facilities, among others.
Naa Loggah suggested preventive measures such as the establishment of emergency operation centres to patrol Tinga and its environs, the Wa–Bamboi-Techiman, Wa–Hamile, Wa–Bolgatanga and Sawla – Damango Fulfuso highways, to address the situation.
He suggested that “There must be joint military/police patrols in the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions while installation communication masts within Maluwe–Tinga and Tumu–Nakong catchment areas must be installed by telecommunication companies.”
Naa Loggah also urged the government to come out with a land use policy to include village planning and a design of structures to withstand windstorms by encouraging the round structures and use of appropriate building materials.
He called for the establishment of a disaster fund to be started by the government, while information sharing must be encouraged.
Naa Loggah expressed the hope that the concerns raised would promptly be responded to by the government and other organisations in the country since “disaster management is everybody’s business.”
Friday, July 23, 2010
7 ORGANISATIONS HELP NORTHERN FLOOD VICTIMS (PAGE 22, JULY 23, 2010)
THE European Union through Care International and Oxfam Great Britain and five Ghanaian non–governmental organisations is implementing a Food and Agricultural Recovery Management Programme in selected vulnerable communities affected by the 2007 and 2008 floods in the three northern regions.
Known as FARM PLUS, the programme is being implemented in the Jirapa, Nadowli and Lawra districts in the Upper West Region, Garu–Tempane District (Upper East) and East Mamprusi District (Northern Region).
The objective of the programme is to contribute to the fight against poverty by ensuring access to food for all and increased social protection, particularly those affected by food price hikes in northern Ghana with the expected immediate output being improving communities access to food, seed and agricultural inputs, among others.
Beneficiaries of the programme will provide labour for work to be undertaken within the communities in a food–for–work model. The model ensures that the beneficiaries work together to provide labour for the construction of household storage structures, animal pens and dug–outs for dry season garden.
As part of the activities to meet the primary objective of FARM PLUS, ProNet North, the implementing partner in the Nadowli District has organised a fair for the beneficiaries.
In an address read on behalf of the Executive Director of ProNet North, Mr Martin Dery, he said 1,800 vulnerable households drawn from 40 communities participated in the fair.
He said 635 beneficiaries from 14 communities were given food for the eight-week period they participated in community work through a voucher worth GH¢86 cash value for work done to purchase food and fertiliser.
He expressed the hope that the model would be replicated by other partners and the government to ensure that as many communities as possible would have food security in times of crises.
For his part, on official of Care International, Mr Isaac Bayor advised the beneficiaries to use the items given them to support themselves rather than selling them.
In a keynote address, the Nadowli District Chief Executive, Mr Abu Kasangbata thanked the financiers of the programme for their support and expressed the hope that it would go a long way to alleviate the suffering of the people.
Known as FARM PLUS, the programme is being implemented in the Jirapa, Nadowli and Lawra districts in the Upper West Region, Garu–Tempane District (Upper East) and East Mamprusi District (Northern Region).
The objective of the programme is to contribute to the fight against poverty by ensuring access to food for all and increased social protection, particularly those affected by food price hikes in northern Ghana with the expected immediate output being improving communities access to food, seed and agricultural inputs, among others.
Beneficiaries of the programme will provide labour for work to be undertaken within the communities in a food–for–work model. The model ensures that the beneficiaries work together to provide labour for the construction of household storage structures, animal pens and dug–outs for dry season garden.
As part of the activities to meet the primary objective of FARM PLUS, ProNet North, the implementing partner in the Nadowli District has organised a fair for the beneficiaries.
In an address read on behalf of the Executive Director of ProNet North, Mr Martin Dery, he said 1,800 vulnerable households drawn from 40 communities participated in the fair.
He said 635 beneficiaries from 14 communities were given food for the eight-week period they participated in community work through a voucher worth GH¢86 cash value for work done to purchase food and fertiliser.
He expressed the hope that the model would be replicated by other partners and the government to ensure that as many communities as possible would have food security in times of crises.
For his part, on official of Care International, Mr Isaac Bayor advised the beneficiaries to use the items given them to support themselves rather than selling them.
In a keynote address, the Nadowli District Chief Executive, Mr Abu Kasangbata thanked the financiers of the programme for their support and expressed the hope that it would go a long way to alleviate the suffering of the people.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
NPP MUST DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES — BIN-SALIH (PAGE 14, JULY 22, 2010)
THE Upper West regional second Vice- Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Hafiz Bin-Salih, has urged the leaders and the entire membership of the party to demonstrate to Ghanaians that the NPP is ready to assume the mantle of leadership of the country come December 2012.
He has therefore called all those with grievances to pass them through the right channel and “stop washing the party’s dirty linen in public.
“We must not do anything that will erode the confidence that Ghanaians have in the party. Also the flag bearer aspirants must have confidence in the electoral process of the party since it was a similar mechanism that was used for the constituency, regional and national executives,” he added.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Wa, Mr Bin-Salih alleged that in the face of economic hardship that had hit most Ghanaians except those in the corridors of power, it was incumbent on the NPP to assure the good people of Ghana that it had policies which when implemented, would “see us through this difficulties”.
According to him, Ghanaians must see some seriousness and readiness in the NPP, otherwise they would not give the party the chance to rule this country.
He said the constant criticism of President Mills’ administration by former President Rawlings and the recent one by Dr Sekou Nkrumah were enough evidence that President Mills and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were not up to the task of solving the problems of the country.
“The fact that in less than two years into the administration of President Mills, members of his own party and government have the courage to criticise him means that he is performing woefully and that the ‘better Ghana agenda’ is a mirage,” he said.
Mr Bin –Salih said that in the face of all the challenges that confronted the NDC government, Ghanaians were not going to give the privilege to govern the country to the NDC.
Touching on the number of delegates to vote on August 7, Mr Bin – Salih said a total of 5,313 people would cast their ballots that day and said things were being finalised to ensure a smooth congress.
He advised the delegates to vote according to their conscience and not allow anybody to entice them with rewards.
He has therefore called all those with grievances to pass them through the right channel and “stop washing the party’s dirty linen in public.
“We must not do anything that will erode the confidence that Ghanaians have in the party. Also the flag bearer aspirants must have confidence in the electoral process of the party since it was a similar mechanism that was used for the constituency, regional and national executives,” he added.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Wa, Mr Bin-Salih alleged that in the face of economic hardship that had hit most Ghanaians except those in the corridors of power, it was incumbent on the NPP to assure the good people of Ghana that it had policies which when implemented, would “see us through this difficulties”.
According to him, Ghanaians must see some seriousness and readiness in the NPP, otherwise they would not give the party the chance to rule this country.
He said the constant criticism of President Mills’ administration by former President Rawlings and the recent one by Dr Sekou Nkrumah were enough evidence that President Mills and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were not up to the task of solving the problems of the country.
“The fact that in less than two years into the administration of President Mills, members of his own party and government have the courage to criticise him means that he is performing woefully and that the ‘better Ghana agenda’ is a mirage,” he said.
Mr Bin –Salih said that in the face of all the challenges that confronted the NDC government, Ghanaians were not going to give the privilege to govern the country to the NDC.
Touching on the number of delegates to vote on August 7, Mr Bin – Salih said a total of 5,313 people would cast their ballots that day and said things were being finalised to ensure a smooth congress.
He advised the delegates to vote according to their conscience and not allow anybody to entice them with rewards.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
PEOPLE IN POSITION OF TRUST URGED TO BE FAITHFUL (PAGE 35, JULY 15, 2010)
People in positions of trust have been urged to be faithful, truthful and sincere in their daily activities.
The Northern Ghana Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, Right Reverend Emmanuel Maclord Afriyie, who made the call, bemoaned the lack of faithfulness in the world, which he said, had resulted in all kinds of behaviour.
“It is possible for people to be faithful if they allow the Spirit of the Lord to direct them,” he added.
Bishop Afriyie was delivering a sermon during the induction of Reverend Isaac Baah –Yanney as the Upper West Regional Manager of Methodist schools in Wa.
Speaking on the theme, “The reward for being faithful to Christ”, the Methodist Bishop noted that there was reward from God when one remained faithful and committed to whatever one did, saying that reward included prosperity.
“If you are a faithful person to God, He will make you more prosperous in all endeavours and it is, therefore, for you, as a person, to dedicate yourself to God to enable you to benefit from His grace,” he said.
Bishop Afriyie prayed that God would establish His Word in the hearts of His people and appoint intercessors for faithful people.
He advised Reverend Baah–Yanney to operate in transparency and pointed out that “if you are walking in faithfulness, God makes it possible to strengthen you with all power according to its glorious might”.
“We believe that you have given thought to the new responsibilities which have been entrusted upon you and that you will weigh them, apply yourself to them and ask help from God who will enable you to fulfil yourself in this calling,” he added.
The Northern Ghana Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, Right Reverend Emmanuel Maclord Afriyie, who made the call, bemoaned the lack of faithfulness in the world, which he said, had resulted in all kinds of behaviour.
“It is possible for people to be faithful if they allow the Spirit of the Lord to direct them,” he added.
Bishop Afriyie was delivering a sermon during the induction of Reverend Isaac Baah –Yanney as the Upper West Regional Manager of Methodist schools in Wa.
Speaking on the theme, “The reward for being faithful to Christ”, the Methodist Bishop noted that there was reward from God when one remained faithful and committed to whatever one did, saying that reward included prosperity.
“If you are a faithful person to God, He will make you more prosperous in all endeavours and it is, therefore, for you, as a person, to dedicate yourself to God to enable you to benefit from His grace,” he said.
Bishop Afriyie prayed that God would establish His Word in the hearts of His people and appoint intercessors for faithful people.
He advised Reverend Baah–Yanney to operate in transparency and pointed out that “if you are walking in faithfulness, God makes it possible to strengthen you with all power according to its glorious might”.
“We believe that you have given thought to the new responsibilities which have been entrusted upon you and that you will weigh them, apply yourself to them and ask help from God who will enable you to fulfil yourself in this calling,” he added.
Monday, July 12, 2010
HELP FARMERS IN UPPER WEST — NPP (PAGE 13, JULY 12, 2010)
The Upper West Regional Second Vice–chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Hafiz Bin-Salih, has appealed to the government to come to the aid of farmers in the region by providing them with fertilisers.
He said the lack of fertilisers in the region was hampering the efforts of farmers, thereby contributing to their precarious situation.
“Currently farmers have prepared their lands for the season but the shortage of the products is compounding the problem of our people”, he added.
Mr Bin–Salih made the call in an interaction with the Daily Graphic in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region.
According to him, middlemen had already taken advantage of the situation by selling the fertiliser at exorbitant prices to farmers and, therefore, suggested to government to either revert to the chit system which was introduced by the New Patriotic Party government under ex – President J. A. Kufuor, or introduce a more efficient means of ensuring that fertilisers and other farm inputs go directly to the farmers.
He said in the absence of this, there would be very poor yields which would affect the already impoverished people of the region.
“Government should also make good its promise of ensuring the implementation of the block farming by making tractors available for the use of beneficiaries,” he said.
Mr Bin–Salih called on the government to increase the salaries of workers to enable them to increase productivity and ensure the rapid development of the country.
He was of the view that the inability of the government to solve these problems and others would be an indication that the government was bereft of ideas, adding that “the government had already shown signs of its inability to solve the numerous problems confronting Ghanaians.
He said Ghanaians should ensure that the NPP came back to power to continue the good policies which were introduced by ex –President Kufuor but were being destroyed by the NDC.
He said the lack of fertilisers in the region was hampering the efforts of farmers, thereby contributing to their precarious situation.
“Currently farmers have prepared their lands for the season but the shortage of the products is compounding the problem of our people”, he added.
Mr Bin–Salih made the call in an interaction with the Daily Graphic in Wa, the capital of the Upper West Region.
According to him, middlemen had already taken advantage of the situation by selling the fertiliser at exorbitant prices to farmers and, therefore, suggested to government to either revert to the chit system which was introduced by the New Patriotic Party government under ex – President J. A. Kufuor, or introduce a more efficient means of ensuring that fertilisers and other farm inputs go directly to the farmers.
He said in the absence of this, there would be very poor yields which would affect the already impoverished people of the region.
“Government should also make good its promise of ensuring the implementation of the block farming by making tractors available for the use of beneficiaries,” he said.
Mr Bin–Salih called on the government to increase the salaries of workers to enable them to increase productivity and ensure the rapid development of the country.
He was of the view that the inability of the government to solve these problems and others would be an indication that the government was bereft of ideas, adding that “the government had already shown signs of its inability to solve the numerous problems confronting Ghanaians.
He said Ghanaians should ensure that the NPP came back to power to continue the good policies which were introduced by ex –President Kufuor but were being destroyed by the NDC.
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