BURKINA FASO DAMS SPILLAGE WASHES AWAY ROADS AND BRIDGES IN CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT

BURKINA FASO DAMS SPILLAGE WASHES AWAY ROADS AND BRIDGES IN CENTRAL GONJA DISTRICT

Water Spillage from the Bagre and Kapianga dams in neighboring Burkina Faso and severe floods caused by heavy downpour have washed away access roads and bridges linking satellite communities to Buipe, District capital of the Central Gonja District of the northern region.
The situation has cut off residents of the affected communities including Tuliwe, Aboase and Mpaha from the district capital thereby making life unbearable to them.
Assembly members representing the affected communities are therefore calling on government to rapidly respond to their predicament by giving immediate attention to the reconstruction of the washed away facilities.
Inadequate health facilities and lack of trained teachers refusal to accept postings to the district due to insufficient accommodation facilities are among other constraints affecting citizens of the Central Gonja District.
All these nagging issues came to light at the Second Ordinary General Meeting of the Central Gonja District Assembly held in Buipe on Wednesday 25.
Responding to some of the concerns, Hon. Amadu Seidu, Member of Parliament for Yapei/Kusawgu Constituency assured the assembly members of Ghana and Japanese governments and other development partners commitment to tackle most of the problems particularly that of the deplorable road network that is peculiar to most districts in the northern region.
He regretted that most of the well tailored development projects that begun under Jerry John Rawlings’ watch were abandoned by the erstwhile Kufuor led NPP administration but promised that all those projects will be re-visited by the President J.E.A Mills led NDC government in fulfillment of the Better Ghana Agenda.
He hence urged the assembly members to approach decisions bordering the district’s development on bipartisan lines and intensify their lobbying skills for projects to improve the living conditions of residents of their respective electoral areas.
Hon. Amadu Seidu further said plans have been far advanced by government to get all the deprived communities in the Central Gonja District connected to the national electrification project under the northern rural electrification programme.
On education, he said the GETfund in collaboration with the Ministry of Education is going to put up Kindergartens in almost every community as a means of making quality education accessible to all children of school going age in Ghana.
The District Chief Executive, Hon. Sualisu Biawuribe commended residents of Buipe for their cooperation with security operatives in the area whose operations have maintained the appreciable though relative peace in the area during the wake of skirmishes and other security threats related to the Buipe chieftaincy affair.
According to the DCE, the spate of highway robbery in the district has been considerably reduced with some of the notorious robbers whose activities endangered the lives of residents and other commuters being arrested by the security operatives.
Hon. Biawuribe announced that only one out of the hundreds of candidates in the district who wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examination for the year 2009 had aggregate 10 which he said needed concerted efforts to change the situation.
He added that the construction of mechanized boreholes and dams were underway in some underserved communities in the district to enhance peri-urban agriculture which in his estimation will boost food security in the district and beyond.
Hon. Biawuribe tasked revenue collectors of the assembly to maximize their internal revenue generating funds to complement the common fund allocation needed to execute the assembly’s development agenda to the fullest.
As part of efforts to improve the district’s human resource base, the DCE said a chunk of the assembly common fund and the MP’s allocation went into sponsoring brilliant but needy students of the area at all levels of education with emphasis on tertiary education.

USAID LAUNCHES PAGE PROJECT IN TAMALE

USAID LAUNCHES PAGE PROJECT IN TAMALE

The United States Agency for International Development’s funded education project code named “Partnership for Accountable Governance in Education Project” for the three northern regions has been launched in Tamale.

The three years project which will be implemented in 46 districts across Ghana among other interventions seek to improve student achievement through strengthened educational governance and supervision.

Mr. George Appiah, Deputy Chief of party at the launch explained that the project is designed to support the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to achieve the policy goals and objectives of the Education Strategic Plan and it will be facilitated by Care International.

For the start, Mr. George Appiah announced that the USAID is making available a package of 241 motorbikes for distribution and each of the beneficiary districts are expected to receive at least five motorbikes each.

He said one of the many guiding principles of the project is to institutionalize accountability for results among stakeholders in education at all levels.

Hon. Sam Nasaamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional commended the USAID for the initiative and concluded that it will improve the standard of education in the three northern regions.

He regretted that the northern regions have over the years recorded low grades at the Basic Education Certificate Examination level and in his estimation the PAGE project could make a difference.
The Partnership for Accountable Governance in Education is a USAID funded programme that started on June 1, 2010 and its activities are expected to support two out of Ghana’s four Education Strategic Plan objectives as laid in the Medium Term Development plan objectives for the education sector.
Participants at the launch included Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, Regional and District Directors of Education and other stakeholders in education operating in the three regions of the north.

MUSAH SUPERIOR CALLS FOR RETENTION OF NANA/BAWUMIA TICKET

MUSAH SUPERIOR CALLS FOR RETENTION OF NANA/BAWUMIA TICKET

The New Patriotic Party cleared the hurdle of electing its flag bearer for elections 2012 by overwhelmingly retaining its 2008 flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo at the just ended expanded delegates congress to lead the party to victory come 2012.
But the daunting task ahead of the NPP is the selection of Nana Addos’ running mate which some interested groups in the party have started campaigning for their favorite candidates.
Whereas some leading members of the party are calling for Nana Addo/Alan Kyeremanteng ticket, others are of the view that the party should maintain its trade mark of choosing a northerner to seal the deal which could demystify the widespread misconception that the NPP is an Akan party.
Latest to join the bandwagon is London based leading member of the NPP, Iddrisu Musah Superior who is calling for retention of the Nana Addo and Mahamud Bawumia ticket for solid victory in 2012.
Iddrisu Musah Superior describes the Nana Addo/Bawumia Ticket as a perfect combination and warns that any attempt to change the ticket might create damages to the NPP’s forward march to wrestle power from the NDC in 2012.
Buttressing his point, he said the NPP needed no change to the 2008 ticket since that was what gave the party upper hand over the NDC during the first round with 49.77%.
“Our great party does not need to look elsewhere to choose a qualified running mate to partner Nana Addo our flagbearer when Dr. Mahamud Bawumia is already marketed, tested and proven to be a good Vice President,” Superior explained.

According to Iddrisu Musah Superior who is lacing his boots to contest the Tamale Central Constituency seat in 2012, retaining Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia will confirm the NPP’s consistency and appreciation to the two gentle men who led the party into the 2008 and narrowly lost to the NDC.

“We have to celebrate their achievement, encourage and support this viable ticket: I also argue that the Nana/Bawumia partnership is very well known by Ghanaians,” he maintained.

He said retaining the old ticket will as well save the party from creating division over the selection of a new running mate to partner Nana Addo for the 2012 elections.

“Bawumia’s retention is hugely significant as the election of Nana Addo: I hope Nana and the Party would accept him on the Presidential ballot for the greater interest of the Party as we get set to re-introduce the Party to the people Ghana,” Superior stressed .

He rubbished the calls for South/south ticket and hinted that it will be politically suicidal if the party leadership heeds to such calls and that such a situation will create more room for the NDC to say the NPP is not northern friendly.

Musah Superior said Ghana needed a world renowned economist like Dr. Bawumia to salvage the dwindling economy from total collapse due to the NDC’s mismanagement of the nation’s scarce resources.

YENDI NPP CONGRATULATES NANA ADDO

YENDI NPP CONGRATULATES NANA ADDO
Yendi Constituency leadership of opposition New Patriotic Party has congratulated the party’s newly elected Presidential candidate for elections 2012, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Ado on his overwhelming endorsement at the just ended delegates congress.
The statement disclosed that Nana Addos 99% endorsement by delegates in the Yendi Constituency meant that party supporters regretted for their actions that led to the NPP’s loss of the Yendi seat which has been its traditional stronghold in the northern region since time immemorial.
At a news conference addressed by Fuseini Bawah Zakariah Kpana, the constituency Secretary, he assured Nana Addo of the leadership’s determination to recapture the Yendi seat from the ruling NDC whose candidate won the seat at the last elections which he attributed to lack of unity among members.
Fuseini Zakariah gave the assurance that the Yendi seat will be delivered to the NPP in 2012 which in his estimation will be replicated at the national level to kick the NDC out of power.
He commended the other four defeated aspirants for declaring their unflinching support to Nana Addo and therefore appealed to all party supporters to bury their differences for victory 2012.
He described Nana Akufo Addo as a time tested and a matured politician who has the expertise to salvage Ghana’s economy from the mess that the NDC government has plunged it into since assuming office in 2009.
The Yendi constituency NPP Secretary lambasted the President John Mills’ led NDC administration over what he described as the selective justice meted out to rival Abudus in handling the Dagbon crisis and said the government has created an-indelible mark on the brains of the Abudus.

NATIONAL ASSOCAITION OF GONJALAND Youth ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS MEDIA REPORTAGE

NATIONAL ASSOCAITION OF GONJALAND Youth ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS MEDIA REPORTAGE
The Gonjaland Youth Association has rubbished recent media reports that the association slammed the Overlord of Gonjaland, Yagbon-Wura Sulemana Tuntunba Borisa over decisions that he took in relation to the Buipe chieftaincy affair and other related issues in Gonjaland.
With specific reference to Wednesday edition of the Today newspaper captioned “Gonjaland Youth Association slams Yagbon-Wura” which was also captured by the Chronicle newspaper, leadership of the association described the said publications as baseless and dumfounded which should be treated with the contempt that it deserves.
Mr. Bakari Nyari, President of the Gonjaland Youth Association at a news conference held at the Pioneer Lodge in Tamale denied knowledge of the association ever slamming the Yagbon-Wura and expressed the association’s disquiet about recent falsehood reportage by a cross section of the Ghanaian media on matters in-connection with the tussle over the Buipe chieftaincy affair and its unfolding events.
He challenged the media to be circumspect in their reportage especially when highlighting issues concerning chieftaincy and other related matters emanating from the Gonjaland Traditional Council.
He reaffirmed the association’s unflinching support to the Yagbon-Wura and the Gonjaland Traditional Council in its bid to make citizens of the area productive and industrious.
Mr. Nyari however cautioned citizens of Gonjaland against rushing to the media to articulate their grievances and resort to the use of the designated traditional channels in settling their differences.
He further urged all peace loving and development oriented citizens particularly the youth of Gonjaland to snub persons sowing seeds of rancor in their respective communities and concentrate on gaining higher academic laurels as their major priority to move the Gonjaland Traditional Area forward.

ACTORS IN THE SHEA INDUSTRY CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

ACTORS IN THE SHEA INDUSTRY CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
With the approval of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority Bill into law which awaits Presidential assent, participants at the 2nd Shea Multi-Stakeholders day one sitting in Tamale have repeated calls on government to place premium on the shea industry same as the level of importance attached to the cocoa industry.
They expressed worry about the sector being the least developed with its potentials underutilized by successive governments though the shea industry is regarded as one of the great potentials which could go a long way to reduce the astronomical poverty levels in the three regions of the north.
The participants further bemoaned that while the cocoa sector has been developed to the World export level, little or no attention has been given the shea industry which should be a national concern.
In an exclusive interview at the forum, Mr. Roy Ayariga, National Coordinator of the Northern Growth Development Programme disclosed the African Development Bank’s financial commitment to support the shea sector with 62 million Dollars to improve the industry.
According to him, the money will be used for infrastructural expansion comprising roads, bridges and facilities that are needed to improve the socio-economic well being of residents of less developed shea producing communities in northern Ghana.
He also announced IFAD’s pledge of additional 22 million Dollar package to improve production, extension services, processing, marketing, research and access to micro finance credit.
Giving an overview of the forum, Madam Rose Tanzile, Coordinator of the National Shea Network said the platform was created to brainstorm and make commendations to government and multinational companies in the shea industry to set the pace for a more coordinated approach to develop the industry.
She outlined key issues including inadequate skills training on nuts picking and processing, rapid reduction in tree numbers with little effort for replacement, poor budgetary allocation for the sector’s development and lack of specific comprehensive policy framework to support the shea sector as some of the challenges the industry been bedeviled with over the years.
Mr. Roy Ayariga was emphatic that a chunk of the money will be used to support women who have died out of snake bites and other deadly reptiles who feed on the shea nuts they go to pick from the bush.
He added that the value chain approach which was instituted by the Northern Growth Development Programme in collaboration financial institutions to provide cashless support to farmers in northern Ghana is on course.
He explained that the programme aimed at assisting the beneficiary farmers to increase the cultivation of maize, soya bean and sorghum for adequate supply to industrial buyers.
Mr. Roy Ayariga mentioned companies such as the Accra Brewery Limited, Bosbel Oil producers and the Ghana Nuts company that are ready with cash to buy in large quantities maize, soya bean and sorghum for commercial production.
Among other resource persons, Dr. Joshua A. Yidana of the University for Development Studies and Dr. Ameyaw of CRIG implored government to engage the services of researchers to come out with useful findings that will help actors in the industry make informed decisions as means of catching up with far advanced players in the cocoa industry.

GOVERNMENT DONATES TO MUSLIM IN TAMALE

GOVERNMENT DONATES TO MUSLIM IN TAMALE
As an annual ritual during Ramadan, the Northern Regional Coordinating Council on behalf of government donated hundreds of bags of sugar to about 56 Mosques’, chiefs and other social groupings in the Tamale Metropolis.
Notable among the beneficiary groups are the Tamale Central Mosque, the Ambariya Mosque, the Salawaatiya and AlBayan Mosques’ as well as the Chief of Tamale, the Gukpegu Regent and the Zongo Chief.
The Tamale Central and Ambariya Mosques’ received a quantity of 10 bags of sugar each whereas the remaining beneficiaries received some appreciable quantities.
Making the presentation at the Tamale Central Mosque, Alhaji Abudulai Harunah Friday, Mayor of Tamale on behalf of government commended the Muslim community for its role in nation building hence the donation.
He said government was appreciative of the standard of intra-religious tolerance experienced in the region and concluded that situation had contributed to the relative peace residents have enjoyed so far.
Alhaji Friday said government was committed to achieving the Better Ghana Agenda and called on the citizens to co-exist peacefully for accelerated development.
Laying much emphasis on peace, he also appealed to the youth of Dagbon to reconcile and re-channel their resources into productive ventures that will move the Dagbon State forward but in the right direction.
Chairman of the Central Mosque Committee, Alhaji Abdallah Hindu thanked government for the kind gesture and prayed for peace and tranquility for the realization of the Better Ghana Agenda.
He assured government of the Muslim Ulamah’s unflinching cooperation with other development partners to improve the socio-economic progress of residents of the entire northern region.

GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME READY FOR EXPANSION

GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME READY FOR EXPANSION

Madam Olivia Yahaya, Northern Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme has disclosed government’s readiness to expand the programme in September this year to cover more schools in the country.
She regretted that only 125 out of a total number of 1,913 kindergarten and primary schools located in the northern region are benefitting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme which she said will be a thing of the past when the expansion programme becomes operative.
Madam Olivia Yahaya dropped the hint at a day’s sensitization programme held in Tamale for all Caterers and Cooks working under the Ghana School Feeding Programme in the entire northern region.
According to her, one of the major challenges of the Ghana School Feeding Programme since its inception in 2005 is lack of adequate information regarding the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders of the programme and that explained why the nationwide workshop was organized in Tamale.
She said northern region stands to benefit more from the expansion programme when it takes off as government is determined to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition which are characteristic of the impoverished school going age children in rural communities.
This in the estimation of Madam Olivia Yahaya will increase domestic food production, improve the low income levels of poor rural households and as well boost the health and nutritional needs of school children.
Madam Olivia bemoaned that certain inaccuracies comprising poor food quality, lack of supervision, unhygienic cooking environments among others were uncovered by her outfit during its monitoring and supervision exercises.
She therefore warned that her office will not countenance such behavioral changes have the tendency of thwarting government’s effort to make the Programme play its pivotal role as an integral element of meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals.
For his part, Mr. Sam Nasaamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister challenged the service providers to treat the school children like theirs by feeding them on the required balanced diet.
He encouraged them to buy the food commodities direct from the local farmers in communities where they operate to enable them improve their financial capacities.
This, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister noted will encourage the farmers to keep their children in school.
Miss Mary Baisie, Head of Health and Nutrition of the Ghana School Feeding Programme at the headquarters underscored the need for the service providers to improve their hygienic conditions.
She explained that the exercise is a nationwide training programme that seeks to educate the service providers on measures that will improve their services towards the reduction of hunger, malnutrition and other accompanying hazards that are inimical to the GSFP achievements.
Madam Mary implored them to render their services in line with the National Secretariat’s forward march to ensure that all children of school going age at the basic level are fed on balanced diet that will make them grow to become useful citizens.

KARAGA NDC YOUTH THREATENS MAYHEM OVER ATTEMPTS TO REPLACE DCE

KARAGA NDC YOUTH THREATENS MAYHEM OVER ATTEMPTS TO REPLACE DCE

Leadership of the Concerned Youth of NDC in Karaga constituency has disapproved all three personalities who were recently vetted among 16 others if possible for replacement to four vacant District Chief Executive positions in the northern region including the Karaga district.
It described the three personalities comprising Mahamadu Abdul Rahaman, the Karaga Constituency NDC Youth Organizer, Mr. Hussein Issah Sulemana, the Constituency Secretary and the third person as “Charlatans” who are not deemed fit to replace the disappointed DCE Alhaji Mahamadu Abdulai Sandow.
Mohammed Sadique, Spokesperson of the Karaga Concerned NDC Youth threatened that attempts to impose any of the three personalities on residents of Karaga as the next DCE will be fiercely resisted and thereby repeated their call for the reinstatement of the former DCE.
He also warned the NDC regional executives against interfering in the appointment of a DCE for the district since according to him it is the preserve of natives of the area.
Mohammed Sadique also accused Hon. Iddrisu Dauda, Member of Parliament for Karaga Constituency of allegedly creating division among the constituency executives and the youth which the group believes might cause the NDC’s defeat in 2012.
He described the Constituency Executives as opportunists who are only interested in grabbing property instead of concentrating on building the party structures ahead of elections 2012.
It will be recalled that on Thursday July 29 at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, 16 persons were vetted for recommendations to President John Mills if possible for appointment to replace DCE’ s for Karaga, Yendi, Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo and the Sawla Tuna Kalba District.
While the late Alhaji Shakur, former DCE for Sawla Tuna Kalba died in a fatal car accident, three others namely, Mr. Walvice Hudu Adama Mahama for Yendi Municipality, Hajia Meiliga Mavis Bawa for Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo and Alhaji Abdulai Sandow for Karaga were dismissed by President Mills following ceaseless protest against them.

WFP PROJECT TARGETS OVER 400,000 VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN NORTHERN GHANA

WFP PROJECT TARGETS OVER 400,000 VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN NORTHERN GHANA

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a food security and nutrition programme intended to ameliorate the food and nutritional values of vulnerable households and also create job opportunities for people in the three Northern Regions of Ghana.
Under the theme: “Building Resilience for food security and nutrition in Northern Ghana”, the project is expected to support 423,250 people across the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions of Ghana with relief and recovery activities over a two year period.
The project dubbed: “Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO)” which was launched on August 6, 2010 in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital will involve 27,785 metric tones of food assistance valued at USD$22 million dollars.
According to WFP Head of Programme, NguyenDuc Hoang, between 2008 and 2009, two surveys conducted informed the formulation of the PRRO.
“The first nationwide food security survey called the ‘Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis in 2008’, and an impact assessment of the ‘Global Crisis on Vulnerable Households in Ghana’ was conducted in 2009”, he recalled.
Mr. Hoang, said the findings of these surveys confirmed that the three Northern Regions remain the most food-insecure areas in Ghana with Upper West topping the table with 34%, Upper East 15%, Northern 10%, Ashanti 7% and Eastern 4%, followed by the five remaining regions
He pointed out that the surveys recommended that efforts are stepped-up to help those who have been severely affected by droughts, floods and food price increases.
The WFP Head of Programme explained that based on these findings and in line with the objectives of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authourity (SADA), this PRRO was developed to improve the food and nutritional security of vulnerable people in Northern Ghana who have been severely affected by multiple shocks over the past three years- repeated floods and droughts in 2007, high cost of food particularly staple foods in 2008 and the impact of the global economic downturn in 2009.
Under the relief component of the project, four main activities will be carried out including the sustainability of contingency emergency stockpile of food for flood and drought-prone areas in the three regions, giving special attention to the elderly especially sick or disabled refugees who remain in Ghana whiles the supplementary feeding programme of WFP, a safety-net for malnourished children, pregnant women and nursing mothers will be extended to districts in the beneficiary regions hit by high cost of food and acute malnutrition.
An innovative aspect of this project is the introduction of support to People Living With HIV on Anti-Retroviral Therapy and their families. This aspect addresses the Ghana Aids Commission’s concern that food security is a major impediment to the adherence of HIV treatment. Thus, 12,000 patients and 48,000 of their household members will receive highly nutritious food to ensure patients compliance with the ARTs treatment.
Also, the recovery component consists of food for work also known as food for assets, food for training and income generating activities. In partnership with government agencies and NGOs, vulnerable food-insecure groups of people will participate in food-for-work activities aimed at slowing land degradation and soil erosion in flood-affected areas.
Community members will be given food incentives in exchange for work on vital infrastructure such as desilting small dams and dugouts, constructing stonewalls, replicating seedlings, reforesting riverbanks and other climate-change adaptation and mitigation activities. The goal of this is to help reduce rural-urban migration by providing alternative work opportunities to some 100,000 people in food insecure areas.
Over 24,000 of the most food-insecure groups of people that are at highest risk of acute hunger, such as shea-nut harvesters, small-scale food processors, agro pastoralists, food and cash crop farmers, and daily labourers, will be targeted with food incentives for training activities. They will spend time learning new skills that increase the food security of their households and communities. Some of the activities being considered are seedling cultivation, tree nurseries, agricultural extension, training on how to fortify milled maize and other cereals, and how to rebag and retail iodised salt.

WIENCO THREATENS TO WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT TO RTU

WIENCO THREATENS TO WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT TO RTU

Real Tamale United might soon face financial difficulties due to far advanced plans by the clubs major sponsor, Wienco Agriculture Limited to withdraw its financial and logistical support to the club.
In spite of the huge investment Wienco has provided RTU with over the years, confirmed reports are that a cross section of RTU’s Supporters Club allegedly assaulted Mr. Henry Wienchis, CEO of Wienco Agriculture Limited.
By extension, the technical team, match officials and Directors of the club were also attacked which led to the pre-matured resignation of Coach Abdul Razak as the head coach after the last season.
This threat by Wienco’s CEO to withdraw his company’s support has sent some well meaning supporters of RTU panicking including the leadership of a group called the National Channels Council of Real Tamale United that is calling on the Wienco CEO to rescind his decision.
Spokesperson of the group, Farouk Issahaku Kanawu at a news conference regretted the actions of the rioters and rendered an unqualified apology to Mr. Wienchis, the technical team and management of the club.
Farouk Issahaku described as generally unacceptable that untoward behavior which was meted out to the Wienco CEO and gave the assurance that the National Channels Council will ensure that such uncalled for situation will never re-occur.
He said the contribution made by Wienco towards RTU’s upkeep over the years cannot be underestimated and pledged his side’s commitment to cement the healthy rapour that existed between the company and the club’s management.

GOVT URGED TO RATIFY YOUTH POLICY WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY

GOVT URGED TO RATIFY YOUTH POLICY WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY

A development oriented youth organisation in the Northern Region, Youth Empowerment for Life (YEfL) is asking government to ratify the proposed National Youth Policy which has been on the drawing board for several years without further delay.
At the end of its 6th Annual Youth Forum held at Dalun in the Tolon-Kumbungu District of the Northern Region, YEfL members said notwithstanding the efforts of past and present governments towards enhancing the development of young people in Ghana, much still need to be done towards addressing the development needs of the youth.
The annual youth forum of YEfL was organized to foster unity and cohesion among various youth groups that participated and also to enable participants share ideas on how to address the problems confronting them.
It was organized under the theme: “Navigating Youth Contribution to Government Policies” and brought together 150 participants belonging to various youth groups in the Tamale Metropolis, Yendi Municipality, Karaga, Saboba, Nanumba North and South, West Gonja, Tolon-Kumbungu and Savelugu-Nanton Districts.
The opening day of the five day event saw delegates and participants sensitized on the Savannah Accelerated Development Authourity (SADA), the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), National Youth Policy and the oil and gas draft document.
Jawol Vera Magan, a youth leader and member of YEfL who read the communiqué, also expressed the need for the National Youth Policy to be implemented by the National Youth Council (NYC) after it has been ratified and approved by parliament.
According to her, it is the mandate of the NYC to coordinate all youth activities at all levels and called on government to leave all issues concerning the youth to the NYC and stop creating parallel structures in having a Youth Ministry.
Ms. Vera Magan further advocated that there should be no political interference in the work of the National Youth Council and called on government to release the governance structure of the Council to the youth themselves to decide who should or should not be the National Youth Council Coordinator.
She pointed out that the current situation whereby the NYC Coordinator is appointed by the government of the day is what they are against, declaring that the NYC should be immune to political influence now.
There has not been a clear representation of the youth on the board of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authourity (SADA) and demanded that government should take a second look at the constitution of the board so that programmes and policies to be implemented will make young people more competitive in the various sectors of the economy, she observed.
The acting National Coordinator of the NYC Archibald Donkor announced that come August 12th, 2010, government will outdoor the new draft National Youth Policy bill.
He said it would be out for deliberations at cabinet level before being sent to parliament for it to be passed into law.
Mr. Donkor therefore advised the youth to be disciplined and exercise more patient saying provisions have also been made for the document to be reviewed when the need arises.
The District Chief Executive for Tolon-Kumbungu, Alhaji Iddi-Manzah Mahama also announced the building of an office complex for the youth in the district and appealed to the NYC to endeavour to provide staff when the time comes.
He told participants that the government of the NDC has learnt a lot of lessons from youth agitations for jobs with barely two years in office. Adding that, the government is however not in a hurry to design adhoc solutions to these calls but will painstakingly fashion out a long term plan that will serve as a blue print for Ghana.

NORTHERN REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDER CALLS FOR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

NORTHERN REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDER CALLS FOR LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

The Northern Regional Police Commander has commended government for improving the salaries of police personnel in Ghana through the Single Spine Pay Policy but called for logistical support to enable them live beyond reproach in the conduct of their duties.
ACP Angwubutobge Awuni said whereas the Northern Regional command could only boast of a single unserviceable patrol vehicle, Divisional Commanders including the Tamale Metropolitan Commander lacked moveable logistics therefore making their operations extremely arduous.
The police chief was speaking at a meeting with all the District Commanders and personnel in Tamale where he charged them to live up to their responsibilities in appreciation of steps taken by government to improve on their conditions of service.
ACP Awuni further implored them to improve on their outfit and urged them to deepen their relationship with the populace in order to enhance smooth policing.
He commended the people of Dagbon for sustaining the fragile peace over last few yearss and appealed to them to co-exist peacefully for accelerated development to take place.
ACP Angwubutoge Awuni further implored the traditional authority to assist the police personnel in the area to perform their core functions of maintaining law and order by not interfering in criminal matters.

UPPER EAST NPP COMMUNICATIONS CHARGES AT NANA ADDOS DETRACTORS

UPPER EAST NPP COMMUNICATIONS CHARGES AT NANA ADDOS DETRACTORS

The Upper East Regional Communications group of opposition New Patriotic Party has taken a swipe at Yaw Mort, the party’s regional organizer over what appeared to unsavory remarks in response to an alleged statement made by Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo which was interpreted to be an insult on the integrity of people of northern decent.
Nana Addo, a leading contender of the forthcoming Saturday August 7 national delegates congress was reported to have in a response a question as to whom his regional Coordinator was in the Upper East Region allegedly said if he chose a goat to be his campaign Coordinator, it was nobody’s business.
This drew condemnations from the NPP Upper East Regional Organizer, Yaw Mort and Abdul Basit, Spokesperson of a group called the Savannah Youth for Development who implored Nana Addo to render an unqualified apology to northerners.
Responding to these developments at a news conference, Ahmed Karim Bediako, Coordinator of the Upper East NPP Communications group described the Regional Organizer Yaw Mort and Abdul Basit as the party’s enemies of progress.
He warned them against divisive tendencies in the party and advised that they should stop wasting their time on such frivolous insinuations and rather channel their resources into building the party’s structures in the three northern regions that are tagged the NDC’s “World Bank”.
Ahmed Bediako unreservedly said at no point in time did Nana Addo made derogatory statements on northerners during his recent visit to the Upper East Region and urged his detractors to stop maligning the 2008 NPP flag bearer.
He rated Nana Addo 100% among the five personalities gunning for the 2012 Flag bearer position as the only stalwart in the NPP who has northerners at heart and that his choice of Dr. Mahamud Bawumia as his running mate during the last elections was a clear demonstration of his love for the north.
He added that Nana Addo was very instrumental in the establishment of the Northern Development Fund under President Kufuors’ watch that sought to bridge the yawning gap between northern and southern Ghana.
Shifting focus on the forthcoming congress slated for Saturday August 7, the Upper East NPP Communications Coordinator tipped Nana Addo to win 60% of the total votes which in his estimation will be reflected in 2012.
Without mincing words, he lambasted President John Atta Mills’ led NDC administration for what he referred to as mismanagement of Ghana’s economy and concluded that a Nana Addo administration will salvage the economy.

TAMALE CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY NDC EXECUTIVES RESCUE INUSAH FUSEINI

TAMALE CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY NDC EXECUTIVES RESCUE INUSAH FUSEINI

Abubakari Malba, Propaganda Secretary of the NDC Tamale Central Constituency has urged all party loyalists to ignore calls for the replacement of Hon. Inusah Fuseini in 2012 based on unsubstantiated allegations leveled against the dynamic and affable Tamale Central MP by a group called the Tamale Central Coalition of NDC youth.
He said the party leadership was not surprised at the culture of impunity certain selfish individuals are trying very hard to import into the constituency to tarnish the hard won reputation of Hon. Inusah Fuseini also Ghana’s Deputy Energy Minister.
At a news conference meant to react to the Tamale Central Coalition of NDC youth’s call for their MP’s replacement, Abubakari Malba unreservedly warned that the constituency leadership will deal ruthlessly with the detractors.
He described as grossly irresponsible the statement that Hon. Inusah Fuseini denounced his allegiance to the Andani gate on one of the editions of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme and concluded that the MP is for all irrespective of their religion, political or chieftaincy affiliations.
Abubakari Malba said the constituents are proud of their MP for his sterling performance within the short period that he took over from Dr. Wayo Seini through a bye-election that he won a landslide victory.
He recounted the building of 13 classroom blocks and the recent sod cutting ceremony for work to commence on a GH 640 community project for the Moshie Zongo, Warizehi and SakaSaka electoral areas.
Abubakari Malba disclosed that through the efforts of Hon. Inusah Fuseini, about 1000 women have gained access to credit facilities to expand their business and that 500 tertiary students have so far benefited from a scholarship fund established with the MP’s personal funds.
The Tamale Central Constituency NDC propaganda Secretary nevertheless called for unity in the party to enable President Mills clinch onto power in 2012.

CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMISSION HOLDS REGIONAL LEVEL HEARINGS IN TAMALE

CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMISSION HOLDS REGIONAL LEVEL HEARINGS IN TAMALE

The Constitutional Review Commission with the mandate of reviewing Ghana’s 1992 Republican Constitution has held a two day regional level hearings and consultation meeting in Tamale.
The nationwide exercise was intended to make recommendations to government through a draft bill if necessary for possible amendments of the whole or portions of the 1992 Constitution which have outlived its usefulness.
Pertinent portions that were subjected to roundtable discussions included, the Executive powers or transition of executive authority, Legislative powers or transition of Parliaments, Legal sector issues and Decentralization and local governance.
Other important areas were the Independent constitutional bodies, the public services of Ghana, the traditional authorities, Tindanas (landowners), Queen mothers and human right issues including gender and access to justice.
Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister who opened the forum appealed to the participants to attach importance to the exercise by approaching the topics under discussion in a bipartisan manner.
He said: “I entreat all of you herein assembled to make your inputs in a bipartisan manner that will assist the nation to enrich the Bills to be amended to make the constitution a true living document that will not only stand the test of time but will also address your yearning needs to deepen our democracy and increase the tempo of socio-economic development in this country,”.
The Minister also said the exercise was in line with President John Evans Atta Mills’ call for a review of the 1992 Republican Constitution which was captured in his State of the Nations address during the early part of this year.
Mr. Mabengba reiterated the President’s call which read, “We believe also that a National Constitutional Review Conference is the surest way to ensure that our manifesto promises as well as those of some of the other political parties which require constitutional amendments see fruition in a consensual manner: Iin preparation towards this conference we shall this year establish a Constitutional Review Committee to collate views on amendment proposals and work towards the conference,”.
Professor Albert K. Fiadjoe, Chairman of the Commission said the Commission was committed to work in a free and fair manner devoid of politics and urged participants to place premium on the exercise.
He commended the people of the three Northern Regions for the level of enthusiasm attached to deliberations on the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which is awaiting Presidential assent and asked the participants to do same to the ongoing exercise.
Professor Fiadjoe announced that over 31,000 submissions had been received so far from across the country and Ghanaians in the Diaspora but complained that Northern Region recorded the lowest figure.
He therefore challenged the participants to improve the figure and called for greater participation of the youth, women and the destitute in the society whose collective input through the final documentations will help build a united and prosperous Ghana.
 

NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL URGE TO ACCEPT POSTINGS TO HINTERLANDS

NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL URGE TO ACCEPT POSTINGS TO HINTERLANDS

National Service Personnel has been urged to be accepting posting to the hinterlands, but not to see it as castigation because the people in those areas also needed their service mostly as compare to the urban center.
The Bole district Director of the National Service Scheme, Ali Issah gave the advice in a welcome address delivered at this year’s service personnel week celebration dinner night in Bole to climax the service week celebration.
The week long programme, the first of it kind in the district was chunked with several activities such as a float match through the principal streets of Bole, a clean up exercise, an entrepreneurship symposium, Gala matches and among other activities lined up which was climax by a dinner dance.
Addressing the Service Personnel on the theme “National Service in the drive towards a better Ghana” Mr. Ali reiterated that it is relevant to take a sober reflection of the significant of the National Service to the development of the individual personnel, the district, the region and the country at large.
The Coordinator said the National Service Scheme present an opportunity to the personnel to serve mother Ghana and also create avenues as the first step of experience acquisition after tertiary education.
This he said is manifested as personnel are posted to various sectors of the economy especially the teaching sector.
He however expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to all service personnel who within the period in diverse ways contributed in their own capacity to help end the 10 month period of service without any challenges and wished them the best of luck as they go out to compete in search for jobs.
The President of the National Service personnel Association of Ghana in Bole, Issah Ewuntomah advised his colleagues to become responsible future leaders of the nation.
He also challenged them to also be courageous in approaching Directors and other high Officials who occupied key positions and lobby for jobs.
Mr. Ewuntomah said the association in the district has also acquired a land at Green Valley, a suburb of Bole for construction of a hostel facility to ease accommodation challenges facing personnel in the district.

NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES OF FULANI HERDSMEN BEQUEATH TRADITIONAL RULERS SLEEPLESS NIGHT

NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES OF FULANI HERDSMEN BEQUEATH TRADITIONAL RULERS SLEEPLESS NIGHT

The Incessant nefarious activities of the alien Fulani Herdsmen in the country have indeed become a great source of worry to traditional rulers in the three Northern Regions, whose people are worst victims of those activities. The Chiefs have therefore vowed to adopt their own means of flashing out the alien herdsmen of their communities, since the state has been very unconcerned about the issue.
The over 60 Paramount Chiefs also expressed serious disappointment at the government for unjustifiably failing to institute concrete measures to regulate and monitor the activities of the Fulanis, whom they said were becoming “nuisance” in the Ghanaian societies.
At a roundtable discussion of all Paramount Chiefs in the three Northern Regions held in Tamale recently to discuss the drafted Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) Bill and make significant inputs, majority of the Chiefs criticized government for over glorifying the so-called ECOWAS protocol of free trade and human movement at the expense of the rights, safety and security of Ghanaians.
The Paramount Chief of Gwollu in the Sissala West District of the West Region, Kuoru Kuri-Buktie Limann II is one of the vociferous Chiefs who are passionate about the issue of the Fulanis.
He indicated that his traditional area was close to the Burkina Faso-Ghana border and thus recounted some of the bad activities of the aliens. The Chief lamented that apart from broad day robbery and destruction of people’s farms, the Fulani Herdsmen also engaged in raping married women and other young ladies at gun point.
They sometimes also kill and takeover livestock animals of some poor farmers and run away unpunished.
The Paramount Chief of Gwollu therefore challenged government and for that matter Parliament to without any further delay, come out with legislative instrument that can transform the Fulanis and sanction them when necessary.
The Paramount Chief of Kpembe Traditional in the East Gonja District, Kpembewura Haruna Kabasigi also lamented that he did not foresee any possibility of government taking stringent measure to flash out of regulate the activities of the alien Fulanis, since several public outcries to government had gone wasted.
The Kpembewura therefore announced his plans to unilaterally demarcate a portion of the lands in his area to the Fulanis where they will be confined or restricted from mingling with the indigenes and crossing people’s farms. They will have access to all the basic amenities especially water and electricity.
According to him, he is already in talks with the leadership of the Fulanis to ensure that all their members and animals are registered to avoid stealing of other people’s cattle.
The Paramount Chiefs of Bolgatanga and Yunyoo, Bolga-Naaba, Martin Abilba and Yunyoo-Lana Yamyia Tooka II respectively in separate interview with Fiila News also attributed the growing problem to successive governments’ inability to include traditional authorities in governance.
According to the Yunyoo-Lana, the ECOWAS Protocol treaty is not superior to the laws of Ghana and enjoined government to be firm and resolute in protecting its people’s lives and properties.
He stated that the serious nuisance the Fulani Herdsmen are creating in Ghana can not be perpetrated or accepted in any other ECOWAS member country.
The Chief therefore called on government to control the Fulanis and made them to pay heavy taxes and also face serious sanctions for any wrong doing.
Meanwhile, the activities of alien Fulani Herdsmen are gradually threatening the security of residents in the three Northern Regions.
These aliens are alleged to be the brain behind major highway robberies, indiscriminate rape of women and the burning of farms leading to considerable loss of farm produce stored in the farm houses and those yet to be harvested.
They are also believed to be engaged in the cutting down of food crops and economic trees in feeding their animals which is making the north more prone to desertification.
Residents on several occasions have engaged in confrontations with these herdsmen and raised concerns over their continuous stay in the region and have therefore called on the authorities to as a matter of urgency eject them or closely monitor their activities.
Many have also blamed them for the poor harvest which had impacted negatively on the food security in the Northern Sector regarded as the bread baskets of the country.

AMALE CENTRAL NDC YOUTH CALL ON GOV’T TO EXIT MP

TAMALE CENTRAL NDC YOUTH CALL ON GOV’T TO EXIT MP
The Tamale Central youth coalition of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Changli has called on the NDC government to as a matter of urgency replace the constituency Member of Parliament, Lawer Inusah Fuseni with a more competent candidate or will be at the risk of loosing the seat to the opposition.
The youth coalition of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Changli said the Member of Parliament, Haruna Fuseini falsely lured the youth to gain his political mandate in the Constituency.
The coalition of Youth groups in Changli laid out this in a press statement issued to Fiila News and sign by the Chairman, Abdul-Karim Seidu at the weekend in Tamale.
According to the statement, Lawyer Inusah Fuseini promised the youth in the area jobs when he gain power but immediately he had the mandate in the political terrain he totally snub the youth in area.
The youth therefore challenged the MP to publicly come out to name the number of people he provided with jobs since his assumption to the political power.
The youth in their statement clearly indicated that the disappointing part of it is that the MP used the murder of late Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani as his major campaign message and again denounced on Metro TV recently that he is not part of the Andani and all its activities.
The MP who took over from Prof Wayo Seini can only be described as a failure by the youth to the constituency. The youth however cautioned the NDC government to sit up and face the promises they made to Ghanaians.
The youth therefore rendered an unqualified apology to the opposition New Patriotic Party for the brutalities in the 2008 election meted out to its members, saying that it was ignorance and the influence of the self-seeking politicians in the Metropolis.
They also urged the opposition NPP to let them bury their differences and label the politicians as hypocrites in order to co-exist for they are one people.

EDUCATIONIST CALL ON PARENTS TO INVEST IN THEIR CHILDREN EDUCATION

EDUCATIONIST CALL ON PARENTS TO INVEST IN THEIR CHILDREN EDUCATION

The Tamale Metropolitan Director of Ghana Education Service has called on parents to invest in their children’s education to ensure that good future leaders emerges for accurate policies to be made in the country for accelerated development.
Alhaji Abdul-Rahaman Saani said investing in education is the greatest assert in the life of every individual in the society.
He made this call at the 16th graduation ceremony of Fatchi “Little Flower” School Complex in Tamale where 70 pupils from kindergarten 2 were graduated.
The school with over 530 pupil population and 30 teaching staff has a Long Term Human Resource Development Foundation for Orphans (LOTHDEFO) where 40 pupil and students are currently benefiting from the endowment fund ranging from the pre-school to the tertiary level.
Alhaji Saani disclosed that education in the Metropolis is grabbling with numeracy and illiteracy which is a setback to the education structure in the metropolis.
According to him, parents need to get the clearer understanding of education for quality education delivery in the country, saying children need good educational foundation to gain academic laurels in the academic ladder.
The Metropolitan Director of GES therefore urged parents to take active roles in schools activities such as PTA meeting, regular visiting of pupil’s among others to boost the morale of both students and tutors which he believes will yield academic success for their children.
In his address the Manager of the Fatchi “Little Flower” School complex, Christopher K. Nyabu said the vision of the school is to provide children between the ages of 2 and above with emotional and psychological foundations that will enhance their mental, social and physical growth for development saying, buttressing the vision and mission management does not comprise with lazy teachers.
Mr. C.K Nyabu called on parents to enroll their children in schools to ensure that every child of school going age must be in school.
The Manager therefore made a passionate appealed to the PTA to give unflinching support to the managing director by providing a fence wall around the school to weed out kidnapping which is becoming common in preparatory schools.

ALLOWANCES OF NYEP RECRUITS TO BE PAID ON TIME

ALLOWANCES OF NYEP RECRUITS TO BE PAID ON TIME

As from September this year, the salaries and allowances of District Employment Coordinators (DECs) of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and their deputies, will be regularized and they will receive payment directly from the Bank at the end of every month.

Similarly efforts are been made to ensure that all the recruits under the programme receive their allowances promptly from the Banks at the end of every month.

The National Coordinator of the NYEP, Abuga Pele announced this at a meeting with district coordinators of the Programme in Tamale at the weekend, to review the programme and draw up strategies for the future.

The NYEP National Coordinator however explained that the DECs and their deputies will be the first to be able to access their salaries through the Banks in September, while that of the recruits will followed later.

Mr. Pele said all beneficiaries of the NYEP have been paid and the Programme no longer owed anyone.

He said a significant milestone achieved by the Programme was the establishment of people with disabilities unit in all the employment modules, adding that, since the creation of the unit, appointments had been issued to 150 persons with disabilities nationwide.
He said apart from the traditional employment modules, the NYEP is focusing on self employment modules that had the capacity to engage many youth and encourage entrepreneurship among them, so that this would put less pressure on the monthly pay roll of the Programme.

Mr. Pele warned the DECs to ensure equitable and fair recruitment of people into the NYEP to stop the agitations from some foot soldiers of the NDC who are complaining of unfairness and favoritism in the recruitment exercise.

GYAM-NYEP PASSES OUT 80 TRAINEES IN TAMALE

GYAM-NYEP PASSES OUT 80 TRAINEES IN TAMALE

Eighty five trainees who underwent six months skill and manpower training under a joint programme of the Ghana Young Artisans Movement and the National Youth Employment Programme have graduated in Tamale.
The graduants acquired skill and manpower training in various fields including hair dressing, dress, catering, batik, tie die and making.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Abuga Pele, National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme said that new model code named “The trade and vocation model” forms part of the NYEP’s change of focus mechanism to explore the potentials of the youth through self employment.
This, he said will lessen the burden on government’s financial stride to provide lucrative jobs for the youth of Ghana.
He hinted that plans were afoot to replicate the vocation and trade model and similar ones throughout the country and that by extension the disabled will be covered.
Abdul Fatawu Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Ghana Young Artisans Movement commended the President Mills led NDC government for its unrelenting efforts to develop the youth of Ghana through such interventions.
He also thanked donor agencies including Tools for self reliance in the United Kingdom, Simavi in the Netherlands, the Embassies and High Commissions of Britain and Canada in Ghana for their support over the years.
Mr. Fatawu revealed that GYAM since its establishment in 1995 has been involved in youth and community development through which water and sanitation facilities have been provided to peri-urban communities in the three regions of the north.
In a speech read on behalf of the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph Dasana, Chief Director at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council noted that the youth of Ghana deserved proper livelihood hence government’s zeal to make them productive through several models of the NYEP.
Mr. Sam Nasaamu Asabigi said government will resource the NYEP to implement its well tailored programmes especially in northern Ghana to curtail the mass exodus of the youth to southern Ghana in search of menial jobs.
The graduants received certificates and were supported with working tools to explore the acquired skills to benefit their community members.

STAFF of TTH UNDERGOES A THREE-DAY PAEDIATRIC ADVANCE LIFE SUPPORT COURSE

STAFF of TTH UNDERGOES A THREE-DAY PAEDIATRIC ADVANCE LIFE SUPPORT COURSE

A team of medical professionals comprising four professors and two post graduate medical students from the Louisville School of Medicine has trained staff of the Tamale Teaching Hospital in Paediatric Advanced Life Support Course.
The three- day training course, the first of its kind in Ghana, was aimed at giving medical doctors and nurses of the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Students of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) of the University for Development Studies, training in managing resuscitation and other emergency cases effectively especially with children.
A total of 130 staff participated in the course were taking through in Endotrachea Intubation, a technique in which a tube is used to get access to the lungs to pump air into a patient whose breathing space or airways are blocked, Cadiac Desrabrillation, using electricity or electrical energy to stimulate the heart to work and Interoesseus Access, using cannula, a needle used to access the bone to put fluid into the body.
Dr. Bukari Issah, a House Officer, expressed delight at the depth of knowledge the exercise had imparted on him particularly the demonstration sessions of the course. He said the course had given him practical experience and advanced knowledge which he will apply in his medical practice to help save lives. Madam Stella Fati Dramani, a Senior Nursing Officer, said the course had proven very beneficial since her knowledge in life support has been sharpened significantly. She mentioned that she has acquired new skill in cardiac massage.
Mr. Wewoli Bentil Awe, a medical student, on his part said he was grateful for the opportunity to have training in paediatric advanced life support even whilst in school. He said he was happy he and his colleagues are being exposed early to equip them to meet such practical challenges even before they graduate from school. He promised to pass on the knowledge he had acquired to others.
The Louisville School of Medicine team was led by Professor Jania Condurache, Assistant professor of paediatrics and Course Director.
Professor George Rogers of the Intertional Paediatric Center of the school later signed a memorandum of understanding to forge partnership and cooperation between the Louisville school of medicine and the Tamale Teaching Hospital as well as the medical school. The team described the training as highly successful.
The Chief Executive of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr. Ken Sagoe, on his part thanked the team for the training and in particular the training of one of the doctors as the local resident doctor to further train personnel in tamale and other health facilities in the three northern regions.
Dr. Sagoe was grateful for the kind gesture of the donation of all medical equipment used in the training to the hospital.
The team is expected back in Ghana to organize similar training for other health institutions in the country.
Participants further requested that the course is organized frequently to be upgrading their technical know how on the routine base of the global knowledge.

REGIONAL VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON DRAFT NATIONAL URBAN POLICY FOR GHANA ENDS IN TAMALE

REGIONAL VALIDATION WORKSHOP ON DRAFT NATIONAL URBAN POLICY FOR GHANA ENDS IN TAMALE

The National Regional Validation Workshop on the draft National Urban Policy for Ghana has ended in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital with a call on government to reinforce security measures to check and control the influx of foreigners entering Ghana as a result of the oil find.
The statement noted that Ghanaians will continue to live in penury if the foreigners are allowed to exploit the oil wealth to the disadvantage of citizens.
Professor Paul Yankson made the call as a resource person at the workshop which was attended by heads of department, politicians and members of the academia.
He said the urbanization process has great promise for economic and social progress though confronted with many challenges, hence the need for a national policy framework as the engine of growth.
Professor Yankson underscored the need for a collaborative approach by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to address difficulties and challenges associated with urbanization as a means of addressing the disparity between the Northern and Southern Ghana.
This in his estimation will reduce the duplication of government programmes at the local level to ensure the proper utilization of donor support to Ghana.
Northern Regional Minister, Moses Bukari Mabengba hinted that Ghana’s population was estimated at 25 million by the end of 2010 hence urbanization should be strategically managed to overcome its emerging challenges.
According to him, sustainable urban development is crucial for the achievement of Ghana’s socio-economic growth but that lack of proper coordination and funding for workable policies had affected that achievement.
Mr. Mabengba therefore expected that the workshop would help fashion out practical solutions to urban development challenges facing the nation.

DISGRUNTLED NDC YOUTH LOCK UP NYEP OFFICE

DISGRUNTLED NDC YOUTH LOCK UP NYEP OFFICE

Desperate job seeking youth of the ruling NDC in Tamale yesterday morning, stormed the Northern Regional Office of the National Youth Employment (NYEP) Office and locked up the Tamale Central Office of the NYEP.
Mohammed Sobur, the Tamale Central Coordinator was chased out at the time of the riot by the aggressors who wielded machetes, stones and sticks.
The Northern Regional Correspondent of Peace fm, Kwabena Ntow was nearly lynched at the scene but for the timely intervention of some concern persons among the aggressors gesture him away from the scene on his motor bike.
Concerns are that, the Tamale Central Coordinator, Mohammed Sobur allegedly sold NYEP forms that were made available by Member of Parliament for the constituency, Inusah Fuseini for distribution to some jobless youth in his constituency.
The aggressors alleged that only few copies were distributed to each ward in the constituency with the remaining sold out to the disadvantage of the unemployed masses.
They also accused Mohammed Sobur of building a house within a short period since he assumed office as the Tamale Central Constituency Coordinator.
When contacted, Mohammed Adam Amin alias Abio, Regional Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme regretted the incident but gave the assurance that his office will address the concerns.
Barely some weeks ago the peeved youth the NDC has kept leadership of the Atta Mill led administration on their toes across the country coupled with what the youth say they still remain unemployed as they were promised to be given jobs when the party recapture power.
For almost two years now since the party recaptures the presidential seat of the country, the youth claimed they has not seen any changes, who has toiled and risk their lives for the party during the 2008 general elections.

NASPA DONATES TO SAVELUGU ORPHANAGE

NASPA DONATES TO SAVELUGU ORPHANAGE

Being touched with the plight of the vulnerable in the society, the National service personnel Association (NASPA) in the Savelugu-Naton district has donated items worth 330 Ghana cedis to the Savelugu Malja Al-Ansuar Orphanage.
The items include 2 bags of rice, a gallon of cooking oil, 2 boxes of Sunlight soap and toiletries.
The Savelugu-Naton District NASPA President, Jonathan Lartey, presenting the items to the Orphanage said NASPA in the district has the donation behind their agenda over a long period of time before the association was formally organized.
He said the association has seen the vunerable as part of the society which deserves the needed respect and support which culminated NASPA in the district in their own personal diverse ways decided to contribute their quota to the wellbeing of the orphanage.
According to him, when given the lamp light for progress to the less privileged in the society, they are capable of contributing to the development of the country.
He urged Ghanaians to let the vulnerable understand their importance to the nation building as they are good future leaders of mother Ghana. He therefore use the occasion to appeal to other organizations to as a matter of urgency include humanitarian service in their year long programme which he believes will help the less privilege in their operational areas.
The donation which was also part of the NASPA week-long celebration embarked on several activities such as embarking an inter-district football Gala, engage in an entrepreneurship and health symposium, embarking on n a clean-up exercise in the Savelugu district hospital which was jointly organized by Zoomlion Ghana and a blood donation exercise.
The Savelugu Malja Al-Ansuar orphanage which is barely 3 years old has 50 inmates supported by Arab missionaries in the country.
Receiving the items on behalf of the orphanage, the head teacher of the Savelugu Malja Al-Ansuar E-A Primary School, Iddrisu Mohammed Awal commended the association for their noble and devoted kind gesture and promised that the items will be used for the intended purpose.

SHOEMAKERS DONATES TO NYOHINI ORPHANAGE

SHOEMAKERS DONATES TO NYOHINI ORPHANAGE

The Tamale Shoemakers Association in their own diverse ways has donated items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to the Nyohini Orphanage. The items include 41 pieces of sandals, biscuits, toiletries, 80 pieces of Rambo mini-bar soap among others.
Presenting the items to the orphanage, the Chairman of the Shoemakers Association, Mr. Abdul-Majeed Ibrahim Andani said the donation is part of the association’s annual plans to touch the lives and showcase their love and passion to the vulnerable in the society to ensure their wellbeing among the citizenry.
According to him, the association sees everybody as vulnerable but in a situation of the orphanage there is the urgent need for them to also contribute their mare to the affairs of the less privilege.
He indicated that the vulnerable needs inclusion and respect but not isolation urging the society to let them realized their importance to the socio-economic development of the nation.
The association which is barely 6 months old according to the chairman has the vision of extending its humanitarian service to various orphanages in the Metropolis.
Mr. Abdul-Majeed Andani therefore used the opportunity to make a passionate appealed to the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly to as a matter of urgency allocate a site for the shoemakers which he believe will help boost the production and marketing of their products, adding that it will also raise the revenue generation of the assembly.
In complementing government’s efforts to create employment, Mr. Abdul-Majeed Andani said the association when allocated to a particular site will have a chance to train the teeming unemployed youth to gain reputable self employment which he believes will help curtail the conflict canker that plaque the north.
The Caretaker of the orphanage, Madam Augustina Quainoo commended the association for the kind gesture saying that the donation was timely and appropriates as it’s in the rainy season and most of the inmates are in die need of foot wares.
She however showered the Shoemakers Association with the name of God wishing them well in all their endeavours.

NORTHERN REGION GETS FACE LIFT IN EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURAL

NORTHERN REGION GETS FACE LIFT IN EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURAL

Reported cases of pupil sitting under trees to learn in some parts of the northern region will soon be a thing of the past because of the passion the Ministry of Education has attached to the expansion of school infrastructure in deprived communities of the north.
The Education Ministry as part of its forward march to solve the problems has awarded on contract 2 unit six classroom block, KVIP and urinal facilities each to be built in eight districts of the northern region for the first phase.
The beneficiary districts include Chereponi, Saboba, Gushegu, Central Gonja and West Gonja districts where contractors have already moved to the site to start work.
The rest are East Gonja, Bole and Sawla Tuna Kalba districts all being areas where the falling standard of education is on the increase due to inadequate school infrastructure.
Mr. Fuseini Alhassan, DCE for Gushegu, one of the beneficiary districts commended the Minister for Education, Mr. Alex Tetteh Enyo for exemplifying President Mills’ pledge to be a father all with regard the distribution of the national cake.
He noted that the rapidity at which educational infrastructure is springing up in the region will achieve government’s commitment to develop talents of the youth to make them productive citizens.
Mr. Fuseini Alhassan disclosed the Education Minister’s pledge to provide enough dual desks for the projects when completed.
The Gushegu DCE urged sector Ministers to emulate the shining example of Hon. Tetteh Enyo by attaching importance to the developmental needs of deprived communities in the northern region.

BUYER THREATENS COURT ACTION OVER NULLIFICATION OF AUCTION CARS IN TAMALE METRO

BUYER THREATENS COURT ACTION OVER NULLIFICATION OF AUCTION CARS IN TAMALE METRO
A man who purchased one of the auctioned vehicles in the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly is threatening legal action if the Assembly goes ahead to nullify the auction process.
Kweku Dua told Journalist that he followed all the due process in procuring the vehicle and will not let it go without a fight.
The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly has hinted a nullification of the auction after irate Gbewah NDC youth in the area ruined the process, claiming that the Assembly officials circumvented the process to sell the vehicles to their cronies.
The Gbewah NDC youth subsequently went on rampage and seized two of the vehicles and will only return them if only the Assembly announces a nullification of the entire process.
The security called a crunched meeting with the ring leaders of the protesting Gbewah youth of the NDC for an amicable settlement but the meeting ended up in a stalemate because the youth were not prepared to see the face of the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday.
The demands of the youth appear to have held sway with the Assembly announcing a nullification of the auction process.
But Kweku Dua explains that he followed the due process in buying the vehicle and will not return it.
He said he has not been given any official notification of a re-auction but will proceed to court if it comes.

AUCTION OF CARS SUSPENDED AMIDST NDC YOUTH PROTEST

AUCTION OF CARS SUSPENDED AMIDST NDC YOUTH PROTEST

The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly has indefinitely suspended the auctioning of cars.
The decision taken by the Metropolitan Security Committee, METSEC, is to allow the assembly to address issues raised by various interest groups who have questioned the credibility of the exercise.
An NDC Youth Group called the Gbewaa Youth Group has on two occasions resisted the auctioning process claiming that the process was not transparent.
The public sale was marred after the irate youth seized two of the seven cars that were scheduled for auctioning.
Speaking to the media, the Public Relations Officer of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, Musah Issah said the decision to halt the exercise is to ensure peace and tranquility in the metropolis.
He however said the assembly is not calling off the exercise, but will restart the process at a later date.
He disclosed that all the cars that were towed away are to be returned.
Mr. Musah Issah said the security committee has ordered the auctioneer to discontinue the process and withdraw all vehicles that have been given out whilst a date is yet to be fixed for the auctioning to resume.

TAMALE MAYOR CLEARS AIR ON AUCTION RUMPUS

TAMALE MAYOR CLEARS AIR ON AUCTION RUMPUS

Controversies related to the seizure of auctioned vehicles by the NDC Gbewaa Youth Association in Tamale continues to generate public discourse with the latest joining the fray being Alhaji Abudulai Harunah Friday, Mayor of Tamale.
Alhaji Friday is appealing to the NDC Gbewaa Youth Association to clear his personality from the controversies surrounding the auction sales of some vehicles of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly.
He disputed allegations leveled against him that he supervised the said auction sale carried out by Alhaji Olando through which he was allegedly allocated a Tipper Truck.
Alhaji Friday explained that the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly’s decision to nullify the auction sale though the assembly followed the procurement law was to allow sanity to prevail in the metropolis for government business to thrive.
He disclosed that some personalities from the NDC under the cover the Gbewaa Youth Association, are masterminding to disrepute his hard won reputation as the Mayor of Tamale even as he works to give Tamale a facelift.
The Tamale Mayor urged NDC youth in Tamale to be wary of what he described as the diabolical acts of desperate power seekers and rally behind him to restore peace and tranquility in the metropolis to achieve the NDC’s Better Ghana Agenda.
He refuted a report by an Accra based radio station that the Gbewaa Youth boycotted a meeting with the Metropolitan Security Committee and concluded that he remained focused as the Mayor of Tamale regardless of the obstacles.

NPP YOUTH RUBBISHED CALLS OF REJECTION OF NANA AND ALAN

NPP YOUTH RUBBISHED CALLS OF REJECTION OF NANA AND ALAN

A matured youth wing of opposition New Patriotic Party called the Progressive Citizens of Tamale has rubbished calls for the rejection of Nana Akufo Addo and Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng at the August 7 delegates congress.
This was in response to calls made by another group called the Concerned NPP Youth in Tamale led by Alhaji Alhassan Mozeli who opted for Professor Frimpong Boateng with the assertion that the party will suffer another major electoral defeat in 2012 if Nana Addo or Alan Kyeremanteng is elected as the flag bearer.
Imoro Mohammed Polo, spokesperson of the Progressive Citizens Group in Tamale said the Concerned NPP Youth Group’s call underrated the intelligence of delegates who are discerning enough to make an informed decision on August 7.
He asserted that the news conference organized by the Concerned NPP Youth Group was financed by Professor Frimpong Boateng who has loss hope of making any inroad come August
According to Mohammed Polo, Professor Frimpong Boateng doled out GH 4,000 cedis to the organizers to cause mischief and therefore advised delegates to ignore such characters who he described as NPP’s enemies of progress.
The NPP Progressive Citizens Group encouraged delegates to retain Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo as the party’s flag bearer for victory 2012.
 

POLICE RESCUE 30 CHILDREN FROM TRAFFICKERS

POLICE RESCUE 30 CHILDREN FROM TRAFFICKERS

The Northern Regional Police Command at the weekend rescued some 30 children who were allegedly being trafficked to engage in tedious jobs in Accra and Kumasi.
The children whose ages range between 2-19 years were travelling on a Metro Mass Bus with registration number AS 9908 Y. The suspected traffickers, a male and a woman have been arrested. Aba Ani Akada, a musician 34 years whilst her accomplice Abanin Akatari Christiana 31 years old.
The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh who confirmed the arrest to the media said the interception was made at a police check point in Tamale based on intelligence report received by his outfit.
He said initial interrogation indicates that the children were possibly victims of the human trafficking menace since contact numbers given to them by the suspected traffickers to speak to the relatives of the children turned out to be a hoax.
According to him, the two persons are currently in the police custody as suspects in child trafficking case.
He said as and when investigations are concluded the will be charge for the offence. Human Trafficking has become a social canker that plagues Ghana particularly in the Northern part of the country where children are often the victims.
They sometimes go beyond the city centers of Ghana into neighboring African countries where they engage in tedious jobs and earn very little at the expense of their education and suffer countless human right abuses.
ASP Steven Tetteh, Northern Regional Police Head in charge of the Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit handled the case whose outfit transferred the suspects to the Upper East Regional Police Command.
The arrest was in line with the Upper East Regional Minister’s declaration of “Zero tolerance” on children under eighteen years migrating to southern Ghana to connect to the “Kayaaye” menace.

IRATE NDC YOUTH DEMAND RESTART OF AUCTION PROCESS

IRATE NDC YOUTH DEMAND RESTART OF AUCTION PROCESS

A crunch meeting between the Tamale Metropolitan Security Council and leaders of an irate NDC group has ended abruptly.
The meeting was called after the Gbewah youth disrupted the Assembly’s auctioning exercise on two occasions and hauled away some vehicles.
They claim the Assembly did not follow due procedures in auctioning the said vehicles.
Contrary to police initial reports the irate youth will be arrested and prosecuted but the police rather adopted dialogue to solve the grievances of the irate Gbewah NDC youth in the Tamale Metropolis.

According to media reports, the ring leaders of the NDC youth walked out immediately the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale, Alhaji Haruna Friday entered the meeting premises.
The youth say they will not have anything to do with the Mayor and promised to return the two vehicles only if the Assembly restarts the whole biding process.
A member of the Assembly has on anonymity told media that the Assembly is contemplating cancelling the exercise.

TAMALE NDC GBEWAA YOUTH SEIZES AUCTION VEHICLES

TAMALE NDC GBEWAA YOUTH SEIZES AUCTION VEHICLES

Gbewaa Youth group of the ruling National Democratic Congress in Tamale went on rampage Thursday July 22 over auction sales of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly.
The group led by its ring leader Alhassan Sibri stormed the assembly yard where the auction sales took place and retrieved one of the cars, a Volvo car with registration number NR 555C.
The Gbewaa Youth said the auction sales were illegally done by Alhaji Olando, the auctioneer since they alleged that Alhaji Abudulai Harunah Friday was the brain behind it.
According to Alhassan Sibri, the Tamale Mayor out of sheer greed acquired a Tipper Truck while the Auctioneer took away a pick up.
He hinted that the NDC regional executives were not aware of the said auction sales and threatened to attack any of the buyers who might attempt to pull the vehicles out of the yard.
The group vowed to resist any attempt by the assembly to release the auctioned vehicles to the buyers.
He said the NDC youth in Tamale have being disillusioned and that the only means by which they can survive is through such actions.
At the time of filing this report, the Gbewaa Youth Group besieged the assembly yard whereas a heavy armed police contingent was at the scene to ensure law and order.