NDC VICE CHAIRMAN DENIES EMBEZZLING SUNYANI CONGRESS FUNDS

Former Member of Parliament for Zabzugu constituency and northern regional NDC
Vice Chairman, Hon. Jagri Mohammed has denied the allegation leveled against
him by members of the NDC Gbewaa Youth group in Tamale over his alleged
embezzlement of resources that were allocated for their trip to the recently
held Sunyani congress.
The Gbewaa youth group in Tamale at a news conference addressed by the
Chairman, Salman Sibri demanded that the NDC regional vice Chairman should be
relieved of his post or else he will find it uncomfortable to operate at the
regional secretariat in Tamale.
Responding to the accusation, Hon. Jagri Mohammed said he was nowhere near
funds allocated to the NDC regional secretariat meant for organizing the
recently held Sunyani congress.
According to him, he joined the delegates and party supporters from the
northern region at Techiman to Sunyani for the congress and wondered how he
could have had in his possession monies meant for the congress.
The former Zabzugu MP advised NDC youth to always use party structures in
settling their grievances and stop rushing to the media to settle their scores
with their leadership.
Hon. John Jagri Mohammed who wants to stage a comeback for the Zabzugu
constituency seat on the NDC’s ticket in 2012 urged all NDC supporters to
strengthen unity in the party by embracing the outcome of the Sunyani congress
that overwhelmingly endorsed President John Evans Atta Mills as the flag bearer
for the 2012 general elections.
Jumping to his defense, Alhaji Umar Yussif Alhassan, the northern regional NDC
Secretary rubbished the allegation leveled against the vice Chairman and
described him as a hard working team player.

Internal Audit Chair warns Managers of public sector Workers

Mr. Nii Adumansa-Baddioo, Chairman of the Internal Audit Board has warned
Managers of public sector resources against any attempt to use supplies in
their custody without following laid down principles enshrined in the policy
document of the Central Internal Audit Agency. He emphasized that the Central Internal Audit Agency was established to enhance efficiency, accountability and transparency in the management of resources at the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, hence the need for strict compliance to laid down regulations. The Internal Audit Board Chairman sounded the warning in a speech read on his behalf by Rebecca Atswei Lomo, Board member at a day’s stakeholder workshop held in Tamale on the topic “Importance of the amendment of the internal audit agency Act, 2003 Act 658. Major stakeholders who attended the workshop included Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and their Coordinating Directors as well as Finance Officers in the northern region. Mr. Nii Adumansa-Baddioo was proud to announce that the Internal Audit Agency since its establishment five years ago made several successes including the establishment of 301 internal audit units in the Ministries, Agencies, Departments and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. He however observed that certain grey areas in the Act 2003 Act 658 makes it impossible for the Agency to effectively deliver on its mandate in line with international standards laid down for the professional practice of internal auditing. Deputy northern regional Minister, Mr. San Nasaamu Asabigi urged the all internal Auditors to stick to their professional code of ethics by improving their professional background and competence to build a vibrant economy.

Tolon-Kombungu teacher warn regional Director of GES

Teachers in the Tolon-Kumbungu district of the northern region have issued a
strong warning to the regional Director of Education, Madam Elizabeth Desouza
to stop what appears to be her attempt to arbitrate the impasse between them
and the embattled district Director of education, Mr. Joseph Kumah.
Eye witnesses accounted that the regional education Directors official vehicle
with registration number GV 771O P had its back screen smashed by some of the
angry teachers during her last visit to the district. The said visit by Madam Elizabeth Desouza was meant to reconcile the teachers and Mr. Joseph Kumah who vacated his post about two months ago following a massive demonstration against him by the Concerned Citizens of the Tolon-Kumbungu district who finally locked his office and handed over the keys to the District Chief Executive. Iddrisu Abdul-Mumeen, Spokesperson of the aggrieved teachers issued the warning at a news conference held in Tolon to reaffirm their decision not to work with Mr. Joseph Kumah. He expressed their deepest worry about the regional education Directors attempt to intimidate and victimize those against Mr. Joseph Kumah’s domination as the Tolon-Kumbungu district Director of education. Iddrisu Abdul-Mumeen described Mr. Joseph Kumah as “Incompetent and
incorrigible” person whose poor administrative functions he claimed worsened
the falling standard of education in the Tolon-Kumbungu district. Among several recommendations, the aggrieved teachers asked Madam Elizabeth Desouza to take temporal responsibility of the district for three days after the news conference and appoint a new person to take over from her afterwards. The statement also demanded that all the GES vehicles and other logistics in Mr. Kumah’s possession should be returned to the district and handed over to the District Chief Executive to be used for their intended purposes. The aggrieved teachers in the Tolon-Kumbungu district Spokesperson, Iddrisu Abdul Mumeen impressed upon the Minister for education and the Director General of the Ghana Education Service to interdict Mr. Joseph Kumah and conduct forensic audit into his stewardship.

NDC GBEWA YOUTH WANT NR VICE CHAIRMAN FIRED

NDC GBEWA YOUTH WANT NR VICE CHAIRMAN FIRED
Members of the NDC Gbewaa Youth group in Tamale are up in arms against the party’s Vice Chairman, John Jagri Mohammed, over his alleged embezzlement of resources that were allocated for them to finance their trip to the part

y’s National Delegates Congress at Sunyani. The Gbewaa youth want the former Member of Parliament for Zabzugu constituency sacked as the northern regional NDC vice Chairman or else face their wrath. At a news conference in Tamale, Chief Salman Sibri, Chairman of the group revealed that NDC youth in Tamale who travelled to Sunyani for the congress went home disappointed because of the regional vice Chairman’s failure to provide the necessary logistics. According to him, feeding and accommodation was a big problem for them in Sunyani whereas Hon. John Jagri Mohammed had in his possession funds that were meant for their upkeep at the congress. The Gbewaa youth Chairman disclosed that it was Chief Sofo Azorka, the regional Chairman who intervened by giving GH 5 each to the fortunate youth who approached him with their frustrations in Sunyani. “NDC supporters in Tamale who risked their lives and went to Sunyani for the congress came home disappointed because most of them did not even get water to drink and some of us who had the privilege to meet Chief Azorka our regional Chairman received GH 5 cedis and that in our estimation was unfortunate,” he fumed. Chief Salman Sibri also accused the NDC regional vice Chairman of usurping the powers of the regional youth organizer, Adam Mohammed Amin Abio, which he said had weakened the party’s youth front in the northern region. “The era of one man running the show is over and nobody is more important than the other in the NDC. Or the regional setup does not want to recognize Adam Mohammed Amin Abio as our regional youth Organizer,” Salman queried. On the outcome of the Sunyani congress, he appealed to the Rawlingses not to abandon the party they founded and rather rally their support behind President John Evans Atta Mills to retain power in 2012. The Gbewaa youth Chairman commended the Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Abudulai Harunah Friday, Members of Parliament for Tamale Central and South constituencies, Hon. Inusah Fuseini and Hon. Harunah Iddrisu respectively and urged them to keep it up. Efforts to reach, Hon. John Mohammed to comment on the allegations leveled against him proved futile.

GRA EXPRESSED WORRY OVER NON-REGISTRATION OF BUSINESSES

The Domestic Tax Division (DTD) of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has expressed concern about the failure of most informal sector business operators to register their businesses with the Tax Office, and warned that it is an offense for person to commence business without a Tax registration certificate and an identification number. In a statement issued in Tamale by the Regional communication and Public Affairs Officer on behalf of the regional Director of DTD of GRA, Roland Miah described the attitude of some businessmen and women who refused to register their businesses as unpatriotic and calculated attempt to evade the payment of taxes. The statement mentioned self-employed individuals in the informal as most offenders with over 70 percent of the outside tax net. It reminded such people to take immediate steps to regularize their registration process before the long arm catches up with them. The statement however pointed out that it is the responsibility to first of all contact the tax office for advice and help relating to tax affairs and desist jumping into business without completing the registration process. It indicated that the registration of business is now a one-off transaction in the life of a business upon payment of an appropriate registration fee which is not subject to annual renewal, adding that a dully registered person would be issued with a certificate of registration which should be boldly displayed in the shop or business premises. The statement therefore urged all self-employed person, companies and organization to endevour to register their businesses to avoid falling foul of tax law. It further reminded taxpayers including withholding agent to be meeting payment deadlines. The statement again warned that the income tax division of the DTRD of the GRA in the region would soon embark on a vigorous exercise to retrieve all tax arrears and that the attachment of properties will be considered as an option FIILA/SA

ISODEC calls for quick action on Shea industry

The Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), a Non Governmental
Organization operating in the Northern region wants government to demonstrate its conviction to develop the Shea industry by quickening its pace to enable stakeholders in that sector to compete with their colleagues in the cocoa sector. ISODEC says every effort must be made to make the Shea industry catch up with the booming cocoa industry, hence the urgent need for government to develop the political goodwill towards that achievement. This demand was made at a news conference held in Tamale to launch the Shea research on re-organizing the Shea industry toward poverty reduction in northern Ghana. The organization made several recommendations part of which implored government to create an independent Shea board to facilitate the rapid development of the Shea industry that plays a vital role in the Ghanaian economy. The statement also impressed upon government to initiate a policy to build up the producers skills in business management and bargaining skills as a means of strengthening their capacity to produce quality products to meet international standards. ISODEC Northern Growth Programme coordinator, Grace Abena Bowu who addressed the press, also appealed to government to incorporate the recommendations into the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority programmes as a way of making the Shea industry realize its fullest potential. The organization considered marketing as a major obstacle to the progress of the Shea industry and therefore saw the need for the value chain approach to be adopted as the best marketing strategy to improve that sector’s financial gains. The Statement emphasized that marketing should be improved through the value chain approach by adding value to the product and taking advantage of the expanding market of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Mr. Senyo Kpelly, Executive Director of SEKAF, a private organization into Shea production disclosed that his organization had recruited about 2,500 women who are producing soap and Shea butter for sale but complained expansion because there is no affordable income to leverage the gains made so far. FIILA/SA

KNUST COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH HOLDS 8TH RETREAT IN TAMALE

KNUST COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH HOLDS 8TH RETREAT IN TAMALE

The 8th Retreat of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in
Kumasi’s College of Engineering Research is underway in Tamale under the theme,
“Technology for sustainable accelerated national development.”
The four days retreat is to offer the participants the opportunity to reflect
on their past performances in their various areas of research and to initiate
simple technologies that will impact positively on the lives of Ghanaians.
The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority is one of the major topics
expected to be deliberated on by the participants.
Other topical issues of national concern tabled for discussions are improving
the structural strength of clays for constructing mud houses in rural
communities, the role of the Irrigation Development Authority in water resource
management for mitigating droughts and floods whilst ensuring food and income
security. On crime combating in Ghana, the participants will look at what is termed a
“Geospatial suite” and if possible recommend to the Ghana police service to
adopt it as best practice to deal with the situation.
Speaking to Fiila News at the opening ceremony, Professor Ato Bart-Plange,
convener of the retreat explains that the event creates an enabling platform
for members to share their expertise and challenges in engineering and
technology and its importance to national development.
He added that such an occasion- is used to foster new innovations to enable the
college researchers develop a culture that promotes university and industry
collaborations through invited presentations from industry funding agencies and
other researchers. Professor Ato Plange further stated that the retreat serves as mentorship for
young researchers to ensure that their research works will meet good standards
through what he described as “Peer questioning.” Welcoming the participants to Tamale, the Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Abudulai Harunah Friday praised the organizers for choosing Tamale as the venue and concluded that it was largely because of the prevailing stabled peace residents
were enjoying. He admitted that scientific knowledge formed the basis of creating wealth
through activities such as agriculture, health, manufacturing and the exploitation of natural resources to achieve sustainable national development. Alhaji Abudulai Friday therefore emphasized that government and its development partners will accord researchers their paramount importance by adopting most of their useful findings to balance Ghana’s economy as a means of raising the citizens living standards. The College of Engineering and Research Retreat is an initiative that was started in 2001 to provide opportunities for senior members of the college to share their research and development activities and findings with other colleagues. It among other goals aimed at providing an opportune time for researchers to meet and interact and form research groups to tackle national problems and also build professional relationships between faculty members and industry.

ABANDON STATE PROPERTIES IN TAMA

Ghanaians have found it very difficult to understand who owns state property as a result most people in mishandle them causing what they call financial lost to the state. Even most government functionaries have failed to accomplish what due them living state properties in a very deplorable state. Most of these developmental functionaries of government have totally failed to make state properties befitting their status but smartly claim such projects are not enrolled in their budget for that year which critics describe as fragile excuses. Fiila News has taken a critical look of previous and recent activities in the Tamale Metropolis happen to paint a picture of government functionaries reneging on what is their responsibility. The Abedi Pele Statue at the Nyohini Round-About which was constructed during the 2008 African Cup of Nation hosted in Ghana as part of the beautification of the Metropolis has now become a stumble block where any unqualified driver drives his car into and all posters from anybody are placed. The Chogu Round-About is not of exception. The question is who is responsible for state property. Mr. Musah Issah Public affair Director of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly said all Ghanaians are responsible for the welfare of state property and not only government functionaries. He stated categorically that the Metropolitan, Municipal, District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are only representatives to ensure speedy economic development. The public affairs Director said plans are underway to renovate the Nyohini and Chogu Round-About. He indicated that the assembly is geared towards achieving the better Ghana agenda.

BACHELORS TO INVADE CHEREPONI DISTRICT

Marriages systems practice in certain part of the country has been virtually not liken by the youth of such ethnic groups who practices them. The exchange and the betrothal system of marriages which are predominantly practice by the Konkomba,s in the northern part of the country has turn to be an infringement of the fundamental human rights of the youth. It has been realized in the Chereponi district that in the next decade bachelors are likely to invade due to the system of marriages the people practice in the area. The exchange system of marriage which one has to give his sister for exchange of another of a colleague for marriage whether his sister is in love or not she must oblige to the orders of her brother. Regrettably, one without sisters in his family is likely not to marry due to the marriage system practice in his ethnicity. According to the youth in the area, the practice has made most people leave, making socio-economic activities come to a standstill. A victim from Waku, Nligme Jagiri in the Chereponi district, disclosed this to the News Team when they visited the district to ascertain developmental progress since the inception of the district in 2008 by the local governance act. Nligme Jigiri 49, a first born of 5 siblings all males of his parents has not since married because of the system of marriage practice among the Konkomba’s. Even though it is not surprising for a person of his age not to marry but most unfortunately the people are principally illiterates. Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive of Chereponi Mohammed Seidu Issah Abbah lamented on the situation and however indicated that Ghana is still in transition from the traditional African society to modern technological society. He assured the youth in the district his intervention through public sensitization on certain cultural practices which are detrimental to the development of the district and the country at large.

NDC Media analysts group call Rawlings to lead 2012 campaign

The northern region media analysts group of National Democratic Congress has called on the party’s leadership to take immediate steps to invite the founder Jerry John Rawlings to lead the elections 2012 campaigns. The group is convinced that the NDC cannot win the 2012 general elections without the Rawlings’ playing active role in the 2012 campaigns, hence the need for the leadership to include them on the campaign trail. In a congratulatory message issued and copied to Citi News, Baba Musah, Secretary to the northern region NDC media analysts group thanked the delegates for overwhelmingly endorsing President John Evans Atta Mills’ candidature to lead the party to victory in 2012. He said the delegates decision at the just ended congress in Sunyani meant that President Mills was on track and deserved a second chance to accomplish his unfinished Better Ghana agenda. Baba Musah called the need to abolish the numerous support groups that emerged in the run-up to the congress with the popular ones being the Get Atta Mills Endorsed and Friends of Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings. He noted that such groupings were no longer necessary for which reason members of those groupings should disintegrate and rekindle their loyalty to the NDC for victory in 2012. Baba Musah commended Hon. Teye Nyaunu, national campaign coordinator for FONKAR for being bold to come out and announce his unflinching support for President Mills if he invited him to help him retain power in 2012. He also thanked all the major stakeholders such the Electoral Commission, the security agencies, the NDC leadership at all levels, the media and residents of Sunyani for making the congress a violence free event.