NORTHERN REGION DFP SUPPORT NDC RE-UNION

NORTHERN REGION DFP SUPPORT NDC RE-UNION
The entire leadership and supporters of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) have openly endorsed moves by their national leadership led by the live Patron Dr. Yao Obed Asamoah to re-unite with the ruling National Democratic Congress ahead of the 2012 general elections.
They saw the decision as a “Worthy course”, for which reason they have fully resolved to support the DFP national leadership to pitch camp with the NDC which they deserted after Koforidua delegates congress.
This was disclosed at a news conference addressed by Mohammed A. Yussif, the party’s regional Secretary at the regional secretariat in Tamale.
He described Dr. Obed Asamoah as an astute and time tested politician who does not make wrong moves.
Quizzed as to whether they were in support of a similar declaration for Nana Akufo Addo during the 2012 general elections, Mohammed A. Yussif, the northern regional DFP scribe answered in the affirmative.
He therefore called on all DFP loyalists nationwide to endorse the national leadership’s decision to reunite with the NDC for a resounding victory in 2012.
HERE IS THE FULL STATEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM PARTY
We the entire regional and constituency executives of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) in the northern region have resolved to support our national leadership led by Dr. Yao Obed Asamoah to negotiate with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
We give them our unqualified mandate since we know whatever they will do will eventually come out to be in the best interest of all of us.
We have heard that some people are kicking against it. Even though that may be their democratic right, they are a very small minority and cannot hold back the interest of us the majority.
We are fully behind our leadership.
LONG LIVE NDC, LONG LIVE DFP
EYE ZU, EYE ZA
SIGNED

REGIONAL SECRETARY (DFP) NORTHERN REGION
MOHAMMED A. YUSSIF

YENDI MCE CONDEMNS SABOTEURS

The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Issah Zakariah has expressed worry about the activities of persons he described as “Chieftaincy contractors” that continued to undermine progress made at reconciling the feuding Abudu and Andani factions in the Dagbon Kingdom. He said though government and other peace brokers have made significant gains in resolving the age long protracted chieftaincy dispute between the Abudus and Andanis particularly in Yendi, some selfish minded persons continued to finance activities geared towards deepening the crisis. Hon. Issah Zakariah raised this concern in an interview with the media through which he challenged the alleged financiers of those trouble makers to re-channel their resources into productive ventures. He endorsed what appeared to be moves by leadership of the Abudu and Andani royal to resolve the impasse that divided them for ages and worsened their socio-economic development. The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive said his administration was not discriminative in recruiting people for the various models of the National Youth Employment Programme. According to him, youth from both sides of the chieftaincy and political divides are benefitting from the programme. He commended security operatives in the area for sustaining the fragile peace and called for more logistical support to boost their operations. Hon. Issah Zakariah said the Mills-Mahama led NDC since its assumption in power has executed several development projects in the district to improve the people’s living conditions. The Yendi Municipal Chief Executive mentioned key priority areas such as education, agriculture, health and road construction among others that have improved since 2009.

BAWAH BARRACKS AT FIFTY

BAWAH BARRACKS AT FIFTY
Ba

ah Barracks, home to the Ghana Airborne Force in Tamale will be fifty years late this year and as such officers and men of the barracks are bracing themselves for a befitting golden jubilee celebration in spite of the challenges faced by the barracks. This came to light when Lt. Col. Isaac Awuah-Martey, Comanding officer of the barracks was speacking during a courtesy call on him by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alhaji Haruna Abdulai Friday who was on an official visit to interact with chiefs and residents within the Yilonaayili, Kogni and Nyeshe electoral area as part of measures to deepen the decentralization process by bringing governance to the door steps of the people. According to Lt. Col. Awuah-Martey, initiatives to build a befitting sports complex for the barracks has not progressed as expected due to logistical constraints, saying that they have been able to complete their basket ball court and are unable to complete the other projects due inadequate funding. He added that construction of teachers quarters started several years ago in the barracks to accommodate teachers most of whom commute several kilometers from Tamale daily to school is now a standstill. Lt. Col. Awuah-Martey said it is the wish of the officers and men of the barracks to properly position the barracks in readiness for the commencement of activities to mark the establishment of the barracks and appealed to the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly to assist it to complete the stalled teachers quarters and whatever way the assembly deems fit to enable the barracks to have a successful celebration. The Commanding Officer mentioned the likes of Ghana’s Former Head of State, the late F.WK Akuffu and Lt. Col. E.K.T Donkor as some of the many high military officers who have had either brief or long associations with the barracks during their military carriers. In response, the Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Haruna Abdulai Friday assured of the assembly’s commitment to complete the Teachers quarters so as to ease the suffering of the teachers and pledged the readiness of the assembly to assist the barracks in whatever way possible to enable it mobilize support towards the celebration of its 50th anniversary. The Metropolitan Chief Executive who had earlier visited Kanvili, Tuunayili, Gbanyamli, Kanvili-Kpawumo, Saatingli among other communities in the metropolis was accompanied by the Prince A.A. Mohammed, Presiding member of the assembly.

TAMA TO STOP CONSTRUCTING PUBLIC TOILETS

The Tamale Metropolitan Assembly will no longer construct public toilets in neighborhoods an in all communities under the jurisdiction of the assembly except at public places such as markets, big lorry parks, hospitals and institutions such as schools where people usually congregate in large numbers outside their homes.
In this connection, Landlords and all owners of homes and other residential properties who do not have toilet facilities within those are therefore require to urgently provide such necessities or have themselves to blame when enforcement of the directive begins.
These were announced by the Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Haruna Abdualai Friday at separate meetings with chiefs, opinion leaders, women commissioners, unit committee members and others residence during a working visit to 16 communities within three electoral areas in the Metropolis.
The visits were to afford the Mayor the opportunity to listen to the concerns and other developmental challenges of the people so as to enable the assembly evolve appropriate strategies and interventions to address the challenges.
According to Friday, all submitted request for building permits for the construction of residential accommodation that do not contain provision for toilet facilities will not be approved by the assembly.
The initiative he said is also urgently being implemented by most of the Metropolitan, Municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) across the country as part of measures by the local government ministry to combat poor environmental sanitation and other unhygienic condition associated with most of these public toilets, stressing that, the move is also aimed at protecting the people against exposure to the risk of contagious and infectious diseases associated with the usage of public toilets.
This new directive he stated will undoubtedly posed a huge challenge to most household in the metropolis and therefore assured that, all the existing public toilets will not be closed down but will rather be kept and maintained to serve the needs of those who may not immediately be able to afford their own toilets within their homes. He indicated that some assemblies in the country have already embraced the policy and have started enforcing it whilst at the same time facilitating the extension of support from NGOs and other environmentally conscious organizations to assist interested households who may not have the ability and capacity to fund the construction of the toilets on their own.
He added that the assembly will do same here in Tamale so as to support those who will not be able to afford the construction of their own household toilets saying the Metropolis will soon benefit from a support of 1,500 household toilets from the French International Development Organization Agency Francais Development (AFD).
The Mayor expressed optimism about the success of the new initiative even though the support from the French Government is woefully inadequate considering the number of households in the Metropolis but notwithstanding, he appealed to all in the Metropolis to embrace this new policy directive of the Assembly so as to make Tamale an environmentally clean and safe place for all.
He however made a passionate appeal to them to desist from defecating indiscriminately and warned of severe consequences for all those who will be caught littering the environment with any form of unwanted waste materials.
The request of the people in all the communities visited included the need or lack of electricity, access road leading or from one community to the other, additional or a new school block, safe and portable drinking water, access to credit facilities, toilets facilities, refuse containers, drains to check flooding, income generating activities and construction of culverts as in the case of residents in Chogu-filling point.

GHANAIAN MUSLIMS START RAMADAN TUESDAY AUGUST 2ND

GHANAIAN MUSLIMS START RA

MADAN TUESDAY AUGUST 2ND
The 17th national conference on Ramadan has ended in Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital where it was resolved that Muslims all over Ghana should begin this year’s fast on Tuesday August 2nd. The participants made up of all regional Imams and other representatives issued a six point communiqué which by consensus agreed that Monday August 1st shall complete the month of Sha’ban and by that calculation Tuesday August 2nd will be an automatic day for all Muslims in Ghana to start this years’ fast. Alhaji Mohammed Ghazali Yakubu, Secretary to the conference read the communiqué which described homosexuality as “Filth” and called for concerted efforts to stop its development in Ghana. The conference also resolved that the National Hajj Board should by extension have regional representatives to enhance the quality and smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage to the holy land of Mecca. It further expressed worry about the spate of road accidents in Ghana which required of all road users to be circumspect in the use of the roads by obeying traffic regulations. On education, the 17th national Ramadan conference held in Bolgatanga reminded Muslim parents of their sacred duty to educate their children to make them productive citizens. It is expected that all Muslims in Ghana will do away with their differences and unite for a common goal towards nation building.

NORTHERN REGION RECORDS HIGHER MALNUTRITION CASES

A multiple indicator survey conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that the northern region recorded 23. 2% of malnutrition cases for the year 2010. The survey expressed fear that the situation could escalate because available routine data for the half year of 2011 indicated that such cases sky rocketed to 23%. Dr. Jacob Mahama, Deputy Director of Public Health at the northern regional health directorate brought this to the fore at a refresher course on food fortification dubbed’ “Northern regional food demonstration menu” organized in Tamale. He observed that the inadequacy of supplementary food had contributed to the increase in malnutrition cases which was highly associated with children in various parts of the northern region. This, Dr. Jacob Mahama said informed the Ghana Health Service and its collaborators decision to broaden the participants knowledge on practices that will go a long way to get the situation diminished.
He expected that the participants will impact the knowledge gained on especially lactating mothers within their operational zones to help reduce the phenomenon.
A resource person from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Bridget Parwar advised the participants to replicate the exercise in their operational zones by encouraging them to use dawadawa and similar locally prepared flavors for preparing meals and stop using magi cubes.
She reiterated MOFA’s commitment to partner with the Ghana Health Service and its allied bodies to promote child growth in the northern regions and beyond. Mrs. Kuuyong Adjei Dansu Felicia, Nutrition Officer of the northern regional health directorate supervised the exercise and expressed optimism that much attention will be given to feeding children between six months and above with locally prepared meals. In her estimation, the locally prepared meals will build up the blood levels of pregnant women and children to an appreciable level to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the northern region. About 44 nutrition officers and senior Nurses drawn from all the various health institutions in the 20 districts of the northern region have attended the workshop. The participants used fortificants such as soya flour, groundnut paste and oil, dawadawa, cowpea, moringa, agushie, shea butter and fish powder to prepare a four course meal comprising soya TZ, Tubani, aprapransa, dawadawa jollof and soya milk among other locally prepared meals.The exercise was spearheaded by the northern regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and UNICEF.