Adoagyiri (E/R), Oct. 19, GNA – Mr William Kortey Neequaye, Presiding Member and Assembly member for Zabu Zongo-Amoakrom electoral Area of the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly, has said the NDC government had a vision for the country. He told the GNA in an interview that the area had benefitted from several development projects and these include boreholes at Zabu Zongo, Alhafia, Amoakrom and Yawkrom and electricity. Mr Neequaye said he had also offered scholarship to five brilliant but poor children at the St. Martin Secondary School at Adoagyiri-Nsawam and 10 others in a private school. He appealed to people in the area to vote for the NDC to enable the government to continue with development projects. GNA ...
Beposo (Ash), Oct 19, GNA - Women supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo Constituency in the Ashanti Region, have intensified their house-to-house electioneering to ensure victory for the party in the December polls. Ms Joana Adoma, leader of group operating as “Girls-Girls Association”, said the they would propagate the NPP intentions , particularly those on the free Senior High School, growing the economy, providing strong and incorruptible leadership, and aggressive push towards industrialization and jobs creation. She appealed to the people to vote for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP presidential candidate for Election 2012, and Mr Asafo Adjei, the party’s parliamentary candidate for the area, at a ceremony to outdoor the association at Beposo. Dr Thomas Forkuo Agyapong, a leading member of the party, praised the women for working hard to return NPP to power, and advised them not to be intimidated by any group. GNA ...
Winneba, Oct.19, GNA – The Winneba Sister Cities Commission has presented GHc949.43 to a grandmother of two orphans as seed fund to enable her cater for them. The orphans Emmanuel Tettey, 10, and Samuel Tettey, 7, years, are primaries 4 and 2 school pupils in Winneba. Very Rev. Elder Bonney, Presiding Member (PM) of Effutu Municipal Assembly and Mrs. Ernestina Yawson, Chief Executive Officer of the Commission made the presentation at the conference hall of the assembly in Winneba. Very Rev. Bonney said the donation was made by Helen’s Project International Inc. Of Charlottesville in USA as a result of interaction with the grandmother of children by a delegation from the project who visited Winneba a year ago following a memorandum signed between Charlottesville and Effutu state. The objective of the memorandum was for the two cities to exchange programmes including, trade and tourism, youth and education as well as economic activities. Madam Sophia Entsiwa, grandmother of the children, thanked the Commission, the Effutu Municipal Assembly and the donors for supporting her to take care of the children. GNA ...
Winneba, Oct. 19, GNA – A four-storey new administration block containing 70 rooms and a conference hall valued at 1.7 million Ghana Cedis for University of Education Winneba (UEW) at the North campus has been inaugurated. Professor Akwasi Asabre-Ameyaw, Vice Chancellor of the University who performed the inauguration on behalf of Alhaji Dr. Asoma Banda, the Chancellor and Dr. Emmanuel K. Andoh, Chairman of UEW Council, said the inauguration formed part of the launching of the 20th anniversary celebration of the university. He said the facility was constructed solely with the University’s internally generated fund. GNA ...
Winneba, Oct. 19, GNA – The Effutu Municipal Assembly, in collaboration with Zoom Alliance, have undertaken a six-hour clean-up exercise in the municipality. The exercise was carried out at selected areas including the main market square, Akosua Village, Winneba Junction, Nsuakyere where weeds were cleared, de-gutters and drains, swept the streets and the beach as well. Nii Ephraim, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, said dumping of refuse in gutters and drains was a major challenge the assembly was facing and appealed to people to put a stop to it and that the exercise would be on-going. Mr Koranti Ofori Akuffo, Central Regional Environmental Sanitation Supervisor of Zoomlion, said tools are in place for the exercise and appealed to people to take part. GNA ...
Accra, Oct. 19, GNA - The National Democratic Congress’ presidential candidate for Election 2012, President John Dramani Mahama, will be number one on the ballot paper in the December 7 election, according to the balloting carried out at the Electoral Commission (EC) on Friday. The second on the ballot paper will be Dr Henry Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) whilst Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) occupies the third position. Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples’ Party (PPP) occupies the fourth position, the United Front Party’s (UFP) Mr Akwasi Adddai Odike, occupies the fifth position and Mr Hasan Ayariga of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) sixth and the Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) seven. According to the electoral rules, the Independent presidential candidate, Mr Jacob osei Yeboah, takes the eighth position. The positions will be the same for parliamentary candidates, with independent candidates coming after candidates of the political parties in alphabetical order. There were two rounds of balloting. The first round was to choose the order of picking the ballot to determine the order on the ballot paper. The order for that balloting was determined by the order in which the presidential candidates filed their papers at the EC last Wednesday and Thursday. In Election 2008, the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo picked the top spot on the ballot paper whilst the second was picked by Dr Edward Nasigrie Mahama of the People's National Convention, while Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) occupied the third on the ballot paper. Mr Emmanuel Ansah Antwi of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) fourth, Mr Thomas Ward-Brew of the Democratic People's Party fifth, and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom then with the Convention People's Party sixth, Mr Kwamena Adjei of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats seventh and Mr Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, an independent candidate, was eighth. GNA ...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – The Police have arrested Kofi Ahiatrogah, a 37-year old carpenter, who allegedly murdered Michael Kwesi Denoo, a 28-year-old taxi driver at Ogbojo, a suburb of Madina in Accra. The Madina District Police Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Happy Michael Addae, confirmed the story to the Ghana News Agency. DSP Addae said Ahiatrogah suspected his wife, a chop bar operator, of infidelity, resulting in a quarrel between the married couple, who have been together for 6 years, and blessed with a 6-year-old daughter. The District Police Commander said the woman packed out the matrimonial home at Ogbojo, and on October 13 at about 0400 hours, Ahiatrogah discovered that the wife was sleeping in a wooden kiosk in the same area. DSP Addae said when Ahiatrogah knocked at the kiosk, Denoo dashed out of the structure and attempted to flee. The police officer said Ahiatrogah raised the alarm that Donoo was a thief, and this attracted some neighbourhood, who arrested the taxi driver. DSP Addae said while the neighbours were interrogating Donoo, Ahiatrogah rushed to the crime scene and with a long screw driver, stabbed the taxi driver in the chest and abdomen, and he bled to death. Members of the neighbourhood arrested and handed over Ahiatrogah to the police at Madina. DSP Addae said the body of Donoo has been deposited at the mortuary at the Police Hospital in Accra pending autopsy. GNA ...
Elubo (W/R), Oct. 19, GNA – Freight forwarders at a day’s workshop on tax collection at Elubo have called on the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to decentralize customs systems to enhance revenue generation. They said the current situation whereby decisions are taken only by the Commissioner of Customs in Accra does not speed up revenue generation. The participants, who are operating at the Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire border, said decentralization of the system would facilitate their operation. Mr Desmond Koney, Assistant Collector, Custom Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority at the Elubo border, urged freight forwarders to educate their clients to comply with the rules and regulations governing their business. The workshop attended by 60 freight forwarders was under the theme, “Freight Forwarders and Free Zone bonded warehouses”. It was organised by the Elubo branch of the Customs Division as part of its nationwide transformation exercise on tax collection. Topics treated include free zone concept, bonded ware houses regime, temporary importation and transit regimes. Mr Sammy Quarmyene, Assistant Commission of Customs in-charge of the Elubo border, said the regime was undergoing transformation and urged the participants to put what they had been taught into practice. He appealed to the participants to see how best to address challenges related to the regime with a review of reducing deficiency and bottlenecks. GNA ...
Bolgatanga, Oct 19, GNA - The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) on Friday appealed to CARE International and World Vision, Ghana, non-governmental organizations, to assist over 4,000 victims of flood that hit Garu-Tempane District last September. The flood killed three people, destroyed about 400 hectares of farm lands cropped mainly with maize and sorghum, the main staples in the area. It also damaged schools and 618 houses, affecting 4,227 people. Ms Grace Nkaw, Garu-Tempane District Coordinator of NADMO, made the appeal in an interview with the GNA at a workshop aimed at analyzing the feasibility of adaptation strategies to meet the challenges of climate change. It was organized by Adaptation Learning Programme (ALP) under CARE for representatives of eight communities drawn from the Garu-Tempane and Mamprusi West districts. The community members proposed, as one of the top priority adaptation strategies to meet the challenges of climate change, assistance to enable them build improved houses with strong foundations, using mostly local material that would withstand wind storms and floods. Ms Nkaw said the government responded with little help that included five mini bags of rice, five bags of beans, 30 mini bags of maize, five bales of used clothes, 90 pieces of blankets, 40 pieces of mats and five lanterns which were given to only a few of the affected people. The World Food Programme (WFP) sent 1,066 bags of maize, 174 cartons of oil, 153 bags of beans and 26 bags of salt which are being distributed to the people. She said as most of the victims had nothing to harvest, they would not be able to support themselves until the next farming season as those of them who usually engage in dry season farming lost their seeds and have no money to start all over again. Ms Nkaw appealed to the District Assembly to consider including disaster management in its annual budget so that in times of disaster, the district could help the people while awaiting more assistance from NGOs and the central government. Mr Thomas Awanga, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of ALP, said the programme facilitated the formation and inauguration of the District Disaster Management Committee as part of its activities to help prepare vulnerable communities to better adapt to the effects of climate change. “Despite the efforts of ALP to help communities prepare for disaster, it is disappointing those victims of flood in the area where ALP works should be left with little help in such difficult times”, he said. Mr Awanga appealed to NGOs that have structures to respond to disasters to make provision for some resources to be put aside annually to help people in times of disaster. Alhaji Abulai Abubakar, District Coordinating Director, said the District Assembly held an emergency meeting after the disaster and decided to repair roads in Garu, the district capital, and schools that were damaged so that pupils could continue to go to school. He said the assembly had no more funds to help the people with material things but had embarked on a programme to educate those living in low lying areas to move to higher ground while those who farm near river banks find land somewhere else to do so as the floods had become an annual occurrence. GNA ...
From Albert Oppong-Ansah, a GNA Special Correspondent, Hyderabad, India (Courtesy, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat, Global Environmental Facility and Internews) Hyderabad (India), Oct. 19, GNA –Three members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment Science and Technology participating in the on-going COP 11 of CBD on Friday said the conference had exposed them to many environmental issues which would help them champion biodiversity conservation. The MPs said the meetings they attended had strengthened them to play their role in other to ensure that the country preserves its biodiversity resource. The MP’s are part of the government delegation led by the Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Ms Sherry Aittey, to the COP 11 of CBD to learn and share experience with other participants on Biodiversity. They are Mr Raymond Tawiah, Member of Parliamentary for Yilo Krobo and Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Abdul-Rahman, the Member of Parliament for Pru, Mr Justice Joe Appiah, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North and Ms Abigail Aba Anso, a Clerk of Parliament. The MPs expressed their readiness to share the knowledge acquired with their colleague MPs to enable them to deliberate on issues relating to biodiversity conservation and other environmental issues in parliament. Mr Tawiah told the GNA that resource mobilization was crucial to help developing countries to protect its biodiversity. “They exploit our forests for timber, gold and diamond to develop their countries and even sell some of the end product to us at a higher cost. We need that money to solve our environmental issues,” he said. Mr Tawiah said mining companies destroying valuable biodiversity resource only pay a token as royalties and taxes and called for a ban on mining and felling of timber. He said the country could survive and better manage its affairs without the contribution of these companies. Mr Appiah said he wondered why humanity continued to degrade the forest despite the many benefits people derive from it. Mr Appiah said the current deforestation, pollution of rivers bodies, hunting with chemicals, indiscriminate bush burning and illegal mining, if not checked, could turn the nation’s land to desert. Professor Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Chairman of the Biodiversity Committee of Ghana, said it pays to join the global campaign of biodiversity conserve. He said people should see the protection and preservation of natural resource as a way of life and not something optional. Prof. Oteng-Yeboah said one of the novelty mechanisms of reducing poverty was biodiversity, adding that communities would have enough fertile land and ensure food security as well as potable water. “This is the economic value that should be emphasized. Biodiversity is valuable and cannot be bought by money and people must know this fact…its depletion will lead to extinction of humanity”, he said. ...
Nkoranza (B/A), Oct. 18, GNA – Mr. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, Nkoranza South Municipal Chief Executive, has commended “Adom Mmaapa Adoye Kuo”, Nlkoranza-based humanitarian club, for supporting the vulnerable, especially widows and orphans in the area. He asked the club to team up with other non-governmental organisations to source funding for their projects. Mr. Agyekum was addressing members at a fund-raising rally towards the implementation of club’s programmes. Very Reverend Major (retired) Daniel Ebo Ephraim, Superintendent Minister in-charge of the Nkoranza Wesley Methodist Church, expressed worry that that some people in the area had shirked their parental responsibilities. He cited that some school children sought assistance from the Church to enable them go to school because their parents had failed to pay their school fees. Rev. Ephraim praised members of the club for seeking the welfare of the vulnerable and needy, particularly widows and orphans. Madam Agnes Gyamea, President of the group, said each member contributes GHc10.00 monthly to fund programmes. She expressed regret that some orphans dropped out of school and had become delinquent, and said the club pays school fees for needy students, and settles hospital bills of some parents. GNA ...
Sunyani, Oct. 18, GNA – The Abrono Organic Farming Project (ABOFAP), a farmer-based organisation in the Techiman Municipality has called for a policy guideline on organic crop certification for easy market access in the country. The organisation noted with concern that currently four private international organizations were certifying crops organically produced for exports with their activities centralized in Accra. At a news conference in Sunyani, Nana Kwao Adam, Executive Director of ABOFAB, observed that the policy document of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture ‘s (FASDEP 1 and 2) did not provide clear policy direction and support to the development of organic farming. He emphasised the need for a policy that would provide adequate support for promoting and developing the organic farming with the government playing a facilitation role by setting up a development fund to strengthen the sector. Nana Adam, who is the Twafohene of Forikrom in the Municipality, said many farmers in the municipality had shown interest in organic farming because of its international marketing opportunities. He said due to lack of technical knowledge, farmers in the sector were moving out. The Executive Director expressed grave concern about the misapplication of chemicals and chemical residue on food in the domestic market which consequently led to food poisoning. Nana Adam said Ghana could develop its organic agriculture with consistent policy framework. Mr. Gabriel Gbiel Benarkuu, Business Service Provider for ABOFAP, noted that organic farming was one of the main contributors to national food security. He said the project with funding from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC FUND) conducted a research on organic farming in the municipality. Mr. Benarkuu said the research revealed lack of access to information on organic product certification, poor financing in the organic agricultural sector as well as lack of domestic and ready market for organic produce as the major factors militating against the development of the sector. He said currently there was lack of commitment by the appropriate authorities to decentralize and enforce organic food certification guidelines. This, he said made it difficult for farmers to access good market and fair prizes. Mr. Benarkuu mentioned indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals environmental degradation, unsafe food production and loss of capital investment for organic farmers as some of the problems facing the sector. He stressed the need for MOFA and the private organic food certifying bodies to form alliance to develop organic farming businesses as a means to create wealth and ensure food security and sovereignty. Mr. Benarkuu observed that all organic farmers were gradually going out of business. He said currently there was no Agriculture college in the country which pursued modules on organic farming and marketing, a situation which had contributed to the collapse of the sector. “There is also no organic desk officer at the MOFA offices” he added, stating that in South Africa and Kenya, organic farming had contributed immensely to poverty reduction and job creation. GNA ...
Cape Coast, Oct. 19, GNA- Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General, Trades Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday called for the creation of decent jobs by governments for their citizenry particularly, the youth since the lack of it could threaten national peace and stability. He also noted that job creation was one of the biggest challenges that needed to be given serious attention by the Government and that until it creates more employment opportunities for the people, all the ‘noise’ being made about poverty eradication cannot be achieved. Mr. Asamoah said this at the Central Regional Council of Labour meeting in Cape Coast where Regional executives as well as Regional Women’s Committee executives were elected. The meeting was attended by about 70 members of the TUC from all the twelve TUC districts of the Region. Mr. Asamoah emphasized the need for a link between industries and tertiary institutions to facilitate the training of needed manpower for the job market in order not to leave graduates ‘stranded’. He urged the members to use the political season as an opportunity to ask politicians about pragmatic measures they would put in place to generate employment should they come to power. He said since rights go with responsibility, workers should not only be concerned about increases in their salaries but should work hard as expected and maximize productivity at their various work places. The Secretary General said as leaders, they needed to update themselves and be conversant with labour laws in the country so as to be empowered to provide the kind of leadership expected of them. He also urged them to be agents of peace and live in unity and harmony for this year’s election to be peaceful. GNA ...
Tema Oct. 18, GNA – Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Tema West, was on Wednesday given a new Voter ID Number by the Tema Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) after submitting his nomination form. Explaining the situation to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Gabriel Manu, Tema Regional Director of the EC, said Mr Ofosu Ampofo's ID Number on his card did not tally with what was contained in the Register. Mr Manu said about 30 centres in the metropolis were affected by the technical error which was detected during the exhibition exercise. He said when his office detected this problem, it quickly informed the ECHead Office which quickly rectified the anomaly. The Regional EC Director said that was the more reason why his office could immediately issue Mr Ofosu Ampofo with a new ID Number yesterday. He said as a result of the correction, his office could accept Mr Ofosu Ampofo’s nomination form on Wednesday. GNA ...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – Affiliates and supporters of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) were on Thursday tagged "the most abusive on radio" by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA). A statement signed by Professor Kwame Karikari, MFWA Executive Director, to the Ghana News Agency explained that for eight consecutive weeks (August 19 – October 13), individuals belonging to the NPP have been at the forefront in the use of indecent remarks on radio. “This is unacceptable and it is unfortunate that the leadership of the NPP does not seem to be making efforts to reverse this unhealthy phenomenon in our political discourse”, Prof Karikari stated. He said during the monitored period (October 7 – 13, 2012), a total of 17 indecent expressions were recorded. Affiliates of the NPP made 13 representing 76.5 per cent. Four individuals made more than one indecent remark and they are all affiliates of the NPP. The only newspaper editor who has been cited severally for using indecent expressions on radio, Mr. Ken Kuranchie, the Managing Editor of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, who is also an NPP sympathiser, was once again found to have used an indecorous expression. According to the MFWA, a Kumasi-based Angel FM was the radio station on which a lot of the indecent remarks were made. Ten out of the 17 indecent expressions were made on Angel FM. Statistics indicates that 17 indecent expressions were made by affiliates of the two main political parties in the country; the NPP and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Thirteen of the 17 inappropriate remarks were made by affiliates of the NPP, and the remaining four indecorous expressions were made by affiliates of the NDC. Expressions Used by Political party Affiliation Expressions Used Political Party Affiliation NPP NDC Total Insulting/Offensive Comments 7 3 10 Unsubstantiated Allegations 5 0 5 Innuendoes 1 1 2 Total 13 4 17 Monitoring campaign language-use on radio is a project by the MFWA with funding from STAR-Ghana. The project is aimed at contributing to ensuring issues-based and decent language campaigning in the December polls. It involves daily monitoring of language/ expressions by politicians and activists on specific programmes on 31 selected radio stations across the country. GNA ...
Cape Coast, Oct. 18, GNA- Mr Alfred Kojo Thompson, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Cape Coast South, on Thursday announced that when given the nod, he would provide free crèches and Day nurseries for all the electoral areas in his constituency. He said to consolidate the party’ s free Senior High School (SHS) programme it was necessary to have a solid foundation for children to build on and it was for this reason that he would be providing the free crèches and Day nurseries. Mr Thompson made this known during a press soiree organized in Cape Coast to articulate his vision and programme for the constituency. He said when voted into power, he would ensure the modernization of Cape Coast South and that his vision would be based on four thematic areas of Education, tourism, industrial development, youth empowerment and job creation. On education, Mr Thompson said the free SHS policy of the NPP, was feasible and attainable since the country has the relevant resources and funds to implement the programme, adding “free education can be done and we are going to start from next year”. He said the NPP government would ensure that the educational system was properly applied where at the nursery stage, the children would be made to develop their innate talents, adding that teachers would be properly motivated to enable them give off their best. Mr Thompson said distance learning would also be encouraged and that scholarships would be given to the youth who are interested to further their education. Touching on tourism, he noted that Cape Coast has been described as the hub of tourism, but regretted that there was nothing to show for the assertion, stressing that the region did not have a single five star hotel to accommodate tourists and said when the NPP comes to power it would improve the castles and forts in Cape Coast to attract more tourists . The Parliamentary candidate said there were plans to establish industrial parks in Cape Coast to serve as avenues for employment generation, adding that the fishing industry would also be given a boost where storage and processing facilities would be provided for fishermen to improve their lot. He said the time had come for Ghana to move from exporting raw materials to value addition for the country to earn good income. On youth empowerment, he said the youth would be empowered to enable them identify their potentials and become self sufficient and that jobs would be created in order to curb the rising unemployment. He said the NPP was a vibrant and committed party and urged all to massively vote for the party in the December polls since the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has disappointed Ghanaians especially, the people of Cape Coast for failing to fulfil its campaign promises. He mentioned the building of a stadium, establishment of a Coca Cola factory, Groundnut processing factory, dredging of the Fosu Lagoon, building a market complex at Kotokuraba and an overpass at Pedu junction as some of the projects promised the people of Cape Coast which have not been achieved. GNA ...
Accra, Oct. 18, GNA – The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday at the close of filing of nomination for December Presidential and Parliamentary polls cleared eight Presidential Candidates, whilst three parties and one Independent candidate were disqualified. The Presidential Candidates for the seven parties were; President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Convention People's Party's (CPP) Dr Michael Abu Sakara Foster and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP). The rest are The Peoples National Convention's (PNC) Mr Hasan Ayariga, United Front Party’s (UFP) Mr Akwasi Adddai Odike, the Great Consolidated Popular Party’s (GCPP) Mr Henry Lartey and an Independent Candidate, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah. Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, EC Chairman, at the close of the two-day nomination period declared the eight candidates duly eligible. The EC Chairman however cautioned the candidates that the endorsement of the nomination forms was based on the signing of the Statutory Declaration form saying, "We will now take our time to scrutinize the details provided, any false declaration is a crime and the culprit would face the full rigours of the law." The Nomination forms of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings’ National Democratic Party (NDP) were reject by the EC as the Flag bearer failed to properly fill out her nomination forms and could not beat the deadline for submission of nomination forms. The NDP had major errors on their forms and could not meet the deadline to rectify them hence they were disqualified. The Ghana Freedom Party and the Yes Peoples’ Party also had their forms rejected. Since 1992, Ghana has had uninterrupted democratic practice, conducting five globally acclaimed successful elections. The EC had fixed October 17 and 18 for filing of both the Presidential and Parliamentary nominations for Election 2012. Mr Kwadwo Sarfo Kantanka, EC Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations, stated that: “In accordance with regulations 4 and 5 of the Public Elections Regulations, 2012, the Electoral Commission will receive nominations for the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections on the 17th and 18th of October”. The EC therefore urged political parties desirous of sponsoring candidates for the Parliamentary elections and individuals who are interested in contesting the said elections to obtain nomination forms from the Returning Officers in the respective constituencies or the Regional Offices of the Commission. The Commission further announced that the nomination fee for the Presidential Election was ten thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000.00) while that for the Parliamentary Elections was one thousand Ghana Cedis (¢1,000.00). The statement said candidates were required to submit four copies of their recent photographs (bust) with red background showing the full face and both ears on submitting the nomination forms. It called on political parties and individuals who wanted to contest the elections to take note and act accordingly. GNA ...
Tamale, Oct 18, GNA- World Food Programme (WFP) has donated 151 metric tonnes (mt) of food items to flood victims in eight districts in the Northern Region to help them rebuild their lives and livelihoods. The food items comprise 2,646 bags of maize, (132mt), 189 bags of beans (9.5mt), 433 cartons of vegetable oil (8mt) and 63 bags of iodized salt (1.6), and the beneficiary districts are Tamale Metro, West Mamprusi, North Gonja, Central Gonja, Savelugu, Tolon, Kumbungu and East Mamprusi Districts. Northern Region Office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), will under the auspices of the Regional Coordinating Council, be responsible for the distribution, coordination, monitoring and reporting of the food distribution whilst keeping proper account of all commodities received at final distribution points. Mr Aboubacar Koisha, Head of Tamale Sub Office of the WFP, announced this on Thursday at Kpalsi near Tamale at a ceremony to distribute some of the items to some of the flood victims in the Tamale Metro. The distribution was led by officials from the Tamale Metropolitan Office of NADMO. Sometime in August, 2012, the opening of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso coupled with torrential rainfall in September of the same year, caused flash floods in parts of the Northern Region. Some 10,500 people were affected and over 5,000 acres of farmlands were submerged leading to loss of crops and livelihoods. The extent of flooding led to a request for food from WFP, by the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) following a joint assessment mission conducted by the NRCC, Security Agencies, NADMO, NGOs and United Nations agencies to appreciate the magnitude of the effects of the flood in order to mobilize the appropriate additional support for NADMO. The assessment concluded that urgent relief assistance including food, needed to be provided to 10,500 flood affected persons for a period of 30 days and it was in this direction that the WFP made the donation. Mr Koisha said WFP and NADMO would work together to prevent any losses associated with the operation whilst ensuring that the food items reached the deserving. He said in addition to the Northern Region, some 20,000 flood affected people in the Upper East and Upper West Regions had also received assistance during the past weeks, bringing the total number of beneficiaries across all the three northern regions to about 30,000 with a support of 443 mt of assorted commodities. He expressed hope that the assistance would provide the energy and nutrition needs of the victims, contribute to the reduction of hunger and food insecurity which had emerged as a result of the floods and enable the recipients to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. Hajia Habiba Kasim, Tamale Metropolitan Coordinator of NADMO, who led the distribution team, thanked WFP for the response to the call for the relief items. She called on other organizations to emulate the gesture of the WFP GNA ...
Cape Coast, Oct.18, GNA-The Fanti Benevolent Society of Chicago, United States, in collaboration with the Mfantsiman Association of North America (MANA) on Thursday, presented pap-smear testing kits worth 10,000.00, dollars excluding shipment and duties, to the Central Regional Hospital (CRH). The pap-smear test is carried out on women by health professionals to ascertain their cervical cancer status for prompt medical attention on detection of any unusual development around the cervix. Nana Kobiwa-Akwa III, Queen of Bosomin-Ayeldu, in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese district, who led a five member delegation from the United States to donate the kits, said it was the Society’s contribution to help save Ghanaian women from developing cervical cancer. She indicated that with the kits, she was of the hope that more women will go for the test at the Regional Hospital for the early detection of the disease for early treatment to stem the high rate of cervical cancer deaths among women in the country. Nana Kobiwa-Akwa said the Society has adopted the children’s ward of the Cape Coast Metro Hospital and promised to liaise with the Regional Hospital authorities to find out its immediate needs and offer support. Mr. Yorke Eghan, an Elder of the Fanti Benevolent Society of Chicago, appealed to the Government to offer tax exemptions to benevolent organizations that offer support in the form of equipment and others to the country to encourage more of such organizations to do so. Mrs. Alice Eghan, also an elder of the Society and a retired nurse, reiterated calls on women to avail themselves of the test at least once a year to know their status and also seek early treatment in case of any eventuality. Dr. Daniel Asare, Medical Director of the CRH, who received the kits, expressed gratitude to the delegation for the gesture and said the support would enable the hospital attend to needy patients either at a subsidized rate or free of charge. He urged other organizations abroad to support the hospital with medical supplies. GNA ...
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