Accra, Oct. 29, GNA - Cardero Resource Corporation and Emmaland Ghana Limited on Monday announced receipt of the final batch of high-grade drill results from Phase I drilling at the Company's Sheini Hills Iron Project in north eastern Ghana, which is positive and encouraging.   The Phase I drill programme was completed in August 2012 and all results have been received in full.   "We are delighted to have completed what was a very successful Phase I exploration and drill program at Sheini," Mr Michael Hunter, Cardero's President and CEO, stated in a statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.      Highlights include Hole 063, which returned 51.60 metres from surface grading 48.50% iron, including 16.00 metres grading 50.81% iron.   Four of the seven cross-sections reported in this release (1014950N, 101440N, 1013050N and 1012800N) have weighted averages ranging from 41.1% iron to 43.92% iron, reflecting the generally higher-grade results returned from the northern portion of the drill area.   The program focussed on a core 9 kilometre-long zone of outcropping haematite-ironstone ridges with peripheral surface ferricretes. A total of 67 diamond drill holes have been completed with results received for all holes (58 diamond drill holes were submitted for assay, while 9 holes were drilled for geological interpretation and metallurgical testing).      According to the statement, regional work, including satellite interpretation, airborne geophysical surveys and verification mapping have identified an additional 24 kilometres of potential ironstone deposits, which will be drill-tested in Phase II.     The work programme at Sheini is supervised by Christopher White (Cardero Resource Corp.) and Dr. Karel Maly (Aurum Exploration Limited), who together are responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control and quality assurance program.   On-site personnel at the project rigorously collect and track samples which are then security sealed and shipped to ALS Laboratories, Kumasi, Ghana, for sample preparation, and onward to OMAC Laboratories (an ALS Group company), Ireland, for analysis.   OMAC's quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025: 1999. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples.   Quality control is further assured by the use of international and in-house standards. Blind certified reference material is inserted at regular intervals into the sample sequence in order to independently assess analytical accuracy.   The common shares of the Company are currently listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol CDU), the NYSE-MKT (symbol CDY) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (symbol CR5).   Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Ababio, Chief Executive Officer of Emmanland Resources Ghana Limited, told the GNA in an interview that through the exploit of the two companies, Ghana had rejoined countries that produce iron ore which is one of the most valuable minerals on the World Commodity market.   He said the iron ore deposit, which is located at Sheini in the Northern Region, holds huge potential as other minerals are being discovered in addition to the iron.   There has been an increase in the demand for iron ore on the world market more than gold which has been the country’s leading mineral in terms of export and Ghana stands to gain tremendously in the discovery and positive drill exercise.   He said “Iron Ore is even bigger than gold and there are a lot of things we are going to do which would give Ghana lots of income. We are going to build railways, we are going to build ports and lots of stuff.   Mr Ababio said thousands of jobs would be created and that the venture into mining of iron ore marks the beginning of a new era for Ghana’s economic development.   Mr Ababio said as part of their social responsibility even before they fully take off, the company had graded the road to link Zabzugu to Sheini, rehabilitated the abandoned Presidential Lodge at Zabzugu and equipped the district assemblies with computers.   GNA...

Half Assini (W/R) Oct. 29, GNA – A police officer has appealed to security personnel at check points to extend their search beyond lorry boots to the bonnet of the vehicles to avoid being outwitted by criminals and other illegal weapon dealers.      This followed the arrest of five armed robbers on the Elubo-Mpataba Highway with some weapons and ammunitions concealed in the bonnet of their tax cab being used to terrorize travelers.      The Jomoro District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police John Ferguson Dzineku, told the GNA in an interview that on October 24, some armed robbers shot dead one passenger on an Abidjan/Lagos bus and later robbed them of their valuable items and cash.      He said police oganised a night patrol on the highway and stopped a taxi in which five young men were and a locally manufactured pistol was found on one of them.   When the taxi was thoroughly searched at the District Police Headquarters at Half Assini, one pump action gun, a locally manufactured gun, 18 life “BB” cartridges, 16 rounds of ammunition and bunch  of keys were found concealed in the bonnet of the taxi.   GNA...

Accra, October 29, GNA – The Ministry of the Interior on Monday stated that November 2, which would be used for the observation of this year’s National Farmers Day, is not a public holiday.   A statement issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra signed by Mr W. K. Aboah, the Minister, said the statutory Farmers Day holiday, which is Friday December 7, remains the public holiday to be observed.   This year’s farmers day celebration is scheduled to take place on Friday November 2  at Abokobi in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, on the theme: “Grow more food: Strengthening Farmer Based Organisations for Market Place Bargaining Power.”   GNA...

Ekumfi Otuam (C/R), Oct 29, GNA – Some citizens of eight communities in the newly created Ekumfi District have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to nominate a District Chief Executive (DCE) for the district to speed up development.    The communities are Ekumfi Narkwa, Otuam, Srafa, Naanaben, Emuna, Akra, Eyisam and Esakyire.      Mr Kobina Engo, their spokesperson, told a press conference at Ekumfi Otuam that the continued oversight responsibility by the Regional Minister of the district would not help them because of the distance.   Mr Engo said the President had nominated DCEs for other newly created districts in the Central Region which is facilitating the development of those areas and these are Twifo Hemang Lower and Awutu-Senya East districts leaving out the Ekumfi District.     He said they were not happy about the delay in the nomination of a DCE for the district and expressed “surprise and shock that the district where the late President J.E. A. Mills hails from could not get it share of the national cake”.   Mr Engo said the District is endowed with capable men and women who could administer it and that they do not understand what was holding back the nomination.   GNA...

Saltpond, Oct 29, GNA – The Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, has appealed to politicians not to teat political opponents as enemies.   Mr Quansah, the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, told the GNA in an interview that political opponents should be regarded as partners in development.     He said some politicians had engaged in dirty politics, insulting their political opponents and telling blatant lies about them on political platforms.   “If we regard our opponents as friends and partners in development we cannot insult them or say any bad things against them,” Mr Quansah said and added that “by so doing we will be making politics clean but not dirty as some people perceived it to be.”   Mr Quansah said politicians could ensure peace in their constituencies if they stopped treating their opponents as enemies.   He said the government had put in place mechanisms to ensure that the December election was conducted peacefully devoid of any violence and appealed to the electorate to abide by the regulations of the Electoral Commission to endure free and fair election.   GNA...

Saltpond (C/R), Oct. 29, GNA – The Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah has urged Ghanaians to rally behind the winners of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.   He said the bitter rivalry currently going on amongst supporters of various candidates must cease immediately after the elections to pave way for the people to rally behind the winners to facilitate the development of the nation.   Mr Quansah was addressing the Ayerye Festival of the Nyimfa Division of the Nkusukum Traditional Council at Lower Saltpond, also called Nankesido, at the weekend.   The Deputy Regional Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, said it was unfortunate that due to partisan politics some politicians on the opposition side could pray for the failure of a project their counterpart was lobbying for in order not to get credit for it no matter whether the project would benefit the one seeking its failure or not.   “Politics is a process, a politician will come and play his or her part and go for another person to come and continue,” he said, and added that “people must not be misled to perceive that it is only when one is in government that one can bring development to the people”.   Mr Quansah expressed concern about land litigation in the constituency and appealed to chiefs and land owners to quickly resolve problems over lands meant for projects in the communities.   He said recently a community in the constituency lost a school project because the land allocated for it was in dispute.   The Deputy Minister appealed to Ghanaians to make the upcoming general election an incident–free one.   He urged them to pray for God’s direction before they cast their votes and to go home after exercising their franchise.   Nana Baa VII, Nyimfahen of Nkusukum Traditional Area and chief of Nankesedo appealed to television stations and video operators who had video clips on civil wars to constantly screen them for Ghanaians to see how devastating it was so as to scare them from doing anything which could degenerate into a war.   Nana Baa pointed out that majority of civil wars in Africa were caused by elections and appealed to Ghanaians to bear in mind that there was only one Ghana in the world which they dared not destroy.   GNA...

Apam (C/R), Oct. 29, GNA – The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has embarked on outreach programmes to ascertain the party’s preparedness for the December seven general election.   Mr Jacob Arthur,  leader of one of the outreach teams in the Central Region told supporters of the Party at Apam that the people of the Region must count themselves lucky for the nomination of Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur as the Vice-President and the Running Mate for the party’s flagbearer, Mr John Dramani Mahama.   He pointed out that Mr Amissah-Arthurs’ nomination was the result of the good relationship between the late President John Evans Atta Mills and the current President John Dramani Mahama whom the former had prepared very well for the presidency.   Mr Arthur appealed to supporters to abide by the electoral regulation and comport themselves well before, during and after the elections, since the NDC could not afford to miss a single vote from its supporters.   He cautioned them to desist from engaging in political arguments, especially on the day of the election which could degenerate into violence.   Professor Samuel M. Quartey, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic called on Ghanaians to change their mind-set about joining political parties.   He said some people regarded political parties as gold mines and wished to become rich through the party. They must let the development of their communities to override their personal interests, he added.   Prof Quartey appealed to the party supporters to stay away from the polling station after casting their votes to allow the electoral officers and the accredited party agents to do the rest of the work.   Mr Francis Kojo Arthur, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West and the NDC parliamentary aspirant, assured the team that the party would retain the seat in the December elections.   He said his assurance was based on the good work the party had done in the constituency.   He said the party was ready to sweep the election and appealed to the party to provide additional T-Shirts for the teeming supporters.   GNA...

  Kyebi (E/R), Oct. 29, GNA - The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin II, had blamed unnecessary political interferences in the educational system for the falling standard of education at all levels in the country.      He said if the trend continued, it would do more damage to the country and therefore called on politicians in the country, to stop playing politics with the educational system.      Addressing the 21st anniversary and the first speech and prize giving day of the Kyebi Senior High and Technical School at Kyebi on Saturday, the Okyenhene said it was time government prioritize education and push more resources into it by motivating teachers, especially those who accept postings to rural areas.      Okyenhene said to ensure quality education at all levels, it was necessary for all stakeholders to play their respective roles and therefore urged parents to consider education of their wards important investment and commit resources to it.      “Parents must be responsible enough to ensure that all children of school going age should be in school and provide them with all the necessary resources,” he stressed.      The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Victor Emmanuel Smith said the bold decision of government to expand access to secondary education by adding 119 second cycle schools to the then existing ones in the 1987 educational reforms, had yielded results.          Mr Smith said every child born on this earth was endowed with potentials or abilities which could only develop to the fullest with formal education.      Mr Smith said government had committed huge percentage of its budget to education in the form of salaries of teachers and educational staff, subsidizing school fees, providing free text books, training teachers, providing infrastructure and supporting manpower needs to facilitate teaching and learning.      He urged teachers to consider themselves as part of the solutions to the many problems that confront the youth in the country.      “They must serve as good role models for students and inspire them to rise to the highest academic levels,” he said.       The Headmaster of the school, Mr Stephen Aglah said the school was established in 1991 as one of the 119 secondary and technical schools established to absorbed products of the then junior secondary schools to expand access to secondary education.       The school has a population of 1,500 comprising 850 boys and 650 girls.       Mr Aglah mentioned some of the challenges of the school as lack of classroom blocks, lack of boarding facilities to cater for ever increasing number of boarders and lack of accommodation for teachers.       The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Mr Attah Akyea donated GH¢ 3,000 to support the fund raising aimed at completing the ongoing Parents Teachers Association (PTA) projects in the school.       GNA  ...

  Kumasi, Oct. 29, GNA – Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has urged the youth to be vigilant and resist any attempt by someone or group of persons to engage in electoral violence as the nation prepares for the December 7th polls.   The youth, he said, were likely to be targeted by self-seeking politicians to foment trouble in the run up to the December general elections and warned that this could be counterproductive to the sustenance of peace in the country.   He reminded them of their constitutional mandate to use their energies, expertise and skills for productive ventures, saying it was the responsibility of the Ghanaian youth not to repeat the mistakes of other war-torn African countries.   Dr. Agyemang-Mensah, who was addressing a peace rally at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi on Sunday cited the untold hardships and calamities that befell some youth who engaged in such violence.   The rally was organized by the Ashanti Regional Cadet Corps and had in attendance about 5,000 pupils and students drawn from 75 schools.   It aimed at creating awareness about the role of the youth in ensuring incident-free elections.   “The Youth as Tools for Peaceful Elections” was the theme.   The Minister called for regular sensitization workshops and educational programmes to create the awareness for peaceful polls.   Dr. Agyemang-Mensah urged the Cadet Corps to liaise with other related organizations with the view to embarking on outreach programmes to demonstrate to the people the negative effects inherent in electoral violence.   Mr. Felix Atingyena, the Regional Cadet Commander, enumerated the significance of the concept of cadet in nation building and noted that it helped in moulding the youth into responsible adults.     GNA  ...

Cape Coast (C/R), Oct. 29, GNA - Alhaji Yussif Captain, National Coordinator of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Zongo Caucus, has urged the caucus membership to forge ahead with unity to ensure victory for the party in the upcoming general elections.      He said the NDC stood for peace and development and appealed to the rank and file to forgive and forget each others’ sins and unite for the party to retain power under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.       Alhaji Captain was addressing regional, districts and wards coordinators of the Zongo Caucus in Cape Coast at the Central Region on Sunday.       He said over the last three years the NDC had improved the lives of people in Zongo communities through development of education, health and social infrastructure and human resource.       Alhaji Captain said the New Patriotic Party in its quest for political power was giving series of promises to win votes in the Central Region, which members of the Zongo Caucus must beware of.      Earlier at a funeral in Takoradi for late Hajia Ayishetu, mother of Alhaji Bawa Ismael, former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, noted that peace and unity was more than wealth and urged party members to continue to preach peace in all their endeavors.      He said the ”All-Die-Be-Die” agenda, which was being pursued by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), was not out of Ghanaians minds, adding that “The NDC is a peaceful party and would continue to be peaceful till thy Kingdom come.”       Alhaji Ismael said because the NPP lost most sweats in the Central Region in the last elections, it was doing all it could to penetrate the minds of the people.       He said the NPP free Senior High School (SHS) policy was impossible and that the NDC government in its quest to prioritize education was currently providing free school uniforms, exercise books, increase Capitation Grant by 50 per cent and also expand the School Feeding Programme to reach more deprived school.       Mr Mohammed Barkwa Ali, NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Effia Constituency in the Western Region, said the responsibility of every Muslim in the election was to preach peace unity and development.       Mr Ali said the NDC Government had recognized the contribution of Muslims in the country, adding “This has reflected in the organization of Hajj in the past four years.”       Alhaji Abubakar Hajj Issah, Deputy Regional Coordinator of the Zongo Caucus in the Central Region said, “We (Caucus) are facing too many logistical and financial problems in running the caucus in the region.”       “We are being neglected by the Regional Minister, the Municipal and District Chief Executives, Members of Parliament (MP) and the Party Regional Executives”.   GNA  ...

  Yendi (NR), Oct 29, GNA - The Assemblies of God Relief and Development Services (AGREDS), has presented items worth GH¢15,000.00 to the people of Zugu, Gbangbaliga, Kpachiyili and Adibo communities in the Yendi Municipality of Northern Region.      The items include 62 dual desks for Zugu and Kpachiyili Early Childhood and Development Centre (EDC) schools, eight groundnut shelling machines and 32 bee hives for Zugu, Gbungbaluga, Kpachiyili and Adibo communities worth GH¢15,000.00.        The Programme Coordinator for Yendi Area Child Development Programme (YACDP), Mr. George Maalung Kombian, who presented the items on behalf of the Executive Director of AGREDS, Mr. Joseph Kwame Wumbe, stated that apart from the items, an amount of GH¢18,000.00 had been granted to four groups of Adibo and Kpachiyili as credit micro schemes for them to go into groundnut extraction, trading and farming to be paid within six months period.        Mr. Kombian indicated that the four groups were made up of 120 members of which 85 per cent comprised women.         He noted that the core business of Yendi Area Child Development Programme was child family sponsorship through the support of Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC).       Mr. Kombian said Yendi Area Child Development Programme collaborated with their local communities and as well as state and non-state actors to sponsor children, families and communities in water, sanitation and hygiene (IWASH), health and Nutrition, education, micro Enterprise Development and strengthening community organization.         According to the Programme Coordinator Yendi Area Child Development Programme government siminar committed to education and community sustainability of six schools in Zugu Primary School, Gbungbaliga Primary and Junior High School, Kpachiyili Primary and Adibo Primary and Junior High School all within its catchment areas.        He announced that AGREDS had started the construction of a two classroom block for an Early Childhood Development Centre for Kpachiyili, three classroom blocks for Gbungbaliga, Junior High School which will soon be completed.        Mr. Kombian stated that their aim was to promote the holistic development of children in the Yendi Municipality by providing and influencing the child’s access to education, recreation, health care good nutrition, life skills among others.        Mr. Kombian advised the school teachers and the communities to use the items judiciously, adding that the maintenance of the dual desks and the other items should be a responsibility of the schools and communities if they were to be sustained.   GNA...

Tamale, Oct 29, GNA - Three youth groups on Sunday embarked on a float through the principal streets of Tamale in support of President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming December 7th polls.       They are members of the Zongo Community, ‘Girls Girls’ for John Mahama and Youth for John Mahama.        Dignitaries including, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister, Madam Hawa Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister of Women and Children were present to grace the function.          Addressing the gathering after the procession, Mr. Mabengba said John Mahama-led government was committed to empowering and developing the country’s future leaders.      He called on the youth to vote for NDC to retain the party in office due to the massive developmental projects in education, health, economic, social and agricultural sectors.      Mr Mabengba said NDC was confident that, per the good initiatives implemented, the NDC would win the election one touch.      He, however, said that does not mean the party should rest on its efforts but should rather work tirelessly for its dream to be achieved.      Mr Asiedu Nketia inaugurated leaders of the groups and charged them to canvass for more votes for the President, to help the NDC retain power in the general elections, in order to be able to pursue the Better Ghana Agenda.       Ms Cornelia Daasah, the Organiser of the Programm told Ghana News Agency in an interview that considering the limited time left for the elections, the groups would embark on effective campaign programmes for the President.      She said they would adopt house-to-house, door-to-door and face-to-face campaigns at the market places to sell the message of the good works under the leadership of John Mahama's government and the NDC to the electorate.       “We know this elections will not be like the last elections where we went on the first, second and the third round before the Electoral Commission (EC) was able to declare the winner,' she noted, and emphasized that John Mahama would win the elections in a 'one touch' victory.       She was convinced that a presidential candidate with the caliber of John Mahama, a peace loving person who preaches peace, deserved the mandate of the people to help sustain peace in the country.     GNA...

Accra, Oct 29, GNA - Madam Doris Darimani, Private Schools Coordinator of the Ga West District of the Ghana Education Service, has said it is important for parents to make the education of the child a priority.     She said quality education was the greatest assert parents could offer their children adding that there should be no excuse why children should be left out of school.     Madam Darimani made the call at the 10th anniversary celebration of California Star School Complex over the weekend in Accra.     The event was on the theme: “Ten years of Discipline and Academic Excellence”     “Many parents complain of lack of money to support their children in school yet some could go to any length to buy ceremonial clothes for all occasions, as seen during funerals,” she said.     Madam Darimani advised students to be selective in the friends they associate themselves with since their choice could negatively or positively influence their lifestyles both at home and at school.     Dr Lawrencia Serwaa Manu, of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, urged teachers and parents to inculcate discipline in children to ensure that educational standards were maintained.     “Teachers must also entreat them to be serious in all subjects to enable them prepare themselves well for responsible professions in future,” he said.     Dr Manu tasked students to develop a winning attitude, desire to succeed and be honest in their pursuit for excellence.     Mr Edward K. Manu, Proprietor of the School, appealed to government to extend the capitation grant to cover the private schools since it could contribute immensely to the development of that sector.     He said the school since its inception in 2002 had chalked many successes with excellent grades by students in the Basic Education Certificate Examination saying “this year a total of 57 students were presented and all of them have gained admission into Senior High Schools”.     Mr Manu said the school had also been supporting brilliant but needy students, with 15 current beneficiaries, calling on churches, benevolent organisations to come to the assistance some of these children in the school.    He said the School also needed a library for effective teaching and enhanced learning for staff and students.     GNA ...

Zebilla (U/E), Oct. 29 GNA - A group of farmers in the Bawku West District, calling itself “Afaataba Multipurpose Cooperative Society”, have appealed to government to rehabilitate Kamega Irrigation Dam.     Speaking at a Press Conference at Zebilla, Mr Robert Abugri, Coordinator of the group, said since the construction of the dam in the 1960s it had not been repaired and silt deposits had reduced its capacity to hold water.     This, he said, had reduced the production of crops such as rice, maize, onion, tomato and other vegetables.     “The facility which is the major source of livelihood of the people in the area has its challenges including broken down canals, shortage of water due to siltation of the reservoir, leakage of the valve leading to wastage of water, termites infestation on the dam walls and bad nature of the spillway”, he said.     Mr Abugri said apart from the facility being used for irrigation purposes, people in the area relied on it to water their animals and for building.     “This implies that the contribution of the facility to food security and other usage are very enormous. Afaataba Multipurpose Cooperative Society and other farmers in Kamega areas are making a passionate appeal to the Bawku West District Assembly and the Government to rehabilitate the facility with a special focus on de-silting the dam reservoir, repair and construction of the new canals and the repair of leakages”.     Mr Vincent Subbey, Monitor of BUSAC Fund, said as the Region depended largely on rain fed agriculture which over the years had been disappointing, it would be appropriate to expand irrigation so as to enable the people produce more food.     He said if government paid attention to such facilities it would help curb the spate of migration of the people particularly the youth to the southern sector to look for greener pastures.     Mr Ernest Beyuo, a Service Provider of BUSAC, said BUSAC had empowered the farmers in the area with advocacy and lobbying skills, supported them conduct research on the facility and organized stakeholders’ meeting.     He said plans were far advanced to support the group to engage the District Assembly and other stakeholders including the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and the Northern Rural Growth Project.     Participants stressed the need for SADA and the Northern Rural Growth Project to go to the aid of the farmers by contributing to repair the dam.     GNA ...

Tema, Oct. 29, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama at the weekend endorsed the need for Christians to take up political positions to help accelerate the development of the country.    He debunked the notion that politics was a dirty game, because in his view politics sought to provide effective leadership to help find lasting solutions to the numerous problems confronting the people.     President Mahama made the call when he joined the Communities Two and Five Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church during a thanks giving service to round off activities marking their golden jubilee celebration.     The celebration had as its theme: "celebrating the faithfulness of our God".     The President urged Ghanaians not to engage in divisive and negative tendencies to undermine the nation's democratic dispensation that has earned the country an enviable image across the African continent.     He commended the Presbyterian Church for a positive role they play in national development especially in the health and education sectors, and urged the church to do more to complement the efforts of government at building the nation.     The President reminded Ghanaians to pray earnestly for peace to prevail in the coming December polls.     Reverend Samuel Kwame Mensah, the Tema District Minister of the Presbyterian Church, paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the church for their vision, foresight and commitment to the growth and development of the church.     Reverend Mensah advised politicians to engage in healthy campaigns and avoid the politics of insults.     Nii Adjei Kraka, Tema Mantse, lauded the Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church for its contribution in education for the area.     Members of the church who have distinguished themselves in the last 50 years of its existence were honoured.      GNA ...

Nadowli (U/W), Oct. 29, GNA – Government has acquired resources for the construction of a new Midwifery Training Institution at the Nadowli Hospital in the Upper West Region.   Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minister of Health who announced this in Nadowli when he donated some items to the Hospital, gave the assurance that the contractor would move to site before the December elections.     The items donated include: assorted medical equipment, computers for data management, gas cookers and cylinders for the hospital staff and four bails of used cloths for women who come to deliver at the facility.     Mr Bagbin, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nadowli West Constituency, said the decision by government to establish more Midwifery Training Institutions was based on the inadequate number of Midwives that were currently in the system.     He said the Ministry of Health had a policy to train, retrain and retain critical health staff to take care of the health needs of the people.     Mr Bagbin said a new clinic was also being constructed at Kaleo in addition to the numerous CHPS Compounds dotted across various communities in the District.     He said a new hospital would soon be constructed at Issa in the newly created Daffiama-Busie-Issa District to cater for the health needs of the people.     Mr Bagbin said the Nadowli District had from very humble beginnings witnessed massive infrastructure expansion, equipment, personnel and logistics which had helped in lifting the health status of the people.     He commended management of the hospital for also taking certain initiatives on their own which according to him contributed to making the hospital one of the best district hospitals in the region.     GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 29, GNA – The European Union (EU) will launch a 52 million Euro Maternal Health Support Programme in Ghana to help improve maternal care.     A statement from the European Commission to Ghana News Agency on Monday said the programme would also increase emergency obstetric and new born care and through measures of family planning, It said the EU funding was designed to help ensure that about 80 per cent of mothers  were  attended to by a trained health worker while giving birth and to improve the overall support during pregnancy and in the postnatal period by 2015. The programme would also help increase the knowledge and use of family planning methods, support increase access to basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care in Ghana to 60 per cent by 2015. The statement said through the programmes, the EU would support Ghana to reach its goal of reducing maternal mortality to 185 per 100,000 live births (2008: 451 per 100,000) It said the second programme, the “EU Ghana Decentralisation Support Programme,” which involves 45 million Euros, would help to strengthen decentralized authorities in providing services such as water, sanitation and roads.    Mr Andris Piebalgs, the EU Commissioner who is expected to arrive in Ghana on Tuesday, October 30th is expected to launch the programmes and also attend the High Level Forum on Sustainable Energy, organized by the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).    Mr Piebalgs would also hold bilateral meetings with some government officials, the Ministers of Health; Local Government and Rural Development and representatives of Civil Society Organisations.      GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 29, GNA- The eighth African Development Forum (ADF VIII) has concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the adoption of a Consensus Statement suggesting ways to aid African countries in using their natural resources to promote people-centered development. The forum, which was held on the theme: “Governing and Harnessing Natural Resources for Africa’s Development” focused on how to generate maximum benefits from the exploitation of Africa’s lands, minerals, fisheries and forests for the benefits of the people. A release issued to the Ghana News Agency on Monday in Accra, said “transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development is the major challenge for African countries today.”     It said the Forum called for the implementation of the African Mining Vision adopted by African leaders in 2009, which sets out how mining could be used to drive the development of their countries.     These include strengthening policy, access, property rights, and investment in large-scale agriculture in line with the existing Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).     It said Africa accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land that need to be protected against rapacious speculation.     “According to the Consensus Statement, Africa ranks first or second in known world reserves of bauxite, chromite, cobalt, industrial diamond, manganese, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals, soda ash, vermiculite and zirconium. The continent is home to one-fifth of global gold and uranium supplies, while over 30 countries produce oil and gas in commercial quantity”.      On fisheries and aquatic resources, the Forum called for the strengthening of policies, legislation, strategies, investment and collaboration among states in various areas to develop the sector.     It said greater attention also need to be paid to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) action plan on inland, coastal and marine fisheries and aquaculture at the national and regional levels, adding that Africa loses a million tons of fishery resources estimated at over US $600 million annually to illegal and unreported fishing.     The Forum dwelt at length on the need for the sustainable exploitation and preservation of Africa’s forests estimated at 675 million hectares or 17 per cent of global forests.     The release cited policy, legal, regulatory, economic, governance, equity, knowledge, institutional and environmental constraints as critical to sustainable management of Africa’s forest resources with a developmental vision.    “Overcoming these constraints is key for attaining inter-sectoral linkages between agriculture, forest, industries and human settlement in Africa,” it added.     The ADF, a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa biennial event is convened in collaboration with the African Union Commission, African Development Bank, and other partners to establish an African-driven development agenda that reflects consensus and leads to specific programmes for implementation.     It is usually attended by some 1,000 participants including Heads of State and Government, African Member State policy-makers, development partners, other United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academia, civil society organizations, the private sector, eminent policy and opinion leaders, and the media.       GNA ...

Goaso (B/A), Oct. 29, GNA – Nana Yaw Boateng, Kwapong District Best Farmer, has commended the Government for increasing the producer price of cocoa.       He said the increment would motivate farmers to increase cocoa production in the country.   In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Kwapong in the Asunafo South District of Brong-Ahafo Region, he urged farmers to take advantage of the increase and refrain from smuggling which could adversely affect the national economy.       Nana Boateng appealed to the Government to pay the remaining bonuses to enable the farmers pay their children’s school fees and attend to other responsibilities.       “Such efforts by the Government would encourage farmers to maintain their existing cocoa farms and increase their acreage,” he said.       Nana Boateng called on private cocoa buying companies to enforce the use of the Akuafo cheques in the payment of cocoa beans purchased to eliminate the practice of some of them using fake currencies to pay farmers.       “Many farmers are falling victims to the cheats in the system and government should act promptly to bring sanity into the system,” he said.       GNA ...

Sogakope (V/R), Oct. 29, GNA - About 1,000 people including personnel of security agencies in the South-Tongu District have undertaken a peace march to herald the need for a violence-free election in the area.     Political Parties, governmental departments and agencies took part in the march which started from the Sogakope Police Station, through the principal streets of the town, over the bridge to Sokpoe.     Drivers plying the Accra-Aflao highway tooted their horn in support on encountering the marchers while their passengers cheered.     Some of the placards held by participants read: South-Tongu and Ghana Needs Peace, Expose Trouble Makers and We Need Peace and Development and not Trouble.     The march was organized by the South-Tongu District Electoral Commission in collaboration with the District Inter-Party Advisory Committee.     Mr Oscar Amevenku, Tongu Divisional Police Commander, said adequate preparation was in place to ensure a peaceful election in the area.     He advised all to get committed to ensuring peaceful elections because the interest of the country was paramount.     “Avoid inordinate ambitions to win elections at all cost and resist destroying livelihoods of others,” he said.     Mr Francis Agbozo, District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), appealed to the people to adhere to the electoral rules.     He said plans were in place to contain any “wayward macho man” who would misbehave during the elections.     Togbe Nakakpo Dugbaza VIII, Paramount Chief of Tefle, who is also the District Inter-Party Dialogue Committee Chairman, appealed to political parties and their followers to stick to the various procedures and rules discussed and agreed upon, to ensure the peace.   Parliamentary candidates and representatives of the various political parties also addressed the marchers about the need to ensure a violence-free election.   GNA ...