Accra, Jan. 17, GNA – The World Blind Union with its local partner, the Ghana Blind Union has urged government to speed up action on the ratification of published works treaty to facilitate accessibility for blind persons.The Union leaders say, out of the world published materials, less than five per cent are made available in accessible format to blind persons while the cost of re-engineering the works is too high.Last year, Ghana signed onto the ‘Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled.’Addressing stakeholders at a meeting in Accra to discuss the road-map on expediting action to ratification, Dr Peter Obeng, Executive Director of the Ghana Blind Union said government needed to seal the deal by ratifying the treaty.Currently, government textbooks for public and private schools are not in audio or brail or any accessible format for blind students, a phenomenon Dr Obeng said reinforced inequality and breached equal opportunity principle.Later he told the Ghana News Agency, that the present copyright laws restricted transformation of books into accessible format for blind persons but with the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty, published works could be transformed even without prior permission of the publisher and made available to beneficiaries.The Treaty would allow cross-border sharing of published materials and pave way for blind persons to actively participate in the daily discourse of national and family life, said Mr Christ Friend, Technical Advisor of the World Blind Union Right to Read Campaign.He observed the autobiography of former President of South Africa Mr Nelson Mandela is confined to South African borders, unavailable to blind persons, and had to be re-engineered at a cost of 5000 dollars for persons with print disabilities.He called on government to prioritise and fast-track the ratification process to ease access to public information otherwise available in inaccessible format for beneficiary persons.Ms Yaa Atafua, Acting Copyright Administrator said a road-map towards ratification would be put in place to facilitate smooth approval of the treaty.She said, for a good road-map, broader stakeholder consultations would be carried out to create awareness and elicit ideas to put the treaty in a balanced and comprehensive dimension.She urged Members of Parliament to fully support the ratification bid when the treaty was finally laid before itGNA

Tema, Jan. 17, GNA - Mr Lemuel Quarshie Martey, 2012 National Best Farmer, has called for the intensification of irrigation to protect farmers from the vagaries of rain-fed agriculture.“Let us take another look at the vision of Kwame Nkrumah and use the volumes of water which freely flow into the sea and other sources of water to irrigate farmlands throughout the country which is a sustainable way of cultivating the food we desperately need throughout the year,” he said.Mr Martey, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Afienya on Thursday, said rainfall pattern for the year 2013 was not favourable, especially to small scale farmers that solely depended on rain.He asked government to show keen interest in the work of urban farmers as well as those in deprived communities because they played complementary roles to ensure food security in the country.Mr Martey therefore called for a farmers' fund that would afford farmers soft loans during planting and harvesting seasons to meet market demands.He also appealed to government to support mechanized agriculture by subsidizing farm implements such as the plough and combine harvesters, to reduce drudgery in farming which most young men and women would want to avoid.GNA

Supresu (E/R), Jan. 17, GNA - Mr Ebenezer Adjei Mante, a prominent farmer has been sworn in as the new chief of Supresu, near Akroabo in the Suhum Municipality of the Eastern Region.The 64-year-old chief, whose stool name is Baffour Addo Kwata Titiriku I, succeeded Baffour Larbi, who died eight years ago.Titiriku was the secretary of the Justice and Security Sub-Committee (JSSC) of the then Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Assembly in 1989 to 1990. He was re-elected as assembly member for two terms from 2000 to 2008 and became the chairman of the JSSC.Baffour Titiriku, a native of Akwapim Larteh, is married with 10 children. His grandfather, Nana Addo, was a traditional ruler of the area around 1900.Before his installation, the new chief told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that chiefs were front-line agents of good governance and that, “a chief is an agent of local or community development.”He was grateful to the chiefs and elders of Nankese for accepting him and appealed to the elders of the Supresu community to endeavour to release lands for social amenities to open up the area.Baffour Titiriku was later led by Queenmother Akua Agyeibea to swear the “oath of allegiance and secrecy” to the Nankesehene and Adikrofo sub-chiefs, and stool elders of Supresu.The Nankesehene, who is also the Paramount Chief of Nankese Traditional Area, advised the new chief to use his expertise to help to improve the living conditions of the people and also lead an exemplary life for his subjects to emulate.GNA

Sefwi Kaase (W/R), Jan.17, GNA - A 60-year-old farmer, Yao Kuma, committed suicide after defiling a 14-year-old student to avert punishment and shame.The corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the Presbyterian Health Post morgue at Dormaa, pending autopsy.The District Police Commander for Bia West and Bia East, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Daniel Wiafe confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday.He said both the victim and Kuma resided at Sefwi-Tema Cottage, near Sefwi-Kaase in the Bia West District of the Western Region.ASP Wiafe said two weeks ago, Kuma sneaked into the victim's room and defiled her.He said the victim later reported the act to her parents and Kuma was summoned to appear before the elders of the town on Tuesday January 14.However, to avert punishment and shame, Kuma took a concoction suspected to be poison, collapsed afterwards and died shortly on arriving at the hospital.ASP Wiafe said the incident occurred on January 14, when the deceased was supposed to appear before elders of the town.GNA

Elmina (C/R), Jan.17, GNA - Colonel Seth Ohene Asare, Chairman, Ghana National Commission on Small Arms (NACSA) has pressed on parliament to endorse the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to ensure safety in Ghana.According to Col. Asare, about 90 per cent of weapons used in crime scenes were locally manufactured, whilst illicit trade thrived because the weapons were sold across borders and this, he said, raised cause for concern.He made the call when he chaired the opening ceremony of the planning meeting for the ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.The two-day workshop attended by representatives from the ECOWAS region including the Gambia, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Togo and Benin was sponsored by the British Government.Col. Asare said the safety of citizens was paramount to every country and therefore the law making body of Ghana must ratify the treaty since smuggling of small arms into the country and its misuse was a threat to national security.Currently, between 250,000 to 500,000 small arms and light weapons are in circulation in the country.He said to ensure the total eradication of these arms, government must resource the NACSA to enable it to intensify its sensitization and educational campaigns to fight the illegal manufacturing of such arms.Col. Asare commended the ECOWAS, West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), the Kofi Anann International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTIC), the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament (UNREC), the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), for their collaboration to eradicate the spread of small arms and weapons.Dr Kwesi Enning, Dean of Research at KAIPTIC said it would take the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders to eradicate the illegal manufacturing and the circulation of small arms and light weapons.Mr Baffour Dokyi Amoa, President of WAANSA commended the Ghana Police Service for their vigilance and alertness in combating illicit weapons, adding that, even though the war against smuggling and misuse of small arms was gradually reducing, more efforts must be made to eradicate it entirely.The Arms Trade Treaty is a United Nations multilateral agreement that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons, including small arms, battle tanks, combat aircraft and warship, aimed at preventing arms-flow to conflict regions.GNA

Mozano (C/R), Jan. 17, GNA - Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, Gomoa West District Chief Executive, has called on citizens to support the government in its efforts of ensuring better education to the Ghanaian child.He said the government’s dream of better education could only be achieved if every Ghanaian played his or her part towards their children’s education.Mr Aidoo-Mensah gave the advice when he presented 25 computers to the Mozano School of Music at Mozano near Gomoa Eshiem in the Central Region.He urged parents to provide basic necessities needed for their children’s education, adding, “the child must be encouraged to study at home.”Mr Aidoo-Mensah had earlier presented 40 computers each to the Apam Senior High School, Dawurampong Senior High/Technical School and Mozano Senior High School, and to some 15 individual students.The presentation was done on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Environment and the Ministry of Education to assist in teaching and learning of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).The DCE advised teachers and students to attach great importance to ICT education since it controlled everything in the modern world, adding; “education without computer literacy means nothing in this world.”Rev. H.K. Baah, Headmaster of the school who received the items expressed gratitude to the government and assured that the computers would be put to good use to serve the purpose for which they were donated.GNA

Takoradi, Jan.17, GNA - The President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, Osagyefo Dr. Kwamina Enimil VI, has destooled the Chief of Ayiem for insubordination, thereby denigrating his status as the overlord of the area.Nana Amponsah Panyin, IV, was destooled by his paramount chief last Wednesday, January 15, after a sheep was slaughtered to perform the necessarily rituals to conclude the destoolment process at Ayiem.Osagyefo Dr. Kwamina Enimil confirmed this to the Ghana News Agency on Friday in an interview.He said in September last year, the former chief permitted illegal mining activities, popularly called galamsey in the Subri River, a source of drinking water for the people and some surrounding communities in the Mpohor District of the Western Region.He said some youth in the town therefore protested against the move, however, Nana Amponsah Panyin caused the arrest of the youth and later sent them to court.However, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase withdrew the case from the court and amicably settled all the differences and concerns of the feuding factions.After amicable settlement, Osagyefo Enimil said, he dispatched his Linguist to the town to perform a ritual to seal the matter, however, Nana Amponsah Panyin refused to accept the staff of the paramount chief, the symbol of authority.In view of this, Osagyefo Enimil directed Nana Panyin to step aside and asked the chief of Nsueam to take over as a Caretaker chief, while preparations were underway to unveil a new chief.GNA

Koforidua, Jan. 17, GNA - Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, has called on the media to support development efforts of government.Speaking at a soiree for media personnel in the Eastern Region, Ms Ntoso noted that the media was relevant to national development and therefore must cooperate with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) for development.She said activities of illegal mining and the Fulani herdsmen were challenges that confronted the region last year, and pledged the RCC’s resolve to fight those negative issues for the benefit of the people and called for the support of the media.Ms Ntoso hinted that District Assemblies with challenges of Fulani herdsmen were creating fodder banks for cattle.She said when completed, the Fulanis would be made to move their cattle to graze there, to prevent the destruction of farms. She also assured that as head of the region, she would ensure that illegal mining was drastically reduced in the Eastern Region.The Regional Minister disclosed that this year, government was bent on improving infrastructure particularly in the roads sector; indicating that 23 feeder roads and 14 major roads in the region had already been given on contract.She promised to liaise with the Municipal Assembly to provide the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), with a permanent office accommodation to facilitate their professional output.Earlier, Mr George Larbi, Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA appealed to the minister to provide the association with a permanent office accommodation to enhance their work.GNA

Accra, Jan. 17, GNA - Noca Instrument, the manufacturer of Tablet PCs, Smartphones NocaTab and NocaFone, has announced ProMobile GH as its supplier.ProMobile GH, a software provider will support the company in supplying its hardware solutions in Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Uganda.A statement issued in Accra by Mr. Chinedu Amadi, the Company’s group President for East and West Africa, made this known on Friday.It said Noca planned to launch its Operations in Ghana during the first quarter of 2014, signaling the association with the software provider was to foster the company’s image and visibility in the aforementioned countries.Commenting on the new partnership, Mr Daniel Antwi, President of ProMobile GH said, “We are very pleased to be working with Noca Instrument.”He said the company’s products had excellent quality, premium features and cost effective pricing and expressed the hope that Noca’s products would better the lives of Ghanaians.Mr. Felix Achibiri, the Chairman of Noca Instrument West Africa, said ProMobile GH was a perfect partner for the brand and distributing the products in Ghana and on the Africa continent.He said the company’s goal was to empower young Ghanaians to stay ahead with technology in order to remain competitive in today’s global market.GNA

Accra, Jan 17, GNA – The Armed Forces Children Association of Ghana (AFCAG) on Friday donated cloths and assorted food items worth GH¢3, 000.00 to the Veteran Association of Ghana for distribution to the children of the Veterans’ Village and orphanages.Mrs Marina Kingsley-Nyinah, AFCAG President, said the group made up of children of both serving and retired officers of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), aimed at helping to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged children in society.She said children were made by two individuals but their upbringing was the responsibility of society as a whole, adding that “our parents have done their part for us, and it is now up to us to help the less privileged children in society to develop their full potential”.She said prospects for 2014 looked very bright, and assured the group’s continued support to the children of the Veterans’ Village and other orphanages.Mrs Kingsley-Nyinah, who is a daughter of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshall John Odaate-Barnor, also urged children of both serving and retired officers of the GAF to join the group to help provide care, love and support for unfortunate children in society.Receiving the items on behalf of the children, Colonel Chris Nutakor, Executive Director of the Veteran Association of Ghana, expressed his gratitude to AFCAG.GNA

Nalerigu, Jan 17, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Friday renewed his commitment to serve the country diligently to achieve all the development goals in the coming years.He said:"You all did well by voting massively for me in the 2012 Presidential election and I will not forget what you did, and will not disappoint you in my administration."President Mahama was addressing a mini- durbar of chiefs and people of Nalerigu as part of his his two-day official visit to the Northern Region.The durbar was also attended by Ministers of State, Members of Parliament in the Region, District Chief Executives, National Democratic Congress leadership and supporters in the area.President Mahama said the government would invest an excess of one billion dollars in road construction to open the country to businesses and investors.He said the Walewale/Gambaga/Nalerigu road would be improved to connect the Bunkrugu and Nakpanduri stretch of the road to facilitate the movement of goods and services in the area.President Mahama promised to work around the clock to help reduce interest rates on loans to enable businesses to flourish all over the country.He said the current state where interest rates were soaring everyday was not conductive for the development and growth of enterprises and gave the assurance that all legal measures would be explored to ensure that businesses grow.The President commended the Nayiri of Mamprugu for maintaining peace and unity among the ethnic groups in the area and appealed to him to extend that feat to Bawku and Dagbon to bring peace and unity to the people."There cannot be any significant development without peace and I want to thank the Nayiri for maintaining peace in the traditional area over the years,” President Mahama said.He said the government had accredited the Gambaga College of Education and it would be part of the Colleges that would benefit from government support.Naa John Awuni, Representative of the Mamprugu overlord, commended the government for upgrading the Gambaga Nursing Training College into a diploma awarding institution and gave the assurance that the upgrading would provide the necessary manpower for health facilities in the Region and beyond.He appealed to the government to complete an assembly hall complex that was initiated by the late General Ignatius Kutu Achempong regime in the 1970s.Dr Alfred Tia Sugri, a Deputy Minister of Health, said although President Mahama won in all the five constituencies in the area only two NDC members of parliament won and called on the people to change the trend in subsequent general elections.He said 33 basic schools were constructed in the Mamprusi East District since NDC took over power.GNA

Sunyani, Jan 17, GNA - Quick intervention by the police on Thursday prevented some group of people from attacking the Nkoranza police station following the death of their colleague arrested by the police in their special routine swoop at Nkoranza.Four persons were arrested on January 15 in a police swoop at a “wee” base at Nkoranza possessing some dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.Briefing The Ghana News Agency in Sunyani , Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Patrick Sarpong, Acting Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, said y organized a special swoop at a location at Nkoranza.He said during the exercise two of the four persons arrested complained of illness the next day and were taken to Saint Teresah Hospital at about 1320 hours and one of them was treated and discharged but Kwasi Damoah, 25, was detained at the hospital.ACP Sarpong said at about 1600 hours Damoah died at the hospital.He said when news of the death got to his friends they grouped themselves into three, armed themselves with offensive weapons such as stones, cutlasses and clubs and marched to the Nkoranza Police Station to attack the place.He said they threw stones at the police station blocked the Nkonza main road to prevent movement of vehicles and burnt car tyres in the middle of the road but police cleared and brought the situation under control.ACP Sarpong said a police vehicle returning to the station was attacked and had its windscreen and left hand side mirror damaged.He said police had brought calm to the place and three persons who were arrested, Kofi Fosu,22, Ameyaw Nicholas, 20, and Nana Yaw, 18, will be put before court.GNA

Kumasi, Jan 17, GNA - A businessman standing trial over a fraudulent land transaction has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by a Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Amo-Yartey.Kwadwo Baah alias “Wofa K”, 48, had sold a building plot at Mamponteng in the Kwabre East District to Mr. Charles Kofi Nti, an engineer, for GH¢ 24,000.00 but trouble began when he (Nti) moved to develop it.It was realized that the plot had been re-sold to another person.The convict promised to return the money paid to him by Mr. Nti but reneged and a formal report was made to the police leading to his arrest.Baah pleaded guilty to the fraudulent transaction.Police Chief Inspector Sylvanus D’Almeida told the court that the offence was committed in year 2011.GNA

Afrancho (Ash), Jan 17, GNA – The Ghana Haulage Transport Owners Association (GHATOA) has expressed strong opposition to the planned implementation of the new axle load policy and is urging the government not to go-ahead with the decision.It threatened that its members would be forced to withdraw their services should its call be ignored.Mr. Salia Adams, the General- Secretary of GHATOA, said at a news conference held at Afrancho in the Afigya-Kwabre District that the new policy carried the twin-danger of pushing them out of business and denying the nation revenue.He said their counterparts from neighbouring landlocked nations, who are using the country’s ports, had started looking elsewhere because of poor axle-load handling.The new policy, expected to take effect from February 01, pegs allowable axle load limit for a six-axle truck at 60 tonnes as against the permissible limit of 68 tonnes under the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) protocol.Mr. Adams said the protocol was designed to harmonize allowable axle-load limit for all countries in the sub-region.He complained that high fuel prices and vehicle parts combined with increased taxes and road tolls had put severe strain on their operations.He said the Association said it found it disheartening that the representations about the potential problems and dangers with the news policy it made to the Roads and Highways Ministry were disregarded.The General-Secretary said it was ironical that a government that was trying to develop and expand infrastructure at the ports to increase the volume goods passing through there should at the same time be pushing aggressively to cripple businesses.He said it was difficult to understand why patrol tankers should be allowed to carry load in excess of about 80 tonnes but trucks continued to be haunted.Mr. Adams said it was neither in the interest of members of the Association to destroy the roads nor be asking for unacceptable loading practices without any form of regulatory checks.He said they just wanted to see that things were done such that businesses would flourish to bring optimal benefit to the economy.GNA

Accra, Jan. 17, GNA – This year European Union (EU)-Africa Summit would prioritize on investing in peace to ensure security for all investors in achieving national development.The EU granted 50 Euros million to support the African-led International Support Mission to Mali through the African Peace Facility, to supports the African Union and regional African organisations in carrying out peace-keeping operations such as AMISOM in Somalia and MICOPAX in the Central African Republic.The EU since 2004 had provided more than 1.1 billion Euros through the African Peace Facility to prevent conflict and promote peace, in Darfur, Somalia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.Dr Nicholas Westcott, European Action Service Managing Director for West African made the remarks on Friday in an interaction with the press in Accra on preparation towards the 2014, 4th EU Africa Summit.The Summit scheduled to take place in Brussels in April 2014, would discuss bilateral cooperation and political dialogue between the two continents in promoting shared interests and tackle common regional and global challenges within the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.Other key topics would be the environment and climate action, sustainable energy and agriculture, food safety and security, resilience, education, employment, health and migration.The event comprising of 28 European members and 55 African countries would focus on the theme “Investing in Peace, Prosperity and people”.Dr Westcott said the theme is timely because Africa is growing faster but experiencing high rate of unemployment adding that the Summit will engage member states to chart the way forward in addressing the phenomenon.He noted that a common challenge for both Africa and Europe remains to consolidate sustainable economic growth and ensure that it is inclusive in creating jobs, especially for women and young people.Dr Westcott said the issue requires coordinated action at continental, regional and national levels to address the challenges facing African countries.He said the Summit would look at ways to cooperate more closely on the structural challenges in helping economies to prosper in addressing education, health, women- and youth empowerment and development of human capital.He said the Summit would create a business platform for African countries to develop their own trade and investment plans including trade and infrastructure, economic governance and raw materials and customs and taxation.Dr Westcott said the EU is the biggest trading partner for Africa and remains its most important donor adding that African countries received close to 24 billion Euros of Official Development Assistance from the EU in the period 2007 to 2012.He said the relationship between Ghana and EU is productive in the field of technical and financial support through regional integration of creating bigger markets for global competition.Dr Westcott commended Ghana for its active role of supporting peace by sending 850 troops to South Sudan in order to help restore peace and stability and prevent the country from descending into civil war.Dr Westcott is schedule to meet President John Dramani Mahama to officially invite him to the Summit, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Minister of Finance for international and economic relations.Eighty Heads of State and Government from Africa and Europe adopted the Joint Africa-EU Strategy at the Summit in Lisbon in December 2007.Both sides agreed to pursue common interests and strategic objectives together and outline a long-term shared vision of the future of Africa-EU relations in a globalised world.GNA

Akim Swedru (E/R), Jan. 17, GNA – The Akim Swedru Circuit Court has sentenced Ishmael Brako, an electrician, to 24 months in jail.The court presided over by Mr. Yaw Atta Sampong, convicted Brako on his own plea of guilty to causing damage, unlawful entry and stealing.Police Inspector Sabian Sellah said Mr. Alex Mensah, the complainant, is a businessman and lives at Akim Oda Quarters, while Brako lives at Akim Oda Old Town.She said on September 18, 2013, Brako entered Mr. Mensah’s kitchen and in the process, damaged the kitchen’s wooden window and stole a gas cylinder valued at GHC 95.Inspector Sabian stated that a witness in the case spotted the convict leaving the kitchen with the stolen cylinder and he was arrested and handed over to the police.GNA

Asamankese (E/R), Jan. 17, GNA – The Member of Parliament (MP) for Lower West Akim, Madam Gifty Klenam, has said she would table a motion in Parliament for a debate on the high expenditure of National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG).She said the financial strength of any organization like NALAG depended on efficient acquisition and management of its resources.Mad Klenam said there were six metropolitan, 49 municipal and 161 district assemblies in the country, whose ultimate goal was to fast track socio-economic development under the decentralization programme.“It goes without saying that cutting down general expenses to the minimum will help NALAG achieve its noble objectives,” she said.Madam Klenam said this at the West Akim Municipal Assembly’s last session for 2013, at Asamankese in the Eastern Region, during a heated debate on NALAG’s funds and its high spending.Mr. Moses Timpo Ofori, Presiding Member (PM) of the assembly, had delivered a report on NALAG’s Conference held in November 2013 at Sunyani.The 47-member assembly wanted Mr. Ofori to describe in detail policies, procedures, rules and regulations in business correspondence, personnel and financial administration of NALAG.These include NALAG’s supply of dairies, calendars and feeding fees for the MMDA chief executives who attended the conference.The Assembly described NALAG’s purchase of motorbikes for the assemblies as “cut throat” prices and the cost would deducted from the Assemblies’ Common Fund.The assembly members said they were not happy with the “unsatisfactory report” on NALAG’s uncontrolled expenditure and registered their dissatisfaction with the performance of the budgetary operations of the Association.GNA

Tamale, Jan. 17, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday announced that the multi-purpose storey Aboabo Market in Tamale, which had been abandoned for years, would be completed during his tenure of office.He said funds had been sourced for the completion of the market which started during the regime late Head of State General Kutu Acheampong.President Mahama said this in Tamale during the inauguration of the first phase of the Tamale Teaching Hospital facelift project and sod cutting ceremony for work to begin on the second phase that will cost 48.5 million euros.Late President Atta Mills, in April 2010, cut the sod for the refurbishment of the Hospital with 39.3 million euros jointly funded by the Dutch government and the Ghana government.President Mahama said Tamale was growing fast and that the market, when completed, would boost the economy and many investors would move to the metropolis.He said major roads linking Tamale to the district capitals would be tarred and mentioned the Tamale/Kumbungu road, Tamale/Salaga road, Walewale/ Nalerigu/Bunkpurugu road, Nyankpala/Tolon road would be constructedHe said the Fufulso/Damongo/Sawla road was going on commendably and that the NDC government would work tirelessly to bring development to the doorsteps of the people to justify the confidence reposed in the NDC government.President Mahama thanked the people of the Region for voting overwhelmingly to retain the NDC in power in the 2012 elections and gave the assurance that equitable distribution of the national cake would not elude them.He said government was committed to ensuring the Eastern corridor road was completed to ease the pressure on the Tamale/Kumasi/Accra highway and that work was progressing on portions of the road.GNA

Accra, Jan 17, GNA - Ms Joyce Bediako, a nurse at the Home Maternity Clinic at Agege in Accra, on Friday affirmed that antenatal care was critical and imperative for the survival of the unborn child and mother.“It is not a matter of choice for the expectant mother to undergo antenatal care to ensure healthy delivery,” Ms Bediako told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra.Ms Bediako said antenatal care formed part of holistic medical diagnosis for pregnant women, which aimed at early detection of abnormality or any malfunction of the baby for treatment.“It also serves as a platform for providing counselling sessions for the pregnant women and if possible the husband,” Ms Bediako said.She explained that the unborn baby was being protected from diseases through medication and this could only be done when the mother takes the prescribed medicine directed by their midwives.Ms Bediako said the medication that pregnant women took was important and failure to go by it could deform the unborn baby.She expressed concern about the attitude of some pregnant women who failed to adhere to medical directives, depended on friends and relatives for antenatal advice.GNA

Tamale, Jan. 17, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday appealed to people of the Northern Region to drop the negative and destructive attitudes towards the administration of the Tamale Teaching Hospital to enhance quality healthcare delivery.He said, “I am aware of the problems here concerning a new CEO and I have tasked the Minister of Health to help address such problems to ensure that the position is occupied for effective and efficient administration at the hospital”.President Mahama said this during the inauguration of the Hospital’s first phase facelift project and cut the sod for work to begin on thesecond phase which is to cost 48.5 million euros.Late President Atta Mills, in April 2010, cut the sod for the refurbishment of the Hospital with 39.3 million euros jointly funded by the Dutch government and Ghana government.President Mahama said the “pull him down” attitude in the Hospital’s administration was not healthy to improve conditions and called for unity, collaboration and teamwork to ensure that the Hospital became a centre of excellence.He urged management and staff of the Hospital to reaffirm their stake in it to ensure excellence and avoid negative acts that would bring acrimony and draw back the clock of progress.The President said the government was committed to investing in the health sector and added that more facilities would be provided to befit its status as a teaching hospital.Dr Prosper Akanbong, the Acting Chief Executive Officer, said management and staff of the Hospital would continue to work hard to ensure that it excelled to justify government’s investment in refurbishing the facility.He commend government for honouring its campaign promise by giving the Hospital a facelift and gave the assurance that management and staff would work hard to ensure that the Hospital became the best in the country.GNA