A TWO-WEEK workshop on multispectral light imaging microscopy for applications in agriculture and biomedical diagnosis has opened at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The workshop which is being attended by participants from Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali and Senegal, and sponsored by the International Science Programme (ISP) of Uppsala University, Sweden, is aimed at enhancing science and research by equipping the various universities of the participating countries.
The equipment will be used on some biomedical or agricultural samples.
In her welcoming address, the Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang, commended the (ISP) of Uppsala University for initiating the programme which covers electronics, laser optics, spectroscopy, image processing computer programming and statistical analysis data to the doorsteps of laboratories of developing countries.
Professor Naana Opoku-Agyemang appealed to ISP to consider Ghana and Senegal as centres of excellence for their programme for the benefit of the sub-Saharan region.
She said the two centres had shown maturity in the use of such equipment for research work and graduate training with positive results.
She urged participants to take advantage of the programme to enhance science and research in their respective countries.
The Project Leader for Ghana, Professor Paul Kingsley Buah-Bassuah said the project was to help train young scientists from deprived developing countries and help them to get equipment of modest cost to do their training at their various home countries.
He said the UCC had been able to train five M.Phil and one PhD. students under the project.
He expressed hope that the School of Physical and Biological Sciences of UCC would institute such a research scheme to make science real at the colleges of education to benefit basic schools.
The Head of Optometric Department, Dr Alfred Owusu, who chaired the function, commended the participating countries and the Swedish government for the project.
Friday, October 30, 2009
THREE STUDENTS CAUGHT WITH 'WEE'
From Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi
A LARGE number of people at the Kumasi Central Market looked on in utter shock when two young women using blades, inflicted wounds on a 24-year-old shop attendant and bit her left breast.
One of the assailants identified as Wasila alias Princess, was arrested but the other, whose name was given as Jemai is on the run and police have mounted a search for her.
The victim, Adisa Ahmed, was rushed to the Manhyia Hospital, but was transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further medical examination.
Narrating her ordeal to The Mirror, Adisa expressed shock about the attack, especially as she had no problems with the two ladies.
According to her, the women had beaten up her junior sister the previous day when she was not present.
She stated that she never said anything about the attack on her sister and wondered why the two turned on her later.
Adisa recalled however that about a year ago, Wasila’s mother threatened to harm her (Adisa), something she reported to the police.
Since then, the case had been pending at the Ashanti New Town Court.
Adisa appealed to the police to speed up investigations into the attack to ensure that justice took its course.
Meanwhile, the Zongo police says they are doing everything possible to put the suspect before court.
A LARGE number of people at the Kumasi Central Market looked on in utter shock when two young women using blades, inflicted wounds on a 24-year-old shop attendant and bit her left breast.
One of the assailants identified as Wasila alias Princess, was arrested but the other, whose name was given as Jemai is on the run and police have mounted a search for her.
The victim, Adisa Ahmed, was rushed to the Manhyia Hospital, but was transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further medical examination.
Narrating her ordeal to The Mirror, Adisa expressed shock about the attack, especially as she had no problems with the two ladies.
According to her, the women had beaten up her junior sister the previous day when she was not present.
She stated that she never said anything about the attack on her sister and wondered why the two turned on her later.
Adisa recalled however that about a year ago, Wasila’s mother threatened to harm her (Adisa), something she reported to the police.
Since then, the case had been pending at the Ashanti New Town Court.
Adisa appealed to the police to speed up investigations into the attack to ensure that justice took its course.
Meanwhile, the Zongo police says they are doing everything possible to put the suspect before court.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
19 STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT (PAGE 11, OCT 28)
NINETEEN students from Komenda who are in senior high schools have benefited from the Dr J.S. Annan and Elizabeth Aba Annan Memorial Educational Fund.
The amount depends on how much the beneficiaries pay at their respective schools as day or boarding students
The fund, launched in 2006, is designed to provide financial assistance to the underprivileged brilliant children to further their education at the senior high school level.
It is also aimed at empowering the youth to be role models and inspire others.
Making the presentation to the beneficiaries, made up of 12 males and seven females, the secretary to the board, Mr Samuel Nana Sarpong, said the fund had since its inception sponsored 12 students in senior high schools.
Mr Sarpong advised the beneficiaries to study hard to justify the award, and urged them to participate in extra curricular activities, as well as take up leadership positions in their schools.
He encouraged them to engage in community work while at the same time setting high academic standards,
In a related development, the Omanhene of the Komenda Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Kru II, has appealed to the KEEA (Municipal Assembly) to complete work on the library and the Information Technology Centre at Komenda to enhance ICT education in the area
Nana Kodwo Kru further appealed to the assembly to carry out the expansion work at the health centre to facilitate health delivery at the centre.
The amount depends on how much the beneficiaries pay at their respective schools as day or boarding students
The fund, launched in 2006, is designed to provide financial assistance to the underprivileged brilliant children to further their education at the senior high school level.
It is also aimed at empowering the youth to be role models and inspire others.
Making the presentation to the beneficiaries, made up of 12 males and seven females, the secretary to the board, Mr Samuel Nana Sarpong, said the fund had since its inception sponsored 12 students in senior high schools.
Mr Sarpong advised the beneficiaries to study hard to justify the award, and urged them to participate in extra curricular activities, as well as take up leadership positions in their schools.
He encouraged them to engage in community work while at the same time setting high academic standards,
In a related development, the Omanhene of the Komenda Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Kru II, has appealed to the KEEA (Municipal Assembly) to complete work on the library and the Information Technology Centre at Komenda to enhance ICT education in the area
Nana Kodwo Kru further appealed to the assembly to carry out the expansion work at the health centre to facilitate health delivery at the centre.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
OBAMA'S VISIT YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS IN CR (SEPT 26, PAGE 22)
THE visit of the United States President, Barack Obama to Cape Coast has begun to show signs of positive results for businesses in the Central Region.
This follows an invitation from the US President’s office to a delegation from the Cape Coast Business Club to visit the US for a business deal between US businesses and the club.
The deal was made possible through the instrumentality of the Oguaamanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.
The Chairman of the Club, Mr Gustav Anokye-Yeboah told the Daily Graphic, that the visit was scheduled for November, this year.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah said the club which groups about 300 businesses in the Central region was introduced to the US President by Osabarima Kwesi Atta during his visit to Cape Coast.
He said the club comprised businessmen and women who had joined hands to collectively work to accelerate the development of the region through private sector initiatives and collaboration with the aim of complementing the Government’s efforts to develop the economic potential of the region.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah said the Central Region lagged behind in development as compared to other regions.
He said the region was tagged as one of the deprived regions in the country despite priding itself as the cradle of education, the seat of the first capital, besides being the tourism hub of the country.
He said it was for that reason that the club was determined to make an impact by harnessing all available resources, and seeking the support of all interested parties to propel the region in economic development.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah expressed the club’s appreciation for the crucial role the government could play to assist its members to revive the industrial potential of the region, and called on the government to support the club to realise its aims and objectives.
He also commended the Italian Government for granting 22 million euros for small and medium enterprises in (SMEs) in the country under the second phase of the Ghana Private Sector Development Facility (GPSDF).
This follows an invitation from the US President’s office to a delegation from the Cape Coast Business Club to visit the US for a business deal between US businesses and the club.
The deal was made possible through the instrumentality of the Oguaamanhen, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.
The Chairman of the Club, Mr Gustav Anokye-Yeboah told the Daily Graphic, that the visit was scheduled for November, this year.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah said the club which groups about 300 businesses in the Central region was introduced to the US President by Osabarima Kwesi Atta during his visit to Cape Coast.
He said the club comprised businessmen and women who had joined hands to collectively work to accelerate the development of the region through private sector initiatives and collaboration with the aim of complementing the Government’s efforts to develop the economic potential of the region.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah said the Central Region lagged behind in development as compared to other regions.
He said the region was tagged as one of the deprived regions in the country despite priding itself as the cradle of education, the seat of the first capital, besides being the tourism hub of the country.
He said it was for that reason that the club was determined to make an impact by harnessing all available resources, and seeking the support of all interested parties to propel the region in economic development.
Mr Anokye-Yeboah expressed the club’s appreciation for the crucial role the government could play to assist its members to revive the industrial potential of the region, and called on the government to support the club to realise its aims and objectives.
He also commended the Italian Government for granting 22 million euros for small and medium enterprises in (SMEs) in the country under the second phase of the Ghana Private Sector Development Facility (GPSDF).
BENYIWA-DOE CALLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (PAGE 23, SEPT 26)
THE Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe has added her voice to the call for responsible behaviour towards the environment.
She stressed the need to eschew indiscriminate bush burning, irresponsible felling of trees, deforestation, illegal sand wining and other practices which affect the environment.
She said climatic change which was the result of bad environmental practices, threatened the very basic elements of life such as water supply, crop yield and food supply, human health and land use, among others.
These were contained in a speech read on behalf of the regional minister at the world environment day celebration at Assin Jakai in the Assin South District.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said in some parts of Africa, climate change was a contributory factor to increasing poverty of the people, and that coupled with the gradual irreversible degradation of the ecosystem, was the result of the migration of population from the affected areas.
She reminded the people of the essence of trees in helping to check climatic change and asked them to plant and nurture trees to reverse the trend.
The Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Zakari Alhasan said the effect of climate change manifested itself in variability in climate conditions such as rising temperatures and very low temperatures around the globe, erratic rainfall in some areas as well as heavy rainfall patterns in other parts.
He called on the district assemblies and school authorities to join hands in planting and nurturing trees to save the environment.
In an address read on behalf of the District Chief Executive for Assin South, Mrs Sabina Appiah-Kubi, she said apart from providing shade and serving as wind breaks in times of storms, trees also helped in purifying the air by taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen.
Ms Appiah-Kubi, therefore, called on the people to plant trees in their communities to avert any catastrophic consequences of climate change.
The Headmaster of the Jakai Junior High School, Mr Kobina Kwegyir-Aggrey called on the Forestry Services Division to provide teak tree seedlings for the school to cultivate.
She stressed the need to eschew indiscriminate bush burning, irresponsible felling of trees, deforestation, illegal sand wining and other practices which affect the environment.
She said climatic change which was the result of bad environmental practices, threatened the very basic elements of life such as water supply, crop yield and food supply, human health and land use, among others.
These were contained in a speech read on behalf of the regional minister at the world environment day celebration at Assin Jakai in the Assin South District.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said in some parts of Africa, climate change was a contributory factor to increasing poverty of the people, and that coupled with the gradual irreversible degradation of the ecosystem, was the result of the migration of population from the affected areas.
She reminded the people of the essence of trees in helping to check climatic change and asked them to plant and nurture trees to reverse the trend.
The Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Zakari Alhasan said the effect of climate change manifested itself in variability in climate conditions such as rising temperatures and very low temperatures around the globe, erratic rainfall in some areas as well as heavy rainfall patterns in other parts.
He called on the district assemblies and school authorities to join hands in planting and nurturing trees to save the environment.
In an address read on behalf of the District Chief Executive for Assin South, Mrs Sabina Appiah-Kubi, she said apart from providing shade and serving as wind breaks in times of storms, trees also helped in purifying the air by taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen.
Ms Appiah-Kubi, therefore, called on the people to plant trees in their communities to avert any catastrophic consequences of climate change.
The Headmaster of the Jakai Junior High School, Mr Kobina Kwegyir-Aggrey called on the Forestry Services Division to provide teak tree seedlings for the school to cultivate.
CAPE VARS ADMITS 4,251 (SEPT 21, PAGE 45)
Only 4,251 applicants out of 11,730 qualified candidates were admitted to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) for the 2009/10 academic year.
The number of matriculants is made up of 3,829 undergraduates and 422 postgraduates. Out of the total number of the undergraduates, 1,301, representing 34 per cent, are females, representing an increase of two per cent over last year’s admission of female undergraduates.
The 422 postgraduate students comprised 30 per cent female representation.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, gave the statistics at the matriculation ceremony at UCC last Saturday.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said whilst the undergraduate student intake reduced slightly, the intake for the postgraduates had a healthy increase from last year’s figure of 314 to this year’s 422.
Even though she did not assign any reason for the low intake, it was speculated that the admission might have been guided by lack of lecture theatres, students’ accommodation and other facilities.
She reminded the matriculants of the rules and regulations of the university and the need for a sense of discipline in order to achieve their mission.
The Vice Chancellor advised them not to involve themselves in such reprehensible acts as cyber fraud, drug abuse, robbery and petty thefts.
She said the university would continue to work with the law enforcement agencies to deal drastically with those who might be culpable.
“Work for what you own, the result is peace that cannot be purchased. May it never be said that a student of UCC is involved in any ignoble act,” she cautioned, and asked them to resist the tendency for ethnic, political and religious intolerance.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said coercion was not allowed on the campus, and that what had place on the campus was respect for divergent views and ideologies.
She further advised them to take advantage of the facilities, the numerous programmes and activities on the campus to study diligently to obtain optimum benefits from the university.
The number of matriculants is made up of 3,829 undergraduates and 422 postgraduates. Out of the total number of the undergraduates, 1,301, representing 34 per cent, are females, representing an increase of two per cent over last year’s admission of female undergraduates.
The 422 postgraduate students comprised 30 per cent female representation.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, gave the statistics at the matriculation ceremony at UCC last Saturday.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said whilst the undergraduate student intake reduced slightly, the intake for the postgraduates had a healthy increase from last year’s figure of 314 to this year’s 422.
Even though she did not assign any reason for the low intake, it was speculated that the admission might have been guided by lack of lecture theatres, students’ accommodation and other facilities.
She reminded the matriculants of the rules and regulations of the university and the need for a sense of discipline in order to achieve their mission.
The Vice Chancellor advised them not to involve themselves in such reprehensible acts as cyber fraud, drug abuse, robbery and petty thefts.
She said the university would continue to work with the law enforcement agencies to deal drastically with those who might be culpable.
“Work for what you own, the result is peace that cannot be purchased. May it never be said that a student of UCC is involved in any ignoble act,” she cautioned, and asked them to resist the tendency for ethnic, political and religious intolerance.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang said coercion was not allowed on the campus, and that what had place on the campus was respect for divergent views and ideologies.
She further advised them to take advantage of the facilities, the numerous programmes and activities on the campus to study diligently to obtain optimum benefits from the university.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
GOVT TO IMPLEMENT ONE-TIME NHIS PAYMENT (SEPT 17, PAGE 14)
THE Government is determined to implement the one-time premium payment for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by the end of 2010.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, who gave the assurance at a stakeholders forum at Elmina yesterday, therefore, called for efforts to ensure that its implementation became a success.
Dr Yankey warned officials of the scheme and service providers against fraudulent practices which impeded the smooth operation of the scheme and its sustainability and said the government would not spare anyone whose omissions or commissions hampered the scheme.
He said currently the NHIS had engaged the services of competent auditors to scrutinise the operations of the scheme.
He also called for a strong management and regulatory system which must be accountable to the beneficiaries and contributors.
Dr Yankey said the system had been going through some turbulence hence the forum to smoothen those challenges.
The minister said the last monitoring exercise exposed some of the challenges and encouraged the participants to be open about them and find ways of minimising their effects on the sustainability of the scheme.
Dr Yankey said the scheme would be made more sustainable if malaria was eliminated, adding that the government was committed to the elimination of the disease in the next three years.
In an overview, Dr Nicholas Tweneboa, the Director of Operations of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said from 2004 to date the scheme had registered about 13,804,198, representing 67 per cent of the population.
He said 12 million cards had been issued and 721,163 pregnant women had been catered for under the free maternal care since July, 2008.
He said 4,098,244 outpatients had benefited from the scheme whiles 295,798 in-patients had also benefited between January and June, this year.
The Chief Executive Officer of NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, said the one-time premium payment was feasible and irreversible.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, who gave the assurance at a stakeholders forum at Elmina yesterday, therefore, called for efforts to ensure that its implementation became a success.
Dr Yankey warned officials of the scheme and service providers against fraudulent practices which impeded the smooth operation of the scheme and its sustainability and said the government would not spare anyone whose omissions or commissions hampered the scheme.
He said currently the NHIS had engaged the services of competent auditors to scrutinise the operations of the scheme.
He also called for a strong management and regulatory system which must be accountable to the beneficiaries and contributors.
Dr Yankey said the system had been going through some turbulence hence the forum to smoothen those challenges.
The minister said the last monitoring exercise exposed some of the challenges and encouraged the participants to be open about them and find ways of minimising their effects on the sustainability of the scheme.
Dr Yankey said the scheme would be made more sustainable if malaria was eliminated, adding that the government was committed to the elimination of the disease in the next three years.
In an overview, Dr Nicholas Tweneboa, the Director of Operations of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said from 2004 to date the scheme had registered about 13,804,198, representing 67 per cent of the population.
He said 12 million cards had been issued and 721,163 pregnant women had been catered for under the free maternal care since July, 2008.
He said 4,098,244 outpatients had benefited from the scheme whiles 295,798 in-patients had also benefited between January and June, this year.
The Chief Executive Officer of NHIA, Mr Sylvester Mensah, said the one-time premium payment was feasible and irreversible.
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