Friday, August 20, 2010

I WEAR MY OWN SHOES (MIRROR, PAGE 27, AUGUST 21, 2010)

From Joe Okyere, Cape Coast.

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, the Most Reverend Matthias Kobena Nketsiah, has stated he will be his own man as the metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese.
Rev. Nketsiah said even though the archdiocese has been manned by illustrious, intellectual giants and luminary priests, he has taken a cue from his predecessor, Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson’s advice to “wear my own shoes”.
Rev. Nketsiah said he will not depart from the rules and guidelines of the church and what guides bishops as “shepherds of the flock”, and in a figurative language added “ I will wear my own shoes, I wear size 41”and everybody must wear his own shoes”.
In an address at his installation as the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Cape Coast Archdiocese, he said he is informed by the principle that each person was created differently with different talents which calls for different approaches to the myriad of issues affecting the church and mankind.
He stated that he would not attempt to copy anybody including his predecessor because they were different personalities.
He promised to contribute his quota towards the development of the church and that he would also continue to be in the trenches with them in the pastoral battle.
Archbishop Nketsiah also pledged to be at their beck and call and be committed and fair. He also promised to partner government to bring about progress, justice, freedom and the promotion of moral values, education and health for the people.  
In his homely, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, said it was not just by accident that Archbishop Nketsiah was chosen to lead the faithful but a divine intervention.
Cardinal Turkson likened Archbishop Nketsiah’s appointment to that of David who even though far too young amongst his brethren, was chosen by God to lead his people.
He asked Archbishop Nketsiah to take inspiration from that and offer the same quality of leadership and serve his flock.
He said since it is the duty of the bishop to lead his people to salvation, the desire of the people for the bishop to succeed should encourage them to pray constantly for that purpose, adding that, praying for the bishop means praying for themselves.
The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, the Most Reverend Leon Kalenga Badikebele, said the archdiocese and the church in Ghana deserve a place in the Vatican.
Rev. Kalenga implored all to unite to support Archbishop Nketsiah and share with him the glory of his elevation.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, used the occasion to call on Ghanaians to ensure the success of the impending National Housing and Population Census, the exhibition of the voter’s register and the district level elections.   

Sunday, August 15, 2010

MTN SETS UP ITC CENTRE AT ANKAFUL PRISON CAMP (PAGE 19, AUGUST 14, 2010)

MOBILE Telecommunications Network (MTN) Foundation has established a GH¢31,000.00 Information and Communication Centre (ICT) for inmates and officers of the Ankaful Main Prison Camp in the Central Region.
The centre would facilitate the training of the 2000 inmates and officers at the prisons in ICT to enhance their skills development and moral education.
According to the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mrs Mawuena Trebarh, the centre would also build the capacity of the officers for effective record keeping and management.
Mrs Trebarh said the MTN’s decision to finance the ICT project at the Ankaful Prison was in response to a request made to the company by the Ghana Prisons Service-Ankaful.
She said MTN engaged in educational projects that would impact positively on efforts at reforming prisoners to enable them to be well- integrated into the society after they were discharged.
The executive director said the commitment to support the Ankaful Prisons was informed by the experiences the MTN Employee Volunteers had during visits to the prisons and interactions with the authorities and the inmates.
The Executive Secretary of MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Robert Kudzoe, said the multi- dimensional benefits of the centre signalled a vision of hope and opportunities for integrating prisoners into the society after their discharge.
He said the foundation had established 10 ICT centres in various rural communities throughout the country and called on the beneficiary communities to maintain them properly.
The Chairman of the Board of MTN Ghana Foundation, Professor Franklin Manu, urged communities to take interest in the various projects initiated by the foundation to enhance their sustainability.
The Acting Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Michael Kofi Bansah, said the inmates of the prison, who fell below the ages of 18 and 35 constituted 78.2 per cent of the total convicted prisoner population of 10,366 as of August 9, 2010.
Mr Bansah said 69 per cent of the group was made up of basic and high school dropouts and stressed the need to equip them with knowledge and skills to minimise the tendency for them to re-offend after their release from prison as their opportunity of being employed could be enhanced.
He said the provision of the ICT facility by MTN Ghana Foundation would facilitate the inmates’ education programme initiated by the Ghana Prisons Service, and further complement the ongoing distance learning programmes at Nsawam, Kumasi, Wa, Tamale and the Ankaful prisons.
He expressed the hope that the project would be replicated in the other prisons to help reform prisoners to ensure their proper re-integration into society after their discharge.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

JUDGE COMMENDS NKUSUKUM CHIEFS (PAGE 51, AUGUST 11, 2010)

A Supreme Court judge, Mrs Justice Vida Akoto Bamfo, has commended the three chiefs in the Nkusukum Traditional Area in the Mfantseman District for releasing land for the establishment of Mfantsiman Girls’ Secondary School in Saltpond towards the promotion of girl-child education in the country.
She made the commendation at a durbar organised by the Mfantsiman Old Girls Association (MOGA) in Saltpond at the weekend to honour the chiefs for their magnanimity, vision and foresight which had yielded positive results in the Ghanaian society.
In 1960, the chiefs of Anokyi, Kuntu and Nankesedo, all in the Nkusukum Traditional Area, upon the request of the first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, donated portions of their land for the establishment of the school for girl-child education in the country.
Dr Nkrumah’s request was in appreciation of the role played by the chiefs and the people of Saltpond in the formation of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in 1948 which fast-tracked the struggle for independence for the country.
In recognition of their contributions, the chiefs received citations, chairs and unspecified amounts of money for promoting girl-child education in the country.
Mrs Justice Akoto Bamfo, who is an old student of the school, said today their collective efforts, foresight and vision had paid off, as many women now occupied responsible and higher places in the country, even though more needed to be done.
She expressed the hope that the land had not been encroached upon through the connivance and activities of those who donated it.
The Headmistress of Mfantsiman Girls’ Secondary School, Madam Charlotte Addo, said the school faced a number of infrastructural challenges which needed to be addressed.
These, she said, included dormitories, classrooms, a library, a dining hall and staff accommodation, among others.
She also said even though water supply to the school had improved, electricity supply continued to be erratic and called for the problem to be rectified.
The President of MOGA, Mrs Matilda Attoh Brehun, said the association had, since its formation, initiated a number of projects which had improved conditions in the school and that more needed to be done for the growth of the school.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

MOGA DONATES TO SALTPOND HOSPITAL (SPREAD, AUGUST 7, 2010)

The Mfantsiman Old Girls’ Association (MOGA) has presented items worth GH¢ 6,000.00 to the Saltpond Government Hospital as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.
The items include curtains, bedsheets, food items and toiletries.
The group, who were accompanied by some students and staff, also cleaned the compound of the hospital.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the presentation, the President of MOGA, Mrs Matilda Attoh Brehun, said their token was to give back to society and those who have in diverse ways contributed to the growth of the school.
She commended the staff of the hospital for the efficient and effective healthcare services rendered to the students of the school since its establishment.
She expressed the hope that the close relationship between the school and the staff of the hospital would continue to blossom for their mutual benefit.
The Headmistress of the Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School, Madam Charlotte Addo, who is also an old girl, said the presentation formed part of its social responsibility to the school’s community.
Madam Addo said it was also to show appreciation for the services rendered to the students, saying at one time, at least all or most of the students attended the hospital for medical care whilst at school.
She thanked the staff and commended them for their dedication and devotion to duty.
The matron of the hospital, Madam Mercy Charway, who received the items thanked the school and the old students for the gesture and said the donation would go along way in helping the hospital to meet some of its needs.
Highlights of the programme to mark the celebrations include election of new officers for MOGA, bonfire, inauguration of projects and a durbar to honour the chiefs of the Nkusukum Traditional Area today, August 7, 2010 at the Victoria Park, Saltpond for releasing land for the establishment of the school.
Others are Speech and Prize Giving Day on Saturday, September 25 and Founder’s Day Service on Sunday, September 26.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

CR LOSES GH¢44 MILLION THROUGH DISASTERS (PAGE 54, AUGUST 2, 2010)

THE Central Region has lost property worth more than GH¢44 million to various natural disasters from January to June, this year.
The disasters include rainstorms, domestic and bush fires and tidal waves.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, announced this at the region’s turn of the “Meet-the-Press” series in Cape Coast last Thursday.
She said the disasters left about 6,117 persons displaced and also damaged 8,278 houses and about 100 acres of land.
On the recent floods, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said three districts, including Agona West, Agona East and Gomoa East were affected.
She said the floods claimed 11 lives, rendered 16,731 persons homeless, including 3,981 males, 8,785 females and 3,965 children.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said 3,000 of the affected persons had been registered and are being supported and rehabilitated.
She stated that a presidential task force had carried out an assessment for the appropriate actions to be taken.
The regional minister urged the affected communities to exercise restraint as the government was taking measures to find funds to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed through the disasters.
On the environment, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe stated that about 40 per cent of the region’s land mass of 9,826 kilometres had been severely degraded due to both nature induced and, especially human induced activities, adding that the hidden cost of the land degradation to the region was estimated at $434 million per annum.
She was particularly concerned about the pollution of the Benya, Fosu and Narkwa lagoons and Rivers Akora and Ochi, and advised the communities to stop polluting those water bodies.
On youth employment, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said 21,730 persons had been engaged under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to reduce the unemployment situation in the region.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said significant achievements had been chalked in the health sector in the region, stating that no case of cholera had been reported in the region since 2007.
She said there had also been remarkable achievements in immunisation programmes in recent times with immunisation recording over 100 per cent participation.
She said although there were challenges of personnel and infrastructure, a 60-bed capacity hospital at Twifo Praso to be completed by 2012, the construction of a 140-bed capacity hospital at Winneba and the upgrading of the Ajumako District hospital were some of the projects that were expected to help improve the health service delivery in the region.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe also expressed concern about illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the region, which she said, had claimed many lives and was presently making the treatment of safe drinking water very expensive at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant.
She said the government was working hard to provide many more communities with potable water, adding that districts including Assin North, Assin South, Gomoa East and Gomoa West, Abura Asebu-Kwamankese, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa would benefit from borehole projects.
She said an ultra modern cold store facility had been provided at Nyanyano in the Gomoa East District, while a second one was at an advanced stage of completion at Kormantsi in the Mfanstman District to reduce post harvest losses in the coastal areas.
Touching on security, the regional minister expressed concern about 18 murder and 31 robbery cases recorded as of May, 2010, and advised the public to volunteer information on suspicious characters.
The Information Minister, Mr John Tia Akologu, who chaired the function, said it was important for journalists to bear in mind the ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.
He said while the government was not interested in criminalising speech, it behoves on journalists to ensure that their reports did not split society or dent the reputation and the fundamental human rights of others.

FIRE SERVICE TO GET 300 FIRE ENGINES (PAGE 54, AUGUST 2, 2010)

THE Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is expected to be equipped with 300 fire engines by the end of the year.
Currently, Parliament is considering an Exim Bank loan agreement for 75 of the fire engines, five water tankers and other equipment for the service.
The others would be supplied under agreements with the United States, Austria and Belgium.
Tenders have also been invited for the supply of between 55 and 60 Pick-up vehicles for the service.
The Chairman of the GNFS Council, Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho, made these known during an interaction with personnel of the service in the Central Region in Cape Coast.
Alhaji Sorogho said since the 11-member council took office, it had been working hard to provide the necessary logistics for the effective operations of the service.
He said the provision of fire stations and accommodation for staff were also being considered.
He said plans were being considered to place personnel of the service on peace-keeping operations and tasked the personnel to maintain discipline and commitment to uplift the image of the service.
Alhaji Sorogho said efforts were also being made to upgrade staff through training and promotions to raise their morale.
He urged the officers to revive fire volunteer groups, cadet corps in schools and the establishment of fire posts at the markets to complement the efforts of fire personnel.
The Central Regional Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Kwesi Ankonam Quayson, said the challenges facing the service were office and residential accommodation, vehicles, office equipment and manpower.
ACFO Quayson said despite the challenges, the personnel in the region would engage the private sector in mutually beneficial partnership to prevent and manage undesired fires.
Earlier, Mr Sorogho had commended the Gouda Municipality in The Netherlands for equipping and training the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal Fire Service. 

CO-OPERATE WITH CENSUS ENUMERATORS — DR BEDIAKO (PAGE 54, AUGUST 2, 2010)

THE Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako,  has admonished all Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious, ethnic and socio-cultural group values and beliefs to co-operate with the census enumerators to ensure the success of the exercise.
She said no matter their beliefs and values, it should be the social responsibility of all to help accomplish the aims and objectives of the census since it would provide the vital data and statistics for planning and development.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 2010 Population and Housing Census Training of district trainers at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Cape Coast, Dr Bediako said the government had taken the necessary measures for the success of the exercise.
She outlined the various processes which had been initiated and urged the about 2,000 participants who would be training the district level trainers to be committed to excellence and devotion to duty.
Dr Bediako said the importance, magnitude and challenges of the exercise called for hard work and in-depth knowledge of the methods, which required discipline, determination and strong desire to excel.
Dr Bediako, therefore, urged all communities, institutions, individuals and groups as well as development partners to join hands with the Ghana Statistical Service to make the census a success.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, reminded the trainers of the essence of the census and the need to ensure adequate data, which called for highly trained and skilled field staff to handle.
She also expressed the hope that the participants would take advantage of the workshop to update their skills and knowledge to enhance the exercise.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe called on the citizenry to support the personnel who would be engaged in the exercise for the government to get a reliable national data for planning to achieve the “Better Ghana Agenda.”
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Professor D.D. Kuupole who chaired the function, said the vital outcome of the census called for competence, confidence and tolerance from the personnel deployed for the enumeration.
He advised the participants to be guided by those and other important national interests and factors for the total success of the exercise.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

CO_OPERATE WITH CENSUS ENUMERATORS — DR BEDIAKO (PAGE %$, JULY 31, 2010)

THE Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako,  has admonished all Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious, ethnic and socio-cultural group values and beliefs to co-operate with the census enumerators to ensure the success of the exercise.
She said no matter their beliefs and values, it should be the social responsibility of all to help accomplish the aims and objectives of the census since it would provide the vital data and statistics for planning and development.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 2010 Population and Housing Census Training of district trainers at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Cape Coast, Dr Bediako said the government had taken the necessary measures for the success of the exercise.
She outlined the various processes which had been initiated and urged the about 2,000 participants who would be training the district level trainers to be committed to excellence and devotion to duty.
Dr Bediako said the importance, magnitude and challenges of the exercise called for hard work and in-depth knowledge of the methods, which required discipline, determination and strong desire to excel.
Dr Bediako, therefore, urged all communities, institutions, individuals and groups as well as development partners to join hands with the Ghana Statistical Service to make the census a success.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, reminded the trainers of the essence of the census and the need to ensure adequate data, which called for highly trained and skilled field staff to handle.
She also expressed the hope that the participants would take advantage of the workshop to update their skills and knowledge to enhance the exercise.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe called on the citizenry to support the personnel who would be engaged in the exercise for the government to get a reliable national data for planning to achieve the “Better Ghana Agenda.”
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Professor D.D. Kuupole who chaired the function, said the vital outcome of the census called for competence, confidence and tolerance from the personnel deployed for the enumeration.
He advised the participants to be guided by those and other important national interests and factors for the total success of the exercise.

FIRE SERVICE TO GET FIRE ENGINES (PAGE 54, JULY 31, 2010)

THE Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is expected to be equipped with 300 fire engines by the end of the year.
Currently, Parliament is considering an Exim Bank loan agreement for 75 of the fire engines, five water tankers and other equipment for the service.
The others would be supplied under agreements with the United States, Austria and Belgium.
Tenders have also been invited for the supply of between 55 and 60 Pick-up vehicles for the service.
The Chairman of the GNFS Council, Alhaji Amadu B. Sorogho, made these known during an interaction with personnel of the service in the Central Region in Cape Coast.
Alhaji Sorogho said since the 11-member council took office, it had been working hard to provide the necessary logistics for the effective operations of the service.
He said the provision of fire stations and accommodation for staff were also being considered.
He said plans were being considered to place personnel of the service on peace-keeping operations and tasked the personnel to maintain discipline and commitment to uplift the image of the service.
Alhaji Sorogho said efforts were also being made to upgrade staff through training and promotions to raise their morale.
He urged the officers to revive fire volunteer groups, cadet corps in schools and the establishment of fire posts at the markets to complement the efforts of fire personnel.
The Central Regional Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Kwesi Ankonam Quayson, said the challenges facing the service were office and residential accommodation, vehicles, office equipment and manpower.
ACFO Quayson said despite the challenges, the personnel in the region would engage the private sector in mutually beneficial partnership to prevent and manage undesired fires.
Earlier, Mr Sorogho had commended the Gouda Municipality in The Netherlands for equipping and training the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal Fire Service. 

CR LOSES GH¢44 MILLION THROUGH DISASTERS (PAGE 54, JULY 31, 2010)

THE Central Region has lost property worth more than GH¢44 million to various natural disasters from January to June, this year.
The disasters include rainstorms, domestic and bush fires and tidal waves.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, announced this at the region’s turn of the “Meet-the-Press” series in Cape Coast last Thursday.
She said the disasters left about 6,117 persons displaced and also damaged 8,278 houses and about 100 acres of land.
On the recent floods, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said three districts, including Agona West, Agona East and Gomoa East were affected.
She said the floods claimed 11 lives, rendered 16,731 persons homeless, including 3,981 males, 8,785 females and 3,965 children.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said 3,000 of the affected persons had been registered and are being supported and rehabilitated.
She stated that a presidential task force had carried out an assessment for the appropriate actions to be taken.
The regional minister urged the affected communities to exercise restraint as the government was taking measures to find funds to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed through the disasters.
On the environment, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe stated that about 40 per cent of the region’s land mass of 9,826 kilometres had been severely degraded due to both nature induced and, especially human induced activities, adding that the hidden cost of the land degradation to the region was estimated at $434 million per annum.
She was particularly concerned about the pollution of the Benya, Fosu and Narkwa lagoons and Rivers Akora and Ochi, and advised the communities to stop polluting those water bodies.
On youth employment, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said 21,730 persons had been engaged under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to reduce the unemployment situation in the region.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said significant achievements had been chalked in the health sector in the region, stating that no case of cholera had been reported in the region since 2007.
She said there had also been remarkable achievements in immunisation programmes in recent times with immunisation recording over 100 per cent participation.
She said although there were challenges of personnel and infrastructure, a 60-bed capacity hospital at Twifo Praso to be completed by 2012, the construction of a 140-bed capacity hospital at Winneba and the upgrading of the Ajumako District hospital were some of the projects that were expected to help improve the health service delivery in the region.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe also expressed concern about illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the region, which she said, had claimed many lives and was presently making the treatment of safe drinking water very expensive at the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plant.
She said the government was working hard to provide many more communities with potable water, adding that districts including Assin North, Assin South, Gomoa East and Gomoa West, Abura Asebu-Kwamankese, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa would benefit from borehole projects.
She said an ultra modern cold store facility had been provided at Nyanyano in the Gomoa East District, while a second one was at an advanced stage of completion at Kormantsi in the Mfanstman District to reduce post harvest losses in the coastal areas.
Touching on security, the regional minister expressed concern about 18 murder and 31 robbery cases recorded as of May, 2010, and advised the public to volunteer information on suspicious characters.
The Information Minister, Mr John Tia Akologu, who chaired the function, said it was important for journalists to bear in mind the ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.
He said while the government was not interested in criminalising speech, it behoves on journalists to ensure that their reports did not split society or dent the reputation and the fundamental human rights of others.