Home Blog Page 108

Volta NHIA targets Over a Million NHIS Subscribers in 2019

April 1, 2019

By: KALD | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in the Volta region has set to increase the subscriber base of the Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to about 1.1 million in 2019 from the 2018 figure of about 818,000.

The target is almost half of the 2,607,996 projected population of the region, including Oti.

This was made known last week by Mr. Joseph Homenya, Regional Director of NHIA at the 2018 Annual Review Meeting of the authority in Ho.

He told scheme managers from all 16 NHIS operational districts that, though the target seems to be on a higher side, he was very confident of it being achieved with the deployment of the needed logistics.

Mr. Homenya indicated that, in spite of the limited staff numbers, the authority in the past year saw through the implementation of ‘some policy game changers such as; mobile renewal system, e-receipt system, and non-biometric authentication system, among other innovations.

He added that, claims payment to providers, which was hitherto a key challenge for the authority, has been worked on, and a backlog of arrears owed most service providers has been paid up to June 2018.

To ensure efficient financial management, the Regional NHIA, according to the Director, also introduced account verification exercise where all districts accountants bring their financial reports to the regional accounts department for thorough scrutiny to ensure things were being done right.

He however bemoaned the low enrollment of indigents onto the scheme, with only 31,000 out of the 159,000 target realized in the year under review and thus, entreated the schemes to re-strategize and do much more in that regard.

A thorough assessment of the performance of the 16 NHIS operational districts saw Kadjebi being ranked the best performing district for the 2018 with Akatsi and South Tongu placing second and third respectively; while Jasikan, Nkwanta and Krachi West districts placed the bottom three spots accordingly.

Meanwhile, some scheme managers attributed the poor performance of their districts to logistical and human resource constraints which hindered their effective operation in the past year; but assured of measures to improve their performance this year.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Why Appoint a CEO for Non-Existing Keta Port? – Quashigah Questions Akufo-Addo

Volta Online

March 31, 2019

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, Richard Quashigah is puzzled about President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s decision to appoint a Chief Executive Officer for Keta Port when the port is not ready for use.

Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiama in a letter dated March 19, 2019 announced the appointment of private legal practitioner Dr. Alexander Y. Adusei Jr as Director for Keta Port.

Mr. Asiama in the said letter asked the Chairman of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to “take the necessary action to give effect” to the appointment.

It would be recalled that government in April 2018 signed an agreement with Diamond Cement Ghana Limited to begin the construction of a port at Keta.

In January this year, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye announced that President Akufo-Addo has signed an Executive Instrument to allow for work on the port project to begin.

Hon. Quashigah reacting to news of the appointment of Dr. Adusei as Director for Keta Port questioned the President’s action, stressing that the port does not exist.

“Is there a port in Keta already?” he asks. “As far as I know, there was a declaration of intent and nothing more. So why appoint a Chief Executive Officer for a non- existent port?”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

New, Lower Import Duty Regime out Very Soon-Prez Akufo-Addo Assures

Volta Online

March 31, 2019

By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has indicated that reforms to Ghana’s import duty regime which will bring down the high duties prevailing in Ghana’s ports, are in the offing and will be rolled out soon.

With many having petitioned the state to intervene and review the high taxes and duties on imported items, President Akufo-Addo assured that government is already in the process of dealing with the matter.

“We have realised from the studies we have done that our ports are not competitive and the import regime in our country is far too high. We are dealing with it and very soon, the measures that government will roll out will become known to all of you. I am not talking next year, or in 6 months’ time, I am talking very, very soon.”

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Saturday, 30th March, 2019 when he addressed a townhall meeting of Ghanaians resident in Worcester, Massachusetts in the United States of America, as part of his visit to that country.

Some trader unions, including the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) have petitioned the state to intervene and review the high taxes and duties on imported items.

Paperless Reduces Port Charges

Already, the introduction of the paperless port system has according to the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, reduced the cost of doing business at the ports.

Appearing before parliament to answer a question posed by Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza on whether or not the introduction of the paperless port has increased cost of doing business at the ports, the Minister indicated that the initiative has rather decreased the cost of doing business.

“The results (of the Paperless Port system) showed that the cost components of doing business at the country’s ports have reduced from 7 to 3 cost components. This has subsequently, reduced the total costs from GH₵1,280 to GH₵320,” Ken Ofori-Atta said.

He continued, “this means that the paperless system reduced cost of doing business at the ports by GH₵960 representing 75 per cent savings. Hence, importers are now making savings of 75 per cent as a result of the implementation of the paperless system.”

Source: www.presidency.gov.gh

[Article] Why Electing Foga Nukunu Will Boost Morale of the Grassroot for NDC Victory 2020

Volta Online

March 31, 2019

By: Sam Dogbey |

There is time for everything under this sun as espoused in the good book. And for me I am so much convinced that there is time for sacrifice and a time for reward, a time for sowing and a time for harvest.

In an attempt to convince the grassroots to work assiduously and tirelessly for victory for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 general elections, we have always been told that sacrifice pays and I agree with the apostles of this axiom. It is also said “today’s tears water tomorrow’s garden.”

If the NDC party in Ketu South Constituency of the Volta Region truly believes in these statements, then I strongly believe there is no greater opportunity to prove this than during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

When our community day school was not being completed as was the case in different parts of the country and we clamoured, yearned and craved for its completion, we were told that our time was soon to come when we would smile. Did we ever smile for that project before we left office?

It is an undeniable fact that the act of not rewarding our very own first that demoralised voters in Ketu South from voting. It was same throughout the entire Volta region considered as the “World Bank” of the NDC which culminated in the humiliating defeat we suffered in 2016 General elections.

It is time again to reward by way of choosing candidates to represent the people in Parliament and one name stands out. Mr. Foga Nukunu.

One may ask, is Mr. Nukunu the only person who is loyal and dedicated to our party? There may be several others but is it also not a fact that he has served the party in different capacities than any other aspirant? Why not reward him for such a level of commitment? His dedication and loyalty to the party is geometrically unquestionable, his humility unparalleled, his decision making skills and intelligence acumen highly unmatched and his interpersonal skills a boost to the grassroots.

We will be sending a very bad signal to the electorates if he is ditched for money or any other material gain.

Recently, I was surprised to hear a party member say, “Foga doesn’t have the financial grounding to be a Member of Parliament (MP).”

My response, if MP-ship is about how financially grounded one is, then our social democracy philosophy is in a serious danger and crisis. Moreover, Parliament of Ghana is not a club house of the rich otherwise, allowance receiving students would not have become MPs. The irony of this is that the poor are the very ones who readily push the “situational rich men and women” to the top against their very own. So pathetic!

When we needed the so-called rich people to make expenses at the party’s office, there was none. Or did they recently become rich? It was Foga who defrayed those bills. Who then can we call a rich man or woman? I prefer a poor person who can pay for party expenses to a rich person who cannot pay. The choice is clear.

Additionally, it is mind boggling to hear some people on radio say “FOGA cannot talk.” Whaaaaaat!!! It is said that “the way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”. Once again I believe if politics is about talking then Ghana would have been heaven by now, because we have the talkers who are not doers, example is the current administration.

Mr. Nukunu has unparalleled communication skills which he uses appropriately. If he “cannot talk” as people say, then how did he convince over 1,500 delegates to vote for him to become the Constituency Secretary? Mind you, his position was not given to him on a silver platter. How can a teacher of more than ten years experience be said not to be good at talking? Lies cannot hold. Teaching is more about talking than any profession in the world.

It must also be noted that modern politics does not require too much talking for development to be done. It rather requires strategy and pragmatism in disseminating useful information.

Furthermore, I recently heard some people say if Foga is elected, he will be controlled by the current MP, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey. This statement is bereft of logicality and proper reasoning and it can only be made by people who are clinching to a straw because they are drowning. To the best of my knowledge, Hon. Kwetey does not believe in controlling people. He derives no comfort in that.

Secondly, just like Prof. Att- Mills of blessed memory, Foga has his own mind and he has been making his personal decisions for ages. He is his own man. Nobody will tell him to visit branches before he does, pick calls before he does, attend meetings before he will and nobody will tell him to be an agent of development before he does. He is carved for the job and he is not new to this routine, parliament can only better him.

Furthermore, the “homeboy” agenda is not pitched against loyal and dedicated members who reside outside the constituency, never. What it seeks to achieve is rewarding sacrifice and dedication. If care is not taken, a wrong signal will be sent to all branch executives and members that the NDC is not worth dying for. God forbid if that happens, the grassroots will be highly demoralised and an unprecedented apathy will creep in.

Conclusively, on the other hand, if Foga is massively endorsed, it will strengthen the branches and boost party activism leading to victory 2020. Electing him will give an energised hope to the branch executives that he can also rise through the ranks through sacrifice, loyalty and dedication.

My household and I are going all out for Foga. The time to reward loyalty and dedication is now.

NB: Writer is a Branch Secretary, Alorgui B and a Teacher

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Ketabusco Old Students Ready for Endowment Fund Launch on April 12

Volta Online

March 29, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Keta Business College (KETABUSCO) Old Students Association (KEBSOSA) is set to launch a historic Endowment Fund dubbed the “Game Changer” created by the Association to help in infrastructure and human resource improvement of the college.

The launch of the fund, meant to provide financial resources for development of the school to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning is slated for April 12, 2019 at the British Council in Accra from 5:00pm

Chairman of the Projects and Funding Committee, Dr. Simon Harvey speaking on the importance of the fund said the college needed alternative funding to undertake projects aimed at achieving the dream of transforming the school into one of the best in the country.

Dr. Harvey said the self sustaining fund would among other things, attract bigger projects and ease fatigue that has always characterised fundraising activities to support the school.

“The executive of the old students association, national, over the years made efforts to approach various donor (funding) bodies for support in improving infrastructure and human resource on our school campus. The efforts yielded some results, which are the projects we currently see on campus. Some of the donors requested the old students association to provide Counterpart Funding (a donee providing minimum portion of the total project cost).”

“The Endowment Fund is mainly to help meet the requirements of such funders and attract them to our needs. The Endowment Fund will also help initiate projects on campus in the name of old students,” he continued.

The Chairman added that the “Endowment Fund will help fund programmes aimed at inspiring teachers and as well, help sponsor brilliant but needy students to tertiary schools.”

He therefore called on all old students (Coronats) to support the initiative as according to him, “the fund is for all old students and it requires us to subscribe to any of the categories and contribute that amount every year for a period of five years.”

President of KEBSOSA, Dr. Seth Kwami Anani in an interview with Voltaonlinegh.com, described the Game Changer as “one of its kind in the region”.

According to Dr. Anani, “the fund is a new and innovative way of drawing support for the school” and appealed to citizens of the region especially Anloland who are interested in education to be present at the launch to support the noble cause.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Africa Needs Strong Partnership to Achieve SDGs-Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister

Volta Online

March 29, 2019

By: Albert Kuzor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Heads of government and high-level representatives of the UN system and international organisations have discussed the challenges and potential of South-South Cooperation during a second high-level UN Conference on South-South Cooperation held in Argentina.

Participants observed that enhanced cooperation was needed to tackle threats including climate change, growing energy demands, and widening gaps between the rich and poor around the globe.

Speaking on the floor on behalf of Ghana, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charles Owiredu revealed Ghana’s plans towards the ideas and principles of South-South Cooperation and the government’s efforts in delivering on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme.

Mr. Owiredu said Ghana was on course in improving the development and standard of living for its citizens and mentioned that African countries including Ghana needed international partnerships to support with funds for swift implementation of the SGDs.

“Ghana calls upon the international community to explore means of leveraging and innovative funding mechanism under the frame work of South-South Cooperation to complement ODA inflows. We must form a defective partnership among government, public and private sector actors, academia and non-governmental organisations, particularly philanthropists in this effort.”

The Deputy Minister further said that, “interregional collaboration initiative such as the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation, the India-Africa Forum Summit and the Turkey-Africa Economic and Business Forum should be further utilised to enhance the implementation of the SDGs.”

On development, he indicated that the expansion of South-led Multilateral Development Bank has contributed significantly through additional financing mechanism for the SDGs most especially in infrastructural development and climate change.

He said that Ghana just like any other lower middle income country, was facing financial challenges making it difficult to invest in development, thus, resulting in persistent inequalities, infrastructural gaps, high dependent on export of raw natural resources and unprocessed farm produces among others.

Mr. Owiredu however, assured of government’s resolve to chart a new direction for the country’s development, through “Ghana Beyond Aid”- a policy that will create a favourable condition for Private Sectors to thrive and subsequently propel growth and create employment opportunities.

On some successes Ghana chalked, he indicated that, “over the years, countries of the south have significantly increased their weight in the world economic and today, account for more than 59% of global gross domestic product (GDP).”

He therefore called for the strengthening of the collaborations saying “I wish to urge that we strengthen our institutions to seriously address South-South Cooperation and to fully integrate this approach in our various development strategies and policies.”

The South-South Cooperation is a commitment to collective development, promotion of human freedom, opposition to colonialism and the creation of equitable conditions for peaceful and harmonious socioeconomic development of countries of the south.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Family Appeals for Gh¢16,000 to Enable 2-Year Old Undergo Surgery

Volta Online

March 28, 2019

By: Albert Kuzor & Selassie Bannor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Parents of a 2-year old Diana Sarpong at Akpafu in the Hohoe Municipality are appealing to the general public to help raise an amount of GH¢16,233.15 to help their child undergo a tumour surgery.

Diana who has been diagnosed of the ailment at the Hohoe Municipal Hospital and later referred to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for surgery since January 9, 2019, has been sitting at home because her parents are nowhere near raising the said amount to enable her undergo the surgery.

Mother of the nursery one pupil, Hancy Tetteh-Sarpong who spoke to Voltaonlinegh.com, narrated that she was bathing her daughter about nine months ago when she realised a swelling on her head.

According to Madam Tetteh-Sarpong, when she questioned her child about the swelling, she (Diana) told her (the mother) that she was hit with a stone by a school mate sometime ago.

She continued, “together with my husband, we went to the school to find out what exactly had happened but our efforts to know the real story proved no positive results.”

The visibly worried mother said later when they realised that the swelled up portion kept expanding, they sent the child to the clinic and were referred to the Hohoe Municipal Hospital for further diagnosis.

Madam Tetteh-Sarpong lamented that about a year on, the swelling on the head continues to swell into what the doctors have described as tumour.

Father of the girl, Frank Adade Sarpong who is a subsistent farmer said that they had spent a fortune sending their daughter to prayer camps and attending several hospitals in an effort to get a solution to her ailment without success.

Mr. Sarpong pleaded with individuals and groups to save the life of their daughter saying, “we have done our best as parents who love their children to treat this uncommon sickness but it’s clear that we cannot be successful without money.”

The couples admitted, “it’s a worrying situation for us for a year now, we wish to forget this surgery but the future of this (tumour) is unclear” adding, “God will richly bless anyone that will contribute to the treatment.”

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Ho-Fiave GEC Hosts New Members to Salvation Dinner

Volta Online

March 28, 2019

By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Global Evangelical Church, Ho-Fiave Victory Chapel in the Volta Region has hosted new members of the church to a dinner table dubbed Salvation Dinner at the church’s cafeteria.

The heavily attended dinner on Sunday, March 24, was organised to enable leadership of the church interact with new members who joined the church from January 2018 till the night of the dinner.

The event gave the new members the opportunity to express their reservations on activities of the church and also make recommendations on the way forward to win and nurture more souls for the kingdom.

The Parish Pastor, Rev. I.C. Agbenuvor settled on Psalm 133:1 which read “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” to explain the purpose of the dinner.

Rev Agbenuvor said it was important for Christians to come together and show love to each other which he said was the essence of Christianity.

He urged members of the church to live in unity with everyone because that was what Jesus Christ expected of his followers to do.

“Let us live together as brothers and sisters. We may have our various differences yet still, we belong to the same family. We may not be seen agreeing everyday but we have one focus and that is to build the kingdom of God.”

The event had other speakers who led conversations on good discipleship and charged members to always read the bible saying, that was the surest way to live a Christ-like life.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

[Article] Tackling Suicide through Intensifying Education

Volta Online

March 28, 2019

By: Oscar Komla Bedzra |

Suicide is an act of intentionally causing one’s own death. Paramount among the risk factors is untreated depression. Globally, one person commits suicide every 40 seconds resulting in 800,000 suicide cases every year.

In Ghana, suicide is becoming an alarming cause of death as many people especially, adolescents opt for suicide as the end of challenges in life.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report which was updated in April 2017 placed Ghana 79th out of 186 countries on the list of suicide cases by countries in 2015.

From my careful analysis, I found out that, Ghana placed 38th on the African continent with our neighboring country, Ivory Coast in the lead as far as suicide in Africa is concerned. Having further narrowed it down to West Africa, Ghana placed 11th out of 18 countries as victimised countries of suicide

In 2016, 68 people (28 males and 40 females) committed suicide including a 10-year old boy who hanged himself after failing his examination.

In a statement issued by the Mental Health Authority (MHA), in September 2015, it could be deduced that the rate of suicide in Ghana can be reduced if the society and counseling centres (mostly in schools) play their roles efficiently.

Lecturers, students, teachers, doctors and all manner of personalities stand the risk of committing suicide if it is not properly addressed.

This indeed, is an obvious and an undeniable indication of the gradual breakdown in our guidance and counseling services in our dear nation and from the above analysis, the country stands at high risk of suicide rampancy in the absence of intensified education.

Indications of Possible Suicide

Talking about feeling hopeless and / or having no purpose
Someone feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain
Being a burden to others
Withdrawing or feeling isolated
Financial loss
Loss of relationship
Absence of social support
Cultural and religious belief

Permit Me to Highlight Few Causes of Suicide

Failure of being each other’s keepers: We have individually, as friends failed to help solve each others’ problems leading to suicide as the only means of finding an end to social challenges
Poor advertisement of suicide- related issues on the social media: We have as a nation, not done enough or gone far in respect of advertisement revolving around suicide-related issues which would have otherwise yielded solution to problems of the citizenry.
Youth unemployment: Youth unemployment in Ghana causes many youth to involve themselves in this act since they underestimate themselves in trying to compare themselves to others even after education.
Being isolated in the form of stigmatisation: People intentionally cause their own death in a bid to find solution to their loneliness. This mostly happens in schools and social places of endeavour.
Marital instability: Married couples have problems in their marriage. It is therefore the responsibility of marriage counsellors to prepare the minds of would-be couples prior to their marriage to control the alarming rate of the canker.
Poor parental communication: Many parents of late, do not take the time and pain to comprehend their wards in petty issues. This affects the child’s reaction to the problem and pushes the child to do the unthinkable.
Emotionally unsupportive family: Some families do not support their members on emotional grounds. This makes these members feel less important in the family and choose to terminate their lives.
Financial loss: Many people make lifetime investments in anticipation of reaping the output and so get depressed when they encounter financial losses while they least expect them. Most of these persons tend to commit suicide since they have no other alternatives of rising.
Poor/absence of recreational facilities: Some recreational facilities are meant for stabilising the mental conditions of people in stressful times. It makes them reflect over good things ahead of them and in turn give hope to the hopeless.
Lower levels of education: People who do not go higher in life by reason of one or two obstacles tend to attach low significance to their personality as they watch their colleagues climb the academic ladder ahead of them .These sentiments discourage them and make them feel worthless . As this persists devoid of counselling services, the individual may attempt taking his/her life.

What We can Do to Curb this Alarming Canker

School – Based programmes including culture to help students develop social, emotional, and behavioural skills to establish positive and healthy relationships.
Age – Appropriate infant and toddler care
Post school programmes to provide tutoring just to improve academic performance.
Activities that improve knowledge and understanding of healthy dating relationships.
Classroom – Based health curriculum that teach ways of coping with loss and disappointments and studying signs of depression.
Establishment of business improved/favoured environment to increase community employment opportunities that are available.
Schools must create, implement, monitor and carefully evaluate policies to check and prevent bullying behaviour.

Let us join hands against suicide, institute guidance and counselling centres in place and our country Ghana will be a conducive place for us all. It takes you and I to prevent that friend from perishing.

NB: The writer is a level 300 BSC. Agriculture Science Education student of University of Education Winneba

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Work Commences on Volta GJA Press Centre

Volta Online

March 27, 2019

GJA 22 (2) — the artistic impression of the project

By: KALD|Voltaonlinegh.com|

Work has begun on the construction of a multipurpose Press centre for the Volta region chapter of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA-Volta) in Ho.

The project which is in two phases, has phase one being a recreational facility, comprising a bar/restaurant, washrooms, an office, store and a pavilion; while the second phase would have an office complex with a conference facility, an e-library and guestrooms.

The phase one estimated at the cost of GHS 60,000 is scheduled for completion in a month’s time for onward commissioning on May 3, 2019 to commemorate this year’s World Press Freedom Day and the 70^th anniversary of the Ghana Journalist Association.

Madam Ohene (with pick axe) performing the sod cutting

Mr. Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi, chairman of GJA-Volta, speaking at the sod cutting ceremony on Tuesday, said the project was a dream-come-true, which, when completed would provide a conducive meeting point for media practitioners from both Volta and Oti regions, and also be an income generating venture for the association.

According to him, “the project here is for the whole of the Volta region, and you know we have some of our colleagues in Oti [region], sometimes they may come around so that they can rest here. The facility would help improve the brand of GJA and help generate income for the association.”

He thanked donors and partners who have contributed so far towards the project and appealed for more support from members as well as benevolent individuals and organizations towards early completion of the project.

Madam Elizabeth Ohene, a veteran journalist and former minister of state, who performed the sod cutting, expressed delight at the project and lauded the foresight of the leadership the GJA-Volta for initiating the project.

She was optimistic the facility when completed would be a training centre for young journalists to sharpen their skills in telling the true story of the Volta region.

Mr. Roland Affail Monney, national president of GJA who also graced the occasion described the project as ‘historic’ and commended the leadership of GJA-Volta for the initiative.

He said the region, having produced some of the best journalists in the country, has become a standard measure and reference point for other regional chapters of the association.

“Volta region as far as the GJA is concerned, is a reference point and a standard measure for all the Chapters of the GJA. And this is because of the fact that Volta Region has produced and continue to produce some of the finest journalists in the whole country,” Mr. Monney stated.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa who was present with the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Nelson Akorlie, pledged the support of the Regional Coordinating Council and all local assemblies in the region towards the project.

He however admonished media practitioners to be neutral, fair and balanced in their reportage at all times.

Mr. Dela Gadzanku, president of the Volta/Eastern chapter of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) chaired the function which also had a representative of the Volta Caucus in parliament and MP for South Dayi, Mr. Rockson Defeamkpor.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

1...107108109...207 Page 108 of 207