Buem FM Donates to Jasikan Hospital on Val’s Day

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February 18, 2019

By: Collins Anku | Voltaonlinegh.com |

As part of this year’s Valentine’s Day celebration, Jasikan-based Radio Station, Buem FM in the Jasikan District of the newly created Oti Region has donated assorted items amounting to GHc1,132.00 to the Jasikan District Hospital.

The items donated included toiletries, soft drinks, Milo, soaps, and two student mattresses.

Presenting the items to the Hospital, the Manager of the radio station, Justice Mawunyo Djamboe said the primary motive behind the gesture was to create convenient working environment for the workers in performing their duties.

Mr. Djamboe said it came to him as a vision to make the donation at the Hospital because he believed by so doing, a lot of lives would be touched.

According to him, “this will not be the end of this initiative adding that even though radio stations are set up purposely to inform, educate and entertain the public, these kinds of initiatives are not exempted from their core mandates.”

He promised that Buem FM would continue to carry out these exercises occasionally for the benefit of the hospital and the district as a whole.

The Manager thanked the public especially individuals who contributed towards the donation and asked the Almighty God to replenish what they gave out to make the donation successful.

Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, the Administrator of the hospital thanked Management of Buem FM for the support and appealed for more of such initiatives from the public.

Present at the donation were Assembly member for the area, Sebaway Abubarkal and staff of both the Hospital and the radio station.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

MP Denies Deploying Military over Choice of Dambai as Oti Capital

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Volta Online

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February 18, 2019

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Krachi East in the newly created Oti Region, Michael Yaw Gyato has debunked media reports of deploying military personnel to protect him from the wrath of residents of Kete-Krachi (Krachi West) following the declaration of Dambai as the capital.

Hon. Gyato said such the publication was baseless and called on all to treat it with the contempt it deserved.

In a press release issued by the only New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP in the then Volta Region, he would ordinarily not have responded to a “baseless publication such as this” but “be it as it may, I wish to entreat readers to disregard it as frivolous” and to inform the citizenry that “Oti Region is more solid than before and all persons are going about their normal duties.”

Online news portal, MyNewsGh.com on Sunday, February 17, reported that Mr. Gyato had incurred the wrath of residents of Kete-Krachi (where he grew up and owned properties) after Dambai (capital of Krachi East) emerged capital of Oti region.

The portal went on to report that the situation forced the MP to employ the services of military men to protect his Kete-Krachi home and other companies there.

However, Mr. Gyato denied knowledge of any such arrangement explaining that he was out of the country on a mission and could not possibly have deployed the uniformed men.

“After the signing and presentation of the Constitutional Instrument for the creation of the Oti Region, I travelled on the instruction of my Hon. Minister to participate in the 5^th African Conference and Ministerial Dialogue in South Africa from 17^th -22^nd February, 2019.”

The Lawmaker said though his checks revealed some form of deployment happened across the entire Oti Region, it excluded Kete-Krachi because “there is a Military camp, which has been there since 1994.”

The release said the explanation for the deployment exercise was to protect lives and properties and to prevent a recurrence of the violence that erupted when Damongo and not Salaga was named capital of the new Savannah Region.

He emphasised that there was no reason for him to make security arrangements.

“To the best of my knowledge I did not incur the wrath of the people to warrant security protection of my property.”

He advised the writer that instead of making wild claims, he should rather “commend both Krachi West (DISEC), chaired by Douglas Osei-Nti and Volta Region (REGSEC), capably chaired by Dr Archibald Letsa for their proactive roles of ensuring peace before and after the declaration.”

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

I would have Made Jasikan or Nkwanta Capital of Oti Region – Obed Asamoah

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Volta Online

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February 17, 2019

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By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Obed Asamoah believes that either Jasikan or Nkwanta would have been a good choice as the capital of the new Oti Region.

Mr Asamoah, speaking in an interview with Citi News’ Umaru Amadu Sanda prior to President Nana Akufo-Addo’s announcement of Dambai as the capital of the Oti Region on Friday said it made sense to make either Jasikan or Nkwanta the capital given their proximity to the main international route in the area.

He said that previous petitions for the creation of the new region over the years had also requested that Jasikan should be made the capital given its existing role as the administrative capital of the area.

“Left to me alone, the capital should be on the main route, the international route; Jasikan or Nkwanta. Jasikan had been the administrative capital of that part of the region for a long time, since the fifties.

“When they created the Buem-Krachi Traditional Council, Jasikan was more or less the capital. If you look at the petitions that the chiefs were sending to the various governments over the years, they wanted to make Jasikan the capital. I think geographically, it makes sense.”

Obed Asamoah who also served as Attorney General from 1993 to 2001, however, added that if the government wanted to focus specifically on the development of the fisheries sector in the region, Dambai, which is known to be a fishing hub, could be a critical starting point.

“If you take fisheries, Dambai for example is an important fishing centre because that’s really where the lake is quite big and there’s a lot of fishing. If you want to develop fisheries, you would want to use that place as a starting point, or at least a subsidiary point.

“If you have a fisheries department in Jasikan, you should have a sub-office in a place like Dambai where a lot of fishing is being done. I hope, as government has been saying, that they are going to be spreading these administrative units all over the place, it is going to be done in such a way that it will not create unnecessary difficulties.”

When quizzed about his position on the creation of regions from existing ones, Mr Asamoah expressed his view that the new regions would bring development and also lead to employment.

“When a region is created, a lot more development goes in there. Even the administrative structures giving employment to people is something to be considered. Because of the new regions, there’ll be new people needed to man them.”

He admitted that while the huge expenses might be incurred to set up the administrative structures in these new regions, the government could offset this if an area with existing infrastructure was chosen as the capital.

“That is why in taking a decision, you must look at which areas already have some infrastructure. If you look at the Oti Region, I think that the infrastructure is more in Jasikan.”

Jasikan, Nkwanta miss out as Dambai is named capital

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced Dambai as the capital of the Oti Region at the Jubilee House in Accra.

President Akufo-Addo also presented the constitutional instrument for the creation of the new region to chiefs and opinion leaders of the area.

This brings to six the total number of new regions who have had their constitutional instruments presented to their chiefs by the President.

Residents of the Oti Region almost unanimously approved the creation of the region in a 99% YES vote in December’s referendum.

Some districts which participated in the referendum included Biakoye, Jasikan, Kadjebi, Krachi East, Krachi Nchumuru and Krachi West.

The rest were Nkwanta North, Nkwanta South, Santrofi, Akpafu, Lolobi and Likpe (SALL) taken out from Hohoe Municipality.

Before the announcement of Dambai as the capital, residents of Nkwanta and Jasikan had campaigned for either of the two towns to be named as the capital of the Oti Region.

Capitals of other new regions named

President Akufo-Addo had since Tuesday, been presenting the constitutional instruments to chiefs in the six newly created regions.

He used the events to also name capitals for the new regions.

Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi Municipal Assembly was named as the capital of the North East Region while Savannah Region has Damongo as capital.

Sefwi Wiawso was also named as the capital of the Western North Region while Ahafo Region has Goaso as its capital.

President Nana Akufo-Addo also declared Techiman as the capital of the Bono East Region.

Already the government has set aside an amount of GHc20 million as seed capital for each of the new regions.

Source: www.citinewsroom.com

NGO Supports Sogakope Hospital with Medical Equipment

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Volta Online

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February 17, 2019

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By: Tabitha Kugbonu | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Volta Youth for Development, a non-governmental organisation has donated medical equipment including four hospital beds and mattresses to South Tongu District Hospital, Sogakope in the Volta Region to help solve the “no bed syndrome” at the hospital.

Founder of Volta Youth for Development, Mr. Innocent Linford Tetteh while handing over the items on Friday, stated that he learnt about the challenges facing the hospital and had decided to contribute his widow’s might in addressing the problem.

Mr. Tetteh said the donation formed part of his social responsibility and that he was just giving back to society what society had given to him.

He stated that it had been his desire to move South Tongu and Volta forward hence, the formation of Volta Youth for Development to help push the agenda of people in the region especially in the area of health.

He pledged his continuous support to help hospitals in the region any time the need arises.

Speaking to Voltaonlinegh.com after receiving the donation on behalf of the hospital, Florence Gyaase Nketiah, South Tongu District Director of Health thanked the donors for the items.

Madam Nketiah called on all to help ensure a healthy society by supporting in any possible way in quality health care delivery.

According to her, there must be a cordial relationship between the society and health practitioners because without that health care delivery will not be effective.

She lamented about inadequate beds at the hospital especially the maternity ward and asked from corporate organisations and philanthropists to also come to their aid to help solve the challenges facing the hospital.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

“Do not let your Stomach Think for you”- Goosie Tanoh

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Volta Online

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February 16, 2019

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By: Rita Kafui Nedjoh | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer hopeful, Goosie Tanoh has warned delegates in the Ho Central constituency of the Volta Region to not allow themselves to be bought with money to vote for the wrong candidate.

Mr. Tanoh asked the delegates not to be deceived by money or food items by anyone to vote for them to win the primaries rather, they should vote with intelligence to select the right candidate to lead the party into victory in 2020.

“That day do not allow your stomach to think for you,” he echoed.

Mr. Tanoh was speaking to the delegates as part of his 5-day campaign tour of the Volta Region to appeal to them for votes to enable him win the NDC primaries scheduled for February 23, 2019.

According to him, the NDC lost the 2016 elections because it was not being faithful to its founding principles adding that, Ghanaians voted 58.3 per cent for the NDC in 1992 election because they had faith in the NDC but voted 44.4 per cent in 2016 election which represented a drop of 14 per cent in the vote cast between 1992 and 2016.

“We must go and reclaim the NDC of oath which was faithful to its founding principles for which Ghanaians found faith in the NDC and voted for the NDC,” he said.

He also stated that he aimed at empowering the grassroots, building a party that believes in social justice and also expanding the agriculture system to generate industries that will create jobs for the youth.

He added that he will provide affordable health care and a properly managed free education system which will aid in eradicating poverty in Ghana.

Mr. Tanoh said his team was denied access to some constituencies to campaign claiming that act of creating fear and intimidation in the people, thus, denying them the opportunity to listen to other candidates to aid in an intelligent decision on the day of the primaries, is not the spirit of the NDC and grassroots empowerment.

He appealed to the delegates to vote for him on February 23 by thumb printing number 6 on the ballot paper for him the lead the NDC to victory in the 2020 elections.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

MTN Takes 2019 Valentine’s Day Blood Donation to Awudome School

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Volta Online

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February 14, 2019

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

MTN Ghana Foundation, the social responsibility wing of telecoms giants, MTN in collaboration the regional hospital, has held its annual Valentine’s Day blood donation exercise at Awudome Senior High School, Tsito in the Volta Region with a call on the citizenry to cultivate the habit of blood donation to save lives.

The exercise on Thursday, dubbed “Save a Life Campaign”, saw dozens of students of the school, staff of MTN and some members of the public donate blood voluntarily in a bid to replenish blood banks in selected hospitals across the country including the Volta Regional Hospital popularly known as Trafalgar Hospital.

Regional Team Lead, MTN, Mawuli Katahena in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the exercise, said MTN as a company driven with the desire to show love and ensure a healthy community, instituted the blood donation exercise on February 14, 2011 as an annual event for MTN staff only but had to extend it to the general public to save more lives.

Mr. Katahena who was expecting a minimum of about 150 units of blood from the exercise, said there was the need to show love and the more appropriate way to show love was through blood donation because it involved human life.

“It is believed that as you donate blood, you show love and you save a life so every pint of blood that you donate, you save a life.”

“And we don’t want a situation where people will go to the hospital especially mothers, to give birth and there’s no blood at the blood bank and because of that they will pass away,” he stressed.

Volta Regional Blood Donation Organiser based at Trafalgar Hospital, Vincent Kwashie Fekpe lauded MTN Ghana for the initiative saying, “if not for this exercise, in a few week’s time, we’ll be crying for blood to give to patients at the various hospitals in the Ho Municipality and the region as a whole.”

To Mr. Fekpe, community blood donation in the region “is very low” forcing his outfit to rely on schools, adding that churches except the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Ghana and Volta chapter, (who carry out blood donation exercise twice in a year), “do very little to help.”

He blamed the situation on a number of factors including attitudes of people in terms of benefits, low level of education, beliefs and also unavailability of vehicles to facilitate movement into communities for education on the importance of voluntary blood donation.

He therefore welcomed support in all forms from citizens of the region and philanthropists to improve on the activities of the regional blood bank to continue to save more lives.

Volunteers who spoke to Voltaonlinegh.com said they were donating blood to support the great initiative of MTN Ghana Foundation to contribute to the health of Ghanaians especially in addressing maternal mortality in the country.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

HTU Denies Revocation of VC’s Appointment

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Volta Online

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February 14, 2019

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Prof. Honyenuga — Prof. Ben Honyenuga, [Photo credit: Bonecstasy]

By: Abdul-Iddrisu Faisel | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Ho Technical University (HTU) has denied reports of revocation of the appointment of the University’s Vice-Chancellor, describing it as coming from “institutional non-conformists and rebels seeking to tarnish the hard won reputation of the University.

The Herald Newspaper reported the revocation of the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ben Quashie Hoenyenuga by the Minister of Education, Mathew Opoku Prempeh in its Wednesday, February 13 edition of the publication on the basis of his questionable academic qualification.

However, the University in a press statement, signed by the Interim Registrar, urged the student body, alumni and the general public to disregard the publication.

“We wish to state for the information of the University Community, alumni and the general public that neither Council nor Management of the Ho Technical University has been served notice of the revocation of the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor for the University.”

The statement said “the University has on record, a call for a probe into the authenticity of Professor Hoenyenuga’s doctorate degree from two faculty members of the University” and after the investigations, it was confirmed that “the certificate awarded to Mr. Ben Q Hoenyenuga is authentic and comparable to doctoral degrees in the relevant subject areas awarded by recognised tertiary institutions in Ghana.”

Appointment of Prof. Ben Quashie Honyenuga

The Council of the Technical University at its 29th Special Meeting held on Friday 18th January, 2019 approved the appointment of Professor Ben Quashie Honyenuga, as the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

His approval followed the report of the Search Committee for a Vice-Chancellor of the University, constituted by the Council, and chaired by Prof. K.K. Adarkwa, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

The National Council for Tertiary Education has since been notified of the Council’s decision and requested for the appropriate terms and conditions under which the Vice-Chancellor should be appointed.

Prof. Honyenuga was the Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Substantive Pro Vice-Chancellor, and Acting Vice-Chancellor, prior to his appointment.

He also served as the Dean of Students and Vice Rector, during the days that the Institution operated as a Polytechnic.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Chiefs and People of Kedzi Embrace Keta Port Project

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Volta Online

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February 14, 2019

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By: Voltaonlinegh.com |

Ahead of the construction of Keta Port by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) in collaboration with Diamond Cement, the traditional authorities of Kedzi, in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region, where the port is expected to be situated, have embraced the economic opportunity that is coming to their area.

Dufia of Kedzi, Torgbui Joachim Acolatse V at the launch of Norvikporgbe Za 2019 in Accra, acknowledged the plethora of opportunities that the Keta Port project would bring when develop, stating his vision of ensuring that the human resource at the town’s disposal would take full advantage of the impending project.

According to Torgbui Acolatse, “recently the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo signed an executive instrument declaring the entire coastline of Kedzi as a port.”

Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, he said, “has since mapped out the Kedzi coastline for this purpose. By this gesture, we believe an opportunity has opened up for the people of Kedzi to effectively utilise their natural resources to fuel development.”

The Norvikporgbe Za, instituted about 5 years ago, is an annual celebration by the indigenes of Kedzi during Easter celebration which brings citizens (home and abroad) together to deliberate on issues of socio-economic development of the community.

Chiefs and people of Kedzi at the launch of Norvikporgbe Za 2019

The Minister of Fisheries, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye who is also the development queen of Dzelukope (also in the Keta Municipality), Mama Dunenyo I explained that it was in the government’s strategic agenda of identifying needed areas for development, that it chose the Kedzi area for the construction of the Port.

“This port for the Keta enclave by its visibility reveals that siting this facility here will generate employment and attract foreign investment into the area.”

Project Engineer of GPHA, Komla Ofori said feasibility studies had been conducted and the area declared ideal and that construction works would begin soon.

He said the project plan is expected to be double-faceted, with one side of the port allocated as a commercial port and the other, for tourism.

“There are fresh opportunities we need to look at. So, there are investors, let us start talking, let’s create the platform for the people to come and invest and build a facility that is good for us to work in,” he added.

Source: www.pulse.com.gh

Adopt Alternative Discipline to End School Unrest-VR Education Dir.

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Volta Online

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February 13, 2019

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By: Benjamin Owusu | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The Volta Regional Director of Education, Enyonam Amafugah has advised teachers in the region to adopt alternative disciplinary measures to end students’ rioting.

According to her, alternative discipline will guide students using non-violent response, adding that the new model would also allow teachers to create a positive environment so that students can understand the values modeled to them.

She made this call at Nkwanta Senior High School when she inaugurated the Board of Members of the school and handed over 16 motorbikes to teachers whose motorbikes were destroyed during students’ riot on October 28, 2018.

Students of Nkwanta South Senior High School on October 28, went on rampage and ransacked teachers’ bungalows, destroyed 16 motorbikes and school properties.

The Nkwanta South Municipal Director of Education, Stephen Kwame Tsuatorfe thanked Management for fulfilling their promise and assured that discipline would be ensured to achieve academic excellence.

Speaking to the school Bursar, Aaron Alfreh Nsia, he indicated that all the properties that were destroyed by students had been repaired to ensure effective teaching and learning in the school.

Chief of Nkwanta Adele, Nana Amoah Boafo III also thanked the school authorities for ensuring that teachers who had their properties destroyed during the riot had been duly compensated.

Nana Boafo advised the students to eschew immoral behaviours that have the tendency of destroying school properties and landing them into problems.

Some teachers whose motorbikes were destroyed were grateful for the replacement and promised to put the incident behind them and ensure effective teaching and learning in the school.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Media Urged to Support Malaria Elimination Agenda

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February 12, 2019

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has called on key stakeholders especially the media to lead the advocacy for eliminating malaria in the country.

Programmes Manager, NMCP, Dr. Keziah Malm, in addressing journalists during a training workshop in Accra, said the country had taken significant steps in controlling malaria and solicited their support to rein in the disease.

She touched on various intervention programmes including the distribution of Insecticide treated c (LLINs) throughout the country last year aimed at controlling the disease.

The 2-day workshop organised by NMCP in collaboration with African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) for selected journalists drawn from five regions of the country, aimed to update and sharpen the skills of journalists on malaria reporting.

The workshop themed, “Role of the Media in Promoting Malaria Elimination Agenda”, saw wonderful presentations on topics such as Malaria Control in Ghana, Preventive Interventions in Ghana, Malaria Case Management and Communication on Malaria.

A section of journalists at the workshop

World Health Organisation Representative, Dr Felicia Owusu-Antwi on the global situation of Malaria said, although some gains were made between 2010 and 2016, regarding malaria cases and deaths, progress stalled in 2017, thus, the need for concerted efforts for the needed impact.

Dr. Owusu-Antwi mentioned the 10+1 initiative aimed at accelerating reduction of malaria deaths and case incidence in top 10 countries in Africa (including Ghana) and India, and underscored the need for governments of these malaria endemic countries to commit to supporting the agenda.

Dr. Nana Yaw Peprah, NMCP, advised covering clean waters, drying out all stagnant waters around households as well as clearing all materials that may become breeding sites for malaria vector.

He among other things, urged people to sleep under treated mosquito nets at night as malaria-transmitting mosquitoes bite late at night.

Dr. Boakye-Yiadom Adomako, NMCP insisted that people should always visit the hospital any time they have symptoms suspected to be malaria.

According to Dr. Adomako, not all fevers are caused by malaria and so one must undergo testing to be sure they are suffering from malaria before treating themselves for the disease.

Meanwhile, Deputy Programmes Manager, NMCP, Mr. James Frimpong hinted of a phased implementation of malaria vaccine, RTS,S which is expected to be piloted in Central , Volta and Brong-Ahafo regions and some 4 selected districts in Upper East Region this year.

The vaccine would target babies aged six months to be given four doses within a specified duration to prevent malaria in children.

Executive Secretary of AMMREN, Dr. Charity Binka charged the media with the responsibility of informing and educating the citizenry on malaria to cause positive change in malaria prevention and control efforts, and holding policy makers accountable in the management of the disease.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com