Children with Special Needs Deserve Equal Right to Education–HR Student

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October 11, 2018

By: Fred Duhoe | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A Human Resource Management student, Emma Elinam Sallah has mobilised resources to start a special needs school to cater for children with special needs in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region.

Ms. Sallah who saw the need for the school, fell on her friends for support to rent an apartment and procure some materials needed to run the school.

She said the school, Anlo Special School at Tegbi has the endorsement from the Special Education Unit of the Keta Municipal Assembly and therefore called on parents to enroll their children in the school for better future for them.

Giving her reasons, Ms. Sallah noted that she feels unhappy about parents hiding their children with various forms of intellectual disabilities; hence denying them the opportunity to education.

She revealed to Fred Duhoe, a freelance journalist that “some parents want us to run a boarding system to permanently accommodate their wards but since running boarding facilities needs more financing and more hands, we will rather like to implement this system gradually.”

Anlo Special School – A Haven of Hope is under the Butterfly Ghana Foundation which seeks to champion the cause of children with special needs, their siblings, parents and the community as a whole as well as empower the youth within the Keta Municipality and surrounding areas.

The young determined Executive Director has started a sea foods business – Le Fresh Foods, as a fundraiser for the school.

Mad. Cecilia Gokah, the first parent to enroll her son with speech disorder after he was treated for cancer of the brain in an interview said “our educational system doesn’t have the conducive atmosphere to accommodate and teach our children with special needs, hence, my decision to bring my son here (Anlo Special School).”

In the whole of Volta Region, we have just one at Hohoe which is too far a distance. I don’t appreciate it when I see these vulnerable children helplessly on the streets begging for alms. It’s my desire for my son to become an interpreter someday” she stated.

Education in Ghana has done very little to address the plight of special needs children. Policies have been instituted to make education all-inclusive but this has not materialised over the years.

Much emphasis is rather placed on regular children to the neglect of children with special needs. Stereotyping, stigmatising and abuse of the rights in some cases is what parents of/and children with special needs suffer in society.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Demand for Oti Region not ‘Land Grabbing’ Agenda-Krachiwura

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Volta Online

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October 11, 2018

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By: Obrempongba Kwame Owusu | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Paramount Chief of Kete-Krachi, Nana Mprah Besemuna III has debunked claims that the demand for a new region in the northern part of the Volta Region is orchestrated at taking over ownership of lands in the north perceived to belong to Ewes.

According to him, persons circulating such claims are ignorant of the Ghanaian history.

He explained that dwellers in the Oti enclave occupied the lands under the Trans-Volta Togoland, administered as the Northern Territory before being added to the Ewes to form the Volta Region in 1950s by the colonial masters.

He was speaking at the durbar of this year’s yam festival at Krachi in the Krachi West District of the Volta Region.

Nana Mprah Besemuna who doubles as the Chairman for the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of Oti Movement, the group leading the demand for a new region out of Volta.

He detailed the Oti enclave had received very little proportion of development in the Volta Region, hence, their demand for the new region.

The Krachiwura reaffirmed the commitment of chiefs and residents in the Oti enclave to vote yes for the new region

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Swerve: Volta Region Gets 5,000-Seater Capacity Youth Resource Center instead of 10,000

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Volta Online

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October 11, 2018

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The ongoing 5,000-seater capacity youth center

By: Eric Eli Adzie | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The 10,000-seater capacity Youth Resource Center promised the people of the Volta Region is not being fulfilled by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

The 10,000 capacity sitting facility promised is being built by Wilkado Construction Company Limited at a cost of $2.4 million and will have a FIFA standard football pitch, an eight lane modern track, tennis, handball and volleyball courts.

It will also house a gymnasium, multi-purpose ICT center, an entrepreneurship center, counseling unit and a modern restaurant.

However, months after the sod cutting, a visit to the construction site revealed the capacity currently under construction is 5,000 contrary to the common knowledge of 10,000.

Confirming this, the Project Manager, Mr. Williams Akpih said he was aware of the promise made in regards to the expansion of the capacity to 10,000 but nothing official has been received in writing by the company hence work for a 5,000-seater edifice.

“It was promised but there is no paper work confirming it for 10,000, the 5,000 is what we are working on now because that is what was confirmed in the contract to us. The 10,000 has to be confirmed and issued on contract bases. When it comes, we will make provision for the 10,000 by enlarging the stands.”

It will be recalled that on the day of the sod cutting, the Warlord and Divisional Chief of the Asogli Traditional Area, Togbe Howusu Adzi Lakle expressed mixed feelings about the sod cutting for the construction of a youth resource center against the priority of a modern sports stadium.

He however, commended the government for the step taken to provide a befitting infrastructure that would afford the youth a place to train. He further appealed to the government to increase the capacity which was approved by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Isaac Asiamah.

The facility was originally estimated at $1.8m but had been increased to $2.4m due to the increment in the sitting capacity upon the request of Togbe Howusu Adzi Lakle.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

We Can’t Complete Volta Youth Resource Center as Scheduled-Project Manager

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Volta Online

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October 11, 2018

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By: Eric Eli Adzie | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Work on the Volta Regional Youth Resource Center is racing behind time as the 9-month stipulated time frame given by government can’t be attained.

The project which was announced to have a December 2018 completion deadline is still under construction with barely two months to end the year.

A visit to the construction site revealed only 45 per cent of total work done. The youth center which came as a blessing to the people of the region after a total neglect of the present Ho sports stadium is currently far from its realisation.

Project manager, Mr. Williams Akpih attributed the delay in work to the topography of the land and heavy downpours.

“The rains have been our challenge; the ground is such that when it rains no vehicles comes in which means no work goes on. This is the nature of the ground here.”

He further said the company must recourse to leveling the ground with quarry products to make the construction site accessible by both vehicles and human.

“We have to resort to other means of getting the ground conducive for work. We used query products to fill the tarries and this took a lot of time.”

He however assured that the facility will be ready by February 2019.

Meanwhile, during the sod cutting, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa echoed his readiness to see the project completed on time and further urged the contractor, Togbui Gbewoaza II of Wilkado Construction Company Limited to ensure the project was completed as scheduled to the specifications as spelt out in the contract document.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Anama Dotse Set to Challenge for ABU Lightweight Title

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Volta Online

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October 11, 2018

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By: Eric Eli Adzie | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Ghanaian Boxer Anama Dotse known as Polo Pala (17-1, 15KOs) is set to challenge Nigerian boxer Oto ‘Joe Boy’ Joseph on Sunday, October 14 for the African Boxing Union (ABU) Lightweight title.

The ABU champion Oto Joseph (15-0, 4KOs) defended the African title when he beat fellow Ghanaian Nathaniel Nukpe in Nigeria on July 29.

The encounter will be one of the headline bouts at the GOtv Boxing Night 16 at the Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun stadium in Surulere, Lagos Nigeria.

Dotse the knockout specialist will challenge undefeated Nigerian boxer Oto Joseph for his Africa ABU Lightweight title in a ten-round contest.

A confident Dotse said he knows a lot about his opponent and very confident of knocking him down.

“This is my first title bout so am training very hard for this bout, I know Oto is a very good boxer but I am going to knock him down.”

“Moreover he’s fighting in his home country so I have to judge him first before the judges do so, this bout means a lot to me,” he added.

Meanwhile, Oto Joseph also vowed to batter the face of his Ghanaian challenger when they clash.

“I am in the best shape possible. This is a bad omen for Dotse, who should know that Nigeria is superior to Ghana in every way. I will prove that superiority by battering his face. His face is smooth because he has been meeting soft opponents. That will end at GOtv Boxing Night 16.”

There will also be West African Boxing Union Lightweight title clash between Ridwan ‘Scorpion’ Oyekola of Nigeria and Ghana’s Benjamin Lamptey.

Also scheduled is the National Light Heavyweight title bout between Kabiru Towolawi and Adewale Masebinu.

In the Featherweight class, Waidi Usman will have a rematch with Chibuzor Obi.

Anama Dotse hails from Ho, the Volta regional capital.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Some 182 Women Screened for Cervical Cancer in Hohoe

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Volta Online

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October 10, 2018

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By: Kris Delali Asare | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A 2-day cervical cancer screening exercise in Hohoe saw about 182 women participate in the exercise.

Ninety seven women were successfully screened on Monday with 87 on the register as at 4:27pm on Tuesday when Voltaonlinegh.com paid a visit to the municipal assembly, venue for the screening.

Speaking in an interview, Mrs. Cynthia Badasu, the nurse in charge said turnout had met her expectation as she was hopeful the target to screen 500 women will be achieved at the end of the exercise.

She revealed that 3 serious cases needed immediate attention while others had been scheduled for another screening.

Mrs. Badasu said there was a cause for alarm since “the virus which causes the infection is prevalent and moreover, this type of infection is difficult to detect at the early.”

A number of successfully screened women expressed how important the exercise meant to them because it would pave way for the detection of other viral diseases in their private parts if any.

Mrs. Badasu affirmed the team’s presence at Alavanyo for the same screening exercise on Wednesday to be followed by Fodome on Thursday and then to Likpe on Friday.

She advised sexually active women to consider the screening a priority and urged interested women who could not go through the screening during the weekdays to visit Hohoe campus of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) on Saturday, October 13, 2018 for the last section of the exercise.

The screening comes at a cost of GH₵20 per woman.

Signs and symptoms of a more-advanced cervical cancer include, Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause, watery or bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor, Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse. Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Secessionist Group Warns Govt to Stay off Minerals in Volta Land

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Volta Online

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October 10, 2018

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By Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A secessionist group, Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF) has warned government and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to halt the proposed oil exploration activities in the Nkwanta North District of the Volta Region.

The group in a release signed by it convener, George Nyakpo said Nkwanta North in the Volta Region falls in the boundaries of Western Togoland and cautioned government to stay away from exploring for oil there.

The group’s release was in response to Voltaonlinegh.com’s story on October 4 about the proposed oil exploration activities in the district. The District Chief Executive for the area, Jakayi Jackson during a town hall meeting at Sibi informed residents of the presence of the GNPC officials and solicited their prayers for successful activities.

READ ALSO: GNPC Begins Oil Exploration in Nkwanta North

The HSGF was of the view that per the 1956 plebiscite which unionised Trans-Volta Togoland (now a region) to the Gold Coast, now Ghana, Government of Ghana cannot touch the mineral resources or its boundaries without citizens of the land sanctioning it.

“The area in question is a Mandated Territory by the Leagues of Nations /UN, under the Trusteeship Agreement pending the full realisation of the independence of the Western Togoland. Those resources are what will be used to take care of our citizens and Ghana cannot lay her hands on it.”

“We hereby, wish to inform and caution the government of Ghana, GNPC and any entity to as a matter of urgency put a stop to any other activities leading to the said exercise and any other exercise which we have not sanctioned,” the release noted.

The release added that the proposed creation of the Oti Region out of Volta “is highly aggressive because it is a clear land grab behaviour since the area is part of the Togoland under British administration originally recognised in 1922 as Western Togoland when the obnoxious division of mother Torgo was done by an invading Franco-British Army in a war in which the land and its people had no hand at all.”

In a recent interview, Nana Mprah Besemuna III, Paramount Chief of Krachi and also Chairman of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of Oti Movement, a group advocating for the creation of the proposed region warned the Ewes in the southern and middle parts of the region from laying claim on the northern part saying, “we don’t know the Ewes until 1950s when the Germans brought us together and we had brought clearly defined boundaries that we only joined the Ewes, we were not under them.”

The Homeland Study Group Foundation was formed by secessionists to unite all the supporters of Togoland. The movement made waves last year when police arrested some of its leaders on March 7, in Ho for agitating for the restoration of so called Western Togoland as a state and a declaration of independence on March 9.

The group has since been campaigning for the Volta Region in the southeast and parts of Eastern, Northern and Upper East regions of Ghana to join the new state.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

CAF Cancels Black Stars Nations Cup Qualifier against Sierra Leone

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Volta Online

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October 10, 2018

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By: Eric Eli Adzie | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Sierra Leone’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Ghana in Kumasi will not go ahead on Thursday after the country’s football Association failed to get a FIFA suspension lifted.

Sierra Leone authorities petitioned FIFA to get the ban lifted after they reiterated their interventions in footballing activities wasn’t against the FIFA rules thereby not meeting a Tuesday ultimatum to reinstate ousted football Association president Isha Johansen.

“Our appeal has been rejected,” Sierra Leone Football Association President Brima Mazzola Kamara, who replaced Johansen, told Reuters.

“It is not what we were hoping for, especially since this now means the CAF match won’t be happening.

“FIFA told us that Isha’s reinstatement was a prerequisite for our suspension being lifted, and when we told them she had not returned to work, they denied us.”

Mazzola Kamara said that the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission will not shove on their pronouncement to oust Johansen and the Association’s General Secretary Christopher Kamara over the several allegations of match-fixing leveled against them involving the national team.

The country’s Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Francis Kaifala, has criticized FIFA saying their suspension of the country is an attack on the sovereignty of Sierra Leone.

“Corruption is the biggest emergency Sierra Leone faces right now, and these actions from FIFA are nothing less than a violation of our national sovereignty,” Kaifala said.

“They may have their rules but we also have our own and will not be bullied around. We will play the game in our hearts even if they block us from playing with them.”

Johansen and Christopher Kamara however, denied any wrongdoing.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) released a statement on its official twitter handle confirming the cancellation of their pending AFCON qualifiers against Ghana.

Sierra Leone has three points from their opening two Nations Cup qualifiers.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

National Best Teacher Returns Home to a Standing Ovation

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Volta Online

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October 9, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Mr. Nicholas Mawunya Gborse, who won the Ghana Teacher Prize after being adjudged the Most Outstanding Teacher for 2018, has been greeted with a standing ovation when he visited his former school, Keta Business College (KETABUSCO) for its maiden Speech and Prize Giving Day (SPGD) under the transformational agenda of the school.

The old student of KETABUSCO (Coronat) on Saturday received a rousing welcome when he showed up for the event after winning the national award the previous day.

Mr Gborse in a handshake with VR Educ Dir, Mad Amafugah while former headmaster, Mr Dzogbeta (in a hat) KEBSOSA Prez, Dr Anani and current Headmaster, Mr Seake-Kwawu (left) look on

The SPGD which saw prizes awarded to deserving students as well as to best performing teachers was themed, “Indiscipline, the Bane of Academic Excellence”.

The event was as a result of a decision taken by the leadership of KETABUSCO Old Students Association (KEBSOSA) to propel academic excellence to help realise the bigger agenda of transforming the school from its current Grade B to Grade A in 5 years.

Coronat Nicholas Gborse who is a teacher at Bishop Herman College (BIHECO) was presented with the award on Friday during a durbar to mark National Teachers’ Day which coincided with World Teachers’ Day on the theme, “The Right to Education Means the Right to a Qualified Teacher”.

For the prize, he received a 3-bedroom house valued at GH¢180,000, a laptop, educational materials and life insurance worth GH¢500,000 from headline sponsors of the awards, SIC Life Insurance.

Vice President Dr Bawumia presenting the award to Mr Gborse

Mr. Gborse in a speech, spoke of his educational background which began from a deprived community, Tregui in the Keta Municipality and how with determination, he had emerged the winner of the Ghana Teacher Prize.

Speaking in an interview with Voltaonlinegh.com, Mr. Gborse was grateful to God for His mercies which saw him through the rigorous criteria, reforms and processes that characterised the 2018 Awards which was the rebranded and upgraded version of the hitherto Best Teacher Awards to emerge the ultimate winner.

He expressed gratitude to the Volta Regional Education Directorate, KETABUSCO and his 2000 year batch (EWOEM), Management and Staff of BIHECO and people of Adaklu for their prayers and support that won him the Award.

The Ghana Teacher Prize Award winner called on all teachers regardless of their location, to continue with whatever good service they are rendering to the nation because God will surely identify them for recognition.

“I am not oblivious of the fact that many of them out there are doing their best for Mother Ghana but perhaps are yet to be recognised. Maybe because of where they are or it is not yet their time. I want to believe that God has an appointed time for everybody. Today could be my time but tomorrow would be their time.”

He charged teachers to do more, saying, “besides the teaching and learning in classroom context, I’ll continue to admonish my colleagues to take a special interest in the formation of the students or the pupils entrusted into their care. For me, that’s even paramount than the As and Bs that they get in the grades because after all the A1s and B2s, it’s about how they live their lives and the kind of life they live is not depended on the grades.”

He also advised teachers to take personal development serious, attend relevant workshops, diversify, be current and global citizens who are exposed and know about happenings around them.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

TTAG Directs Teacher Trainees to Halt Payment of Exorbitant Fees, Says Discussions Are Ongoing

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Volta Online

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October 9, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) has directed its members nationwide to put on hold payment of fees the Association deemed exorbitant pending parliament’s scrutiny and approval.

The Association called on all teacher trainees to remain calm and resolute while it continued with discussions to resolve the matter of the bills.

“The executives of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) in an opportunistic meeting with the Minister of Education on Monday, 1st October, 2018 discussed the exorbitant fees and it is worthy to note that, the Minister of Education stated emphatically that Parliament has not approved any bill for Colleges of Education for the coming academic year.”

TTAG in a release jointly signed by the President, General Secretary, and Public Relations Manager, expressed outrage at the exorbitant bills being handed out to its members for the start of the 2018/2019 academic year.

The Association claimed the fees released by the Conference of Principals of the Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) for the first semester of the academic year was way too higher and attempts to discuss the fees with PRINCOF failed.

“The leadership of the TTAG upon critical analysis, consultations and concerns received from teacher trainees realised the exorbitance of the bills. Surprisingly, in the absence of feeding fee on the bills which will be taken from each teacher trainee’s allowance, the bills are even higher as compared to previous bills which included the feeding fee. All attempts to reach PRINCOF to discuss the exorbitant fees charged have proven futile.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of TTAG appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) not to deny newly trained teachers posting based on licensure examination results asking that the maiden examination “should be used as a formality to license all individuals who sat for the examination due to numerous challenges coupled with the implementation of the policy before, during and after the examination.”

The Association also commended government for its assurance to continue the payment of the teacher trainees’ allowances and asked that measures are put in place to effectively disburse allowances for the 2018/2019 academic year.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com