[Article] A letter to National Service Personnel

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September 28, 2018

By: Shallom Lumor | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Dear National Service Personnel,

By now some of you have started reporting whiles others are still preparing. Most of you have been posted to places where you have never been before.

As usual the connected ones are in Accra and the cities. Their parents may be politicians or virtually connected. Such is Life. Some people will always be privileged whiles others will always be less privileged. Even Jesus said, “the poor will always be amongst you.”

I have some messages for you.

First of all, the chances of you getting absorbed at your various service posts are very slim, I repeat very slim. Your bosses shouldn’t deceive you, to the ladies, you will be threatened to offer sex for jobs.

Some of your bosses will promise you heaven on earth. He or she will show you all the care and love in the world. In fact, some of you will become queens and kings whiles others will become slaves and maids to their bosses. Whichever category you find yourselves, please, securing a job from those your bosses is only 1% true.

With this politically crazy Ghana, no CEO is safe, no director is safe and no manager is secured. Directors, CEOs, non-executive directors are losing their jobs daily in Ghana.

Even if they don’t lose it, changes in government will affect them.

So do not be deceived, just work hard, but don’t be 101% sure that you will get a job after one year.

The most important part of my letter is that you must start putting your business ideas together, try to register your own businesses and start putting things in place of becoming your own boss so that immediately you complete your service you would have gotten something to do with your life.

Save at least 20% of your monthly allowances towards starting your business. Start reading books on how to be your own boss.

Secondly, some of you service personnel will be using 50% of your allowances on dresses, shoes, make ups, ties, and anything that makes you looks good. It’s good to look good, but please beware that it will last just for a year.

You will be taking ‘selfies’ with your new looks and be updating us on social media but after a year you will weep when you see that others have gotten a better job and are still updating us, whiles you wallow in your joblessness.

Please keep it cool at this time. Things don’t always go according to our expectations.

After a year, you may wear those dresses for years in order to look for a secured Job. THINK, SAVE AND INVEST.

However, I heard a company is offering you guys electrical appliances. Oh yes! It’s very good to furnish your rooms. But who takes loan to buy home appliances?

You alone, do you need the microwave oven, cooking stove, flat screen TV, blender, iron?

National Service is not a life starter; you even want to start on negative?

THINK, SAVE AND INVEST.

You must know that, you may purchase all those appliances and after service if things don’t work as you expected, you will sell them all, just to have something to eat.

For some of you, after the service, you may not even have places in your various homes to send them to. THINK, SAVE AND INVEST.

Some of you will spend your whole service period buying roasted plantain popularly called ‘kofi brokeman’, hausa koko and waakye for others. Please fight to be sent to departments where you can learn and have some experiences.

You are not the first offering your National Service in that organization and you won’t be the last. You will endure all the undocumented messenger work and at the end of the service no one will appraise you for being a messenger who buys waakye monthly.

Let me tell you a secret, it’s likely the work you do more will be what you will be employed for. Please I will like to know whether you will be employed to be buying ‘kofi brokeman’?

No! So better focus on being productive than humble, serviceable and respectful. These are the words they will be using on you for buying food for them.

I am not saying you shouldn’t serve them, please do, but know that the ultimate aim for you there is to serve your nation and learn through practices which must give you the necessary experiences for a future job.

Lastly, this is not the time to start taking some family responsibilities. It will last only for a year. What will you do after a year? THINK, SAVE AND INVEST.

But then again, use your time wisely in your various offices to learn more, open your eyes, read every document that comes your way.

Be smart and be productive. Contribute your quota significantly to the growth of your organization. You won’t regret it. THINK, SAVE AND INVEST.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Eastern Konnect Organises Maiden Games

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Volta Online

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September 28, 2018

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By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Old Students Associations (OSAs) of senior high schools (SHSs) in the Eastern Region, having come together to form a common front with the name, ‘Eastern Konnect’ will be having their maiden edition of games on Saturday, September 29, 2018.

The sporting activities cum socialisation with the motto “Konnecting to Build a United Front” come off at the Athletics Oval of the University of Ghana, Legon in the Greater Accra Region. There will be games like lime & spoon, sack race, tug of war, and playing cards. The OSAs will battle in other games like ludu, 100m & 50m and off course, soccer for bragging rights.

The one day event which is seen as a way of unifying all the schools to achieving the target of enhancing the educational level of Eastern Region schools plus networking, will have 12 old students associations participating.

President of Eastern Konnect, Scofray Nana Yaw Yeboah outlined the objectives of the group ‘Eastern Konnect’.

“Our focus is to bring Eastern Region schools’ associations together and you know there is power in unity. We also want to create a platform that we can network among ourselves for businesses and any other aspects to promote certain level of quality of education in the educational sector. It is very important that we project our Eastern Regional schools to a level so that no school is deemed small; we put structures in place to make every school formidable.”

“In other words, to ensure every school achieves academic and extra curricula excellence,” he added.

The day is expected to be full of fun with spiced with various jama songs as the school with the loudest jama will be acknowledged.

Nana Yaw Yeboah, who doubles as the President of Mmarima Mma (Koforidua Sec Tech OSA) has appealed to corporate bodies to come on board to and help in achieving this.

The packed day with health screening is expecting to see ROSA, KOGA, AOGA, ABENFO, POJOBA, MMARIMA MMA, PERSCOBA, BEACONS, ANSECANS, ADEHYE, ABUSCO and ODA as the games begin at 7am.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Volta Table Tennis Maintains League Target despite Losing Week 3 Ties

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Volta Online

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September 26, 2018

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By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey | voltaonlinegh.com |

Head Coach of Vilcabamba Table Tennis Club (VTTC), Denu, David Senyo Ahiaba has said their target of finishing in the top three at the end of the ongoing National Table Tennis League is still achievable.

VTTC, the only team representing Volta in the league lost in both female and male categories in week 3 game which was played on Saturday, September 22 at the Accra Sports Stadium Hall.

The female team, having won 1 out of 3 matches were beaten 3-0 by Immigration while the male team with 2 wins out of 6 matches lost 3-0 each to Fire and Army.

“The chances of the male team to make it into the top three, is becoming slim but there is still hope. The ladies however, have greater chances of making it into the top three despite their loss because they lost to Ghana’s current first two ranked team,” the coach said.

Matilda Fodu suffered a 3 straight sets defeat 6-11, 5-11, 6-11 to Immigration’s Cynthia Kwabi in the first single before Millicent Ankude battled Hilda Asare and also lost 5-11, 7-11, 8-11. Millicent stepped up again but this time with Malwine Akator to pull one back in a fierce doubles contest against Hilda and Abigail Tetteh but eventually lost 4-11, 8-11, 10-12.

In the male category, Elliot Quarcoo defeated Sellasie Setorwofia in 3 straight sets, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 in the first singles after which Desmond Addy beat David Senyo 3-1 (11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9) to make it 2-0 for Fire. The doubles then saw Emmanuel and Addy beat Volta’s Senyo and Bright Dzotsiafe 3-1, with Volta winning the first game; 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9).

In the match against Army, Samuel saw off Bright Dzotsiafe in a 3 straight sets, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9, while Boateng defeated David Senyo in another 3 straight sets, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6. Boateng and Trebi had a 5 sets thriller against Senyo and Sellasie, which Army won 3-2 with an 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8 results.

David Senyo Ahiaba, who doubles as the Regional Head for the Volta Regional Table Tennis Association added that the team could do better with much support from philanthropists.

“VTTC will perform better if the team is given enough support and well resourced. Our doors are still open for sponsorship from corporate bodies and philanthropists. I want to also thank everyone for their prayers and thoughts.”

The weekly National Table Tennis League which is yet to have title sponsors, continues next Saturday at 9am at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

NDC Poised to Engage Media more Insightfully

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Volta Online

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September 25, 2018

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By: Sepenyo Dzokoto | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region on Sunday hinted it was poised to engage the media in more insightful ways as it rebrands the party towards the 2020 general elections.

Mr. Daniel Agboka-Dzegede, Regional Treasurer gave the hint during a business dinner he hosted for some members of the Volta Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at his home in Ho.

He said going forward, the media-NDC interplay in the region should be more businesslike.

Mr. Agboka-Dzegede said the Party is now oriented to building fluid media links, based on the proficien of the sides.

He conceded that the Party had not been proactive with its dealings with the media which probably affected the flow of information between it (NDC) and the people.

Mr. Emmanuel Akoto, a Micro-Business Consultant who is the Administrator of the Regional Office of the NDC, wanted journalists to demonstrate professionalism and candour in their dealings with people.

Mr. Kafui Kanyi, Chairman of GJA Volta Chapter said journalists in the region were upbeat about the overtures of the NDC, counselling political parties to package their messages well.

Other points raised by members of the GJA Volta Chapter present, included political parties being scientific in planning their messages, as their targets were in different segments of society.

Togbe Misrowoda, a journalist observed that the media organs were market places of ideas for every other political party, and so journalists should not be resented for actively building networks through, across and within all political parties.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

PCG Pastor Reminds Christians of Duty to Care for Health Physically

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Volta Online

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September 23, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The District Pastor of Anum Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rev. Gershon Ofoe Agbi has reminded Christians of the duty to care for their health in the physical just as they do they in the spiritual so that they to live long to proclaim God’s word and fulfill His assignment on earth.

Rev. Agbi said the only way to be in good health is through good exercise of the body coupled with regular medical checkups to identify ailments at the early stage for treatment.

The pastor who also supervises PCG, Peki-branch in South Dayi District of the Volta Region, said this in an interview at a health screening and blood donation exercise for members of Peki Avetile community.

The exercise was organised on Saturday by Peki branch of the church in collaboration with Centre for Physical and Emotional Support Foundation, a team from Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and the Peki District Hospital.

Community members who came out in their numbers were screened for ailments including high blood pressure, sugar level, malaria, diabetes, hepatitis B, and HIV. The exercise also saw some people donate blood to restock blood at the district hospital as well as counseling on stress management practices.

Chairman for the exercise, Mr. Nicholas Frimpong in explaining the reason for the event said, helping to provide bank for the district hospital and screening members of the church and community formed part of the church’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).

He added that the church wanted to use the exercise to minster to people so as to win souls for the church which had come to the community barely two years and for God’s kingdom.

Head of Avenui clan, Torgbui Amenu XIII thanked the leadership of Peki PCG for organising such an important exercise which he said was first of its kind to take place in the community.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Self Regulation Is the Way to Go-NMC Boss

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Volta Online

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September 22, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Nana Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) has proposed self regulation on the part of media houses to avoid flooding the homes of Ghanaians with indecent content when the country goes digital from 2019.

According to him, self regulation in terms of content in the media is necessary to protecting the cultural values, thus, projecting the Ghanaian identity.

Nana Gyan-Apenteng was reacting to suggestions at a public forum on constitutional and legal implications on digital migration from participants that the NMC institutes sanctions to enforce some form of compliance from content producers on our screens.

The NMC Boss said attempting to enforce compliance from content producers will result in media censorship and that the Commission cannot risk going back to the era of culture of silence that stifled the Ghanaian media before the country’s return to constitutional rule in 1992.

He said on the global freedom of expression index (freedom of the media), Ghana currently occupies the first spot in Africa and 23^rd in the world adding that it is good for the country’s growing democracy and everyone’s responsibility to “guard freedom of the media jealously.”

The forum which was organised on Friday by the Commission in collaboration with the Fredrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in the Volta regional capital, Ho, was attended by various stakeholders including media experts, officials from the NMC, National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), the security and traditional authorities.

Michael Abbey (middle) and Alexander Bannerman (left) with Nana at the forum

Deputy Executive Secretary to the NMC, Mr. Alexander Bannerman spoke on progress the Ghana government has made so far in the area of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) infrastructure in preparedness for the digital migration next year.

He explained that in digital migration, the various channels will be hyped onto a multiplexer to be managed by a Central Digital Transmission (CDT) Company to transmit the signals. He added that unlike the analog, the DTT comes with some advantages including sharp pictures, clear sounds, and more channels.

Resident Director, FES, Mr. Michael Abbey in his statement called for the need to entrust the platform into the right hands to avoid foreign intrusion into the Ghanaian media to the detriment of the citizenry.

The participants also charged the NMC which is the body the Constitution of Ghana enjoins to ensure the freedom and independence of the media, to rise up to the occasion and commission management of the CDT company to insulate the state-owned media from governmental control.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Ghanaians own MTN now-Sam Koranteng

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Volta Online

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September 21, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Mr. Samuel Koranteng has described as a success subscription to the company’s Initial Public Offer (IPO) which commenced on March 29 and closed on July 31 this year making the company the first in the country to have listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE).

The IPO was to allow the telecommunication company fulfill a regulatory obligation regarding the purchase of one of the 4G spectrum licenses in 2015 and to give Ghanaians and the general public the opportunity to own 35 per cent of its shares.

Mr. Koranteng in an interview on Thursday at an editors’ forum in the Volta regional capital, Ho, said MTN exceeded the expectation rate of IPOs and added that though the company is an international one, it is right to say it is owned by Ghanaians.

“Now, MTN is not just owned by a multinational. It’s owned in excess of 128,000 Ghanaians and in terms of our outlook, we’re now listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange so we have become an international company with firm roots.”

The MTN editors’ forum is an annual meeting of the telecommunication giants with editors in the ten regions of the country to talk about their yearly plans, successes, and challenges and to solicit feedback from them in a bid to bettering their services to customers.

Presentation of souvenirs to some participants

The Corporate Services Executive on the company’s social responsibility activities, mentioned that MTN is focused on education, health and economic empowerment with several of such projects being carried out across nationwide.

He said the company has recently introduced MTN Bright scholarship Award Project to give 300 brilliant but needy students the opportunity to go through tertiary education for 3 years with the first set of 100 beneficiaries already awarded.

The worth of the scholarship covers their tuition fees, accommodation, and a stipend of Gh₵500 per semester which caters for books and other learning materials.

The Zonal Manager for MTN Mobile Money (Momo), Mr. Eric Yeboah Asiamah in reacting to questions of upsurge in frauds against Momo subscribers, said customers must be alert of such fraudulent activities so as not to fall victims to the fraudsters.

He cautioned against believing social engineering tactics the fraudsters employ to rob people of their monies adding, if they are in doubt or suspect such activities, they should call MTN office for complaints and the necessary action. He disclosed the company had followed on such complaints and had been successful in prosecuting and punishing some of these culprits.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

North Dayi Police Command Gets New Station

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Volta Online

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September 21, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

The North Dayi District Assembly in the Volta Region has handed over an ultra modern apartment to the Police Command in the District for use.

The construction of the building formed part of government’s initiative to rebrand and make the Ghana Police Service more effective.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Kudjoh Attah, at a brief ceremony on Wednesday to hand over the building to the District Police Commander, commended the contractor, engineers of the assembly and the project consultants from AESL for their technical support and cooperation.

DCE, Kudjo Attah in an interaction at the event

The DCE who already started supplying furniture to the newly constructed police station assured the Command of providing adequate furniture and other logistics needed for effective policing.

Mr. Kudjoh Attah asked the Police to do their best to maintain the property adding that it will motivate the assembly to willingly support the Police with their logistics at all times.

He further advised the police command to maintain the facility such that it disabuses the minds of Ghanaians of the generally held perception that the police do not take proper care of properties belonging to the state.

The DCE admitted that there is the need for the Police to be given logistical support to be able deliver on its mandate in the wake of contemporary crimes.

The District Commander, DSP Hilarious Avornyo who received the keys to the edifice, promised that the Command will use the new station as expected and that his outfit will do its best to maintain the structure.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Food Scientist Advises Beekeepers to Control Vegetation around Beehives

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Volta Online

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September 20, 2018

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By: Ewoenam Kpodo | Voltaonlinegh.com |

A lecturer at the Department of Food Science and Technology, Ho Technical University (HTU), Dr. Emmanuel Letsyo has advised beekeepers to restrict the growth of pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA) containing plants around their beehives to avoid the potential risk of contaminating honey samples.

The PAs produced by plants as a defense mechanism against insect herbivores are natural toxins that can be damaging to the liver when consumed.

Dr. Letsyo whose area of research includes the determination of plant contaminant in foodstuffs and herbal products identified the four common PA plants in Ghana and called on beekeepers around the rain forest and middle belt zones of the country where they are mostly found to clear them away to avoid contamination.

“The PA plants are chromolaena odorata which is commonly known as ‘acheampong’, ageratum conyzoides, heliotropium indicum and crotalaria retusa. These are the most common plants in Ghana here and they contaminate honey sample so they should restrict these plants from growing around the beehives because when they have these plants around, they will have the bees collecting the pollen and nectar from these plants and using them in their honey production.”

He encouraged rather, the growth of medicinal plants around the beehives so that when the bees collect nectar from them, they transfer the medicinal properties into the honey to benefit the health of consumers.

Dr. Letsyo disclosed this on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 in an interview after his presentation on Plant Toxins in Honey: A Potential Health Risk at the ongoing 4^th National Food Hygiene, Safety and Sanitation Conference at HTU.

The 2-day conference themed: “Food Borne Illness and Sanitation in the Era of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); The Implication for a Healthy Workforce” had various speakers giving keynote speeches on the first day of the conference.

There were officials from the Volta Regional Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Gorden Akurugu and Elorm Yao Dordor who jointly spoke on Food Safety, Food Hygiene and Food Borne Illness. They decried dangers of food borne diseases in the country and elsewhere and reinforced the need for government, the food industry, the academia, and individuals to do more to ensure safety of food as a preventive measure.

Dr. Frederick Vuvor of University of Ghana, School of Biological Sciences in his presentation on Environmental Sanitation and Disease Control, entreated organisations and individuals to keep food and their environment clean to prevent food contamination and minimise the spread of diseases in the wake of outbreaks.

Mr. Sulemana from the Regional office of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) also had his turn to educate participants on the role of the Company in managing drinking water in ensuring public health.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com

Xornam Foundation Empowers Deprived Pupils with Learning Materials

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Volta Online

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September 19, 2018

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Xornam Foundation (5) — Volunteers from Xornam foundation with some of the Beneficiaries after the donation

By KALD|Voltaonlinegh.com|

A Ho-based Non-governmental Organization, Xornam Foundation has donated learning materials to some deprived pupils in three selected basic schools in the Volta region.

The items comprising exercise books, mathematical sets and pens were presented to the beneficiary pupils at the Dzelukope E.P Basic School in the Keta municipality, Hodzo L/A and Ziavi-Lume Junior High Schools, both in the Ho municipality.

In all, about 210 pupils benefited from the gesture in the three schools with each of them receiving five exercise books, two pens and a mathematical set to aid their learning activities for the 2018/19 academic year.

According to the NGO, the gesture formed part of its Education Drive project, aimed to empowering underprivileged children to stay in school regardless of their social circumstances.

Miss Praise Anani, proprietor of Xornam foundation who led a team of volunteers and members of the foundation on the charity mission to the schools on Monday, noted that “This initiative was to help these deprived rural children understand the need for education and as well support them with some necessary learning materials.”

“A lot of these rural children drop out of school because of lack of learning materials, so through this project, we were able to give each student 5 exercise books, two pens and one mathematical set,” she added.

Miss Anani who expressed the commitment of the foundation to ensure every child gets quality education, was also hopeful that the gesture would inspire and generate the interest of education in the children, “who are the future of our dear country.”

The team during a mentoring session encouraged the pupils to look beyond their present circumstances and aspire for greatness as well as focus on their studies and eschew any form of deviant behaviour which could jeopardise their future aspirations.

Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com