Ghana Loses Opening Game to Nigeria in Cricket Qualifier

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August 20, 2018

Ghana’s U-19 Cricket team has failed to pick the first 2 points in Group B, against West African neighbours, Nigeria at the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier Division 2 tournament in South Africa on Sunday, August 19, 2018.

Playing on Senwes Park 1 in Potchefstroom, Ghana won toss and opted to bat first. Nigeria went on to score a remarkable 291 runs, all out in 49.5 overs in the first innings. Ghana who had scary start could only manage 26 runs, all out in 14.4 overs, a score which had Nigeria to win by 265 runs.

However, Mills Yaotse took 3 wickets for 50 runs in 7.5 overs, while Richmond Baaleri also took 3 wickets for 52 runs in 10 overs.

In the other group game, Mozambique won by 245 runs after a 306-10 in 48.2 over and 61-10 in 16 overs results against Lesotho.

Group A had Rwanda beating Swaziland by 102 runs, while Tanzania defeated Botswana by 27 runs.

Ghana, in a group of 5 countries unlike Group A with 6, plays their next match against Lesotho on Monday at 9:30am (7:30am Ghana time) on Senwes Park main. The 50 Over tournament will see 2 top teams progress to semifinals, third place and finals as 3 countries are eligible to qualify to Div. 1.

The team with 12 debutants had individual support from President Emmanuel Asare, Board members, Vantaka Mahesh and Nani Vattikutti, Managing Director of Aluminum Products, Mr Ravi and Everest Cricket Club.

The Ghana Cricket Association (GCA) is still in talks with the Ministry of Youth and Sports awaiting government’s support. The GCA is however hopeful of a positive response as they’ve lacked government support for many years.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

Bagbin Promises to Transform NDC when Elected Leader

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Volta Online

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August 18, 2018

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Mr. Bagbin speaking to delegates — Bagbin speaking to delegates

Mr. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a leading contender for the 2020 flagbearership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pledged to transform the party to turn its fortunes around.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli/Kaleo Constituency blamed shortcomings in the NDC and its leadership for the party’s abysmal performance in the previous administration.

“The legacy we left was that of poverty, corruption, hardship and worst of all, one million vote deficit.”

Mr. Bagbin said this when he met with party executives from Akatsi North, Akatsi South, South Tongu, Central Tongu and North Tongu constituencies at Sogakope on Friday, August 17 as part of his tour of the Volta Region.

He promised to unite the party and bring back every neglected member especially, the Founder and former President Jerry John Rawlings, saying, “the NDC cannot win power without the founder.”

He also said MPs will have offices in the constituencies they represent so as to be in touch with the constituents.

“Under my leadership every MP will have an office in his constituency and have people who will go round to gather information for him and this will make the MP know what pertains on the ground to be in the position to address them.”

Mr. Bagbin said he planned of making some proposals for some articles in the party constitution to be amended to allow for the party’s national chairman to be considered the leader of the party when in government instead of the president who may be busy with national assignments.

He added, “same applies to regional ministers and district chief executives who become automatic leaders of the party when we are in government. The respective elected party chairmen for the regions and constituencies should lead the party in order to inform the appointees on happenings.”

The flagbearer hopeful said under his leadership, a provision will be made in the constitution to reward loyal and long serving party executives while building a strong partnership with the media especially the pro-NDC media, most of which he said “had collapsed under the previous government.”

By: Fred Duhoe/voltaonlinegh.com

Crate of Tomatoes Selling Cheaply in Agotime-Ziope

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Volta Online

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August 17, 2018

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Farmers at Ziope in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region are forced to sell their tomatoes cheaply to avoid letting the produce go waste on the farms.

A crate of tomatoes is selling for Gh₵30.00 or less which according to the farmers, is the only option left to them.

Though the farmers have been blessed with good harvest this tomato season, they are unable to make profit due to the absence of available market for the highly perishable produce at a good price from the farmers.

Ziope, a major vegetable, especially tomato producing area in the Volta Region has been described on many occasions as one of the “food baskets” of the country.

Though tomato is produced there in commercial quantities, the absence of a processing facility makes it difficult for farmers to make money from their farms, thus, discouraging the youth to take up farming.

Some farmers who spoke to voltaonlinegh.com expressed frustration at successive governments’ inability to support the district with a tomato factory to enable farmers enjoy their toil.

A farmer, Promise Gati wondered, “what is government waiting for? We have land available for free for government to build a factory for processing and canning tomatoes”

“The community is ready to provide land to any investor who is ready to establish tomato factory in the community. The community is producing over 5000 crates of tomatoes every day, these are the things the government of Ghana needs to focus on,” he added.

Philip Azameti, one of the elders in the community said efforts being made to have a lasting solution to the problem were yet to yield results.

Togbui Binah Lawluvi VI, Paramout Chief of Ziope and former Council of State member during the launch of 2017 Agbleza of his people, appealed for a processing factory for the tomato growing area under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s “One District One Factory” project to benefit farmers and encourage young ones to stay and not migrate to other places in search of jobs.

He had on several occasions expressed worry over the situation which he said was to blame for the young ones leaving the area every time and feared the town risked becoming a ghost town.

By: Fred Duhoe/voltaonlinegh.com

Under 19 Cricket Team Set for World Cup Div 2 Qualifier

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Volta Online

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August 17, 2018

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Ghana’s U-19 Cricket team leaves the shores of the country for the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier Division 2 tournament in South Africa on Friday, August 17.

The team, made up of 14 players and 2 officials are expected to depart from the Kotoka International Airport at 9am.

The African Qualifiers which will see 11 countries battle it out for 3 spots into division 1, will take place at Potchefstroom, South Africa from August 17 through to 29.

Countries that will compete for the promotion include Botswana, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique, Gambia, Swaziland, Zambia and Lesotho.

Ghana who takes on West African rivals Nigeria on Sunday, August 19 at the opening game of the 50 Over format at the Senwes Park 1, has 10 debutants who have been groomed well by the technical handlers for over a month and are ready to showcase their skills.

Ghana will play 3 other countries as they are paired in group B together with Mozambique, Lesotho and The Gambia. Top 2 teams in each group progresses to Semi Finals and then onwards to Finals or third place play off.

The squad who make the trip are Captain Joseph Oko Adotei, Richmond Baaleri, Bless Bakodie, Jerry Angel Gbafah, Enoch Frimpong, Eric Amoah and David Mario Pereira.

Others include Nurudeen Ibrahim, Paul Ayoleyine, Abraham Nii Quaye, Yahaya Abdul Mohammed, Obed Taylor and Mills Yaoste.

Team Manager, Henry Benjamin Ackom and Team Coach Francis Bakiweyem will lead the boys with the hope of making it to the next round.

The last attempt by Ghana to reach the Cricket World Cup failed at the last round of qualifiers which was played in Kenya in 2017.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

V/R NHIA Boss Warns against Wrongful Billing of Card Holders

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Volta Online

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August 16, 2018

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The Volta Regional Director of National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Joseph Homenya has described as worrying challenges bedeviling the Scheme in the region and called for the need to address these challenges for its successful implementation.

Mr. Homenya said National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card holders continue to pay unlawful charges when they attend hospitals.

He decried the situation where pregnant women are charged various sums of monies depending on consumables used despite government’s policy on free maternal care covered under the NHIS.

The Regional Director made the complaint during the 2018 NHIA mid-year review meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 in Ho.

Participants in a pose after the meeting

He expressed worry at the situation which he said was affecting public’s confidence in the Scheme established by an Act of Parliament in 2003 (Act 650) to secure financial risk protection against the cost of healthcare services for all in Ghana.

To him, “it is difficult to get a refund to clients for wrongful billing, and the reason often is that the software being used by the hospital makes it irreversible.”

Mr. Homenya said this issue coupled with frequent breakdown of registration equipment, intermittent shortage of registration consumables, and network/application downtimes are contributing to the low enrolment and premium mobilization in the region.

He mentioned that out of the annual target of 994,210 membership registration set for the 2018 year, the Scheme recorded an active membership enrollment of just 395,062 (representing 39.73 per cent) by the end of June and managed a premium mobilization of Gh₵1,729,705.90 (representing 36.32 per cent) of an annual target of Gh₵4,761,413.

He therefore warned service providers against wrongful billing saying, the Authority has been granted prosecutorial powers to deal with any person or group of persons who will attempt to defraud the Scheme.

Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa assured of government’s commitment to revive the Scheme to benefit the citizenry.

He said government is abreast with challenges facing the Scheme and has begun implementing policies to fix them.

The meeting which attracted district managers, accountants and district directors of health among others across all the 16 NHIS districts in the region also saw the presentation of awards to best performing districts in the region.

By: Collins Anku/voltaonlinegh.com

Rastafari Converge in Ho for 1st Volta Regional Conference

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Volta Online

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August 16, 2018

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The Rastafari National Outreach organized by the Rastafari National Council has organized the first Volta Regional Conference at the Center for National Culture in Ho.

The conference which took place on August 11, 2018 was aimed at bringing all Rastafari members or groups together in one circuit to facilitate easy dissemination of information and other relevant materials necessary for the upliftment of Rastafari in Ghana.

Present at the conference was the Rastafari National President, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey who is also the current Rastafari Continental Chairman been elected recently at a conference in South Africa.

In his address, Daddy Bosco spoke on the need for a unified front in all regions of Ghana to ensure an all-inclusive form of governance or leadership. He said with members fully registered and recognised, the council can uphold and implement necessary actions needed to erase the negative perception about Rastafari.

In addition to that, he advised members to remain committed to the rightful teachings of Rastafari which is a sure way to withstand any unwarranted attack on the Rastafari personality as a whole.

Bosco Ocansey was of the view that, a strong council from Ghana will go a long way to project Ghana as a formidable country in the African Continent in all dimension.

Members shared their views on the need for an educational policy which will not discriminate against Rastafari students, the ability to work in public sectors without any personal attack on their identity as Rastafari and the individual effort of members to help erase the unhealthy perception society has about Rastafari.

Empress Safi Najeh, the National Women’s Commissioner was present to ensure balance and support for Rastafari women in the region.

She described the number of women in Rastafari as worrying and hinted that her administration would ensure Rastafari women come out in their numbers to spread the good deeds of Rastafari.

The conference though called late, attracted members from Hohoe, Kpando and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, the 4th Rastafari National Conference is scheduled to take place in Kumasi, Ashanti Region on March 4, 2019.

By: Kris Delali Asare/voltaonlinegh.com

North Dayi Bans Students’ Loitering

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Volta Online

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August 16, 2018

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Loitering by students and other children of school going age will soon be banned in the North Dayi District of the Volta Region.

According to Edmund Attah Kudjoh, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, plans are in place to give the move a legal backing to ensure smooth enforcement.

He said “the assembly in consultation with the traditional authorities and other relevant stakeholders will pass a by-law to deter students from loitering around late in the evening in their respective communities.”

The law when passed will also ensure that all children and young people of school going age, particularly basic and senior high school, will not loiter during school hours.

The move, according to Mr. Attah Kudjoh, is to ensure that students spend quality time studying instead of loitering, adding “those who are also seen loitering about at night during funerals and other social events will also not be tolerated”.

He indicated “the impressive record of Vakpo Secondary School as one of the schools that excelled in the 2018 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations is a good improvement which needs to be sustained. I’m hopeful that the new by-law will ensure discipline and bring more academic gains to the district.”

Mr. Kudjoh who was speaking at the 2018 town hall meeting of the district held at Anfoega Adame under the auspices of the Ministry of Information also announced that more teachers will be recruited to fill the vacancies at the various schools in the area. Apart from that, pre-exam tests and classes have been initiated to enhance academic performance.

Projects and Programmes

He announced that apart from already completed and commissioned projects, about 22 projects were at various stages of completion in the area of education, health, water, sanitation, among others. He gave an assurance that the assembly was committed to completing and handing over the projects for use.

With regard to the ‘One District, One Factory’ programme, he said the assembly was receiving proposals from interested parties to construct a processing facility in addition to the existing pack house project which packages pineapples and mangoes.

Secondly, the assembly had secured a land for the commercial cultivation of cashew under the ‘Planting for Export and Rural Development’.

To facilitate all government’s projects and programmes, the assembly had also established offices of the National Commission for Civic Education, Non-Formal Education, Centre for National Culture, and the National Board of Small-Scale Industries in the district. Other offices that are about to be created are MASLOC, National Health Insurance and Youth Authority.

MPs Support

Member of Parliament for the area, Joycelyn Tetteh, commended the assembly for its work so far and pledged to support the assembly to ensure development comes to her constituents.

The occasion was also used to help persons with disabilities (PWDs) to improve their living conditions. About 70 PWDs benefitted from deep freezers, hairdressing kits, barbering kits, dressmaking kits, wheelchairs, crutches, tabletop provision shops, among others.

The meeting which was attended by chiefs, assembly members, departmental heads, PWDs, students and other stakeholders was highly commended by residents.

Source: dailyguideafrica.com

Krachi East Prays against Rainfall Days after Landslide

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Volta Online

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August 15, 2018

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Residents of Krachi East and its surrounding areas are on their knees in prayer against rainfall for fear that their troubles would worsen in the event of any rainfall.

The prayer has become necessary after the Asukawkaw Mountain was shot down unto the main road near Asukawkaw bridge on Worawora-Dambai Highway in the Krachi East Municipality of the Volta Region without any signs of help coming to the assembly to clear the road.

The landslide which occurred on Friday, August 10, 2018 has covered 2 out of the 3-lane road leaving drivers from opposite directions, a lane to maneuver their way to their destinations.

Landslide on Worawora-Dambai main road covering 2 of the 3-lane road

Municipal Chief Executive, (MCE) for the area, Patrick Charty Jilimah in an interview with voltaonlinegh.com said he had notified the relevant authorities including the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Michael Yaw Gyato, and Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) directors at Hohoe and Ho for support to clear the road for free passage of vehicles but the appeals had yielded no results barely a week after the incident.

According to him, there were no excavators or such machines in the assembly or neighbouring ones to clear the large mass of dirt and rock on the road saying, until help comes, “we’re praying that it should not rain because it will be more dangerous. The entire road will be blocked.”

Mr. Jilimah said as measures to avert disaster because the landslide happened in a sharp curve, the assembly had erected warning signs with police officers stationed at the scene to direct traffic.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jilimah said the MP had promised to contact the national highway office for solution to the problem and expressed hope that it was done with the urgency it deserved.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Ashaley Botwe ARS Celebrates Silver Jubilee, Calls for Kindness to the Poor

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Volta Online

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August 15, 2018

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Rev. Gabriel Nana Yao Yevu of Apostles Revelation Society (ARS), Ashaley Botwe branch has called on Christians to show kindness to the poor and needy in society.

He said showing kindness to the vulnerable as written in Proverbs 19: 17, “is lending to God which would not go unpaid.”

Rev. Yevu made the call at a service on Sunday, August 12, 2018 to climax the 25^th anniversary celebration of the church at Ashaley Botwe in the Greater Accra Region.

He explained that Christians must exhibit the love of Christ in them by helping in their small ways to bring people out of their predicament and cautioned those who rejoice over the downfall of others to desist.

Renowned Human Rights Lawyer, Francis-Xavier Sosu who was the special guest for the occasion, spoke on the theme, “Build and Be Built, Serve and Be Served” by admonishing members to commit both their resources and time to the service of God.

He said it was necessary for Christians desirous of reaping the grace of God to be willing to sacrifice for the kingdom of God, bearing in mind to love their neighbours and to do good to all manner of persons.

“The only way we are served as Christians is when we seem to serve others and when our lives become a source of sacrifice unto others.”

Mr. Sosu called on Christians to remain steadfast in their service to God and trust in Him to see them through even in the most difficult situations.

Mama Awotsu Adzagba II of Anyako who represented the member of Parliament for Ketu North, Mr. James Klutse Avedzi thanked God for the ARS church and wished the church to continue to grow to the glory of God.

She appealed to the church to pray for God’s protection over the life of Mr. Avedzi so he could properly serve his constituency.

Background

The Ashaley Botwe branch of the church was established in August 1993. Mr. Simon Modzaka Attipoe and Mr. Philip Gorni Attipoe were instrumental in its establishment.

It started as morning devotion team held at the home of Simon Attipoe and grew to a number that could not be accommodated, thus, the current location was acquired for the church.

The ARS Church founded by Prophet Charles Kwabla Nutornti Wovenu in 1939, is one of the biggest churches coming from the Volta Region. It has its headquarters in Tadzewu, Ketu North Municipality.

The church aside the Christian sacraments, is noted for its typical Ewe practices including outdooring of twins, widowhood rites, installation of Chiefs, among others.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

World Vision Equips Young Girls with Employable Skills

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Volta Online

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August 14, 2018

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World Vision Ghana, a humanitarian organisation has equipped over 200 vulnerable girls between the ages of 10-18 with employable skills to activate their hidden potentials during one-week vacation camp last week at Nkwanta.

Speaking after the programme, Mrs. Salomey Yeboah, Nkwanta North and Kadjebi Cluster Manager of World Vision, noted that the initiative was aimed at strengthening and empowering young females with skills necessary to thrive in a fast-skewed environment and further raised public awareness on the negative impact of child marriages.

She noted that the initiative has equipped the beneficiaries with team building, self-esteem, personal hygiene, reproductive health and as well, nurtured them spiritually to become reproductive and beneficial to society.

Mrs. Salomey Yeboah speaking at the programme

She seized the opportunity to advise the beneficiaries to continually practise the training skills they have acquired to improve their livelihood.

She also stated that World Vision is overwhelmed with the patronage adding that the outfit has seen value for the resources invested in the training.

Mrs. Yeboah is optimistic that the next vacation girls’ camp would see more increment in number to help vulnerable girls develop their hidden skills and called on parents not to force their female children into early marriage but rather give best support in their education.

The Municipal Director of Education in Nkwanta South, Dr. Stephen Kwame thanked the Organisation for the continued support in education activities in the municipality and advised young girls to take mathematics and science serious adding that these subjects are not reserved for boys only but girls can even do better provided they study hard.

He indicated that teachers who teach science and mathematics would be equipped with teaching and learning materials to make it easy for their understanding.

The beneficiaries who spoke in an interview with voltaonlinegh.com expressed gratitude to World Vision Ghana and assured that the skills training will help them improve their standard of living.

By: Obrempongba K. Owusu/voltaonlinegh.com