North Dayi Bans Students’ Loitering

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August 16, 2018

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

IRONY-Smartly Dressed Ghanaians Walking Dirty Streets

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Volta Online

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August 14, 2018

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Mr. Aaron Kofi Amedzo, Ho Municipal Director of Environmental Health, has lamented the contrasting situation of many Ghanaians, wanting to be seen cute while on the very streets and alleys they contribute to keep filthy.

He observed that, whereas the past two decades had witnessed a boom in personal hygiene awareness, good sanitation practices had worsened.

Mr. Amedzo was speaking to voltaonlinegh.com, a Ho-based news website, with a slant for news on, about and related to the Volta Region.

He said because of that boom, women especially, appeared on the squalid streets better manicured, with daintier hairdos, wafting with good scents.

The focus of the interview was on the state of the sanitation in the Ho Municipality, especially the Ho township, management of garbage and attitude of individuals to sanitation issues.

Drain in the premises of the municipal assembly

Mr. Amedzo said the situation in the Municipality was “not the best,” but better that other regional capitals.

He however conceded that the general situation of non-compliance by individuals to the logical ways of waste disposal, was assuming that of a “default situation”.

That anti-good sanitation practices malaise, appears to have caught almost everybody, despite repeated education through various media, Mr. Amedzo stated.

He said it was not uncommon to see people supposed to be enlightened, surprise you by their bad attitudes.

“How many don’t we see dropping litter from their cars, people you look up to,” a pained Mr. Amedzo stated.

He said the bad practices in the area include dumping refuse in drains at the blind side of authorities and dropping litter haphazardly.

Mr. Amedzo, only three months at post, would talk only about his tenure, during which there had been no prosecutions.

He said prosecutions should be the last resort, especially in a situation where there could be mass non-compliance in some communities.

Mr. Amedzo said currently going on was education of the citizenry after which the stick- warnings, spot fines and eventually prosecutions, would be applied.

On challenges, he said the number of Environmental Health Officers in the municipality grossly mismatched the population.

Mr. Amedzo said whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) standard required an officer for between 500 and 700 people, an Environmental Health Officer in the Ho Municipality handles around 6, 666.00 people.

He said staff who swept the markets were few, and in many cases, aged and weak for the arduous job.

He added that resources were also way below service demands, making officers fired up for the job unfulfilled.

Mr. Amedzo said whereas a surgeon was posted to a hospital with a theatre, an Environmental Health Officer could be posted to an area without a final rubbish dumping site.

The interview was necessitated by the growing concern among citizens of the municipality about the worsening sanitation conditions in the area, manifested by streets, alleys, backyards and drains strewn with garbage especially rubbers.

By: Sepenyo Dzokoto & Collins Anku/voltaonlinegh.com

NGO Fights Poverty through Adult Education

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Volta Online

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August 14, 2018

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Engage now Africa, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Ghana has graduated 81 persons who had undergone an 18-month literacy training at Adafienu and Dzodze Penyi in the Ketu South and North municipalities respectively of the Volta Region.

The separate graduation ceremonies which happened on Saturday, August 11 formed part of many activities of the NGO to educate over four thousand illiterates to ably manage their own businesses since its presence in the region in 2016.

Engage now Africa was founded in 2012 and has as its main objective to eradicate poverty through adult education.

According to the Volta Regional Director, Mr. Francis Wamah, Engage now Africa was giving out soft loans (with no interest) to help eradicate poverty but had to stop because many could not manage their businesses in order to pay back the loans for others to also benefit.

“We have decided to rather eradicate poverty by giving them adult education and as well as teach them skills such as soap, pomade, washing powder and batik tie dye production. We also teach them good record keeping habit, Maths and English for them to better manage their businesses.”

The Country Director, Mrs. Cecilia Amankwa urged the graduands to take reading as a habit and instill a reading habit in their children, saying, “all other earthly acquisitions will be left behind when we die but knowledge acquired through education will be taken with us to eternity and that’s why it is good to get educated.”

These graduands can now read and communicate in the English language and keep good business records and that will go a long way to eradicate poverty in the Volta region,” she noted.

Mr. Wilson Agbanyo, the Regional Director for Non-Formal Education commended the NGO for their tremendous work in the region and pleaded that they extend their services to all districts in the region.

The graduands took turns to demonstrate their reading skills and also exhibited their handicrafts at the graduation.

By: Christopher Pappoe/voltaonlinegh.com

Dzifa Attivor Outlines Vision for Volta NDC as She Launches Manifesto

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Volta Online

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August 13, 2018

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Aspiring Volta Regional Chairperson of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dzifa Aku Attivor has called for the support of delegates in the upcoming regional elections of the party in order to work towards NDC’s victory in 2020.

According to her, she decided to go for the chairmanship position in the Volta Region which is critical to NDC’s return to power because she has the clout to build the party.

“As we are all aware, Volta Region is the party’s world bank. It is therefore, necessary for the party to have the kind of leadership that can build a party with the capacity to stand the test of time.”

Madam Attivor said this while addressing supporters who thronged her manifesto launch on Monday, August 13, 2018 at the Ho main market.

She called on supporters of the party to help her unseat the incumbent Chairman Mr. John Gyapong in the elections slated for September 1, 2018 at Ho Technical University.

The former Minister for Transport said it is evident that the people of Ghana want NDC to come back to power in 2020 because the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has failed to deliver on its campaign promises to Ghanaians prior to coming into office.

“The NPP in opposition made promises to transform Ghana but all we see today in Ghana is one family that is destroying the solid foundation John Mahama and the NDC laid. Our cocoa farmers in Sefwi are crying for the return of the NDC. The fisherfolks in Teshie and Moree are extremely disappointed in the NPP.”

“Our Women in the Ho market, Dzemeni, Asafo and Aboabo market in Tamale are in that state. Our shallot farmers in Anloga, our tomato farmers in Ziope are ready to vote for the NDC in 2020,” she added.

Madam Attivor therefore, promised to unite the party, attract first-time voters into the NDC, give hope to branches, connect the party back to the cadres, get women to be part of the new NDC and build a strong partnership with the media in the region.

Dzifa Attivor in her 8-paged manifesto, outlined initiatives she intends taking before and after victory 2020 among which is eradicating the “greedy and selfish” tag on the party through carrying out activities in the constituencies especially on welfare, thus, rebuilding and rebranding a positive image for the party in the region.

In all, a total of 54 aspirants are running for the various regional executive positions of the party.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Tractor Operators Cautioned to Leave Unprepared Farmlands

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Volta Online

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August 11, 2018

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Director of Engineering Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr. A.K.B Deyang has advised tractor operators to “exit any unprepared land to save your time and energy”.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a five-day training workshop (from Monday, August 6 to Friday August 10) for tractor operators, farm managers and supervisors, Mr. Deyang intimated that “to make the work of tractor operators much easier, it’s the responsibility of the farmer to get the land well prepared by clearing and uprooting stumps.”

The workshop took all 53 participants (2 females and 51 males) through the theoretical aspect comprising introduction to parts of tractor and farm machinery, maintenance and safety precautions, types of plough/harrowing and techniques.

Participants including amateurs had the opportunity on the 3^rd-5^th days to have hand-on practical with the various farm machinery.

Participants undergoing hand-on practicals

Speaking to Fred Duhoe an Agriculture reporter, a first timer recounted her experience saying, “we most often think operation of tractors and some of these machines is a reserve for males and this is evident in the number of men participants, but I want to learn this and I am glad I came.

It’s been a very nice experience and I hope to put the skills acquired to good use,” the other female participant, Olivet Delasi Gleku said.

The Establishment of Agricultural Mechanization Training Centers (EAMTC) Project in Ghana is aimed at training operators to enhance their knowledge on the maintenance of their tractors so as to derive the most benefit out of the tractor’s useful life which according to the resource person, Mr. Alhassan is 8-10 years when all servicing and maintenance culture is adhered to.”

The two centers in Ghana were established in collaboration with the Japanese government through JiCA after it was identified that tractors break down more often than expected due to lack of knowledge on the part of tractor operators.

The Adidome and Wenchi centres in Volta and Brong Ahafo regions respectively, have since trained about 651 participants and still hope to increase the numbers to cover farmers in the near future.

The participants were awarded certificates of participation and encouraged to learn more at their own opportune time.

By: Fred Duhoe/voltaonlinegh.com

Kpassa Chief Appeals for Development

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Volta Online

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August 10, 2018

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Paramount Chief of Kpassa Traditional Area in the Nkwanta North District of the Volta Region, Ubor Konja Tassun VI has called on government, individuals, and other organizations to contribute develop the area.

According to him, it is nerve-wrecking to know that the district is deprived of basic amenities since its creation in 2008, paramount among them are health, education and road infrastructure.

He made the call when he engaged residents in a stakeholders’ forum to dialogue on the underdeveloped state of the district at Kpassa.

The Paramount Chief expressed worry on how residents walk long distances in their quest to access healthcare, lamenting how some residents, especially pregnant women, had lost their lives due to the absence of health facilities.

The Nkwanta North District is arguably one of the underdeveloped districts in the Volta Region.

He noted that the provision of hospital and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) office in the district will save the people from travelling for long distances to access healthcare.

Ubor Konja indicated that roads linking the district capital, Kpassa are all in bad states making farmers lose their farm produce after harvesting.

He observed that the lack of befitting assembly hall and office accommodation is seriously affecting administration of the district and called for support to develop the district.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Jackson Jackayi disclosed that one major road, Mama Akura road has been awarded and construction would soon commence.

He also hinted that an office accommodation has been provided to NHIS to provide their services in the district to save people from travelling to Nkwanta or Bimbila for services.

Meanwhile, some residents who spoke to voltaonlinegh.com expressed their displeasure on what they describe as neglect by successive governments and warned the current government to fulfill its promises to the district.

By: Obrempongba K. Owusu/voltaonlinegh.com

South Tongu Receives Investors for 1D1F

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Volta Online

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August 9, 2018

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The South Tongu District Assembly in the Volta Region has introduced an investing company from India which is into the cultivation of Banana to the chiefs and people of the area.

The purpose for the investors’ presence in the district is line with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s 1-District, 1-Factory (1D1F) project to help address the problem of unemployment across the country.

The District Chief Executive for the Area, Emmanuel Louis Agama said the district is blessed with rich arable land suitable for the cultivation of vegetables, cereals, sugarcane and rice.

Durbar of chiefs and people of South Tongu

He also said the presence of the Volta River provides an opportunity for irrigation farming and water sports and urged other investors to come into the district and invest.

According to Mr. Agama, the essence of inviting investors into the district is to create opportunities for residents especially the youth.

“The objective of bringing in the investors is to ensure food security and to provide job opportunities for the large army of unemployed people especially the youth in the district.”

Director of the Indian company, Radikal Industries, Siddharth Chaudhary said the company will work with over 2,500 locals in order to create jobs for the youth.

He therefore asked for the cooperation of the chiefs and people of South Tongu in making their stay among them a successful one.

By: Christopher Pappoe/voltaonlinegh.com