Agriculture Is the Way to Go-Youth Told

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August 6, 2018

A business incubation hub in the Volta Region, Ho Node Hub in partnership with Ho Municipal National Service Personnel Association (NASPA) has organised a day’s agribusiness dubbed “So you want to farm” to motivate young ones to venture into the agriculture sector.

The forum which came off on Friday, August 3 created an inclusive platform for young people to engage directly with experts, practitioners, Agriculture financers and peers on everything they needed to know before taking the plunge in the area of farming.

The various speakers at the forum were of the conviction that agriculture is the way to go as it provides a great opportunity to create several jobs to absorb the increasing unemployed youth and thousands who complete National Service every year.

Alfred Adjabeng, Founder of School Farms urged young ones to go into farming saying, there is huge market for vegetables and crops that are locally consumed and when people venture into those areas, they are sure to make enough fortune especially when the produces are well packaged for the market.

Dr. Kenneth Nyalemegbe, Ag. President of EP University, Ho took participants through the rudiments of farming. He talked about considering the agro-ecological zone, choice of crop, irrigation among others.

He cautioned young farmers to do cost benefit analysis to know which crops have low input and give high output and avoid prestigious crops in order to be successful.

Daniel Ofosu Henaku, CEO of Natures Valley Farms appealed to people wishing to get into agriculture to take it as serious business.

He said land should be acquired through the right means and from the right people to avoid problems in future and emphasised on the need for irrigation to guard against drought.

Mr. Joseph Abanga, of Department of Food and Agriculture, Adaklu District enumerated interventions of government to support the agriculture sector in the country and called on all to get into agriculture.

On financing agriculture, Alphonse Somi of Access Bank, Ho advised young farmers and those desirous of getting into agriculture to practice vertical agriculture, thus, going beyond traditional agriculture and keeping records.

According to him, these are the only ways banks will have confidence in them to loan depositors’ monies to them considering the high-risk nature of the sector.

A young and successful farmer, Justice Bukoye shared his experiences with the participants and underscored the need to get into agriculture.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Legonite, Can’t Youth, Win Slowe Handball Championship

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Volta Online

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August 5, 2018

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It was mixed feeling for host Cantonment (Can’t) Youth Handball club as Legonite Handball Club left it late to grab the men category ultimate trophy and cash prize in a tight final in the U-20 Slowe Handball Championship after Can’t Youth women beat Reniijoe earlier at the Prisons Sports Complex in Accra.

The maiden edition of the Civilian Handball Championship which was in honor of the late Karen Slowe, organised by the Handball Association of Ghana (HAG) in Collaboration with Cantonment Youth Handball Club saw a huge number of fans across the capital city.

The just-ended U-20 Slowe Handball Championship

Reniijoe Women reached the final after topping Group B with 6 points and going pass Hostac, Group A runners up 12-10 in a tight match. They however, failed against Cantonment Youth, who also topped Group A with just 3 points and dispatched Group B runners up, El-Wak Wings 18-6. Cantonment Youth Women grew wild as the 15 each half game progressed, with the fans growing wilder to beat Reniijoe 15-10.

Cantonment Youth Men, who started their final with the motivation of their female counterpart’s victory, needed composure to battle a Legonite side, who had won all matches to reach the final. Can’t Youth in their build-up to the final lost one group game against El-Wak Wings but managed to beat Hostac 14-13 in the second semifinal; a score line the eventual winners, Legonite also recorded against El-Wak Wings in the first semi-final match.

The men final showed an end to end stuff, as Legonite drew first blood from kick off but trailed 7-9 to Can’t Youth at First quarter. With 2 minutes left to play and the scores standing at 17 apiece, Darkey stepped up to take a 7 metre for Legonite. He missed but got the rebound and won the day for his team.

Head Coach of Legonite, Abdul Rhaman Iddrisu in an interview with TalksenseSports said discipline won it for them.

“Discipline, hard work and the hunger to win is what did it for us. These are young student players we have groomed and they didn’t rest until now. We are determined to win and not surprised at this feat. The dedication they have will take them to places.”

Meanwhile, Assistant Coach for Cantonment Youth, Seth Arthur who partly blamed the referees for their defeat admitted their opponents possessed more strength.

The 3-day event (from Thursday, August 2 to Saturday, August 4) which was attended by dignitaries including President of the Veteran Handball Association, Patrick Norvor, Nana Nankatta of the GOC, Members of HAG as well as the Deputy Director General of National Sports Authority, Saka Acquaye, saw 10 male clubs and 7 female clubs; 2 groups of each category and 35 matches.

In his closing remarks, husband of the late Karen Slowe, Peter Slowe who was the Guest of Honor expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders for making the championship a success. He said with the kind of competition he saw; the future of Ghana handball is great.

In the individual awards, Cynthia Okine of Reniijoe was adjudged the Best Female Goalkeeper while Cantonment Youth, Kate Mensah won the Best Player Award. Legonite’s Joshua Agamah walked away as the Best Goalkeeper with the Best player Award going to Emmanuel Asare of Cantonment Youth.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

Nkwanta South Rejects Presiding Member the Second Time

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Volta Online

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August 4, 2018

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Residents of Nkwanta South Municipality in the Volta Region have expressed worry about the failure of assembly members to elect presiding member for the second time.

They described their current leaders as people who are not seeking the interest of the municipality, adding that the situation is hindering development in the area.

According to them, failure to choose presiding member for the second time is indirectly, an attempt to impede development in the municipality.

Nkwanta South was on Friday, August 3, unable to elect presiding member for the second time following the two aspirants’ inability to garner the required two-third votes needed to take up the position.

Out of 43 total votes cast, David Nabore, Assemblyman for Tutukpene West Electoral Area polled 21 votes while Issac Sewurah, Assemblyman for Breweniasi Electoral Area garnered 20 votes with 2 votes rejected.

Some assembly members who spoke with Obrempongba K. Owusu decried the situation. To them, it has the tendency to hinder development in the municipality.

Assemblyman for Tutukpene East, Denis Addae Jnr. advised colleague assembly members to forge ahead in unity to bring development to their electoral areas.

By: Obrempongba K. Owusu/voltaonlinegh.com

Karen Slowe Open Championship Begins in Style

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Volta Online

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August 3, 2018

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The Handball Association of Ghana collaborative Open Championship with Cantonment Youth Handball Club in memory of Madam Karen Slowe has begun with much enthusiasm, pace and style at the Prisons Handball Court in Accra.

The 3-day U-20 Championship from Thursday, August 2 to Saturday, August 4 saw 4 matches on day 1. Exclusive to civilian clubs only, 10 male clubs and 8 female clubs registered to battle for the ultimate price and trophy at stake.

Cantonment Youth men started on a good note, beating Ashaiman Handball Club 21-11. Their women however, couldn’t repeat the feat achieved by the men as they were held to a 13-all game against Hostac.

Asomdwe men were next up against Kasland in a match they dominated from start to finish, winning by 24-7. El-Wak Wings women couldn’t continue with their fine form and resilience in the first quarter of the last match against Renijoe. A wonderful comeback by the latter won the day for them in the dying embers, 16-12.

The single round robin championship which has two groups for each category continues on Friday at 6am with Kasland Women coming up against Legonite. Legonite men will then play Lekma, while El-Wak wings lock horns with Winneba Unique Fingers. There will be 14 more matches to complete the day 2 fixtures.

Group A of the Women Clubs is made up of Cantonments Youth, Hostac, Ashaiman and Winneba Unique Fingers while group B has Renijoe, Legonite, El-Wak Wings and Kasland.

The men group A has Cantonment Youth, El-Wak Wings, Renijoe, Winneba and Ashaiman. In Group B, Asomdwe, Hostac, Legonite, Lekma and Kasland battles for the top two into the next round

Some 15 minutes will be played at the group stages and if all matches are cleared on time, the organizers might decide to increase the time as it progresses.

The late Madam Karen Slowe, whose husband, Peter Slowe is the Guest of Honor for the Championship, was a known handball player and enthusiast.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

Minister Lobbies PSGH to Hold AGM in Volta Every 3 Years

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Volta Online

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August 3, 2018

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Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa has suggested to Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) to hold its annual general meeting (AGM) in the region every 3 years.

The Minister said this on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at Ho Technical University while welcoming members of PSGH to the Volta Regional Capital, Ho for its ongoing 83^rd AGM and the first ever to be held in the region.

According to him, Ho Municipality has benefitted a great deal from the conference especially in respect to hotel accommodation, saying all the hotels in the municipality were full.

He spoke highly of the region and asked that residents are always ready to host them every 3 years.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who represented President Akufo-Addo as the Guest of Honour for the occasion, underscored the importance of pharmacists in healthcare delivery in the country.

He therefore called on the Society to ensure there are pharmacists in all pharmacies across the country at all times to better serve people who patronise pharmacies. He also asked that the council considers having pharmacists in wards of hospitals aside pharmacists to help provide quality healthcare to patients.

He disclosed government will do its part to introduce drone service this year to reach out to people in critical conditions to reduce number of death that result from untimely delivery of drugs and essential medicines.

Dr. Bawumia enumerated government interventions in the pharmaceutical sector such as exempting selected imported pharmaceutical products from Value Added Tax (VAT), exempting VAT on expanded list of raw materials for the local industry and extending additional funding to some local pharmaceutical companies to build new plants to meet international quality standards.

He assured of government’s plans to promote the country’s pharmaceutical industry within the sub-region, earmarking a zone for an industrial park and collaborating with relevant financial institutions to get funds for the local industry to be internationally competitive and produce at least 60 percent of medicines needed locally.

President of PSGH, Pharm. Benjamin K. Botwe commended President Akufo- Addo for appointing pharmacists to high places in his administration and removing VAT on selected imported products.

He expressed concern that pharmacists are under-utilised in Ghana and called on government to consider them partners because just as government plans of 1 District-1 Factory, PSGH also has a model pharmacy project, I District -1 Pharmacy.

Prof. Anthony Wutoh of Howard University who spoke on the theme, “Building Capacity to Lead Change in Healthcare” enumerated ways that pharmacists could build on their capacity to discover new ways in providing pharmaceutical services to the human race.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

PWDs in Afadzato South Receive Start-up Kits

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Volta Online

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August 2, 2018

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Over 90 persons with disability (PWDs) in Afadzato South District of the Volta Region have received start-up kits in line with government’s effort to provide jobs to PWDs to make them self-reliant.

Among the items distributed include: printing machines, deep freezers, baking ovens, sewing and knitting machines, fufu pounding machines and cash price ranging from 500.00 Ghana Cedis to 1,000.00 Ghana Cedis.

The distribution took place on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at the forecourt of the former Afadzato South District Assembly at Ve-Golokuati.

District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Lawyer Wisdom S. Seneadza in his address said some quality has been attached to this year’s event.

He assured beneficiaries of consistent government support to ensure PWDs are completely out of the streets and the negative perception about them changed.

The DCE said giving cash only to the PWDs as was done in the past, sometimes even made them poorer hence the resolve to purchase the items as a result of the accumulation of the increase in disability fund allocated to PWDs from 2.5 per cent 3 per cent in the district assemblies common fund (DACF).

Mr. Seneadza assured pending beneficiaries of a similar donation every quarter of the year while urging the beneficiaries to generate maximum income out of the items they had requested for.

He called on chiefs, elders, assembly members and people present not to consider the offer as a political matter but a matter of humanity adding, “we will not pretend anymore.”

President of the Ghana Federation of PWDs, Afadzato South District, Mr. Manfred Okrah was grateful to government for the increase.

According to him, the funds are usually spent from hand to mouth due to the extreme poverty of members.

He was however, optimistic that beneficiaries will make good use of their start-up kits to make burden on them and other family members, a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, similar distributions have already taken place in Akatsi South, Ketu South and Nkwanta North districts of the Volta region.

By:Kris Delali Asare/voltaonlinegh.com

Everest Cricket Club unveils new Jersey

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Volta Online

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August 2, 2018

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Everest Cricket Club has unveiled their new jersey for the next one year. The blue-black jersey has a touch of blue in front, with the logo of their title sponsors ‘Golden dragon Casino’ at the back.

The unveiling which came off on the morning of Saturday, July 28, 2018 at the Achimota Cricket Oval also saw a friendly match with Supreme Cricket Club.

After winning the toss, Supreme Cricket Club opted to bat first and scored 126-10 in 30 overs. Former player of Everest, Isaac Aboagye, who now plays for Supreme Cricket Club scored 25 runs, while Suki scored 22 runs. Vincent Ateak took 4 wickets whereas Girish Varadarajan took 2 wickets in the bowling figures.

Everest Cricket Club in the second innings scored 127-5 in 25 overs, thereby winning by 5 wickets. Halim Khan scored 35 runs and Shiryan scored 24 runs.

The short ceremony also saw players of the club signing annual contracts for the first time. This maiden contract system by Everest is a morale booster to the game in this part of the continent.

Everest Cricket Club which was founded in 2015 with mainly Indian players still have 6 Ghanaian players as Joseph Kwame Theodore has replaced exited national team captain, Isaac Aboagye.

The club, apart from its main title sponsors has strong support from ICK International, 9pm Vodka and a Cricket enthusiast, Mrs Sushma Chukapalli.

Everest Cricket Club were crowned winners of the recent Greater Accra Cricket League and champions of the 2017 DIWALI Cup. Apart from losing the 2016 Diwali Cup to BGC, the club have won all tournaments participated in, for the past 2 years.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

Thieves Empty Abandoned MTN ICT Centre at Adidome

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Volta Online

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August 1, 2018

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An abandoned information communication technology (ICT) centre at Adidome, capital of Central Tongu District in the Volta Region has been burgled by thieves.

The burglary was discovered when players of a local football club in town, Unity Stars went weeding around the premises of the centre as part of their activities keep the environment clean.

A visit to the facility on Tuesday, July 31 revealed that the back door to the facility had been forced open and left ajar after the thieves had stolen virtually everything including two ceiling fans from the facility leaving photocopier covered in dust, tables and chairs.

The $100,000 facility financed by MTN and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was built in 2012 and equipped with 20 new desktop computers, a photocopier and other peripherals, has been used for less than a year and left to deteriorate over management issues.

District Chief Executive of the area, Thomas Zonyra Moore last year, spoke of collaborating with stakeholders especially the chief, Torgbe Adzimah IV under whose care the facility was entrusted to find a lasting managerial solution to the facility.

Most schools at Adidome including Comboni R.C School (80 meters away from the centre) lack access to computers making the pupils virtually learning the ICT subject in abstract.

A Unity Star player, Charles Fiagbenu recounted, “when the weeding was getting closer to the building from the roadside, I saw a louver in the window broken and that caught my attention to look into the room and I realised the computers were not on the tables as they used to. I then went to the back of the building and realised the toilet door and the main computer hall doors have been opened and I drew the attention of my friends and they came to see it.”

“We have since lodged a formal complaint at the police station,” he added.

The DCE in an interview with Freelance Journalist, Fred Duhoe confirmed the incident saying, it was unfortunate.

“This shouldn’t have happened in the first place if the place was in use. The thieves took advantage of the neglect and went to break in which is very unfortunate.”

He however said “the director of the district assembly is yet to make formal complaint at the police station on behalf of the assembly since the assembly has a stake in the facility”.

Meanwhile, checks at Adidome Police Station revealed that the Police have received reports of the robbery and begun investigations.

By: Fred Duhoe/voltaonlinegh.com

Dambai Health Centre in Crisis

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Volta Online

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August 1, 2018

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The Dambai Health Centre, a major health facility in the Krachi East Municipality of the Volta Region is in crisis as it is battling inadequacy of beds and other health equipment.

The facility which has a total of just six beds-one in the delivery unit, and five others in the maternity ward, is unable to deliver high quality health care to the people of Dambai because it lacks major equipment and beds.

According to the medical officer of the facility, Dr. Abigail Amenu, the facility is unable to admit more patients as a result of the insufficiency of beds. Consequently, patients have to lie on the bare floor to receive medical treatment.

She also noted that pressure on the health centre continues to rise considering that it has to meet the needs of an ever-increasing population with insufficient equipment.

Aside bed shortage, the facility is also in dire need of a complete delivery system.

Dr. Amenu therefore appealed to the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to assist the facility to acquire more beds and other necessary equipment.

Meanwhile, a group of presenters from Dambai-based Oti Radio made some donations of bedsheets, antiseptics and liquid soaps to the health centre as a way of contributing their widow’s might.

By: Kingsley Mamore/voltaonlinegh.com

Funerals on Hold for One Month in Asogli

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Volta Online

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July 31, 2018

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Togbe Afede XIV in state — Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asorgli

As part of preparations towards the annual Te Za celebration of the people of Asogli, the Asogli State Council has in a press release, laid a customary ban on funerals in the entire state for a month.

The release signed by secretary of the Council, Mr. Stephen Tetteh indicated that the ban takes effect somewhere in the months of August and September in preparation of this year’s Asogli Te Za.

“The Asogli State Council therefore announces that the customary ban on funerals in the entire Asogli State will take effect from Wednesday, 15^th August, 2018 and end on Sunday, 16^th September, 2018.”

The ban which is an annual phenomenon observed for one month prior to the celebration of Te za is to be strictly observed, implying that all funerals and burial ceremonies are to be suspended until the ban is lifted.

“The Agbogbomefia Togbe Afede XIV and his chiefs appeal to the general public to co-operate with them by strictly observing the one month ban on funerals to ensure a peaceful and successful celebration.”

Asogli Te Za (formerly Asogli Yam Festival) is celebrated annually by chiefs (Togbewo, Mamawo) and people of Asogli State in the Volta Region of Ghana. It is celebrated every September to thank God and also the gods and ancestors for a bumper harvest, and as an occasion to offer prayers for good health and prosperity.

By: Eyram Anaglate/voltaonlinegh.com