Table Tennis Assoc. scouts for Players to Represent Volta at National Sports Festival

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June 16, 2018

The search for the best backhand and forehand experts to represent the Volta Region in Table Tennis at the National Sports Festival is scheduled to come off on Saturday, June 16, 2018.

Scheduled to start at 11am at the Centre for National Culture in Denu, players from schools as well as communities across the Volta region are expected to battle for places at the Sports Festival in Cape Coast.

The one day single round robin Justifier which seeks to rank the players will also serve as a selection process for the National Table Tennis League next month with the best of five (5) games per match.

Head Coach of the Regional Table Tennis Association, David Senyo Ahiaba speaks to TalksenseSports ahead of the preparation for the two upcoming events.

“We are preparing for the Sports Festival, so it is a Justifier. For the boys, I am expecting 15 and the girls, about 10. The ones to win and score more points are the ones to be considered and we will use that to rank them. We actually want to use the same justifier to rank them and select players for the National table tennis League next month. So the first three will go to the Sports festival but for the league, they’ve asked for eight players. So as and when the league progresses, we add the rest of the players.”

Players who represented the region at last year’s edition at Kumasi managed 3rd places in the group stages of both male and female categories, failing to progress to the Semifinals. They were though ranked 5th overall at the end of the Festival.

The enthusiastic Association is therefore striving to redeem themselves at Cape Coast from July 29 to August 9, 2018.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/Voltaonlinegh.com

Nominations Opened for Ghana Cricket Association Elections

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Volta Online

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June 15, 2018

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The Ghana Cricket Association (GCA) this week opened nomination for Executive elections its National elective Congress on Saturday, July 14, 2018.

The Congress which will be held at the Conference Hall of the Theodosia Oko Hockey Stadium in Accra at 10am, will see Delegates from across the country elect a new President, Vice President, Treasurer and three (3) executive members for the association.

The Delegates would include representratives of players, coaches and umpires in addition to the representatives of the various regional chapters.

A statement from the GCA directs all interested persons to pick up Nomination forms at the GCA Secretariat at No. 13, Odanta Street, Asylum down between the hours of 8am and 5pm from Monday to Friday.

Closing date for the submission of the nomination forms is Monday, June 25, at 12:00pm, the statement added.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/Voltaonlinegh.com

We Want a Credible Bill- RTI Coalition

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Volta Online

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June 14, 2018

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RTI — Kwesi Boateng Assumeng, Programme Officer of GACC

The RTI Coalition consisting of Ghana Anti- Corruption Coalition (GACC), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and SEND-Ghana leading the Right to Information (RTI) Action Campaign, an advocacy for the passage of the RTI Bill into Law has identified some shortfalls in the Bill which is currently before parliament.

The RTI Bill which is expected to make credible information easily accessible by the media and every Ghanaian to contribute to anti-corruption in the country, has been in parliament for well over 17 years because successive governments have failed to implement it despite the numerous assurances.

Even though progress has been made resulting in laying of a report before Parliament on the Bill by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on May 23 and the subsequent second reading of the Bill on June 7, the campaigners have kicked against some portions of the Bill which they want taken off entirely or reviewed to ensure a credible Bill.

This came to light at a media engagement on Wednesday, June 13, in Ho, Volta Region to sensitise media persons on the RTI Bill 2018.

Mr. Kwesi Boateng Assumeng, Programme Officer, GACC said passing the Bill into law with clauses such as 12 and 13 which border on exempt existing with tax liability, tax returns and withholding information that is in process regarding opinion, report or recommendation, which are inconsistent with the Bill, implies that “the RTI Bill is defeated.”

According to him, there should be serious consideration for the principles of maximum disclosure and Proactive disclosure which provide for public institutions to make updated information readily available to the citizenry.

The Campaign also sought to have Parliament’s interpretation on the Office of the President in the exempt clause provided in clause 5.

Mr Assumeng said there are Ministry of Special Initiative, Ghana Aids Commission, MASLOC among others under the Office of the President and lumping them together without any proper definition would amount to “Denial Bill or Law.”

“The Office of the President should be interpreted. Are we only talking about the Presidency or it’s all encompassing; capturing or bothering on all the other myriad of agencies that fall directly under the Office of the Presidency? If we leave it as it is, it is very problematic and you have agencies that fall directly under the Office of the President exempting information to say that, the law says these are exempt clauses so we cannot make it available. We’re saying, that should be rightly defined under the current Bill.”

He however applauded the Committee for working on few of the proposals including the fee- based where applicants will not pay except for retrieval and peculiar services and reducing the number of days an applicant can gain access to information.

The Executive Secretary, GACC, Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh underscored the importance of the RTI Bill to the media industry as well as to every individual in Ghana.

She therefore asked the participants to take the training as a learning process so as to undertake informed programmes and reports in throwing their weight behind the efforts in getting a credible Bill or Law for the overall good of the citizenry.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Enterprise Ghana Invests over USD 50, 000 in Volta Region

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Volta Online

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June 13, 2018

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Enterprise Ghana, a social programme with the aim to connect US investors to entrepreneurs in the Volta Region with the purpose of eradicating poverty, has supported a local Bee Farmer with an amount of GHS75, 000 for business expansion in addition to 4 other applicants who would be receiving various forms of support.

Madam Judith Akos Attamah of Honeyworld Honey from JA24 Foods Company operating in Greater Accra and Volta regions got awarded after a critical survey conducted on her business by the investors.

The others, Vozbeth K. Azumah and Napoleon Edem Donkor would receive funds to run a pilot of their project while Mabel Wurah and Florence Hini-Yevu-Agbi would receive some funds as loan to run their businesses.

According to Mr. Clint Morse, one of the investors, Volta Region is their preferred destination to invest because the region has a lot of business potentials mostly in the agriculture sector and that necessitated the project to financially support small scale business owners in the region to expand their businesses and create job opportunities.

He said their first step in the region is to support the growth of businesses in the Ho municipality and its environs and then in the future revamp collapsing businesses across the region as a whole.

Clint indicated that 40 per cent of profits out of the GHS75,000 will go to Enterprise Ghana and 60 per cent to the beneficiary (JA24 Foods) to run the bee farming.

Speaking at a short meeting to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the excited beneficiary (Judith Attamah) noted that she has been in the system over the past five years yet her company could not expand nor attract publicity due to financial difficulties.

She expressed hope that with the support from Enterprise Ghana and its U.S partners, her company will see an expansion, increase in production and employment.

Judith revealed that JA24 Farms would purchase, out of the money, a van or pick-up to ensure smooth delivery of the honey to its customers.

About the Project and Way Forward

EB Consult coordinated the press launch of Enterprise Ghana, on March 26, 2018. Advertisements followed on radio and social media platforms about the investment opportunity being provided by Enterprise Ghana.

About 100 applications were received by the close of business day of April 24, 2018. The team reviewed all the applications and reduced the number of applicants to 12.

At a selection interview earlier this month, Judith Attamah of JA24 Farms emerged the overall winner with the other four applicants who would receive supports worth over $50,000.

Board of Directors has been commissioned by the investors to oversee the business, and it would engage more young entrepreneurs mostly in the Agriculture sector in the region with similar amount or more in the future.

By: Albert Kuzor/voltaonlinegh.com

Volta Netball Selects Ten in First Justifier for Sports Festival

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Volta Online

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June 13, 2018

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The Volta Regional Netball Association has selected ten (10) players for further justification for this year’s National Sports Festival in Cape Coast. The selection followed the Association’s first Justifier held at the Adidome Senior High School (ADISEC).

The Justifier which came off on Sunday, June 10 saw 24 individual players from Keta-Blamezado, Sogakope, Ada, Tefle, Mawoekpo and other old students from Akatsi College of Education, Sogakope SHS, Adidome SHS, and Aviyeme Battor SHS. The 7 aside single sex game which begun in the early hours of Sunday, had Bernice Gakpey, Emefa Agboado, Isabella Asilevi, Gloria Azumah, Ruth Agyeman, and Joyce Narh. Others who completed the number included Lawrencia Dravi, Beatrice Deku, Queen Asinyo Doe and Bridget Misroameda.

Regional Chairman who doubles as the Volta Region P.E Coordinator, Bright B Dotse, Secretary Jack Adamah and other technical handlers were there to ensure they picked the best players.

Speaking to TalksenseSports, Regional Coordinator, Selorm Dusu said they will conclude the selection process in Ho at a yet to be set date, as the Northern zone cannot hold their Justifier due to busy schedules of the colleges.

Despite this challenge, the Association remained optimistic of getting the best players to represent the region in battling the rest for laurels.

“There is a little problem. The Northern zone made up of the colleges are now writing their exams so we can’t have the Justifier there, for this reason, we intend just picking the very good ones for the final selection at Ho. We also had information that the Inter Colleges Games will also take place around the Sports Festival date in Tamale and it will be a major problem for the team.”

“The Justifier went well, we had quite a number of players participating and we are expecting the other zones to have it. In short, everything was successful and it was also very competitive as we had individual players instead of clubs, and that was ok.” He added

This year’s Sports Festival at Cape Coast, comes off from July 29 to August 9, 2018.

By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey/voltaonlinegh.com

MTN Touts Achievements; As It Rounds up IPO Launch in Volta

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Volta Online

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June 12, 2018

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Telecoms giant, MTN Ghana has ended a nationwide launch of its Initial Public Offer (IPO) for subscribers and stakeholders at the Volta Regional Capital, Ho after successful launches in the other nine regions of the country.

The IPO which was officially launched on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 and expected to end on July 31, 2018 at 5pm would give Ghanaians and the general public the opportunity to own 35 per cent shares of MTN Ghana.

Speaking at the Regional launch on Tuesday, June 12, General Manager of MTN Business, Sam Addo said the offer is to allow the telecom company fulfill a regulatory obligation regarding the purchase of one of the 4G spectrum licenses in 2015 and would possibly be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange on September 5, 2018.

“As many of you are already aware, MTN is listing its shares to meet conditions agreed in 2015 when it acquired the right for the 4G license. With Tuesday’s launch, we have made history as the first Telcom to be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange at the conclusion of this exercise.”

He touted some achievements made so far by MTN in terms of being the first to introduce GSM technology, attain nationwide coverage, launch 3G, Mobile Money, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Foundation and 4G Mobile services among others.

“We have more than 200,000 retailers and our Mobile Money service has contributed significantly to employment creation with jobs for over 100,000 merchant points across the country who received a total of about 50 million USD (GHS226m) as commission in 2017,” Mr. Addo added.

The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Maxwell Blagogee who was the Guest of Honour at the launch commended the Board and Management of MTN Ghana for taking such a giant step to ensure 35 per cent of its shares is made available to Ghanaians.

He used the medium to appeal to Management of MTN to strive for 100% of their network coverage in the region to facilitate communication while asking for 3G technology to cover all the 25 administrative district capitals to ensure students have unhindered access to the internet for research among other things.

The telecom giant is hoping to raise an amount of GH¢347 million from 4.6 billion shares on offer at the cost of GHp75 per share.

The investing public can buy their shares from some selected banks, Selected MTN Ghana branches, IC Securities (Ghana) Limited, and through mobile money. Alternatively, one can enter the URL, mtnghanashares.com to purchase the shares.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

CWSA Gets Office in North Dayi; Mgt Board Inaugurated

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Volta Online

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June 12, 2018

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The DCE (middle) in a chat with an official from CWSA

The North Dayi District Assembly has provided an office space for Community Water and Sanitation (CWSA) Management Team at Vakpo to facilitate the team’s work in the district.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Mr. Kudjoh Attah in a speech at a brief ceremony on Monday, June 11, 2018 to inaugurate the team appreciated the importance of CWSA and expressed his age-long worry about acute shortage of water that has plagued some parts of the district especially Vakpo.

He charged the staff to be hardworking and dedicated to duty so as to bring efficiency in the management of the community water system and also admonished the members of the community to cooperate and assist the team to deliver on its mandate.

Mr. Kudjoh Attah seized the opportunity to express his heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Executive Officer of CWSA, Mr Worlanyo and the Regional Director of CWSA Engineer Dugbartey for their personal roles in ensuring that his dream of solving Vakpo water problem becomes a reality.

According to him, that was the first of its kind and could only be realised under Nana Addo’s sensitive government and asked for God’s blessing for the team.

The Regional Director of CWSA on his part, assured the gathering of the readiness of his team to deliver on its core mandates. He however, appealed for the support of the district assembly and traditional authorities for efficiency.

Paramount Chief of Vakpo Traditional Area, Togbega Gbogbolulu V expressed the preparedness of the Council and the community to support the team through various means to ensure that they live in peace, tranquility and harmony with the local folks.

Various speakers at the event praised the DCE for his foresight and commitment to serve his people and prayed for God’s guidance and protection over his life.

The programme also saw in attendance traditonal leaders, newly recruited staff of the CWSA, assembly members and some party executives among others.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Ho: Crime Victims raise Red flag over Alleged Police shielding of Suspects

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Volta Online

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June 12, 2018

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Credible information reaching the news desk of Voltaonlinegh.com has revealed some unhealthy happenings within the Ho municipality, which sort to impugn the professional integrity of both Municipal and Regional commands of the Ghana Police Service.

The information pointed to the activities of two suspected criminals in town who claimed to have secured immunity against their prosecution for some offences they have been charged with.

Voltaonlinegh.com gathered the suspects, Philip Ganya, 43 and Fafali Fumey age 35, were arrested in the latter part of 2017 by personnel from the Municipal Police command at Anlokordzi -Kpakome, a notorious suburb of Ho, for their involvement in series of robberies in the municipality.

According to the sources “Ganya was arrested around August last year and he was found with India hemp and a locally manufactured pistol. Fafali on the other hand, was found with similar items including live cartridges when the police arrested him in November on his motor bike.”

Although both suspects are currently facing trial at the Ho circuit court, there seems to be some behind the scene maneuverings to get the case aborted, the sources revealed.

Some worried crime victims also narrated to this news portal, about how the suspects who are on bail have been going round the vicinity, claiming to have strong connections with some senior police officers, whose intervention would aid them evade justice.

It therefore came as a joy to suspects, Ganya and Fafali, when a mysterious fire gutted the chamber of the trial judge in the early hours of Monday, March 12, 2018, in which a number of document, including dockets were destroyed, one of the impeccable sources narrated to Voltaonlinegh.com.

The source however added that, the said joy was truncated when the two appeared before the court later that month and the trial judge announced to them that, their docket was intact and as such the trial would continue unabated.

Since then, however, no progress has been made with the trial due to the absence of police investigators in court to give evidence. A situation, Voltaonlinegh.com understands, compelled the court to adjourn the trial on at least two occasions.

Further checks by this news portal seem to lend credence to the claims of the two suspects, as the absence of the investigators in court was somewhat linked to an ‘order from above,’ warning the law enforcers not to go and testify against the suspects.

Strenuous attempts by Voltaonlinegh.com to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the claims of the crime victims have not been successful, even though sources at the Ho Municipal Police command confirmed the ongoing prosecution of the said suspects.

By: Voltaonlinegh.com

EC Impasse would create Constitutional Crisis-General Mosquito Predicts

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Volta Online

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June 11, 2018

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The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has predicted a constitutional crisis for the country if the protracted tension at the Electoral Commission (EC) is not resolved immediately.

According to him, the impasse at the election management body had obstructed the undertaking of crucial decisions and actions that should have been made after the 2016 general election.

Addressing members of the NDC at Aflao in the Ketu South District in the Volta Region, Mr Asiedu Nketia said the issues plaguing the commission must be a major worry to Ghanaians.

“My fear is that we will get so close to the next general election and there will be too many things yet undone, and if we are not careful, we are leading this nation into a constitutional crisis. We have been warned not to speak for fear of being cited for contempt. If there is anything leading us into crisis, I will prefer to talk about it and risk being cited for contempt than keeping quiet.

“Whatever is happening at the EC must happen quickly enough so they can look forward and undertake their activities before Election 2020 because the alternative will be a chaotic election; and Ghanaians are not ready for that. We demand that the results of the 2016 general election be gazetted,” he said.

Expedite resolution

He, therefore, called for quick resolution of the troubles at the EC in order not to create a constitutional crisis in the country.

Mr Nketia indicated that almost two years after the 2016 elections, the commission was yet to meet stakeholders to review the activities of that year and also plan for the next election cycle.

“Our EC has been stampeded into a situation of inactivity, as we speak now, what they need to do to bring the 2016 elections to conclusion; to review what went wrong in 2016 has never happened. And yet we’re moving gradually to the next election, all the preparatory work that ought to have started two years ago have not been done. My fear is that, we’ll get so close to the next election and there will be too many things left undone and I can assure, if we are not careful, we’re moving this country into a constitutional crisis,” he stated.

He also appealed to the National Identification Authority (NIA) to include more means of identity for the Ghana card instead of restricting themselves to passports and birth certificates.

Background

The EC boss Mrs Charlotte Osei, and two of her deputies have been engrossed in public disagreement over how affairs are conducted at the commission.

Both sides have accused each other of incompetence and financial impropriety. A petition sent to the President for the dismissal of the commissioners is being considered by a committee set up by the Chief Justice, as Ghana’s Constitution demands.

Credit: Daily Graphic

Volta region will get Undiluted Attention under Next NDC Gov’t – Mahama

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Volta Online

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June 11, 2018

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NDC UNITY WALK (1) — Former President Mahama speaking at the Unity Walk

Former President, John Dramani Mahama has promised the people of the Volta region that, a new government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will give undiluted attention to the developmental needs of the region.

According to him, the region, which has been the political world bank of the party, deserved a better deal in term of development from an NDC government, as the bird that lays the golden egg.

Mr. Mahama who was speaking at the final Unity walk of the party at Aflao Victory Park in the Ketu South constituency on Saturday, said irrespective of whoever leads the next NDC government, the party will firmly keep to this promise.

“I want to make a commitment to you that, whoever leads a new NDC government in 2021 would be committed wholly to the development of the region,” he said, while touting some legacies of the NDC government in the region, under his leadership including the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS).

Mr. Mahama however bemoaned the current government’s neglect of some road projects, initiated by his administration and stated that, “we did a lot of work in the extension of water and road construction. All the roads that we started have come to a standstill and my heart bleeds for the Eastern corridor road. However long it takes, I assure you that the next NDC government will come and finish that Eastern corridor road.”

The walk, which started from Tokor through Denu to Aflao, brought together several hundreds of party supporters from various constituencies with their leadership from the region and national, as well ex appointees and parliamentarians.

The gathering was also used to take dig at the Akufo-Addo led NPP administration, with and Flagbearer hopeful, Mr. Ekow Spio Gabrah use the describing it as a deceitful government, which was failing to fulfill its promises to Ghanaians.

According to him “They promised us, one district, one factory, one constituency, one factory; can you point to one of those factories in the Volta region, what about the million dollar? These should tell you that, the NPP is failing and only bringing hardship to pockets of Ghanaians.”

He therefore entreated the NDC’s rank and file to be steadfast, as the party was party rising from the defeats of the 2016 general elections and undergoing a reorganization to enable it recapture power in the 2020 elections.

The NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah on his part called for expedite resolution of the impasse at the Electoral Commission in order not to create a constitutional crisis in the country.

Mr. Nketiah indicated that, almost two years after the 2016 elections, the commission was yet to meet stakeholders to review the activities of that year and also plan for the next election cycle.

“My fear is that, we’ll get so close to the next election and there will be too many things left undone and I can assure, if we are not careful, we’re moving this country into a constitutional crisis,” he stated.

By: Voltaonlinegh.com