Bizzare! Man Hanged himself in Ho

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June 23, 2014

Residents of Ho ‘Kablekordzi’ near PWD, in the Volta region last Saturday woke up to a bizarre news of a young man who hanged himself in a nearby forest plantation.

The unidentified man who is believed to be in his late twenties, body was found hanging on a tree in the plantation in a decomposing state by a young man from the community.

Narrating the story, the young man said he saw a strange object hanging on a tree a few meters away from where he was in the forest.

Frightened by the sight, the young man reported the incident to some residents living in the area who later reported the issue to the Police.

According to the eye-witness, the police officers were able to locate the body in the forest, but with no indication of a self-inflicted injury on the body.

The corpse has since been deposited at the morgue while the Police continue with their investigations.

Credit: Apkablie King-Nobert/Volta Premier FM

MTN ‘Y’ello Care’ Put Smiles on Faces of Underprivileged Pupils

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Kwadwo Duodu

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June 20, 2014

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Some 140 brilliant but needy pupils of the Ave-Dakpa D/A Basic School in the Akatsi-North district of the Volta region have been presented with school bags from the nation’s leading telecommunication network, MTN-Ghana, as part of its annual ‘21 days of Y’ello care’ programme.

The programme which is an employee volunteer initiative and held in June every year provided MTN Staff at the Ho office the opportunity to mentor the pupils and interact with their teachers on Thursday.

David Woasey, Volta regional leader of team MTN, said investing in education was a top priority for the leading telecom operator, hence this year’s theme ‘Investing in Education for All.

He commended the teachers for their relentless effort in shaping the future of the children and advised the pupils be disciplined and be serious with their books, stressing that “your book is your future.. So take your studies seriously”.

The bags which were made from recycled flexi MTN souvenirs by MTN-Ghana employees, have apartments for books, mathematical sets and other learning materials pupils may need at school.

The Headteacher of the Ave-Dakpa D/A Basic School, Mr. Korto Abeilekpor, described the gesture as a ‘great feeling’ and a morale boaster for the children, because “some pupils do not even have rubber bags for their books.”

An elated primary six pupil and a beneficiary, Kporvi Janet said the bag will help her properly safeguard her books especially in this raining season. “Now the rain will no longer wet my books and they can last long”.

The 21 days of ‘y’ello care programme is an annual employee volunteer initiative and affords MTN employees in all the 22 operating countries to volunteer their services and resources to support community enhancement projects.

MTN Ghana through its foundation as part of its corporate social intervention programmes (CSI) provided various educational infrastructure and facilities to schools across the country, including a 30-seater ICT Centre and Library for the Aborlove/Nolopi Junior High School in the Keta municipality in April last year.

‘Beware of fake Certificates’-NAB cautions public

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 25, 2014

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The National Accreditation Board is raising alarm over the proliferation of fake certificates being awarded by some unaccredited institutions operating both within and outside the country.

Mr. Richard Kojo Adjei, Deputy Executive Secretary of NAB said the situation is gaining notoriety because of the proliferation of online programmes being run by institutions, most of which are located in the United States of America and China.

‘Some people pay huge sums of money for these programmes, only to be given worthless certificates’ he stated and advise individuals to always cross check the status of institutions with the regulatory body, if they are in doubt before enrolling.

Mr. Adjei gave the caution at the 5^th graduation ceremony of the Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC) in Ho over the weekend on the theme ‘embarking on ICT pathway in the 21^st century for advance Education’.

Mr. Adjei who described the university college as an ‘obedient’ institution and commended them for adhering to regulatory standards, further urged them to adopt internal quality assurance culture, which would permeate the structures of the institution through the effective use of ICT to ensure high standards.

Hon. Kofi Attoh, CEO of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication, (GIFEC) in a key note address underscored the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in transforming all spheres of life including education and called for its adoption to enhance teaching and learning.

He said use of ICT in institutions of higher learning will ensure flexible and independent learning by students, while expanding the resource pool of both teachers and students for quality research and development.

He therefore called for the effective use of ICT in teaching and learning to propel national development.

Mr. S.W.K Buami & Dr. Fayose, EPUC Registrar n President

EPUC, which is under the mentorship of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), currently runs seven accredited programmes under the Schools of Business and Theology at the Ho and Peki campuses respectively.

Rev. Dr Cyril G.K. Fayose, President of EPUC, however disclosed in his report that, the university is awaiting approval from the regulatory body to introduce nine new programmes under the schools of Computer Science, Modern Language, Education, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences as well as Social Sciences by the start of the 2014/15 academic year.

He said in readiness for the introduction of the new programmes, thirty (30) new full-time lecturers have been recruited to beef up the existing faculty of 16 full-time and 14 part-time lecturers with 37 administrative and support staff.

As part of efforts to meet the infrastructure needs of the increasing student population, which currently stands at 1506 from 54 in 2007, the university is putting up a 2-storey lecture hall at Ho-Kpodzi with the support of E.P church, Dela Chapel.

Professor Joseph Ampiah Ghartey, Dean of the Faculty of Education at University of Cape Coast, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, commended EPUC for its steady progress in developing the nation’s human capital and assured it of UCC’s support and guidance until it attain fully fledge university status.

He also asked the graduating students to be focused and not to lose hope as they enter the world of work which is very turbulent.

Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, asked the EPUC to consider the establishment of School of Graduate studies, which will give opportunity to their graduates to acquire high degrees.

He also entreated the graduands to exhibit the knowledge, skills and values acquired during their training in their various endeavours.

A total of 331 students graduated with eight receiving first class honours. Some outstanding graudands were also honoured with Mr. Joseph Kwesi Agbeka adjudged the overall best graduating student.

“Bring Back Our Girls” demo hit Ho

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 25, 2014

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The global campaign, “Bring Back Our Girls” pushing for the return of over 200 kidnapped schoolgirls by the Boko Haram militants in the North-eastern Nigerian town of Chibok has hit the Volta regional capital of Ho over the weekend.

The campaign saw dozens of Christian and Moslem Women clad in mourning attires, including some school children embarking on a peaceful solidarity marched through the principal streets of Ho, from the RTC Park to the Pleasure Gardens, early Saturday morning. Among them was also the Municipal Chief Executive for Ho, Mrs. Fafa Adinyira.

They carried placards with inscriptions ‘Boko Haram, do not kill our daughters’, ‘our Nigerian sisters, we support you’, ‘away with terrorism’, ‘Africa is a united continent’, ‘release our sisters’, among others. They sang songs calling on the various stakeholders to join hands to search for the girls, who have being in abduction for over forty days.

Addressing the protesters at the Pleasure Gardens, Madam Lena Alai, Volta regional director of the department of Gender, said the Nigerian government to do everything within its power to ensure the safe release of the girls to their families, who are in constant agony and pain, adding that the financiers of Boko Haram should be fished out and sanctioned appropriately.

She further stated that militants’ insurgence in Nigeria is a threat to the rest of Africa, and called on the Chairperson of the African Union, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who is a woman to rally all women on the continent to condemn the atrocities of the Boko Haram, while the various heads of state takes steps to disband the group permanently.

Madam Alai also reminded the security agencies in Ghana to be on high alert at the borders especially the eastern border to prevent any spill over the monstrous group into the country, as the international community is intervenes.

Rev. Mrs. V.A Kporxa, president of the Ho Christian Women Intercessors Fellowship, called for continuous prayers for the safety of the girls and their families especially their mothers, who are going through a lot in these difficult times.

Some Moslem women also condemned Boko Haram and other terrorist groups who commit atrocities in the name of Islam, describing their activities a ‘un-Islamic.’

They said Islam is a religion of peace and disassociate it from minority terrorist groups, who are trying to hijacked religion.

Mawuli School Administration Block Deteriorating

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Kwadwo Duodu

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May 15, 2014

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Mawuli School New Administration block

The multipurpose administration block of Mawuli Senior High School in Ho, the Volta Regional capital, DAILY GUIDE has discovered, has very serious defects. The block is flawed by shoddy works inside.

The two-storey facility initially started under the Public Investment Project (PIP) over a decade ago before GETFund took over. The building has three conference rooms with a combined seating capacity of over 1,000 people, a library complex with two computer laboratories and a teachers’ common room. The ground floor is disability friendly.

Tiles, Ceiling, Falling Off

Portions of the falling ceiling n botch tiles

Despite the aesthetic design and superb architecture of the block, it has ceilings falling off on the second floor, which houses the conference halls. The tiles of one of the halls which were re-fixed recently, have started giving off. This was confirmed by the headmaster of the school, John Mawusi Kwame Osei-Nyansah, when he addressed the school’s 64th Honours Day celebration held over the weekend.

In a follow-up interview last Monday, he explained that the project was handed over to the school in 2012 pending a few finishing touches; and the administrators moved into the building last year only to realize that the tiling was poorly done. The contractors were recalled to rectify the leaking roof and re-fix the tiles of one of the conference halls, yet the problem had not been totally solved. The remaining rooms had been abandoned for over four months now, according to the headmaster.

Poor Supervision Of Projects

In his address during the Honours Day, Mr. Osei-Nyansah bemoaned the poor monitoring and supervision of government projects in schools, and cited it as a major cause of shoddy works by some contractors in the country. He therefore called on government to ensure that project consultants perform their jobs efficiently.

Master Donani David, outgoing Chief Officer (Senior Prefect), also appealed for the supply of books to stock the school’s library to enhance quality teaching and learning.

The celebration was on the theme; “Committed and selfless internal structures to rejuvenate Mawuli School for Academic excellence.”

Mr. Francis Ganyaglo, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, who represented his boss, Helen Ntoso, commended the stakeholders of Mawuli School for their hard work in the development of quality human resources of the nation over the years.

Guest Speaker

Professor Mawutor Avorke, an old student and Dean of School of Graduate Studies, University of Education Winneba, noted in his keynote address that the active collaboration among stakeholders with unity of purpose would guarantee the rejuvenation of Mawuli School.

Outstanding students, including Isifu Adiya, Nyamadi Mawuenyega David and Panada Emmanuel Wimbey, were awarded as the overall best students in the first, second and final year classes respectively.

Adomi Bridge Closure Exposes Bad Roads

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 29, 2014

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A typical bad stretch on Ho-Adidome-Sogakope road

THE CLOSURE of the Adomi Bridge last month has exposed the bad nature of the alternative route from Ho to Accra, particularly the Adaklu stretch.

The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) on Monday, 10 March, 2014, closed down the Adomi Bridge to make way for rehabilitation works which would last two years. As a result, two ferries were stationed at Senchi in the Asuogyaman district to convey vehicles and passengers from the Eastern to the Volta Region via the Volta Lake.

As part of the arrangements, an alternative route was suggested for drivers bound for Ho and beyond due to the unnecessary pressure and inconvenience at the ferry sites. The route, which was purported to be in good shape, has turned out to be otherwise at some portions.

Uncompleted Portions

The alternative route allows travelers and motorists to reach Accra from Ho through Adaklu-Mafi-Adidome, Sogakofe and Tema. Although the Sogakofe-Ada-Tema portion is motorable, the portion between Ho and Adidome, which government officials say is over 90% complete, has a greater portion of it in deplorable and life-threatening state.

The stretch was supposed to have been completed about two years ago, yet government’s inability to deliver on its financial obligations has created the existing condition.

Apparently, the Adidome to Mafi area is almost complete. However, the stretch from Mafi through Adaklu to Ho is just about 60% complete, says the Volta Regional Roads and Highways Director, Ernest Duah Owusu.

It is important to note that out of the 46.8-kilometer stretch, just about 25.8 kilometers have been completed by the three contractors working on the stretch. They include Messrs Ussuya Ghana Limited, who has completed seven kilometers out of the 18.8 km stretch from Ho to Adaklu-Xelekpe.

PMC Construction Limited has done four kilometers out of a 14.8-km stretch from Adaklu-Xelekpe to Adaklu-Ahunda, while Jerricof has done 13.8 km out of 15 km which stretches from Adaklu-Ahunda to Mafi Kpedzeglo.

Scary Experience

Currently, a total of 21-km stretch from Ho through several Adaklu towns to Mafi-Kpedzeglo is left in a deplorable state, including unconstructed and uncompleted culverts as well as big potholes which collet water when it rains.

The clayey portion also becomes muddy and traps vehicles during the rainy season which has started manifesting already. Other portions also have some questionable gravel and formations that make vehicles vibrate in what some passengers have described as “a scary experience.”

More so, the portions which have been given a first coat to ease movement are yet to have additional coats. That notwithstanding, the meandering nature of the road makes night driving very dangerous, since there are no demarcations on the side and white paintings in the middle to guide drivers.

Accidents and Window of Hope

The Station Master of the Volta Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Regional Police Command, Chief Inspector Francis Gbedze, confirmed that the nature of the road caused three accidents last month.

The Regional Highways Director, Mr. Earnest Duah who also admitted that portions of the road needed immediate rehabilitation, disclosed that about two weeks ago the Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhaji Amidu Sulemani, visited the area and gave the assurance that work would resume on the roads soon.

Credit: Fred Duodu/Dailyguide

Orphans Wear Horseman Shoes

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 29, 2014

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A group of people, during the just-ended Easter festivities, presented the children of Remar Orphanage in Ho, the Volta Regional capital, with a pair each of Horseman shoes – aka the President’s shoes as according to President Mahama, he wears that brand of shoes.

The other items donated included, bags of rice, maize, beans, several tubers of yam, cooking oil, detergents, carton of tomato paste and chickens.

The children, who numbered about 26, were highly excited when they realized that they were among the privileged few to wear shoes manufactured by the same person that the President buys his from. Many of them unconsciously shouted in concert thus, “I will become a President,” as they jumped about.

This gesture was initiated by Frederick Duodu Takyi, the Volta Regional Manager of Western Publications (Publishers of DAILY GUIDE).

Presenting the items at the Orphanage on Easter weekend, Mr. Takyi expressed gratitude to all who assisted, including Tonyi Senaya, CEO of Horseman Shoes; Evans Nartey and Awura Abena Agyeman of Wear Ghana, who supplied school bags to the children; Ivy Duku Plange of SBIG and Edidson Chouest, Offshore Ghana Limited, for giving T-Shirts and pairs of shorts.

As part of the gesture, the Volta Regional Office of Zoomlion Ghana Limited also fumigated the entire Orphanage to protect the children against infections and diseases.

Abbena Ofosua Abboah-Offei and her colleagues at the University of Ghana, Legon, also donated lots of clothes, accessories and footwears.

The donation was coordinated by Godfred Nelson, Benjamin Aklaku, George Asamoah, Amenuveve Agboklu and Lambert Atsivor.

Prior to the donation, the group also facilitated radio discussions on Ho-based US FM to create awareness on the children’s home, which had been in the region for three years, but lacked adequate publicity. Mr. Olivier Kedasam, caretaker of the Orphanage, also expressed gratitude to the benefactors.

He added that “the shoes, the bags and the dresses have solved most of our problems” but appealed for more support, especially in the area of school fees which he admitted was a great challenge. He was hopeful that by the time school re-opened some benefactors would have come to their aid.

He also urged Ghanaians to purge themselves of the perception that voluntary work and charity are for the wealthy and foreigners saying, “It is for everybody to support…even spending a day to play with these orphans and the less privileged is priceless.”

Meanwhile, members of the Rotract Club of Osu RE and their Nigerian counterparts also made separate donations to the orphanage.

Credit: Fred Duodu/Dailyguide

‘Proposed technical universities need adequate funding’-Dr. Afeti

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 29, 2014

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A former rector of Ho polytechnic and the Chairman for the technical committee on the conversion of polytechnics to technical universities, Dr G. M. Afeti, has underscored the need for adequate funding for the training of students of the proposed converted polytechnics, to make the system comparable with international standards.

According to him, there was the need to bridge the huge gap between the current funding levels, adding that the government currently spent less than GH¢3,000 per year on a student in a polytechnic in the country, while in Germany, for example, the government spent the cedi equivalent of between GH¢15,000 and GH¢21,000 on every student in a university of applied sciences per year.

Dr Afeti, who had just returned from a study tour of technical universities in Germany, was delivering a paper on the topic, “Upgrading of Polytechnic to Technical Universities: Prospects and Challenges”, to mark the launch of the Students Representative (SRC) Week of the Ho Polytechnic in Ho earlier this month.

Eligibility for conversion

He said each polytechnic should be considered on its own merit against an agreed set of eligibility criteria and that a knowledgeable implementation panel might be constituted to confirm the eligibility of each polytechnic for conversion to technical university status.

Some of the eligibility requirement mentioned were institutional, teaching staff and collaboration with industry, adding that a department should be headed by at least a senior lecturer preferably with a PhD., in addition to the department having three full-time lecturers with at least research masters degrees and at least one of who must have professional or work place experience.

Dr Afeti noted that the proposal to convert polytechnics into technical universities had political, academic, technical and financial dimensions and loaded with a lot of prospects and challenges.

Justification for conversion

He said the rationale and justification for converting the polytechnics to technical universities included repositioning the polytechnics as strategic institutions for the training of highly skilled human resource to drive economic growth; and enhancing the image of the polytechnics and the attractiveness of technical and vocational education and training.

He disclosed that converted polytechnics or future technical universities in Ghana were to be modelled along the lines of the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Germany or Universities of Technology in South Africa or the Technical Universities in Kenya.

Dr Afeti cautioned that the reform process should be undertaken strategically with success as the objective and that past mistakes associated with the upgrading of the polytechnics to tertiary status in 1992 should be avoided.

The Rector of the Ho polytechnic, Dr Jakpasu Victor Kofi Afun, said the polytechnic was virtually qualified for the conversion and by the end of the year, it would acquire accreditation to increase the award of B-Tech programmes from four to seven.

Credit: Tim Dzamboe/Graphic Online

Minister Urges Companies to Consult Communities on CSR

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 29, 2014

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Madam Ntoso with officials of the Salt Company

The Volta regional minister, Madam Helen Ntoso has asked companies operating in the region to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the communities in which they operate, concerning their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. This, according to the minister would ensure that the pressing needs of the people are taken care of through the companies CSR activities and also prevent the unnecessary tension between the locals and the companies, when the projects are being undertaken due to lack of consultation.

‘Am much concern about your social responsibility to the locals… you must have an MoU with the communities, on the kind of project they needed… and that should binding on you’, Madam Ntoso noted during a reent visit to Kensington Industry Ltd, a salt producing factory at Adina and Diamond Cement Factory in Aflao respectively, all in the Ketu-South Municipality.

Kensington Industry Ltd which is a wholly own private company, is currently installing factory equipment to begin the processing salt.

Mr. Babulal Goud, General Manager, of the company assured the minister that, his company has an elaborate CSR plan with the community which includes the rehabilitation and provision of ICT equipment for schools in the area and also the facilitation of exchange programmes between the local schools and their foreign counterparts, among others. He said the company is also engaging majority of its workforce from the area.

Madam Helen Ntoso, commended the company for investing the region and supporting the government job creation agenda.

Regional Minister with officials Diamond Cement

At the Diamond cement factory at Aflao, the General Manager of the company, Tati Rama Roa, complained bitterly about the deplorable nature of the road linking the factory and the Aflao Township.

This situation does not only inconvenience the company’s vehicles during downpours by rendering the road unmotorable, but also residents living around Akporkploe, where the company is situated, as their environment are polluted with dust and its associated health challenges.

Torgbui Amenya Fiti, paramount chief of Aflao also earlier appealed to the regional minister for the road to be reconstructed, as a sign of government support to the company which has provided jobs for the teeming youth in the area.

Diamond cement which currently produces 100,000 bags of cements (5,000 tonnes) per day, according to Mr Roa is also diversifying into salt production and it’s currently setting up a factory for that purpose at Anloga.

The company also recently completed a 2.5-kilometre railway, connecting the factory to the Lome Port, which facilitate the transportation of raw materials such as klinker from the port to the factory for production of cement.

The regional minister, Helen Ntoso who was impressed about the operations of the company, commended them for their contribution to the economic development of the region and the nation as a whole. She also assured the deplorable road would be taken care of by the appropriate road agency.

The Railway line

Diamond cement Ghana Ltd, which currently employs over 400 permanent and 1,000 casual workers, has plans of constructing a jetty (mini harbour) to facilitate its operations.

The company since it began operation in 2002, it has embarked on a number corporate social responsibility projects in the region, mainly school blocks, and its currently in talks with the traditional council on how to construct a modern stadium for the people of Aflao.

Girl, 14yrs hands slashed for Abandoning Granny at church

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Kwadwo Duodu

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April 8, 2014

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A 14-year -old pupil of Ho-Bankoe Roman Catholic (R.C) Girls Basic School in the Volta region, had her hands alleged slashed for abandoning her weak grandmother at church on Sunday.

She was allegedly given deep cuts on her right and left wrists and due to the cuts, the girl could not sweep or write at school, which drew the attention of schools authorities to her.

She told the authorities that her aunt lashed her and later used a sharp metal to cut her hands.

The girl, who appeared to be in pains, told the GNA that she left the church to look for empty cartons for a school project and got home late.

Ms Mary Constance Agbo, the Headmistress of the School, said the girl could not write due to the depth of the cuts and directed that a member of staff took her to the Hospital.

Mr Edwin Gamadeku, the Volta Regional Manager of the Department of Children, described the act as cruel and said his outfit would invite the girl’s mother for some interactions.

Madam Akua Kwame, the grandmother of the girl who came to the School in tears, denied that a sharp metal was used on the girl.

She complained about the incessant insolent behaviour of the girl, including going out without permission.

Madam Kwame claimed the girl’s parents abandoned her since childhood and she was fed up with her insolent behaviour.

The girl’s aunt who was alleged to have slashed her could not be reached either by the School authorities or the GNA.