Cede Management of Kalakpa Game Reserve to Locals-Gov’t Told

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April 4, 2018

Abutia Development Union, a group of concerned citizens of Abutia Traditional Area in the Ho West District of the Volta Region have called on the government to cede Kalakpa Game Reserve, a wildlife forest reserve in the area to the traditional authorities to manage.

The Group alleged government is not using the forest for its intended purpose but rather allowing for all sort of illegal activities such as felling of trees and poaching of animals to go on in the full glare of wildlife officials.

Acting General Secretary of the Group, Mr. Michael K. Wayo made the call when he delivered a speech on behalf of the group at the durbar of chiefs and people of Abutia to mark 2018 Asafotu Easter Festival.

The Festival which was themed, “Promoting Sustainable Eco-Tourism in the Kalakpa Game Reserve”, aimed at uniting the youth in the area for social development. It attracted visitors from across the region clad in red T-shirts and cultural costumes led by the traditional warriors amidst singing and dancing through the principal roads in Abutia.

The Group believes the Kalakpa Game Reserve which covers about 32,020 hectares of land and serves as habitat for several species of birds and wild animals will be better managed when left in the hands of the locals.

Chief of the Area, Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi V backed the call of the youth and asked the wildlife officials to vacate the reserve if they cannot control the illegal activities,

He urged the youth to come together for the development of the area while advising them to remain good citizens in fighting that cause.

Meanwhile, Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi V expressed appreciation to the government in anticipation of the water project that his area is to benefit from and asked that government walks the talk by completing the project by the end of 2018.

He also appealed to the government through the Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa to bring back contractors to the abandoned Abutia-Juapong road to pave way for easy transportation of their farm produce to Accra and Tema.

By Albert Kuzor/voltaonlinegh.com

Anlos Enstool Fisheries Minister As Development Queen

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Volta Online

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April 4, 2018

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Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye enstooled as Mama Dunenyo I

Chiefs and people of Anlo Traditional Area in the Volta Region have enstooled Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye as development queen, Mama Dunenyo I of Dzelukope for her sterling performance as Minister.

The Minister, also the Member of Parliament for Krowor Constituency in the Greater Accra Region was enstooled on Monday, April 2 at an Easter Homecoming Honouring Durbar held at Gobah Beach, Dzelukope in her honour.

Mama Dunenyo I in a procession to the durbar

The event which was under the theme: “Rekindling the communal spirit for clean and safe environment towards holistic development of Dzelukope” was to honour the proud daughter of the land for being the first female minister from the area.

The honouring of Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, whose mother comes from Dzelukope, Keta was an initiative of Dzelukope Development Committee to serve as role model and to motivate other women from Dzelukope and Anlo to aspire to higher heights in Ghanaian politics.

The ceremony also saw the presentation of a citation to the minister and honouring of her husband for his supportive role.

The Awoamefia of Anlo Traditional Area, Torgbui Sri III who graced the occasion commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for making Anlos and the people of Nungua proud by appointing their daughter to serve in his government.

Torgbui Sri III said he is happy the ceremony took place because the Anlo state has recognised the good works of the Minister and planned to honour her. He therefore, urged all to come on board to make her work easy.

Mama Dunenyo and Torgbi Gobah at the durbar

Torgbi Gatsiko VI, Chief of Dzelukope who chaired the occasion charged Mama Dunenyo I to put in place measures to revamp the fishing industry in the area to secure the employment of people.

According to him, fishing, the main occupation for the people is no more a profitable venture because of illegal methods like light fishing and others being adopted causing the depletion of the fish stock.

He also called on Mama Dunenyo to facilitate the construction of roads in town leading to beaches to ensure easy tranportation of fish to homes and markets and also called for the dredging of the Keta Lagoon which is expected to increase the fish yield.

Mama Dunenyo in a speech expressed gratitude for the honour and assured the gathering of her best to address the issues raised and disclosed that the Ministry has plans aimed at reviving the fishing industry in the country.

Presentation of citation to Mama Dunenyo

In attendance at the honouring durbar were the Representative of the President, Mr Blankson, Volta Regional Minister, Dr Letsa, Anlo and Ga chiefs, Municipal Chief Executives from Keta and Ketu South, constituency executives of New Patriotic Party, among others.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy Storm Aflao to Activate Zylofon Cash

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Volta Online

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March 29, 2018

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Aflao hosts Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale and others in Zylofon Cash Activation Concert

Aflao Township will be electrified as it will be invaded by a number of Ghana’s finest in the music industry this Easter Sunday, April 1.

Leader of Shatta Movement (SM), Shatta Wale, and President of Bhim Nation, Stonebwoy are top on the list of artistes expected to perform on the night.

The two will be supported by other national and local musicians as Zylofon Media, one of the biggest and exciting brands in Ghana’s entertainment industry is set to launch its latest innovation; Zylofon Cash in the Volta Region.

The launch which will be heralded by a musical concert dubbed: “Zylofon Cash Activation Concert” at the Victoria Park in Aflao is one of several activations to be done across the country.

Other artistes from the Zylofon Record Label expected to perform on the night as circulated in posters on social media include: the Sensational Becca, “Betweener” hitmaker, Kumi Guitar, Gospel Singer, Joyce Blessing and Rap Monster, Obibini.

This concert will be used to educate the general public about Zylofon Cash; a system that intends to help talents or creative individuals to make money by means of royalties, serving as a local YouTube channel which will generate cash per number of views.

The Artiste of the Year at the just ended Volta Music Awards (VMA), Agbeshie will lead a formidable team of award winning musicians from the region; Keeny Ice and Kasare to excite patrons.

They have promised to let the big names know that the Volta region is a cradle for international music talents.

Other artistes from the region who will also be performing are the VMA Hip Pop Artiste of the year, Kula, Hip-life Artiste of the Year, Chief One, Performer of the year, Nuh Prince, Raggae/Dancehall Artiste, Kush Elikem and a lot more.

By voltaonlinegh.com

Akatsi North Farmers Get 60,000 Seedlings to Boost Agriculture

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Volta Online

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March 29, 2018

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DCE for Akatsi North waving at the gathering

Famers in the Akatsi North District in the Volta Region are to benefit from over 35,000 cashew and 30,000 palm seedlings for free in May this year under the government’s flagship programme “Planting for Food and Jobs” (PFJ).

District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Dr. Prince Sodoke Amuzu who revealed this during a durbar of chiefs and people at Ave Dakpa to climax this year’s Ameshigbe Fesival that took place on Saturday, March 24, 2018. said the project is part of efforts to promote government’s agriculture and industrialization policy in the district.

The Ameshigbe Festival is celebrated annually by the people of Ave Traditional Area in the Akatsi North District to commemorate the relocation of their forefathers from the banks of the Volta Lake in then Tongu now North Tongu District to their present abode and also to mark the beginning of a new farming season.

Dr. Prince Sodoke Amuzu said oil palm is one of the cash crops in the area which has remained a source of income for many in the area therefore, vowed to make efforts to expand the oil palm industry starting with the initiative to supply the seedlings.

He however, bemoaned the situation where much focus is placed on just alcohol extraction from the oil palm when there are other valuable products that palm offers.

“As we speak there is a lot of oil palm in this district but almost all of them will end up being palm wine and akpeteshi meanwhile a lot of produce can come out of oil palm.”

Dr Amuzu disclosed cashew production is a new area he would encourage farmers in the District to venture into in addition to innovative ways in oil palm production and, saying, measures including agriculture extension services and sensitisation workshops for beneficiary famers will be adopted to ensure the initiative is a success.

Togbui Nyameko Glagbe V, Paramount Chief of Ave Traditional Area, commended the government for its flagship programmes such as 1 District-1 Factory (1D1F) and PFJ policy as well as the Assembly’s efforts in bringing progressive change to his area and charged the DCE to do more to facilitate development in the area in order to arrest the issue of rural-urban migration

By: Albert Kuzor/voltaonlinegh.com

Support Us, We Need Money- Elorm Beenie

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Volta Online

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March 28, 2018

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Author and Publicist, Elorm Beenie has called on men and women of means from the Volta Region to support the arts and entertainment industry in the region to grow.

According to him, artists in the region have the talents but lack financial support and resources needed to take them places and there is the need to invest in them.

He made this call during the maiden edition of Volta Music Awards (VMA) which came off at the Ho Technical University (HTU) auditorium. The Awards which was on the theme: Celebrating Volta Excellence was initiated by Eventic Gh together with Volta Regional branch of Musicians Unions of Ghana (MUSIGA) to reward the efforts of musicians, individuals and institutions who are promoting Volta music.

The Publicist for Stonebwoy and Samini who is also playing the Consultancy role for VMA said though most of the big Ghanaian acts at the mainstream and international level are from the Volta Region, it is extremely difficult promoting Volta Music.

“Other regions are supporting their artists and putting money into them, what are our rich men and women in the Volta Region doing for our artists”, he demanded.

Elorm Beenie was however grateful for the presence of Member of Parliament for Ho West and two chiefs from Anyako Traditional Area who sat in throughout the event and appealed to other traditional leaders and stakeholders to support the development of the industry.

Meanwhile, Sammy Baah Flex, who speaks for Zylofon Media commended the organisers of VMA describing it as a great initiative. He disclosed his organization will be part of the 2019 edition of the Awards.

The event which witnessed wonderful performances by great artists from the Region had Agbeshie awarded as the artiste of the year with two other big winners, Kasare and Keeny Ice sweeping three awards each.

By: Ewoenam Kpodo/voltaonlinegh.com

Seek Medical Treatment for Mental Illness-Philanthropist

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Volta Online

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March 28, 2018

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Dr Wolthusen addressing the participants

A German philanthropist and founder of Volta Region-based non-governmental organization (NGO), Home of Brain, Dr. Rick Wolthusen has reiterated the need for the people to seek medical attention for the treatment of mental health illness, saying, is a health related problem which is not caused by witchcrafts and need to be treated by doctors not at prayer camps

Dr. Wolthusen however, said family and loved ones can socially support mentally challenged persons with prayers in the churches but not to keep the patients in the prayer camps for long in anticipation of miracles.

“You have people to go to churches; there is nothing wrong with it but same time we know, we need to understand that the longer the medical mental condition is untreated the more severe are the symptoms, the more the brain damages”

He advised that instead of physically and emotionally abusing the mental patients, limiting their rights and ignoring them in the streets, family members and volunteers should seek urgent medical treatment for such people, show them love in several ways and keep relationship with them as a process to speed up their rehabilitation.

Dr. Rick Wolthusen made this known at a workshop held on March 27, 2018 at the Ketu South Municipal Assembly Hall on Brain Awareness and Healthy Reporting to Promote Brain Health for Journalists in the Volta region.

The training which also aimed at dealing with issues confronting mentally challenged persons and ways to eradicate them, attracted several reporters from various media houses, health workers, officials from NCCE, the Assembly, and Volunteers.

Participants in a pose after the workshop

Reportage on Mental Issues

Mr. Courage Ahorlu, a Mental Health Practitioner suggested that journalists should be more circumspect in reporting stories relating to mental problems.

According to him, even in violent cases, “as professional journalists you need to withhold terrifying scenes and actual details of person and location involved in order to maintain the public’s confidentially especially, in the children.”

Mr. Ahorlu believes doing so will reduce chances of others attempting to engage in such practices (suicide cases especially) when they find themselves in similar situations and sometimes, out of curiosity. “A child who heard that a boy hanged himself to death, he/she will say let me also try to see what will happen”, he explained.

He therefore, appealed to journalists to avoid using shocker headlines to attract readers and keep it simple in order not to let the brain to attempt such violent act and asked that they are always conscious of the side effects the story will have on the readers and not their fame.

By Albert Kuzor/voltaonlinegh.com

Volta Gets 10,000-Seater Capacity Sports Complex

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Volta Online

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March 28, 2018

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Rep of WILKADO taking dignitaries through the design

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has cut sod for 2.4 million dollars multi-purpose Youth Resource Centre to be constructed in the Volta Region as part of the government’s commitment to revamp the sport sector.

The project is one of the sports facilities the Ministry has promised to undertake in all ten regions in the country to help develop sports among the youth.

Speaking at a short ceremony to cut the sod for the project held at Adaklu Nuwunu, a suburb of Ho, Issac Asiamah, the Minister responsible for Youth and Sports said the facility would go a long way to providing more sports men and women from the region.

He said over the years, the unavailability of such infrastructure has hindered the development of talents among the youth, thus prompting the Ministry into providing such multi-purpose facility and assured sod is expected to be cut for similar projects in the remaining regions,

The facility when completed will contain: FIFA standard field, eight (8) athletic lanes, counseling centre, entrepreneurship and ICT centre, shop spaces, tennis and basketball field, swimming pool and a 10,000-seater capacity, the Minister said.

An aesthetic design of the sports complex

Hon. Issac Kwame Asiamah who is also Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua Constituency, said the Ministry will ensure regular maintenance and monitoring to keep the facility in good shape at all time for generations to come and expressed gratitude to the chiefs and landlords who gave out the land for the move.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa also present at the ceremony was grateful for the project and pledged to work hand in hand with the contractor (WILKADO Construction) in order to complete the project on time.

By: Albert Kuzor/voltaonline.com

Pencils of Promise Builds More Schools To Improve on Education

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Ewoenam Kpodo

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March 28, 2018

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Pencils of Promise, a non profit group based in Volta and Eastern regions of the country has built over 100 basic schools to improve upon education.
The country director Mr. Freeman Gobah revealed this at a Stakeholders Meeting held in the Volta Regional capital, Ho to review the Organisation’s progress in 2017 and plans for 2018.
He said in 2017, the Organization also known as PoP built 129 schools in the country’s two regions, Volta and Eastern, with eleven (11) ongoing and six (6) about to kick off in March 2018.
Mr Gobah said under his management, PoP was able to provide E-learning equipment to schools, initiated Water and Sanitation Projects, Girl Child Education and Health programmes which to him, made learning and teaching in the beneficiary schools satisfying.
He further said PoP is planning to open its Western Regional branch this year in an attempt to extending its reach to more remote communities in the country.
Some head teachers who attended the meeting confirmed activities of PoP, saying, its initiatives facilitated teaching and learning in their schools.
A representative of the Volta Regional Education Directorate at the event in a speech admitted that many schools in the Region have benefited from PoP programmes and also commended the Organisation for its role in promoting girl child education.
Member of Parliament for Agortime Ziope, Hon Charles Agbeve, also expressed gratitude to PoP for their interventions, saying, several schools under trees have been redeemed by them and promised to always make his office available to the Organisation.

By: Albert Kuzor/voltaonline.com

MALISANAT; Your Best Easter Destination In Volta

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Volta Online

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March 28, 2018

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Easter is approaching and it is that time of year when most Christians reflect on the death of the Saviour Jesus Christ, and his resurrection heralded with the celebration of Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday and Easter Monday (usually used for picnics).

For most people, Easter presents a perfect time for reconciliation, family reunion and relaxation in an environment that connects the soul with nature. If part of your plans for this season is to visit the Volta Region, then I would recommend my discovery for this year’s Easter; and so it is for those who are yet to decide where to celebrate the season.

From my last year’s exciting experience at the African Hill Resort on the hills overlooking the Volta Regional capital, I have this year settled on a place known as the Gate-way to Ho.

Located at Sokode-Gbogame -; just by the main road that leads to the Regional Capital, Ho; MALISANAT Hotel would give you a refreshing hospitality experience.

Built with bricks and attractive green lawns and flowers, MALISANAT is a home away from home; providing decent accommodation for its clients.

They provide varieties of sumptuous local and continental cuisines for inhabitants and revelers.

At night a lightening cable laced around the locally designed pentagon hut exudes enough beauty and style. There are smaller huts too. Inside the main hut are a bar and a lounge with Afrocentric furniture and artifacts that portray the culture of the people of Volta.

As we celebrate the season, the CEO of MALISANAT Hotel, Mr. Frank Adetor is promising exciting Easter Nights at the “gateway” to Ho.The vehicle parking space is spacious enough to host a concert and Mr. Adetor is promising some good surprises.

On Holy Saturday and Picnic Monday evenings, the Hotel would stage a Borborbor performance; a popular music dance and a Pork Festival at its premises. The event promises to be exciting and irresistible.

So when you run from the buzzing cities and on your way to the Volta Regional capital, all you need is a rhythmic sound of Borborbor with women wiggling their waists and backsides to make the most prolific dance steps; accompanied with other memorable services of MALISANAT Hotel at the mouth of Ho to take off all boredom.

By King Nobert/voltaonlinegh.com

Volta Colleges of Education Cry For Help

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Ewoenam Kpodo

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March 26, 2018

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President of Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) Volta Chapter, Mr. Bright Ababio Akpemada has appealed to the government to come to the aid colleges of education in the provision of water and other issues confronting some colleges in the region.
He bemoaned the problem of water which has persisted in E.P College of Education, Amedzofe, Dambai College of Education and Peki’s Govco all in the region without any redress.
“Till date, there are still instances where colleges of education, which have long attained tertiary status, get access to water from the most bizarre sources”
Mr. Ababio complained that stakeholders are not doing enough to help the situation citing parts of the Girls Dormitory of Akatsi College of Education which are yet to be rebuilt months after fire gutted the dormitory. Also, work on St Francis College of Education in Hohoe which recently got its roofing sheets ripped off as well as other GetFund projects in the region have stalled.
He however, commended the New Patriotic Party government for restoring the teacher trainee allowance and clearing feeding grant arrears and suggested that policies be made at addressing trainees’ needs to inspire others to take up the teaching profession.
“Things that are needed for the trainees to have a successful training in the colleges should be made available”, he said at the grand durbar of this year’s Women Empowerment Summit held on March 17, 2018 at Akatsi College of Education.
The programme which took place from 14th-17th March attracted a number of trainee teachers from all the seven colleges of education in the region and various stakeholders to the annual event celebrated by the Association to empower female teacher trainees.
By Albert Kuzor/VoltaOnlinegh